Innovation et patrimoine alimentaire en Midi-Pyrénées.

Food habits and cultures are constantly evolving – changing in response to new innovations that are driven by agribusiness players large and small. As the ‘actors of innovation’ these people reinvent their relationship with tradition. This article is based on a study of three rural areas in the department of the Midi-Pyrenees: Southern Aveyron, Pays du Haut Rouergue (North Aveyron) and Pays d’Armagnac in the Gers. It highlights three main profiles of innovators in the field of food heritage, each one corresponding to a form of organization that in turn flows from a particular relationship with the territory and its local players. It also highlights the importance of local perceptions and attitudes towards these innovators, demonstrating the pivotal role of local companies in the appropriation of innovative process.