The huddle this month focused on what’s going on in agriculture and a look at alternative packaging options and recycling initiatives. Listen to the recording here.
Talking Points
- Agriculture
- Dairy: Horizon Milk – building out a 5,000-cow operation in Indiana to create a more efficient grassfed milk business model
- Canceling their contracts with small farms with only a 30-day notice throughout the Upper Midwest causing implications such as dumping milk, selling cows, switching to beef…
- Indoor Ag: Is multi-level indoor ag the way of the future? Not just greens but potentially livestock in multi-level buildings. Energy costs will determine this.
- Dubai is investing in an indoor ag business park
- Technology for indoor farming projected to hit $40.25B in 2022
- Commodity prices are still up, if it remains on the same track, pricing pressure likely to start hitting consumers in 2022.
- Dairy: Horizon Milk – building out a 5,000-cow operation in Indiana to create a more efficient grassfed milk business model
- Restaurants
- Opening back up again but tied completely to the state of COVID-19
- NYC is opening up to 75% capacity
- Packaging – alternate options & recycling initiatives
- Betterbin: helps people figure out how to dispose of compostables and recyclables properly in their area
- Loll Designs: making contemporary high-end patio furniture out of milk jugs
- Pratt: Second largest private company in Australia, $4B in sales, 100% recycled corrugated cardboard
- FedEx: Launching a reusable packaging initiative
- AlterEcho: Utilizing a plant-based squeeze pouch
- BOSS Foods: compostable wrappers around their bars
- Celestial Seasonings: the way they package by not including a string keeps 3.5M pounds of material out of the landfill per year
- Other: Pop-up bowls for prepared oatmeal, glass bottles with vegetable inks, milk powder film (plastic replacement), etc.
- Functional Foods – supplements & food
- Putting serious
Trends
- Fauci: We may never reach herd immunity in the US due to the variants and reluctancy of getting the vaccination | NY Times Article
Tips & Next Steps
- State Small Business Credit Initiative Preliminary Allocation Table: https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/256/Preliminary-Allocation-for-States-Decline-in-Employment.pdf
- CDFA SSBCI Resource Center: https://www.cdfa.net/rc/SSBCI.html
Contact Us: info@foodfinanceinstitute.com
Listen to our Podcast | Sign up for our Newsletter | View Training Opportunities
