Feeding cities by 2050 is going to look very different
At Collectiv Food, we've spent the past five years working toward a food system that's more sustainable, interconnected, and resilient. But we know we can't build that future alone.
That's why we hosted a panel - "The Future of Food: Feeding Our Cities in 2050", as part of The Mills Fabrica's Taste of Tomorrow exhibition. We brought together voices across farming, hospitality, tech, investment, and policy for an honest conversation about how we move forward.
Because if you've spent any time thinking about where our food comes from or where it's going it's easy to feel overwhelmed. Climate collapse. Climate change, broken supply chains, farmers ageing out and customers stretched thin. There's a lot that isn't working.
But we didn't dwell on what's broken. We focused on what's already shifting and what's giving people hope.
So what does that shift look like? Here's what stood out.
Regenerative farming isn’t a trend, it’s a lifeline
Tim from The Green Farm Collective laid it bare. For him and a growing number of farmers, regenerative agriculture isn't just about better yields or a marketing badge. It's about saving soil, and with it, the health of our food, our ecosystems, and ourselves.
"We're producing food in a way that heals the land. And we're making more money doing it. But it takes time, and it takes belief."
Tim spoke about nutrient-depleted apples, rivers choked by phosphorus, and farmers trying to change in systems that don't support change. But despite the weight of it all, his message wasn't bleak. It was charged with possibility. But it depends on collective climate action, not just good intentions.
Restaurants that actually care (and show it)
Hawksmoor's Head of Purpose, Katy, brought a city-level perspective to the conversation. Hawksmoor serves steak and seafood, two categories often criticised for their environmental impact, but her approach is to lean in, not opt out.
She talked about deep supply chain engagement, taking her team to farms and docks, and working with UK producers to source beef with a carbon footprint far lower than the global average. But she also made it clear:
"It's not about perfection. It's about taking responsibility, and doing the work together."
Their team surveys show over 95% of staff care about the environment. It matters to the people making the food and serving it. That culture shift in hospitality, from front-of-house to farmer, is where the real transformation happens.
Food tech for resilience, not just efficiency
The Co-Founder of Deliverect, Jerome, came with numbers. His platform helps 65,000 restaurants globally manage online orders more smoothly, cutting down on missed items, delivery chaos, and wasted meals. But the deeper point he made? Tech isn't just about streamlining. It's about survival.
"Margins are tight. Mistakes are costly. We're helping restaurants run leaner, cleaner, and more sustainably."
He also gave a glimpse into the next wave: AI-driven restaurant tech that auto-adjusts menus in real time and vision systems that reduce packing errors. For restaurants navigating labour shortages and rising operational costs, tech isn't a nice-to-have. It's become part of a resilient hospitality system.
Policy still has catching up to do
UKHospitality's Policy Director, Jim, did what few policy folks do well. He spoke with clarity and without spin. His job is to ensure restaurants, pubs, and hotels don't get crushed under short-sighted regulation.
He reminded us that while hospitality is a major employer and economic engine, it often gets overlooked in national policy conversations.
"We don't need handouts. We need to be understood and not penalised for trying to do the right thing."
From outdated planning rules that limit innovative logistics to local authorities overlooking restaurants as vital to the city's fabric (not an afterthought), the takeaway was clear: systemic change needs to come from the top and the ground up.
Investment where it actually counts
Frontline Ventures' Partner, Will, brought the long view. As an early-stage investor, he sees thousands of startups each year and only 2–3% of them are working within food. That's a missed opportunity, he said.
But the companies that are innovating? They're tackling real problems. He pointed to us at Collectiv Food, for example cutting delivery emissions by 75% and to Symplicity Foods, making plant-based protein that's actually good for your body (and the planet).
"The biggest ideas often come from people already in the industry solving problems they've lived firsthand."
And that's where the real magic happens: farmers, chefs and restaurateurs turning frustration into innovation.
If we could accelerate one thing…
To end the session, each panelist was asked: If you could fast-track just one thing, what would it be? Here's what they said:
Tim: Put carbon back in the soil. Now. It's the root of everything.
Katie: More collaboration across buyers and suppliers. Less noise, more alignment.
Jerome: Train people and support restaurants in the tech transition.
Jim: Stop over-regulating and let hospitality lead.
Will: More founders building startups from inside food and hospitality.
No silver bullets. Just a shared recognition that the system won't fix itself. And that we've already got the tools to move forward. We just need more people using them, faster, and together.
What’s the real takeaway?
It's this: the future of food isn't waiting for us. It's already taking shape in small, specific, practical ways - in the fields, in the kitchens, in the software, and in the minds of people who care deeply about feeding others, well.
There's no map for what the next 25 years will look like. But the direction is becoming clearer: food that's honest. Systems that are resilient. People who are treated fairly. And businesses that are built to last. Not just for profit, but for purpose.
Now the question is: are we listening?
Are we ready to build what comes next?
Because the message from the panel was clear: we all have a stake in the future of food.
Let's make it count.
