Consumer preferences for chestnuts, eastern black walnuts, and pecans

Abstract

Edible chestnuts are an ancient tree crop undergoing a global renaissance. Scattered efforts are under way throughout the U.S. to develop domestic chestnut production based on chestnut cultivars from Europe or Asia. Concurrently, it is necessary to redevelop the domestic market by reintroducing the chestnut as a food crop to a new generation of U.S. consumers. A study was conducted to gauge the familiarity of participants with Chinese chestnuts (Castanea mollissima), eastern black walnuts (Juglans nigra), and northern pecans (Carya. illinoensis) to determine their interest in buying, consuming, and preparing these nuts and the key attributes that influence purchase decisions. The study also determined participants' interest in obtaining more information about the production, marketing, cooking, preparation, and nutritional information of nuts. Results of the study show that consumers were not familiar with chestnuts. Most had never tasted a chestnut, but did have interest in exploring them as a new food. Quality and nutrition-diet-health were consistently listed as the most important attributes influencing purchase and consumption decisions for chestnuts and black walnuts but for pecans, locally grown was the most important attribute.