Introduction
Short Food Supply ChainBringing food producers and consumers closer
Re-connecting the two extremities of the food supply chain, reconciling producers with citizens, stimulating mutual trust and establishing a short chain based on common values on food, its origin and production method.
This story is part of SKIN, the EU thematic network on short food supply chain.
This story is part of SKIN, the EU thematic network on short food supply chain.
Chain
Short Food Supply Chains are characterized by maximum one intermediary between producer and consumer
Exchange
Overcoming knowledge fragmentation and fostering bottom-up innovation among farmers
Network
Creating a permanent European network of best practices to foster SFSC development
Proximity
Building a trustful relationships based on common values between society and producers
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Chain
Re-connecting the two extremities of the food supply chain, reconciling producers with citizens, stimulating mutual trust and establishing a short chain based on common values on food, its origin and production method
Chain
Short Food Supply Chains are characterized by maximum one intermediary between producer and consumer
Exchange
Overcoming knowledge fragmentation and fostering bottom-up innovation among farmers
Network
Creating a permanent European network of best practices to foster SFSC development
Proximity
Building a trustful relationships based on common values between society and producers
Learn more about
Fresh Products
Fresh ProductsKey elements for success within SFSC
Of all local products available, only Fresh produces , either primary production or processed, will make Short Food production an economically sustainable business model
Freshness is the first reason to buy
Whether it will be through a farmshop, delivery scheme, e-sales… People are more and more interested in local food and the story behind it
Technologies
TechnologiesCan SFCs exploit the new technologies which are now emerging and gain an advantage over established supply chains?
The range of potential technologies is large and growing but tend to fall into a number of ’hot topic’ areas along the food chain.
Consumer facing technologiesOnline sales, home delivery or vending machines are changing how consumers buy food
Many of these innovations are being enabled by digital technologies making customisation, real time data exchange and targeted distributon a reality
Primary processing technologiesAutomated, robotic graders improving labour productivity and pack out percentages
Advanced food processing technologiesNew cooking technologies, reducing energy use and cooking time or improving product quality
Distribution and logistics technologyThe use of dataloggers to monitor the supply chain, to increae product shelf life and address food safety concerns
Data logging technologies help to improve quality in the supply chain, reducing food waste and energy consumption. Whilst attempts to monitor the food chain using sensors have been around for over 20 years, the development of newer, smaller and cheaper sensors coupled with IoT is transforming the potential of this technology.
Regulations
RegulationsOne of the several factors (human ressources, legal/administrative framework, market/profitability, soft facts…) determining the functioning of SFSC
- Legislation as such, i.e. (national) laws, EU regulations and directives;
- Guidelines, guidance documents, administrative handbooks, manuals, FAQ’s etc., i.e. everything which helps to understand and apply legislation.
Under the radarSpecial topics related to SFSC regulations
Organic food, ecology, environmental protection, sales, the prolonging of the shelf life without chemicals, nutrition in hospitals, conditionality of consumer behavior, introduction of new food, new infrastructure, cooperation with the industry, the high pressure chamber and new technologies (like sous-vide, extruder, pasteurizer, hybrid drying).
Logistics
LogisticsHow SFSC producers face distribution costs and compete with supermarkets?
Strategies range from the ‘uberisation’ of last mile delivery to the use of smart lockers, from the offer of ready-to-eat products to the constant search for higher produce quality. Technologies enable new solutions, but the challenge is to preserve the quality of the relation between consumers and producers while fighting against supermarkets.
Buy online, pick up offlineSmartlockers
Smart lockers store products consumers have bought on line. This logistic model helps local producers survive in a market dominated by big retailers.
An area for innovation in logisticsFood deliveryDelivery service make the link between producers or farmer’s markets and the consumer
A new generation of SFCs can grow with the traditional market evolving into logistics hubs enabling the aggregation of orders from several producers into efficient deliveries for individual buyers.
Skills and AKIS
Skills and AKIS
SFSCs enable producers to increase profit margins but require the development of new skills right across the Agriculture Knowledge and Innovation System (AKIS) in order to stimulate their initiation, as well as innovation and entrepreneurship within them
Improving the Business of D2CWhat does D2C (Direct 2 Consumers) mean for individual farm businesses?
An AKIS should:
- Consider farms as businesses rather than production unit
- Consider farmers as entrepreneurs that need a comprehensive modern understanding of sales, marketing, distribution, consumer psychology and dynamics
- Provide farmers with life-long-learning skills
Prepared for the futureUrban & hi-tech farming
Extension services must reach into non-traditional agriculture, to stimulate and support:
- Urban farming and vertical farming;
- production based on hydroponic,aeroponic and dryponic systems;
- animal-free systems for production of meat, poultry, fish, milk and leather products;
- alternative protein production based on insects or cellular-agriculture using algae, yeast and fungi
Consumers
Consumers
Several type of SFSCs involving consumers can be identified in Europe, for example CSAs (Community-Supported Agriculture), on-farm sales, off-farm schemes (farmers markets, delivery schemes), collective sales towards public institutions.
Social Value comes First
Ensuring quality produces to consumers and direct contact with the producer are the primary values of SFSCs, before environmental or economic values.
The main challenge of SFSCs is ensuring good revenue to farmers while offering good quality products to all categories of consumers.
The main challenge of SFSCs is ensuring good revenue to farmers while offering good quality products to all categories of consumers.
Join the Network
SKIN Network
We built an engaged community characterised by a multi-faced (geographical, ethical and co-operative) proximity between food producers and society.
We established a permanent network of stakeholders, working on the improvement of SFSC efficiency for the economic growth of the sector for the benefits of European farmers and citizens.
Join our community
We established a permanent network of stakeholders, working on the improvement of SFSC efficiency for the economic growth of the sector for the benefits of European farmers and citizens.
Join our community
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Short Food Supply Chain
Bringing clarity
Primary Concepts
Learn more about
Fresh Products
Freshness is the first reason to buy
Technologies
Consumer facing technologies
Primary processing technologies
Advanced food processing technologies
Distribution and logistics technology
Regulations
Under the radar
Logistics
Smartlockers
Food delivery
Skills and AKIS
Improving the Business of D2C
Prepared for the future
Consumers
Social Value comes First
SKIN Network