Source: AgFunder

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.

A new report has detailed the female funding gaps in the Agri-FoodTech sector. Just 7% of agri-foodtech deals and 3% of the record-breaking volume of dollars invested in the sector 2018 went to female-founded teams.

Lifestyle brand and online retailer Food52 announced that The Chernin Group acquired a majority stake in the company for $83 million. A continued expansion into commerce and DTC brands propelled the deal.

Amazon is advancing plans to open a chain of US grocery stores in Los Angeles, Chicago and Philadelphia. It also announced plans to expand its cashierless technology to airports and movie theaters.

After years of public health warnings to reduce the consumption of red meat and processed meats, a remarkable turnabout concluded that the bedrock of all dietary guidelines is not backed by good scientific evidence. The news came as NYC public schools announced a ban on processed meat. Meanwhile, the growth in plant-based meat alternatives is coming into question on whether they can even uphold their health or sustainability claims when transportation and processing factors come into play.

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. Perception Is Reality: Data Reveal Gender Bias in Agri-FoodTech Investing – AgFunder

Female startup founders face more skepticism, loaded questioning, and smaller commitments from investors than their male counterparts. Just 7% of agri-foodtech deals and 3% of the record-breaking volume of dollars invested in the sector 2018 went to female-founded teams.

2. Food52, the Recipes & Cookware Site Founded by a Former New York Times Columnist, Is Gobbled Up – Vox

The Chernin Group is buying a majority stake in Amanda Hesser’s startup for $83m. The deal values F52 at more than $100m.

3. Amazon’s Grocery-Store Plan Moves Ahead With Los Angeles Leases – Wall Street Journal

Amazon is pushing ahead with a plan to open a chain of US grocery stores with early outposts in Los Angeles, Chicago and Philadelphia.

4. Amazon Is in Talks to Bring Its Cashierless Go Technology to Airports and Movie Theaters – CNBC

Amazon is in talks to bring Go to OTG’s CIBO Express stores at airports and Cineworld’s Regal theaters.

5. Indoor AgTech Landscape: 1,000+ Companies Innovating Inside – AgFunder

Since the Plenty funding in late 2017, we have seen a surge of funding for both sunless and greenhouse approaches. We have recently seen the walls come down between sunless and greenhouse approaches.

6. Trump Farm Secretary: No Guarantee Small Farms Will Survive – Associated Press

Sonny Perdue told Wisconsin farmers that he doesn’t know if the family dairy farm can survive as the industry moves toward a factory farm model.

7. Paine Shwartz Closes Latest Sustainable Food Chain Fund at $1.4B – Pensions & Investments

Paine Schwartz’s fifth food chain fund will invest in agribusiness and food businesses. Investors include the Texas Teacher Retirement System and Rhode Island State Investment Commission.

8. Eat Less Red Meat, Scientists Said. Now Some Believe That Was Bad Advice. – New York Times

The evidence is too weak to justify telling individuals to eat less beef and pork, according to new research.

9. New York City Public Schools Ban Processed Meats – Grub Street

Under Resolution 238, there will be no more bologna, salami, pepperoni or bacon. There’s no word yet on when the new ban will begin.

10. Moscow-Based Lab Produces First Sample of Russian Cultivated Meat – Forbes

The Ochakov Food Ingredients Plant (OKPI) grew a 40-gram sample at the cost of $14k.

11. Canopy Growth Readies for CBD Sports Products With BioSteel Deal – Bloomberg

Canopy Growth has acquired a majority stake in BioSteel Sports Nutrition as the marijuana company seeks to expand its product offering. Financial terms were undisclosed.

12. Bankrupt Lab-Testing Startup UBiome Plans to Shut Down, Liquidate – Wall Street Journal

After raising more than $80m and sparking federal investigation over its billing practices, the startup will convert from chapter 11 to chapter 7 bankruptcy.

13. Is the New Meat Any Better Than the Old Meat? – New York Times

The Impossible Whopper and other plant-based burgers are a hit. But are they an improvement for you and the planet?

14. Canada: Renewal Fund Eyes Earth-Friendly Food for Its C$145M Forth Fund – AgFunder

Favoring organic, waste-conscious companies over “health food” brands is how Renewal differentiates its food thesis from other investors in the food scene.

15. José Andrés Is Raising $50M to Take His Revolutionary Post-Disaster Food Operation to the Next Level – Fast Company

The chef’s organization World Central Kitchen, which provides locally cooked meals to survivors in disaster zones, is scaling up to provide even more meals across the globe.

16. Food Delivery Service DoorDash Says Data Breach Affects 4.9M – Bloomberg

The company announced Thursday that a security breach exposed the personal data of 4.9m customers, merchants and delivery workers. Exposed data may include partial bank account numbers.

17. 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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