The pandemic has spawned a resurgence of interest in local food. But the economic drivers for centralised sourcing and distribution remain strong. Nick Hughes reports. In the middle of lockdown, isolating at home in Kent due to a sniffling toddler and with supermarket delivery slots reserved for the vulnerable and those with a degree in…

An absence of seasonal workers has left fruit farmers relying on a “land army” of students and hospitality workers to harvest their crops. Will they be cut out for it, asks David Burrows. Things change quickly during this coronavirus crisis. A couple of weeks ago, the focus was on the tens of thousands of jobs…

The ambitious goal, to be achieved by 2030, would represent the most radical shift in diets since the Second World War, writes Nick Hughes From cutting sugar to ditching plastics, foodservice businesses are no strangers to being set demanding targets. But the latest call to action around meat reduction may be the most ambitious yet.…

This year’s Food Sustainability Index ranks the UK among the laggards of Europe – and that’s before Brexit hits the industry. By Nick Hughes. Just as Brexit negotiations threaten to reach a harmonious conclusion (we can dream, can’t we?) news breaks that gives Britain’s EU neighbours fresh cause to cast disdainful gazes across the Channel.…

Companies are pondering their next move after experts raised questions over the environmental value of the CSPO scheme. By David Burrows. There is “no significant difference” between Certified Sustainable Palm Oil (CSPO) and non-certified when it comes to environmental protection. The claims, in a study published in the journal Environmental Research Letters, heap further pressure…

The technology that underpins bitcoin could also be a vital weapon in securing supply chains all the way from farm to fork. By Nick Hughes. What exactly is it? Blockchain was created in 2008 as a virtual ledger for trading digital assets without the need for a bank to act as an intermediary. Users have…