The Juicy Bits
Winemakers can't seem to beat the summer heat, so many producers are switching to hybrid Piwi grapes to protect their wines from dying on the vine. Some European holdouts refuse to make the change though. Change is afoot at Burger King this summer as well: the fast-food giant went all in on BBQ with a brisket Whopper, a guest-submitted menu item that launched earlier this month under the franchise's new 'Whopper By You' program. Meanwhile, green tea growers have been struggling to keep up with demand for matcha, as prices for the Japanese specialty continue to rise. Beware: that matcha latte could contribute to iron deficiency, according to nutritionists. Maybe a spinach and green pepper pizza, high in iron, will counteract the effects. To help you find the best pizza joints in America, 50 Top Pizza just released its US rankings for 2025. Just be sure to make—and keep—a proper reservation if needed: rampant restaurant reservation fraud has been costing restaurant owners thousands. Or maybe a simple meal of tinned fish will meet your iron needs instead. With a global market expected to swell to $44 billion by 2030, you've got plenty of tinned fish options. Pizza, burgers, matcha, fish...find your favorite foods and enjoy what's left of summer!
—Maddox Joachim
Restaurants
50 Top Pizza Releases USA Rankings
Image Source: Mako Barmon / Una Pizza Napoletana
50 Top Pizza released their rankings list for the USA earlier this month. Una Pizza Napoletana in NYC earned the number one spot for best pizzeria, while Pizzeria Sei in Los Angeles took second. 50 Top Pizza determines their rankings by sending anonymous judges to the best pizza spots around the globe and advancing winners for consideration in the global rankings, which come out in September. Twelve of the pizzerias on the US list will be entered into the global competition for consideration.
More Restaurant News
The Michelin Guide Announces 14 NYC Restaurant Additions To 2025 Awards Shortlist
Restaurants Change Menus And Substitute Ingredients As Tariffs Cause Price Shifts
Chefs Navigate Opening Restaurants In The Most Expensive Time To Do So
Beverages
Winemakers And Viniculturists Switch To Piwi Grapes Amid Climate Change
Image Source: Summer Rune / Unsplash
Winemakers switch up grape varieties nearly every year in response to a fluctuating climate conditions. Certain grape varieties react to weather changes more favorably than others, an advantage for winemakers hoping to minimize crop damage during harsh seasons. Piwi grapes, a hybrid variety, have recently become popular among viniculturists for their fungus-resistant and weather-proof properties. In European countries, centuries-old traditions and vineyard laws have prevented winemakers from accepting these hybrid Piwi varieties. “Ultimately, it’s not a debate of Vitis vinifera versus Piwi, it’s a question of what is most sustainable for the environment and will allow for viticulture in the centuries to come,” says Julianny Gómez, beverage manager at Forsythia in NYC.
BBQ Hot Spot
Burger King Guest Inspires New BBQ Brisket Whopper Menu Item
Image Source: Burger King
Burger King recently launched the "Whopper By You" program, inviting patrons to innovate and submit their own whopper variations to be put on menus across the country. A brisket burger made the cut. “We wanted to fuse the classic flavors of a Whopper with what everyone loves about Carolina barbecue—pit-smoked BBQ brisket and sweet and golden Carolina gold BBQ sauce sit atop a flame-grilled patty on a toasted, sesame seed bun,” said Zack Young, Burger King’s director of culinary innovation US & Canada. Never mind that brisket is a Texas specialty more so than a Carolina one, and that Carolina gold mustard sauce usually goes with pork. Hopefully it still tastes good!
Cooking
Tinned Fish Goes Platinum
Illustration Source: Ellie Skrzat
Tinned fish consumption has skyrocketed recently with everyone from chefs to consumers touting it on their tables. Sardines and other conservas have landed on restaurant menus across the country, like Maiden Lane or El Pingüino, and celebrity chef José Andrés launched his own line of tinned fish last month. Even fashion companies like Anthropologie and SHEIN have been romanticizing tinned fish in ads with tin-can backdrops and sardine-themed handbags. It's no longer a "hidden gem," as the global tinned fish market is expected to grow to $44 billion by 2030, according to Grand View Research.
Supply Chain
Matcha Prices Soar As Producers Struggle To Meet Rising Demand
Image Source: Getty Images / BBC
Japan's post-pandemic tourism boom has made matcha even more popular around the globe. Consumers value its benefits as a lower caffeine alternative to a normal cup of joe. As popularity soars, producers have been struggling to keep cafe shelves stocked with the powdered green tea. US-based tea importer Lauren Purvis says, "some cafes are even asking for a kilo a day. They're desperate to keep up." Crop output has dwindled amid heatwaves and US tariffs on imported goods from Japan, while demand has reached an all-time high. At the Tokyo-based Chazen tea company, matcha prices have risen 30% this year.
Agriculture
Labor Shortages In Rural America Impact Agriculture Industry
Image Source: Lindsey Pound / The Packer
Growing labor shortages may slow US agricultural output and curtail growth in the US economy. “Barring an unforeseen change in labor force participation rates or immigration policies, the pool of available workers is set to shrink sharply in the next few years,” says Rob Fox, director of CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange. CoBank, the primary credit bank of the US Farm Credit System, released a quarterly report highlighting the struggles. “There is no single reason people are stepping away,” Fox explains. “It’s a combination of rising caregiving responsibilities, job skill mismatches, mental health challenges and higher disability rates. These are complex issues that won’t be resolved overnight.”
Regulations
California Bill Aims To Streamline Restaurant Permitting Process
Image Source: Randall Benton / Getty Images
Opening a restaurant in California is notoriously difficult due to never-ending heaps of paperwork and dragged out permitting processes. Saltwater Bakeshop in San Francisco had their opening delayed more than two years due to government red tape. Assembly Bill 671 could fix that, recently brought forth by Assembly Members Buffy Wicks of Oakland and Jesse Gabriel of Los Angeles County. The bill proposes a requirement for "local building departments to approve or deny restaurants' permit applications within 20 business days.” The bill will be heard in the chamber on August 18th.
Food Processing
FDA Approves New Blue Food Dye Sourced From Gardenia
Image Source: Getty Images
Earlier this month, the FDA approved a new blue food dye derived from gardenia fruits. The additive was petitioned for use by the Gardenia Blue Interest Group earlier this year. To make the dye, crushed gardenia is mixed with soy protein hydrolysate. The group requested that soy not be labeled as an allergen despite its use in production due to its undetectable amounts in the final product. That request is still under review, while the dye has been approved for use in sports drinks, flavored water, fruit drinks, teas and candies.
More Food Processing News
Whiskey Producers Partner With Biotech Facility To Turn Stillage Into Alternative Proteins
Health
How Matcha Blocks Iron Absorption
Image Source: Anna Efetova / Getty Images
Matcha's antioxidant properties make the green tea a healthy beverage, but its tannins contain a polyphenol that binds to iron in digestion, preventing iron absorption. Studies suggest one serving of green tea can hinder iron absorption up to 60-90%, which could lead to iron deficiencies in some individuals. Drinks like red wine and black tea have similar effects, but matcha's high concentration makes the beverage particularly polyphenol heavy. “This mostly affects non-heme iron (from plants), not heme iron (from meat), which is absorbed more easily and isn’t as affected by polyphenols,“ says Debbie Petitpain, MBA, RD, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Help DigestThis.news Continue With Only $3/month
Like what you're reading? Help keep DigestThis.news going by supporting it here. Thanks!
Science
California Startup Uses Robots And AI To Process More Sustainable Sashimi
Image Source: Mikey Santillan / For The Times
Shinkei Systems, a start up in El Segundo, has automated ikejime using robotics and AI. Ikejime is a traditional Japanese method for humanely killing fish instantly after caught by puncturing the hindbrain. Shinkei Systems developed an AI-powered robot to automate the process. The refrigerator-sized robot, dubbed the Poseidon, is provided to fisherman who then sell their catch back to Shinkei Systems Corp. at a premium rate.
Your Ad Here!
To reach nearly 40,000 engaged readers across the food and cooking industries, place a Classified ad in an upcoming issue. Classifieds are inexpensive and easy to book with a few clicks.