Pork and Divine Exemptions

Hey Food Junglers! It looks like the global meat industry is feeling the heat more and more in 2024, while fast food companies are trying their best to get an edge amidst higher prices. Let’s dig in.

This week:

🍔 Wendy’s has a PR disaster after a recent earnings call.

🐷 A pork producer in Denmark gets called out.

🥖 An unusual exemption gets given in California.

❤️‍🩹 A new study shows more stats on ultra-processed food.

🧃 There’s a new kind of pasta sauce in NYC…

BUSINESS
WENDY’S DYNAMIC DISASTER

Burger joint - Wendy’s - has been in a PR meltdown after consumers reacted viscerally to the company’s announcement that it would be testing “dynamic pricing” as early as 2025.

While many thought that dynamic pricing meant “surge pricing” - a tactic employed by Uber to raise prices during peak demand - the company’s CEO was quick to emphasise that this was not the case.

In fact, the company plans to invest approximately $30 million into electronic menus that will increase the number of discounts and offers during slow hours and will NOT be raising prices during peak demand.

ZOOMING OUT: Wendy’s definitely could have made their strategy clearer. However, and crucially, the burger giant may still raise prices, given poor sales in recent months and current food inflation.

CLIMATE
DANISH GREEN-WASHING

In a win for Denmark’s climate activists, Europe’s largest pork producer - Danish Crown - will be forced to pay a fine for misleading its customers about its carbon footprint.

According to the Danish court, the use of labels, such as “climate controlled” and “more climate-friendly than you think” were not subject to proper inspections and limited the consumer’s ability to make an informed decision.

While Danish Crown will have to pay some of the legal costs, about €40,000, further reparations are yet to be decided.

ZOOMING OUT: As it stands, this is the first time a greenwashing case - misleading consumers about a company’s sustainability - has been taken to trial.

So, this really could be watershed moment for not just the biggest pork producer in Europe, but for Europe as a whole.

POLICY
A DIVINE EXEMPTION

The new California law that’s about to raise the state minimum wage for fast-food employees to $20 an hour will offer an interesting exemption for chains that bake bread and sell it as a standalone item.

Critics have been quick to point out that billionaire, Panera Bread franchisee - Greg Flynn - not only went to school with Governor Gavin Newson, the man who proposed the bill, but also donated thousands of dollars to his election campaigns.

Luckily for Panera Bread, the exemption will only be applicable to restaurants that have baked and sold bread before mid-September. Curious…

ZOOMING OUT: While its seems that Panera Bread is the “lucky” recipient of this new exemption, lawmakers are considering even more exemptions for restaurants located in airports, hotels, theme parks, museums, certain public land and more.

SUPPLY CHAIN
ULTRA-PROCESSED GETS WORSE

In one of the largest of its kind, a new study has shown that ultra-processed food (“UPF”) - such as cereals, protein bars, fizzy drinks, ready meals and fast food - is directly linked to 32 harmful health effects.

Higher UPF consumption was associated with a 50% increased risk of cardiovascular disease-related death, a 22% increased risk of depression, and a 12% greater risk of type 2 diabetes.

On top of that, the report highlighted that in both the UK and the US a diet comprising as much as 80% of these kinds of foods is typical.

ZOOMING OUT: Ultimately, the researchers concluded that foods that are abnormally high in added sugar, fat and other additives should be regulated to the same extent as tobacco. We shall see, though, whether this is realistic to expect.

THE BRIGHT SIDE
”UPCYCLING” FOR THE WIN

For those of you who know me well, you’ll remember that I’m a sucker for any business that tries to use food waste in new in creative ways. I’m excited to say that I’ve found another one!

Roughly 33 million tons of perfectly edible vegetables go to waste every year. And, apart from having a huge effect on the environment, it wastes all the hard work of the farmers growing them for us. Matriark Foods has a solution.

Matriark Foods is a New York-based start-up that produces pasta sauces and soups - made from food that would have otherwise gone to waste - that is then sold to food banks, schools and hospitals.

Each carton of Matriark Foods’ vegetable broth concentrate, for example, has meant that 0.9 pounds of food waste has been diverted from landfill and 102 gallons of water has been saved. Food Jungle approved ✅ 

And if you’re curious to try some, you can click here!

SHARE THE JUNGLE

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BEFORE YOU GO…

• The number of Sudanese facing emergency levels of hunger has tripled in a year to almost five million.

• Chipotle will invest another $50 million to support more companies that are working on restaurant tech and automation.

• The Cookie Monster posted his disdain for “shrinkflation” on X (formerly Twitter).

• Burger King Germany has officially made their plant-based meals cheaper than their meat-based options.

• The European Union has reached a provisional deal on a new law to cut packaging waste and ban single-use plastics.

TAKE A BREAK

Hi there everyone! It’s our pleasure to introduce another newsletter in the food space - BETTER BIOECONOMY - from a food technology enthusiast, Eshan Samaranayake.  

Like the team at Food Jungle, Eshan is doing his absolute best to advertise those who are making food healthier, cleaner, more sustainable, more animal-friendly AND accessible to all.

So, if you are interested in reading more on food tech, go check it out! Food Jungle approved ✅