ABSTRACT
This paper empirically examines factors affecting price premia for a specifi c but interesting market: bananas sold in North America.3 The banana market is interesting because both objective and subjective dimensions of quality may affect prices, and because there is quantitative data that can isolate dimensions of quality econometrically. Well-known brand-names compete with unbranded production, substantial price variability exists among brands and between branded and unbranded bananas, there is substantial market concentration, and there is evidence of quality-enhancing investment in intangible capital.
