Farmers’ markets, organic growing practices, and local food have all grown in popularity in recent years. Urban foraging, a logical next step, is making waves as smaller budgets meet desires for avoiding major food processors. Many scientists and nutritionists recommend eating local; how much more local can you get than your own neighborhood?
Not surprisingly, the movement is seeing its biggest growth in the areas that first caught on to organic food. San Francisco, Portland, and Seattle are breeding grounds for people who can make nature their supermarket.
There could be some obvious setbacks to finding urban food. Pollution would be one obvious deterrent to grabbing an apple off the tree next to the street. But if local honey can help you with local allergens, then maybe local food can help with all the other toxins of everyday city dwelling.
What's Driving This Trend
- Urban Foraging
- The trend towards urban foraging presents opportunities for disruptive innovations in local food delivery and food safety technology.
- Local Food Movement
- The growing popularity of the local food movement creates opportunities for disruptive innovations in urban farming, sustainable agriculture, and food supply chain technology.
- Organic Food
- The continued growth of the organic food industry presents opportunities for disruptive innovations in sustainable agriculture, food processing technology, and food marketing and distribution.
Who This Affects Most
- Food Delivery
- The trend towards urban foraging presents opportunities for disruptive innovations in local food delivery technology to provide fresh, locally-sourced produce to consumers in urban areas.
- Food Safety
- The trend towards urban foraging creates opportunities for disruptive innovations in food safety technology to ensure that locally-sourced produce is free from pollutants and other contaminants.
- Sustainable Agriculture
- The growing popularity of the local food movement and the continued growth of the organic food industry presents opportunities for disruptive innovations in sustainable agriculture to increase yields, reduce waste, and conserve resources.
