The Future of Food and Beverage Forum USA

27th - 28th May 2026

Minneapolis, USA

Ag-tech and agri-food innovation: How to promote sustainability within R&D as a driver of long-term, strategic business value

Plenary
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McKinsey estimates that 60–70% of the technologies needed to hit net-zero in agriculture either exist today or are in late-stage development. But most remain under-deployed, under-funded, or commercially unproven.

Competitive advantage in the next decade will be decided by who can scale the right innovations at the right time, and embed them deeply into food and agri-food value chains. These will be the companies reframing R&D in line with sustainability to reduce input costs, increase predictability, unlock new revenue streams and build portfolios that can withstand regulatory and climate shocks.

This session explores what it takes to turn sustainable innovation into a core driver of long-term business value:

  • How to develop a strategy around sustainable innovation that aligns with overall business goals and objectives
  • How to embed sustainability early in product development to minimize environmental impact and maximise resource efficiency
  • Where is the AgTech ROI between now and 2030- from risk reduction to efficiency gains to new commercial models
  • How open innovation accelerates scale through partnerships that de-risk experimentation and speed up adoption

 

Plenary

What to expect from this type of session...

Main stage sessions, but not as you know them. Because we’re off-the-record, leading experts can speak candidly about their experience with what works, and what doesn’t. At least half the session is dedicated to audience insights and questions to ensure we tackle the big issues head on.

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