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This study aims to identify the interfaces between Industry 4.0 (I4.0) technologies and circular supply chains (CSC) in Brazilian foodtechs, focusing on key stakeholders’ perspectives to understand the efficiency and sustainability impacts of these integrations.

Using a qualitative exploratory research design, the study analyzes eight Brazilian foodtechs through interviews and content analysis. It identifies CSC practices and examines the adherence of I4.0 technologies within these enterprises, assessing stakeholder engagement and the implications for CSC optimization.

Fifteen CSC practices were identified across the foodtechs, with notable integration of three distinct I4.0 technologies. The findings suggest that while I4.0 technologies enhance efficiency in CSC, their adoption is in early stages. Stakeholder engagement emerges as a crucial element for optimizing CSC in the context of Brazilian foodtechs.

This study contributes to the academic discussion on the synergy between I4.0 and circular economy (CE) models, providing empirical evidence of their application in the foodtech sector and highlighting the role of stakeholders in facilitating these integrations.

The findings suggest that stakeholder engagement in circular practices is vital for both supply chain and organizational levels, with potential benefits including improved efficiency and sustainability outcomes. The research also underscores the need for public sector support, including regulatory frameworks and incentives for adopting I4.0 technologies.

By demonstrating how I4.0 technologies can support CE practices in foodtechs, the study highlights the potential for these integrations to contribute to more sustainable and efficient food systems, addressing environmental concerns and promoting social well-being.

This study addresses a gap in the literature by exploring the interface between I4.0 technologies and CSC in the emerging context of Brazilian foodtechs, offering insights into the practical and societal benefits of these integrations.

The proposal is to answer the following question: based on previous studies, which are the new paths and challenges related to the circular economy (CE) and Industry 4.0 (I4.0)? To answer this question, the research objective is to analyze studies approaching the interface between CE and I4.0.

A systematic literature review (SLR) was conducted on previously published studies pertaining to Scopus and Web of Science bases, and 63 articles were found.

The authors present five new paths and challenges amid the relationship between CE and I4.0: applying those technologies to clean production, using blockchain and big data in the circular supply chain, raising additive manufacturing impact on the CE, seek for a better understanding on how I4.0 technologies can properly support the CE in the stakeholders' view and discerning the factors for implementing those theoretical fields onto supply chains.

Previous studies' sample basis is still recent, lacking research depth. Search strings might have minimized the number of selected studies: there could be a bigger sample.

Practical contributions of this study lay on the applicability of the raised propositions into several sectors' industries.

The authors suggest a transition agenda towards CE, using I4.0 technologies for operational, tactical and strategic personnel within organizations, as well as potential utilization strategies in specific study fields, like supply chain management and product manufacturing per se.

The study presents new paths and challenges amid technologies pertaining to I4.0 and its interfaces with the CE. In the result presentation and analysis, the existing interfaces are described.