Towards sustainable supply strategy in the food industry: the case of Finland

Purpose This paper investigates how sustainability requirements modify supply strategies at different levels in the food industry companies. The paper integrates single supply decisions into firm-level supply strategy and views supply strategy as one coherent strategy in which the decision-making is based on the values and principles of a firm. Design/methodology/approach The paper captures the decade of change and studies the renewal of supply strategy by utilising two qualitative data sets with a ten years of difference. The data contain 41 interviews from a retailer and 5 of its food supplier companies. Findings Results confirm that a decade ago only minor attention was channelled towards sustainability whereas today sustainability is a key driver behind supply decisions and supply strategies because firms need to respond to sustainability requirements and challenges. The study presents a framework for analysing different levels (firm, category and supply market levels) of changes and sustainability requirements faced by food companies and their supply strategies. Originality/value Previously, sustainability has rarely been connected to firm-level supply strategy. This study presents the supply strategy elements that were important for Finnish food industry companies over a decade ago and matches these elements to the needs of today's firms. As a result, the study incorporates the concept of sustainability with the supply strategy frameworks.

Automated summary

This paper investigates the impact of sustainability on supply strategies at different levels in the food industry companies. The study finds that sustainability has become a key driver behind supply decisions and strategies.