Emotional value, online repurchase intention, and recommendation in local food purchasing among Turkish diaspora consumers

This paper explores how diaspora consumers, specifically the Turkish community in Germany, engage with digital foodservice marketing to purchase Turkish-local foods. It focuses on how emotional value perception influences their online repurchase intention and their likelihood to recommend these products to others. Using media richness theory as a inspiration, the study examines how these emotional connections shape shopping behaviors in a digital environment. Data collected from 397 respondents in the summer of 2025 reveal that when diaspora consumers feel a strong emotional connection to the products, they are more likely to buy again online and suggest these foods to friends and family. The study also reveals that online repurchase intention partially mediates the relationship between perceived emotional value and recommending it to others. Overall, the findings show that for diaspora consumers, emotional value plays a crucial role in driving their online food purchases and recommendations, especially when accessing familiar foods that are otherwise hard to find. These insights offer valuable guidance for digital foodservice marketing strategies aimed at connecting with culturally diverse consumers.