FoodBytes! Blog
Disrupt the Disruption: Six Structural Shifts for Food & Ag from the Pandemic
Rabobank’s Anne Greven and Tejal Mody share insights across the food & ag industry
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Clean Label, Sustainable Packaging Alternatives & Aging Population-Focused Startups Wanted for FoodBytes! Pilot
Startups interested in collaborating with MLA should apply by this Friday, August 28.
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A Case for Cross-Industry Collaboration
At Rabobank, we believe collaboration is essential to a thriving food and agriculture industry that can feed the planet sustainably while creating long-term business value. Startups are driving innovations with the potential to shape the future of food, yet impact...
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FoodBytes! Trend Report: The New Normal for the Food System in the Wake of Covid-19
FoodBytes! releases its Q2 Trend Report for the food & ag industry.
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Startup Funding in a New Normal: A Rebounding Food & Ag Investment Landscape
If there was a time when the world collectively felt as if the worst of the pandemic may be soon behind us and we could begin to consider a return to a semblance of normalcy, the surge in new cases in the United States and globally has made us rethink that outlook....
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FoodBytes! Webinar Schedule
Don’t miss our upcoming FoodBytes! webinars.
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Taking Action Toward Equity in the Food Industry
FoodBytes! startup CEOs share unique perspectives for taking action toward equity in the food industry.
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How Crisis is Transforming Leadership for A More Resilient Future
F&A leaders share powerful insight into leading through change, from pandemics to racial injustice.
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Funding Startups in the Current Market
COVID-19 has altered the landscape for food and ag startups seeking capital. Investors and entrepreneurs discuss how startups can navigate this new situation.
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Cranney Farms, Imperfect Foods, Dole and Rabobank on Rethinking Produce Supply
How food and agriculture businesses are finding ways to redirect produce to consumers, retailers and relief organizations.
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Big Changes at FoodBytes!: Announcing Updated Programs Pitch & Pilot
Learn about our efforts to build a holistic innovation offering
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Industry Thought Leaders Share Key Takeaways on Pivoting for the New Economy
Industry thought leaders share key takeaways on pivoting for the new economy
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FoodBytes! Webinar Recap: The Fast Pivot
How companies can pivot fast in the face of Coronavirus to fortify their business.
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FoodBytes! Trend Report: The Impact of Coronavirus on the Food & Ag Supply Chain
We examine six opportunity areas that could drive change in a new economy marked by resource constraints and shifting consumer demand.
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FoodBytes! Webinar: The impact of Covid-19 on Food & Ag companies
FoodBytes! community experts discuss the current, immediate impact of Covid-19 on the consumer and his preferences and also looke into the future.
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#StayAtHome: Supporting Small Businesses During the Coronavirus Pandemic
Let's come together to support startups during this extraordinarily challenging time. Below we share where you can purchase products online from FoodBytes! alumni. Please check their respective websites for the most up-to-date offerings. If you are an alumni who would...
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FoodBytes! Coronavirus Startup Stimulus Webinar: Unpacking the CARES Act & PPP
Our FoodBytes! partners unpack the startup stimulus bills, including the CARES Act and PPP Program
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FoodBytes! Webinar: RaboResearch Analysts Share Sector Analyses amid Covid-19 Crisis
The analysts of RaboResearch share their macro sector analyses amid the Coronavirus crisis.
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Coronavirus: Investor Outlooks in the F&A Industry
Part 2: We talk to our community of investors to hear the challenges and opportunities they’re seeing in the F&A landscape
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FoodBytes! Webinar: Leading Investors Share Fundraising Outlook amid Covid-19 Crisis
Watch our webinar or read the key takeaways from our FoodBytes! community of investors on their outlook of the current F&A landscape
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Coronavirus Challenges & Opportunities in the F&A Industry
Part 1: We talk to our community of startups to hear the challenges amid Coronavirus and the ways they’re quickly adjusting
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FoodBytes! Updates amid Coronavirus
Read our FoodBytes! updates due to the coronvirus outbreak, plus learn about our plans to build a digital food industry coalition.
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Smart PR for Bootstrapped Startups
When you lack time and resources, these thoughtful and sharp tips from FoodBytes! publicity experts Kat Vanda and Mel Rawlings will help you craft a smart PR strategy.
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FoodBytes! Year in Review
Take a look at the innovations we saw through the FoodBytes! platform that shaped F&A in 2019 and what we’re tracking in 2020.
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Fostering collaborative innovation in Food & Ag: a recap of FoodBytes! London
Read about how FoodBytes! facilitates collaboration to foster innovation in the F&A industry.
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Driving Change in the Global Food System: FoodBytes! London
See which FoodBytes! London startups are leading the way in innovation, showcasing solutions in plant-based nutrition, data-driven farming and more.
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How FoodBytes! Chicago is Shaping the Industry
Read about some of the industry connections facilitated at FoodBytes! Chicago that are shaping the future of the F&A industry.
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FoodBytes! 101: How to keep startup legal advice simple, strategic and stress-free
Dan Saunders of Watson, Farley and Williams shares advicefor startups seeking strategic legal counsel, or simply looking for a baseline of legal knowledge.
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Alumni in the Wild: LocalCoho Tackles Final Protein Frontier, Bringing Sustainable Salmon to the Masses
FoodBytes! alum and Chicago winner Daphne Mazarakis is building a startup that’s disrupting the final frontier of food – sustainable, affordable seafood.
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FoodBytes! Alumni News Roundup
TIPA closes $25M in growth financing round, Imperfect Produce expands to new markets, Shameless Pets wins pet-focused startup competition and more
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FoodBytes! Trend Dive: AgTech Innovation
What are the latest innovations in AgTech, and who is at the forefront? Dive in as we highlight startups creating novel farming systems to agribusiness marketplaces, biotech and more.
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Explore FoodBytes! Chicago Startup Innovation Trends via 7 Infographics
FoodBytes! journeys to Chicago, the U.S. food heartland
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Startup Fundraising Advice: Flex Deadlines, Build Community, Embrace Vulnerability
Our community of industry experts share their top tips on startup fundraising at the FoodBytes! finance panel in San Francisco
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May & June FoodBytes! Alumni News Roundup
Intello Labs receives $2M in funding, ViroVet developing antivirals for ASF, compostable packaging startups Corumat and TIPA continue to trend
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FoodBytes! Trend Dive: The New Faces of Alternative Protein
We look at the rising trend of alternative protein innovation and the FoodBytes! alumni at the forefront, from plant-based, lab grown, hybridized, and more.
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Alumni in the Wild: MycoTech Takes on Mushrooming Alternative Protein Market
FoodBytes! alum MycoTechnology’s Anthony Clark on transforming the modest mushroom into a disruptor taking the alternative protein market by storm.
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Brand Building Blocks: The Power of Your Audience & Values
Learn how the power of your audience and brand values can lead to a successful brand foundation
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Meet 5 FoodBytes! Alumni Turning Food Waste Problems Into Profitable Solutions
From novel expiry date labels, to restaurant waste scales, to animal feed made from from food waste, learn how FoodBytes! alumni Afresh, Winnow, Mimica, Wasteless and Biokind are tackling one of the most pressing environmental challenges head on.
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April FoodBytes! Alumni News Roundup
Read up on the FoodBytes! alum in the news for the month of April, including FoodBytes! SF winners Shaka Tea, Bushel, and Toast Ale, fundraising news from Augean Robotics, and more mushroom buzz for Myco Technology.
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February + March FoodBytes! Alumni News Roundup
February and March brought continued press for our FoodBytes! alumni and a plethora of fundraising, including MycoTech’s $30M series C investment, Renewal Mill's $2.5M seed round investment, Kuli Kuli’s $5M series B round and more. Food Tech: Food waste continues to...
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FoodBytes! SF Trend Watch: Circular Food Economy, Alternative Protein 2.0, Diversified Superfoods + More
FoodBytes! by Rabobank held its 15th edition in San Francisco yesterday, and 15 new innovators joined the alumni ranks, a community of 265 startups and counting Recognized for their positive impact on the food value chain, Bushel, Shaka Tea, and Toast Ale won awards...
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FoodBytes! NYC Trends: Farmer-First Tech, Waste Prevention, Plant-Based Proliferation + More
From functional beverages to waste prevention technologies, deep dive into the startup innovation trends from FoodBytes! NYC 2018, plus grab your tickets to join us in SF on March 28.
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Alumni in the Wild: Smallhold Pioneers Distributed Farming, Starting with Mushrooms
We chat with the team about their “works of agricultural art,” democratizing urban farming and how agtech innovations can and should resonate with consumers.
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December / January FoodBytes! Alumni News Roundup
SomaDetect named potential billion dollar breakout, Pulp Pantry recognized as upcycling pioneer, Doux Matok leads sugar revolution and more.
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Why Startups Should Consider Venture Debt
Gigi Lee Chang of BFY Capital talks venture debt and the upsides for startups, including the ability to retain full control.
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Anterra Capital’s Adam Anders Urges Startups to Capitalize on Gaps in the F&A Value Chain
A leading F&A VC on what startups should do to stand out, plus his take on the strengths and opportunities in the EU food innovation landscape.
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Sir Kensington’s Scott Norton Shares Lessons from Ketchup Reinvention to Acquisition
Scott Norton on why mission really matters, why there’s no perfect formula for food startup acquisition, plus the consumer trends he’s watching closely.
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November FoodBytes! Alumni News Roundup
The Honest Stand raises $1.2M, Remedy Organics joins PepsiCo’s Nutrition Greenhouse Program, Pheronym wins prestigious F&A Award + more
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Rabobank’s F&A Innovation Fund Targets Clean Meat, Packaging, Sustainable Ag + More
Rabo’s F&A Innovation Fund director Richard O’Gorman on how startups can navigate the investor landscape in search of a partnership that offers more than just financing.
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October FoodBytes! Alumni News Roundup
Imperfect Produce raises $30M from Kevin Durant, Rabobank’s Frontier Ventures invests in Produce Pay, RISE launches in gender-neutral retailer Phluid Project.
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Creative Alignments Revolutionizes Food Startup Recruiting, Helps Catapult HaloTop & RXBAR
Creative Alignments chats with us about time-based recruiting, food startup hiring trends, the importance of brand in team building + more.
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Sept FoodBytes! Alumni News Roundup: Farmer’s Fridge & ReGrained Funding News + More
Farmer’s Fridge closes $30M Series C, ReGrained raises $2.5M round led by Griffith Foods, and other FoodBytes! alumni news.
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Nadav Berger on the Future of Sustainable Food Tech & Overcoming Startup “Death Valley”
Investor Nadav Berger shares his tips for overcoming common food tech startup challenges and the industry trends he’s most interested in.
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At Dairy Crest, Conservation & Innovation are a Winning Combination
FoodBytes! London supporting sponsor Dairy Crest on partnering with the local dairy farming community, prebiotic innovation, sustainable packaging and more.
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Food Tech VC Severine Balick Shares Magic Equation for Startup Success
Matador Ventures founder and FoodBytes! London judge Severine Balick chats food tech fundraising tips, supporting female founders, regenerative agriculture + more.
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Introducing: Monthly FoodBytes! Alumni News Roundup
Cookitoo takes on Uber, vote for True Made Foods for Sam Adams small business award, New Wave Foods pioneers clean meat revolution and other FoodBytes! alumni news.
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Why a Fortune 500 company is empowering farmers to embrace sustainable agriculture
New FoodBytes! Official Sponsor Land O’Lakes SUSTAIN on working with sustainability-focused startups, the biggest innovation opportunity in agriculture and more.
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FoodBytes! Montreal: Cleaner Consumption, Artificially Intelligent Farming and Cooking & More
Learn more about the disruptive startups that pitched and the trends we saw on stage.
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Avoiding common food startup pitfalls
Hone your pitch, know your numbers and scale responsibly, says Mike Bouchard of Rabaska Partners.
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How to ‘trend’scend as a startup
Nick Fereday brings an invaluable perspective to the FoodBytes! table, offering over a decade of insight and knowledge on what makes consumers tick and how that drives trends.
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At FoodBytes!…a lesson learned, is a lesson shared
Nom Noms World Food founder Lisa Sohanpal is a busy woman. She’s an inspired entrepreneur, mother of three culinary aficionados and one of our rockstar FoodBytes! Alumni.
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Even mentors are feeding off the FoodBytes! buzz
We’re always proud of what we do at FoodBytes! but when the Go-To-Market Guru, Elliot Begoun from The Intertwine Group, uses words like exciting, invigorating and creative to describe your mentorship program, and talks about feeling like a proud parent, it gives us an extra special glow.
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Everything you need to know about ‘Thought For Food 2018’
The global movement, Thought For Food, is one of the most motivated and impactful organisations on the food frontier. They also happen to be a good friend of FoodBytes! so we asked them a few questions to help our family get to know them a little better.
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FoodBytes! Montreal Winners Save Bees, Fish and Maple Trees
SmartCatch, Nectar and SAP! Beverages win top awards at leading food pitch competition
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Startup Advice from FoodBytes! Mentor Elliot Begoun: Velocity Over Distribution, Customer Empathy Wins + More
“There is too much focus on getting on the shelf and not enough on getting into the consumers’ carts”. Learn more about his unique approach to velocity and distribution, plus why he believes food entrepreneurs are key to building a sustainable food future.
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Justin’s Founder Justin Gold on Why Pitching is Key to Food Startup Success
FoodBytes! San Francisco judge and founder of Justin’s, Justin Gold offers entrepreneurs a key piece of advice – get out there and pitch as often as you can. FoodBytes! gives entrepreneurs a platform to not only pitch to investors, but to pitch to people who can help...
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Leaps of Faith: How Can Tech Improve Our Food Systems?
The stairs had writing on them. “A Compass for the 21st Century Food System,” read one step. “The most innovative food tech event ever,” said another. The landing opened to a room full of young companies buzzing with possibility.
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Compass Group Looks for Startup Partners to Shape the Future of Foodservice
First-time FoodBytes! supporting sponsor, Compass Group USA’s Susie Weintraub, Executive VP of Business Excellence, shares a bit about how Compass Group currently works with startups and how they’d like to engage with pitch companies in San Francisco and how the future of food service may require ideas, talent and partnerships from outside their organization.
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FoodBytes! SF Prizes: Branding & Legal Consulting, Innovation Experiences + More
The FoodBytes! San Francisco pitch companies are in the running to win three awards – prizes include branding and legal consulting services, innovation tours and the opportunity to pitch at Rabobank’s Annual Summit.
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12 Keys to Food Startup Success from ADM’s Global Account Director
A question I’m often asked during FoodBytes! mentoring sessions is, “What must I get right to win?”
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Agropur Joins FoodBytes! 2018 Family, ADM, Holland & Hart and Hain Celestial Return
Guided by the passion and support of our incredible partners and sponsors, FoodBytes! has hosted 10 events around the world, propelled 170+ cutting-edge startups and built a robust community of investors, executives, media and entrepreneurs.
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Six FoodBytes! Alumni Accepted to TERRA Cohort II
Six FoodBytes! alumni have been selected to participate in TERRA Cohort II. From a connected farming device, to snacks made from spent beer grains, to prebiotic sugars, these companies are pioneering the cutting-edge of food innovation.
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FoodBytes! Austin Trends: Performance Snacks, By-Product Up-Cycling, Intelligent Farming + More
Food and agriculture startups from around the world took the stage at FoodBytes! Austin last month. From novel ingredients like kelp and crickets, to functional sugars, to cutting-edge livestock tech, read all about the industry trends on display.
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FoodBytes! Austin Prizes: Trip to NYC for Rabobank Summit, Innovation Experiences + More
Trips to NYC to pitch at Rabobank’s Summit along with Food Innovation Days at ADM & Hain Celestial + Branding & Legal Consultations
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Meet the FoodBytes! Austin Judges: Whole Foods Market, Hain Celestial, EPIC Provisions, Ag Funder and More
Specializing in food investment, product innovation, retail buying and more, our esteemed panel brings diverse expertise to the FoodBytes! NYC table.
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FoodBytes! SF Mentor Paula Savanti’s outlook for the Restaurant Industry
FoodBytes! SF mentor Paula Savanti has a positive outlook for the restaurant industry and believes that strengthening food prices will continue to narrow the gap between grocery and food service prices.
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FoodBytes! NY Mentor Nick Fereday’s takeaways from CAGNY and Natural Products Expo West
FoodBytes! NYC mentor Nick Fereday shares his highlights from the Consumer Analyst Group of New York (CAGNY) conference for large public food companies and the awesome Natural Products Expo West.
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Meet the FoodBytes! NYC Family
Meet the FoodBytes! NYC family, our biggest and most diverse group of collaborators yet. We’re thrilled to work with companies who value and share our mission to help global food and ag innovators grow their businesses.
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ADM Collaborates with FoodBytes! to Discover Latest Food Innovation Trends & Pioneering Startups
Find out why ADM, Official Sponsor, participates in FoodBytes!
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Rabobank Announces FoodBytes! NYC 2017 Winners
FoodBytes! announces NYC 2017 winners – AgVoice, Impact Visions and Proud Pour
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FoodBytes! NYC Features Most Comprehensive Prizes in FB! History
FoodBytes! NYC touts our most robust prize pool to date, including the chance to pitch leading food CEOs at Rabobank’s Annual Event, innovation days with ADM & Hain Celestial and branding and legal consultations.
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From Pitch Company to Sponsor: How FoodBytes! Is Helping PieShell Grow
Food crowdfunding platform PieShell pitched at FoodBytes! SF 2017. Founder Cheryl Clements found the experience invaluable, and now she’s returning as a sponsor for FoodBytes! NYC.
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Why AgFunder Launched #feedit
#feedit is a platform for the agri-food technology community to share and comment on the best news and blog articles from around the world about technology.
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Meet the FoodBytes! NYC Judges: Whole Foods Market, Cultivate Ventures, CircleUp + More
Specializing in food investment, product innovation, retail buying and more, our esteemed panel brings diverse expertise to the FoodBytes! NYC table.
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Q&A with NYC Mentor Sylvia Tawse of FIG
Mission-driven PR and Communications agency, Fresh Ideas Group, has served brands across the natural, organic and sustainable food industry for over 20 years. FIG shares the same purpose-filled vision as the startups pitching at FoodBytes! – to promote a healthier...
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Mentors Bring Funding, Branding & Supply Chain Expertise to FoodBytes! NYC Table
Our standout lineup of FoodBytes! NYC mentors specialize in branding, PR, legal, funding, consumer trends and supply chains.
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Q&A with Vega Coffee: Rethinking the Coffee Supply Chain to Empower Farmers
This post originally appeared on Food+Tech Connect on March 15, 2017. As demand for Fair Trade-certified coffee grows, there is concern that farmers don’t always reap the economic benefits. While the Fair Trade coffee you buy at a store is priced at a premium, most...
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Q&A with SNPitty: Sequencing Your DNA to Create Personalized Nutrition Plans
Food+Tech Connect explores how SNPitty is using DNA sequencing to develop personalized nutrition and weight-loss products & plans.
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Scalable Startups with Social Impact Dominate FoodBytes! SF
By James Williamson - Analyst, RaboResearch Food & Ag - Rabobank Rabobank’s continued search for the sustainable and scalable solutions and technologies that are disrupting our food system flourished at FoodBytes! San Francisco in March. Food tech companies...
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E-volving China: Fundamental Growth Is Driving Food Consumption Upgrades
By Xinnan Li, Associate Analyst, Consumer Foods, Rabobank Summary One may argue that recent growth in China will not last for long. But that’s certainly not the story for food consumption. Despite GDP growing at its slowest pace since 1990, China's consumption...
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Terra Accelerator Announces First Cohort of Food + Ag Tech Startups From 5 Countries
This post originally appeared on the RocketSpace blog. We’re excited to announce that Rabobank and RocketSpace have selected 14 startups across the food and agriculture industry to participate in the inaugural cohort for Terra, the Food + Ag Tech Accelerator. Terra...
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Last Chance to Apply to Pitch Execs, Investors + Media at FoodBytes! Netherlands!
FoodBytes! is headed to The Netherlands as part of F&A Next on May 17 & 18! The pitch competition-meets-networking event invites food, food tech and agtech startups from around the world to apply to pitch execs, investors, media and entrepreneurs.
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FoodBytes! Mentor Eric Hansen Talks Finance, Growth & Innovation
Food and ag startups face a host of unique challenges when raising growth capital. As large food and ag companies change how they approach innovation, startups are looking outside of traditional methods and exploring new capital raising strategies. We met up with...
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FoodBytes! SF Prizes: Trip to NYC, Legal & Branding Consulting + More
FoodBytes! is the preeminent discovery platform for food and ag innovation and on March 16, we will bring together the most game-changing global food and ag startups on one stage to pitch to hundreds of executives, investors, media and startups. In addition to...
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It Takes a Village: Meet the FoodBytes San Francisco Family
Meet the FoodBytes! SF family, our biggest and most diverse group of collaborators yet. We’re thrilled to work with companies who value and share our mission to help global food and ag innovators grow their businesses.
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Announcing FoodBytes! SF Mentors: Holland and Hart, Nucleus Maximus & Rabobank
Specializing in food investment, product innovation, retail buying and more, our esteemed panel brings diverse expertise to the FoodBytes! SF table.
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Meet the FoodBytes! San Francisco Pitch Companies
Get to Know Our Amazing Pitch Companies! FoodBytes! San Francisco is fast approaching, and things are gearing up! We’re excited to announce our incredible roster of demo and 60-second pitch companies. From responsibly sourced and packaged water, to plant based...
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Announcing FoodBytes! SF Judges: Whole Foods Market, S2G, Givaudan, GAM + More
Specializing in food investment, product innovation, retail buying and more, our esteemed panel brings diverse expertise to the FoodBytes! SF table.
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AgTech, Personalized Nutrition and Supply Chain Transparency Will Make a Splash in 2017
By Xinnan Li, Associate Analyst - Consumer Foods, Rabobank Last year was a remarkable year for FoodBytes! with three successful events in Brooklyn, San Francisco and Boulder, as well as the kickoff of our international journey with FoodBytes! Sydney which took place...
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Supporting Food-Tech Start Up
McCarthy Mentoring is delighted to support food-tech start up Sprout Kitchens after they won the prize of our six-month mentoring program at Rabobank’s FoodBytes! Sydney pitch event in November. Held as part of Rabobank’s Farm2Fork Summit, the FoodBytes! event saw...
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