TORONTO — Increased social responsibility among consumers is driving the food industry to adopt more sustainable practices.
“We need to be conscious and now look at where we’re buying from, how we’re feeding people and developing programs to meet the needs,” said Chris Fry, vice-president of supply management with Sodexo.
“It’s about meeting the needs today without compromising future generations,” he told delegates at the recent SIAL food show in Toronto.
Fry said food demand is expected to rise by 70 percent by 2050 as the global population swells, with the greatest growth expected in India and Africa.
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He said one in eight jobs in Canada is in agrifood and agriculture, which accounts for nine percent of Canada’s gross domestic product. Canada accounts for 5.5 percent of global food exports.
He said top food trends include locally grown, fair trade and certified products, waste reduction, sustainable packaging and sourcing food sustainably.
Companies need to work on what they can do at the front end to reduce waste at the consumer end, he said.
“Consumers are really looking for not only what’s in the product but what people do around packaging the product,” said Fry.
That extends to restaurants, where fresh and local food are big trends.
Locals Restaurant in Courtenay, B.C., displays photos of its suppliers on its walls and website, focusing its menu on local terroir of the Comox Valley and broader Vancouver Island.
“It seems so absurd to serve bottled Italian water in Canada,” said Toronto executive chef David Chrystian.
He said serving appropriate portion sizes is another way to reduce waste.
“You don’t need to eat 12 ounce steaks but instead five to six oz. steaks with fresh vegetables and garnishes.”
Tim Gilks, president of Ojai Future Trading, said chefs can address “value in food” by choosing artisanal, fair trade, ethically sourced and sustainably produced goods.
“Consumers have access to more knowledge than ever before and are using it,” he said.
