A group of Subway franchisees is pressuring HQ to give soccer Olympian Megan Rapinoe the boot. “The 36-year-old, purple-haired soccer star — who kneeled ahead of a match before leading the United States to a bronze medal this week — began a stint as a pitchwoman for the fast-food giant this spring,” per the NY Post.  “In one spot, Rapinoe — who has been a vocal proponent of equal rights and equal pay for women — knocks a burrito out of a guy’s hands by kicking a soccer ball at him.”

McDonald's new Saweetie Meal is the chain’s latest celebrity menu collaboration and its first with a female musician.  “Since September 2020, McDonald's has launched similar limited-edition celebrity meals with Travis Scott, J Balvin and with South Korean pop band BTS, which have been popular,” per USA Today.

Paper vaccine cards are fragile and easy to forge. Enter the digital vaccine passport. The Vaccination Credential Initiative is a consortium of major tech and healthcare companies including Microsoft, Salesforce, Oracle, Bedford-based research company MITRE and the Mayo Clinic. The group is offering the SMART Health Card, a national standard for digital vaccine certificates based on technology from Boston Children’s Hospital. The standard was recently finalized, and is now rolling out nationwide.

When the top executives of the U.S. Big Three automakers appeared with President Biden last week to announce electrification goals, Stellantis’ Jeep Wrangler got some unexpected and free marketing. During a pre-event meeting to review logistics for the news conference about new clean car goals, the president unexpectedly voiced interest in driving one of the Detroit Three vehicles that had been placed on the property for the event. A Stellantis executive told him the keys were in the Wrangler. “Biden hopped in the Wrangler Rubicon 4xe and drove around the White House,” per the Detroit Free Press. “It was captured on video …

Missy Park, the founder of Title Nine, a California-based apparel company, was so annoyed after watching a recently released documentary that chronicles the U.S. Women’s National Team’s legal battle for equal pay that she has donated $1 million to the team. It’s the biggest donation in the company’s 32-year history. “Park, who named her company after Title IX, the landmark 1972 U.S. law that lifted barriers to girls and women in education and school sports, said the money would go to the 22 players on the team competing at the Tokyo Olympics,” per Reuters.

Kroger is teaming up with ghost kitchen operator Kitchen United to offer customers online ordering, pickup and delivery of fresh-made meals from area restaurants. Kitchen United-run off-premise restaurant kitchens at Kroger stores will feature up to six local, regional or national restaurant brands. The first kitchen is scheduled for this fall at a Ralphs supermarket in Los Angeles, with more locations launching later this year.

Ikea is paying tribute to one of its best-selling food items with the creation of a meatball-scented candle, included in the Store in a Box package created to celebrate 10 years of its U.S. loyalty program.  “Ikea would not specify what else is in the Store in a Box, other than saying it will contain some of the most recognizable pieces of an Ikea store,” per USA Today.

Samsung Electronics leaders are waiting to see if the conglomerate’s leader, Jay Y. Lee, will be released on parole this month after serving 18 months for bribery and embezzlement. “If he is released, Samsung would be able to move forward with major investment and M&A projects - decisions company sources say should only be made by Lee,” per Reuters, including a decision on the location of a $17 billion U.S. plant to produce advanced logic chips.

NBA star Kyrie Irving says he was out of line in publicly bashing Nike and says he's working with the company to fix the problems. Irving blasted the sneaker giant, calling the shoes “trash," after photos of his next signature shoe, Kyrie 8s, leaked on social media. The two parties are “diligently working, restructuring, and reimagining things together to make sure we get it right," he says.

Proof of vaccinations soon will be required of both workers and customers for indoor dining in New York City. To enter a restaurant, diners must use the city's new digital app (NYC COVID Safe App), New York's Excelsior app or produce a paper card to show proof. “The mandate, which also applies to indoor fitness, entertainment and performance venues, will take effect Aug. 16 and will be enforced beginning Sept. 13,” per Restaurant Dive.