Disintermediation and Reintermediation of Seafood Supply Chains for Social and Ecological Regeneration

ABSTRACT This article investigates how technology‐mediated supply chains can foster ecological and social regeneration in the seafood sector. It focuses on Abalobi, a South African social enterprise that connects small‐scale fishers with consumers through technological and relational innovations and counters dynamics of degeneration, such as socioeconomic inequalities and growing disproportionality, prevalent in traditional seafood supply chains. The findings reveal that although disintermediation (shortening supply chains through technology) is a necessary first step to dismantle exploitative structures, it is insufficient on its own to foster regeneration. Instead, Abalobi's success hinges on reintermediation: strategically introducing relational mechanisms and creating new markets that realign incentive structures. Specifically, these measures redirect demand from overfished species toward undervalued, abundant alternative species, promoting both ecological sustainability and equitable livelihoods. This article contributes to the literature by illustrating a novel two‐step process model: (1) disintermediation to disrupt degenerative dynamics, followed by (2) reintermediation to initiate systemic regeneration. It advances supply chain management theory by explaining how disintermediation and reintermediation can create paths to restoring proportionality and shifting supply chains from degenerative to regenerative dynamics.