Sustainability at the Summit: Transforming Haute Cuisine With Circular Business Models

Abstract

The adoption of circular economy principles poses a vibrant challenge for firms by becoming a potential and sustainable way for them to keep pace with highly dynamic changes in a competitive environment. Although previous research has examined experiences and practices that firms adopt to facilitate their transition to a circular economy, existing studies fall short of describing the factors that firms could leverage for circular business model design and implementation. This issue is more relevant to creative industries, such as haute cuisine, which is strongly characterized by sustainability concerns and assumes a leading role in the food industry. To explore and identify those relevant factors, this research uses a multiple-case study approach, focusing on seven Michelin Green Star restaurants in Italy, which link culinary excellence with an increasing commitment to sustainability. The findings advance theoretical understanding of how creative industries can drive the transition to a circular economy by providing a novel framework grounded in three interrelated dimensions: green sustainable behavior, creativity, and terroir.