Branding has become an essential strategy even for staple food products such as rice. With increasing consumer awareness regarding quality, hygiene, and health, branded rice has gained significant acceptance among households. The present study aims to identify the key factors influencing brand preference of branded rice among consumers in Tirunelveli District. Primary data were collected from 359 respondents using a structured questionnaire. Reliability analysis, Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin (KMO) measure, Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity, and Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) were employed using SPSS to extract the major influencing factors. The study identified quality, brand image, price value, packaging, availability, promotion, and health consciousness as the major determinants of brand preference. The findings provide useful insights for rice marketers and policymakers to improve branding strategies and consumer satisfaction.

Brand Preference, Branded Rice, Consumer Behaviour, Factor Analysis, Tirunelveli District