Sufficiency of Producers’ Product Range as a Factor in Ensuring Regional Food Security

The article presents conceptual approaches to assessing the sufficiency of producers’ product range as an important factor in ensuring regional food security. It substantiates the role of domestic production and raw material processing by agricultural enterprises. The importance of product quality certification and the effectiveness of food producers’ assortment policies in addressing the challenge of providing the population with safe and high-quality food products is revealed. A methodology for comprehensive comparative evaluation of the sufficiency of producers’ product ranges is described, using the example of meat processing enterprises in the Vologda region participating in the voluntary certification system “True Vologda product”. The results of testing this methodology are presented, which helped to determine the role of the studied producers in ensuring food security in the Vologda region. The purpose of the research . Conducting an analysis of the effectiveness of food producers’ assortment policy by assessing the sufficiency of product range offered by local meat processing enterprises and constructing their ranking based on an original methodology for comprehensive comparative evaluation. Materials and methods . The study employed a method of multidimensional comprehensive comparative rating evaluation of enterprises, based on a system of two categories of indicators: indicators assessing consumer demand for meat products and indicators measuring sales performance of producers of this product category. Information was collected using enterprise statistical reports and a specially organized online consumer survey. Data analysis was carried out through normalization and aggregation of results, using statistical methods and rating evaluation techniques. The results of the assessment were presented using tabular and graphical methods. Results . For each producer included in the sample, the level of assortment sufficiency was assessed, conclusions were drawn regarding the effectiveness of their assortment policy, and their role in ensuring food security in the regional food market was determined. Conclusion . By applying a comprehensive approach and testing the methodology for assessing the assortment sufficiency of meat processing producers participating in the “True Vologda product” brand, the study identified the strengths and weaknesses of these enterprises. This allows an overall evaluation of the effectiveness of assortment policy in the consumer market within this food sector, as well as an assessment of the opportunities and threats to regional food security. The research showed that products from local agricultural producers, made from certified ecologically clean raw materials, have undeniable competitive advantages compared to goods imported from neighboring regions and abroad. However, these products require a more professional approach to the structure and breadth of their assortment in order to reliably meet the growing consumer demand for safe food.