There has been a recent shift in the way we think about food and the impact it can have on the global environment. More and more, sustainability on every level is a concern. The way meat and other animal products have been produced in the past are not environmentally sustainable, leading to a shift in the food industry.
One of the biggest, most influential trends has been the impact and influence of food tech. startups. The rise in the way we think about and, more importantly, produce food has shifted to entail a more plant-based eating philosophy. This is thanks in part to companies creating viable options, such as Hampton Creek mayo, a popular version of mayonnaise that uses plant-based ingredients to replace eggs in their product. Such a shift has led to more food companies taking innovative approaches to the way our food is produced.
The Challenges of Creating Change
The food industry has relied on the same standards for producing animal products for a long time. The egg industry is a multi-billion dollar industry that has essentially functioned the same way for decades. But, as seen in this businessinsider article, the future of food lies in the hands of food startups that are creating more sustainable products. The key ingredient, if you will, to the success of each startup is that the products acting as replacements for those which have been a part of our culture for so long must actually taste good. If a company is creating products that replace animal-based ingredients with plant-based ingredients, it needs to taste good. The biggest challenge for these startups is creating food that both tastes good, and maintains certain nutritional values, like high protein in eggs, that have made the ingredients being replaced staples in our food consumption.
Innovation That’s Garnering Attention
Food startups have caught the attention of high-profile investors, such as Bill Gates, which has led to a bit of a revolution in what’s being called the food tech. industry. The complexities of recreating the taste and texture of animal-based products requires research, testing, and manufacturing practices often seen in the tech. industry that has flooded Silicon Valley. Products that utilize plant-based protein are of high interest, as pointed out by this fooddive.com article, as they address specific issues relating to consumption and health-related challenges we face today.
Cleaner Eating and Sustainability
As is the case with any business startup, the sustainability of the business itself relies on the sustainability of the products it’s creating. The food and beverage industry is massive and, as is the case, so too are the challenges of changing the way it operates. However, with the onset of serious concerns related to sustainable food production and consumption, there is a window of opportunity to create lasting change. This is what has led to the successes of food tech. startups that look to do just that. Clean, healthy, sustainable eating is itself a massive trend in our culture, and businesses are turning that trend into a means with which to create change on a larger level.
The Trend of Looking Ahead
Innovators in any industry have the ability to look ahead and predict shifts in public consumption. It takes time to implement real change, but forward thinking businesses will always have a leg up, as they are creating products that we will want or need before we even realize that’s the case. Successful business startups often predict forthcoming changes before they actually happen. The food industry is changing now, and the companies that had the foresight to prepare for those changes are reaping the rewards.
The Importance of Maintaining an Edge
Any successful startup likely became so with an edge that drove the necessity for change. It can be easy to relax a bit after initial success, which is a mistake many make. It’s always important to remember what got you to the top of the mountain in the first place. This goes hand-in-hand with having foresight. Any business landscape that starts undergoing significant changes will pick up steam, and before you know it the ideas and innovations that were fresh today become stale in no time. The food industry is picking up steam when it comes to innovation. It takes a special type of drive to maintain an edge for extended periods of time, but that edge is what’s driving the food industry now, and it’s what will keep it moving forward.
