Abstract
Creating alternative supply chains can help increase economic and social benefits for all beneficiaries of the supply chain. Alternative short supply chains for organic products are considered when seeking optimal scenarios to obtain the highest profit for producers, with maximizing profit being one of the main reasons for taking up business within this type of supply chain strategy. The aim of this study was to clarify the ideas of short food supply chains (SFSCs) and the organic production of food products and to indicate how economic benefits can be achieved in individual markets. The identified research gaps include the lack of a strong theoretical basis, as well as the lack of empirical studies concerning the multi-objective optimization of the economic effects of producers using computer simulation methods. However, the aim of this research was to identify the activities within such structures that can produce economic effects and influence the competences and soft relationships between the organizations participating in the chains. The adopted research methods included a critical analysis of the literature and the use of information technology tools and computer simulation. We found that computer simulation methods can lead to better decisions (to increase manufacturer benefits) regarding how to service selected markets within the SFSC. The most important limitations are the small territorial scope of the research and the consideration of only three of the most frequently purchased and manufactured products in Poland. This study was a pilot study, which will be developed further by the authors, from both a territorial and product point of view.
Highlights
Conventional food supply chains include producers, processors, distributors, consumers, and food processors, and they are often networked
We systematize the scientific knowledge and identify motivators, barriers, and drivers, and relate SFSCs to organic products in sustainable supply chains (SSCs) in order to search for profit and benefit opportunities for individual links serving different types of local markets and short food supply chains
Considering previous studies [39,40,41] that focused on sustainable supply chains, we focused on the sustainable food chain as a methodology to develop our theoretical basis and framework
Summary
Conventional food supply chains include producers, processors, distributors, consumers, and food processors, and they are often networked. Conventional food is often offered using wide and long chains, where small producers struggle to be included in this structure or to strengthen their bargaining power. This situation has led to the emergence of alternative food systems in the food production market, in which production and trade play more of a role in social relationship implementation, links between individuals in the supply chain, as well as the location of production. They often create local food systems linked to the functioning of short food supply chains (SFSCs). Grewal et al [1] pointed to five elements
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