Munchery Shutters After Raising $125M, EU to Ban Plastic Cutlery by 2021 + More

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.

As part of biodiversity month here at Food+Tech Connect, we’ve launched an editorial series featuring interviews with over 45 CEOs, execs, farmers and investors.

In this week’s top news, on-demand food delivery service Munchery is shutting down its operations after raising a total of $125 million in VC funding.

Major initiatives to end single-use plastics are now in place. The EU announced plans to implement a ban in 2021, and U.S. waste recycling firm TerraCycle has brought Big Food companies on board a new project that will collect and reuse durable plastic. Nestle plans to eliminate all single-use plastics from its line by 2025.

Canada-based Canopy Growth has announced it will invest between $100 to $150 million in a production facility in New York to focus on hemp extraction and product manufacturing.

And finally, Canada’s food rules have been overhauled to shift away from food groups and toward how and when we eat.

Check out our weekly round-up of last week’s top food startup, tech and innovation news below or peruse the full newsletter here.

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1. Introducing Biodiversity: The Intersection of Taste & Sustainability

We interviewed 45+ CEOs, execs, farmers and investors about the role biodiversity plays in our food industry. Read this week’s published responses from Crop Trust, General Mills, Impossible Foods, Kuli Kuli, Row 7 and Sir Kensington’s,

3. After Raising $125M, Munchery Fails to Deliver – TechCrunch

In May 2018, the company laid off 30% of its workforce after shutting down its Seattle, Los Angeles and New York operations.

4. The End of Plastic Cutlery, Plates and Straws: EU Market Says Goodbye to Single-Use Plastic Products – Forbes

In 2021 European citizens will say goodbye to plastic cutlery, plastic plates and plastic straws among other products.

5. Canopy Growth Corporation to Invest Up to $150M in New York Production Facility – Brewbound

The company plans to establish large scale production capabilities focused on hemp extraction and product manufacturing.

6. Big Food, Consumer Goods Firms Join TerraCycle’s Loop Waste-Free Shopping Platform – New York Times

Some of the world’s largest consumer goods and food and beverage companies have joined a new recycling initiative, to be launched this year, aimed at collecting used plastics bottles and other durable packaging from homes and re-using them.

7. The World’s Largest Packaged Food Company Will Ditch Single-Use Plastic – Fast Company

Nestlé will eliminate all single-serve plastic from its line and make all of its packaging recycling or reusable by 2025.

8. Canada Has Finally Killed the Four Food Groups – Vice

The new Food Guide makes lifestyle recommendations like cooking for yourself, reading labels, eating less processed foods, being more self-sufficient and sharing food traditions, across generations and cultures.

9. The Farmer’s Dog Raises $39M in the Largest Series B Round for a Pet Startup – Forbes

The subscription company makes fresh and personalized meals for dogs. Funding was led by Insight Venture Partners and will be used to further streamline its production process to continue scaling.

10. Bevi Lands $35M for Smarter Water Cooler That Gets to Know You – Xconomy

The Series C funding round was led by Bessemer Ventures. The company is hiring to boost its brand and put products into more offices. Hot drinks are on the company’s future roadmap.

11. UK: Just Eat Acquires Restaurant Software Platform Flyt for £22M – TechCrunch

Just Eat, the takeout marketplace and food delivery service, has acquired Flyt, a startup that offers software for restaurants and restaurant suppliers.

12. TemperPack Closes $22.5M Series B for Sustainable Packaging to Replace Styrofoam With No Competition, Slow Incumbents – AgFunder

Funding was led by Revolution Growth and will be used to roll out new machines to increase production.

13. Amazon’s Little Blue Delivery Robot Is Roaming Around the Seattle Suburbs – Fast Company

The company is testing a fleet of six autonomous delivery bots chaperoned by Amazon employees.

14. Women, Women of Color & Gender Non-Conforming Innovator Database

We created this open-source list to increase representation, support and investment in women, women of color & gender-nonconforming innovators in food. Join the list & help us spread the word using #womxninfood

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