Coffee shops are already running out of America’s newest milk craze

Move aside, almond and coconut—oat milk just may be the next big alt milk. Baristas appreciate its light, creamy flavor, and that it works well for latte art. Oat milk producer Oatly Inc. says it plans to increase production by 50 percent this summer to keep up with demand. Plant-based milks are doing well at retail, too—sales of traditional milks are expected to fall 1.2 percent this year, while alternatives are expected to climb 3 percent. Pacific Foods also offers an oat product and has for 20 years, but the company says demand has surged recently. Read more at Bloomberg…

These loving parents went into debt to build a seaweed snack company that’s on track to do $10 million in sales this year

A mother’s quest to make a low-salt, healthy snack for her daughter led to the creation of SeaSnax. But first, co-founder Jin Jun and her husband had to max out their credit cards to manufacture and distribute their first batches. The company’s first account was a local Whole Foods store, and within a year the seaweed snacks were in 600 stores. Since then, SeaSnax has also launched new flavors plus seaweed flakes and chips and is on track to do $10 million in sales this year. “We won stores over with our story, ingredients and the authenticity of our brand and mission,” Jun said. “I hope that companies will invest in sustainable growth vs. hyper growth and continue to act responsibly and from the heart.” Read more at Entrepreneur…

Lucky’s Market plans burst of expansion

The Colorado-based chain said its store count would jump from 28 to 40 this year, with many of those new stores in Florida. Read more at Supermarket News…

Philadelphians drink less sugary soda, more water, after tax

The 1.5 cent-per-ounce tax on sugary drinks in Philadelphia has apparently had an impact on public opinion about such beverages. In a survey of residents of Philadelphia and three other cities without a beverage tax, Drexel University researchers found that people in Philadelphia were 40 percent less likely to report drinking sweetened beverages daily, but their consumption of bottled water increased after the tax. Read more at NPR…

How Instacart is ramping up its grocery strategy to fend off Amazon

It’s been a busy few months for grocery delivery company Instacart—in February it closed a $200 million funding round and acquired another delivery startup, Unata. It’s signed on clients like Kroger and Albertsons and built on its existing partnerships with grocers like Costco, in addition to tripling its member base last year. Read more at Fast Company…