Abstract
This study examines consumer perceptions and willingness to pay for organic specialty bakery products by incorporating prior taste beliefs, given product taste attributes, and information on organic production practices. Hypothetical choice experiments for three specialty bakery products were conducted via a nationwide online Qualtrics survey with 721 respondents. Results indicate that, on average, respondents believe that organic specialty bakery products are less tasty than conventional products. Notably, taste beliefs significantly influence their willingness to pay and utility. Providing product taste information dampened the effects of negative taste biases but improving consumer organic knowledge did not. Industry implications are discussed.
