The MAHA movement: Early evidence of consumer perceptions of ingredient warning labels

Food Quality and Preference · 2026-03-15

Perceived Side Effects of Childhood Caffeine and Energy Drink Consumption: Evidence from U.S. Parents

SSRN Electronic Journal · 2026-01-01

Economic Implications of MAHA-Inspired School Meal Priorities

SSRN Electronic Journal · 2025-01-01

Added protein, added value? Consumer demand for protein labels across product types, flavors, and consumer segments

Food Quality and Preference · 2025-12-29

Do Consumers Value Diversity in Agriculture? A Choice Experiment

Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy · 2025-08-18

ABSTRACT Farm ownership in the US today is racially and ethnically homogeneous. Diverse farmers and ranchers make up less than 10% of all producers, they tend to be less financially stable and have tighter profit margins. In the past few years, both government and industry programs have aimed to increase the participation and profitability of diverse farmers, some of which have been rolled back in response to recent legal and political changes. Despite active debate, little is known about public support for diversity in agriculture. Here, we explore consumer demand for diversity in US agriculture by measuring willingness to pay for a diverse farmer label. We find evidence of a positive price premium for a diverse farmer label on average, with significant consumer heterogeneity. Demand differed across a variety of consumer attributes, including consumers' politics, gender, and connection to agriculture. Our results provide timely insights on public demand for diversity in agriculture.

What’s the Buzz? Preferences and perceptions of policies to reduce childhood energy drink consumption

Food Policy · 2025-01-12 · 3 citations

Differentiating Added-Protein Preferences: Consumer Demand for Added-Protein Across Product Types

Current Developments in Nutrition · 2025-05-01

The financial impact of foodborne illness outbreaks at restaurants: Chipotle Mexican Grill

Agribusiness · 2024-01-09

Abstract As demand for food away from home increases, outbreaks at restaurants become an important source of food‐related illness. In the United States, over 60% of foodborne illness outbreaks occur at restaurants and 97% of outbreaks are limited to a single state. Despite this, we currently know little about restaurant outbreaks and in particular, single‐state outbreaks are not well understood. We use Chipotle Mexican Grill's eight outbreaks (2015–2018) to evaluate the media and stock market responses to both single and multistate outbreaks. Using news and stock market data, we provide evidence that multistate outbreaks brought swift stock price declines and single‐state outbreaks' impact depended on their timing, rather than their severity. Before Chipotle's more well‐known, multistate outbreaks, the firm's single‐state outbreaks brought little reporting and no financial losses, whereas after the multistate food safety events, single‐state events resulted in national media coverage and large financial impacts. Our findings are consistent with the literature on food scares that can result in chronic low‐level anxiety, which can bring about a large resurgence of concern for smaller outbreaks. The lessons learned from Chipotle's case underscore the importance of investment in outbreak prevention. [G14 (Information and Market Efficiency, Event Studies, Insider Trading)].

Goodbye Aunt Jemima: Consumer Preferences for Pancake Mix Following Rebranding

Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics · 2024-08-01 · 1 citations

Abstract Corporate political engagement is increasingly noticeable at grocery stores; however, there is limited research evaluating the impact on consumer demand. Here, we investigate the case of Aunt Jemima (AJ), which responded to criticism that the branding was racist by removing the eponymous image and renaming the brand Pearl Milling Company. We evaluate the changes on demand for both the brand and their competitors and find that renaming the brand reduced both willingness to pay for and choice of AJ and increased choice of competitors. Finally, we show these effects are mitigated significantly by informing consumers of the reason for rebranding.

Coping with the 2022 infant formula shortage

Preventive Medicine Reports · 2023-01-30 · 27 citations

To estimate the proportion of US consumers who sought formula during the shortage, what coping mechanisms they used, and public support for formula policies, we conducted an online survey of approximately 1,000 US consumers in August 2022 via Qualtrics. Approximately 35% of consumers attempted to purchase formula during the shortage, for their own household or on behalf of someone else, and the most common coping mechanisms were focused on searching different outlets (e.g., multiple stores, online). During the shortage public health agencies published recommendations for consumers - some were highly utilized (e.g., searching multiple stores), however, some were utilized less frequently (e.g., brand switching, breastfeeding). Additionally, despite warnings, some consumers still attempted to make their own formula. Understanding what coping mechanisms were and were not utilized, and their related risks has important implications for improving public health outreach in the future. Finally, we find considerable public support for regulation to ensure adequate supply of formula in the future, in particular regulation allowing imported formula and increased government involvement in the number of firms producing formula.