Search results

Given the fact that local food as a tool to create value-added is a relatively new trend in Scandinavian countries with a strong emphasis on organic food, only limited – and mainly qualitative and case-based - empirical evidence on producers and processors involved in local food value chains (FVCs) has been available so far. Thus, the present paper contributes to the small but growing literature analyzing local FVCs by providing and analyzing quantitative survey data. More specifically, the authors aim at investigating (1) how agricultural producers and processors define and perceive local food, (2) which drivers are important for the decision to become involved in local FVC and (3) whether these drivers differ in a systematic way across producers and processors.

In order to address these research questions, empirical data from a quantitative stakeholder survey carried out in spring in 2017 is used. Data are analyzed via descriptive and inductive statistics including a cluster analysis.

The survey results concerning the definition and perceptions of local food are in line with previous studies showing that there is usually a strong emphasis on geographic proximity. Besides, local (organic) food producers and processors are diverse and heterogeneous with differing distribution and product differentiation strategies being implemented and pursued. In particular, businesses employing primarily a personified distribution strategy (e.g. direct sales via farmers markets) differ quite substantially from businesses employing mainly a standardized distribution strategy (e.g. via retail) in their economic characteristics. Moreover, differences in the perception of potential benefits of local food as well as in the underlying drivers to become part of local FVCs were detected across businesses with different distribution strategies.

Although the employed data sample is considered adequate for analyzing heterogeneity in firms' business strategies, the sample is not representative for Denmark and cannot straight-forwardly be extrapolated to the population level.

One of the first quantitative study on producers' and processors' perceptions of local food and its interaction with organic farming. So far, there is a large literature on consumers' perceptions but empirical evidence for other stakeholders is scarce. Hence, the present study provides a complementary perspective on the topic of local food.

The purpose of this paper is to understand how a geographical indication (GI) is built through time and how its (non)appropriation by local producers shapes it. The reciprocity of such process is also considered: how the creation of a GI changes local relationships between producers, within the GI and out of it? The case of Ossau-Iraty is relevant: in south-west of France, this protected designation of origin (PDO) has been based on two distinct regions: Bearn (Ossau) and Pays Basque (Iraty). Since then, most producers of Bearn have rejected this PDO.

The author adopts a diachronic perspective: the trajectory of the local dairy ewe sector is described, focusing on the trajectory of on-farm cheese makers from Bearn and Pays Basque and the trajectory of Ossau-Iraty. Based on different methods (qualitative interviews and archive research), this paper aims at analyzing the interactions within such heterogeneous networks.

When the PDO was created (1980), the opposition between producers of Bearn and Pays Basque was based on strong senses of place, which would be translated in a different perception of tradition: to Bearn producers, PDO Ossau-Iraty would be an industrial cheese, in which they did not recognize their product and themselves. With time, the producers who have been involved in the PDO worked on its specifications. The recognition of symbolic practices such as on-farm production or Summer pasture production, the recognition of differences between Basque cheese and Bearn cheese are changes that contribute to the evolution of perceptions within the local producers’ community. The author observes a recent convergence between Basque producers and Bearn producers, as their distinct products share common and strong qualifications within PDO Ossau-Iraty that contribute to their respective valorization. However, it seems to occur at an institutional level and the adhesion of the local producers might still be at stakes.

A statistical study could reinforce the author’s exploratory and historical research. Furthermore, it would have been relevant to take local inhabitants and local consumers into account, as they have participated in the products’ qualifications as well.

A long-term analysis (40 years) contributes to better understand how cheeses are valorized and how such process is based on controversial processes. It contributes to root GIs into local histories, which are nor as consensual neither as uniform as we would primarily think, and to identity levers for sustainable local development.

This chapter provides insights into the distribution challenges faced by alternative food networks (AFNs) in Japan. Consumers in Japan are showing increasing interest in supporting and buying directly from farmers, reflecting a growing demand for local food production and consumption. This trend parallels the increasing popularity of AFNs which are often touted as distribution models that seek to reconfigure the relationship between producers and consumers. Although AFNs are defined as a bottom-up response to the unsustainable nature of the industrial food system and the exploitative trade relations that are embedded within global food supply chains, there is little in the literature regarding challenges that emerge when scaling AFNs. This chapter focuses on the distribution challenges that emerge for AFN models that exist outside of direct market transactions, by comparing AFN models in Japan with a local wholesale market system that exists within the conventional, mainstream food system. Based on an analysis of the nuances and complexities that AFNs face in coordinating aggregation and distribution, we argue that the promotion of local food systems can also benefit existing conventional food systems, by leveraging the infrastructure of local wholesale markets. The distribution logistics and fundamentals of parity pricing from the wholesale market system would enable AFNs in Japan to establish a more accessible and sustainable food system. Using four case studies, including a local wholesale-market and three AFN models that distribute agricultural products from rural to rural, and rural to urban areas located in the Kansai region of Japan, we deepen the discussion of how small-scale farmers and their involvement in AFNs can better support sustainable food system transformation.

The purpose of this paper is to explore farmers’ intentions to engage in food brand development schemes and identify the factors that impact this.

By assuming the utility maximization behavior of farmers, based on data collected from 539 fruit and vegetable producers, this study estimates an intention to participate and a willingness to pay model.

Three groups of factors determine the utility the farmers derive and subsequently their engagement in brand development. Farm business characteristics include farmers’ age, the attainment of quality certification and cultivated area, while psychological factors include farmers’ attitudes toward local reflections of the brand, perceptions regarding the need for farm business external support and consumers’ interest, as well as farmers’ commitment to quality requirements. Farmers’ strategies related to the share of products sold by cooperatives and to individually use the brand also determine their engagement in a brand development scheme.

Future research should distinguish producers according to the marketing channel they choose and their industry, and explore the intentions of intermediate marketers.

Marketing cooperatives should undertake initiatives to develop local brands effectively, taking into consideration the factors that impact farmers’ engagement, while food marketing firms should properly adapt their purchasing and promotion strategies. Public authorities should formulate a policy mix that enhances farmers’ knowledge related to marketing issues and encourages farmers to strengthen their positions in the marketplace.

The research reveals a strategic proactive behavior of farmers favoring the development of local brands, and provides insights into the factors that impact farmers’ adoption decisions.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the strength and weakness connected to the implementation of a local food logistics services, designed to facilitate and enable the use of local food among restaurants.

A total of 60 restaurateurs located in a small Italian city and 100 owners of micro and small-sized farms, located within a 30 km radius from the city, have been interviewed. The collected data have been analysed through descriptive analysis and Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests for differences between gender, production type and business size.

The results agree with existing literature: poor communication and an unstructured logistics limit the interaction among actors. However, significant for the purpose, the data show that producers are interested in expanding their market and restaurateurs are interested in a broader supply of local products, and they both open to a logistics service that improves the supply of local food.

The following exploratory study is based on a sample of farmers and restaurants in a specific area so the results could not be generalised in a national/international context.

The logistics service objective is the promotion of a sustainable territory development in support of the social economy values.

The study investigates this issue focussing on a practical solution of local food distribution system among restaurants. The logistics service tends to solve the logistics criticalities maintaining the principles of the short food supply chain.

The construction of geographical indications agri-food (GIAF) brands play an important role in rural revitalization in China, this study aims to explore how to jointly promote brand building among multiple parties.

A tripartite game model of the producers, sales operating enterprises, and local governments is constructed to analyze the strategy choice of the parties in the complex system behavior evolution stability, and the simulation analysis of the influence factors of brand construction of GIAF and verify the game result.

(1) Increased government subsidies and supervision costs are beneficial to accelerating variety improvement and quality improvement of agri-food, but it is not conducive to the government, Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that the subsidy and supervision cost is kept within a reasonable range; (2) The dividend distributed to producers by sales operating enterprises play an important role in encouraging producers to improve the quality safety of agri-food, but it must be kept within a reasonable range to avoid discouraging the enthusiasm of sales operating enterprises; (3) Cost reduction, and revenue improvement are also effective ways to cooperate with all parties in brand co-construction.

This study does not consider consumers or logistics companies in the evolutionary game model.

This study proposes innovative policies and suggestions for improvement of the brand co-construction of all parties.

Based on the “Rural Revitalization” initiative, this study enriches research methods about brand value and provides a new perspective for brand value co-construction, and theoretical guidance, and empirical basis for formulating innovation policies and recommendations.

This paper aims to examine the role of grassroots (food) festivals for supporting the sustainability of micro and small producers, whilst exploring potential productive linkages between both stakeholders (festivals and producers) for enhancing a more authentic cultural offering and destination image in the visitor economy.

This paper is exploratory, qualitative and inductive. Evidence is underpinned by a purposive sample, drawing on ten in-depth interviews and 17 open-ended survey responses collected across 2014 and 2015 – drawing perspectives from traders participating in the EAT Cambridge festival.

This paper unpacks a series of serendipitous [as opposed to “strategic”] forms of festival and producer leveraging; strengthening B2C relationships and stimulating business to business networking and creative entrepreneurial collaborations. Positive emergent “embryonic” forms of event legacy are identified that support the longer-term sustainability of local producers and contribute towards an alternative idea of place and destination, more vibrant and authentic connectivity with localities and slower visitor experiences.

This study emphasises the importance of local bottom-up forms of “serendipitous leverage” for enhancing positive emergent “embryonic” legacies that advance “slow” tourism and local food agendas. In turn, this enhances the cultural offering and delivers longer-term sustainability for small local producers – particularly vital in the era of “Clone Town” threats and effects. The paper applies Chalip’s (2004) event leverage model to the empirical setting of EAT Cambridge and conceptually advances the framework by integrating “digital” forms of leverage.

Intermediate short food supply chains (SFSC) have been presented as a possible solution to unsustainable global food supply chains. There is currently a knowledge gap about intermediate SFSC. Thus, this review synthesizes the available literature to identify prominent themes and their main considerations.

This research is based on a systematic literature review including peer-reviewed journal articles until December 2021. Inductive data coding resulted in the identification of four themes related to intermediate SFSC.

The identified themes illustrate the complex landscape intermediate SFSCs operate in and focus on the key relationships within these supply chains. The established relationships have implications for the governance of intermediate SFSCs. The organization of intermediate SFSCs affects numerous sustainability indicators.

Future research should focus on the position intermediate SFSCs have in food systems and the roles intermediaries have in intermediate SFSCs. There is furthermore an opportunity for researchers to investigate different types of intermediaries and explore the factors influencing them.

Creating sustainable food supply chains is one of the major societal challenges of today. The current state of the art suggests that intermediate SFSCs could play an important role in achieving this. So far, this area is underdeveloped and this review highlights knowledge gaps in the literature and suggestions for a future research agenda are proposed.

This paper aims to describe the transformation towards consuming local and organic food (LOF) in the catering of a rural town. Product development cooperation, procurement, consumption, and prices are illustrated. Achieved local, social and environmental benefits are depicted.

Theoretical framework includes the EU's strategy for corporate social responsibility concerning public procurement. Recent research on LOF and its procurement are summarized. The sources for empirical data included web pages depicting the case town and an interviewee, namely the food service manager.

The results indicated that in 2011 local food products amounted to 46 per cent, whereas organic food products accounted for 14 per cent of the food procurement in the case town school's catering. The percentage of local food products in the whole town's catering amounted to 13. Benefits for the local community included money supporting the local economy, which thus facilitated the producers developing their businesses. However, higher prices were paid. Social benefits entailed that LOF contains the least amount of additives possible and LOF also advocates local food culture. Environmental benefits included, e.g. the following aspects: protecting the natural environment; decreasing packaging and bio waste; and diminished consuming water and energy.

Increasing consumption of LOF required the following actions: integrating LOF into the town's strategy; allocating extra resources; training catering personnel; developing products with producers; and organising local procurement procedures.

The results offer ideas for small municipalities how to increase the consumption of LOF gradually, and thus achieve benefits for the local community. The results may interest also those selling-in to that market sector.

The paper deals with the transformation of local agrofood systems, in the context of the turn to “the economy of qualities” and the rural development paradigm. We will discuss a case study from Italy, specifically an agreement between Slow Food and Coop Italia concerning the Ark of Taste's Presidia, aiming at the protection of typical products and food traditions.

The agreement is analysed as a change of strategy, implying a transformation of the local agrofood system from “local production for local consumers” to “local production for distant consumers”. The change is substantial and implies a restructuring of the entire local food network.