Breaking barriers: the role of digital platforms in enhancing the resilience of food entrepreneurs

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of digital platforms on the resilience of food entrepreneurs in non-Western countries before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach This study adopts a qualitative approach using cross-case analysis based on interviews with 17 restaurants in Iran’s touristic Torqabeh region. The data were collected before (2018) and after (2023) the COVID-19 outbreak. Findings The findings indicate that social and economic factors, particularly procurement and technological aspects of the food value chain, exhibited high resilience, enabling food entrepreneurs to revitalize their functions post-pandemic. The results reveal that digital platforms and online food shopping within food entrepreneurship contributed to this resilience by enhancing food distribution and potentially broadening equitable food access. Research limitations/implications The main limitations of this research are linked to the research method, which focuses on qualitative coding, and its geographic focus on Iran, which may limit the generalizability of the findings to other contexts. The key implications include providing additional insights into the resilience of food entrepreneurship, illustrating the varied effects of social, economic and legal factors on revitalizing food entrepreneurship and emphasizing the crucial role of digital platforms in advancing food entrepreneurship. Originality/value The study advances the understanding of resilience in food entrepreneurship, contributing to both theoretical and practical strategies in emerging market contexts and offering insights for future research.