Dwindling natural resources, an increasing population and soaring energy costs have in recent years drawn attention to the need for businesses to employ sustainability practices. As with any efforts to achieve a goal, the challenge becomes how to get there, especially when multiple options exist. The food industry is no different, and it currently finds itself at a turning point in how to adopt sustainability practices to ensure its own viability and the well-being of the vast community it serves.


It is estimated that at least 40 percent of the food produced in the world is never consumed, a statistic that everyone in the food value chain -- from the producers to the distributors and retailers to the ultimate consumers -- understands must change. The change is paramount for grocery retailers. An increasingly aware customer base is becoming more attuned to the sustainability practices of suppliers and retailers when making purchasing decisions.


Achieving the needed change will require addressing energy efficiencies, the materials used in food production and transportation, and all other processes involved in getting food products through the supply chain.


In other words, there isn’t one single solution. While the need for biodegradable packaging gets a lot of attention, if the food inside the package goes to waste anyway, the impact on the environment is even greater. Sustainability therefore, calls for a comprehensive approach involving a combination of measures that address a number of areas, including packaging, shipping processes and storage technology.


Join Progressive Grocer magazine for a live Web seminar, sponsored by Sealed Air's Cryovac brand, with a panel of experts who will be discussing how to achieve sustainability. Learn in this online-only event how to best employ best practices to establish sustainable processes in the food industry.