A bibliometric analysis of food supply chain research: trends, themes, and future directions (1995–2026)

Purpose This study systematically maps the intellectual structure and evolution of food supply chain research over three decades (1995–2026), identifying key themes, influential sources, and emerging trends to guide future research directions. Design/methodology/approach A comprehensive bibliometric analysis was conducted on 2,125 documents from 628 sources contributed by 6,903 authors. Four advanced bibliometric techniques were systematically employed: Bradford's Law analysis to identify core publication sources, keyword co-occurrence mapping to reveal thematic clusters, citation network analysis to determine influential works, and temporal trend examination to track research evolution. All analyses were performed using the R-based bibliometrix package (version 4.1.0), ensuring methodological transparency and reproducibility. Findings The analysis reveals a sustained 9.3% annual growth rate in publications and an average of 34.13 citations per document, confirming the field's scholarly impact. Two primary research clusters emerged: a sustainability-oriented cluster focusing on food waste, circular economy, and supply chain resilience; and a technology-oriented cluster emphasizing blockchain, traceability, and food safety. Temporal analysis demonstrates the emergence of digital technologies—particularly blockchain, artificial intelligence, and machine learning—after 2020, alongside heightened attention to COVID-19 impacts and supply chain resilience. Originality/value This is the first comprehensive bibliometric study spanning three decades of food supply chain research. The study makes three distinct contributions: it provides a systematic science map of the field's intellectual structure; generates empirical evidence for the convergence of technology and sustainability paradigms in food supply chain scholarship; and delivers a structured, evidence-based research agenda identifying specific gaps for future inquiry. These contributions offer researchers, practitioners, and policymakers a rigorous foundation for evidence-based decision-making in this critical domain.