2. Background
• Peaches and nectarines are the major tender fruit
crops grown in Ontario
• Deloitte et al. (2009) identified some challenges:
– Lack of interaction between value-chain players
– Disconnect between consumer wants and retailer wants
– “Quality” handling on the value chain needs improvement
• Buy local movement: Is it enough to drive local
purchase?
3. Content
• Compilation of findings from 3 projects Vineland run in 2010
– Platinum peach
• Ontario Tender Fruit Producers Marketing Board
• Vineland Growers Cooperative
• George Morris Centre
– Effect of information and other extrinsic cues on consumer
preferences
• Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs
– New Directions program
– Growing Forward/Science and Innovation program
• Niagara Peninsula Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association
• Vineland Growers Cooperative
– Acceptability of new cultivars
• University of Guelph
• Longo Brothers Fruit Markets Inc.
4. Main questions
• What are the factors driving consumer preference for
peaches?
– At the point of purchase
– At consumption
• What are the roles of region of origin and
production practice on purchase decision
and eating experience?
5. What are those factors?
Origin
Price
Taste
Variety
Texture
Appearance
6. Asking consumers directly:
List all the factors that are important when
purchasing peaches
• Most important factor is external appearance
7. Exposing consumers to various peach
concepts: measuring reactions
• Nationwide peach survey (Campbell et al.)
Ontario
Relative Importance
Price 18%
Package Type 16%
Region Label 15%
External Feel 15%
External Color 10%
Size 7%
Shape 7%
Internal Color 7%
Organic Label 6%
•Are the results different from what consumers told us?
– Yes : Price is #1; appearance less important than other
factors such as origin, external feel etc.
8. Exposing consumers to various peach
concepts: measuring reactions
There is no ONE peach consumer!
• We identified six consumer segments driven by
different information for choosing a peach:
• Price sensitive (15%), Local matters (7%), Ontario/External feel (21%),
External feel (11%), Find their own (20%), and Diverse drivers (26%)
• Size, external skin colour, and internal flesh colour
are not the primary choice drivers
9. What about the taste?
• We studied the links between quality
parameters and sensory acceptability at point of
purchase.
• Fruits were collected at the distribution centre
of a major retailer and brought back to Vineland
• We measured peach quality 3-ways:
– Physical and chemical analysis: Pressure, Brix, and TA
– Sensory analysis: Profile of perceptible attributes by
Vineland trained panel
– Hedonic analysis=consumer test: Liking score after
tasting peach, blind; Description of the taste and
texture
11. Influence of region of origin and
production practice
• Study conducted at Vineland
• 49 participants in 2-hour study, all peach consumers
• Four peach types:
– Local Non Organic (LNO)
– Local Organic (LO)
– Imported Non Organic (INO)
– Imported Organic (IO)
• Three evaluations:
– Taste peach sample blind Blind liking score
– See peach information Expected liking score
– Taste peach sample with information Labeled liking score
12. What about other peach varieties?
• 37 participants from Niagara, all peach consumers,
evaluated samples blind
• Five types of products:
– Yellow peach
– White peach
– Yellow nectarine
– White nectarine
– Flat donut peach
• Sensory panel performed the sensory profile of these
5 products
13. White peach taste test – In store
• 99 shoppers participated in a taste test, as part of
the “Why not try it?” program at 2 Longo’s stores
• Only a white peach (V92131) was tasted
Consumers repartition
24%
76%
Male Female
14. Findings from 2010 peach studies
• Consumers use different cues to make a purchase decision for peach:
– External firmness, origin and price are key drivers
– External appearance/colour: not primary drivers
• Liking is >0 related to sweetness, juiciness, peach flavour (ripe) and <0 to
firm, green flavour (unripe)
Peaches are not ripe enough when they reach the store
• Information can change perception and eating experience
– Local + Organic seem to be a winning message
• White peach
– Unfamiliarity may cause dislike compared to other peach types
– In store tests are however encouraging
– Need more marketing research to best communicate this new cultivar
uniqueness
15. Future work: 2011 season
• Platinum peach: Value-chain assessment
– Design at home consumer tests and monitor consumer
“ideal” ripeness stage.
– Include expertise in Postharvest science
• In store tests: New cultivar evaluation
– V92131
– V92301
16. Acknowledgements
• Collaborators: • Funding sources:
– Gabrielle Boudin – Niagara Peninsula Fruit and
– Amy Bowen Vegetable Growers Association
– Ben Campbell – Ontario Ministry of Agriculture
– Cecile Guyot Food and Rural Affairs
• New Directions program
– Nicolas Mathieu • Growing Forward/Science and
– Saneliso Mhlanga Innovation program
– Jay Subramanian – Ontario Tender Fruit Producers
– Ni Yao Marketing Board
– Jenny Wu
– Rosalie Zielinski • Industry partners:
– Longo Brothers Fruit Markets Inc.
– Vineland Growers Cooperative
