This document summarizes work done with the dairy products cluster in Bekaa Valley, Lebanon. The cluster includes 28,000 producers, 100 manufacturers, and other supporting organizations. EFCE, a non-profit organization, worked with the cluster to map it and identify challenges like lack of quality control, traceability, and marketing. They developed a charter of best practices and ideal value chain. International visits were made to share experiences. Key takeaways are that a balanced economy benefits society, the dairy sector is important culturally and economically, and cluster development methodology can help regions recover economically and improve lives.

1. Titel presentatie
[Naam, organisatienaam]
Working Day - Track: Food clusters
Food cluster Xchange: toolkit
Henri Varlet
Dairy Products in Bekaa Valley

2. Dairy Products in Bekaa Valley
Delivering competitiveness in the warzone
Henri VARLET
Eindhoven, TCI 2016

3. Dairy Products in Bekaa Valley
Delivering competitiveness in the warzone
Agenda
3
EFCE, a short introduction

4. EFCE – A solid ecosystem
Who we are
 A non profit organization
• based in Barcelona
• established in 2003 as a multi-national initiative
 Provide support in the design and formulation of
implementable policies and strategies for economic
competitiveness
 Provide an academy for economic decision makers with
professors from prominent universities and business schools
(HBS, IESE, Ecole des Mines de Paris - ParisTech...)
 Governance by a board of leading academics and practitioners
• Michael PORTER, Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness at HBS
• Antoni SUBIRA i CLAUS, former Minister of Industry, Trade and
Tourism of the Catalan Government
4

5. EFCE – multi-lateral partners
Ongoing collaboration with leading organizations
5

6. Guiding
the strategy
Launching
the actions
Identification of
the challenges
of the Cluster
3 phases – 6 to 8 months
3rd Public Meeting2nd Public Meeting1st Public Meeting
Cluster Excellence Management training
Combining theory and practice
• In-class training + 1 field project aimed at reinforcing a real cluster
• Typical field project calendar is as follows*:
*for our most comprehensive training program
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7. 7
Projects across Europe... And beyond
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8. ...with 50+ institutions
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9. Dairy Products in Bekaa Valley
Delivering competitiveness in the warzone
Agenda
9
Geopolitical context

13. 13
Dairy Products in Bekaa Valley
Delivering competitiveness in the warzone
Agenda The initiative

14. Cluster mapping
The Bekaa dairy products cluster
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28000 Producers
100 Manufacturers
100 Milk collectors
2 Universities, 1 R&D
6 Associations
2 Ministries
2 Packaging suppliers

15. Products
The Bekaa dairy products cluster
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ANBARIS
CHANKLICH
BALADI
LABAN
LABNEH

16. “Differenciated”
- +
“Conventionnal”
Quality
16
+
Preservation
Shelf life:
several
weeks
Shelf life:
a few days
Opportunity for the cluster
Conventionnal Vs Differenciated
Specialty cheese

17. International meetings and visits
Caen,
Normandy
Paris
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18. 18
International meetings and visits

19. IdealToday
Charter
of best
practices
Traceability
Non
coordinated
practices
Collection
with
modern
trucks
Equipment
Training
Controls
Individualised
products
Identity
Multi-channel
sales
Delivery
capacity
No
hygiene
Breaks in
the
cold chain
Traditional
processes
No quality
control
No
marketing
No packaging
Sales
from the
production point
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Cattling Collection Transformation Conditioning Distribution
Areas of improvement
The ideal value chain

20. Dairy Products in Bekaa Valley
Delivering competitiveness in the warzone
Agenda
20
Key take-aways

21. Key take aways
 A balanced economy means a balanced, sustainable
society
 The dairy economy is not only a source of income but is
also at the root of culture, lifestyle and sociability
 The search for economic and social recovery can benefit
from a proven and systematic methodology otherwise used
in more peaceful contexts
 Economic development and value chain development is
meaningful, it can really make a difference in people’s life
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22. Thank you
Moreinformation available at
www.clusterexcellence.org
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Contact
henri.varlet@clusterexcellence.org