Preferencias hacia el origen de un alimento étnico y la influencia de variables psicográficas

Abstract

In recent years, knowledge and consumption of ethnic food has spread in Spain, among other factors, enhanced by immigration. Immigrants constitute a new market segment, with specific food demands that respond to the necessity of keeping their culinary traditions. In this research a choice experiment is conducted in order to investigate Latin-American consumers’ preferences toward an essential food in their diets, corn flour. In order to allow preferences to differ across individuals, a mixed logit model is estimated. Three psychographic variables are contemplated as possible sources for preference heterogeneity: the degree of food neo-phobia, ethnocentrism and personal values. Consumers more neo-phobic, and those with personal values than emphasize personal development, are more price-sensitive, while, more ethnocentric consumers favour the patriotic origin of the ethnic food.