5@5: Robotic bees to take over for the real thing | Whole Foods' price cuts less than anticipated

Robotic bees could pollinate plants in case of insect apocalypse

Dutch researchers have engineered a robotic bee that could, in the event of the bee population’s collapse, safely pollinate plants. These robotic bees can move in pretty much every way a normal bee can, and researchers say that they plan to reduce the 29 gram current model in size and weight to further represent the insect. Read more at The Guardian ...

Amazon hasn’t cut Whole Foods prices as much as expected, study shows

Whole Foods prices were expected to drop drastically after Amazon’s acquisition of the company last August, but a recent study shows that prices are just 0.8 percent lower than they were prior. This miniscule price change has many wondering whether Amazon’s widely publicized initial price cuts were just for the sake of appearance.  Read more at Biz Journals …

Jennifer Garner’s organic baby food company Once Upon a Farm raises $20 million Series B

Since Jennifer Garner joined the organic, cold-pressed baby food company Once Upon a Farm their products have grown enormously, now selling in roughly 8,500 grocery stores nationwide. CAVU Venture Partners led the $20 million Series B for the company, and Garner has big plans to partner the company with more US grocers, as well as expand the Once Upon a Farm product line. Read more at TechCrunch …

Why grocers are providing new options for digital omnicommerce shopping

A large shift is happening in the online grocery space as millennials gain more spending power. Although only 5 percent of consumers currently purchase groceries online, 27% wish they could have a well-coordinated online and in-store shopping experience. This has led many experts to believe that the vast majority of shoppers in the US will buy at least some of their groceries online, probably through the use of an online device or voice assistant, within the next five years.  Read more at PYMNTS …

Is gentrification killing London’s pie shops?

The popularity of vegan, vegetarian, and fad diets in today’s day and age has caused some landmark British pie shops to either close down or to rethink their interpretation of authenticity and tradition. These kinds of shops, however, have always catered to the whims of the general public, and so there is actually an historical basis for the shift towards the less-traditional, but far more popular, vegan and vegetarian pies including Thai green curry and chicken tikka masala. Read more at US News …