How to identify the value-based food chains: a Slovenian case study

godina XVIII (2016.) ■ rujan listopad ■ broj 5 ■ MESO ■ 445 INTRODUCTION The common use of “value-based food chain (VBFC)” terminology can be found in the recent European scientific literature (Pirog and Bregendhal, 2012; European Parliament, 2013). Vacas et al. (2014) explained positive direct and indirect socio-economic effects of VBFC in increasing the local economy and community, such as higher farmer ́s income, lower unemployment rate and good relationships between the actors. Authors also argue that positive direct and indirect economic effect of value-based food chains are definitely lower compared to conventional food chains, because of higher production costs and investments in production and processing system. The most commonly characteristics of VBFC are: i) producing and spreading the values equably to all partners, addressing producers, processors, retailers and consumers (according to Stevenson et al., 2011; Viitaharju et al., 2005) and ii) producing food products which are differentiated from similar food products based on product attributes such as food quality and safety. Values of How to identify the value-based food chains: a Slovenian case study