Variation of Consumer Preferences Between Domestic and Imported Food: The Case of Artisan Cheese

Increasing concerns about a healthy diet, food safety and support for the local economy provide new opportunities for farmers to increase their farm income by selling their farm products locally. The major challenge for the farmers is to predict consumer preferences correctly and provide goods to the market accordingly. By analyzing a consumer survey conducted in the Midwest region of the US, the current study analyzes the consumer preferences for domestic and imported artisan cheese. The results of the econometric analysis show that consumer preferences vary between domestic and imported artisan cheese. The results also show that consumer preferences vary with location. Hence, producers of local artisan cheese might need to adopt different marketing and production strategies to match the local consumer demand.