Panelists from across the food industry gathered together on January 28, 2019 at a General Assembly event to answer the question, “What is the future of food?” The panel was moderated by Jennifer Leuzzi, who hosts the Tech Bites podcast, which explores the role of technology in our food system. Panelists included Robyn Tang, vice president of global marketing at MealPal; Eric Tsytsylin, senior brand director at The Farmers Dog; Jennifer Aaronson, culinary director and co-founder of Martha + Marley Spoon; Illir Sela, founder and CEO of Slice; and Grace Ouema-Cabezas, vice president of digital marketing at Food52.
One of the big themes of the night was accessibility without compromise. As consumers’ lives become busier, companies are expected to tailor their products to be more convenient, without losing any quality or flavor. In a similar vein, the demand for fresh products also seemed to be a trend, for both human food and pet food. As Tsytsylin noted, as consumers become more aware of what they are putting into their bodies, they are also thinking about what they are feeding their pets.
Technology was also a big topic of the discussion. For Tang and MealPal, technology is helping to create a more efficient experience; mobile QR codes help customers more seamlessly pick up their food from restaurants. But Slice doesn’t want new tech to overshadow the overall experience. “We want to elevate the quality of food and make sure the technology is not felt,” noted Sela, “We are focused on authentic and local food, not the technology.”
Overall, the consensus seemed to be that the future of food isn’t necessarily about robots or computers, though they will definitely be making more of an appearance in years to come. Rather, the future of food is about making it simple and easy for consumers to enjoy food that is fresh, healthy, and most importantly, tasty.
Related: Digital Sales of CPG Products Increased in 2018; Connectivity and Convenience Drive E-Commerce.
from Specialty Food News http://bit.ly/2GtvT0N
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