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Conversations over the future of the food industry are intensifying, with the world’s largest companies leading the way in an era of transformation in how food is produced and consumed. In 2021, PepsiCo announced an ambitious goal to expand regenerative agriculture practices on 7 million acres and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 3 million tons by 2030. Subsequently, Walmart and Cargill similarly committed to implementing these practices on more than 50 million acres and 10 million acres, respectively, by 2030.
The Natural Resources Defense Council defines regenerative agriculture as a movement that “addresses the climate crisis through practices that sequester more carbon in the soil and make farmlands and communities more resilient.” As Christopher Marquis said in Forbes, the majority of food-related greenhouse gas emissions come from agriculture and land use, so transitioning to regenerative practices requires advanced farmers and financial institutions. Requires collaboration with retail partners.
Changing understandings, combined with consumer demand for sustainable practices in the food supply chain, are accelerating the need for leading companies to identify and implement solutions to address the climate crisis. This is an opportunity to counter the frictions of short-term operating models and implement long-term strategies that foster innovation, prioritize sustainability, and drive change across industries.
Revolutionary changes in the industry
CEO Erin Kappelhoff Eat Well Globalhighlights major changes in the industry. “Business priorities, stories, and health-related goals used to focus solely on reducing nutrients of concern and enriching nutrients that consumers probably want more of. Today, we are regenerating We are seeing a huge shift towards agriculture and sustainability, which aligns nicely with the broader nutrition and wellbeing agenda of businesses.”
Unilever supports specific implementation guidelines for regenerative farming practices around soil, water, climate, biodiversity and livelihoods, expanding the focus beyond traditional health and nutrition perspectives and focusing on the environment. This is an example of a company exhibiting monumental change, including something completely new: the impact of of food. However, discussions about wellbeing, nutrition and environmental impact remain largely separate and unconnected conversations.
Consumers generally want to make the right spending choices to purchase sustainable and healthy food. However, food suppliers and retailers need to make these options affordable and accessible.
The world’s largest companies must take action to achieve meaningful dual impact: a healthier planet and healthier people. But are these companies ready to functionally adapt to the opportunities of regenerative agriculture to build their future food portfolios? Several obstacles exist, including supply chain systems, increasing global demand for proteins, and lack of case studies and success stories to encourage future adoption.
These obstacles are multifaceted, but not insurmountable.
How can we create a more sustainable future?
There can be no other future if we continue on our current path. Companies with significant influence on global supply chains and consumer behavior are reevaluating their operating models and fostering innovation within their portfolios to develop new and scalable approaches to implementing regenerative farming practices. By creating one, you can stay ahead of the pack.
So where do we start?
Nicole Balderas, founder of Bell Mountain Consulting, advocates for a deep understanding of the supply chain and using that information to create better food evidence. “Take a step towards sourcing food grown with more sustainable approaches, such as sourcing water-friendly crops, cover crops, alternative fertilizers, or small-scale regenerative crops, and just get started. Start building demand.”
To effectively address sustainability, we need to rethink and reevaluate our approach from an innovation perspective.
· identify Overlapping properties of different products that benefit the planet and people.
· Integrate Contains water-friendly ingredients in new products.
· dedicated It’s about investing in where and how our products are grown using regenerative and organic methods.
· sauce Crops that are grown regeneratively, even if the process is imperfect.
· to understand and address current limitations in sustainable large-scale procurement.
· consider We develop strategies to create healthier, more sustainable food that is accessible to everyone at scale, and we work to integrate these strategies into the food supply chain.
· build consumer demand. For example, California and Massachusetts have passed laws prohibiting extreme confinement of livestock. However, most consumers do not understand or know how animals are raised and the potential health risks associated with it.
To adopt the Future Portfolio, we encourage stakeholders to take the following steps:
· decide The starting point is to conduct a lifecycle analysis of the current state of your business and make decisions about where to go next.
· to understand Nothing is black or white. You need to understand its nuances.
· dial in About policy and regulation.
· recognize That transformation takes a long time and involves many collaborators. Failure and imperfection are a big part of what you have to accept on a large scale.
· renewal Establish long-term metrics by respecting and learning from actions and failures.
· admit This is a long-term game and does not necessarily suit short-term profits.
road ahead
Erin Kappelhoff sums up the future succinctly: “The book has not yet been written.”
Although the U.S. agriculture industry does not yet have a uniform regenerative agriculture standard, innovative companies willing to invest in new systems and processes can make a big impact by joining the movement toward more sustainable agriculture. can do. Transforming our industry won’t happen overnight, but with a commitment to scale up our efforts and execute on a single new goal at every opportunity, we can create a tastier, more nutritious, and safer tomorrow. can be shaped.
