Work

Reimagining Corporate Food Museums as Living Labs: A Heritage-Driven Model for Sustainable, Inclusive, and ICT-Enhanced Food Innovation

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Corporate food museums are increasingly recognised as strategic heritage infrastructures capable of mediating between industrial memory, territorial identity, and contemporary societal challenges. This paper proposes a conceptual shift that repositions corporate food museums from static repositories of brand heritage to Living Labs for sustainable, inclusive, and participatory food innovation. Drawing on the EU-funded GNAM project, the study adopts a qualitative methodology combining the mapping of Italian corporate food museums with an analysis of European Living Labs in the food and agri-food domain. The comparative framework informs the development of a heritage-driven Living Lab model articulated around three interconnected dimensions: cultural heritage valorisation, community engagement, and sustainable food system innovation. The model is empirically grounded through a series of design-driven workshops, technology-transfer activities, and digital engagement initiatives conducted within corporate museums and academic laboratories in Southern Italy. These include co-creation processes involving students, citizens, companies, and researchers; experimentation with food waste valorisation, biodegradable and hybrid materials, and 3D food printing; and the deployment of digital platforms and immersive virtual environments. The paper contributes to heritage studies by advancing a replicable framework in which corporate food museums act as active agents of sustainable transformation, linking cultural heritage, technological experimentation, and community participation.

Source: Heritage

DOI: 10.3390/heritage9040145

Authors: Patrizia Marti, Annamaria Recupero, Flavio Lampus, Noemi Baldino

Institutions: University of Siena, University of Calabria

Language: English

Topic: Cultural Heritage Management and Preservation

Subfield: Archeology

Field: Arts and Humanities

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Responsible consumption and production

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,930