Analysis and Research on the Key Success Factors of Marketing Ugly Fruits and Vegetables

Abstract

According to the 2011 research report of the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, one-third of the world's edible fruits and vegetables are wasted every year, totaling about 1.3 billion metric ton. A source of such waste is ugly fruits and vegetables, which have the same nutritional value as that of normal fruits and vegetables, but are discarded due to poor appearance for selling. If consumers can rediscover their value, it will be one of the ways to change food waste. This study first explored related topics through the literature; then, it drew up an interview outline, obtained and ranked the key success factors for the evaluation indices through education and interviews with industry professionals, and summarized the key success factors of marketing ugly fruits and vegetables through questionnaire and experts interview perspectives that targeted consumer groups as the questionnaire respondents. The conclusion of the study provides suggestions for enterprises to innovate service marketing through the blueprint of service design, which hopes to reduce food waste and maintain a balance with the environment, in order to achieve the goal of environmental sustainability. The results show that if consumers understand the relevant issues and pay attention to the truth of vegetable and fruit production, they can use their consumption power to protect their own and environmental rights. However, the trust between producers and consumers requires strengthening. Reducing the unnecessary waste of food and labor is expected to create more ecological and environmental consumption patterns in the future.

Rewriting Desirability an Exploration Of North American Ugly Food Marketing Campaigns

“…Many researchers have called for the re-education of consumers on foods' natural variability in appearance, food quality, and on the validity and edibility of "ugly" foods (Loebnitz et al, 2015;Louis & Lombart, 2018;Helmert, Symmank, Pannasch, & Rohm, 2017;de Hooge et al, 2018;Tu et al, 2018). If consumers are exposed to information on "ugly" foods that will change their preconceptions of food quality and taste based on appearance properties, then it is possible that consumers will one day judge "ugly" foods equally to conventionally beautiful foods.…”

“…Increasing awareness among consumers of environmental sustainability issues and the issue of food waste in relation to "ugly" foods has been argued to be potentially effective as a part of the marketing strategies used to sell "ugly" foods. Tu et al (2018) argue that "if consumers understand the relevant [environmental] issues and pay attention to the truth of vegetable and fruit production, they can use their consumption power to protect their own and environmental rights" (p. 1). Tu et al (2018) urge grocers and food retailers to advocate the concept of food waste, to advocate the importance of environmental protection, and to link environmental sustainability education and advocacy to an innovative brand story for "ugly" fruits and vegetables (p. 21).…”

“…Tu et al (2018) argue that "if consumers understand the relevant [environmental] issues and pay attention to the truth of vegetable and fruit production, they can use their consumption power to protect their own and environmental rights" (p. 1). Tu et al (2018) urge grocers and food retailers to advocate the concept of food waste, to advocate the importance of environmental protection, and to link environmental sustainability education and advocacy to an innovative brand story for "ugly" fruits and vegetables (p. 21). Loebnitz et al (2015) further argue that grocers and food retailers should increase awareness of food waste issues particularly among consumers "with strong proenvironmental self-identities" as a way to encourage consumers to purchase "ugly" foods (p. 408).…”

Rewriting Desirability an Exploration Of North American Ugly Food Marketing Campaigns

“…508-509). Tu, Lee, and Wei (2018) define "ugly" fruits and vegetables as "crops that do not meet purchasing conditions because of poor appearance, defective appearance" and abnormalities in shape and in size (p. 2). "Ugly" foods are also commonly known as "aesthetically imperfect," "wonky" (Porter et al, 2018, p. 869), "off-grade," "Not Good" (NT) (Tu et al, 2018, p. 2), "abnormal," "suboptimal," and "inferior" produce (Jaeger, Machín, Aschemann-Witzel, Antúnez, Harker, & Ares, 2018, p. 17).…”

Selected Papers from the Eurasian Conference on Educational Innovation 2019

“…Tu et al reported "Analysis and Research on the Key Success Factors of Marketing Ugly Fruits and Vegetables" [34]. This study first explored related topics of food waste through the literature; then it drew up an interview outline, obtained and ranked the key success factors for the evaluation indices through education and interviews with industry professionals, and summarized the key success factors of marketing ugly fruits and vegetables through questionnaire and experts interview perspectives that targeted consumer groups as the questionnaire respondents.…”