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The Platform For GOOD FOOD INNOVATION
29 Sep 2016
Every week we track the business, tech and investment trends in CPG, retail, restaurants, agriculture, cooking and health, so you don’t have to.
Last week’s top story was NYC-based online grocery company FreshDirect raising $189M despite growing competition from Instacart, Amazon Fresh and others. The funding round is FreshDirect’s largest to date and will help the company expand geographically and improve its distribution capacity.
Other major headlines include a group of leading food investors pressuring big food companies to embrace plant-based foods for the future of the planet and the UN elevating antibiotics in food to crisis level.
Check out our weekly round-up of last week’s top food startup, tech and innovation news below or peruse the full newsletter here.
Our newsletter is the absolute easiest way to stay on top of the emerging sector, so sign up for it today and never miss the latest food tech and innovation news and trends, Already signed up? Share the love with your friends and colleagues!
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1. Investors Urge Food Companies to Shift from Meat to Plants – Reuters
A group of 40 investors managing $1.25T in assets have launched a campaign to encourage 16 big food companies to change the way they source protein to help reduce environmental and health risks.
2. FreshDirect Secures New Backing Despite Growing Competition in Online Groceries – New York Times
The NYC-based online grocery retailer raised $189M led by JPMorgan Asset Management. W Capital and the AARP Innovation Fund also joined the round, which will be used for expansion. Fresh Direct has been profitable since 2010, with revenue exceeding $600M a year.
3. India: Zomato Acquires Logistics Tech Startup Sparse Labs – Economic Times
The financial details were not disclosed. By acquiring Sparse Labs’ app which transmits delivery peoples’ locations to restaurants and customers in real time, Zomato hopes to improve its delivery experience.
4. Buying the Farm – Civil Eats
Organic is big business, and with demand far outstripping supply, big food companies are buying up farmland to keep shelves stocked, a trend which raises questions about the benefits to farmers.
5. The UN Just Categorized Antibiotics in the Food System as a Crisis on Par with AIDS and Ebola – Quartz
For the fourth time in its history, the UN has elevated a health issue to crisis level. Commercial animal agriculture is at the core of the antibiotics in food crisis, which for years has fed animals antibiotics to prevent illnesses.
6. Join October 13 Food Logistics Meetup in NYC
At this month’s NYC Food+Tech Meetup, we’re doing a deep dive into distribution logistics. Join us on Thurs, Oct 13 to get in inside look into how Blue Apron, Homer Logistics, OurHarvest and The Fresh Connection approach logistics. Plus, snacks, drinks and networking with the food innovation community.
antibiotics in food, food logistics, food logistics meetup, freshdirect, organic food, plant based diet, Zomato
