Meal Kits Have the Economics Wrong, $373M+ Invested in Food Tech, DoorDash The Next Unicorn? + More

Every week we curate and deliver the latest food tech and innovation news, trends and research to our readers’ inboxes. Tracking the top technology and innovation happenings across agriculture, CPG, retail, restaurants, cooking and health, our newsletter is the absolute easiest way to stay on top of the emerging sector.

From $373 million being in food tech media startups in October to an economists take on why meal kit startups economics won’t work, these are last week’s top food tech news and innovation stories.

Like what you read? Feast your eyes on the full newsletter here, or, better yet, sign up for Food+Tech Bytes to get the latest and greatest food tech and innovation news delivered to your inbox every week.

_______________

1. Food Tech Media Startup Funding, M&A and Partnerships: October 2015 – Food + Tech Connect

In October, $373 million was invested across 18 food tech deals globally. October also saw two IPO’s with First Data’s $2.56 billion IPO and the merger of China’s Meituan and Dianping valued at $15B.

2. Meal Kit Startups Have The Economics All Wrong – Forbes

One economists take on the meal kit business model: incumbent grocery stores and restaurants have huge competitive advantages over startups in being the providers of meal kits. The problem startups should be solving is creating the platform for these providers.

3. DoorDash Could Be the Next Unicorn—Or a Sign of Disaster – Wired

Food delivery service DoorDash is the latest startup to be eying a valuation of more than $1 billion. The startup raised $40 million in March, and now it may soon raise another round of funding that would catapult the company into the “unicorn” club along with heavyweights like  Uber and Airbnb.

4. 10 Steps to Getting Into Whole Foods: #7 Crunching Numbers – Food + Tech Connect

Bandar Foods walks you through how to calculate the cost of bringing your specialty food product to market.

5. Nutrition, Wine, IoT, Big Data and Artificial Intelligence Come Together at Food Tech Accelerator – Sustainable Brands 

Reimagine Food’s second Prometheus accelerator is on the hunt for startups using emerging technologies to create a better food future.

6. Taste & Explore The Future Of Food At Our Holiday Bash – Food + Tech Connect

It’s been a whirlwind year for food innovation, and now it’s time to celebrate! Come taste and explore the future of food with our community of entrepreneurs, makers, investors, media, executives and more at our Holiday Bash. From cocktail bots and at-home aquaponics to edible insects and food holograms, this is going to be a party you won’t forget. Catch up with old friends, make new ones and get down and dirty with kick-ass startups disrupting the way we eat. We’ll have loads of nibbles, killer drinks, networking, surprises and, of course, holiday cheer.

7. IOrderFresh Plugs The Gap In Supply Chain by Getting Products From Farm to Kitchen Within 12 Hours – YourStory

Fresh produce and grocery mobile retail platform iOrderFresh delivers food and groceries to your doorstep across Delhi and Gurgaon, India within 12 hours. The startup does not keep any overnight inventories for fresh products and has only two delivery slots a day to ensure the freshest produce is being sent to consumers day after day.

8. Why Artisanal Food Makers Find It Hard to Digest Growth – WSJ 

Getting onto the shelves of large retail chains can be a burden as well as a blessing.

Sign up for Food+Tech Bytes and get the latest and greatest food tech and innovation news delivered to your inbox every week.