The aim of this paper is to introduce and discuss the design and the main contents of a survey-based research methodology supporting data collection to better understand how food companies identifies and manage levers, practices and initiatives of positional innovation. After a literature review aimed to briefly modelling theory about the role and the characteristics of the positional innovation, and on the base of a first testing of the survey-based research methodology, the article presents then a set of empirical evidences gathered in the Italian context useful to clarify theory and to show how the various conceptual issues may be operatively and effectively applied. In order to implement the survey-based research methodology to investigate more widely experiences and practices of positional innovation in food industry, a dedicated questionnaire has been elaborated. The items of the questionnaire have been built combining the results of a desk research with empirical deductive data collected through dedicated focus groups and interviews with experts and opinion leaders. A first test of the questionnaire has been carried out on a sample of Italian leading companies in food industry through collecting public available data. The questionnaire includes currently three main sections: Section 1 – Company’s data; Section 2 – The main goals of the positional innovation strategy; 3- The intended levers and actions implemented by companies to manage practically positional innovation. Although there is an increasing need to inform companies producing mature and “not technology-driven” goods as food about how to analyse, shape and renew their management and innovation practices, there is still a general lack of empirical data around the real goals, orientations, needs, expectations that food industries feel and put in place to revise and innovate their products in terms of perceived value. Accordingly, it is of strategic value to build knowledge and collect data around positional innovation experiences and practices for the development and the sustainability of the food industry. In order to fill this gap, this paper provides then a survey-based research methodology capable to theoretically support the data collection grounding a better understanding of the managerial initiatives of positional innovation defined and implemented by food companies. On the base of the testing of the research design and methods, it emerges from one side the strength and the quality of the tool to identify significant knowledge domains and collect related data about positional innovation; and, on the other side, the variety and the multifaceted aspects through which positional innovation can be operatively translated and managed.