This week, our Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, Tom Webster, joined a panel at Economist Impact’s 10th Annual Sustainability Week. The discussion brought together leaders from across the food sector, including Jeff Tripician (Creminelli Fine Meats), Sally Smith (Flora Food Group), Roel van Poppel (Olam Food Ingredients), Isaac Berzin (Vaxa Life), and Sara Guaglio (FUL Foods), to explore the biggest challenges in our food system and the innovations that could reshape it.
The panel addressed one central question: how can we build a secure, sustainable food system for a growing global population?
Key insights from the discussion
- The next generation of food: Ensuring security and sustainability will require innovation across the entire system.
- Consumer demand drives change: People’s choices shape the pace and direction of transformation.
- Hybrid production is the future: A mix of traditional farming, vertical farming, and alternative production methods will be needed to feed the world.
- Food is an experience: Beyond sustainability and efficiency, we must protect the cultural and emotional value of food.
- Taste, price, and convenience: These remain the biggest drivers of change, and are essential to winning consumer adoption of new systems.
As Tom highlighted, no single solution can solve food security. Vertical farming is one important piece of the puzzle, but progress will depend on collaboration across the food system.