Challenges in Food Supply Chain Management: Findings from Literature Review and Expert Survey

This paper aims to identify current challenges in the management of food supply chains. We present results from a literature review as well as findings from a survey of 17 experts who are practically involved in food supply chain management. In order to identify current challenges, we focused on the years 2020–2023 in the literature review. Finally, we contrast both the results from literature review and the results from the expert interviews. Researchers consider that major challenges include food loss and waste, disruptions such as the COVID-19 pandemic, ecological and social requirements regarding sustainability, and the need to optimize processes in food supply chain management and operations. The experts also mention the impact of political crises and disruptions and sustainability as challenges in practice. Due to these external influences, they also consider the increasing importance of the supplier-buyer relationship to be a major challenge.