Title: Modelling the success of fruit and vegetable marketing

Authors: M. Fehr, D.C. Romao

Addresses: Federal University, P.O. Box 811, 38400974 Uberlandia, Brazil. ' MV Consultoria Ltd., Av. Rio Claro, 877, 75813000 Cacu, Brazil

Abstract: Previous research showed marketing and consumption losses of fruit and vegetables in Brazil to be 18% of turnover. This study develops a scoring guide that can assist commercial establishments and households in evaluating and mitigating the loss potential for fruit and vegetables within their operations. The scoring model separately addresses losses related to products and losses related to establishments. The score for the products evaluates the activities of sorting, packaging, transport and storage. The score for the establishments assigns values to the management functions of maintenance of premises, professional qualifications of personnel, quality demands on suppliers, purchase programming and direct supervision of operations. The study researched 16 establishments and 42 varieties of produce and determined an empirical relationship between the scores and the expected losses of produce. The model may serve as a management tool for Brazilian store owners in their quest for higher operating efficiency.

Keywords: food commercialisation; food losses; fruit; management models; marketing efficiency; marketing logistics; post-harvest technology; post-harvest innovation; sustainability; vegetables; waste; Brazil; operating efficiency.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPTI.2010.038184

International Journal of Postharvest Technology and Innovation, 2010 Vol.2 No.1, pp.4 - 12

Published online: 21 Jan 2011 *

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