Exploring farm-to-restaurant relations and the potential of a local food hub: A case study in the city-region of Groningen, the Netherlands

Abstract: Urban restaurants are increasingly putting local food on the menu. How do farm-to-restaurant relations fit into the local food movement, and how can these collaborations be supported by food policies and programmes of urban governments? Through a qualitative case study in the city-region of Groningen (The Netherlands), this article explores the values urban restaurants, local food suppliers and urban governments attribute to local food, the trust and barriers these actors experience in their collaborations, and their views on the municipality's preliminary plans for a local food hub. In line with the concepts of reflexive localism and values-based territorial food networks, and taking into account the perspectives, benefits, pitfalls and conditions uncovered in this study, a farm-to-restaurant-oriented food hub would need to (1) embrace the complex and relational nature of place, (2) foster reciprocal and practical partnerships, (3) negotiate reflexive and values-based goals and (4) broker between and unburden the involved parties.

This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No 765389.