The Startup that Tried to Fix Food Waste—And Got Hit by a Disinformation Campaign
Apeel Sciences, a unicorn food‑waste startup that uses an edible, plant‑based coating to extend produce shelf life, raised over $800 million and earned FDA GRAS status. In 2023‑24 the company became the target of a disinformation campaign spread by wellness influencers, falsely claiming the coating was unsafe and linking it to an unrelated floor cleaner. The false narrative prompted retailers to drop Apeel‑treated fruit, causing a sharp revenue decline. The episode underscores the vulnerability of sustainability innovations to reputation attacks and the need for robust communication strategies.
An AI Fix for America’s $27 Billion Grocery Waste Problem
Grocery retailers in the United States discard roughly four million tons of food each year, a $27 billion waste problem driven by imprecise fresh‑produce ordering. Startup Afresh uses deep‑learning models and optimization algorithms to predict demand, cutting shrink by 20‑25% in...
Are the Bees Still Dying? The Scary Truth Behind the Continuing ‘Beepocalypse’
After two decades of alarm over honeybee die‑offs, the crisis has not vanished. Nationwide data show commercial beekeepers lost 62 % of their colonies this past winter, while average winter losses over the last 20 years hover between 30 % and 40 %. Colony...
How Row 7 Is Inventing New Vegetables—And Reshaping the Food System in the Process
Chef Dan Barber, a farm‑to‑table pioneer, launched Row 7 in 2018 to bring restaurant‑grade vegetables to home growers. The seed company now offers about two dozen specialty varieties, such as the sweet, heat‑less Habanada pepper and the Sweet Garleek allium hybrid,...
Buc-Ee’s Is Loved by Shoppers—But It Got a Big Red Flag From the Better Business Bureau. Here’s What You Need...
Buc‑ee’s, the Texas‑based mega‑convenience store chain praised for its massive locations and high customer satisfaction, received an “F” rating from the Better Business Bureau. The BBB cited nearly 90 complaints over three years—including overcharging, rude service and unresponsive refunds—and noted...