Consumer's Preference for Honey in Ibadan North Local Government Area of Oyo State, Nigeria

Information on consumers' preference plays a key role in food industry development and offers new opportunities in agribusiness. The study examined the consumers' preference for honey and its attributes in Ibadan North Local Government Area of Oyo State, Nigeria. Primary data were collected from 100 respondents with the aid of a well-structured questionnaire using multi-stage sampling procedure. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Probit regression model. The mean age and household size of the respondents were 38 years and 5 persons respectively. Seventy-five percent of the respondents were aware of the health benefits of hone:, and consumed honey. Majority (93.2%) of the consumers preferred honey to other sweeteners with local honey being commonly consumed. Supermarkets and local markets were the common points of purchase. The preferred attributes considered in the purchase of honey were: quality of honey. packaging, labeling and price. Household size, health benefit awareness and quality significantly influenced consumers' preference for honey. The study recommends that local honey processors and distributors should improve on the quality, packaging and labeling of honey in Nigeria.