Future of Diet

3
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Background
Introduction
Trends
Scenarios
Time Machine
Strategies
Conclusion
References
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8
12
40
52
60
84
86

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Purpose:
This paper presents alternative futures for diets in 2035 using foresight
methodologies explored in the Strategic Foresight and Innovation graduate
program at OCAD University. It has been prepared for the Toronto District School
Board (TDSB) as a guiding vision to evaluate and respond to school-wide food
policies and practices for the benefit of all students.
Methodology:
• Environmental scanning of trends and drivers
• Creation of 2x2 alternative scenarios based on critical uncertainties
• Compelling enactment of a possible future through a Time Machine. Participants
were invited to immerse in the experiential future and afterwards, join a discussion.
• Strategy creation guided by all previous foresight activities, collective research,
reflection and experience to create a preferable future.
Foresight is “a process which involves intensive
iterative periods of open reflection, networking,
consultation and discussion, leading to the joint
refining of future visions and common ownership
of strategies... It is the discovery of a common
space for open thinking on the future and the
incubation of strategic approaches” (Cassingena
Harper, 2003).

6
Michael brings relentless curiosity about the
consumer and a drive to create unexpected
innovation to all of his engagements. Currently
completing his Masters of Design in Strategic
Foresight and Innovation at OCAD University.
Prior to his Masters, he honed his innovation
craft and sensitivity for consumers leading
strategy projects in many industries including
retail, financial and automotive for both the
corporate and agency side. He is passionate
about business and entrepreneurship with a
keen interest in futurism.
In the future, he will sail across
the world!
Komal is a social designer, a design thinker, a
global shaper, and an activist. She’s the
founder of “Design Pakistan,” an initiative that
develops sustainable design interventions
to serve and support communities. As part
of her work experience, she has worked
as a designer and consultant for various
organizations, and has taught undergraduate
visual communication design. Currently, a
student of “Strategic Foresight and Innovation”
and OCADU, her aim is to try and build
bridges between design, empathy and social
development.
In the future, Komal will be the
founder of a notable global
social innovation initiative.
Michael Berman Komal Faiz
Our Team

7
Aday is a designer and engineer with
flair for user-centered design and project
development, her mission is to inspire
growth using design principles. Currently
completing his Masters of Design in
Strategic Foresight and Innovation at OCAD
University. Prior to this program, she crafted
her particular expertise in liaising with
multiple Project Managers and project teams,
managing multimedia projects, and
contributing to the design of the web and
print media components.
In the future, Aday will be the
first Minister of Design Affairs in
Nigeria.
Vanessa is a senior creative director and
strategist in the field of digital marketing. She
is a principal advisor to entrepreneurs and
corporations seeking to create or enhance
their digital experiences that drive business
growth. Grounded in deep research and data
analytics, she applies user-centric methods
to diverse digital marketing solutions in the
areas of customer lifecycle management,
1:1 marketing, web, email, social media,
and mobile design. Her experience spans a
broad range of verticals with clients such as
JP Morgan, Air Canada, and Swiss Chalet.
Previously she has worked with Blast Radius
(WPP Group), Thindata and Saatchi & Saatchi.
In the future, she is going to be
credited for inventing the first
multi-tasking clone.
Aday Sami-Orungbe Vanessa Rementilla

9
INTRODUCTION
Our Stakeholder
The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) is the largest and one of the most
diverse school boards in Canada. It serves approximately 245,000 students in
588 schools throughout Toronto, Canada.
Given its broad reach within the largest city in Canada, the TDSB is well
positioned to affect change in children’s diets through a well-rounded health
curriculum and food guidelines that influence healthy food choices consumed
within schools. As an influential school board, it can also affect provincial and
perhaps federal food policies in schools – preventing the further advancement
of a growing nationwide epidemic: the rise of diabetes, obesity and other diet-
related diseases.
With kids spending the majority of their waking hours in classrooms for eight
months of the year, schools have an opportunity to capture kids’ tummies – and
hearts and minds – instilling good dietary habits that will last to adulthood, and
maybe even influence how they feed the next generation of children (Hyslop,
2014).
A Generational Change
Future Diets examines the possible scenarios in the year
2035. With a full generation out from today, we can assess
how diets might differ from childhood to adulthood, from
one generation to the next.
The Toronto District School Board

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Why should change in diets
start in schools?
Here are reasons for concern:
Childhood Obesity on the Rise
Between 1978/79 and 2004, the combined prevalence of overweight and obesity among
Canadians aged 2-17 has increased from 15%-26% (“Curbing Childhood Obesity”, 2012). Most
adolescents do not outgrow this problem and in fact, many continue to gain excess weight
(Singh, Mulder, Twisk, 2008). If current trends continue, by 2040, up to 70% of adults aged 40
years will be either overweight or obese (Le Petit, Berthelot, n.d.).
Childhood obesity increases the risk of our children suffering from chronic diseases such as
diabetes and hypertension. Type 2 diabetes, rarely found among children a decade ago, is
now being diagnosed more frequently. Obesity increases the risk of other illnesses later in life,
including heart attacks, stroke and cancer (Hodgson, 2012).
Amanda Sheedy, program manager at Food Secure Canada shares, “Most school food programs
of the past were aimed at food-insecure children, there is now a shift in what our children need,
because it is very much about preventing a lot of the chronic diseases that we now see...that
are very much diet-related. It's time for us to really educate our kids about what healthy eating
means." (as cited in Hyslop, 2014)
Failing Grade for Nutrition in Schools
A 2007 report card issued by the CSPI (Centre for Science in the Public Interest) rated each of
the provincial guidelines against standards set by the Canada Food Guide and the U.S. Institute
of Medicine. It found "weak nutrition standards that permit the sale of nutrient-poor food," wide
variation between provinces, and virtually no public information about whether schools were
complying or not (Kimmett, 2011).

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INTRODUCTION
Good Food = Good Grades
A link between good nutrition and learning outcomes is well established. Feeding the Future
study released by the Toronto District School Board, shows that giving children a nutritious
breakfast each morning has a direct effect on their academic performance. "In our elementary
schools [Education Quality and Accountability Office] tests are showing huge improvements
in reading, mathematics and particularly science," said Catherine Parsonage, co-chair of the
Canadian Child and Youth Nutrition Program Network. According to the study, 78% of students
who ate breakfast on most days were on-track for graduation compared to 61% of students who
ate breakfast only on a few days or not at all (“Toronto study links breakfast with school success,”
2012).
The same outcome is expected of lunch however most research is focused on breakfast, as it is
the most skipped meal of the day (Hyslop, 2014).
Call for Food & Nutrition Literacy
Food and nutrition literacy among children is low. "I realized that most of them are graduating
without a lot of education even around basic nutrition, because it's not covered in the learning
outcomes in most of the high school programs," said Eric Schofield, Vancouver based teacher
and food-knowledge evangelist (as cited in Hyslop, 2014).
Far fewer people in Canada are cooking with their kids today compared to previous generations
and that's having a drastic effect on our knowledge about food, particularly among children
(Kimmett, 2011). The 2013 Conference Board of Canada report found that "the low percentage of
children and adolescents who regularly participate in family meal preparation is a concern, and
may lead to future generations with increasing cooking skill deficits." (as cited in Hyslop, 2014)

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“Organizations scan the environment in order to
understand external forces of change so that they
may develop effective responses that secure or
improve their position in the future.” (Choo, 1999)
The environmental scanning of the food
ecosystem uses the STEEP +V framework.
An acronym for Social, Technological,
Economical, Environmental, Political and
Values, STEEP+V is an analysis tool that
allows an organization to gauge how the
external environment can affect it’s future.

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TRENDS
Meal Replacements
Since the body does not require food itself but rather
the chemicals and elements it contains, we can bypass
food and go straight to nutritional content.
Description:
People are seeking ways to cope with a
busy lifestyle. According to a study on food
preparation and consumption in the US from
1965–1966 to 2007–2008, people are eating
out more and spending less time cooking
(Smith et al., 2013). This implies that people
are spending more and getting less healthy
options possibly defaulting to fast food. If
consumers can get all the nutritional value,
on-demand and at an affordable price meal
replacements would be worth considering.
Maturity:
Diets supplements have been around for a
long time, but the idea of meal replacements
started in the 1960s (Popovich, 2014). It
is steadily rising and continues toward an
upward trend.

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Signals:
• Soylent – There have been several meal
replacement drinks and smoothies with the
ideal amounts of calories, fibre, vitamins
and macronutrients that have debuted on
the market such as SlimFast, Ensure etc.
However Soylent is gaining significant
traction, raising 20 million dollars in
funding (Kulp, 2015). The company said
it had shipped an estimated 6.25 million
“meals” across the United States (Ziegler,
2015).
• Compressed Meals – The Combat Feeding
Directorate (CFD) a branch of the U.S.
Army, have developed compressed meals
that contain the same amount of calories
as a “Meal Ready-To-Eat” (MRE) but are
contained in noticeably smaller packaging
(one-third of the size). The compressed
meal is smaller both in weight (170 to 250
grams) and volume using a combination
of freeze-drying, air drying and drying
blending (SSC-Natick, 2006).
• LifeCaps – Food Formulator Russ Bianchi,
claims these chewable super vitamin
and mineral enriched pills allows people
operate at peak performance during
prolonged periods of starvation. This pill
would artificially manipulate the human
body’s metabolism and find ways to better
access the energy-rich fat stores (Bianchi,
2008).
Implications:
• Solution to World Hunger – Currently meal
replacement products are marketed as a
lifestyle choice; for others, though, they might
mean survival. The World Food Programme
(WFP) uses a broad range of specialized
foods to improve the nutritional intake of
the people around the world, particularly
in disaster relief situations. As future food
production and availability is a cause for
concern, meal replacement options could be
the solution.
• Loss of Food Ritual – If we were to exchange
our food with a pill or a drink, we would
potentially lose our personal and social
connections through food. Critics of the trend
“efficient eating” lament the loss of food’s
communal power. However, the gains from
the efficiency are yet to be calculated.
• Food for Function - Inventor of Soylent, Rob
Reinhart, imagines that, in the future, “we’ll
see a separation between our meals for utility
and function, and our meals for experience
and socialization” (Widdicombe, 2014).
Related Trends:
• Functional Foods – Foods enhanced or
fortified with a particular nutrient to market
that food as having an additional health-
related benefit.

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TRENDS
Nutrigenomics
Nutrigenomics is the study of how food affects our
genes. By combining our knowledge of genomics and
nutrition, we can determine healthy eating guidelines
specific to an individual’s genetic make-up.
Description:
Because of genetic differences, optimal
nutrition for one person may not be optimal
or even appropriate for someone else. Since
the human genome project, we have made
dramatic progress in our understanding
of nutrient signals and their effect on our
genetic code. Nutrients are dietary signals
that are detected by cellular sensory systems
that influence gene and protein expression
and subsequently, metabolite production.
Nutrigenomics aims to determine exactly what
a person needs to eat to fight disease and
minimize the risks of predisposed conditions
by identifying dietary signatures in specific
cells (Aldridge, 2007).
Maturity:
The study of nutrition is an ancient science that
has evolved as the knowledge of the human
body continues to progress. Nutrigenomics is
at the early stages of maturation as we have
just recently been able to sequence the entire
human genome igniting further research in the
field (Collins, 2001).

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Signals:
• Direct to Consumer Start-ups – The
emergence of successful genomic self-
assessment platforms such as 23andme.
com, which went from 100,000 customers
to over 1,000,000 from 2011 – 2015 (W, A,
2015).
• Tech Tools – Arrival of massive computing
power and bioinformatics tools to process
large data sets signals the progression of
nutrition-related research (Desiere, 2001).
• Data Bank Growth – From 2003 to 2013,
scientists have expanded the GenBank
from 49 million DNA bases to approx. 150
terabases. Also, scientists have been able
to identify over 2972 genes with known
phenotype / disease-causing mutations
in contrast to 53 detected in 2003 (Khaldi,
2012).
• Increase in Publications – The number
of published genome-wide association
studies has gone from 0 to 1542 in 10 years
illustrating a vested interest in research and
data accumulation related to the field of
genetics and human health (Miraglia et al.,
2004).
Implications:
• Made-to-Fit – Medical professionals will
shift away from the “one-size-fits-all”
approach to nutrition since advice will be
more personalized than we have been able
to give in the past. The data generated
to provide personalized advice will
consist of quantitative information about
lifestyle including nutrient intakes, genetic
analyses, measurements of physiology and
metabolomics or proteomic analyses.
• Proactive vs. Reactive – Individuals will be
more proactive about their health given
the accuracy and personalized nature
of information and treatment options. A
healthier population will exist due to more
effective dietary recommendations and
new products with accurate health claims. In
addition, nutrigenetic testing could provide a
powerful motivator in helping people make
healthy lifestyle choices and stick with them
(Faseb, 2005).
• Enhanced Learning – Our improved
understanding of bioactive compounds
in foods and their relationship to specific
genetic disorders can help underpin
nationwide health policy (Muller, 2003).
• Targeted Branding – Health claims on food
product will be more sub-divided and
scientifically substantiated. Products may
include branded food products tailored and
marked to your sub-genotype containing
the right combination of micronutrients. Milk
with age-range label to match your fat and
calcium requirements (Campbell, 1991).
• Long Term – Nutrigenomics helps consumers
understand how nutrition can be used to
prevent specific diseases.
Related Trends:
• Fortified Foods Products – There are already
many products containing plant sterol esters
to lower cholesterol and Omega-3 fatty acids
to protect against heart disease. This would
just take this trend further in attempts to treat
their risk factors with food rather than drugs
(Khaldi, 2012).
• Ingestible Biobots – Vehicles to personalize
nutrient supplementation based on the
unique genetic make-up of an individual.
By monitoring natural bacteria, the biobot
evaluates and creates a personalized
protozoa colony specific to the individual.

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TRENDS
Carbonated Drinks Get Personal
Technology innovations are increasing ways for
customers to personalize their carbonated drinks.
Description:
With the soft drink category sales volume
sliding down 0.9% from 2013 to 2014
(Balakrishnan, 2015), the beverage industry is
looking at technology to create engagement
and marketing opportunities to consumers.
Beverage marketers are increasingly
experimenting with customizable, made-at-
home drinks as they try to satisfy consumer
demand for variety (Wentz, 2014). Even
touchscreen dispensers at restaurants enable
mixing and matching of flavours. Plus, one-
of-a-kind bottles and flavour capsules can
transform a plain glass of water into new
drinks - the marriage of technology and
personalization is changing the way people
think about beverages (Arthur, 2015).
Maturity:
This trend is at the very early stage of
customization. Newly launched systems and
interfaces need consumer feedback over the
next few years. Once beverage companies
learn from it, the evolution will continue.

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Signals
• Touchscreen Beverage Dispensers Allow
Flavour Mixing – In 2009, Coca-Cola
Freestyle machines enabled customers
to mix up to 100 different flavours on the
spot. It also sends metrics back to Coke
headquarters on popular choices, volume,
time, location and can stop any offerings
remotely (Sforza, 2012). In response to
Coke, Pepsi rolled out Spire in 2014, a
digital drink dispenser that can create more
than 1,000 drink combinations from it’s
biggest machine (Strom, 2014).
• Personal and Portable Hydration System
– PepsiCo’s Drinkfinity, developed and
launched in Brazil in 2014, is a reusable
drink bottle which can be flavoured using
pods that can contain both dry (e.g.
vitamins, botanicals) and liquid essentials
(e.g. flavours, sweeteners)(Arthur, 2015).
• At-home Carbonated/Beverage Systems
without CO2 Canisters – A collaboration
between Keurig Green Mountain and
Coca-Cola, Keurig KOLD, entered
the market in Fall of 2014. It enables
consumers to make craft and fountain
style sodas, zero and low calorie flavoured
seltzers and waters, sports hydration
drinks, iced teas and –coming soon –
cocktail mixers. The system operates
without a CO2 canister and uses flash chill
technology, cooling beverage to 39° in 60
seconds (Watson, 2015). Existing market
leader, SodaStream, started the flavoured
sparkling drinks in the home during the
1970s (Arthur 2015).
Implications:
• Carbonated Drinks Continue to Lose
Market Share – Trends towards at-home
customization and consumption may
mean a steady decline in retail/off-the-
shelf carbonated beverages. In the last ten
years, the volume of carbonated drinks
sales has steadily decreased. Consumers
may be starting to show a preference for
more healthful choices. The volume of non-
carbonated drinks and water increased by
1.7% in 2014 (Balakrishan, 2015) As well,
at-home systems come equipped to mix flat
drinks like tea and juices.
• True Customization – While moving towards
choices, beverage dispensing systems such
as Coke’s Freestyle, Spire and Keurig Cold
still start with pre-selected options, using
their brands as a flavour base, to which some
argue is failed customization as it has missed
an opportunity to learn more about consumer
tastes (Sforza, 2012). Machines can be used
as a need finding device and allow customers
to co-create new flavours by themselves or
socially, so new flavour combinations can
emerge. Companies discover consumer
preferences, perhaps roll out popular
combinations.
• Personal Data, a Marketer’s Dream – As these
devices start to understand our beverage
consumption habits and preferences,
beverage companies can use this information
to learn more about its consumers and
create a strategy on how to turn around the
declining carbonated drinks industry.
• Direct to Consumer POS Marketing
Opportunities – As machines and beverage
interfaces become digital, there is a host
of marketing options for directly marketing
to the consumer. Coke has already used
feedback from Freestyle to offer tailor-made
drinks, like Thor Thunder Fusion, a limited
edition drink concocted to coincide with
opening of the movie, “Thor, The Dark World”
(Strom, 2014)
• Change in Beverage Distribution – POS
opportunities are not limited to restaurants
and movie theatres – imagine custom
beverage dispensers in groceries. With true
customization, consumers should be able to
self-bottle their concoctions. It can also mean
a slow down for the bottling plant and off the
shelf drinks.
• More Healthy Options – With the increased
availability of bioactive ingredients (vitamins,
plant sterol, etc.) and the wide range of
flavour offerings, consumers can create
their drinks with healthy ingredients while
controlling sugar and salt content. It also
coincides with the current trend of consumers
seeking healthier options.
Related Trends:
• Water Flavour Enhancers – Concentrated
flavours that come in a capsule (e.g. MiO and
Dasani Drops)
• Printed Near-field communication (NFC)
bottle labels – sticker labels that can contain
data retrieved via mobile or the web.

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TRENDS
Biotechnology, accelerated by genomics and
bioinformatics, has the potential to increase the quality
of food, reducing all aspects of the cost including the
impact of crop food product on the environment (Holst-
Jensen, 2009).
Gene Edited Foods
Description:
Significant progress in gene editing and the
ability to produce genetically modified food
products has been made possible by scientists
improved understanding of the molecular
mechanisms underlying the relationship between
food and health, from basic nutrient actions to
the interactions between food micro-organisms
and the human intestinal system. By identifying
specific bioactive peptides in food products
and their link to certain diseases, we are actively
looking for ways to make food products more
nutritional and thereby lower the risk of diseases
caused by specific bioactive compounds. From
making food more nutritious with validated
health claims to taking bioactive compounds out
of foods that are disease or even allergy causing,
gene editing provides us with complete control
to design foods to sustain optimal health..
Maturity:
Gene editing is a trend in its early stages.
The development of the CRISPR technique
has potential to accelerate the development
of gene-edited food products further
progressing this trend to moderate
maturation through the commercialisation of
genetically engineered products.

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Signals:
• Emergence of CRISPR-Cas9 – This gene
editing technique has brought newfound
breakthroughs in genetic manipulation.
A molecular technology, it provides
something like a “find and replace” feature
of DNA giving researchers the ability to
make accurate, surgical changes in the
genome of living cells (Feng et al. 2013).
Biotech company, DuPont, is already
growing corn and wheat plants edited
with CRISPR in greenhouses. VP of DuPont
was quoted saying “We are talking about
bringing products to market in 5 to 10
years” (Regalado, 2015). A growing list
of plant types genetically engineered
with CRISPR-Cas9 in laboratories include
soybeans, rice, potatoes (Herman, 2003).
• Suppressing nature – In 2014, a Japanese
team used gene editing to turn off fruit-
ripening genes in tomato plants
• Financial growth – Since the introduction of
biotechnology and the use of transgenic
plants in the agricultural industry, the seed
business has exploded to 40 billion a
year. Financial growth in this industry has
resulted in many biotechnology companies
including Monsanto, SeedCrop, etc. to
invest in future foods (Regalado, 2015).
Implications:
• Impact on Hybrid Plants – New gene-editing
techniques including CRISPR can make
drought-resistant corn as well as wheat
genetically altered to breed like a hybrid
rather than self-pollinate as it typically does
(Umezawa et al. 2006). This is beneficial as
hybrid plants are vigorous, and yields can
jump by 10 or 15 percent.
• Quicker Methods – Advancements in gene-
editing provide a fast and precise way to
short-cut the gene engineering process to
achieve resistance to harsh environmental
conditions including low rainfall. The
simplicity and efficiency of the CRISPR system
could dramatically increase the number of
plants reaching the market (Cong, 2013).
• Innovations – Gene editing could lead to
some surprising creations in agriculture
(Holst-Jensen, 2009). For instance, the
commercialisation of food products without
the proteins responsible for allergies (ex.
Allergy-free peanuts).
• Life Extension – Application of gene editing
techniques like CRISPR to food production
has the potential to drive a new generation
of foods with additional values extending
the life of humans through more nutritious
food consumption without harmful bioactive
compounds.
• Provokes Questions – The ethics behind
designer foods is in question as it alters
the value system in place for agriculture.
Changing the molecular composition of
food may lead to the extinction of naturally
occurring food products.
Related Trends:
• TALENs – Particular enzymes used to
edit genomes have been used to correct
genetic errors underlying disease. TALENs
open possibilities for new agricultural
biotechnology approaches aiming at
accelerating the generation of genomic
variants with novel and beneficial traits
(Mahfouz, 2011).
• Antisense RNA – Used to regulate the
expression of certain genes. For example,
a tomato was developed to suppress the
enzyme responsible for ripening. The FLAVR
SAVR tomato was the first GMO to be
commercially sold (Kramer, 1994).

22
TRENDS
Taste Bud Hacking
Use sensory perception of food (sight, sound, texture,
smell) to trick the brain into thinking food tastes
differently.
Description:
The experience of food (the taste, smell, and
overall satisfaction from food) is influenced
by all of the senses (Powell, 2015). The brain
powers all the senses; as such scientists,
psychologists and food makers are looking
to engineer the food experience by altering
perception cues (Fleming, 2015). Essentially
trick the brain into thinking that we are
eating chicken when in fact it is broccoli. The
study of the relationship between sounds (in
particular biting and chewing sounds) and
the judgement of foods has been conducted
(Christensen and Vickers, 1981). However the
ability to supply perception responses to the
brain to influence our perception of flavour is
fairly new (Powell, 2015).
Maturity:
The study of the relationship between sounds
(in particular biting and chewing sounds) and
the judgement of foods has been conducted
(Christensen and Vickers, 1981). However the
ability to supply perception responses to the
brain in order to influence our perception of
flavour is fairly new (Powell, 2015).

23
Signals:
• Whiskey Experiment – Singleton Sensorium
conducted a research project in which
whisky was sampled in different sensory
rooms to bring out different taste profiles.
Participants were unaware that they were
receiving the same whiskey in each room.
The experiment showed conclusively the
link between flavours and environmental
stimulators (Velasco et al., 2013).
• Synaesthetic Marketing – Using the study of
synaesthetics to alter sensory perceptions
(Pendrous, 2014). Numerous imaging
and behavioural studies have been
conducted showing significant evidence of
synaesthesia (the senses coming together
or overlapping: where synaesthetes may
see certain colours when listening to music
for example (Than, 2005).
• Effects of Packaging – Food marketing
research conducted in Bonn, Germany to
show the relationship between sight and
perceived taste, studied the influence of
food packaging in the taste perception
of elementary school children. The results
revealed that the packaging cues affect
a taste-placebo effect in 88% of children
(Enax et al 2015).
• Red Plate Experiment – Using the principles
of the DeBoeuf scientists have shown that
people eat less when the contrast between
the food colour and plate colour was high
(Caro, 2013).
Implications:
• Weight Loss – If we can manipulate the brain
into thinking we are consuming something
sweeter or saltier, and instead get the
nutritional value and reduced calorie count of
a vegetable.
• Food Manufacturing Regulations – With taste
bud hacking technology readily available,
companies may want to cut corners in their
use of materials opting for lower cost items
that can deliver the same flavor, texture and
overall taste experience. Food regulators
must develop ways to monitor manufactures
ensuring that they are transparent about the
contents of their products.
• The Universal Diet – There have been several
attempts by vegetarian and vegan people
to replicate the satisfaction from dairy foods
in particular. What if you didn’t need to ask
about food preferences because every food
was vegan and you derived experiential
pleasure you would from meat.
Related Trends:
• Forever Fresh – There are new technologies
and treatments such as High Pressure
Processing (HPP) that preserve the perceived
freshness of food without altering the taste or
texture (Blum, 2012).

24
TRENDS
Food Allergy Scanning
Food scanning technology now allows users to detect
allergens contained in food.
Description:
Food allergies are an emerging public
concern, affecting as many as 6 percent of
children and 4 percent of adults and can be
life-threatening (Boye, 2004). While consumer-
protection laws regulate the labelling of
ingredients in pre-packaged foods, cross-
contaminations can still occur during
processing, manufacturing and transportation
(Chin, 2012). There are several products
on the market and in development stages
that hope now allows users to scan their
meals and identify possible allergens before
consumption.
Maturity:
Food scanning technologies date back
to the late 1990s when bulky equipment
was developed to scan and analyze food
and medicines to indicate consumption
information, collecting the data through
barcodes (Kosher, 2003). However the use
of portable devices and smart phones to
determine the nutritional value of food is new
with the development of SCiO in 2014. This
trend is still emerging.

25
Signals:
• iTube Platform – Developed in UCLA by a
team led by Aydogan Ozcan, can test for
a variety of allergens, including peanuts,
almonds, eggs, gluten and hazelnuts by
using the cell phone’s camera and a smart
application running on the phone (Chin,
2012).
• TellSpec – A keychain-sized device that
uses a spectrometer, which interprets
the spectrum of photons and the app’s
algorithms translate the energy state data
into information about the foods’ chemical
composition. All the nutritional data and
biochemical information is then displayed
on your smartphone (Orlov, 2013).
• Nima – A portable gluten tester, which tests
a physical food sample for presence of
gluten using a chemistry-based detection
system. It provides positive or negative
results within 2 minutes (Nima, 2015).
• SCiO – Uses the spectrometer technology
alongside an algorithm to give users
information such as calorie content but
it can also tell ripeness and sweetness
(Albright, 2014).
Implications:
• User Data – Since the technology is tied to
the users smart-phone, developers could
leverage user data to build a massive
database of GPS-enabled food information.
This information could help stop public health
epidemics, and hold parties responsible for
contaminated food. The TellSpec team hopes
it will cultivate a clean food revolution.
• Food Information – Since SCiO can also
provide chemical information like ripeness
and even sweetness, this could potentially
alter the way we grocery shop for produce
(instead of shaking and tapping watermelons
we could shine a light).
• Legislation and Policy – With this new
technology we can now hold food marketers
accountable if there are discrepancies
between the labeled content and the
scanned content.
• Food Purchasing Practices – With scanning
technology available, consumers will become
more selective in their buying practices:
wanting only the freshest produce. This may
impact the level of food waste, as consumers
will reject good edible produce for fresher
alternatives until the rejected food reaches its
shell life and must be discarded.
Related Trends:
• Barcode Scanning Mobile Apps – Smart
phone apps like Wazinit and Content Check
allow the consumer to scan the product
barcode and receive advice on food content.

26
TRENDS
Functional Foods
With demand from more health-conscious consumers,
a focus on disease prevention and a trend toward
wellness initiatives the functional food market is robust
and growing at a fast pace
Description:
Functional Foods are foods enhanced or
fortified with a particular nutrient to market
that food as having an additional health-
related benefit. Globally, it has a compound
annual growth rate of 6 percent between
the period 2011-2015 (Global Functional
Food Sales, 2015). Functional foods are fast
becoming staples in our supermarkets in
a wide range of food categories – cereals
fortified with extra fibre and vitamins,
margarine with phytosterols, yogurt with
probiotics, beverages with antioxidants
and more. The conditions optimizing this
market growth includes the consumer
rising interest in attaining wellness through
diet, disease prevention and wellness
(PricewaterhouseCoopers, 2009).
Maturity:
Though prevalent in groceries and the
functional food industry is growing steadily
worldwide, this trend has not yet reached
its peak – it’s most likely in the early stages
of a mature trend. With advancements in
technology enabling fortification in many
different ways, this trends has ways to go.

27
Signals:
• Intense Market Competition – Most
prevalent in the dairy category with
probiotic and prebiotics yogurt innovations
(Transparency Market Research, 2013).
• Tech Innovations – Enhancement of
bioactive ingredients are made easier
with technological advancements of
plant breeding, genetic modification,
processing, or special livestock feeding
techniques, for example, eggs milk and
meat with Omega -3 (Agriculture and Agri-
Foods Canada, 2011)
• Laws and Labels – Changes in food
laws affecting label and product claims
(International Food Information Council
Foundation, 2011).
• Health Conscious Consumers – There is a
rising interest in attaining wellness through
diet (International Food Information
Council Foundation, 2011).
• Canadian Market – In Canada, it’s emerging
as a global supplier of functional foods and
natural health products. More than 750
Canadian companies are specialized in
this area, garnering more than $11 billion
in revenues (Functional Foods and Natural
Health Products, 2015).
Implications:
• Supply Chain – A complex industry, it
leads to the formation of new supply
chain partnerships with input suppliers,
farmers, researchers, and food processors.
Opportunities exist for strategic alliances for a
consistent supply of functional ingredients.
• Expensive Technology – Bioactive ingredient
extraction can be relatively costly; research
and development are often significant, and
there can be specialized technology needs
as well. The groundwork for a product
is conducted in-house or outsourced to
specialized suppliers dedicated to food
ingredient technology research and product
development.
• Value Gap – Consumers need to grasp
the health benefits associated with a
given nutrient to appreciate its relevance
and premium pricing (Marrapodi, 2011).
Manufacturers may need to educate
potential customers and provide this level of
understanding.
• Health Claims – Scientific evidence of benefits
from some functional ingredients is stronger
than others. There may be a need for policy
change regarding health/nutrient content
claims on labels and ingredient information.
As well, measuring functional effects and
health implications may not be known until
after several years.
• More Variety – As people gain a greater
appreciation of their unique disease risk
profiles, they may increasingly seek foods
that address their specific health concerns.
This demand, paired with food companies’
growing ability to finely segment products, is
likely to lead to greater varieties of functional
foods. For example, in recent years, the
enhanced water market has grown faster
than the overall bottled water market, partly
because manufacturers have created dozens
of varieties, each product offering a specific
benefit.
• Food is Medicine – There is a potential
blurring of the lines between food and
medicine; already consumers are trading
their vitamins and supplements for functional
foods.
Related Trends:
• Nutrigenomics – an application of the science
of genomics, it is the study of relationship
between nutrition and health, for example,
how genes interact with nutrients among
others.
• Health Consciousness – Consumer awareness
and desire for healthy foods in the wake of
growing diseases like diabetes and cancer.
• Transparency – Consumer demand
for transparency in food sourcing and
ingredients.

28
TRENDS
Boxed Meal Kits
Growing adoption of pre-planned dinners delivered
from online food companies.
Description:
Web-based meal kit companies take care of
shopping, sorting, washing and planning for
dinner. Customers just browse recipes, and
the company will deliver ingredients directly
to them with step-by-step cooking instructions
usually 30 minutes or less. Many companies
claim to have chef-created recipes and locally
sourced ingredients, perhaps a justification for
slightly higher prices than if you were to shop
at a grocery store. This business is attracting
Millennial urbanites, among others with
more expendable income who are looking
for convenience and with little to no cooking
skills (Segran, 2015).
Maturity:
This emerging trend is in its 8th year in
Europe. In North America, it only started
three years ago hence, in its infancy. Though
new companies are taking the plunge into
the market space, competition is far from
crowded, and demographic attracted to meal
kits still skew on the urbanites without kids.

29
Signals
• Global Growth – In 2007, meal kits
started in Sweden with a company called
Middagsfrid meaning “dinner peace”
(Dunn, 2015). American versions began
popping up in 2012 led by NYC-based
Blue Apron and Plated. In that same
year, a German startup, Hello Fresh came
to the United States. In 2013, meal kits
went specialized with the likes of Peach
Dish offering Southern food and Boston-
based Just Add Cooking emphasizing
Northeastern foodstuffs (Kruse, 2015). In
Canada, the idea is catching on with Fresh
City and Chef’s Plate (Flavelle, 2014).
• Growing Investments – Investors have
poured an astounding $177 million into
food delivery startups, and two major
restaurant delivery players have gone
public. SpoonRocket, a San Francisco-
based health food delivery startup,
reportedly raised $10 million from
Foundation Capital and General Catalyst.
Munchery, also based in San Francisco, has
raised a $28 million Series B round led by
Sherpa Ventures, bringing its total funding
to $35 million (Meijers, 2014).
• Grocery Stores Enter the Market –
Supermarket chain Giant/Martin’s launched
meal kits at Pennsylvania locations and
began offering delivery to customers in
Harrisburg, PA, and Jersey City, NJ. Hy-Vee,
a Midwest grocery store chain offers Let’s
Dish, a meal preparation workshop for
parents who want to prepare meals in a fun
atmosphere. In Massachusetts, Pantry, an
entire grocery store dedicated to globally
inspired meal kits made with locally
sourced ingredients launched in June 2015
(Tristano, 2016).
Implications:
• Niche business – Targeting urbanites with
disposable income, meal kits are priced
slightly higher than produce in a grocery
store but slightly lower than a restaurant. If
pricing stays the same, this trend can settle
into a niche business with well-managed
survivors. Opportunities exist in this category
to expand to families with children.
• Grocery footprints decrease – If meal kits
dominate, everyone can enjoy home cooked
meals without ever having to set foot in
a grocery store. We may no longer have
multiple, massive aisles.
• New distribution channel for farms – With the
current crop of meal kit companies claiming
to work with local suppliers and chefs
jointly planning meals based on seasonal
availability, local farms may find a more
sustainable distribution channel and income
stream.
• Millennials can graduate into “real” cooks
– ”It’s definitely broadened my horizons
because the stuff that I would normally go to
a restaurant for I can now do at home. It still
gives me that ability to cook, and it’s teaching
me stuff, too. For me a lot of it is food
discovery,” says Mario Quiquero a Plated
customer (Johns, 2014).
• Restaurants will continue to exist – Though
there may be a reduction in restaurant visits,
meal kit patrons will still want to seek out
the restaurant experience that meal kits
don’t provide (getting out of the house,
socialization, being served). Millennials spend
more on food outside the home than any
other generation, averaging $50.75 a week
(Segran, 2015).
Related Trends:
• Home Meal Replacement – Food category that refers to prepared meals sold through food
retailers.
• Meal Assembly Centres – Food retail stores where customers choose recipes and prepared
ingredients to be cooked at home. (e.g. Dream Dinners, Super Suppers)
• Farm to Table – Food movement concerned with producing and delivering food locally.
• Shut-in Economy – How engagement and services provided through the internet, believed to
be a social technology has anti-social consequences (e.g. Becoming a hermit due to online food
delivery).

30
TRENDS
Seaweed Goes Mainstream
Description
Seaweed is mostly identified with sushi
and Japanese cuisine. Seeing it as a
snack in Walmart would probably have
been unimaginable a few years ago, but
that’s exactly what’s happening right now.
Seaweed’s transition from the food fringes to
the mainstream will be propelled by snack
products (Seaweed is Growing on US Snack
Aisles, 2015). The flat sheets of roasted
seaweed and cracker variations have soared
in popularity in recent years (Spiegel, 2014).
More slowly, seaweed is also showing up in
burgers as an alternative source of protein and
in beer as a new flavour source.
Maturity:
Though many brands are cropping up in the
seaweed snack category and distributed in
major retailers, the trend is still emerging.
Marketers are also voicing that the typical
CPG market is different from the seaweed
audience, an educated, health-conscious
urban consumer (Crawford, 2015). In other
food categories such as the beer and the fast-
food (burger) industry, the use of seaweed is
either experimental or at a very early stage.
Seaweed is no longer just in sushi. It’s dominating the
snack aisle, it’s in burgers, and beer!

31
Signals
• Economic Growth – In 2014, retail sales
of seaweed snacks reached $250 million.
A massive growth of about 30% (Conick,
2015).
• More Product Introductions - In 2014, 27
seaweed snack products were launched in
the US and 57 in Europe. In the first seven
months of 2015, a further 17 new snacking
products featuring seaweed were launched
in the US and 40 In Europe (Conick, 2015).
• It’s own category in Amazon.com – Dried
Seaweed and Nori is alongside staples
like flours and doughs. Currently, the No.7
bestseller in Amazon’s “noodle” category
is Dulse flakes, a seaweed based product
describes as the bacon of seaweed (Wile,
2015).
• Seaweed Flavours in Beer – Kelpie,
Seaweed Ale Scottish beer and Marshall
Wharf Brewing Co’s Sea Belt (Field, 2014)
• Part of Superbowl Fare – Crunchy products
made from vegetables, seeds and beans
will be popular snack choices at many
big game parties including gimMe®7
crispy roasted seaweed snacks in sea salt,
cheddar cheese, honey Dijon and sesame
flavors (Snack Trends for the Big Game,
2015)
• Popular Keyword – Google Trends showed
a spike in the term “seaweed snack” in
2011 (Spiegel, 2014) and had been rising
since.
Implications
• North American Staple – Snacks like seaweed
may have a place in the American Diet.
US diet is changing, and more people are
looking for plant-based food that is both
tasty and healthy (Conick, 2015), Nutritionally
rich foods like seaweed are getting more
attention. Food companies and marketers are
paying attention to consumer demands and
pushing healthy food products, fueling and
reinforcing trends (Spiegel, 2014).
• Alternative Protein – Seaweed may prove
to be a major player in this area because
it’s abundant and easily harvested. A 2010
Wageningen University study estimated that
a seaweed farm covering 180,000 square
kilometres - roughly the size of Washington
State - could provide enough protein for the
world’s population (McEachran, 2014).
• Natural Salt Substitute – Scientists at Sheffield
Hallam University have previously concluded
that seaweed granules could replace salt
in cheese, bread, sausages and processed
food such as supermarket ready meals
(McEachran, 2014).
• Versatility – It can cross-integrate with other
food categories. In powder, flakes or extract
form, it fits comfortably with gluten-free,
vegan and vegetarian foods. In it has been
used for years as a non-animal resource for
umami flavour. – it also fits in the macro trend
of US consumers seeking new bold and
adventurous foods.
• Not a Replacement – “Seaweed will never
rival potato chips – nor should it try but
it will become a billion dollar business in
the US – just as hummus did,” said Julian
Mellentin, Director of New Nutrition Business
and author of The Next Big Opportunity in
Snacking: Five Steps to Creating Success with
Seaweed (Conick, 2015).
Related Trends
• Umami – a category of taste in food (besides
sweet, sour, salty, and bitter), corresponding
to the flavor of glutamates, especially
monosodium glutamate (Soanes and
Stevenson, 2006).
• Healthy Snacking
• Alternative Proteins - Other sources of protein
other than meat such as soy, grains and
insects.
• Organics - foods produced by organic
farming

32
TRENDS
Food Bars
Granola and energy bars have become a highly popular
category in the food industry as consumers value
convenience and affordability.
Description:
Energy bars originated from food
sticks made for space travels as healthy
substitutes for food. “Described as a “non-
frozen balanced energy snack in rod form
containing nutritionally balanced amounts of
carbohydrate, fat, and protein. Aficionados
will recall that the Space Food Sticks were
wrapped in individual foil to give them an
added space-age appearance.” (“Space,”
2015) With the perception that energy bars
are nutritious, it became popular with athletes
and people who are diet-conscious and
exercise frequently. Soon, it developed as a
convenience food. For those who don’t have
time too cook, this became a substitute for
breakfast or lunch. Economically, “Euromonitor
indicates that sales of snack, cereal and
nutrition bars fared well through the recession,
a sign that bars are an affordable indulgence.”
(“Snack,” 2013)
Maturity
From space food to today’s ubiquity, the
food bar trend is at its peak. They have
become a regular part of our daily lives and
manufacturers continually seek new innovative
ideas to sustain their market share.

33
Signals
• Growing Consumer Base – Food bars
started exclusively in space missions,
adopted by athletes and now widely used
by students, professionals and the greater
population.
• Innovations – a combination of bioactive
ingredients, nutrients, vitamins, amino
acids and electrolytes are packaged in bars
like: Futurelife® High Energy SmartBar®
and Perfect Bar.
• Market Growth – “Between 2007 and 2012,
total retail sales increased in the energy
and nutrition bar segments. In the five-year
period from 2007 to 2012, the segment
grew by 52.7% to reach US$2.1 billion in
retail sales.” (“Snack,” 2013) Similarly in the
US, “Packaged Facts estimated the total
U.S. retail sales in the nutrition/energy bar
category to be $2.5 billion in 2011, with
the category growing 16% from 2010 to
2011, approaching $4.5 billion by 2016.”
(Cosgrove, 2012)
• Growing Usage – “Some 75% of
respondents who eat cereal/snack bars
do so as a snack between meals. The
next most popular usage occasion is as
a replacement for breakfast, with 62%
of consumers engaging in this sort of
consumption, this means that the vast
majority of consumers are engaging
with the category throughout the day,
and product manufactures have the
opportunity to promote their products as
part of a larger wellness routine.” (“Snack,”
2013)
Related Trends:
• Energy Drinks – Similar to food bars, this trend
started with athletes taking instant energy
boosts before game.
• Customized Pills – Also offering convenience,
it provides energy and nutrients in pill form.
It is not as affordable and readily available as
food bars and are considered luxury.
Implications:
• Functional Food - As food bars become more
affordable and the addition of bioactive
ingredients make it nutritious, consumers
may use it as a type of meal replacement.
• Customization and Innovations – Food
companies may continue to create custom
variants such as bars for specific dietary
needs. They can also create a new category
for use other than snacking.
• Continued Growth – “Continued consumer
demand for convenient and healthy food
options will drive snack, cereal and nutrition
bar sales in years to come. The category is
forecast to grow by an average of 4% from
2013-17. They are attracted to inherent and
added benefits of organic nutrition bar
products, as a source of energy and protein,
to practical benefits such as time-saving and
value for money.” (“Snack,” 2013)

34
TRENDS
Urban Agriculture
Urban Agriculture is the growing of plants and animals
for food and other uses within and around cities and
towns. It includes a variety of production systems
ranging from subsistence production and processing at
the household level to commercialised agriculture.
Description:
The UN acknowledges small-scale farming and
the necessary shift toward diverse production
patterns in agriculture including urban farming
as a sustainable approach to food production
that addresses the environmental and food
security issues we face today. Small-scale
farming in urban settings aims to catalyse
the shift from monoculture towards greater
varieties of crops, reduced use of fertilisers
and increased support for small-scale farmers
and more locally focused production and
consumption of food.
Maturity:
This trend is at the early maturation phase.
Urban agriculture and small-scale farming on
the household scale was common practice
before the industrial revolution. To shift this
trend into moderate maturation, a cultural
shift in value systems must occur within
the developing nation to allow for small-
scale farming to thrive without monoculture
monopolies.

35
Signals:
• Growing Worldwide – In 2014, 800 million
people worldwide grew vegetables or fruits
or raised animals in cities representing
between 15 to 20 percent of the world’s
food (Tidwell, 2001).
• Growing urban farming phenomenon in
the US – In 2008, Philadelphia’s squatter
gardens produced roughly 2 million
pounds of vegetables and herbs worth
US $4.9 million. Brooklyn’s Added-Value
Farm, occupying 2.75 acres, funnels
40,000 pounds of fruit and vegetables
into a low-income neighbourhood, Red
Hook. In Camden, New Jersey, community
gardeners at 44 sites harvested almost
31,000 pounds of vegetables (World Bank,
2013).
• Major Event – 2008-2009 food price crisis
placed food security and the need to
push for agricultural sustainability on the
international agenda.
• High Food Prices – from 2011 to 2013
were almost 80 percent higher than for the
period 2003 – 2008 (Jones, 2012).
• Fertilizer Increase – Global fertilizer use has
increased by eight times over the past 40
years, although global cereal production
has only doubled during that period (Bert,
2007).
• Growth rates – Agricultural productivity
have recently declined from 2/cent per year
to below 1 cent (Bert, 2007).
• Environmental Impact – Two types of
irreparable environmental damage caused
by monoculture, GMO production and
intensive agriculture include nitrogen
contamination of soil and water and loss of
biodiversity (Bert, 2007).
• Global Warming – Greenhouse Gas
Emissions from agriculture are the single
biggest and fastest growing source of
global warming in the South
Implications:
• Personal Farming – Urban agriculture would
promote small-scale organic farming on a
household scale leading to transformative
changes in the agriculture and trade
systems. Reduced reliance on conventional,
monoculture-based and high-external-input
dependent industrial production will improve
the productivity of small-scale farmers (Bert,
2007).
• Arable State – Less pressure on industrial
scale agricultural practices will help to
increased soil carbon content and better
integration between crop and livestock
production to return land back to its arable
state (Tidwell, 2001).
• Reduced Emissions – Reduction in
greenhouse gas emissions of livestock
production through sustainable peatland,
forest and grassland management (Bert,
2007).
• Diet Patterns – Changing dietary patterns
toward climate-friendly food consumption
(Jones, 2012)
• Less Cost – Food that’s grown and consumed
in cities may cost less than supermarket fare
that’s come long distances (World Bank,
2013)
• Safe Solution – When transportation and
distribution channels fail during the logistics
of agriculture exports from foreign markets,
urban farming acts as a safety solution for
dependent populations (World Bank, 2013).
• ·Emergency Supply – During natural disasters
such as hurricanes and blizzards, urban
farming produce will supply the population
during times of emergency. In New York City,
the urban farming company, “Gotham Green”
was the only product on the shelves during
Hurricane Sandy.
• More Yields on a Sustainable Level – Due
to the lack of insect pressure and predatory
stressors, urban farms are relatively more
productive than in rural settings. Also, the
maintenance of a smaller plot in urban farms
allows farmers to address problems as they
arise and harvest produce at their peak.
Lastly, urban farms can plant more densely
because they hand cultivate and nourish their
soil more frequently (World Bank, 2013).
Related Trends:
• Urban farming – Grown in recent years on both a commercial and household-scale. Growing
produce and herbs at home is a trend that already exists and continues to become more popular
as organics become more mainstream like the price is a barrier.
• Household Farming Kits – Google searches represent over 16 million search options for
“household farming kit” indicating a growing trend for cultivating produce at home.

36
TRENDS
Entomophagy
Eating insects, while a norm in some countries, is gaining
momentum elsewhere as a niche protein alternative to
conventional protein sources like meat.
Description:
Most of the world already eats insects as part
of their regular diet, “caterpillar and locusts
are popular in Africa, wasps are a delicacy
in Japan, and crickets in Thailand” (Anthes,
2014). But it is only in the past few years that it
has gained momentum in Western countries,
particularly with respect to crickets (Borel,
2015).
With the world population expected to reach
9 million in 2050, feeding a multitude is going
to be a problem. One solution from the food
industry is protein alternatives. Borel (2015)
says, insects – a source of protein that requires
a fraction of the land, water, and feed as
livestock – could help alleviate the looming
crisis. However, despite its health benefits
and sustainable farming practices, cultural
acceptance is required for wide adoption as
most people still associate insects with dirt,
waste, and pathogens (Anthes, 2014).
Maturity
The maturity of this trend differs according
to location. It “is common in many cultures
including 36 countries in Africa, 23 in the
Americas, 29 in Asia, and even 11 in Europe”
(Thomason, 2015). Out of the 7 billion-world
populations “the UN’s Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO) estimates that about two
billion of the world’s population eats insects
in their daily diet.”(Thomason, 2015) In North
America, the trend as protein alternative is just
starting to emerge.

37
Signals
• Acceptability – Recent efforts have been
made trying to make insects a more
acceptable part of our diet e.g. ‘Insect
Deliciousness’ Project, a three-year effort to
turn insects – the creepy crawlies that most
of us squash without a second thought –
into tasty treats.” (Anthes, 2014)
• Influencers Take the Lead – “…in the
Netherlands, the Minister of Agriculture
puts insects on the menu in her restaurant
in the ministry. And when she got all the
Ministers of Agriculture in the E.U. over to
the Hague recently, she went to a high-
class restaurant, and they ate insects all
together.” (Dicke, 2010)
• Concealing the Image to Focus on Taste
– Six Foods combined chips with crickets
and created ‘Chirps’, a triangular chip
made of black beans, rice and cricket flour
(Anthes, 2014).
• Changing names – “Take wax worms, which
live in beehives and eat honeycomb. By all
accounts, they’re delicious: buttery, with a
taste reminiscent of bacon. But the word
‘worm’ can be a deal-breaker for diners, so
Six Foods has re-christened them ‘honey
bugs’.” (Anthes, 2014)
• Insect Content Made Legal – “In the United
States, for example, a fair amount of
insect content is legally allowed in food.
Chocolate can have 60 insect components
per 100 grams; peanut butter can have 30
insect parts for every 100 grams.” (Galant,
2010)
Implications:
• Expensive Sources of Protein will Decline
– As insects become a more popular and
accessible choice of protein, expensive
sources like meats will become low in
demand. Global beef prices are already at
an all time high and health scares related to
red meat have leveled off demand in the U.S.
(Boyle, 2014). Introduction of any economical
and “safer” protein can be a threat to the beef
industry.
• Better for the Environment – Should
entomophagy become mainstream, it will
have a significant impact on the environment
as it uses significantly less water, land and
resources for cultivation.
• New regulations needed on food quality
and farming practices – Insect farms will
be monitored for any types of hazards
associated with its practices. Food quality will
need to be tested and checked periodically
before deemed safe, hygienic and healthy to
eat.
• Diverse application can increase
consumption and therefore acceptance
– Insect protein can be added to foods in
versatile forms. As flour, the application
can extend from main course to pastries.
For people who can’t get past the visual of
eating insects, this opens new ways of adding
insects to their diet.
Related Trends:
• Soy: With an ability to accept flavour, soy has become an accepted source of alternative protein
especially to vegetarians. It has, however, taken centuries for soy that was originally a part of
Chinese cuisine to become an acceptable replacement for meat.
• Sweet Blue Lupine Seeds – “lupine-based protein, which tastes like traditional dairy products but
is free of dairy, gluten and cholesterol, has the potential to become a valuable, sustainable protein
source in both developed and developing countries,” says research scientist Stephanie Mittermaier
(as cited in McLean, 2015)
• Quinoa - Quinoa is the only plant based source of complete protein. “Complete” means that it
contains all 9 of the essential amino acids that are crucial to human function and health (Norek,
2010)

38
TRENDS
It’s Organic
Whether its about healthy eating, good parenting or
protecting the environment, choosing organic foods is
associated to consumers’ values. To others, it’s also a
status symbol.
Description
The health benefits linked to organic foods
is a critical factor in decision-making for
North Americans (Essen & Englander, 2013).
Organics supporters have a tendency to
moralize their preferences. “To many of
my friends, buying organic is more than a
supermarket choice. It’s a badge of good
parenting. They proclaim, “I buy only organic”
with the same flush of pride they assume when
announcing their child has made the honor
roll” (Watson, 2015). Michaelidou and Hassan
(2008 ) noted that ethical motives might be
part of a person’s self-identity that has directly
influenced a particular behavior, which in
turn positively affects the individual’s attitude
toward organic food.” (As cited in A., C., 2012)
Being more costly than conventional food,
organic food is considered a status symbol.
Maturity
Organic food consumption continues to
rise but is still far away from its peak. There
is widespread awareness of its claimed
health benefits, however, due to high costs
and limited availability, the majority of the
population have not been able to adopt the
trend.

39
Signals
• Psychological impact – According to
a research by US National Library of
Medicine National Institutes of Health, “For
the young adult, choosing a lifestyle based
upon an organic diet constitutes a return
to the natural world on a philosophical
level, whereas on a psychological level it
connects one to aspects such as identity,
values, and well-being.” (Eskine, 2012)
• Food Memories – “The second constituent
was marked by the participants’ experience
of forming a narrative self through
emotional-relational food memories. In
other words, a healthy lifestyle, based on
eating organic food, was experienced as
having an interdependent connection to
positive childhood memories...”(Essen &
Englander, 2013)
• Organic Foods Tied to Morals – Research
suggests that, “Together, these findings
reveal that organic foods and morality do
share the same conceptual space.” (Eskine,
2012)
• Consumers Willing to Pay More – “Between
1997 and 2011, U.S. sales of organic foods
increased from $3.6 billion to $24.4 billion,
and many consumers are willing to pay
a premium for these products.” (Brandt,
2012)
Implications
• Image of Health – Consumers may continue
to support organics so long as they are
projected to be a healthier alternative.
• Label Awareness – The prevalence of
“healthier” foods like organics are making
consumers more “label-aware”, discriminating
and can influence healthy purchases of food
in general.
• Value to Consumer – Higher prices are
creating a justification for consumers to
believe they are indeed paying extra to be
healthy, therefore, organic foods will take
longer to gain mass adoption.
• Organic Brands May Continue to Charge
More – There are some doubts around the
authenticity of organic labels “and 51 percent
agree that labeling something as organic is an
excuse to charge more.” (“Facts about,” 2015)
Related Trends
• Sustainable Packaging – Plant-based plastics,
biodegradable packaging and products
like LiquiGlide have answered the demand
for sustainably-conscious products, “it’s
no wonder that firms have taken charge at
creating sustainable, environmentally-friendly,
“green” products to satiate the ever-growing
consumer desire to be able to conveniently
decrease their environmental impact” (Szaky,
2014).
• Green Technology in Food Production –
From wastewater treatment plants, low
carbon refrigeration systems to launching
innovation centres for biomaterials the food
industry is making strides to reduce their
carbon emissions, waste, water and energy
consumption.

41
Critical Uncertainties
Central to the key issue of future diets given today’s looming nationwide epidemic of diet-related
diseases, two critical uncertainties were identified:
1. The use of technology - how does the development or non-development of technology
contribute to food production, delivery and dietary choices? With trends such as the
extraction and addition of bioactive ingredients becoming more popular, could there be a
tendency to use food as medicinal substitute? With the rise of digitalization and advances
in science, what role does Nutrigenomics play in deciding our dietary needs? Will we allow
technology to control our food choices and ultimately our health? Our scenarios explore the
use low and high technology and the impact it has in the possible worlds.
2. The application of the variety of foods-From ample choice to personalization, how does
spectrum of food variety affect one’s dietary choice? Trends towards food personalization are
more evident that ever – from personal do-it-yourself diet plans to technology-led product
innovations that empower the consumer with a multitude of choices. If we had ample choice,
would that make us pick healthy options or the opposite? If we were prescribed a specific diet
based on our health disposition, would we gladly accept that intervention or be frustrated
at the restriction? As a society, we cherish our freedom to choose food though sometimes,
detrimental to our health. To what degree should we allow our choices control the future of
our health?
Furthermore, the following factors were also considered as they influence food consumption and
thus, consumer health:
Dietary choice - prevention or management of diseases through diet intersects between
physiological needs and conscious individual decisions. Furthermore, dietary choices are a result
of physiological factors, lifestyle, values, acceptance of technology as well as understanding
nutritional information (e.g. food labels). As well convenience and variety of products also
influence consumer choice.
Food supply, access and affordability - The country’s economic factors and the consumer’s
socio-economic status strongly influence food access and affordability (which in turn also affect
dietary choices). Canada’s shifting demographic in 2035 will include a growing population with
the largest segment of seniors, 65 and over can greatly impact the demand on healthier dietary
choices, at the same time putting a stress on the healthcare system.
“Scenarios are narratives of alternative environments in
which today’s decisions may be played out. They are not
predictions. Nor are they strategies. Instead they are more
like hypotheses of different futures specifically designed
to highlight the risks and opportunities involved in specific
strategic issues.” (Ogilvy and Schwartz,1998)

42
Scenarios at a glance
Eat this, Cure that
Diet CoutureSuper Fit, Super Fat
Everyone's A Farmer
AMPLE CHOICE PERSONALIZED FOOD
L
O
W
H
I
G
H
T
E
C
H
T
E
C
H

SCENARIOS
43
SuperFit,SuperFatDietCoutureEatThis,CureThat!Everyone’saFarmer
COSTOFFOOD
ADOPTIONOF
TECHNOLOGY
PARENTALVALUES
STUDENT
PERFORMANCE
HEALTHCARE
SYSTEM
LowLowHighHigh
Foodretailoutletsmergewith
production.Intelligentdeliveryvia
foodmachinesofferfood
customization.Shrinkingaislesof
pre-packagedgoods.
Edible,eco-friendlyand
conveniencepackagingdominates.
Onlinefoodservicesanddelivery
areinahighlycompetitivemarket.
GenomicsservicessuchasNutrige-
nomicsishighlyacceptedaspartof
dietarydecisionmaking.Valuedfor
interventionaspect.
Designerfoodsinmicroformats
suchaspillsaretypicalfunctional
foods.
Drugcompaniesandfoodretailers
mergetodevelopanddistribute
geneticallymodifiedproductsfor
publicconsumption.
Foodispreferredinitsmostnatural
stateandtechnologythataidsthe
preservationisaccepted.
Technology-enhancedfoodishits
bottomlowandmarketsre-asses
productcategory.
Onlineandphysicalsupermarkets
andspecialityshopscoexist.Most
largefoodretailersreceiveproduce
fromlocalproducers.
Focusonsustainablefoodproduc-
tionforlocalconsumption.Online
communitiesaboundwherefood
sourcesareshared.
Agrowingdividebetweenparents
whooptforlow-nutrient,
conveniencefoodsandthosethat
moralizetheirfoodchoicesfortheir
children,choosinghealthierfoods.
Confidenttechnologyisenabling
theirchild’sexactdietaryneeds.
Aggressiveatensuringthebest
possiblefoodprogramisprovided
totheirchildrenastheyhavelearned
fromtheirownmistakes.
Distrustingoftechnology.Mindfulof
productlabels.Veryhealth
conscious,prefersnaturalfoods.
Patronizelocalsourcesandmost
likelygrowtheirownfood.Being
healthyisnotachoice,itistheonly
way.
Atit’stippingpoint.Someofthe
populationareingoodhealth,some
afflictedwithdiet-relateddiseases.
HealthCanadawaitstoseeifmore
investmentisneededtoencourage
healthydiets.
Focusonpreventionmeasures,
wherenutritioninformationanda
highstandardofhealthand
personalizationisintrinsicto
government-fundedschoolmeal
plans.
Conventionalmedicineiscombined
withNaturopathytoattainmaximum
healthbenefits.Prescribedfoodis
commontotargettherootcauseand
notonlyevidentsymptoms.
Focusonpreventionwheretherole
ofhealthydietsiscentraltotackling
diet-associateddiseases.Health
campaignsareevident.
Mixedresults.Targeteddietplansenhance
cognitiveabilitiesofstudents
resultinginhighertestscoresschool
boardshaveeverseen.
Societybelievesthatstudentsona
moreorganicdietwithminimal
processedfoodsperformbetter
henceashifttoincludemoreorganic
foodsintodiets.Resultsremain
inconclusive.
Higherrateofhighperforming
studentsasaresultinchangeoftheir
diets.

44
In 2035, the use of technology has continued to enhance food production, and there is more
variety now than there has ever been. There is a growing divide in this world due to high
consumer choice and individualism. One can attain a healthy and sustainable lifestyle – it has
been easier to achieve due to the rise of functional, convenient foods, albeit more costly.
However, the availability of affordable unhealthy options is also high – which are equally
convenient. Consumers’ values and lifestyles are put to the test as both options are ubiquitous.
FOOD SUPPLY, ACCESS & AFFORDABILITY
There is an increased reliance of online technologies to the extent that almost everything will
be available online. Online meal kit delivery companies are everyone’s go-to for quick lunch
and dinners. Consumers enjoy culturally diverse culinary choices with options for vegans, and
those that require alternatives (e.g. gluten and dairy-free diets) – accommodation for all types
of dietary needs are available online. Bricks and mortar restaurants struggle to survive so they
form partnerships with online food delivery companies. The next generation of GrubHub and
UberEats will dominate this space. While groceries and food retailers still exist, their footprint has
diminished significantly due to the prevalence of online sales.
Established food retailers will move towards an on-site production model where consumers can
choose their ingredients and make their food. For example, food machines with a digital interface
allow the consumer to choose their yogurt base, fruit flavouring, bioactive ingredients, type of
sweetener, and others. Pre-packaged products will comprise of a small inventory on the shelves.
Super Fit,
Super Fat
AMPLE CHOICE, HIGH TECHNOLOGY

SCENARIOS
45
Brands will struggle to be noticed as food can be co-packaged. Instead of individually branded
products, food machines will offer various brands which they can mix and match (e.g. Danone’s
fruit flavourings added to Oikos Greek yogurt stirred base). New regulations for food labels
containing nutritional values and ingredients come into play as each food component needs to
be identified to the consumer.
Schools will adopt the onsite production model, allowing children to customize their snacks
and lunch due to its cost-saving properties. The battle of installing healthy food machines vs.
unhealthy ones exists as there is no enforcement of provincial nutrition guidelines. Schools will
choose the food program that fits within their budget, and these may not be the healthy choices.
Meanwhile, nutrition-related information campaigns are present at schools to educate students
about healthy eating habits.
VALUES
Parental styles differ depending on household preferences and values. Some parents may value
choice and indulge in their children’s food preferences whereas other parents may enforce strict
health plans for their children. These differing parental values are also heavily influenced by
household income: those with resources choose “super fit” diets and the rest opt for “super fat”.
HEALTH AND DIETARY CHOICES
The Healthcare system is focused on the treatment of diet-associated ailments, and there is an
increasing number of children presenting with diabetes and obesity.
The government is bogged down with increased spending on diet-related issues and needs
avenues to incentivize healthy eating habits such as providing subsidies to healthy foods and
spending on school programs that reduce childhood obesity. With such wide variety in food
choice, it has been a struggle to move students to lean to the “healthy right”.
IMPLICATIONS
• Schools must enforce nutritional guidelines to ensure student receive the healthy food amid all the
many convenient choices.
• Schools must monitor programs and initiatives that address obesity concerns. Success metrics are
important in understanding the types of programs to roll out to a wider student population.
• Curriculum changes to include interactions with parents to ensure healthy habits start at home and
are brought to school.
• Schools may explore how online technologies can contribute to the success of their meal plans –
from a monitoring and distribution perspective.

46
Diet
Couture
Diet-related health problems burden the medical system as costs continue to mount. Food
consultants work aggressively with Canada’s Health Minister and technology companies
to develop and implement highly advanced machinery using CRISPR gene editing. School
cafeterias will use this technology in an attempt to establish biologically precise nutrient intake.
Every student in Canadian schools between the ages of 2 to 17 would experience this enhanced
food program system.
FOOD SUPPLY, ACCESS & AFFORDABILITY
High technology and prescriptive diet creates a strong dependency on technological innovation
to address diet-related health issues at a young age. As a nationwide initiative, the government
has allocated over 550 million dollars for establishing on-site food production. It includes
food machines equipped to produce breakfast and lunch meals based on a student’s unique
biological profile, which would account for nutrient deficiencies, genetic disorders, and portion
regulation. The general cost of goods and services is low, as only raw materials are needed to
produce nutritiously precise and optimized products.
Technology is highly accepted as a mode of food delivery in schools to help regulate portions
and nutrient output abiding by strict nationwide food guidelines.
Schools have their food production system equipped to produce “made-to-fit” meals specially
designed to address the needs of each student taking into account their genetic make-up, dietary
requirements and cultural preferences. Food is ingested in capsule form to reduce waste and
enhance the bodies’ ability to absorb all vital nutrients.
PERSONALIZED FOOD, HIGH TECHNOLOGY

SCENARIOS
47
VALUES
Parents in this society are living examples of the effects of nutrient-poor foods provided by
the school food program 20 years ago. In this society, 70% of adults aged 40 years old are
overweight or obese. Parents now value healthy options and encourage strict diets at an early
age to instill good eating habits. Parents embrace technological intervention to maintain a high
standard of healthy meals at school. They are aggressive at ensuring the best possible food
program is provided to their children, as it is a personal affliction that they have experience. There
is an overall preference for highly personalized foods (advanced forms of GMO) over generic
produce. Private companies dominate the food production landscape where drug companies like
Pfizer have merged with food distribution channels like Loblaws to reach parents and children at
home. These private companies are integrated into health care strategy and policy making as a
vehicle to produce and distribute biologically precise and highly optimized food products.
Personalization has high value. Registered dieticians, doctors, and policy-makers work hand
in hand to determine which raw resources are imported or produced in Canada to sustain the
nutrition needs of our population. Raw materials, such as pulses are the basis of our protein
source. In the past five years, Canada has experienced over 500% growth in pulse production.
Pulses are high in protein and fiber and play a critical role in soil conservation. In attempts to
reverse the harmful effects of the past agriculture, Canada will farm soil-enriching produce for use
as raw material for extraction. These will be utilized in personalization production machines, such
as those found in schools.
Precision in Canada-wide school food programs has directly affected the success of children at
school. The link between healthy nutrition and learning outcomes is well established (Alaimo,
2001). To save on diet-related health care costs, our government’s aggressive and technologically
advanced food program aims to improve overall population health by proactively investing in the
future generations of Canada.
In addition to the personalized food programs, information campaigns will be launched to
educate students on the central role of technology in food production. This campaign aims to
cast genetically modified products as a necessary component of proactive health. The stigma
surrounding GMO products is removed as health benefits are realized and appreciated.
Dietary needs are unique and if not properly met, will lead to unwanted health problems.
Through the use of technology, we can tailor food products to fit the nutritional needs of an
individual based on their genetic make-up. Health policies focus on prevention measures, where
nutrition information and a high standard of health and personalization is intrinsic to government-
funded school meal plans. Strict regulations on food guidelines and safety are implemented to
assure that claims are accurate and precise.
IMPLICATIONS:
• Funding will be required to support cost of high-tech school food programs (GMO machines on-
site).
• Cafeteria staff will be replaced by registered dietitians and trained practitioners to operate food
production machinery
• A review of guideline and policies in keeping with a focus on prevention of disease through
technological intervention.
• Canada implements a 10% tax on soda pop. If you consider that Canadians consume 358 billion
liters of soda annually, the 385 million will cover new school food programs as well as cut down
Canadians consumption of sugary drinks.
• Higher literacy rate and nationwide test scores as a consequence of optimized nutrition at schools.
Students demonstrate higher cognitive ability at school.

48
In 2035, people have begun to distrust technology and its utility blaming it for the reduction
of physical activity and a sedentary tech-reliant way of life. Mass production of food through
automated technology has allowed food manufacturers to cut corners, compromising the
nutritional value of food. They believe that the technology-enhanced foods have contributed in
the prevalence of cancer, liver/kidney damage and birth defects. People revert to producing food
the old-fashioned way with technology only enhancing the preservation of food in its most natural
state. However due to the increased prevalence of diet-associated diseases such as high blood
pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and obesity, there is a need for a level of prescription in the
diets. Parents and schools have let these conditions go unchecked for too long, so more children
are presenting with early-onset variations of these conditions. Although the pharmaceutical
industry has built capacity to tackle these conditions, this scenario is a shift back to a form of
naturopathy, using food as medicine.
FOOD SUPPLY. ACCESS AND AFFORDABILITY
In this scenario of low technology and personalized food, there is a high demand for human
effort to produce food that caters to very specific conditions. As a result, the cost is very high,
because farmers are unable to mass produce and must diversify their produce offering to recoup
costs.
School caterers must patronize several wholesalers producing specific crops to cater to
several types of conditions that may be present in the school children. Caterers either focus on
production of food for one condition in which case schools must hire several caterers. Or caterers
Eat This,
Cure ThatPERSONALIZED FOOD, LOW TECHNOLOGY

SCENARIOS
49
would have to increase their variety due to highly individualized needs which would require
increased man hours, cooking several batches. In both cases, the cost of the school increases.
For children with highly prescriptive needs, partnerships would be developed with parents to
ensure kids get exactly what they need. For parents who fear their children would not get their
dietary needs in school, there would be an increase in the number of home-schooled children.
VALUES
Parents have seen the effects of poor eating habits, either having health conditions themselves
or knowing of someone in their immediate family with health issues. As such they are very health
conscious, ensuring that kids get foods specific to the prevention of their medical condition.
They are also mindful of product labels ensuring that products purchased support their children’s
need. They are active in the school’s operation where food is concerned wanting to be part of
decision processes.
There is a need to be knowledgeable as such there are several support groups and forums both
online and in person, for parents with children either living with a condition or having a high
propensity to develop conditions.
The healthcare system is focused on prevention of diet-associated ailments as well as treatment
using prescribed food to target the cause and not only evident symptoms.
The government would provide subsidies for food production and prescription. Health insurance
plans support the cost of food prescribed for health conditions. Farmers receive subsidies to
produce certain crops. The value of the subsidies is influenced by the cost of treatment of the
health condition it supports. The policies on food labeling become more stringent as they are
now tied directly to health claims.
IMPLICATIONS
• As the number of children with diet-associated issues has increased the school board may need to
create alternative schools to tackle specific problems.
• Physical health and athletics are must be more frequent in the programs, which would require
additional funding to incorporate the staffing and equipment.
• The medical community would need to introduce diet plans and nutrition as part of the prescribed
healthcare.
• Need for partnerships between parents and schools to ensure that children get their required diet
for their specific conditions.
• Additional funding is needed by the schools to get different caterers for the students with the
different conditions or body types.
• Redesign of food nutrition labeling intended to help prevent obesity
• Group all sugars, both added and natural together in ingredients list
• Put least desirable nutritional information at the top of the label to draw more
attention
• Streamline serving suggestions to make it easier to compare nutritional data of
similar products (Hyslop, 2014).

50
Society is in a panic – the rise of chronic diseases in the last 20 years has created the first
generation of Canadians to have a shorter average lifespan than their parents (Hogson, 2012).
Parents realize how long they have put off healthy eating and nutritional literacy as an important
responsibility. The new generation parents have pushed the society to go back, for some of us
way back, to the way our ancestors ate: fresh food, made from scratch, eaten together (Hyslop,
2014).
FOOD SUPPLY, ACCESS, & AFFORDABILITY
In this scenario of low technology and ample food variety, there is a high dependency on human
labour. Therefore, the general cost of goods and services is high.
Communities turn to local sources for food – local farms, urban farms for those in city centres, and
produce from citizens who choose to self-farm.
Schools have their food gardens and as resource permits, even a few laying hens, which eat
veggie scraps from its cafeteria program. Every small urban space will be utilized as a farming
area like rooftops and parks to sustain the population’s demand.
Local cooperatives have replaced supermarkets as the main source of locally produced whole
foods. In response, supermarket chains have expanded their produce sections, shrinking the
middle aisles of processed food.
Some informal, non-regulated peer-to-peer food businesses have emerged, based on personal
farming practices.
AMPLE CHOICE, LOW TECHNOLOGY
Everyone’s a
Farmer

SCENARIOS
51
As cattle and hog production is expensive, red meat production has been reduced, while
legumes and aquaculture have become more prominent sources of plant and animal protein.
Beef is a luxury.
VALUES
Parents in this society started eating nutrient-poor foods while growing up and are now feeling
the ill-effects on their health. This has led to a strong desire for healthy eating, especially when
it comes to their children. There is a strong preference for natural foods over processed, and we
see this in kids’ lunch boxes. It’s common for families to have a home food garden whether it’s
small indoor crates, in the backyard, or low-tech vertical farms using hydroponic or aeroponic
systems.
Sharing is important. As each community largely depends on local sources, food diversity is an
issue. Social interactions increase because of the interdependency on food variety.
Farm to table ethos is high. Farmers, chefs or cooks and registered dietitians closely work
together in restaurants, online meal deliveries, and school cafeterias. They are a common
triumvirate in many food establishments.
In parallel, information campaigns on the role of diets for health, as well as cooking and nutrition
classes in schools, have led to a nutritionally literate population which finds it easy to make the
healthy choice, with health considerations being the primary determinant when purchasing food.
Health policies focus on prevention measures, where the role of healthy diets is central to tackling
diet-associated diseases. Strong regulations on food quality and safety, and fiscal measures
to discourage unhealthy diets. Also, subsidies on healthy diet components support the drive
towards healthier eating (e.g. free personal farming starter kits).
IMPLICATIONS:
• Funding will be required to support the cost of school food programs (food gardens, farm to table
cafeteria style, etc.).
• A review of school food guidelines and policies to align with a focus on disease prevention and
considerations on the availability of food diversity.
• A study of health and nutrition curriculum. Considerations to what a healthy relationship with food
may include growing, cooking and eating healthy foods within the school environment.
• As food comes from diverse sources, many of which may not be regulated, food safety practices
may need to be reviewed, and laws required before it can sell on the open market.

53
The Smart Meal Plan Parent
Information Night
On September 6th 2030, parents from Westbrook Elementary School attended a
parent information night regrading The Smart Meal Plan – an integrated approach
which includes nutritional profiling, meal planning and surveillance.
During the evening, a 5th grade class facilitator, along with two of the school’s
registered dietitians introduced how the new program works. Parents were invited
to experience the DNA profiling process and then offered to sample the new food
products under The Smart Meal Plan Program including EntoPops, VeggieTabs,
SpringMe water and much more. Parents were engaged in a question and answer
session after the presentation. To conclude the evening, parents were invited to
sign-up for the program at the school website or office.
“Experiential futures, design fiction, artifacts from the
future or speculative fiction. Regardless of its name, there
has been a surge in this kind of futures work in the last 24
months. Advocates such as Stuart Candy, Bruce Sterling,
Anab Jain, Justin Pickard, Nicolas Nova and Julian Bleeker
argue that design-based futures are not just a shiny form
of communication, but are a distinct way of practicing
futures research itself. Highly visual, often emotional, and
ethnographically infused, their approach brings the future
alive through videos, objects, and print media. The result,
they argue, is a profoundly engaging experience that goes
beyond technical reports and PowerPoint presentations
towards a new level of engagement.“ (Noah Raford, 2012)

54
The Smart Meal plan is aligned with the updated
Canada-wide nutritional guidelines and
curriculum goals for Health, Nutrition and Physical
Education. This initiative ensures our continued
commitment to every student’s overall well-being
and ongoing prevention of diet-related health
concerns.
The Smart Meal Plan integrates nutritional
genomics, personalized diet, and a learning
feedback device, RIBIT®. Each student’s
unique nutritional profile includes a risk
analysis of food interactions, allergies,
intolerance and sensitivities along with
recommendations on optimal foods. These
inform their dietary needs which are all
customized right in our cafeteria. Through
RIBIT®, the student’s nutritional intake and
physical activity can be monitored remotely.
What is it?

55
How does it
Work?
Creation of Nutrition Profile:
In partnership with NextGen+, a
nutrigenomics company, a child’s genetic
make-up is analyzed for risk of food
interactions, allergies, intolerance and
sensitivities along with recommendations
on optimal foods. It will also identify
genetic predispositions to certain
diseases to prevent in the future. All
data collected will give insight about a
child’s unique dietary profile including
optimal diet type, personal vitamin
& micronutrient needs, anti-oxidant
requirements, and carbohydrate,
saturated fat, salt and sugar levels. This
profile is created annually at the start of
each school year and will be available
online with approved access.
Personalized Meal Plan:
Based on a child’s nutritional report, a
personalized meal plan is created. A wide
variety of foods ranging from certified
CRISPR enriched-naturals to bioactive
infused synthetics will be available to
fulfill their unique dietary needs and
taste preferences. Each school cafeteria
is equipped to create these customized
meals and they may also bring in vendors
who specialize pre-packaged custom
foods.
Learn with Feedback:
On school days, a child’s nutritional
intake and physical activities are tracked
in a learning feedback device, RIBIT®. It
helps monitor their compliance while at
school and it also alerts parents when
nutritional levels need to be adjusted,
among many other things. All data can be
accessed online.

58
PRIVACY
Some parents voiced their concern about
privacy. When a child grows up, she/he may
not be able to have employment of choice
because of health records. Also, there was
a concern about privacy leakage or selling
to third parties like insurance companies.
Insurance companies may also raise rates
because of the known risk factors presented
in the DNA profile.
TOO MUCH INFORMATION
In relation to privacy concerns, parents
also stressed that they may not be ready to
receive “bad news” related to their child’s
DNA profile. Many wonder how such
information could be managed and how
much one needs to know. Parents were not
sure if by knowing too much information,
this will influence their decision on the types
of activities they will allow their child to
participate in understanding fully about their
risk profiles.
Parents Q&A
Back in 2016, we asked, “If you were a parent, would you sign up your child for the Smart Meal
Plan?” Here are the responses:

59
The Verdict
Throughout our discussion, many benefits and concerns were raised. Surprisingly, when all
parents were asked whether they would opt-in for The Smart Meal Program, it was a split vote.
50% of the parents said they would opt-in immediately while 25% still had questions about the
program before making a definitive answer and 25% said absolutely not.
STIGMA
Since the Smart Meal Plan produces designer foods that are one-to-one, this ultimately means
that children seated beside each other may have totally different foods some of which may be
commonly prescribed for certain medical conditions. Many wonder whether the presence of such
foods will cause stigma and discrimination among students.
LOSS OF CULTURAL PRACTICES
There were issues raised by a parent about loss of cultural traditions and heritage. Being able
to let their children eat the type of food that represent their ethnic culture is a huge part of
preserving their identity. Replacing their traditional food with designer foods threatens the
preservation of their culture.
LOSS OF COMMUNAL ACTIVITY
Loss of “eating together” was a concerned raised by another parent. Sharing food and stories
about the day brings families together. A communal meal as a means of fostering community in
a school was important to some parents. The robotic vending of meals represented a threat to
fostering community at school.
OPTIMISTS AND EARLY ADOPTERS
Although there were several concerns, many parents were optimistic about the program’s many
benefits. Some parents advocated for DNA testing to build a meal plan that addressed the
specific dietary requirements of their children. Also, the convenience of a healthy meal plan
was appealing to many parents who needed the convenience of meals provided in school. The
busy schedule of many parents makes it difficult to make a healthy meal for their children. This
program provided that in a highly convenient manner. However, an opposing parent felt the
program was removing parent’s control over their child’s diet by letting the profiling dictate what
a child should eat.

61
The following strategies were developed in consideration of the goals, initiatives and existing
programs of the Toronto District School Board. They are meant to create a preferable future with
regards to diets of students and relevant stakeholders. The strategies have been designed to
mitigate adverse effects that each scenario may bring.
Assessment of Strategic Option:
Financial Cost: What capital investment and on-going operational costs are associated with the
development and maintenance of this strategy? Are the associated costs high or low?
More dots = More cost
Less dots = Less cost
Risk: What is the risk profile associated with this strategy? Is the strategy going to be easily
integrated into the current environment or will it be a disruptive strategy with inherent risks and
caveats that will inhibit its successful implementation and adoption?
More dots = More risk
Less dots = Less risk
Environmental Impact: To what extent does this strategy have an adverse effect on the
environment. Will the solution address environmental concerns by reducing the impact or add to
the problem? Will the school’s carbon footprint increase or decrease as a result of the strategy?
More dots = High impact
Less dots = Low impact
Influence: What level of authority does the school have to facilitate the execution of this strategy?
Does this approach require several stakeholders and other key decision makers to actualize the
strategy?
More dots = High influence
Less Dots = Low influence
Strategic Fit: Does the strategy fit the current cultural values of the TDSB and those whose
interest they represent? Does the plan easily integrate into the currentsystems and initiatives that
exist in TDSB schools? Will this strategy be complementary or disruptive to the current operations
causing systemic and regulatory changes?
More Dots = High fit
Less Dots = Low fit

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