Liens à l’origine et qualité spécifique d’un produit de l’artisanat agroalimentaire du Bénin – le kluiklui d’Agonlin

Kwlikwli or kluiklui are processed out of groundnut butter partially defatted and fried. They are part of the local diet in Benin. Kwlikwli processing builds on regional typical skills developed especially in the Agonlin region. Better knowledge on African consumers' food preferences is a condition for local products promotion. One hundred and fifty consumers in both production and urban areas have been surveyed when purchasing kwlikwli on their consumption frequency, their ability to differentiate different origins and the attributes they consider for the product assessment; results were analyzed according to location and consumer socioeconomic status. Forty percent of the consumers sample are consuming "kwlikwli" several times a week and consumption frequency is higher among low income consumers. However, a specific quality is required even by these low income groups. Facing a range of possible substitutes, consumers prefer Agonlin kwlikwli for its taste and seasoning, its odor and its crunch. They secure quality by choosing a product according to its origin and developing stable ties with their suppliers. Many urban consumers are originating from the Agonlin area and have developed stable ties to a petty trader, who is herself linked to the region of origin. Kwlikwli consumption therefore also reinforces urban consumers' social ties to their region of origin. Nowadays, this linkage is an asset for the promotion of local food among first generation urban migrants. In the future, consumers' linkages to the origin may well require a more active strategy.