Professor Wim Verbeke is a distinguished scholar and leading authority in the field of agricultural economics with specialized expertise in consumer behavior within food systems. He currently holds the position of Professor of Agro-Food Marketing and Consumer Behaviour at Ghent University's Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Department of Agricultural Economics, where he has established himself as a pivotal figure in European food consumer research. With a career spanning over two decades, Professor Verbeke has built an international reputation for his rigorous investigation into the psychological, social, and economic determinants influencing food choices and consumption patterns across diverse cultural contexts. His academic journey has been marked by significant contributions to understanding consumer responses to novel foods, sustainable consumption practices, and health-related food decisions, making him a sought-after expert in food policy discussions throughout Europe.
Professor Verbeke's groundbreaking research has fundamentally transformed our understanding of consumer behavior in food systems, with his work on food risk communication and acceptance of innovative food products becoming foundational in the field. His extensive publication record, featuring over 57,000 citations according to Google Scholar, demonstrates the profound impact of his contributions across agricultural economics and consumer science. Notable projects such as the FoodRisC initiative, which developed strategies for effective communication of food risks and benefits across Europe, and his leadership in the PHYTOME project investigating nitrite replacement in meat products, showcase his ability to address critical food system challenges through interdisciplinary collaboration. His methodological expertise in structural equation modeling and consumer survey design has provided robust frameworks for analyzing complex food choice behaviors, influencing both academic research and practical applications in food marketing and public health policy implementation.
Beyond his research contributions, Professor Verbeke has been instrumental in building international research networks through his leadership in major European collaborative projects, including the EC H2020 B-GOOD project focused on honey bee colony health monitoring. He has mentored numerous graduate students and early-career researchers who have gone on to establish themselves in academic and professional positions across the global food sector, contributing significantly to the development of the next generation of food scientists. As an editorial board member for leading journals in food science and agricultural economics, he continues to shape the intellectual direction of his field through rigorous peer review and scholarly discourse. Currently, his research focuses on emerging challenges in sustainable food systems, including consumer acceptance of alternative proteins, digital transformation in food marketing, and the intersection of food policy with behavioral economics, positioning him at the forefront of addressing some of the most pressing food-related issues of our time.
