Co-Creating Value in Sustainable and Alternative Food Networks: The Case of Community Supported Agriculture in New Zealand

Abstract

Background: Over recent decades, society has been facing different social, political, and economic challenges that are changing classical consumption dynamics towards more sustainable practices, mostly in the field of food consumption. In particular, alternative food networks are enabling new food consumption models inspired by principles of participation and sustainability. The aim of this study was to explore how community supported agriculture farms create value for sustainability practices from both farmer and consumer perspectives in order to find new levers to engage consumers towards pursuing better food consumption models. Methods: A qualitative study was conducted following focused ethnography principles. Results: The results show that community supported agriculture is a complex concept based on the active participation of consumers as carers of economic, social, and environmental values. These values are all strongly connected, and together contribute to create an ecosystem where sustainable food practices can be promoted through a "learning by doing" process. Conclusions: This research offers new ways to re-connect and collaborate with consumers in the era of sustainable food consumption.

Community Supported Agriculture as a Driver of Food-Related Well-Being

“…Sustainability is a combination of economic, and social aspects of food supply chains, which can enable new food consumption models in AFNs [2,90]. Indeed, promoting local economic solutions and addressing certain sustainability issues shapes agriculture in order to preserve or renew interactions between consumers and producers.…”

“…Our study contributes to a better understanding of the world of CSAs and consumers in these alternative systems. As Savarese et al [2] emphasized in their similar study focusing on CSA practices in New Zealand, the recognition of alternative agricultural methods may lead to a better promotion of sustainable food practices. The understanding of food-related well-being in this context can add to knowledge generation in this field.…”

“…At the same time, there has been a shift in agricultural policies from large agri-food systems towards local and sustainable food systems in the name of sustainability and public health [1]. Similarly, consumers seem to be increasingly aware of the sustainability of food production, preferring to eat food which respects these principles [2].…”

Materiality Matrix Use in Aligning and Determining a Firm’s Sustainable Business Model Archetype and Triple Bottom Line Impact on Stakeholders

“…Though scholars may dispute extents of conceptual similarity or difference among fundamentals of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and stakeholder theory [8]-mounting sensitivity to veritable environmental concerns and finite resources [9], combined with incessant visible cases of corporate malfeasance, and a post-financial crisis questioning of sustainability in employed capitalist ideals-has invariably seen key aspects of the two perspectives converge. Beyond public and societal demands, increasing policy and regulatory requirements justly see mounting pressure on businesses to bring stakeholder and sustainability responsibilities to the fore of their agendas.…”

“…These authors state that in this framework and within the joint creation processes, stakeholders are both (co)creators of value and receptors of the value created. Such mutually sustaining value generating dynamics across stakeholder categories have been empirically observed and also deemed beneficial and effective in agricultural contexts [9]. The business model archetypes identified by Bocken et al [2] configures an outside-in approach to allow users to understand the potential impacts of innovating in relation to different types of business models.…”