INTRODUCTION

The first recorded evidence of chocolate as a food product goes back to Pre-Columbian Mexico. The Mayans and Aztecs were known to make a drink called "Xocoatll from the beans of the cocoa tree. In 1528, the conquering Spaniards returned to Spain with chocolate still consumed as a beverage. A similar chocolate drink was brought to a royal wedding in France in 1615, and England welcomed chocolate in 1662. To this point "chocolate" as we spell it today, had been spelled variously as "chocalatall, "jocolatte", "jacolatte", and "chockelet.11In 1847, Fry & Sons in England introduced the first "eating chocolate," but did not attract much attention due to its bitter taste. In 1874, Daniel Peter, a famed Swiss chocolateer, experimented with various mixtures in an effort to balance chocolates rough flavor, and eventually stumbled upon that abundant product -- milk. This changed everything and chocolate's acceptance after that was quick and

MAJOR PLAYER IN THE MARKET CADBURY (INDIA)

Trading at rs.850, the Cadbury (India) stock presents a good long-term investment option.After hitting a high of Rs. 981 in March 2000, the stock retraced to its present level. The current price discounts the latest EPS 49 times. With good growth protects ahead and a strong financial background, the stock may hold good potential for steady returns over the long term.Cadbury (India), subsidiary of Cadbury Schweppes Overseas, is one of the leading players in the chocolate and sugar confectionary segment. The parent has a 51 percentstake in the company. For the year-ended December 1999, close to 76 percent of the sales turnover was derived from chocolate followed by malted foods (22 percent).Cadbury (India) has for long been the leading player in the chocolate industry. It is virtually a household name with leading brands such as Five Star and Dairy Milk. Of late, the company has

been flooding the market with new launches. Among the successes of recent years are Perk and Picnic.In the malted food segmented, Bournvita is one among the popular brands. However, the health- drink segment has failed to lead support to the companys bottom-line in the recent past. Volumes in Bournvita have been deciding for some time. However, this is not likely to be a drag on the profitability.Cadbury (India) has levered on its marketing strengths and product range. Competition may stem from players such as nestle in the near term. Apart from this, other new players such as Mars and Hersheys may have an impact on the level of competition. However, the reduction in the excise duty on malted drinks and chocolates and the lower import duties on cocoa is likely to have a positive impact on the cost-structure of the firm. The earnings performance of 2000 first quarter was impressive. Sales revenue rose 20 per cent to Rs. 139.34 crores compared to the corresponding previous period. Operating margins declined marginally from 16.4 per cent to 15.7 per cent. Post-tax earnings rose an 11.5 per cent to Rs. 10.34 crores. If the top line growth is sustained at this level, it could provide a boost and growth over the long term. Shareholders can stay invested. Cadbury was controversially taken by Kraft co.ltd in February 2010.Cadburys market share in India is 79%

NESTLE The story of chocolate began in the new World with the Mayans, who drank a dark brew called cacahuaquchtl. Later, the Aztecs consumed chacahoua and used the cocoa bean for currency. In 1523, they offered cocoa beans to Cortez, who introduced chocolate to the world, where it swiftly became a favorite food among the rich and noble of Europe.

From the beginning, tuning raw, bitter cocoa beans into what one 17th century writer called the only true food of the gods has been a fine art, a delicate mixture of alchemy and science. Centuries ago it was discovered that by fermenting and roasting the beans, an almost otherworldly flavor could be created. In 1875, after tears of trying, a 31-year-old candy maker in Vevey named Daniel Peter figured out how to combine milk and cocoa powder. The result-milk chocolate. Peter, a friend and neighbor of Henri Nestle, started a company that would quickly become the worlds leading maker of chocolate. For three decades the company called Peter, Cailler, Kohler relied on Nestle for milk and marketing expertise. In 1929, the almost inevitable merge took place as Nestle acquired Peter, Cailler, and Kohler. Nestle chocolates has increased its sales tremendously in India. Latest news for nestle chocolates India is,that it will not only be undertaking selective price hikes, but will also be reducing the weight for its chocolate products in order to combat rising raw material costs, reportsThe Economic Times.According to company sources, the weight of Nestle's Kit Kat, Milkybar and Munch chocolate bars will be reduced by around 5-7%, which implies a price hike of around 7%. Sources expect this measure to pan out by April end, the report adds.Although Nestle's milk product division generates the majority of its revenues, chocolates generate nearly 15% of sales for the company.Nestle's move follows market leader, Cadbury India's Rs 5 (9%) price hike of its flagship brand, Cadbury Dairy Milk to Rs 60, the report says.Nestles market share in India is 14%.

AMUL AMUL CHOCOLATE is made from Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Milk Solids, Chocolate mass Composition Milk Fat 2% Sugar 55% Total fat 32.33% (Milk fat + Cocoa Fat) Cocoa Solids 7.5% Milk Solids 20% Product Specifications: Meets all requirements under the PFA for boiled sugar confectionary. A gift foe someone you love. Amul Chocolate has chosen the phrase A gift of someone for love to market their chocolate products.

Today, GCMMFs Amul brand of milk products receives business queries from dozens of countries, ranging fron the U.S. and the Netherlands to Singapore and New Zealand-thanks to an innovative marketing campaign on the World Wide Web.

The round-eyed, Chubby-Cheeked Amul Moppet has been a wildly popular advertising fixture, with its punchy one-liners amusing Indian viewers from bus stands, lamp kisos and billboards for over thirty years. The ultimate compliment to the butter came when a British company recently launched a butter and called it Utterlt Butterly, a fitting recognition of the Thorough bred, utterly Butterly Delicious Amul. Every week, Amuls topical ads for its butter products are posted on its Web site, along with recipes fore Indian dishes featuring Amul products. Archives of hundreds of topicals dating back to 1979 are available on the site. The topicals have also been carried every day on the Indian World home page.amul chocolates market share in India is 5%.

CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR

It is a segment or part of human behaviour. Human behaviour refers to the total process whereby the individual interacts with the environment. Every thought, feeling, or action that we have as individuals is part of human behaviour.

Definition:Consumer behaviour is the study of how individuals, groups and organizations select, buy and dispose of goods, services, ideas or experiences to satisfy their needs and wants.

OBJECTIVE

1.To study the brand preferences of consumers from the three brands of chocolates i.e. Amul, Cadbury, Nestle available in the market.2. To find the extent of brand loyalty of consumers that exists among different chocolate brands.3. To study the influence of various aspects on buying behavior. 4. To study the usage & brand awareness of chocolates product in among the residents of Mohali.5.To checkout the satisfaction level of the consumers for chocolate bars they are using.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Research methodology in a way is a written game plan for conducting research. Research methodology has many dimensions. It includes not only the research methods but also considers the logic behind the methods used in the context of the study and complains why only a particular method of technique has been used. It also helps to understand the assumption underlying various techniques and the criteria by which they can decide that certain technique will be applicable to certain problems and other will not. Therefore in order to solve a research problem, it is necessary to design a research methodology for the problem as the some may differ from problem to problem.This chapter focuses on the various techniques, methods and assumptions used in this study. It sheds light on the research problem, objectives of the study, and also its limitations. The later part of the chapter explains the manner, in which the data is collected, classified, tabulated, analyzed and interrupted so as to each to conclusive results.

The study is of diagnostic nature and thus the overall research design is going to be rigid. The design should provide enough provision for protection against bias-ness and must maximize reliability.

A) PROBLEM STATEMENT:-Research work is management parlance is extremely important for a given close view of the relatives of the real life business issues. For any management student who is striving to perform outstandingly. It is of paramount importance that apart from theoretical knowledge he must also gain some practical knowledge. Survey report deals specially with providing an opportunity to management students to have some exposure in real business world. My study topic deals with Consumer Behavior and different factors that influence consumer to purchase a particular brand of chocolates.

As chocolate is regarded as one of the biggest Fast Moving Consumer Good (FMCG), there are many factors in mind of consumer which induce them to purchase a particular brand of chocolate. Some of these factors are Price, Taste, Packaging, Brand name. Ever changing behavior of consumer, dominance of different brands in the market compelled me to undertake a research work in this segment. The prime objective of my study is to analyze the effect of various factors on buying behavior of consumers. B) RESEARCH DESIGN:-To analysis the buying behaviors of the residents of Bhiwani Sample Survey Methods has been employed through other methods are also important. This method is given prime significance in modern research because of its extensive use to study the relationship of different factors, attitudes and practices of society and to explore the problems that cannot be treated by experimental methods. To collect data, a number of techniques are employed under the sample survey method i.e. questionnaire. The increasing use of questionnaire is probably due to increased emphasis by social scientists on quantitative measurement to uniformly accumulated data.

a) Area of study

The area of the study is different Markets of Mohali in order to collect the Primary data from the respondents.

b) Study area Study area is Mohali

c) Target Segment Consumers of Milk chocolates bars of age group 18-25

C) SELECTION OF SAMPLE:-It becomes impossible to contact each and every individual of the population due to limitations of essential resources like time and money. Therefore, the study is preferably allowed down to a representation sample to make the study more manageable. Keeping in the view the objectives and resource limitation of the study, 100 respondents were considered. Respondents -100(Youths of age group 18-25)The selected sample is representative of the population and is accurate and practicable.

D) SAMPLING PLAN:-The following factors will be taken into consideration within the scope of sampling plan:

I) Sampling Unit: It defines the target population that will be sampled i.e. it answers who is to be surveyed. In this study, the sampling unit is youth with in the age group of 18-25 years.

II Sampling Size: - It indicates the numbers of people to be surveyed. Though large samples give more reliable results than small samples but due to constraints of time and money, the sample size was restricted to 100 respondents. Probability sampling can be of following types: Simple random sampling Stratified random sampling Cluster (area) sample In this case, stratified random sampling was done since the respondents will classified into well defined classes or strata that were distinct from each other. E) COLLECTION OF DATA: After the research problem has been defined and the research design has been chalked out, the task of data collection begins. The data can be collected mainly through primary sources, but it was supplement with secondary data.

I Primary data collection:Primary data is the data which is collected through observation or direct communication with the respondent in one form or another. These are several methods for primary data collection like Observation Method, Interview Method, through schedules, through questionnaires and so on.II Secondary data collection methods:Secondary data is collected through Magazines Journals Portals

Formation of Questionnaire Quite often the questionnaire is considered as the heart of a survey operation. Hence it should be carefully constructed. It is an investment that is widely used to collect various types of data and consists of long lists of questions designed to collect any information. It has personally been found that people are more frank in giving replies to a questionnaire than to an interview schedule. Though being less expensive, it has certain limitations like incomplete entries and erroneous responses.Formation of a good questionnaire involves intensive thinking and deliberation of the problem with predetermined objective and aims properly placed in the questionnaires.The questionnaire framed for the purpose of the study consists of a limited number of questions placed in logical order. So, that the objective of the question is clear to the respondents. All the questions are centered on the problem keeping in the mind. The questions were both open and close ended as well as multiple choices.Analysis of Data:Data, after collection, has to be analyzed in accordance will the outline laid for the time of developing the research plan. The term analysis refers to the computation of certain measures along with searching for patterns of relationship that exist among data groups. Data presented in raw state appear unrecognized and complex. Statistical processors are used this complex data into some significant understandable form.

DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPERTATION

Q1. Which companies chocolate do you prefer to purchase? Brand NamePercentage

Cadbury40

Nestle35

Amul25

As per shown in the Pie chart, the maximum market share is hold by Cadbury. And least share is hold by Amul followed by Nestle. And this result is obtained from the response of customers towards Questionnaire filled by them for the consumption of milk chocolate bars.

Q2. What is your pattern of consumption?Pattern of consumptionPercentage of consumption

More than one per day15

Daily one25

3-4 chocolates per week45

Weekly 10

Rarely5

As shown in Pie chart, most of the consumers consume milk chocolate bars as 3-4 per week, which represent 45% of the total number of surveyed consumers. And second most percentage of consumers consumes milk chocolate bars are of daily one.

Q3. Do you purchase the same chocolate every time?AnswerPercentage

Yes68

No32

As pie chart shows, 68% of the consumer purchase the same chocolate every time, it means that mostly consumers are brand loyal.32% of consumers dont purchase the same chocolate every time.

Q4. If no, then while switch over to another brand of chocolate then what factor you consider (tick any one)?

FactorsResponsePercentage

Price618

Quality1238

Brand Name39.5

Advt. and Ref. Group39.5

Taste825

As shown by the pie chart, 38% of consumers consider Quality as most important factor while switching over to any other brand of milk chocolate bars, and the second most preferred factor is Taste

Q5. Which factor you consider the most while purchasing the chocolate? Please tick any one.

Consumer's considerationPercentage

Price16

Taste48

Brand18

Packaging9

Availability9

48% of the consumer of milk chocolate bars said that the most considering factor by them on the basis of which they purchase a particular brand of milk chocolate bars is Taste of that milk chocolate bars. And the least interested factor is Packaging and Availability.

Q6. Which mode of advertisement influence you most to buy a particular Chocolate? Please tick any one.MediaPercentage

Newspaper22

Magazine14

Radio4

Television54

Others(hoardings,banner,pamplets etc)6

The buying behavior of consumers is also affected by the different type of advertisements. As shown in the pie chart, the most influencing media is electronic media i.e. TV, and the second most influencing factor is newspaper.

Q7. Which reference group influence you most to buy a particular chocolate? Please tick any one.Reference GroupsPercentage

Friends 55

Family3

Retailers1

Celebrity39

Others2

As shown in the pie chart, from reference group friends are the most influencing factor which influence consumer to purchase a particular brand of milk chocolate. And this statement is supported by 55% of consumers of milk chocolate bars. And the second most influencing factor which influence customer to purchase a particular brand of milk chocolate bar are celebrities , and this statement is supported by 39% of consumers.

8. Whether you check or consider manufacturing and expiry date while buying any chocolate?ANSWERPercentage

YES55

NO45

Pie chart says that 55% of the consumer check or consider manufacturing and expiring date while buying any chocolate. 45% of consumers dont go for that. This should be a matter of concern

Q9. How much you are satisfied with the present brand of chocolate which you often purchase?

Satisfaction LevelPercentage

Highly satisfied27

Satisfied32

Undecided21

Dissatisfied12

Highly dissatisfied8

About 27%of consumers are highly satisfied with the present brands of Milk chocolate bars in Bhiwani and 32% are satisfied. if we consider brand wise then milk chocolate bar of Cadbury is the most preferred brand in Bhiwani which holds 40% of the market share and after that Nestle has second position with a holding of 35% of the market share and the least preferred brand from the take brand to make report is Amul with a holding of 25% of market share.

LIMITATIONS

The project was successfully completed with certain inherent limitations. These limitations were:

1) The time of research was short due to which many fact has been left untouched2) The Area undertaken in research in Mohali only. But to do a complete research a wide area is required, so the area is also a constraint of the study.3) Sample for the study taken is of only 100 consumers. This can also act as a constraint in the study.4) While collecting data some of the consumers are not willing to fill the questionnaire, so they might not fill their true behavior. This can also be a constraint of the study

FINDINGS & CONCLUSION

The findings of the study of consumer buying behavior in chocolates states among all the three to brands i.e. Cadbury, Nestle and Amul. The brand at first place is Cadbury, the Nestle (2nd) and last is Amul. Among all these three Cadbury is having the largest market share i.e. 40, Nestle 35 and Amul 25. Among all these Brands Cadbury is the only company offering largest number of brands in chocolates i.e. 6 (only for milk chocolate bars). As compared to Cadbury Nestle Company is having 2 brands and Amul is with 4 brands of chocolates. For 48% of the consumers the most important factor which is considered while purchasing any milk chocolate bars is Taste of that chocolate. They give preference to other factors also, but most important thing is taste. The buying behavior of consumers is also affected by the different type of advertisements. And the most influencing media is electronic media i.e. TV, and from reference group friends are at most influencing position. Quality is the most important factor which consumers consider while switching over to any other brand of milk chocolate bars. Consumers of Bhiwani are more attracted towards the foreign brands like Cadbury and Nestle and demand that more number of foreign milk chocolate bars should be available in the market, like some milk chocolate bars brands of Swiss and French chocolates. As this thing shows that consumer of Bhiwani are more satisfied with the foreign brands and hence demand more of it. But brands like Amul are not able to get proper place in the market in spite that good advertisement is being done by Amul also. 68% of the consumers are brand loyal. The buying behavior of consumer for different brands of milk chocolate bars is affected by various factors like price, taste, packaging, brand etc.55% of the consumer check or consider manufacturing and expiring date while buying any chocolate. 45% of consumers dont go for that. This should be a matter of concern.

SUGGESTIONS

A detail study of the Consumers Buying Behavior of Age Group 18-25 For Milk Chocolates Bars was done. Some important suggestions are as follows:1. The Indian company AMUL has to review its process so as to gain brand loyalty of the consumers.2.The chocolates whose expiry dates goes off should be replaced at once and fresh stock should be offered.3.The chocolate companies should think on the matter that why the consumers switch over to the other brands.4.The chocolate companies should put more & more emphasis on the taste and quality of the chocolate so as to gain brand loyalty.5.As factors other than TV and Newspaper are considered less so companies should use the print and electronic media for advertisement in large extent.

Questionnaire

Name of the consumer____________________________________Age ____________________________________Sex____________________________________Income________________________________

Q1. Which companies chocolate do you prefer to purchase?

Cadbury Amul Nestle

Q2. What is your pattern of consumption?

More than one per day Daily One

3-4 Chocolate per week weekly

Rarely

Q3. Do you purchase same chocolate every time?

Yes No

Q4. If no, then while switch over to another brand of chocolate then what factor you consider? Please tick any one.

Price Brand Quality

Name Advert. and Reference group Taste

Q5. Which factor you consider the most while purchasing the chocolate (tick any one)?

Price Taste

Brand Packaging Availability

Q6. Which mode of advertisement influence you most to buy a particular Chocolate? Please tick any one. Magazine Newspaper Radio Television

Other

Q7. Which reference group influence you most to buy a particular chocolate? Please tick any one.

Friends Family

Retailer Other Celebrity

Q8. Whether you check or consider manufacturing and expiry date while buying any chocolate?

Yes No

Q9. How much you are satisfied with the present brand of chocolate which you often purchase?

Highly Satisfied SatisfyUndecided Dissatisfied Highly Dissatisfied

Q10. What is your suggestion for the improvement of your preferred chocolate Brand?_______________________________________________________________

BIBLOGRAPHY

BOOKS Marketing Research, Donald T.S Research Methodology, C.R kothari Consumer Behaviour, Della A.J

MAGAZINES & JOUNALS

Advertising Express, September 2006,Traditional Mass Media, By K.Suresh

Business World, November 2006 Business Today, Trends

WEBSITESwww.amul.comwww.nestle.comwww.cadburyindia.comwww.consumerpsychology.comwww.altavist.com

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