Abstract

This article examines the market viability of introducing Mexican Creole pig products into contemporary agri-food markets from a sustainable agriculture and rural economy perspective. Native and locally adapted livestock breeds can contribute to biodiversity, rural livelihoods and food system resilience, but their conservation depends not only on genetic value or cultural narratives. It also depends on whether producers, processors, retailers and food-service actors can integrate them into viable production and commercialization systems. Based on data from 28 value-chain participants engaged through semi-structured interviews and sectoral focus groups, this qualitative study analyzes how sanitary risk, carcass performance, supply continuity, price formation and market trust shape the adoption prospects of Mexican Creole pig products. Participants represented six types of value-chain actors: industrial pig breeders, small butchers, restaurateurs, traders/distributors, dairy/cheese producers and meat processors without herds. Results indicate a structural misalignment between conservation-oriented innovation proposals and the operational logic of real value-chain actors. Creole pigs are perceived as slower-growing, fattier and less predictable than industrial pigs, which limits their suitability for mainstream pork markets. However, actors identify potential in small-volume, high-value niches such as food festivals, specialty retail and artisanal processed products, provided that traceability, sanitary guarantees and coordinated branding are ensured. The study concludes that Mexican Creole pig conservation through food innovation requires more than consumer interest: it depends on value-chain coordination, institutional support and market designs that align heritage, sustainability and economic feasibility. 

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