Artisanal cheeses: concepts and perceptions of cheesemakers and consumers in southern Brazil

Abstract

The concept of artisanal products has been largely discussed, mainly due to concerns about the inappropriate use of the term that may cause confusion for consumers. Cheeses are important “food models” to evaluate consumers’ and producers’ perception about artisanal foods worldwide. In the current literature, there is a gap that hinders a deeply understanding of the concepts and perceptions of consumers and producers regarding artisanal foods, and how they are linked. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the perception of consumers and cheesemakers toward artisanal foods, focusing on artisan cheeses. In order to discuss the topic, two focus groups were organized with cheese producers and consumers. “Colonial” and “serrano” cheese types were used as food models for the discussion. Producers and consumers associated artisan foods to small-scale production, handicraft, and freshness. Affective memories were also an important issue related to artisanal cheeses. For cheesemakers, artisan cheeses should be produced with unpasteurized milk, which was not mentioned by consumers. Consumers disclosed the intention to pay a premium price for food products that present artisan seals, mainly due to the guarantee of acquiring a quality product. The confusion about artisanal and traditional food concepts were observed, which is a subject to be further deeply evaluated. The findings provide useful issues for policy-makers and institutions that can influence citizens’ attitudes and consumption patterns of artisanal products.