Gaining and Maintaining a Competitive Edge: Evidence from CSA Members and Farmers on Local Food Marketing Strategies

Emily H. Morgan, Michelle M. Severs, Karla L. Hanson, Jared McGuirt, Florence Becot, Weiwei Wang, Jane Kolodinsky, Marilyn Sitaker, Stephanie B. Jilcott Pitts, Alice Ammerman and Rebecca A. Seguin
Additional contact information
Emily H. Morgan: Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Savage Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
Michelle M. Severs: Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Savage Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
Karla L. Hanson: Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Savage Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
Jared McGuirt: Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 319 College Avenue, 318 Stone Building, Greensboro, NC 27412, USA
Florence Becot: School of Environment and Natural Resources, The Ohio State University, 210 Kottman Hall, 2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
Weiwei Wang: Center for Rural Studies, University of Vermont, 206 Morrill Hall, Burlington, VT 05405, USA
Marilyn Sitaker: The Evergreen State College, 2700 Evergreen Pkwy NW, Olympia, WA 98505, USA
Stephanie B. Jilcott Pitts: Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Lakeside Annex 8, Room 126, 600 Moye Boulevard, Greenville, NC 27834, USA
Alice Ammerman: Schools of Public Health and Medicine, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-8140, USA
Rebecca A. Seguin: Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Savage Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA

Sustainability, 2018, vol. 10, issue 7, 1-21

Abstract: Community-supported agriculture (CSA) is a widely-used approach for farmers to sell directly to consumers. We used the product, place, price, and promotion (4P) marketing mix framework to examine characteristics that help farms offering CSA maintain member satisfaction and thus competitiveness. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 20 CSA members and 24 CSA farmers in four states. CSA members additionally completed a modified choice experiment. Qualitative data were coded iteratively, and choice experiment data were summarized and compared across scenarios. CSA members and farmers were motivated by a range of personal, social, environmental, and economic objectives. Members favored high-quality staple vegetables (e.g., lettuce, green beans), ideally produced organically. Trust and a sense of personal connection with the farmer comprised part of the “value added” of CSA participation. Time and location of share pick-up were very important; thus, farmers tried to offer convenient sites or an enriched pick-up experience. Small changes in price appeared unlikely to impact participation among current members. Social networks and word-of-mouth were powerful for marketing, but may limit the ability to reach diverse populations. Future research should examine the ability of CSAs to meet the needs of those who do not currently participate.

Keywords: community-supported agriculture (CSA); direct-to-consumer (DTC) marketing; local foods; competition; alternative food network (AFN) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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