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The MENA business environment has continued to improve steadily and consistently over the last decade, according to the latest findings by the Legatum Institute.
According to the 2018 Prosperity Index, MENA’s “Business Environment [score] has experienced a clear and consistent rise since 2007, where various countries have improved access to credit and ease of starting a business.”
The annual prosperity index was created by Legatum 12 years ago as a tool to help global leaders set their agendas for growth and development. Improvements are measured yearly across a range of factors in 149 societies across the globe, covering 96 percent of the world’s population and 99 percent of global GDP.
Business Environment is one of nine pillars measured to judge a nation’s overall prosperity. Factors such as ease of access to credit, labor market flexibility, and business infrastructure are used to produce an overall score for Business Environment.
Over the last year, MENA has seen a rise in this pillar score of 0.23. This shows faster improvement than Western Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean.
Where MENA’s Business Environment is Improving the Fastest
The Prosperity Index attributes MENA’s business environment improvements to better access to credit across a number of nations. This is particularly true for Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, and the UAE. It is significantly easier to obtain credit to fund ideas in these nations than it was 10 years ago.
It has also become typically easier to start a business over the last 10 years across the region, particularly in Oman and the UAE. The Prosperity Index score in this area is arrived at using indicators such as the perception that business is easy to start and that working hard gets one ahead, and that there is ease in starting a business.
Opportunities for entrepreneurs to succeed in the MENA region are generally more abundant than they were a decade ago.
MENA’s Biggest Successes
The UAE is the region’s biggest success story in terms of business. Aside from having better access to credit and ease of starting a business, scores for the nation’s business infrastructure, labor market flexibility, and investor protections have also improved over the last 10 years. It currently has the best ranking for business environment in the MENA region.
Furthermore, of the 149 global nations ranked by the Prosperity Index, it was positioned 20th for its business environment in 2018.
Four MENA nations have seen a particularly significant rise in their Business Environment score over the last 10 years; as well as the UAE, Egypt, Lebanon and Morocco have made significant gains. Compared to a decade ago, Lebanon’s business infrastructure has improved; and both Egypt and Morocco now benefit from increased labor market flexibility.
Some Disappointments in the Region
It is not all good news for the MENA region, however. Much larger gains in the Business Environment score were produced in Eastern Europe and Asia. More progress in creating strong entrepreneurial environments is being made in these parts of the world. Disappointingly, MENA ranks in fifth place out of the seven world regions for business prosperity.
Unfortunately, greater disparity in the region’s business environments is also apparent. Despite the generally positive increase in score and some notable successes for some nations, MENA also has a disproportionate number of countries whose Business Environment score has decreased compared to other world regions, namely Algeria, Libya, and Tunisia.
Significant differences are found across the region. In the sub-region of the Old Persian Empire, the Prosperity Index highlights weaker economic foundations than the Gulf. There is slower economic growth, too. Unemployment rates are higher in this part of the MENA region.
In Iran, Jordan and Turkey, the levels of unemployment are over 10 percent higher than in the Gulf. Generally, investor protection is lower and there is greater difficulty in starting businesses as well.
A More Prosperous Region Overall
Baroness Philippa Stroud, CEO of the Legatum Institute, writes in the introduction to the 2018 report: “This is the 12th consecutive year of the Legatum Prosperity Index and the very good news is that we see prosperity continuing to rise in the world, both over the last year and consistently over the last 11 years. More countries are becoming more prosperous and more people are living more prosperous lives.”
This is also true of the MENA region. Despite some disappointing figures, overall progress in the region’s business environments should still be applauded. Where entrepreneurs are able to better use opportunity, prosperity in terms of social well-being and material wealth tend to follow.


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THE FOREST, a sports retail hub jointly developed by New World Development Company and Urban Renewal Authority (URA), operated by the K11 Group, has stepped into its fifth anniversary in 2022. In the second quarter of 2022, THE FOREST showed over 35 percent growth in overall footfall and sales compared to last year’s same period. Both footfall and sales are expected to rise at the end of this year.
The worldwide fashion marketplace, StockX, landed in THE FOREST for its first physical retail store in Asia last year. Without sending the sneakers or goods to the office in the US, StockX proceeds with the trade in the Hong Kong authentication center for verification to ensure the good’s quality and authenticity. The whole process and transportation time shortens from two weeks to around three days.
The second floor of THE FOREST is for outdoor sports equipment and clothing. Popular brands such as Salomon, Black Diamond, and Style Plus have exclusive stores on the dedicated floor with different gears for hiking, skiing, and water sports.
THE FOREST held its first “Sneaker Street Festival” last year. It’s returning this year in collaboration with local designers and elites in the industry. Under the theme of street culture, the festival brought together a NFT ART BATTLE with Indie bands to a younger audience.
Additionally, THE FOREST has introduced “SPORTS EXPO”, the first virtual sports arena in the mall, that occupies about 2,100 square feet. To celebrate Hong Kong athletics’ achievements and demonstrate local sports development in an innovative way, the arena offers free interactive games and LED Arena to customers.

domain: news


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NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- U.S. stocks closed mixed Wednesday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average failing to stay above 12,000, after the average smashed through that barrier in early trade as its components IBM and Intel posted strong gains. See full story.
Apple profit rises 27% on iPod, Mac sales
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) - Apple Computer Inc. on Wednesday reported fiscal fourth-quarter profit rose 27% on higher sales of the company's line of iPod digital media players and its signature Macintosh computers. See full story.
AMR Corp. turns another profit as fuel prices relent
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) - AMR Corp., parent of the No. 1 U.S. airline, on Wednesday posted its first back-to-back quarterly profit in almost six years, as a record percentage of its seats were filled during the summer's heavy onslaught of travelers. See full story.
After missing U.S. stock rally, retail investors begin piling in
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Flow eventually follows performance. See full story.
Under Dems, old boss would be new boss on key panel
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- If Democrats take control of the House in the Nov. 7 midterm elections, the man who would hold the gavel of one of its most powerful committees won't have to worry too much about the learning curve. See full story.
Outside the Box: 5 reasons to think the economy is improving
PRINCETON JUNCTION, N.J. (MarketWatch) -- For the first time in months, the data is beginning to provide more clarity on what the economy will look like in 2007 --- and what is emerging is some very encouraging news. There is now enough corroborative evidence to make two key conclusions. See full story.
Global Investor: CORRECT: The hottest countries on the emerging-market frontier
LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- As the emerging-markets universe expands, mutual-fund managers are working harder to find investment opportunities in previously untapped places, with countries such as Vietnam, Malaysia, Bulgaria and Botswana among the stops on their itinerary. See full story.


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In a month known for its doom and gloom, energy customers might be feeling a little less of the January blues, with the announcement that several big energy firms are to cut their energy costs.
On Wednesday, EDF Energy became the first of the “Big Six” energy providers to cut energy costs, by announcing a 5% drop in its average gas prices. While electricity prices will remain unchanged, from 7 February customers will see the reduction come into force. Just two months ago the company had increased their gas prices by 15.4 percent%
“We know customers are finding it difficult, particularly during winter. So I am pleased we have been able to make this announcement now and help our customers at a time they use more gas,” said Martin Lawrence, EDF Energy’s managing director of customer supply.
Increasing the pressure on their counterparts to make similar cuts, British Gas followed suit by announcing plans to implement their own reductions, cutting its standard electricity tariff by 5% with immediate effect. The move will see 5.3 million of its customers benefit from a saving of around £24 on their average annual electricity bills. The company, which has no plans to bring down its gas prices, said the reduction will make them the cheapest for electricity.
The announcement comes just six months after British Gas customers had to endure a massive 18% increase in gas bills, whilst electricity costs were hiked by an average 16%.
“We want to keep prices as low as possible for our customers. Household budgets are stretched, and we are doing everything we can to help our customers keep their bills down,” commented Ian Peters, Managing Director for Energy.
Energy suppliers came under fire last year for hiking their prices, given the falling cost of wholesale energy. Consequently, they have faced mounting pressure from consumer groups and the Government to pass on the reduction to customers by cutting their energy costs.
Hot on the heels of EDF and British Gas, Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) will be cutting 5% off their gas prices from 26 March, resulting in an annual saving of around £28 annually for its 3.4 million customers. While Npower has also bowed to pressure and confirmed plans to cut gas prices by 5% from 1 February.
Disappointingly, none of the aforementioned energy providers have announced plans to implement duel fuel cuts. E.On and Scottish Power have yet to make similar price cuts, although with four out of the six major suppliers dropping their prices it’s only a matter of time.
For British Gas, EDF, Npower and SSE, the move is no doubt designed to try and improve their reputations, which are at an all-time low. But for most customers such minuscule reductions will have little impact on their central heating and household energy bills.
Quite simply, it’s a case of too little, too late.


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While in little immediate danger, the U.S. Postal Service faces an uncertain and possibly grim financial future in the burgeoning age of electronic communication and commerce, the General Accounting Office said yesterday.
In testimony delivered before a House subcommittee, GAO analyst Bernard L. Ungar highlighted figures provided to GAO by the USPS indicating that the service expects first-class mail volume to begin decreasing in 2003 at an average annual rate of 2.5 percent through 2008, the first such decrease in Postal Service history.
Any decrease in first-class mail volume would be particularly troubling because in the last fiscal year, revenue from such mail covered about two-thirds of the agency's total costs, he said.
To offset drops in first-class mail without dramatically raising the price of the standard stamp, the Postal Service would have to find ways to trim costs, including reducing staff and cutting work hours, according to GAO and Postal Service officials.
"Our bottom line is that the U.S. Postal Service faces a very precarious situation in the future, even though right now things look pretty good," Ungar said in an interview yesterday.
"If competition continues to increase and expand into the Postal Service's product lines, and if electronic commerce continues to grow and be used as expected, it's certainly going to put the service in a difficult position," he said.
Postmaster General William J. Henderson also testified yesterday, acknowledging the dangers of the predicted decline in first-class mail volume but pointing out that, so far, one potentially key challenge facing the agency--online bill payment--has yet to materialize in the fashion predicted by some Internet enthusiasts.
"There are a lot of people who are going after bills and payments electronically," Henderson said in an interview after his testimony. "But currently less than 1 percent of Americans pay electronically, and the turnover [to electronic payments] is less than 2 percent per year."
But online bill payment is not the only threat.
Advertisers, who account for a large portion of the first-class mail stream, are increasingly looking to the Internet to tout their products, eliminating the cost of expensive mass mailings. And some analysts predict that once the feared year 2000 computer crisis passes early next year and computer security systems are upgraded, the "adoption curve" of people paying their bills online will skyrocket.
While the outlook for first-class mail volumes and revenue generation is generally bleak, the Postal Service's current revenue situation is relatively good. The Postal Service is predicting a net income of $200 million for fiscal 1999 and $100 million for fiscal 2000, modest numbers compared with the $1 billion profits of the past few years.
USPS numbers provided to the GAO also indicate that the Postal Service may hit an all-time high for on-time delivery of overnight and two-to-three-day mail in 1999.
"There are potential dark clouds on the horizon," Henderson said. "The scene painted today, the worst-case scenario, would require fairly dramatic cuts in the postal service the likes of which we have never seen."
CAPTION: Postmaster General William J. Henderson testified in the House.


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Retail powerhouses, Alibaba and Amazon, grew from similar roots. Both e-commerce giants were started by individuals obsessed with technology disruption. Now, they dominate the world’s largest economies, China and the United States, building ecosystems of services around the mutual mindset that the customer is the center of their universe.
In comparison, in terms of revenue reports, as of August of last year, Amazon is the clear breadwinner, outweighing Alibaba 177.9 billion (USD) to 23.82 billion (USD). Per share, Amazon made $314.52 versus Alibaba’s $10.52. More in depth metrics however, such as operating margins and quarterly earnings progress, reveal Alibaba had substantially more impressive numbers. Alibaba held a 32.68% operating margin compared to Amazon’s 2.31%. In terms of quarterly earnings, Alibaba had a staggering 94.50% growth to Amazon’s -77.00%. This can be attributed to more than just the lower trading costs. Amazon’s price-earnings ratio is 326 while Alibaba is at 37.11.
Alibaba is already operating in a much larger market, double that of the United States, with China being the largest. For approximately 20 hours a week, there are 560 million internet users within the country. Out of that number, Alibaba has 350 million active customers responsible for skyrocketing sales across not one, but two of their retail sites.
These two companies, when dissected, are operating with two different business models. Amazon began as a B2C business, business to consumer whereas Alibaba started off as a B2B, business to business. Now, Amazon is operating a marketplace involving more third-party transactions. Alibaba has expanded from B2B to both business to consumer and consumer to consumer, which has widely broadened their playing field.
Despite the different business models, both are impacting the world’s retail environment dramatically. Alibaba is using modern technology with pop-up stores including their online payment system, electronic price tags, facial recognition, and even the ability to virtually try on items. Jack Ma, co -founder of the Alibaba group, has made it apparent that the company is taking on a “retail as entertainment” approach, by curating an experience rather than just simply business.
On the other side of the game, Amazon, most recently, is changing the way Americans buy groceries. With the recent acquisition of Whole Foods and an immediate stock jump of 27%, it is safe to say, people are on board. Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s CEO, has expressed his goal to cut prices while maintaining a commitment to high quality products. In-store benefits and transformed POS systems are “just the beginning” according to the head honcho. What does he mean exactly? Well, maybe the recent unveiling of the Amazon Go store with its Just Walk Out technology can give us a clue. Yes, Amazon has created a store where customers can literally just walk out, no lines, no cashiers. Oh, the possibilities.
These ecosystems created by these two companies give the brick and mortar stores no choice, but to embrace technology and rise to their level. Most, however, are playing catchup with incremental innovation. Both companies are blurring the walls of these brick and mortar stores with online commerce.
Disruption is here and happening, next we will bring you the retailer whose aisles are being cleaned out by Amazon or Alibaba.


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MARINA DEL REY, Calif. -- Travel agents at Regent Seven Seas' first top producers meeting wondered if the luxury line's decision to pay commission on port charges, government fees, taxes and included shore excursions on all 2010 cruises could set a new benchmark.
The move is a huge reversal of a near-universal commission structure that the cruise industry follows, which separates the price of a cruise into a series of line items, many of which are not commissionable.
By bundling its 2010 cruise prices into one price, except for the included cost of air, Regent virtually eliminates all of the noncommissionable fees that travel agents have long railed against.
"If they can shift market share as a result of this, the effect could be that other cruise lines may follow suit," said Howard Moses, president of the Cruise Authority in Atlanta. "It would be the pendulum swinging back to how it used to be with commissions. The NCFs made a lot of cruise-only agencies jump into selling land tours."
Regent also is hoping that the move will shift market share in its direction.
"We think it gives the agent one more reason to sell us versus the other guy," said Mark Conroy, Regent's president.
Regent is a relatively small player in the industry overall, but it is one of the largest in the luxury sector. In addition, Regent is a sister company to Oceania Cruises, and its parent company, Apollo Management, also owns NCL Corp.
If Regent can move market share in the luxury cruise segment as a result of this move, agents here wondered if larger cruise lines would look to do the same, especially in a down market.
MSC Cruises for several years has paid commission on items that traditionally were not commissionable, like airfare and shore excursions, but it has struggled to grow market share, mostly because the Italian cruise line is still relatively unfamiliar to the U.S. cruise market.
Travel agents said that a good agent puts the client where they belong.
"I applaud Regent, but you should always want to put your client on the ship that's right for them, not the one that pays the best commission," said one top producer here.
"But if Regent is right for them, this would help me steer them in that direction."


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Analysts heap praise on new devices that will help reverse fortunes following Note7 controversy
Samsung will regain its leadership position from Apple with the Galaxy S8 smartphone, with the flagship product proving to be a “game-changer” for the manufacturer.
That is the resounding verdict of analysts who were in London on March 29 to see the wraps taken off the highly-anticipated smartphones.
Samsung was forced to recall 2.5 million of its Note7 handsets globally in October after several reports of batteries overheating and catching fire.
In Q4, Samsung’s shipments only declined by 5.2 per cent to 77.5 million units but this was trumped by its fierce rival Apple, which achieved sales of 78.3 million smartphones.
Last month at Mobile World Congress, Samsung UK and Ireland boss Conor Pierce told Mobile News he was confident it could topple its rival in the race for premium smartphone leadership this year.
Several leading analysts claim the Galaxy S8 will reverse Samsung’s fortunes this year and help it overhaul Apple and the success it has so far achieved with the iPhone 7.
IDC research director for European mobile devices Francisco Jeronimo claimed it was the “most exciting product from Samsung for many years”.
He highlighted the additions of voice assistant Bixby and smart home service Samsung Connect as crucial additions which will help it stand out from its competitors.
“The Galaxy S8 is the single most important device in Samsung’s history. The pressure to make it great again runs through every single word of this announcement.
“This is the most exciting product from Samsung for many years. The ‘Infinity Display’ makes the Galaxy S8 one of the most attractive devices ever designed.
“For the first time, Samsung is unifying its ecosystem in one single place. This is crucial to give customers a better understanding of the power of its global portfolio.
“This device can be a game- changer for Samsung. It can help
it regain its market leadership and to gain share from Apple in the premium segment. If the Galaxy S8 can’t reverse Samsung’s fortunes in this challenging market, then nothing will.”
Canalys analyst Ben Stanton claimed the Galaxy S8 packs enough quality to see the manufacturer recover from the Note7 controversy, claiming it has “upped the ante” and leapfrogged Apple and Huawei in the design stakes.
“Samsung has thrown everything at this launch. We’ve seen a radical design, Bixby, developments with the Gear 360 and Gear VR, with the addition of Samsung DeX and Connect. This is a year’s worth of content packed into one launch.
“This will help it recover from the Note7 controversy and represents a monumental fightback.
“The S7 edge was a quality phone but the S8 has completely upped the ante. Not only is it head and shoulders above Apple, it has leapfrogged the likes of the Huawei P10 with its design, premium look and feel.”
CCS Insight chief of research Ben Wood claimed the S8 “breaks design boundaries” that can enhance Samsung’s position.
“In a market where consumers are becoming numb to indistinguishable smartphone launches, Samsung has redefined expectations with the S8.
“It is arguably the most important launch of the last 10 years for Samsung and every aspect will be under the microscope following the Note7 recall.
“The S8 is unquestionably a strong product but Samsung must now deliver a faultless launch to move on from the difficulties of 2017. If this happens,it will emerge in an even stronger position.
Reversal of fortunes
GfK director of technology Imran Choudhary claimed the devices have met the high expectations of it, and bring into question Apple design leadership with its iPhones.
“These devices give Samsung the best chance of reversing their fortunes following on from the Note7. In years gone by, the latest iPhone was deemed to have the best design but Samsung’s latest devices certainly brings that into question.
“It sets up an interesting couple of months ahead until we see what arrives later in the year from the others.”


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Platinum Motors officially opened its new headquarters in Fontabelle, St Michael just yesterday but officials are already talking about expanding the company’s product offering.
Barbados’ authorized Honda dealer moved operations from Bay Street to its new home at the end of October last year.
However, marking the official opening of the new, fully renovated headquarters last evening, chairman of Platinum Motors Peter Harris served notice of new products coming soon.
“As you can see, we will be selling a range of motor vehicles and motorcycles. In the very near future, we will be adding Honda power products and outboard engines from Honda,” he announced.
“As we continue on our journey as an automotive industry leader, investment in these facilities, parts and equipment was just one of a number of initiatives that we have undertaken to strengthen our competitive advantage and better service our valued customers,” said Harris, adding that the company was also improving its human resources to better serve customers.
He said the move to the current location was envisioned just over two years ago, adding that it allowed the company to accommodate a larger showroom and adjoining parts division, new collision and repair centre, a larger mechanical workshop, improved customer access and parking, and a new set of executive offices.
“All of these facilities firmly support our vision to maintain the Honda brand reputation as the most affordable mid to luxury range vehicle in Barbados and across the world,” said Harris.
General manager Mark Hamilton said the improved features at the new location were all part of “a bigger picture for the company to maintain Honda’s reputation as a premium brand in Barbados”.
“As we continue to move forward and build our business, we are committed to securing our place as a serious player within the local automotive market, whilst never losing sight of our customers’ interest. To complement our recent infrastructure support works, we are also looking to significantly improve our after-sales and customer service levels, as well as reduce customer costs with more aggressive pricing on parts and service offerings,” said Hamilton.
Vice president of export sales with Honda America, Vicki Poponi said it was not by chance that the Honda brand was introduced to Barbados.
Lauding Harris’ dedication to the brand, Poponi said since Platinum Motors Inc. became the exclusive distributor, Honda had enjoyed significant sales.
“And we see potential for even more growth. We look forward to adding new customers to the Honda family as we bring safe, high quality, viable, good-looking options to the people of Barbados,” she said, while promising to introduce new products to the market this year.
Meanwhile, Minister of Industry and Commerce Donville Inniss said the car import sector continued to be a very vital part of the economy.
He said that, according to data from the Barbados Statistical Service, the number of vehicles imported into the island for the last five years was 22,691, with an import value of $572 million. Inniss added that the economy benefited greatly from the associated import duties.
The Minister also pointed out that there was an increase in the number of licences issued for the importation of both new and used vehicles.


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This week Chipotle has made another move in their campaign to change the course of corporate agribusiness and continues to expand a brilliant case study in brand development. After the success of last September’s Scarecrow the restaurant chain has stepped into new territory again by debuting an original comedy series “Farmed and Dangerous” on Hulu and Hulu Plus. The series is a satirical look at how the agriculture industry manages perceptions about its practices.
I found the first episode entertaining, funny, and smart. By developing believable characters and good storyline it keeps your attention while smartly integrating Chipotle’s own values. Chipotle’s stated goal is to “engage people through entertainment and make them more curious about their food and where it comes from,” said Mark Crumpacker, chief marketing and development officer at Chipotle and an executive producer of the show.
Chipotle has demonstrated how a brand can not only take the lead on an industry topic but also set and dominate the direction of the conversation. The conventional agriculture industry is on the defensive with David White, director of commodity relations for the Ohio Farm Bureau, asking members to “try to understand the context in which Chipotle is taking this approach and why it might resonate with consumers who want to know more about how their food is produced.”
Those critical of Chipotle’s previous content because it does not go far enough in pushing a meat free diet will likely raise similar criticism to “Farmed and Dangerous.” While idealistic calls for perfection may be admirable, Chipotle’s mission is about education not being purists. They continue to see success with this strategy because customers loyal to their brand are on varying levels of the food consciousness spectrum and therefore respect the brand for it’s honesty even if they may not agree with all their practices.
Produced in conjunction with Piro, a New York-based studio, the series disrupts traditional advertising and shows that “brands need to make a decision,” said Tim Piper, a partner at Piro and director of “Farmed and Dangerous.” “They can either continue to interrupt entertainment, or they can inspire it.” They can decide to stand for and operate with purpose.
Chipotle and similarly Whole Foods have learned that bringing the food consciousness conversation to the greatest number of people requires a wide target. To Chipotle’s credit the series intro contains a quick reference to Food, Inc. as “more hippy propaganda” and an obvious nod to the film that exposes the highly mechanized underbelly of the nation’s food industry. Smart indeed…


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Sharp in talks with overseas manufacturers to sell its flagship solar battery factory in Sakai
Sharp is in talks with overseas manufacturers to sell its flagship solar battery factory in Sakai, Osaka and also plans to off-load some of its prime property in the Tokyo metropolitan area to bring in much-needed revenue. Sharp’s share price has been on a downward slide recently and briefly fell as low as 164 yen on the Tokyo stock market Wednesday, down 29 yen, or about 15 percent, from Tuesday’s closing price.
Sharp hopes to shore up its financial conditions by selling its properties and stop the fall in its stock price. Sharp’s Sakai factory manufactures thin-film solar cells for mega-solar power plants.
READ Sharp to display see-through solar modules that can be installed as balcony railings or windows at PVJapan2012


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BATON ROUGE, La. (March 14, 2019) – Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers, the Louisiana-based restaurant company known for its ONE LOVE® – quality chicken finger meals – is launching its second annual national partnership with Lemonade Day, a non-profit organization that teaches youth how to start, own and operate their very own business.
Raising Cane’s Founder & CEO Todd Graves helped bring Lemonade Day to Louisiana in 2011. Since then, Raising Cane’s restaurants across the state have been actively involved in supporting and promoting the organization. Last year, Raising Cane’s restaurants across the country joined the effort, resulting in a company-wide donation of more than $75,000 to the organization. Once again this year, all of Raising Cane’s U.S. locations – more than 400 restaurants in 25 states – will be stirring up success by participating in a nationwide fundraiser for Lemonade Day.
On Wednesday, March 20, Raising Cane’s restaurants will donate $1 to the organization for every lemonade purchased from open to close on the fundraising day.
“We are extremely proud to be the exclusive Lemonade Day National Partner,” Graves said. “I began my entrepreneurial journey as a child when I ran a lemonade stand in my front yard. I’m so passionate about the Lemonade Day Program because it introduces thousands of kids to business each year in much the same way. Who knows how many of these budding entrepreneurs will become the business leaders of our future?”
Lemonade Day is a free program that has served over one million children across North America in the past decade. In addition to participating in the fundraiser on March 20, Raising Cane’s customers can register a child to participate in the Lemonade Day Program and give them a taste of the sweet success that comes with owning their own business. For more information, visit raisingcanes.com/lemonade-day
“We are so grateful to Todd and his entire team for their unwavering commitment to our program,” said Lemonade Day President Steven Gordon. “They go above and beyond every year to support Lemonade Day and kids across the country.”
At Raising Cane’s, it all starts with the chicken finger. The 100% premium white meat chicken tenderloins are marinated, hand-battered and cooked to order. The menu is also renowned for its craveable – some say addictive – secret-recipe Cane’s sauce, crinkle-cut fries, coleslaw, Texas toast, freshly brewed sweet tea and fresh-squeezed lemonade. The company is likewise known for its commitment to active community involvement, centered on its six areas of focus: education, feeding the hungry, pet welfare, business development and entrepreneurship, active lifestyles and “everything else!”
ABOUT RAISING CANE’S®:
Founded by Todd Graves in 1996 in Baton Rouge, La., RAISING CANE’S CHICKEN FINGERS has more than 420 restaurants in 26 states, Bahrain, Kuwait, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia, with multiple new restaurants under construction. The company has ONE LOVE®—quality chicken finger meals—and is continually recognized for its unique business model and customer satisfaction. Raising Cane’s vision is to have restaurants all over the world and be the brand for quality chicken finger meals, a great crew, cool culture and active community involvement.
More information is available at raisingcanes.com.


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Herning, Denmark, 2014-07-25 00:04 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --
Realising the global expansion potential of its brand by expanding its franchise chain – in both established markets and in growth markets in Latin America and Asia – is a key element in the growth strategy of BoConcept A/S ('BoConcept').
In line with its strategic focus on improving its growth potential, BoConcept acquired the master rights to the attractive Chinese market in May 2013. At the same time, the company set up a new dedicated market organisation, which has since been overseeing the effective implementation of the full concept in a market that holds considerable growth potential for BoConcept.
New partnering agreement to boost expansion in China
To further accelerate its expansion in China, BoConcept now concludes a long-term strategic partnering agreement with Guangzhou Kinetic Home Furnishings Co. Ltd. ('Kinetic') through its subsidiary BoConcept Retail China Ltd. ('BoConcept China').
Kinetic is a leading Chinese furniture retailer and manufacturer owned and managed by Mr Liu Yong Kang, who is also the president of the Chinese Furniture Brand Federation and an executive committee member of the China Furniture Association, two of the principal trade associations for the furniture industry in China. With his solid experience in production, distribution, branding and franchisee sourcing, Mr Kang and Kinetic have built up a large and successful business addressing the mid-level price range segment with Kinetic's own collections, which are distributed by more than 400 Chinese franchise stores.
Under the partnering agreement, Kinetic will, in close collaboration with BoConcept's Chinese market organisation, source new franchisees and attractive locations for BoConcept, thereby strengthening BoConcept's presence and brand in China. BoConcept will thus continue to handle general marketing, training and support etc., while Kinetic, based on agreed franchise criteria and objectives, will have the exclusive right to solicit potential franchisees in available geographical areas and submit them for BoConcept's approval, in return for a commission based on revenue.
If the growth and expansion targets set for the collaboration continue to be reached, Kinetic may also exercise an option to acquire a minority share of BoConcept China in 2016.
'We are eagerly awaiting our collaboration with Kinetic to develop this vital market. Mr Kang and his people at Kinetic have achieved impressive results through their unique insight into the market and a powerful network of shopping centre owners and operators, potential franchisees, and the furniture industry as a whole. BoConcept will benefit from this wealth of experience, skills and contacts when we and Kinetic accelerate the opening of new BoConcept franchise stores in China, thus exploiting the brand's Chinese potential,' says Mr Torben Paulin, CEO of BoConcept Holding A/S.
Mr Kang, founder and president of Kinetic, says, 'BoConcept and Kinetic have the same DNA. Both enterprises were founded by industrious families, are franchise-based and hold shared values. BoConcept is already a highly respected international brand in China, addressing a rapidly growing segment with substantial purchasing power. We are looking forward to and are proud to be working closely together with BoConcept's team to make our success even greater by increasing brand awareness and the number of stores substantially.'
Expected effect from 2015
We expect the agreement with Kinetic to increase growth in BoConcept's Chinese activities from 2015 onwards, but this will not change management's forecast of group financial results for the 2014/2015 financial year as most recently published in the company's 2013/2014 annual report and Announcement no. 8/2014.
Herning, 24 July 2014
For further information, please contact President & CEO Torben Paulin or CFO Hans Barslund on +45 7013 1366.


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JONESBORO, AR (KAIT) - You can spend a fall weekend with Dwight Yoakam in Jonesboro.
The country singer-songwriter comes to First National Bank Arena on Saturday, Oct. 27 at 8 p.m.
Tickets will go on sale Friday, April 20 at 10 a.m.
Prices for those tickets are $39.75, $59.75, and $79.75.
You can purchase them at the Central Box Office, by phone at 870-972-2871, or online at Tickets.Astate.edu.


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ORLANDO, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - The University of Central Florida football team’s losing streak has created a glass-half-full situation at a downtown bar. A few weeks ago — when the team had an 0-4 record — management at The Basement Orlando promised free beer during football games until the Knights won. The team is now 0-11.
While he’d rather see his alma mater win, marketing director Jake Whitacre told FOX 35 that a losing team has been good business for the bar and fans. “We wanted to fill the bar out and we wanted to give the UCF fans a reason to be watching the team,” Whitacre said.
Whitacre said the bar has been packed since The Basement pledged free beer and they are making money. “We’re giving away the free beer but we’re also getting a lot of people coming in early, staying late and we’ve got a lot of people ordering our food and our mixed drinks, so we’re getting by,” he said.
Whitacre said the bar goes through seven to ten kegs of Coors Light per match, which costs the bar roughly $1,000. The promotion has been such a success that if the team doesn’t win their last game of the season on Thursday, The Basement will continue to give away free beer next season.


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Small, independent grocers are facing competition from multinational companies like Costco and Walmart, which now carry everything from olive oil to organic apples.
But CBC food columnist Gail Johnson said there are some advantages to being the "little guy."
"Independent grocers have to be innovative in order to survive, but it's actually because of their independence that a lot of innovation happens in the first place," Johnson told On The Coast's Gloria Macarenko.
Higher prices and lack of product availability at home are driving global shopping habits
Walmart and Costco have made market share gains in the Canadian retail market in recent years, a new government report says.
The Federal government is once again about to entertain changes to Canadian copyright laws. Here are a few things music fans need to know.


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Melbourne professors Andrew Roberts and John Seymour have won a Victoria Prize for Science & Innovation for their development of an anti-cancer drug.
As we head into peak bushfire season, don’t get caught out: grab a copy of the ‘Insure It, It’s Worth It’ toolkit.
Victoria’s prosperity and liveability are closely linked to our environment, says Dr Gillian Sparkes.
Monash University Professor Doug MacFarlane has taken out the coveted $50,000 veski Victoria Prize for Science & Innovation in physical sciences.
Have you heard of experiential tourism? With the help of Visit Victoria we have a summary of some of the best tourist ‘experiences’ in Victoria.
VIDEO: Australia's largest mining event was on in Melbourne. We speak to a team of technology makers whose new product could change mining.
CEO and founder of MoneyPlace, Stuart Stoyan, who presented at the Intersekt conference, talks to us about where fintech is now, and future trends.
WATCH THE VIDEO: A purpose-built corporate office housing the new headquarters for retailers David Jones and Country Road Group has opened in Burnley.
Melbourne has been selected as the 2018 partner city for Asia’s annual flagship design industry event.
Swinburne University’s Alan Duffy has taken out the Australian Museum’s 2018 Eureka Prize for science journalism.
More organisations are realising that corporate volunteering makes both social and economic sense.
A world-first patented electronic capsule developed in Melbourne to help identify gut disorders takes out top spot in an international competition.
In January, Dr Collette Burke was appointed as Victoria’s inaugural Chief Engineer. She talks us through her key achievements to date.
A team from Melbourne’s RMIT University has invented an award-winning product to help detect harmful levels of UV radiation that cause melanoma.
We speak to an expert on how to foster a mentally healthy workplace.
A Q & A with an industry insider: Deirdre Diamante talks barriers and diversity in the tech sector.
Launched just a decade back, local software company Aconex sold recently for $US1.6 billion. We chart its rise.


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Sun, 21 Oct 2012 6:28p.m.
The wine industry reports there's a discernable change in the taste of New Zealand drinkers back to an old favourite – chardonnay.
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Hong Kong and New Zealand recently signed a wine co-operation pact – a sign that Asia is increasingly being seen as a growth market for our wineries.
Central Otago grape growers are counting the cost of a string of harsh late frosts, and that could be bad news for Pinot noir fans.
The wine industry in New Zealand and Australia continues to suffer from oversupply.
Tourists in Christchurch are being kicked out of the international air...
Cadbury is changing the shape and the size of its Dairy Milk chocolate...
A 15-year-old school student has developed a new test that could detec...
A spokesperson has confirmed today tourists will be able to stay in th...
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The Federal Government of Australia has announced plans to introduce a National Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES), set to take effect from January 1, 2025.
In response, Volkswagen Group Australia (VGA), representing brands such as Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda, and CUPRA, has expressed its readiness to adapt to the forthcoming regulations.
VGA’s Managing Director, Karsten Seifert, highlighted the company’s global commitment to the Paris Climate agreements and its goal to become carbon-neutral by 2050.
He also mentioned VGA’s preference for a regulatory model that includes Option B, supplemented by “super credits” for Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) and Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs).
The government’s call for submissions on which model to legislate indicates a move towards aligning Australia’s automotive standards with global environmental commitments.
The company plans to introduce up to 10 BEV variants across its brands in the Australian market this year, indicating a shift towards more sustainable vehicle options.
However, VGA also noted that conventional vehicles such as utes, SUVs, cars, and vans will continue to play a significant role in its business strategy, ensuring a range of mobility choices for Australian consumers.


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The Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) will play a significant role and to meet the objective of `Insurance For All by 2047, `it is planning to launch a product especially designed for rural areas. LIC Chairman Siddhartha Mohanty said that the focus would be on how to cover maximum rural masses who actually need insurance.
He stated that in order to achieve the objective of `Insurance For All by 2047`, LIC will play a very significant role and in that direction the insurer has already started working. In coming days, rural share will also go up to our total business kitty," he told PTI.
"I must thank the regulator. The regulator IRDAI has already proposed `Bima Vistar`, a composite product. The product will consist of life, health and property insurance," he said. To sell those products Bima Vahak would be engaged, he said, adding, it will be a women-centric distribution channel model.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given a clarion call to make India a developed nation by 2047, when the country achieves 100 years of independence from British rule. As of now, India is the fifth largest economy in the world but insurance penetration is low compared to the global average.
In June this year, Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) came out with draft guidelines for `Bima Vahaks`, which seeks to establish a dedicated distribution channel at the level of Gram Panchayats.
The guidelines proposed Corporate Bima Vahaks and Individual Bima Vahaks for the distribution channel. Corporate Bima Vahak would be legal persons registered in accordance with the respective laws and engaged by an insurer.
Corporate Bima Vahak would be legal persons registered in accordance with the respective laws and engaged by an insurer. Individual Bima Vahak could be any individual appointed by an insurer or appointed by a Corporate Bima Vahak.
Meanwhile, LIC has initiated a total digital transformation project DIVE (Digital Innovation and Value Enhancement) and appointed a consultant to steer the project.
"Our objective is to get best-in-class digital initiatives for all our stakeholders, customers, intermediaries, marketing people and everybody through the project DIVE," he said. In the first phase, the customer acquisition part is going to be transformed, he said.
Customer acquisition is done through three modes--agent, bancassurance and direct sale. LIC gets most of its new customers through its agents.
Subsequently, other areas would see the transformation, he said, adding, that services like claims settlement, loans and other services will be made available at the click of a button.
"Customers need not come to the office. Sitting at home on his mobile he can access our required services...We are focussing on fintech as well and will harness its potential in expanding business," he said.
LIC is also exploring options of having its own fintech arm that can be developed as a business model, he added.


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Gujarat traders expect Rs 400 cr loss due to Russia-Ukraine war
- Kuldeep Tiwari
- 02-03-2022 06:00 AM
Gujarat is a major importer of sunflower seeds and oil from Ukraine; its prices likely to rise by 20%; exports worth Rs 2,400 crore from Gujarat also likely to be impacted if war continues for long
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has cast its shadow over business worth at least Rs 400 crore between Gujarat-based companies and the two countries at war.
Russia and Ukraine account for 90% of the global production of sunflower seeds. Disruption in its supply is likely to impact production of sunflower oil in Gujarat. At present sunflower oil sells for Rs 2,400 per five-litre pack, which is likely to escalate by 20% to Rs 2,900, say Gujarat traders.
Commenting on the same, MD and CEO of Adani Wilmar Ltd Angshu Mallick said, “World’s 90 percent sunflower oil is produced by Russia and Ukraine and the remaining 10 percent is produced by Argentina. Therefore, like other parts of India, Gujarat also imports the commodity from Ukraine.”
Mallick added “Most of the stock is either loaded or semi-loaded in Ukraine which can be released in 10-15 days if the war ends. However, if it doesn’t happen then there can be price escalation.”
According to Mallick, the sunflower oil importers are already experiencing a hike of 10 percent in the prices. If the ports in Ukraine are destroyed then there will be a major impact on sunflower oil prices around the world.
There are 50 to 60 oil seed companies in Gujarat that trade with Russia and Ukraine for sunflower seed oil and are dependent on them.
Likewise, exports from Gujarat to these two countries are also affected. Chairman of Gujarat State Council for Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Vinod Agrawal said, “Gujarat exports Rs 2,400 crore worth of goods to Russia and Ukraine per annum. Pharmaceuticals account for 50 percent while dyes, plastic and machineries account for the rest.”
He added, “Currently, Russian banks have been ousted from SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication), an international payment system used by thousands of financial institutions for smooth and rapid transfer of money across borders. This has impacted Gujarat-based traders in a big way.”
Agrawal estimates a business loss of Rs 400 crore to Gujarat-based traders, either due to lack of financial transactions with entities in Russia or logistics issues with supply of goods from Ukraine.
Most of the sunflower stock is either loaded or semi-loaded in Ukraine which can be released in 10-15 days if the war ends. However, if it doesn’t happen then there can be further price escalation. Price is already up 10%
– Angshu Mallick, MD and CEO of Adani Wilmar Ltd


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Discover more from AdLingo
Out of Office: Your procurement team
Checking in from scorching 🔥🌵 Phoenix, Arizona. Over 500 ad industry financial and procurement pros showed up at the ANA Advertising Financial Management Conference.
If you were wondering where your media procurement and finance teams were this week when all your emails bounced back with “out of office” notifications, it is probably because they were down in Phoenix.
Industry insiders gathered to hear from business leaders, CMO’s, and financial management professionals around the industry.
Bob Lodice, President and CEO of the ANA kicked off the show with keynote that outlined the future of advertising from the brand perspective.
Lodice touched on many key themes including: measurement, privacy, DE&I, and AI.
He urged the industry to "accelerate to a greater measurement environment." The ANA is teaming up with the World Federation of Advertisers and ISBA (the UK equivalent of ANA) to pursue cross-media measurement, which Lodice dubbed "part of the Holy Grail." They're working to create an industry-wide solution for deduplicated reach and frequency measures.
On privacy, Lodice noted that not nearly enough brands are using cleanrooms, and we're lagging behind. He endorsed the IAB approach to privacy and encouraged brands to adopt it and get involved. It's high time to step up.
As for DE&I, Lodice highlighted the material business growth it can drive. He cited that the "accurate portrayal of women in ads drives growth." In other words, it's not just the right thing to do—it's good for business.
AI, particularly generative AI, is also a game-changer. Although only 9% of brands are currently using it, and 24% plan to this year, Lodice believes it's a growth driver in its infancy. He sees AI as an essential tool for the future of advertising.
Lodice closed with a call to action: "Now is not a time for the timid." It's a rallying cry for the industry to embrace change and stay ahead of the curve.
Keynote: Heather Malenshek, CMO Land O’Lakes
🥛 Land O'Lakes CMO Heather Malenshek delivered a keynote that was part pep talk, part roadmap for transformation.
Malenshek, who joined Land O'Lakes in 2020, has quite the resume—she was the first female CMO at Harley-Davidson and then went agency side to work with brands like Budweiser, Jeep, and Mars.
Now, she's applying her expertise to dairy, and it's starting to look like a masterstroke.
The new mission at Land O'Lakes? "Rooted in tomorrow," which translates to a strong brand purpose. The firm is a cooperative with 1300 dairy farmers and nearly 1500 ag retailers under their wing. Prime position to make waves.
And it's not just about dairy. Land O'Lakes owns Winfield United, which has its hands in 50% of harvested land in the US, and Purina Animal Nutrition, feeding 100 million animals daily. Their Trueterra carbon sequestration program even paid out $4M to farmers for storing 233,000 metric tonnes of carbon. Talk about walking the talk.
According to Malenshek, it's time for Land O'Lakes to lead the convo on brand values. She laid out her Marketing Transformation Pillars, and it reads like a manifesto for change:
Purpose: Unleash Land O’Lakes brands for sustained, profitable growth.
People: Zero in on the right work, bet on top talent.
Portfolio: Craft brand strategy, architecture, and stories, and rule the category.
Performance: Cultivate accountability and a test-and-learn vibe.
Process: Revamp the way things are done, bring on marketing tech, and integrate.
Partners: Build agency ecosystems, and balance internal/external resources.
In short, Malenshek is shaking things up at Land O'Lakes, and we're all here for it. Her keynote sent a clear message to the ad world: it's time to embrace change and get down to business.
🛒 According to Lauren Wiener, Managing Director and Partner at BCG, the retail media sector will grow 26% year-over-year, reaching $100 billion by 2026.
Current companies dominant in retail media include:
Walmart - $2.1B
eBay - $1B
Tripadvisor - $1B
Target - $1B
Kroger - $600M
Instacart - $580M
Amazon alone will own $67B of the $100B pie by 2026.
♻ Sharon Napier, Founder of Napier + Partners, says that CMO tenure averages just 40 months, leading to a multitude of stability challenges. Hence the theme of her presentation: “Stability is Sexy.”
More to come in tomorrow’s Day 2 recap. Remember to share on “the socials” and forward to friends and colleagues.


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Luxury & Fashion Biz News: The appeal of accessories in a down market
*The Accessories Business is Healthier than the Apparel Business: When the Trimmings Are the Main Course — “In a stubbornly stagnant economy, the stylish woman who typically preorders the latest frock for a fete-filled summer in the Hamptons might instead stretch her budget by adding a purse, shoes, hat or iPad case to her existing wardrobe. At parties, perhaps she’s hoping no one has noticed that she’s shopped her closet. But the fashion industry has . . . Indeed, accessories and related merchandise at Michael Kors accounted for about 75% of total revenue in 2012, a company spokeswoman said.”
The article notes that the accessories category has several advantages over apparel in the eyes of both customers and retailers in that sizing isn’t as big an issue, the items (shoes, bags, sunglasses and jewellery) are mostly smaller and easier to ship, and that while consumers are cutting back on apparel purchases, they still want something that will help add a fresh spin on the wardrobes they’ve already accumulated.
Sonia Evers asks in an article for Fashion Etc.: “So what does this mean for the future of fashion? Essentially it means we can expect to see an influx of shoes, sunglasses, handbags and more from designers who may have never even thought to expand into accessories. Loeffler Randall just launched its first line of handbags, Victoria Beckham recently announced her expansion into eyewear, who’s next?”
*NOTE: Don’t forget the shoelaces! From an article at WWD: “‘At $8 to $9, laces are good add-ons to appease customers’ need to buy something for themselves,’ said Michael Jaworowski, director of purchasing and planning at Haberdash, who added that red is the most popular. ‘Guys are just starting to add that bit of colour to make themselves stand out.’”
But even as world economies grind ever slower, 1.) Saks Fifth Avenue increased the size of its shoe department by a whopping 10,000 square feet (or 929 square meters, for my metric friends); 2.) Macy’s announced it would create the world’s largest shoe department as part of its proposed Macy’s Herald Square renovation, “a total of 39,000 square feet of continuous space peddling as many as 300,000 pairs of shoes on any given day –- with a built-in coffee/wine/chocolate bar” (see: Macy’s $400 Million Makeover); and 3.) accessories brands like Brian Atwood, Skagen, Alexis Bittar, Rebecca Minkoff and Anya Hindmarch have either been fully acquired by investment groups in 2012 or have taken on significant investment cash to fund aggressive expansion plans.
The former accessories-only brand fuels expansion into apparel with investment cash
WWD reports that the beauty industry is just as abuzz with mergers and acquisitions, as consumers have proven more willing to splurge on lower-ticket beauty items rather than high-priced clothing. For example, nail polish sales are up by 70% and sales of dry shampoo products have increased by almost 40%, but the NPD Group is reporting that it’s the more budget type brands that are doing the best in sales — “Premium skincare brands (in the UK) with an average selling price of about £100 are currently experiencing the strongest decline.”
*Speaking of charging less and selling more: Nordstrom to speed up Rack store openings — “In the midst of a tough economy, upscale retailer Nordstrom appealed to cost-conscious consumers by doubling the number of discount Rack stores over the past four years . . . Nordstrom posted an 11% drop in its second-quarter profit Thursday . . . (but) sales at Rack stores open at least a year rose 7.7%, compared with a 1.1% gain at Nordstrom’s full-line clothing stores.”
Nordstrom is opening 15 discount Nordstrom Rack stores in 2012, with plans to open another 24 Rack stores in 2013. Overall, Nordstrom wants to more than double its Rack presence in the next four years, and while they’ve announced a major Manhattan location for its full-priced Nordstrom brand, that’s the only expansion of their full-line Nordstrom brand that’s in the works, and even that store won’t be completed until 2018.
So is it up to the discount subsidiaries to keep retailers like Nordstrom alive and kicking? When I read that a huge global brand like Coach relies on its factory outlet stores for half its revenue, it makes me realise that diffusion branding isn’t just for the big luxury names anymore.
*NOTE: Marketing consultancy firm Digital Luxury Group (DLG) has determined that the most globally sought after handbag brand on the internet is Coach, with the most searched iconic bag model being the Hermes Birkin. They also found that Gucci is the most popular handbag brand on Facebook, and that Louis Vuitton is now so played-out in Japan that the brand has fallen out of the country’s Top 5 in popularity.
The most popular handbag brand in the world?
*Related and relevant: Investment firm Bronte Capital explains why it’s shorting the stocks of big luxury brands and turning away from investments in China — “We know what a completely collapsed luxury good market looks like. Brazilians like a bit of bling, but in the late 1980s and into the 1990s, the kidnapping rate in Brazil went skyward (there is an horrific documentary about that called Manda Bala which translates ‘send a bullet’). After kidnapping became a major industry (particularly in São Paulo), carrying a $3000 handbag no longer said ‘look at me’, it said ‘kidnap me’.”
But the latest quarterly reports for Prada show a luxury market in Asia that isn’t ready to throw in the towel quite yet: “Sales have been helped by tourists, who accounted for 50% or more of what it sold in Europe and the US, Huang said. Asia, excluding Japan, is estimated to have contributed as much as 60% of the total sales, mostly from Greater China . . . Prada’s revenue increased 31% in the Americas, 37% in Europe and 45% in Asia Pacific (excluding Japan) during the period.”
Selling like Prada-cakes in China
Notice the heavy emphasis on accessories — bags, jewellery, hats, sunglasses, belts and shoes — in the above ad campaign. Prada aint no fool.
*One last (weird and related) Prada note: Miuccia Prada engaged in a bit of “Do as I say, not as I do” when she criticised Italian designers for selling out to foreign investors while conveniently glossing over the fact that Prada took its company public in Hong Kong rather than on the Milan stock exchange. See: Miuccia Prada Speaks Out Against Selling Luxury Labels to Foreigners, Says Italian Fashion Is Becoming ‘Second League’
Because who’s to say that Prada’s Hong Kong IPO and intense expansion efforts in China haven’t changed the look and feel of the company to more closely reflect its growing Asian customer base rather than its Italian origins?
Glass house. Stones.
*As long as we’re on the topic of markets going bust rather than boom: US luxury consumers spent 27% less this quarter than the same period last year, revealing the increasing case of economic jitters among a formerly reliable and free-spending group.
Wealthy US Consumers cut spending by 27%: “Thomas Bodenberg, Unity Marketing’s chief consumer economist, explained, ‘Several months back, market pundits told us that the 2007-2009 recession had run its course . . . However, this is not the case, borne out by consumer sentiment. Two factors are dominant: first is the interconnectedness of our global economy, as economic turmoil in Europe readily translates into uncertainty here. The second looming factor is the upcoming election, whose results will either drive or inhibit consumer sentiment and willingness to purchase.’”
*NOTE: In light of the above, Chanel executives might consider putting a leash (or a muzzle) on their head designer (see: Chanel designer is a “bully” for Pippa comment) — because if Kate Middleton is one of today’s most influential style drivers, then publicly insulting her family members isn’t likely the most intelligent way of wooing her into your brand in the future.
But you know what? Who needs little miss Duchess of Cambridge when you’ve got all of China eating from the palm of your hand. In an article for China Daily (see: “Chinese prefer foreign brands“), it’s reported that the most recognised brands in China are all foreign, and that Chanel is number 3 on the list, beating out Gucci, Armani, Hermes and Louis Vuitton, none of which even appear in the Top 10.
In fact, Chanel is the only fashion brand to land in the Top 10, finding itself flanked by huge technology and food brands, including Apple, Nestle, Sony, Samsung, Uni-President Enterprises, Panasonic, Nike, Canon and Starbucks.
How Chanel managed to score such high recognition among China’s consumers is a marketing success story I’d love to hear more about.


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Deezer’s on-going bid to ramp up its international profile continues with the appointment of former Spotify executive Riad Hawa as VP of its global hardware partnerships division.
The appointment comes just two week after French competition authorities have cleared a proposal that would give Access Industries "exclusive control" over Deezer.
The decision, outlined in an 11-page document from June 24, but only made public this week, follows a January 12, 2016 deal which saw Access Industries, the umbrella company of London-based Ukrainian-born American billionaire Len Blavatnik, take the lead in a financial round that injected $100 million in Deezer.
Hawa’s role will include developing the company’s hardware proposition through partnering with key organisations that operate in the hardware space. Additional responsibilities include developing retail opportunities and assisting the team in delivering a robust model that can be rolled out at an international level.
With more than 10 years’ experience in consumer electronics and content distribution, Hawa has held a number of senior roles in companies such as Universal Music, Acer and Sony Electronics. His most recent position at Spotify saw him bridging the gap between hardware and the content industries with a view to driving innovation and new thinking. Specific projects that delivered against this included the launch of the first e-Reader in Europe to the first voice controlled experience for Spotify with Amazon Echo.
“I am over the moon to be joining Deezer at a time when the music streaming market is ripe for change,” said Hawa. “This could come in the form of new innovation, building strategic partnerships with like-minded brands or investment in creative marketing strategies – the opportunities are endless.”
Gerrit Schumann, Deezer’s chief international officer, added: “We are delighted that Riad has decided to join the Deezer team and are excited about the value that he will bring to the business. I have no doubt that with him on board we will continue to see this company go from strength to strength.”
Last week, Deezer rolled out a new family streaming package, offering family’s full Premium+ access for £14.99 per month.
The new service allows up to six family members to create their own individual accounts, where each user can personalise their own ‘Flow’, create playlists and highlight their favourite tracks.
The new Family Mix services creates a playlist designed to cater for the tastes of each family member, while Deezer Kids features content designed for young children, from nursery rhymes to kid-friendly hits. Each family member can use up to two devices per profile, with a total of 13 devices allowed on the plan.


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It’s no lie that Nintendo have really hit the ball out of the park for their last few E3 presentations. The Legend of Zelda Breath Of The Wild won over the fans and skeptics back in 2016. Super Mario Odyssey proved Nintendo were back on form for 2017. The Nintendo Switch launched March 2017 and has shown that the Big N still has what it takes to bring something to the table. Big 3rd party support has bolstered the Switch game library with the likes of FIFA, DOOM, The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim and Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection. This year’s Nintendo E3 2018 Presentation, which has been titled the Nintendo Direct: E3 2018, is extremely important, perhaps more so than previous years.
The Switch has been a success and has seen over 17 Million units sold in about a year, that has surpassed the Wii U in its whole life time of 4-5 years. The hybrid console has come out guns blazing and has had games from its biggest IP’s release in its first year. Now though, it leaves us wondering what Nintendo will conjure up to keep the Switch Hype train chugging a full steam ahead for the next year? True, we know that Nintendo will be featuring Super Smash Bros for Nintendo Switch. There is a brand new Invitational for the game that no one outside of Nintendo has yet to experience. It will be the first showing of what players can expect from the game and will perhaps give us an idea of the character roster as well. The Nintendo E3 2018 Presentation will also feature Super Smash Bros and with any luck, some of Nintendo’s other titles that they have coming soon to the Switch.
Games that have been confirmed in development or are awaiting release on Switch include: Metroid Prime 4, Yoshi and Bayonetta 3. Miyamoto did say a few years back that a Pikmin 4 game was near completion but he never stated for what console it would come to. We are still none the wiser if development has officially finished. With any luck The Nintendo E3 2018 Presentation will shed some light on some of these games and fingers crossed, we might get some release dates.
What has kept me in suspense is what Nintendo’s Booth looks like for this year? The last couple of years has had a theme relative to their biggest upcoming game but this year, no one knows anything of what their booth could look like. I personally would like it to be Super Smash Bros themed with a number of Smash Bros staples fighting it out on a stage. That would look pretty incredible and would help drive up the excitement for people wanting to play Super Smash Bros on Nintendo Switch. Nintendo have outdone themselves for two years so this year will really have to be something that trounces everything they have done before.
I guess we will find out soon enough when Nintendo step into the fray tomorrow and blow our minds with what they have in store. Are you looking forward to Nintendo’s big E3 presentation tomorrow? What do you hope to see in the Direct? What game are you looking forward to the most? Please let us know in the comments below.


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A China official praised Yellen's clear communication and cautious approach, adding the mainland hopes Fed policy will boost its own economy.
The bank fund set up by Italian financial institutions to help weaker lenders is a "private sector initiative", Italy's finance minister said.
The global cruise industry still has significant potential for growth, the chief executive of one of the world's largest cruise ship companies said.
IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde on Tuesday said the recovery of the global economy was continuing, but warned it was still delicate.
Far from being the "coloring in department," responsible for making people want to buy products, marketing now has a broader remit than ever.
Richard Curtis, the recipient of the LionHeart Award 2017, tells Carolin Roth that business and advertising can do well by doing good.
CNBC's Tania Bryer talks fame, feminism and fair pay with Hollywood's Alicia Silverstone and Mena Suvari.
CNBC looks at how the computer systems in F1 cars have made their way into regular vehicles.
FIA President Jean Todt discusses his start with the Ferarri team and the current problems facing F1.
F1 experts discuss whether the quieter engine sounds are making the sport less attractive.
John Manley of Wells Fargo says market valuations are high, while David Rosenberg of Gluskin Sheff says the dollar has been relatively stable.
Peter Spiegel of the Financial Times discusses the market impact of Brexit talks a year after the UK's vote to leave the EU.
Blackstone CEO Steve Schwarzman has spent $100M to launch his Beijing-centered scholarship program. Two Schwarzman Scholars share their stories.


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Are you looking for some free and cheap things to do this week? Well, you’re in luck, as we have compiled a list to help you out of some of our favorite free events, discounts and deals to keep you busy this week in Palm Beach County.
Every Tuesday, through Oct. 31, AMC Theatres offers members $5 Ticket Tuesdays — get a ticket for just $5. Add on popcorn and drink for $5 more.
Enjoy $50 spa treatments during SpaWeek taking place October 16-20 at some of your favorite spas nationwide including Eau Spa and Eden Day Spa.
Head to The Wellbeing Space in Boca from now until September 30 for donation-only yoga classes to benefit victims of the earthquake in Mexico.
Learn the ins and outs of West Palm Beach with architect and historian, Rick Gonzalez of REG Architects during a historical walking tour.
Schools in Palm Beach will offer free breakfast and lunch for kids from now until Friday, October 20, 2017, when they order a complete meal.
Following Irma, FEMA funds and other Irma resources are offered for eligible applicants in Broward and other parts of Florida.
Free Xfinity Wi-Fi is being offered at select sites in Florida as the dangerous storm barrels toward the Sunshine State peninsula. The Wi-Fi is offered at various indoor and outdoor hotspots, including businesses, parks and shopping districts. Xfinity hotspot locations are listed online. Instructions for using the free Wi-Fi are featured in a press release […]
Want to discover the secrets of super savers? Living On The Cheap’s Teresa Mears and Laura Daily have just published “The Ultimate Guide to Coupons”. We share the smart way to use coupons, investing just minutes to save dollars. To make it super simple, the guide can be downloaded as an e-book to your smartphone, […]
For a limited time, enjoy a giant Junior Bacon Cheeseburger, four-piece chicken nuggets, small fries and a small drink — all for only $5 at Wendy’s.


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This week saw the launch of a new website for the Metropolitan Airports Commission Noise Program Office (or, MAC Noise). The redesigned site provided more than an a refreshed look and feel online for the organization, though.
It should come as little surprise that more sales each year, especially during the holiday shopping season, are taking place online. But the extent of that trend remains newsworthy, bolstered by statistics that show strong increases in ecommerce purchases.
The businesses that succeed today are the ones who recognize that shopping channels change, outreach methods change, and communication tools change, but one aspect through it all hasn't changed: customer service rules and best practices.
If you're managing your business or nonprofit's Facebook page, how are you gauging the success of your efforts? If it's simply the number of likes your page has, the following argument is worth reading.
For more than six decades, Bondo® has been helping do-it-yourselfers fill in, patch, and generally make everything look better. Through the use of Bondo's varying lines of putty, glaze, coatings, and other tools, owners of all kinds of items have been able to restore their possesions to significantly better condition.


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GitHub just started to publish a public Roadmap. Not even a login is required. Product People will appreciate, this is pretty huge commitment for an organization.
Arduino launches IoT platform: With the Portenta H7 Arduino announces a Platform targeted at small and medium businesses. It comes with all the connectivity necessary to enable devices classified as Internet of Things: WiFi, BLE, with physical connectivity to USB and SD-Cards, plus the well known Camera or UART connectivity. TechRadar also mentions LTE. Here is the article from TechCrunch:
Arduino, the open-source hardware platform, today announced the launch of a new low-code platform and modular hardware system for IoT development. The idea here is to give small and medium businesses the tools to develop IoT solutions without having to invest in specialized engineering resources. The new hardware, dubbed the Arduino Portenta H7, features everything […]
Announced in August 2019, AMD debuted it’s AMD Threadripper 3990X , the World’s First Prosumer 64 Core CPU, at CES2020.
AMD debuted its Threadripper 3990X at CES 2020, showcasing its incredible multi-threaded performance with 64 cores and 128 threads. It’s not a cheap processor, but it still massively undercuts even the closest competition, decimating even multi-chip systems in the demonstrated benchmarks.
In the same article, Digital Trends also calls the chip “Intels worst nightmare”.
This morning, SAP’s Bill McDermott announced he would be stepping down as CEO of the company. Jennifer Morgan and Christian Klein would follow as co-CEOs, with a handover period until end of this year. Jennifer and Christian are the youngest CEOs and will certainly drive forward the companies transformation. This is the official announcement:
Bill McDermott is stepping down as CEO of SAP. SAP Executive Board Members Jennifer Morgan and Christian Klein have been appointed co-CEOs. Read the news.
Kong, a vendor of cloud native Microservice and API Gateway Software and Services, acquires Insomnia. Goal of the acquisition is offer new api testing capabilities, that Kong plans to turn into an end to end API lifecycle management product.
Surprise! Sony’s Playstation 5 will be called: Playstation 5!
thenextweb.com has a rundown of Surface Laptop, Surface Duo, Surface Earbuds, Neo and everything else Microsoft announced at their Surface event this week.
Here’s a quick rundown of Microsoft’s exciting new hardware for the coming year, including Surface laptops, earbuds, a foldable phone, and more.
The Verge has a summary in 11 minutes:
It’s time for the last beta release of Python 3.8. Go find it at: https://www.python.org/downloads/release/python-380b4/ This release is the last of four planned beta release previews. Beta release previews are intended to give the wider community the opportunity to test new features and bug fixes and to prepare their projects to support the new feature release.
GitHub today released a CI/CD Tool, GitHub Actions. With the tight integration into development workflows and rich, community maintained build-command, actions appears an interesting competitor in the market. As a minimum, the release indicates the importance of CI/CD for the modern software development lifecycle.
Developer productivity and frictionless workflows have been buzzwords for the past half decade and the arrival and rapid growth of Travis-CI, Jenkins or Cirlce-CI have proven the resonance in development organisations. GitHub has outstanding testimonials from day one on the announcement and the ecosystem appears to be ready to go.
It is an offering that comes with appealing integrations and a competitive price, that sure is worth watching.
GitHub Actions makes it easy to automate all your software workflows, now with world-class CI/CD. Build, test, and deploy your code right from GitHub. Make code reviews, branch management, and issue triaging work the way you want.


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Across the Nation
CHICAGO—A second Jetleader 1500 digital inkjet press has been installed at Newsweb Corp.
BANGOR—Creative Digital Imaging has purchased two new Canon imagePRESS C6010 color digital presses.
PRINCE FREDERICK—A new strategic marketing initiative has been launched by DirectMail.com. It offers enterprise-level accounts a full-day evaluation on how to leverage specific data-driven approaches.
CHASKA—With its Employee Stock Ownership (ESOP) Plan, The Bernard Group is now 100 percent employee-owned.
ELMWOOD—Reliable Envelope & Graphics has installed a new four-color Halm Jet offset envelope press.
NASHVILLE—Ingram Content Group has launched Life Print, a comprehensive solution for publishers to manage the lifecycle of printed books.
DALLAS—The American Heart Association has awarded a multiyear, multimillion-dollar agreement to IntegraColor for creative design services, curriculum products and audio/video products. PI


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Shanghai remained the biggest attraction and astir preferred prime for recently opened debut stores and flagship retail outlets successful China, a latest manufacture survey shows.
A full of 1,073 caller store formats and caller marque openings were recorded successful the past year, according to the latest ranking by DataQuest, a section commercialized existent property consultancy.
Fashion, trendy section brands and overseas niche brands are rushing to unfastened first-ever offline stores successful Shanghai to grow their marque power and cater to section shoppers' changing habits.
With latest opening of buying centers and manner hubs, retailers are injecting caller momentum successful the city's buying country arsenic Shanghai embarks connected an ambitious people of becoming a manner hub.
Jingan District took the starring presumption among downtown districts similar Huangpu, Xuhui and Changning arsenic good arsenic the Pudong New Area.
"The opening of respective caller buying destinations contempt the pandemic disturbances implicit the past twelvemonth has erstwhile again demonstrated Shanghai's continuous efforts to go a planetary depletion hub and manner destination," it added.
Shanghai releases a blueprint to boost depletion successful the manner manufacture and eyes an manufacture output of 520 cardinal yuan (US$77.22 billion) by 2025.
Industry watchers expect buying centers to spot ft postulation rebound successful the adjacent 3 to six months with COVID-19 pandemic restrictions gradually easing portion cognition unit would besides beryllium relieved for astir offline stores.
Bailian Group unveiled a caller buying analyzable Bailian ZX Museum connected the Nanjing Road Pedestrian Mall successful downtown Huangpu District implicit the weekend.
Targeting cartoon fans and fervent followers of gaming and animations, the analyzable brings unneurotic entertainment, catering and retail buying from celebrated gaming and animation vendors, specified arsenic the archetypal overseas TAMASHII NATIONS Store from BANDAI Spirits, and artifact vendor MegaHouse.
It's besides teaming up with section toymakers to assistance bring fans of subculture unneurotic to enactment and interact with offline events being planned successful the future.
The Bailian ZX Museum connected the Nanjing Road Pedestrian Mall draws young crowds.
Shanghai past period released a blueprint to boost depletion successful the manner industry, with an manufacture output of 520 cardinal yuan (US$77.22 billion) successful 2025, making the metropolis a planetary manner capital.
Zino Helmlinger, caput of retail astatine CBRE Eastern China, expects astir 910,000 quadrate meters of caller retail spot proviso successful 2023 which would further diversify and complement Shanghai's existing commercialized facilities.
Shanghai remains the go-to prime for overseas and location brands to motorboat debut stores and buying spaces with distinctive characteristics would assistance the metropolis to go a manner depletion hub, helium noted.
The Xintiandi Style II buying promenade is celebrating the upcoming Year of the Rabbit with the TutuMokey cartoon fig astatine the main entranceway connected Fuxing Road M.
Half of the buying abstraction astatine the recently renovated Xintiandi Style II buying promenade is dedicated to home decorator brands similar UMA Wang, and BANXIAOXUE.
It besides hosts debut stores from location decoration marque USM and ARKET which features Nordic homeware style.
With a cartoon rabbit fig called TutuMokey astatine the main entranceway connected Fuxing Road M, the promenade is prepared for the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year and volition motorboat a bid of badge collecting activities from some carnal and virtual channels passim the weeklong Spring Festival holiday.
The institution said it besides plans to forge deeper links with art, exhibitions, and manner events portion reinforcing its presumption arsenic the halfway for Chinese plan power.
Shoppers stitchery for limited-edition play souvenirs astatine the Xintiandi Style II buying mall.


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In a study of car brands the Mozilla Foundation’s latest research has shown that the personal data of vehicle owners is being collected by sensors, microphones, cameras and their phones which can then potentially be sold to third parties. In some cases, personal data about an individual’s sexual activity, health and genetic data is being collected by the vehicle’s app. In addition, how fast the vehicle is being driven, the destination and what music is played on route is also collected. This data can then be used to create inferences about the intelligence and interest of the user of the vehicle.
Of the brands reviewed only two confirmed that the personal data that was collected and held could be deleted. Both brands were headquartered in the European Union where the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) applies.
The research found that the brands collected more personal data than is necessary and the data is used for reasons that are unrelated to the use of the vehicle.
It was found by the Mozilla Foundation that consent for collection of personal data is presumed by simply sitting or being a passenger in a vehicle and that it was the driver’s responsibility to tell passengers in their vehicle about the privacy policies. Added to this it was found that the privacy policies in place were confusing, lengthy, and vague.
Vehicle users were given very little control or option in regard to their privacy as choosing not to use a vehicle’s app could mean that the vehicle did not work as intended. Within the car industry data breaches are common ranging from employees watching videos captured by the vehicle or the leaking of personal data of customers.
The research is a concern to users of modern vehicles as to enjoy the full benefits of the vehicles it appears that the personal data of drivers and their passengers is being used for reasons far and above the reasons expected and completely unrelated to their use of that vehicle. Where possible, you should always opt out of sharing or selling your personal data and limit the amount of data collected via the vehicle’s app using your phone’s settings. Strong passwords and two-factor authentication for apps that connect to your vehicle should also be in place.
For more details on the story follow this link to The Guardian news article: https://zurl.co/KbgI


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KARD’s BM Launches New Clothing Line As Part Of Anti-Bullying Movement
KARD‘s BM announced the launching of a brand-new clothing line!
In September of 2019, BM had announced the launch of his own clothing line named “STAYDIUM”! Through “STAYDIUM” BM released “Big Tiddie Committee” merchandise, and donated part of the proceeds towards breast cancer awareness and research!
And now, BM has announced another clothing line named healers, as part of his “healer’s movement” dedicated towards the eradication of bullying!
Part of the proceeds from this clothing line will be donated to an organization called Stomp Out Bullying, which works to put an end to all sorts of bullying and discrimination, cyber or otherwise.
Congratulations to BM on this great new project!
Stray Kids’ Viral Moment With KARD’s Jiwoo At The “2022 AAAs” Happened All Because They Were’t Supposed To Be There
Stray Kids’ Reactions To KARD’s Jiwoo Performing On Their Table At The 2022 AAAs Are Going Viral
KARD’s BM Defies Gender Norms In New Balenciaga Campaign


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“You must be supremely confident in yourself, your ability and your business, but that shouldn’t be to your detriment. Ego is the enemy,” says Jodie Cook, a judge for the Creative Industries Entrepreneur Awards category within the NatWest Great British Entrepreneur Awards.
It’s EJ Packe’s business to work with high growth entrepreneurs, and she knows a thing or two about them – what it takes to be an entrepreneurial success, and how the UK can become more entrepreneurial. But to tell the tale, we need to start with heroes and crooks.
“Female founders are finally having their moment” says Jo Dalton. She should know because she has a novel insight into the UK entrepreneur scene. For one thing, she is an entrepreneur, she has founded three companies, for the other thing she is in the headhunting business and works with a lot of entrepreneurs. “I am […]
“When I was at school being an entrepreneur was just something that Richard Branson did. . . sometimes teachers would say ‘there are entrepreneurs in the world, like Richard Branson, but now let’s talk about getting a job.’ The idea of taking a risk was not something they really drilled into you,” says Marin Bryant.
Simon Burton is an entrepreneur in media, events, PR, sport and social media. He is an inspirational public speaker, and a judge at this year’s NatWest Great British Entrepreneur Awards and yet, he says, it’s his failures that have made him a success.
“The world is a less safe place,” says Mark Fuller, Chairman of Chief Executives North West, but for creating a more entrepreneurial UK, this might be a good thing. Mark, who is a judge for the NatWest Great British Entrepreneur Awards, has worked with hundreds of businesses in every sector at board level, has some […]
Applications are now open for the 2017 NatWest Great British Entrepreneur Awards.
The betting industry has become known for its unfair practices. Earlier this year, online gambling companies in the UK faced a regulatory investigation into such issues, including the cancellation of winning bets and the difficult conditions around receiving payouts. However, one individual is beginning to transform the industry through innovation.
DeskLodge, the biggest co-working space in Bristol, won the Entrepreneurial Co-working Space of the Year award at this year’s Great British Entrepreneur Awards. Described as a fun and adventurous space with a focus on productivity, it’s home to 40 resident companies and around 250 visitors each day.
The ‘mum economy’ has been growing at an unprecedented rate over the last year, particularly due to the rise in maternity discrimination within the workplace. Not only do mumpreneurs generate billions of pounds in the UK, they also create hundreds of thousands of jobs.
Andy Mack and Ion Smith won the IOT/Smart home award as part of the Great British Technology Entrepreneur Awards. So, what’s special about their company, Cyberhomes?
Matt Gubba won Entrepreneurs’ Champion of the Year at this year’s Great British Entrepreneur Awards, after being recognised for his passion to help entrepreneurs succeed.


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Flipboard app for iPhone: social media browsing easy on iPhone too – at last!
In July we wrote about Flipboard for iPad and this social media aggregator has become huge since then.
Today, Flipboard becomes available for iPhone and with a stable release too!
A new personalized-reading app for the iPhone is being launched by Flipboard, the design-centric company that led the customized-news charge with its app for iPad.
News can be rapidly browsed with a thumb flick from the hand holding the iPhone, like a digital Rolodex.
As you may expect, signing up a (free) account on Flipboard bring the same content, RSS-feeds and windows arrangements and setup on all your iOS devices, be it an iPad or an iPhone so it’s a setup-once and leave it in the cloud process!
It’s the kind of thing you’ll ask yourself how you lived without!
Flipboard for iPhone is available on iTunes for free here!


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22 March 2005 – Chennai (IND): Xerox has announced that Indian engineering and consumer products company Godrej is to become the authorised sales partner for its suite of office products in India.
Godrej will buy products from Xerox appointed distributors and sell them directly to key customers across India, according to the agreement. It will also become the authorised service partner for the Xerox product line.
The Indian company already has an established network in 14 cities across India, which is expected to significantly boost Xerox’s partner led business model.
The agreement comes into immediate effect.


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Protect by Paycare is a new entry-level plan aimed at helping businesses to effectively support their team’s mental, physical and financial wellbeing.
The plan is available to businesses employing over 20 employees and costs £4.18 a month per employee, offering 100% cashback on dental (max £50pa), optical (£50), chiropody and professional therapy bills, including physiotherapy, hypnotherapy and chiropractic (max £125pa). The plan also pays up to £150 for specialist consultations and tests, £55 for a health screen and includes an online Lifestyle Assessment
It also includes Redundancy Premium Protection for six months, free cover for any children under 18, and Paycare Perks — an online platform for individuals to access discounts, vouchers and rewards on everyday purchases such as insurance, travel and entertainment.
In addition, employers can choose to introduce an employee assistance programme for just 40p per employee a month as an additional benefit, which provides a completely confidential support service for any employees struggling with mental, physical or financial worries.
What They Say
Paycare CEO Kevin Rogers said: "We recognise that some businesses simply don’t have the budget to spend on employee packages with bells and whistles, or those new to the idea could think it’s something that only big corporates can do.
However, smaller businesses are critical to the wider economy in terms of employment opportunities, and we wanted to launch a service that brings them benefits as employers too, by offering their staff cover for core healthcare services, including optical, dental, and professional therapies."
What We Say
"For just over £50 a year (add a fiver to include the EAP too) small firms can provide a range of useful benefits to their employees. Moreover, they should benefit too and help meet their duty of care obligations.
"The plan is simple, easy to administer and to set up, so firms just have to weigh up whether to spend a grand a year to cover 20 employees. It’s a small price to pay.
"One major downside though is that most small businesses are excluded, as the plan is designed for 20 member plus schemes and most small businesses are a lot smaller than that. There are also no choices (apart from adding the EAP) so firms can’t (on this plan) have differential benefits for more highly paid employees. But, on the other hand, it keeps the plan as simple as possible."