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

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chains………7 1.3.1 Emergence of AFSCs………..…8 1.3.2 Classification of AFSCs………..…………10 1.3.3 Impact of AFSCs in Europe………...13 2 Marketing evolution and changing of quality criteria………15 2.1 Evolution of marketing strategies………..15 2.1.1 Conventional marketing………..….16 2.1.2 Post-modern marketing……….17 i

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2.1.3 Cognitive marketing……….18 2.1.4 Radical marketing………..19 2.2 Changing of quality criteria………..………..21 2.2.1 Quality certification………25

2.3 Alternative food supply chains in changing context……….

………..27 2.3.1 Typical productions……….………....27 2.3.2 Face-to-face initiatives……….…..30 2.3.3 Organic productions………33 3 SUS-chain project……… ………35 3.1 Introduction……… ………..…..35 3.2 Objectives of the project………..……36 3.3 Phases of the project……….36

3.4 Case study analysis – research

method………37

4 The initiatives and their context………. ………42

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4.1 Examples of organic and direct selling in

Belgium………..42

4.1.1 Characterisation of food supply chains in

Belgium………..…42

4.1.2 Alternative food supply chains in

Belgium……….43

4.1.3 Belgian consumers’ behaviour on sustainable

products……….46

4.1.4 “De Westhoek Hoeveproducten” – an example of direct

sales…….…..47

4.1.5 “Biomelk Vlaanderen” – finding an outlet for organic

milk……….50

4.2 Examples of organic and typical products in

Italy………54

4.2.1 Characterisation of food supply chains in

Italy………..……….54

4.2.2 Alternative food supply chains in Italy…………..

………55

4.2.3 Italian consumers’ behaviour on sustainable food

products….…………57

4.2.4 Raw milk sheep cheese of Pistoia Mountain – survival of a

typical product……….. ………58

4.2.5 “Cooperativa Agricola Firenzuola” (CAF) – changing

strategies

towards organic production…………. ………61

5 Comparative analysis on marketing and communication strategies and

the importance of ‘locality’………. ….65

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5.1 Marketing measures and communication……….. ……….65 5.1.1 Joint communication effort……….……66 5.1.2 Unique Selling Proposition………..……68

5.1.3 Ownership of the brand and significance for

performance………….……70 5.1.4 Vertical coordination………71 5.1.5 The 4 C’s……….…… 72

5.2 Importance of ‘locality’ in the communication

strategy………73

5.3 Points of weakness in marketing and communication

strategies………..……76 6 Conclusions……… ………..80 References……… ………84 iv

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

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