Opportunities for imperfect food: Analyzing preferences along the agri-food value chain

Aaron Enriquez
Title: Research Economist, Fort Collins Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey
Email: [email protected]
Staff Profile: https://www.usgs.gov/staff-profiles/aaron-j-enriquez

Carola Grebitus
Title: Professor
Email: [email protected]

Maria Kalaitzandonakes
Title: Assistant Professor
Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Email: [email protected]

Yizao Liu
Title: Associate Professor
Department of Agricultural Economic, Sociology and Education, Pennsylvania State University
Email: [email protected]
Profile: https://aese.psu.edu/directory/yul459

Katya Stoliarova
Title: Postdoctoral Research Scholar
Email: [email protected]

Grace Tione
Title: PhD Candidate
Department of International Environmental and Development Studies.
Norwegian University of Life science, NMBU
Email: [email protected]

Martina Vecchi
Title: Lecturer in the Department of Economics within the School of Economic, Social and Political Science (ESPS) at the University of Southampton (UK)
Email: [email protected]
Profile: https://www.southampton.ac.uk/people/65c8dm/doctor-martina-vecchi#about

Kelsey Vourazeris
Title: Assistant Professor
Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, North Carolina State University
Email: [email protected]

2026

Stoliarova, E. (2026): Imperfect Produce, Food Waste and Food Retailing, Research Seminar, at California Polytechnic State University, 02/19/2026, San Luis Obispo, CA.

Akter, H. (2026): Essays on Promoting Imperfect Produce to Mitigate Food Loss and Waste, Doctoral Dissertation Proposal Defense, at Morrison School of Agribusiness, Arizona State University, 04/29/2026, Mesa, AZ.

2025

Grebitus, C. (2025): Strategies for Reducing Food Waste Along the Value Chain – The Case of Imperfect Produce. Göttingen University, 02/28/2025, Germany.

Stoliarova, E. and Grebitus, C. (2025): Experimental Methods to Elicit the Willingness-to-Pay for Random Weight Goods – The Example of Imperfect Produce. Agricultural & Applied Economics Association Conference, 07/27-07/29/2025, Denver, CO.

Stoliarova, E. (2025): Essays on Measuring Demand, Consumer Preferences, and Retail

Performance of Second-Quality Produce. Dissertation Defense, 4/11/2025, Mesa, AZ. 

Akter, H. and Grebitus, C. (2025): Achieving Triple-Bottom-Line Sustainability in the U.S. Fresh Produce Supply Chain. Graduate Student Poster Presentation, W. P. Carey Research Impact Day, Arizona State University, 4/28/2025, Tempe, AZ.

2024

Stoliarova, E., Grebitus, C., and Richards, T. (2024): Demand for Second-Quality Produce. Decision Sciences Institute Conference, 11/23-11/25, Phoenix, AZ. 

Akter, H., Stoliarova, E., and Grebitus, C. (2024): Reducing Food Waste by Increasing Imperfect Produce Sales – A Supply Chain Investigation. Decision Sciences Institute Conference, 11/23-11/25, Phoenix, AZ.

Stoliarova, E., Grebitus, C., and Richards, T. (2024): Demand for imperfect produce. Agricultural & Applied Economics Association Conference, 07/28-07/30, New Orleans, LA.

Grebitus, C., Stoliarova, E., Akter, H., and Enriquez, A. (2024): Imperfect produce: Barriers and opportunities in the food supply chain. Agricultural & Applied Economics Association Conference, 07/28-07/30, New Orleans, LA.

Enriquez, A., Kalaitzandonakes, M., Vecchi, M., and Grebitus, C. (2024): Opportunities for Imperfect Food: Analyzing preferences along the agri-food value chain. Agricultural & Applied Economics Association Conference, 07/28-07/30, New Orleans, LA.

Stoliarova, E. (2024): Essays on Marketing Strategies for Imperfect Produce. Dissertation Proposal Defense, 5/6/2024, Mesa, AZ. 

Grebitus, C. (2024): Strategies for reducing food waste: The case of imperfect produce. 07/19/2024, Webinar hosted by The Council on Food, Agriculture and Resource Economics (C-FARE).

Stoliarova, E. and Grebitus, C. (2024): Retail food waste and consumer quality preferences. Southern Agricultural Economics Association Conference, 02/3-02/6, Atlanta, GA.

2023

Stoliarova, E., and Grebitus, C. (2023): Feeding the world with imperfect produce. Arizona State University Institute for Social Science Research Graduate Student Poster Competition (Honorable Mention), 11/7/2023, Tempe, AZ.

Grebitus, C. (2023): Imperfect produce: Is it a food loss strategy? Participant in Food Safety Tech X-Change. 10/20/2023, The Global Produce and Floral Show, Anaheim, CA.

Stoliarova, E. (2023): Imperfect produce: Is it a food loss strategy? Participant in Food Safety Tech X-Change. 10/20/2023, The Global Produce and Floral Show, Anaheim, CA.

Stoliarova, E., and Grebitus, C. (2023): It's ugly! Retail food waste and consumer quality preferences. Agricultural & Applied Economics Association Conference, 07/23-07/25, Washington, DC. 

Outreach Publications

Grebitus, C. and Stoliarova, E. (2026): Does Cosmetically Imperfect Produce Have a Chance in the Fresh Produce Market? Market Corner - The Council of Food, Agricultural & Resource Economics, December 2025. https://www.cfare.org/items/marketcornerdec25

Stoliarova E., Akter, H., and Grebitus, C. (Forthcoming), “Barriers and opportunities for imperfect produce,” Arizona Food Industry Journal, https://afmaaz.org/magazine/.

Academic Events

A Track Session titled ‘Strategies for Reducing Food Waste’ was organized by Grebitus, C. and Stoliarova, E. in 2024 at the Annual Meetings of the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association, New Orleans, LA.

Guest Lectures

Stoliarova, E.: Fresh Produce Marketing and Produce Waste, Guest Lecture in AEC 466 “Agricultural and Food Marketing Management”, Applied Economics Department, Oregon State University, Zoom presentation, 03/05/2026

Stoliarova, E.: Fresh Produce Supply Chains and Food Waste, Guest Lecture in AGB 410 “Food Supply Chains”, Morrison School of Agribusiness, Arizona State University, Mesa, AZ, 10/13/2025

Stoliarova, E.: Fresh Produce Marketing and Produce Waste, Guest Lecture in AGB 420 “Food Marketing”, Morrison School of Agribusiness, Arizona State University, Mesa, AZ, 10/13/2025