3 Major Changes to the Food Industry to Watch For

Did you know that it's possible to grow a cube-shaped watermelon? Japanese farmers often grow watermelons in glass cubes so that the watermelon grows to fit the container. This is done because a cubed watermelon is easier to store than a round one.

This is just one of the many strange facts about the food industry. Food is big business, and it's constantly changing to keep up with the world around it.

With the outbreak of COVID 19, experts are expecting a huge wave of changes to affect the industry. We'll talk about a few of these changes in the paragraphs below.

1. Online Stores and Restaurants

With so much of the world being confined mostly to their homes, restaurants and grocery stores are getting fewer customers than ever. People are stockpiling food and ordering delivery a lot more.

This is good news for pizza places and other restaurants that offer delivery, but not for grocery stores and dine-in restaurants.

The food industry has come up with a simple solution. If people don't want to come to the food, the food needs to go to them. Online ordering and no-contact pickups are becoming far more common as businesses that have never offered them before are starting to.

2. Supply Chain Issues

COVID 19 has also caused disruptions in the supply chains of various companies. We buy 10% of larger goods, such as furniture, from China. We also buy 6% of smaller goods from China.

Though we don't buy most of our products from China, these are still significant amounts.

Since COVID 19 started in China, countries have had difficulty importing products made in China. As in the US, many businesses in China have temporarily closed and are slow to reopen.

It will take time to find a way around supply chain issues because supply has been affected in several ways.

You can learn more about supply issues by clicking the link.

3. Focus on Sustainability

Much of our generation grew up in a world affected by habitat destruction and climate change. The result is that concern for the natural world and a desire for sustainability is not uncommon.

Many companies have responded to these concerns with more environmentally-friendly products. Many more companies are likely to follow suit. Still, the epidemic will hinder efforts for a more eco-friendly business.

There's also been a backlash in response to the outbreak. To combat COVID 19, companies are packaging products that weren't packaged before. Also, the stockpiling of food is making products with a long shelf-life more attractive.

After the world recovers, there will likely be another demand for sustainability, and the food industry will once again be forced to adapt to it.

How the Food Industry is Changing

Like most businesses, the food industry will have to grow and change in response to customer demands. We've talked about a few of the expected changes in this article, but there are others out there. We encourage you to do more research on your own if you're interested.

If you want to know more about the food business, especially catering, please visit our site.