How we feed ourselves

The food value chain is outdated and wasteful. It’s time to rethink supply and demand

It’s estimated that one-third of the food produced globally never gets consumed. That’s a clear indication of how the food industry’s traditional linear value chain — all the way from raw materials to retail — has ceased to be fit for purpose.

Players in the fast-evolving food ecosystem are deploying new technologies to reduce food waste and loss, increase transparency, and optimise processes like production, post-harvest storage, processing, and distribution through data-led decision-making. Our global value chains are also subject to significant climate and geopolitical risks, so enabling supply chain resilience is now a critical consideration. The good news? Our food value chains have plenty of room for sustainability wins and cost improvement.

Feeding the world within our planetary boundaries

To simultaneously meet rising demand for food, support the journey to net zero and help to maintain biodiversity, food production will need to become more sustainable in terms of both resource usage and impacts on nature. 

This will require all players in the ecosystem – input providers, farmers, producers, aggregators, consumer products companies, retailers, consumers, governments and more – to innovate and collaborate around new production methods, technologies and business models, and to foster sustainable agriculture. PwC is helping them do this.

From GenAI to blockchain, technology’s role is on the rise

As new connections are made across the food ecosystem, many opportunities and challenges can be met through advanced technologies deployed by players across the domain. 

Whether it’s using satellites and drones to improve farming productivity and reduce use of inputs; leveraging blockchain and IoT to track food provenance and improve trust, safety and quality; or using AI and precision fermentation to help shift consumer consumption, the role of next-generation technologies – like vertical farming and precision agriculture is only going to grow.  

Technology is also critical to improving agriculture in the developing world.

Food is invaluable, nature is precious. Correctly valuing our resources is key to their survival

Creating a food system that works in harmony with nature will be a core aspect of the transition to the reconfigured ecosystem – and a key determinant of future value for all players.  

This means applying a blend of financial and non-financial metrics to put a value on natural assets in the food domain. We’re working closely with agri-food businesses, consumer product companies, governments and other stakeholders to create frameworks to do this.