The close relationship between the natural world and food quality and availability has never been more apparent. 

Many food and drink brands have struggled to maintain production or been forced to increase prices in recent months as a result of sourcing challenges caused by problems like:  

‍Heatflation: Rising temperatures are making crops more vulnerable to heat stress and drought. This is leading to reduced yields, lower-quality produce, and greater price volatility. 

Heatflation is also impacting animal product sourcing. In August 2023, a US heatwave resulted in 22 cattle dying in Nebraska, while Arizona beekeepers found dead honeybees outside their hives, indicating the bees had closed off their hives during the most intense heat.

‍Sogflation: at the opposite end of the spectrum to heatflation, heavy rainfall and flooding in Europe are causing sogflation.  

Analysis by the Energy & Climate Intelligence Unit found that wet weather could reduce the UK’s farming self-sufficiency by 8% in 2024. Oilseed rape crops are expected to drop to a historic low of 40%, while flour millers fear the higher-grade milling wheat harvest could also decline by 40%.

Climate change challenges are driving food and beverage brands to rethink their sourcing strategies. Many are now partnering with suppliers using innovative agricultural techniques to ensure a reliable and resilient supply of raw materials.

‍How can agricultural innovations solve sourcing challenges? 

With the traditional food supply chain unreliable, food and drink brands need to find suppliers that can maximise yield and minimise risk. 

Here are some examples of the agricultural techniques that growers and producers are pioneering to support brands in a continually evolving environment: 

‍Vertical farming

‍What is it? The practice of growing crops in vertically stacked layers rather than planting them in a field. Vertical farms often use soilless farming methods like aquaponics and aeroponics to cultivate plants (more on these in a moment).

‍How can it benefit food and drink brands? Vertical growing systems stack rows of plants on top of each other, yielding a high volume of crops in a limited space.

It’s also easier to control the growing environment indoors. Vertical farmers can manage temperature, humidity and nutrient delivery, and cultivate crops using artificial lighting for year-round production. 

Many vertical farmers convert indoor spaces like warehouses and shopping containers to grow crops in urban areas. Urbanising the farming process reduces transportation costs and enables crops to be cultivated in locations where they would never grow naturally.  

‍Who’s using this technique? GrowUp Farms became the first vertical farm to supply branded ready-to-eat salads to UK supermarkets, including Tesco, Iceland and SPAR.

‍Hydroponics and aeroponics 

‍What are they? The two most popular techniques for soilless crop cultivation. The hydroponics system grows plants in water, while aeroponics suspends plants by their roots in a mist environment. 

‍How can it benefit food and drink brands? Both hydroponics and aeroponics use significantly less water than traditional soil-based agriculture, as water is recirculated and reused within the system. Reducing water footprint can lower production costs and promote sustainable plant cultivation. 

These two agricultural techniques also protect plants from soil-borne pests, pathogens and contaminants, which minimises the risk of crop contamination and helps to ensure food safety.

Who uses these techniques? BrightFarms grows fresh produce in hydroponic greenhouses for its range of salad ‘crunch kits’. This soilless cultivation method uses 80% less water, 90% less land, and 95% less shipping fuel than long-distance field-grown produce. 

Minichromosome technology 

‍What is it? Minichromosomes are small structures within a plant cell that can store large quantities of information. Agricultural geneticists are exploring how minichromosomes can add new genes or traits to crops to improve their performance or resistance. 

‍How can it benefit food and drink brands? Minichromosome technology has the potential to help crops withstand natural forces, increasing their yield. For example, geneticists could use minichromosomes to improve a plant's pest resistance or drought tolerance, helping it grow better in certain conditions. 

‍Who’s using this technique? DuPont used minichromosome technology to genetically modify soybeans with zero trans fats to create a healthier cooking oil. 

‍Bee vectoring 

‍What is it? A natural and innovative way of increasing crop protection during the pollination process. A tray containing specially formulated powder is placed inside the beehive entrance. Bees collect the powder on their bodies as they pass through and deliver it to the crops while pollinating them. 

‍How can it benefit food and drink brands? Bee vectoring is a targeted way to deliver protective substances to the flowers of crops, where they are most needed. Less product is required when using bees as a delivery vehicle, which saves on cost and minimises environmental impact. And it’s a great marketing story! 

‍Who’s using this technique? Bee Vectoring Technologies International works with growers in Spain, Mexico and South Africa.

‍Drip irrigation 

‍What is it? An efficient way to deliver water and nutrients directly to the roots of plants. A network of pipes, valves and emitters deliver substances to crops in a slow and controlled manner. 

Drip irrigation (sometimes called trickle irrigation or micro-irrigation) can reduce water consumption by 30-70% compared to traditional flood or sprinkler irrigation. 

‍How can it benefit food and drink brands? Controlled, sustainable farming processes like drip irrigation can maximise the quality and yield of fresh ingredients, improving stability in the food supply chain. They also reduce water consumption, which helps reduce a product’s climate footprint. 

‍Who’s using this technique? PepsiCo and gravity-powered irrigation solution provider N-Drip announced a partnership to help farmers around the world adopt drip irrigation technology across 10,000 hectares of land by 2025.

‍Regenerative agriculture 

‍What is it? A broad term to describe any type of farming that supports or improves the environment rather than destroying it. While there is no set playbook, most organisations practising regenerative agriculture focus on restoring soil health and improving the condition of the land and waters they use for future generations. 

Examples of regenerative agriculture include: 

• Rotating crops to prevent nutrient depletion of the soil 
• Enhancing biodiversity, e.g. planting wildflower strips to attract pollinators such as butterflies and bees 
• Moving livestock between paddocks and pastures to avoid overgrazing
• Growing ‘cover crops’ like vetch and clover to naturally increase soil fertility rather than using synthetic fertilisers (a practice known as green manuring) 

How can it benefit food and drink brands? By sourcing from regenerative farms, brands can lower their carbon footprint and demonstrate their commitment to environmental sustainability. It also boosts their credentials as more consumers seek transparency and ethical sourcing from the brands they support. 

Who’s using this technique? General Mills pledged to advance regenerative agriculture on 1 million acres of land by 2030. 100% of its ten priority ingredients are now sustainably sourced. 

‍For more insight into agricultural techniques and the future of food sourcing, follow Hooley Brown on LinkedIn. 

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