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Reading Roundup: Top Food News of 2018

This year flew by, so it's easy to forget that so much happened in the food world.

Reading Roundup: Top Food News of 2018

This week, we've got a very special edition of the Reading Roundup. This year flew by, so it's easy to forget that so much happened in the food world. We lost Bourdain, we banned plastic straws, and we did so much more. Read on for a refresher on the top food news of 2018. Can you believe that was all this year? If you'd like more information, links to stories are below the timeline.

March: It was the year of CBD, and it started early. Culminating in the recent passage of the Farm Bill legalizing hemp, CBD took the food and beverage world by storm. Have you investigated yet?

April: After a series of sexual harassment allegations emerged in 2017, Mario Batali was seen attempting a comeback as soon as April. Many thought it was too soon.

May: After an incident in a Philadelphia Starbucks in March involving two African-American men who were improperly arrested, Starbucks closed all locations for one day in May 2018 for racial bias training.

June: In possibly the saddest day of 2018 for the food community, beloved chef and television personality Anthony Bourdain was found dead of suicide. Memorials and tributes abounded.

Summer: It seemed like all at once, everyone from airlines to Starbucks was banning plastic straws. Smart environmental move? Yes. Complicating for your iced coffee habit? Also yes.

Summer: In the greatest marketing campaign of 2018, IHOP became IHOB (International House of Burgers) for just a few weeks. The stunt earned them billions of impressions and a trending spot on Twitter.

September: Impossible Burger, the biggest player in the meat-alternatives industry, launched at White Castle. Now, plant-based meat products are set to duel against lab-grown meats for the non-meat-eating public's favor.

October: It's nearly 2019, and you're probably still not eating romaine. Thanks to several outbreaks sickening dozens of people across the country, lettuce is having a rough Q4. The good news? Retailers have stepped up innovations like blockchain to add transparency to the produce sourcing process.

November: It's not every day (or any day) that a chef is nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. José Andrés' work with victims of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, through his charity World Central Kitchen, have earned him a well-deserved nod.

It's been a wild ride, and it's only going to get crazier in 2019. Stay tuned as we bring you the top food news stories each week!

Want more food-focused entrepreneurial content delivered to your inbox? Give our weekly newsletter a try.

This week, we've got a very special edition of the Reading Roundup. This year flew by, so it's easy to forget that so much happened in the food world. We lost Bourdain, we banned plastic straws, and we did so much more. Read on for a refresher on the top food news of 2018. Can you believe that was all this year? If you'd like more information, links to stories are below the timeline.

March: It was the year of CBD, and it started early. Culminating in the recent passage of the Farm Bill legalizing hemp, CBD took the food and beverage world by storm. Have you investigated yet?

April: After a series of sexual harassment allegations emerged in 2017, Mario Batali was seen attempting a comeback as soon as April. Many thought it was too soon.

May: After an incident in a Philadelphia Starbucks in March involving two African-American men who were improperly arrested, Starbucks closed all locations for one day in May 2018 for racial bias training.

June: In possibly the saddest day of 2018 for the food community, beloved chef and television personality Anthony Bourdain was found dead of suicide. Memorials and tributes abounded.

Summer: It seemed like all at once, everyone from airlines to Starbucks was banning plastic straws. Smart environmental move? Yes. Complicating for your iced coffee habit? Also yes.

Summer: In the greatest marketing campaign of 2018, IHOP became IHOB (International House of Burgers) for just a few weeks. The stunt earned them billions of impressions and a trending spot on Twitter.

September: Impossible Burger, the biggest player in the meat-alternatives industry, launched at White Castle. Now, plant-based meat products are set to duel against lab-grown meats for the non-meat-eating public's favor.

October: It's nearly 2019, and you're probably still not eating romaine. Thanks to several outbreaks sickening dozens of people across the country, lettuce is having a rough Q4. The good news? Retailers have stepped up innovations like blockchain to add transparency to the produce sourcing process.

November: It's not every day (or any day) that a chef is nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. José Andrés' work with victims of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, through his charity World Central Kitchen, have earned him a well-deserved nod.

It's been a wild ride, and it's only going to get crazier in 2019. Stay tuned as we bring you the top food news stories each week!

Want more food-focused entrepreneurial content delivered to your inbox? Give our weekly newsletter a try.

This week, we've got a very special edition of the Reading Roundup. This year flew by, so it's easy to forget that so much happened in the food world. We lost Bourdain, we banned plastic straws, and we did so much more. Read on for a refresher on the top food news of 2018. Can you believe that was all this year? If you'd like more information, links to stories are below the timeline.

March: It was the year of CBD, and it started early. Culminating in the recent passage of the Farm Bill legalizing hemp, CBD took the food and beverage world by storm. Have you investigated yet?

April: After a series of sexual harassment allegations emerged in 2017, Mario Batali was seen attempting a comeback as soon as April. Many thought it was too soon.

May: After an incident in a Philadelphia Starbucks in March involving two African-American men who were improperly arrested, Starbucks closed all locations for one day in May 2018 for racial bias training.

June: In possibly the saddest day of 2018 for the food community, beloved chef and television personality Anthony Bourdain was found dead of suicide. Memorials and tributes abounded.

Summer: It seemed like all at once, everyone from airlines to Starbucks was banning plastic straws. Smart environmental move? Yes. Complicating for your iced coffee habit? Also yes.

Summer: In the greatest marketing campaign of 2018, IHOP became IHOB (International House of Burgers) for just a few weeks. The stunt earned them billions of impressions and a trending spot on Twitter.

September: Impossible Burger, the biggest player in the meat-alternatives industry, launched at White Castle. Now, plant-based meat products are set to duel against lab-grown meats for the non-meat-eating public's favor.

October: It's nearly 2019, and you're probably still not eating romaine. Thanks to several outbreaks sickening dozens of people across the country, lettuce is having a rough Q4. The good news? Retailers have stepped up innovations like blockchain to add transparency to the produce sourcing process.

November: It's not every day (or any day) that a chef is nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. José Andrés' work with victims of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, through his charity World Central Kitchen, have earned him a well-deserved nod.

It's been a wild ride, and it's only going to get crazier in 2019. Stay tuned as we bring you the top food news stories each week!

Want more food-focused entrepreneurial content delivered to your inbox? Give our weekly newsletter a try.

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