• alternative food supply chains
• communication
• marketing

Canditata: Arianna Simoncini

Relatore: prof. Gianluca Brunori

Corso di laurea: Agricoltura biologica e multifunzionale

Titolo della tesi: Marketing and communication strategies of alternative food supply chains: a comparative analysis between Belgium and Italy

RIASSUNTO

This thesis aims to analyse the marketing and communication strategies of Alternative Food Supply Chains (AFSCs) through a literature review and a comparative analysis of two Belgian and two Italian initiatives.
The first part of the thesis gives an overview of new approaches to production and consumption systems. Through a literature review, we hereby describe the new forms of dynamism that are emerging in the agro-food sector to contrast the more standardised mode of production. At the same time, we investigate the increasing relevance given to the cultural and emotional dimension of food, which leads to a broader involvement of consumers.
The second part of this thesis aims to analyse the new marketing and communication strategies that can be deployed to fulfil the new consumer demands. This is done through a comparative analysis of four case studies that took place in the wider context of the European SUS-CHAIN project (“Marketing sustainable agriculture: an analysis of the potential role of new food supply chains in sustainable rural development”). The cases under study are two Belgian examples of direct sales (De Westhoek Hoeveproducten) and organic production (Biomelk Vlaanderen) and two Italian cases concerning a typical product (Raw milk sheep cheese of the Pistoia Mountain) and organic production (Cooperativa Agricola Firenzuola). The comparative analysis aims to identify common and particular characteristics of the initiatives’ marketing strategies and the type of communication applied, especially with respect to the ‘locality’ characteristics of the product. For each core issue, the key factors influencing the performance of the FSCs and their critical points are identified. The results learn that the communication of a clear and coherent message upon the quality of alternative products and the environmental, social and cultural values linked with them, is necessary to create the consumers’ willingness to buy these products. The establishment of a network in which all actors share the same goals and co-operate is furthermore essential for the creation of an effective message. Moreover, the initiatives under study demonstrate that the communication about alternative productions can’t be conducted through a conventional conception of marketing, but new strategies, that aim to involve and link up with consumers, have to be developed. This however requires new skills of producers, who have to be supported by diverse institutions and organisations to develop a strategy that can lead to a positive ‘synergy’ effect for the entire territory.