Do you ever wish that you had a crystal ball that could tell us what’s in store for the restaurant industry in the coming year? As we close out 2022, food production is at risk. Climate change is wreaking havoc on traditional farming methods, with crops withering in extreme heat or drowning in mid-Western floods. We’re still facing product shortages, exacerbated by ongoing supply chain interruptions and the Russian-Ukrainian war stalling food shipments – including 9.5 million tons of grain. Inflation is causing food prices – and food insecurity – to soar.
Restaurant operators should leverage digital tools to fight these serious – and simultaneous – threats to our food supply. Technology can boost business operations in a variety of ways. Luckily, tech solutions have become more affordable and accessible for food businesses of all sizes and budgets, allowing them to increase transparency, accuracy, safety, and quality.
In the coming year, operators should rely on restaurant technology (ResTech) to help them:
1. Focus on Sustainable Food Production
As climate change puts traditional farming methods – and food production – at risk, there will be a renewed effort around sustainable food production, like vertical farming, hydroponics, and aquaponics. Technology is essential to address multiple issues, like making farming more sustainable, building new infrastructure, reducing our dependence on foreign food supplies, and increasing transparency across the supply chain. Tech tools will be instrumental in helping the food industry innovate to ensure that today’s problems don’t reduce our future food supply.