Cibo e inclusione sociale: evoluzioni e possibili soluzioni di un problema di sempre

The worldwide malnutrition is still a well-known multifaceted social and economic issue. Experts of FAO and WHO stressed the multidimensional profile of this social issue characterized by decay situations, growth retardation, poor nutrition, and, conversely, by obesity. This study aims to analyze how the traditional for profit and non-profit business models are evolving in tackling the issue, taking into account the external environmental context. In a world divided between surplus and waste and, between food shortage and malnutrition, the social issue implies different strategy linked to high-income economies and low-income economies. Through a multiple cases study approach, we analyze seven different business models interviewing their representatives. Analyzing the interviews, we derived conclusion over the importance of two types of criteria: propensity to solve the social issue and competences useful for manage the social issue itself. While the former implies a profound knowledge of the malnutrition and the ability to set up a process to generate a social impact, the latter is strictly linked to ethical and moral value, and, moreover, to the complexity of the social and relational capital.