Why do people spend a premium buying organic food? After years in the organics industry, Cicy Zhu wanted to find out.
Mathematics, literature, whatever knowledge he could pass on, Cicy Xiaoxi Zhu's grandfather was always trying to teach her something.
She usually had other ideas, though.
"While my grandfather was trying to get me to sit down with a book, I was looking for an excuse to escape. I preferred climbing trees, running around outside and playing with my friends."
Cicy grew up in Kunming, the capital of Yunnan Province in southwest China, spending part of her early childhood living with her maternal grandparents while her parents worked.
Her grandfather was a mathematics professor. In fact, all four of her grandparents worked in education, teaching subjects ranging from chemistry and mathematics to literature.
"The funny thing is that I was definitely not the kind of child who loved studying. Quite the opposite!"
But education came to matter deeply to Cicy.
"Little by little, education became something I valued more and more. It's now one of the most important parts of my life, not just because of the qualifications I've gained, but because it has shaped the way I think, the way I see the world, and the way I continue to grow as a person."
This September, at the University of Auckland's spring graduation, she crossed the stage to receive a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in marketing.
She promised to send her grandfather a hard copy of her entire thesis, along with a copy of her graduation certificate, which he plans to hang, in pride of place, on his wall.
"He and my grandmother are both nearing 90. They can't travel for my graduation, but they're very proud and I'll send lots of photos so they can share the moment with me."
Cicy's grandparents on her father's side have passed away, but she says she likes to think they'll be watching her graduate from afar.
"Knowing how much education has always meant to my grandparents makes this milestone feel particularly special."
When she was about ten, Cicy moved back in with her parents, and soon after she finished her second year of high school, she moved to Thailand for university.
"It genuinely felt as though my childhood ended there," she says.
"I was still very young, and suddenly I was leaving my family, my home city and everything familiar to me to live in another country. I still remember that moment very clearly."
It was tough, but she says it taught her about a different culture and independence.
Later, while studying for her masters in Thailand in 2013, Cicy's Australian supervisor introduced her to New Zealand as a possible destination for further study.
"That was really the first time New Zealand, and the University of Auckland, entered my mind as somewhere I might live one day."
Cicy landed a role with an organic food manufacturing and supply company in Auckland when she was 27.
Her job involved working with stores and supermarkets, giving her a close look at how organic food was marketed and sold.
She began wondering why consumers were willing to pay a premium for organic products.
"I realised that I didn't just want to understand organic food from a business perspective. I wanted to understand consumers and the meanings behind their choices."
So, why do some consumers choose organic food?
Cicy says one of her most interesting findings was how far some consumers were willing to go in order to distance themselves from the conventional food system.
"At the more extreme end, some participants were no longer simply choosing between conventional and organic products in a supermarket. They were trying to reduce their dependence on the food market altogether. Some grew their own produce, made food themselves, or found alternative ways of sourcing food directly from people or communities they trusted.
"That really changed the way I thought about organic consumption. At first, I expected the research to focus mainly on why people were willing to pay a premium for organic food. But for some consumers, it was no longer really about buying organic food at all. It had become a much broader lifestyle choice about what they were willing to consume, where their food came from, and who they trusted."
As part of the research, participants used video to document their food practices in everyday life. This allowed Cicy to see not only what they bought, but how food fitted into their routines, emotions and personal values.
She says people want to know where their food comes from, how it's produced and why they should trust those behind it, making transparency, traceability and clear communication important alongside the organic label itself.
Completing the PhD took persistence, and Cicy, who currently works as a scholarships adviser at Waipapa Taumata Rau, says her family helped her through the more difficult periods.
"A PhD can be a lonely journey. My family supported me in every possible way. They listened when I was frustrated, encouraged me when I doubted myself, and reminded me to keep going when the end still felt very far away."
And, says Cicy, in Business School marketing professor Michael Lee, she found a supportive supervisor.
She's now considering a future in academia.
"I enjoy research, teaching, and working with students, and I would like to see whether I can bring together my academic background, industry experience and professional experience in higher education."
