Consumer Behavior and Innovation in the Beekeeping Supply Chain: Empirical Evidence from Ambato Canton, Ecuador

This study analyzed the relationship between consumer behavior and the perceived innovation of bee products, using a quantitative, correlational, and descriptive approach. A 19-item questionnaire was administered to 384 consumers selected via convenience sampling. Descriptive statistics and Spearman correlations were employed. Honey was the most consumed product (73.7 %), purchased primarily at local markets (34.4 %) or directly from beekeepers (29.2 %), with price serving as the main decision-making criterion (44.0 %). The dimension of satisfaction and loyalty yielded the highest mean score regarding consumer behavior (M = 4.52), while the perception of commercial innovation recorded the lowest score in the study (M = 2.83). The overall correlation was positive, moderate, and significant (ρ = 0.515; p < 0.001). It is concluded that consumer-perceived innovation serves as a strategic factor for strengthening the competitiveness of small-scale beekeepers.