Identification and assessment of supply chain risks: The case of food hubs

The supply chain risk management literature highlights the importance of ex-ante identification and assessment of risks to ensure continuity of firms, in particular, and the high performance of supply chains in which they operate, in general. Supply chain disruptions are harmful and costly for firms. The risk of such disruptions can be particularly consequential for firms in emerging industries that lack resources and for which dominant organizational and supply chain designs do not yet exist. Within local and regional food supply chains, food hubs are nascent enterprises coordinating these supply chains. Building off the existing supply chain risk management literature, this study identifies and assesses the perceived supply chain risks faced by U.S. food hubs. The study employs an exploratory sequential mixed methods research design and the Failure Mode and Effect Analysis methodology for this purpose. The results show risks related to imbalances in food supply and demand, logistical delays, human resources, and infrastructure capacity limitations were perceived to be the highest priority supply chain risks for the U.S. food hubs before the COVID-19 pandemic. The study further provides insights on association between food hub characteristics and risk, as well as association between risk preferences and risk perceptions of food hub managers [EconLit Citations: L29 Other (Firm Supply Chain Risk Management)].