The Future of Food Chains

CUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD

FOOD PRODUCTION: RE-SHORING THE UK’S FOOD SUPPLY

CLIMATE CHANGE – THE CLIMATE CONUNDRUM FACING FOOD CHAINS

A rise in average temperatures is gradually transitioning the nation as a viable producer of fruits not previously grown here, Champagne producers of the prestigious French region are now acquiring land within the UK, pegging to it their hopes of securing future supply, amidst changes to the climate in their native region. The Met Office UK Climate Projections report outlines that all areas of the United Kingdom are expected to experience significant increases in mean air temperatures over coming years. Bringing with it a greater chance of warmer wetter winters, and hotter drier summers. While in the UK climate change will pose significant challenges, it will also enable growth of summer produce such as tomatoes and courgettes usually imported from elsewhere. Further opportunities also exist through the potential to deploy new technologies such as vertical and urban farming, utilising industrial real estate to facilitate growing within the UK. The resulting impact for real estate is the need for multiple supply chains to facilitate and support the movement of domestic produce, without impacting the time from field to fork. In addition to public interest and government intervention an element of this change is likely to be driven by a change in the climate and the ability to grow more in the UK.

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