Source: Whole Foods Market

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.

This week, Whole Foods Market’s global buyers and experts revealed the most anticipated and innovative food trends for 2020. Regenerative agriculture, West African foods and meat-plant blends are among the food influences expected to take off in the next year.

Plant-based meat makers continue expand head-to-head with news of Beyond Meat’s nationwide roll out at Dunkin’ and Impossible Foods’ application filing its heme for approval in Europe. Morningstar Farm’s plant-based “Incogmeato” has launched as a pizza topping at Pizza Hut for one day only. The chain will be serving it a compostable round box.

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. 10 Food Trends Whole Foods Market Says Will Rock 2020 – New Hope Network

The natural retailer predicts less meat on consumers’ plates, less booze in their cups along, and eight other trends to watch.

2. Impossible Foods Seeks to Sell Plant-Based Burgers in Europe – Bloomberg

The company has filed an application with an EU food safety watchdog to seek approval for heme.

3. Beyond Meat’s Sausage Sandwich to Land in 9K US Dunkin’ Stores – Bloomberg

The nationwide launch follows a successful trial run in Manhattan’s 163 locations over the past three months.

4. Pizza Hut Is Testing Plant-Based ‘Incogmeato’ Sausage Toppings and Round Boxes – The Verge

The Garden Specialty Pizza is topped with MorningStar Farm’s “Incogmeato” Italian Sausage, available one day only in one Phoenix location. The new packaging is compostable.

5. The Present and Future of Food Tech Investment Opportunity – TechCrunch

A record $1.71t was spent on food and beverages in 2018 at grocery stores and other retailers in the US alone. In the same year, 9.7% of disposable personal income was spent on food — 5% at home and 4.7% away from home.

6. Harvard Researchers Grew Meat in a Lab from Cow and Rabbit Cells. It Looks a Lot Like the Real Thing – CNN

Researchers successfully grew cow and rabbit meat from an edible gelatin base for the first time, using a process similar to making cotton candy. They successfully created a substance that mimicked the texture of natural meat.

7. Israel: Fabric Raises $110M Series B to Expand Its Network of Automated Fulfillment Centers in the US – TechCrunch

The round was led by Corner Ventures, bringing total funding to $136m. The startup plans to expand its platform model into at least one other US city next year and grow its commercial, operations and tech support teams.

8. UK: Just Eat Rejects $6B Buyout Bid from Prosus – PYMNTS

This is the third time Just Eat rejected a takeover bid from Prosus, the South African investment arm of Naspers. The previous two bids were made privately.

9. By 2025, 43M Children Under the Age of Five Will Be Overweight – New Food Economy

A new UNICEF report highlights dietary challenges facing children around the world. A key takeaway? Industrial ag and climate change are compounding malnutrition.

10. FDA Warning Letters Shed Light on Enforcement Priorities for CBD-Infused Food – Food Dive

The FDA objected to a variety of specific claims — including anxiety, pain, arthritis and cancer —​ for CBD-infused products in its warning letters. Lawyers Allison Fulton and Sarah Blitz weigh in.

11. Why Discount Stores Are One of the Fastest Growing Retail Sectors – ModernRetail

Discount retailers like Dollar General are expected to grow an annual rate of 5.2% through 2024. Meanwhile, food discount stores like Lidl are expected to grow at 4.9%, while supermarkets are forecast at 4.4%.

12. For Young Farmers, Hemp Is a ‘Gateway Crop’ – Civil Eats

After the recent legalization of hemp production, new and beginning farmers are following the green rush, though obstacles abound.

13. 2018 U.S. Food & Beverage Startup Investment Report

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.  Check out the report for a deep dive into the investor and investment trends. We also share a complete list of deals and acquisitions.

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