Collective and Commercial Catering Services of the Ho.Re.Ca Channel: A Case Study in Calabria (Italy)

Ho.re.ca sector is a very complex system that over the years has given rise to various forms of catering in relation to the variety of demand and the organization of the offer. It can represent a key element of competitive development and promotion and an opportunity for local agri-food products. The aim of the work is to examine the structure and the various catering services offered by a Calabrian company that operates in the Ho.re.ca channel in order to develop/improve the competitiveness tools of agri-food companies operating in the area with particular reference to companies operating in internal areas in conditions of fragility and marginality. The dynamics that govern relations with suppliers of local agri-food products have been studied. The combination of surveys with the company and suppliers has been studied through the use of social network analysis (SNA). The level of loyalty that agricultural and agri-food companies achieve with the Ho.Re.Ca has also been identified. 44 Calabrian companies supplying agri-food products have been identified, divided by product category, by company name, by location, and by the level of loyalty. The results highlight a particular attention of the company examined towards quality products of Calabria origin, in some cases niche products with POD or PGI brand, mainly acquired directly from local agricultural producers and offering the possibility of being a strategic means of promotion and marketing.