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Growing small and medium-sized food enterprises (SMEs) face specific challenges, especially when they aim to maintain a higher quality of products and processes. While growing, they tend to converge either towards niche markets or mainstream commodity markets, and as a result sacrifice higher quality and value. In this article, we explore the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises and their related food supply chains, as well as the related challenges. The focus is on the management of individual businesses, the coordination and cooperation along chains and the required realignment during growth. Particular attention is paid to discontinuities and inconsistencies, and the identification of the factors that limit or enable a sustainable development of food enterprises and chains. The article is based on a case-study approach. The business logic concept, which has been developed in the context of a European research project, provides the analytical framework for the analysis of the cases. Central to the business logic concept is the idea that business goals, strategies, management and management instruments ought to be coherent. The business logic approach facilitates the examination of coherence in business and in chain management. It helps to identify the adjustments and realignment needed in times of change. Our results show that development paths vary significantly between businesses and chains, and that business growth in particular is associated with a variety of challenges. Such discontinuities and inconsistencies tend to be linked with phases of internal consolidation when management capacities, structures and processes are adapted to new requirements. Adaptations in business strategies and operational management are particularly important when food production, processing and sales aim to maintain higher product and process qualities in spite of rapid growth. Reflexive management practices and continuous learning among managers and those in responsible positions, and the related coaching, are key success factors., The International Journal of Sociology of Agriculture and Food, Vol. 24 No. 1 (2018): Special Issue: Evolutions in the Middle : Transnational Perspectives on Values-based Food Chains

Vertical integration is a means to increase market power. While for some agricultural products it is easier for farmers to exert control over their product beyond the farm gate, for others it is more difficult. The latter instance shows two main characteristics. First, the farmer cannot sell the respective product to final consumers without processing. Second, processing is capital intensive. Consequently, farmers have limited sales channels, and vertical integration of the supply chain is a complex and therefore, challenging task. It implies cooperation among farmers to process the raw material at a profitable scale and to finance the installation of processing facilities. Thus, for these product categories farmers are prone to market power issues, since they depend on private businesses who have the financial means to install processing facilities and the logistic capacities to organize the collection of large amounts of raw material. This paper aims to identify and analyse the role of the supply chain integration under changing policy and market conditions. Two case studies serve as the basis for the analysis; sugar beet in Flanders/Belgium and oilseed rape in Hessen/Germany. While for sugar beet, the effects of market power are emerging only now with the termination of the quota system, farmers growing oilseed rape have been experiencing these problems since the 1990s. Our analysis concludes that most strategies to maintain or improve farm income are exhausted. Nevertheless, a combination of horizontal cooperation and vertical integration may be a potent option in the future. This paper was supported by the Horizon 2020 project SUFISA (Grant Agreement No. 635577).

The purchase of food and catering services for public institutions is subject to European rules on public procurement. Basic principles of free movement of goods, nondiscrimination and efficiency restrict contracting entities aiming to procure special qualities like local and organic food. However, the reform of EU public procurement law in 2004 permits to define environmental and social criteria in tender documents. National action plans and guidelines even stress the importance of sustainable procurement practices. By analysing tender calls for school catering in Berlin and Brandenburg, this paper aims to point out the opportunities and challenges that arise by the implementation of procurement laws. Results show several weaknesses in award procedures hampering the purchase of local and organic food. Based on the findings, we make recommendations for public authorities and policy.

A common challenge in agri-economic analyses and in the related conceptual and analytical frameworks is to deal with the complexity and multidimensionality of contemporary challenges and policy frameworks in adequate ways. Our paper presents a theoretical and methodological approach aimed at informing policy development in the agri-food industry. A particular focus is on addressing market imperfections. The model focusses on Conditions, farmers’ Strategies and sustainability Performances (CSP). Horizon2020 grant agreement number 635577

Landwirtschaftlichen Betrieben im ertrags- und finanzschwachen Land Brandenburg stellen sich außerordentliche Herausforderungen, auf die sie mit betrieblichen Anpassungen individuell reagieren müssen. Beratung ist jedoch nur überregional verfügbar und kostenintensiv. Analysen für Modellbetriebe anhand des internationalen agri benchmark Konzeptes zeigen, dass die Wirtschaftlichkeit der Unternehmen bereits bei geringer Kostensteigerung oder Prämiensenkung in vielen Fällen nicht mehr gewährleistet ist. Diese modellgestützten Kalkulati-onen bilden die Ausgangsbasis für die Arbeitsgruppen des HNEE-Innovations-Netzwerkes, in denen Wissenschaftler und Landwirte gemeinsam innovative Lösungen für drängende Probleme der Betriebe erarbeiten. Auswirkungen der Agrarreform auf brandenburgische Modellbetriebe und mögliche Anpassungsstrategien werden beispielhaft anhand von Betriebstypen mit extensiver Schafhaltung präsentiert.