Neo-ecology as a megatrend leads to fundamental changes

Food choices are no longer made solely on the basis of taste and price: Environmental awareness and sustainability are shaping our personal lifestyles and consumption choices. In one of our last posts, we discussed recent developments in the food industry and found that consumers are increasingly interested in the terms "regenerative agriculture" and "carbon footprint" and are paying close attention to which brands are adopting truly sustainable practices. [1]

Nutritionist and food trend researcher Hanni Rützler assigns this new interpretation to neo-ecology, the most important megatrend of our time according to the Zukunftsinstitut. Megatrends can be understood as profound changes that shape not only individual segments or areas of social life or the economy, but society as a whole. [2] According to Hanni Rüttler, the sustainability paradigm of "neo-ecology" is shaping society, culture and politics and fundamentally reorienting entrepreneurial activity as well as the entire economic system. This new orientation is thus also increasingly becoming a central economic factor, creating new logics and value systems under the sign of the environment. The economic system is becoming a value system that focuses on sustainability and the common good instead of growth.

"Whether it's purchasing decisions, social morals or corporate strategies: The neo-ecology megatrend is establishing a new set of values that extends into every area of our everyday lives." - Future Institute 2022 [3]

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Food Report 2023: Regenerative Food

The current developments of the Food Report 2023, which go a bit further and name regenerative food as one of the three new main interests in the food industry, are also aligned with this megatrend. The climate- and resource-friendly cultivation of food produced using regenerative agriculture methods can be a new ray of hope in times of pandemic consequences, the Ukraine war and the climate crisis: regenerative agriculture stores CO₂ by creating healthy soils with a high content of organic substances and microbial diversity.

The report makes clear that regenerative foods are not just a short-term trend in the food industry: Already, regenerative methods are contributing to the necessary transformation of the agricultural economy. Along with industry and transport, the agricultural sector is responsible for the largest global share of greenhouse gas emissions. This is due, in part, to conventional methods that heavily till and deplete the soil. Regenerative methods, on the other hand, protect soil layers by tilling the soil lightly and using catch crops, for example, to keep nutrients in the soil. Initiatives such as solidarity farming and DIY growing of fruits and vegetables also bring the role of healthy soil and humus to the forefront. Another benefit of Regenerative Food is the selection of diverse plant species, which adds variety to the plate. Hanni Rützler describes that Regenerative Food will attract the attention of the environmentally conscious foodie scene in the near future and will be interesting as a differentiator for premium brands and products, among other things. Overall, she says it will then establish itself as a consumer and marketing trend in the long term. [4]

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Companies are already exploiting the potential

Regenerative agriculture is becoming more and more widespread. This is also reflected in the economic interest, which has increased by 138% since 2019, especially during the pandemic. [5] The trend is also evident when looking at the current big players in the food industry: Just one example is General Mills, which has set a goal of regeneratively farming one million acres by 2030. [6] Walmart goes even further, announcing in an official press release that it plans to regenerate 50 million hectares of land by 2040. [7] These major food companies see regeneration as a major opportunity: "We recognize that our greatest opportunity to make a positive impact on our shared planet is in our own supply chain," said Jeff Harmening, CEO of General Mills. [8]

The company Patagonia, a pioneer in environmental and climate protection, has been pursuing the goal of making a positive contribution to climate protection since 2017 through the "Regenerative Organic Certification" by considering its own supply chain: The certification promotes pasture management and animal welfare, fairness to farmers and farm workers, and soil health and land management requirements. [9]

Overall, it is clear that regenerative agriculture is no longer a niche topic, but already has a firm place in numerous companies and their sustainability strategies. Many companies are getting involved and communicating their commitment in a variety of ways: PepsiCo's interactive sustainability report with background information and infographics on regenerative agriculture is just one example. Nestlé also provides comprehensive information on its website, in CSR reports or videos - other companies such as Stonyfield and Danone follow this example.

"It's a classic triple-win situation. Consumers:get healthier food, farmers have a safer and prosperous future, and the planet benefits because regenerative agriculture gives it a better chance to heal and restore itself." - Jack Uldrich, Forbes Council Member [10]

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Regenerative agriculture has pop culture potential

Insights on social media reveal that regenerative agriculture is popular with consumers: The hashtag #regenerativeagriculture already has over 600 thousand posts on Instagram and more than 125 million views on TikTok. Films and documentaries result from the growing awareness and interest in agricultural issues: With documentaries such as "Kiss The Ground," "The Biggest Little Farm," and "Fantastic Fungi" featuring a star-studded cast, the film industry is bringing the issue of sustainable agriculture to the forefront. Celebrities such as Leonardo di Caprio, Bill Gates and Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard are also campaigning for climate protection and supporting regenerative agriculture. Actor and film producer Leonardo Di Caprio finances regenerative methods with the foundation he established, most recently the climate fund Regeneration.VC, which invests in regenerative companies including Cruz Foam, which uses shellfish waste to produce Styrofoam alternatives, and CleanO2, which converts industrial emissions into high-quality fertilizer for agriculture. [11]

We can state that the trend of regenerative agriculture predicted by the Future Institute already has pop culture potential and possibly shows us the way to the new age of neo-ecology.

At Klim, we believe that carbon farming is one of the most important nature-based solutions for reducing emissions and removing legacy emissions from the atmosphere in the long term. This is true at the national and international government level, but especially in the food sector, where the potential is immense - after all, ⅓ of all CO₂ emissions are attributable to food production. Want to be part of the regenerative movement yourself? Our business model offers different opportunities:

1. Insetting: We enable food companies to make the agricultural processes in their supply chain climate and environmentally friendly through regenerative practices.
2. Offsetting: With Klim certificates, CO₂ emissions can be offset at product or company level. The purchase supports farmers who are already registered on the Klim platform. They use regenerative methods and store the corresponding amount of CO₂ in the soil. The positive impact can be communicated with stakeholders via the Klim label on the packaging.

For more information, feel free to contact us here.

[1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8], [9], [10] Original in English, [11].

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