Digitalisaatio ruokaketjun kehittämisessä

Food sector is a significant industry in Finland that also has a substantial impact on logistics and catering sectors. Digitalization is a growing trend in the food sector. Besides technology, digitalization is about information and data, its acquisition and ownership, and adaptation to progress by people and organizations. This publication describes technological development related to digitalization and clarifies it with concrete examples. Consumers’ role in the food chain will be strengthened. The report also presents a pilot of future shopping. The pilot utilizes personal profiles and has been developed in tandem with the project. It is still difficult to anticipate the novel businesses enabled by digitalization. They could emerge from open source pilots or they could represent completely new specialized industries and form new business ecosystems. We utilize case scenarios to reflect the future prospects of the multifaceted food chain and the needs for changes in the operational environment.
In the report the group of researchers recommends specific central actions to promote digitalization. In order to utilize digital key technologies in versatile ways, the food sector needs to clarify the rights and rules for data management and use. It needs to develop usable means to indicate and manage the produce quality already in primary production. It needs to boldly experiment with novel operations models, develop its technological know-how, and participate in building infrastructures aiming at digital transformation.