Niche Products Research Articles

Temáticas en los pódcast españoles conducidos por mujeres: de la política y la familia al trabajo y las emociones

The success of podcasts created by women is evident in the Spanish offer, as evidenced by the awards for the programs Deforme Semanal Ideal Total and Estirando el chicle. Despite this, the literature on this phenomenon is scarce, so it is necessary to study the narrative of these products, which are increasingly consumed by the audience. This proposal quantitatively analyzes a selection of the main Spanish conversational native podcasts hosted by women, in order to distinguish the topics covered. A large-scale content analysis of YouTube transcripts of the programs Deforme Semanal, Dulces y Saladas, Estirando el chicle, Keep It Cutre, Nos Tienen Contentas and Saldremos Mejores was carried out. The sample is comprised of 143,319 lines of text, subjected to a word frequency analysis to explore the most common subjects. The results reveal the predominance of a set of categories: politics, family and relationships, work, emotions and feelings, feminism, sexuality and sexual orientation, leisure and culture. This diversity of topics shows that this is not a homogeneous phenomenon, but rather that it has a diverse content that moves away from the label of a niche product.

Legume consumption and sustainability - The minority goes green.

The current food systems and the dominating dietary patterns in most EU countries contribute to climate change and are not sustainable. Legumes have the potential to make consumption patterns more sustainable, especially if they come from local or organic production systems. Yet, legume consumption in Germany is low. Thus, this study aimed to increase legume consumption, understand consumer preferences for organic and local production in relation to the processing level, and provide marketing recommendations for different target groups. An online survey including an information display matrix was conducted with 1300 participants from Germany. Preferences for locally and organically produced lentils were identified by search depth and order and a multinomial logistic regression analysis. A latent class cluster analysis (LCA) identified five consumer segments relevant to legume consumption based on psychographics. Results showed a preference for local and organic lentils, regardless of the processing level of the product. Of the five consumer segments, two segments (accounting for 55 %) were rather price-sensitive with a low legume and high meat consumption. Another two segments (23 %) were sustainably-oriented and one segment had a strong preference for cooking. Concluding, there is a potential to market local and organic legumes, however, only for the sustainably-oriented consumers. Hence, for now, legumes remain a niche product in Germany. For a significant increase in legume consumption, also consumers' awareness has to increase: for the environment, health, and the environmental impact of meat consumption.

Haptic Interaction Methods for Freehand Contour Generation on a Refreshable Pin Display

Abstract Emerging surface haptic display technology holds promise for enhancing manual interactions such as contour drawing, a task that requires simultaneous generation and sensing for accurate control of the emerging shape. Existing haptic technology enabling tactile drawing is primarily restricted to niche and expensive products for blind accessibility, and the advantages and optimal strategies of engaging with tactile feedback remain unclear. This study compares three tactile interaction methods for contour drawing using a refreshable pin array: input directly on the pin surface with a finger, input on the surface using a stylus, and input on a peripheral screen while the tactile feedback is felt on the pin surface with one’s other hand. A user study investigating contour generation performance using these three different methods found that individual contour properties had greater impacts on drawing accuracy than interaction methods and that accuracy does not always correlate with user perception of performance across methods. Experimental observations highlight several strategies and hand postures users adopted to leverage each interaction method. These results can serve as a guide to developing robust feedback systems for contour drawing on future iterations of surface haptic interface technology.

Prospects for the Production of Niche Grain Crops in the Context of the Need to Ensure Food Security

One of the tools of strategic development of the agricultural sector, which plays a key role in ensuring food security, is diversification, which can be niche production, particularly the cultivation of niche grain crops. The concept of "niche crops" is briefly revealed in the context of the aggravation of the world's food security problem. Their economic importance and potential are detailed and disclosed using the example of oats and millet due to their inherent advantages in the economic, ecological, agrotechnical, and social plane, multifunctionality, and the possibility of producing various products with high benefits. Using the example of the main commodity producers, the dynamics of the production of niche grain crops in Ukraine in 2020-2022 were studied. Using the index method and the method of regional rating assessments, the competitiveness of oats and millet in agricultural enterprises was determined separately for each type and region of Ukraine.

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.

Towards ‘retroliberalism’ or food security?: Donor development aid to the agricultural sectors of four Melanesian states, 2008-2021

Background Development aid to Pacific Islands states tends to take the form of grants to provide services in health, education and transport, however Melanesian states are largely rural, and it may be time to consider stronger support for the agricultural sector as a mode of development to provide for future food security, decreased reliance on imports, and improved nutrition in an era of climate change adaptation. Methods To understand the place of family farming in the donor development strategies of four Melanesian states we first assess the place of foreign aid in total development finance to Papua New Guinea (PNG), Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Fiji between 2008–2021. Using data from the Lowy Institute a detailed study of aid flows highlights the respective place of official development assistance (ODA), other financial flows, private flows and remittances in the financial flows for each recipient state. We then focus on donor aid flows and their sectoral breakdown concentrating on the ‘Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries’ (AFF) sector, and within AFF on the sub-sectors of donor intervention. Results We demonstrate the main areas of interest for each donor, paying particular attention to aid to agriculture, specifically who gives it, and why. Conclusions We conclude by noting that the orientation of agricultural aid to Melanesian states is outward and directed toward producing niche products for the global economy, and not inward or directed towards supporting the development of a stronger agricultural sector, nor the resilience of local population through food security. We thus argue that donor development aid to the agricultural sectors of these four Melanesian states is more reflective of ‘retroliberalism’ than of genuine concern for Pacific Islands food security.

Destination Eastern Rhodopes – opportunities for niche products through the development of esoteric and pilgrimage tourism

Abstract Any form of tourism that deviates from the mainstream is classified as alternative tourism. In this context, esoteric and religious tourism play a pivotal role in fostering inclusive and sustainable development within the Eastern Rhodopes Destination. Religious tourism, depending on its specific purpose, can be further subdivided into several categories, including missionary tourism (specialized travel aimed at spreading Christian teachings), pilgrimage tourism (travel undertaken to visit sacred sites for spiritual purposes), educational tourism (trips with an academic or scholarly focus), and festival tourism (attending religiously motivated celebrations, often of a mass nature, such as those dedicated to saints or religious events). Religious tourism is commonly regarded as a subset of cultural tourism, as many religious sites attract visitors who may not necessarily adhere to the religious beliefs associated with those locations. These sites are frequently included in broader tourist itineraries and are visited not only for their religious significance but also for their cultural, aesthetic, architectural, or historical values. Pilgrimage, in its traditional sense, refers to a journey undertaken for religious reasons, often to a holy place, driven by a deeper, inward spiritual purpose and a quest for inner understanding. Pilgrimages are typically dedicated to sacred spaces such as churches, temples, mosques, holy mountains, and sites of divine visitation. The development of these specialized forms of tourism is crucial for attracting visitors seeking distinctive or alternative travel experiences, contributing to the diversification of tourism offerings. In Bulgaria, places of religious significance, such as holy sites, monasteries, icons, relics, and healing springs, continue to be central to pilgrimage tourism. These destinations often serve as focal points for individuals whose spiritual practices intertwine Orthodox Christianity with a variety of esoteric beliefs.

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.

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) affects 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.

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.

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.