Americas
California doubles down on alternative protein innovation
Already a hub for plant-based food tech players, California has set up a committee to focus on the economic and environmental potential of alternative proteins, including plant-based, cell-based and fermented protein sources. The Select Committee on Alternative Protein Innovation will explore how emerging protein technologies can benefit the state’s agriculture, economy and sustainability efforts. Chair Ash Kalra had previously supported funding for alternative protein research and believes the industry presents a unique opportunity to address the growing global demand for protein while reducing the environmental impact of food production.
Japanese company to lease 1,000 robot chefs to US restaurants by 2030
Japanese company TechMagic is set to introduce its stir-fry robots in the US to address staffing shortages and high labor expenses, as reported by Nikkei Asia. Capable of cooking 30 meals every hour, the robots can handle a range of stir-fried items such as fried noodles, chili shrimp, Chinese fried tomato and egg, pad Thai and fried rice. TechMagic plans to lease the robots, which are currently produced in Japan, for $1,440 a month, with an additional installation fee. The hope is to deploy more than 1,000 units by 2030. TechMagic CEO Yuji Shiraki said: “Labor costs are higher in the US than in Japan, so there’s strong interest in cooking robots.”
Asia Pacific
Starbucks gets green light to sell doggy drinks in South Korea
Finally, pooches in South Korea can get their paws on the ‘puppuccinos’ they’ve been craving. Strict domestic regulations had previously required any business producing pet food to register as a livestock feed manufacturer and operate in designated facilities, effectively barring cafés from selling pet drinks. But a new regulatory sandbox is temporarily lifting the regulation to enable the testing and commercialization of innovative services. With the approval, Starbucks Korea plans to offer a ‘puppuccino’, a mix of pet-safe milk and powdered feed, at two stores in Namyangju and Guri in Gyeonggi Province.
Rice price rises passed on to uni students in Japan
Due to the sharp rise in rice costs, university cafeterias in Japan have been forced to increase prices, with the impact being felt most in Kyoto, where students make up 10% of the population. In a written announcement, the Kyoto University CO-OP apologized in advance for increasing the prices for a second time of menu items that use rice at seven cafeterias in March, with increases between ¥13 and ¥100 (6-51p). Last week, Japan’s farm minister Shinjiro Koizumi on Friday hinted at initiating emergency rice imports if the government fails to bring down prices, saying there should be no “sacred cows” in agricultural policy.
Europe, Middle East and Africa
500,000 more children eligible for free school meals in England, says government
Any child in England whose parents receive Universal Credit will be able to claim free school meals from September 2026, making 500,000 more pupils eligible, the government has said. Currently, a household must earn less than £7,400 a year to qualify. The government said the changes to free school meals would save parents £500 a year and “lift 100,000 children out of poverty”. According to the Institute for Fiscal Studies, however, the expansion of free school meals will initially benefit far fewer children in England than claimed, as data shows more than one in four at state schools already receive free lunches.
UAE hospitality industry joins forces to fight food waste
The UAE Restaurant Group (UAERG) has teamed up with leading hospitality coalitions including the Dubai Hotel Group to support ne’ma, the National Food Loss and Waste Initiative, which will collect crucial data to inform evidence-based strategies for cutting food waste across the hospitality sector. Aligned with the UAE’s target to halve food waste by 2030 (SDG 12.3), the study will build a national benchmark, as well as providing unified tools and best practices for restaurants. Industry leaders say the partnership highlights the sector’s shared responsibility to drive sustainability and empower restaurant businesses to adopt data-driven practices.
Elly Earls
