The participation in regional networks is an important factor in explaining the food companies’innovation capacity which – in turn - is an important driver of competitiveness (Gellynck et al.,2006a; Gellynck et al., 2007). Further, it is argued in cluster theory that intensive networkingbetween related companies and other actors in a given region is a driver of competitive advantageof this region (Enright, 1998; Porter, 1998). In this paper the food cluster is understood asa set of geographically and socially embedded network relations based on a range of complementaritiesand communalities between regional actors and enhancing the competitiveness ofthe regional food industry. Each cluster shows distinct patterns of learning and uses differentsources of knowledge (Pittaway et al., 2004; Steiner and Hartmann, 2006). As such, clustersexist in different forms, characterised by distinct configurations of network relations.By joining a network and taking part in a collaborative process with partners belonging to thenetwork, the company is able to overcome internal restrictions (Camps, 2004; Daskalakis andKauffeld-Monz, 2005; Janszen, 2002). Network configurations are diverse in character, dynamicand principally guided by the choices of partners and by the network infrastructure itself(Pittaway et al., 2004). Further, networks are considered to be embedded in the environment(Etzkowitz and Klofsten, 2005). This environment can cover different geographical scales ofwhich the regional scale proves to be a significant one (Bunnell and Coe, 2001). Earlier researchdemonstrates that the company’s networking behaviour is important to explain its innovationcapacity and competitiveness: it is the condition which has to be fulfilled to benefit from otherregional external resources for innovation, such as the presence of a strong food chain, a competitivemarket or leading-edge facilities (Gellynck et al., 2006b; Gellynck et al., 2007). Further,networking relations are established with a diversity of partners. There is evidence that networksare more effective where there is exchange of knowledge between systems, for examplebetween different industrial sectors, regions or stakeholders (Foster et al., 2003; Kaufmann andTodtling, 2001). This is also acknowledged in cluster theory, where reference is made to networksbetween concentrated groups of companies and a range of other organisations (Porter,1996; Raines, 2001).Following the important role of networking in innovation processes and the diversity of networkrelations existing within regional food clusters, our paper focuses on the question which networkcharacteristics have the strongest relationship with the competitiveness of the regionalfood industry. In particular, this paper formulates an answer to this question based on the perceptionof the main stakeholders in the network: entrepreneurs, scientists, policy makers andnetwork actors (understood as regional development initiatives and formal networks). This paperis structured as follows. In the following section the conceptual framework is described, leadingto the research question. In section three the research design and methodology aredescribed. Afterwards, in section four the analysis and main findings are presented, leading tothe conclusions in section five.