Brand Loyalty Of Corn Farmers Towards Their Agribusiness

The primary purpose of this study was to measure brand loyalty in the agribusiness environment by applying a validated model that measures brand loyalty.

Brand loyalty measurement in the agribusiness environment is based on an existing brand loyalty model originally developed for consumer products. The model was adapted and applied to the agribusiness environment and then used to measure the brand loyalty of farmers in the North-West Province (a corn-producing region) of South Africa. The twelve brand loyalty antecedents in the model are Customer satisfaction; Switching costs; Brand trust; Repeat purchase; Involvement; Perceived value; Commitment; Relationship proneness; Brand affect, Brand relevance, Brand performance, and Culture. Data were collected from 100 corn farmers in the region.

The results concluded that the antecedents of brand loyalty are reliable, valid, and important to measure agribusiness brand loyalty. Therefore, the model can be used as a managerial tool to measure and manage agribusiness brand loyalty and improve its competitiveness. The study, thus, contributes to the strategic management of agribusinesses in the strategic management thereof.

Keywords:     Brand loyalty, agribusinesses, Agri-environment, antecedents, strategy, competitiveness.