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Focus - PepsiCo Leads The Coca-Cola Co in Sustainability Rankings
PepsiCo has gone one up against Coca-Cola in the latest Dow Jones sustainability index
The latest Dow Jones Sustainability Index saw PepsiCo named as leader of the food and beverage sector, while Coca-Cola lost its place altogether. Ben Cooper reports on the reactions of the two companies and examines the growing importance of sustainability issues, such as water use and packaging, to soft drinks companies.
Having given sustainability such prominence, PepsiCo will have derived considerable satisfaction from being named leader in the food and beverages sector of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) last month.
Its high achievement may have been all the more sweet given that The Coca-Cola Co was among some high-profile names to be dropped from the DJSI this year.
Bold sustainability aspirations – buffed up with plenty of PR spin – are fairly commonplace in today’s corporate world, and the media – not to mention the public – are ready for it. External recognition of progress is therefore extremely valuable. Indeed, when Coca-Cola made the DJSI for the first time two years ago, it said the index was “a testament” to its sustainability efforts and “exemplified leadership in sustainability”.
What was true in 2009 remains true in 2011, so it is no surprise to find that Robert ter Kuile, senior director, environmental sustainability in the PepsiCo Global Public Policy group, is upbeat about PepsiCo’s strong showing.
“The DJSI is a really big deal for PepsiCo,” he says, adding that the company was “honoured” to be leader of the Food and Beverage super-sector. In fact, PepsiCo was the only US-based company to lead a super-sector, which also includes travel and leisure, financial services and retail.
Robert ter Kuile, senior director for environmental sustainability in PepsiCo's Global Public Policy group
When asked to comment on Coca-Cola’s deletion, ter Kuile unsurprisingly resists, saying only that the DJSI “affirms” the view that, when it comes to companies that combine strong business performance with responsible business practices, “PepsiCo is among the very best”.
Good corporate etiquette no doubt has much to do with this restraint. However, the sustainability arena is unpredictable and full of potential reputational pitfalls. Setting challenging targets alone can make companies hostages to fortune, without raising the stakes further with triumphalist rhetoric.
Indeed, while the DJSI reflects the progress PepsiCo has made across many sustainability criteria, this summer the company had to concede that it had made slower progress on some of its goals related to healthier products than it had hoped.
The Health Update 2011, published by PepsiCo UK & Ireland in July, revealed that it had achieved - or was on track to achieve - some of its targets but was off the pace in others. Ter Kuile sees this as a demonstration that the company is not setting itself easy targets. “PepsiCo sets goals that challenge the business to continuously improve and innovate," he says. "Implementing the programmes to achieve these goals will take time, some longer than others.”
Also, while it is an area where competitive advantage can be realised, sustainability issues are supposed to transcend traditional corporate rivalries, and seeking to score points over competitors rather goes against the ethos.
For that reason perhaps, ter Kuile prefers to concentrate on PepsiCo’s own achievements. With the strong championing of CEO Indra Nooyi, sustainability is a major focus for PepsiCo, which groups its 'Performance with Purpose' sustainability platform under three “pillars”: Human, Environmental and Talent.
Clearly, improving the nutritional profile of products is critical for both food and beverage companies but, for beverage companies in particular, two notable sustainability ‘hotspots’ are packaging and water use.
Ter Kuile agrees that both water and packaging are “big issues”. While PepsiCo did not have the leading DJSI sector score on water-related risks, its score was double the sector average. In 2007, it set itself a target to improve water efficiency by 20% per unit of production by 2015 against a 2006 baseline. “We’ve seen an improvement since 2006 of more than 19% per unit of production already, so we’re well on our way to achieving that goal,” says ter Kuile.
Location-specificity is critical in assessing water use. Global figures for a multinational company are virtually meaningless if it is hyper-efficient in regions where water is plentiful and inefficient where it is scarce. For this reason, PepsiCo “drills down very specifically to as local as we can possibly get”, ter Kuile says. “We track (water use) by facility, and then we roll it up on a country, division and regional level.”
He also draws attention to the company’s community investment around water. Last year, PepsiCo announced goals to provide access to safe water for 3m people in developing countries by 2015, and to “continuously strive” for positive water balance in its operations in water-distressed areas, working in partnership with NGOs such as the Earth Institute and Water.org.
In packaging, ter Kuile points to innovation in lightweighting, recycling and the search for alternative materials, such as the inclusion of at least 10% of recycled PET in its primary soft drink containers in the US and the launch of a green PET bottle in Canada. “We have a 100%-recycled PET container for our Naked Juice products in the US,” ter Kuile adds, “[and] we’re looking to launch in 2012 a plant-based PET bottle.”
Packaging is significant not only for the sustainability benefits and long-term cost savings it can bring. It is also a very tangible aspect of the sustainability drive with consumers. Customers pick up and feel these soft drinks containers; they even drink from them. Ter Kuile says PepsiCo understands that how it produces and styles its packaging, whether this relates to the materials used or what is on the label, is “an opportunity for us to engage the consumer directly”.
Interestingly, Coca-Cola also points to water and packaging as critical areas. In a statement to just-drinks on its deletion from the DJSI, Cassandra Garber, senior manager of corporate external affairs, said: “We were disappointed to learn that we were not included in this year's Dow Jones Sustainability Index, but were pleased to see that the index showed an uptick in our scores in packaging, water-related risks and raw material sourcing, reflecting our continued leadership and investments in these critical areas.”
Garber added: “Sustainability is core to our business and we see it as a key driver for creating long-term value. We will continue to advance our efforts and actions to make a positive difference everywhere we engage.”
It is perhaps no surprise that Coca-Cola’s reaction to the publication of the DJSI was rather more succinct than PepsiCo’s. But it is significant that it made no attempt to play down its importance. This would have been somewhat inconsistent with its view two years ago but also reflects the value companies attach to high-calibre, independent evaluation on sustainability criteria.
Ter Kuile says the DJSI ranking represents, for instance, “a big leverage point” in conversations with external stakeholders such as NGOs, and is also helpful in conversations with investor groups. What it undoubtedly provides, not least because it bears the Dow Jones brand, is a degree of legitimacy in an area where talk is often cheap.
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Soft drinks behemoth Coca-Cola is cranking up the heat in hot beverages. The Costa Coffee chain it bought in 2019 for £3.9bn has delivered the category’s greatest absolute gain of the year. Sales of Costa’s coffee and hot chocolate lines have added £6.8m, with volumes surging 72%. That’s in a market that lost £83.2m across coffee, tea and hot chocolate, as units plummeted 8.7%.
“The Costa at Home range goes from strength to strength,” says Mark Cumming, head of fmcg for Costa Coffee. “In 2022, retailers have expanded the range of Costa at Home products. Despite challenging economic times, we see consumers still looking for moments of indulgence and quality from trusted brands.”
You could say this strong growth is partly due to the UK’s economic woes. With punters thinking twice about splashing out £3.30 on a flat white in Costa’s shops, it’s no wonder the brand has capitalised on its parent company’s deep pockets and well-established routes to grocery.
Promotions have been crucial in growing volumes. Costa’s roast & ground coffee lines are up 8.7% as average price has fallen 7.5% to £15.79/kilo. That’s in a sector where prices have risen 3.9% to an average of £18.07/kilo.
Growth in grocery isn’t all down to price, of course. Higher prices on the high street (that Costa flat white was £2.90 before the price went up in June), slower trade in coffee shops, and more time working at home mean many shoppers are seeking posher coffee for their kitchen cupboards.
“We continue to see premiumisation in coffee as consumers complement or seek to replicate out-of-home experiences in the home,” says Cumming, pointing to the stronger volume performance of Costa’s roast & ground versus instant. “Therefore, we continue to see higher pence per cup segments gaining share of the category.”
The same can be said for instant coffee. While higher prices have driven some shoppers to switch to own label, many more appear to be happy to fork out for a fancier cup o’ joe.
That’s suggested by Costa’s microground premium instant lineup being the sector’s fastest grower in absolute terms, with sales up £5.3m. It’s now the UK’s fifth bestselling instant coffee, up from 17th place a year ago.
“Despite only a relatively short time in market, Costa is already 9% of the total microground segment and growing rapidly,” says Cumming. “We are also seeing great results from other launches, including our hot chocolate range, which continues to receive rave reviews from consumers, and [is achieving] growing availability.”
While Costa’s crushing it in the mults, its coffee shop rivals have had varying success. Pret a Manger drinks by JDE and Caffè Nero products have achieved triple-digit value gains – albeit from small bases.
Meanwhile, Starbucks lines are down £2.4m. It’s a further headache for Nestlé, which makes Starbucks’ drinks under licence. The Swiss supplier has seen its flagship Nescafé brand dip £12.7m across instant and ground. But it’s confident NPD will recoup losses.
“With out-of-home coffee trends continuing to influence in-home consumption, Nescafé and Starbucks at Home have continued to invest in innovation that can deliver the best quality coffee experience at home,” says a Nestlé spokeswoman.
She points to the relaunched Starbucks Premium Mixes and new Nescafé Azera Perky Blenders craft instant as examples. “Premiumisation is playing a key role in the category. Nescafé continues to strengthen its position as the leader in the coffee category thanks to a programme of innovations and new product developments. We are also seeing our consumers increasingly choose decaffeinated coffee variants, a trend which we expect will continue.”
Nescafé’s current downturn is indicative of several big brands’ fortunes this year. They appear to have been hit hardest by the gains made by coffee shop brands and own label – which is up £5m in roasted & ground. Take Kenco, instant’s second-biggest brand. It’s down £18.8m, the category’s greatest loss of the year.
This is partly due to unflattering comparisons with strong 2020 and 2021 sales, when most Brits had more time to put the kettle on, says Paul Junor, revenue & category growth controller at owner JDE. “The total coffee market has seen a decline. However, this follows an unprecedented year when there was a huge spike in at-home coffee occasions.”
Nevertheless, when compared with pre-Covid levels, Kenco and sister brands Tassimo and Douwe Egberts “have actually seen growth, reflecting continued interest in creating coffee shop quality drinks at home”, he adds.
“Even with the cost of living crisis, coffee is expected to be more protected against financial pressures, with sales projected to grow as shoppers continue to trade up.”
Which is why JDE has been busy pushing lines to trade up to – such as Kenco Iced/Hot Latte (see our Top Launch). It’s also launched its own home machine and compatible pods under the L’Or Barista marque. “With the cost of living crisis looming, there is going to be significant pressure on household spending,” adds Junor. “Consumers will be considering how they can make simple switches to save money – including swapping their coffee shop visit for a delicious version at home. This will create a valuable opportunity.”
Speaking of opportunity, the tea market is well-placed despite an underwhelming year, says Fiona Reavley, corporate reputation & communications manager at Tata Consumer Products, owner of Tetley and Teapigs. “The long, warm summer was not kind to hot beverages – but the tea sector has remained relatively stable, with opportunities for higher-end premium teas and fruit and herbals.”
Our data backs her latter claim. While tea’s overall value has declined 3.5% on volumes down 6.5%, pricier black tea and infusions have done well. Market leader Yorkshire Tea, for instance, has turned in the strongest performance, adding £4.1m on units that have dipped just 0.5%.
“The key is our unwavering commitment to doing things properly, from ensuring we buy the very best quality teas for our blends, to investing in impactful communications helping us build a loyal army of tea drinkers,” says senior brand manager Lucy Hoyle.
She points to the July launch of a TV ad starring Patrick Stewart (see above). “We continue to invest in challenger brand communications to drive home our commitment to properness with tea lovers.”
Pukka is the only other top 10 tea brand in value growth, having achieved a 1.9% increase – although units have dipped 1.4%.
“We understand budgets are tightening, but tea remains one of the most affordable, accessible and sustainable better-for-you beverages in the world after tap water,” says Fiachra Moloney, general manager at Pukka and PG Tips brand owner Ekaterra.
“Customers don’t want to compromise when it comes to taste. Our Pukka brand uses the highest quality organic herbs and independently certified fair ingredients.
“It’s also the number one fruit and herbal tea brand when it comes to media spend, with a 48% share of spend in the total tea category so far, helping to drive awareness and sales in the category,” she adds.
Adele Ward, marketing director at Clipper Teas, also notes demand for fruit and herbal teas. “Infusions continues to be our strongest-performing segment, growing 14.5% year on year,” she says. “This is bolstered by the launch of our Clipper Super Greens range this summer.”
The end of the year sees Clipper £1.6m in the red – a modest loss compared with PG Tips’. It’s suffered the greatest decline in tea, losing £7.6m on units down 9.2%.
That’s the result of Covid restrictions ending, says Moloney. “We saw growth in the category during lockdown.” While shoppers are now buying less tea, “there are still exciting opportunities in the market,” she adds. “We have an extensive shopper marketing plan in place across in-store and e-commerce that aims to drive more traction for our ranges and the tea category overall.”
For PG Tips’ closest rival, Tetley, price promotions will be crucial over the coming year. “It’s important Tetley continues to champion value to the inflation-affected shopper,” says Reavley. “We continue to be laser-focused on delivering promotional plans that deliver value to all shoppers – as well as expanding our wellbeing range of teas.”
And wellbeing is something Brits will likely want plenty of this coming year.
Top Launch 2022
Kenco Iced/Hot Latte | JDE
Brits love a latte. Hence this canny and bang-on-trend launch from JDE. It’s an instant latte that can be mixed with hot or cold water. Available in Salted Caramel and Vanilla, Kenco Iced/Hot Latte launched into Morrisons in February. It’s since been picked up by Tesco and other grocers – allowing consumers to personalise their beverages while widening instant coffee’s reach. And with a retail price of £1.60 for eight sachets, it offers an attractive return for retailers.
The Grocer Top Products Survey 2022: How can brands stay in focus?
- Currently reading
Hot beverages 2022: Costa makes a splash in hot drinks

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SAN FRANCISCO — I am again reporting from the Goldman Sachs Technology and Internet Conference, where companies continue to pitch themselves to institutional investors. Several hundred people atttended Tuesday. Organizers say 1,700 people have registered for the three-day event.
I will be blogging here and tweeting throughout the day. You can follow my 140-character reports at www.twitter.com/sharonpianchan/.
Today companies such as Dell, IAC, eBay, nVidia will hold question and answer sessions with Goldman Sachs analysts. Local companies include Expedia, Zillow and F5. Hewlett-Packard is scheduled but has closed their session to the press, even though the session is being webcast publicly.
And to sum up Tuesday’s events, here is my writeup that ran in the paper today.
SAN FRANCISCO — To say the buzz is back would be an exaggeration, but at least it isn’t depressing. At the Goldman Sachs technology conference Tuesday, companies large and small pitched themselves to several hundred institutional investors.
Microsoft pitched cloud-computing and server businesses, Yahoo tried to pump up the energy around its brand and Apple waxed hyperbolic about the iPad.
Chip-maker Intel, a bellwether for the technology industry, said the biggest challenges were no longer the economy but international and domestic regulatory issues.
Did it work? Over the day Tuesday, Microsoft stock fell 1 percent, Yahoo fell a little less and Apple dropped 3 percent. Overall, the Nasdaq fell about 1 percent.
Smaller local companies such as InfoSpace and Real Networks also talked up what’s to come in 2010. Most companies seemed relieved their business customers have closed out their books for 2009, a difficult year for IT spending given the economic downturn.
Here is some news from around the conference.
Microsoft: Bob Muglia, Microsoft Server and Tools division president, said he saw a new book on his aide’s desk as he was leaving Redmond on Monday: “Cloud Computing for Dummies.” He grabbed it for reading on the flight here for the technology-investors conference.
He said it wasn’t half bad.
“Once you see a ‘Cloud Computing for Dummies’ book you know it’s hit a certain vernacular,” Muglia said in a Q&A session with Goldman Sachs analyst Sarah Friar.
Cloud computing puts software and data on remote servers run by companies like Microsoft that users access through the Internet on their PC or smartphone.
It’s not expected to be material (meaning more than $1 billion in annual revenue) to Microsoft’s sales for the next three years. “If you go beyond there, it becomes very material,” Muglia said.
On whether running cloud applications will erode Microsoft’s high profit margins because of the added capital and operation costs, he said: “There’s no question there is capital cost involved in running these things. That is a fundamental shift in our financial structure. There’s opportunity for us to drive revenue up by doing value-added services.”
On when the server market will recover, Muglia pointed out Microsoft ended fiscal 2009 with server sales being roughly the same as they were in 2006. “We lost two years of growth.”
He said emerging markets like Brazil and India are recovering most quickly, and the “U.S. is recovering reasonably. Europe is far behind.”
Apple: Apple lobbed the equivalent of several “yo mama” jokes at Microsoft’s expense.
Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook got digs in during his session, both subtle and explicit. To wit:
On the operating system: “The traditional model — which is where a company does operating system, another does key core applications — quickly falls apart in mobile.”
On desktop computers: “The iMac is the best desktop computer in the world.” “Many would like to use a Mac. Who would not want to use a Mac over a Windows unit?” “This is what a lot of people are saying. At least the ones with a lot of vision are.”
On Apple’s retail strategy and its 300 stores: “We went into retail not as a test, not as a pilot.” (Microsoft opened its first two stores in 2009.)
On the enterprise market, where Apple is traditionally weak: “Seventy percent of Fortune 100 companies are either deploying iPhone or are currently testing for deployment.”
Cook said he likes some stuff about Microsoft.
“In Microsoft, we love the Mac Office division. They do a great product, and we partner with them and work with them very tightly. Most of the balance of Microsoft we compete vigorously against. In the operating system, mobile operating system.”
Intel: A big question facing many tech companies, including Microsoft, is when businesses are going to upgrade their PCs. Intel Chief Financial Officer Stacy J. Smith said he is hearing anecdotally that businesses are evaluating PC upgrades.
“That leads me to a conclusion that there is a refresh out there,” Smith said.
“The average age of the [business] PC is in excess of four years. As you get to that point, the cost to keep that computer in the environment is more expensive than to refresh it.”
Smith appeared positive about Intel’s financial performance this year. His biggest concerns were regulatory.
“I worry about government screwing us up,” Smith said. “I worry about China pulling back. … It’s more on the macro side then it is on our execution.”
Yahoo: Yahoo Executive Vice President Hilary Schneider said Microsoft will begin paying Yahoo license fees for its search technology during the first quarter. “We had originally thought that would happen in Q2,” Schneider said.
On the company’s expensive “It’s You” branding campaign that Yahoo began in the fall, Schneider said: “It was really about re-establishing the Yahoo brand. We had felt a decline in brand health,” she said.
One benefit of the Microsoft-Yahoo partnership is the “extreme focus” it brings on Yahoo. “By essentially doing this alliance with Microsoft and exiting the back-end business on algorithmic and search advertising, it frees up tremendous resources to double down on the areas we’re going to invest in, which is really the consumer experience,” Schneider said.
RealNetworks: The Seattle-based company made its pitch to investors that it is reinventing itself since former Chief Executive Rob Glaser left the company in January.
Acting CEO Robert Kimball explained the decision to spin off the company’s music-subscription business, Rhapsody, and its intentions for the games business.
“I think the business has suffered from a conglomerate discount, given that we’re in four different businesses,” Kimball said.
“We really needed to focus our attention on the core businesses.”
That would be selling media-management services to wireless carriers and building new services to offer the 80 carriers it already has partnerships with. Real wants to get out of the content businesses.
“One of the things I’m trying to instill is focus. Let’s try to do a few things and do them well,” Kimball said when an investor asked how many services Real would roll out this year.


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Dialogue. Thought leadership from the leaders in Interim Management.
Industry experts - both from with Interim Partners and from our wider network - offer their sector-specific knowledge and advice.
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Jack Daniel’s, the world’s most valuable spirit brand, is launching its first truly global creative campaign, “Make it Count”. The campaign showcases a new way of thinking for the 154-year-old brand that celebrates the people who drink it.
Launching in the UK on Monday 12th October, the new ‘First Timers’ ad will air on ITV at 8.45pm, celebrating the brand’s global audience and showcasing the Jack Daniel’s fans who choose to live boldly and try something they’ve always wanted to do.
The :20 film was created by creative agency Energy BBDO and is part of a cross-channel campaign including TV, social, digital, and out of home, both within the UK, and throughout over 100 countries worldwide. As a global brand that wanted to fuel its iconic status, it was time for Jack Daniel’s to showcase its unique view of the world. The new “Make it Count” campaign focuses on the impact on our lives when we decide to live boldly and enjoy the ride, much like Mr. Jack did throughout his own life.
“With ‘Make it Count,’ we have a long-term platform that resonates with consumers, especially in today’s environment, and carries the message of Jack’s bold, independent spirit,” said Matias Bentel, Chief Brands Officer of Jack Daniel’s parent company, Brown-Forman. “We know that this world class creative will continue to drive the successful globalisation of our Jack Daniel’s brand.”
Media agency, Spark Foundry, is the global media partner for “Make it Count”, negotiating and executing paid media activity for the launch across most major markets globally.
The launch of the new campaign follows news of a new master distiller heading up the Jack Daniel Distillery. Seasoned whiskey maker, Chris Fletcher, will take over the reins as Master Distiller of the iconic Tennessee Whiskey brand. Fletcher, who is grandson of former Master Distiller Frank Bobo, will be responsible for the overall quality of Jack Daniel’s from “grain to glass,” innovation and will serve as a global ambassador. He will also oversee the distillery’s new “Distillers in Training” program which aims to recruit, teach, and mentor the next generation of whiskey makers.


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Budweiser against FIFA: “Give us back 50 million” But it should be careful…
Budweiser is ready to ask FIFA for a reduction of around 50 million euros on the sponsorship deal signed with the world football federation, after the clash over the sale of beer in stadiums in Qatar. Indeed, in recent days FIFA, with the World Cup already underway, at the request of the Arab country had in fact officially communicated the halt to the sale of Budweiser-branded alcoholic beer in the areas adjacent to the facilities where the World Cup is being played.
“It’s a shame”, the content of a tweet later deleted from the official account of the US brand, which in recent days then explained that the consideration for alcoholic beers not sold in Qatar will go to the country that will raise the cup in the final.
However, the company’s non-alcoholic brand, Bud Zero, is still available in stadiums, and alcohol is still available in fan zones and some licensed venues, reports the Sun. However, there would still be legal reasons to go to a fight with FIFA, but the US brand has set its sights on the 2026 World Cup (there is already a 110 million euro contract) and for this reason it does not want to break with the international football federation
Budweiser will give the winning country all the beer prepared for the #QatarWorldCup2022 worth of €75 million.
It is also expected that the company will sue FIFA for breach of contract – the sale of beer was banned a few days before the start of the championship. pic.twitter.com/x5uq1GhMIM
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) November 21, 2022
The goal is therefore to ask for a reduction in the consideration for the 2026 World Cup of around 50 million euros, thus bringing the agreement to a definitive figure of around 60 million euros. If an agreement cannot be reached between the two parties, the brand could take legal action against FIFA for breach of contract, a move that could cost the world governing body much more.
The great unknown of the World Cup in Qatar – but where will all the beer go? Our most attentive readers will remember that, in the beginning, Budweiser – one of the main sponsors of the event – managed to get permission from the Qatari authorities to sell it only in the three hours before kick-off and up to an hour after traditional triple whistle. Which of course meant no beer (or other spirits, of course) in the stands, but in fact it seemed like a good compromise between respecting trade agreements and respecting local laws.
Budweiser will give the winning country all the beer prepared for the Qatar World Cup2022 worth of €75 million. It is also expected that the company will sue FIFA for breach of contract – the sale of beer was banned a few days before the start of the championship.


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Amid the Apple Silicon transition for the Mac and continued advancement of the iPhone and iPad, Apple’s relationship with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing is deepening and evolving. A new report today from the Information takes a closer look at the dynamic of this relationship, while also noting that TSMC is struggling in its transition to 3nm manufacturing.
The A15 processor in the iPhone 13 is manufactured a 5nm process. TSMC is in the midst of transitioning to a 3nm manufacturing technique, but is facing challenges in doing so.
If the iPhone 14 were to feature new 3nm chips, Apple would be able to include “more powerful, less energy-hungry processors in its devices without dramatically increasing their size,” the report says. TSMC’s processor shrink, however, is not expected to happen in time for next year’s iPhone 14.
The upshot of TSMC’s struggles is that the iPhone’s processor will be stuck on the same chip manufacturing process for three consecutive years, including next year, for the first time in its history, according to an analysis by The Information of Apple’s previous chips. That could in turn cause some customers to put off upgrading their devices for another year and give Apple’s competitors a bit more time to catch up.
Despite these delays, TSMC is still expected to be the first to reach 3 nanometers, ahead of other chipmakers such as Intel and Qualcomm. Previous reporting had indicated that Apple could use 3nm chips in some of its 2022 products, but if today’s report pans out, that is unlikely to be the case.
Financially, the relationship between TSMC and Apple is said to be incredibly interdependent. Apple reportedly accounted for a quarter of its $48.08 billion in total revenue last year. This marks a major increase from $21.43 billion in 2013 total revenue, which is when the two companies first started significantly working together.
Apple is also said to get “VIP” treatment from TSMC, including last year during an issue manufacturing the iPhone 12’s chip:
Like most VIP customers, Apple can be especially demanding. One former TSMC engineer said that after TSMC encountered manufacturing issues with the iPhone 12’s processors in 2020, Apple pressured it to supply more of the chips without raising the total price of the contract.
And in the early years of their partnership, Apple asked TSMC to build at least one additional chip factory in the southern Taiwanese city of Kaohsiung due to concerns about earthquake risk, a former Apple chip executive said. Earlier this year, TSMC said it was open to building a plant in the city.
Ultimately, the Information report concludes that the relationship between Apple and TSMC is “mostly positive,” according to former employees from both companies. The full report is well worth a read and can be found here.
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Morning Report: Mobility companies are making moves in Europe and mitigating safety risks.
It’s time for another mobility update.
First up, Taxify, an Estonia-based mobility company, thinks that it can take on the many last-mile industry players in Paris, according to TechCrunch. Taxify was founded in 2013 and operates a traditional car-based ridesharing service, but it has decided to make the jump into the dockless scooter space along with Lime and Bird.
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Taxify has raised a total of $177.2 million in known funding, per its Crunchbase profile. The vast majority of its haul was sourced from a $175 million corporate round in May 2018, putting the company’s valuation up to $1 billion, post-money. Investors in that round included Germany-based automotive company Daimler, which owns Mercedes-Benz, Paris-based Korelya Capital, and the CEO of Transferwise Taavet Hinrikus. Prior to that round, Chinese ridesharing behemoth Didi Chuxing invested an undisclosed amount in Taxify in August 2017.
Of course, electric scooter companies Bird and Lime have yet to face the significant regulatory backlash in Europe that they have experienced in the U.S. San Francisco’s city government served scooter startups a cease and desist order, forcing Bird and others off city streets in June 2018. Last month, the SF government approved just two scooter companies, Scoot and Skip, with no plans to add Lime and Bird to the pack.
From A To B Safely
Uber, which has invested in dockless scooter company Lime, is focusing on making its traditional ridesharing app safer. Amidst the scandal that has erupted in China following the two separate murders of passengers using Didi Chuxing’s carpooling service, Didi Chuxing suspended its carpooling app to invest in its safety features. Uber is reportedly following suit. For riders who have been in a vehicle for an extended period of time, the app will do a check-in. Uber is also implementing anonymous pickup addresses to prevent potentially dangerous behavior, according to Bloomberg.
While scooter, bike, and ridesharing companies have raised billions of dollars, the real-world consequences of increasing convenience are apparent. Massive growth in the consumer mobility market in the future will likely be met with even more concern over regulation and safety.
Illustration Credit: Li Anne Dias
Stay up to date with recent funding rounds, acquisitions, and more with the Crunchbase Daily.


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India’s top retailer, Reliance, has defended the sudden takeover of personal debt-ridden rival Future Retail’s store, saying the বৃদ্ধি 634 million (about Rs 4,800 crore) arrears have forced it to work beyond expectations, a letter from the company shows.
The takeover was part of a $ 900-billion (approximately Rs 68,11,875 crore) retail dominance race that sparked a bitter dispute where the Supreme Court of India would decide whether Reliance or Amazon.com would acquire futures assets.
The March 8 letter, seen by Reuters, reveals for the first time Reliance’s position on the night of February 25, when staffers suddenly came to take control of missed lease payments in many of its rival stores.
The move stunned not only Future but also Amazon, citing breaches of some agreements to legally block a $ 3.4-billion (approximately Rs 25,735 crore) deal between the two Indian giants since 2020.
In the letter, Reliance said it went “well and truly beyond expectations” to “keep the future out of harm’s way” as it took “significant steps” to ensure future business continuity and to ensure “no obstacles”. In their contract.
The measures include সহায়তা 634 million (approximately Rs. 4,800 crore) in financial assistance, including Rs. 1,100 crore unpaid lease rent and Rs. Working capital is Rs 3,600 crore.
Over the months, Reliance has leased more than 900 of Future’s 1,500 stores, though still allowing the company to operate them.
As Future has proved unable to pay arrears and losses on its retail operations, Reliance has faced “necessary circumstances” and decided to exercise its legal right to occupy stores, the letter added.
Neither Reliance nor Future immediately responded to a request for comment.
The future, which is on the verge of bankruptcy because of its growing losses, has previously called Reliance’s move “tough and one-sided.”
Before Amazon blocked it, Reliance, led by India’s richest man Mukesh Ambani, offered a 3.4-billion (approximately Rs 25,735 crore) deal to buy retail, wholesale and logistics activities in the future, as well as some other businesses.
But after the sudden seizure of Reliance’s stores, Future sought several assurances in a March 2 letter, which Reuters also saw, asking whether Reliance would stick to the deal without changing its price or terms.
In its March 8 response, Reliance said that future requests for reassurance should be viewed “in the light of the rapidly evolving situation.”
It added, “When and where the scheme (deal) is implemented, it will be in accordance with its terms.”
Thomson Reuters 2022


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COLUMBUS, Ohio, October 05, 2022--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ERI, the nation’s largest fully integrated IT and electronics asset disposition (ITAD) provider and cybersecurity-focused hardware destruction company, announced today that due to steadily continued growth, it is looking to expand the existing sales and marketing team at its newest location in Columbus, Ohio.
ERI currently houses about a dozen employees at its Ohio office and is making strides to grow the team with an open call to sales professionals.
"We’re proud to continue building our ERI team in Ohio," said ERI’s Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO, John Shegerian. "With a steady increase in the need for our industry leading ITAD and electronic waste recycling services, we continue to grow exponentially. E-waste is the fastest growing waste stream in the world today and the need to responsibly recycle electronics has never been greater. We are expanding our footprint to accommodate the need."
ERI’s newest location, at 4449 Easton Way, floor 2, on the corner of Easton Way and Stelzer Road, serves as a midwestern operations and sales hub for the ITAD and e-waste recycling leader.
"We’re proud to continue offering flexible, rewarding, impactful jobs in the great state of Ohio and across the nation and seek likeminded professionals to join the ERI family," added Shegerian.
Interested applicants are encouraged to visit ERIdirect.com/about-us/careers to get more information or access an online application form.
ERI is the largest fully integrated IT and electronics asset disposition provider and cybersecurity-focused hardware destruction company in the United States. ERI is certified at the highest level by all leading environmental and data security oversight organizations to de-manufacture, recycle, and refurbish every type of electronic device in an environmentally responsible manner. It is the first and only company in its industry to achieve SOC 2 certification for security and data protection. ERI has the capacity to process more than a billion pounds of electronic waste annually at its eight certified locations, serving every zip code in the United States. ERI’s mission is to protect people, the planet and privacy. For more information about e-waste recycling and ERI, call 1-800-ERI-DIRECT or visit https://eridirect.com.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20221005005902/en/
Media contact: Paul Williams, 310/569-0023, email@example.com


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Drone delivery in XS size
Amazon has big plan for drone delivery- drones, charging stations, big flying warehouses. This time someone else- The Laboratory of Intelligent Systems wants to show the world that drone delivery don’t need to be a huge project for the sellers. As the one of the inventor of this idea claims that the biggest problem is the storage of delivery drones, that takes a lot of space and the safety rules- propellers mounted in typical delivery drones aren’t secured well and might hurt the buyer….
In opinion engineers of Laboratory of Intelligent Systems the solution might their delivery drone with folding cage contruction. It’ easy to storage- the size of the drone is deceresed to 10% ,after the process of delivering might fit the drawer.
The big next advantage is the fact , that propellers are inside the metal cage construction and buyer can grab the drone into his hands , without worry that propellers gonna cut his hands.
Of course, inventors of the drone also made special Web Application , that allows the drone to fly autonomously from the one point to the other.
This solution is very interesting, but for now it’s a project that allows to transport small half kilo parcells – so it’s not a solution for everyone. Overall, the idea of safe delivery drone is really good and we hope that it will develop in the close future.


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Qualcomm's chips bring 4G connectivity to dumb phones
The 205 Mobile Platform is its first low-end chip with a built-in LTE modem.
Intel finally plans to finish its Fab 42 factory in Arizona
The company made the announcement today alongside President Trump for some reason.
Apple sues Qualcomm for $1 billion in royalty dispute
'For many years Qualcomm has unfairly insisted on charging royalties for technologies they have nothing to do with.'
Qualcomm just announced the biggest chip acquisition ever
Qualcomm buys NXP for $47 billion as it looks to make a move on the car industry.
Researchers think chaos theory can get us past Moore's Law
Researchers at NC State believe that they can make chips faster without making them smaller.
Qualcomm's new flagship chip loads apps 10 percent faster
The Snapdragon 821 also has improved VR and faster autofocus support.
NFL reportedly using ball tracking chips in pre-season games
The league will measure throwing speeds and other stats.
AMD crashes Intel's party: Powerful Zen CPUs are coming next year
The company wants to be taken seriously in high-end computing once again.
Intel to manufacture ARM chips in a bid for mobile domination
The company has struggled in the mobile space, but this could help change those fortunes.


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Drylab Media Tech Extends International Distribution Agreement with MediaGuru
Agreement expands sales and marketing reach across the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt
(London, UK; 21 July 2022) Drylab Media Tech (“Drylab”), a leading film and TV production SaaS platform, is pleased to announce the signing of a further sales distribution agreement with MediaGuru, a technology service provider to the media industry in South Asia and Africa. The new agreement grants MediaGuru non-exclusive distribution rights for the Drylab platform in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, expanding from its existing agreement for distribution in India.
Drylab is a next generation on-set production tool and dailies distribution platform, utilising cutting edge technology to enhance the production process from script to screen. The management team, having recently acquired the company that developed the technology in Norway, are focused on expanding its footprint to the global market.
This new agreement builds on Drylab’s existing partnership with MediaGuru for distribution in India and expands Drylab’s marketing reach into the Middle East. Distribution partnerships are an important part of the management team’s growth strategy to develop long-term relationships with trusted channel partners that boast local expertise and networks, and a proven track record for delivery in their respective territories, to facilitate rapid international market penetration.
John Mahtani, CEO of Drylab Media Tech, said: “It is great to have expanded our partnership with MediaGuru into more territories. Our channel strategy is key to helping us penetrate new markets at a rapid pace and so we are thrilled to have signed this new agreement so soon after entering the original agreement. With their extensive reach across South Asia and Africa, we hope to continue to build on this relationship.”
Sanjay Salil, CEO of MediaGuru, added: “As a leading media services company, MediaGuru provides cutting-edge technology solutions to clients globally and we are excited to able to expand our offer by marketing Drylab in further markets. Egypt has probably the largest film industry in the region and Saudi Arabia is investing billions to develop the sector. As such, there is a huge market opportunity for the Drylab platform in these territories to help filmmakers save time and cut costs.”
About Drylab Media Tech
Drylab is a next generation on-set production tool and dailies distribution platform, utilising cutting edge technology to enhance the production process from script to screen. The powerful metadata engine enables efficient, accurate and effective retrieval of captured media both on-set, at the office and in remote locations. Developed by filmmakers for filmmakers. Further information is available at https://www.drylab.io/.


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Every week, we will be highlighting the top patent, copyright, trademark, intellectual property, etc. stories of the previous week in our “In Case You Missed It” segment. The list itself is in no particular order and includes a wide range of stories from the patent world that are informative, noteworthy, or just plain bizarre. The stories included encompass everything from Supreme Court cases to insights into growing industries. Please feel free to comment your thoughts on the stories or share an important one we missed!
“Here’s What the PlayStation 5’s Controller Might Look Like”
Gamers around the world have been waiting in angst for years for any details regarding Sony’s PlayStation 5 set for release November 2020. PlayStations are among the best selling video game consoles of all-time with the PlayStation 2 atop the list with 155 million units sold. Eager fans have spent the past 6 years since the PlayStation 4’s release speculating what the console and controllers for its successor will look like. There have been many rumors but a new patent filed in Japan by Sony shows what the controller could (possibly) look like.
Those waiting in angst may be disappointed however. It appears the (possible) PlayStation 5 controller is very similar to the current DualShock 4 controller. The analog sticks appear to be smaller and the L2/R2 triggers larger. Other features include the addition of a USB-C port and removal of the light bar. Sony’s CEO said last month that the controller would have greater “rumbling” effects in its haptic feedback and hinted at the possibility of a built-in microphone. This would make sense given we wrote about “Playstation Assist,” Sony’s attempt to offer voice-activated in-game assistance to players, in September. To read more about this story, click here (via The Verge, November 18th, 2019).
“Congress Introduces AM-FM Act to Revise Copyright Law for Terrestrial Radio”
Last week Congress introduced the “Ask Musicians for Music Act (AM-FM).” The effort is an attempt to make terrestrial AM/FM radio stations obtain permission before playing songs as well as pay royalties to music creators. Currently, radio stations do not have to pay royalties when songs are played on their airwaves. The bill would create a market for music and compensate artists based on market demand just like any other good and service.
Unsurprisingly the CEO of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) Mitch Glazier applauded the measure. Glazier stated that it “addresses inequities in law that should be fixed” and that current procedures are “unjust and skews the market.” On the other hand, President and CEO of the National Association of Broadcasters said the bill could “decimate the economics of America’s hometown radio stations that have launched the careers of countless musicians and exposed legacy artists to a new generation of listeners.” It should be interesting how this plays out. The outcome could have huge implications to a terrestrial radio industry that has already been in the crosshairs of streaming services and podcasts. To read more about this story, click here (via Variety, November 21st, 2019).
“Drake’s Attempt to Trademark Canada’s Weed Warning Label Hits a Stop Sign”
Rapper Drake has attempted to trademark the warning label used on cannabis products sold in Canada with the USPTO. The warning label, seen here, contains both a marijuana leaf and the letters “THC” (abbreviation for tetrahydrocannabinol, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana) on a red octagon, similar to a stop sign. Drake’s company Dream Crew IP filed the mark with intent to use on clothing including shirts, hoodies, hats, and sneakers. On November 21st, the application was rejected.
In the office action from the USPTO, the office identifies numerous reasons for rejection including the fact that “THC” is already trademarked and given the weight of “THC” on the mark, there may be a likelihood of confusion. The office also indicated that given the prominent use of the identical mark in Canada, as mandated under Canadian law, “the symbol will not be perceived as a mark that identifies the source of applicant’s goods.” Additionally, marijuana is still illegal on the federal level in the U.S. and “the use of a mark in commerce must be lawful.” Given Drake has partnered with a cannabis company in the past, he “did not have a bona fide intent to lawfully use the applied-for mark in commerce in connection with the goods,” according to the USPTO. To read more about this story, click here (via MarketWatch, November 23rd, 2019).
“Apple, Intel File Antitrust Case Against SoftBank-Backed Firm Over Patent Practices”
Apple and Intel filed an antitrust suit against Fortress Investment Group last week over allegations the group is using their patents to demand royalties from them. Intel had previously filed a suit against Fortress Investment Group last month but abandoned it to join Apple in their suit. Apple alleges the group has requested an upwards of $5.1 billion stemming from 25 different patent infringement suits filed against them.
Apple wrote in the suit that it has “suffered economic harm in the form of litigation costs and diversion of resources away from innovation to respond to these entities’ serial nuisance suits.” The company has a history of battles with “patent trolls” and this time is no different. To read more about this story, click here (via CNBC, November 20th, 2019).


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Blog: Wimm-Bill-Dann beefs up war-chest
Dean Best | 6 July 2010
Russian dairy and baby food group Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods gave a sign of its financial firepower today (6 July) with news of a US$300m bond issue.
The company said strong demand from investors at home and abroad had enabled it to double its initial bond offering.
CEO Tony Maher said the investor demand was a "striking endorsement" of the company's "sound fundamentals, business model and strong growth prospects".
News of the bond issue comes swiftly on the back of Wimm-Bill-Dann's reported comments last month that it was on the look-out for acquisitions at home and abroad.
And it also comes with French dairy giant Danone beefing up its presence in Wimm-Bill-Dann's backyard with its venture with Russian milk processor Unimilk.
We hear a lot in the food industry about two interconnected trends: and social media and “foodie” culture....
Nestle, set to welcome a new CEO on 1 January, has announced more changes to the make-up of its senior management team....
Blue Bell Creameries is trying to win back the trust of consumers after a fatal listeriosis outbreak last year was linked to its products - but in recent days the US ice cream maker has issued another...
The UK's competition regulator has given the all-clear to Hain Celestial's bid to buy UK food and beverage group Orchard House Foods, nine months after the US group announced the deal....
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On July 31, Express Scripts identified new formulary exclusions that will go into effect on January 1, 2018. For example, Amgen’s rG-CSF product, NEUPOGEN, will be excluded in favor of Teva’s rG-CSF product, GRANIX, and Sandoz’s biosimilar, ZARXIO. Express Scripts has not explained, however, what the reimbursement level will be for GRANIX and ZARXIO, or how much a patient will have to pay for them as compared to the cost of NEUPOGEN.
Express Scripts noted that “[t]he full list of excluded products [for 2018] will be available on or before September 15, 2017.”
Stay tuned to Big Molecule Watch for further updates.


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Stanley out to score with websites
Stanley Leisure has revealed its tax-free internet betting sites will be up and running in time for the start of the football season and promised live action on its Crockfords casino site by next March.
The Liverpool-based bookie has been accused of falling behind competitors which have been offering offshore telephone and internet gambling for months. Chief executive Bob Wiper said that by the end of the current financial year it would have at least six interactive sites.
However, he said the core business of the betting shops had continued to grow with pre-tax profits up 21% to £28.5m on turnover of £502.5m, up 9% for the year ended 30 April. Earnings per share were 19.1p against 14.5p and the full dividend is up 12% at 5.55p.
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After being officially replaced by tech titan Amazon (AMZN) in the elite Dow Jones Industrial Average ($DOWI) to start this week, the shares of Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) can't seem to catch a break from their freefall this year. Down by 17.8% already on a YTD basis, WBA stock is underperforming the broader equities market by a wide margin.
Walgreens was originally added to the Dow back in 2018 as a replacement for one of the original constituents of the index, General Electric (GE). The end of its six-year run in the index comes on the heels of its dividend cut announced earlier this year, which confirmed WBA's exit from another exclusive club - the Dividend Aristocrats.
After all this negative news flow, is the drugstore stock due for a turnaround, or should investors give the former Dow member a miss? Let's find out whether WBA is a potential bargain buy or a value trap at current levels.
About Walgreens Stock
Founded in 2014, Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) was formed by the merger of UK-based Boots and U.S.-based Walgreens. Now based out of Deerfield, Ill., the company is one of the largest integrated healthcare, pharmacy, and retailers in the world, with over 12,500 locations across the U.S., Europe, and Latin America. Its offerings include prescription and over-the-counter medications, health and wellness products, beauty products, and various other convenience items. WBA's market cap currently stands at $18.3 billion.
So, what's behind the underperformance in WBA? Here are the key catalysts behind the downside, as well as the factors that could help fuel a turnaround - plus, a look at what Wall Street expects.
The Bear Case for WBA
Declining Earnings: A key concern for Walgreens is consistently declining earnings. In the latest quarter, revenues grew by 10% from the previous year to $36.7 billion - but EPS fell by a steep 43.1% year-over-year to $0.66.
In fact, over the past 16 quarters, the company has reported year-over-year EPS declines on 11 occasions, reflecting the WBA's inability to manage costs efficiently.
At the same time, the company's healthcare business continues to remain unprofitable, with gross margins negatively impacted as pharmacy reimbursement levels remain under pressure.
Massive Debt & Low Cash: The company's huge debt load and low cash levels are a major concern that likely drove the historic decision to cut WBA's dividend.
The company carries total debt of $9.3 billion, which towers over its cash balance of a mere $784 million. This huge mismatch between the debt and cash levels makes it vulnerable to liquidity problems, at best, and risks it solvency position, at worst.
Inflationary Headwinds: While the pace of inflation has slowed, prices are still rising at a faster pace than the Fed would prefer. That's negatively impacting consumer goods companies, including Walgreens. Price-conscious consumers are increasingly seeking value, and while pharmacies provide convenience, their prices often exceed those of general merchandise retailers.
The Bull Case for WBA
Valuation: The stark decline in Walgreens stock has left it attractively valued at current levels. WBA trades at 6.50x forward adjusted EPS, 0.13x forward sales, and 0.84x book - all of which represent a discount not only to the consumer staples sector median, but WBA's own historical five-year average valuations.
Given that, the risk-reward ratio appears to be attractive for a well-established company like Walgreens, which has a wide footprint and brand recognition among consumers.
Dividend Yield: Despite the 48% dividend cut, Walgreens stock still offers a dividend yield of 4.70%, which is well above the sector median. While the move ends WBA's run as a Dividend Aristocrat, it's a much-needed move to save cash, and expected to result in savings of about $800 million on an annual basis.
"This action will free up capital to invest in driving sustainable growth in the pharmacy and healthcare businesses, as well as paying down debt," said CEO Tim Wentworth on the fiscal Q1 earnings call.
Asset Sales: The company is making other strategic moves to become free cash flow positive again, too. In February, the company sold additional shares worth $934 million of Cencora (COR), the drug distributor in which it has now trimmed its ownership to about 13%. Cencora still remains a major supplier of pharmaceuticals to WBA's pharmacies.
And in late January, news reports emerged that the company is looking to sell its specialty pharmacy business, Shields Health Solutions. A Bloomberg report said that Walgreens is seeking about $4 billion for the business.
Finally, another report claimed that Walgreens is set to revive talks to sell its Boots chain of pharmacy stores in the UK for 7 billion pounds.
What Does Wall Street Say About WBA?
Taking all of this into account, analysts have deemed Walgreens stock a “Hold,” with a mean target price of $25.11. This indicates an upside potential of about 17.6% from current levels. Out of 15 analysts covering the stock, 2 have a “Strong Buy,” 10 have a “Hold,” 1 has a “Moderate Sell,” and 2 have a “Strong Sell” rating.
On the date of publication, Pathikrit Bose did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.


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Tag Archives: Jan Standal
Rating: Do we detect Norwegian sarcasm here?
As part of our continuing series of reports on how developers are the victims of arbitrary actions by app store owners, we thought we just mention the recent spat between mobile web browser specialist, Opera, and Apple. Opera claims its Mini web browser became the first non-native browser made available in Apple’s iTunes App Store. However, the Cupertino based company decided that only those over 17 should really be able to download it. The reason isn’t very clear but the App Store cites “Frequent/Intense/Mature/Suggestive Themes.” Crickey, the Norwegian company must have found some way to build sex into a browser. Continue reading


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Rapper Will.I.Am is set to launch a new range of accessories for Apple's iPhone.
The Black Eyed Peas star, who was hired as a creative director for technology firm Intel last year (11), has created a collection of hardware which he insists will transform the cell phones.
The first product from the collection is a camera enhancing gadget, and will.i.am tells Britain's Daily Telegraph newspaper, "We have our own sensor and a better flash. You dock your phone into our device and it turns your smartphone into a genius-phone. We take over the camera."
The i.am+ accessories will be launched next week (begs26Nov12).
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3D printing robot displayed in retail store upcycles plastic
Selfridges in London has been a premier shopping destination for buyers and browsers to see what’s going to be hot. That’s why there really is no better place for an amazing new window display that showcases a 3D-printing demonstration. The printer is creating amazing designer items using recycled marine plastic. Selfridges has always believed in the “theater of retail.” This window display demonstration definitely captures that idea and so many more.
Continue reading below
Our Featured Videos
The ABB robot displayed created personalized designer objects. It’s all made from Parley Ocean Plastic that has been intercepted before it can get to the ocean waters. One look at the heartbreaking photos of plastic masses floating in the ocean is all it takes to see how this is a problem and know that it must be fixed.
Robots like this one could help to address this massive issue and start healing the world. The robot created everything from homewares to furniture, among other items.
“By reusing plastic from the world’s oceans to print designer objects, we help to highlight the important contribution of robots in creating the sustainable manufacturing processes central to a circular economy,” said Marc Segura, robotics division president for ABB.
“Working with two industry leaders, ABB and Nagami, we can now print on demand anywhere in the world to turn a problem into a solution,” said Parley Ocean Plastic Founder and CEO Cyrill Gutsch.


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Furthering development of the next generation of wireless networks, Nokia Corp. last week began volume shipments of GSM/EDGE hardware to carriers in the United States.
Enhanced Data rates for Global Evolution is based on Global System for Mobile Communications, which is the reigning wireless network in Europe and is starting to gain ground in the United States. “EDGE is key to the creation of [third-generation] services in the global wireless industry,” said Timothy Eckersley, senior vice president of Nokias Nokia Networks division, in Espoo, Finland.
AT&T Wireless Services Inc. and Cingular Wireless, both of which received the EDGE hardware, have started to roll out GSM networks in the United States. The next step in the transition is GPRS (General Packet Radio Service), which supports voice and data. Both companies are in the midst of GPRS trials. The third step is the EDGE network, which is designed to support high speed for functions that include streaming media and increased voice capacity.
By the end of the year, AT&T plans to have its entire network switched over to GSM and to begin to roll out EDGE services, but officials have been vague about when and how large the initial deployments will be. “EDGE will arrive,” said Mark Siegel, a spokesman for AT&T Wireless, in Bedminster, N.J.
Cingular plans to launch EDGE services nationwide by 2004, according to company officials in Atlanta.
EDGE competes globally with Qualcomm Inc.s CDMA 2000 technology, which is used by Sprint PCS Group and Verizon Wireless Inc., both of which plan to start offering 3G services with speeds of up to 144K bps by summers end. Sprint Corp. CEO William Esrey said at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last week that Sprints high-speed network deployment will be nationwide by the end of summer.


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Visitors to a local supermarket are being alerted that they may have been exposed to novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
Residents of Putnam County and neighboring communities are being advised of possible COVID contamination at TOPS Friendly Markets, located on Route 6 in Carmel, by the Putnam County Department of Health.
The advisory is for those who worked or visited the store on these days and times:
- Wednesday, July 2 from 5:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
- Sunday, July 5 from 5:30 a.m. to 8 a.m.
If you were in the store at those times, the health department says you should watch for these COVID-19 symptoms and contact your physician with any concerns.
- shortness of breath or difficulty breathing,
- fatigue, muscle or body aches,
- new loss of taste or smell,
- sore throat,
- congestion or runny nose,
- nausea or vomiting,
For more information, visit putnamcountyny.com/health/coronavirus.
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CHICAGO, Sept. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Big Drop Brewing Co., the world’s first craft brewery dedicated to non-alcoholic beer, is celebrating the first National NA Beer Day in a BIG way.
Big Drop has created National NA Beer Day on Saturday, Oct. 2 to showcase the radical innovation in NA beer over the last few years. Judged to be the World’s Best No & Low brewer at the 2021 World Beer Awards, Big Drop has led the way from the start.
Big Drop is proud to support the James Beard Foundation’s Open for Good campaign with a donation of 10 percent of sales of all Big Drop brews during the month of October. The Foundation’s Open for Good programs help independent restaurants survive the Covid-19 crisis and thrive for the long term by providing resources that help restaurants build capacity and come back stronger, more equitable, more sustainable and more resilient.
"We created NA Beer Day as a way to inspire people to taste the newest offerings in non-alcoholic craft beer," said Big Drop CEO Rob Fink. "Low and no-alcohol beer originated during Prohibition and was called ‘near beer’ – but really it was nowhere near beer in terms of flavor and fun. Big Drop is brewed naturally to no more than 0.5% alcohol – we don’t strip out the alcohol – that means we keep the big flavors and aromas that stand up against full-strength beers. Try it – I think you’ll like it!"
More Inspiration to Try the Best-Tasting NA Craft Beer During "Sober October"
- Big Drop is giving away free cases of Big Drop Pine Trail Pale and Galactic Extra Dark to block party hosts across the Chicagoland area through October. Click here to submit a request for 10 cases for your block party, through Oct. 31. Recipients will receive an email to schedule their pick-up at Great Central Brewing Company at 221 N. Wood Street in Chicago.
- Big Drop also is sponsoring "Burger NA Beer" features at restaurants across Chicagoland, starting with Bitter Pops in Lakeview on Oct 2nd
- Order Big Drop brews online and get three six-packs for the price of two and enjoy free shipping.
About Big Drop Brewing Co:
Big Drop was launched in 2016 as the world’s first brewer dedicated to non-alcoholic beer by former London lawyer, Rob Fink and long-time friend James Kindred. Both had recently become fathers and were looking to cut back on the booze but could not find any decent alternatives to their favorite craft beers. Since its first 200 gallon batch, Big Drop has won over 70 major international beer awards including seven times being judged the "World’s Best" at the World Beer Awards and beating full-strength beers in blind tastings. All Big Drop beers in the U.S. have won either Gold or Silver medals at the U.S. Open Beer Championship and at the USA Beer Ratings.
Big Drop Paradiso IPA offers a crisp and citrusy bitterness that begs for another sip. Big Drop Pine Trail Pale is bright and floral, with an appealing lime bite on the finish, while Big Drop Galactic Extra Dark is a rich and unctuous stout-style brew reminiscent of dark chocolate covered toffee.
Big Drop launched in the U.S., brewing in Chicago, in early 2021. It is brewed locally at Great Central Brewing Company and is available at retail stores, bars and restaurants throughout the Chicago area, and for curb-side pick-up at Great Central.
Big Drop is currently distributed in seven states including: Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire and Rhode Island and ships to 42 states from its online shop. Six-packs of 12-ounce cans are $12.99 and shipping is free with orders of two or more six-packs. For more information visit us.bigdropbrew.com or www.bigdropbrew.com. Click here for more information on National NA Beer Day.
Liz Barrett/Shannan Bunting
(312) 446-6945 or (312) 493-0479
SOURCE Big Drop Brewing Co.


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Bidfood Australia announced it is phasing out eggs sourced from hens housed in cages.
The company cited recent research which showed that more than 60% of New South Wales shoppers say prefer to purchase cage-free eggs instead of conventionally raised eggs. Therefore, changes need to be made to meet customer expectations, Bidfood Australia said on its website.
Bidfood’s CEO Rachel Ruggiero said: “While many consumers choose to buy cage-free eggs at supermarkets, it is important that they are also able to have confidence that the eggs being served when they dine out are also cage-free.”
As the country’s leading foodservice distributor, Bidfood Australia supplies more than 115 million eggs to the foodservice industry each year including restaurants, cafes, hospitals, hotels and schools. Over the coming years Bidfood will be working closely with suppliers and customers to reach the outcome of supplying 100% cage free eggs by 2025. Bidfood’s own range of eggs will be cage free from 2023.
Animal advocacy group Animals Australia applauded the move, which is expected to affect about 380,000 hens
“With around 60% of eggs produced in Australia being used in the foodservice sector, Bidfood’s commitment is a huge positive for animal welfare,” said Glenys Oogies, CEO of Animals Australia..
“Bidfood’s decision, and similar commitments by many of the food industry’s largest companies, sends a strong signal to the egg industry and state governments that it’s time battery cages were relegated to history.”
“Bidfood is the first major Australian foodservice distributor to make a commitment to go cage free and we now call upon other foodservice distributors, which are continuing to supply cage eggs, to follow Bidfood’s leadership,” added Ruggiero.


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Auction nets $167,000 from ex-broker's ill-gotten loot
Sep 11, 2010 7:17:08 PM - komonews.com
A life of crime ended Saturday on an auction block for Rhonda Breard, the disgraced investment broker from Kirkland. A standing-room-only crowd showed up to check out the fire sale on an array of expensive toys she bought with ill-gotten loot stolen from her clients.
USA, Washington: (Latest Stories)


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Keep Walmart out, say bankers
Published 09/05/2013 | 05:00
A GROUP of bankers has urged the US financial regulator to stop American retail giant Walmart providing financial services.
At a meeting with the US Federal Reserve, made public yesterday, the bankers said that Walmart has entered banking "through the back door", through facilities like its prepaid card business.
Walmart, which has just under 11,000 stores, insists its financial-services products are properly regulated.


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TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) - On Thursday, 180 dealers and vendors will open their booths for business at the 22nd Street Mineral and Fossil Show near I-10 and 22nd Street.
The event runs from January 28 through February 14 every day from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Last year, nearly 30,000 people made their way to the show, which help make it the most attended mineral, fossil, gem and jewelry show in the entire country.
KGUN9 got a sneak-peek at one of the larger-than-life exhibits: Triebold Paleontology. The company has been apart of the big event for nearly 30 years where they have brought massive and intrigue displays to the public.
Owner Mike Triebold told KGUN9, some of the best reactions to the displays comes from the children, who are enamored by the work.
Triebold's company does all their own locating and excavation of these original and cast fossils. He says they own different licenses that allow them to go on over 30 ranches in the country.
"We explore on private land and we collect the specimens and we prepare them," Triebold explained. "If they are very unique and special, we mold them and sell copies... We provide museums with finished original fossils and casts."
Triebold's exhibition is just one of the many pieces of the show. To learn about the other vendors, click here.
The event and parking is free to the public.


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Chimamanda Adichie is currently in London for a series of events and she’s been serving chic look after chic look.
The award-winning author who has been promoting Nigerian brands through her style hasn’t disappointed on this trip.
Here’s a look at everything she’s worn in the last couple of days.
To deliver the keynote address at The Igbo Conference, she wore this gorgeous Emmy Kasbit’s lovely trousers made from akwete, traditional Igbo woven cloth. She paired it with a white shirt by Popartii.


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Khodrocar – The story of part makers demand returns to two years ago, in those days production was at the peak. Those days automakers were producing more cars and they had money to give part makers. But now automakers are not in a good economy condition and can’t pay the demands of part makers. Their production has decreased and importing parts has been banned.
On the other side, the government banned the entrance of foreign government and Iran’s partnership with foreign automakers has been limited from America. According to the new sanctions which will begin from September, importing disrupted pieces will be banned.
Part makers were under pressure of governmental decisions during the past two years and suffer more from it but they never criticized and continued their production. Last year the government cut the currency exchange for part maker after that auto part and raw material price increased.
At the beginning of the New Year exchange rate fluctuation increased their pain. After that part makers return to the queue of governmental exchange but even they didn’t reach to the bought parts with 42000 IRRs dollar. Now part makers are blamed for half produced cars in the factory.
Nowadays, problems are showing themselves one after another and they even struggling with getting their demands from automakers. The last payment was last September. Auto makers have to pay near 70 thousand billion IRRs to part makers.
"Part makers demand is 150 thousand billion IRRs which 50 thousand billion of it has not been paid to the part makers. At the General Assembly of Iran Khodro and Saipa, the demands of the part makers were not explicitly considered, but it is clear that the problem of the part makers is to meet their demands.” Arash Mohebi Nejad, Secretary of part makers association told Khodrocar reporter.
"The irrefutable fact is that these numbers are plaguing the part makers. The most important point is that there is no policy about the part makers also they are not supporting the domestic product opposite the Year’s moto.” He added.
Right now, after the last payment to the part makers, the value of money has decreased and even experienced part makers are closing their business because they couldn’t match income and costs. It seems that two major automakers should help the strategic and base industry more than before.
Khodrocar Reporter: Negar Mir Karimi
Khodrocar Translator: Amin Zamani


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Social Media Wrap: McDonald's Thailand's dual drive-thru restaurant; Starbucks Singapore's Earth Month Challenge; GOPIZZA's April Fool's product
Find out what QSRs have been up to on social media this week.
McDonald's Thailand unveils new restaurant with dual drive-thru lanes.
Starbucks Singapore launches Earth Month Challenge.
GOPIZZA Singapore introduces Bulgogi scented cologne for April Fool's Day.


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Feral Interactive have announced today that Rise of the Tomb Raider 20 Year Celebration edition will be coming to macOS on 12 April 2018. This is basically a mouthful version for the Definitive Edition of Rise of the Tomb Raider.
Rise of the Tomb Raider is the sequel to the Tomb Raider from 2013 which was a series reboot itself. Players will take control of Lara Croft once again for this sequel as she goes on her regular archaeology business, such as rock climbing and crypt crawling. On a side note, she will also be trying to find the lost city of Kitezh in order to recover an artefact named Divine Source that can grant immortality. Lara will have to contend for it with Trinity, a secretive organisation with vast resources.
Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration is a bundle that puts the base game together with the released DLC in a single package. It appears that the base game is no longer obtainable on Steam, as the 20 Year Celebration package replaced it. The season pass is still available though, likely to be an option for the players who already have the base game but not all of the DLC.
The 20 Year Celebration edition was already available for some PC owners but Linux and macOS users had to wait a bit longer. Come 12 April 2018, macOS players will get to enjoy Lara's most recent adventure which seems to be one of the better entries in the franchise as it received generally favourable reviews, with 93 per cent positive reviews on Steam.
Now, as far as the system requirements go, the game will be supported on all 13" MacBook Pros released since 2016, 15" MacBook Pros released since late 2013 with at least a 2.3GHz processor. iMacs with 27" screens that were released in late 2014 are not officially supported if they have an Nvidia GT 755M graphics card. As far as Mac Pros go, all the devices released since late 2013 are also supported, as well as some late 2012 models that included a 2GB Nvidia 680MX graphics card.


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Exclusive mobile gaming and video content from Cartoon Network and global game partner means never-before published games now launching in South Africa
*Cape Town, 21 October 2016 – *Mobile marketing agency, MobiMedia, a division of the Ole! Media Group, has been appointed the exclusive mobile content partner for Africa for Cartoon Network’s Games portal. In addition to this, MobiMedia has also acquired the rights to animated video content geared towards younger mobile users from its global gaming partner with whom the company has also signed a sole distribution license.
Under its Planet Games platform, MobiMedia is able to offer literally thousands of mobile games, apps, images, ringtones, and more, to over 20 000 different smartphone, feature and tablet devices to suit a number of different operating systems, including a range of over 100 HTML5 games. The offering also includes 22 Cartoon Network games that have never been published before, marking a first for South Africa.
Available to South African audiences on a subscription model (daily, weekly, monthly or even annually), favourites like Ben 10, Scooby Doo and The Power Puff Girls are now easily accessible with great content unlocked for young and old alike – all that’s needed is a device that can connect to the Internet and a data bundle.
“The Planet Games offering taps into the rapidly expanding demand for more ‘active’ engagement experiences”, said Deseré Orrill, Managing Director of MobiMedia and co-Founder of the Ole! Media Group. “With our in-house technology capabilities coupled with the broad library of content we now have at our disposal, we are also able to develop points-based incentive programmes utilising the principles of gamification.” With everything integrated onto social media, mobile promotions have entered an enhanced engagement era, noted Orrill.
Beyond supplying this content to the likes of the Mobile Network Operators across the continent, and even to handset manufacturers (MobiMedia has concluded a global deal with Huawei), the company is also able to white label certain of its mobile gaming products. This allows for brands to create customised in-game experiences for their fans, enriching the overall engagement for everyone concerned.
Screen time is learning time…and fun
“Whether we like to admit it or not, children are mobile and digital savvy from a very early age.” However, finding the right content for them to view and interact with is the challenge. “With our new educational and entertainment video offerings, we can provide brands with the right content to reach this influential audience, and their parents of course.”
Animated videos such as ‘Green Light’, which teaches children the rules of the road and ‘Alex’, a five-year old pre-schooler who explores the world around him, to a rock ‘n roll band – ‘Raggs’ – whose members are dogs that have garnered a world-wide audience for their music, can all be safely delivered to mobile phones and tablets, delivering specific informative entertainment for little ones.
With a staggering 38% of children under two-years of age already using mobiles or tablets to access games and/or watch videos, (according to a large-scale report conducted late 2015 by family advocacy group Common Sense Media), it is no surprise that MobiMedia’s current offering is resonating with African audiences hungry for appealing content. While videos and games for this age bracket can have exceptional benefits, Orrill underlines the point that over-usage has its cons and that the responsibility still rests with an adult supervisor to ensure that use is monitored.


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From in-store shopping to online payments and more, the use of Quick Response (QR) Code as a means of payment has become more prevalent and accepted in Nigeria. The increased adoption became even more prominent in the wake of the covid-19 pandemic – particularly because of the need to deter less hygienic payment methods and increase the adoption of contactless payments.
In response to this increasing use, the Central Bank of Nigeria has issued the Framework for Quick Response (QR) Code Payments in Nigeria 2021 (‘’the Framework”).
The Framework provides regulatory guidance for the operation of QR Code payment services in Nigeria including safety standards and risk management requirements that participants within the Fintech ecosystem must adhere to.
In this newsletter, we highlight key provisions of the Framework.


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Hi honeys, here is my third travel vlog! It was a family trip & we had a blast. Hope you’ll enjoy it as well! Lots of love!
Music: Soundcloud MBB Take it Easy
More info on Travel Vlog 3: Seattle
Travel Vlog 3: Seattle - BingNews Search results
U.S. air travel rises to highest levels since pandemic hit
Across the United States, air travel is recovering more ... closing up 8.3%. American gained 7.7%, Alaska Air Group increased 5.8%, Delta rose 2.3%, and Southwest added 1.8%. The Seattle Times ...
US air travel rises to highest levels yet since pandemic hit
Across the United States, air travel is recovering more quickly from the depths of the pandemic, and it is showing up in longer airport security lines and busier traffic on airline websites. The ...
Alaska Air (ALK) Arm to Add Services From Boise & Seattle
Alaska Air Group ’s ALK subsidiary, Alaska Airlines, announced plans to expand its Pacific Northwest network as air-travel demand continues to improve. The airline will introduce four new services ...
Windstar cruises to move headquarters from downtown Seattle to Miami
“It’s a loss of another tourism company out of Seattle. Windstar was born here. They grew here. They’ve been successful here. It’s sad to see them go,” said KOMO Travel Expert Steve ...
US tops 500,000 virus deaths, matching the toll of 3 wars
The COVID-19 death toll in the U.S. topped 500,000 Monday, a staggering number that all but matches the number of Americans killed in World War II, Korea and Vietnam combined. President Joe Biden ...
Bremerton-Seattle ferry crossing down to one boat indefinitely
leaving the Bremerton-Seattle route with only the ferry Kitsap. Ferry customers can check the sailing schedule online and are encouraged to give themselves extra travel time and prepare for ...
Opinion: Capacity challenges on the horizon for Seattle-area airports
Prior to Covid-19 the aviation growth in the Seattle ... between 49.3 million and 55.6 million by 2050. Sea-Tac will not be able to meet the tremendous demand for regional air travel alone.
These 3 Boston hotels are among the best in the country, according to Forbes Travel Guide
Three Boston hotels have landed again on Forbes Travel Guide’s Star Award List ... they are Houston, Philadelphia, Seattle, Montreal, and Hilton Head, South Carolina. Look through the entire ...
Snowstorm blankets Western Washington: Additional accumulations of 3-6 inches possible Saturday
The National Weather Service (NWS) in Seattle is currently predicting additional ... "Heavier snow will continue through the morning with an additional 3-6 inches possible across the area ...
Away Brings Brick-And-Mortar Store To Seattle
Travel brand Away has opened a brick-and-mortar location in Seattle. The company, which now has 13 physical stores throughout the United States, U.K. and Canada, provides a host of luggage ...
Seattle's Museum of Flight to reopen March 4 after COVID closure
SEATTLE - The Museum of Flight will reopen to ... All five buildings, including the open-air 3-acre Aviation Pavilion and the 2-acre outdoor Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park will be available.
3 more Seattle officers investigated over travel to Capitol
SEATTLE (AP) — Three more Seattle police officers are under investigation over their presence in Washington, D.C., during the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6., Interim Police Chief Adrian ...


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Published on : Saturday, July 15, 2017
Reflecting a growing interest in the Central American country as the next top tourist destination, Honduras has reported a sharp increase in the number of cruise passengers and cruise ships in 2016 compared with the previous year, Bernama News reported.
With the recent addition of three lines, 18 different cruise ship companies now stop in Honduran ports of call. The three lines are — Azamara Cruises’ Azamara Quest, with a visitor capacity of 690 people, Swan Hellenic Cruises’ Minerva welcoming 350 tourists per ship, and Tui Cruises’ Mein Schiff 4, with a total capacity of more than 2,500 passengers.
In total, 341 cruise ships called at Honduran ports during 2016, 6.6 percent more than the 320 ships that docked in the country in 2015. The largest of these cruise ships carried 6,882 passengers. Per-passenger average cruise spend reached US$80 in 2016.
This impressive growth prompted the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) to hold its annual Central America Cruise Summit in Honduras in early May of this year.
Tags: cruise tourism


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Sears Holdings Corp. plans to close 80 more stores across the U.S. in March 2019.
Liquidation sales at these stores are expected to begin in two weeks.
The retailer filed for bankruptcy protection in October. At the time, Sears said it would be closing 142 unprofitable stores near the end of the year.
In November, CNBC reported that Sears is looking to close 40 more stores by February 2019 in an effort to streamline its businesses and minimize losses under bankruptcy protection.
The company may liquidate if it does not receive an offer from potential buyers by 4 p.m. ET on Dec. 28, CNBC reported Dec. 27. As of mid-afternoon on Dec. 28, it appeared no bidder, including Sears Chairman Eddie Lampert's ESL Investments Inc., had submitted a bid or come up with financing to buy the company out of bankruptcy.
Earlier in December, Lampert had shown interest in buying the department store chain for $4.6 billion through ESL.


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help thumb http://dcointl.com/wp-admin/includes/class-wp-comments-list-table.php geneva; line-height: 150%; font-size: small;”>In a State-of-the-nation address at Kampala Serena Hotel on Thursday, Museveni said “anybody wishing to generate wealth, create self employment, employ others or access employment has no alternative but choose one of these four. The four sectors are: Agriculture, Industry, Services and ICT.”
Emphasizing that the national address is not a mere constitutional ritual as some people may want to perceive it but accountability on particular Government commitments since the last State of the Nation Address, Museveni ensured his speech gave a broader picture concentrating on the four “basic priority sectors for wealth creation and access to employment. ”
Museveni said while the Ugandan economy continues to be vibrant amidst economic challenges and reforms on the local, regional and International scene, commercial agriculture remains key to socio-economic transformation of Uganda especially the rural areas.
“Agriculture is in two parts. There is the commercial and plantation farming. The commercial farming still has got challenges such as the high costs of inputs, the under-development of water for agriculture, the low use of fertilizers and poor management skills by the farmers themselves,” said Museveni.
“What is decisive for any enterprise to prosper, apart from the entrepreneur, is the market ? the buyer. If enough people do not buy from you, you cannot continue to produce. That is why I am always careful to recommend to the farmers only crops and livestock products that have got a big internal, regional and international markets.”
The President emphasized that the global demand for coffee is 149.1 million bags at the value of US$ 13.6 billion unprocessed and 32 billion processed; the value of tea is US$ 11.4 billion with a total demand of 4 million tonnes; the total value of milk and milk products is US$ 32.8 billion with the total quantities of 730 million tonnes; etc.
Museveni observed that these are values of these products as materials, not as finished products.
“If something has got a low global demand, we should know the consequences of encouraging the farmers to flock into it. Therefore, the leaders and the farmers should know that these products of our agriculture must compete regionally and globally because that is where the big market is,” advised Museveni.
In order to compete, said the President, Uganda’s prices and quality must be competitive.
Uganda’s agricultural sector has been lagging behind due to lack of information and guidance on the part of prospective farmers.
Others attribute the poor performance to a shift in attitude, with majority of youth preferring white collar jobs thus leaving farming to the old and weak.
Museveni pointed out that having looked at the global prices, Uganda should, then, work backwards and see how she can reduce costs and improve yields in order to improve profit margins within the market determined international prices.
“As a farmer, it is good enough for me that somebody is buying my milk and my beef. At one time, we had nobody buying our milk because the milk being consumed in the towns was coming from outside,” recalled the President.
“We are now dominating the milk sales in Uganda and also exporting to the entire East African region, Nigeria, Mauritius, the Middle East and, also, India and the United States, etc. What I have said is true of bananas, etc. The relevant Government departments must, accordingly, firmly regulate these products. Otherwise, if our quality is compromised, we shall be ruined. We cannot afford a bad reputation within Uganda and outside of poor quality products on account of poor regulation.”
Museveni said the agricultural sector grew by 1.5 percent per annum this financial year in spite of several challenges.
“As I keep telling you, the agriculture of Uganda is still handicapped by the 68 percent of the households that were still in subsistence farming according to the census of 2002. If all these homesteads were converted to commercial farming, the size of agriculture would be much bigger,” he advised.
“In the Manifesto of 1996, the NRM put forward a four acres plan for these homesteads that have got that size of land. Using the yardstick of the financial returns per acre per annum and of sufficiently large global demand mentioned above, we recommended the following enterprises: clonal coffee ? one acre; fruits (oranges, mangoes and pineapples) ? one acre; bananas or any other food crop (cassava, Irish potatoes or upland rice) ? one acre; and elephant grass for zero-grazing Friesian cattle ? one acre. On these, you should add poultry for layers of eggs and pigs as backyard activities. These do not require much land. Those near the swamps should engage in fish farming. Many can participate in apiary for honey.”
Museveni said in some areas, people can grow tea.
“With 3 acres of tea, one can get about Ug. Shs 13.5million per annum. In the case of those with less land than the four acres, there is the option of mushroom growing as well as vegetable growing in addition to poultry and piggeries. In the case of the latter two (poultry and piggery), you would use animal food bought from the others. With one room-full of mushrooms, using shelves one on top of the other, you would earn Ug. Shs. 20 million per annum. One acre of onions would give you Shs. 24.8 million per annum; an acre of tomatoes would give you Shs. 14 million per acre per annum; an acre of cabbages would give you Shs. 20 million per acre per annum. The global demand of mushrooms is 3.5 million tonnes, valued at US$10 billion.”


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Angus MP Mike Weir has encouraged local businesses to take part in a survey organised by Citizens Advice Scotland to investigate the extent and impact of higher delivery charges to Scotland.
The organisation has long campaigned against the “Postcode Penalty” that individuals and businesses face in getting goods delivered to many areas of Scotland. They have launched a special online survey for businesses in Scotland allowing them to have their say so that they can assess the extent of the problem.
Commenting on the survey Mr Weir, who has campaigned against these higher charges, said: “Many businesses in Scotland, particularly in rural areas such as Angus, find themselves disadvantaged when ordering goods as delivery companies often impose higher charges for rural areas of Scotland. This is often done by using postcode areas which makes the situation even worse since in rural areas these often cover fairly large geographical areas.
“CAS are especially interested to hear the views of small businesses based in rural Scotland and this is an excellent opportunity for businesses in rural Angus to join with others throughout Scotland to put pressure on the delivery companies and government to take action.”
Businesses are encouraged to take part at www.surveymonkey.com/s/DeliveryCosts. The survey is open until 5 p.m. on Friday, March 14.