Amazon Go Expands to NYC, Vegan Incubator to Launch in Berlin + More

Source: KUOW

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.

News of two new cashierless stores in New York were announced this week. Amazon has confirmed plans to open an Amazon Go store in New York City. No timetable or details on the store and its location were disclosed. Cult brand Dirty Lemon has just opened its text-based Drug Store in Tribeca. The store will put the company’s health-conscious drinks more within reach for New York customers and help raise awareness of the trendy brand beyond social media and the internet.

An incubator for vegan startups, called ProVeg, is slated to launch in Germany. FoodShot Global has launched a $10 million fund to get innovative startups to aim for the moon.

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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2. Amazon’s Cashier-Free Go Store Is Coming to NYC – TechCrunch

The New York store will be Amazon’s first outside of its native Seattle. The launch date is yet to be disclosed.

3. Germany’s ProVeg International Launches Incubator for Vegan Startups – LIVEKINDLY

The incubator hopes to foster food concepts that go beyond vegan mainstays. It aims to launch in November.

4. Hershey’s to Add Pirate’s Booty to Snack Portfolio – NOSH

Hershey’s has acquired Pirate Brands business from B&G foods for $420m. The purchase is a move further affield from confection and deeper into the snack aisle.

5. FoodShot Global Launches Fund to Land Food Moonshots – The Spoon

The investment platform is a consortium of venture funds, banks, corporations, universities and foundations with a $10m fund that will invest in innovative businesses. It is also awarding $500k in philanthropic capital every year to researchers, social entrepreneurs and advocates.

6. Ripe.io And Its ‘Blockchain of Food’ Secures $2.4M In Funding – Forbes

Investors included Maersk Growth and Relish Works. With partners like Maersk now on board, Ripe.io is looking to take its blockchain of food global.

7. Paying Is Voluntary at This Selfie-Friendly Store – New York Times

Drug Store, a new health-drink outlet in New York by cult brand Dirty Lemon, is betting that customers will pay by text message after grabbing a bottle.

8. West~bourne’s Camilla Marcus on Her Failure to Launch [VIDEO]

West~bourne founder Camilla Marcus joined us at our Fail Friday this past June to share her stories of failure and lessons learned.

9. Spyce Cooks Up $21M as Investors Continue Rush to Robots – The Spoon

The investment was led by Collaborative Fund and Maveron, with participation from Khosla Ventures, Chef Thomas Keller, Daniel Boulud and others. Funding will be used to open restaurants on the East Coast and to further develop its robotic culinary platform.

10. India: Meat Startup Licious to Raise Up to $30M – Livemint

One of the new investors the company is talking to is Bertelsmann India Investments. The startup delivers fresh meat to consumers.

11. China’s Top Hotpot Chain Attracts Hillhouse to $963M IPO – Bloomberg

Haidilao’s restaurants are known for serving spicy broths and providing attentive customer service, which includes free manicures, shoulder massages and dance performances.

12. China’s ‘Amazon for Services’ Confirms IPO Plans, Despite a Tech Slump – Fortune

Meituan Dianping has confirmed it is seeking a $55b valuation from a Hong Kong IPO.

13. Singapore: Umitron Increases Seed Funding Round for Aquaculture Automation Tech to $11M – AgFunder

The Innovation Network Corporation of Japan invested alongside D4V (Design for Ventures), with participation of Mirai Creation Fund and angel investors. The startup uses satellite imagery, IoT and automation to increase the efficiency of offshore aquaculture.

14. After Announcing Layoffs, A Meat Processor Is Suing Blue Apron Over $26M – BuzzFeed News

West Liberty Foods is suing Blue Apron, claiming the company reneged on its promise to pay for half of the costs pertaining to a joint free-range chicken venture.

15. GV Leads $60M Series C for Benson Hill Biosystems to Focus on Health and Nutrition
– AgFunder

Other new investors joining the round include Activant Capital, Collaborative Fund and Tao Capital Partners. BHB will use the proceeds to continue to develop the platform with a focus on expanding its capabilities further into the nutrition and health profile of crops.

16. House Farm Bill Would Cut Millions from Food Stamp Rolls – Food Dive

Two million low-income Americans receiving SNAP benefits would lose eligibility under the US House’s proposed Agriculture Improvement Act. Those most likely to be affected are seniors, families with children and households that include a person with a disability.

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