SIAL Paris is delving into the hot topic of the supply chain at the Food Supply Chain Summit today, organised in partnership with start-up and open innovation specialist SprintProject

In conversation with SIAL Daily, SprintProject Managing Partner François Deprey discusses supply chain complexities, the implications of decarbonisation and modernisation, and how the Food Supply Chain Summit aims to help industry leaders take a long-term viewpoint.

Why is the supply chain such a crucial question for the food industry?
When we refer to the supply chain today, there is a tendency to think of transport and logistics. In reality, it includes everything from farm to fork. The supply chain is an area in which the food industry has suffered a number of crises in recent years, whether it be Covid or the war in Ukraine, with supply issues, inflation, and shortages. The agri-food sector has a significant geopolitical impact and behind that impact is a supply chain that crosses several countries, with zones where raw materials are produced, zones where they are processed, and zones where they are consumed.

What is the fundamental impact of the supply chain on the agri-food industry?
Supply chain issues affect just about every level of economic equilibrium for a food industry player. The impact of inflation, raw material sourcing, and the ability to find a supplier are all key factors. There are also major traceability issues. We can be very efficient at processing products but behind that we have the challenges of delivering in real time, connecting with consumers, and being able to supply consumers. The supply chain has a lot of facets and is at the heart of the issues facing the food industry.

Innovation in the agri-food industry is often seen mainly as innovation in products, but in fact there is also innovation in processes, in particular to respond to the strong constraints that many of these players may have on lowering their carbon footprint, reducing their impact in terms of water, trying to ensure that they have policies of this nature and then also issues of modernisation and innovation in their processes.

How is the Food Supply Chain Summit tackling these issues?
We wanted to set the debate around two themes. The first is the dimension of decarbonisation and the carbon impact. If we look at this in the context of the supply chain, what is at stake? The second issue is digital transformation and technological improvement. What technological opportunities may improve these supply chains, make them more resilient and more traceable?

The objective of the summit is for leaders in the industry to reflect on their field in the long term, look at what the challenges are, beyond their core business of manufacturing products, how they see their value chain and what testimony from other players in the industry can help them in these areas.

Food Supply Chain Summit
Today
10:30a.m. – 1:30p.m.
SIAL Summits, Hall 5A, Gallery