Translocal practices of migrant food businesses: How multicultural foodspaces are created in Goes, the Netherlands

Abstract

This research looks at the influence migrant entrepreneurs have on foodscapes in a small city context. In-depth interviews and observational methods have been used to gain insights into motivations of migrant entrepreneurs and the way their businesses affect foodscapes. Translocality is used as a concept, due to the fact that food creates complicated and dynamic relations between individuals and between cultures. This study focuses on one street so that the environment can be fully incorporated. Results have uncovered the subtle ways in which migrant business owners use their ethnicity to alter the foodspace. It has been found that these alterations of foodspace may originate from non-deliberate motivational decisions. Even when migrants do not try to bring forward their culture, the food they sell still stands for their culture. Motivations matter in what foods will be sold. Making ethnic products available for other inhabitants in the city means the food business will operate in a more traditional way. When money making or success is a factor, decision-making may lead to using cultural aspects in order to attract customers.