Image Credit: AgFunder News

Every week we track the business, tech and investment trends in CPG, retail, restaurants, agriculture, cooking and health, so you don’t have to. Here are some of this week’s top headlines.

Aleph Farms has recently received approval to sell its lab-grown steaks in Israel, marking a significant milestone. The company aims to introduce its cultivated steaks to restaurants within the next few months, with plans to expand into food service and retail in the future. In a parallel development, the USDA emphasizes the crucial role of cellular agriculture in achieving climate and food innovation goals. It expressed the need for sustained government support and transparent scientific research, highlighting their landmark grant to Tufts University’s National Institute for Cellular Ag program as a catalyst for advancing research and garnering attention from the private sector.

In other news, we’ve wrapped the first season of our podcast in partnership with AgFunder: New Food Order, a nuanced investigation into the business of tackling our climate and social crises through food and agriculture. Read all about why we launched the podcast, and be sure to subscribe and share!

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1. Aleph Farms Gets Approval to Sell Cultivated Steaks in Israel – Reuters

Within a few months it hopes to start selling to restaurants, and eventually for food service and retail.

2. USDA: ‘We Will Need Cellular Agriculture to Reach Climate, Food Innovation Goals’ – Food Navigator

Sustained government support and transparent scientific research, such as USDA’s landmark grant to Tufts University’s National Institute for Cellular Ag program, can energize cellular agriculture R&D and renew attention from the private sector.

3. Turning Down Food Aid for Millions of Children Reflects Shocking Political Callousness – New York Times

Fifteen states skipped the deadline to apply for a new federally funded program that will provide $120 per child for groceries during the summer months to families of children who already qualify for free or reduced-price lunch at school.

4. In the Ozempic Age, Has ‘Craveable’ Lost Its Selling Power? – New York Times

The food industry has long touted its products as impossible to resist. But with a spotlight on the perils of compulsive eating, that tactic is getting another look.

5. Delivery Workers Won a Mandated Raise From NYC. Now They Say the Apps Figured Out a Way to Undermine It – Fast Company

The 65k workers who make deliveries for Uber Eats, Grubhub and DoorDash now earn nearly $18 an hour. But some drivers say companies have made getting tips and scheduling shifts more challenging.

6. Sweetgreen Wants to Be the ‘Mcdonald’s of Its Generation.’ This Rival Salad Chain Could Beat It – CNBC

Salad and Go wants to provide a healthier, cheap fast-food option with its $7 salads and wraps. The chain has expansion plans that could mean thousands of locations eventually.

7. This Farm Bill Could Rein in Big Agriculture’s Lobbying Power – Civil Eats

Including the new Opportunities for Fairness in Farming Act in the upcoming farm bill would go a long way toward fixing the USDA’s commodity checkoff programs.

8. Australia: Aussie Vegan Meat Maker v2food Acquires Ready Meal Brands as Plant Based Sector Undergoes Consolidation – Green Queen

V2foood is diversifying into whole-food plant-based options with the acquisition of Soulara, which offers an extensive range of nearly 40 ready meals.

9. Tiny Gaza Is Home to Most of the World’s Hungriest People – WSJ

As war grinds on, the already desperate humanitarian situation in Gaza is deteriorating into chaos.

The post USDA Says Cellular Ag Is Necessary to Reach Climate Goals, Aleph Farms to Sell Cultivated Steaks in Israel + More appeared first on Food+Tech Connect.

The race is on to tackle our climate crisis through food and agriculture, and increasingly our social crisis. But how do we ensure that the solutions to these challenges truly best for all people and our planet? Is it possible to transform the existing system, or do we need a new food order?

These are some of the the questions Louisa Burwood-Taylor, head of media and research at AgFunder, and I started discussing last year. We were seeing increasing investment in things like plant-based foods, carbon markets, cellular agriculture and regenerative agriculture, which were being touted as climate solutions. We were also closely following the great resignation, increasing unionization and the rise in alternative and shared ownership models that distribute value more equitably across all stakeholders. We were seeing a lot of people evangelizing “solutions,” but the nuance was sorely lacking. 

And so we set out on a learning and unlearning journey to unearth how we might design business and finance to have maximum positive impact for people and our planet. 

This week, we launched New Food Order, a podcast about the business of tackling our climate and social crises through food and agriculture. 

Each week, we’ll be bringing you conversations with nuance, debate and diverse voices that explore questions like:

• Will plant-based, lab-grown meat and regenerative agriculture save the world? 
• What are the most people and planet friendly business and finance models?
• Is carbon neutral enough? 
• How might we best honor and learn from indigenous communities? 
• What are the unintended consequences of these new innovations, and how might we avoid them?

You’ll be hearing from industry leaders like Paul Polman, the former CEO of Unilever, Sam Kass, former nutrition policy expert for the Obamas and a partner at Acre Ventures, Nathalie Kelley, hollywood actress and advocate for regenerative agriculture Indigenous peoples, James Beard Award Winning Chef Sean Sherman, and Oatly’s Julie Kunen and a whole lot more. 

We embarked on this journey with more questions than answers. We checked our egos at the door and questioned everything we held to be true. Now, we’re inviting you to do the same and to join us by subscribing here.

And be sure to check out our trailer and first two episodes:

• Trailer
• Introducing: New Food Order
• Is the world better with your business in it? With Paul Polman

Thank you in advance for subscribing and sharing! This helps us ensure we reach as many people as possible. Together we can play a role in driving this industry forward in a truly positive way for all people and our planet.

The post Introducing: New Food Order appeared first on Food+Tech Connect.

Source: Bloomberg

Every week we track the business, tech and investment trends in CPG, retail, restaurants, agriculture, cooking and health, so you don’t have to. Here are some of this week’s top headlines.

Grocery e-commerce sales of packaged food and beverages grew 125% in 2020, with potential to top $100 billion in 2021.

In other news, major investments made headlines this week with a $95 million Series D round bringing Imperfect Foods’ valuation to a whopping $700 million and Helsinki-based Wolt raising $530 million to expand beyond restaurant delivery.

Beyond Meat shares soared by 39% on Tuesday after it announced its joint venture with Pepsi to develop and market plant-based snacks and beverages.

We need your support. Producing our newsletter takes a lot of time and resources, and we need to change our business model to keep it going. To date, we’ve funded our work through our events, sponsorships and consulting, which are all on hold due to the pandemic. If you find our newsletter to be a valuable resource, we hope you will consider making a one time or monthly contribution, so we can keep the newsletter going and free for those who can not afford a subscription fee. Whether it’s $5 or $500 every bit helps and shows us that you value our work. Not able to contribute right now? You can help by sharing our newsletter with friends and colleagues. 

Check out our weekly round-up of last week’s top food startup, tech and innovation news below or peruse the full newsletter here.

1. Online Packaged Food and Beverage Sales Could Top $100B in 2021 – Grocery Dive

Grocery sales rose 125% in 2020, accounting for 44% of all CPG e-commerce sales.

2. Imperfect Foods Funding Round Brings Valuation to $700M – Bloomberg

Insight Partners and Norwest Venture Partners led the $95m Series D round. The cash infusion will be used to accelerate growth, with an aim to double capacity and reduce errors and delayed deliveries.

3. Beyond Meat’s Pepsi Partnership Awakens Animal Spirits – Bloomberg

The plant-based meat startup’s latest joint venture sparked a 39% jolt in its shares before settling at around 18%. The joint venture will develop and market plant-based snacks and beverages.

4. Finland: Wolt Closes $530M Round to Continue Expanding Beyond Restaurant Delivery – TechCrunch

Iconiq Growth led the round. The company recently expanded into the grocery and retail sectors. Funding will go towards the buildout of a logistics setup for last-mile delivery and dark store operation.

5. Hippeas Raises $50M to Fund Innovation and Expansion Plans – Food Dive

The Craftory Limited led the round. New capital will be used to increase innovation, expand production and grow distribution.

6. 5 Actions to Reboot Food Retail

We have a responsibility to all stakeholders in our supply chains to pursue deep and substantive change, starting with the social and economic issues that underlie how we grow, make, distribute and sell food. Errol Schweizer, host of The Checkout Radio and former VP of grocery for Whole Foods Market, shares 5 actions food retailers, brands and supply chain stakeholders must take to create a more fair, just and sane food system.

7. Israel: Anti-Allergy Startup Ukko Scores $40M in Bayer-Led Series B – AgFunder

Funding will be used to accelerate the development of its celiac-friendly proteins and enable clinical trials for its peanut allergy treatment.

8. Tevel’s Flying Fruit Bots Raise $20M from Asian Ag Giants, AgFunder – AgFunder

Investors included Kubota, Forbon, Maverick Ventures Israel and others. Funding will go towards completing product validation, commence production and launch its commercial service.

9. Robert Downey Jr Launches ESG-Focused Venture Capital Funds – Fortune

The FootPrint Coalition Ventures’ rolling VC funds aim to persuade investors to get behind his vision for fighting climate change through bioplastics, aquaculture, AI and more. It has already invested in Ÿnsect, Cloud Paper, Arcadia and others.

10. Instacart Will Lay Off All of Its Unionized Workers – Vice

The termination of the only unionized Instacart workers in the US is part of larger layoffs at the company. Instacart is firing nearly 2k of its 10k workers and offering as little as $250 as severance.

11. How America’s Food System Could Change Under Biden – New York Times

New school meal standards? Help for small farmers? Maybe, but first the new administration has to deal with hunger, food safety and a diminished USDA.

12. Local Food Movements Won’t Save the World – A Growing Culture

As long as local food movements are predominantly guided by the privileged, rather than holding space for those who have been the most exploited, they will not be in the service of justice.

13. Cooks Turned Instagram Into the World’s Greatest Takeout Menu – New York Times

During the pandemic, entrepreneurial chefs have reshaped food culture across the country with tiny, homegrown pop-ups that thrive on social media.

14. Organic Produce Sales Growth Tops 14% in 2020 – Food Dive

Sales of organic produce rose from $1b to $8.5b, while conventional produce sales rose 10.7%. Challenges still loom for the category, from unsteady consumer income to uncertain supply chains.

15. Food & Ag Anti-Racism Resources + Black Food & Farm Businesses to Support

Check out our list of resources to learn about systemic racism in the food and agriculture industries. We also highlight Black food and farm businesses and organizations to support.

Our newsletter is the absolute easiest way to stay on top of the emerging sector, so sign up for it today and never miss the latest food tech and innovation news and trends, Already signed up? Share the love with your friends and colleagues!

The post Grocery E-Commerce Sales Grew 125% in 2020, Imperfect Foods Brings Valuation to $700M + More appeared first on Food+Tech Connect.

Increasing demand for healthy, sustainable and personalized food is dramatically transforming the CPG industry. Startups are rethinking the status quo to make food more nutritious, delicious and accessible. Join us at Rethinking CPG SF to learn about the business models, technologies and strategies of some of the game-changers who are rethinking CPG.

John Foraker, co-founder and CEO of Once Upon A Farm, will be doing a deep dive into how the company achieved WIC approval for its organic, cold-press baby food bowls. Larissa Russell, co-founder and CEO of Pod Foods, will talk about creating a B2B marketplace and distribution network to connect emerging food and beverage brands to retail stores. And Livio Bisterzo, founder and CEO of Green Park Brands and co-founder of Buddy Nutrition, will talk about Buddy Nutrition’s approach to building a D2C personalized nutrition brand.

We will also have networking with the community and lots of great food and drinks to sample from AKUA, Blue Evolution, Burlap & Barrel, Kaibae, Kuli Kuli, The Teff Company, Eclipse Foods, Labra and more.

Interested in sampling your food, beverage or technology product at the event? Apply here.

RSVP for Rethinking CPG

SCHEDULE:

6 – 7:15pm: Networking, tech demos and food and beverage sampling

7:30 – 9:30pm: Presentations + Q&A

PRESENTERS:

John Foraker, Co-Founder & CEO of Once Upon A Farm

John is the co-founder and CEO of Once Upon A Farm, a company with the mission of providing yummy and nutritious “farm-to-family” foods to kids of all ages. Prior to his new start-up, John spent more than 30 years in the natural and organic food industry running businesses with a sharp focus on sustainability and social responsibility. John was the longtime leader of Annie’s, Inc., a leading natural & organic food brand, in the US from 1999 to 2017. As CEO of Annie’s, he took the company public in 2012 under the symbol BNNY before General Mills acquired the business in 2014 for $820 million. Foraker received a B.S. in agricultural economics from UC Davis and an MBA from UC Berkeley.

Larissa Russell, Co-Founder & CEO of Pod Foods

Larissa Russell is the co-founder and CEO of Pod Foods, a B2B marketplace and distribution network connecting emerging food and beverage brands to retail stores. Prior to co-founding Pod Foods, Russell had a cookie business called Green Pea Cookie, which produced cookies out of peas. She and her cofounder Fiona Lee experienced the challenges of the grocery supply chain first-hand. Russell graduated from Dartmouth in 2013, where she was a Senior Fellow and studied Government. She is excited about the impact of Pod Foods as a pathway for emerging brands to succeed and for consumers to access high quality food and beverage products.

Livio Bisterzo, CEO and Founder of Green Park Brands, Co-Founder Buddy Nutrition

Livio Bisterzo started his first venture in college when he launched an events business. Since then, Bisterzo has a proven track record of starting successful businesses. Over the last 12 years, he has built consumer brands globally. In 2015 Bisterzo created Green Park, a startup incubating platform. In 2016, Green Park launched its first brand, HIPPEAS. Their current portfolio includes other brands like UGLY DRINKS, MAVERICKS SNACKS, BUDDY NUTRITION, and REEL PAPER.

RSVP for Rethinking CPG

THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNER

WeWork Food Labs is building a community of entrepreneurs, industry experts and investors to fix food, now and for the future. A workspace and global platform, Food Labs is dedicated to startups impacting the future of sustainable food.

The post Announcing Rethinking CPG SF With John Foraker, Livio Bisterzo & Larissa Russell appeared first on Food+Tech Connect.

Embark on an immersive journey through the latest trends and profound consumer realities that will challenge how you think about the future of food at Datassential’s FOODSCAPE. Top tastemakers, scientists, and marketers will reveal how to connect masterfully with consumers through flavor, health, technology, and human values

FOODSCAPE brings you more than 100 incredible eating and drinking experiences combined with new insights from the visionaries that are defining the future of food.

What You’ll Experience:

• Attend the first public tasting of chicken nuggets created through cellular agriculture
• Taste the latest food and beverage trends from around the world
• Learn next-gen solutions for reducing waste and combating climate change
• Delve into the psychology of what makes a great meal
• Give your company a valuable head start in the personalized nutrition revolution
• Discover why your future customer is an algorithm, and what to do about it
• Gain contrasting views on hot button issues including cultural appropriation and meat consumption
• Take home brand new consumer food insights from Datassential
• Collaborate like never before as you experience new foods with your customers and peers

Join hundreds of top restaurant chains, retailers, CPG brands, chefs, and other food industry leaders. If your company makes or sells food, Foodscape is for you.

FOODSCAPE takes place September 24-25 in Chicago.  Tickets are selling out fast, so register today to guarantee your spot.

Use code FOODTECH at checkout for $150 off.

The post Register For FOODSCAPE & Save $150 Today appeared first on Food+Tech Connect.

From January 7 – February 8, Food+Tech Connect and The Future Market are hosting Biodiversity: The Intersection of Taste & Sustainability, an editorial series featuring interviews with over 45 leading food industry CEOs, executives, farmers, investors and researchers on the role of biodiversity in the food industry. See the full list of participants and read about why biodiversity in food is important here. 

As we’ve read a lot about in this series, there is a huge amount of opportunity for companies to capitalize on underutilized crops from around the globe that are full of flavor, beneficial for health and support local ecosystems and communities. KAIBAE is a beauty and nutrition company doing just that. KAIBAE works directly with indigenous communities to bring plants like Baobab, Cacay and Seaweed to the US market through its powders, teas, oils and beauty products.

Below, I speak with KAIBAE co-founders Dr. Luc Maes, Thomas Cole and Barbara Berger Maes about revaluing “Lost Crops,” establishing supply chains for biodiverse ingredients and how biodiversity is tied to our microbiome.

______________________

Danielle Gould: Is biodiversity a priority for KAIBAE? If so, how and why?

KAIBAE: Absolutely! KAIBAE recognizes that biodiversity is essential to human wellbeing and the long-term health of the environment. Modern living, urbanization, pollution and deforestation continue to threaten and degrade biodiversity in both the human and global biome. We have biodiversity in mind with everything we do.

KAIBAE revalues Lost Crops, wild plants once neglected for their health and economic potential yet important to the vitality of their ecosystem. They have a vigor not found in commercially farmed plants thanks to biodiversity in the soils and the environment in which they grow. It is that vigor, the wild intelligence that is captured in KAIBAE health and beauty products, that we regard as essential to a balanced microbiome inside and out.

DG: How does KAIBAE define and think about biodiversity?

KAIBAE: Biodiversity refers to interconnected and symbiotic relationship between plants, animals and humans down to the microbiota that shape an ecosystem. Every ecosystem is uniquely important to the vitality of the global biome, and the vitality of the human microbiome – in essence our gut – is directly related to the wild nature of our surroundings. The key to restoring and optimizing the microbiome can be found in the wild. Community members in the Amazon and the African Savanna show a greater diversity of healthful microbiota in the gut and the skin. This is attributed to the biodiversity in their environment and a diet and skincare regimen of wild plants, such as Baobab (Adansonia digitata) or Shea (Vitelleria nilotica). These are plants uniquely rich in prebiotics and antioxidants. Research shows that a lack of green space, plants and animals in our life depletes the human microbiome and compromises our vitality on mental, emotional and physical levels. Microbiome imbalance is associated with depression, anxiety, sleep problems, skin, immune and digestive disorders.

DG: What does an ideal biodiverse food system look like?

KAIBAE: An ideal biodiverse food system is holistic, is regenerative to the soil, builds upon existing indigenous crops and encourages local community development as a critical part of any food supply chain. A biodiverse food system extends all the way from the soil to the food that is on the store shelf. Biodiversity goes a step beyond functional nutrition for human health – linking the importance of biodiversity for wellness of both people and planet. This is the next generation of total well being that recognizes the importance of this symbiotic relationship.

DG: What is your organization doing or planning to do to promote biodiversity?

KAIBAE: Our goal is to identify more plant species and other Lost Crops in diverse ecosystems, as we have done with Baobab in the African Savanna, Cacay Nut in the Amazon and Kappaphycus seaweed the Indian Ocean. The core of our work has been to establish sustainable harvests, develop solid partnerships with local communities and create products with enduring benefits to health and beauty. Central to this is our mission to educate the consumer that their food, skincare and packaging choices have implications beyond their own health, that their choices can help contribute to the health of communities around the world and the preservation of global biodiversity.

DG: What investments need to be made to create a more biodiverse food system?

KAIBAE: Investments in time, money, research and compassion need to be made at many levels. Creating a more biodiverse food system requires a deep understanding of plants, ecosystems and health, as well as knowledge of the natural products market. As a Naturopath with 30 years of experience in a private practice, Luc began KAIBAE with unique insight into the needs of his patients and healthcare trends. His continued studies into medicinal plants took him all over the world, but he was inexplicably drawn to the Baobab tree, its fruit and the communities who have been utilizing it for centuries. Thomas brings indispensable expertise in community and agricultural in Africa to our team. His skills and experience have been key to developing supply chains that support local livelihoods and promote environmental stewardship in regions where natural resources are abundant and poverty is widespread.

Developing a more resilient food system demands investment in harvesting partnerships that benefit everyone involved. In the food system of the future, all people must have access to food that supports good health and opportunities to participate in its production. Five years ago, we established our supply chain in Northern Ghana, with the goal of harvesting Baobab in a way that empowers local communities, protects biodiversity and delivers high quality, healthful ingredients to consumers. Significant time and financial investment also went into building a processing center and study the feasibility of scaling a harvest.

DG: What are the greatest challenges and opportunities KAIBAE faces for creating a more biodiverse system? What are you doing to overcome or capture them?

KAIBAE: Careful understanding the scalability of a wild-harvested crop; understanding local community needs; understanding the demands in the market. Six years ago Luc recognized the prebiotic benefits of Baobab and now Baobab is gaining more market interest because of its benefit to the gut and skin. This gave us the opportunity to solidify relationships on the ground, ensure readiness to scale, understand the food industry and partner with values aligned consumer packaging companies.

DG: How are you or how do you plan to handle the sourcing and scaling of biodiverse ingredients?

KAIBAE: Over the past five years we’ve learned what it takes to develop a scalable supply chain for an untapped ingredient such as Baobab — from establishing community partnerships to standardizing harvesting and processing procedures to producing a quality ingredient that meets US food and beverage industry regulations. Equipped with this experience, we are applying our model to ingredients in other parts of Africa and South America, where we carefully study how we can work alongside communities to establish a sustainable harvest that is conscious of local traditions and does not pose stress to people or the earth. Understanding the environmental conditions, social dynamics and economic needs in the communities we partner with is key. We also continue to research medicinal plants with remarkable benefits to health, local livelihoods, and the environment, and the potential for scalable supply chains. Through 5 years of experiencing working directly with communities, the KAIBAE team understands what it takes to source and scale ingredients in developing countries.

DG: Does your average customer care about biodiversity today? Why should they care? How do you (or will you) get them to care?

KAIBAE: While the word biodiversity might be new to the consumer, the concept of buying foods that are better for health & the planet is not. The use of probiotics and their importance to promoting diversity in the gut microbiome is increasingly accepted and sought-after. The next step is to make the consumer aware that their food and skincare choices also affect the biome of the earth.

DG: What are some of the most important things retailers, food manufacturers and other key parts of the food supply chain can do to support biodiversity?

KAIBAE: KAIBAE sustainably supplies Baobab Fruit Powder, Baobab Oil and Baobab leaves to the food and beverage industry. Food manufacturers can support biodiversity by including these ingredients in their offerings. Retailers can support biodiversity by choosing to include products made of ingredients that support biodiversity.  Retailers need to educate their shoppers which can be done within the store. On the shelf, packaging can display a Biodiversity logo that the food products meets specific requirements.

DG: What is your vision for what a more biodiverse food system looks like in 10-15 years?

KAIBAE: Our vision for wellness is that health and beauty are not separate entities, that products are developed with this in mind through a regenerative lens and a process that gives back rather than takes from the earth.

KAIBAE recognizes that biodiversity is the foundation for human health and the functioning of the ecosystems on which we depend for our food and fresh water; biodiversity aids in regulating climate, floods and disease. Biodiversity also contributes to local livelihoods, to both traditional and modern medicines and economic development.  Biodiversity is at the core of Kaibae’s mission, our expertise, our stewardship and this long-term vision for growth.

DG: Anything else you want to share?

KAIBAE: KAIBAE’S work has been featured in Lost Crops, a documentary film. Lost Crops has been shown at many film festivals and most recently was at the United Nations Film Festival at Stanford University. If you would like to see the work we do with communities in Africa and South America you can watch the short film here.

LOST CROPS is the story of a naturopathic doctor, a botanist-humanitarian, and a driving desire to make the world a better place. This film speaks to the power of revaluing Lost Crops as a means to link communities globally, conserve the environment, and create economic opportunity. We seek to bring a voice to Lost Crops, our partners who harvest them, and to share their ability to support human health across the globe.

Read all of the interviews here and learn more about Biodiversity at The Future Market.

______________________

DR LUC MAES – The Naturopathic Doctor

With 30 years of experience in plant-based medicine and the natural products industry, and as Director of the Maes Center for Natural Health Care clinical practice, Dr. Luc has an abiding interest and keen insight into understanding health and skincare, real consumer needs and best practices product development. His private research includes the study of medicinal plants throughout Africa, Central and South America. His public interest fuels his desire to take what he learns and share it in a global view towards solutions for people and the planet.

THOMAS COLE – The Botanist Humanitarian

With more than 25 years embedded in sustainable agriculture, human livelihoods, community development and humanitarian response work across Sub-Saharan Africa, Thomas is uniquely positioned to develop working solutions to every part of the supply chain. Currently at work as an agroecology and drought management advisor for global USAID food security programs, Thomas has a close-up perspective of the needs of these communities and the ability to create and build networks of opportunity for all. Aptly, Thomas is responsible for Kaibae supply chain management and community relations and is Dr. Luc’s trusted travel companion across the globe.

BARBARA BERGER MAES – The Curator

With 30 years experience in advertising, marketing and business development, Barbara’s keen “eye” captures unique properties and experiences in health and beauty. Barbara’s journey includes work as a curator and project manager for the cities of Chicago and Portland’s 1% for the Arts Public Programs. She manages the administration of the Maes Center for Natural Health Care in Santa Barbara alongside her husband, Dr. Luc and together they are a natural couple of global conscientious citizens. Barbara is responsible for new business relations, day-to-day operations and for content development for the Kaibae Lost Crops company.

The post How KAIBAE is Improving Microbiomes With ‘Lost Crops’ Like Baobab & Cacay appeared first on Food+Tech Connect.

Searching for the perfect gifts for all the food nerds in your life this holiday season? Have no fear, our 2016 Food Tech Holiday Gift Guide is here. We’ve culled together tons of food gadgets, books, subscription boxes, gift baskets, great organizations to support and more that are sure to satisfy everyone on your list. Got more kick-ass food tech gift ideas? Please let us know in the comments below.

For Kitchen Tech Nerds

Anova Precision Cooker: Anova’s new WI-FI and Bluetooth Precision Cookers make it even easier to cook the perfect meal—whenever and wherever. The sous vide devices connect to your smartphone, allowing you to cook the perfect meal with the touch of a button. They also come with a companion app that provides step-by-step recipe directions from professionals.  Available in Bluetooth for $146 and WI-FI for $149 here. 

Fagor LUX Multi Cooker: The Fagor LUX Multi-Cooker is a pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker and yogurt maker all-in-one. It also offers a variety of beneficial functions,such as brown, saute, simmer, steam and keep warm. Available here for $100-160.

Drop Wi-Fi Enabled Kitchen Scale: Drop is a Bluetooth-enabled kitchen scale that intuitively guides you step-by-step through finding, making and sharing delicious dishes with the help of a connected iPad app. With Drop, users can scale ingredients by weight or servings, replace missing ingredients with alternatives, measure their progress against helpful photo and video tips and share photos of their masterpiece when it’s done. Available here for $79.

KitchenAid Electric Stand Mixer: This is one of the ultimate cooking devices, sure to make anyone smile from ear to ear. Complete with whisk, paddle, and hook attachments, the mixer is great for anything from whipping up delicate creams to kneading bread. You can also buy a ton of attachments that allow you to turn the stand into anything from a pasta maker to a meat grinder.  Available as 6-QT. Professional Series for $440 and in 5-QT. Artisan Stand Mixer for $250.

Oliso PRO Smart Vacuum Sealer: No sous vide gift is complete without a vacuum sealer. Recommended by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, the Oliso PRO SmartSealer offers professional level sealing thats compact enough to easily fit in a drawer, making it perfect for your city dwellers. The vacuum sealer makes it easy to seal dry foods, liquids and marinades. It comes with a 12 foot 12V DC power adapter for use in vehicles while hunting, fishing, camping, or simply on the go. It also works with accessories for wine storage and canning jars. Available here for $150. Looking for a less pricey option? Check out the FoodSaver V2244 Vacuum Sealing System for $80.

Emeril Lagasse Slip Resistant Sneakers for Men and Women: Discover the work and safety shoes you need in the Emeril Lagasse’s new line of chef shoes.  These sneakers will keep you comfortable all day with a molded memory foam comfort insole, slip-resistant rubber outsole for superior traction on wet and greasy surfaces, and NeverWet® water and stain resistant system to repel liquid and food. Available here for $60.

Searzall Torch Attachment: The Searzall is perfect for your favorite food nerd. The attachment turns a blowtorch into a hand-held broiler that perfectly sears your food without the off-putting aromas that typically result when cooking with blowtorches. It’s great for searing sous-vide meats, pizza, cheese, foie, grilled cheese, s’mores and more. Available for $70 here. You may also want to order the Bernzomatic High Intensity Trigger Start Torch ($40) and Standard Propane Fuel Cylinder ($10) with this.

SodaStream Source Sparkling Water Maker Starter Kit: Your bubble-loving friends will thank you for this one. Powered by a reusable CO2 carbonator, SodaStream allows anyone to create their own sparkling drinks in just seconds. Best of all, you’ll be able to say goodbye to plastic waste. Available for $95 here.

Vitamix: Vitamix is the Cadillac of blenders. Worth every penny, the Professional Series blender allows you to chop, cream, blend, heat, grind, churn and more, with a single machine. You can make everything from a smoothie, to soup to almond milk. The 5300 Series is available here for $415 and the Professional Series for $600 here.

The Field Skillet: The Field Skillet is a new cast iron pan reminiscent of the best vintage American skillets—but with a modern twist. It’s lighter than a 13’ MacBook Pro and is made in the USA. Made from 75-90% recycled iron, The Field Skillet is a sustainable choice. All scrap iron they create is remelted for future pours and all sand from the castings is continuously cycled back into production with zero waste. The Skillet will go on sale any day now here. Learn more here.

Spinzall, The Culinary Centrifuge: Restaurants and bars use expensive ($8k+) laboratory centrifuges to meld fruits with spirits, make flavored oils, clarify juices, separate fats and perform other culinary feats. Now Dave Arnold’s Booker and Dax Equipment Company has launched Spinzall, the first centrifuge designed for smaller formats and home use. The Spinzall is available here for $699.

HAPIfork Bluetooth-Enabled Smart Fork: The smart fork coaches you into healthier eating habits. The It’s an electronic fork that lights up and vibrates when you are eating too fast. As it takes 15-20 minutes to feel satisfied, by simply slowing down your pace while eating, you will consume fewer calories. Pair with your smartphone or tablet over Bluetooth to see your eating stats in real time.  Available here for $64.

For Coffee Nerds

Counter Culture Coffee: A Counter Culture subscription is a great gift for your favorite socially and environmentally conscious coffee drinker. The company sources handmade coffees from farmers and cooperatives, which it roasts to order and ships the same day to maximize flavor and freshness. The company is also committed to food security and environmental sustainability in the communities where the beans are grown. It pays farmers above market price for their beans, conducts environmental impact studies and support local projects that improve the environment and promote education through its Seeds program. In November and December, a nickel from each bag of coffee sold goes to Seeds’ climate change adaptation program. Single bags start at $15 and subscriptions at $33.50/month here.

Craft Coffee: This coffee subscription box is the perfect is the perfect gift for your favorite coffee and data nerd. Craft Coffee has spent years evaluating and tracking customer ratings for thousands of coffees from around the world. They know every coffee lover wants something different in their cup, so they use technology to match people with exceptional, fresh-roasted coffee based on their taste preferences. Gift subscriptions start at $30 per month here.

Chemex Classic Wood Collar Coffee Maker with 100 Count Bonded Circle Coffee Filters: The borosilicate glass coffee maker has a polished wood collar with a leather tie and allows you to make coffee as strong as you like without bitterness. Made from durable paper, Chemex filters are 20-30% heavier than competitive brands and permits the proper infusion time by regulating the filtration rate to allow for uniform extraction since the water filters through all the grounds on its way to the apex of the cone. The 6-cup Chemex is available here for $63  and the 8-cup here for $61.

Bonavita Electric Kettle: The Bonavita Variable Temperature Electric Kettle is a 1.0 liter capacity stainless steel kettle with many unique features.The 1000 watt heater boils water quickly and will hold the set temperature for up to one hour. The kettle has a unique spout that allows for a very controlled water pour that is needed for manual brewing of coffee and great for tea steeping as well. Available here for $81.

Baratza Virtuoso – Conical Burr Coffee Grinder: Uniformly ground coffee is the key to making great coffee. The Baratza Virtuoso does just that, which is why its a coffee nerd favorite. The Virtuoso’s 40 mm conical burrs grind coffee at 1.5 to 2.4 g/sec, resulting in a uniform grind, with a distinct lack of fines across its grinding range, making it great for espresso, drip, manual brewing methods and Press Pot. The Virtuoso is available here for $229. For a lower-priced,intro option, check out the Encore Model here for $129.

Blue Bottle Durable Basic Travel Kit: Blue Bottle has put together a great coffee travel bundle. A space-age contraption with gravity-defying aspirations, the AeroPress was invented by Aerobie just 38 miles from our Oakland roastery. Aerobie is responsible for creating the long-flying “superdisc” that broke Guiness World Records when it flew 1,333 feet. (Take that, frisbee!) The same mastery of aerodynamics comes into play here, with this peculiar a device for brewing coffee. Eminently portable, AeroPress delivers a cup of coffee that soars with focus and depth. With the Porlex Mini-Grinder as AeroPress’s level-headed and utilitarian counterpart, nothing can stop you on your way to expert brewing on the fly. Available here for $89.

For DIYers

Mama O’s Premium Homemade Kimchi Kit: This is the most complete and easy-to-use homemade kimchi kit you can buy. Using this kit, you’ll be able to make perfect kimchi again and again. Try all three varieties: Original, Super Spicy, and Vegan. Makes a great gift! The half-gallon size is perfect for small spaces also. Detailed, easy-to-follow instructions are included with each kit. Available here for $45.

Seedsheet: Seedsheet makes it easy to grow your own vegetables. Each biodegradable Seedsheet features a weed-blocking fabric embedded with dissolvable pouches that contain non-GMO seeds and a buffer of soil. Simply place the sheet on top of soil, add water and feast on your veggies. You can purchase remade sheets or custom design your own. The sheets come in a variety of sizes and run from $15 – $250 here.

Brooklyn Brew Shop Beer Making Kit, Everyday IPA: If you can make oatmeal, you can make beer. Brooklyn Brew Shop’s apartment friendly Beer Making Kits make it easy to bring brewing out of the garage and into the kitchen using only fresh, whole ingredients and traditional methods used in homes and breweries for centuries. By brewing with the same ingredients (cracked barley, hops, spices, and yeast) that the best craft breweries in the world use, making high quality and complex beers becomes possible on the stovetop in your very own kitchen, big or small. Available here for $47.

Back to the Roots AquaFarm:  Great for the DIY, sustainable food folks in your life. This apartment friendly, self-cleaning fish tank grows herbs and leafy greens. All you have to do is fill with water, add the fish and plant the seeds, and viola, you’ve got your own mini aquaponic farm going on. Available for $89.99 here.

Food52:Food52’s home and kitchen e-commerce site is a goldmine of one-of-a-kind kitchen finds and impossibly beautiful artisan kits, tools and products. From copper platters and porchetta salt to make your own bitters and DIY goat cheese kits, you can find something special for the cook, designer or beautiful-trinkets lover in your life here.

For Bibliophiles

Devoured: From Chicken Wings to Kale Smoothies–How What We Eat Defines Who We Are: A provocative look at how and what Americans eat and why—a flavorful blend of The Omnivore’s Dilemma, Salt Sugar Fat, and Freakonomics that reveals how the way we live shapes the way we eat. Food writer and Culinary Institute of America program director Sophie Egan takes readers on an eye-opening journey through the American food psyche, examining the connections between the values that define our national character—work, freedom, and progress—and our eating habits, the good and the bad. Egan explores why these values make for such an unstable, and often unhealthy, food culture and, paradoxically, why they also make America’s cuisine so great. Available here for $19.

The Rooftop Growing Guide: How to Transform Your Roof into a Vegetable Garden or Farm: In this accessible guide, author Annie Novak’s passion shines as she draws on her experience as a pioneering sky-high farmer to teach best practices for raising vegetables, herbs, flowers, and trees. The book also includes interviews, expert essays, and farm and garden profiles from across the country, so you’ll find advice that works no matter where you live. Featuring the brass tacks on green roofs, container gardening, hydroponics, greenhouse growing, crop planning, pest management, harvesting tips, and more, The Rooftop Growing Guide will have you reimagining the possibilities of your own skyline. Available here for $16.

The Farm on the Roof: What Brooklyn Grange Taught Us About Entrepreneurship, Community, and Growing a Sustainable Business:
In their effort to build the world’s first and largest commercial green rooftop farm, the founders of Brooklyn Grange learned a lot about building and sustaining a business while never losing sight of their mission—to serve their community by providing delicious organic food and changing the way people think about what they eat. But their story is about more than just farming. It serves as an inspirational and instructional guide for anyone looking to start a business that is successful while making a positive impact. Available here for $20.

 
The Dirt: Dispatches from the Front Lines of Food and Farming: The award-winning Food and Environment Reporting Network (FERN) has just released anthology of their work celebrating five years of rigorous independent journalism in the critically underreported areas of food, agriculture and environmental health. With an introduction by FERN’s Editor-in-Chief Samuel Fromartz, a foreword by Michael Pollan and striking full-color photographs and infographics throughout this large format book, The Dirt showcases sixteen stories from FERN’s substantial body of work. Available here for a $100 tax-deductible donation.

Cherry Bombe: This sleek and beautiful bi-annual magazine celebrates everything women and food, including farmers, chefs, makers, stylers, eaters and more. Featuring interviews and stories about icons like Ruth Reichl and Chloe Sevigny, Cherry Bombe is all about nourishment for the mind, eye and stomach. You can gift a 1-year subscription for $40 or a 2-year subscription for $75 here.

Civil Eats: Civil Eats is the go-to resource for food movement journalism. Its stories dig deep into national food policy issues and profile food heroes from across the country. By supporting Civil Eats, you’ll be aiding it its mission to build more environmentally, economically and socially just communities. Subscribe for $25 here.

Edible Communities: No matter where your food-loving friends live, Edible Magazine subscriptions make for a prize gift. With local publications across the nation, the beautifully designed quarterly magazines tell stories of local farmers, growers, chefs and food artisans. You can give the gift of local food exploration for $24 for a 1-year subscription, $42 for a 2-year and $52 for a 3-year. Check them out here.

Food+Tech Connect: We’re biased, but we think a contribution to Food+Tech Connect is the perfect gift for your favorite food innovators. Your support will ensure your loved one is able to stay on top of the latest business, tech and investment trends in food. You can also feel really awesome about keeping Food+Tech Connect free for all. Learn more here.

Lucky Peach: Luck Peach, the irreverent food magazine from David Chang and the Momofuku team, offers the perfect gift for artists and foodies alike. Each issue focuses on a single food theme, and explores it through writing, art, photography and recipes. You can gift a 4 issue subscription for $28 or an 8 issue subscription for $50. Learn more here.

For Cookbook Lovers

Ingredient: Unveiling the Essential Elements of Food: Ali Bouzari is one of the leading experts in culinary science—a chef, consultant, and scientist who has worked with culinary icon like Thomas Keller and Daniel Humm. With ingredients, Bouzari paints a portrait of each of the fundamental building blocks of food, giving all cooks a way to visualize and respond to what’s really happening in the pan. Focusing on Water, Sugars, Carbs, Lipids, Proteins, Minerals, Gases, and Heat the book teaches you the personalities of Ingredients, where to find them, and how to put them to work. Available here for $19.

Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition, and Craft of Live-Culture Foods, 2nd Edition: Sandor Ellix Katz, James Beard Award winner and New York Times bestselling author, returns to the iconic book that started it all, but with a fresh perspective, renewed enthusiasm, and expanded wisdom from his travels around the world. This self-described fermentation revivalist is perhaps best known simply as Sandorkraut, which describes his joyful and demystifying approach to making and eating fermented foods, the health benefits of which have helped launch a nutrition-based food revolution. Available here for $18.

Modernist Bread: The Art and Science: Created by the Modernist Cuisine Team, Modernist Bread is the most in-depth look at bread to date, capturing over four years of independent research and collaborations with leading industry professionals. Stunning photography brings the complete story of bread to life across five volumes—uncover its incredible history, loaves from every corner of the world, and the breath-taking beauty of scientific phenomena at work above and below the crust. In addition, you will discover innovative recipes and techniques developed by the Modernist Cuisine team that have not been published anywhere else. The five-volume Modernist Bread set is available for pre-order here for $554.

The Hot Bread Kitchen Cookbook: Artisanal Baking from Around the World: Hot Bread Kitchen is a bakery that employs and empowers immigrant women, providing them with the skills to succeed in the culinary industry. The tasty corollary of this social enterprise is a line of authentic breads you won’t find anywhere else. Featured in some of New York City’s best restaurants and carried in dozens of retail outlets across the country, these ethnic gems can now be made at home with The Hot Bread Kitchen Cookbook. The book is available here for $24.

Food52 A New Way to Dinner: A Playbook of Recipes and Strategies for the Week Ahead: Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs, founders of the online kitchen and home destination Food52, shows you how to plan, shop, and cook for dinners (and lunches and desserts) all through the week. The secret? Cooking ahead. Starting with flexible base dishes made on the weekend, Amanda and Merrill mix, match, and riff to create new dinners, lunches, and even desserts throughout the week. Available here for $21.

The Red Rooster Cookbook: The Story of Food and Hustle in Harlem: When the James Beard Award-winning chef Marcus Samuelsson opened Red Rooster on in Harlem, he envisioned more than a restaurant. It would be the heart of his neighborhood and a meet-and-greet for both the downtown and the uptown sets, serving Southern black and cross-cultural food. It would reflect Harlem’s history. Ever since the 1930s, Harlem has been a magnet for more than a million African Americans, a melting pot for Spanish, African, and Caribbean immigrants, and a mecca for artists. In his cookbook, Samuelsson showcases southern comfort food and multicultural recipes, along with lyrical essays that convey the flavor of Harlem. Available here for $23.

Everything I Want to Eat: Sqirl and the New California Cooking: Jessica Koslow and her restaurant, Sqirl, are at the forefront of the California cooking renaissance, which is all about food that surprises us and engages all of our senses—it looks good, tastes vibrant, and feels fortifying yet refreshing. In Everything I Want to Eat, Koslow shares 100 of her favorite recipes for health-conscious but delicious dishes, all of which always use real foods—no fake meat or fake sugar here—that also happen to be suitable for vegetarians, vegans, or whomever you’re sharing your meal with. Available here for $28.

Land of Fish and Rice: Recipes from the Culinary Heart of China: The lower Yangtze region, or Jiangnan, with its modern capital Shanghai, has been known since ancient times as a “land of fish and rice.” For centuries, local cooks have harvested the bounty of its lakes, rivers, fields, and mountains to create a cuisine renowned for its delicacy and beauty. In Land of Fish and Rice, Fuchsia Dunlop draws on years of study and exploration to present the recipes, techniques, and ingredients of the Jiangnan kitchen. You will be inspired to try classic dishes such as Beggar’s Chicken and sumptuous Dongpo Pork, as well as fresh, simple recipes such as Clear-Steamed Sea Bass and Fresh Soybeans with Pickled Greens. Available here for $26.

Sous Vide at Home: The Modern Technique for Perfectly Cooked Meals: Sous vide has been a popular cooking technique in restaurants for years, offering tender and succulent dishes cooked to perfection. Now, from the creator of Nomiku–the first affordable sous vide machine–comes this easy-to-follow cookbook that clearly illustrates how to harness the power of sous vide technology to achieve restaurant-quality dishes in the comfort of your own kitchen. Including over 100 recipes for everything from Halibut Tostadas, Grilled Asparagus with Romesco, and Chicken Tikka Masala, to Dulce de Leche, Hassle-Free Vanilla Ice Cream, and even homemade Coffee-Cardamom Bitters, Sous Vide at Home has you covered for every occasion. Available here for $25.

The Up South Cookbook: Chasing Dixie in a Brooklyn Kitchen: Georgia native Nicole Taylor spent her early twenties trying to distance herself from her southern cooking roots–a move “up” to Brooklyn gave her a fresh appreciation for the bread and biscuits, Classic Fried Chicken, Lemon Coconut Stack Cake, and other flavors of her childhood. The Up South Cookbook is a bridge to the past and a door to the future. The recipes in this deeply personal cookbook offer classic Southern favorites informed and updated by newly-discovered ingredients and different cultures. Available here for $22.

Payard Cookies: Third-generation pastry chef François Payard shares his favorite cookie recipes—the bestsellers at his popular New York City patisseries and cafés, the recipes he learned from his father, and the ones he makes at home. They range from the simplest sablés (butter cookies) to the most picture-perfect macarons, with everything in between: unassuming spice cookies, jam-filled linzers and other sandwiches, elegantly fluted and scalloped cannelés and madeleines, cakelike financiers, and beautifully iced cutout cookies for every holiday. All adapted for home cooks and tested in a home kitchen, these treats are easy to make yet offer a taste of “Paris-meets-Upper East Side” luxury to anyone, anywhere. Available here for $20.

The Food of Taiwan: Recipes from the Beautiful Island: While certain dishes from Taiwan are immensely popular, like steamed buns and bubble tea, the cuisine still remains relatively unknown in America. In The Food of Taiwan, Taiwanese-American Cathy Erway, the acclaimed blogger and author of The Art of Eating In, gives readers an insider’s look at Taiwanese cooking with almost 100 recipes for both home-style dishes and street food. Recipes range from the familiar, such as Pork Belly Buns, Three Cup Chicken, and Beef Noodle Soup, to the exotic, like the Stuffed Bitter Melon, Oyster Noodle Soup, and Dried Radish Omelet. Tantalizing food photographs intersperse with beautiful shots of Taiwan’s coasts, mountains, and farms and gritty photos of bustling city scenes, making this book just as enticing to flip through as it is to cook from. Available here for $21.

For Sustainable Artisanal Food Lovers

Thrive Market Membership: Thrive Market is a like a Costco for healthy, sustainable food products. This year, give the gift of membership, so your loved one can save 25-50% on their favorite organic and non-GMO products. When you join, you are also sponsoring a free membership for a low-income family. Become a member for $60 here.

Zingerman’s Gift Boxes: Based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Zingerman’s is a cult favorite. The speciality grocer also has an exceptional online shop for Zingerman’s food, gifts and more.Featuring everything from kitchen starter kits, fresh breads and handmade cheeses to varietal coffee, estate bottled olive oils and sweet treats, their gift boxes are second to none. Check out Zingerman’s gift boxes, which range from $35-$300, here.

Six Month Hot Bread Kitchen Subscription: What’s better than good bread? Good bread delivered to your door every month from an amazing organization that supports low-income New Yorkers and preserves traditional baking techniques from around the world. With this subscription, receive three of Hot Bread Kitchen’s signature breads every month. Subscriptions are available here for $175.

Farm to People: From pasture raised pork pâté to goat milk caramels, Farm to People makes it easy to discover and buy all kinds of products crafted by small-batch, artisanal producers. Buy individual products or select one of its scores of curated gift boxes, like Bringing Home The Bacon and Some Like It Hot, which range from $25 – $150. It also offers monthly tasting boxes which range from   $30-$50.  Check out Farm to People’s products here.

Mouth has a bevy of tasty treats for craft food lovers. The e-commerce marketplace showcases the best of the best in “indie” foods, from chocolate covered jalapeno corn nuts to organic chamomile bitters, and everything in between. And for the holidays the site is offering special gift packages, like 8 Nights of Hanukkah and Bring Home the Bacon. Prices range from $40 – $125. Dive in here.

For The Meal Kit & Subscription Box Types

Blue Apron delivers pre-measured ingredients and step-by-step recipes to your doorstep. It sources the best local ingredients for unique dishes – like braised Moroccan-style salmon and greens -which allows budding home cooks to spend more time in the kitchen honing their culinary skills. You can gift a 1, 2 or 4 week subscription at $9.99 per person per meal here.

HelloFresh delivers fresh ingredients and easy-to-follow recipes – like caramelized union shepard’s pie- to your doorstep weekly. Its recipe cards come complete with nutrition information and difficulty level rating and take roughly 30 minutes to prepare. Great for those living abroad, too, you can give the gift of one week (three meals for 2-4 people) for $69 – $79 here.

Love With Food: The snack subscription box is an awesome gift for any food explorer on your list. The company offers subscription boxes of unique, emerging natural and organic snacks for as little at $10 a month. And for every box you receive, the company donates a meal to a food bank. Additionally, you can buy or redeem points to get more of your favorite snacks on the site. Grab a gift subscription here.

Plated:  Plated delivers weekly changing recipes – like a quinoa, kimchi, and seasonal veggie rice bowl – along with all the fresh ingredients you need to prepare them directly to your door. Give your favorite person the gift of easy to make, extraordinary meals with a Plated gift certificate, which cost between $60 and $360 and can be purchased here.

The Fare Trade: The Fare Trade is the perfect gift for your favorite culinary adventurer. Each month, award-winning chefs assemble a box of their favorite American-made artisan ingredients and signature recipes, which they send to your door step. The boxes come with five ingredients and step-by-step video tutorials. Available for $65 per month here.

The Purple Carrot: The Purple Carrot’s plant-based meal kit subscription is great for anyone who wants or needs more veggies in their life.  The company ships pre-measured ingredients and recipes developed by author Mark Bittman right to your door, making it easier than ever to create ultra-fresh, plant-based meals. You can gift one of two packages: A three-night meal plan that serves two people for $68 or a two-night meal plan that serves four people for $74 here.

For Supporters of the Good Food Movement

Change Food: Change Food helps individuals change the way they eat by raising public awareness, educating consumers and motivating behavior change so that all people have access to nutritious, delicious food. With as little as $20, you can help cover the cost of research for its video library and other outreach. Learn more here.

Food & Environment Reporting Network (FERN): FERN is the first and only independent non-profit news organization that produces in-depth journalism on food, agriculture, and environmental health. Donations help FERN continue to produce stories that inform and inspire, and make lasting impact on our food system. You can learn more and donate here.

Food Tank: Food Tank is a food think tank that offers sustainable solutions to the biggest environmental and social challenges facing our food system. Through its website and events, Food Tank facilitates collaboration between players across the entire food food chain. You can donate to its Sustainers Program here to help fund new research on hunger, obesity, food justice and sustainability.

Heritage Radio Network: HRN is a radio station and media company committed to archiving and advancing our food culture and giving a voice to our leading food professionals, farmers, policy experts and tastemakers. By donating to Heritage Radio, you’ll be supporting one of the most progressive voices for food and culture radio in America. Learn more and donate here.

Museum of Food and Drink (MOFAD): MOFAD is a non-profit food museum in NYC. MOFAD aims to alter the way people think about food and inspire curiosity about what we eat. Donations will help the team plan launch the museum. The Museum currently has an exhibit focused on flavor. Learn more here.

National Young Farmers Coalition: NYFC supports, mobilizes and engages young farmers and works to ensure their success. It supports independent farms, sustainable farming practices and affordable land for farmers. Benefactors help cultivate the next generation of farmers, and additionally, they receive discounts on stuff like tools, seeds and fertilizers. Learn more here.

NY Sun Works: NYSW builds innovative science labs in urban schools. Its Greenhouse Project Initiative uses hydroponic farming technology to educate students and teachers about the science of sustainability. Its goal is to build 100 greenhouse project labs by 2020. By supporting New York Sun Works, you’ll be helping make that dream a reality. Learn more and donate here.

Real Food Media: Real Food Media aims to grow the movement for sustainable food and farming around the world through short films with big ideas. Its MythBusters series offer tools to counter food industry PR spin, including mythbusting movies, reports and a rapid response network of engaged followers. Its international short films competition, catalyzes creative shorts about food, farming and sustainability. Learn more about Real Food Media here.

Slow Food USA: Slow Food is on a mission to make good, clean and fair food accessible to all. It has 175 local and campus chapters that coordinate local activities, projects and events. By donating to Slow Food, you’ll help support school gardens and family-style community suppers and help strengthen local food culture. Learn more and donate here. 

The post Ultimate Food Tech Gift Guide appeared first on Food+Tech Connect.

Photo via Hampton Creek

Every week we track the business, tech and investment news and trends in agriculture, CPG, retail, restaurants, cooking and health, so you don’t have to.

This week’s top story is Hampton Creek’s buyback program. Bloomberg published an exposé claiming Hampton Creek bought up its own mayo in an attempt to boost its popularity with retailers and investors.  The startup says its main objective was to ensure product quality and that the buyback program only accounted for 0.12 percent of its sales. But five former contractors and two ex-senior staff members are saying the buyback assignments were in addition to in-store quality checks and were not accounted for. This is a really big deal if Hampton Creek was misleading investors. It also brings up a lot of questions around transparency and Hampton Creek’s growth strategies.

What’s your reaction to this story? How does your company manage in-store quality control? What questions do you have for Hampton Creek? Join our discussion here.

In other food startup  news, Powerplant Ventures closed it’s $42 million plant-centric fund, Walmart bought 18 month old Jet.com for $3B and a bunch of startups raises a whole lot of cash. Also trending is new legislation that support’s young farmers and what it takes for startups to succeed in food. Check out our weekly round-up of last week’s top food startup, tech and innovation news below or peruse the full newsletter here.

Our newsletter is the absolute easiest way to stay on top of the emerging sector, so sign up for it today and never miss the latest food tech and innovation news and trends, Already signed up? Share the love with your friends and colleagues!

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1. Hampton Creek Ran Undercover Project to Buy Up Its Own Vegan Mayo – Bloomberg

From Bloomberg: “The startup undertook a large-scale operation to buy back its own mayo, which made the product appear more popular than it really was. At least eight months before the funding round closed, Hampton Creek executives quietly launched a campaign to purchase mass quantities of Just Mayo from stores, according to five former workers and more than 250 receipts, expense reports, cash advances and e-mails reviewed by Bloomberg. In addition to buying up hundreds of jars of the product across the U.S., contractors were told to call store managers pretending they were customers and ask about Just Mayo.”

2. Is Food Unwinnable for Startups?

Food startups have had a rough year. Jennifer Goggin examines what it take to overcome logistics and customer acquisition challenges.

3. Powerplant Ventures Closes $42 Million Fund to back “Plant-Centric” Food and Tech Startups – TechCrunch

Launched by Zico founder Mark Rampolla and Veggie Grill co-founders Kevin Boylan and T.K. Pillan and Dan Beldy, the fund will invest$250k – $2M in food and food tech companies that are working to reduce pollution and feed the world.

4. Walmart Buys Jet.com For $3B in Cash – TechCrunch

The acquisition is the largest e-commerce M&A deal ever. Walmart’s acquisition is its biggest step towards taking on Amazon’s e-commerce market share. Of note, Jet recently begun testing fresh food delivery.

5. How Congress Can Help Young Farmers Succeed – The Sacramento Bee

The future of our food supply rests in the hands of a debt-ridden youth. Farmers are calling on congress to support The Young Farmer Success Act, which would forgive student loans for farmers, a high-need, public service profession.

6. GrubMarket Raises $20 Million to Expand Its Online Farmer’s Market – TechCrunch

Funding came from Sound Ventures, Global Founders Capital, Riverhead Capital, GGV Capital, Fosun Group, Danhua Capital and more. The San Francisco-based grocery delivery startup will use the funds for marketing and winning over new customers while regionally expanding.

7. Liquor-Delivery Startup Drizly Adds $15M Investment – Boston Globe

The funding came from private investors and will help the alcohol delivery startup keep pace with a slew of competitors from retail sectors, as well as other alcohol delivery startups.

8. Chef’d CEO: ‘Meal Kits Will ‘Dominate Grocery-Style Shopping Over Time’ – Street Fight

Chef’d CEO Kyle Ransford chats with Street Fight about Chef’d’s journey, his thoughts on the future of meal kits and the technologies underpinning the disruption of grocery retail.

9. Deliveroo Raises $275 Million to Escalate Food-Delivery Wars – Bloomberg

The deal values the London-based food delivery startup at $1B. The startup will use the investment to fuel growth and take on well-funded competitors like UberEATS.

10. Dinner, Disrupted – The New York Times

A deep dive into the tech industry’s unintended impact on San Francisco’s restaurant industry – from hurting midlevel restaurants to creating the worst racial and ethnic pay gap in the US.

11. Food Tech Company Innit Raises $18M – Finsmes

The smart kitchen startup, which has raised $43M to date will use the funds to accelerate its growth.

In Cased You Missed Them:

Is Food Unwinnable for Startups?

Food startups have had a rough year. Jennifer Goggin examines what it take to overcome logistics and customer acquisition challenges.

Why Farmigo Is Shutting Down Its Online Farmers Market

Farmigo raised $26M and was nearing profitability, but logistics got the best of the startup. CEO Benzi Ronen and investor Ali Partovi speak candidly with us about what happened, lessons learned and what’s next.

Last Week’s Top Food Tech & Innovation News

The ‘ugly’ produce supply challenge, and inside look at the rise of female food entrepreneurs, Dave Chang’s code for unleashing the world’s best flavors and more.

The post Hampton Creek’s Latest Issue, Zico Founder Launches $42M Food Fund + More appeared first on Food+Tech Connect.

Startups in the food industry, and the food tech sector in particular, have seen quite a bit of turmoil over the past year. Prominent, well-funded companies like Good Eggs, Kitchensurfing, Dinner Lab and most recently Farmigo have either shuttered altogether or significantly scaled back their operations. As a food tech entrepreneur and advisor to other growing food companies, I am often asked: Is the food sector unwinnable?

I don’t believe so. The food industry is an old school behemoth that desperately needs innovation to feed our exploding population in a world of dwindling resources, as well as to help people eat the real, nutritious meals they crave even when their busy schedules don’t allow it. Innovation is not easy, but it’s possible. Problems arise when startups view the food industry like any other industry ripe for disruption, without fully appreciating the unique challenges it poses, particularly around logistics and customer acquisition.

The Food Distribution Logistics Challenge

The biggest problem startups consistently face is logistics. Food is a physical and perishable product, and our current system is built to move large amounts of it across the globe. For startups working on a local or regional level, or that necessarily begin with small food volumes, distribution often requires more capital than anticipated. Even marketplaces fundamentally depend on a transaction that moves food from point A to point B; if this distribution system is not efficient and economical, they have a hard time scaling rapidly.

Logistics challenges are not insurmountable with honest self-reflection and the right strategy. Traditional food distribution companies have been warehousing and successfully moving perishable goods for decades. UPS and FedEx have mastered far-ranging and inexpensive distribution systems for all other products. The knowledge of logistics exists; the key for any food startup is to understand whether it is a logistics company at its core (hint: it probably is), and then to bring on partners and employees early who possess the necessary expertise to build a logistics company. Those experts can figure out ways to work within the system to get new innovations off the ground.

The Customer Acquisition Challenge

The other unique factor for food startups is how multifaceted our relationship is to the food we purchase and consume. On the one hand, food is deeply tied to our culture and traditions, identity and social interactions, and our comfort and enjoyment. Quality and stories matter. On the other hand, thanks to last century’s modernization of our food system, we are now accustomed to having food be fast, cheap and consistent, not to mention always available. Any company entering the food industry must perform a balancing act between these two extremes, which is a tough mandate. Further complicating things, food purchases are most often decisions made out of habit and within a consumer’s comfort zone, which why consumer adoption of new food technologies and products tends to be slow.

To combat this slow adoption, many food startups fall prey to the land grab mentality of enticing as many consumers as possible through heavy discounting. This leads to overly high customer acquisition costs and negative gross margins, which are impossible to sustain in the long run. It also creates a temptation for the consumer to jump from competitor to competitor without forming an emotional or habitual connection with any of them. Rather than focusing on amassing as many customers as possible in the shortest time frame, food startups, in particular, need to focus on turning their customers into repeat users. One way to do this might be to focus on a constrained region where the company can tap into a community’s particular traditions and connections. Growth may be slower, but it will be stickier and more profitable in the short run.

Changing The Food System Takes Time

Ultimately, everything boils down to speed: changing the food system is going to be a long, slow process. This reality tends to be at odds with the current funding atmosphere and venture capital in particular. The “move fast and break things” mantra doesn’t work in food. Achieving sky high returns within a fund’s typical horizon of 5 to 10 years is near impossible when you’re dealing with food.

To any entrepreneur considering a food startup, I would pose two questions. First, are you providing a product or service that answers a real need for consumers without fully upsetting their emotional relationship to food? Second, are you and your investors prepared for the long haul both mentally and financially? The startup that answers yes to both of those questions has a good shot at not only disrupting food, but sticking around to reap the rewards.

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Jennifer Goggin has been an entrepreneur and advisor in the food-tech space since 2011 when she co-founded FarmersWeb to help farms, food hubs and food artisans streamline wholesale orders, deliveries and payments online. Prior to FarmersWeb, Jennifer was Director of Operations at Basis Farm to Chef, a local food distributor in New York. She has been a featured panelist and moderator for conferences on entrepreneurship and the food technology industry, as well as a guest columnist for Food+Tech Connect and Huffington Post Food. Jennifer is a board member of Slow Food NYC where she works on its Snail of Approval committee to recognize restaurants, bars, and markets that contribute to the quality, authenticity and sustainability of the New York City food supply.

The post Is Food Unwinnable for Startups? appeared first on Food+Tech Connect.

Photo: Hollis Johnson via Business Insider

Is coworking a viable revenue stream for empty restaurants or restaurants that are closed during the day? What might the future of protein look and taste like? Is Blue Apron getting ready for an IPO? Get answers to these questions and more in our weekly round-up of last weeks top food startup, tech and innovation news. Every week we track all the business, tech and investment trends in agriculture, CPG, retail, restaurants, cooking and health, so you don’t have to.

Want more? Feast your eyes on last week’s newsletters here and here. Annever miss the latest food tech and innovation news and trends with our bi-weekly newsletter.

Our newsletter is the absolute easiest way to stay on top of the emerging sector, so sign up for it today and never miss the latest food tech and innovation news and trends with our bi-weekly newsletter. Already signed up? Share the love with your friends and colleagues!

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1. The Future of Protein Dinner

We are thrilled to be partnering with The Future Market on their Future of Protein Dinner in NYC. Join us June 28 for a multi-sensory edible exploration of the past, present and future of protein. Reservations are almost sold out, so snag yours today.

2. What If The Food Industry Ended Monoculture Farming?

Can sustainable agriculture and big food co-exist? The Future Market’s Three Sisters Polenta shows why polycultures are the future of food.

3. Meal-Kit Startup Blue Apron Said to Hold Preliminary Talks On IPO – Bloomberg

The company, which was recently valued at $2B, has discussed the possibility of proceeding with an initial public offering in the next 12 months.

4. There Are 2,000 Empty Restaurants During the Day in New York — and This Startup Is Trying to Do Something About It – Business Insider

Spacious wants to turn restaurants into coworking spaces during the day. It’s launched its first partnership with DBGB Restaurant and Bar in New York City.

5. How Do Food Delivery Startups Stay in Business? – re/code

Munchery CEO Tri Tran discusses how Munchery has reached profitability in the Bay Area.

6. Germany: A Startup That Wants to End World Hunger is Starting With A Tiny Indoor Vertical Farm – Quartz

Indoor farming startup Infarm has launched a small hydroponic vertical farm inside a Metro supermarket.

7. This Startup Is Turning Leftover Beer Into Tasty Snacks – Mother Jones

An inside look at some of the food waste innovators featured at our April San Francisco Food Waste Meetup, including Regrained, Imperfect Produce and Back to the Roots.

8. Food Tech Media Startup Funding, M&A and Partnerships: March and April 2016

While companies like Dinner Lab and Kitchit have shuttered, $2.02B was invested in food tech startups in March & April. Read more about Brita’s thoughts on the future of food tech.

9. General Mills & Organic Valley Partner To Help Conventional Dairy Farms Transition to Certified Organic – Robyn O’Brien

The strategic sourcing partnership will help 20 dairy farms add around 3,000 acres to organic dairy production over the next three years.

10. CPG Exits Rise For 4 Years Straight As Corporates Scoop Up Craft Brands – CB Insights

There were more than 165 exits of private CPG companies in 2015, a sharp increase over 2011, which saw 50 exits.

11. Louisville’s Door to Door Organics Combining with Relay Foods in Online Grocery Merger –The Denver Post

Together, they serve 18 states. Financial terms of the all-stock merger were not disclosed, but Brick Meets Click estimates that their combined revenue is $50M+.

The post Empty Restaurants Test Coworking, Blue Apron Considers IPO, Future of Protein + More appeared first on Food+Tech Connect.

Brewing the best cup of coffee consistently is no easy feat. From a technical perspective, there are so many variables that impact the taste of coffee beyond the beans, like water temperature, brewing time, coffee dosage, grind size, ratio of coffee to water and stirring. From a cultural perspective coffee is equally as complex; Each culture has their own techniques, which are difficult to replicate precisely. Blossom Coffee thinks connected device technology is the answer to insuring that anyone can make “insanely great coffee.”

The San Francisco-based startup’s first product, Blossom One Brewer, is a wifi-enabled coffee machine that’s linked with a software system which allows coffee roasters to set recipes for their coffee. This precision coffee brewing system enables anyone with a Blossom One Brewer to download the roaster’s recipe to their machine, so they can brew the perfect cup of coffee. Blossom also has a service that allows you to automatically re-order coffee when you need it, which helps support coffee roasters.

The Blossom One Brewer costs $5,950 and is designed for commercial use. Founder Jeremy Kumpel tells me that they are also working on a consumer version at a much lower price point.

I had a chance to chat with Kumpel at Seeds&Chips to learn more about Blossom Coffee and its business model. Check out our short video interview below.

The post Blossom Coffee’s Wifi Coffee Machine Makes Great Java Accessible appeared first on Food+Tech Connect.

We’re especially excited to share this month’s roundup because, this weekend in NYC, we’re hosting our Crowdfunding Bootcamp with Lisa Q. Fetterman (who raised $1.3M on Kickstarter for her startup Nomiku). Snag your spot for $100 off with code “CFFE”, and maybe we’ll see your food project listed in a future crowdfunding roundup.

Have suggestions for other amazing crowdfunding campaigns? Share them in the comments below. And check out other crowdfunding projects we’ve covered here and our last crowdfunding roundup here.

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Flow Hive is making headlines as the most successful campaign in Indiegogo history, raising $2.18M in the first day alone. Its revolutionary beehive system allows beekeepers to harvest honey straight from the hive without opening it. With 13 days left in its Indiegogo campaign, Flow Hive has raised over $7M via 18,000+ backers.

Stephen Ritz is on a mission to change the way kids eat and learn. His Green Bronx Machine program offers a K-12+ food education program that teaches kids how to grow, eat and love veggies. Ritz recently launched a Barnraiser campaign to bring the program to more kids. He’s raising funds to create the National Health and Wellness Center at PS 55 in the South Bronx, which features a commercial farm, an indoor teaching farm, a teaching kitchen and a media center. The campaign has raised almost $20,000 of its $33,000 goal.

After its successful 2013 Classic Growler campaign, DrinkTanks has returned to Kickstarter to launch a campaign for its new product the Juggernaut Growler and the Kegulator, a growler-meets-portable mini keg. It includes an auto-regulating cap CO2 unit, which keeps carbonated beverages like beer and kombucha pressurized, as well as a dispensing tap. With 16 days left in its Kickstarter campaign, DrinkTanks has well exceeded its goal of $75,000 and raised over $200,000.

The Zero Gravity Cocktail Project has created the cocktail glass of the future. Its 3D-printed, open air container lets you drink liquids in a weightless environment and hopes to replace bagged liquids for all you space travelers out there. It launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise $30,000 to help fund testing, production and patenting.

Re-Nuble is on a mission to make healthy food more accessible and affordable. The startup collects food waste from restaurants and schools and turns it into organic, non-toxic, liquid fertilizer via anaerobic digesters. Re-Nuble is raising $10,000 on Indiegogo to help fund its first community recycling center in Washington D.C.

Insect protein is gaining steam, and more companies are entering the space. CROBAR makes protein bars made from cricket flour and other natural ingredients. The project is raising £10,000 on Kickstarter to help fund production of its first two flavors. It will be the first company to sell cricket-based bars in the UK.

HIIT Bottle is an all-purpose protein bottle that aims to be a sturdy, sustainable replacement for conventional plastic protein shakers. It is made of stainless steel and is leak proof, dishwasher safe, odor and stain resistant and vacuum sealed. HIIT Bottle launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund its first production run and has well surpassed its $15,000 goal, raising over $40,000 so far.

At this year’s Food+Enterprise, a summit that fosters community & collaboration among good food entrepreneurs, consultants and funders, startup pitch competition participants launched campaigns on Barnraiser. They include Goldilocks Goodies, Made by Lukas, Nextdoororganics and With Love from Brooklyn. Check out their campaigns here.

Bonus Equity Crowdfunding Projects

Brewla wants to reinvent the frozen dessert category with its brew-inspired ice pops. The NYC-based startup is raising $250,000 on CircleUp to support the growth of orders from new retailers across the country.

California Safe Soil Manufactures Harvest (H2H) creates fertilizer made from recycled supermarket food waste. Valued at $17.5m, the startup raised over $9m in its last round from AgFunder, and has raised 50% of its $6m AgFunder campaign, with 71 days to go.

The post Food Crowdfunding: From Zero Gravity Cocktails to Urban Farming Education appeared first on Food+Tech Connect.

Guest post by Lawrence Williams, Chairman of the Board – United States Healthful Food Council This is Part II of a new three-part guest post on the foodservice industry.

The Internet and mobile technology have made it possible for entrepreneurs with startups to disrupt virtually every major industry. If one looks at how consumers spend their dollars, after housing and transportation—both of which have already been significantly transformed by new tech entrants—food is the obvious next target.

One indicator that foodservice is ripe for disruption and unprecedented change is the number of new entrants and investments—and at higher valuations than ever.

Food Delivery Funding

Another indicator that big changes are coming is the breath of new players, including veterans from technology and finance. A few years ago it was virtually impossible to even get a meeting with a venture capitalist to discuss a food-related venture, but today Kleiner Perkins, Khosla Ventures, Bill Gates and Jerry Jang are all investing in the food space. Former financier Adam Eskin recently closed a $15M Series C round for his “vegetable-forward” fast-casual restaurant Dig Inn.

Investors Like Food

So why the surge of new entrepreneurs and venture capital? For starters, the foodservice industry is big business, and investors understand it. The price-to-earnings ratio (P/E ratio), which is a ratio of a company’s current share price compared to its per-share earnings (profit), is considered a reflection of how the stock market values a company’s ability to grow and generate profit. When you compare the P/E ratio of high growth technology titans such as Apple, Google, and Cisco with major foodservice companies like Chipotle, Darden and Starbucks, it’s obvious that Wall Street likes food.

Even looking at the more conservative three largest contract foodservice suppliers (Compass, Sodexo and Aramark) and the comparable blue-chip Oracle, Microsoft and IBM, foodservice P/E ratios are still about 2X.

Notwithstanding, as discussed in Part I of my series on the foodservice industry,the food business is notorious for being extraordinarily challenging. Given the relatively low-tech nature of food and how mature the industry is, how is it that new entrants can disrupt entrenched companies that have household brands and significant international economies of scale?

Success in any business is ultimately achieved when revenue consistently exceeds costs. In the foodservice industry, unfortunately, there has historically been a tremendous amount of pressure and constraints on both sides of the equation. With the limited barriers to entry in foodservice, there is a constant pressure to decrease costs, which are generally comprised of rent, labor, equipment, and food. Food is the typically the only variable that is neither fixed nor sunk. And while real estate and wages have generally risen with inflation, Americans have become accustomed to spending less and less on food.

Game Change

So what has changed? Many things. First, as I will discuss further in Part III “The New Value Meal,” an increasing number of Americans have decided they will happily spend—even stand in line—to spend their disposable income on higher quality food and beverages. As Safeway and Dunkin Donuts have figured out, Whole Foods and Starbucks were not aberrations.

Second, unlike prior generations who viewed dining out as a luxurious alternative to cooking, many people today view preparing a meal as the rare occurrence. So the market has responded with a boom of innovative alternatives such as Sprig, Plated, Blue Apron and Feastly to name a few. In an effort to recognize the new players that are utilizing nutrition and sustainability best practices, the USHFC recently REAL Certified the meal delivery company Power Supply.

Third, unlike the typical foodservice operations that are constrained by physical throughput (in a restaurant the number of seats and in a cafeteria, the number of students and/or employees), these new players can incrementally add low-cost, remote commercial kitchens without having to worry about keeping tables filled. In addition, many emerging fast casual chains such as Mixt Greens and ShopHouse have adopted the Chipotle “through-put model,” which is focused on moving people through a line instead of focusing on “butts in seats.”

With so much money pouring into the sector, many industry veterans have been expressing concerns about a “food bubble.” But unlike many new tech companies these days that spend millions building a technology and market traction before trying to “monetize,” food startups don’t have to convince people to pay to eat.

As Dig Inn’s CEO says, “Food has become the new technology sector. The incumbent folks are either going to go away, shrink, or pivot in some way.”

Previous – Part I: Creating a Path of Least Resistance to REAL Food
Coming next – Part III:  Redefining the Value Meal

The post Why the Foodservice Industry Is Ripe for Disruption appeared first on Food+Tech Connect.

Every week we curate and deliver the latest food tech news, trends and startup resources to our readers’ inboxes. Tracking the top technology and innovation happenings across agriculture, CPG, retail, restaurants, cooking and health, our newsletter is the absolute easiest way to stay on top of the emerging sector.

From Dinner Lab’s innovative fundraising plans to Amazon launching restaurant food delivery, these are last week’s top food tech news and innovation stories. Like what you read? Feast your eyes on the full roundup here. Or better yet, sign up for Food+Tech Bytes and get the latest and greatest in food tech delivered to your inbox every week.

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1. The Ultimate 2014 Food Tech Holiday Gift Guide

Searching for the perfect presents for all the food nerds in your life? Have no fear, our Food Tech Holiday Gift Guide is here. We’ve culled together tons of food gadgets, books, subscription boxes and more that are sure to satisfy everyone on your list.

2. Food Tech Media Startup Funding, M&A and Partnerships: October 2014

Food Tech deal activity was robust in October with 8 acquisitions and 12 financings, as the sector reported an influx of $32.3 million.

3. Join us for “Fail Friday” on 12.11 in NYC

We’re partnering with Force Brands to launch a new event series dedicated to learning from failure. Join us at Force Brands HQ this Thursday, December 11 at 7 PM. Hear lessons learned from Plated, Sweet Loren’s, Health Warrior and Phin & Phebes. RSVP here.

4. Instacart Is Raising North Of $100 Million At A $2 Billion Valuation– TechCrunch

The grocery delivery service is raising a massive Series C and sources indicate that Kleiner Perkins is leading the round. The latest valuation is quadruple the $400M valuation of its Series B financing from June.

5. Amazon Has Launched A GrubHub Rival For Food Takeout & Delivery – TechCrunchM

Amazon has launched it’s new Takeout & Delivery service in Seattle.

6. Dinner Lab Introduces New Approach to Fundraising, Turns Members Into Investors – Forbes

The startup is allowing its members to invest in Dinner Lab through a Private Placement offering.

7. Vertical Farms Will Be Big, But for Whom? – Fast Company

Indoor farming might help feed millions, or at least make millions.

8. 5 Instagram Food Photographers Who Keep Fans and Brands Hungry for More – AdWeek

Niche, a platform that helps brands find social media influencers, highlights five top food-based marketing Instagrammers.

The post Food Tech Gift Guide, $32.3M Pumped into Food Tech in Oct + More appeared first on Food+Tech Connect.

Searching for the perfect gifts for all the food nerds in your life this holiday season? Have no fear, our 2014 Food Tech Holiday Gift Guide is here. We’ve culled together tons of food gadgets, books, subscription boxes and more that are sure to satisfy everyone on your list. Got more kick-ass food tech gift ideas? Please let us know in the comments below, and we’ll add it to the list. You can also check out last year’s picks (there are a few repeats) if you want even more inspiration.

For the Food Entrepreneurs

We’ve got the perfect present for every food entrepreneur on your list. We recently launched Food+Tech Ed, an online learning platform that gives entrepreneurs the tools to launch and grow their businesses. What says “I love you” more that the gift of success? Get 25% off all courses through Jan 1 with the code “giftofsuccess” here.

For the Gadget Lovers

Perfect for your home cook friends, the Nomiku immersion circulator will let them cook like their favorite restaurants. The device turns any pot into a sous vide cooker – a process that uses sealed bags and precise heat to cook perfect dishes water bath-style. You can order the tender-inducing device for $199.95 or the wifi enabled version for $299.00 here.

 

Prep Pad is a great gift for health-conscious home cooks (with ample counter space). This smart food scale and accompanying app by The Orange Chef Company gives people real-time nutritional information about their food, so they better understand what they eat and learn how to make healthier cooking decisions. You can order it on Amazon for $149.95.

 
The Jawbone Up Band is perfect for just about anyone on your list. More than a health band or an app, it’s an integrated system that helps you understand how you sleep, move and eat. The accompanying app displays your movement and sleep data, calbrates milestones and let’s you connect with fellow users to collectively become healthier. You can order it starting at $64.49 on Amazon.

 

Vessyl is for all those drinkers on your list (alcohol and non). The smart cup automatically knows and tracks everything you drink and helps you reach your health goals, whether you’re looking to lose weight, stay hydrated, sleep better or curb your sugar intake. It also integrates with popular fitness bands to help give you a more holistic picture of your health. You can pre-order Vessyl for $99; it will ship in early 2015.

 
The Aroma R-Evolution Fork is ideal for the culinary adventurers in your life (if they’re kids, all the better). Using diffusing papers and aroma capsules, it tricks your taste buds into thinking that vegetables taste like coconut, truffle, almond and 18 other scents. You can order the fork kit complete with a suggested multi-sensory dinner program from Amazon for $58.95.

For the DIYers & Makers

Windowfarms makes a choice present for any veggie and design loving urban dweller. You can grow greens, herbs and small vegetables inside year-round with its sleek hydroponic growing system. And its new ReFresh Plans are like a seedling CSA; farmers plant your crops and ship them to you when they’re ready for harvesting each month. So the home-grown veggie train never stops. You can order Windowfarms starting at $175.95 here.

Provisions, Food52′s home and kitchen e-commerce site, is the creme dela creme for one-of-a-kind kitchen finds, and artisan goodies, kits and tools. It also has scores of gift guides for every food lover on your list – gardeners, coffee addicts, kids, you name it. It goes without saying, there’s something on Provisions for all your friends and family. Dive in here.

 
For the vegan’s and vegetarians in your life, Roaring Brook Dairy: Tofu Making Kit makes a fantastic little gift. It yields a pound of DIY tofu, and all you need is a blender (a food processor works, too) and a lemon. The kit also includes a recipe to make soy milk out of the left over soy beans. Snap up a few kits on Amazon for $18.56 a piece.

 
Stu’s Bloody Mary Mixology Kit will make anyone on your list a badass drink maker. It comes with everything you need to make a kick-ass bloody mary, including 8 bottles of its signature concentrate and additional bottles of  kickers like ghost hot pepper sauce, lime juice and sweet corn powder for that pristine rim dip. You can buy it on Amazon for $40.

 

Momofuku Milk Bar Cookie Mixs are great for your favorite cookie-holic. The renowned confections from master baker Christina Tossi will make anyone’s holiday just a little bit sweeter. Each mix makes 12 cookies, and you can buy all the classic flavors: Compost (not actual compost, but a perfect blend of chocolate, butterscotch chips, oats, graham crackers and coffee), Corn and Blueberry & Cream at Williams Sonoma for $16.95 each.

For the Bibliophiles

Mario Batali’s latest cookbook America–Farm to Table: Simple, Delicious Recipes Celebrating Local Farmers will be the apple of any local food-loving cook’s eye this year. It celebrates chefs, farmers and dishes from all over the country. Batali’s chef friends like Jose Andres and Matt Dillon introduce their favorite farmers, who share their stories, produce and products and take us on a tour of American local cuisine. Grab it in hardcover for $23.37 or the kindle edition for $16.99 on here.

Dan Barber’s new book The Third Plate proves a perfect present for the food system innovators in your life. It explores how today’s growing farm-to-table food culture has failed to change how we eat. After ten years of engaging with farming communities worldwide, Barber offers a radical, environmentally sustainable and tasty new way of thinking about our food future. You can order it in hardcover for $18.94, paperback for$14.25 and kindle edition for $14.99 here.

Nicolette Hahn Niman’s latest book Defending Beef: The Case for Sustainable Meat Production is a must-read for any carnivore on your list. Hahn Niman makes the argument that cattle are not inherently bad for the planet or public health. She outlines why properly managed livestock is vital to maintaining grassland ecosystems and argues that grass-fed, small-scale farms should, and more importantly, can, become the basis for American food production. You can order it for Kindle for $9.99 on Amazon.

Ellen Gustufson’s We the Eaters: If We Change Dinner, We Can Change the World is the ideal selection for agriculture, public health and food policy nerds. It explores the 1 billion hungry, 1 billion overweight dichotomy and lays out a bevy of actionable solutions – ripple effect solutions that could start by changing just one on our dinner plates. You can buy it on Amazon in hardcover for $18.29 or for Kindle for $9.99.

Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of Cooking is a must-have for both chefs and home-cooks of the nerdy variety. The massive six volume encyclopedia covers the history of cuisine and explores the science of cooking in minute detail. Its beautiful illustrations and highly specialized techniques will enchant and inspire any food lover in your life. You can purchase it for $507.81 on Amazon.

 

Modern Farmer makes an ideal gift for anyone who’s interested in where their food comes from and the people that produce it. Its daily website and print quarterly tell beautiful and eye-opening stories of how our food reaches our plates. You can gift a 1 year subscription to the magazine for $24 or a 2 year subscription for $34. You can also purchase a gift package of all 7 back issues for just $50. Learn more here.

 
Lucky Peach, the irreverent food magazine by David Chang and the Momofuku team, offers the perfect gift for artists and foodies alike. Each issue focuses on a single food theme, and explores it through writing, art, photography and recipes. You can gift a 4 issue subscription for $28 or an 8 issue subscription for $50. Learn more here.

 
Cherry Bombe is a sleek and beautiful bi-annual magazine that celebrates women and food – growers, makers, stylers, eaters, etc. Featuring interviews with and stories about icons like Ruth Reichl and Chloe Sevigny, Cherry Bombe is all about nourishment for the mind, eye and stomach. You can gift a 1-year subscription for $38 or a 2-year subscription for $75 here.

 
No matter where your food-loving friends live, Edible Communities subscriptions make for a prize gift. With local publications across the nation, the beautifully designed quarterly magazines tell stories of local farmers, growers, chefs and food artisans. You can give the gift of local food exploration for $24 for a 1-year subscription, $42 for a 2-year and $52 for a 3-year. Check them out here.

For the Local Food Lovers

 Farm to People has heaps of artisanal, small-batch products for craft food lovers, everything from ostrich jerky to goat milk caramels. It also has scores of gift boxes (prices range from $35 – $150) with cheeky titles like the Paleo Cave Man and the Brooklyn Bundle. And, FTP is doing a foodieodicals online pop-up in partnership with Food Book Fair. So it’s the perfect online destination not only for top-notch local products, but the latest and greatest food magazines, too. Take a spin here.

Newly-launched Undiscovered Kitchen offers a marketplace of unique, handcrafted products. Whether that special someone on your list is into sweets, more savory nibbles, fitness-focused foods or a bevy of other categories, Undiscovered Kitchen’s growing platform has got tons of great treats in store. Its gift boxes are discounted for the holidays and range from $64.99 to $119.99. Check them out here.

Mouth has a bevy of tasty treats for craft food lovers. The e-commerce marketplace showcases the best of the best in “indie” foods, from chocolate covered jalapeno corn nuts to organic chamomile bitters, and everything in between. And for the holidays the site is offering special gift packages, like 8 Nights of Hanukkah and Bring Home the Bacon. Prices range from $40 – $125. Dive in here.

For the Subscription Box Types

Love With Food is an awesome gift for any food explorer on your list. The company offers subscription boxes of unique, emerging natural and organic snacks for as little at $10 a month. And for every box you receive, the company donates a meal to a food bank. Additionally, you can buy or redeem points to get more of your favorite snacks on the site. Grab a gift subscription here.

Plated delivers weekly changing recipes – like a quinoa, kimchi, and seasonal veggie rice bowl – along with all the fresh ingredients you need to prepare them directly to your door. Give your favorite person the gift of easy to make, extraordinary meals with a Plated gift certificate, which cost between $60 and $360 and can be purchased here.

 
Blue Apron delivers pre-measured ingredients and step-by-step recipes to your doorstep. It sources the best local ingredients for unique dishes – like braised Moroccan-style salmon and greens -which allows budding home-cooks to spend more time in the kitchen honing their culinary skills. You can gift a 1, 2 or 4 week subscription at $9.99 per person per meal here.

 
WorkPerks is the perfect gift for all your team. The company is dedicated to redefining the status quo of office snacking and empowering healthier, more productive employees through its customizable healthy snack subscription boxes. Its holiday snack boxes provide a welcome change from all the cookies and candies that seem to be falling from the sky this time of year. They range from $50.00 to $129.00. Check them out here.

 
HelloFresh delivers fresh ingredients and easy-to-follow recipes – like caramelized union shepard’s pie- to your doorstep weekly. Its recipe cards come complete with nutrition information and difficulty level rating and take roughly 30 minutes to prepare. You can give the gift of one week (three meals for 2-4 people) for $69 – $79 here.

Unique Dining Experiences

A Kitchensurfing gift card makes a perfect present for anyone who wants to enjoy restaurant-quality food in the comfort of their own home. You can browse the online chef marketplace for the perfect chef, collaborate on the ideal menu for you and your guests. Then all you have to do is host your little heart out and your Kitchensufing chef takes care of the rest – dishes, too. Gift cards are available for $50, $100 and $30o here.

James Beard House gift cards are great for your food afectianado friends who also call themselves New Yorkers. The former home of celebrated cookbook author and television personality James Beard, the space hosts over 20 events a month ranging from cocktail parties and dinners to talks and chef tours. You can purchase a gift card through OpenTable here.

Food Classes

4505 Meats classes are ideal for an San Francisco-based DIYer who wants to get their hands dirty. From whole animal butchering to sausage making to charcuterie, these classes teach guests about how to prepare, cook and eat sustainable meat. You can learn more here.

First Class Cooking offers San Francisco-based folks hands-on cooking classes in a casual, supportive and fun environment. All classes are designed to teach you the basics of cooking healthy and delicious meals using top-quality, local and seasonal ingredients. Classes are limited to 12 people and cost between $65 – 100. Sign up here.

The Brooklyn Kitchen offers classes that range from breaking down a whole animal to knife skills to home brewing. They also have an e-commerce site with some of the top gadgets, cookware and ingredients. Classes range between $65 – 85, and you can check out the offerings here.

 
Fleisher’s offers a variety of introductory Butchery courses covering things like knife skills, safety techniques, basic anatomy, sausage making and hands-on lamb and pig carving. Classes range from $150 – $200 and can be purchased here.

Support the Good Food Movement

FoodCorps is a nationwide team of leaders that connects kids to real food and helps them grow up healthy. It places motivated leaders in limited-resource communities for a year of public service. They teach kids about the benefits of healthy food, build and tend school gardens and bring high-quality local food into public school cafeterias. Support youth food education by donating here.

The National Young Farmers Coalition supports, mobilizes and engages young farmers and works to ensure their success. It supports independent farms, sustainable farming practices and affordable land for farmers. Benefactors help cultivate the next generation of farmers, and additionally, they receive discounts on stuff like tools, seeds and fertilizers. Learn more here.

 
The Food & Environment Reporting Network (FERN) is the first and only independent non-profit news organization that produces in-depth journalism on food, agriculture, and environmental health. Donations help FERN continue to produce stories that inform and inspire, and make lasting impact on our food system. You can learn more and donate here.
 

Food Tank, the food think tank, offers sustainable solutions to the biggest environmental and social challenges facing our food system. Through its website and events, Food Tank facilitates collaboration between players across the entire food food chain. You can donate to its Sustainers Program here to help fund new research on hunger, obesity, food justice and sustainability.

 
The Museum of Food and Drink (MOFAD), a non-profit chartered by the New York State Education Department, is launching a revolutionary food museum in NYC. MOFD aims to alter the way people think about food and inspire curiosity about what we eat. Donations will help the team plan and fundraise to launch the museum. Learn more here.

 
Heritage Radio Network is a radio station and media company committed to archiving and advancing our food culture and giving a voice to our leading food professionals, farmers, policy experts and tastemakers. By donating to Heritage Radio, you’ll be supporting one of the most progressive voices for food and culture radio in America. Learn more and donate here.

 
NY Sun Works builds innovative science labs in urban schools. Its Greenhouse Project Initiative uses hydroponic farming technology to educate students and teachers about the science of sustainability. Its goal is to build 100 greenhouse project labs by 2020. By supporting New York Sun Works, you’ll be helping make that dream a reality. Learn more and donate here.

 
Slow Food USA is on a mission to make good, clean and fair food accessible to all. It has 175 local and campus chapters that coordinate local activities, projects and events. By donating to Slow Food, you’ll help support school gardens and family-style community suppers and help strengthen local food culture. Learn more an donate here. 

 
Civil Eats is the go-to resource for food movement journalism. Its stories dig deep into national food policy issues and profile food heroes from across the country. By supporting Civil Eats, you’ll be aiding it its mission to build more environmentally, economically and socially just communities. You can donate here.

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