Impact of Extrinsic and Intrinsic Attributes on Consumer Attitude with Reference to Japanese Frozen Food in Malaysia

Generally, frozen food businesses have experienced a huge demand for their products since the pandemic began as consumers were stocking up on frozen foods to reduce close contact with others. The popularity of international food including Japanese food among Muslims and non-Muslims are growing in Malaysia, developing a Japanese cuisine community. However, strong competition in the food industry especially in the frozen food market may not be easy for Japan-made frozen foods to achieve a competitive position in the Malaysian market. Hence, this study aims to investigate the role of intrinsic factors (brand reputation, price perception, Halal label and product information) and extrinsic factors (convenience, health consciousness, food quality and social influence) on attitude towards Japanese frozen food. The findings show that brand reputation, Halal label, and food quality were positively related to attitude whereas, health consciousness was negatively associated with attitude. The outcome of this research is expected to provide insights to Japanese frozen food manufacturers on the appropriate marketing strategies to be adopted to penetrate into the Malaysian frozen food market, which is expanding rapidly at present.