The sustainable development of rural-to-urban food supply chains in developing nations

Purpose This paper explores how firms develop and mature sustainable supply chains (SSCs) in developing nations (DNs). The primitive resources, infrastructures and understanding of SSCs in DNs often hinder both the ability of SSCs to mature and their effectiveness in delivering environmental, social and economic goals. The purpose of this paper is to address these issues. Design/methodology/approach Through the supply chain life cycle (SCLC) lens, the authors analyzed an embedded case study of a Vietnamese end-to-end food supply chain (using 32 semi-structured interviews and archival data) and interviewed senior leadership of three other food companies in early 2019. A post hoc study including five reinterviews in the same Vietnamese case company's supply chain also further validated the study in 2021. Findings The authors’ analyses reveal that changes in DN stakeholders' behaviors can quickly move firms' SSCs along the SCLC closer toward a mature stage, in which firms and their network stakeholders can create more sustainable value. They also identify strategies for firms to consider when developing their SSCs to activate these behavioral changes. Originality/value While many authors discuss SSCs' benefits for the environment and society, few assess how firms can design and operate SSCs effectively given the limited resources, infrastructures and SSC knowledge in DNs. This paper offers a compelling framework focusing on engaging various DNs' stakeholders to understand the life cycle of SSCs in less developed countries, in order to accelerate DNs' firms through early development toward a more SSC.