Consumer behaviour and fruit quality: supply chain management in an emerging industry

Supply chains in new and emerging agricultural industries typically lack information linking product quality with consumer behaviour. This case study of the emerging persimmon industry in Australia and New Zealand demonstrates how adopting a supply chain orientation can address this situation. Assessing and modelling consumer response to product quality provides information that demonstrates to supply chain stakeholders how better product quality management can improve the performance of the whole chain. Emerging fruit industries, therefore, have more incentive to adopt a supply chain orientation if they understand quality-related factors that drive consumer satisfaction and repeat buying behaviour.