Profile and consumer behavior of food originating from Typical Handmade Products (PATs) from the coast of Paraná

Abstract

The production and trade of Typical Handcrafted Products on the coast of Paraná has taken place since the colonization period, and given its unique characteristics, this group of products currently generates an income for a contingent of more than 400 families in the region. However, despite its relevance, no studies were found to describe the consumer’s preferences, so in order to guide production, this study aimed to investigate the profile and behavior of typical handcrafted products on the coast of Paraná. An exploratory descriptive research was carried out based on interviews with consumers between February and May 2023, with a population sample of 114 consumers interviewed at the time of consumption. The study revealed that the main favorite delicacies were pastel, empadão, empadinha and risolis, and products processed based on shrimp were widely accepted by consumers (75.89%), followed by hearts of palm (28.91%) and products based on crab meat (n=12.25). It concludes that in regard to the marketing mix there is consumer dissatisfaction regarding the difficulty of finding the desired product more easily, the price considered high and the need to improve the taste of the products.