The food industry is undergoing a sustainability shakeup
The Slow Food movement began in earnest in Italy in 1986 – the aim was to make a stand against fast food, industrial food production and globalisation. It’s founder Carlo Petrini – named by the Guardian in 2008 as one of 50 people who could save the planet – was tipped over the edge by McDonald’s plans to open a restaurant near the Spanish Steps in Rome. His hope? To defend regional traditions, good food, gastronomic pleasures and a slow pace of life.
Since then, organic produce has cemented its place on supermarket shelves, farmer’s markets have popped up in every half-gentrified neighbourhood, and any restaurant worth its salt sources its ingredients from within a mile or two. The principles of Slow have established themselves in mainstream food culture.
Yet it still feels like the industry is plagued with controversy and uncertainty. Food waste remains a huge problem, while increasingly the resources with which to make food are becoming ever more precious and scarce.