Characterization of the preferences towards jalapeño peppers from the perspective of the Sonoran consumers

Objective: To announce from the perspective of the Sonoran consumer, their buying and consumption habits, the attitudes and attributes that they most value in jalapeno peppers. Design / Methodology / Approach: It was carried out in three phases, the first consisted of the design of a questionnaire, the second, it was applied to a sample of 200 consumers, and finally, univariate (mean and mode) and bivariate analysis were obtained (Chi -square). Results: The findings show that for Sonoran consumer, flavor is a key element in the consumption of jalapeno peppers, there is a trend towards frequent consumption, although the portions are moderate since they are usually less than half a kilogram. It was identified that for the consumer it is important that the chili is not damaged or beatenon the exterior, and they prefer the chili in dark green color over other presentations. In particular, there is an intermediate willingness to pay that ranges between 10 and 20 pesos per kilogram. The frequent consumer of jalapeno peppers is those under the age of 40, accentuating in segments of 18 to 24 years, with a medium income level. In this segment there is a preference towards the smell and itching that the chili presents. Study limitations / implications: The study is limited to the northwestern region of Mexico. The information obtained provides guidelines to deepen the knowledge of this product from a market perspective. Value added strategies can be oriented to an increase in the external quality of the product.