Poland operational plan

 A general aim of the operational plan for the pilot project is to adapt the concept of local food distribution developed for the B2B segment in the international Baltic Sea Food project to the possibilities, limitations and needs of companies in the Wielkopolska region. An efficient distribution cooperation will be established in order to enable the delivery of food products from farms to local restaurants, hotels, agritourism farms and canteens. Wielkopolska is one of the largest regions in Poland, with the capital in Poznań. The popularity of rural tourism is growing in Wielkopolska, including agritourism. Since 2008 the Culinary Heritage Network Wielkopolska has been part of the European Regional Culinary Heritage Network, which strives to promote local and regional food in Europe. Wielkopolska is a region with specific products and dishes that not only deserve popularization and knowledge due to their high quality but also rich history.

The business model of B2B distribution of local food is being adapted to the local context of the members of the Culinary Heritage Network Wielkopolska. 31 companies have been pre-selected to participate in joint work on the locally adapted cooperation platform, as well as in the operational implementation of the cooperation. The companies represent local food producers, their possible B2B clients such as hotels and restaurants, as well as a local food distribution company to act as a hub between the former types of companies.

The purpose of the pilot implementation is to share existing best practices among the participating companies, as well as develop realistic and actionable solutions which can work well in the local context. Thereby, it is crucial not only to implement organizational improvements, but equally importantly to overcome perceptual barriers to cooperation. The companies participating in the project are solidly embedded in the local food ecosystem, with authentic, high-quality products, long tradition, vast operating experience and some first attempts at B2B distribution, which can serve as a starting point and inspiration for other cooperating partners.