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The Sino-Brazilian beef supply chain: mapping and risk detection

Susanne Knoll (Center of Agribusiness, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil)
Cristiane Soares Simon Marques (Department of Animal Science, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil)
Jiacheng Liu (College of Economics and Management, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China)
Funing Zhong (College of Economics and Management, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China)
Antônio Domingos Padula (School of Administration, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil)
Júlio Otávio Jardim Barcellos (Department of Animal Science, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil)

British Food Journal

ISSN: 0007-070X

Article publication date: 3 January 2017

1057

Abstract

Purpose

The flow of the Sino-Brazilian frozen beef trade has intensified. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to characterize the supply chain structure, and identify its major fragilities.

Design/methodology/approach

Supply chain mapping was conducted based on the existing literature and primary data collection. Key stakeholders were detected and questioned through semi-structured interviews, which were later interpreted with content analysis.

Findings

The results reveal a low degree of chain coordination from the Brazilian farm to the Chinese consumer, arising from an immature traceability mechanism, a limited flow of reliable information between the segments, and low trust between the stakeholders.

Research limitations/implications

The infancy of the beef trade, the paucity of literature on the topic, and restricted accessibility to key governmental and official materials imposes limits on the available information. Language and cultural barriers might have also impacted the interviewees’ responses. However, the participation of Brazilian and Chinese academics in both the interview analysis and chain mapping mitigates these shortcomings.

Practical implications

The Brazilian public and private sectors need to establish a reliable traceability system and information platform. This, together with investments in marketing and branding, would facilitate differential responses among traders and consumers, and, hence, improve supply chain sustainability.

Originality/value

By adopting an inter-country approach and directly sourcing views from specific key figures in the supply chain this study offers some unique insights and contributes to the literature on the emergence of a multi-polar global food trade.

Keywords

Citation

Knoll, S., Marques, C.S.S., Liu, J., Zhong, F., Padula, A.D. and Jardim Barcellos, J.O. (2017), "The Sino-Brazilian beef supply chain: mapping and risk detection", British Food Journal, Vol. 119 No. 1, pp. 164-180. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-07-2016-0346

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2017, Emerald Publishing Limited

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