Specialty Crop Consumer Preferences for Product Characteristics and Marketing Channels

Abstract Little research has studied consumer preferences for product characteristics and marketing channels in combination. We survey 938 specialty crop consumers in Missouri to inform preferences for 21 specialty crop products, six attributes (local, organic, GMO-free, pesticide-free, appearance, price), and four marketing channels (direct-from-farm, farmers market, warehouse club, grocery store). We observe that local and pesticide-free attributes are significantly more important than organic and GMO-free attributes to Missouri specialty crop consumers. Consumers who prefer local and pesticide-free characteristics are more likely to buy food from direct marketing channels price-oriented consumers are more likely to buy food at the grocery store.