Enhancing resilience in the fresh food supply chain: a managerial perspective through interpretive analysis

Purpose A sustainable strategy for fresh food supply chains is crucial in cultivating a resilient and accountable food system that intrinsically links economic, social and environmental objectives. Sustainability-oriented strategies are required to address threats in the form of resource scarcity, climate change and ecological degradation. Despite growing attention to these issues, the integration of sustainability strategies with supply chain resilience remains underexplored. This research attempts to fill this gap by considering new strategies and policies that embed sustainability principles and thus increase resilience in nascent fresh food supply chains. Design/methodology/approach The current research seeks to identify and evaluate critical sustainability initiatives that foster resilience within the Indian fresh food supply chain context. Drawing on the resource-based view (RBV), these initiatives are refined using the fuzzy-Delphi method and validated through the best-worst method. Information from fifteen industry specialists yields crucial insights into sustainability practices that ensure food availability while promoting environmental concerns, socioeconomic equity and technological adaptability. Findings This study advances the field by identifying critical sustainability measures and proposing integrated solutions that strengthen fresh food supply chain resilience. Crucially, by advocating for a balanced consideration of environmental, economic and social dimensions, it presents a strategic framework which is instrumental in guiding efforts to mitigate critical challenges and optimize resource deployment, ultimately leading to the implementation of highly effective and impactful interventions. Practical implications The findings of this study will assist practitioners and stakeholders in strengthening collaborative supply chain relationships by promoting enhanced communication, resource sharing and coordinated responses to disruptions, ultimately fostering greater resilience in fresh food supply chains. Originality/value This research offers a novel contribution by uniquely identifying sustainability-driven measures for fresh food supply chain resilience. It systematically integrates socioeconomic, environmental and technological sustainability practices within a resource-based view (RBV) framework, demonstrating how these practices act as firm-specific capabilities to anticipate, absorb and adapt to disruptions in fresh food supply chains.