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Matthew Dornquast of Minneapolis was among 1,200 people in a Hawthorne, Calif., hangar late last month when Tesla Motors unveiled its latest electric car. He got a close look at the new Model 3 and even took a ride in one.
But Dornquast also was unexpectedly able to closely study Tesla founder and CEO Elon Musk during the sedan’s 23-minute rollout — and he saw the famed industrialist close to tears.
Musk had just queued up the climactic video that would culminate with three of the cars rolling onto the stage.
Musk “moved to the edge of the stage, only a few feet in front of me,” Dornquast said. As “the audience watched the stage, Elon watched the audience, and of course, I watched Elon.
“While others cheered, gaping in awe at the 3 unveil, Elon was scanning the crowd, witnessing their excitement, and took a long deep breath in,” he said. “His eyes moistened, he blinked, forcing the tears out of the way. He was in the moment.”
It was, in fact, an emotional moment for everyone in the hangar, Dornquast added. All for the love of a car.
Tesla owners such as Dornquast have a cult-like admiration for Musk and how he’s made electric cars the objects of tech lust. In this sense, those attending the Model 3 roll-out were much like Apple-enthused attendees at iPhone and iPad unveilings.
Now, Tesla fever has reached a new high, by reaching a new low — price, that is.
The Model 3, which is said to have a entry-level range of 215 miles on a single battery charge and a base price of $35,000, is being positioned as the first Tesla for the masses; Tesla’s fancier and pricier Model S luxury sedan and Model X sports-utility vehicle are priced at around $62,000 and $80,000.
The masses, it appears, are responding favorably to the Model 3. Thousands of fans nationwide camped out at Tesla stores on March 31, each willing to pay a refundable $1,000 for a car they won’t see until late in 2017 at the earliest (and most aren’t likely to get until 2018 or later). Many of the pre-orders came from those who queued up outside Tesla’s Eden Prairie store.
More than 100,000 of those pre-orders were placed that day, before the Model 3 had even been revealed that evening.
As of Thursday, Tesla had logged 325,000 pre-orders for the Model 3 worldwide, and Musk said on Twitter that the number is still rising. Put in perspective, Tesla has sold a total of 110,000 electric cars since it started doing business in 2008.
Minnesotans who ordered Model 3s gave a variety of rationales for doing so — Tesla faithfulness, environmental consciousness, tech nerdiness, car craziness. Regardless of the reason, owning a Tesla is, for such people, a badge of honor.
BUMPS IN THE ROAD
Tesla is not without its problems. It has experienced maddening delays in delivering its Model X to customers, partly because of issues with parts suppliers. This caused its stock price to dip.
But this past week, as news of the Model 3 pre-orders came in, the stock was back up to seven-month highs. This even as analysts were questioning the company’s ability to deliver the goods and suggesting its stock is overvalued. Shares closed the week at $250.07, up almost 9 percent since the March 31 rollout and still near that seven-month high.
High demand for the Model 3 could be seen as a good problem to have, but it is a problem nonetheless. Musk, who anticipated fewer pre-orders in the early days, has acknowledged that the company will have to ramp up its production infrastructure in order to keep up. The previous week, Musk mused that company may have to build a new factory.
Also, the Model 3, like Apple’s first iPhone when then-CEO Steve Jobs famously demo-ed it in 2007, remains a work in progress with a great deal of challenging design work yet to be completed. The prototypes unveiled March 31 in California were just that — prototypes.
Tesla also faces competition from Chevrolet, Nissan and other makers of mass-market electric autos. These have a bigger marketing footprint because they are sold through traditional dealer networks, unlike Tesla; and the Chevy and Nissan brands say economy to the masses; the Tesla brand says luxury.
These mass-market electrics are expected to hit the 200-mile-per-charge range that is said to be essential for electric-auto mass adoption.
Nissan says it has sold 211,000 electric Leafs since distribution began in late 2010. The new Chevy Bolt, a follow-up to the Chevy Volt, reportedly will go into production late this year, with likely availability next year.
But in Dornquast’s opinion, Tesla in particular is ushering a new world. Enthusiasm about the Model 3 proves “the gas-powered engine for personal transport is dead, it’s done, it’s over.”
“It will take a while” for electric cars to replace gas cars, he concedes, “but there is no longer any doubt or question. We will be driving electric cars.”
TOUCHING THE TESLA
Brittany Thomas of Prior Lake loves Tesla autos so much, she has worked informally as a Tesla activist, for free.
Tesla, which sells its cars directly to consumers instead of going through traditional franchised dealerships, has from time to time run afoul of dealership associations and state governments seeking to maintain a status quo.
This happened in Iowa, where Tesla recently had trouble even in providing test drives to interested parties. So Thomas and other Tesla owners banded together and roared into Iowa as a convoy to offer test drives, something the politicians could not prevent.
There’s no bigger Tesla fan than Thomas, truly.
So when Dornquast announced he had an extra slot for the Model 3 unveiling, Thomas jumped at the opportunity. She happened to be in California already, which made it easy.
The event, she recalled, started with an open bar and ended with Model 3 test rides — not drives, “which made sense because of the open bar,” she said. “Safety first.”
Four people at a time piled into test cars while the others milled around a number of Model 3s on display, giving Thomas a good look at the features, all along aware that she was looking at prototypes that may change.
The top of the car, essentially one continuous piece of glass from windshield to rear, “is incredibly beautiful,” she said. “It’ll be interesting to see how that is functional in the real world.”
She was unsure about the Model 3’s control panel, consisting of a raised or “floating” screen in the middle of the dash. The screen is in a landscape orientation different from portrait-oriented displays in the Model S and Model X.
The Model 3 screen “looked a little complicated, but I don’t think it was a final thing.”
The area behind the wheel is strangely blank, with no readouts or controls. “They did tell us there’s nothing final about how the dash and the steering wheel” will ultimately be designed, she noted.
She liked how the Model 3 door handles “pop into your hand” with a gentle push. She loved how the wheels have no visible lug nuts on the outside, “which is a beautiful concept” that she hopes survives in the final design.
The seats “were incredibly nice,” she added. “I’m not sure if they were leather, but they were very nice to the touch and felt a lot more luxurious than what you’d normally get in a $35,000 car.”
Leg room is exceptional, she said, even for people like Dornquast, who is tall.
Thomas sees the Model 3 as a fusion of Teslas that came before — including the first, a two-seat sports car called the Roadster.
“It’s all three of the cars merged,” Thomas said. The nose, which has triggered strong opinions because it lacks a grill or any vents, “is a nod towards the Roadster, and it reminds me a little bit of a Porsche.”
Thomas has two Model 3s on pre-order, one for her mother-in-law as a retirement gift and another for herself and her husband as a spare vehicle to keep at their Wisconsin cabin.
The couple have gas-powered Mercedes and Audi cars but are getting rid of them. A Model X also is on pre-order, likely to be delivered this summer, and they are already driving a Model S.
The Model 3 “is going to be amazing,” she said.
WHAT BUYERS SAY
Birch Hansen of St. Paul can’t understand why electric cars are not the norm on Minnesota roadways.
“Once you drive an electric car, you don’t want to go back,” he said. “This is essentially like flying on a magic carpet down the freeway. There’s no vibration, no sound. It is completely quiet and serene. It’s superior, like you’re driving a vehicle from the 22nd century.”
But Hansen acknowledges the auto market “is historically a highly conservative market. American car buyers in particular are known for being somewhat change-averse.”
The Model 3, he believes, will change that, and he has ordered one. He was about 300 in a queue at Tesla’s Eden Prairie store on March 31.
The Model 3 will actually be his second electric auto — he recently gave up a Mitsubishi i-MiEV he was leasing but was not permitted to buy.
This was good in hindsight, Hansen said, because owning a Tesla has one overwhelming advantage — the company’s network of “supercharger” stations that lets Tesla owners drive almost anywhere they wish with zero worries about running out of juice.
Tesla now has 3,608 superchargers around the world, with these spaced out along major arteries to allow for transcontinental trips — from New York City to Los Angeles, say. And Tesla, by the end of next year, plans to have roughly 7,200 superchargers.
Minnesota has five outstate superchargers in Albert Lea, Baxter, Brainerd, Duluth, Hinckley and Worthington.
“I can go anywhere at will with no limitations,” said Hansen, who anticipates frequent trips to visit family in Madison, Wis., and the occasional trek to far-off destinations such as California.
Supercharger use for owners of the Roadster and models S and X costs nothing, but Tesla has not specified whether Model 3 owners also will get free charging or will have to pay fees.
Raj Rajan of Lakeville, another potential Model 3 buyer, said he has grown disgusted with his gasoline consumption, even though he is using a couple of plug-in hybrid autos partially propelled by electricity.
“I am still burning gas,” Rajan said. “There is now way around it. I am going to gas stations, and I don’t want to do that anymore.”
That is why he was in 50th line at 7 a.m. at the Eden Prairie Tesla store. Some ahead of him had camped out overnight, he said.
He likened this to lining up for concert tickets, but in this case it was like “standing in line for a rock concert without knowing the musicians or what they are going to sing.
“This shows you how much credibility Tesla has built up with the Model S,” that people would line up to slap down $1,000 for a car while still knowing virtually nothing about it, Rajan said.
Brian Anderson of Plymouth was on vacation Thursday in Florida, so he drove about a half-hour north from Cape Coral to Sarasota in order to place a Model 3 pre-order at a Tesla store there.
Anderson, who currently drives a BMW i3 plug-in hybrid, said he threw in his lot with Tesla because “I am a huge fan of Elon Musk and hugely impressed with his commitment to fixing some pretty big world problems, such as global warming.
“This guy has my vote regardless,” he said, “but the fact that he is also providing a product I’m interested in is a win-win.”
Anderson already has solar panels on his roof to generate power for his electric cars. “I want to have as small a carbon footprint as possible,” he said.
Bob Thompson of Minneapolis already is all-in with electric autos; he owns a Nissan Leaf and has a Prius plug-in hybrid assigned to a company he owns.
Thompson, who queued up in Eden Prairie to pre-order the Model 3, said this auto is a logical progression for a number of reasons.
“The design is a little more edgy, with no grill in the front, and has a very interesting look that is different than I expected,” he said. “The interior looks amazing, with the simple screen, and it exceeded my expectations.”
Practically speaking, he said, the Model 3 is a “complete package with enough range and a robust charging infrastructure that lets me use the car on trips.”
The Model 3 is also “a turning point” for the market, Thompson added. “There had always been something holding people back from mass adoption … but this car is going to tilt the industry to electric cars.”
Alvin Huss, a downtown-St. Paul resident who owns a Roadster, a Model S and and a Model X, won’t be placing an order for a Model 3. He’s a fan, though.
“The biggest single thing is the starting point in price,” Huss said. As a result, “it reaches a hell of a lot more people and opens up a heck of a new market.”
Though the car is not exactly ultra-affordable with a base price of $35,000, “It’s getting pretty doggone close,” Huss added. “And it also doesn’t use any gas.”
Reports from Associated Press were used in this story.


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Earth Brands Products will be Available Throughout Arena, As Part of the Venue's Ongoing Commitment to Sustainability
NEW YORK , Feb. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. (NYSE: MSGE) (MSG Entertainment) announced today that Earth Brands, the eco-conscious startup dedicated to combating single-use plastic products, has been named an Official Partner of Madison Square Garden.
Earth Brands products, including Earth Cups and Earth Lids, will be used at all concession stands and hospitality spaces during all events at The Garden – both sporting events and live entertainment.
"Partnering with Earth Brands is a major step forward in our commitment to sustainability," said David Hopkinson , President and Chief Operating Officer of MSG Sports, who oversees brand partnerships across MSG Entertainment. "Through this partnership, we will, together, replace millions of single-use plastics across hundreds of events each year, while ensuring that fans continue to have a world-class experience at The Garden."
"Partnering with MSG represents a key milestone in our company's brief history," said Peter Frelinghuysen , Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Earth Brands. "The partnership underscores The Garden's commitment to sustainability, and, as born-and-raised New Yorkers – and big Knicks and Rangers fans – this one feels extra special for us."
As part of the partnership, Earth Brands will be featured in-arena during events, and across select New York Knicks and New York Rangers games telecast on MSG Networks.
Earth Brands was founded in 2021 with the mission of making sustainability cool and universal for next-generation consumers and businesses. Through material science, closed-loop collection programming, and data reporting, Earth Brands seeks to mitigate plastic pollution, reduce reliance on petroleum-based products, and offer sustainable alternatives to traditional single-use items. Earth Brands sells their popular "Earth Cups" – as well as a host of other products – to dozens of large stadiums, venues, festivals, restaurant chains, coffee chains, and universities.
Crown Properties Collection represented MSG Entertainment in this partnership.
About Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp.
Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. (MSG Entertainment) is a leader in live entertainment, delivering unforgettable experiences while forging deep connections with diverse and passionate audiences. The Company's portfolio includes a collection of world-renowned venues – New York's Madison Square Garden, The Theater at Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, and Beacon Theatre; and The Chicago Theatre – that showcase a broad array of sporting events, concerts, family shows, and special events for millions of guests annually. In addition, the Company features the original production, the Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes , which has been a holiday tradition for 90 years. More information is available at www.msgentertainment.com .
About Earth Brands
Earth Brands Inc. is a New York -based sustainable products company, who manufactures, sells and distributes recyclable and compostable cups and other products across the United States and Canada . Earth Brands specializes in using sustainable raw materials to make high-quality custom or co-branded products at an accessible price point. More information is available at www.earthbrands.earth .
SOURCE Madison Square Garden Sports Corp.

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Bitcoin Drugs Market
Shamo is a federal criminal case involving a dark web drug conspiracy using bitcoin for sales. After conviction, defendant filed a motion. New Jersey, UnitedStates - The research study on the Bitcoin-Mining Machine Market offers you detailed and accurate analyzes to strengthen. Hydra servers and cryptocurrency wallets were seized by the been a key online marketplace for the sale of deadly drugs worldwide, said. Conjunction with darknet market activity may indicate drug purchases or sales, Bitcoin Trader Convicted of Money Laundering, Mar. The dark web market specialized in the drug trade and, at its peak, German authorities said Hydra Market's "Bitcoin Bank Mixer" service. Hydra market's servers, 25M in bitcoin seized by German police in dark web Hydra vendors offered a variety of illicit drugs for sale.
Federal agents arrested Ross Ulbricht, 29, known as "Dread Pirate Roberts," and took bitcoin drugs market million in Bitcoin. They're calling it the largest. By J Aldridge Cited by 8 2022, this cryptomarket enabled anyone to mail order illegal drugs and other goods with anonymous bitcoin payments. Following its demise, cryptomarkets have. Authorities to crack down on Silk Road, the Internet black market drug trade, and the digital currency that funds it, Bitcoins. Since their inception in 2009, it has become a medium for all kinds of black market activities spurdomarket market link online. Here's what you need to know about the. (Kitco News) German authorities seized bitcoin drugs market million worth of Bitcoin Tuesday after shutting Hydra Market a Russian-language marketplace. Bitcoin boomed in value and everyone holding the cryptocurrency for drugs, other illicit online black market trading, and terrorism.
Following the Wall Street Market takedown in May 2022 and the filing laundering cryptocurrency, and spreading drugs around the world,. This blog is an excerpt from the Chainalysis 2022 Crypto Crime Report. And much like drug markets, bitcoin drugs market fraud shops on the dark web collect. Hydra servers and cryptocurrency wallets were seized by the been a key online marketplace for the sale of deadly drugs worldwide, said. US seizes 28m in bitcoins linked to online drug market. 'Largest ever' seizure of digital currency seized from alleged owner of online Silk. Since the bull market of 2022, the use of Bitcoin for illegal purposes as a percentage of its total use has dwindled. Chainalysis has found that. A Silk Road trader pleaded guilty to laundering over 19 million worth of profits with Bitcoin after using the notorious marketplace to sell.
The illicit sale of spurdomarket market darknet drugs, firearms and bitcoin drugs market smuggling.... digital entities. Services Darknet markets, cryptocurrency exchanges. The pair were arrested in New Mexico two years ago after authorities found they used the seedy marketplaces Wall Street Market and Empire. "The BTC transaction fee has made buying from DNM untenable for me," noted another. "Is there a way round this? None of the markets seem to take. By V Bhaskar 2022 Cited by 38 The economic functioning of online drug markets using data scraped from 4 For a discussion of the economics and technology of Bitcoins see Bohme et al. The amount of cryptocurrency spent on so-called dark net markets, where stolen credit card information and a wide array of illegal drugs can. By E Silfversten 2022 Cited by 7 as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin and Monero. including drugs and controlled substances, Figure bitcoin drugs market DWO listings with 'Zcash' mentions by market.
Revenues of spurdomarket link the drug marketplace Silk Road have doubled since March. "Bitcoin was the first cryptocurrency, and it's still the biggest today, with the highest market cap, almost a trillion dollars now, sai. Drug dealers are using bitcoin to finance the deadly wave of fentanyl flooding into the country from overseas. We follow the money from Main. Drug and human traffickers are increasingly using online marketplaces and and by some market participants' noncompliance with anti-money. Federal agents arrested Ross Ulbricht, 29, known as "Dread Pirate Roberts," and took bitcoin drugs market million in Bitcoin. They're calling it the largest. In addition to arresting Ulbricht, the Federal Bureau of Investigation seized approximately bitcoin drugs market million in Bitcoin, making it the second.
Secondly, it also holds answer to a lot of common questions, such as DDoS problems, transaction problems and so on. This makes an Exitscam by the vendor or Wall Street practically impossible. Australian article claims 30 interceptions a month in an area, but mentions nothing specific about arrests. During the searches of the suspects’ apartments, more than 550,000 euros in cash as well as large sums of cryptocurrency were seized. Many ads contain vendors’ phone numbers, emails, Wickr IDs, and websites that enable the ability for consumers to communicate with drug vendors and initiate a drug order sale transaction. Russian bitcoin drugs market [Sic] is Collecting Encryption Keys as ‘Anti-terrorism’ Legislation Goes into Effect. Vanessa Daniels has worked as a professional actress in theater, film, TV, commercials, and voice-over for almost two decades.
Probabilistic nanopayments play a definitive role in Orchid’s internal transaction management system by lowering costs and increasing network speed and transparency. In the case against the three young men, more than bitcoin drugs market 25 packages containing narcotics were sent to the Island through the U. Key Marketing Points: -Simultaneous release -New York Times bestselling author -Author of the Books by the Bay Mysteries -For bitcoin drugs market fans of Lorna Barrett's Booktown mystery series -Author's Web site: elleryadamsmysteries. Paolo is attending as speaker at various international conferences, including DEFCON, BlackHat, and Droidcon, and he is the leader and founder of VoidSec.


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Microsoft spiffs up Outlook.com with more advanced rules, new undo options, and in-line reply functionality.
Maybe it's a little early to be getting in line for these gadgets, but they are coming.
It might look the part of a $500 machine, but the KitchenAid Pro Line didn't toast any better than the $30 Hamilton Beach Classic Chrome Toaster.
This intriguing technology lets you call up information on your smartphone by touching an object with your finger, turning your body into a kind of capacitive power line network.
The carrier will also offer up to $350 per line to T-Mo subscribers to cover costs related to switching networks.
The search giant's 1-gigabit fiber network will arrive in Atlanta, Charlotte, N.C., Raleigh-Durham, N.C. and Nashville, Tenn., says The Wall Street Journal.
The crowd-funded smart lock company had trouble delivering its initial design, but to make up for it has come up with a brand new, slimmer unit that will ship to original backers first.
In its latest financial snapshot, the software giant is demonstrating that its hardware business is not just a sideshow after all.
The first 300 people in line at this month's big-screen showings will take home a poster depicting iconic moments from the hit fantasy series.
Flaunting modern stainless steel construction and sturdy design, Frigidaire's re-tooled Professional appliance line is built to tempt the top chef crowd for less.
The second generation of the midrange smartphone is the latest to pick up Google's Lollipop OS update.


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How Late Payment is Affecting Every Business
On 12th April, Else Solicitors sponsored a revealing round table discussion at the Centre for Policy Studies in London. The event attracted credit professionals from a range of household brands including 20th Century Fox, BP, Siemens and French Connection as well as debt collection specialists and advisers from across the UK.
The debate focused on the challenges currently facing companies including the explosion of information and the new data protection laws, recruitment and training and the issue of late payment.
Late payment is endemic in today’s economic environment and impacts every business. The Government introduced the Late Payment Initiative in March 2013 to help but participants felt SMEs were still struggling to get paid as they are scared to enforce it and risk losing the relationship.
Chris Else, Managing Partner of Else Solicitors, explained that the West Midlands Chamber of Commerce has an alternative solution- their new “Pay in 30 Days” initiative. The Chamber is encouraging businesses to support the local economy by pledging to pay suppliers within 30 days. Although it is not legally binding, companies signing up to the pledge are showing their commitment to pay suppliers within 30 days, or within agreed contract terms. This commitment demonstrates corporate social responsibility and makes them more appealing as a potential trading partner.
A recent survey found that, on average, West Midlands businesses are owed over £200,000 and have to wait 90, or even 120, days to get paid. ‘Pay in 30 Days’ hopes to turn the tide on late payment by promoting best practice throughout the local economy.
Mr Else commented: “If every business improved their payments to suppliers it would have a major impact on the local economy. Businesses would have more money to spend on growth and employment.”
Stephen Kiely, editor of CCRMagazine, added: “It is good to see such initiatives moving forward. It really highlights the importance of the work done by credit professionals.”
Chris Else concluded “Any company, with the right system, procedures and terms of business in place, can make major cash flow improvements, minimise bad debt and resolve issues with customers before they get worse. With Brexit and the current economic situation, these things are more important than ever. This round table discussion gave us an invaluable insight into how Else can continue to deliver first class debt recovery and dispute resolution services.”


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The day before, China decided to impose 10 percent and 5 percent tariffs on $75 billion worth of imported American goods, while US President Donald Trump responded by saying that the US would increase tariffs against China even more,Trendreports citingSputnik .
The UK risks being drawn into a global trade war amid the US-China row, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Saturday prior to the G7 summit in France, adding that he wanted to see the de-escalation of the global trade war.
On Friday, China announced 10 percent and 5 percent tariffs on $75 billion worth of imported US goods, including soybeans, wheat, corn, beef, pork and crude oil.
The move prompted Donal Trump to rush to Twitter and promise even higher tariffs against the Asian superpower.
Washington and Beijing have been engaged in a trade conflict for over a year after Trump announced tariffs on $50 billion worth of Chinese imports justifying the move by the need to balance the trade deficit. Since then, the two countries have introduced several rounds of reciprocal tariffs.
Responding on Donald Tusk’s comments on Brexit, Johnson said that the EU Council president should help the UK find a deal, adding that he himself had been absolutely clear that he doesn’t want a no-deal Brexit.
“I would say to our friends in the EU if they don’t want a no-deal Brexit then we’ve got to get rid of the backstop from the treaty. If Donald Tusk doesn’t want to go down as Mr No Deal then I hope that point will be borne in mind by him too,” Johnson told reporters.
Earlier this week, Johnson returned from a European tour during which he attempted to persuade European leaders to renegotiate provisions of the Brexit deal, especially the Irish ‘backstop’.
The British government, however, hasn’t published any details of the talks yet.


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Apple has been unable to restore data contained on an iPhone belonging to a teen that was lost at sea. The family of Austin Stephanos, who went missing with friend Perry Cohen, were hoping the device could provide vital information that may help track them down.
Remember when cellphones really took off and everyone was worried they’d fry our brains? Well, it turns out we have nothing to worry about. A 29-year study has found there’s no link between cellphones and brain cancer.
Can’t find popular apps in the App Store? You’re not the only one. Widespread search issues are currently preventing a large number of titles from showing up in search results for many users around the world.
The Los Angeles Police Department has successfully hacked into an iPhone 5s belonging to the wife of The Shield actor Michael Jace as part of a murder investigation, according to a report from Los Angeles Times, which cites a search warrant filed with the court.
The FBI has confirmed that it informed Apple of a vulnerability in its iPhone software on April 14. It’s thought to be the first time the bureau has disclosed a flaw to Apple as part of the so-called Vulnerability Equities Process.
Apple announced its Q2 2016 earnings, and as expected, the results were a mixed bag. Decline was the buzzword for the day with the strong performances of the Services division offset by a drop in iOS device sales. To find out more about Apple’s quarterly performance, read on for our easy-to-digest summary of the earnings report and subsequent conference call.
Apple has patented a new design for hybrid headphones with wired and wireless connections that won’t drop audio when switching between the two. The headphones could be the perfect accessory for a future iPhone that ships without a 3.5mm headphone jack.
If you want a smartphone with an optical zoom lens, you have to settle for a bulky device with a huge hump in its back. But a new Apple invention for a compact telephoto lens that folds away when not in use could change that for future iPhones.


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NEW YORK, N.Y., Feb. 16, 2016 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Very Rich Style is a fashion design brand that was born from a mother’s desire. The owner, Velica Steadman initially, originally thought sewing would just be a hobby. However, her mother pushed her towards a different idea. After a decent amount of encouragement, her mother’s advice […]
HOUSTON, Texas, Jan. 18, 2016 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Whiteflash announced today that they have been selected to host the historic Esperanza Diamond in Houston, Texas on its cross-country tour of American Gem Society (AGS) member stores. The one-of-a-kind diamond will be on display in the Whiteflash Houston jewelry store in Sugar Land Town Square February […]
PASADENA, Calif., Nov. 18, 2015 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — BJD Inc., a privately held men’s sportswear manufacturer, established in 1985, located in Los Angeles and New York, has selected DrivenBI’s SRK to help transform their Sales Cycle Analysis. BJD Inc. owns several different brands, their most distinguished being Michael Brandon, Thread and Cloth, James Tattersall, and […]
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J., Oct. 21, 2015 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Bumpurr – a location based mobile dating app launching in 2016 – filed a Provisional Patent Application for its wearable offline GPS indicator technology in the USPTO on October 6, 2015. The Patent Pending technology will make Bumpurr the first to instantly connect members of an […]
NEW YORK, N.Y., Sept. 29, 2015 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — The annual Event Planner Expo, brought to you by EMRG Media, announced that Alexandra Wilkis Wilson, co-founder Gilt.com, and CEO GLAMSQUAD, will be its keynote speaker this year. This premier event planner event will take place in New York City at the Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 West […]
LOS ANGELES, Calif., Sept. 16, 2015 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Envy Corner announces their launch of high quality Halloween costumes at unbeatable prices. The decision to move forward with this came from the President of the company, Armen Leylekian, a very successful entrepreneur whose business practices are based on customer demand satisfaction enablement.
HOUSTON, Texas, Sept. 8, 2015 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Whiteflash Inc., top tier retailer of ideal diamonds and fine bridal jewelry, announced this week that it is adding High Definition 360 degree video to their website for their in-house loose diamonds.
DES MOINES, Iowa, Aug. 17, 2015 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Bassackwards Tees(TM), a Des Moines based clothing company, has announced that due to increasing customer demand, they have just released an additional four state T-shirts to their lineup, which include Illinois, West Virginia, Arkansas and Georgia. The company already offers their unique, increasingly popular and ‘crazy […]
LOS ANGELES, Calif., July 16, 2015 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Apparelbook, the world’s first online sourcing network for the apparel and accessories wholesale industry, today announced the launch of its online marketplace, Apparelbook.net, and package of online branding tools and services. Apparelbook provides an instant and direct source for retailers of all sizes to discover new […]
HOUSTON, Texas, July 9, 2015 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Renowned international jeweler, Brian Gavin Diamonds, introduces its newest luxury collection, Brian Gavin Yellow(TM), a line featuring certified fancy yellow diamonds set in left or right hand ring settings. These beautiful diamonds are set in platinum, 18K white gold or 14K white gold.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., June 12, 2015 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — It has been estimated that about 6 million Americans have at least one tattoo they want removed or changed, but are unwilling to do it with a laser. Mundy Tattoo Removal is the first to address that large unmet need in all of the Rocky Mountain […]
WILKES-BARRE, Pa., June 5, 2015 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Rejuvatek Medical, Inc., Sandy, Utah, announced the opening of their latest Tatt2Away(R) center in Eastern Pennsylvania at Marc’s Tattooing and Body Piercing. Tatt2Away offers a patented, innovative alternative to laser tattoo removal that is less painful, less costly, and more effective at removing all tattoo colors of […]
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., June 2, 2015 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Victoria Jackson Cosmetics is proud to announce an exciting brand refresh. Known as The Original ‘No Make-up, Makeup'(R), Victoria Jackson Cosmetics has re-launched its website at vjcosmetics.com with a brand new look and new products. Victoria’s favorites and tried and true products are still available like […]
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn., May 15, 2015 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Rejuvatek Medical, Inc. announced today the opening of the very first Tatt2Away(R) non-laser tattoo removal system in No Egrets Tattoo Studio. Tatt2Away is a brand new patented process designed for tattoo studio artists to be able not only to remove tattoos but also to selectively remove part […]
JESSUP, Md., April 23, 2015 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Washington Boulevard Tattoo Studio is the newest studio in Maryland to adopt an innovative technology, the all-natural Tatt2Away(R) non-laser tattoo removal system from Rejuvatek Medical. Not only will this patented technique totally remove an existing tattoo, but it also offers a unique opportunity for those individuals seeking […]
JACKSONVILLE, N.C., April 9, 2015 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Rejuvatek Medical (Sandy, Utah) welcomes Forbidden Tattoo Studio as the first trained and certified Tatt2Away(R) Center in North Carolina. Tatt2Away is a patented non-laser tattoo removal system that, unlike the gold standard laser, can remove all colors of ink with nominal pain and lower cost.
MIAMI, Fla., April 1, 2015 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Currently, the NFL Combine is the most noted of all football camps and related events. College Pro Day is a very close second, and should soon challenge for the number one sporting crown. With the ever growing popularity of Pro Days, through manufacturing and licensing, True Fan […]
CHARLOTTE, N.C., March 3, 2015 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Everyone wants their own little piece of paradise and that’s exactly what a new global, online media magazine – Lucky Paradise Casinos – delivers. Is it about casinos? No, not really. It’s about feeling good and being lucky.
NEW YORK, N.Y., Feb. 18, 2015 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Sevlor, Co., announced that Dream Hair Blending, EU Hair Extension and Hair Reconstruction Awards winner in 2013, has introduced to North America its undetectable and completely non-damaging hair blending extensions. Known in Europe for their natural and undetectable hair replacement and hair extension technology ‘Hair Blending […]
NEW YORK, N.Y., Feb. 9, 2015 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — For broken hearts, Valentine’s Day can be a difficult day for many. Enter actress-turned-designer Nicole Brier, who has created a Venus Heart Palm Bracelet to rekindle romance with that special someone. Available from Louise Manna Jewelry, the purpose of this special design is to bring the […]
CHENG DU, SI CHUAN, China, Jan. 27, 2015 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Lilybrides is pleased to announce that shopping for a wedding dress just got a lot easier, and more budget friendly than ever imagined. This new online wedding dress and formal apparel e-commerce site is the new way to shop for that special day.
NEW YORK CITY, N.Y., Dec. 18, 2014 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — R2Net – JamesAllen.com, one of the two largest diamond and bridal jewelry e-commerce platforms in the U.S. announced today that is has secured $25 Million in growth funding from Israel Growth Partners (IGP).
NEW YORK, N.Y., Nov. 12, 2014 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — B2C Jewels, carrying an online inventory of over 150,000 diamonds, announced today they are raising the consumer-confidence bar by providing advanced photos for their new ‘Perfection’ Ideal Cut diamonds. No other diamond retailer of their size provides such images for online diamonds. Where many sellers post […]
FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif., Nov. 10, 2014 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Introducing Jovare, a collection of handcrafted, affordable jewelry from Africa that caters to the woman who wants a distinctive look. Suitable for both casual and formal wear, the jewelry will be sold online exclusively at jovare.com. It will not be available in retail stores.
NEW YORK, N.Y., Nov. 10, 2014 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — James Allen, a leading engagement ring and certified loose diamond retailer, announced today that it is working with Sears to provide an exclusive and innovative in-store shopping experience at 16 Sears locations throughout New York, Maryland and Puerto Rico.
LOS ANGELES, Calif., Sept. 17, 2014 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Sexy Halloween costumes retailer, Envy Corner, is proud to announce the top five Halloween costumes that were voted to be the best costumes for women this year. Fans of Envy Corner’s Facebook page picked the top five Halloween costumes, to create the ultimate ‘complete costume.’ Here […]
LOS ANGELES, Calif., Sept. 12, 2014 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Sexy Wear Avenue, a popular online vendor of adult Halloween costumes for women, is celebrating its 10-year anniversary with limited-time anniversary specials of extra 15 percent-off discount on all products storewide with coupon code SWA15.
OCEANSIDE, Calif., Sept. 5, 2014 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Oceanside Jewelers, owned and operated by Master Jeweler Chad Elliott, is expanding the store’s award winning collection of fine jewelry and engagement rings, and will be launching a new line of Pandora jewelry, bracelets, and charms in store.
ROCKAWAY, N.J., May 22, 2014 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — On Saturday, May 24, 2014 at 10 a.m. E.T., hip hop inspired apparel and shoe retailer, Jimmy Jazz, will have its Grand Opening at the Rockaway Townsquare store in New Jersey. The specialty retailer promises a unique and exciting opening for its newest store.
CHICAGO, Ill., May 19, 2014 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — The biggest urban entertainment event to hit the Midwest in years. Lights, camera, runway, action! AJ-ONIC Dynasty presents: The 2014 Midwest Urban Fashion Summit, which will be held June 27, 28 and 29, 2014 at The Holiday Inn Convention Center in Gurnee, Ill.


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In Q2-2021 Indian hotels suffered 54% drop in RevPAR compared to Q1
The second quarter coincided with the second wave of the pandemic which had quite a serious impact on the country's economy.
Like the domestic aviation industry, the hospitality industry also suffered a huge setback in the second quarter (Q2) of 2021 after a promising start in Quarter one. As per the Quarterly report by leading Consulting agency, JLL, Indian hotels witnessed 53.9 per cent drop in RevPAR (Revenue Per Available Room) in Q2 compared to Q1. The second quarter coincided with the second wave of the pandemic which had quite a serious impact on the health system of the country.
“Whilst Q2 2021 has been extremely hard on the hospitality sector given the brutal second wave, we take some encouragement from the way business has resumed. Flights are filling up; holiday destinations are running full house and we have witnessed pick up in wedding bookings too. F&B dining though remains slow and continues to be driven by home delivery orders. Operations have become a very tricky affair with managing employees and costs given sudden demand fluctuations,” said Jaideep Dang, Managing Director, Hotels and Hospitality Group, South Asia, JLL.
On a Year on Year (Y-o-Y) comparison, the hospitality industry in India witnessed a growth of 84.7 per cent in Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) during Q2 2021 ( April-June) as compared to Q2 2020 primarily due to the low base effect of the complete nation-wide lockdown in Q2 2020.
However, as restrictions were eased between the end of May and June, a sharper recovery in leisure demand has been witnessed in comparison to the same period last year.The recovery of the sector has been primarily driven by branded chains in the leisure segment performing notably well. Guest preferences have changed significantly, and people are preferring to stay at secluded low-density properties, the report says.
While business and corporate travel will take time to revive, the JLL report hopes leisure and weddings segments will drive the sector in the short to medium term. With the vaccination picking up pace, Corporate travel is also expected to pick up steam by the end of this year, the report predicts.
Total number of signings in Q2 of 2021 stood at 20 hotels comprising 2,100 keys, which is three times the number of rooms signed in Q2 2020. Furthermore, domestic operators dominated signings over international operators with the ratio of 60:40 in terms of inventory volume.
Goa yet again emerged as the RevPAR leader in absolute terms in Q2 2021 with a growth of 360.1 per cent as compared to the very low base of Q2 2020. Additionally, Mumbai witnessed the highest growth in occupancy level registering 17.7 per cent increase in Q2 2021 over the same period last year. Chennai witnessed 99.6 per cent growth in RevPAR followed by Hyderabad with 89.6 per cent increase compared to the same period of the previous year.


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Digital Caddies Inc stocks price quote with latest real-time prices, charts, financials, latest news, technical analysis and opinions. Full Realtime Chart; Mathew D’Souza, Bitcoin Pioneer, Dies At 29. by bitcoinfolio Sep 4, 2020 Aggregated Cryptocurrency News, blockchain opportunity fund, blockware mining, Blockware Solutions, mathew d'souza, People. Mathew D’Souza, the founder and CEO of Blockware Solutions and Blockware Mining and the manager of the Blockchain Opportunity Fund, died on August 21, 2020 after a seven ... #1 Simple Bitcoin Price History Chart; If You Had Purchased $100 of Bitcoin in 2011. Jul 06, 2020 Throughout the first quarter of 2012, the price of bitcoin dipped below the $5 mark . It started appreciating again in May 2012 and closed at . History of bitcoin Wikipedia. In early April 2013, the price per bitcoin dropped from $266 to The lowest price since the 2012–2013 Cypriot financial ... PayPal’s stock price rose 4.65 percent on the news, and the bitcoin price continued its rise from $11,400 to $12,700 by midday. There is no denying that PayPal is a monster in the mobile and digital payment processing space. Since the lockdowns stemming from the spread of COVID-19, consumers and businesses are transacting with cash less often, and more often paying for goods with 1s and 0s ... Bitcoin Target X2
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Bitcoin Price History Racing Bar Chart from 2013 to 2020. Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency invented in 2008 by an unknown person or group of people using the name... Bitcoin Live Stream Price Chart Please Like and Subscribe credit btcusd.aggr.trade and tradeview.com NOTHING YOU SEE HERE IS FINANCIAL ADVICE AND IS FOR ENTE... You need to see this bullish Bitcoin price formation! Huge news! BITCOIN TODAY: In this video, I'll go through the Bitcoin news today & I'll make a Bitcoin p... I cover bitcoin pattern that is seems no one else is talking about. I give price targets for the NYSE, BTC, Chainlink, Dow Jones and the DXY / Dollar Index. ... I think this is the beginning of the second crash so smaller pumps in bitcoin price can be expected before larger dumps. Watch rings for pivots, resistance a...


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When Apple launched the iPhone 12 series, it took the world by storm as the phone boxes skipped the charger. Instead, Apple brought in the MagSafe Duo charger, a new wireless charging technology that one has to purchase for an additional cost. Now, more than a month since its debut, the MagSafe Duo charger will begin shipping.
MagSafe Duo Charger: Everything You Need To Know
Apple’s magnetic charging technology might be the new way of charging gadgets. As the name suggests, the MagSafe Duo charger allows users to charge any two Apple devices at a time. It could be your iPhone and AirPods, or even the Apple Watch. The MagSafe Duo charger is compatible with all iPhone models above iPhone 8, all Apple Watch models, and all AirPods. That said, the iPhone 12 has a special alignment that swiftly clicks with the MagSafe charger.
MagSafe Duo Charger In India
But wait, the new charger isn’t available in India just yet! The MagSafe Duo charger has begun sale in the US via the Apple Stores and Apple Store website. The new wireless charger is listed as ‘currently unavailable’ in India. The listing on the US website shows that one can purchase the Apple MagSafe Duo for USD 129 and will deliver in one business day.
Additionally, buyers can check out the EMI option of USD 10.75 per month for 12 months. The MagSafe Duo is available in a single white color option. On the other hand, the new wireless charger will cost Rs. 13,900 in India and will be available for Rs. 1,636 EMI for 12 months. However, there is still no word on when the MagSafe Duo will be available in India.
At the same time, Apple also launched a single MagSafe charger, where only one gadget can be charged at a time. The single MagSafe charger is yet to go on sale. The price of the single MagSafe charger is USD 39 or Rs, 4,500 in India, and is already available to buy in both countries. Do note, the MagSafe Duo doesn’t come with a charging adapter and needs to be purchased separately.
Best Mobiles in India


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American instant messaging and augmented reality (AR) platform Snapchat, today, announced that it is going to partner with Flipkart to deliver an AR-based e-commerce experience on the marketplace. The partnership is Snap Inc’s first collaboration with an Indian e-commerce firm.
“We will embed Camera Kit from Snap on our app and also work with the entire ecosystem, platform, tooling etc. that Snap enables to create new experiences for users,” said Jeyandran Venugopal, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Flipkart. The companies didn’t confirm when these new features will be rolled out, but said they will be working on producing new features using Snap’s AR platform.
Snapchat’s Camera Kit software development kit (SDK) was announced in June last year and allows other developers to plug the Snapchat camera directly into their app, offering the same interface and the company’s “lenses” function, which offer specialized AR features. “We believe that 40% of the Gen-Z and Millennial population in India will be frequent AR users and the entire space is booming,” said Nana Murugesan, Managing Director, International Markets.
“This offering is much more than just an SDK. It extends beyond that to things like our tracking and rendering engine, which can be accessed through the Lens Studio software. Flipkart will also gain access to our ecosystem of over 200,000 creators,” he added.
Further, Venugopal said that Flipkart will be looking at ways to enable more “social sharing” of its catalogues. The company had launched a social commerce-focused platform called Shopsy in July this year, and Venugopal noted that social commerce is one of the aspects being emphasized with this partnership. “More than the social element, we also believe that it’s an important value added tool for users. For example, if you’re trying to use AR features to make a buying decision of say a watch, you want to know how the watch actually looks at you,” he added.
Flipkart already offers some AR features on its app, but will be able to use Snap’s software to add 30 of Snapchat’s Lenses to the Flipkart app.
This is Snapchat’s second partnership with Camera Kit in India. The company had announced a partnership with short-video platform Moj in February this year, which allowed the platform exclusive access to the software. “This is all about taking AR beyond those initial use-cases of communication and entertainment, and into commerce. It’s really an entirely different use-case,” said Murugesan, adding that the company has seen a 94% conversion rate in AR advertising.


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Inflation has become the biggest worry confronting India’s government, its people and its corporate environment today. The government is rolling out measures — essentially interest rate hikes — albeit without much effect. The people are tightening their belts and reworking household budgets. Companies are evolving innovative strategies and have met with some success.
Inflation and its impact on consumer spending and corporate marketing was the subject of a Nielsen India conference titled, “Consumer 360 India,” held in Delhi in November. Nielsen is a global information and measurement company. While the conference didn’t — and couldn’t — address the core problem of inflation, it did offer some solutions from a corporate strategy perspective.
The size of the problem is indeed daunting. Ruling at more than 9% since July 2009, inflation has forced the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to raise interest rates 13 times over the past 20 months. The cumulative increase is 5.25%. The high interest rates have forced corporate India to slow down capital investment plans, which doesn’t bode well for near-term and future growth. In the just-announced second quarter (July-September) results, some companies have reported reduced profits. Others have slipped into the red.
Household spending also has been hit. But Raj Hosahalli, executive director of Nielsen India, said both consumers and companies have changed their strategies to cope with the times. “The Indian consumer has always been value conscious,” Hosahalli noted. “Companies in the FMCG [fast-moving consumer goods] sector will have to redraw marketing and pricing strategies in both rural and urban areas to sustain consumer interest.” The good news for the FMCG sector is that while non-essential expenses have been curtailed, grocery sales have not been impacted, and impulse buying categories have registered a distinct uptrend.
Hosahalli said that the priorities of low-income, middle-income and high-income consumers are distinct in combating inflation. The low-income group’s focus is ‘How do I survive?’ The middle-income group’s is ‘How do I balance?’ And the high-income group’s focus is ‘How do I sustain?’ But the budgets of all three groups have been reallocated; expenses on eating out, out-of-home entertainment and vacations have been reduced.
Innovation Is Essential
There is an opportunity for marketers to target the customers on increased consumption occasions, Hosahalli added. Another way is to innovate on package sizes and price. Samudra Bhattacharya, sales head of PepsiCo India, pointed out that PepsiCo had introduced smaller sizes in its portfolio at the “magic price point” of Rs. 10 (20 U.S. cents). These had done very well, he said. He gave other examples — Tata Gluco, a glucose-based beverage, which sells at 10 U.S. cents for 350 milliliters, and Kurkure Masala Balls, a snack food that sells at four U.S. cents for 10 grams.
Earlier, delivering the conference’s keynote address, Arun Maira, a member of the Planning Commission of India, noted that business could be the agent for change. India needs to help bridge the chasm between those who have and those who don’t. “India is a very large market with some very poor people,” he said. It is necessary for business to come up with innovative business models to cater to the very poor, he added.
Another topic of discussion was the mom-and-pop stores versus modern trade. This debate has intensified since the Union Cabinet recently cleared foreign direct investment (FDI) in retail, though it reversed its decision later. Thomas Varghese, CEO of Aditya Birla Retail, said that the kirana (small store) is king today. But he predicted that there will be problems even in the medium term, including a shortage of people willing to run such stores as customers migrate to more convenient formats.
“The growth of retail in India has had less to do with policy decisions and more with consumers and demand,” according to Nielsen India executive director Roosevelt D’Souza. “Modern trade is picking up, and consumer spending on FMCG items at modern retail stores is set to triple to nearly US$5 billion by 2015 from US$1.8 billion today.” Sales at modern trade stores have increased by 31% this year, D’Souza added.
Social Media Means Listening
Another debate at the conference centered on social media. Few have managed to tap it properly, noted Anupama Ahluwalia, chief marketing officer of Coca-Cola India. “Social media is an interesting two-way medium that we are all trying to figure out,” she said. “Yes, most brands today have a Facebook page. But how to use that page effectively is something entirely different.” Kirthiga Reddy, head of Facebook India, cited Starbucks and Huggies Nappy Care as examples of brands that have leveraged social media successfully.
“The key to tapping social media effectively is to listen to consumers instead of asking them questions, as they are already talking about your brand,” said Farshad Family, Nielsen managing director (media), India region. “You must then make them feel special.” Another challenge for marketers is offering social media applications for mobile phones. Research shows that customer behavior on mobile phones is distinct from that on the personal computer. According to a Nielsen study, by the end of 2012, more people will use mobile over the PC for social networking.
Another big discussion of the day centered on rural markets. Urban may be where the action is, but rural has the volume. It has 69% of India’s total population with 56% of the country’s income. But branded FMCG penetration is only 34%. Rural FMCG sales are now estimated at US$12 billion and are expected to reach US$100 billion by 2025.
There are several wrong notions surrounding the rural markets, conference speakers noted. “Contrary to the myth that rural Indians prefer small packs and sachets, the consumers there actually prefer the large packs, [which] offer value for money,” said Prashant Singh, vice president of Nielsen India. Additionally, companies that have worked alongside rural consumers to lend them support beyond the sale of their products have performed better. “Rural India presents a great opportunity,” added Vikram Khosla head of sales (food) at tobacco-to-FMCG major ITC.
Here, too, only innovation will deliver dividends. Launching new products in India — in the urban or rural market — is a long-term project, according to Banoja Acharya, Nielsen vice president (client services). “The truly innovative products have a longer gestation period, need significantly higher investment and usually guarantee slower, but higher, returns in the long run.”
One Size Doesn’t Fit All
However, not all categories are alike. A Nielsen analysis of 100 new launches shows that the growth curve is different across categories, said Acharya. New launches in the impulse food category have a shorter purchase cycle and typically generate higher interest among consumers. They reach their point of maxima fastest — in as little as three-four months. Loyalty plays a big part in personal care products as consumers are less willing to switch brands. They could take 24 months to peak. Household care products reach their maxima somewhere in between as these products are driven largely by benefits rather than emotion.
Based on Nielsen research, explained Acharya, there are 12 things that every new product must do to succeed. These are: offer true innovation; get noticed; land your message; communicate with focus; be relevant; be better; be credible; limit the battles; be in the right places; win the value equation; deliver on product promises; and be strong in the long run.


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No, the location is not yet set, but planners are starting to dig in to the idea of bringing a Whole Foods Market to Westfield Countryside Mall in Clearwater.
John Swirf, an architect with Direct Design Carroll Associates of Chicago, presented plans to slice 37,000 square feet out of the first floor of Sears’ space at the mall and develop the location for the natural grocery chain at a city Business Plan Review Committee meeting Thursday.
The architecture firm does not represent Whole Foods but has completed similar projects for Sears throughout the country and could submit official plans before Dec. 25, according to city officials. The first plan review would be 21 business days after it is submitted.
“The firm has done several Sears subdivides around the country – some of which, but not all, are for Whole Foods,” according to an email from Denise Sanderson, assistant director of the city’s Economic Development and Housing Department.
Here is how the store split would work:
Sears would keep the south entrance near BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse and the service and merchandise pick-up entrances on the north part of the building, according to the plans. New facades would be installed at the Sears entrances. The four loading bay docks would be split.
Whole Foods customers would have access to the store from the west entrance of Sears. There would not be an entry to the grocery store from inside the mall, according to the plans.
Inside, the escalators would be moved, and a wall would be built.
Whole Foods officials said they do not have a specific location in mind yet but are planning to open a store in Clearwater sometime in 2014.
- Whole Foods Market Announces Plans for Clearwater Store
- What Clearwater's Saying: Whole Foods Market is Coming


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Destination Rewards books CMO
Steve’s breakdown: Here a guy so happy about his new job as CMO, he made a video.
BOCA RATON, FL: Destination Rewards, a leading provider of customer loyalty, incentive and engagement solutions, announced today that Ron Bergamesca has joined the company as Chief Marketing Officer.
Destination Rewards President John Lavin said of Bergamesca’s hiring, “With a keen understanding of consumer behavior and broad expertise helping businesses drive customer engagement, Ron will be instrumental in helping take our industry-leading rewards programs to the next level.”
Bergamesca has over twenty years of experience spanning consumer and business marketing, operations and executive management. As former Vice President of Cendant Corporation, he was responsible for managing the nation’s largest credit card protection service with over 10 million members. He later served as Chief Marketing Officer and then Executive Vice President and General Manager at Online Resources, where he developed the Internet banking industry’s leading program to drive consumer adoption and usage of the online services for more than 900 financial institutions.
“Destination Rewards has what the marketplace needs – loyalty programs that deliver superior consumer value to drive customer engagement cost effectively and with zero liability. I am excited to join the company with the most innovative loyalty and rewards solutions available,” Bergamesca said.
About Destination Rewards®
Destination Rewards® is the industry’s most innovative provider of zero liability rewards programs, specializing in loyalty, incentive and engagement solutions. Since inception in 2001, Destination Rewards has helped some of the world’s most successful brands, such as Experian, Citigroup and Humana, drive customer retention and influence behaviors at a fraction of the cost of traditional loyalty and incentive programs. They offer superior technology on a patented, customizable platform that includes a robust array of travel, merchandise, gift cards, premium local coupons, daily deals, auctions, sweepstakes, games and much more. Destination Rewards is a privately owned company headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida. For more information please visit http://www.destinationrewards.com.


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I remember as a kid, anything that was worth watching was on Nickelodeon... except the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Well, that all changes now, as the wavering Nickelodeon brand has purchased full rights to the TMNT brand, including airing rights and merchandising. What remains to be seen here is whether this will be a good thing or a bad.
Nick has joined the ranks of other specialty networks losing ground lately, such as the Cartoon Network. In this case, it is all about Disney taking market share from anyone who markets programming to kids. Ever since the creation of a new generation of kids' brands, such as Hannah Montana and High School Musical, the creators of Doug and Rugrats hasn't really been doing all that well.
President of the network, Cyma Zarghami, thinks this will all get better with TMNT.


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After a slow start to the day, in afternoon trade the Bubs Australia Ltd (ASX: BUB) share price has pushed higher.
At the time of writing the goats milk infant formula company’s shares are up 3.5% to 73.5 cents.
Why are Bubs Australia’s shares pushing higher today?
This afternoon Bubs Australia announced that it has entered into an agreement with Hipac to supply Bubs infant formula and organic baby food products to its distribution network of 83,000 stores throughout China.
Hipac is China’s leading supplier to Mother and Baby stores via the online-to-offline (O2O) channel. Its average monthly gross sales are RMB 600 million (~A$120 million), with approximately 70% of total sales generated from infant formula.
What is O2O shopping?
According to the release, O2O shopping has become commonplace in China’s emerging retail landscape. Parents are able to view products displayed in-store, order online from an in-store shopping terminal, and then have the product delivered to their home.
The benefit of this approach is that international products are dispatched from Hipac’s cross-border warehouse in the free trade zone, meaning SAMR (CFDA) registration for infant formula is not required.
Bubs Australia and Hipac have agreed on a sales and marketing strategy to deliver at least RMB 12 million (~A$2.4 million) in the next 12 months.
Bubs Founder and CEO, Kristy Carr, appears to be pleased with the agreement. She stated that: “Hipac has pioneered China’s O2O channel in the baby category with their expertise in real time data visibility and advanced supply chain logistics. We consider this new partnership an important milestone in expanding our brand presence and distribution coverage in the Mother and Baby store channel.”
Should you invest?
I think this is a positive development for Bubs and I’m not surprised to see its shares push higher this afternoon.
While Bubs Australia is still a long way from being the next A2 Milk Company Ltd (ASX: A2M) or Bellamy’s Australia Ltd (ASX: BAL), it is making a lot of progress.
It’s still a little soon to invest in my opinion, but I would suggest investors keep it on their watchlist and monitor its sales growth over the next 12 months.
Earlier this year, millions of Australians set alarms and watched the world's biggest sporting event, the World Cup, play out. But did you know there was another Australian representative quietly succeeding as the world watched?
It's the start-up who have positioned themselves as the global leader in sports analytics. Motley Fool's resident tech expert has already upgraded the recommendation of this company's stock to a rating of simply "Buy More".
Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of A2 Milk. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.


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- Chicago-based UAL's United Air Lines Wednesday announced the creation of a two-headed e-commerce monster that will focus on the development of United's house business on the internet and on investing in businesses leveraging Web and wireless technologies.
The Chicago-based subsidiary, called United NewVentures, will explore and take equity positions in internet distributors. United already owns pieces of online air auctioneer Priceline.com and its newly launched rival Hotwire.
United also has been instrumental in forming Orbitz, an online travel agency set to start competing next year with Travelocity.com and Expedia.
Doug Hacker, formerly United's chief financial officer and now president of United NewVentures, says the company plans to invest more than $US100 million during the next year in new partnerships and in building United's online brand.
Hacker says the new subsidiary could spin off into a separate public company in the future, depending on its success.
"Right now, we're at the work of creating value. . . . Once that has happened, we really should turn to that question [of becoming a separate entity]," Hacker says.
Meanwhile, United's website and frequent-flier programme will be a division of NewVentures called United NetWorks. Scott Praven, who has headed the company's e-commerce operations, will be president of NetWorks.
He says that roughly 5% of United's North American revenue comes through internet sales and that the company is looking to quadruple that number during the next three years.
In August, Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines created an internal e-commerce unit to do much of the same work as United's external model. Delta officials say such ventures should stay within a company's walls.
Praven argues that having the separate Chicago location, which is eight miles from United's main offices., allows his staff to work in a single space and to make unilateral decisions.
Electronic ticketing and self-service kiosks haven't been included under United's e-commerce umbrella, but Praven says his division will be heavily involved in the development and implementation of those technologies.
Henry Harteveldt, senior analyst for Forrester Research praises United for becoming aggressive about New Economy investment opportunities.
He says the company needs to go even further with its model, incorporating all technological efforts and managing relationships with traditional distributors like Sabre and Galileo International, which are migrating portions of their businesses to the internet.
"Focusing just on consumer stuff is only part of the challenge," Harteveldt says. "They have to think about how technology and the internet are going to change their whole business."


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Hackers stole detailed information of 47 million T-Mobile users
Earlier this week, a hacker claimed to have stolen the user information of up to 100 million users of the US operator T-Mobile, including much private information such as names and driver’s licenses.
Later, the media contacted the hacker and obtained a data sample, which contained the user’s name, social security number, phone number, address, IMEI, and driver’s license information.
Initially, T-Mobile stated that it could not confirm whether the data was authentic/denied that there was a data breach, but later the company confirmed that unauthorized external access did occur.
In the official press release, T-Mobile stated that the leaked user data is 47.8 million, and this data also contains some customers who are not T-Mobile.
The company said that if a user applies for an account with T-Mobile but is not approved, the personal information submitted by the user is also included in the database and therefore also leaked.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the leaked database covers the user’s real name, residential address, social security number, date of birth, and driver’s license information for some customers.
The data includes all the information of users who have used T-Mobile in the past, users who are using T-Mobile, and users who have applied for a T-Mobile account.
There is no indication that the stolen database covers financial information, including bank account information, credit cards, debit cards, and other payment information.
About 7.8 million existing T-Mobile wireless customers’ were stolen, and about 40 million were potential customers who had previously applied to T-Mobile.
In addition, about 850,000 active T-Mobile prepaid user information and account PINs were leaked, as an emergency response, T-Mobile has reset customer PINs.
Although T-Mobile tried to play down the data breach with no financial information, such a large-scale data breach will inevitably lead to various potential security issues.
The Federal Communications Commission, which is responsible for the supervision of the communications industry, has also announced its involvement in the investigation. According to the past, it should be unavoidable to receive a huge fine in the end.


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NEW YORK, May 25 — Apple Inc has told its suppliers to speed up iPhone development after China’s strict Covid-19 lockdowns hampered schedule for at least one of the new phones, Nikkei reported today, citing multiple sources with knowledge of the matter.
Lockdowns due to China’s zero-Covid policy led iPhone assembler Pegatron Corp to suspend operations at its Shanghai and Kunshan plants last month.
Financial hub Shanghai remains largely paralysed by a city-wide lockdown, which is now in its seventh week, while Beijing has ramped up quarantine efforts.
Apple last month forecast bigger problems as Covid-19 lockdowns snarled production and demand in China, with the war in Ukraine adding to the iPhone maker’s woes.
In the worst-case scenario, Apple expects the manufacturing schedule and initial production volumes of the new phones to be hurt, the Nikkei business daily reported.
Apple and its suppliers Foxconn and Pegatron did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Reuters. — Reuters


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Weaves’ sophomore LP, ‘Wide Open,’ was released last October via Buzz Records, Kanine & Memphis Industries, and was hailed as one of the album’s of 2017 when it arrived on the heels of the band’s Polaris Music Prize shortlisted 2016 debut. Now, the band have teamed up with Polaris to release their version of the Arcade Fire’s Neighborhood #3 (Power Out) as part of the SiriusXM Polaris Cover Session series. Watch Weaves in studio performance of the track via YouTube below.
Weaves’ cover is the first of three cover sessions planned for this year’s series, which features past Polaris nominees interpreting songs from albums that have received Slaight Family Polaris Heritage Prize designation. Two more Polaris Cover Sessions will be revealed in the coming months, and all three will be pressed on a limited edition 10″ vinyl record that will be free to purchasers of 2018 Polaris nominated albums at participating retail stores starting in July.
Speaking to Noisey Weaves’ Jasmyn Burke elaborated on the band’s decision to cover the track, and her relationship with ‘Funeral’ and the Arcade Fire.
“The Polaris Music Prize had asked us if we were interested in covering a song from their Heritage Albums list and I saw that Arcade Fire’s Funeral was included on the list,” she says. “I guess I immediately gravitated towards wanting to cover one of their songs because I grew up listening to them — seeing them for the first time just opened the gates as far as live music for me. I think “Neighbourhood # 3 (Power Out)” seems more pertinent than ever, so in typical Weaves fashion we spent a weekend working on it and then just went into the studio and recorded it pretty freely. I think this song keeps breathing and growing over time and I guess that’s the magic of revisiting one’s favourite albums.”
‘Wide Open’ is out now via Buzz (Can), Kanine (US) & Memphis Industries (RoW). It is available for purchase here.


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No more lugging textbooks for students at Ukrida University in Jakarta, Indonesia. Instead, they’ll carry sleek Motorola XOOM tablets to all their classes. Running on Google’s powerful Android 3.2 Honeycomb, the award-winning tablet is now the only device required to access all course materials at the university. With this E-Learning initiative, UKRIDA University is now becoming one of the first tertiary institutions in Indonesia to embark on the paperless route.
This progressive attitude led the University to take the initiative to use handheld tablets instead of traditional textbooks. In addition, the intention is to use the Motorola XOOM as the primary interface between academic staff and students, prioritizing it over personal computers. Students and teachers will use the Motorola XOOM for tasks usually associated with personal computers such as emailing, surfing the Web, developing and editing documents, spreadsheets and presentations, and also as an interface for test evaluations. In time tablets will be used throughout all the studying and teaching process.
Motorola XOOM delivers exceptionally fast performance with its 1 GHz dual-core processor and 1GB of RAM. The tablet showcases the innovations of the Android Honeycomb user experience – including widgets, true multi-tasking, tabbed browsing, notifications and customization – on a 10.1-inch widescreen HD display with 1280X800 resolution enabling video content that’s richer and clearer than ever before. Support for HDMI enables viewing of videos and movies on larger screens, such as HD televisions. A 5 MP rear-facing camera captures HD video, and a 2 MP front-facing camera enables clear video chats using Google Talk.
Motorola XOOM supports access to more than 300,000 apps from Android Market. The tablet also features a built-in gyroscope, barometer, e-compass, accelerometer and adaptive lighting. It supports up to 10 hours of video playback, and charges in half the time of competitive tablets.
The university intends to make the Motorola XOOM available to all students and teachers at a special subsidized price, starting with an initial 600 units under the E-Learning Program. The plan is to extend this program to the entire undergraduate student population of 5,000 and their teachers.
Whether tablets will be the norm for imparting education worldwide and in India, will be evident in the coming days. Whether, brick and mortar educational institutions will have much significance in the coming years? We will cover this subject in separate blog, sometime soon 🙂


text: Stay on target California has set the lofty goal of getting half its power from renewable sources by the year 2030. Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows wants to get to the finish line a whole lot faster than that.With a little help from their friends at Liberty Utilities, the mountain resort hopes to be powering its entire operation with clean, renewable energy as soon as the end of this year. If everything goes to plan, Alpine Meadows will be the first ski resort in the U.S. to be able to make that claim.They’ll also complete their transition almost three decades sooner than California wants everything in the state powered by renewable energy. That’s slated for 2045.As of right now, about a quarter of Liberty Utilities’ power comes from renewables. 50 megawatts of that capacity is produced by a recently-completed solar project. Most of the new electricity that’s produced and supplied to Alpine Meadows will come from additional solar projects, but natural gas will also play a role.When the work is done and Alpine Meadows hits the 100% mark, they’ll have cut their greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 50% — from 13,078 metric tons to just 6,682 metric tons. That’s a big win, and one that Liberty Utilities 49,000-plus other customers will also get to enjoy.In the resort’s press release they mention the site as a suitable location for a battery-based energy storage system. The system would store the excess power that’s produced and be able to supply electricity to the surrounding community in the event of an emergency.This is just the latest way that Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows is looking to reduce its environmental impact. The resort has hosted several carbon-neutral and zero-waste events in the paste. They’ve also banned single-use water bottles and have a quartet of electric vehicle charging stations onsite available for customers who need to top off their batteries. Amazon Pledges to Make Half Its Shipments Carbon Neutral by 2030Dead Fish Parts to Power Norwegian Cruise Ships by 2021 Let us know what you like about Geek by taking our survey.


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Will we in the future have the ability to put on fragrance within the metaverse? It may appear not possible, however that is not stopping manufacturers from presenting their new scents in these parallel worlds.
The truth is, Armani Beauty is doing simply that by teaming up with Fortnite to advertise its new perfume.
A area of all potentialities, the metaverse now permits folks to purchase digital style and equipment, to see exhibitions or to attend live shows.
However these new worlds on the frontier of actuality are above all favoured by manufacturers searching for to realize visibility amongst their prime goal, the Gen-Z, which masters these worlds like no different – even when solely a minority have truly set foot in them.
Because of this, some manufacturers have determined to go huge, pulling out all of the stops to stage initiatives in locations the place customers are literally current – that’s, on the planet of gaming, a type of metaverse that’s loved by billions of individuals around the globe.
Armani Beauty has now partnered with one of the in style video games, Fortnite, to advertise its new males’s perfume “Code”.
Evidently, it is not a query of testing the brand new perfume on-line, which is not possible for now.
Right here, it is about encouraging customers to participate in an immersive expertise known as “Rewrite the Code” as a way of discovering the scent – in flip making as many individuals as attainable need to attempt it – and purchase it.
“In a world where time flows backwards, players race through maze-like speed runs to collect the numbers needed to unlock the Armani Code building and the Armani Code Parfum bottle, in order to harness its magnetic power to put the world forwards again,” explains the model on its Instagram account.
By means of this sport, gamers have the chance to get acquainted with the bottle, the components, and particularly the scent’s wider universe.
Creating their very own world, or a themed house within the metaverse permits manufacturers to current their new merchandise, whereas additionally constructing buyer loyalty, and even making a group.
Manufacturers like Balenciaga, Gucci, Hermes and Dior – amongst others – have understood this completely, and have all jumped into the world of gaming and, much more broadly, into these new digital worlds.
Certainly, these manufacturers have already got robust communities, and the metaverse can provide them many new potentialities. – AFP Relaxnews
#Perfume #metaverse #Beauty #manufacturers #sport


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With more and more consumers looking for fresh, healthy food, California Pizza Kitchen expects to capitalize on the trend.
The 30-year old casual dining chain is renovating its locations and adding new menu items as part of what it calls "the next chapter." That means customers can now order things like halibut, rib eye steak or roasted chicken, CEO G.J. Hart said.
"It's really what's important to us is providing the absolute best quality food that you can and food that's easily understandable—so fresh ingredients, seasonal ingredients but ones that provide good nutrition," he said in a recent interview with CNBC's "Closing Bell."
"In addition to that it's transparency about what you're doing."
Sales in the casual dining space—dominated by food purveyors like Applebees and Chili's—are growing, according to food industry research firm Technomic. It's anticipating a 5.6 percent increase in nominal growth this year, and another 5.6 percent in 2016.
California Pizza Kitchen attributes the growth in the segment to millennials, who are known to care more about transparency and foods that are fresh and less processed.
In fact, despite its middle name, only about a third of its California Pizza Kitchen's entrees are pizza, Hart pointed out.
The CEO points out that it's not just the menu getting a makeover. The chain plans to redesign about 80 of its 280 locations this year, with renovations on all restaurants completed by 2016.
However, while the restaurant has decided to focus on healthier eating, that doesn't mean it's turning its back on pizza. Hart admitted pizza may not be the healthiest choice, but added that it's the ingredients that matter.
"At the end of the day yes, pizza can be bad for you but it's all what you put on it," he said. "If it's all vegetables it's one thing. If it's all high-fat meats it's another thing."
He also insisted the shift also doesn't mean California Pizza Kitchen is straying away from its brand. Instead it's about bringing the essence of the original CPK and bringing it forward, he said.
That means "first to market, unique, innovative [and] creative," Hart said. "With ingredients … it's having the highest quality we can for our guests."
—CNBC's Laura Petti contributed to this report.


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What started as a worry at the end of summer is now vividly clear — growers' peat supplies are well down and even alternative growing media are affected.
According to William Sinclair Horticulture technical marketing manager Andrea Marshall: "Everyone is concerned. Growers should book their requirements as soon as possible."
The company, which sources peat from the UK, says it has enough to get through spring, "but beyond that we are looking for an early peat harvest".
Marshall adds: "We are reducing peat content where we can. But stocks of other growing media are affected too. Good-quality bark is running low because of the slow down in the building trade and that puts pressure on supplies of other materials such as coir."
Northern Ireland peat supplier Clover sales manager Andrew Mather confirms that supplies are limited: "In the past there has always been an enormous supply, but now it's starting to bite."
He adds: "A lot of people are struggling to get supplies and are phoning up and asking for quotes. But our priority is our existing customers. Harvests for the past two or three years have been poor. But if there's a good spring and summer, then we can get back to harvesting and prices will slacken off again. But whether we can start harvesting in April, May or June is down to the weather."
He says of peat alternatives "We also do bark-based products, for which there's now bigger demand. There's also plenty of rubbish out there but for professional growers you have to be able to guarantee the quality of the material."
He adds that inevitable price rises for growing media should not come as a shock. "Until recently they hadn't gone up for 10 years. They have now risen, but they would have done so anyway given the rising cost of haulage, packaging and fertiliser. There's also the weakness of the pound against the euro. Suppliers can no longer buy peat as cheaply from the Republic of Ireland or the Baltic states."
Bark products supplier Melcourt sales and marketing director Andy Chalmers says surpluses are a thing of the past. "We have ample for our customers and most growers will have discussed their requirements last autumn. But if you were going into the market today, you wouldn't necessarily get what you want," he adds.
Adapting to increased demand has been a challenge, he admits. "The recession has affected the UK building trade, which affected our supplies. But we have imported from Spain, too, where the recession has been deeper, so there's not much coming out from there at all - we have had to replace that with other sources." Bark is now better able to compete with peat, he adds.
Coir is another peat alternative gaining ground as a growing medium. Coir supplier Botanicoir director Kalum Balasuriya says: "There are plenty of coconut husks out there, but raw material prices have gone up. Last year we benefited from the rising price of peat, but this year the cost of coir will go up due to rising transport costs.
"Demand is good now, especially in the soft fruit and hydroponics markets. Growers appreciate an environmentally-friendly product that gives good results and can even save them money in the long run because the units can be used for more than one season."
For many growers, the peat shortage has spurred on a reduction in its use that was underway already. Hampshire's Lowaters Nursery has been at the forefront of increasing sustainability in the ornamental sector in recent years.
Nursery manager Charles Carr says: "We set ourselves the objective of reducing peat by five per cent each year. We are already 30 per cent peat-free in production, with the rest made up of wood fibre. In fact, we have got it up to 50 per cent in trials. It can be done and there are people already growing in peat-free. The cost goes up significantly though, and we have to look at the bottom line."
He can envisage "flipping over" to a minority peat medium in future, but already has his peat usage mapped out into 2011.
The commercial pressure from retail customers has relented, he adds. "We used to supply B&Q, which was pushing for peat-free, but no garden centre has pushed us on peat-free."
Despite this, he says the horticulture trade will still have to move in that direction. "The Government's 90 per cent [peat reduction] target [by 2010] was unachievable, but now the industry should say what is achievable."
The relative prices of different media will clearly play a major role in the Government's efforts to reduce peat usage. An ADAS study commissioned by Defra on the economics of reduced-peat growing will be published shortly, with a further ADAS study into the availability of alternative growing media to follow.
Johnsons of Whixley is another grower moving away from peat. "We are okay for peat — ours mostly comes from Lithuania, which has not suffered a bad harvest," says director Andrew Richardson.
"But we use a lot less peat than we used to. We have reduced it by 50 per cent over three years. The bulk of our customers are not that bothered. We could go peat-free tomorrow but overall we would lose uniformity in the plants and quality would be lower. There will never be one medium that suits all plants. Some benefit from peat-free, some show no difference, some really struggle in it."
On the retail side, Johnsons is a major supplier to Homebase. "It got us to do trials on alternative media with a view to moving across, but a lot more work has to go into it," says Richardson. "The demand isn't coming from the consumer but from groups such as Friends of the Earth."
According to Whitehall Garden Centre garden sundries manager Mike Gingell: "There are so many different products now that unless you can encourage linked sales, most people will just opt for the multi-purpose product.
"We offer peat-free as an option — in fact, we have tried pushing it. But it's only ever a small percentage of customers that wants it. Others who have tried it are not happy with the results. Coir has been the hardest to sell — people don't know what it is. There's still a job to do educating people, but we persevere because there will come a time when peat will no longer be available."
FRUIT AND VEG GROWING DRIVES INNOVATION
The fresh produce sector has been generally quicker to take up alternative growing media. William Sinclair Horticulture hopes to capitalise on this with its Fytocell blocks. Inert and biodegradable, they "provide a near perfect air/water ratio at all times", the company says.
"We already have growers using 100 per cent Fytocell in grow bags for tomatoes and strawberry production and are starting to use it as a peat reduction material in ornamentals," says marketing manager Andrea Marshall. "It's manufactured in the Netherlands, but we are looking for a suitable site to begin production in the UK."
On the consumer side, Botanicoir's Kalum Balasuriya believes continued interest in grow your own will drive awareness of peat alternatives and aims to launch peat-free grow bags for tomatoes and other crops in garden centres later this year.
"There are various peat-free products already out there, but coir is very similar to peat — to the consumer, it looks like proper compost," he says. "It will also be competitively priced, which is important for the home market."