EXTENSION OF THE MARKETED PRODUCT-LINE OF TABLE OLIVES BY MARKETING A NEW LOW-FAT VARIETY - ‘KADESH’

A new table olive cultivar ‘Kadesh’, characterized when pickled green as a low-fat product (less than 3% oil) has been developed at the Volcani Center. A marketing study was undertaken in Israel in order to address inter alia, the following questions: - how do consumers perceive it? - will it introduction increase sales or will it merely act as a substitute for table olives now on the market? - are consumers willing to pay a higher price for it than for other olives, thus assuring higher profitability? The technique of marketing research employed here was developed specifically for products intended for export, with special emphasis on North American and European consumers. The results of the study indicate that the inclusion of ‘Kadesh’ among marketed olive cultivars is likely to increase olive consumption both in terms of the number of consumers and the average consumption level. Even more impressive was the willingness to pay: 45% of those interviewed were ready to pay a premium of nearly 20% on the average for the low-fat olives. The inclusion of ‘Kadesh’ in the marketed product-line can be expected to increase the overall profitability of the industry by at least 10%, a significant change.