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Elaine Lidholm, director of communi-cations for the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services comments, “I’m sure the answer varies widely from one consumer group to another, depending on their circumstances. In a food desert, people are looking for fresh products at a reasonable price; some consumers prefer organic and will pay more. I believe most consumers look for a product that looks good and is not overly expensive when shopping, i.e., many consumers are looking for both— they want healthy, wholesome food at a reasonable price.”
“That’s a tough question,” responded Vitrano. “Certainly customers will shop for price only, but in the long run, taste has to win out. They won’t come back if they can have a cheap product but it doesn’t taste good.”
Rahll echoes much the same sentiment. “For certain customers, price is number one,” he says. “I would think consumers always want the best tasting product, but if it’s not at the right price then a certain demographic will never buy. It differs depending on customers, but I really think taste is the most important.”
“I would have to say if you ask consumers, they would tell you taste, but they’re not tasting the product when buying it—they’re looking at it,” says Lancaster Foods’ Chadwick. “A large amount of ‘ugly produce’ is thrown away because of cosmetic deficiencies, and has nothing to do with quality or taste. However, when shipping, it’s important to conform to our retailers’ specifications and they’re not accepting anything ‘ugly.’ Appearance is at a very high degree of importance or it’s rejected. Price is a high determinant in the industry because when promoted at an attractive price point, the volume sold increases exponentially.”
Conclusion
As a region brimming in diversity and agricultural abundance, Maryland and Virginia and the markets they serve in the nation’s capital and surrounding areas hold strong. Growers and wholesalers meet an ever-expanding array of consumer needs, including the rising trends for locally grown fruits and vegetables.
Image: ©iStock.com/Dwight Nadig
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