Assessment of U.S. Consumer Attitudes and Preferences About Farm-Raised Seaweed
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Check out this interactive data dashboard from the Maine Aquaculture Innovation Center. Interesting to see the slight preference for wild harvest (37%) vs. farmed seaweed (33%). How can the regenerative ocean farming industry educate consumers about the benefits of cultivated kelp?
Very interesting study! I'd like to know more context about the survey (e.g. the questions asked and demographics). I did a quick search, and I'm not sure if this report is using the same data. In this thesis, it seems respondents were asked about sea vegetables along with finfish and shellfish. It also suggests a small preference (12% preference) for wild caught sea vegetables, while a similar proportion of respondents (20%) didn't have a preference compared to 30% in the study you linked to.
I think it is a great sign that the study you linked to captured only a 3% preference for wild harvested seaweeds (for the 36% of respondents that said they eat seaweed). That small difference and the high proportion of people who don't have a preference at all suggests that seaweed consumers can be easily influenced with education and outreach about the benefits of cultivated seaweeds.
I think the more difficult undertaking is getting people to consume seaweeds! 64% of respondents said that they didn't eat seaweed, and the top reasons why were that they "weren't aware of them" and "unsure how to prepare them". Outreach focusing on recipes and easy to use products seems like the way forward here too!
Great info here!