Assessing Consumer Acceptance and Willingness to Pay for Novel Value-Added Products Made from Breadfruit in the Hawaiian Islands

Marin Lysák, Christian Ritz and Christian Bugge Henriksen
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Marin Lysák: Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences (PLEN), Crop Sciences, Climate and Food Security, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Højbakkegård Allé 30, DK-2630 Taastrup, Denmark
Christian Ritz: Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen, Rolighedsvej 25, DK-1958 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
Christian Bugge Henriksen: Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences (PLEN), Crop Sciences, Climate and Food Security, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Højbakkegård Allé 30, DK-2630 Taastrup, Denmark

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 11, 1-15

Abstract: Breadfruit is a high yielding tree crop with a long history in the Pacific Islands, with the potential to improve food security under climate change. Traditionally, it has been grown and used extensively as a food source in Hawaii, but in the past decades, it has been neglected, underutilized, and supplanted by imported staple foods. Revitalization of breadfruit is central for reducing dependency on food imports and increasing food resiliency and self-sufficiency in Hawaii. Such a process could potentially be strengthened by the development of novel value-added products. This empirical study investigates consumer acceptance and willingness to pay in two scenarios: with and without detailed product information about breadfruit and its cultural significance, nutritional benefits and potential contribution to increase local food security. A total of 440 consumers participated in the study. Participants receiving descriptive information had a higher level of acceptance and were willing to pay a higher price compared with participants who were not informed that the product was made from breadfruit: 1.33 ± 0.15 acceptance on the hedonic scale and 1.26 ± 0.23 USD (both p < 0.0001). In conclusion, repeated exposure and building a positive narrative around breadfruit products may increase consumer acceptability.

Keywords: descriptive information; cultural significance; food security; local foods; liking; consumers (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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