Determinants of the Consumption of Pre-cooked Caribbean RTE (ready-to-eat) Food in Northeastern United States

The demand for pre-cooked Caribbean RTE (ready-to-eat) food is growing in the United States. Given the growing demand we use a self-administered survey among primary shoppers in random households in New Jersey, to examine their choices of pre-cooked foods and their relationship of such elements as non-price factors (such as taste, flavor, etc.) and demographic factors (such as age, income, etc.). Additionally, we examine the factors that are influencing consumers’ food choices of pre-cooked Caribbean style food. The results of the study show that the most popular or most commonly bought pre-cooked international foods were Mexican and similar foods (includes South American) followed by Chinese food. Our study shows that the factors influencing consumers’ decision to purchase pre-cooked Caribbean style food are price (distance), consumer self-related factors (ethnicity), and environmental factors (employment and income). Entrepreneurs making such foods available in grocery stores are likely to see an increase in demand if those foods are easily accessible to all consumers as well as in areas that are ethnically diverse and relatively economically wealthy.