Join us at the Innovation Experience to learn, taste, discuss, and gain a greater understanding of the new technologies, business models, and philosophies that will enable you to thrive in the increasingly complex food value chain.

At the Innovation Experience at Expo East You’ll:

• Learn about today’s state of natural, innovation insights surrounding the food service space, and sustainable solutions.
• Discover new products, gain access to product and company details, and leave with a better understanding of what new innovations best fit with your specific needs and values.
• Discover a variety of brands in Upcycle Alley that are dedicated to upcycling wasted ingredients and explore an array of emerging brands. Huge thanks to our partners Misfits Market, Upcycled Food Association, and Startup CPG.

This new experience is included in your Expo East exhibit hall badge! 

Use code ‘INNOVATION’ at checkout for $90 off your badge! 

The post Explore ‘Responsible’ Innovation at Expo East 2023 appeared first on Food+Tech Connect.

Join 600+ entrepreneurs, investors, executives, advocates and more to explore strategies and tactics for reducing societal consumption of animal products and ending factory farming at the fourth annual Reducetarian Summit on May 12 – 14, 2022 in San Francisco. The theme of this year’s conference is “inclusivity.” In addition to several moderated panels, lightning talks and fireside chats, the summit will also feature a full expo showcasing delicious plant-based food, skills building workshops and curated networking opportunities.

At the Reducetarian Summit you will:

• Hear from world-renowned speakers
• Attend moderated panels and lightning talks
• Participate in skills-building workshops
• Enjoy networking opportunities (including happy hours and a dance party)
• Learn about the latest plant-based, fermented, and cell-cultured products and services

Hear from 100+ industry leading speakers, including:

• Tim Carman (The Washington Post)
• Alexandr Samocha (Wild Type)
• Ben Williamson (Compassion in World Farming)
• Chloe Sorvino (Forbes)
• Arjan Stephens (Nature’s Path)
• Talib Visram (Fast Company)
• Craig Watts (Farmer)
• Andrew D. Ive (Big Idea Ventures)
• Maisie Ganzler (BAMCO, Bon Appétit Management Company)
• Stephanie Chen (Stray Dog Capital)

Taste foods from top food & beverage brands, including:

• Silk/So Delicious
• Miyoko’s Creamery
• Quorn
• Meatless Farm
• No Evil Foods
• Meati Foods
• Loca
• MeliBio

Use code FoodTechConnect10 for 10% off 

The post Attend the Reducetarian Summit May 12-14 in San Francisco [Sponsored] appeared first on Food+Tech Connect.

This is a sponsored post from Food Foundry.

Food Foundry is recruiting for its fourth cohort, and it’s thrilled to announce a new focus area: food & beverage startups headed towards foodservice. 

Food Foundry is a Chicago-based accelerator program by Relish Works built in partnership with Gordon Food Service and 1871. Food Foundry Cohort 4 will support, connect, and propel innovative food & beverage startups that are headed towards foodservice, and are creating products that are good for people and the planet. Our mission is to bring innovative purpose-driven products to tables across North America.

Pre-seed – Pre-Series A-stage startups are encouraged to apply. Areas of interest include but are not limited to: alternative proteins (and ingredients), vegan dairy, raw ingredients, spices… if your products have the potential to grow into foodservice, Food Foundry wants to hear from you.

Applications are due October 31, 2021, and the program begins January 24, 2022.

Chosen Startups Will Receive:

• $75K in venture capital funding
• 4 Weeks of programming over the course of 4 months dedicated to workshops and mentorship connections customized to help startups reach their goals. 
• Expert advice from category and product teams at Gordon Food Service 
• Connection to Relish Works and Gordon Food Service partner companies for additional opportunities 
• 1:1 Mentorship with our venture capital team to help you set and reach your milestones. 
• Access to Chicago’s 1871 network including over 300 mentors, and 350 fellow startups. 
• Enrollment in 1871’s PYROS programming.
• Participation and opportunities within its alumni network

Applications are due Sunday, October 31st. Apply today! 

The post Food Foundry Accelerator Applications Close Sunday, Apply Today! [Sponsored] appeared first on Food+Tech Connect.

The path to going plant-based has obvious upsides, but can also be isolating and difficult. Shouldn’t there be some middle ground for people looking to make a change without totally upending their lives?

A new documentary titled MEAT ME HALFWAY from Executive Producer Madelaine Petsch and Reducetarian Foundation co-founder Brian Kateman offers a nuanced, honest and often humorous journey into reducing meat, egg and dairy consumption. From speaking with passionate animal rights activists and attending his first pig vigil to touring a high animal welfare, regenerative farm, Kateman explores the realities of animal agriculture from every perspective.

Throughout the film, Kateman visits picturesque farms, explores futuristic Silicon Valley labs and sits down with visionaries and industry experts, including Journalist & Author Mark Bittman, Founder of SÜPRMARKT Olympia Auset and Schumann Distinguished Scholar in Environmental Studies at Middlebury College Bill McKibben. He also speaks with representatives from Beyond Meat, Clara Foods, Finless Foods, Eat Just, Miyoko’s Creamery and New Age Meats.

At its core, MEAT ME HALFWAY is an investigative film that seeks to create an open dialogue around the controversial topic of meat consumption.

What People Are Saying

“Pragmatic… emotional.” – Fast Company

“Profoundly refreshing.” – Treehugger

“Fascinating and multi-faceted.” – Press Herald

“ Brings hope that the stalemate at the dinner table cannot last forever.” – New Scientist

 Now available on Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, and more.

The post Watch Meat Me Halfway On Apple TV, Amazon Prime TV & More appeared first on Food+Tech Connect.

This is a sponsored post from the PepsiCo Greenhouse Collaborative Accelerator

Apply Now To Be a Part of PepsiCo’s 2nd North American Greenhouse Accelerator Program

The post Apply to PepsiCo’s Greenhouse Accelerator Program By January 10 appeared first on Food+Tech Connect.

TERRA, Rabobank and RocketSpace’s next-generation accelerator, kicks off its fourth Cohort next week, partnering 13 innovative startups with a consortium of corporates working across the food and agriculture value chain: Beta San Miguel, GrainCorp, Griffith Foods, OSI, Meat & Livestock Australia, and Tate & Lyle.

TERRA brings together cutting edge startups with forward thinking corporates to co-develop new products, adapt technologies to new industries, build lasting commercial partners and more. With their corporate partners, these startups will design and implement pilot tests over the next six months, each focusing on a designated business challenge.

Cohort IV will tackle rapid food safety testing, supply chain tech to reduce waste and novel ingredients like plant-based protein from upcycled carbon dioxide with newly selected startups who beat out over 300 applications spanning 50 countries.

The Cohort

Altum Technologies (Finland): Uses software-guided power ultrasound to remove fouling from industrial equipment with no production stoppages and no toxic chemicals.

Burlap & Barrel (USA): Sources unique, beautiful spices for professional chefs and home cooks.

ClearLeaf S. A. (Costa Rica): Designs and commercializes innovative pre- and post-harvest solutions that protect the environment and optimize farmer profits.

Corumat Inc. (USA): High-tech, biodegradable packaging.

DataFarming (Australia):  Aims to unlock the potential of Precision Agriculture products and farm data by putting easy-to-use, simple, automated and low-cost digital solutions in the hands of agronomists and producers.

Digested Organics (USA): Converts organic waste into clean water, concentrated co-products, and renewable energy.

Kiverdi (USA): Generates edible ingredients from air’s upcycled carbon dioxide.

Phyto Corporation (South Korea): Creates the future of food with Salicornia, a plant grown by seawater.

Shameless Pets, LLC (USA): Sources edible, safe, and nutritious food that would otherwise go to waste.

SnapDNA (USA): Executes rapid food safety testing through pathogen analysis.

SwissDeCode (Switzerland): Helps food and feed manufacturers transform contamination threats into sustainable opportunities.

The Better Meat Co. (USA): Provides innovative plant protein formulas for foodservice providers and meat processors to enhance taste and sustainability.

Yarok Microbio (Israel): Develops a fast microbiological testing system for the fresh food industry to protect consumers and safeguard producer interests.

How can startups and corporates get involved? Learn more here. 

The post TERRA Food & Ag Accelerator Announces 4th Cohort appeared first on Food+Tech Connect.

Factory LLC and New Hope Network invite you to join entrepreneurs, investors and industry experts at The Pet Innovation Challenge, an event and competition to support the most innovative entre-pet-neurs. Featuring a networking event, pitch competition and innovation challenge, we’ll explore solutions to the biggest challenges entrepreneurs face in the $140B global pet care industry.

About The Event

We kick off the events on October 2nd with a curated networking opportunity and welcome pitch slam, showcasing the selected entrepreneurs and the products that are challenging the pet-care industry landscape.

On October 3rd join us for the Innovation Challenge where you will participate in breakout sessions to tackle the biggest challenges that select pet-care startups are facing. We’ll be convening the most inspired entrepreneurs, industry leaders, and investors in this mastermind solutions event. The hand-selected group of entrepreneurs will be competing for big prizes, including cash, media exposure, and the chance to win a booth at Natural Products Expo East 2020 and New Product Showcase at SuperZoo 2020.

Don’t miss this exciting op-purr-tunity!

The post Join Entrepreneurs, Investors & Industry Experts at The Pet Innovation Challenge appeared first on Food+Tech Connect.

The Food Foundry is a Chicago-based growth accelerator by Relish Works built in partnership with Gordon Food Service and 1871. Apply today!

The program provides each startup with:

• $75,000 of venture capital funding

• Tailored curriculum, workshops, and mentorship from seasoned founders and advisors

• Access to expertise from Gordon Food Service for mentorship, networking, and potential commercial connections

• Membership to 1871 with a world-class and newly designed growth curriculum as well as exclusive perks

• Dedicated office and meeting spaces

• Access to Relish Works’ co-investor network to raise capital for scaling operations

• Ability to tap into and leverage Relish Works’ experts in design thinking, branding, corporate strategy, finance, and accounting

In addition to the benefits above, the Food Foundry’s flexible-structure of 1 week of program/month, 3-weeks/month implementation in market, allows for startups to quickly leverage their learnings and networks to drive significant growth for their business.

Ideal candidates for the program are seed-stage companies, focusing in the middle of the food value chain, who have determined product-market fit, are revenue-generating and are looking to scale.

Questions? Tune in for their Aug. 28th webinar, check out their FAQ, or follow them on LinkedIn as they travel to a city near you for office hours.

The post Applications Are Open For The Food Foundry’s Accelerator Program – Apply by Oct 16 appeared first on Food+Tech Connect.

Join 500+ entrepreneurs, investors, executives, advocates and more to explore strategies and tactics for reducing societal consumption of animal products and ending factory farming at the third annual Reducetarian Summit on September 27th – 29th, 2019 in Washington D.C. The theme of this year’s conference is “action.” In addition to several moderated panels, lightning talks, and fireside chats, a greater emphasis will be placed on skills building workshops and curated networking opportunities. This year’s Reducetarian Summit will also feature a full expo showcasing delicious plant-based food.

Whether you’re fully plant-based or simply practicing Meatless Monday, you’re a reducetarian! We each have different motivations, but we share one common goal: a better world. Being a reducetarian doesn’t necessarily mean you don’t eat meat, it just means you are at a minimum reducing your consumption of red meat, poultry, seafood, eggs and dairy, especially from factory farmed sources. Together, we can protect the environment, improve human health, and spare farmed animals from suffering.

At the Reducetarian Summit, you will:

• Hear from world-renowned speakers
• Attend moderated panels and lightning talks
• Participate in skills-building workshops
• Enjoy networking opportunities
• Learn about the latest plant-based and cell-based products and services

Headlined by best-selling author Jonathan Safran Foer, author of Eating Animals, this three-day conference + plant-based expo will feature 100+ speakers and exhibitors like:

• Sandhya Sriram (Shiok Meats)
• Michele Simon (The Plant Based Foods Association)
• Lisa Feria (Stray Dog Capital)
• Lou Cooperhouse (BlueNalu)
• Brian Spears (New Age Meats)
• Jessica Hochman (SPINS)
• Greg Steltenpohl (Califia Farms)
• Rachel Sylvan (Sodexo)
• Annie Ryu (The Jackfruit Company)
• Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed (KBW Ventures)

Use code FTC15 for 15% off the ticket price

The post Join 500+ Startups, Execs & More at the Reducetarian Summit September 27-29 appeared first on Food+Tech Connect.

BoMill’s CEO shares the value of TERRA and partnering with GrainCorp

The future of food & agriculture is collaboration

TERRA, Rabobank and RocketSpace’s next-generation accelerator, is a bridge between forward-thinking corporates and industry-disrupting startups looking to scale. The 4-month program enables startups and corporates to co-develop new products, adapt technologies to new industries, build lasting commercial partners and more.

Intrigued? Applications are now open for Cohort IV, and it only takes 5 minutes to apply. The program does not require equity to participate. If selected, you’ll work with a corporate collaborator to co-create the parameters of your pilot partnership. Submit your application by Sunday, May 12 and read on to learn more about the program and hear from a recent TERRA startup alum.

What types of innovation is Cohort IV targeting?

From a leading sugar manufacturer, to global ingredient companies, to a livestock association, learn more about TERRA’s Cohort IV corporate collaborators here. Startups working in these sectors are especially encouraged to apply:

1. Food safety
2. Supply chain tech
3. Novel ingredients
4. Smart farming

What is an example of a corporate / startup collaboration?

In TERRA’s recent Cohort, Swarm Engineering, a food and ag blockchain startup, collaborated with Australian grain giant GrainCorp.

More alumni share their results

Nestle helped HERE rebrand to Field + Farmer using consumer insights

 Application Deadline: Sunday, May 12

The post Last Chance to Apply for Rabobank’s TERRA Food & Ag Accelerator appeared first on Food+Tech Connect.

This post is sponsored by TERRA

Is your food or agriculture startup ready to scale? Are you looking for corporate partners to help you get there? Then TERRA, Rabobank and RocketSpace’s scaling program, is calling your name.

TERRA, the sister program to FoodBytes!, helps forward-thinking corporates collaborate with cutting-edge startups. Together, startups and corporates co-develop new products, adapt technologies to new industries, build commercial partners and much more. Unlike other similar programs, startups do not need to give up equity to participate, and they work directly with corporates to co-create the parameters of their partnership.

What are some examples?

Who’s involved & who should apply?

From a leading sugar manufacturer, to global ingredient companies, to a livestock association, learn more about TERRA’s Cohort IV corporate collaborators here. They are particularly focused on the areas below and startups in these sectors are especially encouraged to apply.

1. Food safety

2. Supply chain tech

3. Novel ingredients

4. Precision agriculture

Application Deadline: Sunday, May 12

The post Applications Are Open For the TERRA Agrifood Accelerator Cohort IV appeared first on Food+Tech Connect.

The post The Future Of Flavor At Sweetgreen appeared first on Food+Tech Connect.

This post is sponsored by Relish Works.

Are you a startup rethinking the foodservice value chain and ready to scale to the next level?

Relish Works just launched The Food Foundry, an accelerator program designed to support startups who are positively influencing food’s journey to our tables. Apply Today.

Program Overview:

• 16-week startup accelerator program based in Chicago, IL
• Open to early-stage startups with solutions across the foodservice value chain (excluding CPG and agriculture)
• Selected startups will receive blended investment of $100k in exchange for 3% equity, as well as valuable connections to national foodservice business resources, distribution and supply chain resources, advanced curriculum, access to restaurant operators, mentors, and more
• Program developed in concert with 1871 and Gordon Food Service

Key Dates:

• Accepting Applications: August 15-October 15, 2018
• Finalist Selection Event: November 13 & 14, 2018
• Program Begins: January 21, 2019
• Program Graduation and Demo Day: May 15, 2019

Questions?

Register for an informational webinar on October 10^th at 12PM CST, visit the website, or reach out to Program Manager, Laura Habegger, laura@relishworks.com.

The post Apply Now: The Food Foundry Foodservice Accelerator appeared first on Food+Tech Connect.

This post is sponsored by FoodBytes! by Rabobank. 

Calling all food innovation nerds! Next-generation food pitch competition FoodBytes! by Rabobank is returning to NYC on Thursdsay, October 18 from 2-8 PM. Today, we’re sharing the 20 startups selected to pitch.

From food waste tech, to animal antibiotic-use reduction, to plant-based ingenuity, the new crop of pitch companies are pioneering solutions to major industry challenges.

Learn more about them below, and as a member of the FTC community, save 15% on tickets to see them pitch. Snag your discounted tickets today!

3.5 Minute Pitch Companies

1. Ingest.ai (Food Tech – New York, NY): Software that integrates all of a restaurant’s fractured third-party systems. Ingest.ai automates previously manual finance and operations functions, food ordering and staffing to help restaurants eliminate waste on all fronts.
2. Afresh Technologies (Food Tech – San Francisco, CA): A Fresh-first supply chain software company that uses cutting-edge technology to massively reduce food waste, increase freshness and multiply the profitability of perishable foods.
3. Dexai Robotics (Food Tech – Boston, MA): Automating activities in commercial kitchens and the food industry using flexible robot arms. “Alfred” automates food assembly by using utensils to scoop and pick ingredients, exceeding human capabilities in speed and precision.
4. Winnow (Food Tech – London, UK): Developer of digital tools to help chefs run more profitable, sustainable kitchens by cutting food waste in half.
5. SomaDetect (Ag Tech – Buffalo, NY): Deep learning and AI dairy company that provides real-time, automated analysis of milk quality without any addition of chemicals or consumables.
6. Pheronym (Ag Tech – Gainesville, FL): Agricultural biotechnology company that uses pheromones from nematodes (microscopic worms) to control agricultural pests and provide safe and eco-friendly pest control for farmers.
7. MicroSynbiotiX (Ag Tech – Cork, Ireland): An algal synthetic biology company developing a new drug delivery system to help prevent costly disease outbreaks in the aquaculture industry.
8. Ocean Hugger Foods (CPG – New York, NY): Creates delicious, plant-based alternatives to popular seafood proteins, aiming to reduce stress on the world’s oceans by giving consumers a sustainable alternative that mimics the taste, appearance and texture of fish.
9. BrainJuice (CPG – Austin, TX): A liquid supplement shot packed with the highest quality brain nutrients that supports focus, clarity, memory and good mood.
10. Sweetie Pie Organics (CPG – Raleigh, NC): Organic functional food products that make pregnancy and motherhood easier.

1.5 Minute Pitch Companies

1. Wasteless (Food Tech – New York, NY): Dynamic pricing system that allows supermarkets to price and sell products based on expiration dates, thus reducing food waste and optimizing shelf management.
2. Agragen (Food Tech – Cincinnati, OH): Maker of plant-derived “fish oil” made from Camelina that will be used in human nutrition and in aquaculture, replacing marine-derived fish oil.
3. Spinn (Food Tech – San Francisco, CA): Quality on-demand coffee roasted and brewed at home via their proprietary app technology.
4. water.io (Food Tech – Nes Ziona, Israel): Technology that turns any package into a smart one that generates data.
5. dropnostix GmbH (Ag Tech – Potsdam, Germany): Maker of rumen sensor health monitoring system for dairy farmers, helping them reduce the annual losses caused by diseases of dairy cows.
6. RIND Snacks (CPG – New York, NY): Sustainable and better-for-you snacks focused on the ‘power of the peel.’ Preserving the peels on USA-grown, non-GMO dried fruit maximizes nutrition while minimizing waste.
7. Rise Brewing (CPG – New York, NY): Brews nitro cold-brew coffee kegs and cans for offices, bars, restaurants and cafes. Its coffee is organic, non-GMO, fair-trade, single-origin, non-dairy, kosher and zero calories.
8. Pulp Pantry (CPG – Los Angeles, CA): Transforms neglected low-cost, high-value resources like juice pulp into nutritious foods that make it easy for everyone to eat fruits and vegetables.
9. OneForNeptune (CPG – San Diego, CA): Sustainable seafood jerky made from undervalued and underutilized white fish that is traceable to clean, small-scale U.S. West Coast fisheries.
10. Finer Flavors (CPG – Geneva, Switzerland): Fresh vegetable nut butters in convenient pouches.

Rootwave, Mimica and Biokind Take Top Prizes at FoodBytes! London

FoodBytes! made its European debut in London last week. Breaking new ground with animal feed, herbicide and packaging alternatives, get to know the crowned winners. Read more about the winners.

The post Meet The Startups Pitching At FoodBytes! NYC + Save 15% On Tix appeared first on Food+Tech Connect.

Are you changing the future of food?

Rabobank’s FoodBytes! is returning to the Big Apple on the hunt for the world’s most promising startups. Pitch to leading corporates, investors and media, get mentorship from industry experts and make life-long connections with fellow entrepreneurs.

Why Should You Apply?

• Pitch your business on a global platform in front of key investors, corporates and media
• Get one-on-one mentorship with industry experts in finance, PR, branding, consumer trends and legal matters
• Receive support, tools and resources to grow your business
• Join a tight-knit global community of startups (210 and counting)
• Receive a one year subscription to RaboResearch food and ag industry reports and analysis

The post FoodBytes! Returns to NYC – Apply to Pitch by August 12 appeared first on Food+Tech Connect.