Sharing is caring: The role of culture in the transformative capacity and continuation of agri-food networks

During the last several decades, inter-organizational collaboration in the food sector has emerged to tackle complex problems such as sustainability. However, in practice, these networks often either fall short of their goal or disband. Therefore, we investigate the role of culture within these networks to gain insights into the transformative capacity and (dis)continuation of such agri-food networks. Although agri-food networks are a common research topic in transition studies, our understanding of the role that culture plays in them can be improved. To better understand culture in agri-food networks, we compare eight cases. Results indicate that a shared culture affect the development and continuation of these innovative networks. Despite the intention of many agri-food networks to transform the agri-food system, they tend to reproduce it and effect incremental rather than radical changes. The degree of such changes was found to be related to the cultural (dis)similarities between the agri-food network and the agri-food system.