Ready to eat food products are witnessing high demand across nations like the United States, India, and China. This is mostly due to changing consumer lifestyles and high demand for convenience foods. What really makes ready to eat food products popular is their convenience.
The ready-to-eat food industry, despite a positive growth trajectory, is facing some challenges, including environmental concerns. Packaging waste, high carbon emissions, and other issues are prompting companies to adopt sustainable practices to mitigate environmental challenges.
Green initiatives in ready to eat food industry are gaining significant traction. Companies are using eco-friendly ready to eat food packaging and naturally sourced ingredients to woo eco-conscious consumers as well as reduce their environmental impact. Let’s analyze some eco-friendly practices in ready to eat food industry.
- Sustainable Sourcing of Ingredients
Ready-to-eat food companies like Tata Consumer Products are adopting sustainable sourcing practices to meet consumer demand for eco-friendly products and reduce their carbon footprint. They are partnering with local farmers who employ sustainable agricultural practices like organic farming and adoption of biofertilizers.
- Sustainable Ready To Eat Food Packaging
Packaging has become a major environmental challenge for the ready-to-eat food industry. Companies are tackling this challenge by using biodegradable and compostable packaging made from plant-based materials like cornstarch and bamboo.
Some companies are also using recyclable packaging to reduce their environmental footprint. These sustainable packaging solutions have the tendency to help minimize plastic waste, lower carbon emissions, and promote a circular economy.
- Energy Efficient Production and Distribution
RTE food companies like Nestle and Unilever are constantly focusing on reducing energy consumption in their production and distribution processes. They are using renewable energy sources like solar and wind power in production processes.
Certain companies employ energy-efficient cooking and packaging equipment to reduce energy consumption. Similarly, they adopt electric or hybrid vehicles for transportation and delivery to lower carbon emissions.
- Reducing Food Waste
Food waste is another key issue in the RTE food sector. To counter this, companies are focusing on efficient inventory management. They are using advanced storage and transportation solutions to reduce food wastage.
Advanced technologies like AI and IoT are being incorporated into supply chain management to tackle food waste. These technologies have the potential to reduce food waste in the ready to eat food industry by minimizing overproduction and spoilage.
Sustainability in the ready-to-eat food industry is taking centre stage. It is not merely a trend but a necessity to reduce environmental impact. Rise in consumer awareness as well as changing preferences will further encourage the adoption of sustainable practices.
Companies that use eco-friendly practices, including sustainable sourcing and biodegradable packaging, will likely succeed in the evolving ready-to-eat industry. Sustainability will also play a key role in supporting expansion of the target industry.
According to Coherent Market Insights (CMI), the global ready to eat food market is set to total US$ 312.25 billion in 2032. Overall demand for ready to eat foods will likely increase at a CAGR of 7.7% during the assessment period.
Sources:
Company: TraceX Technologies
