This research project hopes to explore alternative food practices with a specific focus on heritage food and traditional food production methods. It aims to investigate the values and motivations of those involved in pursuing these pathways and consider the opportunities/lessons that such approaches present in terms of sustainable food production, biodiversity and food sovereignty. The driving motivation behind the project is an interest the diverse – and sometimes conflicting – forces at play within this arena. Such forces include food commodification, food branding, concerns for authenticity, how heritage and tradition are understood and constructed, interests in sustainability and biodiversity, and the balancing of tradition with innovation.