Old flavours, new choices: from awareness to consumption of traditional products of marginal mountain areas

Abstract Low economic profitability and structural constraints in mountain agriculture contribute to farmland abandonment and rural depopulation, increasing the need for market-based strategies that enhance the value of traditional agri-food products. This paper examines consumer engagement with five traditional plant-based products from northeastern Italy, using survey data from 3,001 Italian consumers. Engagement is conceptualized as a sequential process comprising three statuses: not aware, aware non-consumer, and aware consumer. Continuation-ratio logit models allow distinguishing factors associated with product awareness from those associated with consumption conditional on awareness. Results reveal substantial heterogeneity across the products and between the two transitions. More frequent mountain visits are generally associated with greater awareness and, for some products, higher odds of consumption among aware consumers. Food-and-wine tourism shows the most consistent positive association with consumer engagement, while outdoor activities and visits to relatives or friends are also relevant for some products. Distinguishing awareness from its conversion into consumption provides a more nuanced basis for market segmentation and the valorization of traditional products in mountain and other marginal rural areas.