The Swedish Food Federation (Livsmedelsföretagen) has released the report Recipe for Resilience, offering key insights into Sweden’s food preparedness.

The report from the industry association Livsmedelsföretagen is a comprehensive analysis of why events such as the 2018 drought, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the war in Ukraine have had little impact on Swedish dinner tables—and what is needed to strengthen Sweden’s food preparedness for future crises. At the top of the priority list are supportive government agencies, significantly increased export initiatives, and the establishment of strategic stockpiles of essential input goods.

According to Livsmedelsföretagen’s new report, this resilience is largely due to Swedish food producers’ ability to adapt, diversify, secure supply chains, and invest in their own energy supply. However, these adjustments have come at a high cost to an already strained food industry, which, according to Statistics Sweden (SCB), operated at a loss in both 2022 and 2023. If no action is taken, Sweden risks losing key parts of its domestic production, making the country even more vulnerable in future crises.

• The fact that large parts of the food industry are running at a loss is a threat to Sweden’s food preparedness. That’s why it must become cheaper and easier to produce food in Sweden. If companies can be profitable and grow in peacetime, they will be more robust and flexible in times of crisis. Increased exports, simplified regulations, and a supportive government culture are crucial. At the same time, the state must take responsibility for securing access to energy, water, and fuel, as well as building national reserves of critical input goods, so that we can continue producing food even in times of war, says Björn Hellman, CEO of Livsmedelsföretagen in a press realease.

Read the full report, including 10 measures to strengthen Sweden’s food preparedness.

Photo: Livsmedelföretagen