Generating distinction and value with experiences: the case of food-related entrepreneurs in rural Denmark

Abstract

As food production becomes increasingly integrated, globalized and competitive, small-scale food-related enterprises in many European countries are struggling to market and monetize their products. Although these struggles have been well documented, few studies have considered the ways in which food-related entrepreneurs in rural contexts are adapting to and overcoming these challenges. In particular, little is known about how they differentiate and add value to their products. This paper focuses on the development and implementation of new and hybrid commercial strategies by food-related entrepreneurs in three rural communities in Denmark. These strategies add experiential elements to the long-standing practice of commodifying myths associated with rural settings and identities. Although harnessing culture and experiences to sell things is nothing new, we demonstrate that some Danish entrepreneurs are responding to market competition by tweaking and extending these concepts. Building on Pine and Gilmore (1999) who introduce, but do not empirically test, a typology of experience realms we assert that entrepreneurs use different experiences with varying levels of intensity and consumer engagement for different purposes. Whereas ‘passive’ experiences such as storytelling are used to educate consumers about the specific qualities of products, more active and participatory experiences are sold as add-ons and standalone products. The findings contribute to our understanding of food-related entrepreneurship in rural contexts, consumption, value creation and the experience economy more broadly

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ORCID for B.J. Hracs: orcid.org/0000-0003-1001-6877

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