De-risking varietal turnover through retailer-led consumer trials: Evidence from common bean markets in Arusha, Tanzania

Varietal turnover in open-pollinated crops (OPVs) in Tanzania remains slow, partly due to weak demand signals and limited understanding of consumer preferences for new varieties. Farmers, retailers, and traders are hesitant to invest in unfamiliar varieties without credible evidence of market acceptance. This study examines whether marketplace retailers—who interact directly with grain consumers—can independently generate actionable market intelligence through simple consumer trials, and whether aggregated insights can inform investment decisions by higher-level grain traders’ and aggregators. Using a Triadic Comparison of Technologies (Tricot) Approach, consumer tasting trials were conducted at seven restaurants in Arusha. Yellow beans (Selian 13) served as the standard reference in this trial, alongside either JESCA (Purple) or Lyamungu 90 (Red-mottled)—a retailer-selected, commonly traded, red-mottled variety—and the newly released TARIBEAN 6. Results show strong consumer preference for TARIBEAN 6, demonstrating both its market potential and the feasibility of retailer-led consumer evaluations to generate meaningful insights. The study highlights how such grassroots intelligence can reduce perceived risk in new variety investments among retailers, traders, and aggregators, support varietal diversification and accelerate OPV turnover. The paper recommends commissioning broader and more rigorous consumer appreciation studies to inform breeding priorities, varietal release pipelines and promotion strategies.