Speciality Food Magazine -November/December 2025

18 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH @specialityfood 3 REASONS TO SOURCE SUSTAINABLY Nahuel Tunon, head of sustainable sourcing at Fairtrade Foundation 1 COLLABORATION IS KEY By promoting fair and equitable trade practices – ones which prioritise long term producer relationships, a sustainable price and promoting regenerative farming practices – we can help ensure a sustainable and more stable future for both farmers and the wider supply chain. 2 ECOLOGICAL ISSUES Supply chain disruptions are becoming increasingly common: we have seen this with Covid-19, global conflicts and protectionist policies. As these drive greater uncertainty they are compounded by the impacts of climate change. No longer can buyers focus their sourcing efforts on securing the lowest price for a product: their main priority must now be ensuring their supply chains are resilient to these global shocks. 3 FUTURE STRUGGLES Simply put, if businesses don’t prioritise long term commitments with their producers then their positive impact will always be limited. What’s more, producers will always struggle to farm sustainably, address critical risks, and deliver long term investments that go beyond their most basic day-to-day needs. THE FOOD INDUSTRY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ROUGHLY 26% OF GLOBAL GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS , AND LIVESTOCK CONTRIBUTES 14.5% UNITED NATIONS 52% 42% 35% OF UK RETAILERS DON’T FEEL PRESSURE FROM CONSUMERS TO MAKE CHANGE BELIEVE MAKING THEIR OPERATIONS MORE SUSTAINABLE IS TOO BIG A TASK FOR THEM TO MANAGE OF RESPONDENTS SAID THAT THEIR BUSINESS HAS SHIFTING OR COMPETITING PRIORITIES The State of Sourcing Report , Source Events ROADBLOCKS TO SUSTAINABILITY THE POWER OF SUSTAINABLE SOURCING Sourcing sustainably has never been more vital – here's why S ourcing may be one of the most complicated parts of the supply chain process, but it is undeniably a valuable place to start. While you may collaborate with one packaging supplier – and so checking that their own supply chain is up to scratch would (hopefully) be a relatively simple process – when you drill down into the myriad of suppliers to your business, this can begin to seem a headache. From the products that go onto your shelves to the ingredients in your own produce, and from the source of the energy that powers your business to the suppliers that keep your office supplies topped up, it’s a heady mix of questions... that are undoubtedly vital to ask. Here, we speak to experts who share just how important it is to source sustainably. “SOME CONSUMERS SAY THEY ARE WILLING TO SPEND 9.7% MORE, ON AVERAGE , FOR S USTAINABLY PRODUCED OR SOURCED GOODS, AS ALMOST NINE-IN-TEN (85%) REPORT EXPERIENCING FIRST-HAND THE DISRUPTIVE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE IN THEIR DAILY LIVES” PWC AGRI-FOOD INSIGHT Rod Coogan, agri-food expert at PA Consulting, says that sustainable supply chains are an invaluable necessity Climate volatility, geopolitical tensions, and shifting consumer expectations are exposing vulnerabilities in traditional supply chains. Companies that diversify sourcing, build supplier partnerships, and embed sustainability into procurement decisions are better positioned to weather disruptions. Real- time data, predictive analytics, and scenario planning are helping brands anticipate shocks and respond faster. Brands don’t just need to reduce emissions, they also need to build agility and trust. The most successful food companies will be those that treat sustainability as a driver of innovation and resilience and not just a compliance checkbox. As global environmental and social challenges intensify, sustainable procurement has evolved froma niche concern to a strategic imperatives