El Niño and its Effects on the Food Industry
El Niño is Spanish for ‘Little Boy’. It is a naturally occurring climate pattern in the Pacific Ocean that can affect weather worldwide. El Niño increases overall global temperature, affecting rainfall and agriculture. Therefore, the food industry should also be on alert as food- and water-borne diseases could become more prevalent. This will naturally lead to increased expectations for food safety, and intensify the focus on health and nutrition.
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Currently, the onset of El Niño is threatening the supply of robusta coffee beans, which is the preferred variety in the Asia Pacific region. El Niño’s arrival is also forecast to affect the production of cacao beans. This means higher prices for coffee and chocolate, among other supply chain woes. While El Niño is not caused by climate change, its effects can be worsened by global warming.
How Tech and Data Can Deal With Supply Chain Challenges
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Take a look at how tech and data can help food producers deal with supply chain challenges. Data is the new oil of the digital economy. With data processing, automation, and advanced analytics, users can predict and identify changes in the market, enabling businesses to anticipate the potential impact on their operations. As more data is collected and patterns are discerned, these solutions can empower organisations to discover new opportunities. Collectively, these efforts can help food producers optimise food production.
Consumer Trends
Lastly, given the current focus on climate change, consumer behaviour and trends of today are similar to those during the pandemic. See sustainable food predictions during COVID times, which gives an overview of the trends that are still relevant today.
Read more about weather, climate change and their impact on the food industry here.