“Food will define the future more than any other sector” predicted Dominic Blakemore, CEO of Compass Group, the world’s largest food service business, and keynote speaker at this year’s City Food Lecture.
His inspiring lecture began by outlining the challenges of population growth, food inequality, and the increasing need for food that is currently based on a system which damages the environment and threatens our planet. He noted that by 2050, it’s expected that the global demand for protein will have increased by 80%.
Dominic then highlighted the role that technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics, ‘big data’ and 3D printing could play in helping the food industry adapt and evolve.
He outlined the importance of ensuring tomorrow’s consumers can trust where their food comes from. He said: “The way we will build trust is through transparency, having a supply chain we can have total confidence in and where consumers can be confident in the sustainable methods used to produce their food. That requires us to be fair with farmers, pay them an appropriate price which enables them to reinvest, and having a shared commitment to the environment, animal welfare and workers’ rights.”
He concluded by stressing the importance of a new approach in the food industry; working together, creating partnerships and trust between businesses, sharing a respect for natural resources and embracing new technology. It’s his belief, that those businesses that successfully interlink sustainability and business strategy are the ones that will flourish in the future.
Then followed a lively panel debate with questions and comment from the audience of 700 industry leaders, academics and liverymen, and finished with an informal buffet supper in the Guildhall’s famous Old Library.
Author: Philippa Anderson
Philippa is a Liveryman of the Company and editor of the website. She’s a marketing consultant who specialises in communications and brand.
