An alien crops, a foreign superfood, a long forgotten food that is re-emerging. All sustainable protein sources that are not valued as such by consumers. Have you ever wondered how such product can be made appealing to Dutch consumers? Are you motivated to delve into the psychological processes underlying consumers’ adoption of new products in their diet? Are you enthusiastic about developing and empirically testing innovative ways to motivate consumers towards accepting new, forgotten or foreign protein crops appeal to Dutch consumers? If so, then we have offer a perfect PhD position for you!The
Marketing and Consumer Behaviour group of Wageningen University is looking for an enthusiastic and ambitious PhD candidate to investigate how the imported quinoa, the novel white lupin and the forgotten aardaker can become important protein sources for consumers. The PhD focusses on understanding motives, preferences and opinions of different consumers on these products. The core of the project lies in understanding how product properties and associations with the different products form opinions of consumers. Through interaction with plant breeders realistic products will be at the heart of the work, through interaction with historians recipes for the forgotten products are to be recreated and tested.
Proteins are central nutrient. Most consumers consider meat and animal products, or imported soy as prime protein sources. Crops suitable for local production are an overlooked protein source. From other food alternatives we learned that a new food has to fit with individual associations, perceptions, motives and values of different consumer groups. In addition sensory properties should be great, and consumers should buy into the use of these products within their diet by ensuring they have recipes that fit their practice and expectation of meals.
We are recruiting a team of two PhD candidates working projects on this topic. For our group the position focusses on identifying association, perceptions, motives and how these align with values by interviewing different consumer groups. These results will then be scaled up to a representative survey amongst the Dutch population. Different preparations of quinoa, lupine and aardaker in part based on historical recipes will be tested with consumers, and the sensory and psychological liking of those is established. The other PhD will located in Twente and focusses on the societal and commercial embedding of the products. During the project the 2 PhDs will collaborate towards a shared set of interventions and recommendations. Both PhDs will closely collaborates with other project PhD candidates and researchers, in particular those focused on identifying historical recipes, assessing potential risks and risk perception.
The project as a whole is the NWA-funded Reap2Sow programme, a national collaboration between Wageningen University & Research, Utrecht University, Leiden University, the University of Twente, and the University of Groningen, and partners across the agri-food sector. Reap2Sow addresses the challenge of transitioning to a sustainable, plant-based protein system by 2050, aiming to reduce the environmental impact of agriculture and strengthen food security in the face of climate change. The programme brings together interdisciplinary expertise from natural, social, and technical sciences. The ultimate goal of the Reap2Sow program is to introduce Quinoa, Lupin and Aardaker as lasting diet component with Dutch consumers.
You will work hereThe Marketing and Consumer Behaviour group is one of the leading research and teaching groups in the fields of marketing (research) and consumer behaviour related to food, sustainability, and agribusiness. The research is led by Dr. Arnout Fischer, who will be your promotor in this project. In addition, throughout the project you may work together with Dr. Funda Yildirim (Twente University), and depending on your needs and wishes with other colleagues from the group.
As a PhD candidate, you will be enrolled in the Wageningen University Graduate School (WASS). The Graduate school provides an inspiring research environment with an excellent team of supervisors, academic staff, and a mentor. You will also participate in a Doctorate Education Programme, in which you further develop your research, teaching, and interdisciplinary skills.