M_LK 2.0: Leveraging Digital Technologies for Planternative Ecosystems

The agri-food industry is one of the largest contributors to our climate crisis by emitting one third of the world’s greenhouse gases. However, the industry also brings great potential to reverse climate change. For example, a plant-based diet might be the single most efficient action to combat climate change. This paper explores the plant-based dairy industry and the utilization of digital technologies. We analyze how the plant-based industry is leveraging digital technologies to revolutionize traditional market configurations. The findings show that digital technologies enable systemic change and facilitate the emergence of digital ecosystems. In particular, Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology can be seen as a digital disruptor. For example, in the plant based dairy industry, AI calculates combinations for plant-based products that mimic the flavor and texture of animal products.