Bill Gates-backed vegan burger to launch new recipe in US supermarkets

Impossible Foods is updating its vegan Impossible Burger recipe for the first time since the famous "bloody" meat alternative's wildly successful launch in 2016; it will be rolling out the new product in grocery stores nationwide this year. While the original formula was best suited to the burger format, the new gluten-free iteration boasts versatility and can be used by consumers in place of ground beef in popular meat-heavy dishes such as meat balls, meatloaf, tacos and lasagnas. Read more at Live Kindly …

Promising for sustainability, refillable beauty packaging is a tough sell for consumers and retailers

The success of reusable packaging requires a partnership between companies, consumers and retailers, but those last two may not be ready to take the plunge into refillable beauty products. Why? A myriad of factors, including difficult-to-refill packaging, concerns regarding cleanliness and a lack of education. But the mounting consumer interest in sustainability has allowed more than a few brands with refillable packaging to succeed in the competitive beauty arena; read more about them in this article. Read more at Beauty Independent …

Meet the BreadBot, the most tasty-smelling robot overlord of the future

At this year’s Consumer Electronics Show, the Wilkinson Baking Company’s “BreadBot” caused quite a stir. The machine can produce 235 “perfect, golden loaves of bread” per day with barely any human input required. The machine can currently bake five different types of bread, including organic seeds and grains, organic whole wheat, conventional whole wheat and homestyle wheat. CEO Randall Wilkinson hopes to “attract consumers back to the store because it delivers fresh, delicious bread that is produced with theater and engagement,” as well as reinforce the emotional connection that fresh bread inherently has with consumers. Read more at Munchies …

This company converts food byproducts into new, healthy food

Renewal Mill is a public benefit corporation that transforms from food processing operations, such as tofu, into fiber-rich flour. CEO Claire Schlemme’s concept earned Renewal equity investment from Techstars Farm to Fork accelerator last summer, and in October secured the company a research and development partnership with Cargill. Renewal’s tofu by-product flour, called Okara, represents a whole new system by which companies can source ingredients sustainably.  Read more at Fast Company  ...

As a new congress takes office, it’s time to hit the pause button on Big Ag mergers

In an effort to protect and strengthen U.S. farmers, rural communities and the farm economy, several politicians are supporting a bill that will, if passed, halt big food and agriculture mergers and acquisitions for up to 18 months. The bill, which was proposed by New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, will hopefully stop integrators from conspiring to suppress grower wages as well as give representatives a forum to address antitrust complaints. Read more at Civil Eats  …