As the Earth’s population is expected to grow by more than two billion people in the next 30 years according to a 2017 United Nations report, it will become more imperative to address the sustainability of food processing. Population growth translates to higher required food output and consumers — specifically millennials — have concerns surrounding the environmental impact of today’s food supply chain. This leads them to seek out brands that proactively address the matter.
Some companies embrace this movement, successfully achieving large-scale carbon-neutrality while remaining profitable. However, many food and beverage processors face hurdles in making such significant strides. These companies juggle competing priorities, which include strengthening food safety, adapting to an e-commerce marketplace and increasing operational flexibility to diversify their product lines. As the processors work to do it all, they can still drive both sustainability and productivity through exercising a focus on energy and resource efficiency.