As the food system approaches a pivotal decade, leaders across the globe are grappling with a new reality: balancing the urgency of climate action, the promise of digital transformation, shifting demographics, geopolitical changes, and evolving consumer values. Climate change is disrupting supply and straining resources; at the same time, new technologies are unlocking tools for innovation and efficiency. And at the heart of this transformation lies the paradox of abundance and scarcity—feeding a growing population amid finite land and changing diets, while simultaneously confronting food waste and overconsumption in developed economies.
In this 360° view, we gather the voices of a new generation of food leaders to chart a path forward: how can we design a more resilient, equitable, and truly sustainable food system for the next ten years? To answer this, we conducted in-depth interviews with over a dozen leaders and experts from across the globe, spanning industries such as beverage, packaging, ingredients, agriculture, technology, and retail. Their perspectives—drawn from North America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania—reflect a diversity of roles and experiences, and together provide a uniquely comprehensive look at the forces shaping the future of food. Their answers are rooted in the belief that collaborative action and intentional leadership will drive the change our sector demands.
Key Trends for the Next 10 Years: Personalization, Sustainability & Integration
The future of food will be defined by three intersecting trends: personalization, sustainability, and integration. As these forces accelerate, the boundaries that once separated production, supply chain, and retail are dissolving—giving rise to integrated systems shaped by data and evolving consumer values. Food companies are rethinking every aspect of their business, from how they source ingredients and design products to how they connect with consumers seeking transparency, health, and purpose. In this new landscape, innovation is no longer siloed; instead, collaboration and adaptability are becoming the foundations of success.
Many see personalization as the leading disruptor. As Yoshio Kinoshita, Director, Strategy & Business Development at Suntory , notes, “Making one product and selling it to a wide audience is not the future. Personalization is both the key opportunity and the key threat.” As consumer expectations shift toward tailored experiences and products that reflect individual health needs and values, companies must adapt quickly or risk falling behind in a rapidly evolving marketplace. Echoing these shifts, Patrick Sheridan, Vice President of Global Agriculture, Sustainability & Seed at Kraft Heinz, highlights two parallel revolutions: “Technology, particularly AI, will move beyond simple recommendations to actually executing on a personal nutrition profile,” he explains. Additionally, transparency and traceability have become non-negotiable. Similarly, Denis Neville, Founder of CoreFX, remarks, “We’re seeing a surge in demand for transparency in functional ingredients—people want to know where their food comes from and what it contains.” This push toward functional foods tailored to specific health conditions is also reshaping health and wellness, as Winnie Leung, Investment Director at Ajinomoto Group Ventures, notes: “There’s growing opportunity for food-based interventions to address diseases that were once only treated with pharmaceuticals, opening the door to more sustainable and proactive approaches to managing health.”
Sustainability and circularity are also moving from aspiration to necessity. In the world of sustainable packaging, which is at the core of a circular economy, Steven Altmann-Richer, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer at Polymateria, describes a fundamental shift from reactive waste management to proactive design, demonstrated by the rise of interest in these innovations. He notes that “functionality and sustainability do not need to be mutually exclusive.” He also points to the success of self-destructing plastics and sustainable packaging as evidence that circularity is moving from the fringe to the mainstream. But sustainability is about more than just packaging. Cordell Hardy, Vice President of Core R&D at Cargill, points to the dual reality of opportunity and risk: “The opportunities ahead lie in advancing health-forward food solutions that are both accessible and grounded in science.” He notes that this includes everything from personalized nutrition and protein-rich foods to innovative methods of food production. At the same time, Hardy warns that the sector still faces significant risks—such as increasing supply chain complexity, mounting affordability pressures, and a persistent gap between consumer needs and what the food system is able to deliver.
However, some industry leaders urge a pragmatic view of consumer expectations. Eric Weisser, Head of Open Innovation and Customer Innovation at Ingredion, points out that while enthusiasm for sustainability is growing, “People want sustainability for free. Customers aren’t at a point where they’re going to pay a premium for more sustainable products.” Still, Wiesser remains optimistic about the momentum in the sector, noting that companies are “moving faster than ever before to make sustainability part of the value proposition,” and that innovation continues to drive both cost efficiencies and environmental gains. “We’re seeing new ways to make sustainable options more accessible and scalable, and that’s where real progress will happen,” he adds.
Yet despite diverging perspectives, a unifying belief emerges: the next 10 years will demand bold collaboration and a willingness to challenge assumptions. As Matt Schwartz, Co-Founder and CEO at Afresh, put it, “We are successfully feeding the world, but we must continue to innovate—if not, climate change and problems will prevent us from feed billions of people healthfully.”
The Food Paradox: Scarcity, Overconsumption, and Accessibility
While technological breakthroughs are unlocking new tools for production and innovation, many leaders caution that progress must be measured, inclusive, and aligned with the realities faced by different populations. The sector’s future will depend not only on how quickly we adopt new solutions, but also on how thoughtfully we address longstanding disparities in nutrition, affordability, and opportunity. As new consumer identities and values shape the marketplace, the decade ahead will be defined by the industry’s ability to adapt, innovate, and ensure that the benefits of change are more broadly shared.
Despite recent technological innovations, experts urge a balanced view of how we implement these. Matt Schwartz describes the global food system as facing a “barbell problem,” with the dual challenge of a rapidly growing population and limited arable land on one side, and rising rates of overeating and obesity on the other. He argues that “addressing both food scarcity and overconsumption will remain among the sector’s most urgent priorities in the decade ahead.” For wealthier markets, food is increasingly becoming a marker of identity and values. As Hadar Sutovsky, ICL Group, VP Corporate Investments & General Manager of ICL Planet Startup Hub, puts it, “Food has become an identity. Consumers are demanding clean label, animal-free proteins, and traceability. Food is now a statement about who you are.”
At the same time, voices such as Josephine Davey, a Board Member at Food Standards Australia and New Zealand, warn that “new technologies offer opportunity, but access is unequal.” Ravinder Reddy, former Senior Manager of Open Innovation at Unilever, and others highlight that for many lower-income communities, affordability and reliable nutrition remain top priorities, not aspirational features or digital tools. The theme of equity runs throughout.
AI-Driven Future: Unlocking Its Full Potential
Artificial intelligence is often described as the most transformative force coming for food and agriculture now. Yet, leaders caution that AI will act as an enabler, not a panacea. Its impact depends on how well businesses, governments, and consumers adapt. Across interviews, experts highlight that AI is already accelerating advances in precision agriculture, supply chain optimization, and product development—from breeding resilient crops to enabling real-time, hyper-personalized nutrition for consumers. Many emphasize that AI will be the invisible thread connecting all parts of the value chain, enhancing everything from ingredient sourcing to digital engagement and food safety. At the same time, they urge caution about potential pitfalls: algorithmic bias, uneven adoption, regulatory uncertainty, and widening gaps between large and small players. As the technology rapidly evolves, its greatest potential lies in thoughtful, collaborative implementation—ensuring that benefits are shared, risks are managed, and trust is built at every stage of the food system.
To be successful in the fields, new AI and tech tools need to be designed with empathy, making sure they are rooted in the emotional and practical realities of the farmer — not just delivering technical solutions. Hiro Ueda, who leads Kagome’s Silicon Valley CVC initiative, observes that “Farmers do not simply require the ‘right’ technology; what they fundamentally need is sustained and reliable support, particularly in the context of climate change that advances incrementally each year.” His framing highlights the importance of situating technological adoption within broader socio-environmental systems of resilience. From an applications perspective, it suggests that AI is likely to function as a general-purpose accelerator of agri-innovation. Anticipated areas of impact include precision agriculture, where data-driven optimization enhances input efficiency, where predictive models can reduce waste and streamline operations; and personalized nutrition, where algorithmic insights may tailor dietary solutions to individual and population-level health needs.
Elliott Grant, Visiting Fellow at the University of Cambridge, envisions a future in which a shopper’s AI agent will negotiate with retailers and manufacturers to match their individual needs. Others, including Denis Neville, emphasize that AI is already reshaping product development and ingredient sourcing, but that human expertise and regulatory frameworks will remain essential.
Nevertheless, there are still some challenges to overcome. Dr. Ingrid Appelqvist, Senior Principal Research Scientist at CSIRO’s Food program, notes that “adoption is uneven, with large players advancing rapidly while most small- and mid-sized enterprises lag behind.” There is also a warning about digital divides. Dr. Amy Logan, Principal Research Scientist and Group Leader at CSIRO, points to a “maturity gap” in AI upskilling, while Professor Louise Bennett (Monash University) cautions that algorithmic bias and over-automation could introduce new risks such as unintended errors in food safety assessments, or inequitable outcomes if technology outpaces regulatory oversight.
Other companies have publicly announced initiatives that include using AI and advanced digital tools to transform nearly every link of the value chain. PepsiCo’s Chief Data Officer, Stephan Gans, notes, “We’re leveraging AI to forecast demand more accurately, optimize our inventory, and reduce food waste throughout our supply chain.” At Nestlé, the internal GenAI assistant “NesGPT” has already saved employees time across functions like R&D, sales, and marketing—while their Head of IT North America, Shan Collins, says, “Our vision is to unleash the power of our people by digitally transforming the workplace to lighten the weight of work and help our employees thrive as their most creative, collaborative selves.” Unilever has stated, “AI enables us to optimize manufacturing and deliver more personalized products and experiences to our consumers,” and Mars is investing in AI for greater supply chain transparency and responsible sourcing. Across the board, AI is compressing innovation cycles, reducing waste, and accelerating the shift to regenerative and circular business models—demonstrating that digital transformation is now foundational, not optional, for the world’s leading food companies.
Taken together, these perspectives suggest that while AI’s influence on food and agriculture is undeniable, its ultimate value will depend on thoughtful implementation and inclusive access. Leaders across the sector agree that unlocking AI’s full potential will require ongoing investment in education, collaboration across the value chain, and clear-eyed attention to new risks. The next decade will not only be defined by how fast AI advances, but by how responsibly and equitably it is integrated into the everyday realities of food production and consumption.
Building Alignment: Collaboration, Policy, and the Next Era of Food Leadership
Adapting to rapid change will require more than innovation from individual companies or startups. Across interviews, leaders stressed that system-wide transformation depends on collaboration, cross-sector alignment, and proactive government leadership. As the food system becomes more complex and global, the effectiveness of new technologies and business models will hinge on policies that promote inclusivity, trust, and coordinated action. Stakeholders agree: public and private sectors must move beyond incremental solutions and work together to create the conditions for meaningful progress.
Dr. Ingrid Appelqvist emphasizes, “Greater system integration is crucial—stakeholders across the value chain must collaborate to address shared challenges.”
Building on this idea, several leaders highlight that progress will require new forms of partnership that extend beyond traditional boundaries. Ueda further argues that “The magnitude of these challenges exceeds the capacity of any single corporation. Effective responses will require not only inter-firm collaboration but also coordinated commitments—alliances and joint investment vehicles are essential to realizing scalable solutions.” This perspective aligns with a growing body of literature emphasizing the role of collective action, co-investment structures, and cross-sectoral partnerships in addressing systemic issues across agri-food systems. Likewise, Hadar Sutovsky emphasizes that, “Collaboration is the multiplier. No single player can solve food security or sustainability—corporates must create venture arms and invest in the ecosystem.”
On the policy side, Emma Kovak, Senior Food and Agriculture Analyst at The Breakthrough Institute, adds that, while technology holds tremendous promise for reducing agriculture’s environmental impact, policy and social acceptance will be the deciding factors: “If we want innovation to succeed, we must combine technology with supportive policy, public trust, and the right incentives.” She adds that, “Biological innovations—from gene editing to alternative proteins—are reshaping how we produce food, but to scale, they must be paired with clear policies and consumer engagement.” Yet, even as the importance of policy alignment grows, government approaches can vary widely across regions. Patrick Sheridan shares, “I perceive a divergence in governmental approaches. The U.S. model often prioritizes innovation first, followed by regulation, which can foster rapid development and a dynamic startup culture. In contrast, the European Union’s model often integrates regulation alongside innovation, which can build greater public trust and ensure a more deliberate, long-term path for new technologies.” He emphasizes that both these distinct approaches create unique ecosystems for growth and change, each with its own set of strengths and challenges
While there is no single blueprint for successful food system transformation, interviewees widely agree that government policy and public-private partnerships will set the pace for the decade ahead. Regulatory clarity, investment in research, and support for both large-scale innovation and smaller producers will be critical. At the same time, effective policies must be grounded in science, communicated transparently, and designed with input from all stakeholders—ensuring that new solutions are embraced, not resisted. As the landscape shifts, adaptive and forward-thinking governance will be as essential as any technology in shaping a sustainable and equitable future for food.
Conclusion: Leading the Transformation Ahead
The coming decade stands as a defining moment for the global food system—one that will be shaped not just by breakthroughs in technology or business, but by our collective willingness to rethink old models, forge new alliances, and center equity alongside innovation. As this 360° review of expert voices makes clear, the challenges ahead are both immense and interconnected: from climate volatility and resource scarcity to shifting consumer values and persistent gaps in access and opportunity.
The future of food will not be built by isolated individuals, but by leaders—across sectors and borders—who are ready to align around shared goals, invest in systems thinking, and drive policies that empower change at every level. Collaboration, adaptability, and trust will be the cornerstones of resilient and regenerative food systems.
Above all, the next ten years will require courage: the courage to invest in new ideas, challenge outdated assumptions, and put purpose at the center of decision-making.
The invitation now is clear—for companies, policymakers, scientists, and entrepreneurs alike—to step forward as architects of a future where abundance, health, and sustainability are within reach for all.
The transformation of food is already underway. The next chapter will be written by those who choose to lead it.
We extend our sincere thanks to all the partners, experts, and organizations who generously shared their insights and experiences for this article. Their diverse perspectives and thought leadership made this 360° view of the future of food possible.
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