This research is a first attempt to assess the economic, social and environmental impacts related to the diffusion of an eco-innovation in the durum wheat sourcing and supply chain. Barilla Sustainable Farming is taken as a case study to describe the process of the introduction and diffusion of an innovative practice whose benefits could be transferred to all sourcing and supply chain actors. The eco-innovation is described and analysed, from its origin through its development into ‘theoretical’ and ‘in-field experimentations’, to get to the final empirical analysis (via focus groups), aimed at assessing the possible impact of the initiative in economic and environmental terms, as well as at understanding the main drivers of success of the eco-innovation in terms of increase in value across the sourcing and supply chain.
Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to gain better insights into the conventional and organic/fair trade (O and/or FT) future chocolate market in four EU countries: Italy, the UK, France and Germany. Design/methodology/approach -Delphi method was used to investigate several characteristics, actors and marketing mix components which will drive the conventional and organic/fair trade chocolate market in the future by presenting two rounds of questionnaires to experts of the chocolate market. Findings -The findings identify the most influential actors, product attributes, promotion and distribution channels and characteristics of the chocolate market in both sectors. They reveal that they will have more of a positive effect on the O and/or FT sector than on the conventional one, since the first will grow faster than the second. Research limitations/implications -Despite low expert participation, participants belong to some of the most important companies/organisations in the sector in terms of market share. Practical implications -The paper has important implications for stakeholders in the cocoa-chocolate chain in terms of developing their business strategies in the future; they will need to concentrate upon consumer preferences and marketing mix elements which will have more appeal. Originality/value -The value of the paper lies in joining together opinions of experts coming from different chain levels (industry, research and consultancy) in an attempt to forecast the chocolate market characteristics and the consumer behaviour of the future.
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