ABSTRACT
Traditional products are typically produced by small firms in rural areas, using inputs that originate from the region and relying on regional employment for both the production and the services related to manufacturing (Vaz and Nicolas, 2000; Traill, 1995). Moreover, traditional products are based on know-how that is transferred over generations and embedded in a historical and regional context. Strategies to enhance the competitiveness of traditional food and drinks are therefore of growing concern in the debate on revitalizing rural economies and the maintenance of the cultural heritage in the European Union (Committee of the Regions 1996; Forsman and Paananen, 2004; Ilbery and Kneafsey, 1999; Jordana, 2000; Trail 1995; Tregear et al., 2007; Trichoupoulou et al., 2006).
