Each day at 5 p.m. we collect the five top food and supplement headlines of the day, making it easy for you to catch up on today's most important natural products industry news.

March 2, 2020

2 Min Read
Plastic bags are one of the biggest polluters in the oceans.
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Beyond Meat board chairman enters food service with PLNT Burger inside Whole Foods

Consumers who like Beyond Meat products might be pleased to visit PLNT Burger when they are shopping at Whole Foods Market in Silver Springs, Maryland. Seth Goldman, chairman of Beyond Meat's board of directors, and Washington, D.C., restaurateur Spike Mendelsohn have teamed up to start the animal-free, quick-food stand there. It features organic ingredients and Beyond Meat products, including an oyster-mushroom-based Crispy Chik N' Funguy sandwich. Read more at The Washington Post

Environmental group sues large consumer goods companies over plastic waste they created

The Earth Island Institute has filed a lawsuit in California against Coco-Cola, Pepsi, Nestlé USA, Proctor & Gamble to seek damages for the damage that plastics have done to the environment, particularly in the oceans. The plaintiff also wants the companies to clean up the messes they've already made. Read more at the Los Angeles Times

Young farmers still struggle to secure land, but nonprofits are helping them out

Young adults trying to build successful farms might not have the community support or mentors that previous generations did, but nonprofits are stepping up to fill the void. Renewing the Countryside helps them find land and offers assistance from legal and financial advisers. Practical Farmers of Iowa is dedicated to helping farmers establish and sustain farms of all sizes and types. And the Upper Midwest Farmland Summit recently brought together farmers, nonprofits and experts together to learn from each other. Read more at Civil Eats

Can Black Rock's small team influence portfolio companies to really go green?

Investment firm BlackRock Inc. oversees $7 trillion of funds, and founder Laurence Fink wants them all to fight climate change. But the 47-member investment-stewardship team has a heavy workload—as many as 500 companies each, current and former team members told Bloomberg. A company representative said that estimate is not accurate. One analyst suggests that it's going to take time for Fink's resolution to take hold. Read more at Bloomberg

Mainstreaming of natural foods cuts at specialty grocers

As supermarkets and even discount grocers add natural and organic foods and expand their fresh offerings, specialty grocers are taking a hit. Whole Foods Market is cutting prices, while chains such as Earth Fare, Lucky's Market and Fairway Market have filed for bankruptcy. What's next for natural food retailers? Read more at The Wall Street Journal

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