Ricky Volpe

Ricky Volpe is an Associate Professor at Cal Poly's Agribusiness Department. He teaches courses on food retail and supply chain management, transportation and logistics, and data analysis.

• Ph.D. in Agricultural and Resource Economics from University of California Davis (2010)
• M.S. in Resource Economics from University of Massachusetts, Amherst
• B.S. in Mathematics and Economics from University of Massachusetts, Amherst

His research focuses on market structure, firm performance, food pricing, consumer food choices, and health outcomes. He employs large datasets and applied econometric methods to analyze these topics. Volpe also collaborates with industry leaders in food retailing, wholesaling, and distribution to support public-private partnerships, student internships, and scholarships.

Volpe previously worked as an economist at the USDA Economic Research Service in Washington, DC, where he studied food price formation, industry competitiveness, and healthiness of grocery purchases, while forecasting national retail food price inflation.