There’s work to do, but celebrate regen ag progress
I read in The Grocer about FAIRR’s study on a growing ‘credibility gap’ in regenerative farming practice with intrigue and some concern. I see many real, impactful examples of food and drink manufacturers investing in regen ag, and I worry that questioning the credibility of genuine progress risks undermining future investment.
FAIRR’s research suggested only a low percentage of businesses are setting targets or reporting on regenerative agriculture. While these are crucial steps for measuring and benchmarking progress, it should not come at the expense of putting resource into real action.
Several major UK food manufacturers have committed to scaling regen ag practices within their sourcing and are already making substantial progress. McCain, for example, has set an ambition to have 100% regenerative agriculture implemented on land used to grow McCain potatoes by 2030.
While businesses do need to go further, there’s no smoke and mirrors here. Manufacturers are driving momentum behind sustainable farming. Companies are striving to be transparent about the impact of their actions, while a consistent approach for measuring environmental outcomes and carbon remains under development.
The creation of a standardised approach could help accelerate investment and ensure the positive work already taking place is rightfully recognised – but in the meantime let’s celebrate the progress being made.
Emma Piercy, head of climate change policy, FDF
Managing supply spikes
The recent heatwave has offered another reminder that climate-related disruption is no longer a future planning exercise – it is becoming part of day-to-day business.
For the grocery industry, sudden spikes in demand for products such as bottled water, ice, fans and seasonal goods can place enormous pressure on supply chains. When supply cannot keep pace with demand, procurement teams frequently need to source products quickly from alternative or unfamiliar suppliers. These purchases often sit within ‘tail spend’ – the long tail of lower-value, non-strategic transactions that organisations may rely on during periods of disruption.
The biggest challenge is rarely sourcing emergency suppliers, but knowing which are already familiar to the business, what they can provide, and whether commercial and compliance checks have already been completed.
As extreme weather events become more frequent, the ability to see and manage emergency purchasing is becoming a critical part of supply chain planning. Organisations with greater visibility across their tail spend, combined with the right mix of AI and human oversight, are likely to be better placed to respond quickly to disruption.
Oliver Norman, chief revenue officer, Nomia
Hovis Bakeries & health
We welcome the creation of Hovis Bakeries and especially the bold strapline ‘Nourishing the Nation’. It is a clear signal of intent to revive one of Britain’s best-loved brands by returning it to its roots making everyday bread a health-positive food.
At a time when ultra-processed foods are under intense scrutiny, the bigger opportunity is to show that mainstream food can be reformulated for positive health outcomes — and there is no better category to start with than bread. The answer is not to abandon processing, but to use it better.
Through its partnership with Oxford-based Modern Baker, Hovis has already taken a lead in healthier mainstream bakery with the launch of Superloaf, described by The Grocer as “the world’s first healthy ultra-processed food”.
That relationship gives the new Hovis Bakeries business a strong starting point as it looks to build on growing consumer demand for health-positive food, with a proven health-positive product already in market.
This could be a real catalyst for healthier change across the food system.
Leo Campbell, co-founder, Modern Baker
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