STAMFORD, Conn. -- Recipe-oriented Web sites can do a lot for a brand, as more than one-third of home cooks will buy a brand specified in a recipe, according to a new survey. "This statistic makes a strong case for how effective the Web can be for consumer packaged goods companies," said Lee Smith, chief executive officer, InsightExpress, an online market research firm that conducted the survey.
Most (34%) home cooks still prefer cookbooks, but 23% use the Web to get recipes. Other sources used include magazines (21%), newspapers (5%) and television (5%).
Of 44 brand-specific Web sites mentioned, Kraftfoods.com is the place most home cooks visit when looking for recipes. Thirty-three percent of respondents said they use Kraftfoods.com, the seven-year-old site for recipes, is followed closely by bettycrocker.com, with 30%, and campbellsoups.com, 25%, according to the survey. Other sites that made it into the Top 10 are pillsbury.com, hersheys.com, butterball.com, recipesecrets.com (Lipton), reynoldskitchens.com, tyson.com and kelloggs.com.
Though nearly half (49%) of online recipe seekers visit independent sites, 40% go to brand-specific destinations. Other types of sites used include portals (38%), magazines (37%), television networks/programs (28%) and cookware/appliances (7%).
Dinner is the most common occasion for online recipes, followed by parties/entertaining, snacks, lunch and breakfast.
Affiliated with the Interpublic Group and NFO WorldGroup, InsightExpress polled 797 household food preparers about their use and attitudes toward online recipe sites.
