UK Tomato Shortage + The Importance of Cybersecurity in the Food Industry – Xtalks Life Food Podcast Ep. 100

For the 100th episode Xtalks Food Industry Podcast, the team starts off by discussing their favorite episodes from the past two years.

From turkey and Topo Chico, to coffee and baby formula, last year saw its fair share of food shortages, supplies for some of which are only now beginning to be replenished. Unfortunately, the new year has brought with it a new set of food supply chain challenges, including the most recent tomato shortage in the UK. In this episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast, Sydney talks about some of the causes for the shortage, including poor weather in Morocco and Spain and high energy costs in the UK. Other factors include fluctuating labor costs and shortages, British supermarkets habitually underpaying their suppliers and anecdotally, Brexit. The team talks about how they believe consumers would react upon spotting empty shelves at the grocery store and how store operators can do damage control to save their reputations.

Also in this episode, Sydney talks about a recent cyber attack on Dole plc, a major American producer and distributor of fresh fruits and vegetables. Although Dole contained the threat, grocery stores witnessed the effects of the cyber attack. Sydney exemplifies this cyber attack to discuss why food and beverage companies are often targets and what they can do to mitigate the risk of a cybersecurity incident. Hear additional insights from Kristin Demoranville, CEO and founder of AnzenSage, a cybersecurity firm that specializes in the protection of the food and beverage industry. The team wonders why small businesses are sometimes targets of cyber attacks but agrees that no companies are immune and should always be prepared.