Circular bioeconomy at a crossroads: Lessons from the valorization of pomegranate waste in France

The transition from fossil resources to biomass intensifies competition between food and non-food uses, necessitating cascading valorization to optimize organic waste utilization. This process, which layers complementary valorizations, requires systemic reorganization, particularly through strengthened linkages between agricultural, agro-industrial, and non-food industries. However, the governance and performance of these reorganizations vary across territories, shaped by material and immaterial resources. This study, drawing on Torre’s territorial development framework and Hirschman’s Exit, Loyalty, and Voice model, examines how stakeholder proximity relations influence cascading valorization projects as organizational and territorial innovations. Using the case of pomegranate by-product valorization in southern France, we conducted interviews with farmers, agri-food industries, non-food industries (cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, energy), and institutional actors, complemented by documentary analysis and a participatory workshop. Findings reveal that cascading valorization projects emerge through negotiations over resource control, investment distribution, and value creation. The process reshapes production systems by disrupting traditional upstream-downstream relationships. This transformation occurs within a tension between two models of circular bioeconomy: a territorial model, driven by local actors aiming to integrate valorization within the region, and a productivist model, led by industrial players seeking efficiency and scalability, often at the expense of local anchoring. Ensuring that cascading valorization benefits local development requires support mechanisms tailored to territorial characteristics. Without adapted governance frameworks, circular bioeconomy initiatives risk being co-opted by dominant players, limiting their capacity to foster sustainable territorial transformations.