The food industry has always been one of the most critical sectors that are currently fuelling the world’s burgeoning workforce and population. As the people worldwide have been exponentially growing in the past few years, the food industry has a significant role in feeding the mouths of the ever-growing middle class.
However, a steadily growing population also means that the food industry will need to start mass-producing goods, products, and services to serve everyone better. While many innovations in the past few years have made food manufacturing more effective, this is also at the environment’s hefty price. In fact, there are around 1.3 billion tons of food that is wasted every year. As there are bound to be even more mouths to feed around the world, this number is continually growing.
Although some types of food can be recycled and even turned into fertilizer for the agricultural sector to use, manufacturing food can still have a long-term effect on the environment, often contributing to climate change.
Should the Food Industry Go Green?
A short answer to this question is: yes, the food industry should go green. Not only will this benefit much of the environment, but this is an excellent way of increasing profit margins for those that embrace a more environmentally-friendly approach to their daily operations.
Some of the benefit of going green include:
- An increase in profits with a decrease in monthly expenditure on more expensive production
- Companies with a higher approval rating among the public because of their willingness to transition to operations that can benefit the public’s overall health
- Better brand awareness, with customers more likely to stay rather than switch to another brand
It’s also important to note that many corporations are quite keen on their public image and invest a good amount of funds in marketing their products well or having a better image. Going green is a great way of increasing corporate social responsibility ratings. Most businesses and corporations with a high CSR rating will usually cater to the general public’s needs and have more philanthropic goals in mind.
As you can see, there are a variety of benefits to switching towards a more eco-friendly model. But what are some aspects of the business that food establishments and manufacturers should consider revamping and replacing? Fortunately, there are a variety of ways to reduce the environmental footprint that we are living behind. Here’s what you should know.
Removing Harmful Chemicals During the Manufacturing Process
Food safety will always be a relevant topic in the food manufacturing industry. If a food establishment or business wants to go green, it will need to cut down on harmful and toxic chemicals used in manufacturing goods and products. Many food manufacturing facilities have been cutting down on DEHP, which has been known for causing various health complications.
If you’re looking for manufacturing equipment and cooking materials specifically designed for an environmentally-friendly food-processing business, some companies are selling high-quality environmental franchises that can help you cut down on waste without using harmful chemicals. These environmental franchises help cut down on cooking oil use and have been known for filtering chemicals in restaurants and food establishments worldwide.
Packaging
Another important aspect that businesses will have to address is how they package their products. Luckily, there are non-toxic and biodegradable materials that can be used in packaging. If there are eco-friendly materials around, businesses can start using thinner or smaller packaging since this can help cut down on plastic and solid wastes.
Power-efficient Refrigeration
Chlorofluorocarbons have been considered one of the more destructive forms of chemicals that have been used by refrigerators and early versions of air-conditioning units. CFCs are known for causing lasting damage to the ozone layer. In the past few years, many companies responsible for making appliances have been cutting down on refrigerators and freezers that use CFCs and HFCs using HFC and CFC-free hardware, also known for saving energy.
The food industry can incorporate various innovations and methods into their business model without sacrificing their revenue and productivity. Not only will these innovations help the environment, but these are also great ways of expanding a business into a greener future. We have to do our part in taking care of Mother Nature since she has been giving us sustenance that we need for billions of years. The same goes for the businesses that run and make society work. Providing services and goods doesn’t have to be dangerous to the environment we live in, with the right strategies in place.
