Lightning Round: architecture at McDonald’s and Coke bottle innovation

• McDonald’s has opened a new location in Amsterdam, and it’s architecturally stunning. McDonald’s should consider opening more gorgeous locations like this worldwide. All we know is that we’re definitely craving burgers and fries surrounded by the luxury of spiral staircases, glass panels, and gold-anodized aluminum. ~ Foodbeast
• Coca-Cola launched an exciting new bottle at this year’s Expo Milano food conference. Reminiscent of similar technologies like Tetra Pak’s sugar cane bottle cap, Coca-Cola’s PlantBottle is created from sugar cane instead of the usual petroleum-based plastic. It’s noted that, while Coca-Cola showed of a similar bottle in 2009, that was made with 30 percent sugar cane material—this new iteration is 100 percent sugar cane derived, and the first ever fully recyclable plant-based PET plastic beverage bottle. If it is successful enough to catch on throughout the industry, there is potential to change the face of sustainability within the beverage world. ~ Time

RELATED TOPIC: Tetra Pak Introduces Innovative Sugar Cane Bottle Cap

• Dunkin Donuts is one of the latest fast food franchise chains to get on board with home delivery, and the rise of this trend has some consumers discussing how the rise of on-demand convenience will change the way that families eat. ~ CS Monitor
• Contention is brewing in the organics retail market. Whole Foods Market has a new produce rating system that touts the benefits of some conventionally grown fruits and vegetables over some organic counterparts, and the chain’s organic farm partners are not happy about it. ~ New York Times

RELATE TOPIC: Analysts weigh in on AB InBev merger potential with Diageo or SAB Miller

• While other analysts have reported that Diageo seems like an unlikely fit for a partnership with AB InBev, this week Forbes offers a dissenting opinion that Diageo could be a strong asset for the AB InBev brand. ~ Forbes

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