Food Festival Exhibitors’ Business Motivation

Dorota Janiszewska,Luiza Ossowska

doi:10.3390/su13094920

Abstract

This paper aims to present the motivation of exhibitors participating in food festivals to establish and run a business. The conducted research is an attempt to fill the gap in research on exhibitors who participate in food festivals. During three different Polish culinary festivals, 58 in-depth interviews with exhibitors were conducted. Based on the research, the main startup business motives were identified. The current goals of exhibitors’ participation in culinary festivals were also analyzed. Based on the list of motives and goals, three groups of exhibitors were distinguished with similar characteristics (starting own business, continuation of family traditions, and culinary interest). The study also takes into account the changes that have occurred between the startup’s business motives and the goals of participation in the festival (“business-business”, “business-business-business-family”, and “business-passion-passion-business”). The comparison of the initial motives for setting up a business with the current goals of participating in food festivals shows that, regardless of the initial motives, the exhibitors currently focus on business goals.

Highlights

Food events, like other events, are perceived as tools for building broadly understood sustainability [1]
The main aim of this paper is to present the motivation of exhibitors participating in food festivals to establish and run a business
The exhibitors were motivated by the promotion of local tradition and culture, which accounted for 13.8%

Summary

Introduction

Like other events, are perceived as tools for building broadly understood sustainability [1]. Food events meet the important needs of people in terms of meetings and creating relationships, contribute to building awareness of specific behaviors [2], supporting social sustainability, community building and social capital [3]. This is not the only role of these events in sustainability—taking into account the characteristics—food events contribute to building food sustainability. Food producers (exhibitors) using traditional, local and original recipes support cultural sustainability [5]. The involvement of food events, and especially of exhibitors, in supporting sustainable development can be considered significant

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Conclusion