Rogelio Pozo, general director of AZTI and content director of the Food 4 Future World Summit, warned that humanity faces an unprecedented challenge: feeding a growing population with resources that remain largely unchanged. The global population has grown from 3.2 billion people six decades ago to over 8.2 billion today and could reach 10 billion before the end of the century.

Sergi Fabregat, director of Expo FoodTech and Pick&Pack, highlighted that consumers are increasingly aware of the environmental and social impact of their purchasing decisions. Collaboration between companies and the ability to share knowledge will be key to facing a scenario where demand increases while available resources decrease.

The technological transformation of food has been another major focus. José Ramón Castro, managing director of Siemens Digital Industries Spain and Portugal, explained how tools like industrial artificial intelligence, digital twins, and virtual simulation allow for process optimization even before physical investments are made. Castro asserted that "data is the gold of today and tomorrow," provided it is reliable and secure.

Christian Cerezo, head of the agricultural and sustainability area at PepsiCo, focused on the origin of the food chain: the soil. He explained how digitalization helps apply regenerative agriculture practices and recalled that "without soil, we have no food." Digital tools enable measuring results, sharing experiences among farmers, and improving the health of agricultural land.

Sustainability must be part of every company's DNA, agreed José Antonio Miguel, CEO of General Servi, and Gustavo Rocafort, a member of Nestlé's logistics team. Rocafort detailed that Nestlé works with regenerative agriculture, load optimization, biofuels, and new logistics solutions to reduce emissions. Miguel emphasized the advancement of robotization in physical and handling tasks, as well as the integration of new technologies to increase efficiency and improve working conditions.

Innovations mentioned include new, more sustainable packaging systems, compostable coffee capsules, and automation solutions. The shared conclusion was clear: the challenge is no longer just to produce more food, but to do so better, using fewer resources and ensuring the sustainability of a system that must feed an ever-growing population.