KHNI warns against empty commitments amid “incredible opportunity” in sustainable nutrition

08 Dec 2021 --- The growing focus on environmental sustainability means many members of the food industry have to return to square one from a business strategy point of view. However, Dr. Nathan Pratt, nutrition scientist at Kerry Health and Nutrition Institute (KHNI), views the “monumental undertaking” as also offering significant business potential.

Ahead of an upcoming webinar, he and business development manager Aiofe Marie Murphy speak to FoodIngredientsFirst about the pitfalls of commitments without real action, as well as what sustainability actually means. 

“The need to transform our food system to make it more sustainable is vital both for the planet and for companies to stay relevant. It should not be viewed as just a marketing opportunity by any company,” Pratt emphasizes.

He argues that from a big picture point of view, companies must make changes to succeed long term. Those who make effective changes the fastest will most likely be the most successful. 

“It’s very possible there will not be space in the market for companies who do not contribute to an improved food system.” Sustainability means thinking about current and future generations when producing something.

Nailing down sustainability
There are currently many different ways that the term “sustainability” is being used, which can make it difficult to navigate for consumers and businesses alike.

Pratt boils the concept down to thinking about current and future generations when producing something.

“For F&B, this idea has evolved to sustainable nutrition. We are seeing this phrase being used more and more instead of just ‘sustainability.’” 

Typically, when people think about sustainability, their first thought is about the environment (e.g. water use, waste). Still, there are other essential parts of sustainability like nutrition and health, economics and culture. 

“This was a big point of emphasis at COP26, the UN Climate Change conference this fall.” 

Pratt believes that as this definition becomes more widespread, it will be more clear to everyone what sustainable nutrition truly encompasses (people, planet and society) and the areas of change to focus on for the future.

Shifting perceptions
Recent years have brought a shift in the consumer appetite for sustainable products, with consumers willing to pay a premium for brands that have more of an ethical and sustainable positioning. 

Consumers also expect the food industry and governments to drive the sustainability movement, notes Murphy. 

This is also reflected in Innova Market Insights’ top trend for 2022, “Shared Planet.” The market researcher reports that trust and transparency are must-haves for any brand wishing to find common ground with an increasingly educated, forward-thinking and interconnected consumer base. 

On-pack communication
Recent consumer research by Kerry also indicated that 54% of global consumers want to see sustainability information compulsory on food labels, Murphy adds. 

She details that accurate environmental data is needed to measure and communicate sustainable nutrition targets. 

Life-cycle assessments that measure this data can be expensive and time-consuming. Therefore, many varying approaches for portfolios of scale use secondary data or assumptions, which are less reliable and transparent. 

“Lack of primary data and a lack of harmonized methodology also make it difficult to measure and communicate sustainable nutrition targets,” Murphy explains.  The F&B industry is responsible for over a third of global greenhouse gas emissions. 

Food’s outsize impact
According to Murphy, the F&B industry is responsible for 37% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and currently a third of all food produced globally is wasted. 

“There needs to be a drastic step change in the entire food system in order to protect the health of the population and the planet. Strategies such as the EU farm to fork report highlight areas where the food industry can improve such as regenerative agriculture, harmonized front of pack nutrition and environmental labeling and reduction in food waste.” 

In a worst-case scenario, Pratt predicts that the next decade could bring an abundance of ‘greenwashing’ without actually contributing to meaningful change. 

“Greenwashing refers to an excess of companies putting ‘green’ labels on their foods to sell product.” 

The goal of the sustainable nutrition movement is to elicit long-term change to feed the population by 2050 using the limited resources on Earth. 

“This means nutrition and environmental profiling need to be used to measure goals and guide progress first and foremost. Greenwashing is damaging to the long-term success of this goal and can mislead consumers, too.” 

Focus on realistic and meaningful change
In contrast, the best-case scenario for the next decade would be making meaningful progress toward a more sustainable food system.

“The issues will most likely not be entirely solved over the course of ten years, so it is best to focus on realistic and meaningful change that can promote more improvement in the future,” notes Pratt. 

This means more transparency throughout the entire supply chain, better datasets and more efficient ways of measuring metrics related to sustainable nutrition. Ultimately, this also means healthier and more sustainable foods and beverages, he continues. 

“For now, we can start by thinking big picture at every opportunity we can. Consider health and nutrition, environment, economy, and society when making decisions in day-to-day business and in future strategies,” Pratt concludes. 

Next week, he and Murphy will present a free webinar further delving into how to action sustainable nutrition. Registration is currently open here. 

By Katherine Durrell