The purpose of this paper is to investigate an innovation concerning a short food supply chain (SFSC) created by a newly established producers’ cooperative in Greece that sells fresh milk to consumers via automatic vending machines; the consumers’ response toward this innovation; and the financial performance of the cooperative. The case study focused on consumer’s attitudes toward the cooperative’s fresh milk sold by automatic vending machines and the cooperative’s financial performance. A structured questionnaire was answered by 912 consumers in Thessaloniki during 2015 and analyzed using the IBM SPSS STATISTICS program, version 22. Additionally, the cooperative’s financial data (2012–2015) were used in order to calculate its financial performance. The authors identified five unique consumer categories according to consumer motive, of which social motives are considered in the sample as the most important. The cooperative’s financial indicators are satisfying, especially taking into consideration the severe economic crisis in Greece over the past years. It is difficult to evaluate Thesgala as there exists no similar producer cooperative in SFSCs in Greece. The cooperative is recently established and therefore financial indicators represent a short time period. Producers, especially small ones in remote or peri-urban areas, can be involved in a SFCS and reach consumers via their cooperatives (or by founding a cooperative). Producer’s cooperatives can include SFSCs in their strategic planning in order to stimulate changes in the food system for the benefit of both producers and consumers. Policy makers should orient the appropriate policy measures to support SFSCs for the benefit of society as a whole. The research investigates an SFSC that was created as a producer’s initiative (not a consumer’s) via their cooperative. It advances knowledge of how to initiate changes in the food system.

Agricultural cooperatives are essential in mitigating climate change and food insecurity through the promotion of sustainable agricultural practices and the conservation of biodiversity. However, weaknesses in governance, economic restrictions, market pressures, and regulatory obstacles frequently hinder their efficacy. This study investigates the main factors leading to cooperative failures through qualitative analysis of twenty-three (23) expert interviews. Research demonstrates that strong governance, efficient communication, financial stability, and supportive policies are crucial for the viability of cooperatives. Leadership issues, bureaucratic inefficiencies, and market competition were seen as significant roadblocks. It is essential to tackle these difficulties via governance adjustments, economic resilience approaches, and policy advocacy to strengthen the role of cooperatives in climate change mitigation and food security.

Marketing cooperatives are gaining popularity in the supply chain management of fruits and vegetables (F&V) due to consumers’ increasing desire to purchase cooperative products as well as producers’ willingness to reinforce their bargaining power in the market. The main purpose of this empirical study is to investigate the most important factors that motivate Greek producers to participate in marketing cooperatives, as well as those motives that discourage them. The prefecture of Imathia, in the northern part of Greece, was chosen because it is characterized by a high involvement of cooperatives, wholesalers and retailers in F&V trading. A structured questionnaire was answered by 61 producers of Imathia in 2020. The results indicate that producers recognize that they ensure safer financial transactions and direct distribution of their fresh agricultural produce via marketing cooperatives. Moreover, the study showed that there is a statistically significant difference in the motives of participation in a marketing cooperative that has bargaining power and direct distribution of fresh agricultural produce between the three categories of education level. However, producers appeared to agree that (1) the great divergence in members’ reasons for participation in a marketing cooperative and (2) the inability to take collective decisions by the general assembly are the most important disincentives for participation in marketing cooperatives.

The business environment that prevails in a region has a significant influence on the businesses operating in that geographical area. A strong business environment can enhance not only the growth and success of businesses, but also their retention and sustainable development in the area. The literature review shows that a small number of empirical studies have examined the business environment in rural areas. This research attempts to highlight the factors (road access, technology infrastructure, etc.) that make up the business environent in rural areas, as well as to clarify the degree of satisfaction that the entrepreneurs themselves derive from them. For the purposes of the survey, a questionnaire was filled in by 240 entrepreneurs from rural areas in the Regional Unit (RU) of Serres, in the northern part of Greece, who assessed their satisfaction with the business environment using a five-point Likert-type scale, through personal interviews. The principal component analysis identified six factors, which showed higher satisfaction among the categories of “infrastructure” and “social capital”.