- More Brexit fallout: Cadbury, maker of the creme-filled chocolate eggs that are so popular at Eastertime, is stockpiling said eggs ahead of Great Britain’s departure from the European Union, per the Takeout. This is in anticipation of chocolate possibly becoming scarce and/or wildly expensive in Britain should its split from the E.U. come without a trade deal — aka a “hard Brexit” — which could result in “chaos at the borders and a shortage of key goods,” according to Cadbury chief executive officer Dirk van de Put.
- Seattle-based coffee juggernaut Starbucks has announced plans to open 10,000 “greener” stores by 2025. These locations “will be held to performance-based standards that focus on powering U.S. and Canada stores with 100 percent renewable energy, using technology that is estimated to save 25 to 30 percent on energy and water use and more.”
- Good news, rich people, there’s a new way to privately dine in peace away from all of those plebeians who fill dining rooms that are open to the public. The hot trend is private restaurants and bars located inside luxury condo buildings. “To tempt both buyers’ taste buds and their taste for exclusivity, developers are investing in residents-only restaurants, dining clubs and cocktail lounges,” reports the Wall Street Journal. “Some foodie-friendly condo towers boast eateries helmed by celebrity restaurateurs; others feature robust culinary programs complete with cooking classes, wine seminars, and truffle festivals.“
- With Hurricane Florence impacting the Carolinas, Anheuser-Busch temporarily stopped making beer at some of its breweries so it could process canned water that will be sent to victims of the storm, per Food & Wine. This isn’t the first time the brewing giant has temporarily traded beer for water.
- Eight more chains, including Burger King, Pizza Hut, and Papa John’s, are eliminating “no-poaching” agreements that prevent their franchisees from hiring away each other’s workers, reports the Seattle Times. These businesses join several chains that got rid of the agreements earlier this year. The “no-poach” rules prevent workers from moving to different restaurants that are part of the same company, thus keeping wages low by eliminating competitive pay.
- Amazon now offers two-hour grocery delivery in Paris thanks to a partnership with French supermarket chain Monoprix, according to Bloomberg. Could Amazon-Monoprix become the French version of Amazon-Whole Foods?
- And, finally, the Wall Street power lunch is back, according to the New York Times. Financial types reined in the lavish midday dining in the years following the Great Recession, but now that everything is all better, they’re returning to the “it” restaurants to be seen with their three martinis. “You know what that means? They are saying: ‘I have more money than you. I have more power than you. I am in charge,’” Julian Niccolini, co-owner of the Four Seasons restaurant in Manhattan, tells the Times. “It’s about money. It’s about power. It hasn’t changed. In fact, it’s getting much worse.”
Cadbury Is Stockpiling Creme Eggs to Stave Off a Brexit-Induced Shortage
Plus, Anheuser-Busch is sending canned water to victims of Hurricane Florence, and more food news to end the week