25th Jun, 2026

Imports contribute to increased vulnerability in the food supply chain

Our dependence on imports makes the food supply chain more vulnerable to production and delivery disruptions, which in turn can affect both availability and price. After the Second World War, Sweden built up extensive emergency food reserves to cope with crisis and war, but these stockpiles were gradually phased out during the 1990s.

At the same time, food preparedness has gained greater political weight in recent years. The government has begun work on building new emergency reserves and has launched Food Strategy 2.0 to increase Swedish food production and strengthen the resilience of the supply chain. So far, however, the direct preparedness focus has been mainly on staples such as grain – while fresh vegetables remain dependent on long, imported supply chains.

With long-distance transport across the continent, salad also ages faster, increasing the risk of food waste both before and after the goods reach the consumer.

Climate change – with poorer harvests, water shortages, and new plant diseases – makes our food system even more vulnerable. Today, global agriculture uses nearly 70 percent of the world's water resources, putting heavy pressure on our freshwater sources.

With rising demands for sustainability and resilience, and the need for a better, stable food supply, there is great potential in new cultivation technologies close to the consumer. Whether for commercial kitchens or in stores, there are technologies and innovations that can improve today's food supply chain for large parts of the green product range.