President Trump’s first policy announcements had cast a long shadow over proceedings in Davos, even before he addressed the World Economic Forum virtually and invited business to come and make their products in the U.S. or face tariffs.

Though the winds of political change are coming, experts believe messaging is still important, but the fundamentals of what is happening and the imperative to make continuing progress on climate are unchanged. Some courage and new narratives may be necessary.

During a recent SupplySide Food & Beverage Journal webinar titled “2025 food and beverage trends: A panel of experts weighs in” and hosted by Content Director Audarshia Townsend, industry leaders highlighted key insights into the plant-based movement, from the flexibility of hybrid models to the evolving nature of plant-based product development. They also illustrated how clean-label ingredients continue to drive consumer choice, despite economic challenges such as inflation.

Regenerative agriculture has grown in popularity as a strategy for decarbonizing our food system. While it can help mitigate agriculture’s climate impacts, its importance is much greater — as regenerative agriculture plays a critical role in building the resilience of our food system to feed a growing global population.

By 2050, global food production will need to increase by 70% to meet demands from the world’s ever-increasing population. At the same time, climate change — along with other constraints on land, water and other natural resources — continues to pressure farmers and others throughout the food industry already dealing with constant supply chain disruptions and market volatility.

Like the rest of the business world, packaging companies and their customers are eagerly awaiting clarity on measures President Donald Trump will begin to take in office — which could shape dealmaking and investment decisions in the year to come.

States are also poised to wield their own influence through renewed policymaking and legal efforts. 2025 could also offer greater clarity on how companies see their public-facing sustainability strategies and approaches to plastic reduction evolving in future years.

These are some of the top factors that sources say could influence packaging business, policy and sustainability in 2025.

Supply Chain Sustainability Stories: Notes from the field is designed to keep industry brands aware of the broad range of efforts suppliers around the world are making to improve their supply chains. In this edition, we highlight KP Phyto’s expanding program to assist ashwagandha farmers with whom they partner.

While other segments of the plant-based category have seen massive fluctuations and, most recently, concerning dips, the plant-based milk category continues to not only gain market share but also consumer interest. Milk alternatives continue to hold the largest share of all plant-based categories — 15% across the total market and 41% in the natural channel, according to the Food Institute.

Big food is getting involved in the space, using its funds and influence to improve products. Get insights on what’s happening in this Food Dive Report.