The Daily Dish: Leonardo DiCaprio Backs Sustainable Aquaculture With Seafood Kit Startup Investment

Leonardo DiCaprio Backs Sustainable Aquaculture With Seafood Kit Startup Investment

LoveTheWild, a farm-raised, frozen seafood kit startup based in Colorado, has added new investors to close its Series A funding round — one of which is famous heartthrob and actor Leonardo DiCaprio. The company says it not only wants to bring more seafood into consumers' diets, but also seeks to make a positive impact on the environment and public health through aquaculture. "LoveTheWild's approach to sustainable, responsible aquaculture is promoting the development of a secure and environmentally-conscious solution to feeding our planet's growing population," DiCaprio said in a statement. LoveTheWild offers four varieties of fish in its seafood kits, which can be found nationwide in the frozen section of retailers such as Whole Foods, Wegmans, Sprouts, and Mom's.

McDonald's Has the Worst-Quality Fast-Food, New Consumer Report Says

We've heard it multiple times before: big-name fast-food brands are on the downturn while regional chains that pay attention to nutrition and ingredient-sourcing are increasingly becoming the go-to favorite. A consumer report from RBC Capital Markets confirms this theory, and ranks McDonald's as the worst-quality fast-food chain in America. Burger King and Jack-in-the-Box were ranked No. 10 and No. 11, respectively, out of 12. The top three chains, meanwhile, were of the smaller, regional variety: In-N-Out, Chick-fil-A, and Culver's (a primarily Midwestern fast-casual restaurant chain) were ranked at the top of RBC Capital Markets' list. "For all-family brands, the bar may be higher on ingredients, and the media and promotional tools these (big brand) companies employed a decade ago seems to be far less impactful today," the report said.

Honey Nut Cheerios Removes 'BuzzBee' From Boxes in US, But for a Good Reason

Last year, Honey Nut Cheerios removed its iconic spokesbee, BuzzBee, on the Cheerios boxes in Canada in response to the deteriorating bee population. Now, the campaign has made its way to the United States to raise more awareness of the rapid decline of bee colonies — and what it means for the environment and the future of the world's food. A recent study by the University of Vermont mapped out the bee population and found that $3 billion of the United States economy depends on growing crops pollinated by bees. With the bee population vanishing, more than two-thirds of the crops used to feed people are at risk, according to the press release. To combat the decline, Honey Nut Cheerios is calling out to consumers to "#BringBackTheBees" by planting 100 million wildflower seeds and creating "a more bee-friendly world."

Pet Parents Are Turning to Cannabis to Treat Sick Animals

Some pet owners are capitalizing on marijuana's health benefits and turning to medical marijuana for their four-legged friends. More companies are starting to market pet cannabis products to treat animal ailments from arthritis to seizures, The Associated Press reported. Medical marijuana is currently legalized in 28 states, but still remains illegal under federal law, which limits extensive research on its health benefits. Because of this, it is also illegal for veterinarians to prescribe or recommend cannabis. Karl Jandrey, a veterinarian and professor at the University of California, Davis, told AP that he tells his clients they can use pet cannabis products "at their own risk, with the potential to spend money for no improvement, or a risk of adverse side effects."

Massachusetts Brewery Is Using Cap'n Crunch Berries in Its New Beer

Massachusetts-based Somerville Brewing Company is using Cap'n Crunch's Crunch Berries cereal in its new Belgian-style ale called "Saturday Morning," which will launch later this month. The Belgian ale was named as a tribute to "everybody's favorite Saturday morning cereal," at least according to local brewer Mike Johnson, who first dabbled with the recipe in 2000, Beverage Daily reported. "In terms of the brewing process, the crunch berries are just one more grain and sugar source for the wort," Caitlin Jewell, co-founder of Somerville Brewing Company, told Beverage Daily. Saturday Morning is just over 9 percent ABV and will be served at the brewery's taproom. The brewery also has plans to can the beer and release it as a limited edition through distributor Mass Bev Alliance.