By Sherezade Rodriguez
In an effort to increase the demand for Florida-grown strawberries among state residents, the PIE Center’s newest grant will take a path similar to the center’s previous local food studies.
PIE Center researchers will again delve into Florida consumers’ perceptions of locally grown food. This time, the focus will specifically be on strawberries.
According to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, strawberry crops brought in $336 million in the 2010-11 year. Despite the prominence of locally grown strawberries, news reports of Florida grocery stores selling strawberries from Mexico prompted PIE Center researchers to apply for a roughly $50,000 grant from the Florida Strawberry Research & Education Foundation.
“Strawberry growers in our state are facing extreme pressure from competing berries grown in other countries,” said Joy Rumble, who will lead the PIE Center research. “In order for many of Florida’s strawberry growers to survive long term, the demand for Florida-grown strawberries has to increase.”
Through a series of focus groups and surveys, The PIE Center will be able to
- Determine Florida consumers’ current strawberry-purchasing behaviors,
- Identify perceived barriers and benefits of purchasing Florida-grown strawberries,
- Develop marketing strategies to address the barriers and enhance the benefits of buying Florida-grown strawberries,
- Test the effectiveness of the developed marketing strategies, and
- Develop research-based recommendations to be used by the strawberry industry and growers.
Rumble, an assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural Education and Communication, will produce a research report, fact sheets and presentations to industry and academic audiences.
The grant is giving the PIE Center an opportunity to use innovative and community-based social marketing techniques to improve consumer preference and differentiation of Florida-grown strawberries, Rumble said.
“Our goal is to develop effective community-based social marketing materials to increase the demand for Florida-grown strawberries among Florida residents,” she said.
The research, which is expected to conclude by July 2014, will result in useful strategies for Florida strawberry producers to attract and engage consumers.
