The evolution of partnerships in the meat supply chain: insights from the British beef industry

Abstract

This case study describes the evolution of supply chain partnerships in the British beef industry, driven by changing consumer demand, food safety legislation, a concentrated and highly competitive retail sector and the BSE crisis. The case examples demonstrate the importance of establishing trust in supply chain partnerships, breaking out of the spot trading environment which characterises commodity markets and focusing explicitly on value added initiatives as a source of differentiation and competitive advantage.