December 18, 2024
Explore the often-overlooked “hidden middle” of agrifood value chains, which offers a key opportunity for global food-system transformation.
The world is at a pivotal moment in the global climate conversation. As nations grapple with the urgent need to curb greenhouse gas emissions and enhance food security, the transformation of food systems has become a top priority. And as the latest Climate COP in Baku (COP29) highlighted, world leaders, policymakers, and sustainability advocates are focused on an often-overlooked segment:the hidden middle of agri-food chains.
"Working together, we aim to enable policies, technology, financing, and partnerships that can shine light on this under-appreciated yet essential segment.”
This segment, which includes critical midstream activities such as processing, packaging, storage, transportation, and distribution, plays an essential yet underappreciated role in food systems. While it accounts for 18% of food-related emissions, it contributes up to 40% of the economic value added within food systems.
“Ignoring the hidden middle means missing a critical piece of the sustainability puzzle,” says Lars Holmquist, Executive Vice President Sustainability at Tetra Pak. “And while discussions on food systems are often focused on agriculture and consumption – the beginning and the end of the supply chain – this undervalued segment has the power to make a big difference on the environment and economy. Improving the hidden middle is not just an opportunity, but a necessity for building sustainable, resilient and just food systems.”
The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) reports that approximately one-third of food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted globally each year. By investing in midstream infrastructure and technologies, these losses can be substantially decreased, leading to better resource efficiency and increased availability of food. It can also bolster economic growth through job creation, support rural and urban livelihoods, and empower smallholder farmers and marginalised groups by integrating them into value-added activities.
Why the hidden middle is under-financed on the world stage
The hidden middle represents a range of critical functions that bridge the gap between farm and fork. These activities support social stability and economic development, and are instrumental in ensuring that farmed ingredients are transformed into food products that actually reach consumers – in a safe and nutritious form.
“Improving the hidden middle is not just an opportunity, but a necessity for building sustainable, resilient and just food systems.”
But despite recent data highlighting the hidden middle’s significant environmental and economic impact, it continues to receive only a fraction of climate financing: while food systems contribute about 30% of total greenhouse gas emissions, only 2.5-4% of climate finance goes towards transforming this sector. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in this segment face a $106 billion financing gap globally, and limited investment results in inefficiencies, food loss (which can reach 14% globally), and bottlenecks that affect the entire chain.
“There are many reasons why this midstream segment can be overlooked, including that tracking emissions and efficiencies, when so many stakeholders are involved, can be logistically tricky,” says Lars. “But the truth is that this is essential: the hidden middle is exactly where we have the biggest opportunities to improve food systems and cut emissions."
What opportunities for improvement does the hidden middle contain?
Harnessing the potential contained in the hidden middle could be a game-changer for achieving global climate targets. According to recent estimates, addressing inefficiencies and emissions in the midstream could provide up to 20% of the emissions reductions required to meet the Paris Agreement’s goals by 2050.
It also holds vast untapped potential for optimising food systems, reducing waste, and improving food security. Improved midstream infrastructure can dramatically reduce food loss and increase food access, particularly in developing regions where up to 40% of food can be lost post-harvest. This loss is due in part to lack of refrigerated transport infrastructure in many regions – and that is where smart, aseptic packaging solutions can help bridge the gap in protecting food safety during transport and preventing waste through spoilage.
“We have been working hard to improve midstream infrastructure in vulnerable regions, through partnering with local governments and organisations,” says Lars. “We’ve implemented renewable-powered cold chain solutions to help reduce food loss and enhance food security in areas where these systems are lacking. And as we announced at COP29, we’re committed to investing in innovating packaging solutions and energy-efficient processing equipment to further support the hidden middle.”
Change can take place on the production floor, too. The best-performing factories take a holistic approach to resource optimisation, delivering sustainability, performance, and cost benefits. Tetra Pak’s best-practice line for UHT milk with OneStep technology, for example, combines several process steps – separation, standardisation, blending, and heat treatment – into one.
This results in using less equipment and ultimately massive energy savings, as demonstrated by Mengniu’s Ningxia dairy factory, which was recently awarded World Economic Forum “Lighthouse Factory” status with the help of Tetra Pak technology. One of the world’s most intelligent dairy factories, it has leveraged cutting-edge Tetra Pak equipment and technology to reduce operational costs by 32% and delivery lead time by 55%.
Investment and policy gap: the key to unlocking the hidden middle
Bridging the gap between funding and impact requires governments and international organisations to create enabling policies and financial incentives that recognise the hidden middle's value, such as subsidies for midstream innovations or tax breaks for sustainable practices.
“Our goal is to drive progress in critical discussions on food systems by convening policymakers, government leaders, NGOs, IGOs, and industry stakeholders, and we encourage these conversations through forums like COP29,” says Lars. “Together, we aim to explore actionable solutions through collaboration and dialogue, working to enable policies, technology, financing, and partnerships that can shine light on this under-appreciated yet essential segment.”
There is great opportunity for integrating the hidden middle of food value chains, especially as countries are actively revising their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) for submission by 2025 – a crucial step toward aligning policy with climate goals and ensuring this vital segment receives the funding it deserves. Transformative public-private partnerships will also be essential for scaling up the infrastructure and innovations needed to unlock the hidden middle’s potential.
“Success in this area would help ensure a future where the hidden middle operates efficiently to reduce emissions, support livelihoods, and bolster food security for all communities around the globe.”
What’s next? Looking ahead to COP30 in Brazil
The outcomes of COP29 have laid a strong foundation for the future of food systems transformation. Tetra Pak has long been committed to enabling change in food systems, and our support of improvement within the hidden middle continues this work, helping the transition to secure, sustainable, and resilient food systems. From advanced manufacturing processes to renewable energy-powered processing equipment and sustainable packaging solutions, we are working to extend the shelf life of foods and reduce waste throughout the supply chain.
“Looking ahead to COP30 in Belem, Brazil, there is growing momentum for policy shifts and funding initiatives to improve midstream food systems infrastructure,” says Lars. “This is hopeful – and success in this area would help ensure a future where the hidden middle operates efficiently to reduce emissions, support livelihoods, and bolster food security for all communities around the globe.”
Learn more about the hidden-middle and other related topics discussed at COP29 here.
