Acta geographica Slovenica, 63-1, 2023, 23–34
RADICALLY LOCAL SUPPLY CHAINS
THROUGH TERRITORIAL BRANDS:
INSIGHTS FROM THE 100% LOCAL 
Maja Godina Golija
Signpost for the Bohinj cheese tour.
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Maja Godina Golija, Radically local supply chains through territorial brands: Insights from the 100% Local project
24
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3986/AGS.10581
UDC: 658.626:338.439(234.3)
Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
Maja Godina Golija1
Radically local supply chains through territorial brands: Insights from the 100%
Local project
ABSTRACT: The modernization of food supply chains has marginalized remote agricultural regions such
as the Alps. As a result, local actors often adopt new ways of producing, promoting, and selling their prod-
ucts by differentiating them in the eyes of consumers. The labelling of quality local agri-food products through
the development and promotion of territorial brands play an essential role in this respect. In the article
we address the research question: What are the conditions for the creation, development and sustainability
of territorial brands in the agri-food sector? What are the characteristics of some territorial brands, which
are an essential development factor and the subject of local identities and local policies? We discuss coop-
eration between local, regional, and national actors. The aim of this article is to highlight the preparation
and role of the 100% Local Model for the successful creation and development of territorial brands in the
field of agro-food production in the Alps.
KEY WORDS: labelling, territorial brands, 100% Local, food, agriculture, Alps
Radikalno lokalne dobavne verige s teritorialnimi blagovnimi znamkami:
Spoznanja iz projekta 100 % Local
POVZETEK: Modernizacija preskrbovalnih verig s hrano je potisnila oddaljena kmetijska območja kot so
Alpe na obrobje. Zato lokalni akterji mnogokrat prevzamejo nove načine proizvodnje, promocije in pro-
daje svojih izdelkov, tako da jih v očeh potrošnikov ločijo od drugih. Pri tem ima bistveno vlogo označevanje
kakovostnih lokalnih kmetijsko-živilskih proizvodov povezano z razvojem in s spodbujanjem teritorialnih
blagovnih znamk.
V članku obravnavamo raziskovalni vprašanji: Kakšni so pogoji za oblikovanje, razvoj in trajnost ter-
itorialnih blagovnih znamk v kmetijsko-živilskem sektorju? Kakšne so značilnosti nekaterih teritorialnih
blagovnih znamk, ki so bistveni dejavnik razvoja ter predmet lokalnih identitet in lokalnih politik?
Razpravljamo tudi o sodelovanju med lokalnimi, regionalnimi in nacionalnimi akterji. Namen tega članka
je osvetliti pripravo in vlogo modela 100 % Local Model za uspešno oblikovanje in razvoj teritorialnih blagov-
nih znamk na področju kmetijsko-živilske proizvodnje v Alpah.
KLJUČNE BESEDE: označevanje, teritorialne znamke, 100 % Local, hrana, kmetijstvo, Alpe
The article was submitted for publication on 17th January, 2022.
Uredništvo je prejelo prispevek 17. januarja 2022.
1 Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Institute of Slovenian Ethnology,
Ljubljana, Slovenia.
maja.godina@zrc-sazu.si (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0097-9437)
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1 Introduction
The production and provision of food, its preparation, and consumption, are fundamental cultural prac-
tices because humans have created a range of cultural practices between hunger and its satisfaction (Mennell,
Murcott and Otterloo 1994; Wiegelmann 2006; Finnis 2012). Before the Second World War, as in other
non-urban areas of Europe, people in the Alpine region were still dependent on their own food produc-
tion and subsistence, which was the purpose of most of their economic activities (Godina Golija 2008; Atkins,
Amilien and Oddy 2009; Ledinek Lozej 2016). With increasing global food production and trade in food
products in recent decades, subsistence food production has been abandoned and trade in cheap food prod-
ucts, which can come from very remote locations, has expanded, leading to a disconnect between the places
of production and those of consumption. Contemporary agri-food supply chains have undergone a strong
process of de-territorialisation due to the modernisation of agriculture and food production (Popkin and
Gordon-Larsen 2004; https://www.alpine-space.eu/project/alpfoodway/). Food production has remained
important in harder to reach, remote areas, for individuals with low purchasing power and for some elder-
ly people who maintain the economic activities of their youth (Kos et al. 2000).
These are joined by individuals who, for ecological, worldview, political and other reasons, support
local food production and greater self-sufficiency and sustainable development, which researchers have
found to be a growing phenomenon in the European Union (Pratt 2007; Köstlin 2010; Grimaldi, Fassino
and Porporato 2019). This group of consumers is paying attention to local supply chains and healthier food.
They are willing to pay more for products embodying different values and logic, including the local pro-
duction of ingredients, the involvement of small and medium-sized farms, the use of environmentally friendly
production practices (Tschofen 2010; Bartsch and Lysaght 2017; Báti 2017; May et al. 2017; Godina Golijan
and Ledinek Lozej 2018).
Although the Alps are a remote area, poorly connected by communication routes and new technolo-
gies, the last four decades have seen transformative changes and intensification of agriculture. These trends
have resulted in the downsizing or disappearance of some agro-food supply chains and productive know-
how, in standardisation and homogenisation of plant varieties and animal breeds, the mechanization of
agriculture, the increased use of fertilizers and pesticides, and the industrialization of food production.
These negative consequences of agriculture and food production are also linked to climate change. Agriculture
in the Alps contributes to climate change, and at the same time, climate change affects the agricultural sec-
tor in a negative manner (Kienast, Ströbele and Schüpbach 2021). Just to mention the abandonment of
small-scale livestock farming and the introduction of intensive cattle farming in some Alpine areas.
There are few in-depth studies on food production transformation and modern food supply in the Alps
(Nussbaumer and Exenberger 2009; Rinallo and Luminati 2021). They are mostly concerned about the
production, marketing, and heritage of some of the most characteristic agricultural products of the Alps,
especially cheese (Grasseni 2011; Ledinek Lozej 2013; 2016; Grasseni 2017; Ledinek Lozej 2021). Less atten-
tion is paid to the current problems of agriculture, the need to restructure it and radically change supply
chains in the Alps, and to modernised ways of producing food in the face of new social and climatic changes.
The Alpine Convention’s recent Climate Action Plan 2.0 (2021) also highlights these problems in the Alpine
region. It encourages farmers to engage in climate action through »promotion of local Alpine products
and increase of locally retained added value from marketing and distribution of climate-friendly products
at a local and regional level« and »the set up of a scheme for low-CO2 or CO2-neutral agriculture in the Alps,
based on a significant increase of the share of Alpine agriculture adopting climate-friendly and organic farm-
ing methods, which shall also significantly reduce the use of chemicals in farming« (Permanent Secretariat…2021).
Territorial brands (TBs) are a collective marketing tool through which producers from a given area
under the coordination of an umbrella organization can promote themselves, differentiate their products
with respect to those from other areas, and retain local added value (Bardone and Kannike 2022; Ledinek
Lozej and Razpotnik Visković 2022; see also AlpFoodway project and Territorial Brands in the Alpine Region
workshop). They differ from the brands of individual producers because of their collective nature.
Similar to TBs are destination brands, which focus on tourism promotion and geographical indications,
which also can be thought of as collective brands linked to a territory, but which unlike territorial brands
focus on one product category only (Rinallo and Pitardi 2019; Logar 2021a; 2021b; 2021c). TBs, destination
brands and geographical indications act as a quality signal to consumers, by guaranteeing that recognized
products are made within the boundaries of an area by respecting agreed-upon specifications. 
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Unlike geographical indications or short supply chains, which are much more investigated and rec-
ognized as territorial development tools (Rinallo and Pitardi 2019; Lešnik Štuhec 2021; Logar 2021a; 2021b;
2021c), TBs are understudied, little understood, and often confused with other types of brands (e.g., city
brands, destination brands, individual brands promoting their place of origin) or with the collective image
of an area (Charters and Spielmann 2014; Spielmann and Williams 2016). Limited work has instead looked
at territorial brands ‘from the inside’. One exception is Logar (2021a; 2021b; 2021c; 2022), whose analysis of
Slovenian territorial brands concluded that they can effectively fulfil their functions only when adopting a long-
term perspective. In Slovenia, many territorial brands were established through Common Agricultural Policy
(CAP) funds or the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF); most however did not survive much
longer the end of the projects through which they were funded, due to a lack of long-term strategy and
management capabilities (Ledinek Lozej 2020; Lešnik Štuhec 2021; Logar 2021a; 2021b; 2021c). Clearly,
more research is needed on how local support for territorial brands can help them grow and reach a matu-
rity stage where initial investments are rewarded in terms of local economic and image impacts. 
The goal of the article is to contribute to the sparse literature on territorial brand sustainability based
on insights from the 100% Local financed by Alpine Regione Preparatory Action Fund (ARPAF) II, which
developed a model of territorial branding based on radically local supply chains in the Alpine region. A rad-
ically local supply chains are defined as the supply and sale of products that are consistently made only
from local raw materials and local ingredients. These products are based on only local resources through-
out the entire production, distribution and sales process (Figure 1). The premise of the project was that
territorial brands can indeed benefit from the signs of discontent and resistance to the intensive agro-busi-
ness system, which often supplies less tasty food and of lower quality than the food obtained using extensive
farming and more traditional production methods (Grasseni 2011; Godina Golija 2012; Kisbán 2016; West
2016; Rinallo 2019; Ledinek Lozej and Šrimpf Vendramin 2020; Logar 2021a; see also AlpFoodway pro-
ject). As the name suggests, the project has developed a model for local territorial brands, focusing on products
and services based on the area’s cultural heritage, made with local ingredients and raw materials and entire-
ly processed locally. This model has been tested in different pilot areas. The research question addressed
Figure 1: Selling local products on a farm in Bohinj. Ma
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in the text is how the 100% Local Model was developed, how it was successfully or unsuccessful adopted,
and whether the 100% Local Model is applicable in different Alpine regions.
2 Methodology and research area
This article is based on the results of the research and expert work within the 100% Local project
(https://www.alpine-region.eu/projects/100-local) in five Alpine areas as a case study: Bohinj and Triglav
National Park, Slovenia; Obervinschgau/Alta Val Venosta, Italy; Parco Prealpi Giulie, Italy; Pitztal, Austria
and Valsot, Unterengadin, Switzerland (Figure 2). Qualitative research methods were used to prepare this
article: analyses of documents and sources, semi-structured interviews, ethnographic fieldwork with cul-
tural analysis (Löfgren 1981; May 2022) and thematic analysis (Braun and Clarke 2006). 
Field material was collected during the 100% Local project through fieldwork and by conducting
interviews in the study areas in 2020. Some of the field material on typical local products in the Alps
used and presented in this article was collected before the start of the project, as some of the 100% Local
collaborators were already active in the selected areas for other projects, e.g., the AlpFoodway project
(https://www.alpine-space.org/projects/alpfoodway/en/home). We also collected data on the pilot areas
through secondary online sources (e.g., territorial brands’ product specifications; tourism statistics). 
Besides the described qualitative methods, we also analysed the material from the workshops with stake-
holders and the responses to an online questionnaire. The workshops with local stakeholders were held
on June 2020 in these areas: Obervinschgau/Alta Val Venosta (3. 6. 2020), Valsot (4. 6. 2020), Pitztal (5. 6. 2020),
Parco Prealpi Giulie (8. 6. 2020), Bohinj and Triglav National Park (TNP; 9. 6. 2020 and 16. 6. 2020). The
workshops involved exchanging experiences, lessons learned and results of good and less successful prac-
tices and addressing the problems encountered in the production, sale, promotion, branding and
distribution of local agricultural products and food. Before workshops in May 2020, an online question-
naire was addressed to stakeholders from the five Alpine areas. The stakeholders shared their perceptions
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Figure 2: The project areas and partners.
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on the most relevant megatrends for Alpine agri-food value chains (accelerating technological change, cli-
mate change and environmental degradation; continuing urbanization; growing consumerism; increasing
demographic imbalances).
The earlier research results were tested in all five study areas and refined with suggestions discussed
with local stakeholders. In doing so, the article’s authors and other project researchers were aware of the
importance of bottom-up methodology in participatory research (Nared and Bole 2020). In this article,
we illustrate how the 100% Local Model, which was developed in the framework of the project work in
2020 and 2021 (Rinallo et al. 2021) was applied in the areas of Bohinj and the Triglav National Park, Slovenia,
with a critical discussion of common problems, implementation difficulties, and future prospects.
3 Results
3.1 Construction and characteristics of the 100% Local Model 
The 100% Local Model is a result of the European project Boosting the Alpine agri-food value chains with
the »100% Local« (100% Local project in short), the project took place in 2019–2021. The project had the
goal to develop a sustainable territorial development model based on territorial branding practices focused
on agri-food products entirely produced and processed locally. 
The project understood the term model as a simplified version of reality capable of reducing the com-
plexity of strategic decision-making. Thanks to the 100% Local Model, local communities can design and
manage teritrial brands and Territorial Brand Managing Organizations (TBMOs) that resonate with the
characteristics of the local community, and to ensure its sustainability thanks to future-proofing techniques.
The 100% Local Model is based on a future envisioning participative methodology in three stages (see
Figure 3). We refer to the 100% Local final report (Rinallo et al. 2021) for a more in-depth examination
of elements to be included in the analysis and guiding questions. In the next paragraph, we illustrate how
the 100% Local Model was applied in one of the project’s pilot areas (Bohinj and the Triglav National Park),
focusing specifically on Step 1 (Analysis of the current situation) and Step 2 (Participative future-envi-
sioning and collective decision-making) of the methodology, as most initiatives are yet to be implemented.
More specifically, background analyses were carried out in April–May 2020 with data provided by local
stakeholders. Participative future envisioning workshops with local stakeholders took place online on June
9th and June 16th, 2020. Further online workshops were held on January 26th and April 2nd, 2021, thanks
to which a tentative action plan was developed. During April–May 2021, project partner »Università della
Svizzera italiana« accompanied local stakeholders in the model implementation through dedicated
coaching sessions.
3.2 Applying the 100% Local Model in the case study area Bohinj and the Triglav
National Park 
The following chapter is based on material related to adapting the 100% Local Model in the municipality
of Bohinj.
Analysis of the
current situation
Future envisioning
with stakeholders
and collective
decision-making
Implementation
of initiatives and
monitoring
of results
Figure 3: Steps in the application of the 100% Local Model (Rinallo et al. 2021).
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3.2.1 Step 1: Analysis of the current situation
In testing the 100% Local Model, we asked local stakeholders to collect data on the economic, social and
cultural characteristics of their regions from secondary sources and by interviewing community mem-
bers. We tested the current situation in the regions using publicly available quantitative data and local actors’
perceptions. Our research focused in particular on areas of relevance to the local economy: a description
of the current local cooperation network, the existence of territorial brands and other quality certifica-
tions in the area, and an analysis of the basic rules (with a particular focus on membership criteria and
rules for product inclusion); the state of the local economic system (agriculture, food production and crafts,
tourism, etc.), other relevant systems (culture, education, civil society, etc.), as well as the available poli-
cy support at the local, regional, national and possibly EU level. We present the key findings from these
activities for the municipality of Bohinj, partly for TNP.
The municipality of Bohinj is located in the Upper Carniola Region in northwestern Slovenia.
According to the Statistical office of the Republic of Slovenia it covers an area of 333.7 km2, 66% of which
is in the TNP. The municipality has a population of 5,770 (approximately 2,910 males and 2,860 females,
spread over an altitude of between 400 and 2,800 metres above sea level).
Bohinj is a well-known tourist destination and in 2019, there were 266,000 arrivals, and 710,000 overnight
stays in Bohinj, mainly from Slovenia, Germany, the Czech Republic, the Benelux countries and the United
Kingdom according to data of the Bohinj Tourist Board. In 2020, Bohinj had 157,135 guests, in 2021, 216,135
guests and a record number of 299,161 guests in 2022. That year, Bohinj recorded the highest number of
overnight stays, 821,942. Tourist workers in Bohinj believe that the high number of visitors in 2022 was
due to the Covid 19 epidemic and the introduction of tourist vouchers for the Slovenian population. The
analysis of the structure of overnight stays also showed this consequence. The highest number of
Slovenian overnight stays in Bohinj during the epidemic in 2020 and 2021, 62.8% and 49.7% respective-
ly, significantly higher than before the epidemic, when the share of domestic overnight stays in Bohinj was
only 23.2%. In 2022, 67% of guests visited Bohinj in the summer. In all municipalities covered by the park,
tourism (especially foreign tourism) has increased from 2015 to 2021. 
Agriculture in the area is concentrated in the lower plains. Crop production is therefore limited by
the location of the land, its quality and the climatic characteristics of the area. Instead, livestock breeding
and milk production are well-developed. Some radical pastoral and cheese-making practices were aban-
doned in the past due to the rise of industrial milk processing but have recently been revived (Ledinek
Lozej 2016). The better-known products from the Bohinj are Mohant cheese (protected by a protected denom-
ination of origin; Godina Golija 2017), dried meats, and local corn varieties. Some traditional crafts typical
of the area have also been revitalised and promoted. Many territorial projects linked to the tri-territorial
development were also aimed at passing on traditional skills to new generations. These projects have raised
awareness of the local food heritage, linking producers to tourism operators, the market, and consumers,
for example, through farm tourism, but much more needs to be done in this area (Razpotnik Visković and
Komac 2021).
Bohinj is home to a  well-developed territorial brand, Bohinjsko (From Bohinj), owned by the
Municipality of Bohinj which registered in 2015 as a collective brand. Bohinjsko certifies agri-food prod-
ucts, crafts and design products, experiences, restaurants (more than 50% of the 30 in the municipality)
and accommondation businesses. To be certified, products need to be produced in the municipality, use
local ingredients and raw materials, and respect traditional values. The brand, currently counting 70 sup-
pliers for a total of 400 products and services, is managed by the local destination management organization
Turizem Bohinj, whose Quality Centre certifies new applicants and vigilates on the respect of quality stan-
dards. The territorial brand’s activities include the collective promotion of certified products through
traditional and digital media, the fostering of collaborations across the supply chain, the improvement of
packaging and labels based on a heritage storytelling approach, and the stimulation of innovation (e.g.,
chocolate with Mohant cheese) and marginal (e.g., modern shapes for traditional products; smaller sizes
for the souvenir market). Bohinjsko has been an inspiration for other Slovenian municipalities, who have
attempted to create territorial brands based on its model, often without the same level of success (Logar
2021a; 2021b; 2021c). Also the TNP has developed a Park Quality Mark granted to producers of arts and
crafts products or service providers in its territory and/or in the Julian Alps Biosphere Reserve. So far, only
11 tourism farms and other accommodation services have obtained the certification. Respect to other pilot
areas in the 100% Local Model, Tourism Bohinj and the TNP already had a quite established territorial
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Maja Godina Golija, Radically local supply chains through territorial brands: Insights from the 100% Local project
brand and cooperation network. By taking part in the 100% Local project activities, they hoped to involve
a greater number of local actors, stimulating the adoption of local ingredients in food production and the
restaurant business, increasing the number of market-oriented farms, and gaining broader support for some
development ideas already circulating in the area.
3.2.2 Step 2: Participative future-envisioning and collective decision-making
We first carried out a participating macro-trend analysis to anticipate plausible, probable, and possible futures
using the methodology developed by the European Commission’s Competence Centre on Foresight. The
Megatrend Engagement Tools we adopted are available at https://knowledge4policy.ec.europa.eu/fore-
sight/megatrends-engagement-tools_en. Macrotrends bring with them risks and opportunities as they shape
populations, the environment, science and technology, work, and consumption habits. Main insights from
this stage were as follows: 1) available farmland is being abandoned or converted to housing uses. Thus
limits the benefits in terms of jobs and business opportunities deriving from linking farming to food pro-
duction and tourism services. Farms and farming land thus need to be safeguarded to ensure the
sustainability of 100% Local strategies; 2) conflicts of interest overal land use, particularly in the case of
new inhabitants, are to be expected; 3) farms are of limited size and their owner are aging, which makes
generational turnover problematic; 4) technological change and hyper-connectivity can play a role in gen-
erating higher volumes of agricultural produce and foodstuffs, which are needed because of consumers’
and tourists’ greater interest in local food. 
Another methodology we applied is the »Three Horizons« (3H) framework (Sharpe et al. 2016), which
connects the present with desired futures and contributes to identifying conflicts and incompatibilitis between
the present and envisioned futures. The 3H framework helps stakeholders to map different and often coex-
isting ways of thinking about the future, the so-called managerial, visionary, and entrepreneurial mindsets.
The first horizon of the 3H framework is linked to a managerial mindset, focused on the present and
on running the current organization or system. In this step of the future envisioning process, local stake-
holders were asked to identify current concerns, or the elements in the way things are managed that have
been inherited from the past, are effective today, but could sooner or later enter in a crises and become
increasingly dysfunctional. Building on the macrotrend analysis, stakeholders from the Bohinj and TNP
identified various concerns. First, the Park could end up being a victim of its success, as increased tourist
flows could be difficult to control; moreover, farmland could decline resulting in insufficient production
of local produce and foodstuffs to satisfy tourism demand. Second, most farmers are aging and show lim-
ited interest in organic agriculture or collaboration with tourist activities; additionally, some are discouraged
by the complex administrative requirements for organic production, farm tourism, or being part of ter-
ritorial brands. Third, short supply chains (farmers to hotels, restaurants, or consumers) are under-developed
from both the information and logistics points of view, thus limiting collaboration. Fourth, respect to cheap-
er imports from other areas, local ingredients and products are expensive and their origin is difficult to
prove.
The third horizon of the 3H framework focuses on aspirations for the future. Local stakeholders are
thus asked to develop a shared vision for the area (say, 20 years or more in the future) and identify the ele-
ments of innovation required to make the vision come true. Aspirations for Bohinj and the TNP in 2040
were the following: 
1) More successful territorial brands, engaging more actors, resulting in a greater number of market-ori-
ented farms and increased production volume, and decreases in prices of locally produced products
thanks to economies of scale; 
2) better marketing and distribution of local products, as well as greater restaurant adoption of local
products and recipes; 
3) heritage-based innovation in foodstuffs, recipes, and tourist attraction, including high-quality gastro-
nomic experiences and themed festivals; 
4) more cooperation among local stakeholders and municipalities in TNP. Crucial to the realization of
this vision would be the establishment of an umbrella organization capable of coordinating individual
territorial brands to exploit synergies towards a  common cross-sectoral development strategies,
financed by the municipalities and the Park, and the creation of a logistics and internal/external com-
munication system. 
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The second horizon of the 3H framework, associated to an entrepreneurial mindset, encourages to
reflect on how it will be possible to introduce innovations by deploying appropriate financial and orga-
nizational resources and facing the possible obstacles to the achievement of the vision. Participants of online
workshops (on January 26 and April 2nd, 2021) were asked what they could concretely do to drive the sys-
tem towards its aspired future, reflecting on what should be dismissed, maintained, or innovated in the
3-5 following years. In this stage, participants developed a tentative action plan at the scale of the entire
Julian Alps. Crucial to their vision was the constitution in 2024 of a cross-sectoral, professionally man-
aged umbrella organization responsible for business development, promotion, and the provision of
a shared infrastructure for distribution, quality control, logistics, certification, and marketing. 
4 Discusion
We argue that the results of the development and adaptation of the 100% Local Model are relevant for the
wider Alpine region. The region combines natural wealth, agriculture, care for natural and cultural her-
itage and the rapid development of tourism, particularly rural tourism, in conjuction with local cuisine
and the use of typical local products, such as different types of cheese (Ledinek Lozej 2013; 2016; 2021).
In this area, some local communities have already developed territorial brands and implemented territo-
rial development models based on the commercial valorisation of agri-food products produced and processed
locally (Rinallo and Luminati 2021; Ledinek Lozej 2021; Logar 2022).
During the 100% Local Model development process the model was tested in all four project pilot areas.
During this testing, it has been shown that using the model requires a certain amount of pre-preparation
or preliminary activities. Nevertheless, the use of the model is also more successful in areas where some
territorial branding or forms of local production and distribution of agri-food products have already been
developed (e.g., the Territorial Brands in the Alpine Region workshop). In territories where activities to
encourage local production and distribution of food are just beginning, e. g. Pitztal in Austria, the use of
the 100% Local Model proved less appropriate. Less appropriation is linked to the fact that a deep analy-
sis of the current situation is always required at the outset to apply a 100% Local Model. In local communities
where activities to promote local food production and distribution are only at the beginning, there is a need
for timely information, and relevant knowledge may be fragmented. In contrast, the successful adapta-
tion of the 100% Local Model has been demonstrated in the Bohinj and TNP area. In this area, local
stakeholders very well analysed their current situation, resources, and challenges. They also accelerate an
inclusive process of mobilising other actors and increase the success rate of planned initiatives (Logar 2021c).
Their activities considered essential factors such as: focus on locally produced and processed products,
inclusive stakeholder engagement and participation, consideration of place-specificity, food heritage and
futures-proofing.
The advantage of the 100% Local Model is its transferability, scalability and flexibility. The model is
scalable and can be applied to different Alpine areas, regardless of their size and economic development,
be they remote Alpine areas or more significant regions in the Alpine macro-region. Model 100% Local
is also flexible. Flexible means that it can assist various territorial development initiatives in different stages
of their life cycle. Notably, the model can also be well applied to various forms of cross-border coopera-
tion between Alpine areas (Ledinek Lozej 2021). Due to the adoption of futures-proofing methodologies,
the 100% Local Model very well considers macro-trends and minimises the effects of shocks and stress-
es of future events on the locally designed production and distribution of food. The model can positively
impact the development of local initiatives in Alpine areas and better cooperation between agri-food busi-
nesses, tourism, civil society, cultural and educational institutions and policy actors.
5 Conclusion
The article discusses selected findings of the 100% Local project, its model and the conditions for creat-
ing territorial brands in agri-food production. In addressing this topic, we have used the results of
fieldwork in the pilot areas, secondary and online sources, data collected through, and territorial brand work-
shops and workshops with local stakeholders in the study areas. We have considered EU and national policy
Acta geographica Slovenica, 63-1, 2023
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Maja Godina Golija, Radically local supply chains through territorial brands: Insights from the 100% Local project
objectives, targets and recommendations. According to recent research European consumers are increas-
ingly interested in quality food, local products and territorial brands. The development of local food production
and territorial brands is often linked to tourism, in particular rural, gastronomic and wine tourism, which
has both positive and negative impacts on communities and space. The application of the 100% Local Model
has shown the excellent applicability of this model in Alpine areas wishing to boost local food produc-
tion and distribution. Territorial brands and the development of 100% Local food production are a crucial
development factor and the subject of local identities and local policies, and, more recently, cooperation
between local, regional and national actors.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: The author acknowledges the financial support of the European Alpine Region
Preparatory Action Fund II (ARPAF II) for the project Boosting the Alpine agri-food value chains with
the »100% Local« (100% Local), and of the research programm Cultural Spaces and Practices: Ethnology
and Folklore Studies (P6-0088) funded by the Slovenian Research Agency. Special thanks go to Diego Rinallo,
who contributed the material (Three Horizons framework, the results of workshops), and suggested some
corrections to the article. Thank you also to the researchers Rocco Scolozzi, Francesca Teston, Cassiano
Luminati, Daniele Isepponi, Špela Ledinek Lozej, Erik Logar, Umberto Bondi and Andrea Antonacci. Special
thanks also to the communities involved as case study, for their time, interest and enthusiasm: munici-
pality Bohinj and TNP (Slovenia), Obervinschgau/Alta Val Venosta and Parco Prealpi Giulie (Italy), Pitztal
(Austria) and Valsot, Unterengadin (Switzerland).
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