Consumer Value for High Fiber Wheat

Our team is studying how consumers respond to high-fiber white bread made from newly developed wheat varieties that increase fiber while preserving the texture and taste people expect from white bread. Using a large, nationally representative U.S. sample, we will test different information and marketing messages to see which most effectively increase consumers’ willingness to pay for higher-fiber white bread. We will also examine responses among consumers with pre-diabetes and diabetes—an at-risk group for whom increasing fiber intake can provide especially meaningful health benefits. Our goal is to identify practical, evidence-based strategies that can help build consumer demand and support adoption of these new wheat varieties across the food system.