Most Innovative Companies Inside the innovation shaping food and dining
Mar 30, 2026
Kristen Hawley, restaurant tech expert and author of Expedite, and Clint Rainey, reporter on the business of food, unpack innovations reshaping dining. They explore Row 7’s flavor-first veggies, Kraft Heinz’s AI-guided ketchup reformulations, QuikTrip’s premium beverage taps, and Shia’s nonprofit lab proving sustainable restaurant practices can work. Short, sharp, and full of industry-changing examples.
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MIC Combines Applications With Editorial Scouting
- Fast Company's MIC process mixes applicant submissions with reporter expertise to ensure category breadth and include non-applicants making waves.
- Editors actively recruit notable companies (e.g., Row 7) and consult top editors to craft a comprehensive list across subcategories.
Row 7 Brought Restaurant-Grade Veggies To Retail
- Row 7 scaled chef-quality vegetables from Blue Hill into retail by breeding for flavor and plant health rather than durability alone.
- They sell seeds, fresh produce at Whole Foods, and are canning peak-season vegetables via a seafood co-packer to preserve flavor year-round.
Breeding For Flavor Can Match Industrial Yields
- Row 7 argues breeding for flavor forces healthier plants, which can match industrial yields without sacrificing taste.
- Early seasons showed yields comparable to industrial varieties while producing visually striking, flavor-forward roots and squashes.