Joshua Minchin of New Food summarizes the main ideas discussed by Wai-Chan Chan, the Managing Director of the CGF, during the opening of GFSI 2022.
The phrase “time for action, not words” has been read, discussed, and written numerous times at New Food in recent years. Grand strategies and alluring phrases are frequently created in an industry where success is typically judged in very specific ways. However, how frequently is success evaluated in relation to these tactics and values?
Wai-Chan Chan, Managing Director of the Consumer Goods Forum, talked about “impact at scale” as one of his hobbies and main goals, which was both intriguing and comforting. Though GFSI conducts incredible work across the food and beverage industry, Chan expressed a wish to see more of that strategic thinking—of which the gifted Steer Co. shown an abundance of—transformed into practical application.
The transition from global to more localized food systems was a recurring theme throughout the conference; the world is once again breaking apart. The world has been striving for globalization and cooperation for many decades, but given everything that has plagued and challenged the world in the last two years, it may not always be possible to apply all aspects of food safety policy to every region. To put it plainly, what functions in China or France may not function in the US.
The local groups of GFSI, which individually presented at the conference in Barcelona to receive comments on their success and to outline their future objectives, likewise mirrored this theory. What is their main goal? to make sure the GFSI policy is implemented where they are and to inform the Steer Co. if it isn’t.
It is not necessary to see this narrow-minded way of thinking negatively. Conversely, it feels revitalizing. Harmonization across nations and continents is what keeps our food safe; otherwise, we would be compelled to eat only what our countries produce. There is absolutely no danger in building globalized, homogeneous food systems. But it’s crucial to recognize that food systems differ globally and occasionally need for a customized strategy. When it comes to providing safe and secure food, GFSI will undoubtedly continue to lead and unite the world. However, it’s possible that as an industry, we are realizing that, in order to fulfill our duty to feed people, we must adjust to various work and regulatory cultures.