VIDALIA Branding and Co-labeling Strategy: A Cluster Analysis of Sweet Onion Buyers and Potential Buyers

The study focuses on several branding, labeling, and co-labeling strategies for sweet onions with a special focus on Vidalia. We evaluated buyers’ and potential buyers’ preferences for external attributes of sweet onions. We identified market segments for sweet onion buyers and potential buyers based on cluster analysis, followed by a multinomial logit analysis to determine segment membership. Results suggest that producers can attract out-of-state, younger, and higher-educated consumers through a combination of labels, while older consumers tend to focus more on a specific label. Price is the main driver of potential buyers’ decisions. Results also suggest the need to increase the amount of information provided to potential buyers, directly on the product sold, using a co-labeling strategy.