Seaweed and Banana Payouts

Welcome back Food Junglers. There’s been no shortage of chaotic news lately, so it’s been one hell of a task to pick out the juiciest stories for you all. Let’s dig in.

This week:

🚜 Farmers rebel against carbon taxes in New Zealand.

🍌 A Colombian banana producer gets grilled.

🍽️ Restaurant real estate is hot right now in the US.

🍫 Ghana slashes cocoa output for the coming seasons.

☘️ Seaweed is being used to feed cows in Hawaii…

CLIMATE
KIWI FARMERS REBEL

The New Zealand government has confirmed that the country’s agriculture sector will be excluded from a national pricing system on carbon and methane emissions.

The events unfolded when farmers protested proposals to regulate methane, carbon dioxide, and nitrous oxide emissions, arguing that it would harm small-scale farmers. 

The debate about what to do, however, still continues as methane released by sheep, cows and other animals contributed to 42% of New Zealand’s gross emissions in 2022.

ZOOMING OUT: This is not to say that New Zealand’s farmers are against change. From methane vaccines to breeding lower emissions cattle, many encourage innovation to make sure business continues as normal.

We shall see what comes first: innovation or regulation.

POLICY
BANANA MAFIA IN COLOMBIA

A jury in South Florida has ruled that banana producer - Chiquita Brands - is liable for eight killings carried out by a right-wing paramilitary group in Colombia, which the company bankrolled from 1997 to 2004.

The jury ordered the multinational banana producer to pay $38.3 million to 16 family members of farmers and other civilians who were killed by the paramilitary group, identified as the United Self-Defence Forces of Colombia.

While Chiquita Brands have faced similar suits in the past, this represents the first time the banana company has been found culpable. 

ZOOMING OUT: This information is, of course, shocking but is nothing new, as cartels and paramilitary forces frequently dictate how the food industry is run in Latin America. More governmental pushback like this is certainly needed.

BUSINESS
RESTAURANT RETAIL IS WINNING

According to new research, retail leases for restaurants in the US are all the rage, as the post-pandemic “foodie-rush” is now in full swing.

Food services accounted for more than 19% of all retail leases last year, rising to the highest proportion for any category since 2007. On top of that, restaurant sales have never been higher and are on track to top $1.1 TRILLION this year.

Many analysts credit the boom in restaurant popularity to low unemployment, rising wages, the ascent of “foodie culture” and the tendency for the younger generations to marry and have children later than previous generations.

ZOOMING OUT: Of course, there is another side to this. While restaurants are becoming even more popular among creditors and consumers, food cost inflation and rising payrolls are making margins for restaurants increasingly thinner.

SUPPLY CHAIN
GHANA CUTS COCOA

Ghana - the world’s second largest cocoa producer - will be delaying the delivery of up to 350,000 tons of cocoa beans to next season due to poor crop harvest.

In fact, the top two producers of cocoa - Ghana and the Ivory Coast - have had their plantations become ravaged by adverse weather, bean disease, and illegal gold mining, thus doubling the value of cocoa this past year.

Ghanaian farmers have also been seen smuggling more beans to neighbouring countries to sell them at higher prices than the state purchasing price, further eroding the cocoa supply within the country. 

ZOOMING OUT: Amidst all this chaos, it looks like Ghana will only be able to sell around half the output it usually sells. And even though prices of our chocolate may not rise this season, expect more inflation in the coming years.

THE BRIGHT SIDE
SEAWEED FOR COWS

Lima Kohu is a type of seaweed that is traditionally used for poké bowls. However, I found that there are some companies that are using the plant to reduce the amount of methane cows produce.

In fact, a Hawaii-based company - Symbrosia - has found that feeding cows Lima Kohu reduces the amount of methane cows produce by 77%. That’s why they want to sell the stuff all across the country!

The microbes in the Lima Kohu seaweed, essentially, allow the carbohydrates, that are consumed by cows, to be absorbed into the bloodstream of cows, instead of being expelled through burps.

The World Bank estimates the seaweed industry - as cattle feed - to be worth $12 BILLION by 2030, so someone is definitely curious to see how this turns out.

And, given that agriculture accounts for 37% of the world’s total methane discharged by human activity, I feel like this is a great - uncontroversial - solution to a glaring problem. Food Jungle approved ✅ 

SHARE FOOD JUNGLE

As a football fan, this celebration is how I would definitely characterise the feeling of sharing Food Jungle with my closest friends.

Just me? Ok 😅 

BEFORE YOU GO…

• The US Supreme court ruled in favour of Starbucks, making it more difficult to order employers to reinstate fired workers.

• For the first time farmed aquatic production has exceeded the catch from traditional captured fisheries.

• Wyoming has reported its first case of bird flu in dairy cows, expanding the outbreak to 12 states.

• Animal rights protesters defaced King Charles’ portrait on show at London gallery.

• Three varieties of instant ramen have been recalled in Denmark after they were deemed too spicy.

READ MORE

If you’re interested in some quality ORIGINAL journalism on what’s been going on in the food industry, look no further than Green Queen.

Founded in 2011, by Sonalie Figueiras, the team looks to analyse and discuss the latest news in food, from cultivated meat to food waste. Thoroughly recommend! 🤩