A sustainable & social business project

: a traditional food retailer – Saudade, Sabores com história : spreading Traditional Portuguese Gastronomy into larger gastronomy systems

Abstract

The present case-study dissertation introduces Saudade, a traditional food retailer, a Portuguese social and sustainable enterprise whose mission is to spread traditional Portuguese Gastronomy into larger traditional gastronomy systems. The Saudade project emerged from the perceived opportunity that in Portugal there is a huge need to help boost underdeveloped rural areas for people to have better socio-economic conditions; furthermore, Portugal has a high quality and wide range of traditional and homemade gastronomy products originating from these rural areas; these not adequately promoted or well-located so as to cater for a global market. As a result, this traditional food retailer project is designed to create an efficient bridge between the gastronomic products made by the locals and the big metropolises, providing a complete sensory experience of regional Gastronomy in a unique place, planned to scale up an efficient regional gastronomy retail concept. Saudade is planned to start its activity, in 2015, by creating an online store and physical stores in the main metropolises, first in Lisbon and afterwards in Oporto. Saudade is a for-profit financing model with a social mission, and it is designed to be independent of financial support from public and private institutions. However, in order for such a business model to succeed and even be replicated to other business areas, leveraging more synergies, it is believed that strategic initiatives around the concept of cooperation should be taken. Attracting other private and public partners to, together, satisfy society and market needs – like partners of several regions or partners from other gastronomy associated areas; direct marketing initiatives; and the constant monitoring and evaluation operations are some examples of such strategic initiatives. In the following pages the dissertation outline is presented. The reader is provided with an overview of the main literature about the social entrepreneurship (SE) determinants and SE factors and examples in rural areas. Afterwards, the case study focuses on Saudade as a social enterprise, providing an overview of its general operations and environment analysis and its business model. Subsequently, a project environment analysis is developed, particularly in Portugal and Europe, and the case study finishes with financing projections for Saudade until 2020. Lastly, a teaching note for in‐class discussion about the case study is provided, and the Thesis concludes with final comments and future research guidelines.

Date of Award	22 Oct 2014
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Susana Frazão Ferreira Fernandes Pinheiro (Supervisor)