‘Egg that tastes like egg’: An ethnographic and economic inquiry into the assets and challenges of the organic farming market in the Canary Islands

Julian Goldner , Dane Emmerling

The development of self-sufficient organic food systems has become an important focus in the Canary Islands, where reliance on imported foods and conventional agriculture are predominant. This study examines the main challenges and opportunities in the market through eleven on-site, semi-structured interviews combined with participant observation. Thematic analysis was conducted and findings were organized using Barney’s Firm Resources and Sustained Competitive Advantage Theory as well as Kahan’s Entrepreneurship in Farming framework, to place the results within the broader literature on agri-food entrepreneurship. This research highlights key challenges to sustainable local production, including unstable demand, limited institutional support, high entry barriers, and a lack of consumer recognition of organic product quality. While exploratory, these insights highlight areas—such as tourism partnerships, expanded government incentives, and direct-to-consumer marketing—that could be further examined as possible ways to support organic farming.