Latest food tech and innovation news, jobs and events.
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food tech connect
cosmic crisp
FEATURED
Beyond Meat Takes on Bacon, Cosmic Crisp Could Disrupt Apple Industry + More (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=b5c9e220bc&e=2715c96b29)
Our round-up of this week's top food innovation news.
Investing in the Future of Food: Too Much Funding Can Hide Damaging Risks Rather Than Solve Them (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=190269a04c&e=2715c96b29) - Food Navigator
There was a 34% increase in funding worth $1.45b going to startups in 2018, according to our report. But is this huge influx of funds actually a good thing for entrepreneurs in the space?
2018 U.S. Food & Beverage Startup Investment Report (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=e28e192016&e=2715c96b29)
Over $1.45B was invested across 247 deals in 2018, according to the research in our second annual investment report produced in partnership with Ryan Willams. Plant-centric alternatives to meat and dairy accounted for one-third of total investment in food and beverage startups in 2018. Check out the report for a deep dive into last year's investor and investment trends.
What's Next in Restaurant Tech
Technology promises to transform the restaurant industry. From talent management and personalization platforms to ghost kitchens and corporate catering marketplaces, startups are aiming to help restaurants improve operations and increase revenue. How do these technologies and new operational models work? What do they actually mean for restaurants?
Join us at What's Next in Restaurant Tech for a deep dive into Zuul (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=46584d4992&e=2715c96b29) , HUNGRY (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=a72a253755&e=2715c96b29) and Harri's (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=9ea22d4730&e=2715c96b29) business models and technologies.
You'll also be able to demo cutting edge technologies from The.Fit (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=5789a9f61b&e=2715c96b29) , ItsaCheckmate (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=0eebeeba40&e=2715c96b29) , BentoBox (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=2bb450726e&e=2715c96b29) , OpenTable (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=38e630e9c7&e=2715c96b29) and Plate IQ (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=eed0f4be3a&e=2715c96b29) and sample innovative food and beverages from Hella Cocktail (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=2432ad4871&e=2715c96b29) , Element Farms (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=1a860d8961&e=2715c96b29) , Mosaic Foods (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=5e98bb9277&e=2715c96b29) and more.
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Beyond Meat Bacon
CPG
Beyond Meat Is Developing a Plant-Based Substitute for Bacon (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=dd7003e2df&e=2715c96b29) - Bloomberg
The company doesn't have a launch date, but CEO Ethan Brown said the product is improving as it goes through development.
Scooter Braun, Justin Bieber, Kevin Hart and Kendall Jenner All Have Invested in This Hydration Brand (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=46c9229860&e=2715c96b29) - The Hollywood Reporter
Wellness brand Liquid IV has raised $5m for expanded growth, new product development and philanthropic endeavors.
Weller Raises $3M in Series Seed Round (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=94bbb9536d&e=2715c96b29) - BevNet
Brand Foundry Ventures led the round, which will help fund the brand's sales and marketing, including scaling production to meet its rising distribution.
Impossible Foods, Impossible Claims (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=a8869757bc&e=2715c96b29) - Anna Lappé
The company has courted ethical foodies, but how sustainable is this meat alternative?
One Year In and With $1M in Sales, Serenity Kids Closes Third Funding Round (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=6d348f3262&e=2715c96b29) - Nosh
The company has closed a $1.5m round led by Wild Ventures. It will focus on expanding its presence in retail and lowering its price points.
Companies Have a Long Way to Go to Meet Alternative Protein Demand (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=5ea53a5b8d&e=2715c96b29) - AgFunder
Major multinational food companies aren't being proactive enough in offering more alternative protein options, but plenty of challenges still lie ahead in alternative protein's mission to disrupt meat.
New THC and CBD-Infused Beverage Company, Cann, Joins the Race to Replace Booze (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=5d83648963&e=2715c96b29) - TechCrunch
The company is rolling out its first major distribution through Eaze in California. It was founded by two former Bain consultants.
Australia: KKR Devours Tim Tam Biscuits Maker in $2.2B Deal with Campbell (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=73fc9709ab&e=2715c96b29) - Reuters
KKR & Co is buying Arnott's, in Campbell's ongoing efforts to divest its international operations.
CIO Helps Conagra Turn Food Trends Into Products (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=1cee317c74&e=2715c96b29) - Wall Street Journal
AI-enabled platform allows company to launch products in months or weeks, capitalizing on changing consumer tastes.
Tofurky and ACLU Cook Up Suit Against Arkansas Law Banning 'Veggie Burger' Labels (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=89b25335c5&e=2715c96b29) - NBC
The complaint alleges that Arkansas Act 501, which is meant to require truth in labeling and protect consumers from being misled or confused, violates Arkansans' civil rights.
The Multimillion-Dollar Junkets That Introduced Americans to Olive Oil (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=68bbad84a5&e=2715c96b29) - Taste
The olive oil industry spent millions of dollars throughout the '90s to try to sell American chefs and nutritionists on the Mediterranean diet. It worked.
grocery
RETAIL
Retail Tech Shop Trax Raises $100M, Becomes Singapore's Latest Unicorn (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=8cde989d97&e=2715c96b29) - Crunchbase
Hopu Investments led the round. Trax's computer vision technology aims to help brands like Nestle and Henkel understand how their products look, perform and compete on the shelf.
Standard Cognition Lands $35M at $535M Valuation to Battle Amazon Go (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=8c4e9f4c27&e=2715c96b29) - TechCrunch
EQT Ventures led the round. The company has installed its AI-powered vision hardware in five stores in the US and Japan, with plans to expand globally.
Shoppers Spend Less at Amazon Go Than Any Other Convenience Stores (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=72e0dd88fb&e=2715c96b29) - Retail Dive
Amazon Go shoppers spend on average between $7 and $15 per shopping trip, compared to the $20 and $25 average.
Target's Small-Format Stores Are Its Biggest Weapon Against Amazon and Walmart (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=b27fba1317&e=2715c96b29) - Inc
Target plans to open 30 of its smaller-footprint stores this year as a part of its successful strategy to keep customers buying online and in-person..
Boxed Names Former Amazon Exec As President (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=888db4d811&e=2715c96b29) - Grocery Dive
Prentis Wilson was formerly vice president and general manager of Amazon Business.
Wakeferm Opens Robotics-Driven Warehouse for Online Grocery (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=82987e2735&e=2715c96b29) - Supermarket News
The new micro-fulfillment center will serve selected ShopRite stores in North Jersey and New York.
brightloom
RESTAURANTS
Eatsa Rebrands As Brightloom, Inks Deal with Starbucks, Raises $30M (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=fc2eb16e97&e=2715c96b29) - The Spoon
The round was led by Tao Capital Partners and Valor Equity Partners. Brightloom will integrate Starbucks customer engagement software in exchange for Starbucks taking an equity stake and joining its Board of Directors.
Beyond Meat's Restaurant Reach Expands With Dunkin' Sandwich (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=bd08cdf8ef&e=2715c96b29) - Bloomberg
Dunkin' will offer Beyond Sausage breakfast sandwich at 163 restaurants in Manhattan at $4.29. The plan is to go national with the menu item.
OpenTable Now Offers Delivery with Help from Uber Eats and Grubhub (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=fb328dad66&e=2715c96b29) - Engadget
OpenTable announced that it's partnering with Uber Eats, Caviar and Grubhub to offer meal delivery from over 8k restaurants in 90 cities across the US.
Where Your Delivery App Tips Really Go, Explained (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=52cc2921c5&e=2715c96b29) - Vox
Companies like DoorDash and Amazon have been accused of dipping into the tip jar. On Tuesday night, DoorDash reversed its policy.
Uber Is Testing An All-in-One Subscription for Rides, Food Delivery, Bikes and Scooters (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=127008182d&e=2715c96b29) - The Verge
$24.99 a month gets customers discounted rides and free food delivery.
Philippines: Jollibee Buys Coffee Bean for $350M; Shares Fall 8% (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=ec9684f0d5&e=2715c96b29) - Bloomberg
Shares of the Philippine's biggest restaurant company fell the most in more than two years.
Can Portland's Food Carts Survive the City's Development Boom? (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=0ac77aa462&e=2715c96b29) - Eater
When the city shut down a downtown cart pod to make way for a hotel, dozens of small-business owners — many of whom are immigrants — felt left in the lurch.
Australia: KFC to Open Drive-Through-Only Restaurant in Newcastle (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=e0a5edb601&e=2715c96b29) - Sydney Morning Herald
Those using the new drive-through operation will be able to order and pay for a meal with the KFC smartphone app or website before arriving at the site.
Just Eat Makes Layoffs in UK and Ireland After Customer and Restaurant Ops Merged (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=9468903377&e=2715c96b29) - TechCrunch
The redundancies are part of a reorganization that is seeing Just Eat's customer and restaurant operations teams merged. Sources have said it could be as much as 100 staff overall.
foie gras
AGRICULTURE
Japan: Lab-Grown Foie Gras Will Be in Restaurants by 2021 (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=e665d5ddfc&e=2715c96b29) - Livekindly
Cultured meat company IntegriCulture wants to bring its cultured foie gras to restaurants by 2021.
KisanHub Nets £3.4M Series A For UK, India Expansion (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=b1e35420ad&e=2715c96b29) - AgFunder
Sistema VC led the round. The company specializes in extracting actionable insights from food supply chain data sets.
Is It Possible to Raise a Carbon-Neutral Cow? (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=120936ff66&e=2715c96b29) - Fast Company
Here's why Stonyfield, Danone, Annie's and other food companies are leading a regenerative agriculture revolution.
FluroSat Scores $3.2M Seed Funding Led by Microsoft's M12 (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=9cded301a3&e=2715c96b29) - AgFunder
Focused on cotton and grain production, FluroSat's flagship product FluroSense uses hyperspectral imaging to predict disease and support better crop health decision making.
The USDA Didn't Publish Its Plan to Help Farmers Adapt to Climate Change. Here's Where They Need it the Most. (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=531009b881&e=2715c96b29) - Mother Jones
Three ecological disasters that are worthy of hair-on-fire attention by USDA researchers.
The Hype and Hope Surrounding Lab-Grown Meat (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=d6f7885929&e=2715c96b29) - New Food Economy
At the New Harvest conference, cultured meat startups tried to look past some serious technical limitations. Can meat made in a lab really save the planet?
Farmers Earn More From YouTube Than Their Crops (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=03cda6657a&e=2715c96b29) - Bloomberg
It's a sign of the times when farmers make more money advocating for the industry on social media than actually farming.
Kicked Off the Land (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=f816e65421&e=2715c96b29) - The New Yorker
Why so many black families are losing their property.
Biden's Record at Odds with Much of His Rural Plan (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=b3e4de26a5&e=2715c96b29) - Daily Yonder
Joe Biden joins two other Democratic candidates in releasing a platform outlining his rural policy proposals. But Biden's rural plan seems inconsistent with many of his votes in his 36-year Senate career.
Holland: The Dutch Are Subverting Nature Again – with Floating Dairy Farms (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=320f9b91d9&e=2715c96b29) - Quartz
The Floating Dairy Farm houses a herd of 32 dairy cows on a $2.9m waterborn contraption.
As Climate Changes, Taxpayers Will Shoulder Larger US Payouts to Farmers (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=e3226a5c86&e=2715c96b29) - NPR
That's good for farmers but bad for taxpayers, who subsidize government-backed crop insurance. The fate of research that forecasts these costs is in doubt as economists and scientists leave the USDA.
snap cuts
EATERS
New Trump Administration Rule Could Kick 3M People Off Food Stamps (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=fe52413de2&e=2715c96b29) - Salon
The USDA is set to propose a rule that will redefine SNAP eligibility and potentially rescind free school lunch from more than 200,000 children.
Notes of "Horse Blanket" and "Burnt Band-Aid": How Wild Yeasts Are Bringing Offbeat Terroir to Craft Beer (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=56b677bec8&e=2715c96b29) - New Food Economy
How brewers are obsessing over microbes for hyper-local flavors and unpredictable results.
100M Bacteria a Day Keep the Doctor Away (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=7e761d73ef&e=2715c96b29) - The Guardian
Study finds organic apples have a more diverse and balanced bacterial community.
Building a Bridge from Farm to Pharmacy (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=a27392950d&e=2715c96b29) - New Food Economy
A program to prescribe fruits and vegetables to low-income New Yorkers gives independent pharmacists a boost.
https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=a0a617cb1b&e=2715c96b29
LATEST JOB LISTINGS
Customer Happiness Manager at Magic Spoon (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=d3c2797730&e=2715c96b29) - New York, NY
Director/VP of Operations at Magic Spoon (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=868da3e88c&e=2715c96b29) - New York, NY
Director of Culinary Operations at Sprinly (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=d24c4a301b&e=2715c96b29) - Cleveland, OH
Production Manager at Frame Partners (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=8bd61d249d&e=2715c96b29) - San Francisco, CA
Head of Brand at 12 Tides Seaweed Co. (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=ca41d9ace7&e=2715c96b29) - San Francisco, CA
Quality Assurance Manager at AeroFarms (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=5cf8c294bf&e=2715c96b29) - Newark, NJ
Sales Planning Manager at AeroFarms (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=de7d4c79e5&e=2715c96b29) - Newark, NJ
Sales Account Manager at AeroFarms (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=702036c14b&e=2715c96b29) - Newark, NJ
Sales & Marketing Coordinator at AeroFarms (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=e8186b2215&e=2715c96b29) - Newark, NJ
Retail Sales Coordinator at Ark Foods (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=78e17ef0bf&e=2715c96b29) - Brooklyn, NY
Kitchen Manager at Hudson Kitchen (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=fa1d724c4d&e=2715c96b29) - Kearny, NJ
VP Business Development at Brightseed (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=c57e32b6e1&e=2715c96b29) - San Francisco, CA
IT & Data Manager at The Good Food Institute (https://foodtechconnect.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5137626c88ab3a61c40112a42&id=33b8bea83e&e=2715c96b29) - Remote
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