Timothy A. Woods

Consumer Acceptance and Willingness to Pay for Blueberry Products with Nonconventional Attributes

Consumer acceptance and willingness to pay for three nonconventional attributes associated with six processed blueberry products was examined through an in-store conjoint experiment survey. Both credence and experience attributes were considered, including whether the products were produced locally, and whether they were organic or sugar-free. The results indicate heterogeneity in consumer preference and willingness to pay for different attributes across product categories. Local products and organic formulations generally received positive willingness to pay across all products. This information has implications for blueberry growers and retailers who are trying to create and position value-added products for maximum revenue.

Assessing Consumer Willingness to Pay for Value-Added Blueberry Products Using a Payment Card Survey

This study offers insights on consumer acceptance and willingness to pay for three value-added blueberry products. A modified payment card approach was used. The analytical framework adopted allows the researcher to attach straightforward economic interpretation to the estimated impacts of willingness to pay factors. Results show consumer socio-economic characteristics are important determinants but play different roles depending on the products. Information on health benefits may also be important. However, it is found that outside information or consumer self-stated awareness of blueberries’ health benefits have different impacts. These impacts may function as substitutes rather than complements to each other.

Do Community Supported Agriculture programmes encourage change to food lifestyle behaviours and health outcomes? New evidence from shareholders

ABSTRACT Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programmes have recently received attention for their potential to influence food lifestyle behaviours and health outcomes, though studies have mostly drawn from small samples (n < 25). Therefore, we designed a survey to test whether CSA participation links to changes in food lifestyle behaviours and health outcomes, and assess if the magnitude of changes varies based on respondent characteristics. A detailed survey was distributed to existing shareholders from three midsized CSAs near Lexington, Kentucky, and produced 151 usable responses. Through 20 paired questions, respondents reported on their food lifestyle behaviours and health outcomes both prior to joining a CSA and then after CSA participation. Paired two-sided t-tests assess if paired means are statistically different, and multiple regressions of paired differences on socioeconomic factors, self-reported health, and years of CSA enrolment estimate the effect of respondent characteristics on behaviour change. The results strongly suggest that CSAs have the potential to positively impact shareholders’ food lifestyle behaviours and health outcomes, and that those reporting ‘poor health’ prior to CSA enrolment exhibited the most change overall. These results should be taken as an initial, yet promising, analysis of the impact of CSA participation on shareholder food lifestyle behaviours and health outcomes.

Consumer cluster analysis and demand for blueberry jam attributes.

Using a recent in-store stated choice survey, this study examines consumer preference and willingness to pay for blueberry jam with quality attributes not commonly seen on the market. A cluster analysis is first adopted to classify consumers into different groups based on a large number of consumer characteristic variables. A spilt sample analysis is conducted under each cluster and results indicate that consumers behave differently in separate clusters and the derived economic values associated with each attribute also depend on cluster membership.

Local Foods and Food Cooperatives: Ethics, Economics and Competition Issues

Consumer interest in locally produced foods marketed through local food networks has been increasing. Local food networks utilize local supply chains such as direct market sales to consumers through CSAs, farmers markets, farm stands, and other alternative outlets. Our goal is to examine the role of food cooperatives in strengthening the local food networks and distributing locally produced products. We utilize data from a national study which includes case studies with three leading food co-ops and a national survey of the general managers of food co-ops. We focus on analyzing the business strategies and competitive advantages of food co-ops sourcing local foods from local producers and marketing these local foods to consumers. We identify the emerging business practices, ethics principles, and competition issues for food co-ops with respect to sourcing and marketing of local products. Specifically, we provide a literature review on local food systems, examine local food definitions and recent trends for food co-ops, examine the business models and ethics principles for food co-ops, discuss the business strategies in sourcing and marketing of local foods by food co-ops, and examine the frequency and effectiveness of these business strategies to source and promote local foods. We show that when compared to other grocers, food co-ops have competitive advantages in working with local producers and often play a key role in the local producers’ business viability.

A Path Dependency and Cluster Competitiveness Framework to Examine Regional Marketing Systems and Conflicts

This paper develops a framework for competitiveness that incorporates path dependency within production regions. Patterns of technological innovation, product development, institutions, and market orientation follow a certain local path. This evolution creates regional economies that emerge with unexpected competitive advantage. The model draws on previous work looking at, among other things, induced innovation. The framework is applied here to the major regional tomato producers in North America. The paper examines the role of various institutions (grower associations, governments, research institutions, and support industry) in influencing the path along which a regional sector evolves.

Analyzing the Demand for New Value-Added Product: Case of Pure Blueberry Sweetener

Analyzing the demand for a new product that is not on the market presents challenges as agricultural producers search for potential value-added products and develop marketing strategies for these products. This study examines the market potential for a new pure blueberry sweetener in Kentucky. The results from a contingent choice survey indicate that the average respondent was not willing to pay a significantly positive amount for the product. However, a small group of respondents, who can be identified by their overall blueberry purchasing intentions and age, was willing to pay a price higher than the products cost of production. Small and medium-size producers who are often limited by the financial and technical constraints associated with actual market trials of new products are likely to find that the type of marketing research described here is a particularly cost-effective method of getting information to assess market potential.

Home Cooking and Willingness to Pay: Local Blueberry Pancake, Muffin, and Banana Bread Mixes in a Take-and-Bake Experiment

This article explores measurable factors that influence consumers’ willingness to pay for locally produced blueberry mixes: Pancake mix, Muffin mix and Banana Bread mix. The innovative aspect of this study is the experiential take-and-bake experiment survey used in order to evaluate consumers’ willingness to pay for the product. A survey, along with two of the three recipes – dry mixes to be combined with locally grown frozen fruit - was distributed to potential consumers at diverse locations of study. Participants were instructed to prepare the products at home, sample the prepared product and then evaluate the product and process. Sensory and preparation experience attributes for each recipe were considered as potential variables influencing overall WTP, including previous cooking experience for similar products, watching the Food Network, and related shopping choices. The post-preparation survey used a payment card approach to elicit WTP for each product tried as well as the hypothetical third product not tried. A total of 101 out of 102 participants (99.01%) completed the process and returned the survey. Average WTP for the blueberry pancake mix was

Educational Programs to Address the Economic Adjustments Facing Tobacco Farmers and Rural Communities

3.45, muffin mix

Consumer preferences for local production and other value-added label claims for a processed food product

3.25, and the banana-blueberry bread