#WeeklyRoundUp: Here Are Some Of The Food Stories You Might Have Missed This Week

So much happens in the world of food on a daily basis and sometimes it’s difficult to cover everything, so if we missed anything, we’ll add it to our weekly round-up and give you the lowdown on everything food related happening in India and around the world. From startups getting new funding to established brands expanding into new businesses, rebranding and revamping of popular brands and names, we’re covering everything that you might have missed out on.

We’re bringing you the brief versions of the big stories.

Big Fish Ventures to invest Rs 250 crore on restaurant business

Delhi-based restaurant business, Big Fish Ventures, that runs dining lounges is looking to expand the business from its current seven to 15 restaurants in the next two years across India and the Middle East. But they are looking to open at least 40, in the longer run. Last year, Economic Times reported that the company would look for venture capital funding, but owner of the company Umang Tewari said that its raising funds from friends and family.

Their big next step is to launch a new restaurant concept “Local” which is spread across 14,000 sq. ft in Connaught Place in Delhi and another Garam Dharam in Murthal by November 2016. The company is also looking to open restaurants in Ludhiana, Chandigarh and Amritsar and Dubai by 2018.

GM foods must be as safe as conventional plant foods

Carrie McMahon, Consumer Safety Officer at United States Food and Drug Administration spoke at a discussion on the global status of biotechnology and regulatory affairs in the US, Bangladesh and Vietnam at a conference in Kolkata and said that food from genetically engineered plants must be as safe as food from conventional plants.

She said, “We have to ensure nutrients are the same. All foods also have anti nutrients. We make sure anti-nutrients do not increase in the final product. Food from genetically engineered plants must be as safe as food from conventional plants.”

Pot Infused Coffee Available in Denver

Two Boulder County startups are currently working on infusing coffee beans with marijuana. One is Louisville-based Native Jack is canning a cold brew, Thai style beverage with spice, condensed milk and cannabis. And in Boulder, SteepFuze is infusing beans roasted by Unseen Bean founder and selling them by the pound to consumers.

Both coffee products will be infused with the non-psychoactive compound of the cannabis plant – cannabidiol, which comes from hemp – and the only effect that comes from consuming coffee this way is a less-jittery aftermath of your caffeine intake. How about that?

Madhya Pradesh may soon have Rs. 10 thali for poor

Tamil Nadu and Odisha already introduced the subsidized meal programme and is now being adopted in Madhya Pradesh. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is having meetings to begin the scheme that is working very well in these two states. The programme focuses on providing budget food for the poor.

The thali contains a full meal of roti, dal, sabzi, rice and pickle and is cheaper than what the roadside eateries are offering. Sometimes the meals are as low as Rs. 10 per thali. When launched in Tamil Nadu in 2013 under the Amma Canteens banner, the programme was an absolute success. And now in the state, there are almost 300 canteens set up for this exact purpose.

Other stories you might have missed

– Shruti Hassan features in a new Munch campaign from Nestle India
– Masterchef India will see a replacement for Sanjeev Kapoor in Zorwar Kalra
– Mustard is close to becoming the first officially approved genetically-modified food crop in the country
– Cocoa-Cola will be launching coffee in their American markets in 2017
– Amazon India looks to enter the food delivery segment with a partnership with Swiggy