Circular economy in the meat products industry: Strategies for sustainable artisanal entrepreneurship

Abstract

Entrepreneurship is a driver of change through the discovery and exploitation of ideas, requiring a circular mindset. The article was produced within the framework of the Intellectual Creation Project Transformation of educational reality: an approach from theory to teaching practice in veterinary medicine, code (509125103). The purpose of this research was to propose a circular economy model adapted to the artisanal processing of meat products by identifying sustainable entrepreneurship strategies that promote the comprehensive use of raw materials. The methodology consisted of qualitative, descriptive, and documentary research with a non-experimental, bibliographic design, analyzing a corpus of 80 specialized secondary sources from the last five years. The findings reflected business models, process innovation, and product development, highlighting strategies such as hybridization, functional ingredients, and edible coatings. Based on this, the Circular Management Model for Artisanal Meat Processing (GC-PAC Model) was designed, structured in two phases: optimization of the production core (internal focus) and valorization and cycle closure (external focus), detailing specific upcycling actions and strategic alliances. The findings determined that the model's foundations lie in the strategic reconfiguration of the local value chain based on principles of efficiency and territorial symbiosis, rather than in industrial technological sophistication. Success depends on transitioning to a systemic vision of design-optimization-valorization, demonstrating that small-scale circularity is viable by prioritizing operational precision and a zero-waste mindset.