Fairchain project to test business plans for small fruit & vegetable producers

International audience

English. To shift from long and short food value chains and integrate innovations into the new economic system of intermediate food value chains (IFVC), innovative business models are required. These models are based on new collaborations and value creation within existing supply chains. The FAIRCHAIN project develops technological, organisational, and social solutions to offer additional business model opportunities for small to medium scale fruit and vegetable (and dairy) producers. Three organisational innovations, two social, and eleven technological are tested by FAIRCHAIN in six European cases in six countries. The FAIRCHAIN approach involves definition of IFVC and identification of barriers and drivers. Then, development of sustainable IFVC business models by structured co-creation to (i) agree on common goals, (ii) define a plan for implementation, and (iii) assess and valorise outcomes from various perspectives (technical-economic, social, environmental, legal). In Business Model Generation Workshops, case participants use these outcomes to maximize impact and reach regional business concepts, often with new players and governance models. Several possible business models are envisioned by type of innovation and the most relevant and sustainable regional business concept is developed with the core stakeholders. The co-creation process guarantees a win-win approach that is multidisciplinary and systemic and considers all 4 pillars of sustainability.Four of the six FAIRCHAIN cases address fruit and vegetable chains and these are applying business models for IFVC as follows: the development of an Information and Communication Technology tool for local people to locate wild berries and re-establish local business in wild berry processing and sales (Sweden), a flexible packaging machine to be shared by small scale fruit and vegetable producers to reduce equipment costs and allow more efficient packaging and longer shelf life for local products (Belgium), a “Food Incubator” provides market insights, networking and facilities for innovations to meet market demand for local producers to valorise their products (Austria), co-product recycling gives multiple sources of revenues (renewable energy, biochar, and carbon credits) by creating a recycling scheme with several value-added loops as close as possible to the farmers (Switzerland).The development of business models in the FAIRCHAIN case studies can inspire and be a core component of business model generation for many small fruit and vegetable producers. However, challenges remain, such as integrating businesses into an existing and representative local European ecosystem.