Consumer preference and willingness to pay for tomato juice

Tomato juice has gained popularity in recent decades. However, little is known about tomato juice consumers in the United States. The goal of this research was to determine consumer attitudes towards current tomato juice offerings and willingness to pay for high flavor quality products. A sensory panel and a nation-wide survey were conducted to learn about consumer preference toward tomato juice consumption. A new “label”, including taste review ratings, was incorporated into a choice experiment to verify whether this information successfully assisted consumers in their purchase decisions. Both the sensory analysis and the consumer online survey showed a demand for tomato juice with better flavor. The results suggest that a premium quality tomato juice with fresh aroma notes and better taste made from a premium tomato will encourage consumer purchase intent. Consumers would be willing to pay up to 30% more if trusted taste review score information was provided.