The price of premium olive oil has almost tripled in the last four years due to scorching drought and unpredictable weather. Spanish gangs have taken notice and started pilfering the liquid gold.
According to the Financial Times, this is the first time organized crime got into the business of snatching an item considered a food staple. Grocery stores are encouraged to add magnetic collars to their bottles of liquid gold, but magnetic removal devices render them useless against gangs.
When climate causes the price of produce and other staples to skyrocket, we’ll see more organized crime move away from electronics, alcohol, and iberico ham in favor of staples.
As an entrepreneur, I spot a whole new area of opportunity. Examples include:
- Climate insulated agriculture
- Water saving technology
- Indoor growing at scale
- Technology to help people growing their own food
- etc.
- Lab grown food staples
- We’ve already seen this with meat. It will likely extend to other verticals starting with the unethical, unsustainable, and/or expensive
- Anti-theft and looting technology to protect manufacturers and retailers