Consumer’s Preferences for Fresh Organic Produce in the Mid-Atlantic USA: An Econometric Analysis

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to document the profile of the typical consumer who purchases specific organic produce in the Mid-Atlantic USA. An online survey was conducted to capture consumer’s interest and expectation toward organic fruits and vegetables. Data were collected through an online survey from 1100 participants, pre-screened, and identity checked from the pool of 5191 selected candidates using a private online survey company. We developed a multinomial logit model to predict consumer’s choice of organic fresh fruits and vegetables. Six most important fruits and vegetables were identified for this study, and rest of them were included in the “other” category. The “other” fruits and vegetables were left out of the regression as the base case. The results show that those who think organic food has better taste and has a graduate degree are more likely to choose banana compared to other fruits and vegetables. Respondents who preferred freshness, has a two-year college degree, and Caucasian, are more likely to choose carrot. Those who wish to support to local farmers and with education above high school are more likely to choose lettuce. Respondents with a two-year college degree are more likely to choose strawberries, whereas those who prefer organic wine are also more likely to choose apple. Also, those who prefer organic wine and the Caucasians are more likely to choose tomato over other fruits and vegetables. Producers of organic fruits and vegetables can target customers for sale, based on their demographics as well as their preference.