Willingness to pay for reindeer meat attributes: a niche market study in Interior Alaska

Abstract

The Alaskan market for reindeer meat is unique. This study's aim is to estimate the average consumer willingness to pay for a range of reindeer meat attributes. These attributes include those that have a direct impact on meat quality such as cut and fat percentage, as well as intangible qualities, such as where the meat is grown and by whom it was raised. The study focuses on the preferences of people in Interior Alaska, specifically the Fairbanks Northstar Borough. The Reindeer Act of 1937 and supply infrastructure limitations have both contributed to a low level of reindeer meat production in Alaska. This study uses an adaptive choice-based conjoint to measure what attributes participants find most important and estimate how much they are willing to pay for those reindeer meat attributes.