Nice to MEAT you!
The food industry is (finally) waking up to the promise of the Internet of Things. The first wave of excitement focused on connected consumer devices (Quirky Egg Minder anyone?), but now industrial use cases around food supply chains, food safety, and operational efficiencies will be even more impactful.
Supply Chain + Transparency
With global food loss estimated at 1.3 billion tons per year, the forces behind the food supply chain are beginning to utilize simple IoT sensor technologies to cut costs and minimize waste. IoT devices and the data they collect can also unlock significant opportunities, which impact food production, distribution, and consumption. Union Crate, for example, leverages insights from customer purchasing patterns and integrates them into supply chain operations, which reduces overconsumption and optimizes efficiency.
Consumers are starting to hold food companies accountable by demanding more transparency, so there’s more pressure to provide this along with traceability throughout the global supply chain. It’s hard to imagine that consumers will pay more for an optimized supply chain so the burden will be on brands and retailers to eat these costs.
Food Safety
The Food Safety Modernization Act was a wake-up call to the food industry. This legislation implemented measures to reduce foodborne illness, which is still a significant problem. IoT can help companies comply with these new laws -- and all roads lead back to traceability. Take, for example, real-time temperature tracking sensors that help monitor food as it leaves the factory. Fleet managers leverage IoT to ensure temperature sensitive products don’t spoil in transit through sensor-enabled refrigeration systems. Temperature fluctuations trigger alerts that automatically adjust the refrigeration and notify suppliers who can replace spoiled products before they arrive. Plus, sensor-enabled refrigeration systems can send alerts to the manufacturer, locating the exact point of failure and facilitating faster replacements-- a much better use case than the Egg Minder!
There may not be one aha moment when it comes to IoT and food; however, a steady increase of use cases and benefits will slowly transform the industry, providing more efficiency and ultimately, a better consumer experience.
Speaking of Food...
KitchenMate, a company currently in the Techstars Toronto class, is on a mission to make nutritious meals accessible to everyone. Their FreshCookers prepare meals in under 15 minutes and are starting to pop up at offices, including WeWork, around Canada. I was lucky enough to try a meal on my recent visit (quinoa and chicken - amazing!) Check out the latest from their CEO.
