In the present study, the interviewees were 118 neophiles, 253 new entries and only 2 persons declared they were teetotal (who stated that they choose or are characterized by abstinence from alcohol). Neophiles include respondents that have already tried fruit wines as they answered “yes” to the c1 question (
Figure 1), whereas the new entries group has not experienced the product yet. The first group was balanced in terms of gender, while the second accounted for a major number of male (66%) with respect to the female (44%). Both groups were equally represented by individuals from the Z generation (about 60%) and Millennials (about 40%). Concerning the whole sample, 68% of individuals stated they would be willing to consume a fruit wine in the future, whereas 32% (
n = 119) indicated they would not like to try this new product. Considering the latter consumers, the percentages of responses obtained regarding the reasons why they do not intend to approach this new product (question c3 in
Figure 1) are shown in
Figure 2. As reported in this graph, neophiles (9%) also answered. On the contrary, the principal motivation was the individual preferences towards traditional drinks (e.g., wine, beer and spirits), followed by the absence of interest and attractiveness towards product innovation.
Consumers Expectations and Perception: Neophiles vs. New Entries
The expectations about the sensory characteristics of fruit wine changed within the two groups (
Table 4). In particular, if the neophiles did not expect a scent, color and taste corresponding to the original fruit, as well as a fresh drink, these latter features were awaited by the new entries. Indeed, neophiles have familiarity with this kind of beverage and the expectancy effects generated by the fruit wine consumption could have built up in their minds to remind them of previous experience(s) not only linked to extrinsic properties but also to intrinsic cues of the product [
29]. In some fruit wines, a disconfirmation between the expected taste experience and the actual one could appear; this could depend on the type of fermented fruit or the applied fermentative and technological strategies which introduce variability in the aroma profiles of wines making the original scent of fruit poorly represented. The maturity of fruit also affects the overall perception of fruity note as fruitiness can be more evident when slightly overripe fruit is fermented. On the contrary, if the fruit is collected earlier, other notes are dominant as can occur in pear wines produced with unripe fruit where a typical apple taste could be dominant [
30]. The wine produced from kiwis, for example, is described as of unusual composition and Riesling Sylvan character [
31]. Differences can be found for both volatile and non-volatile components in mango wine based on the sugar content of juice used for the production of wine [
32]. The harvest of fruits represents an important aspect affecting the composition of the grape itself [
33]. Not only this, but this effect of expectation taste disparity can take place in wines produced with neutral grapes (e.g., Chardonnay), where tropical and citrus notes can appear depending on the technology applied (e.g., addition of Gewürztraminer grape marc) [
34]. On the contrary, individuals classified as new entries expect a product that is more sensory related to the derived fruit. This result agrees with the literature, confirming that the typical characteristics of the fruit (in our case the scent, freshness and taste of kiwi) are expected in the derived wine [
35,
36,
37]. In general, different research studies have emerged on how the consumer familiarity with fruit can influence expectations regarding the sensory characteristics of the resulting drink or product. For example, knowledge of the color of the fruit, which is then reflected in the color of the drink, can determine the degree of perception of certain sensory characteristics (bitterness, aroma, sweetness, etc.) of the resulting drink [
35]. In the same reference, Gous et al. (2019) demonstrated the aroma of grapefruit-like model beverage could influence the perception of basic tastes and vice versa [
35,
36]. The authors found that specifically for the new entries, their expectations did not coincide with the real characteristics of this beverage. This remarkable result could create a risk condition of real acceptance of the drink not conforming to the expressed expectations. However, both the two consumers groups were in accordance with the expected sweetness of the fruit wine [
35,
37]. This latter aspect could be an advantage in terms of the marketability potential of wines produced from fruit; the carbohydrates contained in fruit represent a source of energy and are often associated with sweetness, an intrinsic characteristic with a powerful hedonic appeal [
38].
Among the neophile consumers, four main components were distinguished, defined by the declared expectations on the new product (
Table 5). PCA explains 63% variance among the four components. The first one (21.9% of the total explained variance) is defined by the expectation to find the new product in a big format (positive correlation) and to all the variables linked to the intrinsic product characteristics that could define fruit wine on the market. A negative correlation emerges with novelty and the known brand, since these individuals have already tested the product, but a positive one with the quality/price ratio. This component defines a consumption model expectation towards a not sparkling product, for which is not important the alcoholic degree, with the absence of sulfites, derived from quality fruit, not organic, but certified [
39]. The second component (15.8% of the explained variance) is different from the first one because the importance of relying on a known brand for a new product is demonstrated, distinguished by the new label and a good quality/price ratio. In this case, this consumption pattern is based on the acceptability of the new product, if guaranteed by a known brand [
40,
41]. Thus, this component profiles an attitude based on the brand loyalty value [
42,
43]. Additionally, in this case emerged as important the certified quality of the fruit used for the beverage production. The third component (13.9% of the explained variance) is defined by the expectations of the product (positive correlation) relative to the format and alcoholic content. Moreover, it defines a model of choice with regard to the product focused on the external aspect (label) and on certain chemical and sensory attributes, such as the low alcoholic content and the production of a still drink, as this component does not emerge as important with regard to fruit quality. The last component (11.4%) is again unrelated by the importance of the brand knowledge, while a high alcoholic content is expected, which defines a sparkling product. In general, this first analysis based on the preferences of neophiles revealed attitudinal profiles based mainly on sensory expectations and the product on the market, but not on the willingness to pay for a new product.
In the case of new entries, four components of product expatiation were defined (
Table 6). The first component (17.8% of the total explained variance) defines an expectation model about fruit wine above all to the type of product on the market (reassuring because of a well-known brand, with attractive packaging and good value for money). The other variables are also significant with positive loadings that lead back to a proactive profile that recognizes, in this product, from certified quality fruits, the importance of the alcoholic content, the presence of bubbles and no sulfites added. The particular importance of alcoholic content is in line with the frequency of alcoholic beverage consumption of these individuals. In general, this orientation pattern highlights few expectations of the product other than those deriving from their knowledge of the fruit and would only try the new product if it was linked to a known brand. Therefore, it was found that unfamiliarity with the new product determines an acceptability based only on features that induce confidence (such as the brand name) [
40,
41] or desirable features in relation to familiarity with the raw material [
44]. Instead, the second component (15.0% of the explained variance) is defined by a greater propensity to spend money for this new product, with attention on the product format and alcoholic content. Therefore, the consumer intention about the new product is demonstrated for this component by the declared willingness to pay (WTP), as well as expectations about the format. Indeed, as shown in Grasso and Asioli (2020), the study of WTP for new products, as well as extrinsic characteristics, reflects consumer acceptability and helps industries to suggest a market price in line with consumer needs [
45]. The brand is not synonymous with quality and safety for these individuals that aim, instead, for attractive packaging and a good value for money. They focus their attention on the extrinsic quality attributes of products, probably because they are still unaware of the product’s intrinsic characteristics [
46]. In fact, they do not resemble the intrinsic characteristics of the product, but believe in the correlation between the quality of the fruit and the final product. This result confirms how consumer acceptance is driven by risk perception and by the perception of the potential benefits [
47]. In addition, it has been proved that consumer knowledge and experience of a product influence product quality evaluation and choice [
48]. The assessment of those characteristics, which are directly manageable and accessible to consumers (in this case the product extrinsic characteristics), is related to an individual’s unfamiliarity with a new product [
49]. It has also been shown how the quality of the raw material and the safety of the production process affect the assessment of the quality of the final product [
50]. The third component (13.9% of the explained variance) is defined above all by the characteristics of the product and the certified quality of the fruits. Finally, the latter component (11.3% of the explained variance) is positively correlated to the willingness to pay, even if the image of the product is not so attractive. The major characteristics considered were a product obtained from organic farming (probably safer) with a low alcoholic content. Given that high neophobia is correlated with low or no WTP [
51], it would be important for a proportion of new entries to differentiate the product communication program by focusing on aspects that emerged as significantly positive in defining their choice orientations.