Five Conversations Shaping the Future of Food (Copy)
Over the past few months, I've been writing about a topic I keep coming back to: how food businesses, entrepreneurs, and policymakers are preparing for the future.
Food is changing. Technology is changing. Consumer expectations are changing. And the businesses that understand those shifts early will be better positioned to adapt.
Here are five of my favourite pieces I've written recently and why I think they're worth reading. You can find most of my content on the FEAD Canada website.
1. Food Is Infrastructure: Why Canada Should Treat Food Like Energy or Housing
Food is often treated as a consumer product, but it's also critical infrastructure.
This article explores what happens when processing capacity disappears, supply chains break down, or transportation networks are disrupted. It looks at why food security isn't just about farms. It's also about processing, storage, distribution, and resilience.
Why I wrote it: Food security conversations often start on the farm. I wanted to explore everything that happens after the harvest.
2. The Missing Middle: Why Canada Needs More Regional Food Processors
Canada has incredible producers and large national food companies. What's disappearing is the middle.
Regional processors play a critical role in helping local products reach larger markets. This piece explores how consolidation has hollowed out that space and why rebuilding it could strengthen Canada's food economy.
Why I wrote it: The more I learn about food systems, the more I realize how important processing capacity is to growth.
3. AI in Food and Agriculture: From Marketing to Market Intelligence
AI is becoming one of the most talked-about topics in business, but the real opportunity isn't replacing people. It's helping businesses make better decisions.
This article looks at how food businesses can use AI for marketing, customer insights, market research, forecasting, and strategic planning, while highlighting real-world examples like Syzl.
Why I wrote it: AI conversations often focus on hype. I wanted to focus on practical applications that founders can actually use.
4. EPR Is Changing Food Packaging: What Food Entrepreneurs Need to Know
Packaging decisions are becoming more complex.
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is changing how packaging waste is managed across Canada and shifting more responsibility onto producers. This article breaks down what founders need to understand now before these changes start affecting costs and operations.
Why I wrote it: This was one of those topics I kept hearing about but didn't fully understand myself. Writing about it helped me learn alongside other founders.
5. Circular Food Economies: Turning Waste into Opportunity
What if waste wasn't waste?
Across Canada, entrepreneurs are finding ways to turn byproducts, surplus ingredients, and imperfect produce into valuable products. This article explores how circular thinking is creating new opportunities in food manufacturing.
Why I wrote it: Some of the most interesting innovation in food is happening in places people aren't looking.
A Common Theme
If there's one thing I've learned from researching and writing these articles, it's that the future of food won't be shaped by a single breakthrough.
It will be shaped by thousands of decisions.
The decisions entrepreneurs make about packaging.
The decisions processors make about capacity.
The decisions consumers make about what they buy.
The decisions businesses make about technology.
The decisions policymakers make about the systems that support it all.
Food is one of the most important systems we have, and it's evolving quickly.
I'm looking forward to continuing to explore where it's headed next.
