Q1 2018: The state of food tech

Already, 2018 has seen some massive investments in food tech, from Perfect Day to Israeli company SuperMeat to pea milk startup Ripple. Meanwhile, Anterra Capital added $200 million to its first fund to become the largest single dedicated agtech fund, and Tyson launched its own plant-based brand. Here, New Crop Capital provides a rundown of the latest happenings in the “clean meat” and plant-based space. Read more at Medium…

Whole Foods grocery delivery expands, now live in 10 markets

Whole Foods Market and Amazon customers in three more cities now have access to free, two-hour grocery delivery through Prime Now: Denver, Sacramento and San Diego. It also recently expanded to Atlanta, San Francisco and L.A. Prime Now partners with other natural and organic stores, too, including Fresh Thyme, New Seasons Market, Sprouts and others. Read more at Tech Crunch…

Kraft Heinz is partnering with Momofuku to stay relevant

One of the first beneficiaries of the big food company’s new incubator program, Springboard, is celebrity chef David Chang. Their partnership will bring Chang's line of Korean chili sauces—which have been served in Momofuku Noodle Bar locations and a handful of New York Whole Foods Market stores—national for the first time. But it could also help bring buzz to struggling Kraft Heinz. Read more at Bloomberg Pursuits…

New Leaf Market needs $400K or will end De Pere organic grocery co-op efforts

Plans nearly a decade in the making to open a co-op in the Green Bay area are in jeopardy. The board of the would-be New Leaf Market Co-op said it needs to raise an additional $400,000 to qualify for a bank loan for the $5 million project. It has accrued a membership of about 1,000 families and individuals. Read more at Green Bay Press Gazette…

Why food merch is having a fashion moment

The food and restaurant industry is catching onto the fashion industry’s obsession with branding, and increasingly, that's manifesting in new apparel and merchandise. Dunkin Donuts teamed up with running shoe brand Saucony earlier this year, for example, on a donut-inspired sneaker that sold out in three days. Salad chain Sweetgreen has recently collaborated with apparel company Deer Dana on a T-shirt, and KFC’s recent line of clothing was deemed “not terrible” by Esquire. Read more at Fashionista...