Strategic use of private standards to enhance international competitiveness: Vegetable exports from Kenya and elsewhere

The paper examines how European retailers are using private standards for food safety and ‘quality’ as risk management and competitive tools and the strategic responses of leading Kenyan and other developing country supplier/exporters to such standards. Despite measures to harmonize a ‘single market...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Food policy 2005-06, Vol.30 (3), p.316-333
Main Authors: Jaffee, Steve, Masakure, Oliver
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agrofood industry
brand name products
Brand reputation
Brands
Europe
exports
Food policy
Food safety
Kenya
Policy studies
Private standards
product quality standards
Production standards
Quality standards
Supply chain restructuring
vegetables
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Summary:The paper examines how European retailers are using private standards for food safety and ‘quality’ as risk management and competitive tools and the strategic responses of leading Kenyan and other developing country supplier/exporters to such standards. Despite measures to harmonize a ‘single market’, the European fresh produce market is very diverse in terms of consumer preferences, structural dynamics and attention to and enforcement of food safety and other standards. Leading Kenyan fresh produce suppliers have re-positioned themselves at the high end, including ‘high care’, segments of the market – precisely those that are most demanding in terms of quality assurance and food safety systems. An array of factors have influenced this strategic positioning, including relatively high international freight costs, the emergence of more effective competition in mainstream product lines, relatively low labor costs for produce preparation, and strong market relationships with selected retail chains. To succeed in this demanding market segment, the industry has had to invest substantially in improved production and procurement systems, upgraded pack house facilities, and quality assurance/food safety management systems.
ISSN:0306-9192
1873-5657
DOI:10.1016/j.foodpol.2005.05.009