Food in the 2020s (3 Predictions)

We’re still close to the beginning of the year, so the ideal time to get some predictions in.

Here are some of my ideas on what food and agriculture will look like in the 2020s.

I’m not the world’s expert on these, far from, but I’ve found in previous endeavors that making predictions forces me to clarify my thinking.

So here we go 🙂

1 – Climate change chatter fuels the fire

Agriculture gets its share of the heat for intensive meat production, the use of pesticides and herbicides, and deforestation. Big Food doesn’t do much better.

So they rightfully are at the center of many climate change discussions.

On the other hand, I currently see climate change fatigue happening. People get indifferent to the barrage messages because it’s all doom and gloom.

Things are happening in the background, but I predict that this negative mood will continue to dominate society at least for the coming years.

It will not be for another couple of years, maybe even well into the half of this new decade that we’ll see new and more exciting grand visions for the future.

Revolutions where we feel energized to be part of.

New projects where we work together to create a better future for ALL of us, instead of getting sad because our toys are taken away from us in the West.

2 – Lab-grown food is the emperor without clothes

Technology can’t fix everything.

While I’m a big believer in investing more in long -term research to find solutions for tomorrow’s problems, the current technological focus doesn’t feel right.

In 2019 companies like Beyond Burger (fake meat burgers) were hailed as the future.

They might be better from an ethical or environmental point of view, but these products are far from a healthy alternative to animal meat.

They are highly processed and use many ingredients that are home in a place like McDonald’s instead of a farm.

These companies are surfing the pseudo environmental trend. And when the novelty wears off, people will recognize these products for what they are: the equivalent of fast food.

We know how to grow simple food that is good for people. We just have to figure out better about how to do that at scale in a way that gets people excited. Technology will play a role in this, but it won’t be that of the crazy scientist.

3 – Regenerative organic goes mainstream

Consumers don’t really care enough to purchase organic food.

The organic food spend actually took a dip in Flanders (-2% ) in 2018! The other part of Belgium (Wallonia) grew by 15%, which led to a small increase for the whole of Belgium.

But it’s not taking off any time soon.

Price remains one of the big objections. But I believe convenience is also a big factor. You have to do the work to find and purchase the right kind of product.

If a supermarket or restaurant doesn’t have/publicize its use of organic. People don’t care. (I know I don’t care enough)

So I believe that if we leave it up the market or customer to have to make a choice out of every purchase decision, progress will continue to happen at a snail’s pace.

That’s why I believe in bigger supply-side initiatives that really grow the organic, and by extension the regenerative agriculture market.

If everything is regenerative organic (because it gives the producers the most benefit), we can save the consumer some choices, which will lead to a better business.

I can keep going, but I’d be REALLY getting out of my depth 😉

If you caught yourself nodding your head or you have ideas or projects related to any of the above, please do so!