Consumer Preferences of Jalapeño Pepper in the Mexican Market

Abstract

The jalapeño pepper is one of the best-known and most commonly consumed chili peppers in Mexico; its consumption is a tradition that dates to the first migrations of Europeans to the country. With time, its demand has increased, although in recent years its consumption presented a stabilization and stagnation. This work aimed to determine the preferences of Mexican consumers for jalapeño pepper, taking as a reference quality attributes and motivations that influence their purchasing and consumption habits, under the hypothesis that consumers in each region seek a certain type of jalapeño pepper based on specific quality attributes. In total, 1200 surveys were carried out in five regions of the country. The analysis of the information was performed using the ANOVA test, correspondence analysis, and multidimensional scaling. The main results of this study show that although there is a tendency towards frequent consumption, each purchase weighs less than 500 g. In the same way, the physical appearance of the product is fundamental at the time of purchase, in addition to other attributes such as flavor, color, and size, which are highly valued by consumers. Although there are similar consumption patterns, purchasing behaviors change by region, which can serve as a basis and spearhead for the development of differentiated strategies in the production and marketing of the product.

1. Introduction

The chili pepper is the most commonly consumed spicy crop throughout the world [1]. Mexico has a wide diversity of chili peppers characterized by color, smell, flavor, pungency, and size. There are 22 varieties for fresh consumption and 12 for dry consumption, which are produced throughout the year [2].

When it comes to the national production of green peppers (Capsicum annuum), the states of Chihuahua, Sinaloa, Zacatecas, San Luis Potosí, and Sonora stand out as the largest producers in total volumes with 722, 648, 458, and 327 thousand tons, respectively. In 2020, these states contributed with 64.89% of the total national green pepper output [3].

In Mexico, chili pepper cultivation has major social, economic, and cultural importance. There are over 50,000 producers that employ ~15 million workers, making chili production a primary source of family income in rural areas [4].

The main varieties of green peppers produced in the country during 2020 were jalapeño with 837,232.88 tons, followed by poblano (13.38%), serrano (11.10%), and bell pepper (6.69%). In 2010, 33,000 ha was planted with ‘Jalapeño’, but this area decreased by 11.2% in 2020 [3]. The decrease has been attributed to various factors, including low benefits, over-yield, excessive intermediaries in the supply chain, poor marketing, and insufficient agricultural credits, among others [5].

The national per capita consumption is 17.2 kg [4]. Although there is no increase in the overall consumption trend, there are growth opportunities.

The consumer theory starts from the principle that the consumer is a rational agent, with limited economic resources and time, to satisfy all his needs. For this reason, it tries to maximize utility within the constraints of budget [6].

Consumer preferences are determined by market conditions, objective variables, and non-quantifiable variables, which makes them complex [7]. In this sense, Lancaster (1996) [8] points out that consumers obtain utility from the diversity of product attributes, rather than from the product itself.

In this way, sociocultural, economic, technological, and political environments become determinants for consumer decisions and preferences, in addition to other factors such as purchasing methods, and consumption frequency, which are also key in their purchasing behaviors [9,10].

In addition, there are sociodemographic factors [11] such as a decrease in the time available for food shopping and preparation, a reduction in average family size, the presence of children or elderly people, the greater use of information technologies, improvements in communication systems, and the geographical area of urban centers, among others, that are also determining factors that interfere with consumption [12,13].

Several studies have analyzed consumer behavior and attitudes toward fruit and vegetable consumption at the international level. Studies on Maramures consumers showed that respondents are loyal to local and national products, prioritizing the relative importance of elements such as local identity. The consumption of vegetables and fruits was frequent among those with higher education who were concerned about the safety and quality of food products [14]. Likewise, in Palestine, the pandemic transformed purchasing behavior and induced panic buying, which negatively affected the affordability of fruits and vegetables by increasing prices [15]. Massaglia et al. (2018) [16] found that age, average annual income and families with children are factors that influenced the preference for fruits and vegetables, as health is a fundamental element in their purchase decision.

In contrast, Chung et al., 2006 [17] found that extrinsic quality attributes, such as brand, price, and packaging, did not affect the perception of quality of consumers in India. In contrast, Sánchez-Toledano, (2021) [18] found that factors such as external color, size, and the absence of injuries or bruises were the relevant quality attributes for peach consumers in Mexico. This coincided with the finding by Jaeger et al. (2016) [19] that visual detection with respect to apples played a primary role in consumer attitudes and was dominant at the time of purchase.

Lombart et al. (2019) [20] studied consumers’ perceptions of fruit and vegetable abnormality and the findings indicated that buyers decided to purchase a similar amount of fruits and vegetables, regardless of their level of deformity. However, perceptions of the appearance and quality in these types of fruits and vegetables depended on the degree of abnormality. Moderately deformed fruits and vegetables were perceived as significantly better in terms of quality than those that were highly deformed.

Similarly, Godrich et al. (2020) [21] measured consumer perceptions of the perceived importance of regionally grown fresh fruits and vegetables in Tasmania and southwestern Australia. The results defined that 97% of respondents were interested in regionally grown fresh fruits. In Serbia, the main characteristics of peppers were determined. The obtained research results showed that the most popular type of bell pepper was kapija, while babura was the second type chosen, and the favorite color was red, although consumers preferred medium-hot fruits (Danojević et al., 2021) [22].

In Mexico, research focused on analyzing chili consumption preferences in Oaxaca, Mexico, and results showed that respondents preferred to consume ‘Jalapeño’ (37.7%), ‘Chile de Árbol’ (18.9%), ‘Chile de Agua’ (15.8%) and ‘Serrano’ (13.1%) chili peppers. Regarding chili preferences in Northeastern Mexico, it was found that on average Piquín chili was highly preferred among consumers, with similar levels as those of Jalapeño, even though the latter is available in the market throughout the year at a lower price [23,24,25,26,27].

Sanchez-Toledano et al. (2021) [28] identified the attributes that determined the choice of jalapeño peppers and evaluated consumers’ willingness to pay for each of them. Consumers preferred moderately hot (6000 USc) and medium (6.25 cm) jalapeños. However, studies on jalapeño peppers in Mexico are incipient. Therefore, it is important to reinforce in detail consumer attitudes and preferences towards the product in the different geographic regions of Mexico. The objective of this study was to determine the preferences of Mexican consumers for jalapeño peppers, taking as a reference quality attributes and motivations that influence their purchasing and consumption habits. It was hypothesized that consumers in each region seek a certain type of jalapeño bell pepper based on specific quality attributes. The results of this study will help jalapeño farmers in Mexico to orient their products toward the quality achieved in the agricultural year and place the fruit in the market at an acceptable price.

2. Materials and Methods

To achieve the general objective of the research, a questionnaire was administered to consumers in five geographical regions of Mexico (Northwest, Northeast, north-Central, south-Central, and Southeast) (Figure 1). Data were collected between September 2019 and March 2020 through a semi-structured 25-question survey [29], the questions in which were grouped into the following blocks:

(a)

Product knowledge, which includes questions on consumption motivations, frequency, place of purchase, and quantities purchased.

(b)

Fruit attributes and jalapeño pepper commercialization, aspects related to the appreciated characteristics of the fruit such as color, aroma, size, consistency, width, degree of pungency, striping, weight, the absence of bruises, the absence of physiological damage, shape, price, the appearance of the product, the identification the of origin and shelf life [30,31].

(c)

Problems and improvements observed, aspects that, according to the consumer, should be attended to and improved by the producer.

(d)

Perceptions of future trends, aspects that play a role as determinant factors in jalapeño commercialization [32]. The identified statements were previously commented on and analyzed in a discussion group formed by experts in the matter and researchers involved in the study.

(e)

Other products; this section delved into demand for agro-industrial products and other types of peppers consumed.

(f)

Consumer characteristics, and aspects related to age, education, gender, profession, place of residence, and income.

Sample and Fieldwork

Mexico has a population of 130 million inhabitants. This research is based on the adult segment (20 years and older), which is equivalent to 67 million people [33]. To obtain the data, finite population sampling suggested a sample size of 1040. However, prior to data collection, pilot tests were conducted to ensure question clarity and to avoid potential interview errors (n = 40). Thereby, 1200 questionnaires were randomly administered to generate a 4% sampling error and a 99% confidence level [34].

The research participants did not receive any type of financial remuneration for collaborating. The applied questionnaire was validated and approved by a social science ethics committee and performed in accordance with the principles set out in the Declaration of Helsinki, with special care to protect personal information as required by Mexican standards.

The questionnaire in its printed format was given directly to the participants. The sample was retrieved from the vicinity of commercial establishments, leisure sites, and in public places with a rather large concentration of people. One of the advantages of contacting people in public places is the heterogeneity of the sample. Additionally, the participants were randomly selected, received a detailed explanation on the research and signed a consent form that was read aloud. The questionnaire was administered by the researchers (face to face to the participants) and the mean time of response of each survey was 30 min.

The administration of the consumer survey was conducted before the pandemic COVID-19. It was carried out in the central area of the country, where there is the largest population, as well as in the jalapeño pepper-producing areas of the south and north of the country. The geographic location of the sample allowed us to know the characteristics of jalapeño pepper consumers in consumption areas (the central area) and in high-production areas (north and south).

The information obtained was used to create a database that was later subject to validation. This resulted in the elimination of any detected inconsistencies, such as incorrect data captured during the information processing stage. Subsequently, statistical analyses were carried out using SAS software (version 9.1 SAS Institute, Cary, NC, USA). Bivariate analyses such as the ANOVA test were performed. To complement the analysis, the multidimensional scaling procedure (MULTIDIMENSIONAL) [35] and correspondence analysis were performed. Multidimensional scaling is a procedure that allows one to determine the relative perceived image of a set of objects (attributes, varieties, products, companies or others). The purpose of DME is to transform consumer judgments of similarity or dissimilarity into distances represented in a multidimensional space. Correspondence analysis is a data science visualization technique that is useful for discovering and showing the relationship between categories. It uses a graph that plots data, visually showing the result of two or more data points [36]. As a segmentation criterion, the region where consumers were located was used [34]. At the same time, descriptive analyses such as modes, means and frequencies were performed to determine consumer preferences.

3. Results

The results showed that 66% of the sample were women and 34% were men. The highest age proportion was between 45 to 49 years old (14.7%), followed by ages of 40 to 44 (13.1%). In terms of education and income, 37.7% claimed to have a university degree, and the largest sample proportion (46.1%) had an income of less than MXN 5000. As can be seen in

Table 1. Sociodemographic characteristics.

Sample *		Mexican Population **
Feature	%	Feature	%
Age
18–24 years	15.2	18–24 years	22.9
25–29 years	9.8	25–29 years	10.7
30–34 years	10.6	30–34 years	9.5
35–39 years	9.8	35–39 years	10.3
40–44 years	13.1	40–44 years	9.6
45–49 years	14.7	45–49 years	8.7
50–54 years	9.0	50–54 years	8.1
55–59 years	6.8	55–59 years	7.1
More than 60–65 years	11.0	60–65 years	13.1
Gender
Female	66.0	Female	51.4
Male	34.0	Male	48.6
Academic level
Elementary school	12.3	Elementary school	54.5
Middle school	21.2	Middle school	12.0
High school	27.8	High school	17.5
University	38.7	University	16
Monthly income level
Less than $5000	46.1	Less than MXN 5000	35
Between MXN 5001 and MXN 10,000	31.7	Between MXN 5001 and MXN 10,000	9.7
Between MXN 10,001 and MXN 15,000	13.1	Between MXN 10,001 and MXN 15,000	14.4
Between MXN 15,001 and MXN 20,000	6.0	Between MXN 15,001 and MXN 20,000	21.4
More than MXN 20,001	3.1	More than $30,001	19.5

Source: * own elaboration; ** INEGI, 2022.

, concerning education, the sample had people with greater academic preparation, but lower income. In 2015, in Mexico, 36% of the population was in a moderate-poverty situation, and 7.96% was in extreme poverty. As such, the vulnerable population in terms of social deprivation reached 26.6% and the vulnerable population in terms of income was 7.74%. In the years between 2018 and 2020, the household expenditure item with the highest increase was health, increasing by 45.1%. On the other hand, the expenditure that decreased the most was education, decreasing by −42.8% [37]. Basically, although there are some differences in percentage terms between the study sample and the Mexican population, particularly in terms of academic level and higher income levels, the truth is that in regard to age, sex and monthly income there are similarities in trends, showing that the sample is representative of the general population.

3.1. Jalapeño Pepper Consumption, Purchasing and Demand Habits

With regard to the monthly income level, the perception of Mexico as an extremely unequal country is widespread. It does have a high rate of inequality compared to that of OECD countries, with the Gini coefficient in 2016 of 0.43 being 25% higher than the OECD average [38].

Regarding consumption habits, the results showed that the Mexican population mainly consumes jalapeño pepper as a fresh pepper (57.2%), followed by consumption as a processed pepper (40.8%), and to a lesser extent as a dry or smoked pepper (2.1%). Regarding the reason of consumption, pepper taste was the most outstanding (48.4%), and in terms of use, multifunctionality (17.7%), and pungency (10.4%) were most outstanding.

It was also identified that in Mexico, the consumption of jalapeño pepper occurs on some of the weekdays (49.6%), and the most recurrently consumed amount among 56.1% of consumers is less than 0.5 kg (

Table 2. Jalapeño pepper in Mexico; purchase frequency and quantity consumed.

Frequency of Consumption	Percentage of the Sample	Amount Consumed	Percentage of the Sample
Daily, Monday to Friday	13.3	Less than half a kilogram	56.1
Some weekdays	49.6	Between half a kilogram to a kilogram	35.3
Weekends	26.6	Between one kilogram and two kilograms	7.7
Less than once a month	10.5	More than three kilograms	0.8

Additional pepper aspects such as aroma, color, and nutritional value, among others, presented a lower incidence in the causes of choice among consumers.

).

The analysis of expected preferences using multidimensional scaling revealed two dimensions that best explained the spatial configuration with a stress index of 0.05, indicating a good fit between the model and the data [39]. The two-dimensional representation among the 1200 jalapeño consumers was not evenly distributed across the quadrants of the map (Figure 2). The attributes most valued when making a purchase were price, size, and aroma, in contrast to product origin and shelf life, which were the attributes least valued by consumers. It is possible that these results are related to the lack of denominations of origin, as well as brands that identify a product in its marketing. Other attributes such as color, spice degree, and the absence of injuries or blows were found to be valued but not determinants of consumers’ decisions. It is identified that for Mexican consumers, the economic aspect continues to be a determining factor in their purchasing decisions.

The characteristics that consumers favored when purchasing jalapeño were influenced by their region. In seven out of thirteen analyzed variables, consumers agreed on the same product characteristics that followed a purchase (color, pungency, weight, absence of physiological damage, pepper origin, and shelf life). That is, consumers of this fruit seem to purchase the pepper based on external factors associated with the presentation of the product. Regarding color, a study conducted on consumers’ expectations of vegetables with typical and atypical carrot colors found that color tone and saturation have a substantial impact on consumers’ expectations of sensory and functional properties including freshness and nutritional value [40]. In this sense, consumers in the five analyzed regions agree to acquire a product with a bright dark-emerald-green color, possibly due to its association with fresh and nutritious products.

This study found that the minimum quality attributes required by jalapeño pepper consumers were the external color, which should be a bright dark emerald green, a medium size (5.0 to 7.5 cm), moderate spiciness (5 thousand to 7 thousand Usc), and a weight between 25 and 30 g. On the other hand, the differences in variables that resulted in a purchase were in characteristic aroma (evaluated a on five-point scale), greater width and stripes (in the Southeast region), greater size and consistency to the touch (Northeast region), and external appearance for consumers in the Central region of the country (

Table 3. Quality attributes required by jalapeño pepper consumers in Mexico.

Regions	External Color	Aroma Characteristic	Size	Consistency	Width	Pungency Degree	Striped	Weight	Absence of Physiological Damage	Price	External Appearance	Origin Identification	Shelf Life
Northwest	Glossy dark emerald green a	3.0 b	Medium (5 to 7.5 cm) b	Medium and lower to the touch b	Indifferent ab	Moderately spicy (5 thousand to 7 thousand USc) a	0–10% and from 10–15% ab	25–30 g a	No damage a	From MXN 10–MXN 15 a	4.0 b	3.3 a	4.4 a
north-Central	Glossy dark emerald green a	4.0 ab	Medium (5 to 7.5 cm) b	Indifferent ab	Indifferent ab	Moderately spicy (5 thousand to 7 thousand USc) a	0–10% and from 10–15% ab	25–30 g a	No damage a	From MXN 10–MXN 15 a	4.2 ab	3.6 a	3.9 a
Northeast	Glossy dark emerald green a	4.0 ab	Large (8 to 10 cm) a	High to the touch a	Indifferent ab	Moderately spicy (5 thousand to 7 thousand USc) a	0–10% a	25–30 g a	No damage a	From MXN 10–MXN 15 a	4.2 b	3.7 a	4.4 a
south-Central	Glossy dark emerald green a	4.0 ab	Medium (5 to 7.5 cm) b	Medium and lower to the touch b	Medium (3.0 to 3.5) b	Moderately spicy (5 thousand to 7 thousand USc) a	0–10% and from 10–15% ab	25–30 g a	No damage a	From MXN 10–MXN 15 a	4.4 a	3.5 a	4.4 a
Southeast	Glossy dark emerald green a	5.0 a	Indifferent ab	Medium and lower to the touch b	Large (3.5 to 405 cm) a	Moderately spicy (5 thousand to 7 thousand USc) a	From 10–15% b	25–30 g a	No damage a	From MXN 10–MXN 15 a	4.3 b	3.8 a	4.0 a

^a,b: significant differences between geographical regions at 5%.

). Apparently, the characteristics demanded by consumers seem to be determined by regional aspects and their way of consuming the product, which may be due to the fact that “the information that consumers have regarding the products they acquire in the market for the consumption of vegetables is based on a traditional diet” [41]. Using a five-point Likert scale, it was also identified that the highest mean values and with which consumers show the greatest degree of agreement in all country regions are the external appearance (values above 4.0) and shelf life, while the origin has smaller values. Attributes such as origin also have significantly lower mean values than other attributes, possibly due to the absence of appellations of origin, which means that consumers do not identify it as a determining factor in their consumption decisions. On the other hand, in the Northwest region, emphasis is placed on size, while in the Southwest, consumers are indifferent to this aspect.

On the other hand, future perceptions were effectively explained with the analysis of the first two correspondence axes, which accumulated 98% of the total variation of the data (inertia) referring to the variables of purchase frequency and product. Additionally, these two axes, were also the only to meet the criterion of randomness and independence (Figure 3). The results show a logic trend pattern since for most regions (Northeast, North-Central and Northwest), food safety is extremely important, with the exception being the South-Central region which prefers information on personalized products, health benefits, and product traceability. In this sense, the Southeast region prefers a high-quality organic jalapeño pepper (Figure 3).

3.2. Consumer Segmentation Based on Geographic Region

In order to know consumer preferences according to the different study regions, the percentages of consumers were identified in terms of the different characteristics of jalapeño peppers such as preferences, motivations, frequency, places of purchase, agro-industrial or processed products that are made from or have jalapeño peppers as the main ingredient, and substitutes, among others.

Table 4. Characteristics of consumer preferences of jalapeño pepper consumers by region.

Characteristics	Region (%)
	Northwest	North-Central	Northeast	South-Central	Southeast
Consumer preference
Processed jalapeño peppers	59.5	38.1	41.2	25.3	58.0
Fresh jalapeño	39.0	59.5	58.8	73.3	38.5
Smoked jalapeño	1.5	2.3	0.0	1.5	3.5
Consumption motivations
Multifunctionality of use	18.5	20.9	33.3	17.5	8.9
High pungency degree	14.2	9.3	11.1	13.9	4.7
Low pungency degree	7.0	11.4	5.6	4.1	17.8
Aroma	7.9	8.1	2.8	2.7	15.1
Taste	44.8	43.7	38.9	57.2	51.9
Others (color, nutritional value, etc.)	7.6	6.6	8.3	4.6	1.5
Consumption frequency
Some days during the week	51.5	74.4	76.5	16.0	65.0
Daily, Monday to Friday	20.0	17.0	23.5	7.5	10.5
On weekends	15.0	4.4	0.0	59.8	16.5
Less than once a month	13.5	4.2	0.0	16.8	8.0
Consumption amounts
Less than half a kilo	78.5	44.4	11.5	54.8	62.5
Half to one kilo	19.0	49.1	58.5	30.8	32.0
One to two kilos	2.5	6.0	23.5	12.5	5.0
More than three kilos	0.0	0.5	5.9	1.3	0.5
Place of purchase
Open-air markets	--	--	47.0	45.4	--
Supermarket	58.3	--	52.9	29.0	24.3
Traditional shop	25.6	54.4	--	25.4	41.2
Markets	15.9	45.5	--	--	34.5
Problems they observe
Size	--	36.0	--	18.6	29.3
Taste	--	--	--	17.2	--
External appearance	38.2	25.2	46.4	33.0	20.6
Price	29.1	38.7	28.5	31.1	31.5
Shelf life	32.6	--	25.0	--	--
Degree of itching	--	--	--	--	18.6
Agro-industrial products *
Sauce	62.5	37.3	30.0	40.9	37.3
Cheese	--	17.4	32.5	22.6	17.4
Canned	35.0	27.5	37.2	37.0	27.7
Snack	--	17.7	--	--	17.6
Substitutes
Serrano pepper	41.5	16.6	64.7	39.4	14.6
Tree chili	--	--	--	19.6	--
Dry pepper	--	24.4	35.2	24.4	25.9
Poblano pepper	--	--	--	16.4	--
Habanero pepper	--	53.8	--	--	47.7
Dried chili peppers	31.0	--	--	--	--
Bell pepper	22.5	--	--	--	--
Xcatic pepper	--	--	--	--	11.8

* agro-industrial products: processed products that use jalapeño peppers as a base.

shows the results for each of the regions, which are described below:

(a)

Northwest Region

According to the findings (Table 4), Northwestern consumers prefer processed jalapeño peppers (59.5%) followed by fresh jalapeño (39%), and dried or smoked jalapeño (1.5%).

In terms of consumption motivations, taste was the most outstanding attribute (44.8%), as well as multifunctionality of use (18.5%), followed by high pungency degree (14.2%). Aspects related to aroma, color, nutritional value, and others have less incidence as causes of choice among consumers.

Regarding the consumption frequency, 51.5% indicated that consumption occurs ‘some days’ during the week, followed by daily consumption or ‘Monday to Friday’ (20%), ‘on weekends’ (15%), and less than once a month (13.5%). The most frequent consumption amounts were less than half a kilo in 78.5% of time, followed by half a kilo to one kilo in 19% of cases, and finally higher consumption, which was made to a lesser extent in only 2.5% of cases.

(b)

North-Central Region

According to the findings (Table 4), the common way of consuming jalapeño is as a processed pepper (59.5%), followed by its fresh variation (38.1%), and as dried or smoked (2.3%). Among the reasons for consumption, taste was the most outstanding attribute (43.7%), followed by multi-functionality (20.9%), low pungency degree (11.4%), and high pungency degree (9.3%). These findings coincide with those by Rodríguez-Del Boque [25], where taste was also found to be the most valued attribute.

In terms of consumption frequency, ‘some weekdays’ predominated with 74.4% of the total frequency, followed by ‘from Monday to Friday’, which happened 17.0% of time. The most frequent consumption amounts were half a kilo to one kilo (49.1% of cases), and less than half a kilo (44.4% of time).

(c)

Northeast Region

Findings in this region (Table 4), show that jalapeño is mainly consumed as a fresh pepper (58.8%), then followed by processed jalapeño products (41.2%). Among the reasons for consumption, flavor was identified as the most common (38.9%), as well as multi-functionality of use (33.3%), and high pungency (11.1%).

In relation to consumption frequency, 76.5% of cases indicated consumption on ‘some days’ of the week, followed by ‘daily’ in 23.5% of cases. The most common consumption amounts were half a kilo to a kilo (58.5%), and from one to two kilos at 25.0%.

(d)

South-Central Region

According to the findings (Table 4), it is noted that, jalapeño was consumed as a fresh pepper in 73.3% of cases, as a processed product in 25.3% of cases, and as a dried or smoked product in 1.5% of cases. Among the reasons for consumption, pepper taste stood out as the most recurrent motivation in 57.2% of cases, followed by multifunctionality of use (17.5%), and high pungency degree (13.9%).

The frequency of consumption that predominated was ‘weekends’ at 59.8%, followed by at least once a month (16.8%), and ‘some weekdays’ (16.0%). The most frequent consumption amounts were less than half a kilo (54.8%), followed by half a kilo to a kilo (30.8%).

(e)

Southeast Region

As in other regions (Table 4), consumers preferred to consume processed jalapeño (58.0%), followed by fresh jalapeño (38.5%), and dried or smoked jalapeño (3.5%). The main reasons for consumption were taste (51.9%), low pungency (15.1%), aroma (25.5%), multifunctionality of use (8.9%), and high pungency (4.7%).

As for consumption frequency, ‘some days’ of the week predominated at 65.0%, followed by ‘on weekends’ (16.5%). The most frequent consumption amounts (62.5%) were less than half a kilo, 32.0% of participants consumed half a kilo to a kilo, and only 5.0% consumed from one to two kilos.

On the other hand, the analysis of other aspects revealed that the most common place to buy the product in the Northeast and Northwest regions are supermarkets (58.3 and 52.9%, respectively). In contrast, most purchases in the north- and south-Central regions take place in traditional stores, and open-air markets, respectively (Table 4). The Northeast and Northwest regions inhabit a younger and more educated consumer population, which seems to confirm the attitudes of millennial consumers who prefer to purchase food in supermarkets [42].

In terms of the observed problems regarding jalapeño peppers, price, external appearance, and shelf life are characteristics that stand out. Although these are extrinsic attributes not related to taste, they are considered key characteristics that can be optimizable in terms of consumer perception and demand. Thus, producers can either work to improve jalapeño varieties or else perform better post-harvest management of the product.

The jalapeño pepper by-products that are the most consumed and manufactured stand out in all analyzed regions, mainly in the form on ‘sauces’, followed by canned products, and cheese jalapeño products (Table 4). These results show the lack of product development and variation in terms of market options readily available for consumption.

Lastly, in terms of substitutes, it is recognized that there are several products, among which the most outstanding are serrano, dry pepper, and habanero peppers. These alternative options are possibly related to taste, pungency degree, and other attributes such as availability, price, and use among others.

4. Discussion

These results coincide with those found in a study on the consumption of native peppers in Oaxaca [23]. The authors found that among the main reasons for consumption, flavor (69.9%) and pungency (20%) were the most popular characteristics.

The findings coincide with other those of other research endeavors regarding the relevance of flavor. The ripening stage is critical in determining the ideal time for harvest as drastic changes in capsaicin content levels have been observed throughout the ripening period of peppers [43]. As such, this stage is of great interest since one of the most sought-after attributes in peppers, and particularly in jalapeños, is the content of spicy compounds that gives this pepper its highly demanded character.

Although the latter is somewhat subjective if it is not assessed with the Scoville scale [44,45], the truth is that it is a point of reference when considering the perception of consumers. As such, these perceptions occur in the three main forms of consumption: in sauces, filling, and roasting, coinciding with the findings of this research where sauces and canned food are the most consumed modalities. On the other hand, globally, consumers have a taste for spicy food [46]. In a 1104-participant study on the consumption and hot pepper preferences in the United States, it was found that the jalapeño pepper was among the most popular fresh hot peppers in the country due to its flavor. The results obtained show consistency with this trend since high and moderate pungency are among the aspects most valued by consumers also in Mexico.

Findings suggest that jalapeño consumers are interested in obtaining future “safe foods” that are organic and have traceability mechanisms. This is consistent with the finding recent studies by the World Bank which notes that “the importance of food safety implies that much of the economic and health burden of unsafe food can be avoided through preventive measures, investments, and behavioral changes adopted from farm to fork. It draws attention to the policies and approaches that governments can use to invest wisely in food safety, take better advantage of private initiatives, and engage effectively with consumers” [47].

Meanwhile, it is noted that although in other countries such as Spain, supply chain participants are aware of the importance of traceability [48,49]; in Mexico, product traceability is not mandatory except for producers who export to countries that require it [50].

As such, increased nutritional awareness and health mindfulness make consumers more attentive not only to the amount of food consumed, but also to its quality, nutritional value, health benefits, and the origin of food products [51,52,53,54].

The consumer perception of jalapeño pepper has a short-term focus on extrinsic factors of the product, such as price. In terms of intrinsic or sensory factors, it was identified that pungency degree and flavor were considered important by consumers on a short-term basis; however, for medium- and long-term purchasing, consumers gave greater importance to traceability, safety, and organic origin. The results presented are consistent with those of a study conducted in northern Italy, in which consumers’ choice of fruits and vegetables was mainly influenced by the intrinsic and sensory attributes of the product such as origin, freshness, and seasonality [55,56]. This behavior is relevant for production chains and primary producers as well as for value chains, distributors, and the product market.

Sánchez-Toledano et al. (2019) [30] found that the market values fruit quality traits differently depending on the region where the operation is located. The foregoing sets the standard for establishing new plantations, where producers use varieties that meet consumer requirements and meet demand.

Babin and Harris (2023) [57] mentioned that knowing the market demand allows the provision of specific products for defined markets, thus improving profits.

By not having information on geographical area on consumer preferences, a lack of knowledge of the main products demanded by the inhabitants within a specific area remains, which leads to excessive or poorly focused investments in relation to consumer needs. Geographic segmentation helps to direct sales in the right way and create a better relationship between the client and the company. Presenting relevant items to customers in a certain area allows one to anticipate their needs and minimize the effort required to find what they are looking for. Lockshin et al. (2006) [58] mentioned that there are differences among consumers according to the geographical regions of Mexico. Guadalajara consumers had a greater tendency to worry about the price–quality ratio of a product. In contrast, Oaxacan consumers had a long tradition of consumption, which could explain their familiarity with the process, raw materials, and production methods [59].

5. Conclusions

This research represents the first approach to the study of jalapeño consumers in Mexico. One of the main limitations of this research is that it does not analyze the entire agri-food chain; that is to say, it is necessary to study the characteristics of the producers and their main marketing channels. Despite the limitations, the results obtained from 1200 consumers allow the establishment of clear guidelines and a broader vision of the characteristics of jalapeño pepper consumers in the country.

In the national context, it has been identified that jalapeño peppers are consumed both processed and fresh. Their flavor, the multifunctionality of their use and external characteristics are highly valued aspects. However, a more detailed analysis of market preferences reveals differences by zone. Thus, in the Northwest, north-Central and Southeast regions, consumers prefer processed jalapeño peppers. Consumption takes place on certain days of the week and in portions ranging from half a kilo to one kilo. These findings reveal that there is a market that seeks and values jalapeño peppers, but at the same time show potential to encourage fresh consumption. Therefore, commercial strategies can be used to emphasize nutritional and economic advantages, among others. On the other hand, in the Northwest and south-Central region, fresh jalapeño is consumed to a greater extent. However, there are differences in frequency and quantities, since in the south-Central region there is a tendency toward the consumption of small portions during weekends, while in the Northwest consumption is more common during the week and consumption portions are larger. In these two geographic regions, preferences tend to be for fresh produce. Thus, strategies should focus on strengthening the quantities and frequency of consumption. Consequently, and considering the cultural aspects of each region, sensory tasting experiences can be carried out. The options for the use of jalapeño peppers in different dishes can be introduced, without neglecting the nutritional, production-related and traditional aspects.

In general, the consumption of jalapeño peppers is widespread throughout the country. It should be noted that even though there are substitutes with great potential, consumer preferences for it are owed to its organoleptic and external characteristics . At the same time, the knowledge, frequent consumption and familiarity of jalapeño peppers represent an advantage in commercial terms, favoring the implementation of generic advertising campaigns. Similarly, the different presentations of jalapeño peppers in the market (either fresh or processed) allow greater innovation options. Finally, the supply chain should not be overlooked, since consumption preferences can also be associated with the quality and conditions of the product that the consumer finds available in the market, so that an analysis along the entire agri-food chain of jalapeño peppers and comprehensive strategies in the value chain are fundamental for improving its commercialization.