Now might just be the time for food manufacturers to think about robots again. Constraints on the labor force are unlikely to go away soon, and help is needed on the factory floor. Also, robots are improving in terms of size, price, and flexibility. In this episode of Consumer Foods to Go, Maria Castroviejo and Cyrille Filott speak with Sebastiaan Schreijen to discuss the findings of his survey on the potential adoption of robots in food processing. Are we on the brink of a revolution?

Half a decade ago, everyone in food was all over startups – young, exciting companies set to disrupt the food market. A lot has happened since, of course, including Covid and the inflation spike. Startups felt the impact of both, and there has been a bit of a funding crisis to boot. Still, a lot of startups are trying to bring new ideas to the food market. In this podcast, Maria Castroviejo and Cyrille Filott interview Rabobank’s Foodbytes team to discuss the trends in food startups. Foodbytes is a platform where more than 2,000 food and agribusiness startups have provided information, including pitch decks, on their business. Unsurprisingly, a common theme among startups right now is AI. Listen to the podcast to learn more.

Once again, RaboResearch visited the Private Label Manufacturers Association's (PLMA) World of Private Label trade show in Amsterdam. This year, we interviewed visitors and exhibitors on the topic of innovation. Innovation is high on the agenda for anyone active in packaged foods. Brands have lost market share to private label, so they need to come up with new products to lure the consumer back. However, private label companies are responding by introducing new products as well. In this podcast, we hear from industry players on innovation in private label and how its done.

Professors David Raubenheimer and Stephen Simpson argue in their book, Eat Like the Animals, that over the course of recent decades the share of calories from protein in people's diets has declined (especially in the US). RaboResearch's Nick Fereday covered the topic in a recent report that generated quite some feedback. Therefore, we invited the professors to explain their hypothesis in greater detail. The resulting podcast is a truly fascinating listen. Everything you wanted to know about protein is explained; also, the so-what of the thesis for food companies is addressed.

Once again, RaboResearch visited Natural Products Expo West, one the largest food trade shows in the world with more than 3,500 exhibitors and more than 70,000 visitors. Tom Bailey, Nick Fereday, and Cyrille Filott together with Maria Castroviejo discuss their findings, including how the consumer is being enticed by new types of marketing, some nice packaging innovations, and new food products. All believed that the show – while still carrying a lot of hype products – was more realistic in terms of the products on offer. The main focus now is on selling a product, instead of showing how disruptive it is. 

Sustainability is firmly on the food and agribusiness agenda. Companies in the sector are now moving from making a sustainability strategy to measuring and making changes in many aspects of the food system, but before making improvements, one has to establish a base. To discuss the challenges and opportunities, the team invited Hans de Gier, CEO of IT company SyncForce, to bring his perspective on measuring sustainability and data issues. One thing he is quite adamant about is that current measurements may not always be correct. A lot of improvements need to happen, and collaboration between actors in the chain might be the way forward.

Every year the Consumer Foods-to-Go podcast provides an outlook for agri commodity prices, and this year is no different. Maria Castroviejo and Cyrille Filott interview Carlos Mera, Rabobank’s Head of Agri Commodity Markets Research, to discuss the outlook for key crops in 2024. Overall, the outlook is for slightly lower prices, but not for all commodities. Tune in as they discuss the main drivers, such as energy prices, highlight key commodities, and drop a small bombshell that's sure to be of interest!

Ultraprocessed foods are everywhere in the news. Some scientists are claiming that processed foods are bad for people’s health and that ultraprocessed foods are especially bad. It's time, therefore, for Maria Castroviejo and Cyrille Filott to dig deeper in the topic with the help of Rabobank Senior Analyst Nick Fereday. In this episode we explain ultraprocessed foods and discuss what heightened attention on these foods means for food companies. Obviously there is one question we cannot answer: Will the consumer care? 

Soon EU regulation regarding packaging and packaging waste will become law. While we are likely to see amendments to the legislation, we believe it is good to start talking about the proposed regulation and its impact on food companies. We are not talking not only about more recycling, but also about the use of recycled content, for example in drink bottles. 

Maria Castroviejo and Cyrille Filott quizzed RaboResearch analyst Regina Mestre on all the new targets that may become law, and what they mean for companies downstream in the food value chain.

Innovation is a constant in food retail. For this episode of Consumer Foods-to-Go, Maria Castroviejo and Cyrille Filott interview Sipke van der Werf, head of innovation at SPAR in the Netherlands. What is new in innovation in retail? What is a company like SPAR thinking about right now and with a five-year horizon? Obviously, growth and cost control are important, but sustainability also plays are very important role in the innovation strategy of SPAR.

The Private Label Manufacturing Association (PLMA) trade show in Amsterdam is the largest private label event in the world. As always, the Rabobank consumer foods team pays a visit. And, like last year, we asked companies in attendance for their views. Last year we spoke mostly about challenges in the supply chain. This year we talked about the gains in market share in private label. Because of inflation, times are tough for some consumers, who start buying more private label products. 

We asked companies how they are faring – and unsurprisingly, most are selling more volumes. But we also asked about the future: What's in store for private label? At the end of the podcast we share our takeaways from two exciting days at the event. Spoiler alert: It is all about price, price, price!