Evaluating consumer preferences for aquacultural products: An application to the U.S. crawfish industry

Conjoint analysis is used to evaluate consumer preferences for three consumer‐ready products derived from crawfish. Utility functions are estimated for each respondent in the sample and then used to identify three distinct market segments. Demographic and socioeconomic profiles are also developed for each market segment. The results show that women prefer a baked nugget or popper type product, whereas, 35 to 44‐year‐old men prefer a microwavable nugget or patty type product. The preferred product for the total market is a crawfish nugget formulated for both baking and microwaving.