Vol. 14 No. 2 (2025)
Case Study Article

Stereotypes and Success: Examining Growth Barriers in the New Jersey Wine Industry

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  • Seth Porter
Seth Porter
University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, 1420 Austin Bluffs Pkway, Colorado Springs, CO (USA) 80918
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/wep-17068

Published 2025-10-17

Keywords

  • emerging wine regions,
  • New Jersey wine,
  • East Coast wine,
  • developing wine regions,
  • policy

How to Cite

Porter, S. (2025). Stereotypes and Success: Examining Growth Barriers in the New Jersey Wine Industry. Wine Economics and Policy, 14(2), 103–117. https://doi.org/10.36253/wep-17068

Copyright (c) 2025 Seth Porter

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Abstract

The New Jersey wine industry represents an emerging agricultural sector with considerable growth potential. Yet, it continues to encounter structural and perceptual challenges that constrain its growth and limit its market competitiveness. This study examines central barriers that emerged in the data and are consistent with findings from prior research. These include persistent negative consumer perceptions, collective reputation, restrictive regulatory frameworks, limited distribution channels, fragmented regional branding, and challenges related to digital transformation. Using a mixed-method approach, this research combines in-depth interviews with industry stakeholders, inductive emergent thematic analysis, document analysis, AI sentiment analysis, and quantitative descriptive data to identify and analyze these issues. The findings illustrate that while stakeholders express frustration over regulatory and logistical constraints, they also exhibit optimism for the industry’s future, particularly in areas such as quality improvement, sustainable practices, and regional identity-building. Addressing these challenges through strategies, such as quality assurance programs, further state support for extension services, regulatory reforms, collaborative marketing, and firm-level digital transformation, can significantly strengthen New Jersey’s wine industry. This study also offers public and private policy recommendations to support the industry in establishing a solid and competitive presence in the wine market, positioning New Jersey as a reputable wine-producing region, and applying frameworks for other emerging wine regions.

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