Niche Products Research Articles

Astro-Tourism: A search for the unknown in Bloemfontein, Free State, South Africa

ABSTRACT Astro-Tourism involves ‘using the natural resource of unpolluted night skies, and appropriate scientific knowledge for astronomical, cultural and environmental activities’. Astro-Tourism further includes specialised activities that differ from mass tourism, as tourists are exposed to knowledge-rich experiences. Well-known examples of Astro-Tourism destinations include Bryce Canyon National Park and Death Valley in the United States of America (USA). The Free State Gambling, Liquor and Tourism Authority (FSGLA) is the marketing arm of the Free State province and is responsible for attracting potential tourists to the province and solidifying the Free State as a destination of choice. Astro-Tourism has been identified as an opportunity to grow tourism in Bloemfontein and the Free State. This study found that Astro-Tourism is a niche product, and that the facilities currently on offer in Bloemfontein are in excellent condition and can potentially be further exposed to a broader audience through dedicated marketing initiatives and events.

Managing the Nutraceutical and Sensorial Qualities of Pisanello, an Ancient Tomato Landrace, in Soilless Conditions

Recently, there has been significant consumer demand for traditional tomato varieties due to their favourable organoleptic qualities; however, the cultivation of these ancient varieties is becoming more restricted due to inadequate shelf life and low productivity. The “Pisanello” is a Tuscany tomato variety mainly cultivated in the provinces of Pisa, Lucca, and Livorno, and the main producers of this ancient tomato are small local farmers. The purpose of this work was, firstly, to study the range of quality parameters of this landrace tomato grown using different cultivation techniques, both in soil and soilless systems. For this purpose, the physicochemical parameters of Pisanello tomatoes grown in six different farms in Tuscany using both soilless and soil methods were investigated. Secondly, Pisanello tomatoes grown using different soilless techniques (rockwool and aeroponics) and soil-grown tomatoes (Pisanello and Goldmar F1) were evaluated from organoleptic and nutraceutical points of view. The sensory profile evaluation of all types of tomatoes under investigation was carried out. The aeroponic cultivation of Pisanello induced higher organoleptic qualities than those of tomatoes cultivated in rockwool (+34% for titratable acidity and +18% for total soluble solids). On the other hand, soilless rockwool-grown tomatoes showed a better sensory profile with respect to aeroponic cultivation. Nevertheless, the Goldmar F1 tomato, morphologically similar to ‘Pisanello’, received lower scores from the sensory panel compared to the Tuscany landrace tomato. This indicates that ancient tomato varieties selected over decades remain the preferred choice for consumers. Therefore, from a long-term viewpoint, the valorisation of local tomato varieties such as Pisanello can promote the regional commercialization of novel niche products originating from ancient fruit thanks to their acceptability by consumers.

Evaluating the suitability of niches for additive manufacturing production: proposal for a numeric evaluation tool

Additive manufacturing (AM) is a wide set of technologies that can be used for many different scopes. AM is now a well-integrated prototyping and development tool in most industrial endeavours, while proper end-product manufacturing has only seen very specific niche successes. Given the complexity of AM’s matrix, which is full of discontinuities and non-trivial intercorrelations that play a relevant role in product design and development, it should not come as a surprise that not many end-product applications have succeeded in making use of it. This paper argues that understanding AM’s complex matrix and correctly identifying suitable production niches for it are key elements of this issue, a topic for which existing literature and tools are scarce. The analysis of AM’s status quo for end-product manufacturing and the review of existing approaches to integrate these technologies with product development are the basis used in this paper to propose a suitability assessment tool to fill this knowledge gap.

Quality and Processability of Meat in Polish Native Pigs – A Review

Abstract The primary aim of pig breeding efforts is to produce animals characterized by outstanding performance, including also fattening and slaughter performance traits. However, improved carcass leanness and reduced carcass fatness, especially intramuscular fat content, have led to a deterioration of pork quality and processability. Due to the growing frequency of meat defects and the limited potential use of such meat in the production of premium products this constitutes a considerable problem for the meat industry. The breeds superior in terms of meat quality are native pig breeds, such as those kept in Poland, i.e. Pulawska (Pul), Zlotnicka Spotted (ZS) and Zlotnicka White (ZW) pigs. The aim of this paper is to present a review of research results concerning quality and processability of meat produced by the Polish native pig breeds. The presented results indicate that pigs of local breeds exhibit a low level of performance traits (daily gain, carcass leanness, backfat thickness) while maintaining very good parameters of meat quality and processability (muscle composition and physical properties, fatty acids profile, sensory traits). Thus, they are used as a source material for premium products. In view of the small size of local populations and higher production costs in Poland it is a niche production. Therefore, the current aim of breeding indigenous breeds is both to maintain a safe population size and genetic diversity and to increase popularity of their meat and processed meat products among consumers. This objective is attained, among other things, thanks to efforts to reduce cost of their production through optimization of environmental conditions and wider use of less expensive traditional feed formulations, which make it possible to fully utilize the potential of local pork resources.

Pricing and Service Decisions of Products in a Dual-Channel Supply Chain Introducing Ship-to-Store

This study investigates the optimal pricing and service decisions when implementing ship-to-store (STS) in a dual-channel supply chain comprising one BM store and one manufacturer. Homogeneous products within the market are categorized into mainstream and niche products. The effects of consumer service sensitivity, channel preference, and degree of personalization on optimal decisions and profitability are analyzed, followed by numerical simulation and analysis. It is found that (1) the supply chain should charge high prices for mainstream products and low prices for niche products to maximize profits. (2) Implementing STS is conducive to expanding niche products in the market when facing highly service-sensitive consumer groups. (3) Based on highly service-sensitive consumer segments, supply chains are more profitable implementing STS strategies in a centralized decision-making model than in a traditional dual-channel one; however, under decentralized decision-making, it is only profitable to implement an STS strategy if consumers have a low level of personalization and have a particularly pronounced preference for online direct marketing channels.

Niche Sustainable Agricultural Production in Colombia: The Case of Territorial Development Agendas and Development Planning in the Province of García Rovira

This article addresses the emergence of a niche for sustainable agricultural production in the province of García Rovira, Colombia. It examines the intervention of the Colombian planning regime, which implements agendas for sustainable territorial development. However, these agendas are not adequately aligned with provincial realities, resulting in a productive decline. From a multi-level perspective, a production niche linked to the landscape has been identified, emphasizing sustainable practices and innovation. This study aimed to explore how planning influences the emergence of such niches and identified factors that promote their transition towards sustainability. Through a mixed methodology, growing sectors were accentuated and the profiles of the producers involved were outlined. The main conclusion is that the planned intervention is inefficient as the niche of sustainable production emerges without a clear influence. Therefore, it is proposed to re-evaluate planning using alternative analysis frameworks to detect emerging productive dynamics, serving as a basis for future plans.

Strategic pathways for a bioeconomy with high value-added products: Lessons learnt from the Latvian forest sector

Climate change, the increasing global demand for food and feed and the loss of biodiversity, requires a shift towards a sustainable, innovative and knowledge-based bioeconomy. Simultaneously, the implementation of a strategic approach to the utilization of the sector and associated bioresources that aligns with the principles of sustainability represents a significant challenge. The aim of this study is therefore to develop a methodology for policy and decision makers to facilitate a knowledge-based bioeconomy policy planning framework. To map the development opportunities of the bioeconomy, a detailed analysis was conducted on the Latvian forest sector. This entailed an examination of the system's components within the sector, which involved the collection and analysis of statistical data, reports, and official information from forest sector stakeholders, with the objective of obtaining a comprehensive overview of Latvia's forest sector. Following the identification of the current enablers and constraints of the sector, a selection of niche products with high value-added for sector development was made. During group model building experts: (1) developed a SWOT matrix for the Latvian forest sector; (2) selected three wood-based high value-added products – textile from trees; particle board; natural thermal packaging; (3) elaborated SWOT/TOWS analysis to facilitate strategy development for the niche products. The developed methodology incorporates a synthesis of established scientific methods, including SWOT, TOWS, and AHP, with a bioeconomy system component analysis approach. The methodology therefore not only systematises the process of forest sector analysis, but also applies the findings to the development of sector development pathways aimed at shifting from low value-added to high value-added production. The innovation of the methodology lies not only in the combination of methods used, but also in the insights gained, which allow for a narrower product development perspective to be taken in order to understand the enablers and constraints of the sector and vice versa.

The State of Black Male-Owned Businesses in America: High-Growth Disparity

Black businesses are the fastest-growing population of new ventures in America. The problem is the alarming disproportion of these companies achieving high-level success compared to White companies. Specifically, this study investigated Black male business owners and barriers inhibiting their ability to sustain, thrive, and become financially viable. These companies are relevant to society because they can create jobs, deliver niche products to mass markets, contribute to their communities, bridge the wealth gap, and stimulate the economy. 200 Black male entrepreneurs working full-time in their ventures were the sample. Instrumentation was an open-ended survey, and the applied framework was empirical probability.

Plant-based fish analogues vs. fish: Assessment of consumer perception, acceptance, and attitudes

Plant-based fish is developed to mimic the taste, texture, and appearance of fish. Despite being the fastest-growing segment in plant-based analogues sales, it remains a niche product due to several hindrances, including sensory and nutritional issues. This study assessed consumer perception, attitudes and acceptance drivers of plant-based canned tuna involving 165 consumers who evaluated for liking and described through the Check-All-That-Apply method five plant-based and three animal-based samples. Consumers’ food neophobia level, food related lifestyles and food frequency consumption of a series of plant-based and animal-based products were investigated as potential explanatory variables in drivers of acceptance. Generalised linear models showed that plant-based samples scored very low (<40 VAS score), while animal-based products were well accepted (63.6 – 75.2). Principal Coordinate Analysis revealed that pink colour, tuna/fish flavour, and dryness characterised tuna samples and contributed positively to liking, while unappealing appearance, off-flavour, legume/vegetable flavour, bitterness, gelatinous and gumminess, characterised plant-based samples and contributed negatively to liking. Agglomerative hierarchical analysis identified two consumer clusters differing in liking for plant-based fish analogues. One cluster (27 % of consumers) showed significantly higher liking scores for all plant-based samples, a higher consumption of plant-based analogues and seemed more careful when buying food, both regarding its nutritional composition and its naturalness than the other cluster. This study suggests that the exploitation of plant-based ingredients (textured soy, pea and wheat proteins) affect all sensory dimensions of plant-based canned tuna and highlights the importance of sensory optimisation in the development of plant-based alternatives to meet consumer preferences.

A Comparative Study of Online Consumer Reviews Among Mainstream and Niche Products

The purpose of the paper is to understand the variations in the online consumer reviews among product categories across geographies and cultures. We consider the cases of mainstream products and their lesser-known niche counterparts providing similar utilities across emerging and developed markets. We find reviews vary in terms of characteristics and sentiments across the two categories and markets. The reviews for the niches contain in-depth discussions on some topics. We apply mixed method approach of quantitative analysis, topic modeling, sentiment analysis, and network analysis to arrive at the conclusion. The quantitative analyses confirm the variations, while the qualitative approach enables us to create a typology/ontology for the reviews. Based on the observations, we could successfully map various motives and cultural dimensions related to online reviews to our hierarchical typology. Managers may find our study interesting to boost their online review strategy according to the product category in a specific geography.

Agroecosystem-based agricultural genetic resources for balanced and diversified food, nutrition, health, business, geographical indication and environment

ABSTRACT Nepal has 15 distinct agroecosystems spread across three major agroecozones: Tarai, Mid Hill, and High Hill. These regions support a rich variety of agrobiodiversity. This paper examines the significance of native agrobiodiversity within each of these agroecosystems for diversified food, nutrition, health, business and environment. The information presented is derived from various literature sources, discussions with key experts, and the authors’ own experiences. Each of these agroecosystems has cultivated and preserved numerous unique species, landraces, and genotypes of agrobiodiversity, including crops, forages, livestock, agro-insects, agro-microorganisms, and aquatic genetic resources. This agrobiodiversity is deeply connected with local cultures, traditional knowledge, and skills. The high diversity of agricultural genetic resources (AGRs) within Nepal’s relatively small area is a crucial factor for ensuring food security, nutrition, health, business opportunities, and environmental sustainability. Many niche products, prized for their purity, quality, taste, health benefits, and nutritional value, are sold at premium prices. However, the focus on production-centric agricultural programs over the years has led to the replacement of many niche-specific varieties by more uniform and limited ones. Introducing new genotypes into a particular agroecosystem may undermine the principles of ecological agriculture. Therefore, it is essential to enhance the competitiveness of native AGRs and associated indigenous technologies within each agroecosystem.

A Quick Analysis of E-Commerce

Internet shopping is now a sea change that has implications with both consumers and advertisers. Digital transformation will played a great role as in upcoming easy access to financial divisions and business services in a rising economy. To combat deceptive conduct, the rising use of smart mobile operators and the World Wide Web as a niche product for exchange of goods and services and foreign investment needs a stronger attention on t s security. The advances in internet technology has created havoc in almost every element of a lives. E-commerce has a lot of benefits that boost customer and give conveniences in any place and enabling accompany to get a higher market share. As a consequence of extensive internet usage, e-commerce has risen in popularity, and companies, particularly continue, and are rapidly moving to this option as a differentiating strategic framework. This paper discusses about E-commerce, E-commerce providers, Benefits, and Challenges. This paper can be used by researchers for further study in E-commerce in future

Social carrying capacity of oyster mariculture on coast of South Carolina: Understanding stakeholders perceptions and thresholds for oyster mariculture development

There is a growing embrace of oysters as a local food and quality niche product, and considerable growth potential exists for oyster farming in South Carolina (SC), USA. However, it is unknown if the coastal stakeholders will support oyster mariculture’s growth and the extent or type of farm that could occur without opposition. This study examines the social carrying capacity for oyster farming in Charleston and Beaufort Counties, SC, USA. A survey of 383 stakeholders in the study counties was conducted to 1) identify thresholds for specific indicators, such as the size of oyster farms and 2) to determine the societal acceptability of potential actions or policies that may be used in the permitting and management of oyster farms. This survey used photographic simulations of oyster farms, including virtual reality (VR) 360° still images and videos, to elicit responses from participants. The goal of this research was to develop and deliver information on the social carrying capacity of oyster farming in ways that create utility to permitting agencies, extension services, shellfish growers, and other organizations that work directly with oyster farmers. The results show that Lack of Knowledge is the biggest hurdle in fully assessing the public’s acceptability of oyster mariculture and that consistent and scientifically factual information about oyster mariculture needs to be more readily available to the public. The authors also discuss the efficacy of the use of VR technologies for the purposes of conducting normative threshold research that utilizes visual based methods.

Consumption Preferences for Truffles and Truffle-Based Products: An Application of the PLS-SEM Model

The truffle is a niche, valuable and ecological product exported and consumed all over the world. However, little is known about consumers’ preferences for truffles and truffle products. This study empirically explores the factors influencing their consumption in Italy. A PLS-SEM model was implemented and validated using an extended version of the theory of planned behavior, including consumers’ food-specific curiosity as an additional construct to basic constructs such as attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control. The analysis allowed us to examine and verify the significance of the relationships between the factors and what impact they have on intentions to consume fresh and truffle-based products. The processing concerns of consumers were reached through face-to-face consultation with a semi-structured questionnaire. The results obtained suggested that consumers’ intentions in using truffles involve several factors, such as consumers’ personal experiences, organoleptic characteristics (aroma and taste), food safety, trust in the seller/brand, traceability information, the aspect of green products and, more generally, the protection of the environment and forests. The findings provided novel insights for researchers to understand the aspects of truffle consumption, and also represent a guideline for marketers to develop appropriate marketing tactics to grow the truffle business.

Comprehensive analysis and assessment of the production and export potential of organic niche products

The object of the study is the determination of ecological and economic efficiency in relation to the production of organic niche products. The strategic perspective of the production and export of organic niche products in Ukraine is considered as one of the ways to overcome economic challenges exacerbated by global instability and geopolitical tensions. The production of organic products is outlined as a strategically important direction of the country's agricultural sector, which has significant export potential, especially to the countries of the European Union, where there is a steady increase in demand for organic products. A comprehensive approach to strategy implementation is proposed, which includes market research, production development, marketing and branding, as well as optimization of logistics and export processes. The dynamics of the main indicators of the development of organic agriculture in Ukraine from 2010–2021, the volume of imports of organic products to the countries of the European Union by exporting countries were analyzed. To date, only 1 % of agricultural crops are «eco», the volume of organic products has significantly increased, and the yield of organic products has increased by 5–20 % with a corresponding reduction in material costs. Since the end of the 1990s, the agricultural sector of Ukraine began to focus intensively on organic production, taking into account the growing global trend towards the sustainable development of the agro-industrial complex, etc. Given their uniqueness, growing niche crops can offer advantages such as minimal competition and the potential for significant profits, especially when the products find widespread use. A comparative analysis of the production of organic products on the domestic and foreign markets of Ukraine was conducted. A SWOT analysis of the production of organic products in Ukraine was developed to determine the strengths and weaknesses. The practical value is providing advice to producers on growing niche crops, creating market demand, attracting foreign partners to implement such projects in Ukraine, which will contribute to strengthening the economic potential of agricultural producers. This will help increase the competitiveness of domestic enterprises in the local and global markets, make them more resistant to economic challenges and help reduce risks, etc.

From Niche Narrative to Audio Blockbusters

From Niche Narrative to Audio Blockbusters

User Involvement in a Desire to Buy Particular Goods on the Internet

Social media can be very effective at promoting niche products because customers often enjoy leaving reviews and striking up discussions about these things. This could increase consumer interest in the goods. In this study, we investigate how user designs interacting during a discourse on a niche cultural product can affect engagement levels, which may in turn improve consumption intentions. We demonstrate how increased interaction might boost consumption motivation. We discover that increased homophily and connectedness within the social media network will lead to a simultaneous rise in polarization and the prevalence of content tailored to niche markets. Next, we examine an expansion in which two lobbyists have the ability and desire to affect the frequency of every kind of content. The primary ways in which businesses can use social media as tools for strategic marketing. The article outlines the primary categories of social media applications and suggests two key applications for social media use by marketers: As sources of market intelligence, or "passive marketing tools," as well as "active marketing tools," which are platforms for interacting, communicating, and promoting with customers.

Consumers’ perceptions of healthiness and environmental friendliness of plant-based and dairy product concepts

The call to replace animal food products with plant-based products is increasing, mainly for environmental, ethical, and health reasons. To develop plant-based alternatives that will be accepted and consumed, it is important to understand how consumers perceive them. Many studies have examined consumers’ perceptions of meat and meat alternatives, and some have investigated how these perceptions differ from objective evaluations. However, few studies have addressed consumers’ perceptions of dairy products and plant-based dairy alternatives (PBDA). Therefore, this study investigated how Swiss consumers perceived commercially available dairy and PBDA product concepts in terms of their healthiness and environmental friendliness and whether their perceptions were consistent with objective evaluations (life-cycle assessment (LCA) and nutrient profiling) of the real products. In an online survey, 518 participants rated 7 dairy and 9 PBDA product concepts, including milk, cheese, and yogurt, as well as their plant-based alternatives. The results suggest that consumers overestimate the healthiness and environmental friendliness of dairy, especially hard cheese, while underestimating those of PBDA, especially soy, in contrast to LCA and nutrient profiling scores. PBDA are also not perceived as automatically healthier or environmentally friendlier just because they are milk-free. Even though PBDA are niche products and consumers seem skeptical of new products that replace traditional ones, their potential for widespread adoption might increase in the future depending on consumers healthiness and environmental friendliness perceptions thereof.

An analysis of the welfare of fast-growing and slower-growing strains of broiler chicken

Due to concerns about the welfare of fast-growing (FG) strains of broiler chicken, animal welfare organisations have advocated the use of certain slower-growing (SG) strains that meet key welfare targets under test conditions. However, a widespread transition to SG strains could negatively affect sustainability because these birds tend to have higher feed conversion ratios and longer production cycles. It is important therefore to review the extent and limits of SG welfare improvements under test conditions and on commercial farms, to support the best policy decisions. Following a systematic literature search, 63 source papers were identified. Most reported comparative welfare outcomes for at least one SG strain with at least one FG counterpart, whilst a minority examined the suitability of various SG strains for niche production. The literature review considered different types of study design and accounted for confounding factors such rearing environment and diet. Additionally, a quantitative analysis of effect size for mortality, gait score and contact dermatitis was conducted across studies that had compared birds under similar rearing conditions and that had used SG strains with an average daily growth rate of at least 40g/day. Modern, commercial SG strains performed better on most relevant welfare traits than FG strains. This was the case even when the ‘fairest’ comparisons were made at equivalent bodyweights (when SG birds were older), under matched-environmental conditions, experimentally or on farm. The quantitative analysis found that FG strains had a higher estimated incidence rate ratio for mortality (risk of death over a given period of time) of between 1.69 and 2.16, contact dermatitis affecting 15-25% more birds, and a mean gait score 0.65 points higher than SG strains. FG strains were also less active but other differences in behaviour were inconsistent with some behaviours (e.g. dustbathing) often absent altogether. Growth rate was generally, but not always, predictive of welfare problems. Alternative strategies, such as the slaughter of birds prior to the onset of any welfare decline, could be evaluated in future in terms of welfare improvement and efficiency of production.

Construction of fuzzy classification systems by fitness sharing based genetic search and boosting based ensemble

This paper concentrates on the development of precise fuzzy rule-based classification systems for high-dimensional and multi-class problems. The approach begins with the extraction on potential fuzzy if-then rules using fitness sharing based genetic algorithms, this ensures effective searching for productive niches, thereby evolving and maintaining a diverse, cooperative population. Subsequently, for the purpose of combining the obtained fuzzy rules and eliminating their conflicts, an adaboost ensemble method is utilized, enhancing the accuracy of the fuzzy classification systems.Experiments have been conducted on 10 UCI datasets and 3 well-known image classification problems. The features for these image tasks were derived from the activation values of the final convolutional layer in pre-trained convolutional neural networks. These datasets, which were chosen to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, exhibit significant variation in terms of dimensionality and the number of class labels. Comparative analyses are carried out with conventional fuzzy rule-based classification methods, and the results demonstrate that the classification systems can be developed for complex problems, while maintaining a high-level of prediction accuracy.