Kristin Demoranville Of AnzenSage: How We Are Helping To Create A Resilient Food Supply Chain
An Interview With Martita Mestey
Diversify Sources: Relying on multiple resource sources ensures that a problem with one won’t disrupt the entire chain. Major hurricanes have severely impacted regions known for avocado production, leading to a global shortage and price spikes. Companies that had diversified their suppliers were less affected, as they could source avocados from other regions, ensuring a steady supply and more stable prices.
The cascading logistical problems caused by the pandemic and the war in Eastern Europe have made securing a reliable supply chain a national imperative. What must agriculture companies and policymakers do to ensure secure and resilient food supply chains? In this interview series, we are talking to business leaders who can share insights from their experiences about how we can address these challenges. As a part of this series, I had the pleasure of interviewing Kristin Demoranville.
Kristin Demoranville is the Founder and CEO of AnzenSage, a cybersecurity resilience firm specializing in the Food Sector. She holds a B.S. in Environmental Management and has 25 years of experience in technology and cybersecurity within various manufacturing sectors; Kristin has an extensive background in food manufacturing, production, supply chain, and risk initiatives across multiple industries and global regions. Kristin’s unique blend of Operational Technology, Cybersecurity, and Risk Management knowledge equips her to address the food industry’s distinct challenges.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you. Can you tell us a bit about how you grew up?
I was born in Maine before relocating to my parent’s hometown in Massachusetts at the age of three. My family has a long-standing tradition of serving the community through various civil service roles, including firefighting, law enforcement, and education. Throughout my childhood, I enjoyed visiting my father and uncle at the firehouse and cherished our small town’s strong sense of community. As a child of the pre-internet era, my friends and I embraced the great outdoors, allowing our imaginations to guide our backyard adventures. In addition to being the eldest of three sisters, I had a passion for the violin, an affinity for our family pets, and a deep love for whales and the ocean.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
While conducting a factory security assessment in Malaysia, I encountered a scenario involving a cutting-edge robot line. The factory personnel were enthusiastic about this advanced technology and confidently informed me that it was air-gapped for optimal security. As I surveyed the area, I noticed a plethora of loose network cables and power cords that the operators had to dodge. Despite the temporary nature of the setup, the factory had invested significantly financially in this project, and the leadership demanded its success. After completing the tour, we joined the factory workers for lunch in the cantina, where the topic of the robot line surfaced. The workers expressed frustration with the robot, arguing that it slowed them down and posed a considerable hazard with all the equipment. Upon returning to the US and reviewing my notes and network, I discovered an open file share containing an application that could control the robot line. Surprisingly, this application was accessible to anyone within the global company. This eye-opening experience was a powerful reminder of the critical importance of securing applications, implementing proper access controls, and remaining vigilant about insider threats — additionally, evaluating business risks to people and processes.
You are a successful leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
For me to succeed, empathy, curiosity, and perseverance are essential. My ability to empathize with and encourage my team members helps to create a welcoming and productive workplace. My love for learning and discovery is fueled by my curiosity, allowing me to consider cybersecurity problems from several perspectives and develop innovative solutions. Despite my challenges and setbacks throughout my career, persistence has helped me stay dedicated to my goals.
Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?
I’m part of a think tank focused on combating misinformation and disinformation in the food and agriculture industry. By bringing together leaders with different backgrounds and specialties, we hope to combat disinformation and misinformation to give the public more confidence in their decisions about food. Ultimately, the goal is to help save lives and have a healthy food supply.
Ok super. Thank you for all that. Let’s now shift to the main focus of our interview. To ensure that we are all on the same page let’s begin with some simple definitions. What does the term “supply chain” encompass?
In the context of the food industry, the supply chain refers to the entire network of entities, right from the farmers who grow the produce to the transportation that moves it, the warehouses that store it, the retailers that sell it, and finally, to the consumers who purchase and consume it. It’s a complex web of processes, people, resources, and technology that work together to ensure food reaches our tables.
Can you help articulate the weaknesses in our current food supply chain systems?
The food supply chain, parallel to many sectors, has its vulnerabilities. A notable weakness is the lack of transparency, making it challenging to trace the origin of food products, a concern especially during foodborne illness outbreaks. Centralizing our food sources is another vulnerability; if a significant source faces disruptions, it can have ripple effects throughout the entire supply chain. Furthermore, as the industry increasingly embraces digitization, it becomes more susceptible to cyber vulnerabilities. Cyberattacks pose a significant threat, potentially disrupting operations or compromising sensitive data or public health.
Can you help define what a nationally secure and resilient food supply chain would look like?
A secure and resilient food supply chain would be transparent, decentralized, and fortified against both physical and cyber threats. It would have robust traceability systems, ensuring every product can be traced back to its source. Additionally, there would be diversified food sources to prevent disruptions, and advanced cybersecurity measures would be in place to protect data and operations.
Can you share with our readers a few of the things that your organization is doing to help create a more secure food supply chain?
At AnzenSage, our primary goal is to blend cybersecurity with food protection. We offer specialized services like the Cyber Resilience Advisory to help food companies guard against digital threats through on-site checks, evaluating supply chain risks, and planning for potential incidents. We aim to keep companies safe from cyber threats while ensuring public health. We also assess a company’s current digital safety measures and suggest ways to improve. Our strategy service helps food businesses stay resilient while facing cyber threats and ensures food remains safe from contamination. We work closely with companies to enhance their digital safety in daily operations and digital transformations. Additionally, we’re launching training courses on cybersecurity tailored for food industry professionals and food industry training for cybersecurity professionals, bridging a vital knowledge gap.
What are a few threats over the horizon that might disrupt our food supply chain that we should take action now to correct? Can you please explain?
Climate change is one of the looming threats that could disrupt our food supply chain. Extreme weather events, ranging from prolonged droughts to devastating floods, can severely impact crop yields, making it challenging to maintain consistent food production. As our world becomes increasingly digitized, another significant concern is the rise of cyberattacks. Food companies rely heavily on technology, from crop monitoring to supply chain management. A successful cyberattack could halt operations, compromise sensitive data, or disrupt logistics, leading to potential food shortages or health and safety concerns. Additionally, we cannot overlook the influence of global political instabilities. Trade wars, geopolitical tensions, and regional conflicts can disrupt international food supplies, leading to price volatility, availability issues, and health emergencies. We must recognize these threats and take proactive measures to ensure the resilience and security of our food supply chain.
Ok, thank you. Here is the main question of our interview. What are the “5 Things We Must Do To Create Nationally Secure And Resilient Food Supply Chains” and why?
1. Enhance Traceability: In food safety, traceability is paramount — for instance, in 2018, a major E. coli outbreak linked to romaine lettuce affected multiple states. The challenge was pinpointing the exact source of the contamination. With a robust traceability system, such as the blockchain technology now being adopted by some food companies, the source could have been identified faster, potentially saving lives and preventing illnesses. This technology ensures that every product can be traced back to its inception in real-time, reducing the time to trace back products from weeks to seconds.
2. Diversify Sources: Relying on multiple resource sources ensures that a problem with one won’t disrupt the entire chain. Major hurricanes have severely impacted regions known for avocado production, leading to a global shortage and price spikes. Companies that had diversified their suppliers were less affected, as they could source avocados from other regions, ensuring a steady supply and more stable prices.
3. Invest in Cybersecurity: Our digital defenses are as vital as our physical barriers. The food industry, especially processing companies, has faced operational halts, shipping delays, and even shortages due to increasing ransomware attacks. Factors like outdated equipment, swift digital transitions, inadequate cybersecurity protocols, and internal threats have made the sector more vulnerable. While the looming threat of nation-state attacks is concerning, the primary motivation behind most cyberattacks remains financial gain. It’s imperative to recognize that without robust cybersecurity measures, including people and processes, not just technology, it’s only a matter of time before a cyberattack triggers a significant public health crisis in the food sector.
4. Educate Stakeholders: Everyone in the chain, from farmers to retailers, should be aware of best practices and potential threats. For example, a dairy supplier once faced a recall because an employee mistakenly mixed non-pasteurized milk with a pasteurized batch due to a lack of proper training and awareness. After the incident, the supplier initiated regular training sessions for its employees, ensuring they understood the importance of each step in the process and the potential consequences of mistakes.
5. Collaborate Internationally: Global challenges require global solutions. The 2008 melamine milk scandal in China is a stark reminder of this. Melamine-contaminated milk products were exported to many countries, causing health concerns worldwide. In the aftermath, international collaborations were strengthened, with countries beginning to share information and best practices more openly, leading to stricter quality controls and better safety measures in the global food supply chain.
Are there other ideas or considerations that should encourage us to reimagine our food supply chain?
When pondering the future of our food supply chain, one cannot overlook the pressing need for sustainability. As the global population continues to grow, so does the demand for food. Yet, our current production and distribution methods often lead to vast amounts of waste, from unsold produce in supermarkets to inefficiencies in transportation. Beyond waste, the environmental impact of the food supply chain is profound. Traditional farming practices can lead to deforestation, loss of biodiversity, and excessive water usage, while transportation contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions. As we strive to secure our food supply chain, it’s paramount that we reimagine it with sustainability at its core. This means adopting practices that not only meet the current food demands but do so in a way that ensures future generations can also meet their needs. It involves a holistic approach, considering the entire lifecycle of food, from the soil where it’s grown to the table where it’s consumed. By prioritizing sustainability, we can create a food supply chain that is secure, efficient, responsible, and forward-thinking.
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)
One movement I’m deeply passionate about is “Blending Barriers: Infusing Cybersecurity into Food Protection;” through the “Bites & Bytes Podcast,” diving deep into the uncharted intersection of cybersecurity and food protection. Our casual interview-style chats engage a mix of industry and everyday professionals, unveiling the challenges and innovations where digital defenses meet food safety. This movement aims to bridge the gap between two seemingly distinct domains, emphasizing their interconnectedness in today’s digital age. By raising awareness and fostering discussions in this untapped terrain, we hope to inspire a holistic approach to food safety, where cybersecurity becomes an integral part of the food protection narrative.
This was very inspiring and informative. Thank you so much for the time you spent with this interview!
