Our samples were selected from a professional food specialty
institution (the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade,
NASFT) to ensure that the sample was representative. NASFT is a
nation-wide organization in the United States. The reasons for
choosing food specialties as the samples were as follows. First, a
clear definition of food souvenirs is currently lacking within the
industry and within academia. Second, some honored food specialties
from NASFT are also referred to as popular food souvenirs in
the description; therefore, the samples in our content analysis
simultaneously cover food specialties and food souvenirs. Third,
according to the association's website, “Some of NASFT's winning
stores are popular tourist sites” (NASFT, 2014)