Abstract
Muscadine wine, fresh muscadine grapes, and other derivatives have enjoyed a heritage niche for decades in the Southeast. Muscadine growers in North Carolina in the United States (US) have asked whether the purchase of muscadine wine is linked to consumption of the fruit itself or even familiarity with other muscadine-based products in terms of spillover effects. The authors explored the interdependency between the market for fresh muscadine grapes and muscadine wine purchase. Consumer panel data were obtained from a State of North Carolina agency with oversight of the grape and wine industry; the agency contracted quota sampling of online consumers from six states in the US South. A total of 543 cases were used in the present study. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS)® was employed in analysis. Results show that prior muscadine wine knowledge and knowledge of other muscadine products, e.g., jams, juices, smoothies, sauces, and health/beauty products were significant factors associated with buying muscadine wine. Beliefs about muscadine grapes as a healthy ingredient showed a slight influence, while direct experience with fresh muscadines and consumer attitudes towards buying local or US products were insignificant. Therefore, marketing efforts should focus on increasing consumer exposure to and knowledge of muscadine wine and other muscadine related products.
Highlights
Home to approximately 2300 grape-bearing acres and more than 500 grape growers, North Carolina (NC) is the 11th largest grape-producing state in the country [1]
This study looked at consumer experience with and perceptions about other muscadine products, and subsequently explored the relationship of those perceptions to purchase histories on buying muscadine wine, with expected findings noted in the following hypotheses: Hypothesis 3 (H3)
Product knowledge about muscadine wine and muscadine-infused products played a key role in the purchase behavior of muscadine wine consumers
Summary
Home to approximately 2300 grape-bearing acres (approximately 1000 acres of muscadine) and more than 500 grape growers, North Carolina (NC) is the 11th largest grape-producing state in the country [1]. Following the eradication of tobacco-price supports in 2004, tobacco production more than halved to 325,000 acres, and revenues dropped to $1.1 billion by 2011 [2]. North Carolina has been at the forefront of seeking alternative agricultural strategies such as grape growing. Winegrowers Association, grapes are one of the few crops in the state that can replace tobacco dollar for dollar [3]. An important grape for NC growers is the muscadine; the muscadine is native to the state [4]. Muscadine growers sell the grape both as fresh fruit for consumption and as an ingredient in a variety of products [5,6]
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