Source: New York Times

Every week we track the business, tech and investment trends in CPG, retail, restaurants, agriculture, cooking and health, so you don’t have to. Here are some of this week’s top headlines.

The meat and alternative meat industry continues to dominate headlines. In the biggest growth projection yet, a new report is estimating that the plant-based meat market will balloon to $8.3 billion by 2025 – a 93% growth from this year. Just Eat has made the first ever commercial sale of cultured meat after receiving regulatory approval in Singapore. The first GM pigs have been approved by the FDA for human consumption.

In restaurant news, Cuomo’s decision to halt indoor dining in New York City has caused a wave of permanent closures. Restaurant owners are pushing back against the ban. Sweetgreen plans to launch a pilot drive in location in Colorado next year.

Last but not least, Biden’s appointment of Tom Vilsack to lead the USDA has sparked broad backlash. Civil Eats has put together a list of recommendations lead the USDA in a bold new direction.

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Check out our weekly round-up of last week’s top food startup, tech and innovation news below or peruse the full newsletter here.

1. Eat Just Makes First-Ever Commercial Sale of Cultured Meat in Singapore – Green Queen

The restaurant, 1880, will be launching Eat Just’s cultivated chicken on December 19. The first diners will be aged between 14 to 18.

2. Plant-Based Meat Market to Face ‘Biggest Growth to Date’ As Industry Set to Hit $8.3B By 2025 – Plant Based News

The global market for plant-based meat alternatives will hit $4.3b this year and grow 93% to $8.3b by 2025. Government initiatives and significant investment are key drivers for growth.

3. FDA Approves Its First GM Pig for Consumption, Potentially Safe for Red Meat Allergy Sufferers – The Counter

Critics say the agency failed to adequately scrutinize whether the pork will cause allergic reactions, or the environmental consequences of a GM pig escape. The approval is Revivicor’s first step towards developing pig-based organs for human heart and kidney transplants.

4. Op-ed: Dear Secretary of Agriculture, This Is Your Chance – Civil Eats

Giving farmers a climate migration blueprint, breaking up agribusiness monopolies, reforming farm support programs are some ways that Vilsack could lead the USDA in a bold new direction. Here are 10 ways to begin.

5. Sweetgreen Will Pilot a Drive-In Restaurant As Part of Suburban Push – CNBC

The drive-in restaurant will open next winter in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. It will require customers to order ahead on its app.

6. Introducing The Reimagining Food Retail Conversation Series

We’re partnering with S2G Ventures to host a series of conversations exploring how we might reimagine retail. Our goal is to create a space for stakeholders from farm to fork to come together to discuss how we might fundamentally reimagine food retail to make it more resilient, equitable, accessible, diverse, delicious, healthful and climate smart future.

7. Biden’s Choice to Lead USDA Is Sparking a Broad Backlash. Here’s Why. – The Counter

The Counter’s look at Tom Vilsack’s two terms under Obama, his four years as a lobbyist, and why so many feel betrayed by the nomination.

8. In Light of New Data, Some NYC Restaurateurs Express Consternation at Indoor Dining Ban – Eater

Restaurants and bars accounted for 1.4% Covid-19 cases recorded in the last three months, prompting some restaurateurs to push back against the ban. By comparison, private and social gatherings accounted for nearly 74% between September and November.

9. Many New York City Restaurants See Halt of Indoor Dining as Death Blow – Wall Street Journal

The city’s thousands of dining and drinking establishments face a brutal outcome, with numerous ones having to shut for good.

10. Consumer Trends 2021 – The New Consumer

Topics include the shift to online grocery (and what it means), unbundling the shopping cart, what Millennials and Gen Z prefer about 2020 living, and why DTC is here to stay.

11. Documents Show Scope of Covid-19 in North Carolina Meat Industry – The Fern

At the height of the first wave, the number of positive cases at 10 plants was 75% higher than reported publicly.

12. Goldman, Tencent-Backed Missfresh Banks $306M from Chinese State-Linked Funds – AgFunder

Qingdao Gouxin, Qingdao Municipality Guidance Fund and Sunshine Venture Capital led the round. Part of funding will be spent on the construction of a new “intelligent supply chain center.”

13. Gatik’s Autonomous Middle-Mile Trucks to Go Full Driverless for Walmart – The Spoon

The limited autonomous scope of middle mile delivery made it easier to gain regulatory approval necessary for humanless driving. The pilot will take place in Arkansas.

14. Can Organic Farming Solve the Climate Crisis? – Civil Eats

With regenerative agriculture gaining traction, the organic industry is positioning itself as leading the way on carbon sequestration. The research is promising—but inconclusive.

15. California Water Futures Begin Trading Amid Fear of Scarcity – Bloomberg

Wall Street has begun trading water as a commodity on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange this week with $1.1b in contracts tied to water prices in California.

16. Food & Ag Anti-Racism Resources + Black Food & Farm Businesses to Support

Check out our list of resources to learn about systemic racism in the food and agriculture industries. We also highlight Black food and farm businesses and organizations to support.

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