R&D is the engine room of all businesses, not just tech
companies — playing an instrumental role in generating the ideas that will transform our food system in a way that can sustain both people and planet.
Creating a more sustainable food industry requires a sea change in current
operating structures. The latest IPCC report underscores that immediate action
is
needed
if we are to avoid a climate catastrophe by the end of this decade. With the
food supply chain on course to overtake farming and land
use
as the largest contributor to greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the agri-food sector,
there is an urgent need for transformational change.
I believe the role of technology in driving forward meaningful progress cannot
be understated. Research & Development (R&D) holds the key to unlocking a
sustainable world by replacing old practices with innovations that are better
for people and the planet. Working with our industry-leading R&D, I have
experienced first-hand the far-ranging impact of applying new thinking on
redefining practices; and increasingly, these experts are rightly being
celebrated as the pioneers of a more sustainable food future.
Of course, innovation within a single company is not enough. Addressing the
enormous scale of the challenges facing the food industry today will require
ambitious partnerships if the industry is to create a food system that meets the
needs of a growing population, within planetary boundaries and resources.
To help accelerate these vital collaborations, Nomad
Foods has launched an Open Innovation
Portal that invites
partners to share new solutions that can be scaled to help shape the future of
food and support more sustainable diets.
The Regen Ag Summit at SB Brand-Led Culture Change
Hear the latest case studies, partnerships, innovations and educational initiatives fostering the continued growth, scale and impacts of regenerative agriculture throughout the world - Thurs, May 9, at Brand-Led Culture Change.
One exciting area we are exploring is the increased use of bivalve proteins in
everyday diets. Since 2021, my team has partnered with scientists David
Willer,
David C. Aldridge and the University of Cambridge to research whether bivalves —
including clams, mussels, scallops and oysters — could be used at scale as a
healthy, alternative protein source due to their wide availability. Not only
that, but they have an amazing ability to absorb
carbon. It’s
exciting to think that the humble mussel could become one of our climate change
heroes!
We are also developing a number of partnerships in the food tech space —
including our cell-cultured fish collaboration with
BlueNalu to explore the delivery of sustainably
produced, cell-cultured seafood products in Europe. In the pea production
process, we are working with data platform Map of Ag to
help develop increasingly sustainable and optimised agricultural
practices,
from satellite scanning of crops to maximising carbon
capture.
Every day, we bring our R&D expertise, passion and knowledge to our
collaborations to deliver products that consumers will love and to help resolve
some of the key challenges facing the food industry today. This partnership
approach is a powerful way of creating a more sustainable world and I firmly
believe that R&D will continue to be the engine room of all businesses, not
just tech companies — playing an instrumental role in generating the ideas that
will transform our food system in a way that can sustain both people and planet.
Published Jun 1, 2022 8am EDT / 5am PDT / 1pm BST / 2pm CEST