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Purpose – Due to the growing trend of consuming healthy food, which reproduces the ideal of the food the authors tried in their childhood, an increasing number of researchers have brought together the values of tradition, nostalgia and food. The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between food and nostalgia in order to find out in which way they affect each other. Design/methodology/approach – In order to explore the perspectives of traditional food in re-collecting and re-experiencing positive past experiences, both qualitative and quantitative techniques were used in two stages. First, focus group interviews were conducted with ten restaurant chefs in three different regions of Croatia. Then, a survey was carried out with 362 Croatian consumers. Findings – Focus group results show that although traditional food creates new opportunities for differentiation, finding the right ingredients and time for cooking traditional food is still a problem. There is a low interest in traditional food in restaurants, as domestic patrons mostly worry about the high prices, while foreign ones do not know anything about such foods due to the inadequate promotion of Croatian gastronomic offer. Survey results indicate that consumers are familiar with traditional Croatian food, eat it regularly at home and consider it as food with high-quality aspects that reminds them of their childhood and positive past experiences. Practical implications – The results presented in this paper give some directions for subjects involved in the manufacturing industry, tourism, the restaurant industry, etc. to devise ways of reminding their customers of childhood memories, family ties, etc. Originality/value – A relatively small number of food-centred studies are directly concerned with nostalgia. Many more studies investigate food in social changes, related to ethnic elements, etc. Considering an extensive literature review, and the analysis of data in the qualitative and quantitative study, this paper addresses two multidimensional and complex concepts which are powerful predictors of customer satisfaction.

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Purpose Despite modern retail formats, for many cultures, informal markets (street markets, farmers’ markets, or wet markets in Asia), fleas, and bazaars still remain an important part of life. The purpose of this paper is to provide further insight into the characteristics of informal retailers, and to explain their growth and longevity in markets. Design/methodology/approach In order to explore what attracts customers to informal retail markets, a survey conducted on the sample of Croatian consumers was carried out. Findings The results show that consumers point out fresh, affordable, and healthy products and relationships with vendors as the main advantages, while weather conditions, unattractive food, and crowds are the disadvantages and barriers of purchasing at informal markets. Practical implications The results presented give directions for various subjects on how to increase the popularity of informal markets. Originality/value This paper addresses consumers’ perception of informal markets in the context of an emerging country. With the literature review, and the results of the explorative survey, it contributes to the knowledge on this type of retailing.