Source: New York Post

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.

On Sunday, China’s customs authority suspended imports of poultry products from a plant owned by Tyson after the company confirmed a cluster of coronavirus cases. Meanwhile, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Cory Booker questioned how companies could warn of pandemic shortages while exporting record amounts of pork to China. Despite receiving orders from the Trump administration to remain open, 30 to 50 percent  employees were absent over fear of getting sick.

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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. China Suspends Imports of Poultry from Tyson Plant over Covid-19 – Reuters

The General Administration of Customs decided on the suspension after the company confirmed a cluster of coronavirus cases at the plant in Arkansas.

2. 2.2M Restaurants Worldwide Teeter on Brink of Collapse – Bloomberg

With demand plunging and costs piling up, these business owners talk about how they’re fighting to stay afloat.

3. Lawmakers Push for $120B in Aid for Restaurants Hit by Coronavirus – Wall Street Journal

The industry has lost millions of jobs as the pandemic forced shutdowns and restrictions on in-person dining.

4. The Problems With Palm Oil Don’t Start With My Recipes – Heated

Our ingredients do not all come from Whole Foods; they do not come with origin stories about founders trekking through far-off places to create a “more sustainable” trade. This is colonial language. Palm oil criticism is steeped precisely in this sentiment.

5. Brandless Is Back – Grocery Dive

Less than six months after going out of business, the online retailer is returning with new leadership that’s determined to correct its mistakes and finally deliver on its potential.

6. Warren and Booker Press Meatpackers on Exports to China – New York Times

Senators Elizabeth Warren and Cory Booker questioned how companies could warn of pandemic shortages while exporting record amounts of pork to China.

7. A Historic Reckoning with Race Leaves Problematic Food Brands without an Easy Path Forward – Food Dive

Remaking Aunt Jemima or Uncle Ben, with characters baked into brand identity, will require heavy investments. A pandemic-related windfall could help.

8. Restaurants Are at the Mercy of Delivery Apps, but Can they Survive the Pandemic Without Them? – Civil Eats

Just four delivery app companies control 98% of all restaurant sales, with sky-high commissions and fees. Restaurants that have shifted to delivery-only are seeking solutions.

9. France: Swile Raises $78.7M for Its Corporate Lunch Card and Benefits App – TechCrunch

Index Ventures is leading the round. The company plans to expand to gift cards, turning its card into an all-in-one payment solution.

10. SevenRooms Raises $50M Series B Round with Providence Strategic Growth – RestaurantNews

Providence Strategic Growth led the round. This latest funding aims to support SevenRooms’ continued global expansion.

11. Trudeau Just Announced a $100M Investment into Plant-Based Food in Canada – Narcity

Trudeau explained that the money would be going to Merit Functional Foods, a Canadian company that specializes in plant-based proteins.

12. Trudeau Just Announced a $100M Investment into Plant-Based Food in Canada – Narcity

Trudeau explained that the money would be going to Merit Functional Foods, a Canadian company that specializes in plant-based proteins.

13. Restaurants Across the Country Are Closing After Workers Test Positive for Covid-19 – Eater

As states begin to allow restaurants to reopen, service industry workers are again at high risk of catching and spreading the novel coronavirus.

14. Roundup Maker to Pay $10B to Settle Cancer Suits – New York Times

Bayer faced tens of thousands of claims linking the weedkiller to cases of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Some of the money is set aside for future cases.

15. Grocers Fall Short on Worker Protections – Grocery Dive

Oxfam is calling on grocers, who have continued to profit, to adopt new worker-focused strategies to protect employees and give them a voice.

16. An Intergenerational Juneteenth Gathering Shows How the Black Food Sovereignty Discussion has Shifted – Civil Eats

Nearly two dozen Black farmers, chefs and advocates came together last week to share stories of resistance, resilience and the fight for land access.

17. Millions of Americans Can’t Afford Water As Bills Rise 80% in a Decade – The Guardian

America’s growing water affordability crisis comes as Covid-19 underlines the importance of access to clean water. The research shows that rising bills are not just hurting the poorest but also, increasingly, working Americans.

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