Vol 11, No 3(2022) - Special Issue
Published: 28.07.2022.
A special issue of International Journal of Food Studies (2182-1054)
Special Issue Editors
Professor Margarida Cortez Vieira High Institute of Engineering of University of Algarve, Estrada da Penha 139, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
Professor Paulo José do Amaral Sobral University of São Paulo - Faculty of Animal Science and Food Engineering, Av. Duque de Caxias Norte, 225, Campus Fernando Costa – USP, CEP 13635-900 Pirassununga, São Paulo, Brazil
Foreword
Over the last years, the European agri-food system has become increasingly complex bringing several issues to light regarding transparency, environmental policy, worker’s rights, and food ethics. Today, most of EU’s population buys food from large supermarket chains. However, a range of alternatives have been developed to improve competitiveness including various models of short food supply chains (SFSCs) where farmers sell their produce directly to consumers or with a minimum number of intermediaries, both in rural and urban areas. These family-oriented companies of small and medium sized (SME) producers are under threat from the aggressive sales tactics of large-scale agri-food enterprises and intensive competition from international markets. There is undoubtedly a need for innovative re-organization of the current food supply chains. For this reason, SFSCs are of considerable interest, responding to several needs and opportunities, both of farmers and consumers. They function as a driver of change and a model to increase transparency, trust, equity, and growth throughout the agri-food chain.
The central objective of the SMARTCHAIN project was to foster and accelerate the shift towards collaborative SFSCs and, through specific actions and recommendations, to introduce new robust business models and innovative practical solutions that enhance the competitiveness and sustainability of the European agri-food system. SMARTCHAIN was a three-year project with 43 partners from nine European and two associated countries. The consortium included key stakeholders from the domain of SFSCs, in particular, 18 case studies of widespread SFSCs in Europe with remarkable social, economic, and ecological impacts on rural, peri-urban, and urban communities. To strengthen co-creation and collaboration between partners and stakeholders, nine SMARTCHAIN Innovation & Collaboration Hubs have been established in France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Serbia, Spain, and Switzerland. The SMARTCHAIN Special Issue is a collection of ten scientific publications, showcasing the most relevant outcomes of the project and its work packages.
Authors in this issue:
Adrienn Hegyi, Ágnes Fricz Szegedyné, Ágnes Major, Ágnes Szegedyné Fricz, Alessanda Castellini, Alessandra Castellini, Andras Sebok, Annarita Antonelli, Begoña Alfaro, Betty Chang, Betty P.I. Chang, Bob Massar, Camila Massri, Camille Aouinaït, Christoph Carlen, Constantine Iliopoulos, Damiano Petruzzella, Danika Moore, Danilo Christen, Débora Campos, Dennis Gawlik, Diana Di Gioa, Dimitrios Argyropoulos, Dusan Vudragovic, Elena Santa Cruz, Eugenia Petropoulou, Foteini Chrysanthopoulou, Francesca Gaggia, Francisco Javier Casado Hebrard, Frank Janssen, Frank Jansseni, Gunter Greil, Hanna Schebesta, Hens Runhaar, Irini Theodorakopoulou, Jasper Kuitems, Katalin Kujáni, Katherine Flynn, Kinga Varsányi, Lazar Živković, Louise Mehauden, Malou Reipurth, Marieke Lameris, Mark Frederiks, Maurizio Canavari, Maurizio Cannavari, Mirjana B. Pešić, Patricia Mora, Remco Veltkamp, Sophie Hieke, Susanne Braun, Theo Benos, Verena Hüttl-Maack, Viktor A. Nedović, Viktória Parrag, Viktória Szente, Vilma Xhakolari, Vilma Xhakollari,
Edited by:
Yu Fu
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Volume 13, Issue 1, 2024
Volume 12, Issue 1, 2023
Volume 11, Issue 3, 2022
Volume 11, Issue 2, 2022
28.07.2022.
Original scientific paper
SMARTCHAIN - Towards Innovation-Driven and Smart Solutions in Short Food Supply Chains
In recent times, Short Food Supply Chains (SFSCs), i.e., supply chains in which the number of intermediaries between farmer and consumer are minimal or ideally nil, and local markets have flourished in Europe, both in rural and urban areas. SMARTCHAIN is a 3-year Horizon 2020 multi-actor project of 43 partners from 11 European countries, including key stakeholders from the short food supply chain domain – a kaleidoscope of ‘actors’ where science meets a wide range of non-technical disciplines and stakeholders across the agri-food value chain. Its central objective is to develop a portfolio of technological, organisational, social, and digital innovations, which will be validated in a Living Lab approach (18 pan-European use cases on short food supply chains) ensuring powerful co-creation and testing. SMARTCHAIN will develop 9 national Innovation Hubs and the SMARTCHAIN Innovation Platform, a digital portal for building a stakeholder community, and facilitating engagement, communication, and knowledge exchange across stakeholders. This special issue focuses on the most recent developments with respect to innovation in short food supply chains and publishes original research articles in this field.
Francisco Javier Casado Hebrard, Susanne Braun, Dimitrios Argyropoulos
28.07.2022.
Original scientific paper
Exploring regulatory obstacles to the development of short food supply chains: empirical evidence from selected european countries
This paper explores the challenges in meeting the regulatory requirements of short food supply chains in 9 European countries based upon findings from the European H2020 3-year project "SMARTCHAIN". The assessments of the barriers that small food producers face in meeting different regulatory requirements are presented. Drawing on the results of 10 multi-actor workshops that involved 124 participants, the most problematic policy frameworks for short food supply chains and key obstacles in different regulatory requirements are summarized. This research shows that current EU and national regulation is an obstacle to the development of short food supply chains, meaning that additional efforts are needed to tailor the regulations to small food producers involved in short supply chains. Furthermore, it is necessary to consider the introduction of more effective support measures for short food supply chains.
Lazar Živković, Mirjana B. Pešić, Hanna Schebesta, Viktor A. Nedović
28.07.2022.
Original scientific paper
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.
Viktória Parrag, Ágnes Fricz Szegedyné, András Sebők
28.07.2022.
Original scientific paper
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.
Andras Sebok, Kinga Varsányi, Katalin Kujáni, Vilma Xhakolari, Ágnes Szegedyné Fricz, Alessanda Castellini, Diana Di Gioa, Francesca Gaggia, Maurizio Cannavari
28.07.2022.
Original scientific paper
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.
Eugenia Petropoulou, Theo Benos, Irini Theodorakopoulou, Constantine Iliopoulos, Alessandra Castellini, Vilma Xhakollari, Maurizio Canavari, Annarita Antonelli, Damiano Petruzzella
28.07.2022.
Original scientific paper
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.
Verena Hüttl-Maack, Betty Chang, Susanne Braun, Frank Janssen, Jasper Kuitems, Marieke Lameris, Elena Santa Cruz, Begoña Alfaro, Eugenia Petropoulou, Dennis Gawlik, Camille Aouinait, Ágnes Szegedyné Fricz, Ágnes Major, Katalin Kujáni, Adrienn Hegyi, Sophie Hieke, Malou Reipurth, Camila Massri, Christoph Carlen, Danilo Christen
28.07.2022.
Original scientific paper
Barriers and facilitators of purchasing from short food supply chains: evidence from consumer focus groups in Germany, Spain, Greece and Hungary
This study aimed to identify the barriers and facilitators of consumers purchasing from short food supply chains (SFSC). Eight focus groups were conducted with consumers in the rural and urban areas of Germany, Spain, Hungary and Greece. Participants generally felt that increasing the convenience of purchasing SFSC products (in terms of a proximal location and being able to purchase a wide range of produce in one place) was a prerequisite for them to buy such products. Food quality in terms of taste, freshness and organic status were also taken into account in purchase decisions, and there appears to be a greater focus on health rather than the environmental implications of organic production, although the environmental aspects are also appreciated. Some participants also like the idea of supporting their local community through purchasing from local producers and/or retailers. It was believed that small-scale production and SFSC result in better quality food, but participants had less confidence in the hygiene and food safety standards of SFSC compared to longer chains. Participants thought that consumers would purchase local food if they could more easily access a variety of local food in one place, such as through supermarkets, cooperatives, farm shops and markets, or an online platform that aggregates producers.
Ágnes Szegedyné Fricz, Sophie Hieke, Constantine Iliopoulos, Irini Theodorakopoulou, Frank Jansseni, Begoña Alfaro, Débora Campos, Camille Aouinaït, Theo Benos, Elena Santa Cruz, Betty P.I. Chang, Adrienn Hegyi, Viktória Szente, Katalin Kujáni, Dennis Gawlik, Verena Hüttl-Maack, Eugenia Petropoulou, Malou Reipurth, Camila Massri
28.07.2022.
Original scientific paper
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.
Camille Aouinait, Danilo Christen, Christoph Carlen, Louise Mehauden, Patricia Mora, Bob Massar, Mark Frederiks
28.07.2022.
Original scientific paper
An online innovation platform to promote collaboration and sustainability in short food supply chains
A sustainable Short Food Supply Chain (SFSC) requires collaboration among all actors, which nowadays is facilitated by information and communication technologies (ICT). However, not all SFSC stakeholders network with others in this way, and it is not clear what will draw them to ICT interaction. A simple, user-friendly website, the SMARTCHAIN Innovation Platform, evolving since March 2019, may facilitate interaction and cooperation among SFSC stakeholders. This article presents the Platform's development and evaluates its efficacy and impact by analysing data from Google Analytics (GA) and other sources. Primary Platform features promote communication and information sharing: these are the 1) Innovation Hubs in 9 European countries, 2) Inventories including 150 SFSC innovations and 50 SFSC initiatives, 3) Resources databases of Publications and Weblinks, and 4) Training section. GA showed that visitors to the Platform increased slowly in the 16 months since its start, and the number of page views increased with the amount of time on the Platform. The most visited page of the Platform was the information-providing Innovation Inventory. Most Platform users were in partner countries of the SMARTCHAIN project, but not all Innovation Hubs had high numbers of users. Most users arrived at the Platform by direct link, but LinkedIn was the most important originating social network. Taken together, these data suggest growth potential for an easy-to-use website that provides useful and up-to-date information but little inclination for SFSC stakeholders to use an online Platform for communication.
Foteini Chrysanthopoulou, Marieke Lameris, Gunter Greil, Dusan Vudragovic, Katherine Flynn
28.07.2022.
Original scientific paper
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.
Danika Moore, Bob Massar, Mark Frederiks, Remco Veltkamp, Hens Runhaar