Wheat is not only the raw material for bread, pasta, or pizza: it is also an indicator of how our food system functions. In recent decades, the wheat supply chain has become highly globalized: grains grown in Canada or Ukraine reach Italian mills, flours produced in Europe end up in baked goods in Asia, and international markets regulate prices and availability.
Alongside this global model, recent years have seen growing interest in short supply chains and local flours, which reduce the distance between producers and consumers. This is not just a nostalgic choice—it has scientific foundations in terms of sustainability, quality, and economic resilience.
Why Short Supply Chains Matter
One of the main advantages of short supply chains is the reduction of the environmental footprint. According to Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies, transportation and processing significantly affect the carbon footprint of bread and pasta. Limiting the kilometers traveled by wheat means lowering CO₂ emissions and reducing energy costs (Arzoumanidis et al., 2019).
There is another aspect as well: short chains allow for the valorization of local varietal diversity, including the so-called ancient wheats. These grains, often less productive, are better adapted to specific local soil and climate conditions and require fewer external inputs, thus contributing to the conservation of agricultural biodiversity (De Vita et al., 2018).
Nutritional Quality and Local Flours
Science shows that flours made from local wheats are not necessarily “healthier” in absolute terms compared to industrial ones, but they may have specific features in terms of fiber, polyphenols, and micronutrient content. Comparative studies highlight that traditional Italian durum wheat varieties have higher concentrations of phenolic compounds than modern cultivars (Shewry et al., 2015).
Stone milling, typical of short chains, produces less refined flours, with higher amounts of fiber and wheat germ. This enhances the content of antioxidants and may improve digestibility, though the resulting products have shorter shelf lives.
A Resilient Economic Model
From a socio-economic perspective, short supply chains create added value for local producers. Selling wheat and flour without passing through large intermediaries means ensuring a fairer price for farmers and a more transparent product for consumers. In Italy, for instance, experiences such as “supply chain contracts” or “community bread pacts” have shown that organizing territorial networks can strengthen both farm profitability and social cohesion (ISMEA, 2023).
Not Just Nostalgia: Food System Resilience
The COVID-19 pandemic and recent geopolitical tensions have exposed the fragility of global wheat supply chains. Short supply chains cannot replace international trade, but they can enhance resilience, reducing dependence on distant and unstable markets.
In this sense, local flours and short chains are not a step backward into the past, but rather a component of the transition toward more sustainable, diversified, and secure food systems.
Sources
- Arzoumanidis, I., et al. (2019). Evaluation of the environmental impacts of bread production: A Life Cycle Assessment study. Journal of Cleaner Production, 239, 118053.
- De Vita, P., et al. (2018). Breeding progress and environmental adaptation of durum wheat varieties released in Italy between 1900 and 2017. European Journal of Agronomy, 101, 146–157.
- Shewry, P.R. (2015). The contribution of wheat to human diet and health. Nutrition Bulletin, 40(3), 223–250.
- ISMEA (2023). Scheda settore cereali