Narrowing the Gap: Preference and Awareness of Florida Strawberries

Consumers may prefer local food but do not always purchase it. A mixed methods research design was used to determine if there were differences between consumers’ preferences for Florida strawberries and their awareness of the state’s strawberry season. Using focus groups, researchers found that consumers preferred to purchase Florida strawberries but did not seek them out. In addition, consumers had limited knowledge of Florida’s strawberry season. Five hundred Floridians were surveyed to understand their knowledge of and preferences for Florida berries. Findings indicate that food distributors should use advertisements that reinforce the positive attributes of Florida produce, along with information on the growing season, in order to increase awareness and promote sales of Florida strawberries.