An Analysis of the Behavior of Malaysian Consumers for Expanding the Export of Food and Agricultural Products

Purpose - This paper aims to examines the various factors influencing the purchase decisions of Malaysian consumers for halal food and based on this analysis, to present some measures by which Korea’s food industry could expand exports to the Malaysian market. Design/methodology - This research used SPSS 12.0 for descriptive analysis, ANOVA, t-tests, factor analysis, cluster analysis, and reliability analysis based on a total of 571 responses were included as the final data in the 600 surveys administered. Findings - Malaysian consumers had high trust and confidence in products that had obtained halal certifications. This reflects the cultural situation where 61% of the Malaysian population consist of Muslims. In terms of the consumption of Korean foods, items such as ramyeon, confectionery, and kimchi were found to enjoy high awareness and strong preference among local consumers, thus suggesting their competitiveness. Originality/value - This paper attempts to examine consumer characteristics - an aspect that had received insufficient treatment in previous studies on halal certifications in Muslim countries. This study found the purchase practices and influencing factors behind Malaysian consumers’ purchases of imported foods and Korean foods. Therefore, it is expected that this result can give Korean food industry an insights and strategies for exporting Korean food to Malaysia.