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New Mexico Chile Association

2009 Consumer and Restaurant Survey Results
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Key findings from a consumer survey conducted by Research and Polling, Inc.   

  • Two-thirds of the respondents say it is very important that the chile they purchase is grown in New Mexico.

  • 77% or three quarters of consumers feel New Mexico grown chile is better than chile grown in other states.

  • Majority of consumers feel that New Mexican grown chile is better than chile grown in Mexico and than chile grown in other foreign countries.

  • 89% of consumer support having an official certification program to enable purchasers to know where their chile was grown.

  • 74% Support genetic modification of chile plants in certain cases, mainly because they feel it will help prevent disease and save the chile farms.

  • 73% of respondents say it is important that processors, grocers, and restaurants purchase New Mexican grown chile.

  • 92% of NM chile consumers are concerned about the decline in chile acreage across the state.

  • 90% of NM chile consumers agree that officials should do everything in their power to ensure that chile continues to be grown and processed in New Mexico.

Key Findings - Restaurant Portion of Survey
  • 74% of restaurateurs say it’s important that the chile they purchase is grown in New Mexico.
  • 74% of restaurateurs say it’s important that the chile they purchase is grown in New Mexico.
  • Seven in ten (71%) of restaurateurs feel New Mexico grown chile is better than chile grown in other states.
  • Majority (64%) feel that serving New Mexico chile gives them a marketing advantage over those who serve chile from elsewhere.
  • 2/5ths of restaurateurs say they purchase and serve chile grown in Hatch, NM (42% unaided), while another 2/5ths buy New Mexico grown chile in general.
  • Few (6%) say they are purchasing chile from out of state and about 1/5 do not know the origin of the chile they purchase.
  • Restaurateurs who prefer Hatch chile say that is tastes better (49%) and it has a good/better quality (27%)
  • Nearly half  (47%) say they are “very willing” to pay more for chile from the U.S. versus chile grown in another country.
  • One third (35%) are “very willing” to pay more for New Mexico chile versus chile from another state.
  • Of those willing to pay more, they say they would pay 21% more for chile from the U.S. versus chile from a foreign country and 16% more for New Mexico chile versus chile from another state.
  • 78% of restaurateurs support having an official certification program to enable purchasers to know where their chile was grown.
  • 77% of restaurateurs are concerned about the decline in chile acreage across the state.
  • 92% of restaurateurs agree that officials should do everything in their power to ensure that chile continues to be grown and processed in New Mexico.
  • 58% or 3/5ths support taking a gene from one kind of chile plant and putting it into another because they feel it will help prevent disease and farmers could grow more chile.
  • The majority of chile purchasers purchase frozen (80%), followed by fresh (36%), dried (31%), and canned/bottled (10%).
  • 98% say quality is most important to them when deciding which chile to purchase.  When asked unaided what quality means to them, the plurality of restaurateurs us mention flavor (49%) followed by heat (28%) and texture (26%).
  • 74% of restaurateurs say it’s important that the chile they purchase is grown in New Mexico.
  • Seven in ten (71%) of restaurateurs feel New Mexico grown chile is better than chile grown in other states.
  • Majority (64%) feel that serving New Mexico chile gives them a marketing advantage over those who serve chile from elsewhere.
  • 2/5ths of restaurateurs say they purchase and serve chile grown in Hatch, NM (42% unaided), while another 2/5ths buy New Mexico grown chile in general.
  • Few (6%) say they are purchasing chile from out of state and about 1/5 do not know the origin of the chile they purchase.
  • Restaurateurs who prefer Hatch chile say that is tastes better (49%) and it has a good/better quality (27%)
  • Nearly half  (47%) say they are “very willing” to pay more for chile from the U.S. versus chile grown in another country.
  • One third (35%) are “very willing” to pay more for New Mexico chile versus chile from another state.
  • Of those willing to pay more, they say they would pay 21% more for chile from the U.S. versus chile from a foreign country and 16% more for New Mexico chile versus chile from another state.

Copyright 2006, New Mexico Chile Association.