Purpose

This paper aims to explore the market creation practices of farm-based entrepreneurs in the local food sector. Alternative marketing channels for farm-based products increase, but it is not known how entrepreneurs work to position their products in the marketplace. By expanding on the research of farm-based entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial marketing (EM), this study explores the entrepreneurial practices that farm-based entrepreneurs use through the lens of the EM mix (EMM) and its constituent dimensions: person, purpose, practice and process.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses a multiple case study design and follows a phenomenological approach in conducting in-depth retrospective interviews with 11 successful farm-based entrepreneurs in the local food sector in Norway.

Findings

The thematic analysis revealed four key EM practices of the study’s farm-based entrepreneurs: transferring the farm or transforming the farm as the primary purpose; legitimising a local brand through the uniqueness of person, purpose and place; using a personal networking approach in the market development process and flexible and controllable market expansion practices. These elements constitute the pillars of successful, creative and resource-efficient market development.

Originality/value

The study represents a pioneering attempt to explore and conceptualise EM within farm-based entrepreneurship. The findings ultimately give rise to a novel framework: the farm-based entrepreneur’s marketing mix (FEMM).

中文翻译：

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以农场为基础的企业家的营销组合：来自当地食品部门的案例研究

目的

本文旨在探讨当地食品部门以农场为基础的企业家的市场创造实践。农业产品的替代营销渠道增加了，但不知道企业家如何努力将他们的产品定位于市场。通过扩展对农场创业和创业营销 (EM) 的研究，本研究通过 EM 组合 (EMM) 及其构成维度：人、目的、实践和过程。

设计/方法/方法

该研究采用多案例研究设计，并遵循现象学方法，对挪威当地食品部门的 11 位成功的农场企业家进行了深入的回顾性访谈。

发现

主题分析揭示了该研究中以农场为基础的企业家的四个关键 EM 实践：以转移农场或改造农场为主要目的；通过人、目的和地点的独特性使本地品牌合法化；在市场开发过程中采用个人网络方式和灵活可控的市场拓展实践。这些要素构成了成功、创造性和资源节约型市场发展的支柱。

原创性/价值

该研究代表了在农场创业中探索和概念化新兴市场的开创性尝试。这些发现最终产生了一个新的框架：以农场为基础的企业家的营销组合（FEMM）。