Short Food Supply Chains Research Articles

Digitalization of the Logistics Process in Short Food Supply Chains. An online Viable System Model application during the COVID-19 pandemic

This paper reports an ongoing exercise concerning the design of a logistics App to support operations within Farmers’ Markets in Mexico. This exercise is part of a wider research agenda focused on ‘Supporting Alternative Food Networks’ (SAFeNET). This is a research agenda to conceive, build, implement, and develop better-informing decision-making processes that support effective and efficient AFNs (also known as Short Food Supply Chains) logistics operations in a digital environment, through smooth flows of goods and information among producers, AFNs coordinators, and consumers. This view calls for taking a systemic approach to help collectives of people to improve their autonomy and viability. Initial plans were to conduct this collaborative design exercise, using the Viable System Model (VSM) as a conversational tool. Accordingly, a series of face-to-face interviews and a focus group were planned. However, the lockdown due to COVID-19 forced researchers to abandon the face-to-face option and conduct the primary data collection online. The VSM intervention had to be adapted for its use on an online platform, in such a way that the platform would support knowledge building interactively, with a series of participants. This paper describes the format and visual appearance of the online VSM framework, its application, and the lessons learned through this exercise. Two points deserve to be highlighted: First, although the exercise outcome was very valuable for the next stage of the design, the participants’ capacity for collective and individual reflection during the workshop was limited. Second, participants continued adding comments via the adopted online visual collaboration platform after the workshop ended, showing an understanding of the process and commitment beyond the researchers’ expectations. The outcomes from this experiment are promissory, suggesting that online Systems Thinking interventions deserve further development.

Regional self-sufficiency: A multi-dimensional analysis relating agricultural production and consumption in the European Union

Short food supply chains and circularity are discussed as key factors for a sustainable food system. Although self-sufficiency ratios (SSR) are often used to characterize agri-food systems, the concept of SSR remains inconsistently defined, particularly when means of production such as livestock feed are explicitly considered. We present a systematic conceptualization of SSR, i.e., the ratio of domestic production to consumption within a region along three dimensions: a) livestock products, b) cropland products, and c) primary agricultural biomass. While a) and b) refer to the domestic production and net-trade of livestock resp. crop products, c) relates to domestic agricultural primary production and primary biomass consumption representing the feed embodied in consumed livestock products. As such, the third dimension indicates the potential self-sufficiency for a region assuming consumed livestock products stem from domestic livestock, fed with domestic crops and grass. We quantify these three SSR dimensions for 226 regions (NUTS2) in the European Union (EU) based on detailed agricultural statistics and models. Results show that 14 % of EU regions were self-sufficient, and 26 % were import-dependent for all three dimensions. We find that 54 % of regions were self-sufficient for ruminant livestock products and 39 % for monogastric livestock products underlining a spatially concentrated pork, egg, and poultry production structure in the EU. Moreover, 21 % of regions are dependent on crop imports and simultaneously self-sufficient or net-exporters of livestock products. Our investigation on the relationship between agricultural production and consumption discloses a widespread disconnectedness of European livestock systems between land use and consumption. Expanding a narrow understanding of food self-sufficiency by integrating a primary biomass perspective allows for a more nuanced debate on sustainable agri-food systems. The results, first, demonstrate the substantial role of net-trade in the supply of regional food systems and, second, indicate room for stronger circular integration of crop- and livestock systems.

The gendered motives and experiences of Canadian women farmers in short food supply chains: Work satisfaction, values of care, and the potential for empowerment

In many industrialized countries, there is a strong presence of women farmers in alternative food networks, including within short food supply chains. Studies attribute this phenomenon to the values of care underpinning such initiatives, the possibility for participating women farmers to pursue their own projects (empowerment), and the development of a feminist vision of agriculture. Based on a survey administered to 613 direct-market farmers across Canada (302 women and 311 men), we examine whether women farmers in short food chains have different motivations, beliefs, and occupational experiences than their male colleagues and the extent to which caring values, empowerment, and feminist perspectives explain these differences. Our results show that, in many respects, women farmers have a unique experience and understanding of short food chains, grounded in a desire for caring relations and a belief in the empowering benefits of such marketing arrangements. However, while surveyed women farmers strongly adhered to social and ecological values, these beliefs coexisted alongside economic views more synonymous with conventional farming. Short food chains, despite their potential for empowerment, also continue to present multiple barriers for women, as highlighted by a growing body of feminist scholarship. These barriers include stereotyped perceptions of the role of women in agriculture and struggles balancing work and family life.

Customer satisfaction in short food supply chains: A multiple criteria decision analysis approach

In this paper, we study customer satisfaction in short food supply chains. Specifically, we address how elements of the marketing mix of short food supply chains drive customer satisfaction. Our empirical work is based on a survey adopting a method known as the multicriteria satisfaction analysis. Our results show that the process of sales and the producers are the most important marketing mix elements and receive strong indications of customer satisfaction, thus offering a competitive advantage for short food supply chains. Pricing, place, purchase environment, and promotion can be described as potential threats to short food supply chains. Finally, the product is rated as low in importance but high in satisfaction, which suggests that consumers take its premium quality for granted. Our results suggest that emphasis should be placed on the processes of sales and producers.

Towards sustainable and resilient short food supply chains: a focus on sustainability practices and resilience capabilities using case study

PurposeThis study aims to advance current knowledge on resilient and sustainable short food supply chains, by identifying sustainability practices and resilience capabilities and how these interact.Design/methodology/approachEmpirical data were collected from three cases via 16 semi-structured interviews. This methodological choice answers a call to develop more case studies to better understand perspectives on sustainable and resilient supply chains. Thematic analysis was used for data analysis.FindingsSustainability practices may positively enhance the resilience of short food supply chains, and vice versa. Specifically, social sustainability practices are perceived as enablers of resilience capabilities, and production practices can have a positive or negative impact on resilience capabilities.Originality/valueThis research addresses an important gap in the current short food supply chains literature, by looking at sustainability and resilience in an integrated way for the first time. The proposed working hypotheses and conceptual framework illustrate the complex relationship between social, economic and environmental sustainability and five resilience capabilities within short food supply chains.

EcoSol-agroecology networks respond to the Covid-19 crisis: building an economy of proximity in Brazil’s Baixada Santista region

ABSTRACT In 2020–2021 the Covid-19 crisis worsened the harms from the hegemonic agribusiness model, while also providing opportunities for alternatives. Since long before the crisis, Latin American civil society networks had been building an agroecology-based solidarity economy (here EcoSol-agroecology for short). These networks have linked agroecological production methods with collective marketing through short food-supply chains (circuitos curtos), establishing closer relationships with consumers. Such initiatives have been expanded, despite adverse government policies and Covid-19 obstacles. This expansion has been widely understood as strengthening social proximities. As the analytical contribution here, EcoSol-agroecology networks build an ‘economy of proximity’, based on proximate purposes such as mutual aid, democratic self-management, women's leadership, food security and biodiverse resource conservation. These solidaristic purposes help to activate other proximities (geographical, organisational, institutional, and cultural), while also linking them. Collective capacities have developed those proximities in context-specific ways. This strategic perspective has informed EcoSol-agroecology networks in Brazil's Baixada Santista region, the site of grassroots voices in this case study. Diverse contributions have been integrated into a composite culture as a symbolic site of belonging. As global elites seek to restore the hegemonic agri-food system after the Covid-19 pandemic, a different future depends on building the social proximities of EcoSol-agroecology.

Locally produced food for restaurants: a theoretical approach for the supply chain network design

PurposeThis paper evaluates the feasibility and benefits of a local food distribution system, which connects farmers and restaurant owners from a logistics perspective. This paper considers a platform to improve operations and investigates various schemes for delivering locally produced food to restaurants using a food hub.Design/methodology/approachTo compare distribution scenarios and derive managerial implications, a simulation model has been developed and executed in Matlab 2019a©. The model evaluates various settings of business connections between farmers and restaurateurs.FindingsResults of computational experiments highlight great potentials of such a system, particularly to reduce travel distances. To obtain these positive externalities, the local system requires specific attention during the design of logistical aspects and needs to be planned following a specific structure.Practical implicationsThe developed simulation model can be used to improve understanding of related short food supply chains by analyzing specific cases where the main actors involved differ in terms of type, number, and location.Originality/valueThe paper analyzes the feasibility and the effects of a new distribution system that can connect supply chain actors directly. The analyses focus on logistics aspects, a topic that is often neglected in sustainable consumption research. Furthermore, the paper does not focus of a single case study but develops a customizable model to be used in various settings.

The resilience of sub-urban small farming in Bucharest Metropolitan Area in response to the COVID-19 pandemic

In Romania, the immediate effects of the pandemic have revealed a strain on food supply chains due to the limitations related to social distancing between producers/deliverers/consumers. The paper aims to identify and analyze the resilience of small farmers in southern Romania (i.e., Bucharest Metropolitan Area) to the new conditions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. By combining quantitative and qualitative approaches, the analysis focused on the COVID-19 pandemic pre-conditions, impacts and resilience, as well as the post-COVID-19 solutions - the medium- and long-term measures necessary to sustain the effort of the farmers to cope with risks and uncertainties in the future. The study shows a close connection between some pre-existing conditions and farms capacity to become resilient to the shocks caused by the pandemic. Hence, organic farms demonstrated the highest resilience, while leisure and recreational farms the lowest. The research has improved the existing knowledge on the sub-urban farmers as key players of metropolitan agriculture and promoters of sustainability and food security for cities and identified some elements of resilience during COVID-19: reconnecting with local food production, networking, door-to-door delivery, multi-functionality inside the farm, etc. Particularly, backing small farmers to meet market requirements and access digital marketing are among the key measures to support local food systems and short food supply chains to adapt to future shocks.

Exploring Attractive Quality Requirements for Short Food Supply Chain Digital Platforms

Perceptions towards unsustainable supply chain practices in global, mainstream food systems are motivating a shift towards short food supply chains. Short food supply chains are developed to remove the physical and social distances between producer and consumer. Advances in digital technologies offer promise for short food supply chains, including platforms that can enable real-time data flow, create visibility, and support sustainable practices. This research aims to prioritise attractive quality requirements of short food supply chain digital platforms. The methodology consists of a literature review and Kano analysis for requirements prioritisation. The results show that the requirements span across the four Kano categories, attractive quality encompassing the largest number of requirements. The attractive quality requirements identified offer increased levels of satisfaction when present and have limited negative impact when missing. Therefore, they are considered exciting for potential users of a system. The limitations of the research and areas of future work are presented.

When mindful consumption meets short food supply chains: Empirical evidence on how higher-level motivations influence consumers

Consumers have begun questioning the global agri-food system, seeking more sustainable alternatives to the conventional mode of food supply. Alternative food networks have been spreading globally, the predominant form of which is known as short food supply chains (SFSCs). The goal of this article is to advance our understanding of the motivations affecting consumer behavior towards SFSCs. To reach this goal, we drew from the mindful and sustainable consumption literature, and conceptualized an integrative framework of three higher-level motivations (i.e., health consciousness, ethical identity, and environmental consciousness) to determine what drives current (i.e., self-reported purchase behavior at the present time) and intended future SFSC purchases (i.e., self-reported intended behavior in the near future). We supplemented our model with the concept of domestic provenance importance, which reflects the importance consumers attach to familiar sources and adjacent spatial conditions of production, as well as with consumers' attitude change towards SFSCs due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on a survey sample of 1299 food consumers in three European countries (i.e., Germany, Hungary, Spain), we found that environmental consciousness had a strong effect on current purchase behavior. In contrast, ethical identity significantly influenced intended future purchase behavior. Health consciousness appeared to have only weak effects. Moreover, domestic provenance importance and attitude change towards SFSCs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic exhibited a somewhat robust effect overall. Our study contributes to the burgeoning SFSC literature by documenting the differential influence of higher-level motivations on current and future purchase behavior, offering valuable insights to food policymakers and practitioners in quest of stimulating transformative action in food production and consumption.

The Potential of Digital Marketing Tools to Develop the Innovative SFSC Players’ Business Models

The traditional global food supply chains are not just complex, but they do not support the sustainability of agriculture. The business models with the greatest growth potential are those that would allow consumers to buy more directly from producers. Before COVID-19, these alternatives were not just popular but had a relatively high market share compared to post COVID-19 era. However, due to the pandemic and the changes in consumers’ purchasing behavior, the players of short food supply chains had to adapt to the new circumstances. This is why business model innovation is nowadays a priority, which means a substantial renewal of the value delivered to customers, and a significant transformation of the processes and activities of the company/network. The study aimed to examine the dynamic innovation through applied digital marketing solutions that could open up new sales channels and increase the competitiveness of the companies involved. Since Austria is one of the “greenest” countries, its consumers are interested in purchasing sustainably, so they strive to buy directly from the producers. This motivates the authors to use its representative sample to investigate how well adapted the Austrian direct sellers are to the unsteady circumstances. Based on a previous research framework, a principal component analysis was applied and the elements defined therein were the variables of non-hierarchical clustering. The used methods highlight the lack of online distribution and marketing of the farmer shops, which could multiply the harmful effects of the pandemic. The classification of the shops demonstrated the generally low share of innovative direct sellers. We conclude that in the new era, businesses that effectively apply open business innovation models will be able to compete in the market.

Development and Validation of a Short Questionnaire Assessing the Behavior of Local Food Procurement in Quebec, Canada

ABSTRACTBackgroundVery few validated instruments, particularly screening tools applicable to large-cohort studies, are available to assess the behavior of local food procurement.ObjectiveThe aim was to develop and validate a short questionnaire that measures local food procurement in a sample of French-speaking adults from Quebec, Canada, and to assess the association between local food-procurement behavior and diet quality.MethodsA comprehensive questionnaire developed previously to measure local food procurement [Locavore-Index (Locavore-I)] was simplified through a series of steps that included face-validity, exploratory factor analysis, and reliability testing (internal consistency). Construct validity of the resulting short Locavore-I Short Form (Locavore-I-SF) was examined in a sample of 299 adults (85% women) from the Quebec City metropolitan community.ResultsThe Locavore-I-SF comprises 12 questions that measure the frequency of short food supply chain use (self-production, farmers’ markets, and community-supported agriculture box scheme) for 3 locally produced foods (carrot, tomato, and lettuce) as well as the geographical origin of those 3 foods. The Locavore-I-SF, which is scored on a 12-point scale, had a high internal consistency (Cronbach ɑ: 0.74). The Locavore-I-SF scores were strongly correlated with the reference scores obtained from the Locavore-I from which it was developed (r = 0.84, P < 0.0001). Locavore-I-SF scores also correlated (r = 0.50, P < 0.0001) with the geographical origin of foods measured by pictures of food labels taken by participants. Higher Locavore-I-SF scores were associated with behaviors consistent with eating local foods, such as gardening (vs. not gardening; mean ± SEM difference: 2.3 ± 0.4 points; P < 0.0001) and not being preoccupied by the foods’ appearance standards (vs. being preoccupied; 1.4 ± 0.4 points; P = 0.0002). Finally, the Locavore-I-SF scores were weakly associated with the Healthy Eating Food Index-2019 score (B = 0.05 ± 0.02; P = 0.02).ConclusionsThe Locavore-I-SF, a short questionnaire based on 3 locally produced foods in Quebec, measures the behavior of local food procurement with good reliability and acceptable validity metrics.

Challenges for future food systems: From the Green Revolution to food supply chains with a special focus on sustainability

AbstractFinding a food system to feed the growing worldwide population remains a challenge, especially in the current era, where natural resources are being dramatically depleted. From a historical point of view, the Green Revolution, together with biofortification and sustainable intensification, was established as a possible solution to counter hunger and malnutrition during the second half of the 20th century. As a solution, to overcome the limitations attributed to the Green Revolution, food supply chains were developed. The current food system, based on the long food supply chain (LFSC), is characterized by globalization, promoting several advantages for both producers and consumers. However, LFSC has been demonstrated to be unable to feed the global population and, furthermore, it generates negative ecological, environmental, logistical, and nutritional pressures. Thus, novel efficient food systems are required to respond to current environmental and consumers’ demands, as is the case of short food supply chain (SFSC). As a recently emerging food system, the evaluation of SFSC sustainability in terms of environmental, economic, and social assessment is yet to be determined. This review is focused on the evolution of food supply systems, starting from the Green Revolution to food supply chains, providing a significant perspective on sustainability.

Case Study of the School Feeding Program in Distrito Federal, Brazil: Building Quality in Short Food Supply Chains

This article seeks to analyze the public procurement program for school feeding in Distrito Federal, Brazil from the perspective of short food supply chains (SFSCs) and quality construction. Semi-structured interviews were applied to key actors involved in the Program. The results of this research show that, mainly through the regulations around Food and Nutritional Security and in the encouragement of local family farmer markets, the State has acted for a quality shift through public purchases and, mainly by means of norms such as laws, decrees, and normative instructions, induced a quality change in the production and consumption processes. This study contributed to an understanding of how Executing Entities such as states are working to acquire local and quality agricultural products, which benefits local farmers and improves the quality of school meals.

Gamification for sustainable food transitions: supporting multi-level cooperation in short food supply chains through GAIN

The food system has become globalized and industrial. As a consequence, food travels long distances to reach consumers and its production is over-reliant on chemicals, leading to high levels of carbon emissions and soil degradation. Short food supply chains (SFSCs) have been advocated as more sustainable alternatives and have been explicitly mentioned by the Dutch government and the EU as a strategy towards achieving sustainability goals. While SFSCs are viable on a small scale, scaling and mainstreaming them has proven difficult due to low margins, high costs, and steep learning curves. Their economic underperformance is particularly glaring when compared to the highly cost-efficient - albeit energy and resource intensive - conventional commercial supply chains. In practice, SFSCs therefore remain isolated success stories, failing to contribute to systemic change in food systems. In efforts to enhance the performance of SFSCs, this paper introduces the GAIN transition model, a novel framework based on gamification which provides a holistic and actionable framework for SFSC actors to coalesce and strategize around a common vision. We illustrate the underlying principles of GAIN and its potential for institutionalizing SFSCs. We find that thus far, GAIN has helped to catalyze action and has proven a useful tool which provides a common language for actors to navigate this complex space. Future research and more dissemination are needed to conclude with more certainty on the quantitative impact of GAIN in terms of enabling and strengthening SFSCs.

Motivations and barriers for engagement in short food supply chains: insights from european focus groups

The purpose of the study was to identify the motivations and the barriers that stakeholders face regarding Short Food Supply Chains (SFSC). Two focus groups with stakeholders of the agricultural sector and SFSC were conducted in the Netherlands and Switzerland. A first fundamental topic addressed by participants was the one related to the definition of SFSC, which is far from consensual,"short" being often associated and sometimes confused with local, direct, small, fair, ecological, fresh, healthy, etc. However, a series of positive and negative factors influencing SFSC development, and the involvement of agri-food stakeholders were identified. On the one hand, the unique relationship built through direct contact between producers and consumers, the fair distribution of value added in the chain that producers can find in engaging in SFSC, the increasing number of SFSC initiatives, the farm resilience, and territorial strategies that are being developed seem to be the most positive aspects, that can explain the trends moving towards these types of distribution channel. On the other hand, many hindering factors were also identified, such as weak communication and marketing capacity of producers, and a lack of efficiency and cooperation between peers. The fierce competition of conventional distribution, using green washing, together with a profusion of labels, price issues, and unsuitable standards were mentioned as the main threats faced by SFSC actors.

Understanding social innovation in short food supply chains: an exploratory analysis

Short food supply chains (SFSCs) are alternative food chains that have gained ground and contribute to the global food system's sustainable transition. To explore how to enhance their capacity to act and benefit society at large, we turned to scholarly and policy work on Social Innovation (SI). We concentrated on understanding what SI in SFSCs is and how it may stimulate their potential, following a two-phase approach. In Phase 1, employing a two-step systematic literature review, we generated a rich database of SI definitions, but no suitable definition was found. We proceeded to craft a domain-specific systems-centred definition, positing that SFSCs can be seen as social living systems, while SIs in SFSCs may be seen as processes that bring about change (e.g., new mentalities) and result in the creation of sustainable value for the actors involved and beyond. With the aid of an additional scholarly review, we also determined that the drivers of SI that matter are those that secure actor engagement in the co-design and co-development stages of SI (e.g., training). In Phase 2, we attempted to empirically validate the findings from Phase 1 in 12 Community of Practice (CoP) events in nine European countries. We found partial support for the SI definition, strong support for the vital role of trust, and concluded that, in any SFSC, it is critical to have a group of dedicated actors that have realized their role as (co-)leaders in co-shaping their own future.

Barriers and facilitators of purchasing from short food supply chains in europe: insights from a stakeholder perspective

Thirty-two expert stakeholder (e.g., consumer advice center, state parliament at regional level, European Network for Rural Development, university and research center, chamber of tourism, rural development association, and social cooperative enterprise) interviews were conducted to examine consumer attitudes, values and preferences in relation to short food supply chains. These stakeholders have expertise in policy, consumer behaviour, the tourism sector and regulation. The interviewees represented the views of consumers, producers, and other actors who work with or within short food supply in seven European countries (Belgium, Germany, Greece, Hungary, the Netherlands, Spain, and Switzerland). Consumers were generally perceived to be aware of the environmental impact of food production. In terms of preferences, consumers would like to shop for local food the way they shop at the supermarket: having variety of products, accessibility, and availability. The relative lack of convenience and high prices associated with short food supply chains products were seen as the major barriers to their purchase. Consumers were thought to buy the products because of health and environmental benefits, a desire to support their local community, and a preference for tradition. However, relatively few consumers purchase products regularly from SFSC. The main segments are people who believe in short food supply chains values, middle class families with young children and elderly people. More can be done to educate and engage consumers regarding these chains, and market research is needed to inform which strategy is likely to be most effective in specific contexts such as the regional level.

Application of digital solutions to improve the operation of short food supply chains

Short food supply chains (SFSCs) are today widely promoted due to the positive impact on social, economic and environmental sustainability. However, short chains face several specific challenges (e.g., meeting the requirements of consumers and ensuring optimal operations). The application of innovative solutions and digitalisation can support the actors of SFSCs to achieve these goals. Solutions and methods were collected based on the innovativeness and applicability of SFSCs. Systematic analysis of the needs of SFSCs for technological and non-technological innovations was carried out by partners of the SmartChain project. Based on the research, recommendations were made for the participating SFSCs regarding potential innovations. A significant proportion of the identified solutions have digital elements that were collectively assessed as a suitable solution in the case of the studied SFSCs. The current work provides an overview of the potential implementation of the collected innovative solutions having digital elements and addresses the primary needs and issues of SFSCs where the application is relevant. Highlighted areas of performance are marketing, communication, packaging and labelling, and logistics.

Value propositions for improving the competitiveness of short food supply chains built on technological and non-technological innovations

There has been growing consumer demand for the products and services of the short food supply chains (SFSCs) in recent times. A procedure was developed to identify the technological and technological innovations that can improve the performance and competitiveness of the SFSCs. The needs of the SFSCs for innovative solutions were collected by interviewing 18 SFSCs from 9 countries. An inventory was prepared to contain 136 technological and non-technological innovations, meeting these needs. The innovations were collected from the good practices of the 18 SFSCs, experiences of the project partners and state of the art. The success factors and bottlenecks of each short food supply chain operation and their current value propositions were identified. From the inventory, those innovations were selected for each short food chain case study which can be applied to eliminate or reduce the bottlenecks or enhance the success factors leading to new, upgraded value propositions with increased added value for the consumers. The new, upgraded value propositions can serve as a starting point for developing a strategy for improving the competitiveness of a short food chain organisation through the application of innovations.