A vital component of food systems transformation
Food systems transformation is recognised as essential to address food security and climate resilience. A vital component of the food systems value chain is the critical middle – steps between food production and consumption such as food processing, packaging and distribution – which generates up to 40 percent of its economic value and 18 percent of its greenhouse gas emissions. |  |
How to strengthen the critical middle of food systems
Strengthening essential infrastructure in the critical middle of food systems should complement existing financing and policy efforts across food value chains, including initiatives that focus on farmers and consumers.
Tetra Pak has five policy asks and recommendations for policymakers and financial institutions seeking to scale and strengthen the critical middle of food systems:
| Establish dedicated financing pathways for SME investment into critical middle infrastructure, especially in developing and developed economies | |
| Integrate food security into climate transition-related decision-making | |
| Recognise food processing technologies, packaging and distribution as essential food system infrastructure | |
| Make the critical middle of food systems visible, measurable and investable | |
| Strengthen public-private partnerships in this area to scale up implementation | |
| More details coming soon |
Partnering with UNIDO
At COP30 we marked the start of a new chapter in our longstanding partnership with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) by signing a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that strengthened our joint commitment to building safe, resilient and sustainable food systems.
UNIDO is a specialised UN agency that assists countries in economic and industrial development. With a focus on supporting fair and sustainable global and regional supply chains, it has been a powerful voice in support of the critical middle of food value chains.
In 2026 UNIDO published ‘Unlocking the power of the critical middle for safe, resilient and sustainable food systems,’ a white paper developed in conjunction with Wageningen University & Research (WUR). UNIDO is also launching a critical middle coalition of governments, development partners, and the private sector to scale up finance and strengthen policy frameworks in the midstream segment of food value chains.
1Based on a baseline OPEX cost of ca. €2,870,000. Savings from ease-of-use and automation: Five instead of eight (baseline) FTEs = annual OPEX savings of ca. €219,000. Magnetic agitator expected to reduce contamination probability from the 5% of conventional solutions to 1% = annual OPEX savings of ca. €121,000. Total OPEX savings: €340,000 / €2,870,000 = 12%.