Economic viability of new launched school lunch programmes

TY - JOUR

T1 - Economic viability of new launched school lunch programmes

AU - Jensen, Jørgen Dejgård

AU - Smed, Sinne

AU - Mørkbak, Morten Raun

AU - Voigt-Nielsen, Karl

AU - Malmgren, Marianne

PY - 2013/6

Y1 - 2013/6

N2 - Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate determinants for the viability of school lunch programs with a zero-price start-up period. Design/methodology/approach: Data sources include application material, questionnaire surveys among the pupils, parents, and staff at the participating schools, follow-up telephone interviews with the staff, as well as interviews with suppliers. Data are analysed using principal components analysis and logistic regression. Findings: An econometric analysis suggests that price, school size, demand-stimulating activities related to the schools' support and the users' feeling of ownership, as well as internal professionalism and leadership in the implementation of the school lunch program are important for the viability of the program. These components may, to some extent, compensate for the gap between cost and users' willingness to pay for school lunches. Social implications: The study contributes to increase awareness of the many determinants and barriers for the viability of school lunches. Experience from the study demonstrates a significant challenge in making user requirements for quality, product diversity and willingness to pay meet with the costs of supplying school lunches. Originality/value: The focus on the economic viability on school lunches is a new approach to the topic compared to the literature, which mainly concentrates on the physical and environmental effects of providing food in schools

AB - Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate determinants for the viability of school lunch programs with a zero-price start-up period. Design/methodology/approach: Data sources include application material, questionnaire surveys among the pupils, parents, and staff at the participating schools, follow-up telephone interviews with the staff, as well as interviews with suppliers. Data are analysed using principal components analysis and logistic regression. Findings: An econometric analysis suggests that price, school size, demand-stimulating activities related to the schools' support and the users' feeling of ownership, as well as internal professionalism and leadership in the implementation of the school lunch program are important for the viability of the program. These components may, to some extent, compensate for the gap between cost and users' willingness to pay for school lunches. Social implications: The study contributes to increase awareness of the many determinants and barriers for the viability of school lunches. Experience from the study demonstrates a significant challenge in making user requirements for quality, product diversity and willingness to pay meet with the costs of supplying school lunches. Originality/value: The focus on the economic viability on school lunches is a new approach to the topic compared to the literature, which mainly concentrates on the physical and environmental effects of providing food in schools

KW - Former LIFE faculty

KW - School lunch programme, economic viability, zero-price start-up, willingness to pay-equivalents

U2 - 10.1108/bfj-05-2011-0128

DO - 10.1108/bfj-05-2011-0128

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0007-070X

VL - 115

SP - 1038

EP - 1053

JO - British Food Journal

JF - British Food Journal

IS - 7

ER -