Localised agri-food systems (syal: from the French systèmes agroalimentaires localisés) are a type of organisation of agri-food activities, in which territorial dynamics play a decisive role in terms of the coordination between stakeholders and the development of production activities. The aim of this paper is to analyse: (i) the construction and evolution of the syal concept, (ii) the integrated character of the syal concept and its conceptual basis, (iii) how agri-food activities are linked with territories and the factors involved in territorial anchorage, (iv) the diversity of situations and how the syal concept operates.