Food supply chain fragility: what can be done?

We have experienced, and are still experiencing, food and labour shortages​​ that are impacting our access to all sorts of produce.

While we are still trying to digest how the pandemic has affected our supply chains, it is becoming more evident that we cannot rely this much on imported food products.

A good example is the animal feed sector’s reliance on soy, most of which comes from South America. A small disturbance in the global soy supply chain can have a dramatic impact on livestock production in the UK and EU.

Solution in technologies​

The solution can be found in technologies that allow for food and feed products to be grown locally. Insects are a great example. At Better Origin, we address the food security problem by producing carbon-negative animal feed in a decentralised manner, local to the farmers and communities.

Another force driving change within the food system is the governments’ ambitious Net Zero goals, including the British farming 2040 Net Zero target.

We strongly support the UK Government’s efforts to ensure further development in more sustainable and innovative technologies. But we hope that this transition will happen much faster with the adoption of technology and not at the expense of food security.

Governments and food producers can transform food production​

Food companies have a unique position in the supply chain, impacting both the farmer and the consumer. They can take on a leading role in implementing new technologies and communicating the changes to shoppers.