This section highlights key findings from secondary research on

EUROPEAN-FOOD SYSTEMS networks.

Within the relatively small universe of active food networks in the E.U., there are two fundamental approaches.

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Transactional Network: These are food hub networks that evolve to facilitate transactions between foodstuff producers and towards their respective final customers. The preferred format is an online marketplace that brings together under one umbrella product availability, product information, product pricing, transportation solutions, and invoicing services.

 

Support Network: These are food transactional networks that evolve to provide emerging and existing food hubs with technical assistance, support services, specifying materials, professional networking forums, white papers, best-practices training, marketing materials, and other forms of technical assistance.

 

These networks do not typically facilitate actual transactions beyond nurturing cross-sector introductions and collaboration. Aside from active, existing product related networks, there are several sources of studies, recommendations, and white papers relating to food hub networks. These are associated with initiatives to develop food supply networks where, for various reasons, the execution phase has not been entered yet.

 

Hypothetical networks for new products seem to fall into similar anticipated sector roles: transactional networks or support networks.