A significant amount of animal waste is generated in the meat industry, and this is no different in the case of family businesses in the meat industry, be it slaughterhouses, meat processors or poultry farms. Animal waste is not always waste. Some parts of it can be recycled. In the course of their research, the authors tested their previously developed model with an online survey of 45 family businesses in the meat industry and with in-depth interviews analysed with the help of artificial intelligence. The aim of the research is to assess which internal factors influence the decision of family businesses in the meat industry to expand the capacity required for the recycling of animal waste. The research verified the model and provided useful, practical examples for the utilisation of animal waste.

The purpose of the research on which this paper is based was to test and validate the decision-making model previously set up by the authors. The model presents the internal factors influencing the decisions of family businesses regarding capacity expansion and the possible decision outcomes. The distinctiveness of the model is that it presents the internal factors affecting decisions related to capacity expansion, thereby helping family businesses to make decisions. For collecting data, both qualitative and quantitative techniques were used. As qualitative data collection techniques, in-depth interviews and focus group interviews were conducted. As quantitative method, an online questionnaire was used, whose questions were compiled based on previous research of the authors. The questions indirectly assess the internal factors influencing capacity expansion decisions of family businesses and the possible outcome of the decisions. The questionnaire was sent to the VOSZ (National Association of Entrepreneurs), MAPI (Hungarians on the Market Club) and the Association of Family Entrepreneurs, which means approximately 500 addresses. After data cleaning, 135 completed questionnaire were analyzed with SPSS software. In-depth interview was conducted with the heads of five family businesses, whose results were analyzed using tagging and artificial intelligence. The model previously set up by the authors was validated by both qualitative and quantitative research. It can be concluded that the following three internal factors influence the decision of family businesses regarding capacity expansion: socio-emotional wealth, cooperation between generations, and heterogeneous top management team. The family businesses themselves are not necessarily aware of this, so the model enriches the scientific literature and helps in the conscious operation of family businesses.

In response to global sustainability demands, this study aims to assess how family-owned food industry enterprises integrate emission reduction mechanisms into their capacity expansion strategies, with the goal of identifying key internal decision-making drivers and evaluating their environmental effectiveness. Family-owned food enterprises were chosen as they dominate the European agro-food sector and, through their long-term orientation and intergenerational responsibility, provide a unique context for aligning growth with sustainability. Energy usage and investment data from five such businesses were analysed over a three-year period. While energy data supported quantitative modelling of emission trends, the investment records—extracted from sustainability reports—were qualitatively assessed and coded according to their alignment with three internal decision-making drivers: socio-emotional wealth, intergenerational cooperation, and heterogeneous governance. Results reveal a consistent trend of investments in energy-efficient technologies, process optimisation, and renewable energy adoption. These efforts led to quantifiable reductions in emission intensity, with CO2 intensity decreasing by 8.8 % and energy use per falling below OECD benchmarks (1.66 MWh/t). In parallel, production capacities increased by approximately 15 %, demonstrating that growth and environmental performance can be aligned. The findings demonstrate that long-term-oriented family firms are aligning growth with sustainability goals. This research contributes to sustainable industrial development literature by evidencing that environmental responsibility and production expansion can be pursued simultaneously.