What happened when these female-led companies labeled their products ‘women-owned’

In the wake of the #MeToo movement, the over-20-years-old women-owned certification now has its own logo—and research shows it might be boosting sales. The “certified women-owned” logo is now present on around 200 products, and additionally “makes a business eligible for supply-chain diversity programs under which big companies hire women- and minority-owned businesses.” The logo seems to positively impact consumer loyalty in several markets—one bath bomb company, for instance, regularly receives emails from consumers stating that they continue to buy a given product precisely because it supports women. Read more at Market Watch …

Are food co-ops still relevant in 2019?

While food co-ops were undoubtedly at the forefront of the organic, local and sustainable sourcing movements, many consumers still don’t understand the place of such businesses in today’s ever-evolving grocery world—and that’s only the small fraction that know what a food co-op is at all. Co-ops, however, tend to have small core groups of loyal consumers who appreciate cooperative principles and the fresh, local and organic fare available in these institutions; they are also incredibly important institutions for thousands of communities that would lack access to healthy, fresh food otherwise. Read more at On Milwaukee …

In-store mini farms could change how we eat

Compact farms in restaurants and groceries stores could soon distribute fresh produce on-site and at scale. 2017-founded company Smallhold “places proprietary mini-farms in restaurants and grocery stores, allowing subscribers to grow fresh produce in their aisles or kitchens and deliver it directly to customers.” These tiny farms are shrunk to about the size of a shelving unit and supercharge quality by allowing consumers to taste produce harvested minutes—as opposed to weeks—ago. Three New York City businesses (a Brooklyn Whole Foods, one Vietnamese restaurant and one Chinese restaurant) now own and operate Smallhold mushroom farms. Read more at CBS News …

Beyond Meat campaign stars investor and NBA star Kyrie Irving

Beyond Meat has gotten a ton of attention and investment from pro athletes—one being Kyrie Irving of the Boston Celtics, who stars in the company’s “first substantial paid media push” that was released on Wednesday. The 10-year-old company filed for an initial public offering in November and also recently debuted an updated logo in the shape of a superhero-like caped bull or steer. Read more at Adage …

Amazon warns Philly about proposed cashless store ban

Amazon has warned the city of Philadelphia that a proposed ban on cashless stores would hinder the company’s plans to open a brick-and-mortar location in the city. Last week, the Philadelphia City Council approved a bill arguing that cashless stores are inherently discriminatory toward low-income residents, who often do not have credit or debit cards. Amazon’s warning comes only a short period of time after the company stated it would be pulling plans to build its HQ2 site in New York City. Read more at The Seattle Times …