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Background: This study examines working hours, shift work, and remote work patterns by occupation and industry among U.S. full-time workers, along with the association between working and sleeping hours. Methods: Utilizing data from 2011 to 2020 American Time Use Survey, this national household survey examines how individuals aged 15 years or older in the United States spend their time within a 24-hour period. Findings: In 2011 to 2019, U.S. full-time workers averaged 8.1 hours of work and 7.8 hours spent sleep on workdays, increasing to 9.6 hours on non-workdays. Among all occupations, Emergency medical technicians and paramedics had the longest average working hours (10.4 hours). Protective services occupations had the highest percentage (41.7%) of workers reporting often working shifts other than daytime. Among all industries, truck transportation industry had the longest average working hours (9.2). Food services and drinking places industries had the highest percentage (28.6%) of workers reporting often working shifts other than daytime. Working hours showed a negative association with sleeping hours. In 2020, 34.0% of full-time workers reported remote work due to COVID-19, with the largest percentage (72.3%) occurring in business and financial operations. Conclusions: The study findings offer essential benchmarks for comparing working hours and schedules across diverse occupations and industries. These insights empower occupational health practitioners to advocate for prevention measures, addressing health concerns arising from prolonged working hours and shift work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, foodborne illness is a significant public health challenge. Food safety inspection plays a crucial role in the regulation of food businesses to prevent foodborne illnesses. To be an effective health protection measure, however, food safety inspections must facilitate the thorough evaluation of food safety risks. Our research examined how food safety inspectors from Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK, and the U.S. assessed food contamination control during food premise inspections. Data were collected via an online survey of environmental health practitioners who routinely conduct food safety inspections. The findings indicated that inspectors are generally aware of food safety hazards that can be present at food businesses and have deployed a variety of relevant data-gathering methods to inform their examination of the extent of contamination control. The findings also indicated a prevailing methodological incongruence stemming from the absence of a robust inspection methodology. We propose that these shortcomings be addressed by solutions that are formulated based on established hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP) principles and qualitative field research. The development of a clear and appropriate methodology will support food safety inspections to provide a robust and reliable means for evaluating food safety risk and ultimately reduce the incidence and burden of foodborne illness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quince is a fruit tree species that occupies 2% of the total orchard area in Romania. It can be utilized considering that quince is a fruit species used for ornamental purposes, for protective hedges, as a pollen-rich plant, for obtaining rootstock seedlings, in medicine, and the food industry. Following the identification of eco-pedological factors influencing the growth and development of quinces and the implementation of the stages underlying quince cultivation technology, it has been demonstrated that, in the pedoclimatic conditions of South Western Romania, establishing and exploiting a quince orchard is a highly profitable and interesting business with low investment and high returns. This fruit species yields abundantly, produces a large quantity of fruits, the production costs are low and can be recovered in a short time, the inter-row spaces can be used for intermediate crops, and the attractive selling price and the scarcity of quinces on the market provide the entrepreneur with an attractive income, making the business economically efficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an overview of empirical studies on process innovation in food through a systematic review of 63 articles published in English in several research journals. The main purpose is to understand the status quo of process innovation in food industry, suggest future research agenda, and propose a framework for describing food process innovations. The review is guided by Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). This study argues that reviewed literature has not adequately addressed process innovation in the food industry, especially with orientation to financing structures and financial performance. Moreover, the specific measurement scale for process innovation in the food industry is lacking. This paper enlightens scholars and practitioners in the agri-food industry on the current situation of process innovation and avenues for advancement. The major contribution of this study is the proposed framework for describing food process innovation. Several research agendas are suggested. The need for developing a specific measurement scale for food process innovations is contended.

AbstractThe purpose of this research is to identify the determining factors of green product branding, a model for Iran's food industry. The research method is applicable in terms of purpose, and mixed (qualitative-quantitative) in terms of implementation method, and survey-exploratory in terms of data collection method. The statistical population of the research in the qualitative part includes 15 managers of green brand food companies with master's and PhD educations in the field of management, agriculture and entrepreneurship, as well as professors of business management and environment at the university, who were selected for an interview by means of judgmental sampling. The statistical population in the quantitative part is the consumers of green products in the food industry; 384 people were selected using available sampling and answered the questions of the questionnaire. Interviews and questionnaires made by the researcher and taken from the qualitative section were used to collect information. In the qualitative section, the data obtained from the interviews were coded and analyzed in three main stages: open coding, axial coding, and selective coding. In the quantitative section, SPSS software was used for analysis and PLS was used for structural equations. The results in the qualitative section showed that 214 open codes, 85 concepts and 26 subcategories were identified and extracted from the conducted interviews. The results in the quantitative part showed that the model has a suitable fit and can be used for branding green products in the country's food industry.Extended AbstractIntroductionToday, in response to the increasing public interest in sustainable development, many companies have introduced green products. The characteristics of production and consumption of green products are in accordance with the concepts of economy, where waste reduction and environmental protection are the most important (Govindan & Hasanagic, 2018). In the economy, green products are increasingly popular with consumers and widely marketed. Selling green products creates domestic competition with non-green products. Green products usually have a higher quality level than non-green products. Due to the sustainable production method, green products have a higher production cost than non-green products (Shen et al, 2019). As a result, it is widely observed that green products are more expensive than non-green products (Basiri & Heydari, 2017). Consumers are also looking for a brand that has a strong planning strategy and methodology to achieve environmental sustainability in accordance with current and future regulatory guidelines and policies. Therefore, most business units have tried to incorporate sustainability into process and product or service design (Upadhyay & Kumar, 2020). Branding can be critical to a company's long-term success, especially for companies operating in markets with many clusters (many buyers and sellers) and few differentiated products. On the other hand, in recent years, climate changes along with increasing environmental awareness have changed consumers' purchasing decisions towards green and environmentally friendly products (Aivazidou et al, 2017). Green marketing is emerging as a popular advertising strategy due to increasing environmental concerns and awareness. In addition, in order to achieve a better understanding of the environmental movement of the target society, it is an important issue to test the attitude of the consumers of that country towards environmental issues and, as a result, their behavior (Mohammadi et al, 2022).Based on this, the current research is looking for an answer to this question: What are the determining factors of branding green products, a model for Iran's food industry?Theoretical FrameworkbrandA brand is not only a symbol that distinguishes a product from others, but also includes all the features that come to mind when a buyer thinks of that brand. These characteristics are the objective, abstract, psychological and social characteristics of that product (Xiangbo et al, 2021). Green brands, green labels and characteristics of green environmental products create positive feelings in certain groups and consumers who know that a product is green and when it is better to use it. Natural brands and proper labeling are successful from a marketing point of view because of the positive overall image they create, and consumers tend to buy such products and therefore stick with them (Del Afruz et al, 2017).Green marketingThe concept of green marketing is a business process that takes into account consumers' concerns about protecting the natural environment. Previously primarily based on environmental status, green marketing is becoming more sustainable in marketing efforts, with a primary focus on environmental and socio-economic status. However, the green market is defined as part of the market segments related to green consumption (Yoo et al, 2019).Sandoughi et al, (2022) studied the modeling process of organic agricultural products market development in Iran with an interpretative structural approach. Based on the obtained results, the process model of organic agricultural products market development starts from the analysis of the current situation, setting goals and prospects, and ends with the stage of increasing consumption and capacity building in the market. This model can be used as a guide by policy makers and all organic field activists in various research, planning and implementation sectors. Sarkar et al, (2022) investigated environmental and economic sustainability through innovative green products with renewable production. The findings showed that highly innovative green products perform better than low innovative products when uncertainty in demand and supply is high. Furthermore, new green products should be introduced only when the expected benefits of the new products outweigh the losses of the existing products. New policy innovation with remanufacturing is cost-effective compared to traditional innovation policy.Research methodologyAccording to its purpose, the research method is applicable; in terms of execution method, it is mixed (qualitative-quantitative); and in terms of data collection method, it is survey-exploratory. The statistical population of this research in the qualitative part is the managers of green brand food companies with master's and doctorate educations in the field of management, agriculture and entrepreneurship, as well as university professors of business management and environment. The statistical population in the quantitative section is the consumers of green products in this industry, which were considered as the sample size of 384 people using Cochran's formula and available sampling method. Collecting information in the qualitative part by the interview; and in the quantitative part of the research using the concepts obtained in the qualitative part, a questionnaire of 85 questions was used.Research findingsIn the qualitative section, the data obtained from the interviews were coded and analyzed in three main stages: open coding, axial coding, and selective coding. In the quantitative section, SPSS software was used for analysis and PLS was used for structural equations. The results in the qualitative section showed that 214 open codes, 85 concepts and 26 subcategories were identified and extracted from the conducted interviews. The results in the quantitative part showed that the model has a suitable fit and can be used for branding green products in the country's food industry.ConclusionThe current research has been carried out with the aim of identifying the determining factors of green product branding, a model for Iran's food industry. The results of the present study are in agreement with the results of Sandoughi et al, (2022), Mohammadi et al, (2022), Sarkar et al, (2022), Jegatheesan et al, (2021), Mohammadi Far & Soleimani (2021), Pourjamshidi et al, (2020), Marvi et al, (2021), Pourjamshidi et al, (2021), and Tandon et al, (2016). Mohammadi Far & Soleimani (2021) investigated the design of a multi-level framework for the successful implementation of green marketing in food manufacturing companies. The findings of the model indicate that several factors influence the implementation of green marketing in a multidimensional and intertwined manner. These factors can be categorized in four levels. The fourth level factors form the most basic layer and include the penetration of belief in green marketing in the philosophy and vision of the company; the third level includes the support of senior managers and changes in the organization's internal procedures; the second level includes optimizing the organizational structure, improving the organizational culture, improving employees and managing the change process: and the first level, which was placed in the highest and most operational layer of the interpretive structural model hierarchy, includes changes in the marketing mix, understanding and implementing green marketing audits, and developing technology infrastructure of information.According to the results obtained from the research, it is suggested:Advertising programs should be developed to familiarize the general public with green products, features and benefits on the platform of social networks.Human resource development programs and attention to the training of people in this field should be developed.Selection of food industry experts and experts in the field of green products so that their experiences in the field of green products production can be used.To improve the quality and safety of programs related to the production of green products and achieving health and management standards.

This study examines the response of food business operators (FBOs) to the COVID-19 pandemic in relation to food safety and FBOs' experiences of remote inspections performed by official food control. The study was conducted between November and December 2020 with a web-based questionnaire for food processing businesses in Finland. Most of the 60 responded FBOs had made changes to many own-check sectors such as working hygiene (83.4%) and preparedness for special situations (78.0%). Of the FBOs, 47.1–83.0% assessed that the changes in the own-check sectors had a positive impact on food safety and 43.2–100.0% believed that some of the changes would remain after the pandemic. Of the FBOs, 69.8% found on-site inspections at least partially replaceable with video inspection of the production areas. This study shows that, although the pandemic seriously interfered with food production, it also induced FBOs to take measures that promote food safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Machine Learning (ML) has become widespread in the food industry and can be seen as a great opportunity to deal with the various challenges of the field both in the present and near future. In this paper, we analyzed 91 research studies that used at least two ML algorithms and compared them in terms of various performance metrics. China and USA are the leading countries with the most published studies. We discovered that Support Vector Machine (SVM) and Random Forest outperformed other ML algorithms, and accuracy is the most used performance metric.

The war in Ukraine has not only impacted the lives of millions of people, but also has sent shockwaves through the global food industry. Ukraine, a key player in the global food market, has seen its agricultural sector severely disrupted by the conflict. The repercussions of this deregulation have been felt worldwide, leading to increased price uncertainty, food shortages and concerns about long-term food security. In this article, we analyze what kind of impact the armed conflict in Ukraine had and continues to have on the food industry, and approach potential solutions to mitigate these effects. Ukraine is the world's largest exporter of sunflower oil. At the same time, Russia ranks first in the world in wheat exports, with Ukraine being the fifth largest wheat exporter and fourth largest corn exporter in the world. The two countries involved in the military conflict are two of the biggest players in the energy, food and fertiliser markets. Russia is also the world's largest exporter of wheat and the world's second largest exporter of sunflower oil. Russia is also the world's largest exporter of fertilisers in general, ranking second in the world in exports of nitrogen fertilisers and third in exports of potash fertilisers.

There is lack of research on the evaluation of state aid provided to food industry enterprises in Poland, within the framework of general principles of the European Union competition policy, taking into account structure of the industry. The aim of the study is to assess the scale of general public aid for dairies, taking into account the type of enterprises, their size and location. The statistical analysis is based on SUDOP data. The amount of aid granted in 2015–2021 increased as well as the number of beneficiaries of the aid. The highest value share involved subsidies for R&D projects. The share of large dairies in funds is similar to their market share. We witness a significant concentration of aid regionally and among the beneficiaries. Dairy cooperatives accounted for a greater share of the employment of disabled persons and prisoners than other entities, which may be due to their bimodal nature.

Background and Purpose: There is growing interest in expanding healthy eating interventions in the retail setting. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the implementation of a successful 2-for-1 price incentive for fruits and vegetables (F&V), including frozen and canned, that took place in partnership with a large chain grocery retailer in Maine. Intervention Approach. A randomized controlled trial (RCT) pilot study was conducted in 2015–2016, followed by a larger RCT in 2016–2017, to assess whether a supermarket double-dollar F&V incentive increased purchases of these items. Evaluation Methods: A convergent, parallel mixed-methods design was used to examine barriers and facilitators to implementing the interventions, using six implementation outcomes: acceptability, adoption, appropriateness, feasibility, implementation fidelity, and perceived cost. Results: The intervention was deemed highly acceptable, appropriate, and feasible by shoppers, retailers, and researchers. The F&V discount had a high rate of initial adoption. There was a moderate degree of fidelity, which improved over time based on lessons learned from the pilot and applied to the subsequent RCT. Specific costs associated with implementation from the research perspective are reported. Implications for Practice, Policy, and Research. Partnerships between academic researchers and retailers can be an effective model for improving healthful purchases among shoppers. These findings are relevant for investigators, public health advocates, and retailers interested in implementing similar grocery retail-based interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Social Sciences Research / Sosyal Bilimler Arastirmalari Dergisi is the property of ODU Journal of Social Sciences Research and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Augmented reality (AR) is a technology increasingly used by organizations in various areas of their operations. The purpose of this article is to identify research directions related to the application of AR in management and business. An additional purpose is to develop a conceptual framework as a basis for future research on this topic. Using a systematic literature review method, the main research directions for AR were identified. The researchers analysed the use of AR technology in the areas of good sector, tourism industry, marketing, user experience, construction industry, ICT, education, food sector, service sector, warehouse, disaster risk management, architecture. Then, using the method of virtual ethnography, future research directions were identified, which include the use of augmented reality technology in the areas of performance management, data management, small business and business development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emerging of green entrepreneurship and digital transformation improve businesses’ efficiency and meet consumers’ demand for environmentally sustainable products, reducing the environmental footprint and strengthening corporate responsibility to society. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has become a key event changing our lives while businesses have to change their daily operations and working from home has become the norm. So, it is possible to say that business activities and business models have undergone some form of digital transformation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In Greece, the Food Industry can be characterized as one of the most dynamic and competitive economic sectors which is distinguished for its growth prospects. The aim of this study is twofold: (i) to investigate the impact of green entrepreneurship and digital transformation into the performance of Greek SMEs in the food sector and (ii) to highlight the new trends integrated in new business models in the sector. To meet the research purpose, a bibliometric and co-citation analysis was used based on the R package and graphene as a subject of research for bibliometric analysis. The knowledge gained in this article shows how the digital transformation changed the functioning of the companies in the food industry. The conclusions of this article are mainly for the enterprises that are considering their own digitalization, which contributes to the long-term sustainability of them.

Advanced Planning Systems (APS) can contribute to improved decision-making and enhanced efficiency along complex food supply chains. This paper presents a systematic literature review of three increasingly important supply chain planning (SCP) tasks supported by APS, namely Supply Chain Network Design (SCND), Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) and Production Planning & Scheduling (PP&S). Furthermore, academic literature on the implementation of software tools for SCP practices is investigated. The literature review reveals that multiple models for SCP practices have been developed. Empirical literature including case studies on the implementation of APS is sparse. The findings suggest that developed models for the examined planning tasks are implemented to a limited extent in practice. The study can help practitioners in the food industry to get insights regarding the opportunities by the areas of SCP examined in this paper. A theoretical framework providing research propositions to enhance the understanding of APS implementation is introduced.

Purpose – Food supply chains are facing significant changes and challenges coming from the need to adopt inclusive business practices and foster sustainable development. The current research aims to provide insights related to the inclusiveness of sustainable business practices of a dairy production co-operative where the smallholders are engaging with a traditional business mind-set. The purpose of the research is to deliver insights about the linkages between accounting and business practices in the adoption of an inclusive business model. Design/methodology/approach – This research is based on the qualitative case study of a medium-sized production cooperative company operating in the dairy industry supply chain. Findings – This study answers the call for research on accounting and control systems in the food sector, by exploring how management and control system is practised within contemporary supply chains. The research aims to analyse the contextual insights of managerial and organizational practices that facilitate inter-organizational relationships and coordination among actors that engage along the supply chain. Research limitations/implications – The main limitation relates to the conditions of the time available and the limited number of interviews. Even if key actors were interviewed, a larger sample would have been more beneficial to the research. However, the lack of proper results for accounting tools and software access caused some loss to the research. Originality/value – This paper emphasizes the effects of the “inclusiveness” of the sustainable business models between suppliers and leading companies by enhancing the sustainable business development within the supply chain, as part of a wider business model in the food sector from an inter-organizational perspective.

The article analyzes the current level of food security of Ukraine in the conditions of the full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war. The state of the agrarian sector is defined and the dynamics of domestic acreage and harvesting areas under grain crops is analyzed. The state and dynamics of the food situation in the country are determined, taking into account the indicators of economic availability of food supply to the population of both Ukraine and the world. The geographical structure of the State’s export potential in relation to grain products directly concerning the countries of North Africa and Asia is determined. The main factors shaping the demand in the food industry sphere in both the national and the international markets are presented. The raw material orientation of Ukrainian exports along with vulnerability in foreign food markets are examined. The threatening realities forced the world community, the UN World Food Program, the WTO to react, because, although they declared their intentions to minimize risks at the global level, the legal mechanisms did not work in reality. The purpose of the article is to highlight the organizational-legal mechanisms for minimizing the negative consequences of Russian aggression in the field of food security. An analysis of the State Program for stimulating the economy to overcome the consequences of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine has led to the conclusion that in terms of ensuring food security, the program itself is ineffective, since it does not provide organizational-legal instruments for achieving the goals declared. The main negative factors of the influence of Russian aggression on the food security of Ukraine and the world are generalized. It is revealed that the current situation with food in the country at war is close to a catastrophic one, since Ukrainian grain plays a significant role in the fight against hunger in the world. It is determined that the primary role for getting out of this situation should belong not only to our State, but also to the international community.

The digital context in which today's society is immersed, fostered by ICTs, the internet and social networks - and the COVID-19 pandemic - have fostered electronic commerce transactions on a global scale; therefore, the objective of the research was to analyze the use of electronic commerce in fast food businesses that began their activities in 2020 in Ecuador. For this, an empirical investigation was carried out at a descriptive level and in a transversal way, applying a questionnaire to 385 consumers of this type of business. For consumers, the use of technology as means of communication and payment is highly weighted, in addition to recognizing that they have been influenced by the content and promotions generated by the enterprises, so these marketing components must be strategically planned and managed. to position and increase the visibility of the business. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on customer satisfaction in repeat purchases shows that the relationship between customer expectations and customer satisfaction can be inverse to what is commonly reported. This also has an impact on the financial performance of an enterprise, which is therefore directly influenced by customer expectations. The goal of this paper is to determine whether customer satisfaction affects customer expectations and whether these expectations have a direct impact on the financial performance of an enterprise. The variables representing factors of customer satisfaction, including customer expectations, are measured using a customer survey. Business financial performance (BFP) was measured using the ROA, ROE, and Asset Turnover indicators. The model was created using Structural Equation Modelling. The research confirmed a positive direct effect of customer expectations on BFP (specifically ROA). Customer satisfaction impacted financial performance indirectly via customer expectations in two years. This suggests that the influence of customer expectations on BFP is long-term in nature, although this effect is rather weak. As customers make repeat purchases, customer expectations change. These changes reflect relationships primarily with customer satisfaction and loyalty and BFP. Customer satisfaction is shown to influence customer expectations, which in turn influence BFP. Therefore, it is advisable to focus on (raising) customer expectations in repeat purchases if the businesses want to achieve higher financial performance.

The Indonesian government issued a policy that restricts foreign ownership in several industries including the food industry, with the objective of protecting the domestically owned firm. This research analyzed the productivity differences between foreign-owned and domestically owned plants in the Indonesian food industry and whether the percentage of foreign ownership is related to productivity. Micro data on the food industry were obtained from the Annual Survey of Large and Medium scale Industries (IBS) in 2015 conducted by Statistics Indonesia. The results showed that there were productivity differences between the foreign-owned and domestically owned plants. The foreign-owned plants had higher productivity than the domestic plants. The productivity of plants with minority foreign ownership (less than 50 percent) was not significantly different from that of domestically owned plants. Meanwhile, the productivity of plants with foreign ownership more than 50 percent was significantly different from that of plants with domestic ownership. Wholly foreignowned plants (100 percent) did not demonstrate the highest productivity difference. When the data were disaggregated at the sub-sector level, the results varied among industries.

Objective: To assess the relationship between market concentration and diversity, as indicators of market structure, and the healthiness of food and beverage sales across Europe.Design: Market share (MS) data per country were used to calculate market concentration, assessed by the four-firm concentration ratio and market diversity, and by the number of companies with ≥1 % MS and the number of companies uniquely present in one European country. The healthiness of food sales was assessed by applying the NOVA classification (level of processing). Simple and multiple linear regressions were performed to assess the relationship between market concentration, diversity and the healthiness of food and beverage sales.Setting: The European single market.Participants: The twenty-seven European single market member states for which Euromonitor sales data were available at the most fine-grained Euromonitor packaged food and non-alcoholic beverage product subcategory level.Results: Increased market concentration with a country and a product category fixed effect significantly predicted increased sales of ultra-processed packaged food products. There was insufficient data variability in the level of processing of non-alcoholic beverage product categories to formulate conclusions for non-alcoholic beverages. Increased market diversity in turn significantly predicted reduced country-level sales of ultra-processed products.Conclusions: The results indicated a relationship between market structure and the healthiness of packed food products sold on the European market. However, more research with detailed nutritional data is warranted to document and quantify this interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food quality and human health influences contemporary life. Today more than ever, quality products to be safe in terms of food to meet the needs and innocuity became major values for all producers, processors, distributors, especially for food consumers who are becoming more aware that their health depends on the quality of the food they consume. The paper recently a case study in a Romanian company in the dairy industry and the manufacture of dairy products, and all commercial operations the object of transaction milk and milk products, a small company that combines managed but we consider traditionalism ( the products we offer to the market ) modernism ( European requirements, quick marketing, producer - client relationship etc). This paper analyzes the emergence and development aspects of the company, implementing and upgrading production technology, issues related to the introduction of quality management, promotion and sale of products, customer relations, etc. We believe that SC HELVETICA MILK SRL, the constant concern of food safety, raw material procurement stage till marketing - customer satisfaction by offering quality products and thereby ensure customer loyalty. In conclusion, we believe the company is a successful example of business succces Romanian food industry.

The factors of the pandemic threaten the stability of enterprises engaged the food industry and put them in a situation where previously successful strategies are no longer effective. Based on the global practice of implementing cooperative strategies amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the article tests the hypothesis that there is a correlation between cooperative strategies in the food industry and the adaptability of business entities to the pandemic factors. The methodological framework includes the theory of integration and transaction cost, as well as the ecosystem approach. The methods of case study, descriptive statistics, structural-logical analysis and SWOT analysis were applied. The authors identify the main types of cooperative business models, these are circular entrepreneurship, virtualization and digitalization of logistical interactions, ecological and immunostimulating production, and service-oriented business cooperation. Having compared the models according to their capability to support sustainable development of the enterprise amid the pandemic, we found that the opportunities for cooperating in the food industry were largely associated with the development potential of institutional, information and infrastructural environment. The research reveals the prospects for the functioning of the food industry in the new reality, determines the avenues for potential innovations in the industry, and develops the measures for a proactive response to crises.

Recently, investors’ growing awareness of environmental concerns has prompted many businesses to implement green policies and procedures. Investors’ reactions to firms’ environmental efforts vary across different industries. However, few empirical studies have addressed these differences, especially in Japan – the third-largest sustainable investor in the world. Using data from Japanese food and automotive industries, this research examined sector-specific differences in investors’ reactions to firms’ environmental performance, indicated by environmentally friendly news releases, using a short-term event study and Student’s t-tests. Results indicated that investors respond negatively to environmental activities in the food and automobile sectors, supporting neo-classical theory. The data also imply that, in Japan, industry variances have a neutral effect on short-term performance but a significant long-term effect. In addition, long-term investor responses to environmentally friendly news in the food sector are more unfavorable than in the automobile industry. This study has implications for policymakers and managers.

There is widespread agreement among experts that a fundamental reorientation of global, regional, national and local food systems is needed to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals Agenda and address the linked challenges of undernutrition, obesity and climate change described as the Global Syndemic. Recognising the urgency of this imperative, a wide range of global stakeholders - governments, civil society, academia, agri-food industry, business leaders and donors - convened at the September 2021 UN Food Systems Summit to coordinate numerous statements, commitments and declarations for action to transform food systems. As the dust settles, how will they be pieced together, how will governments and food corporations be held to account and by whom? New data, analytical methods and global coalitions have created an opportunity and a need for those working in food systems monitoring to scale up and connect their efforts in order to inform and strengthen accountability actions for food systems. To this end, we present - and encourage stakeholders to join or support - an Accountability Pact to catalyse an evidence-informed transformation of current food systems to promote human and ecological health and wellbeing, social equity and economic prosperity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Food & Health (2602-2834) is the property of Scientific Web Journals (SWJ) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective Given the shortening of the life cycle of products and the competition intensity in the food industry, opportunism and the timely implementation of opportunities is regarded as a key and winning feature in this industry. Related companies have used various measures to improve this capability, including structural capital and strategic agility. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of structural capital on identifying business opportunities in the food industry through the mediating role of strategic agility. Methodology This empirical study is a descriptive correlational research. In terms of philosophy, this research is a deductive research based on the positivist paradigm. Besides, this research is considered cross-sectional in terms of time. The structural capital questionnaire proposed by Yasin et al. (2016), the strategic agility questionnaire proposed by Konha et al. (2019), and the opportunity identification questionnaire by Sambasivan, Abdol, and Yousef (2009) were used to measure the research variables. Structural equation modeling and PLS software have been used to analyze the data. Findings This study investigates the relationship between structural capital and strategic agility, as well as the effect of such relationships on the opportunism among 200 Iranian food companies with a variety of products. These large companies are regarded as leaders in offering new products. The results of PLS-SEM reveal that there are significantly positive relationships between structural capital, strategic agility, and opportunism of companies. In addition, strategic agility variables such as strategic sensitivity, resource fluidity, and bright perspectives have a significantly positive effect on identifying business opportunities. Besides, strategic agility plays the mediating role between structural capital and the identification of opportunities. Therefore, the present study can confirm the significant effect of structural capital on increasing strategic agility and identifying business opportunities in the food industry. Conclusion The findings of this study can help raise awareness of strategists and senior managers of food companies about the significant role of structural capital and strategic agility in the constant monitoring of the industry. In addition, it can improve opportunism capability in these companies.

Stock price determination is one of the main issues involved in the acquisition of companies. The transparency and high volume of the stock market make it possible to ascertain valuation multiples. In the case of privately-held agrifood companies, valuation multiples are scarce and barely representative. This paper focuses on answering whether listed stock valuation multiples of the agrifood industry can be useful for the purposes of valuing unlisted small and medium-sized companies. A study into Spanish unlisted agribusinesses is designed for several samples and accounting years. By means of a discounted cash flow model combined with bootstrap techniques, the empirical distribution of the unlisted multiples is obtained for three growth hypotheses. The results show that the stock market P/E should not be used in the valuation process of unlisted agrifood companies, whereas the stock market EV/EBITDA may be used in the valuation process of unlisted small and medium-sized agrifood companies that consistently obtain positive cash flows.|| La determinación del precio de las acciones es uno de los principales problemas en la adquisición de compañías. La transparencia y el alto volumen de la bolsa de valores permiten determinar múltiplos de valoración. En el caso de las empresas agroalimentarias privadas, los múltiplos de valoración son escasos y poco representativos. Este trabajo se centra en responder si los múltiplos de valor de las empresas de la industria agroalimentaria que cotizan en bolsa pueden ser útiles para valorar Pymes. Un estudio sobre compañías españolas agroalimentarias no cotizadas ha sido diseñado para varias muestras y años base. Por medio de un modelo de flujos de caja descontados, combinado con técnicas bootstrap, se ha obtenido una distribución empírica de los múltiplos de empresas no cotizadas para tres hipótesis de crecimiento. Los resultados muestran que el múltiplo EV/EBITDA bursátil puede utilizarse en el proceso de valoración de Pymes agroalimentarias no cotizadas que obtienen sistemáticamente flujos de caja positivos.

The article is aimed at substantiating the methodological approach to assessing the investment attractiveness of the food industry enterprise, taking into account its industry characteristics. The article describes the specifics of the activities of food industry enterprises, which can characterize the state of their investment attractiveness. The methodological aspects of assessment of investment attractiveness of enterprise are considered. The assessment of the investment attractiveness of a food industry enterprise is proposed to be carried out from the short- and long-term perspective. The methodology for assessing the investment attractiveness of the food industry enterprise is substantiated according to the following stages: formation of an information base of assessment; assessment of investment attractiveness elements and determination of their normative values by groups of financial coefficients; integral assessment of elements of the state of investment attractiveness; ranking of enterprises based on the results of the investment attractiveness assessment. Four groups of financial coefficients are distinguished in accordance with their economic content: liquidity (absolute liquidity ratio, coverage ratio); negotiability (negotiability ratio of total capital, negotiability ratio of current assets); financial sustainability (coverage structure coefficient, ratio of own and borrowed funds); profitability (return on assets, return on equity). The methodology allows, depending on the priorities and policies of the enterprise, its industry affiliation, investment climate, economic development conditions, to choose other criteria and indicators to assess the level of investment attractiveness. A methodical approach to the construction of an integral indicator of the assessment of investment attractiveness of enterprise and a factor map of its interpretation with the allocation of low, medium and high levels are proposed.

The article is aimed at applying the Franchon and Romane matrix at the food industry enterprise within the terms of a comprehensive analysis of the enterprise’s financial sustainability and equilibrium. Analyzing and systematizing the scientific works of many scholars, the evolution of approaches to the financial strategy of enterprise was considered and it was specified that the construction of the matrix of strategies according to Franchon and Romane makes it possible to respond timely to the need to change the financial strategy depending on the change in the conditions of its activities. To achieve the goal, the research had to solve the following tasks: determining the algorithm for calculating the financial indicators of the matrix; their calculation for the last five years of activities of the researched enterprise; determining on their basis the type of financial strategy; determination of factors influencing financial strategies; development of measures to improve the financial condition by changing the financial strategy. The object of research is PrJSC «Vinnytsia confectionery factory» («Roshen»). The matrix analysis of the company’s activities for 2015-2019 allowed to determine the further trajectory of the enterprise’s development. The indicators of economic activity of the enterprise led to an increase in financial potential, but at the same time there is an obvious limitation of the current development strategy. The obtained results as to determining the financial strategy are justified by a preliminary analysis of the financial condition. The application of the strategy matrix enables the enterprise to make the right decisions on the complex use of all financial resources aimed at achieving both the current and the strategic goals in a timely manner. Prospects for further research are to determine the impact of the quality of the company’s cash flow management on its liquidity and solvency.

The article is aimed at forming a methodical approach to the assessment of tendencies in production, sales and organization of consumption of food products and services, which includes all the components of the food sector and allows to conduct a comprehensive assessment of tendencies in its development. The proposed methodical approach includes assessment of the status and dynamics of food supply to the population, assessment of the status and dynamics of indicators of agricultural enterprises, food industry, trade in foods, restaurant economy and assessment of the factors that influence the development of the food sector. The use of the proposed methodical approach allows to reasonably make decisions on the development of a strategy for the development of food sector enterprises. The conducted studies have shown that in Ukraine as a whole and in its regions in particular in recent years there have been positive tendencies in the production, sale and organization of consumption of food products and services. At this, sales of foods by enterprises of both agriculture and food industry is much higher than by retail enterprises of food products and restaurant enterprises, which indicates the sufficient provision with food products to the financially reliable demand of the population of Ukraine. Prospects for further research in this direction are the development of methodical instrumentarium for assessing the effectiveness of management of food sector enterprises, which will be adapted to modern conditions for the implementation of specific managerial decisions.

Objective: Due to the numerous and diverse food industry companies in Iran, the packaging industry is regarded as a stimulus and empowering force for the economy as well as a driving force for the development of domestic production, increase in the exports, improvement of the economic situation of the society, employment, and increase in the national income. According to the 2025 Perspective which emphasizes on improving the domestic production and the resilient economy, it is highly important to plan to improve the food packaging industry. This perspective must be planned in reflexive manner in order to be able to deal with the future uncertainties. Food packaging industry activists are also expected to keep working with regard to the probable market conditions and changes in the world, in order to be able to respond to market changes and survive. Therefore, the present study aims to explain the possible future scenarios in the food packaging industry in Iran with respect to 2025 Perspective. Methodology: The present applied study includes qualitative variables and is regarded as a descriptive research. It has been conducted as a survey using the scenario planning method based on the opinions of a group of managers and experts. In the first step, fuzzy Delphi method was used to identify the effective factors and key uncertainties in the packaging industry, and then three compatible scenarios were developed based on the possible situations for each of the key uncertainties using Scenario Wizard software. Finally, different strategies were proposed for each scenario by the experts. Findings: According to the research findings, the effective factors and the key uncertainties in the packaging industry include: 1) the regulations for communication and foreign trades, 2) the status of competition laws and the emergence of the new contestants, 3) emphasis on health and safety issues and standards, 4) emphasis on the virtual nature among the people in the society, 5) fluctuations of the foreign currency rates, 6) fluctuations of the inflation rate, 7) direct and indirect costs of packaging, 8) emphasis on various e-commerce tools, and 9) the motivation and willingness of private investors to invest in the packaging industry. Conclusion: As a result of identifying the possible situations for each of the key uncertainties, three compatible scenarios were proposed. The "optimistic" scenario, based on which communication and foreign trade regulations are regarded as the probable supports which might lead to the improvement of the industry. The emergence of the new contestants in the food packaging industry will be facilitated which will increase the competition in the industry and lead to the improvement of the target industry as well as the popularity of the domestic products. The emphasis on health and safety issues and standards, on the virtual nature among people in the community, and on various tools regarding e-commerce can lead the manufacturers to invest in the construction and development of Iranian brands. This might help increase people’s demand for diversity in purchasing and improving of the packaging of food products. The "realistic" scenario considers the favorable and unfavorable conditions together. The most favorable scenarios in this regard claim that reduction of the exchange rate and the inflation rate can lead to direct and indirect reduction of the expenses in the industry. Besides, it can facilitate the entrance of the new contestants to the industry. On the other hand, the incentive and willingness to invest in the industry will decrease according to the strict rules and regulations for communications and foreign trades. In addition, the reduction of attention to e-commerce tools will lead to the reduction of the attention of the community to the virtual nature. Finally, the "pessimistic" scenario whose key uncertainties include: strict regulations for communications and foreign trades and the difficulty for the new companies to enter the packaging industry, which leads to the fact that the reluctance of the industry activists to improve the quality of their products and to develop Iranian brands. As a result, the shopping carts of the Iranian customers will be captured by foreign brands, and it may provide the grounds for the collapse and destruction of the Iranian food packaging industry. The failure and destruction of Iranian food packaging industry might be facilitated and even exacerbated through the increase in the foreign exchange rates and inflation rate as well as high direct and indirect costs in packaging in this scenario due to the prevalence of the imported goods at lower prices than the prices of domestic products, lack of up-to-date machinery and equipment, and also bankruptcies of the experienced producers in the food packaging industry. Moreover, it was concluded that foreign exchange rates and inflation rate have the greatest impact on other factors as well as the future of the food packaging industry in Iran.

Overweight and obesity is a global concern as a significant risk factor for non‐communicable diseases. Increased energy intake due to greater consumption of energy‐dense food or non‐alcoholic beverages high in fat, saturated fat, sugar or salt ('HFSS food') is the main explanation for population weight gain. The principal drivers underlying this consumption are the commercial determinants of health in the food chain, particularly the marketing of HFSS food. In the UK, some rules do regulate certain forms of HFSS food marketing (such as television and online advertising to children) and the government is considering strengthening these. However, although sports sponsorship by 'HFSS food businesses' (defined as a business preparing, cooking, storing, handling, distributing, supplying or selling food and whose products are primarily HFSS) is increasingly recognised as linked to HFSS food consumption, it has received little attention. This is all the more concerning in light of the recent proliferation of 'HFSS food businesses' and HFSS products partnering with sports organisations. Against this background, we hosted a workshop to focus on the relationship between health, nutrition and the sponsorship of sport and related marketing by 'HFSS food businesses' and to consider the implications for obesity prevention strategies in the UK and beyond. This innovative workshop capitalised on, and contributed to, ongoing efforts to conceptually unite existing research by bringing together an interdisciplinary team of experts providing unique and complementary perspectives on how to address sports sponsorship as one of the channels through which 'HFSS food businesses' contribute to poor nutrition and diet‐related diseases. This report summarises the structure, participants and discussions from the workshop; the existing evidence base; and the future research and policy opportunities we plan to pursue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To adapt and assess reliability of the Chilean version of Nutritional Environment Measurement for Stores (NEMS-S-CHILE) to measure the food environment of stores in urban areas.Design: NEMS-S-CHILE was the NEMS-S tool adapted to the Chilean food patterns; foods were grouped according to level of processing in (a) unprocessed or minimally processed foods, (b) processed culinary ingredients, (c) processed foods, and (d) ultra-processed foods, and scored according to NEMS-S-CHILE tool. Reliability inter evaluators was measured.Setting: City of Concepción, Bio-Bio region, Chile.Participants: Seventeen of a total of 25 supermarkets, and 9 out of 10 street markets according to the municipal registry and the street market trade unions, representing 74.3% of both types of food premises in Concepción.Results: Reliability inter evaluators was measured by the following aspects: product availability, price, quality, and variety, through the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), percent agreement, and Cohen's kappa analysis. Reliability was high for availability, where the kappa index and ICC were acceptable, ranging from moderate to high (0.42 to 1.00 for the kappa coefficient and 0.65 to 1.00 for ICC), as well as for prices (ICC: 0.65-1.00 ), variety (kappa: 0.76-1.00) and quality (percent agreement: 68.2- 100%).Conclusions: The adapted instrument, NEMS-S-CHILE, has a high reliability inter evaluators and can be useful to measure the availability of foods by the level of processing according to the prevalent food system in developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A systematic assessment of the effect of COVID-19 on the food retail environment—an important determinant of health—has not been conducted. Our objective was to assess the impact of COVID-19 on closures of restaurants, food retail stores, and fresh produce vendors in New York City (NYC). We conducted a cross-sectional study following the peak of COVID-19 in six neighborhoods in NYC. Two Chinese ethnic neighborhoods and four higher/lower resourced comparison neighborhoods were selected a priori based on 14 sociodemographic indicators. The primary outcome was indefinite/temporary closures or absence of food businesses. Of 2720 food businesses identified, produce vendors and restaurants were more likely to close than food retail stores. A higher proportion of food businesses closed in Chinese ethnic neighborhoods vs. comparison neighborhoods. COVID-19 impacted food businesses in six NYC neighborhoods examined in this period, with the greatest effect observed for Chinese ethnic neighborhoods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obtaining food safety certification is essential for food manufacturers. Potential barriers to obtaining certification are complex, interrelated and broadly relate to, 'knowledge and skills', 'time, cost and resources', and 'communication and access to information'. This study aimed to explore requirements for support to enable food manufacturers in Wales to overcome identified barriers. Food manufacturers (n = 37) participated in group discussions (n = 2) and completed online-questionnaires (n = 29). Support mechanisms, perceived necessary to obtain food safety certification included; funding for training and audit-fees, support for implementing food safety scheme documentation, on-site support through mentoring/coaching and pre-audits. Findings identify the need for a food safety scheme certification support package pathway incorporating online, off-site, on-site and financial support to assist food and drink manufacturers obtain third-party food safety certification. Such assistance would support three critical areas. Findings may inform development of support mechanisms to increase uptake of food safety certification and accelerate food-sector growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: A proposal framework based on two recognized constructs over food innovations technology (FINT) and food technology neophobia scale (FTNS) involving consumers' nutrition needs and the businesses' opportunities. Methodology: Revision of literature about FINTFTNS, post-COVID nutrition needs, and businesses with a questionnaire applied to 401 regular consumers (Oct-Dic-2021). Results: FINT-FTNS, suggests developing businesses based on the inclusion of indicators such as information media, the intention to purchase, the type of food technology with benefits to be consumed, and regulation policies to protect the consumer. Limitations: The snowball self-report sampling method may be a source of biased survey results because the survey is only in the Mexican environment, and it could be considered a limitation in the research scope. The food industry's innovation models indicate that more research is necessary to adapt external knowledge with socio-economic and institutional change. Conclusions: For the final framework's sides (FINT and FTNS), we have determined several suggestions based on nutritional, eating patterns, innovation, technology, and marketing concepts to improve the framework for business applications to foster a healthy food intake against chronic diseases for the next normal, to complement this research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on evaluating the technical efficiency (TE) of food and drink companies in the Czech Republic and on finding its determinants. The analysis is based on the data of 597 firms and uses the stochastic frontier method. We have identified the key players in the market and the less effective groups of processors. Foreign-owned companies have a strong position because of a better economy, but the results showed that their efficiency is comparable with that of Czech-owned companies. The results helped confirm that the size of the company influences its TE. The lowest efficiency was observed in small companies. TE also differed among branches of the food industry. The highest efficiency was in the bakery and milk industries, and the lowest efficiency was in fruit and vegetable processing. Subsidised firms reached a significantly higher efficiency. With respect to economic results, there is still a need to improve competitiveness through investments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper seeks to investigate the relationship between equity and factors affecting them in Indian medium-sized food industry. The analysis has been done on medium-sized firms of food industry taken from prowess software. The data of 5 years has been taken from 2013-2017 so as to get a clear view of analysis over the period of time. Regression analysis is used in the estimation of functions related to equity with a measure of capital structure. The results reveal a significant positive relationship of tangible fixed assets and growth opportunities with equity, significant negative relationship of age, profitability, tax provision and total assets with equity. The research suggests that medium-sized food firms of food industry rely more on debt than equity.

Abstract. Introduction. The food industry is one of the most important branches of the industrial complex of Ukraine, which addresses food security and includes a large number of various industries and industries that produce food. The food industries have great potential for expansion through diversification of production and exploration of new export markets, which will create millions of jobs, increase tax revenues through the income tax system, and strengthen the economy of industrial enterprises. Therefore, the development and expansion of industrial food production enterprises are relevant, and will have a positive effect on the saturation of the domestic market and will generate export potential that will contribute to the growth of the economy in Ukraine. Purpose. The purpose of the article is to study the current trends in the development of industrial food production in the Mykolayiv region, as well as to identify possible prospects for increasing the volume of food production and their implementation. Results. As a result of research the analysis of development of industrial production of foodstuff in the Mykolayiv region is carried out. It is established that the food industry is a priority and strategically important component of the agro-industrial complex of Ukraine, which is able to provide food security not only in the domestic market, but also competitive positions among world countries - leaders in food production. It is substantiated that the increase in the volume of food production by industrial enterprises of the Mykolayiv region depends directly on the development of the crop and livestock industries as a raw material base. Transformational changes in the production of flour, bread, oil, vegetable and fruit juices have been determined. The dynamics of food production from milk and meat by industrial enterprises is investigated, as well as the causes of the decline in meat production, as well as the low utilization of the food industry both in Mykolayiv region and throughout Ukraine. The volume of sales of industrial products in the production of food and beverages is analyzed and it is established that in recent years the industry has occupied the most important place in the Mykolayiv region. The issue of investment activity of capital investments in industrial food production enterprises is investigated. Conclusions. In recent years, the agro-industrial complex of Ukraine has made great strides in its development, first of all, declared itself to the world as a powerful player in the global food market. Therefore, agricultural economic growth is a key prerequisite for the development of the food industry, as a strong raw material base opens the way for processing and creating higher value-added products. At the same time, obtaining the added value and ensuring the proper volumes and quality of food products require: modernization, reconstruction and expansion of existing production facilities; the introduction of new production and storage technologies that make it possible to create quality and safe products; enhancing regional competitiveness to attract foreign investment into joint ventures in Ukraine; the optimal combination of foreign and Ukrainian scientific and educational technologies in order to train highly qualified specialists in the food industry; introduction of the HACCP system; sound state policy in the agro-industrial complex; strengthening the protection of national producers against poor and dangerous food products.

Abstract. The expansion of integration processes sets a task of maintaining the competitive position for domestic food producers, which requires enhancement of investing activities in the modern economic environment. The choice of investment projects of food industry enterprises in Ukraine is limited by available financial resources; this fact, in particular, impedes resolution of the major problems in the industry under discussion. The research of the dynamics of capital investments in Ukraine’s food industry enterprises in 2015 – 2018 shows that their amount increased by 7,742.5 million UAH in 2016 compared to 2015, and there was a tendency to decrease by 2,363.4 million UAH in 2017 compared to 2016. However, in 2018 the volume of investments into the fixed assets of the food industry enterprises increased almost twice compared to the previous period that is by 11,285.2 million UAH, which testifies to intensification of updating of material and technical resources of the Ukrainian foodstuff, drinks and tobacco enterprises. Therefore, the dynamics of investment volume of food enterprises during the period under study is unstable. As of today, the main source of investing activities financing in the field of food industry is own funds of enterprises. It was researched that 91.9% of capital investments was financed at the expense of own funds of Ukrainian food industry enterprises in 2018. Bank loans and other loans for financing capital investments of food industry companies make up to 8.1% of the total, of which 20.1% are loans from foreign banks. With consideration of current interest rates use of loaned funds appears to be ineffective for many enterprises; that is why attraction of foreign investments is one of appropriate sources of investing activities financing. It is established that from 2015 to 2018 inclusive, the highest growth rate of foreign direct investments in the food industry of Ukraine was in 2017 when their volume increased by 234.1 million USD compared to 2016. During the period under study, the main countries to make foreign direct investment in the food, beverage and tobacco industry in Ukraine were: the Netherlands, Cyprus, the United Kingdom and Belize. Reasonable choice of investments is namely of great importance for improvement of their economical, technical and raw material security; effectively invested funds are the key of an enterprise development in the long run.

The subject of this research is the analysis of competitiveness of the Bulgarian food industry on the international market, with the aim of identifying changes in the export structure of products classified according to commodity groups (SITC Rev.3). In other words, the goal was to point out the sectors which are developing faster and have positive tendencies and influence on the overall competitiveness of the Bulgarian economy. The research used descriptive statistical data processing, the index of comparative advantage of exports - RCA and the index of specialization in foreign trade - GL index. The research results showed that in the analyzed period there were significant changes in the structure of exports, so the groups with leading positions in the initial year of analysis lost their position and were replaced by products of other commodity groups. An increase in the comparative advantage of exports was also confirmed in: Vegetable fats and oils; Cereals and other cereal products; Essential oils, perfumery; Meat and edible leftovers; Rice; Sugar, molasses and honey; etc. It was also established that the products with a pronounced intra-industrial character of exchange in 2017 were: Fruit and vegetable juices; Sugar products; Meat and edible residues; Bird eggs and yolks, egg whites; Butter and other fats obtained from milk, milk spreads, etc.

The article is aimed at studying the current status and major tendencies in the functioning of food industry in Kherson region, to form strategic development guidelines and to ensure competitiveness in the conditions of an unstable external environment. It is determined that the food industry is a strategically important industry sector in the agro-industrial complex of Kherson region. The region’s food industry enterprises have a fairly wide specialization and provide the population with a wide range of products such as meat, dairy, flour and cereals, bakery, etc. The dynamics of the main indicators of development of the food industry in Kherson region during 2010-2017 were analyzed. Despite the priority of the industry in the region, the deterioration of the main indicators of development of the food industry in Kherson region continues, which is associated with increased competition in the foreign food market, severization of requirements to their quality characteristics, low per capita income. The contribution of food industry enterprises to the Kherson region industry in terms of sales volumes, exports, capital investments, foreign direct investment and the number of employees is considered. Using the SWOT analysis, essence of the strategic guidelines for the development of Kherson region food industry has been identified, considering the strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the industry in the context of sustainable development of the State’s economy.

The paper aims to develop the methods for managing the food value chain at the level of a region and business entities. Methodologically, the study rests on the concept of value chains that takes into account the interests of governing bodies and is focused on creating maximum product value for consumers. The research methods are the following: in terms of management purposes at regional level – administrative, economic, dynamic and statistical methods; at the level of business entities – a process approach, integration-based, system-analytical and integrated methods. The authors propose a model of a system for food value chain management that covers the meso- and micro-levels of management united by a common goal, i.e. the creation of maximum value added. The article substantiates the elements of the methods for managing the food value chain, taking into account the ranking of widespread management tools developed by the global management consultancy Bain & Company. The authors identify the effective methods and tools for managing commodities, as well as production and distribution units of the value chain. We suggest a mechanism for forming а governing body, i.e. a subject of food value chain management using the case study of Orenburg oblast. The research results can be useful for federal and regional authorities, as well as companies’ top management engaged in all the units of the food value chain with different industry affiliations.

The purpose of the article is to develop the conceptual foundations of the investment support of the food industry of Ukraine on the basis of existing practice of statistical research. Methodology. The following analysis is carried out: evaluation of factors, overall assessment of the country's economic development prospects, absence of risks for investments due to military operations and other force majeure circumstances, stability of the legislative framework, etc. through interstate rating comparisons. Results. It is proved that the competitiveness of the country in the world market is not a sufficient condition for the development of investment support for the food industry. It is known that in the domestic market each industry competes with others for investment capital. Important factors, in this case, are: the capacity of the market, its growth prospects and the average level of profitability of economic activity. Thus, to attract both foreign and domestic investment, the food industry of Ukraine should correspond to a high level of these indicators, compared with other sectors of the economy. Within the framework of the developed concept this problem should be solved with the help of a multifactor model for assessing the competitiveness of the industry. Practical implications. According to calculations, the share of capital investments in the food industry in 2019 was 5.9% of their total volume in the economy. At the same time, food industry enterprises provided 8.2% of the country's gross domestic product and 11.6% of total production, including intermediate consumption. These comparisons show that today insufficient attention is paid to investment in this sector of the economy. Value/originality. The methods proposed in the article, unlike the existing ones, are based on the use of a set of economic and mathematical methods and models and allow for a quantitative assessment of the proposed solutions.

At his plant in Westchester, N.Y., Richard Ellenbogen has put his electrical engineering background to use to implement sustainable energy practices at his manufacturing facility, while reducing overall energy consumption. [...]

The article review of analytical laboratory evidence documenting adulteration and fraud in the international market for elder berry ingredients. Topics include the taxonomy of the main elder species in trade is a matter of debate, the berries of European elder have been used for various purposes since before recorded history, and the archaeological evidence suggests that European elder trees have been cultivated for millennia.

Background: Food environments are influenced by food industries (packaged food and non-alcoholic beverage manufacturers; supermarkets and quick service restaurants). An important source of this influence is the significant market power held by a limited number of food companies. Market structure analysis, as part of a broader market power research agenda, has received limited attention from the public health community. The aim of this study was to analyse similarities and differences in market structure across countries and industries in the European Single Market. Methods: The companies with the largest market share at the national level for each industry were identified from Euromonitor sales data in 2017/18. The market structure was assessed by the following metrics: the number of global brand owners with ≥1% market share per country, the number of companies unique for one European Single Market member state, the most sold packaged food and non-alcoholic beverage categories, the number of quick-service restaurants and supermarkets per 1000 inhabitants and market concentration by means of the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) and the four firm concentration ratio (CR4). CR4-values > 40% and HHI-values > 2000 indicate concentrated markets with limited competition. Results: The leading packaged food and non-alcoholic beverage manufacturers and the most sold food and beverage product categories were similar across countries in Europe. The observed levels of concentration were however different. Average CR4-values ranged from 21 to 72% among packaged food product markets and 60 to 76% for non-alcoholic beverage product markets. Average CR4-values for quick service restaurants and supermarkets were 50 and 60%, respectively. Across European countries the same leading quick-service restaurants were identified, while this was not the case for supermarkets. Conclusions: This study forms an important basis to understand key aspects of market structure of the European food industry, observing clear differences between food industries and European Single Market member states. This has potential implications for the implementation of food environment policies at different levels of jurisdiction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the article is to analyze the positions of Ukraine in the basic rankings of investment attractiveness and competitiveness; identify the key obstacles restraining the attraction of financial resources to the agro-industrial complex; suggest the ways for solving the main problems concerning investment attractiveness of the domestic agricultural sector. The evaluation of the efficiency of an agrarian policy is carried out with the help of the Total Support Estimate (TSE), which indicates the volume of gross transfers received from taxpayers and consume. The amount of and trends in capital investment into agriculture of Ukraine within 2010–2017 are analyzed. The main drawbacks of the existing investment management system of agricultural enterprises in Ukraine are determined. Based on the research results, the authors put forward suggestions for improving the investment climate in Ukraine, which will contribute not only to a greater openness of the Ukrainian economy but to a complete inclusion of the agricultural sector of Ukraine to the global food security system as well.