Have you ever participated in a pop-up consumer test?
On Oct. 9 and 10, our F3 Local team, led by Dr. Gaëlle Chanlot, brought consumer testing to the Big Fresno Fair. Through four pop-up tests, fairgoers discovered local food products while helping small businesses better understand their customers.
The response was encouraging: 170 consumer responses in just four hours and 342 over two days! These results highlight the potential of bringing consumer research directly into the community.
Five minutes that can make a difference
A pop-up consumer test is a quick, five-minute activity held at fairs, farmers’ markets and community events. Participants taste products and share what they like, what could be improved and whether they would consider buying them. Depending on business needs, tests can also explore packaging, labeling and purchasing preferences.
The goal is simple: turn consumer feedback into practical insights that help local food entrepreneurs make better business decisions.
At the Big Fresno Fair, we partnered with three local food entrepreneurs and Central to the Valley, our new regional brand.
One participant, Rosa Sanchez of Carmelita’s Pan Casero, introduced fairgoers to her mango, zucchini and persimmon breads. She was particularly interested in understanding whether consumers could easily identify the flavors through her packaging.
“At our markets, we offer samples of the customer’s choosing, but we don’t typically ask for much feedback about their experience. Having a structured test with individual trays of numbered samples and a QR code made the process easy for customers to follow and complete with minimal assistance. It was a great way to gather more meaningful feedback and better understand customer preferences,” says Vicky Garcia-Moya of Eco Family Farms, who sampled four of her honey almond flavors.
Learning goes both ways
Even after more than 20 years in sensory and consumer research, we discovered new challenges. Recruiting participants at a busy fair isn’t easy! Free food and the opportunity to support local businesses don’t always attract people who are unfamiliar with consumer testing.
Yet the 342 responses showed that consumers are willing to engage. They simply need opportunities to understand why their opinions matter.
This is also part of our extension mission: helping consumers become more aware of their food experiences while connecting them with local food entrepreneurs.
Small changes, meaningful impact
One of the most rewarding outcomes came from Rosa, who tested different labeling options for her breads. Following our discussions, she shared:
“I also took your advice about adding a small, nickel-sized flavor sticker to the front of our bread packages. I’ve started incorporating this change, and I’m excited to see whether making the flavor more visible helps customers identify their preferred breads and increases sales. It’s a small adjustment, but I’m eager to see what difference it makes!”
This is exactly the impact we hope to create. A simple packaging adjustment, informed by consumer feedback, could help customers identify products more easily and potentially improve sales.
Making consumer research accessible
Consumer insights shouldn’t be reserved for large companies with big research budgets. Small farmers and food entrepreneurs also deserve access to information that helps them improve products, packaging, and marketing.
Our experience at the Big Fresno Fair confirmed the potential of pop-up consumer testing as an accessible, community-based service.
Looking ahead, we hope to organize regular pop-up tests, connecting entrepreneurs with consumers who can help answer real business questions.
It’s a win-win: consumers discover new products and learn to appreciate their food experiences, while entrepreneurs gain insights to strengthen their businesses.
Sometimes, five minutes of feedback can spark a meaningful business decision.
Would you take five minutes to help shape the future of local food in the Central Valley?
Are you a food entrepreneur wanting to test your product? Reach out to Gaëlle Chanlot at gchanlot@ucanr.edu.
