The project applied systems thinking concepts and practices to innovation around UK-grown beans, including:
Co-producing knowledge about systemic innovation processes
Understanding how to design and implement fork-to-farm systemic innovation
Overview
This part of the BeanMeals project aimed to understand how to design and implement fork-to-farm systemic innovation – "the co-ordination of innovations across multiple business organisations and other stakeholders to deliver a new set of interlinked products, services and ways to utilise them." (University of Hull, 2022).
The project team reflected on collaborative engagement processes with a diverse range of stakeholders to determine how to best facilitate innovation and increase the supply and demand for UK beans. The aim was to identify effective methods and processes for adoption in future food system transformation on a larger scale.
People involved
The systemic innovation stream of work was facilitated by Professor Gerald Midgley and Dr Raghav Rajagopolan from University of Hull working alongside academics from different research disciplines, and a diverse range of stakeholders including producers, processors, distributors, consumers, non-governmental organisations, local councils, and policymakers.
Key project activities
Stakeholder analysis
To identify stakeholders that may have been excluded from discussions, and to consider the best approaches for building relationships with key stakeholders.
To identify stakeholders that may have been excluded from discussions, and to consider the best approaches for building relationships with key stakeholders.
Training in systems thinking and food systems concepts
Appraisal of the processes of systemic innovation
Including a consideration of how both researchers and stakeholders have developed their understanding of the food system and approaches to systemic innovation throughout the BeanMeals project.
Including a consideration of how both researchers and stakeholders have developed their understanding of the food system and approaches to systemic innovation throughout the BeanMeals project.
Creation of practical outputs
BeanMeals created a toolkit for members of Sustainable Food Places, local authorities and organisations with guidance on how to plan to transform local food systems. This report highlights the 'Food Compass model', a tool that supports food system stakeholders to consider and assess the impacts of actions on outcomes related to nutrition and health, sustainability, equity and the economy. The BeanMeals team worked with Leicestershire County Council and Leicester City Council to apply the Food Compass model to create a snapshot of the food system in these areas.
BeanMeals created a toolkit for members of Sustainable Food Places, local authorities and organisations with guidance on how to plan to transform local food systems. This report highlights the 'Food Compass model', a tool that supports food system stakeholders to consider and assess the impacts of actions on outcomes related to nutrition and health, sustainability, equity and the economy. The BeanMeals team worked with Leicestershire County Council and Leicester City Council to apply the Food Compass model to create a snapshot of the food system in these areas.
Co-production principles
Knowledge
The systems approach recognises the importance of dialogue between those approaching food system innovation from a diverse range of perspectives and expertise. Project collaborators highlighted the value of broad engagement of stakeholders across the food system and using a systems approach:
"Working with BeanMeals enabled us to think about the whole food system. That was really useful for us; it helped us to bring food system thinking into other areas of the council. As a result, we created some really good momentum to do the work that we needed to do." (Project collaborator, BeanMeals)
Reflection and reflexivity
The research team highlighted the importance of continuous reflection for this research activity (e.g., reflecting on who needs to be involved and who isn't currently involved but needs to be by revisiting stakeholder analyses), as well as key skills and personal qualities necessary for both co-production and application of systems thinking to innovation. These include facilitation skills, and self-awareness of one’s own interpretations and assumptions when engaging with stakeholders.
BeanMeals stakeholders
Find out more about this project
Related references
BeanMeals (2025), BeanMeals toolkit for Sustainable Food Places. Applying food systems thinking when transforming your local food culture. https://www.eci.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2024-12/BeanMeals-toolkit-final%20WEB.pdf
BeanMeals and Leicester City Council (2024), The Leicester City Food Compass. Assessing the impact of our food system. https://www.eci.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2024-12/Leicester%20City%20food%20compass-compressed.pdf
BeanMeals and Leicestershire County Council (2024), The Leicestershire Food Compass. Assessing the impact of our food system. https://www.eci.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2024-12/Leicestershire%20County%20food%20compass-compressed.pdf
Helfgott, A., & Midgley, G. (2009), Exploring boundaries in food systems research. Global Food Security Programme. https://www.foodsecurity.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Exploring-Boundaries-in-Food-Systems-Research_REPORT.pdf
Ingram, J., Barling, D., Bayes, N., Cottee, J., Dickinson, A., Hardman, C., Holub, E. Jones, K., Leadley, C., Magure, R., Michaels, L., Midgley, G., Rajagopalan, R., Zhang, J., Zurek, M. (2025), Fork to farm: reverse engineering a food system. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 380: 20240158. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2024.0158
Midgley, G. (2016), Co-creation without systems thinking can be dangerous. https://i2insights.org/2016/07/07/co-creation-and-systems-thinking/
Midgley, G., & Lindhult, E. (2021), A systems perspective on systemic innovation [https://doi.org/10.1002/sres.2819]. Systems Research and Behavioral Science, 38(5), 635-670. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1002/sres.2819
University of Hull (2022). New research: Beanz Meanz... – a healthier diet, a cleaner environment, and an innovative approach to UK food production. Retrieved 25th October 2023 from https://www.hull.ac.uk/work-with-us/more/media-centre/news/2022/new-research-beanz-meanz-a-healthier-diet-a-cleaner-environment-and-an-innovative-approach-to-uk-food-production
