A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Technology in Marketing Management in the Faculty of Business at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology
The fall of apartheid in South Africa has attracted a large number of immigrants from different parts of the world, predominantly from sub-Saharan Africa. Sub-Saharan Africans immigrate to South Africa mainly in search of greener pastures and for educational enhancement. However, in pursuit of their objectives, sub-Saharan African immigrants encounter numerous challenges. One of the main challenges encountered by sub-Saharan African immigrants in South Africa is the absence of indigenous foods in South Africa?s leading supermarkets. As a result, the majority of these immigrants are compelled to modify their taste and food needs to comply with available local products. Sub-Saharan African immigrants in South Africa also consume indigenous foods obtained from friends and relatives visiting South Africa and from ethnic entrepreneurs. However, ethnic entrepreneurs are perceived to be expensive, have poor quality products and a limited variety of stocks. As a result, the majority of sub-Saharan African immigrants in South Africa prefer to buy their indigenous foodstuffs from South Africa?s major supermarkets, in the case where they are stocked by these supermarkets. It is noteworthy that, South Africa?s leading supermarket chains acknowledge the potential of the emerging sub-Saharan African immigrant market and are interested in stocking indigenous food products from other sub-Saharan African countries. However, these supermarkets lack the knowledge and understanding of the market in order to establish marketing strategies to cater for their immigrant customers? indigenous food needs. This study has established a food consumption behaviour model of the sub-Saharan African immigrants in South Africa. The model may enable South Africa?s leading supermarket chains to tailor their marketing campaigns towards fulfilling the indigenous food needs of sub-Saharan African immigrants in South Africa. The model is split into two phases, namely (1) the factors that influence the food needs, choices and desires of sub-Saharan African immigrants in South Africa and (2) the stages in their food decision-making process. It is worth mentioning that the outcome of this thesis has been discussed within the framework of the standard or universal consumer behaviour concept. The methodological framework designed to realise the purpose of this study began with a review of a rich collection of contemporary literature in the area of study. The literature study looked at theoretical arguments on the relationship between culture and food consumption, food consumption and globalization, immigrant food consumption behaviour and cross-cultural marketing. Also, a questionnaire survey and interviews were conducted with sub-Saharan African immigrants in South Africa to establish their consumption behaviour in terms of local and indigenous foods. Interviews were also conducted with executives of leading supermarket chains and ethnic entrepreneurs to find out about their perceptions of the sub-Saharan African immigrant market and for a deeper understanding of the food consumption behaviour of sub-Saharan African immigrants in South Africa. In the analyses, the author used John Seidel?s noticing, collecting and thinking method for qualitative findings while Microsoft Excel was used to establish frequencies and percentages for quantitative data. This study will make a contribution in the enhancement of knowledge on the food consumption behaviour of sub-Saharan African immigrants in South Africa. It could also serve as a reference document for South Africa?s leading supermarkets, other companies who may be interested in the sub-Saharan African immigrant market and academics who may wish to develop and pursue new areas of research in immigrant consumer behaviour.
