1. Bern University of Applied Sciences
  2. Research + Consulting services
  3. Research areas
  4. Agricultural Marketing and Regional Economics
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Agricultural Marketing and Regional Economics

Our focus is on the themes of agricultural and food marketing, regional value creation systems, agri-food and tourism, and rural development.

Our sphere of activity encompasses market research and marketing planning for regional agri-food value creation systems. We offer research-based solutions for efficient customer-oriented marketing, whether in direct marketing from the farm, retail food stores or in tourism. 

Services

We work with companies, farms, public administration, regions and tourist destinations and offer: 

  • Market research and marketing planning
  • Analyses and planning relating to agricultural diversification strategies (distribution, direct marketing, agritourism)
  • Evaluation of regional policy instruments and legislation
  • Touristic marketing of regional agriculture and cuisine (agritourism, agriculture-related gastronomy and cuisine concepts)
  • Analysis and planning of distribution and logistics in the food and agriculture sector
  • Analyses of the wine market and marketing planning in wine tourism
  • Potential analyses for rural tourism
  • Development of regional business models

Expertise

Agricultural marketing

Market research, brand management in agribusiness, strategic marketing, design and implementation of marketing plans, design and implementation of pricing models, marketing strategies for regional food specialities

Agri-food and tourism

Analysis of motives for travel in food tourism, identification of visitor requirements in terms of cuisine, design of touristic culinary projects, marketing strategies for food tourism  

Regional development and agritourism in rural areas

Analysis and optimisation of regional value creation systems, potential analyses for rural tourism, design and implementation of regional business models, advisory services relating to rural tourism

Regional policy in rural areas

Evaluation of policy instruments for rural areas, econometric modelling and assessment of regional interdependencies 

Countryside and agriculture

Designs for developing the countryside for agritourism, strategies for marketing landscape values in the case of agricultural products, evaluation of policy instruments for the provision of public assets

Projects

‘Foodies’ have now discovered Switzerland as well. The international tourism segment is enthusiastic about authentic healthy regional cooking. In an agricultural environment with tourist attractions this cuisine can even become the primary reason for travel. The applied F&E project is studying the food-oriented travel motives of international visitors in relation to Alpine tourism and is analysing the regional value creation system in the farming, gastronomy and retail food sectors. The optimisation of processes in the value creation system that is derived from this and the touristic marketing of the idea of ‘regional cuisine’ is intended to bring competitive advantages for Alpine destinations and thus boost tourist demand. Farming can profit from higher selling prices and lower transaction costs. 

Agritourism offers innovative farming businesses potential extra earnings. As in crop and livestock production, quality is increasingly a requirement in agritourism. Visitors are prepared to pay proportionately higher prices for real farm holidays with high-quality infrastructure on site. The project analyses international quality standards in agritourism and provides farmers and agricultural training institutions with an e-learning website as an autodidactic training platform for promoting quality in agritourism.

Animal-friendly and environmental production methods and the recognition and credibility of corresponding branded produce are prerequisites for the consumption of high-quality beef and veal. The available market research results show that beef carrying Swiss labels is purchased more frequently by certain consumption segments when farmers adopt high production standards such as in relation to animal welfare, the environment, pasturing and feed – which should be predominantly grass. Branded beef from this type of production enjoys greater confidence on the Swiss market, and people are willing to pay more for it than for other beef labels.

What sort of business models promise farms greater independence and economic success in future? The project analyses successful distribution and business models in the stationary and online retail food trade, then produces action plans for farms and farming cooperatives with particular regard to agricultural entrepreneurship.

Team

Contact

Are you interested in working with us or would you like to know more about our research activities in the field of agricultural marketing and regional economics? Please contact us.