Empirical Analysis On Supply Chain Development In Relation To The Traditional Street Food Transition

Purpose:China's economy is experiencing a fast transition where multinational corporations and street food vendors still coexist. Over 1.4 billion Chinese are driving up the 52% urbanization ratio. The research aims to expand empirical street food market knowledge in relation to the Traditional Street Food transition to Modern Street Food and the role supply chains occupy.Methods:The surveys,120 total, were collected in Dalian City (China), Trat (Thailand), and Battambang (Cambodia). The surveys focused on hot food vendor carts (aggregate numbers) that could be cross analyzed with fast food franchises. This provided a framework of reference points for both the fast food industry and the street food vendors. The survey data was compiled into excel sheets to create data tables which were then used to extract useful information. Observations and interviews on governmental/societal management practices were also conducted to see how development and management affect supply chains.Results:Larger cities, relatively removed from farms, require an organized supply chain for the street food market which provides students and the working class access to healthy meals at competitive prices. Smaller cities and towns use the "farmer's market" as the main supply chain for raw and semi-processed food goods but may need supply chain management in the form of specialized equipment. The street food vending supply chain has development potential in terms of processed, semi-processed, and raw ingredients supported by specialized equipment.Conclusions:This research on street food vendors demonstrates how the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) supply chain has the potential to develop distributors/producers in this fragmented and under-organized segment. China's urbanization will increase the demand for an efficient physical distribution chain in the street food vendor segment. The amount of people that access Traditional Street Food or Modern Fast Food (McDonald's) as a partial or main food source ties into their health and productivity which contributes to the overall "health" and 'strength" of a society. This data analysis may help other researchers, producers, consumers, and lawmakers better understand this market segment's (Traditional Street Food TSF) overlooked contributions to the economy & society:nutrition for Base of the Pyramid (BOP) consumers, fuel for student and working class innovation, and laborers'nutrition.