Circular bioeconomy for olive oil waste and by-product valorisation: Actors' strategies and conditions in the Mediterranean area.

The circular economy and bioeconomy can contribute to transitioning towards more sustainable production and consumption in the olive oil sector. This article is the first to analyse multi-actor strategies and multi-level socio-economic conditions for olive oil waste and by-product valorisation in the Mediterranean area using circular bioeconomy principles. Government policies, the strategies of corporations and farmers and consumers' perceptions are discussed, and various methods are applied, such as desk reviews, case studies and quantitative and qualitative surveys. The findings show strong aspirations for improved sustainability in the olive industry. Furthermore, waste and by-product valorisation strategies foster the creation of innovative practices. However, a common regulatory framework, public financial measures, new circular business models using innovative technologies, multi-actor collaboration and increased consumer awareness of the circular economy and new olive oil waste-based products are necessary for more efficient and sustainable use of olive resources. The policy and management recommendations presented in this study may aid in improving and innovating frameworks and practices for better sustainable management of valuable olive resources.

A New Conceptual 'Cylinder' Framework for Sustainable Bioeconomy Systems and Their Actors.

Concepts for sustainable bioeconomy systems are gradually replacing the ones on linear product chains. The reason is that continuously expanding linear chain activities are considered to contribute to climate change, reduced biodiversity, over-exploitation of resources, food insecurity, and the double burden of disease. Are sustainable bioeconomy systems a guarantee for a healthy planet? If yes, why, when, and how? In literature, different sustainability indicators have been presented to shed light on this complicated question. Due to high degrees of complexity and interactions of actors in bioeconomy systems, trade-offs and non-linear outcomes became apparent. This fueled the debates about the normative dimensions of the bioeconomy. In particular, the behavior of actors and the utilization of products do not seem to be harmonized according to the environmental, social, and economic pillars of sustainability. Potential conflicts require a new conceptual framework that is here introduced. It consists of a 'sustainability' cylinder captured between an inner-cylinder, representing order, and an outer-cylinder for chaos, based on the laws of physics and complex adaptive systems. Such a framework permits (bioeconomy) systems to propagate in the sustainability zone only if they follow helical pathways serving as the new norms. Helices are a combination of two sinusoidal patterns. The first represents here the sustainable behavior of interacting actors and the second the balanced usage of resources and products. The latter counteracts current growth discourses. The applicability of the conceptual cylinder framework is positively verified via 9 cases in Europe, which encompass social-organizational and product-technological innovations.

A new circular business model typology for creating value from agro-waste.

Shifting from a linear to a circular economy in the agrifood domain requires innovative business models, including reverse logistics, new visions on customer-supplier relationships, and new forms of organization and marketing strategies at the crossroads of various value chains. This research aims to identify and characterise different types of business models that create value from agricultural waste and by-products via cascading or closing loops. Conceptual and management insights into circular business models are still sparse. In total, 39 cases have been studied that convert agro-waste and by-products into valuable products via a circular economy approach. Semi-structured interviews and on-site visits of six representative cases have been done, and secondary data been collected. Data has been treated with content analysis. Cases are presented according to the type of organisational structure, resources, transformation processes, value propositions, key partners, customers, strategic approaches and innovation. Six types of circular business models are identified and discussed: biogas plant, upcycling entrepreneurship, environmental biorefinery, agricultural cooperative, agropark and support structure. They differ in their way of value creation and organisational form, but strongly depend on partnerships and their capacity to respond to changing external conditions. This study offers the first circular business model typology within the agricultural domain, revealing the interconnectedness of the six different business model types. It provides options for managers in positioning and adapting their business strategies. It highlights the potential of using biomass first for higher added-value products before exploiting it as energy source. Cascading biomass valorisation at a territorial level will increasingly be important for locally cooperating actors within a circular bioeconomy approach.