Hello, everyone!

Continuing our April spotlight on bold ideas and game-changing solutions in Asia’s F&B industry, this week’s Feature Story explores how climate-smart crops, regenerative farms, and food traceability are fast becoming the new staples of sustainable travel in a warming world.

In case you missed it: We’re partnering with Baotree to host a webinar on Thursday, April 24, titled “Beyond Greenwashing: Enabling Verifiable Storytelling in Sustainable Travel.” It promises to be a thought-provoking session. We’d love to have you join the conversation.

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Can Asia’s Hospitality Industry Rethink Its Food Chain Before It Breaks?

An Age-Old Problem: Imported Menus in a Collapsing Climate

For years, luxury travel in Asia has revolved around a predictable formula: international fine dining, pristine plating, and imported “premium” ingredients. 

However, the environmental toll of this model is becoming harder to ignore. According to the European Commission, transporting food accounts for nearly 20% of all food system emissions, with long-haul imports for out-of-season produce and meat playing a major role.

Meanwhile, conventional agricultural staples such as commercial rice varieties and wheat are increasingly vulnerable to rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and soil degradation.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)’s 2023 report on Asia-Pacific agriculture warns that climate extremes are reducing yields of traditional staple crops in many countries, from India to Indonesia.

Paradoxically, smallholder farmers, representing over 60% of Asia’s agricultural production , often struggle to access stable markets, usually while nearby restaurants and hotels import food from abroad. 

The result is an inefficient and unsustainable system that’s increasingly out of step with today’s climate realities.

The good news is that hospitality and tourism have the reach and resources to flip the script by building shorter, fairer, and more resilient food chains from the ground up.

The Transformation Must Be Localized, Climate-Smart, and Guest-Ready

Localizing Food Supply Chains

A growing number of hotels and dining businesses shorten their supply chains by sourcing from nearby farms, forests, and fisheries, while many grow their produce onsite and develop their own supply chain.

These  “Farm to Fork” and “Zero Mile” movements that champion food miles reduction, support regional biodiversity, and build community resilience are gaining momentum across the region. 

A promising example is Nikoi and Cempedak Private Islands. In addition to a small permaculture garden on the islands, they have developed Kebun Reja, a 7-hectare farm on Bintan Island that uses permaculture to improve soil regeneration. By integrating flexible, seasonal menus that change depending on the harvest, the private islands have contained their food miles and emissions and deepened their storytelling, connecting guests with the landscapes behind their meals.

As urban hotels and restaurants contend with limited space for traditional gardens, many are turning to rooftop and vertical farming or forging partnerships with nearby growers to keep ingredients close to their kitchens.

Dusit Thani Kyoto, for instance, developed its own farm and tea garden just 20 minutes from the city center, supplying fresh, seasonal produce to its dining outlets.

Skeptics often question whether localized sourcing can support non-Asian menus that rely heavily on imported ingredients. 

In Singapore, Sustenir is redefining what’s possible in cities. Using controlled environment agriculture, its high-tech farms grow non-native crops such as kale and strawberries with minimal environmental impact. For hotels and restaurants seeking consistent quality and reduced food miles, the result is both sustainable and scalable.

»»» Read more about how Vietnam-based Pizza 4Ps reengineers its supply chain to source Vietnamese-grown vegetables and even craft its own cheeses here.

Embracing Climate-Smart Ingredients

Localization is only part of the equation. In kitchens increasingly led by climate-conscious chefs and owners, climate-smart crops, many of which are heritage, require fewer inputs, withstand weather extremes, and deliver high-value nutrition. Yet, despite their potential, many remain underutilized.

According to Gayatri Bhatia, founder of Elevate Foods, the barriers are systemic. “Many climate-smart ingredients like foxnuts, seaweed, millet, and amaranth are deeply rooted in Asia’s agrarian heritage but have been sidelined by industrial food systems that prioritize standardization, shelf life, and globalized supply chains,” she explains.

Still, fragmented supply chains and inconsistent quality make it difficult for chefs and operators to source these ingredients reliably.

A growing number of organizations are working to change that.

Initiatives like The Begawan Foundation’s revival of nearly extinct Mansur Rice and Zero Foodprint Asia’s Restore Fund are restoring biodiversity, supporting regenerative agriculture, and connecting smallholder farmers with hospitality businesses, all while safeguarding land ownership and livelihoods.

Digital Tools for Food Traceability

Although overhauling food supply chains can be a complex process, emerging technologies are beginning to ease the path toward greater traceability and accountability. 

Platforms like OpenSC apply blockchain to track a product’s journey from origin to plate, offering verifiable insights into sourcing practices. Similarly, tools such as FoodLogiQ are enabling food service operators to track ingredients, manage supplier relationships, and improve responsiveness to food safety risks.

Key Actions: How Hotels Can Lead the Food Revolution

Whether you’re running a boutique eco-lodge or a five-star resort, rethinking your food systems is no longer optional, it’s essential. From sourcing to storytelling, here are some key strategies to turn your kitchen into a catalyst for change.

1. Audit your foodprint

2. Forge farmer-chef alliance

3. Make local ingredients desirable

4. Use tech to build trust

»»» Read more about these actions here.

TL; DR

Food is cultural, political, and deeply personal. And it’s one of the most powerful levers tourism has to build a climate-resilient future.

The fork isn’t just where the journey ends; it’s where transformation begins.

We’re hosting a webinar. Join us!

Greenwashing and greenhushing are two sides of the same coin. Neither serves the future of sustainable travel.

For hospitality and travel brands, the challenge is clear: How do you share your sustainability story authentically, backed by data, without falling into the traps of over-claiming or staying silent?

Join Baotree, Asia Sustainable Travel (AST), and Travel Asia Now for a webinar that dives deep into actionable strategies to move beyond surface-level claims.

Learn how to build trust through transparency, inspire action, and connect with travelers through meaningful, data-driven stories.

What to expect:

»»» Actionable strategies for creating credible sustainability narratives
»»» Expert insights from industry leaders and advocates
»»» Interactive discussions about your challenges
»»» Practical tools to inspire meaningful change

If you have questions, please share them with us in advance — we’ll address them LIVE during the session.

📅 Save the Date!

Thursday, April 24, 2025
🕙 10:00 AM South Africa
🕒 3:00 PM Jakarta, Thailand, Vietnam
🕓 4:00 PM Bali, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore

📌 Reserve your spot now by scanning the QR code or clicking on this link.

Are you a travel or hospitality brand seeking a trusted partner to turn bold sustainability goals — like cutting food waste or eliminating plastic packaging— into real, measurable results?

We are building a platform where hotels and travel companies can connect with vetted sustainability providers.

»»» Check out AST Sustainability Solution Providers Directory.

Are you a solution provider looking to grow your business with Asia’s travel businesses?

»»» Join AST Sustainability Solution Providers Collective. We connect innovators like you with Asia’s travel and hospitality leaders, creating opportunities to grow your business and drive sustainable impact.

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