Long-term changes in business models in inland and mountainous areas for the promotion of sustainable food systems
For the management of inland and mountainous areas to be economically viable, business activities in these environments must provide sufficient income for the local population without jeopardising the interests of future generations. In purely economic terms, the management of these areas requires that the production of such goods and services that constitute utility flows for an ecosystem and its local population be economically viable. This management must be able to provide an income for the local population; it cannot only support the costs inevitably incurred for the conservation and production of goods and services provided by the activities that take place in the mountain area. This …
Cheese as a food souvenir in Sicily
Souvenirs are elements of territorial communication, and they are examples of the marketing strategy of destinations. Souvenirs are objects that allow us to remember moments we have experienced and places we have visited. Drawing on the close relationships between places and souvenirs, this paper analyses cheese as a food souvenir in the island of Sicily. The method is based on a qualitative design which includes visits and interviews with local sellers in the food markets and food shops in Palermo, with the objective to reveal how cheese is protected and promoted as a symbol of Sicilian culture and heritage from a marketing perspective. Results of the paper show that cheeses made in Sicily…
Consumers' eating habits during the Covid-19 pandemic: Evidence of an experimental analysis in Italy.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Italian food supply chain responded to the needs of consumers by giving continuity to the supply of food products even if the Italian food system in the first phase of lockdown had to deal with the anxiety of consumers who rushed to the food stores to "clear the shelves ". The aim of this research is to provide a qualitative interpretation of Italian families' food consumption experiences during the lockdown due to Covid-19, which lasted from March 9, 2020 to May 4, 2020. This research has examined twenty Italian families and reveals that anxiety about the exhaustion of food stocks was detected in the first weeks of the lockdown, where there were consumers …
Localized agri-food systems: The case of Pecorino Siciliano PDO a food product of the tradition of Mediterranean gastronomy
Sustainability is becoming a successful strategic variable for creating value in rural areas. In the context of rural areas, excellent agri-food products are located which form the starting point for the creation of value. The legislator, in order to promote these products, provides for the PDO, PGI, TSG certifications. Brands and sustainability become a combination to favor the permanence of man in rural areas. This contribution discusses the use of territorial brand indicators to foster the resilience of territories. In particular, Pecorino Siciliano PDO is examined and the business strategies of a sample of companies examined are evaluated. The study contributes to highlighting a localiz…
Street food in Palermo: Traditions and market perspectives
Street food protects and promotes the history and tradition of a place. The origin of street foods largely relies on the cultural and natural landscapes that surround the environments where they are prepared and sold. Street food illustrates a culinary heritage that is embedded in the ways of life of people, both residents and visitors. Drawing on a qualitative study, the researchers conducted ten interviews with street food vendors in the city of Palermo (Sicily, Italy) in order to understand this growing phenomenon in urban environments of the Mediterranean, where the street food also brings the customers to ancient times. Results show the strategy of the entrepreneurs as street food vend…
Information asymmetry in the agri-food sector and territorial marks: The case of the olive oil Val di Mazara PDO
This article analyzes the importance of information in the agri-food market, since the presence of information asymmetry favors market failure. This analysis ex-amines the information asymmetry in the agri-food market and its geographical brands, PDO and PGI, focusing on the Sicilian oil sector of the olive oil Val di Mazara PDO. A quality product has specific organoleptic characteristics that give it flavors, fragrances and various nutritional properties. To protect this, there are the brands that are essential to avoid that between sellers and consumers there is information asymmetry and consequently the failure of the market. In fact, through this analysis are examined the evolution of t…