Using AI to Unlock Food’s Full Potential, Zomato’s Valuation Slashed by $500M: Weekly Top Stories

It’s been a little while, but we’re back with our top stories roundup. Our bi-weekly newsletter tracks the latest food tech and innovation news, trends and research across agriculture, CPG, retail, restaurants, cooking and health, so it’s absolute easiest way to stay on top of the emerging sector.

From an inside look at how Nuritas is using artificial intelligence to find new uses for food waste to Japan betting big on agtech startups, these are last week’s top food tech and innovation stories. Like what you read? Feast your eyes on the full newsletter here. Or better yet, sign up for Food+Tech Bytes and get the latest and greatest in food tech delivered to your inbox every week.

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1. How Nuritas Uses Artificial Intelligence to Unlock The Full Potential of Food

Nuritas founder Nora Khaldi on using artificial intelligence and big data to find new uses and nutritional benefits from wasted food co-products.

2.Unmanned Grocery Stores Help Improve Access To Healthy Food 

Robert Ilijason, founder of Näraffär, the first unmanned Swedish convenience store, on how unmanned grocery stores can help increase access to healthy food.

3. Even the World’s Largest Food Company Knows the American Diet Is An Environmental Catastrophe –Grist 

Nestle executives told U.S. officials the world is on a collision course with doom because Americans eat too much meat.

4. The Future of Food According to Silicon Valley Is Bleak – Vanity Fair

It’s hard to see how more than a dozen venture-backed services like Juicero can all possibly offer the average American something they need, but funding doesn’t seem to be slowing down much.

5. Peapod’s Quiet Quest For Delivery Dominance – PYMNTS

Peapod is doing what it has been doing very well for the last 20 years, quietly making big moves, fattening its margins and flying under the radar.

6. Zomato Is Proof That The Valuation Of Indian Startups May Be A Dangerous Bubble – Quartz

HSBC recently valued the restaurant delivery/discovery startup at $500M, about half of what it was valued in its latest funding round in Sept. 2015.

7. Against The Grain: Japan Bets On Agribusiness Startups – Wall Street Journal

A new investment enterprise in Japan is backing startups to develop food products they hope will revive the country’s agribusiness sector.

8. How One Visionary Changed School Food in Detroit – Civil Eats

With a focus on healthier foods and local farms, Betti Wiggins has led Detroit’s kids through a food revolution.