Food Delivery Archives | Food+Tech Connect

MAHA, Wonder Acquires Grubhub for $650M, Down From $7.3B + More

Phoebe Tran — Tue, 19 Nov 2024 21:52:39 +0000

Image Credit: Consumed

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.

The food landscape is at a pivotal moment, with contrasting visions shaping its future. The “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) agenda, spearheaded by RFK Jr. under Trump’s endorsement, seeks to tackle harmful chemicals, processed foods, and corporate influence in food systems, facing significant industry and political hurdles. Meanwhile, Wonder’s $650 million acquisition of Grubhub signals a technological shift in dining, aiming to create a “super app for mealtime” that integrates restaurant offerings with its food halls.

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!

Our newsletter takes a lot of time and resources to produce. Make a one time or monthly contribution to help us keep it going. Whether it’s $5 or $500, every bit helps and shows us that you value our work.

1. Will Trump Make America Healthy Again? – Consumed

MAHA, led by RFK Jr., aims to reform food systems by targeting harmful chemicals, processed foods, and corporate influence but faces significant political and industry resistance.

2. What’s the Deal With Wonder, the ‘Food Hall’ That’s Suddenly Everywhere? – Eater

Wonder just acquired Grubhub for $650m, bringing it one step closer to its goal of becoming the “super app for meal time” by allowing the company to offer Grubhub’s restaurant partners in its app alongside its existing food halls.

3. RFK, Jr To Head HHS: Brilliant Move or Catastrophe? – Food Politics

The president-elect’s food and health agenda includes tackling corporate influence, harmful chemicals, and chronic disease, alongside controversial measures like grain bans and raw milk deregulation, sparking debate.

4. Elon Musk Says Beef Has No Impact on Climate Change, Fuelling Pro-Meat Rhetoric Under Trump – Green Queen

The world’s richest man and Donald Trump’s “first friend” has disregarded the impact of beef on climate change, hinting at a red meat renaissance in the US.

5. What a Second Trump Administration Could Mean for Your Food – Civil Eats

The likely scenarios: higher prices, less nutritious food, and an increased risk of pathogens in the food supply. And that’s not the half of it.

6. The Path Forward for Food and Ag – Civil Eats

Leading voices in the food movement respond to a second Trump administration, and discuss where we go from here.

7. Government Interference, Eternal Vigilance. – The Checkout

Markets, especially in food, depend on government frameworks, subsidies, and regulation. While imperfect, governments create and enable markets, shaping their structure and ensuring functionality.

The post MAHA, Wonder Acquires Grubhub for $650M, Down From $7.3B + More appeared first on Food+Tech Connect.

UK Approves First CRISPR Drug, EU’s Food Delivery Cartel + More

Phoebe Tran — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 21:27:14 +0000

Image Credit: Fast Company

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.

In recent developments, the UK has granted approval for its inaugural CRISPR gene-editing drug, marking a groundbreaking step in the treatment of blood disorders. Anticipation is high as the US is expected to follow suit, potentially approving the innovative therapy later this year. Meanwhile, in the European Union, antitrust regulators have expanded their investigation into potential cartel activities within the food delivery sector. Recent raids have targeted two online food delivery companies headquartered in the EU, signaling a widening scope of concerns and a concerted effort to ensure fair competition in this rapidly evolving industry.

1. The UK Approved Its First CRISPR Gene-Editing Drug—and the US Is Expected To Follow – Fast Company

The treatment for blood disorders is widely anticipated to be approved in the US this year—and that’s just the beginning for gene editing in medicine.

2. EU Widens Scope of Food Delivery Cartel Concerns Probe – TechCrunch

European Union antitrust regulators have carried out another series of raids on two online food delivery companies headquartered inside the bloc.

3. Foxtrot and Dom’s Announce Merger – Grocery Dive

The Chicago-based upscale convenience store brand plans to combine with the local grocer that has a similar reputation for innovative foodservice and store designs.

4. Matsmart-Motatos Tackling Food Waste with €40M Investment Led By Circularity Capital – Tech.eu

Matsmart tackles the issue of waste in the food supply chain by procuring and reselling overstock goods that traditional retailers can’t buy.

5. Reusable Packaging Could Cut Emissions from Plastics By Up to 69% – Reuters

Under its most ambitious scenario, reuse schemes could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 35% to 69%, water usage by 45% to 70%, and material usage by 45% to 76%.

6. Scientists Are Racing to Protect Grass From Climate Change. Your Cheap Burger Is at Stake. – WSJ

Heat waves and drought are threatening pasture on farms worldwide, prompting experiments to develop hardier crops.

7. Foodshot Global Takes On One of the World’s Most Underinvested Resources: Water – AgFunder

The group plans to award up to $10m in equity capital to companies along with a ‘GroundBreaker Prize’ of around $500k in philanthropic capital to researchers, early-stage entrepreneurs or policy advocates.

8. TurtleTree Obtains Self-Affirmed GRAS Status for Its Precision Fermentation Lactoferrin Protein – Green Queen

The company says it is the first precision fermentation company globally to obtain self-affirmed GRAS status for this ingredient.

9. How Mushroom-Based Products Have Evolved Into a Mainstream Grocery Category – ModernRetail

Product intelligence firm Spins found in July that “super mushroom” food and beverage products saw $642m in sales, a 19.5% year-over-year growth.

The post UK Approves First CRISPR Drug, EU’s Food Delivery Cartel + More appeared first on Food+Tech Connect.

Governments Develop Plant-Based Meat Products, AI Could Fuel Eating Disorders + More

Phoebe Tran — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 21:11:27 +0000

Image Credit: Taiwan Ministry of Economic Affairs

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.

Governments worldwide are taking significant strides towards sustainability by supporting the development of plant-based meat products, with Taiwan and Saudi Arabia recently announcing funding and startup initiatives. In contrast, concerns arise about AI’s potential negative impact, as research reveals how certain AI models might promote harmful content related to eating disorders, raising questions about tech companies’ responsibility in addressing this issue.

1. With Bold Net-Zero Commitments, Governments Around the World are Developing Plant-Based Meat Products – Green Queen

The governments of Taiwan and Saudi Arabia have joined a growing list of countries backing the vegan industry, announcing startups and funding, respectively, to create plant-based meat.

2. AI Is Acting ‘Pro-Anorexia’ and Tech Companies Aren’t Stopping It – Washington Post

New research shows how AI like ChatGPT, Bard and Stable Diffusion could fuel eating disorders with disturbing images and dangerous chatbot advice.

3. UK: Lab-Grown Meat Startup Seeks to Put Steak on British Menus – Bloomberg

Aleph Farms filed an application with the UK’s FSA to sell its beefsteak. The process may take years before the product gets approval.

4. Campbell Soup to Buy Rao’s Maker Sovos Brands for $2.7B – Food Dive

The purchase, the largest in five years for the CPG giant, allows the soup and snacks maker to expand its meals business with other brands such as Michael Angelo’s and Noosa.

5. Amazon’s Grocery Business Needs a Massive Makeover – Bloomberg

Six years after buying Whole Foods for $13b, it’s becoming increasingly clear that the company will need to spend a lot more to compete with Kroger and Walmart.

6. MrBeast Sues His Food Delivery Partner Over ‘Inedible’ Burgers – Bloomberg

James Donaldson, a YouTube star better known as MrBeast, has sued his partner in a food delivery business saying the company sacrificed quality in its bid for rapid expansion.

7. White Castle to Roll Out Voice AI to Over 100 Drive-Thrus – Restaurant Dive

The chain is automating its drive-thru order taking in partnership with SoundHound, which claims its technology can process orders within 60 seconds.

8. Climate Finance Gap: Only 4% of Global Funding Goes to Agrifood Systems, Says New Report – Green Queen

Only 4.3% of all global climate investment goes to agrifood systems, which are responsible for nearly a third of all greenhouse gas emissions. Components that are crucial for climate mitigation receive less than 1%.

9. The Biggest Names in Food Are Just Regular People on TikTok – Vox

How fancy chefs and the Food Network became the old guard of food media.

10. Ozempic, Other Weight-Loss Drugs Face Backlash from Companies, Lawyers. What You Need to Know – Fast Company

A lawsuit against Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly alleges that the drugs cause gastroparesis, a stomach disorder, as a side effect.

The post Governments Develop Plant-Based Meat Products, AI Could Fuel Eating Disorders + More appeared first on Food+Tech Connect.

Designing a Climate-Friendly Food Company, World’s Largest Cultivated Meat Plant Breaks Ground + More

Phoebe Tran — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 22:00:57 +0000

Image Credit: Believer Meats

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.

Believer Meats has broken ground on what it claims to be the world’s largest cultivated meat facility in North Carolina. The 200,000 square foot facility will have the capacity to produce 10,000 metric tons of cultivated meat. Chile-based plant-based food startup NotCo has drawn in $70 million of funding to grow co-branded alliances with other food giants. Meanwhile, instant grocery app Getir has acquired its competitor, Gorillas, for $1.2 billion. Uber Eats has agreed to pay $10 million in a settlement with the City of Chicago for listing local restaurants in its app without permission and charging excess commission fees.

And this week, we are excited to announce launch of our new 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 check out our first few episodes:

#5: De-Commodifying Carbon and Our Industrial Food Systems
#4: We’re at the Beginning of a Food Revolution, with Sam Kass
#3: Looking to Our Indigenous Past For a Regenerative Future, with Nathalie Kelley
#2: Is The World Better With Your Business In It? with Paul Polman , former CEO of Unilever
#1: Introducing: New Food Order

And be sure to subscribe and share!

1. Designing a Climate-Friendly Food Company, with Julia Collins – New Food Order

What would it look like if we completely re-designed the food system, product by product? In this week’s episode, we speak with Julia Collins, Founder and CEO of Planet FWD, a carbon management platform for consumer companies to bring climate-friendly products to market.

2. Believer Meats Breaks Ground on World’s Largest Cultivated Meat Plant – Food Dive

The North Carolina-based facility will be 200k sq ft with the capacity to produce at least 10k metric tons of cultivated meat.

3. Chile: Bezos-Backed Food Startup NotCo Bucks Trend to Raise $70M – Bloomberg

NotCo signed a joint venture with Kraft Heinz in February to manufacture plant-based versions of its products. It will use the funds for similar B2B co-branding licensing agreements.

4. Getir Acquires Grocery App Rival Gorillas in $1.2B Deal – Financial Times

The combined group worth $10b represents a fall in valuation as investors turn against lossmaking tech startups

5. Uber Eats to Pay Millions for Listing Chicago Restaurants without Consent – TechCrunch

Uber has agreed to a $10m settlement with the City of Chicago for listing local restaurants in the Uber Eats and Postmates food delivery apps without the restaurants’ consent, as well as for charging excess commission fees.

6. By the Numbers: The State of the World’s Soil in 2022 – AFN

From widespread soil degradation in Africa to Iowa’s quickly disappearing “black gold,” the numbers show how urgent the world’s soil situation is.

7. Here’s a Map of Starbucks Stores That Voted to Unionize – CNBC

More than 250 stores across nearly 40 states have voted to unionize since 2021.

8. The Future Is Asian: Green Queen Publishes 2022 Edition of Award-Winning APAC Alt Protein Report – Green Queen

A new report by Green Queen Media argues that while plant-based meat sales may be flat in the US and Europe, in Asia Pacific, the alternative protein industry is booming.

9. Group Shaping US Nutrition Receives Millions from Big Food Industry – The Guardian

Newly released documents show an influential group that helps shape US food policy and steers consumers toward nutritional products has financial ties to the world’s largest processed food companies.

The post Designing a Climate-Friendly Food Company, World’s Largest Cultivated Meat Plant Breaks Ground + More appeared first on Food+Tech Connect.

Faux Avocados, Alt-Leather Grows Up + More

Jenn Marston — Mon, 25 Jul 2022 20:58:08 +0000

The “Evocado.” Image credit: Arina Shokouhi.

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.

We may someday enjoy avocados without contributing to the environmental issues surrounding this energy- and water-intensive crop. Arina Shokouhi, a recent Material Futures graduate from University of Arts London’s Central Saint Martins college, just unveiled the “Evocado.” This avocado alternative is made using ingredients found in Britain, including broad beans, hazelnuts, apple, and rapeseed oil.

Elsewhere in foodtech, leather alternatives are multiplying as startups reveal materials made from mycelium, tamarind pods, and other natural resources.

1. British Ingredients Used to Recreate the Avocado – Food Matters Live

Arina Shokouhi, a recent graduate from University of Arts London’s Central Saint Martins college, used a combination of broad beans, hazelnuts, apple and rapeseed oil to design the “Evocado.”

2. Meet Leukeather, Leather Alternative Made From River Tamarind Pods – Vegconomist

The latest leather alternative has been developed by UAE-based Egyptian architect Nuhayr Zein. The material is made from the dried pods of Leucaena, also known as river tamarind.

3. Regenerative Thinking: The Foundation of Hope – Salvatierra Farms Blog

Regi Haslett-Marroquin of Minnesota’s Salvatierra Farms discusses a blueprint for how we can collectively transform the agriculture sector based on regenerative thinking.

4. Fun Guys Can Keep the Sun Off with MycoWorks’ New Mycelium-Based Hats – AFN

The startup has launched a line of hats made from its Reishi alt-leather product in partnership with Los Angeles-based milliner Nick Fouquet.

5. Food Delivery Companies Are Revamping Amid Downturn – Reuters

In the midst of the current cost-of-living crunch, companies like Grubhub will be judged on whether they meet margin, not growth, targets. Companies are reducing costs and exiting unprofitable markets in response.

6. From Starbucks to a Korean BBQ, Wage Workers Know They Deserve More – Los Angeles Times

The current waves of unionizing suggest that it’s time to update the social contract underlying our economy and treat essential workers as though they are truly essential.

7. Meati Raises $150M to Make Nutrient-Dense Meat Analogues – AFN

The company uses mushroom root to recreate products like chicken breast, jerky, and steak. Series C funding from Revolution Growth, Chipotle, and others will go towards finalizing a new production facility.

8. Humanity Facing ‘Collective Suicide’ Over Climate Crisis, Warns UN Chief – The Guardian

As countries around the world fight extreme heat, UN Chief António Guterres tells governments that “half of humanity is in danger zone.”

9. Kitchen United Raises $100M From Kroger, Others – Grocery Dive

Circle K, Simon Property Group and Restaurant Brands International also participated. The ghost kitchen operator plans to expand from 15 locations to over 500 locations over the next five years using many malls, shopping centers and supermarkets operated by new investors.

10. Lab-Grown Meatballs Are ‘Ready for Mass Production’ – South China Morning Post

Researchers in China say they have developed a “cell factory” to industrialize production of cultivated meat. Their cultivated meatballs were found to be “substantially higher” in protein than Chinese pork meatballs in a comparison.

11. FreshRealm Raises $200M for Fresh Food Meal Kits – Crunchbase

FreshRealm specializes in ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook meal kits sold in grocery stores. Funding will go towards investing in tech that can strengthen supply chain and sourcing issues.

12.Vegans Should Stop Exaggerating Health Claims of Plant-Based Diets – Fast Company

Plant-based diets have plenty of health benefits. But like most things on the internet, a grain of truth gets stretched far beyond the bounds of what science can actually prove.

13. Climate Change Is Not Negotiable – NY Times

The threat to Americans’ lives posed by climate change is urgent and severe, and requires more commitment than it’s getting from elected members of government.

14. “My People Have Lived in the Amazon for 6,000 Years: You Need to Listen to Us” – Climate Change News

Indigenous leader and activist from the Brazilian Amazon Txai Suruí writers that her peoples’ mission to protect nature is becoming impossible thanks to corporations that see the land as commodities.

15. Carbon Captured and Stored Since 1996 ‘Significant But Overestimated’ – Environmental Science & Technology Letters

A new report from the Imperial College London compared estimates of stored carbon with official reports. The latter overestimate actual carbon stored by 19% to 30%.

The post Faux Avocados, Alt-Leather Grows Up + More appeared first on Food+Tech Connect.

Food Tech Shakeout, Alt-Protein’s Hunt for a Better Bean + More

Jenn Marston — Mon, 13 Jun 2022 21:06:19 +0000

Image: Benson Hill

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.

Some reckon a major food tech shakeout has begun as delivery services and alternative proteins “fall out of favor” with consumers bogged down by inflation. Even so, food innovators like Benson Hill (pictured above) continue to explore new ways of developing proteins for our plates.

In the restaurant world this week, the James Beard Foundation announced its Media Award winners for 2022, a list that includes journalists, TV broadcasters, and social media wizards. Along those lines, Food & Wine named its top Game Changers for the year. Congratulations to all the honorees.

_____________________________________

1. The Foodtech Shakeout Has Arrived – Axios

Delivery services and alternative meat brands are “falling out of favor” as inflation squeezes the pocketbooks of many consumers.

2. Better Beans May Hold the Key to Tastier Alt-Protein – Wired

Companies like Benson Hill in St. Louis are using genomics to create high-protein peas and soybeans. Their efforts could drastically improve the taste of plant-based meat and milk alternatives.

3. Cereal Brand Magic Spoon Scoops Up $85m, Heads to Target – TechCrunch

The cereal made with “better-for-you” ingredients and zero added sugar is now available at 1,300 Target stores in the US. New capital will go towards additional retail efforts in the future.

4. Why Accountability Must Be the Next Big Meat Industry Trend – Forbes

A new U.S. House subcommittee report hones in on concerns around worker safety in the meat-packing industry, and explains why why stricter oversight and regulations are so necessary for the meat processing sector.

5. Here Are the 2022 James Beard Foundation Media Award Winners – Eater

Cookbook author Kristina Cho, Tammie Teclemariam of New York Magazine, and Alexis Nikole Nelson aka @BlackForager took home awards doled out by the foundation after a two-year hiatus.

6. Meet the Food & Wine Game Changes of 2022 – Food & Wine

This year’s 16 Game Changers come from all corners of the hospitality world and range from the newly minted to those who have worked in food systems, restaurants, food media, and other areas for decades. They are all dedicated to making the world a more inclusive, sustainable, and delicious place.

8. Export Bans in Asia Prompt ‘Fears of More Protectionism’ – NY Times

Export bans like recent ones from India, Malaysia, and Indonesia can help reduce the domestic price of commodities. But these bans also have downsides.

9. Why a Fast Food Worker Is Striking for Industry Reform – Civil Eats

A longtime Jack in the Box employee joins other workers to support the FAST Recovery Act, which they hope will give them a voice and force corporations to maintain safer, healthier workplaces.

10. HSA is Skirting the Russian Black Sea Blockade To Feed The World’s Hungriest – Forbes

Agribusiness conglomerate HSA Group is war-ravaged Yemen’s largest grain importer. In the wake of the Ukraine conflict, the company is now scrambling to source enough grain from new trade routes.

11. IntegriCulture Expands Its Cell-Based Egg Protein Into Skincare – Green Queen

Japanese skincare brand Essencebase is using IntegriCulture’s cell-based egg ingredient, Cellament, in a new line called L’Oeuf. Integriculture says the products unleash the previously untapped powers of egg when it comes to non-food applications.

12. SuperMeat Gets Grant to Open-Source Cultivated Meat – NoCamels

The Israeli Innovation Authority’s grant will enable SuperMeat to set up what it says is the world’s largest open high-throughput screening system for cultivated meat ingredients, supplements, and cell scaffolds. SuperMeat suggests this will benefit the entire cultivated meat industry.

13. Cirkul Announces $70m Fundraise – Bloomberg

The beverage platform is best known for its reusable water bottles with flavor cartridges. The Series C round will support Cirkul’s recent launch at Walmart and Bed, Bath & Beyond as well as additional expansion.

14. SCiFi Foods Emerges From Stealth, Bags $22m – Food Navigator

Formerly known as Artemys Foods, the newly rebranded SCiFi is tackling the elusive beef burger as its first cultivated meat product. The Andreessen Horowitz-led Series A round will go towards R&D efforts.

The post Food Tech Shakeout, Alt-Protein’s Hunt for a Better Bean + More appeared first on Food+Tech Connect.

Netherlands Approves Cultivated Meat, Union Organizing Surges + More

Phoebe Tran — Mon, 21 Mar 2022 20:30:49 +0000

Image source: Local 338 RWDSU/UFCW

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.

The Netherlands’ House of Representatives has just passed a motion to make cultivated meat samples legal, adding pressure to other countries to define their frameworks ahead of commercial approval.

Meanwhile, the pandemic has put the impacts of income inequality on stark display and galvanized a movement of farm and food workers to unionize.

Last but not least, Impossible Foods founder Pat Brown is stepping down as CEO, after a roller coaster two years for the plant-based meat industry and amid a recent slump in sales. He will be replaced with Chobani’s departing operating chief, Peter McGuinness.

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. The Netherlands Edges Closer to Cultivated Meat Approval with Samples Now Legalized – Green Queen

Formal acceptance of cultivated technology in the Netherlands adds pressure on other countries to define their frameworks ahead of commercial approval.

2. What a Surge in Union Organizing Means for Food and Farm Workers – Civil Eats

Amid historic protests, walkouts and union votes, the pandemic put the impacts of income inequality on stark display—and galvanized a movement.

3. Impossible Foods Taps Chobani Executive As New CEO, Founder Pat Brown Steps Down – CNBC

Brown will continue working at the company as chief visionary officer and will report to the board. Chobani’s departing operating chief, Peter McGuinness, will take the helm.

4. Sustainable Global Consumer Trends and What It Means for Farmers – Evoke

Alpha Foods co-founder and co-CEO Mike Lee observes the top four consumer trends and the opportunity areas for farmers to take charge in designing solutions that will help shape the future of food, which he believes is currently led by celebrity chefs.

5. Our 2022 Hospitality Forecast – Oyster Sunday

Key shifts that will influence independent operators in the coming year include smaller teams with better benefits, a more thoughtful approach to sourcing and the rise of secondary and tertiary markets.

6. Bowery, Plenty Announce Strawberry Plans on Same Day As Competition Heats Up – AFN

Bowery has started selling strawberries, while Plenty and Driscoll’s plan to commence production of the fruit for the Northeastern US.

7. Shake Shack Tests Bitcoin Rewards to Lure Younger Consumers – Wall Street Journal

Shake Shack is offering the cryptocurrency bitcoin as a reward for purchases made at the burger chain using Cash App, a digital wallet offered by Block Inc.

8. India’s Licious Raises $150M for Its Fresh Animal Protein E-Commerce Platform – TechCrunch

The startup has built a supply chain network across several Indian cities to be able to procure meat and seafood, keep them fresh and deliver within hours of the order.

9. Kenya: African B2B E-Commerce Platform Wasoko Raises $125M in Series B Round – AFN

Wasoko – formerly known as Sokowatch – enables informal grocery retailers to restock and finance their stores via its mobile app.

10. Bear Robotics Targets Restaurant Staffing Shortages with Another $81M Raise – TechCrunch

The company has seen some recent success in the deployment of its system into more restaurants in Japan. In the US, it has partnered with Chili’s, Compass Group, Denny’s, Marriot and Pepsi.

11. Bobbie Drinks Up $50M to Expand Infant Formula Product Line – TechCrunch

The company is currently the only DTC company in the infant formula market and touted as being the first in the US to include organic whole milk.

12. Mori Secures $50M to Advance Its Food Shelf Life Extension Process – Built in Boston

The company uses a process with salt, water and heat to slow the time in which food spoils.

13. Zomato and Blinkit Reach Agreement for Merger – TechCrunch

The acquisition comes at a time when Blinkit has been struggling to raise funds and compete with younger and heavily-based firm Swiggy.

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 Netherlands Approves Cultivated Meat, Union Organizing Surges + More appeared first on Food+Tech Connect.

Study Finds Regen Ag Improves Nutrition, Xi References Alt-Protein for Food Security + More

Phoebe Tran — Mon, 14 Mar 2022 20:37:05 +0000

Image source: TIME

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.

A study has found that farms that used regenerative agriculture practices such as no-till farming, cover crops and diverse crop rotations produced crops with higher levels of certain vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals than farms using conventional practices.

In other news, President Xi Jinping has referenced alternative proteins in a speech during which he underlined his support for domestic food innovation – a potential boon for China’s alternative protein sector.

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. Study Shows Nutritional Benefits in Regenerative Agriculture Crops – World-Grain

Farms that used regenerative agriculture practices such as no-till farming, cover crops and diverse crop rotations produced crops with higher levels of certain vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals than farms using conventional practices.

2. President Xi References China’s Alt-Protein Sector In National Food Security Speech – Green Queen

Speaking at a meeting with agricultural, social welfare and social security sector figureheads, he made statements that positively impact the country’s burgeoning alternative protein industry.

3. Food Companies, Long Symbols of the West in Russia, Pause Operations – New York Times

After years of cultivating the Russian market, McDonald’s, Starbucks, PepsiCo and Coca-Cola said they would temporarily close locations or stop selling products there.

4. Gene-Edited Beef Cattle Receive Regulatory Clearance in the US – Los Angeles Times

The FDA cleared the way for sale of beef from gene-edited cattle, bred to withstand warmer temperatures, in the coming years. Cattle that aren’t stressed by heat might pack on weight more easily, making for more efficient meat production.

5. Impossible Foods Sues Startup Motif FoodWorks for Patent Infringement – CNBC

Impossible Foods is suing Motif FoodWorks for patent infringement, claiming that the startup’s beef alternative that uses heme technology that too closely imitates its own version.

6. Indian Food Delivery Giant Swiggy Eyes $1B IPO – TechCrunch

Swiggy said in January that it had nearly doubled its food delivery business’ gross order value, and Instamart, its instant delivery service, was on track to reach an annual GMV run rate of $1b in the next three quarters.

7. Swiftly Quickly Gets Brick-and-Mortar Stores Set Up to Cater to Online Customers – TechCrunch

The company has raised $100m to expand into new verticals outside of grocery retail, such as beauty, home improvements and sporting goods.

8. AiFi Adds New Funding into Its Cart to Expand Autonomous Retail Footprint – TechCrunch

The startup has raised $65m to launch stores faster and more efficiently – a process that the company can execute within a week.

9. Once Upon a Farm Closes $52M in New Funding – Food Business News

The funding comes on the heels of its acquisition of Raised Reel, a DTC consumer baby food business. It plans to expand its innovation platform and fuel ongoing growth.

10. Finless Foods Bringing Plant-Based Tuna To the Masses, Ramping Up Cell-Cultured Plans with $34M in Series B Funding – Forbes

Next up is finalizing construction of a 11k-sq-ft pilot facility for Finless to scale up production of cell-cultured bluefin tuna for US regulatory approval and sales to consumers.

11. Groundbreaking UN Resolution Connects Animal Welfare and Environmental Sustainability for the First Time – Green Queen

The move is seen as historic and, potentially, a catalyst for widespread governmental action to protect animals and the environment.

12. Relocating Farmland Would Reverse 2 Decades-Worth of CO2 – Green Queen

New research suggests relocating farmland could increase carbon sequestration and biodiversity while reducing freshwater use and minimizing environmental impact.

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 Study Finds Regen Ag Improves Nutrition, Xi References Alt-Protein for Food Security + More appeared first on Food+Tech Connect.

China’s 5-Year Ag Plan Includes Cultivated Meats and Future Foods, Plenty Raises $400M + More

Phoebe Tran — Mon, 31 Jan 2022 22:09:30 +0000

Image source: Green Queen

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.

China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has published its eagerly awaited national plan. Acting as a blueprint for future developments, innovations and national economic strength, it has specifically included cultivated meat and ‘future foods’ as sectors to actively participate in, paving the way for much-needed funding increases for the sector.

Vertical farming startup Plenty has raised a whopping $400 million dollars. Walmart, who invested in the latest round, will begin to carry its leafy greens in all California stores this year.

A new study has found that plant-based alternatives have the potential to represent 6% of meat consumption by 2030. The sector would need $27 billion investments in infrastructure in order to supply the demand.

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. China’s 5-Year Agricultural Plan to Include Cultivated Meat and ‘Future Foods’ for the First Time – Green Queen

China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has published its eagerly awaited national plan. Acting as a blueprint for future developments, innovations and national economic strength, the plan has specifically included cultivated meat and ‘future foods’ as sectors to actively participate in.

2. Walmart Makes an Investment in Vertical Farming Startup Plenty – CNBC

The investment is part of a $400m round of funding. Walmart plans to carry its leafy greens in all California stores this year.

3. Plant-Based Ingredients Need $27B in Infrastructure Investments to Meet 2030 Demand – Food Dive

The Good Food Institute found that if the segment keeps growing at current rates, these alternatives will represent 6% of meat consumption in eight years.

4. Unovis Asset Management Closes $166M Fund, Warns Alt Protein Investors Should Avoid Ego Driven Valuations – Forbes

Alternative protein-focused VC, Unovis Asset Management, has closed an oversubscribed $166m fund II, but warns ego-driven valuations and the mentality of rushing to exits in the sector could damage founders’ well-intentioned impacts.

5. UK: Zapp Snaps Up $200M to Supersize Its Instant Grocery Play – TechCrunch

China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has published its eagerly awaited national plan. Acting as a blueprint for future developments, innovations and national economic strength, the plan has specifically included cultivated meat and ‘future foods’ as sectors to actively participate in.

6. 3D-Printed Plant Steak Startup Raises Funds to Chase Carnivores – Bloomberg

Israeli startup Redefine Meat has raised $135m in new funding for its roll out of 3D-printed plant-based steaks across Europe. New funds will help build out a factory in the Netherlands.

7. Belgium: Deliverect Raises $150M at a $1.4B+ Valuation to Streamline Online and Offline Food Orders – TechCrunch

The company works with independent and large chains to streamline ordering and delivery. It plans to expand beyond Europe and into the US soon. It has recently begun to offer its services to CPG companies as well.

8. Purely Elizabeth Raises $50M for Expansion – Food Dive

The company said it plans to expand its existing SKUs in nutrient-dense breakfast food categories, as well as launch into a yet-to-be-announced category.

9. Starship Technologies Picks Up €50M from the EU’s Investment Arm to Expand Its Fleet of Autonomous Delivery Robots – TechCrunch

Campus deployments make up a majority of Starship’s business, but signs are pointing to a shift towards grocery.

10. Kula Bio Closes $50M Series A to Further Develop Its Low Emission Biofertilizer – AFN

The startup says its alternative to traditional nitrogen fertilizer is crop-agnostic, non-GMO and cost-effective for farmers.

11. As Regulations Gets Closer, Upside Foods Acquires Cultivated Seafood Company Cultured Decadence – Green Queen

Cultured Decadence has developed cell lines and feed for the creation of high-end crustaceans. It will now adopt Upside’s brand name and bring seafood products to its portfolio.

12. Aavishkaar Capital to Launch $250M ESG Fund to Invest in Asia, Africa – Deal Street Asia

The firm has already made the first close at $55m and plans to raise the targeted capital over the next 2 years.

13. Investigators Probe Alleged Fraud Involving Over $240M in Federal Child Nutrition Dollars – The Counter

A Minnesota non-profit was paid to feed thousands of hungry children every day during the pandemic. Federal investigators allege that the meals never materialized.

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 China’s 5-Year Ag Plan Includes Cultivated Meats and Future Foods, Plenty Raises $400M + More appeared first on Food+Tech Connect.

Alt Protein Trends to Watch, Food Insecurity in the Grocery Industry + More

Phoebe Tran — Mon, 24 Jan 2022 22:20:23 +0000

Image source: MeaTech

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.

Green Queen editor in chief and alt protein industry veteran Sonalie Figueiras shares alt protein trends for 2022, from Big Food brands getting behind private label plant-based products to regulatory approval. Meanwhile, a blind taste test held by SuperMeat has proven that its cultivated chicken was mistaken for the real thing.

A new report provides startling context about the poverty and food insecurity that grocery workers face. Grocery workers across the country are striking in response, and the time has come for the food industry to reckon with the widespread issue.

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. 12 Alt Protein Trends To Watch: Green Queen’s 2022 Industry Predictions – Green Queen

Green Queen editor in chief and alt protein industry veteran Sonalie Figueiras lists her much-anticipated 2022 food trend predictions.

2. Why Is Food Insecurity So Widespread In the Grocery Industry? – Forbes

The food industry has yet to reckon with the food insecurity, poverty and precarity that are so widespread among grocery workers.

3. Beyond Meat and PepsiCo Team Up to Make Plant-Based Jerky – Bloomberg

The joint venture, Planet Partnership, will bring together Beyond Meat’s product innovations with PepsiCo’s distribution and marketing.

4. Jerky Company Chomps Receives $80M in Private Equity Cash – Bloomberg

High-end jerky maker Chomps now has a valuation between $200m and 300m. Its products use pasture-raised meats and include certifications for the Keto, Paleo and Whole30 diets, as well as animal welfare.

5. Israel: Cultivated Meat Passes Blind Taste Test With Flying Colors – Green Queen

SuperMeat held a blind taste test at its Tel Aviv restaurant. Master Chef judge Michal Ansky mistook the cultivated chicken for the real thing–and delightedly so.

6. Why Are Denver Kroger Workers on Strike? – Forbes

Grocery workers in Denver and Colorado Springs are on strike. A new report provides startling context about the poverty and food insecurity that such essential workers face.

7. Many Restaurants Pay Tipped Workers Next to Nothing. Does that Violate their Civil Rights? – Civil Eats

Advocates have advanced a lawsuit against Darden, the nation’s largest full-service restaurant company, for racial and sexual discrimination as a result of paying tipped workers below the minimum wage.

8. Indian Food Delivery Giant Swiggy Raises $700M at $10.7B Valuation – TechCrunch

The new funding follows a strong year of growth for Swiggy in which the startup nearly doubled its food delivery business’ gross order value. Swiggy has surpassed the valuation of its 13-year-old chief rival Zomato.

9. Most Independent Restaurants Experienced a Sales Decrease of More Than 50% in December – Forbes

Significantly less-capitalized independents have had to navigate dining room shutdowns, shift their operating models, manage patchwork regulations and angry customers and a smaller labor pool.

10. South Korea’s Agtech Startup Green Labs Raises $140M Series C to Accelerate Global Expansion – TechCrunch

The startup offers services including an app that aggregates data using AI, giving more than 500k farmers insight into crop lifecycle, as well as a B2B fresh produce marketplace for over 10k enterprise buyers.

11. Why These 15 Funds Could Transform Agriculture – Koen van Seijen

Billions of investment capital will try to enter the regenerative agriculture space in the next 10 years. Koen van Seijen has compiled a database of soil building funds.

12. US Food Supply Is Under Pressure, From Plants to Store Shelves – Wall Street Journal

Weeks of workers calling in sick have added to continuing supply and transportation disruptions, making grocery store shelves harder to fill.

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 Alt Protein Trends to Watch, Food Insecurity in the Grocery Industry + More appeared first on Food+Tech Connect.

Oatly’s $10B IPO Hits the Market, Eat Just’s Cultured Meat Raises $170M + More

Phoebe Tran — Thu, 20 May 2021 20:13:41 +0000

Source: Forbes

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.

Oatly’s long awaited public offering has finally hit the market, trading at $10 billion and raising $1.4 billion for the Swedish consumer brand.

The race to bring cultured meat to market gained steam this week with news of Eat Just’s $170 million investment to fuel the accelerated development of its cultured meat division.

As Covid restrictions ease, the restaurant industry is grappling with a labor shortage – an added stress on top of trying to recoup lost revenue.

Last but not least, Shanghai-based Dingdong Maicai has raised $1 billion and Goldbelly has raised $100 million for its food delivery platform.

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. Backed by Oprah and Blackstone, Oatly’s $10B IPO Hits the Market – Forbes

Oatly started trading at a $10b valuation after an initial public offering that raised $1.4b for the Swedish consumer brand.

2. Eat Just’s Cultured Meat Unit Raises $170M in Funding – Bloomberg

The company is aiming to ramp up production and sales of the product in Singapore and, when possible, in the US as well. It plans to produce in the thousands of pounds range this year.

3. How the Labor Shortage Is Shifting Restaurant Strategy – Restaurant Dive

Diners are returning in droves as Covid-19 dining room restrictions ease, but staff are hard to come by, creating a difficult balancing act for operators trying to recoup lost revenue.

4. Chinese Produce Platform Dingdong Maicai Raises $1B from SoftBank, Coatue – AFN

The Shanghai-based grocery app said it will use the funding for regional expansion, enhancement of its supply chain capabilities and to hire more staff.

5. A $100M Bet on Cross-Country Restaurant Delivery – New York Times

The question now is whether the trends that Goldbelly and its new investors plan to capitalize on will outlast the pandemic, or whether a surge in at-home dining will abate as more people feel comfortable eating in restaurants again.

6. Rapper Drake Invests in Faux-Chicken Maker’s $40M Round – Bloomberg

The new funds will help Daring Foods roughly triple its retail distribution, which already includes Kroger and Costco, to more than 4.5k US stores this year.

7. Banks Fight $4B Debt Relief Plan for Black Farmers – New York Times

Lenders are pressuring the Agriculture Department to give them more money, saying quick repayments will cut into profits.

8. Hundreds of PPP Loans Went to Fake Farms in Absurd Places – The Counter

An online lending platform called Kabbage sent 378 pandemic loans worth $7m to fake companies (mostly farms) with names like “Deely Nuts” and “Beefy King.”

9. 80% of Consumers Are Open to Trying Cultivated Meat – Food Dive

Millennials and Gen Z are the most likely to eat cultivated meat, while baby boomers remain more skeptical.

10. Singapore: Impossible Burger to Roll Out Across 300+ 7-Eleven Singapore Locations, Marking First Convenience Store Debut in Asia – Green Queen

The plant-based Impossible Deluxe Burger will make its convenience store debut in Asia at over 300 store locations of 7-Eleven Singapore.

11. General Mills Buying Tyson Foods Pet Treats Business for $1.2B – StarTribune

The Minnesota food maker expands its presence in the fast-growing pet food aisle. Tyson Foods’ pet brands include Nudges, Top Chews and True Chews.

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 Oatly’s $10B IPO Hits the Market, Eat Just’s Cultured Meat Raises $170M + More appeared first on Food+Tech Connect.

Plant-Based Food Worth $7B in 2020, Swiggy Nears $5B Valuation + More

Phoebe Tran — Thu, 08 Apr 2021 20:37:48 +0000

Source: Just Egg

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.

Plant-based food retail sales in the US reached $7 billion in 2020, outpacing sales of its animal counterparts for the third year in a row. In Europe, food tech companies raised €2.7 billion, propelled by alternative protein funding.

Food delivery giants abroad continue to raise funds in the race to take the lead – India’s Swiggy has raised $800 million; China’s MissFresh is weighing a $500 IPO; and Grab is said to raise at least $2.5 billion in a SPAC deal.

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. Plant-Based Food Worth $7B in 2020, Posting 27% Growth – Food Dive

Plant-based meat had $1.4b in sales, growing 45% overall compared to 2019 and making up 2.7% of all US retail packaged meat sales.

2. European Food Techs Raised €2.7B in 2020, Propelled By Alternative Protein Funding – Green Queen

Capital flowing into the cell-based and plant-based alternative protein startups rose by 178%, with a number of high-profile companies elevated to unicorn status.

3. India’s Swiggy Nears $5B Valuation in New $800M Fundraise – TechCrunch

New investors included Falcon Edge Capital, Goldman Sachs, Think Capital and others. The new round is said to value Swiggy at over $4.9b.

4. Singapore: Food Delivery App Grab Said to Target US Listing in Biggest Ever SPAC Deal – AFN

The company would raise at least $2.5b through a private investment in public equity transaction. The deal values it at around $35b.

5. A Fifth of Food-Output Growth Has Been Lost to Climate Change – Bloomberg

Climate change has been holding back food production for decades, with a new study showing that about 21% of growth for agricultural output was lost since the 1960s.

6. China: Tencent-Backed MissFresh Is Said to Weigh $500M US IPO – Bloomberg

The grocery delivery startup could look to raise as much as $1b in the share sale, though deliberations are still at an early stage.

7. Singapore-Based Retail Analytics Company Trax Raises $640M Series E Led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2 and BlackRock – TechCrunch

Funding will go towards expanding its products, which help brick-and-mortar stores manage their inventory, merchandising and operations.

8. Everli, the European Marketplace for Online Grocery Shopping, Bags $100M Series C – TechCrunch

Verlinvest led the round. New capital will be used to accelerate growth and further expand its international footprint.

9. NY Passes Budget That Includes $60M in Restaurant Relief – Restaurant Dive

The state’s 2021-2022 budget includes $25m for restaurants that provide meals to distressed and under-represented communities and up to $35m in tax credits to help restaurants rehire employees.

10. Futures Trader Burns Tyson with $200M Loss on Fake Cattle – Bloomberg

It took awhile to notice, but Tyson eventually realized late last year that more than 200k of its cattle seemed to have gone missing on a Washington state ranch.

11. ‘Model Minority’ Stereotype Obscures the Food Insecurity Asian Americans Face – Civil Eats

Immigration status and language barriers have long made food access in some Asian American communities a challenge. The pandemic and recent waves of violence and harassment have made the situation worse.

12. Biden Effort to Combat Hunger Marks ‘a Profound Change’ – New York Times

As millions of Americans lack enough to eat, the administration is rapidly increasing aid — with an eye toward a permanent safety net expansion.

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 Plant-Based Food Worth $7B in 2020, Swiggy Nears $5B Valuation + More appeared first on Food+Tech Connect.

AeroFarms to Go Public, Deliveroo Drops $2B Off IPO Value as Riders, Investors Revolt + More

Phoebe Tran — Thu, 01 Apr 2021 21:57:30 +0000

Source: AeroFarms

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.

AeroFarms has struck a deal with Spring Valley Acquisition that will allow it to raise as much as $357 million and go public on the NASDAQ exchange. The company will be valued at $1.2 billion. Meanwhile, DoorDash’s IPO plunged by 30% after closing at £2.87 a share after investors voiced concerns over the company’s treatment of riders and profitability.

In other news, Squarespace has acquired restaurant reservation platform Tock for $400 million. LiveKindly Collective has raised $335 million to expand its brands into new geographic locations, fuel future acquisitions and partnerships, and invest in plant-based innovation.

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. US Vertical Farming Group AeroFarms Joins Unicorn Club, Strikes SPAC Deal to Go Public – AgFunder

The transaction could allow it to raise $357m in gross proceeds. The deal will see AeroFarms go public on New York’s NASDAQ exchange, valuing the company at $1.2b.

2. UK: Deliveroo Drops $2B on Debut As Investors Spooked by ESG, Profitability Concerns – AgFunder

The company saw its share price plunge by as much as 30%. The stock closed at £2.87 – down 26.3% from its debut price.

3. Web Giant Squarespace Has Acquired Restaurant Reservation Platform Tock – Eater

The company has sold for $400m. It currently counts 7k hospitality clients across the country and has processed more than $10b in sales across 200 cities.

4. LiveKindly Collective Closes $335M Funding Round – Food Dive

The Rise Fund led the round. Funding will be used to accelerate LiveKindly Collective’s brands into new geographic locations, fuel future acquisitions and partnerships and invest in plant-based innovation.

5. As Worries Spark Over the Carbon Impacts of NFTs, Some Unexpected Boosters Come to Their Defense – GeekWire

Nori matches farmers who adopt practices that sequester carbon in the soil with consumers and businesses eager to offset their carbon emissions. It uses Ethereum to mint an NFT which serves as a database for tracking the sales.

6. Chinese E-Grocer Nice Tuan Raises $750M in Alibaba, DST-Led Round – AgFunder

The app allows shoppers to form groups via its WeChat mini-program, enabling them to collectively buy farm produce and other groceries in bulk at competitive prices.

7. Spain: Food Ordering App Glovo Raises $528M from Delivery Hero, Others – AgFunder

Luxor Capital Group and Lugard Road Capital led the round. Funding will be used to accelerate its 30-minute on-demand delivery and hire additional engineers.

8. Food Delivery Boom Continues As Everli Clicks for an Extra Portion of VC Funds – Verdict

Verlinvest led the round. The $100m cash injection will help Everli expand its operations further.

9. How Pizza Tech Startup Slice Is Taking Its $85M in Funding to Help Independent Pizzerias Beat Domino’s at Its Own Game – Business Insider

Slice wants to level the playing field for independent pizzerias looking to compete with Domino’s when it comes to technology.

10. How the Tesla of Chicken Hit a Ludicrous Growth Mode Thanks to Ghost Kitchens – Fast Company

Plant-based Nuggs embraced cloud kitchens as a way to just get product into people’s hands. Now it’s a vital testing lab and marketing tool.

11. Thrive Market Aims to Be World’s 1st Climate-Positive Grocer – Progressive Grocer

Thrive Market’s impact report included plans to become plastic neutral by 2023, allocate $4m towards food access and sustainability causes, and build upon its commitment to regenerative agriculture.

12. Reality Check, Please: The Market Will Not Stop Factory Farming – Michele Simon

Even if plant-based meats are “replacing” their animal counterparts, it leaves us with the same destructive and extractive business model invented by Big Food, with no improvements to human health or labor practices.

13. Decellularized Spinach Serves As an Edible Platform for Lab-Grown Meat – EurekaAlert

New research has found the veiny skeleton of a spinach leaf can support the growth of cell-cultured meat.

14. Influencers Are Infiltrating Ghost Kitchens, with the Help of Planet Hollywood’s Founder – Modern Retail

Robert Early’s Virtual Dining Concepts is partnering with celebrities and influencers in an attempt to cash in on the ghost kitchen gold rush.

15. Vegan Cheese Is Ready to Compete With Dairy. Is the World Ready to Eat It? – Eater

Long considered a punchline, vegan cheese has quietly but steadily infiltrated mainstream supermarket shelves.

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 AeroFarms to Go Public, Deliveroo Drops $2B Off IPO Value as Riders, Investors Revolt + More appeared first on Food+Tech Connect.

UK to Approve Gene-Edited Crops and Livestock, US Lost 372K Restaurant Jobs in December + More

Phoebe Tran — Thu, 14 Jan 2021 21:44:54 +0000

Source: Eater

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.

Gene editing of crops and livestock may soon be permitted in England for the first time, breaking away from the EU’s strict policies that made it almost impossible. Environmental and animal welfare groups are voicing concern in response.

The U.S. reportedly lost 372,000 jobs in the hospitality sector in the month of December alone. The industry’s unemployment jumped to 16.1%, erasing job gains made since September.

Last but not least, questions are percolating as to whether or not the Biden administration will be able to reach the goals of his climate plan when it relies on farmers who are often climate skeptics.

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. Gene Editing of Crops and Livestock May Soon Be Permitted in England – The Guardian

The government has launched consultation to change the current strict EU rules.

2. The US Lost 372K Bar and Restaurant Jobs in December as Resurgent Virus Takes Toll – Eater

Hospitality industry job cuts led employment losses throughout the pandemic-battered economy.

3. Biden’s Climate Plan Relies on Farmers Who Are Often Climate Skeptics – Civil Eats

The administration says the USDA will be a linchpin of its climate strategy, and farmers are waiting to see what support they will get to help meet new goals.

4. Ÿnsect Plans to Make Its Edible Mealworms Available for Human Consumption in Europe, the US – The Spoon

The announcement followed the EU’s approval of mealworms for human consumption.

5. Introducing The Reimagining Food Retail Conversation Series

We’re partnering with S2G Ventures to host a series of conversations exploring how we might reimagine retail. Our goal is to create a space for stakeholders from farm to fork to come together to discuss how we might fundamentally reimagine food retail to make it more resilient, equitable, accessible, diverse, delicious, healthful and climate smart future.

6. Germany: Gorillas, the On-Demand Grocery Delivery Startup Taking Berlin by Storm, Has Raised $44M Series A – TechCrunch

Coatue led the round. Gorillas delivers groceries within an average of ten minutes. Funding will be used for expansion across Germany, accelerating its rollout across more of Europe and building out its Berlin team.

7. Italian E-Grocery Startup Cortilia Raises €34M to Get Fresh Local Food to People’s Homes – Tech.e

Red Circle Investments led the round. Funding will help fuel expansion as a sustainable B-corp.

8. Low-Calorie Snack Brand Nick’s Secures $30M in Funding – FoodBev

Gullspång Invest and Capagro led the round. New funds will support the company’s international expansion with a primary focus on the US and Germany. It will also build a new production facility in Europe.

9. UK On-Demand Supermarket Weezy Raises $20M Series A Led by NYC’s Left Lane Capital – TechCrunch

The cash injection will be used to expand its grocery delivery service across London and the broader UK, and open two fulfillment centers across London.

10. India: Ag Data Player CropIn Banks $20M from Temasek-Linked Impact Fund, Others – AgFunder

ABC World Asia led the round. Funds will be used to expand CropIn’s global presence, starting with the European market.

11. Gallo Finalizes $810M Purchase from Constellation, One of the Biggest Wine Acquisitions in Modern History – SF Chronicle

The FTC had originally objected to the $1.7b deal. Constellation is offloading inexpensive brands as it attempts to focus its efforts on the premium segment of the market.

12. Everything Restaurants Need to Know About the $284B PPP Program – Eater

Here’s how bars, cafes and restaurants can qualify for the PPP loans, which fully convert to grants if used properly.

13. 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 UK to Approve Gene-Edited Crops and Livestock, US Lost 372K Restaurant Jobs in December + More appeared first on Food+Tech Connect.

2021 CPG and Grocery Trends, Oatly to IPO This Year + More

Phoebe Tran — Thu, 07 Jan 2021 21:39:46 +0000

Source: Oatly

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.

Kroger and Food Dive have unveiled their top food predictions for 2021, ranging from immunity-boosting ingredients to a growth in mushroom-centric products. In the grocery industry, experts say 2021 will be the year retailers move from reacting to strategically managing for long-term growth.

Mondelez has agreed to buy the rest of Hu in a transaction that values the company at $340 million. Meanwhile, Oatly is expected to IPO and raise $1 billion this year.

Last but not least, the Trump administration has signaled backing of the transfer of authority for the regulation of gene-edited meat from the FDA to the USDA.

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. From ‘Mushroom Mania’ to ‘Ketotarian’ Foods: Kroger Unveils Top 7 Predictions for 2021 – Food Navigator

Kroger has released seven food trends it believes it will gain traction in 2021, which it predicts will be a breakout year for mushrooms.

2. 5 Trends Fueling Food and Beverage Innovation in 2021 – Food Dive

Consumers will pick up their pursuit of immunity boosts, new plant-based options, global flavors and tech-enhanced foods after a tough year.

3. 8 Trends That Will Shape the Grocery Industry in 2021 – Grocery Dive

After one of the most tumultuous years in recent memories, experts say 2021 will be the year grocers move from reacting to strategically managing for long-term growth.

4. Mondelez Agrees to Buy Rest of Paleo Chocolate-Bar Maker Hu – Wall Street Journal

The maker of Oreo cookies and Ritz crackers, which took a minority stake in Hu in 2019, is buying the rest in a transaction that values Hu at $340m.

5. Oatly Is Planning to IPO This Year – CNBC

The IPO could raise $1b, depending on the status of the economy in the face of the pandemic.

6. Introducing The Reimagining Food Retail Conversation Series

7. Best of 2020 Awards – Nosh

While some of the brands are notable for the products they brought to store shelves or growth in sales, others were impressive to the selection committee for their heart, mission and commitment to building a better food system and future.

8. Trump Administration Wants to Ease Approval of Gene-Edited Meat – Bloomberg

Trump signaled its backing for transferring authority over gene-edited meat from the FDA to the USDA, which is considered to be more sensitive to the interests of the livestock industry.

9. 5 Trends That Shaped Agrifoodtech in 2020 – AgFunder

2020: A year like no other. But while Covid-19 has been catastrophic for the agrifood sector in many regards, it has also put agrifoodtech in the limelight.

10. 2021 Investor Insights – World Agritech

Five high profile investors share priorities and predictions for agtech in 2021.

11. From Toxic Chefs to Covid, Restaurant Workers Deserve Better – New York Times

A former Momofuku employee’s account of a rage-fueled workplace is an all-too-familiar story. But it raises questions about how we treat restaurant staffs in the Covid era.

12. Germany: Delivery Hero Raising Up to $1.6B in War Chest for Deals – Bloomberg

The company will sell as many as 9.44m new shares in an accelerated offering to boost its cash position take advantage of investment opportunities.

13. A New Study on Regenerative Grazing Complicates Climate Optimism – Civil Eats

A new, peer-reviewed paper on White Oak Pastures’ practices advances our understanding of the climate impact of beef and the potential for regenerative grazing to store carbon in the soil.

14. Does Regenerative Agriculture Have a Race Problem? – Civil Eats

BIPOC farmers and advocates say the latest trend in agriculture is built on an age-old pattern of cultural theft and appropriation.

15. Chinese Ag & Food Delivery Giants Join $100M+ Raise for ‘Adaptive Robot’ Startup Flexiv – AgFunder

New Hope Group, Meituan, Gaorong Capital and others participated in the round. Funding will go towards scaling up production, carrying out R&D and marketing.

16. Israel’s Trigo Raises $60M for Smart Checkout Technology – Reuters

83North led the round. New funds will be used to scale the company’s ability to meet growing demand, boost R&D and expand its global presence.

17. 7 Food and Lifestyle Trends That Will Define 2021 – Forbes

These are the top 7 macro trends anyone working in the food, fashion, retail, travel or other lifestyle industries should be paying attention to in 2021.

18. 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 2021 CPG and Grocery Trends, Oatly to IPO This Year + More appeared first on Food+Tech Connect.