Masters Theses

Date of Award

8-2025

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Agricultural and Resource Economics

Major Professor

Alicia Rihn

Committee Members

Aaron Staples, Kellie Walters

Abstract

The demand for fresh culinary herbs in the United States has grown significantly in recent years, driven in part by increasing consumer interest in healthy, flavorful food options. This study investigates U.S. consumer preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) for fresh herbs based on production method, geographic origin, packaging format, and herb species, using a Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE) and mixed logit modeling across three event treatments (i.e., Holiday, Non-Holiday, and Meal-at-home). Results suggest that consumers are willing to pay significant premiums for organic, sustainably grown, local, domestically produced herbs relative to their respective baselines. Pre-cut herbs were preferred over potted and pick-your-own options, highlighting the importance of convenience for consumers. While parsley and basil were more valued than cilantro, the event treatments had a minimal effect on most attribute valuations, suggesting stable preferences regardless of social context. These results underscore the importance of credence attributes and convenience-driven packaging in consumer decision-making for fresh herbs and suggest that marketing strategies can remain consistent with consumer preferences across social contexts.

Comments

Good afternoon, this is the final version of my document

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