The food industry is one of the global growth industries, yet it is facing major changes. This is what researchers and entrepreneurs discussed during the iFood conference at the Anuga. This is an overview of the industry's top five megatrends.
Verticalization: Everyone can benefit
The trend towards verticalization is not quite new, but it is increasing. Corporate groups like Miratorg, Charoen Pokphand Foods, Mitsubishi and EDEKA have relied on vertical business models for years. SME, too, can benefit from the advantages by using the available integration tools in the form of software solutions. Read more
Blockchain: Between hype and disruption
The blockchain technology has what it takes to revamp the food industry. For example, with regard to traceability of products. Its key advantage compared to conventional track & trace systems: Blockchains store the information in a decentralized cloud database in an audit-proof format. Read more
Online food communities: Staying tuned in to your customers
Stay tuned in to your customers online: This is the advice Cyrille Filott from Rabobank gives all food producers and food dealers. Online food communities like assessment portals, blogs, lifestyle and recipe websites can be platforms for productive dialogs. “This is where you find out what customers really think and what they want.” Read more
Omnichannel: Supermarkets' digital transformation
The balance of powers between bricks-and-mortar grocery stores and e-commerce is changing. But is this also a sign for a disruptive development? Will the importance of stationary food trade decline dramatically? This is illustrated by the Alibaba Internet holding and its hybrid Hema supermarkets in China. Here online and offline shopping blend in perfect harmony. Read more
Sustainability: Ecological focus pays off
Last but not least: sustainability. There are three reasons why this topic is becoming ever-import for the industry. Firstly, laws and directives in the areas of climate protection and sustainability are becoming increasingly stringent. Secondly, consumers will prefer to buy products they feel good about. And thirdly, taking an ecological approach saves your own financial resources. Read more
About the iFood conference
The 4th Innovation Food Conference – iFood 2017 organized by Deutsches Institut für Lebensmitteltechnik (DIL, German institute of food technologies) took place on October 9th, as part of the Anuga. It sees itself as an international networking event for food technologists, manufacturers and dealers. Further information is available at www.ifoodconference.com
