How Five Minutes of Feedback at the Big Fresno Fair Helps Local Food Entrepreneurs
By F3 | Branded content | November 2, 2026 - 5:00 PM
Consumers sample local food products and provide feedback during a pop-up consumer testing event at the Big Fresno Fair, helping Central Valley food entrepreneurs better understand customer preferences. F3 photo
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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 gain insights into 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.
Dr. Gaëlle Chanlot of F3 Local led the consumer testing at the Big Fresno Fair. F3 photo
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 their preferences, suggestions for improvement, and whether they'd consider purchasing them. Businesses can also explore packaging, labeling, and purchasing preferences based on consumer feedback.
The goal is simple: turn consumer feedback into practical insights to 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.
Rosa Sanchez of Carmelita’s Pan Casero introduced fairgoers to her mango, zucchini, and persimmon breads. She was interested in understanding if consumers could easily identify flavors through her packaging.
"At our markets, we offer samples, but we typically don't ask for much feedback. Having a structured test with individual 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," shares Vicky Garcia-Moya of Eco Family Farms, who sampled four of her honey almond flavors.
Vicky Garcia-Moya of Eco Family Farms sampled four of her honey almond flavors. F3 photo
Learning Goes Both Ways
Even with more than 20 years of experience in sensory and consumer research, we encountered new challenges. Recruiting participants at a busy fair isn’t easy! While free food and the opportunity to support local businesses can attract people, unfamiliar consumers may not be inclined to engage in consumer testing.
Yet the 342 responses demonstrated that consumers are willing to participate. They simply need opportunities to understand why their opinions matter.
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 stick."