Drivers and barriers to the development of local food networks in rural Denmark

Abstract:

This article examines the growing interest in local food by focusing on local food networks. The objective is to explore what factors drive or hinder the development of local food networks in rural Denmark. For this purpose, we have combined three bodies of theory: local food networks; entrepreneur networks; and the experience economy. This provides a valuable contribution to the current discourse on local food networks, as it introduces a novel framework to investigate the localisation of food dynamics.

The article presents an explorative, case-based investigation of three Danish local food networks. The findings demonstrate that the main drivers of the development of local food networks are the pursuance of transparency and knowledge of origin, the existence of entrepreneurship potential, the coordination of networks by means of joint strategies, and the overcoming of conflict patterns. However, these factors can also be barriers to further development of local food networks. Hence, strategies for developing local food networks must be sensitive to their individual needs and conditions.