Consumer preferences and business model innovation in women-led agri-food systems: Evidence from Morocco

Abstract

CONTEXT: Transforming agri-food systems requires innovation pathways that are socially embedded, genderresponsive, and capable of scaling without reproducing existing inequalities. In low- and middle-income countries, women's cooperatives play a strategic role in linking traditional food systems with emerging markets, yet the mechanisms through which product and organisational innovations jointly create economic and social value remain insufficiently understood. OBJECTIVE: This study investigates how product innovation and organisational innovation interact within a women-led agri-food cooperative in Morocco, and whether consumer demand can support responsible scaling while enhancing women's empowerment. METHODS: The analysis combines a qualitative Business Model Canvas (BMC) with a quantitative Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE). The BMC assesses changes in the cooperative's value proposition, resources, and market orientation before and after targeted innovation support. The DCE evaluates consumer preferences and willingness to pay for product attributes, including artisanal production, ingredient blending, labelling, and price.