Walmart shows how to compete against Amazon
Walmart's steady growth has continued this last fiscal quarter with the momentum largely coming from its thriving grocery strategy. Amazon's aim in grocery seems "increasingly incoherent," with uneasily coexisting components such as Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods and its newest grocery venture slated for 2020. Read more at The Washington Post…
Berkeley company makes meat out of thin air
First came air-based protein from companies such as Finland-based Solar Foods, and now microbial fermentation has reached a new height: air-based meat. Air Protein created the first air-based meat ever last month using a technology that relies on microbes to produce a flavorless powder that can then be reconstituted into familiar foods. The company is in the process of uncovering more functional proteins and flavoring molecules that could eventually replace meat products. Read more at The San Francisco Chronicle…
Virtual Kitchen Co. is getting $15M investment for its growing ghost kitchen network
Ghost kitchens are forecast to multiply exponentially in 2020 as a result of the booming food delivery market, but the space is becoming increasingly saturated with new players. One of these businesses, Virtual Kitchen Co. is set to announce a $15 million investment round according to Bloomberg; the company was co-founded by Matt Sawchuck, who oversaw Uber's Uber Eats division. Read more at The Spoon…
Activists protest USDA changes that threaten free school lunch
A proposed rule change by the Trump administration would eliminate SNAP benefits for over 3 million people, meaning nearly 1 million children could lose access to free school lunches. As a result, this week a few dozen activists staged a "lunch in" in D.C. that delivered petitions with over 1.5 million signatures asking the U.S. Department of Agriculture asking the department to reject the rule change. Read more at NPR…
The future of clean beauty: Here are the 8 biggest trends for 2020
Clean beauty is the future, but several notable trends in the category will likely become mainstream in 2020. These include more refillable personal care options, more bold colors among clean cosmetic brands and a rise in sustainable ingredient use such as seaweed. Read more at Mind Body Green…
