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From vertical farms to low-water vegetable growing, lab-grown meat and palm oil replacements, there are a raft of changes in how food is produced. All making an impact on supermarket shelves and in restaurants around the world.
These are typically science-led and economic-focused initiatives. But also responses to consumer demand for better animal care and growing conditions, whether interest is fresh from the response to shows like Clarkson’s Farm or based on long-standing eco and sustainability concerns.
Enter The World of Animal-less Meat
While some may call them Frankenfoods, the eco-catastrophe we face as a species, impacting farms and their produce means changes are needed in how food is produced, stored and consumed. With the human race heading to 9 billion members in just another 15 years, the science around food isn’t just about marketing and high-concepts, it is about feeding the world’s population on a shrinking, hotter, more competitive planet.
Lab-grown meat is expected on UK shelves and in restaurants in the next couple of years, and there are already restaurants around the world experimenting with menus. They provide a suffering-free alternative to super-priced cuts and lower-standard meats. Cultured from stem cells, they are controversial but could be vital in supporting stores, the restaurant industry and consumer health in decades to come.
While lab-grown meats may be a premium-priced option in the early years, like most technological innovations, the price will fall as production methods improve, and resistance from consumers will reduce as it becomes a more common sight on store shelves.
Also in the lab, 3D printers are producing a range of foodstuffs from paste or liquid bases that are cooked to deliver perfect, replicable and long-lasting products. Since most food production processes are highly industrialised, it won’t be long before 3D printing is just another method, one that could appeal for bespoke products like chocolate, or simply creating endless high-volume essentials.
Looking Up At Vertical Farms
Vertical farms use the latest technology to grow more crops faster in a far smaller space than traditional farming. Examples like Harvest London use minimal soil and water to keep the weight down, enabling high growth in stacked crops, with automation and drones used to harvest and maintain the crops.
While more cost intensive, with some early starters going bust, there is clear value, especially in cities or nations with little arable land. Vertical farms and tech-focused distributors also typically use smart packaging that can monitor the freshness of produce, and ensure it arrives in prime condition at the wholesaler or restaurant.
Better Balanced Food and Drinks
In the hyper-competitive restaurant market, having a unique selling point or value-add that attracts customers can be essential once the new menu on the block hype has died down.
One increasingly popular example is FODMAP meals catering to the IBS-suffering market. The food tech science around fermentation and enzyme treatment help create FODMAP-friendly products that give restaurants and bespoke food stores a greater range of products to support this market.
Even in busy and popular eating-out areas like King’s Cross restaurants, there is so much competition that farm-to-fork eateries, technology-focused diners and other concepts are needed to stand out from the high-quality crowd.
Beyond restaurants organic, restricted diet and other types of good stores like Natura Market Olipop, Canada can all provide the latest innovations in no-sugar, dairy-free, and keto foods to appeal to those markets.
All Food Will Become Tech Food
While it might take a generation or two, most food will have a technology base in the future. That could be an evolution of today’s AI-based meal planning to keep us healthy, that could stretch to specifically grown products that meet individual dietary needs.
Even back on the (Clarkson’s) farm, we’ve already seen automated tractors in action, and drones are now used to check crop health. Smart sensors can monitor soil health over time, and smart farms will store and use water to mitigate drought situations, which are becoming increasingly common.
As more investors see value in food technology, the sector will see more startups and innovative ideas looking to change how food is produced and managed across the supply chain. Every improvement and new idea will help propel the industry to a more sustainable future, one that can improve health at a national and local level, while creating new types of dining experiences, with better quality and less impact on the environment, all key selling points.