Product innovation and customer satisfaction in Nigeria brewery industry: a study of customers of star lager beer by Nigerian breweries plc. In southeast, Nigeria

Abstract The global market today has become so diversified that consumers have more interests in new things, because their needs and tastes are constantly changing. These changes in their consumption pattern therefore, calls for firms to adapt the use of innovation, as possible and significant way to satisfy their consumers. This study examined product innovation and customer satisfaction in Nigeria brewery industry: a study of customers of star lager beer by Nigerian Breweries Plc. in South-East, Nigeria. The objectives were to examine the relationship between: product quality and repurchase intention, product packaging and repurchase intention, brand name and repurchase intention, product quality and customer loyalty, product packaging and customer loyalty and name and customer loyalty. The study adopted survey research design and customers of NB Plc in South-East Nigeria represent the population. 280 valid responses were obtained from customers of NB through a survey questionnaire. The research adopted descriptive statistics and was used to present data generated from respondents. Hypotheses one, two, three and four were tested with Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Coefficient while hypothesis five and six were tested with multiple regression through the use of SPSS. The findings revealed that there are significant relationship between product quality and repurchase intention among the consumers of brewery products in Nigeria, and product packaging and repurchase intention, there is no significant relationship between product brand name and repurchase intention, there significant relationship between product quality and customer loyalty among brewery product consumers in Nigeria, there is no significant relationship between product packaging and customers’ loyalty among brewery product consumers in Nigeria, and there is also a negative significant relationship between product brand name and customer loyalty among brewery product consumers in Nigeria, the implications of these two results are that product packaging only and brand name cannot guarantee customer loyalty except if the product has the quality that can give the customers maximum satisfaction since satisfaction is the ultimate goal of every customer. The study recommended to NB Plc to increase their customer satisfaction by improving on their products in the areas of product quality. This study has implications for the update of product innovation and formulation of customer satisfaction policy in Nigeria brewery industry and other emerging economies with similar business and economic history. The limitation of this research is that it was carried out only in South-East Nigeria, therefore further research should be carried out in the whole of Nigeria. Keywords: Product quality; product packaging; brand name; repurchase1 intention; customer loyalt