A systems ecologist by training and a sustainability governance scholar, I am passionate about food systems, sustainable aquatic production and the role of market based mechanisms.
Malin Jonell’s research focus is on food system governance, with a particular focus on the role of mid-value chain actors, such as food retailers, in driving systemic change.
Jonell leads projects on leveraging supermarkets for sustainable food systems (ReSus), improving private sector sustainability indicators (CAPS), and advancing sustainable blue food strategies in Sweden and Japan. She also co-leads work in Mistra Food Futures to develop next-generation indicators for food system performance.
Prior to her current work, Jonell worked with SRC and EAT as a postdoctoral fellow on the EAT-Lancet Commission on Healthy Diets from Sustainable Food Systems. The Commission defined the safe operating space for global food systems by setting scientific targets for both sustainable food production and healthy diets. Jonell’s work focused on food sustainability metrics and in particular the role of “Blue Foods” (fish, shellfish and algae) in the global food system.
Jonell holds an MSc in Ecology and a PhD in Systems Ecology from Stockholm University. She was a postdoctoral fellow with the EAT-Lancet Commission (2016–2019), contributing to global targets for sustainable food production and healthy diets. She was also part of the core team behind the Blue Food Assessment, launched in 2021 to inform the role of blue foods in future food systems. At the Stockholm Resilience Centre (Stockholm University), she co-leads the Transformative futures research theme.
Jonell co-leads the course Corporations and Sustainable Development in the Anthropocene II at Stockholm University. A strong advocate for science communication, Jonell frequently speaks at industry events and appears in media to share insights with practitioners and the public. Some recent examples include a webinar organised by Svensk Dagligvaruhandel and an interview with Now This on the role of blue food in future sustainable diets. She also serves on the scientific council of Questionmark, NL.
Awards and achievements
- Early career research grant from Swedish Research Council Formas, 2020: Seafood in Japan and Sweden – alternative pathways to sustainability
- Research grant from Swedish Research Council Formas, 2021: ‘ReSus’ Retail for Sustainability – Mid-value chain engagement for food system transformation
- Research grant from Swedish Research Council Formas, 2023: CAPS – Climate Action through Product Sustainability in the Food System
- Östersjöakuten award 2022
Selected Publications
Impact of food retail market power on small food producers in Sweden: Challenges and opportunities
Lundberg, E., M. Jonell, and C. Mark-Herbert. 2026. Impact of food retail market power on small food producers in Sweden: Challenges and opportunities. Cleaner Food Systems 3:100012.
READ MORE(Un)acceptable protein shift: Consumer attitudes toward retail-led interventions promoting sustainable diets
Linder, N., M. Bergquist, P. Bjälkebring, and M. Jonell. 2025. (Un)acceptable protein shift: Consumer attitudes toward retail-led interventions promoting sustainable diets. Food Policy 136:102971.
READ MOREBroadening the sustainable seafood movement—systemic and enabling approaches to transform blue food
Jonell, M., A. Blandon, J. M. C. Feine, and S. Käll. 2025. Broadening the sustainable seafood movement—systemic and enabling approaches to transform blue food. Environmental Research: Food Systems 2(3):035009.
READ MOREWhat does “sustainable seafood” mean to seafood system actors in Japan and Sweden?
Blandon, A., M. Jonell, H. Ishihara, and A. Zabala. 2025. What does “sustainable seafood” mean to seafood system actors in Japan and Sweden?. Ambio 54:1010–1025.
READ MORECertifying farmed seafood – a drop in the ocean or a ‘stepping-stone’ towards increased sustainability?
Jonell, M., M. Tlusty, M. Troell, and P. Rönnbäck. 2019. Certifying farmed seafood – a drop in the ocean or a ‘stepping-stone’ towards increased sustainability?. In: Vogt, M. Sustainability Certification Schemes in the Agricultural and Natural Resources Sectors: Outcomes for society and the environment. Oxon, Routledge, UK. Pp. 157−178.
READ MOREFour ways blue foods can help achieve food system ambitions across nations.
Crona, B. I., E. Wassénius, M. Jonell, J. Z. Koehn, R. Short, M. Tigchelaar, T. M. Daw, C. D. Golden, J. A. Gephart, E. H. Allison, S. R. Bush, L. Cao, W. W. L. Cheung, and F. Declerck. 2023. Four ways blue foods can help achieve food system ambitions across nations. Nature 616:104-112.
READ MORENEWS
