Driving the circular economy: the role of sustainable business model innovation, digital technologies, and B Corps in the food industry

This thesis examines how sustainable business model innovation (SBMI) and digital technologies jointly enable circular economy outcomes in the food system, using certified B Corporations as credible cases. A multiple-case study of four European B Corps—Too Good To Go (surplus food redistribution), Winnow (AI/IoT-driven prevention), Valrhona (upstream traceability and stewardship), and Kaffe Bueno (bioscience-based upcycling)—maps each firm across SBMI archetypes, digital enablers, supply-chain stage, and the food-waste hierarchy (prevention, redistribution, valorization). Key findings demonstrate that digital enablers are crucial for operationalizing circularity, while the B Corp framework provides the necessary governance and mission-driven structure for effective, large-scale implementation. This thesis contributes to the literature on sustainable management and circular business models by providing practical evidence of how purpose-driven companies are successfully transforming the food value chain into a more resilient and regenerative system.