Unveiling Consumer Insights: Northwest Cider Association’s Cider Research Project
PORTLAND, OREGON (August 14, 2024) – In an effort to better understand consumer perceptions and preferences for cider, Northwest Cider Association (NWCA) teamed up with Oregon State University’s Food Innovation Center (FIC) for an in-depth research project during the summer of 2023. Our aim was to explore what drives consumer behavior around cider through a blend of qualitative and quantitative methods.
We launched a comprehensive survey that reached over 3,800 cider enthusiasts across newspapers, television, and email. Remarkably, 2,845 participants completed the survey, the highest response rate ever recorded by the Food Innovation Center. This enthusiastic participation underscores the growing consumer interest in cider.
In July 2023, 117 survey respondents were invited to OSU’s FIC Sensory Lab in Portland, Oregon. There, they blind tasted and evaluated a range of cider samples in a controlled sensory booth to ensure unbiased feedback. The session also included informal focus groups to gather deeper insights.
The mixed-method research utilized rankings, scales, frequency measures, and open-ended questions, resulting in a rich dataset.
Our findings reveal that consumers are eager to learn more about cider and are likely to purchase more if they:
- Have more choice and can find it more consistently
- Receive a recommendation from someone they trust
- Gain more knowledge about it, including how it is made and with what apples
- Discover it’s locally made
- Find out it’s not too sweet
These insights help us and our members better engage with cider enthusiasts, tailoring offerings to meet consumer desires. To make the findings more accessible we have compiled easy-reference resources that provide a concise overview of our consumer market research findings:
- Watch this engaging 2-minute video for a dynamic summary of key research insights.
- Read this succinct one-pager summary of essential findings.
Have questions? Emailinfo@nwcider.com
Cideries, are you interested in accessing the full data findings? Join Northwest Cider Association today.
