• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.47-54
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• 2011

This paper presents exploratory research on consumer awareness and attitudesabout organic food, for which consumer demand continues to increase the paper also assesses consumers' organic food distribution channel preferences. By conducting a literature review, a case study has been carried out in order to glean customer behavior, market condition and typesof distribution channels, and development of specialty stores for organic foods. The early research indicates that consumer awareness and customer attitudes toward organic food are mostly positive however, organic food's high price, as well as a lack of organic food stores, cause a negative effect on consumers' purchase intention. Secondly, the U.S. organic food retail channel consists of such mainstream supermarket/grocery stores and leading natural and organic food supermarket chains as Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, and Sunflower Farmers Market. For the current retail distribution of organic food in Korea, off-line stores are composed of direct management stores and franchise chains. Most of the organic food retail distribution operates through the Internet shopping mall, and are commonly located at retail distribution centers as multi-channel, shop-in-shop stores. Moreover, unlike in the U.S., association and consumers' cooperatives (Co-Ops), and such other member-direct retail stores as Hansallim, iCOOP, Nature Dream,and online shopping malls, are all active in Korea. Thirdly, as a result of an analysis of the present state of the organic food retail channel, as well as building a case for organic food specialty stores, the distinctive featuresand rapid growth of such unique organic food stores as Whole Foods Market, or Trader Joe's successful downsizing strategies, as well as Sunflower Farmers Market low-price approach, show steady industry growth. Moreover, as a result of a case studyof such domestic representative organic food specialty stores as "Olga" and "Chorokmaeul," a similar management style to the United States' "Whole Foods Market" and "Trader Joe's," respectively, can be seen. Similar to the U.S. market, Korean organic food markets should also implement active retail distribution opportunities, allowing consumers to select from various diverse and differentiated choices. In order to accomplish this goal, it is necessary to prepare such measures as sustaining reasonable prices, securing various suppliers for unique products,and improving consumer trust through advertisement strategies that are suitable for each company's branding processes.

• Journal of Practical Agriculture & Fisheries Research
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.25-43
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• 2013

Tasmania with its clean air, isolated from mainland Australia, has been producing high-quality agricultural products and has been continually developing organic farming since 1946 when the Living Soil Association of Tasmania(LSAT) was established. The organic farming movement in Tasmania has been actively advocated through three steps: the philosophical embryonic period, the movement diffusion period and the industrialised development period. The campaigns for informing about the connection between healthy soil and life unfolded during the embryonic period. This was followed by the birth of publicity of organic farming and the certification system through the dissemination of organic farming techniques and various events related to agriculture in the diffusion period when the Organic Gardening and Farming Society(OGFS) was established in 1972. In the industrialised development period, The Organic Coalition of Tasmania (OCT) which is representative of Tasmania was organised in 2000 and has been leading the organic farming industry. The organic farming movement in Tasmania not only limits the use of artificial agricultural chemical but pursues the quality of food, environment, the health of life including all animals and plants, the issue of development in rural society, social justice, and equity in understanding. It is far more holistic in its philosophy. The output of organic food accounts for 1 % of the total amount of agricultural production and 150 certified organic farms have managed with 5,000ha of land in 2010. The supply channels for organic foods vary from farmer's market, specialty stores, supermarket chains, local store to the cooperative community. Also the consumers' behaviour for organic foods has been establishing as an alternative life style. The education of the value and role of organic farming on the environment should be enlarged for the consumption of the organic food. In addition, organising for small farmers who act individually and the link with differentiated local food have still remained issues.

• Culinary science and hospitality research
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.104-116
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to conduct an empirical survey on consumer perception and consumption behavior in relation to local food and eco-friendly food. The survey was conducted using 266 consumers who have heard about or purchased local foods and eco-friendly foods centering on Seoul and Gyeonggi-do, and statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS (Version 23.0) to generate descriptive statistical values such as frequency and percentage and implement a Chi-square test. The results showed that consumers purchased local food in large shopping malls, supermarkets, and local food stores, whereas eco-friendly food were usually bought in large shopping malls, supermarkets, and eco-friendly food specialty stores. For local food, consumers bought fruits the most, followed by vegetables, whereas for eco-friendly food, consumers purchased vegetables the most, followed by fruits. The top reason for purchasing local food was its "fresh and high quality," whereas the top reason for buying eco-friendly food was "safety from pesticides and additives." According to results of the Chi-square test, women, unmarried people and younger people turned out to have more experiences in purchasing local foods and eco-friendly foods compared to men, married people and older people, respectively. Although local and eco-friendly food were completely different concepts, results of the study show that consumers were not able to make a clear distinction between the two. Consumer education, therefore, should involve defining the two types of food and spreading awareness on local and organic food to help them made the right choices when buying food.