Purpose This study aims to explore the cognitive structures and underlying values that shape German consumers' preferences for Pinot Noir (Sp & auml;tburgunder).Design/methodology/approach Drawing on the means-end chain (MEC) theory (Gutman, 1982), we conducted 12 soft-laddering interviews with regular German wine consumers to examine how product attributes - such as winemaking style, origin or taste - connect to personal values. We then synthesised choice patterns through manual interpretive clustering at the ladder level, allowing multiple motivational logics to co-exist within the same individual.Findings The findings reveal three motivational logics shaping Sp & auml;tburgunder choice: hedonic-experiential, epistemic-growth-oriented and utilitarian-protective. These motivational logics highlight the interplay between sensory pleasure, curiosity and decision security, and show that German consumers interpret producer-related cues in different ways depending on the consumption context and the values they seek to satisfy.Research limitations/implications The study is qualitative, exploratory and context-specific. It does not aim for statistical generalisation, but for a deeper understanding of the cognitive and motivational structures shaping German Sp & auml;tburgunder choice. Future research should test these motivational logics quantitatively across regions, price tiers and purchase occasions, and compare how they vary across cultural and market contexts.Originality/value The study offers an original perspective on German consumers' Sp & auml;tburgunder choices by identifying multiple coexisting motivational logics and linking them to producer identity, value-based segmentation and communication strategy. It also extends MEC research in wine by showing how similar product cues can generate different meanings and choice pathways across consumers.

Purpose Wine consumption is declining, while cannabis use among young adults in Germany has surged. With new laws partially legalising recreational cannabis, advocates claim it could replace alcohol, offering health benefits and cost savings. However, concerns remain that cannabis might increase alcohol consumption and associated health risks. Despite recognition of both substitute and complementary relationships between cannabis and alcohol, data on the cannabis–wine relationship is scarce. This study aims to understand the motivations behind wine and cannabis consumption, segment wine drinkers by those motives, profile wine drinkers who also consume cannabis and determine whether wine and cannabis act as substitutes or complements across distinct consumer groups. Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted an online survey using random sampling and used cluster analysis to identify consumer segments based on motivations for wine consumption. Exploring various variables, including consumption motives, behavioural patterns and socio-demographics, the authors also examined cannabis consumption among wine drinkers. Findings This study surveyed 523 German wine drinkers aged 20–60 years, including 215 cannabis users. Four consumer segments emerged: “adaptive conformists”, “expansive strategists”, “self-conscious hedonists” and “ambivalent drinkers.” Three segments preferred wine for social and enhancing effects. “Adaptive conformists”, the group with the most cannabis users, sought negative reinforcement like conformity or coping. The “adaptive conformists” and “expansive strategists” show the tendencies of a complementary cannabis–wine relationship. Originality/value This study pioneers the use of the Marijuana Motives Measure scales, developed by Simons et al. (1998), within the motivational framework by Cox and Klinger (1988) and Cooper et al. (2015), for wine drinkers. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is also the first to categorise wine drinkers into segments based on MMM scales for both wine and cannabis and segment wine consumers using cannabis.

Armenia’s wine sector, steeped in a 6000-year-old vinicultural heritage, is undergoing a profound shift as it contends with modern-day pressures of sustainability and digitalization. This article examines the sector through the lens of “digitainability,” exploring how emerging technologies from IoT sensors to Artificial Intelligence to blockchain-based traceability can address systemic issues, including fragmented supply chains, financial constraints, and inconsistent quality standards. The research incorporates survey responses from 35 wineries and 20 in-depth interviews with industry stakeholders, ensuring a robust assessment of digital adoption trends and barriers. The quantitative analysis employs descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and multiple regression modeling, while qualitative data are examined using thematic analysis. Findings reveal significant disparities in digital literacy and resource availability between large and small producers. While larger wineries exhibit higher adoption rates of digital tools, smaller producers face considerable financial and infrastructural barriers. The study also highlights opportunities for wineries to leverage digital solutions for enhanced resource efficiency, market differentiation, and sustainable growth. However, challenges remain, including limited policy support, inadequate technical knowledge, and concerns over the return on investment in digital infrastructure. This research contributes to both academic and practical discussions. From a theoretical perspective, it enriches the understanding of digital transformation in transitioning economies, drawing on concepts from the Resource-Based View and Dynamic Capabilities frameworks. For industry practitioners and policymakers, it provides actionable recommendations such as investing in digital literacy programs, fostering collaborative knowledge-sharing platforms, and integrating digital solutions with global sustainability initiatives like the European Green Deal. By illustrating how Armenian wineries navigate the intersection of tradition, economic transition, and technological innovation, we shed light on broader lessons in the global agri-food domain.

In this article a new view of the theoretical frameworks of Teece’s dynamic capabilities and Mintzberg’s emergent strategy is offered. Merging both of these concepts into one framework provides insight into their reciprocal relationship. Situations are highlighted in which these two concepts can support an organization and aid during periods of internal and external change and disruption, currently presenting to the agricultural sector by demanding advances in digitalization and sustainability, or by external events. This article is relevant to management scholars and management practitioners alike. Providing an extension of the theoretical frameworks, the article presents organizational and individual factors aiding both concepts, and areas of further investigation to fully understand the mechanics behind emergent strategies and dynamic capabilities. With the understanding of impactful factors, organizational leaders will learn how they can support their organization and foster innovation to sustain a competitive advantage within their market environment.

Focal firms in the agri-food business must take strategic measures to ensure certain product and quality characteristics along the value chain. This is necessary in order to be able to keep up with competitors in the long term. Research shows that competitive parity, in addition to competitive advantage, should be considered as a strategic dimension. In the production of food, often several actors are involved and the focal firm (that is primarily responsible for the product) must organize the business relationships along the chain in such a way that the desired outcome is achieved in the short and long term. The achievement and safeguarding of competitive parity have been little researched so far. Up to now, there has only been a systematic literature review on this topic. Therefore, this aim of this research is to examine which factors influence the construct of competitive parity. Based on the findings of the literature review and further literature on the management of value chains, a theoretical framework is developed. A first empirical application of the model makes it possible to derive recommendations for action for focal firms in the agri-food industry. Therefore, we conduct a quantitative survey in the wine industry. PLS-SEM is used to analyze the model, using SmartPLS software. This research is the first to empirically investigate the strategic relevance of competitive parity in the agri-food business. The results show that chain management needs to pay attention to competitive parity besides the competitive advantage. Whereas the measures of cooperation have a stronger effect on achieving a competitive advantage, the measures of coordination have a stronger effect on achieving competitive parity. The constructs of power and trust — in contrast to the existing basis of resources and capabilities in the company — seem to have a significant influence on cooperation and coordination.

Cannabis is a popular leisure activity in many cultures, especially in North America and Europe, where it is commonly used for socializing and entertainment. A recent German study employed the Marijuana Motives Measure to survey young adults, analyzing four motivational factors in the context of casual leisure. The research aimed to understand the reasons behind adults’ daily cannabis use, its link to consumption frequency, and situations. The findings highlight cannabis use for hedonic pleasure, relaxation, and enhancing social experiences. Individuals driven by self-focused motives, seeking relaxation and hedonic pleasure, tend to use it more frequently, while other-focused motives, such as sociable conversation, are associated with less frequent and occasional consumption. The study further revealed that people who consume cannabis for self-focused motives typically do so alone or with someone at home, whereas those who use it for other-focused motives, such as sociable conversation, tend to do so in social settings.

Non-alcoholic wines have become increasingly important in recent years in Germany. A constant stream of new market players and products is evidence of a dynamic market development and for the creation of a new branch in the highly competitive wine sector. Thus, the central aim of this article is to provide a first analysis of the structure of the German market for non-alcoholic wines in order to derive implications for industry competition and possible competitive strategies of individual market participants. An explorative research approach has been applied including in-depth interviews with experts from various companies along the value chain (n=24). Results show that competition in the market for non-alcoholic wines must be regarded as dynamic due to strong external market forces. A high risk of new companies entering the market can be emphasised as well as the high bargaining power of the retail and a high threat of substitutes. Within the industry, however, rivalry is currently con-sidered to be low, resulting in low profitability and a tendency towards high fluctuation of market participants. With regard to possible competitive strategies it becomes clear that especially for smaller wineries, a long-term successful survival within the market can only be realised with strong differentiation. Ultimately, the transfer of the products into an own category which departs from the classic image of non-alcoholic wine represents a promising approach in order to address entirely new target groups.

Purpose This study aims to investigate the dynamic capabilities of wineries, focusing on sensing and its role in enabling digital innovation. Furthermore, it explores the role of blockchain technology (BCT) in validating credence attributes of wine, emphasising blockchain as a strategic asset that enhances the ability of wineries to innovate and respond to changing market conditions. Design/methodology/approach The study adopts an exploratory approach based on a longitudinal, single-case study of the Argentinian Costaflores Organic Winery. Findings Findings reveal that integrating digital disruptive innovations such as blockchain can strategically position wineries to better meet emerging consumer preferences and market trends. Blockchain simultaneously acts as both a mediator and a moderator. As a mediator, it facilitates the validation of credence attributes of wine such as authenticity and sustainability, enhancing customer trust and loyalty. As a moderator, it influences the strength and effectiveness of the relationship between sensing and innovation capabilities. This enables wineries to more effectively respond to changing consumer requirements and market trends and improve operational performance. Research limitations/implications The study was limited by its focus on a single case study of the Argentinian Costaflores Organic Winery, which may affect the generalisability of the findings. However, the study provides valuable insights into the strategic adaptation and competitive positioning of wineries in response to the continuing market challenges. It significantly contributes to the understanding of integrating digital disruptive innovations as strategic assets in the agri-food sector, particularly in the wine sector. Originality/value This study addresses a significant research gap by exploring how BCT facilitates the organisation of sensing capabilities. It contributes to the understanding of how the wineries’ sensing capabilities both influence and are influenced by the adoption of BCT, particularly in the context of innovation enabling and improved operational performance.

PurposeWith increasing wine consumption in Armenia, both residents and inbound tourists have become attractive target groups for wine sales, which are stimulated by wine tourism activities. The objective of this explorative study is to shed light on the potential of wine tourism for rural development in Armenia.Design/methodology/approachThe paper starts with a structured and interdisciplinary literature review. Based on qualitative surveys among local tour operators and wine producers, and complemented by three expert interviews, the offer of wine tourism activities in Armenia will then be analyzed.FindingsEach of the surveyed wine producers offers wine tourism activities. Foreign tourists know little about the Armenian wine industry, however, and are interested in cultural experiences and Armenia’s breathtaking nature. Armenian wine producers need to understand the expectations of their target groups to develop or adapt their offers successfully.Research limitations/implicationsDue to the explorative nature of this study, the sample size of the surveyed wineries and tour operators is small and hence not representative. In addition, only local tour operators were surveyed. The sample should be extended to include foreign tour operators and more wineries in future research projects.Originality/valueWhereas first studies on the structure and competitiveness of the Armenian wine sector exist, there is no survey on the general wine tourism in Armenia and its potential to foster rural development.

Non-alcoholic alternatives are gaining growing significance within the German beverage sector. In this context, the German wine industry is increasingly focusing on non-alcoholic wines, whose market has developed dynamically in recent years. While the technologies used, the sensory characteristics and the marketing of the products are frequently addressed in the literature, the consideration of sustainability impacts has so far been largely neglected. This applies in particular to the view of all three dimensions of sustainability. These are examined more closely in this review with regard to tradeoffs, which indicate that positive aspects in one dimension go hand in hand with a loss in the other. It can be shown that tradeoffs in the production and marketing of non-alcoholic wines arise both within and between the three sustainability dimensions. Exemplary of this is the increased use of resources in the course of alcohol removal. At the same time, an emerging market segment holds positive aspects from an economic perspective. Ultimately, the consideration of social sustainability is marked by the health science and political debate around the reduction in alcohol consumption and the simultaneous increase in the consumption of non-alcoholic alternatives.

A recent publication reports that the number of active Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) in self-custodial wallets has grown exponentially in the past years across several industries. This study analyzed 65 token-based use cases in the wine sector. It was found that most current applications revolve around the downstream part of the supply chain. The research has also demonstrated that the various solutions involving fungible tokens and NFTs can be classified into three categories. Consequently, a taxonomy has been introduced. Furthermore, it was identified that digital tokens can solve current challenges in the wine industry related to provenance, proof of origin, authenticity, and fraud prevention. At the same time, the utilization of tokens enables an extended consumer interaction with the product. Managers potentially considering connecting their physical products and services with digital tokens can obtain insights towards their use in the web3 economy.

In the German wine industry, dealcoholised wines are a "topic of the hour", even though their share of the total German wine market is still well into single figures. This article explores the question of whether dealcoholised wines have the potential to leave their niche position in the future. For this purpose, a structural analysis of the market for dealcoholised wines according to PORTER (1980, 2013) was carried out in order to map the current competition in the sector on the one hand and to derive implications for future market development on the other. Based on an explorative research approach with qualitative expert interviews and a subsequent qualitative content analysis, it becomes clear that there tends to be a high level of competition on the market for dealcoholised wines. For the further development of the market out of its niche position, the verdict is rather cautious. A lack of attention to sustainability aspects and ever new innovations in competing sectors reinforce this impression. The market could be positively influenced in the future by the current social and political developments regarding alcohol consumption.

It is essential for firms in the agri-food business to ensure specific product attributes in the long run and to avoid reputational damage. Competitive advantages cannot be achieved with such product attributes; however, they must be ensured to remain competitive in the long run. Searching for literature on competitive parity resulted to be very difficult and literature on competitive parity seems to merely exist in strategic management literature. The question arises as to whether competitive parity is also a strategic dimension to which companies must pay attention in strategic management, especially with regard to the allocation of scarce resources. Since the majority of firms in the agri-food business work together in supply chain networks, another research question arises: is competitive parity also relevant at the network-level? To answer these questions a systematic literature review, which is based on deliberately chosen leading journals in the field of strategic management and chain management, is conducted. Results on the firm-level and the network-level show that there is hardly any literature on competitive parity available. This paper aims to contribute to a better theoretical understanding of competitive parity in strategic management. It develops a theoretical frame of chain management which combines the aspects of competitive parity with those of chain management in the agri-food business. From this, managerial implications for focal firms in the agri-food industry as well as implications for future research in this field should be derived.

Interest in sustainability has increased significantly in the wine sector in the past few years, driven by customer interest, as well as the impact of global warming-intensified weather extremes on wine growers. For a sustainable future the wine industry must design its entire value chain in such ways that it conserves and regenerates the natural environment and at the same time promotes human rights, inclusion and equality. The current paper identified five key challenges which have to be overcome in order to reach this goal: (1) climate change impact and adaptation strategies, (2) the reduction of GHG emissions and creation of carbon sinks, (3) vineyard inputs, (4) packaging and (5) social and economic sustainability. For each of these five challenges research gaps and possible solutions are presented which enable a holistic improvement of the sustainability of the whole wine value chain from the vineyard to the consumers. Examples for this are strategies to reduce the use of pesticides in the vineyard as well as carbon insetting options in the vineyard. Additionally, it is of utmost importance that every educational institution integrates facts and vision into their teaching programs in a holistic manner. Together, these approaches form the basis for a realistic sustainability vision for the global wine industry.

ABSTRACTMember businesses focus on the production of grapes and must, whereas the cooperative entity focuses on wine-making and the marketing of the products. Member businesses can choose between two options. They can either deliver all their grapes to the cooperative (full delivery) or decide to spread their risk by supplying their grapes partially to various buyers besides the cooperative (partial delivery). Numerous wine cooperatives exclude partial delivery by a strict and unexceptional full delivery obligation. However, in practice, many cooperative members apply the partial delivery procedure. Suppose a full delivery obligation is in place; in that case, the cooperative members use various measures such as the legal division or splitting of the member companies to circumvent the full delivery obligation in practice. Even though partial delivery is actively pursued, the procedure is currently not investigated and researched. This paper aims to present the concept of partial delivery and to discuss challenges and opportunities for wine cooperatives if partial delivery is implemented officially.KEYWORDS: Partial delivery; wine cooperative; expert interviewscooperative challenges Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Notes1 Member implementing partial delivery corresponds to the phrase partial supplier. Members supplying all their grapes (full delivery) corresponds to the phrase full supplier.2 The authors published an article in ‘Berichte über Landwirtschaft’, which the following paper is partly based on.3 By law, wine cooperatives are only allowed to produce wine from grapes produced by their members. They are not allowed to buy wines or grapes from other producers. This induces a considerable brake on the cooperatives’ competitive potential as non-cooperative wine producers can purchase as much as they like from whomever they like, providing them with advantages to react to market demands.4 Wine co-ops belong to the Raiffeisen cooperatives. According to their statutes, wine cooperatives are self-help, self-administration and self-responsibility organisations for grape growers (Deutscher Raiffeisenverband, Citation2017). They aim to improve the economic situation of their members.

In the German beverage market, a shift in consumption has become apparent in recent decades: away from alcoholic beverages and towards non-alcoholic alternatives. This indicates a tradeoff between two important and nutritionally relevant substances: alcohol and sugar. This review, therefore, addresses the question of the significance of these developments to the German wine industry, where non-alcoholic wines and sparkling wines are becoming increasingly important. The production of these products is accompanied by a reduction in alcohol content with a simultaneous increase in sugar. Furthermore, these products could also become the focus of health policy efforts when it comes to accusations of possible “alibi marketing”. Here, parallels with the handling of tobacco products become clear, while the tradeoff between alcohol and sugar recedes into the background.

Purpose In 1998, the Chinese Communist Party introduced the strategy for modernizing agriculture with large-scale production and launching large commercial enterprises known as dragon head enterprises (DHEs) to process and market agricultural products. Although scholars have raised awareness of the development of DHEs in China, there has been little investigation on DHEs in the Chinese wine business. Based on the existing theoretical background on the concept of DHEs, this study aims to identify the structure and operating system of a DHE in the Chinese wine business. Changyu is chosen as an example because it is the oldest and largest wine company in China, operating in various grape-growing regions. Design/methodology/approach Due to the research's explorative character, the qualitative approach and case study focus were considered adequate. In-depth interviews have been conducted with the employees of the company. The authors analysed data with a qualitative content approach of Gläser and Laudel (2010). Findings Results show that the grape procurement of Changyu is organized in an integrated system, which consists of the DHE (Changyu), the Changyu-led cooperative, and the grape producers who have a contract with the cooperative. The company takes different measures in terms of intra-organizational coordination to secure the required quantities and qualities of its grape supply base. Research limitations/implications In this research, the authors could only access three interview partners of Changyu's grape procurement department, and it was not possible to conduct interviews with the management of Changyu. Another limitation is that it is difficult to collect adequate data in the Chinese wine industry. Originality/value There has been little investigation on DHEs in the Chinese wine business. This research contributes to the existing literature as it takes a closer look at the structure and operating system of a DHE in the Chinese wine business. The case study and chosen example (Changyu) allow a better understanding of DHEs and provide first insights into their operating principle.

This study examined the wine tourists’ perceptions of the country’s image and the motivations and expectations of experiences in Georgia as a wine tourism destination. A survey of tourists in the most important wine region—Kakheti—resulted in 227 usable questionnaires. Using factor analyses, four dimensions were assigned to the country’s hedonic and aesthetic related image. Based on the experience economy of Pine and Gilmore, two motivational and three experiential factors were identified. Implications for the country’s branding strategy and managing the wine tourist’s experience in Georgia are discussed.

Firms in the agri-food sector have started implementing blockchain technology to both provide transparency over the supply chain transactions and to make trust attributes visible to consumers. Besides the well-known public blockchains such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, private- and consortium-type blockchain platforms exist. The latter ones are being operated in the agri-food ecosystem contributing to the vertically cooperated supply networks that are coordinated by a focal firm. Stakeholders’ attitude and behavioral intentions toward the use of the blockchain technology impact their use behavior. The results show that permissioned blockchain governance mechanisms with consensus and incentives to motivate stakeholders are lacking in private and consortium blockchains. This study closes a research gap as understanding how the stakeholder management approach can compensate for the lack of consensus mechanisms can provide managerial guidance toward the development of an effective stakeholder management strategy, which eventually can be provided for a competitive advantage. As there is little research on the role of blockchain as a novel governance mechanism, this research will contribute to the scholarly discussion toward a common understanding.