A B S T R A C T

The purpose of the research is to assess the role of the innovation factor in increasing the competitiveness of food producers in Azerbaijan and to identify effective strategies in this direction.

The methodology of the research is a systematic analysis, comparative analysis and empirical observations. The data were collected on the basis of official statistics, field reports and enterprise surveys.

The practical importance of the research is that these results can contribute to the formation of innovation-based competition strategies for enterprises operating in the country's food industry and the improvement of state support mechanisms.

The results of the research are that enterprises that implement innovation have a more advantageous position in increasing their market share and expanding their export opportunities.

The originality and scientific novelty of the research is that for the first time, the impact of innovation on competitiveness indicators in the local context has been assessed with such a comprehensive and analytical approach. As a scientific novelty, a quantitative analysis of the relationship between innovative activity and competitiveness in the food industry is presented.

Keywords: food industry, innovation factor, competitiveness, food producers, compe­titive advantage, export potential.

http://doi.org/10.59610/bbu3.2025.3.12