Managerial Perceptions of Country-of-Origin: An Empirical Study of New Zealand Food Manufacturers

This study investigates food manufacturers’ motives for featuring country-of-origin (CoO) symbols, statements, and other indicators on their product packaging and labeling. Unlike the majority of CoO studies that employ survey and experimental methods, a qualitative approach is taken. Sixteen in-depth interviews with key informants of packaged food companies in New Zealand revealed five categories of themes as reasons why manufacturers indicate and often emphasize CoO associations—cognitive function, affective function, conative function, tangible benefits, and intangible benefits. Overall, the findings reveal that managers perceive that CoO associations deliver them benefits, but they do not measure the outcomes of these investments.