IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v15y2023i6p5499-d1102923.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Innovative Business Models for a Sustainable Circular Bioeconomy in the French Agrifood Domain

Author

Listed:
  • Mechthild Donner

    (INRAE—French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment, UMR MoISA (INRAE, Cirad, Ciheam-Iamm, Institut Agro, IRD, University Montpellier), 34060 Montpellier, France)

  • Hugo de Vries

    (INRAE—French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment, UMR IATE (INRAE, Institut Agro, University Montpellier), 34060 Montpellier, France)

Abstract

In recent years, the circular economy and the bioeconomy have increasingly been developed in France, driven by public policies. In this article, innovative circular bioeconomy business models in the French agrifood domain are studied concerning main drivers, business model elements, circular economy principles, enablers and barriers, and sustainability benefits. The study is based on an online review and analysis of 44 local, collaborative and small-scale initiatives. It appears that the strategies of the businesses are based on the seven circular economy pillars laid out by the French Agency for the Environment and Ecological Transition, mostly recycling, sustainable procurement, and industrial and territorial ecology. Geographical embeddedness and the relational proximity of actors are other crucial factors that play a role in the success of these business models, next to pro-environmental consumer trends and local public support. The outcomes further reveal that all three sustainability dimensions are integrally considered in France, with environmental and social dimensions slightly prominent above the economic one. The application of the game concept and its seven building blocks (time, playing fields, pieces, moves, players, rules, wins or loses) allows this study to demonstrate the essential elements of emerging business models within bioeconomy systems, their dynamic interrelations and the need for full policy attention.

Suggested Citation

  • Mechthild Donner & Hugo de Vries, 2023. "Innovative Business Models for a Sustainable Circular Bioeconomy in the French Agrifood Domain," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-29, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:6:p:5499-:d:1102923
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/6/5499/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/6/5499/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Swinda F. Pfau & Janneke E. Hagens & Ben Dankbaar & Antoine J. M. Smits, 2014. "Visions of Sustainability in Bioeconomy Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(3), pages 1-28, March.
    2. Carmen Priefer & Juliane Jörissen & Oliver Frör, 2017. "Pathways to Shape the Bioeconomy," Resources, MDPI, vol. 6(1), pages 1-23, February.
    3. Fabiana Gatto & Ilaria Re, 2021. "Circular Bioeconomy Business Models to Overcome the Valley of Death. A Systematic Statistical Analysis of Studies and Projects in Emerging Bio-Based Technologies and Trends Linked to the SME Instrumen," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-40, February.
    4. Birte Freudenreich & Florian Lüdeke-Freund & Stefan Schaltegger, 2020. "A Stakeholder Theory Perspective on Business Models: Value Creation for Sustainability," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 166(1), pages 3-18, September.
    5. Nancy Bocken & Lars Strupeit & Katherine Whalen & Julia Nußholz, 2019. "A Review and Evaluation of Circular Business Model Innovation Tools," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-25, April.
    6. Mechthild Donner & Ivana Radić & Yamna Erraach & Fatima El Hadad-Gauthier, 2022. "Implementation of circular business models for olive oil waste and by-product valorization," Post-Print hal-03756908, HAL.
    7. Barbara Bigliardi & Serena Filippelli, 2021. "Investigating Circular Business Model Innovation through Keywords Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-23, April.
    8. Hugo de Vries & Mechthild Donner & Monique Axelos, 2022. "Sustainable food systems science based on physics’ principles," Post-Print hal-03629092, HAL.
    9. Wiebke Reim & Vinit Parida & David R. Sjödin, 2019. "Circular Business Models for the Bio-Economy: A Review and New Directions for Future Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-14, May.
    10. Daniel Hausknost & Ernst Schriefl & Christian Lauk & Gerald Kalt, 2017. "A Transition to Which Bioeconomy? An Exploration of Diverging Techno-Political Choices," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(4), pages 1-22, April.
    11. Muluken Elias Adamseged & Philipp Grundmann, 2020. "Understanding Business Environments and Success Factors for Emerging Bioeconomy Enterprises through a Comprehensive Analytical Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-18, October.
    12. Markus M. Bugge & Teis Hansen & Antje Klitkou, 2016. "What Is the Bioeconomy? A Review of the Literature," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(7), pages 1-22, July.
    13. Mechthild Donner & Ivana Radić & Yamna Erraach & Fatima El Hadad-Gauthier, 2022. "Implementation of Circular Business Models for Olive Oil Waste and By-Product Valorization," Resources, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-18, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Stephanie Lang & Giulia Minnucci & Matthias Mueller & Michael P. Schlaile, 2023. "The Role of Consumers in Business Model Innovations for a Sustainable Circular Bioeconomy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-19, June.
    2. Adenike Akinsemolu & Helen Onyeaka & Omololu Fagunwa & Adewale Henry Adenuga, 2023. "Toward a Resilient Future: The Promise of Microbial Bioeconomy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-13, April.
    3. Thiago de Carvalho Verano & Carlos de Melo e Silva Neto & Gabriel da Silva Medina, 2023. "Family Farmers in Short and Long Marketing Channels: Lessons for Rural Development in Goiás, Brazil," Logistics, MDPI, vol. 7(4), pages 1-21, October.
    4. Albérico Travassos Rosário & Paula Lopes & Filipe Sales Rosário, 2024. "Sustainability and the Circular Economy Business Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(14), pages 1-24, July.
    5. Almut Güldemund & Vanessa Zeller, 2024. "Reflecting Regional Conditions in Circular Bioeconomy Scenarios: A Multi-Criteria Approach for Matching Technologies and Regions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-28, April.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Mechthild Donner & Hugo de Vries, 2023. "Innovative business models for a sustainable circular bioeconomy in the french agrifood domain," Post-Print hal-04047682, HAL.
    2. Di Letizia, Gerardo & De Lucia, Caterina & Pazienza, Pasquale & Cappelletti, Giulio Mario, 2023. "Forest bioeconomy at regional scale: A systematic literature review and future policy perspectives," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    3. Durwin H.J. Lynch & Pim Klaassen & Lan van Wassenaer & Jacqueline E.W. Broerse, 2020. "Constructing the Public in Roadmapping the Transition to a Bioeconomy: A Case Study from the Netherlands," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-18, April.
    4. Jochen Dürr & Marcelo Sili, 2022. "New or Traditional Approaches in Argentina’s Bioeconomy? Biomass and Biotechnology Use, Local Embeddedness, and Sustainability Outcomes of Bioeconomic Ventures," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-28, November.
    5. Befort, N., 2020. "Going beyond definitions to understand tensions within the bioeconomy: The contribution of sociotechnical regimes to contested fields," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    6. Walther Zeug & Alberto Bezama & Urs Moesenfechtel & Anne Jähkel & Daniela Thrän, 2019. "Stakeholders’ Interests and Perceptions of Bioeconomy Monitoring Using a Sustainable Development Goal Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-24, March.
    7. Sebastian Hinderer & Leif Brändle & Andreas Kuckertz, 2021. "Transition to a Sustainable Bioeconomy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-16, July.
    8. Biancolillo Ilaria & Paletto Alessandro & Bersier Jacques & Keller Michael & Romagnoli Manuela, 2020. "A literature review on forest bioeconomy with a bibliometric network analysis," Journal of Forest Science, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 66(7), pages 265-279.
    9. Andrew M. Neill & Cathal O’Donoghue & Jane C. Stout, 2020. "A Natural Capital Lens for a Sustainable Bioeconomy: Determining the Unrealised and Unrecognised Services from Nature," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-24, September.
    10. Barbara Brenner & Daria Drdla, 2023. "Business Model Innovation toward Sustainability and Circularity—A Systematic Review of Innovation Types," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-20, July.
    11. Sotiropoulou, Irene & Deutz, Pauline, 2021. "Understanding the bioeconomy: a new sustainability economy in British and European public discourse," Bio-based and Applied Economics Journal, Italian Association of Agricultural and Applied Economics (AIEAA), vol. 10(4), December.
    12. Juha Peltomaa, 2018. "Drumming the Barrels of Hope? Bioeconomy Narratives in the Media," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-14, November.
    13. Ayrapetyan, David, 2023. "Technological innovations and sustainability transitions in the bioeconomy: A multiscalar approach toward the development of bioclusters," EconStor Theses, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, number 278703, January.
    14. Md Tasbirul Islam & Usha Iyer-Raniga, 2023. "Circular Business Model Value Dimension Canvas: Tool Redesign for Innovation and Validation through an Australian Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-47, July.
    15. Liesbeth de Schutter & Stefan Giljum & Tiina Häyhä & Martin Bruckner & Asjad Naqvi & Ines Omann & Sigrid Stagl, 2019. "Bioeconomy Transitions through the Lens of Coupled Social-Ecological Systems: A Framework for Place-Based Responsibility in the Global Resource System," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(20), pages 1-23, October.
    16. Carmen Priefer & Rolf Meyer, 2019. "One Concept, Many Opinions: How Scientists in Germany Think About the Concept of Bioeconomy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(15), pages 1-21, August.
    17. P. J. Stephenson & Anca Damerell, 2022. "Bioeconomy and Circular Economy Approaches Need to Enhance the Focus on Biodiversity to Achieve Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-20, August.
    18. Franz Grossauer & Gernot Stoeglehner, 2023. "Bioeconomy—A Systematic Literature Review on Spatial Aspects and a Call for a New Research Agenda," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-22, January.
    19. Urmetzer, Sophie & Lask, Jan & Vargas-Carpintero, Ricardo & Pyka, Andreas, 2020. "Learning to change: Transformative knowledge for building a sustainable bioeconomy," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    20. Tina Highfill & Matthew Chambers, 2023. "Developing a National Measure of the Economic Contributions of the Bioeconomy," BEA Working Papers 0206, Bureau of Economic Analysis.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:6:p:5499-:d:1102923. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.