Length of Stay Abroad and Cultural Influences on Food Choice: A Study of Nigerians in South Africa

The aim of this paper is to investigate the relationship between length of stay abroad and cultural influences on food choice. Cultural influences on food choice were measured based on preference for cultural food, level of satisfaction derived from cultural food, food-adventurism, willingness to pay for and consumption patterns of cultural food. A self-administrated questionnaire was used to collect data. The study covered a sample size of 42 males and 23 females between the ages of 18 – 45 and above. Participants were judgmentally recruited in Pretoria and Durban, South Africa. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software was used to analyse data. The results showed that respondents identified with their cultural food, regardless of the number of years stayed in South Africa. The findings of the study justify the profitability of the Nigerian food market, which consequently suggest potential for job opportunities and economic growth in South Africa