Alternative food networks in supply Chains: A Biblio-metric analysis using RStudio and VOSViewer (1989–2024)

Abstract

Alternative Food Networks (AFNs) have gained growing attention for promoting sustainable food systems by addressing upstream food production, distribution, and waste reduction challenges. This study conducts a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of 830 peer-reviewed articles published between 1989 and 2024, retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection. Utilizing VOSviewer and RStudio, the analysis maps the intellectual structure, thematic evolution, and global research dynamics of AFNs over the past three decades. The results reveal an average annual growth rate of 11.19%, with a sharp increase in publications after 2020, driven by heightened interest in resilient, local, and circular food systems. Co-word and cluster network analyses identify four major thematic domains: (1) local food and consumption patterns, (2) sustainability and environmental impacts, (3) governance, policy, and social justice, and (4) community participation and social innovation. Key theoretical frameworks underpinning the field include Actor-Network Theory, Convention Theory, and the Theory of Planned Behavior. This study distinguishes itself by framing AFNs as upstream system-level interventions with the potential to complement or substitute downstream technological approaches to waste management. It highlights AFNs’ unique contributions to reducing food loss and waste, strengthening local economies, and fostering inclusive development. The findings also reveal a research gap in the Global South, where AFNs could address food safety and local poverty. This review offers practical guidance for researchers and policymakers to advance AFNs’ research and design place-based, sustainable food governance strategies.