Packaging food with food to reduce waste

Less packaging, reusable packaging, compostable packaging—these are all strategies that companies are employing to address the amount of waste in the food system. But a handful of entrepreneurs and academics are working on turning everyday foods or food waste products into packaging materials. A team of USDA researchers, for example, developed a material from milk protein that can be used as a lining or coating. A design company in New York is working on mushroom-based molded packaging material. And that's just the start of it. Read more at New York Times...

A dairy operation reborn: From cows to cashews (and other nuts)

Milk producers have struggled in recent years in the face of a dip in consumer demand, and as a result some have turned to organic or shuttered. Queens-based Elmhurst Dairy, however, instead made a big pivot: After nine decades in the dairy business, it became Elmhurst Milked, maker of plant-based milks from almonds, cashews, hazelnuts and walnuts. Read more at Modern Farmer...

Moving beyond meatballs, IKEA wants to be an incubator for food innovation

The world's biggest furniture retailer is inviting startup companies to apply to spend three months in one of its labs with access to its prototype shop, a test lab and the expertise of its scientists. One of its key areas of focus for the incubator is food innovation. Read more at Quartz...

Natural food stores enjoy longevity, offer alternative options in Greater New Haven

Several Connecticut natural products retailers are celebrating milestone anniversaries, including Thyme & Season (20 years), New Morning Market (45 years), FoodWorks (25 years) and Edge of the Woods (40 years). Read more at New Haven Register...

Your coffee is from where? California?

It turns out that California's avocado trees provide perfect shade for coffee bushes. About two dozen growers in the state—faced with increased competition from Mexican imports and rising real estate costs—are part of what may be the first serious effort to commercialize coffee from the continental U.S. Read more at Las Vegas Sun...