Abstract
Mid-tier supply chains/values-based food supply chains have emerged, in both France and the United States, as viable alternatives for small and mid-sized farms that had previously struggled. These supply chains deliver more products to a larger region than short supply chains such as farm-direct markets and are distinguished from the dominant long supply chains by (1) products that are differentiated from the mainstream based on superior quality, environmental stewardship and social responsibility; and (2) the characteristics of the strategic relationships that link the supply chain participants. On the demand side, regional supermarkets, restaurants, public and private institutional buyers, and individual consumers have demonstrated their eagerness to seek out and pay premiums for these types of high-quality food products that are delivered via trusted and transparent supply chains and characterized by their authentic farming stories. The set of case studies presented in this paper (three from each country) will highlight both the parallels and differences in the development of these innovative supply chains between two countries with quite dissimilar agricultural and food sector traditions and policies.
Highlights
In both France and the United States, mid-tier supply chains and values-based food supply chains have emerged as viable alternatives for some small and mid-sized farms that had previously struggled
In order to make comparisons between the two countries, we examined three mid-tier supply chains (MTSC) in France and three Values-based food supply chains (VBFSCs) in the United States
We focus on the parallels and differences between the two countries with quite dissimilar agricultural and food sector traditions and policies
Summary
In both France and the United States, mid-tier supply chains and values-based food supply chains have emerged as viable alternatives for some small and mid-sized farms that had previously struggled. These new supply chain configurations have succeeded by occupying a market niche left vacant by short and long supply chains. This paper presents case studies of these new systems and the underlying concepts and philosophies that explain and justify them. In both countries the dominant food system consists of large-scale, long supply chains. In France, two approaches “territorial food systems” (TFS) (système alimentaire territorial) [1] and “localized agrifood systems” (LAS) (système alimentaire localisé) [2]
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