Digital-circular pathways for wine industry: Exploring evidence from multinational enterprises

The global shift toward the twin transition requires firms to integrate digital transformation and sustainability into a unified strategic framework. Within this context, the wine industry represents a particularly relevant field of observation due to its strong dependence on natural resources, high exposure to climate variability, and growing external pressure to enhance environmental performance. This study investigates the interplay between Industry 4.0 technologies and Circular Economy strategies in leading multinational wine enterprises, with the aim of understanding how such integration facilitates sustainable transformation. Through a multiple case study of three major Italian wine companies, this research investigates the technological and strategic mechanisms by which firms operationalize Circular Economy principles. A three-dimensional qualitative assessment was conducted through focus groups to evaluate each company's level of digital enablement, technological diversity, and alignment with the hierarchy of circular strategies. The findings reveal that the interaction between digitalization and circularity is not linear but strategically differentiated across firms. Three distinct digital-circular pathways are identified: data-driven prevention, automation-driven recovery, and governance-oriented efficiency. The study highlights that sustainable transformation emerges from strategic alignment between digital and circular initiatives rather than from the mere magnitude of technological adoption. These results provide novel insights into how technology, governance, and circular practices jointly shape sustainable competitiveness, offering actionable guidance for managers aiming to foster innovation and enhance environmental performance across industrial ecosystems.