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One place that gets a lot of attention these days when it comes to food tech initiatives is the United Arab Emirates. Like Singapore, the country is aggressively pursuing food and ag tech initiatives as a way to improve food security and quality within its own borders and in doing so become a more self-sufficient…
This is the web version of our newsletter. Sign up today to get updates on the rapidly changing nature of the food tech industry. As we’re fond of saying lately, last year’s pandemic-induced chaos accelerated the restaurant industry’s adoption of technology so much that about a decade’s worth of changes happened in the span of a couple…
McDonald’s will cut technology fees for its U.S. franchisees by 62 percent following a third-party review of of billing, according to a report from Bloomberg. The original $68 million was announced in December of 2020, when corporate said it would charge franchisees a $423-per-month fee to cover a lag in outstanding technology fees. Outrage ensued…
Vancouver, Canada-based startup Vegano launched an online vegan marketplace today that will function as an e-commerce grocery-delivery storefront for plant-based food items. For now, the service operates in the Metro Vancouver area as well as Squamish and Whistler. The company said it plans to expand to Toronto and Montreal by the end of this year…
NYC-based indoor ag company Farm.One cut the ribbon on its new urban vertical farm recently, this one located in Brooklyn, New York. According to the Brooklyn Reader, the 10,000-square-foot facility and will start planting seeds in the coming weeks. The Brooklyn farm is the company’s second large-scale farm, following its existing one in Manhattan’s Tribeca neighborhood.…
Eat Just is reportedly targeting Q4 2021 or early 2022 for its IPO, which currently has a valuation of $3 billion, according to an Eat Just investor. Forbes was first to break the news after one of its contributors spoke to an anonymous investor in the company. To date, Eat Just has raised $440 million,…
Netherlands-based Wageningen University is holding the third edition of its Autonomous Greenhouse Challenge, where international teams compete to grow crops in greenhouses using AI and automation. A first and second edition of the challenge grew cucumbers and tomatoes, respectively. For both of those crops, a level of autonomy was involved, though human intervention was still…
Virtual food hall Local Kitchens has raised $25 million in Series A funding roughly one year after launching. The round was led by General Catalyst with participation from existing investors Human Capital and Pear VC. New investors Fifth Wall and Penny Jar Capital also participated. Local Kitchens says this round brings its total funding to…
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Google launched its new Find Food Support website today, which aims to connect people struggling with food insecurity to resources like food banks, school lunch programs, and food pantries. Google said in a blog post that it worked with No Kid Hungry, FoodFinder, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to capture data on food assistance programs…
Social media has been under scrutiny in the past few years for its potential negative effect on mental health and overall well being. Today, a new social media app launched with the aim of being a positive space for users to connect and share their love of food. The app is called Recon Food, and…
Italian-American mobility company Helbiz announced today it is launching its own ghost kitchen/food delivery/virtual restaurant business called Helbiz Kitchens. The concept will initially be available to customers in Milan, Italy, with plans to open additional locations in the U.S. and Italy in the future. Helbiz’ main service is operating fleets of e-scooters, e-bikes, and e-mopeds…
In collaboration with TechTable and Culterra Capital, we are pleased to share an updated 2021 Restaurant Tech Ecosystem map, sponsored by Back of House, a community of restaurateurs to find and share top-reviewed tech solutions. Download the map here. It is an understatement to say that the restaurant industry went through a massive shift since…