The Study of Marketing Mix 8 Ps in order to Determine Marketing Strategies for Healthy Food Restaurants in Ubon Ratchatani Municipality

Abstract

               This study aimed to investigate the roles of marketing mix (8Ps) in the expansion of channels for healthy restaurants in Ubon Ratchathan municipality. The research findings showed that in terms of product or ingredients of the food, entrepreneurs grew some types of vegetables by themselves and ordered some from suppliers. For pricing, entrepreneurs determined price of food by considering costs and customer behaviors. As for distribution channel, most of customers directly had food by visiting restaurants whereas some customers ordered food via a fitness center or social media. Customers could search for information and expressed their opinion through Facebook, Instagram and Line of the restaurant. For communication and creation of understanding with customers, word of mouth from customers to other customers was found to be an important way. Customers normally waited for food service around 10-15 minutes each time. Some menus might require fresh raw materials to cooked immediately. Ingredients for such menus could not prepared beforehand. The main factors that restaurants used to attract customers was taste of food and its reputation. Many healthy restaurants paid an attention on details of customers by having their staff to ask the customers on their requirement. Staff of the restaurants were able to answer customers’ questions on every dish such as questions about ingredients and calories per dish. Based on the above-mentioned information, marketing mix were found to be able to use in the determination of directions of the restaurants. These included: utilizing outstanding aspects of the restaurants to attract customers, providing more distribution channels by joining important events or festivals such as food festival or OTOP events. These activities would help customers to get to know the restaurants better. These activities also provided an opportunity for customers who had never tried healthy food to try such food, enabling them to change their attitudes towards healthy food. Moreover, the healthy food restaurants should create a network with fitness centers or health centers and encourage customers of these businesses to order food from the restaurants. Such network could serve as a one-stop service for customers. The restaurants should also focus on increasing sales through social media such as Facebook, Instagram or Line as well as developing partnership with delivery companies such as Grab Food and U-bon Hero which could reduce a limitation in terms of insufficient distribution channels for customers’ needs.