Noronha, Teresa deNijkamp, Peter2014-06-272014-06-272008Noronha Vaz, T. and Nijkamp, P. (2009) “Large-scale production and market segmentation: an uneasy relationship”. Noronha Vaz, T., Nijkamp, P. and Rastoin, J.L., Traditional Food Production facing Sustainability: A European Challenge, Ashgate, Economic Geography Series, London, United Kingdom, ISBN 978-0-7546-7462-7, 267 – 276.978-0-7546-7462-7AUT: MTV00577;http://hdl.handle.net/10400.1/4543A glance at the current state of the food processing industry reveals a perspective of restless and energetic activities adjusting to shifting consumer desires and global markets. Modern society has managed to adequately shape the supply of and demand for industrial food products in a way that encourages us to assert that the produced amounts of goods are sufficient. However, the huge marketing and logistic efforts put into these activities are not yet able to provide processed food in an equitable and balanced way for the entire world’s population. The reasons for this situation concern both marketing channels and income distribution. In fact, international food provision, as we may call it, has been determined by approaches which have stressed, over the years, globalizing tendencies. The established political economy of the agro-food systems favours multinational food processing and retail capital which encourage free trade and justify a global view. But there is a danger that small firms may be excluded from the agro industrial system.engbook part2014-06-12