The world population continues to grow, and by 2050 a 70% increase in food production will be required to sustain it. Science and technology is widely recognized as being a key enabler to achieving this step change. However, many businesses in the agri-food industry struggle to invest precious resources in long term science and technology. In this article, the authors explore some of the key trends and challenges in the agri-food industry, and explain how foresight can be used to both stimulate innovation and provide shortcuts to markets.