How and why restaurant patrons value locally sourced foods and ingredients. (January 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lang, Mark; Lemmerer, Andreas
• Is Part Of: International journal of hospitality management. Volume 77(2019)
• Page Start: 76
• Page End: 88
• Publication Date: 2019-01
• Subjects: Local foods -- Values -- Benefits -- Restaurants -- Foodservice; Hotel management -- Periodicals; Restaurant management -- Periodicals; Food service management -- Periodicals; Hôtels -- Gestion -- Périodiques; Restaurants -- Gestion -- Périodiques; Services alimentaires -- Gestion -- Périodiques; Food service management; Hotel management; Restaurant management; Periodicals; 647.94
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhm.2018.06.015
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0278-4319

Abstract

Highlights: Multidimensional, consumer centric definitions of local foods and their benefits are needed. Personal values have been shown to influence food attitudes and behaviors. A proposed model examines relationships across personal values, benefits sought and consumer definitions and attitudes regarding local foods. Empirical tests demonstrate non-random, systematic patterns of relationships that explain how and why restaurant patrons value local foods. Abstract: As research into local foods has advanced, focus has shifted toward the antecedents that may better explain and predict attitudes and behaviors toward local foods. An expanded nomological network is proposed that integrates new and existing constructs in a means-end chain series of relationships. Relationships are empirically tested with multidimensional operationalizations of focal constructs, fielded in a consumer survey, and analyzed through structural equation modeling. Results demonstrate non-random, systematic patterns of relationships across personal values restaurant patrons hold, benefits they derive from local foods, how they actually define local foods, and their attitudes toward local foods. Contributions to marketing theory include the integration of new constructs with existing theory to establish new relationships that better explain and predict local foods perceptions and attitudes. Important considerations for the marketing of local foods include rethinking the scope of what constitutes local foods, options for positioning local foods, and implications for messaging and design.