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Who Attends Farmers’ Markets and Why? Understanding Consumers and their Motivations

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  • Gumirakiza, Jean Dominique
  • Curtis, Kynda R.
  • Bosworth, Ryan C.

Abstract

This study assesses consumer motivations for attending farmers’ markets through in-person survey data. Results indicate that consumers attend primarily to purchase fresh produce, followed by social interaction. Purchasing ready-to-eat foods or packaged foods, arts, and crafts were not strong motivators. Consumers attending primarily to purchase fresh produce tend to be married females at higher income levels, individuals with strong diet or health concerns, and individuals who are supportive of local farming and agriculture open space. Those attending for social interaction are more likely to be unmarried males or larger families attending events. Implications for market vendors, managers, and policy makers are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Gumirakiza, Jean Dominique & Curtis, Kynda R. & Bosworth, Ryan C., 2014. "Who Attends Farmers’ Markets and Why? Understanding Consumers and their Motivations," International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, International Food and Agribusiness Management Association, vol. 17(2), pages 1-18, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:ifaamr:167905
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.167905
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    Cited by:

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    2. Bellingham, Sarah & Velandia, Margarita & Boyer, Christopher & Hellwinckel, Chad, 2018. "Factors Influencing Tomato Prices at Tennessee Farmers' Markets," 2018 Annual Meeting, February 2-6, 2018, Jacksonville, Florida 266568, Southern Agricultural Economics Association.
    3. Stewart, Hayden & Dong, Diansheng, 2018. "The Relationship Between Patronizing Direct-to-Consumer Outlets and a Household’s Demand for Fruits and Vegetables," Economic Research Report 276254, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    4. Chao-Jung R. Chen & Tun-Hsiang Edward Yu & Rachel J. C. Fu, 2021. "Strategic Management for Community-Based Markets: From Consumers’ Perspectives and Experiences," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-18, May.
    5. Woods, Timothy A. & Tropp, Debra, 2015. "CSAs and the Battle for the Local Food Dollar," Journal of Food Distribution Research, Food Distribution Research Society, vol. 46(2), pages 1-13, July.
    6. Gallardo, R. Karina & Olanie, Aaron & Ordóñez, Rita & Ostrom, Ostrom, 2015. "The Use of Electronic Payment Machines at Farmers Markets: Results from a Choice Experiment Study," International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, International Food and Agribusiness Management Association, vol. 18(1), pages 1-26, February.
    7. Brian Lee & Jhih‐Yun Liu & Hung‐Hao Chang, 2020. "The choice of marketing channel and farm profitability: Empirical evidence from small farmers," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 36(3), pages 402-421, June.
    8. Sahand Ashtab & Robert Campbell, 2021. "Explanatory Analysis of Factors Influencing the Support for Sustainable Food Production and Distribution Systems: Results from a Rural Canadian Community," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-13, May.
    9. Stewart, Hayden & Dong, Diansheng, 2018. "How strong is the demand for food through direct-to-consumer outlets?," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 35-43.
    10. Mark AZAVEDO & John WALSH, 2018. "Artisanal Food Production And Marketing In The Perth Area Of Western Australia: Some Preliminary Indications Of Difficulties With Classical Economics And Supply Chain Theory," Management and Marketing Journal, University of Craiova, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, vol. 0(1), pages 47-57, May.
    11. Onyango, Benjamin & Govindasamy, Ramu & Alsup-Egbers, Clydette Michelle, 2015. "Uncovering Success Attributes for Direct Farmers’ Markets and Agri-Tourism in the Mid-Atlantic Region of the United States," International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, International Food and Agribusiness Management Association, vol. 18(2), pages 1-16, May.
    12. Stobbe, Tracy, 2016. "Making Sense of the Dollars Spent at Farmers’ Markets," Journal of Food Distribution Research, Food Distribution Research Society, vol. 47(2), pages 1-24, July.
    13. Lili Jantyik & Jeremiás Máté Balogh & Áron Török, 2021. "What Are the Reasons Behind the Economic Performance of the Hungarian Beer Industry? The Case of the Hungarian Microbreweries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-14, March.
    14. Katia A. Figueroa-Rodríguez & María del Carmen Álvarez-Ávila & Fabiola Hernández Castillo & Rita Schwentesius Rindermann & Benjamín Figueroa-Sandoval, 2019. "Farmers’ Market Actors, Dynamics, and Attributes: A Bibliometric Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-15, January.
    15. Mark Azavedo & John Walsh, 2018. "How important is Food at Farmers’ Markets? Evidence from Bardon Farmers’ Market, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia," Academic Journal of Economic Studies, Faculty of Finance, Banking and Accountancy Bucharest,"Dimitrie Cantemir" Christian University Bucharest, vol. 4(3), pages 32-39, September.
    16. Nicole Didero & Marco Costanigro & Becca B. R. Jablonski, 2021. "Promoting farmers market via information nudges and coupons: A randomized control trial," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 37(3), pages 531-549, July.
    17. Rudkowski, Janice & Heney, Chelsea & Yu, Hong & Sedlezky, Sean & Gunn, Frances, 2020. "Here Today, Gone Tomorrow? Mapping and modeling the pop-up retail customer journey," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    18. Gumirakiza, Dominique & King, Stephen A. & Kingery, Thomas, "undated". "Clustering Online Shoppers and Explaining their Preferences for Ways to Receive Marketing Information about Local/Regional Fresh Produce," 2017 Annual Meeting, July 30-August 1, Chicago, Illinois 259947, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    19. Alho, Eeva, 2015. "The effect of social bonding and identity on the decision to invest in food production," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 47-55.
    20. Michael Vassalos & Zhifeng Gao & Lisha Zhang, 2017. "Factors Affecting Current and Future CSA Participation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(3), pages 1-16, March.
    21. Printezis, Iryna & Grebitus, Carola, 2018. "Marketing Channels for Local Food," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 152(C), pages 161-171.

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