Bahulu, a popular traditional food in Malaysia is produced mainly by the Small and Medium
Entrepreneurs (SMEs) who are often micro in size and function as both producers and sellers
of the food in the marketplace. A problem usually faced by these enterprises is on matching
their bahulu offer with consumers’ preferences that eventually will lead to loss of sales volume,
loss of customers and stunted business growth. This study attempts to find out how consumers
evaluate bahulu using various aspects of the food product offer. A survey on 671 consumers
from three different states in Malaysia (Penang, Perlis and Kedah) revealed that consumers
in general prioritize the product aspect more than on how it is packaged, priced and branded.
Overall, halal (label) is the most critical component expected by consumers, followed by
its color and softness (product), and manufacturer’s address (label). Interestingly, branding,
packaging and health aspect of the food were amongst the lowest ranked by consumers for this
product. Some similarities and slight differences in how each consumer group evaluates the
bahulu components were also found. The findings provide some insights for the bahulu micro
entrepreneurs (BMEs) on what to focus on when marketing the food.