Challenges to expand the customer base for Sri Lankan cuisines business in Finland : Qualitative Research based Thesis
Amarasinghe Arachchige, Priyangi Madushani (2025)
2025
All rights reserved. This publication is copyrighted. You may download, display and print it for Your own personal use. Commercial use is prohibited.
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025121838126
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025121838126
Tiivistelmä
This thesis examined the ways in which the businesses that deal with Sri Lankan food in Finland can expand the size of their clientele when the food is yet to be widely known. The reason was to discover the primary issues these businesses have, to hear what the people in Finland think about Sri Lankan food and to discover ways and plans of getting more people to taste it. Interviews with five Sri Lankan food business owners and three group discussions with Finnish and other shoppers were utilized in the study. Their views were combined and organized into themes where the information combined was both of the customers and the owners.
The research found out that Finnish do not understand a lot about Sri Lankan food, the menu is disoriented, and most people believe that the food is excessively spicy. These are what make people reluctant to try it. Customers were fond of new flavors, but they require better acquaintances, pictures as they can rely on them to make their selection, and personnel who could advise them. The research also identified such concepts that will be helpful: student-friendly offers, tasting menus such as buffets or sampler plates, increased vegetarian and vegan products, and frequent posts on social media with images and brief videos.
The conclusion made is that to expand the customer base of Sri Lankan food in Finland, enterprises must emphasize on educating customers, preparing attractive and easy to understand menus, flexible products, and better intentions to serve the customers rather than focusing on the food itself.
The research found out that Finnish do not understand a lot about Sri Lankan food, the menu is disoriented, and most people believe that the food is excessively spicy. These are what make people reluctant to try it. Customers were fond of new flavors, but they require better acquaintances, pictures as they can rely on them to make their selection, and personnel who could advise them. The research also identified such concepts that will be helpful: student-friendly offers, tasting menus such as buffets or sampler plates, increased vegetarian and vegan products, and frequent posts on social media with images and brief videos.
The conclusion made is that to expand the customer base of Sri Lankan food in Finland, enterprises must emphasize on educating customers, preparing attractive and easy to understand menus, flexible products, and better intentions to serve the customers rather than focusing on the food itself.