Like so many things, the word ‘Glocalization’ has been around for a while but is becoming more prominent now following the pandemic years of 2020-2 when our world was turned upside-down.
In essence, Glocalization (we’ll keep the American z for the sake of global cohesion!) is where multinational corporations leverage economies of scale, but ensure that their product or service is tailored to the needs of local markets.
You can see how this plays out in companies like McDonald’s and Starbucks, where their menus are tailored to suit the appetites of consumers in different countries.
Implementing ‘glocal’ principles has become ever more important with the disruption of supply chains all over the world, due to not only the pandemic, but also war in Ukraine and rising costs of goods and shipping.
Here in Australia, it is obvious we are part of a global economy, even though we are separated from other countries by vast distances.
We have seen how supply chain disruptions on the other side of the world have impacted supplies of everyday products, and we also see how technology speeds up our interactions with other nations, be they financial or social.
We too can take the most useful aspects of globalisation and apply them to our own businesses, while tailoring them for the local market. In fact marketers call this micromarketing, which is a similar concept to Glocalization.
There may be a global trend, for example plant-based dining, that you can implement in a local way, using regional ingredients to shorten the supply chain and support local producers.
In 2023 Glocalization will continue to evolve in the dining arena, as chefs take global cuisines and adapt them to local tastes and ingredients. This also plays into the trend towards sustainable eating, with chefs minimising waste and seeking out local suppliers who favour sustainable farming and food production.
So this year, consider how Glocalization might impact your own business – do you have multiple sites that need to take local communities into consideration?
Maybe you can take something that is trending around the world and give it a local twist to make it relevant to your market base. However you apply it, make 2023 the year you go ‘Glocal’!
For more on Glocalization and other trends in 2023 listen to FoodLogic’s new podcast, The Business of Taste.