text:
Pooja S. Nair, a litigation attorney at TroyGould PC in Los Angeles, compiles recent legal news affecting the restaurant, food and beverage and hospitality industries for Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine.
Canada Bans Single Use Plastics: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that the Government of Canada would ban multiple categories of single-use plastics, including plastic bags, straws, cutlery, plates, and stir sticks beginning in 2021. The government will conduct a scientific analysis to decide which products to ban first.
San Francisco Bans Cashless Restaurants and Stores: On May 7, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to require that brick-and-mortar businesses accept payment in cash in connection with the purchase of goods and services other than professional services. The law is now awaiting Mayor London Breed’s signature.
California Permits Customers to Bring Their Own Containers to Restaurants: On July 12, Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB-619 into law. This law makes it easier for consumers to bring their own reusable containers to restaurants. Restaurants must then follow written procedures to prevent cross-contamination and sanitize surfaces after using these containers.
Arkansas “Truth In Labeling” Law Targeting Meatless Food Goes into Effect: Arkansas’s law broadly restricting the advertising options available for vegan and meatless products went into effect in July 2019. The stated purpose of the law is “to protect consumers from being misled or confused by false or misleading labeling of agricultural products that are edible by humans.” The law targets specific advertising procedures used by vegan food manufacturers such as referring to a product as meat if it is not derived from livestock or poultry, and calling a product rice that is not actually rice. Multiple businesses are planning challenges to the law in court based on the First Amendment.
Chicago Approves Fair Workweek Ordinance; Large Restaurants Will Be Affected: On July 24, the Chicago City Council passed the Chicago Fair Workweek Ordinance, requiring large employees to provide workers earning less than $26/hour at least two weeks’ advance notice of their work schedules and compensation for any last-minute schedule changes. The ordinance will only apply to restaurants that have at least 30 locations globally and at least 250 employees in the aggregate; and will not apply to restaurants operating under a sole franchise.
New Jersey Bans Salary History Inquiries: On July 25, New Jersey enacted a law prohibiting employer inquiries about workers’ past wage and salary history. The law prohibits employers from screening applicants based on their prior salary history and prevents employers from requiring a past salary history to qualify for a position. The law will take effect on January 1, 2020. New Jersey’s law has some exceptions and is more nuanced and limited than salary history laws recently enacted in other states.
California Court Holds That Slip-Resistant Shoes Are Not a Reimbursable Expense: On June 4, a California appellate court ruled that California’s business expense reimbursement law did not require BJ’s Restaurants to reimburse employees for the cost of slip-resistant shoes. BJ’s safety policy required restaurant employees to wear black, slip-resistant, closed-toes shoes and did not reimburse employees for purchasing these shoes. Section 2802 of the California Labor Code requires employers to indemnify employees for “all necessary expenditures…incurred by the employee in direct consequence of the discharge of his or her duties…” The court found that because the policy did not require employees to purchase a specific brand or style of shoes and did not prohibit employees from wearing the shoes outside of work, they were not considered necessary expenditures under the statute.
Supreme Court Prevents FOIA Disclosure of Retailer Identities: On June 24, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in Food Marketing Institute v. Argus Leader Media, that the U.S. Department of Agriculture could keep the names of retail stores participating in the SNAP food-stamp program confidential and did not have to disclose it in response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. Argus Leader Media had filed a FOIA request with USDA seeking the names and addresses of all retail stores that participate in the SNAP program. The USDA declined to disclose the store-level SNAP data, invoking FOIA's Exemption 4, which shields from disclosure "trade secrets and commercial or financial information obtained from a person and privileged or confidential." The Court held that the USDA had the discretion to with records from a FOIA response that were submitted by a private entity as long as the entity submitting the information treated the records as confidential and the agency promises to keep the records private.
Supreme Court Strikes Down Tennessee Residency Requirement for Alcohol Retailers: On June 26, the Supreme Court struck down parts of Tennessee’s alcohol retailer licensing structure in a 7-2 opinion in the case Tennessee Wine and Spirits Retailers Association v. Thomas. Tennessee’s law provided that alcohol retailers needed to be a resident of the state for two years before being granted a license to sell in that state. The Court held that Tennessee's two-year durational-residency requirement for initial retail liquor store license applicants violated the Commerce Clause of the Constitution. The Court found that the state law discriminated against out-of-state economic actors and did not meet the required burden of advancing a legitimate local purpose. The Court also considered Section 2 of the 21st Amendment, which allows each state to ban alcohol if it so chose. The Court found that while the amendment gives states the ability to regulate alcohol, it did not allow state to violate the nondiscrimination principles of the Commerce Clause.
Connecticut Liquor Law Upheld Against Antitrust Allegations: On July 24, the Court of Appeal for the Second Circuit upheld Connecticut’s Liquor Control Act against an antitrust challenge made by Total Wines. Total Wines had alleged that multiple provisions of the statute, including the minimum retail price provisions, volume discount provisions, and “post-and-hold” practice prevented meaningful price competition from retailers. The Court held that none of the provisions were preempted. The Second Circuit initially upheld the law in an opinion issued on February 20, 2019, and then issued a related opinion on July 24, 2019.
Gatorade Prevails in “Sports Fuel” Case: On August 2, the Seventh Circuit found that Gatorade’s use of the slogan: “Gatorade: The Sports Fuel Company” was a fair use protected by the Lanham Act, after two years of litigation. A company called Sports Fuel, Inc. held two registered trademarks for “SportsFuel” and sued Gatorade and its parent company PepsiCo for trademark violations. The Court found that Gatorade’s use of “sports fuel” fell within the fair use exception of the Lanham Act and was not in bad faith, and that customers were not likely to be confused by Gatorade’s use of the phrase.
FDA Holds Public Hearing on CBD: On May 31, the FDA held a public hearing with stakeholders regarding the use of CBD. Acting Commissioner Ned Sharpless opened the hearing by reiterating that the FDA currently prohibits hemp-derived CBD in food products and dietary supplements. Most of the public comments presented at the hearing we in favor of creating a pathway for the legality of these products with consistent federal regulation. The hearing did not end with any definitive path for legalization.
New York City Embargoes CBD Food Products: On July 1, New York City’s Health Department began embargoing food and drink products that contain CBD. The embargo means that those products will have to be returned to the supplier or discarded. This embargo will escalate on October 1, 2019, when the Department will begin issuing violations to food service establishments and retailers for offering food or drink containing CBD.
California Agency Rejects Cancer Warnings on Coffee: California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment confirmed that coffee will not be required to carry warnings about risks of cancer or reproductive harm mandated by the state’s Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act (Prop. 65). The agency found that the chemicals “created by and inherent in roasting coffee beans or brewing coffee, do not pose a significant cancer risk,” and indicated that the regulation will take effect October 1, 2019. This agency regulation was first proposed in June 2018, after a state court judge ruled that coffee needed to have warning labels


text:
As the holiday season kicks in, meat processors anticipate P55 billion losses from the African swine fever (ASF) scare amid low demand.
Meat processors are not hiring any seasonal workers which used to be about 10,000 workers every Christmas.
Key player CDO Foodsphere Inc. sees 15 to 20 percent drop in the production of Christmas ham amid price hike ranging from 5 to 13 percent.
This comes at a time when prices of Noche Buena mainstays including ham have increased prices ahead of the Christmas rush.
The Philippine Association of Meat Processors Inc. (PAMPI) said its members continue to face difficulties in transporting and entering several provinces as more local government units have banned pork products.
Jerome Ong, PAMPI vice president, said Visayas and Mindanao contribute roughly 35 percent or about P100 billion to the P300-billion local meat processing industry. This includes processing, restaurants and fastfood chains dependent on pork products.
“About 65 provinces have (imposed a) ban in Visayas and Mindanao including some parts in Northern Luzon. Even those provinces that did not impose ban, we are having a hard time entering because we had to pass through those areas that are banning the products,” Ong said.
ASF is now confirmed in some areas in Luzon particularly in Bulacan, Rizal, Pampanga and Quezon City.
Laban Konsyumer Inc. (LKI) in a separate statement said about 107 stock keeping units (SKUs) or 45 percent of the 241 Noche Buena products have raised their prices.
Vic Dimagiba, LKI president, said majority of those that have increased are ham, fruit cocktail, sandwich spread, mayonnaise, pasta and macaroni.
The DTI last week said 134 Noche Buena products such as keso de bola, cheese, sandwich spread, mayonnaise, pasta spaghetti, elbow and salad macaroni, spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce, as well as creamer products have maintained their suggested retail prices (SRPs) while six products have lower prices.
DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez said every year there are increases for a few premium brands, and most would have minimal increases. Brands for mass-based markets do not usually change due to competition.
The DTI said ham manufacturers have introduced new sizes for some of their products for lower cash out to consumers.

domain: news


text:
Moscow retaliated to the action of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, which expanded the list of prohibited to import of Russian items.
From June 1 Russia will supply Ukraine coal, oil and oil products only for individual permits.
additionally, the city prohibits the import of Ukrainian engineering products, light industry and Metalworking.
Medvedev recalled that last year Ukraine has supplied similar items to 250 million dollars.
last week, the Ukrainian government has extended the punishment against Russia. In the list of prohibited for import into the area of the country items came jars for canning, bottles, for food and other products.


text:
The most important thing is creating content people value and then putting it in the hands of influential people who comment on matters of PR and marketing, so it generates increased exposure for the brand.”Apart from creating good content, companies also have to think about where they put it.A lot of companies miss the point, says Attree, because they don't actually ask customers which platforms they use.For those of you craving your Nando's Peri-Peri fix with absolutely no intention of leaving the house, we have some good news for you: Nando's now delivers.
“It's all about relationships and knowing who will be interested, such as prominent bloggers, online loudmouths, and people who share content.“The principles of traditional marketing still apply - you need a good story, good content and have to get it out to well-connected people.”To ensure followers truly want to engage rather than just flocking for freebies, Attree stresses the importance of the holy trinity of social media marketing: content, conversation and community.“It's about a long-term vision; creating communities around the brand and then giving them something to talk about.
"I usually go there for a quick bite to eat with my mates.
I didn't expect to be going there on a date with a Man United footballer, especially in my dress and heels."Januzaj joins Beyonce on the list of celebrity Nando's fans, who reportedly once spent £1,500 in an Essex branch.
The series culminates in a three-minute mini-film playing on DSTV and selected cinemas from 20 June.
Melissa Attree, managing member of Get On e Marketing, along with Mike Sharman of Retroviral Digital Communications, led Nando's first foray into the digital realm in December last year.


text:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 27, 2011
Jamie Radice (202-469-1550)
Chicago, IL --- Today, Fred P. Hochberg, the chairman and president of the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank), Representative Robert Dold (IL-10), and Mayor Rahm Emanuel led a free half-day forum in Chicago that gave Illinois small and mid-sized businesses tips on how to increase their export sales. The forum, organized by Ex-Im Bank and sponsored by PNC, drew more than 200 representatives of small businesses.
Glenn Tilton, chairman of the Midwest J.P. Morgan Chase and Member of President Obama's Export Council was a featured speaker. Other prominent guests included Congressmen Sean Duffy (WI-7) and Bill Huizenga (MI-2) attended as well.
Attendees heard from a panel of small business owners who have successfully boosted their exports, and had the opportunity to engage in one-on-one consultations with representatives from Ex-Im Bank, the U.S. Small Business Administration and the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Exports create and save U.S. jobs, and Ex-Im Bank will continue to host forums across the country that highlight the benefits of exporting, said Chairman Hochberg. Ninety-five percent of the world's customers are outside the United States, and companies that choose not to export are foregoing enormous sales opportunities.
The United States Export-Import Bank is providing support for small businesses throughout my District and the country, said Congressman Dold. This is welcoming news for those companies that are struggling to meet a payroll, expand and hire new workers. I am a cosponsor on bipartisan legislation in Congress to reauthorize the Bank because it is vital to creating jobs here at home by providing businesses with the credit and resources they need to expand their exports.
Chicago is a destination for the world - and our businesses, large and small, should be able to tap into the global reach our city provides, said Mayor Emanuel. I am committed to the growth of our small businesses and their expansion into new markets around the world.
As economies develop and grow outside of the U.S., it is essential that our companies in the Midwest, including smaller businesses, have competitive access to export markets said Tilton. Small business owners who missed the Global Access forum can still learn how Ex-Im Bank can enable them to generate new export sales by contacting the Bank by calling toll-free to 1-800-565-EXIM (3946). Ex-Im Bank offers information specifically designed to assist small business exporters secure export financing on its website.
Global Access is supported by a wide variety of business and financial and government partners, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) and the Bank's 60-plus city/state partners located throughout the U.S. This year, the Export-Import Bank has held more than 25 other Global Access forums around the country.
About Ex-Im Bank
Ex-Im Bank is an independent federal agency that helps create and maintain U.S. jobs by filling gaps in private export financing at no cost to American taxpayers. The Bank is a self-sustaining agency that receives no net appropriation from the U.S. Congress and charges interest and fees to fund its transactions.
The Bank provides a variety of financing mechanisms, including working capital guarantees, export-credit insurance and financing to help foreign buyers purchase U.S. goods and services.


text:
Questions and answers about Netflix's flip-flops
Published 4:00 am, Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Here are questions and answers about Netflix's reversal of its decision to split off its DVD-by-mail service and rename it Qwikster.
Q:Will I have to go to two websites to manage my DVD queue and watch streaming videos?
A: No. Netflix on Monday backed off its plan to create two separate sites - one at Netflix.com for streaming videos, and another at Qwikster.com for DVDs.
Q:Will I still have to pay for the services separately?
A: You'll have one account for both services. But the price changes Netflix instituted in July, under which it charges separately for streaming and for DVDs, is still in place. In other words, streaming is no longer a freebie thrown in with the DVD subscription.
LATEST SFGATE VIDEOS
- Protesters swarm Golden 1 Center KCRA
- Watch as protesters shut down I-5 in Sacramento KCRA
- Visionary Journey, Bishop Swing San Francisco Chronicle
- Andrew%20Triggs%20on%20his%20outing%20Thursday%20 San Francisco Chronicle
- Is there a stigma around tech? Dakota Giglio / SFGATE
- Bay Area brews you have to try Ted Andersen, SFGATE
- Warriors/Stephen%20Curry San Francisco Chronicle
- Swift rescue in Folsom, Calif. @metrofirepio
- Sonoma Creek rising after heavy rainfall on March 22, 2018 P. Graff
- Tornado rips across an open field 40 miles north of Sacramento Jacklyn Johnson
Q:Why did Netflix change its mind?
A: Customers had greeted the idea with jeers and threats to take their business elsewhere. In a blog post, CEO Reed Hastings said he has realized the change would make things too complicated for subscribers.
Q:What plans does Netflix offer now - and how much do they charge for each?
A: The video streaming service costs $8 per month. The DVD service starts at $5 if you want one DVD at a time and a maximum of two mailings per month, and goes up to $44 for those who want to have eight DVDs at a time and unlimited mailings.
Q:Why did Netflix think splitting the site in two was a good idea to begin with?
A: The company sees the streaming service as its future and what it wants to focus on. The DVD-by-mail service got Netflix into homes, but it's expensive to mail DVDs, and the potential for growth is limited. In homes, the streaming service is making the jump from PCs to TVs, thanks to game consoles, DVD players and TVs with the ability to connect to the Internet. It's also going outside the home, with Netflix available on smart phones and tablets.


text:
Australia - Illegal logging legislation welcomed
A3P has welcomed the announcement by the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Joe Ludwig, that the Gillard Government will introduce legislation restricting the importation and sale of illegally logged timber.A3P CEO Richard Stanton said “we are gratified that the Government has listened to and supported our view that the new rules should apply to all timber products including sawn timber, wood panels, pulp, paper, wooden furniture and composite products. Today’s announcement is a positive step forward. However, the detail of how the legislation will operate will be fundamental to its success.”
Following consultation on an exposure draft bill, new legislation to introduce the policy will be considered by the Australian Parliament. The restriction on the importation and sale of illegal timber will come into force when the legislation commences.
In addition, there will be a requirement on timber suppliers who first place timber products onto the Australian market to undertake a due diligence process to verify the legal origins of the timber products and to disclose species, country of harvest and any certification. These timber suppliers include timber importers and domestic wood processing mills.
Industry will be given up to two years following the commencement of legislation to establish their due diligence systems. These due diligence systems will need to be incorporated within an industry developed, Commonwealth accredited, code of conduct.


text:
site.btaDeputy Economy Minister Pavlov Opens Bulgaria-Vietnam Business Forum
Opening a Bulgaria-Vietnam business forum on policies and laws to promote economic, trade and investment cooperation here on Tuesday, Deputy Economy and Industry Minister Nikolay Pavlov said Bulgaria is ready to support Vietnamese businesses planning to invest in sectors in which this country has an advantage and sectors which account for high added value and increased competitiveness of the economy, the Economy Ministry said. Vietnam's National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue also addressed those gathered.
Pavlov stressed the event is intended to strengthen dialogue and step up trade and economic relations between the two countries. He called on the companies to take full advantage of the forum and discuss joint activities in trade and high technology, noting that Vietnam is an important and promising trading, economic and investment partner of the EU. In his words, two-way trade with Vietnam totalled USD 73.51 million in the first five months of 2023, with Bulgarian exports worth USD 16.05 million and imports of about USD 70 million.
Pavlov briefed the participants on the implementation of measures and incentives to support and encourage investment. As an EU Member State, Bulgaria provides unimpeded duty-free access to the EU market of 500 million consumers. "We have the potential to attract Vietnamese investments and offer favourable opportunities for activities in the automotive industry, information and communication technology, electronics and electrical engineering, the transition to a green economy and medicine, among others. We count on your cooperation and let's continue to make concerted efforts to increase interest in Bulgaria as an investment destination," Pavlov said in conclusion.


text:
Be the first to like this
Copy the link to learn more on our site: http://www.mdgadvertising.com/blog/new-e-book-how-to-bag-more-mobile-shoppers-this-holiday-season/ - In the new must-have marketing tool for the holidays, MDG Advertising details how, in 2013, mobile devices will play a bigger role than ever in holiday shopping. Pew Research Center found that more than half of American adults now own a smartphone. And four out of five of them use smartphones to shop.
As the new e-book explains, this should be good news for retailers, as mobile shoppers typically spend more than their bricks-and-mortar counterparts. According to the National Retail Federation, mobile sales were up 96% in 2012. With a still-tight economy this year, it’s likely that shoppers will spend more time looking for bargains—using their smartphones and tablets to research products, compare prices, search for promotions, and make purchases.
In this game-changing e-book, MDG reveals tactics that give retailers an unfair advantage. For example, the e-book explains how to mobilize your mobile efforts to snag a bigger share of a predicted $600 billion in holiday sales. It includes clever strategies like:
1. Appeal to the mobile mindset. Display advertising doesn’t directly translate to the mobile screen. According to Anna Bager, VP and general manager of the Mobile Marketing Center of Excellence at the Interactive Advertising Bureau, “It’s about…moving across platforms, being mobile throughout the day and actually expecting to be able to pick up content wherever we are.” The e-book explains how to appeal to this mobile mindset.
2. Create a seamless shopping experience. It’s not just a matter of shopping from a mobile device. Today’s consumers are shopping from multiple devices. Retailers need to address ways to link the shopping experience from one device to another.
3. Use email to target mobile devices. According to a recent MediaPost blog proclaiming record email opens, mobile-device adoption and the use of marketing automation to target emails have made a big impact on performance. We’ll show you what items you must include in a successful email strategy.
4. Turn “showrooming” into sales. The e-book shares simple ways to keep potential customers from leaving the store to buy online.
5. Start early. The tight economy will drive consumers to spend more time looking for bargains. MDG’s e-book shares tactics to make sure your products are top-of-mind when the shopping process begins. For example, mobile-optimized search is a must.
For more strategies on how to capture the mobile market for your brand, contact MDG Advertising today at 561-338-7797 or visit http://www.mdgadvertising.com.


text:
After having removed the potential harmful chemical from its Diet Pepsi formula last summer, PepsiCo Inc decided to reintroduce aspartame in low-calorie sodas sold across America.
The company announced Monday that the artificial sweetener will be used in “Diet Pepsi Classic Sweetener Blend,” a brand slated to be launched in September. Aspartame will be present in 20-ounce and 2-liter bottles, and in 12-ounce cans.
Pepsi said that it won’t remove sucralose-swetened Diet Pepsi from the shelves. The offerings, which will be sold simultaneously, will differ in color. Diet Pepsi with sucralose will come in silver cans while the aspartame version will be sold in light blue cans.
When the soda maker removed the artificial sweetener from its Diet Pepsi formulation last summer it argued that the move was a response to consumer concerns that aspartame may be harmful to their health.
The company management blamed stalling sales of diet sodas on aspartame which was vilified in countless reports. Rival Coca-Cola even tried to ease the concerns by running ads that tried to convince consumers aspartame was perfectly safe for human consumption.
But Pepsi’s plan to remove aspartame and replace it with a healthier sweetener somehow backfired. In Q1, aspartame-free Diet Pepsi sales plunged 10.6 percent while aspartame-based Diet Coke sales slipped just 5.7 percent.
Health concerned customers believe that aspartame may lead to cancer as some mouse studies had shown, but the FDA, which approved aspartame for human consumption, claims that over 100 studies had shown that the sweetener is safe to consume.
Pepsi also announced that Pepsi Max will make a comeback as Pepsi Zero Sugar which will also have aspartame in its composition.
Plunging sales of Diet Pepsi may be due to the fact that sucralose or Splenda, the healthier alternative for aspartame, is not as tasty as the aspartame-based versions.
Additionally, industry analysts believe that PepsiCo made a huge marketing mistake: it has revealed to the public that it would change the formulation. Coca Cola did the same mistake back in the 1980s when it tested a new recipe and sales were also negatively impacted.
However, no matter how soft-drink manufacturers put it, soda sales have been on free fall for years. According to a recent report, U.S. soft drink consumption per person dropped to a three-decade low in 2015, and the 2016 figures don’t show an improvement either.
This may be because customers are more and more concerned about the obesity and diabetes epidemics and don’t think that artificial sweeteners can help them out.
Image Source: Pixabay


text:
As seen on RAW this past Monday, the SmackDown roster invaded RAW and attacked the RAW roster to start the build for the RAW vs. SmackDown themed Survivor Series event.
According to the @WrestleVotes account, the account that has broke several stories recently, it appears that the RAW brand will retaliate either next week in Norfolk, Virginia or the Survivor Series go-home show in Charlotte, North Carolina on November 14th. November 7th seems to be out as both brands will be running UK shows at the same time.
Team Red will strike either next week 10/31 in Norfolk or the go home on 11/14 in Charlotte. Can't on 11/7. Both brands have U.K. shows.
— WrestleVotes (@WrestleVotes) October 25, 2017


text:
Fonterrra Australia managing director Rene Dedoncker doesn't underestimate the challenges his business faces.
"We're being attacked, I guess, from all sides," he told Stock & Land.
But despite drought, reputational damage and competition for milk from thirsty white milk processors, he insisted the local arm was strong and fitted with the besieged cooperative's new NZ-first strategy.
Mr Dedoncker also knew its supply base was vulnerable.
While national milk production declined 5.7 per cent last season, Fonterra Australia's milk collection fell by 20.3pc.
Read more stories on the Australian Dairyfarmer website
"We've got about 18pc of the milk supply, which is about 1.5 billion litres," Mr Dedoncker said.
"You know, if you go back sort of three or four years, that's about what we were as well - we've sort of gone full circle - and we did hit a peak of 2 billion litres.
"So look, you're right, the maths speak for themselves, to some extent.
"About half of our loss, or to half of the change is due to specifically to our share of milk that's affected by drought.
"Where we've had another impact, though, and perhaps more so than some others, is that because the white milk companies that just put white milk into bottles, particularly in the north, have had to come hunting for milk.
"So we haven't just lost our share of the drought-affected milk, we've lost through competitive tension to the white milk players that prepared to pay a lot more for milk than we are.
"We've had to make a compromise on how much milk we want to retain and that's why we've come up with our approach to specialty milk pools to make sure that we can pay above the odds where we get something back for it.
"But our farm gate milk price can't compete with some of the prices that we've seen from some of those white milk players.
"And then you've got the other added element of third parties.
"We've got third party milk brokers that are three and four-fold the size they were last year because the squeeze on milk has meant that it's a valuable commodity.
"We're being attacked, I guess, from all sides.
"And I guess that's been a wake up call for all of us.
"We've had to work out where do you draw a line, what actually enables our business to work?
"And at 1.5 billion litres of milk, would I like more?
"I would like some more but, does it work, you bet it does.
"In quarter one of the new year, we're profitable, our earnings are covering the milk price and we're providing a modest dividend. So we're making it work."
- Australia still vital to Fonterra, says managing director René Dedoncker
- Fonterra to exit milk pools out of NZ, but no plans to leave Australia
- Fonterra Australia 'here for the long haul'
Reputational damage from its role in the dairy crisis had also impacted Fonterra Australia, Mr Dedoncker said.
"Trust is something that can take many, many years to rebuild," he said.
"Our job is to be consistent, to make promises that we can deliver on, to pay a competitive farmgate price.
"And over time, you know, my belief is that consistency will turn back into confidence and, one day, confidence becomes trust.
"But it's a journey.
"Right now I'm focused on being consistent, we do what we say will do and that's how we hold ourselves to account."
When asked about verbal assurances Fonterra had made at Australian supplier meetings that it would not step down despite no written guarantee, Mr Dedoncker said it was hard to imagine any set of circumstances that might cause a price drop.
"We've signed up to the code of conduct and that already puts a stake in the ground," he said.
"And we've said it verbally at all of our farmer meetings...so the reality is that we're on - all processes are on notice - to behave correctly.
"I can't imagine a situation frankly, where that's possible, it's only if you really push, you'd say, it would have to be something that's not in our control, but in the control any other processes, but some global force that, you know, has a massive impact on the industry ... the reality is, we don't want to go back to 2016.
"That's not the business we run.
"What we want to do is make sure that we honour the commitments we make and that's what we're doing.
"We've been doing it now for, you know, since 2016, we've certainly been doing that, and will continue to do it."
Despite strong NZ-first rhetoric from Fonterra global chief executive Miles Hurrell that it will focus on NZ milk rather than international milk pools, Fonterra Australia remained important, Mr Dedoncker said.
"The New Zealand strategy is all about maximising the value from 18 billion litres of milk out of New Zealand and we play a complementary role to that," Mr Dedoncker said.
Many Asian customers wanted a dual source of supply "as a precautionary measure".
"Typically, grass-fed has beta carotene in in the product and that is the flavour profile that customers in Japan love," he said.
"And the two places to get that from that are close to home in New Zealand and Australia."
Fonterra's financial results showed the gross margin for the Australian ingredients business fell 87 per cent - from $77 million to $10 million, while the local consumer and food service element was profitable.
Asked about the source of milk for the more profitable consumer and food service business, Mr Dedoncker said that, in the last 12 months, Fonterra manufactured about just over 400,000 tonnes of product in Australia and brought in about 70,000 tonnes from New Zealand.
It supplied supermarkets with category-leading brands, including Western Star butter, Bega cheese and Mainland, as well as culinary versions of the products into 80,000 food service outlets.
"We have great market share, we're number one or two in all of those segments and it's very successful, and it's growing, it's very profitable," he said.
"The ingredients business is also actually a business that does very, very well, the challenges we've had in the last 12 months, particularly, are that we've had a number of one-offs that have affected our earnings."
Read more stories on the Australian Dairyfarmer website


text:
What you need to know
- The Pixel 4a will most likely launch in early June.
- It was previously thought to launch in May, coinciding with Google I/O.
- The cancellation of Google I/O and the June 3rd Android 11 public beta launch means a June launch of the phone was already more likely.
We've seen renders, specs, live photos, packaging, and even a full camera review. The only thing missing is the actual phone. Earlier rumors indicated that it would be arriving soon, with a mid-May launch followed by a late May shipping date, but those have now changed. Tech blog Caschys (via Android Police) which earlier reported a shipping date of May 22nd as per Vodafone Germany's systems now report an altered June 5th shipping date for the Pixel 4a from the same source. In other words, Vodafone's first Pixel 4a shipments will now be delayed by about two weeks.
While there's no official reason given for the date change as it really is only between Google and its partners, the rationale behind the timing seems obvious. The initial May 22nd shipping date would have fallen just after Google I/O was set to be held. With Google I/O now canceled, the next relevant Google event would be the Android 11 stream/public beta launch, taking place on June 3rd.
It makes a lot more sense for Google to time its Pixel 4a release then, pairing the launch of Android 11 with an Android-11 capable phone. The company will be able to debut features coming to its devices and hen have something tangible to show off with a shipping date of a matter of days. Again, it's all rumors and speculation borne from rumors but that now seems to be the most likely option going forward.
We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.
Check out today's State of Play for The Last of Us Part II
During today's State of Play presentation, Naughty Dog showed off 20 minutes of footage from The Last of Us Part II. This footage showed new gameplay features, like how Ellie can use a boat to navigate or throw down ropes.
Niantic announces fully-virtual Pokémon GO Fest, July 25-26
Pokémon GO Fest is taking place as a fully virtual, two-day event on July 25-26.
Samsung Pay unveils its first debit card in partnership with SoFi
Samsung Money by SoFi combines a cash management account with no account fee and a Mastercard debit card with exclusive benefits.
Ditch the cable and go wireless with these charging pads and stands
Charging with a cable is faster, but a wireless charger is much more convenient. These are the best you can buy, whether you want a pad, a stand, or a multi-device charger.


text:
New round of Sears and Kmart closings to include South Hills Village, Mall at Robinson, Latrobe
Sears will close another 72 stores after reporting first-quarter losses and plunging sales Thursday.
Locally, the list of closures includes the Sears stores at The Mall at Robinson and South Hills Village, and the Kmart store at Mountain Laurel Plaza in Latrobe.
Liquidation sales will begin as early as June 14, and the stores will be closed by early September, the company said in a news release.
Sears Auto Center at South Hills Village will close in late June.
In a written statement, Sears Holdings said it has identified about 100 non‐profitable stores and "will make further adjustments as needed and as warranted."
Sears Holdings lost $424 million, or $3.93 per share, in its first quarter.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.


text:
The Beechworth Old Cranks Motor Club has been running the Drive Back In Time for 20 years. Up to 250 rare, classic and vintage cars and motorcycles will converge on the historic streets of Beechworth.
The event has grown to become one of the region’s most popular car show and cruise events with participants coming from around Victoria as well as intersate.
The weekend kicks off 10:00am on Saturday with a Tractor Run and a barbecue at midday at the Old Railway Goods Shed in Beechworth, followed by a Street Cruise of display vehicles from 4:30pm.
On Sunday, visitors will be able to view the incredible array of pristine cars and motorbikes lined up either side of Ford Street in the Historic Precinct area of Beechworth which is closed to traffic as well as vintage engines displayed in the Police Paddocks. Gates open at 8:00am and entry is $5 for display vehicles and free for the public. Barbecue and drinks plus a fantastic raffle all day.
Map pins are available via the tab key in a list after the map.
You can pan the map with the keyboard arrows.


text:
Plant-Based Meat Alternatives Sell Better When Sold Beside Meat
Good news for Impossible Burger fans
For years, if you were looking for a meatless alternative to burgers or sausages in your local grocery store, you’d generally find them in their own dedicated section. For the most part, this made sense — the target audience for these likely ate a vegetarian or vegan diet, and wouldn’t be in the market for ground beef or something similar.
Today, however, the target audience for products like the Impossible Burger isn’t just people who have opted out of eating meat — it’s anyone who’s looking to consume less meat, period. That could mean a lifelong vegetarian, or it could just be someone cutting back on red meat for their health. With that in mind, it’s not surprising to learn — via an article by Nic Querolo at Bloomberg — that meat alternatives sell better when sold beside meat itself.
Querolo’s article is based on a study of purchases made at 60 Kroger stores in 3 states. And the results are hard to argue with:
Consumers purchased 23% more plant-based meat on average when the products were moved into the traditional meat aisle, according to a study conducted by Kroger Co. and supported by the Plant Based Foods Association.
Plant-based alternatives to meat have been selling better during the pandemic than in the past. The article notes increases in the amount of meat alternatives sold both nationwide and at Kroger locations. While it’s not quite the same thing, it raises the question of whether we might not see a similar legal tussle to the recent one between dairy producers and companies making plant-based milk alternatives.
The results of this study suggest that the audience for meat alternatives is larger than one might expect — or at the very least, that a substantial number of shoppers are curious to try something new.
Subscribe here for our free daily newsletter.
Thanks for reading InsideHook. Sign up for our daily newsletter and be in the know.
Suggested for you


text:
SAN FRAN (GDC 2023) – Razer, the leading global lifestyle brand for gamers, today announced the release of the Interhaptics universal HD haptic SDK and directional haptics at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2023 in San Francisco. This free SDK release focuses on enabling a heightened immersive gaming experience, bringing audio and visual effects to life with HD haptic feedback that can now be completely customized through the Interhaptics SDK.
With today’s announcement, Interhaptics, the leading haptic technology platform, has expanded its support to include PlayStation®5*, PlayStation®4, Meta Quest 2, X-input controllers, iOS, and Android devices for game engines such as Unity and Unreal Engine. Additionally, the haptic composer software has been upgraded to include in-app testing for DualSense™ wireless controllers for PS5™ and select Razer HyperSense headsets. Interhaptics can now deploy HD haptics on over 5 billion devices across multiple ecosystems. Developers can sign up for the waiting list for the Razer Kraken V3 HyperSense Dev Kit with programmable directional HD haptics at the Interhaptics website.
The Interhaptics SDK is now free at interhaptics.com, and will also be coming to the Unity Asset Store and Unreal Engine marketplace within the next few months.
“At Razer, we are constantly pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in gaming, and we know that haptics plays an essential role in creating the most immersive gaming experiences,” said Eric Vezzoli, General Manager of Interhaptics. “With the introduction of directional HD haptic feedback for our HyperSense headsets, we’re bringing PC gaming and VR to a previously unachievable level of player immersion. Players will now be able to physically feel effects as games creator intended, extending compatibility of our toolsets to a near universal level across game engines and haptic-compatible hardware.”
In 2022, Razer acquired 100 percent of the shares of Go Touch VR SAS, also known as Interhaptics, the leading haptics development platform for game studios. Founded in 2017, Interhaptics’ mission is to deliver consistent, realistic, and immersive haptics solutions for PC, console, mobile and XR developers. It strives to provide developers with the essential tools guaranteeing quality, faster development, and cross-platform deployment.
GDC 2023 attendees can join the Interhaptics session by Razer at 5pm, on Wednesday, March 22nd at Room 3020, West Hall.
Please find the press kit here.
* “PlayStation”, “PS5”, “PS4” and “DualSense” are registered trademarks or trademarks of Sony Interactive Entertainment of Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
# # #
Interhaptics revolutionized the Haptics market since its first launch in 2020.
Interhaptics is the only platform providing game creators the tools to design HD haptics for every platform within seconds. Interhaptics currently supports cross-platform haptics on PC, Console, Mobile and XR devices. Interhaptics’ mission is to enable the growth of a scalable haptics ecosystem through haptics standardization, cross-technology support, and cross-platform deployment.
Razer™ is the world’s leading lifestyle brand for gamers.
The triple-headed snake trademark of Razer is one of the most recognized logos in the global gaming and esports communities. With a fan base that spans every continent, the company has designed and built the world’s largest gamer-focused ecosystem of hardware, software and services.
Razer’s award-winning hardware includes high-performance gaming peripherals and Blade gaming laptops.
Razer’s software platform, with over 200 million users, includes Razer Synapse (an Internet of Things platform), Razer Chroma RGB (a proprietary RGB lighting technology system supporting thousands of devices and hundreds of games/apps), and Razer Cortex (a game optimizer and launcher).
Razer also offers payment services for gamers, youth, millennials and Gen Z. Razer Gold is one of the world’s largest game payment services, and Razer Fintech provides fintech services in emerging markets.
Founded in 2005, Razer is dual headquartered in Irvine (California) and Singapore, with regional headquarters in Hamburg and Shanghai. Razer has 19 offices worldwide and is recognized as the leading brand for gamers in the US, Europe and China.


text:
Citing unnamed sources, 1Up reports that Moira Dang, head of the studio that developed Elite 11, has been fired and going forward all EA Sports game development will be driven by a single core team that will oversee the work of multiple studios.
EA went on to confirm the firings and reorganization with the following statement:
We're making organizational changes to our development team at EA Sports that will be better for the franchises and better for our people. We continue to proactively evolve our team to better position ourselves with improved product quality and growth in revenue for our shareholders, to share technology and lower our development costs, and to pioneer new innovation in digital experiences for our consumers. As part of this transition, we have eliminated the site-based GM roles at EAC and Tiburon.1Up further reports that each EA Sports franchise will now have its own GM, rather than each studio, and those GMs will serve as the "captain of each ship." Those GMs will report to EA Sports VP Andrew Wilson and Wilson will report to the division's President Peter Moore.
Sharkey says: One analyst recently went on the record and said that if EA released NBA Elite 11, it would have tarnished the publisher's reputation for years. Yowza. The game, which featured a new analog-stick based control scheme, evidently stunk, costing EA millions. And now heads have rolled.


text:
New Delhi: Indian equity markets have underperformed other global markets over the last three months. While US stock indices are down between 5-17% from their life highs, the Nifty is still 27% below its life-time high of 12,430.50. Samir Arora of Helios Capital says the underperformance of Indian markets is going to stay as "we are unable to clear beneficiaries of this problem (COVID crisis) in India like that we can see Amazon benefitting in the US."
"India does not seem to have a clear beneficiary, " Arora said speaking to ET Now.
Worth mentioning here is that Amazon recorded sales of over $75 billion in January-March quarter of the current year, up from $60 billion in the year-ago period. As people prefer to stay inside their house in order to keep themselves unaffected from the COVID virus, companies like Amazon, Netflix, Google and gaming companies are benefitting in the US. But there are no such clear beneficiaries in India except Bharti Airtel and Reliance Industries to some extend, said Arora.
He said in India we are just looking for companies which are less affected or not badly affected by the virus. So there is huge uncertainty in the markets due to which there is not buying in the markets.
Also, he said that companies in India are not likely to get the kind of stimulus support that companies in the US are getting from the government. "US market gets govt support in bad times quite openly," he said.
Talking about sectors Arora said, he has reduced positions in NBFCs, smaller private banks in the last 1-2 months. However, he believes that quality private sector banks will still outperform and one simply needs to remain patient and wait. He further said not to buy consumer stocks at current valuations as they have already rallied 20% in a falling market and the demand is not going to be as robust as we expect.
"There definitely is pent up demand for goods, products and services which will last for a few weeks post lockdown. But it is imperative to note that the demand cannot be seen as a sign of recovery," he said.
Watch the full interview here.


text:
Multidisciplinary crew constructing cars, for the primary time, constructed an electric powered variant -RFR23, specs of a good way to be disclosed at release on Monday.
IIT Madras’s multidisciplinary group constructing race motors to compete in worldwide student-led Formula’ championships has, for the first time, constructed an electric powered variant – RFR23 – with a view to be unveiled on Monday.
IIT-M has been gambling host to the Raftar Formula Racing group, a student network drawing auto-fanatics from forty five disciplinary streams on the Chennai-primarily based total institute.Raftar launches one racing automobile every year for participation in theFormula Student championships, a Formula-fashion racing contest conducted throughout key tracks withinside the globe.
IIT-M’s electric powered automobile could be amongst over 30 contributors with their own electric powered vehicles on the Formula Bharat 2023 racing occasion inCoimbatore in January subsequent year.Raftar’s racing crew leader Karthik Karumanchi, a final-year mechanical engineering undergraduate pupil at the institute,said: “This is our 10th race automobile and primary electric powered variant, designed from scratch and constructed over the past years. We’re very excited about it.”
Karumanchi stated the crew might make disclosures approximately the vehicle’s specifications and overall performance parameters on the release onMonday.Previously, the Raftar crew’s vehicle became the best Indian entrant to theFormula Student occasion in Germany in 2018, in line with Raftaar’s Website.
The Raftar crew is a part of IIT-M’s Centre for Innovation effort, student-led concept launchpad on the institute.Recently, IIT Madras stated it had crossed Rs 1,000 crore in funding and sales for the primary time withinside the monetary 12 months 2022, with Rs 313 crore streaming in from subsidised studies offers from industrial establishments.


text:
Devesh Panchwagh, Delta-risk.net, March 24, 2017
There’s no doubt that bank data breaches cost businesses money, but there are costs associated with breaches that add up beyond a round dollar figure. Most studies that calculate the costs from breaches focus on short-term quantifiable costs such as discovering and mitigating the breach and recovering assets. But the long-term, indirect breach costs — costs such as hits to the stock price, brand reputation, and reduced customer loyalty — can be harder to quantify.
Joanna Belbey, Forbes.com, March 30, 2017
At a recent financial services event, leading cyber security experts explored how employees using social media can enable a cyber-attack at your firm. Greg Ruppert, Senior Vice President, Chief, Financial Crimes Investigations Group, Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. moderated a panel of Malcolm Palmore, Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Patrick A. Westerhaus, Director, Cyber Crime Intelligent Unit of Enterprise Information Security, Wells Fargo & Company and Dan Nadir, VP of Product Management, Proofpoint to discuss the risks of social media and how fight back. (Contributor’s note: Dan Nadir is my colleague at Proofpoint.)
Dan Butcher, efinancialcareers.com, March 14, 2017
Banks are desperate to hire cyber security professionals and a shortage of talent means they’re looking outside of the financial services industry. Goldman Sachs turned to the White House for its new cyber security lead, while Morgan Stanley hired a counter-terrorism expert and BNP Paribas recruited from consulting.
Brian Krebs, Krebsonsecurity.com, March 16, 2017
For the second time in the past nine months, Google has inadvertently but nonetheless correctly helped to identify the source of a large credit card breach — by assigning a “This site may be hacked” warning beneath the search results for the Web site of a victimized merchant.
Mathew J. Schwartz, Bankinfosecurity.com, March 6, 2017
Indeed, the Crypt0L0cker ransomware – originally tied to the Gameover Zeus gang – has returned, researchers warn, and in some cases is digitally signed to make it appear legitimate. And various attack campaigns continue to spread other types of crypto-locking ransomware, for example fling Cerber and Sage Locker via emails sent from short-lived domain names.
Elena Prokopets, Tech.co, March 1, 2017
If there ever was a tech revolution that is impacting every corner of the world, it is fintech. Traditional financial institutions are being forced to re-think their products and services. Previously unbanked individuals are now getting banked through mobile providers. Personal finance management is largely shifting online – you can get insured, invest in stocks or pay your bills through an app.
Kieren McCarthy, Theregister.co.uk, February 22, 2017
The Dutch banking industry is doing a terrible job of online security, according to the company that runs the country’s .nl internet domains. In a new report published Tuesday, the internet registry SIDN was surprised to find that just six per cent of banks using .nl internet addresses have the security protocol DNSSEC in place to protect their digital assets and their customers.
David Bisson, Grahamcluley.com, February 24, 2017
A new Android banking trojan poses as a legitimate weather forecast app in an effort to steal users’ banking credentials.
Brian Krebs, Krebsonsecurity.com, February 26, 2017
This blog has featured several stories about “overlay” card and PIN skimmers made to be placed atop Ingenico-brand card readers at store self-checkout lanes. I’m revisiting the topic again because a security technician at a U.S.-based retailer recently shared a few photos of several of these devices pulled from compromised card terminals, and the images and his story offer a fair bit more detail than in previous articles.
Algirde Pipikaite, Thehill.com, March 29, 2017
U.S. financial service companies are among the favorite targets of hackers and cyber thieves. An effective attack may result in millions of dollars in gains. One successfully-executed cyberattack might bring wealth that lasts a lifetime.
Justin Samanski-Langille, Business.financialpost.com, March 8, 2017
Last week, New York State’s new cyber security requirements for financial institutions came into full effect, including mandatory minimum standards for protecting customer data for firms that fall under the state financial watchdog’s purview. But it isn’t just Wall Street giants who are being affected.


text:
NEW DELHI: Samsung is all set to expand its smartphone lineup in India. The company is expected to launch the new Galaxy A-series and Galaxy M-series of smartphones in the country. Recently, Samsung Galaxy M33 5G, Galaxy A33 5G and Galaxy A53 5G were spotted on the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) website. This means that the company might soon launch the three smartphones in India. Samsung has not yet revealed any official details about the launch of the three smartphones.
As per the BIS listing, Samsung Galaxy M33 5G comes with model number SM-M336BU/DS, while Samsung Galaxy A33 5G and Galaxy A53 5G are listed as SM-A336E/DS and SM-A536E/DS, respectively.
Samsung Galaxy A53 5G expected specifications As per online leaks and rumours, Samsung Galaxy A53 5G is said to feature an AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate. The smartphone is expected to sport a quad-rear camera setup with 64MP main sensor. Samsung Galaxy A53 is said to be backed by a 5000mAh battery.
Samsung Galaxy M53 5G expected specifications On the other hand, Samsung Galaxy M53 5G is said to be powered by an octa-core Exynos 1200 chipset. The smartphone is expected to pack 6GB of RAM and is said to house a 6000mAh battery.
Samsung Galaxy A33 5G expected specifications Lastly, the Galaxy A33 5G is tipped to come with a 6.4-inch full HD+ Super AMOLED display with punch-hole. The smartphone is expected to come with a quad-rear camera setup with 48MP main sensor.


text:
(Pocket-lint) - Google is allegedly developing an HDMI dongle for televisions that displays mirrored content from a mobile device or computer, according to a new report.
Droid-Life on Friday called the device a Chromekey and said it basically allows users to cast the Chrome browser on a larger screen, stream videos and access apps from smaller screens like phones, tablets and computers. It will possibly also mirror content from YouTube, Google Play and Netflix and bring up websites like Hulu, ABC and Google Maps.
The larger screen will need an HDMI port for the Chromekey. Then, once connected, the Chromekey will use a USB cable for power, sync to a local Wi-Fi network and auto-update to new software. As for specs, Chromekey will sport a single core processor, 2GB of storage, 512MB of RAM, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, VP8 for Chrome mirroring, CEC compatibility, 1080p video resolution and a USB adapter.
Google's Chrome browser will purportedly receive an update soon that allows mirroring to other screens - presumably followed by an update to the mobile versions that includes a “CAST” icon. The icon will light up and let users know when they've connected to a larger screen. In addition, future apps could have built-in “CAST” support for mirroring with just the press of a button.
Chromekey will cost $35 (£23) on Google Play, Best Buy and Amazon. Google might provide free shipping for those who pre-order the device, though. Citing unnamed sources, Droid-Life originally thought Chromekey would launch at Google I/O in May, but now says it could release in the “coming months".


text:
Loot box legislation is coming, America. Well, maybe. Senator Josh Hawley has said he'll be introducing it soon, and given everything we've seen in recent years, I'm convinced the industry has sealed its own fate on the issue. Regardless of whether loot box laws come to pass, attitudes across the industry are differing and even diverging.
This week we heard from a developer who used to have loot boxes in his game calling for trade groups to intervene, one trade group welcoming government scrutiny of loot box practices, and (sadly) the ESA continuing to jam its fingers in its ears and yell hoping people stop talking about it before it runs out of breath. Kind of a shame the largest and most influential of those parties is the one determined to not do anything.
QUOTE | "Right now we don't have any one group taking an unbiased view on loot crates or other game mechanics that should be meant for adult players." - Dauntless developer Jesse Houston doesn't trust developers and publishers to police themselves on loot boxes, and wants industry trade groups like the ESA and PEGI to take a more active role.
QUOTE | "Speaking on behalf of the industry, we welcome this initiative." - Per Strömbäck, spokesperson of Swedish game industry trade group Dataspelsbranschen, applauds the government's recent move to review consumer protection measures around loot boxes.
QUOTE | "We always look for opportunities and have taken the opportunities to share with Senator Hawley and others about the great work we already provide. And as they learn more, they see our industry understands its responsibility to consumers and takes it seriously." - The ESA's new CEO and president Stanley Pierre-Louis suggests the industry doesn't need to change a thing about how it handles loot boxes because critics are simply ignorant about how game companies are already on top of all this.
QUOTE | "That classification does not imply that gaming disorder exists." - Pierre-Louis in that same interview, offering a novel take on the World Health Organization adding gaming disorders to its International Compendium of Diseases database.
QUOTE | "There have been diversity and inclusion initiatives in tech and gaming for decades, and those initiatives generally focus on hiring and recruitment. Those programs are absolutely successful and they have metrics to show that, yes, if you show up in the place where people are and come to them on their terms, you can successfully recruit them into the industry. But what we've found is that they don't stay." - Microsoft Gaming for Everyone senior community program manager Benjamin Williams notes that getting marginalized people into the industry doesn't help much if the industry pushes them right back out.
QUOTE | "Ultimately, given the complexities of ongoing litigation, we will not change our employee agreements while in active litigation. We know not everyone agrees with this decision, but we also know everyone does want Riot to continue to improve." - Riot Games says that despite an employee walkout, it will still enforce mandatory arbitration agreements signed by employees who are now suing it for discrimination.
QUOTE | "Hate speech, threats, and bigotry have no place in the LCS. We have directed Echo Fox to take appropriate corrective action within 60 days." - Riot Games' League of Legends Championship Series commissioner Chris Greely explains what the company won't stand for in directing a pro team to disassociate itself from a racist shareholder or presumably risk being kicked out of the league.
QUOTE | "I believe that our joint development of future cloud solutions will contribute greatly to the advancement of interactive content. Additionally, I hope that in the areas of semiconductors and AI, leveraging each company's cutting-edge technology in a mutually complementary way will lead to the creation of new value for society." - Sony CEO Kenichiro Yoshida discusses the company's new partnership with Microsoft on AI and cloud tech.
QUOTE | "Since there seems to be confusion -- No Re-Logic title will ever be an Epic Store exclusive. There is no amount of money we could be offered to sell our souls." - Re-Logic vice president Whitney Spinks talks about the idea of withholding a Steam release of a game for a few months.
QUOTE | "I think having no competitor isn't healthy at all. When we had competitors in the wrestling space, we were determined not to lose and that was a great motivator for creating something great." Yuke's senior VP Hiromi Furuta explains why the WWE 2K developer is establishing a new team within the studio to create a new wrestling franchise.
QUOTE | "I think that came from investors, or some companies, thinking about this business as though it's a SaaS [Software-as-a-Service] business, with an inextricably upward sloping curve in terms of results. And of course we're an entertainment business, which means that results will be driven by the quality of our release schedule." - Take-Two chairman and CEO Strauss Zelnick offers an explanation as to why stocks in a number of video game publishers fell off significantly earlier this year.


text:
According to a new report from 9to5Mac, the fabled iPad mini won't be the only tablet talk at Apple's press event next week, with sources now claiming that the company's 9.7-inch model will also undergo a refresh. The site claims that the full-sized iPad will not receive a comprehensive redesign, but instead will undergo a number of minor upgrades, which are expected to include integration of Apple's Lightning connector. The new and improved iPad will not, however, expand upon the current storage capacity or pricing structure of the current model. The refresh would come within a year of the latest iPad's introduction, which may become a sore spot for early adopters. However, as it demonstrated earlier this year with its quiet revisions to the iPad 2, Apple is unafraid to make less substantive tweaks to its existing products.
Apple's event is scheduled for Tuesday, October 23rd, at 10:00AM PST, and we'll be there live blogging. Tune in to find out if a refreshed iPad will be joining the iPad mini and a 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display as part of Apple's rumored agenda.


text:
Gov. Gary Johnson (New Mexico, 1995-2005) is not only the highest-ranking Presidential candidate to ever come out in favor of the legalization of marijuana, he’s also CEO of a new company called Cannabis Sativa Inc. The ex-governor has a refreshing conversation with Higher Ground host Michael Stusser about the benefits of gangja, his bold predictions for the future, and a new way to get….Hi!
About the AuthorMichael is a journalist and filmmaker. His award-winning documentary, Sleeping with Siri is playing film festivals across the country. Stusser runs TechTimeout campaigns in high schools across the country, asking teenagers to give up their digital devices (for a little while) in order to find balance, and perhaps even make eye-contact with their parents.
You Might also like
By Michael A. Stusser — 4 years ago
The issue of stoned driving is a real one, and thank goodness a few serious journalists have taken it upon themselves to investigate the subject. (In this case, our own local newsteam at KIRO 7). We stole their footage, and added our own take on the subject. Could you pass the Stoned Driving Test?
The full Stoned Driving Test video is here: http://www.kirotv.com/videos/news/stoned-drivers-hit-test-course/vqPqJ/?__federated=1
By Gonzo Man — 4 years ago
This cup of joe promises to give you a different sort of morning jolt.
A company in Washington state will introduce marijuana coffee this summer.
Mirth founder Adam Stites said he has been developing the marijuana coffee concept for about a year, working at first on recipes in his kitchen.
The product for sale will give the drinker “more of a head high, more energizing,” Stites said.
Mirth also will sell sparkling sodas that contain THC, with flavors such as lemon ginger and pomegranate. The drinks will cost about $9-$11, Stites said.
Washington residents will have to wait to buy the drinks until the first marijuana retail stores open, as soon as early July. Only Washington and Colorado have legalized recreational marijuana.
Under Washington’s marijuana edibles rules, a product cannot contain more than 100 mg of THC, and a single serving cannot contain more than 10 mg.
Stites said he decided to “err on the side of being conservative” with the THC dosage.
“We recommend people drink half the bottle, wait an hour to see how they feel, and then continue drinking the rest,” he said.


text:
China's Ministry of Commerce joins the EU in conditionally approving a JV involving Arm Holdings...
Friday, December 7, 2012, 6:23 AM ETChina's Ministry of Commerce joins the EU in conditionally approving a JV involving Arm Holdings (ARMH) that seeks to develop increased security for mobile devices. The other companies in the JV are Holland's Gemalto and Germany's Giesecke & Devrient. To allay antitrust concerns, China ordered ARM to provide competitors with information about its TrustZone security technology.
TECH ETFs IN FOCUS
Latest Tech Articles


text:
Navistar International Corp (NAV) is a leading manufacturer of commercial trucks, buses, defense vehicles and engines, formerly known as International Harvester Company this holding company owns the manufacturer of International brand commercial trucks, IC Bus school and commercial buses, Workhorse brand chassis for motor homes and step vans, and is a private label designer and manufacturer of diesel engines for the pickup truck, van, hoes and SUV markets. The company is also a provider of truck and diesel engine parts and service.
Headquartered in Lisle, Illinois, Navistar International has 16,500 employees and annual revenue of $10.775 billion in 2013. The company’s products, parts, and services are sold through a network of nearly 1,000 dealer outlets in the United States, Canada, Brazil, and Mexico and more than 60 dealers in 90 countries throughout the world. The company also provides financing for its customers and distributors principally through its wholly owned subsidiary, Navistar Financial Corporation.
Shares of Navistar International increased by 30% over this week till Wednesday after the company posted a surprise profit for the 2016 second quarter. They however have dipped by 7% by the noon of Thursday after that enormous spike.
Before today’s opening bell, the maker of trucks and engines reported earnings of 5 cents per diluted share, while analysts were expecting a loss of 16 cents per share.
Revenue fell by 18% to $2.2 billion from last year, but was above analysts’ expectations of $2.18 billion.
The drop in revenue reflects lower volumes in the company’s core U.S. and Canadian markets, softer industry conditions, reduced engine volumes in Brazil and the discontinuation of its Blue Diamond Truck joint venture in mid-2015.
But, CEO Troy A. Clarke said it was the first time the company posted a profit since it launched its turnaround plan more than three years ago.
“The fact that we earned a profit despite lower Class 8 truck volumes that impacted the entire industry, underscores the tremendous progress we continue to make in managing our costs effectively and improving our operations,” Clarke said in a statement.
For 2016, the company now sees revenue between $8.2 billion and $8.6 billion, lower than its previous outlook of $9 billion to $9.25 billion.
Analysts are looking for revenue of $8.79 billion for the full year.
Navistar International now forecasts retail deliveries of Class 6-8 trucks and buses in the U.S. and Canada to be in the range of 330,000 and 360,000 units, compared with a prior view of 350,000 units to 380,000 units, the Wall Street Journal noted.
The company achieved $56 million in structural cost reductions during the second quarter. Year to date, structural cost reductions are at $113 million. When combined with material spends reductions and manufacturing savings, the company is on track to well exceed its total cost reduction goal of $200 million for 2016.
Navistar International ended second quarter 2016 with $817 million in consolidated cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities. Manufacturing cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities were $732 million at the end of the quarter.
The company kicked off the second quarter with the launch of its new HX Series of premium vocational trucks. Orders for the HX Series, which is now in production, are already more than 70 percent of what the company expected for the fiscal year.


text:
STORM LAKE, Iowa (KCAU) – 2020 brought tourism destinations to a halt and it was felt at King’s Pointe Resort.
King’s Pointe Resort in Storm Lake said it lost a million dollars last year due to the pandemic.
Storm Lake’s mayor said as a tourist town, the community is working together to recover.
“We contracted with a marketing firm here in town to do digital Facebook marketing. We’ve never done that before this is the first time we’ve put money into this. But, we thought it was a super time to do it. To get started early,” Mayor Mike Porsch said.
Porsch said the city has teamed up with the chamber of commerce and others to find creative ways to attract people. He said numbers are already looking bright this summer.
“We’ve had several weekends where we’ve been completely full and we have an indoor water park there and it’s had anywhere from 700-900 folks in there over weekends. So we’ve already seen an uptick this spring,” Porsch added.
King’s Pointe General Manager Michael Chowdhury said the industry is always changing but for now, COVID protocols remain.
“We do still practice the pandemic rules. We do have mask mandates in our resorts and also the social distancing. This is mainly for our guests as well as our employee safety,” Michael Chowdhury said.
Michael Chowdhury said they’re working on promotions to entice guests.
Porsch said he’s hoping for an economic rebound.
“Whenever you have people in your community for tourism whether or not they stay at King’s Pointe or any of the hotels that we have in town, you help your businesses out. You help your restaurants out as far as most people need places to go to eat. To get fuel to do shopping,” Porsch said.
Porsch adds the resort had a net loss of $49,000, which he said considering a million dollar drop in revenue, could have been much worse.


text:
OnePlus 7T Pro is launching in India on October 10. Now ahead of the launch, the company has started teasing the launch of new McLaren edition phone, which is likely to be called the OnePlus 7T Pro McLaren Edition.
Pete Lau, the OnePlus CEO, has shared an image of a box of the purported OnePlus 7T Pro McLaren Edition. The box has a carbon fibre pattern and orange accents. You will see a Papaya Orange colour around the bottom edge of the device. The 7T Pro McLaren Edition is said to pack 12GB RAM. The company last year also launchedOnePlus 6T McLaren Edition in collaboration with McLaren.
— Pete Lau (@PeteLau) October 7, 2019
The launch event of OnePlus 7T Pro will be held at the Magazine London Theater in London on October 10 at 16:00 BST. There will be a launch event in India simultaneously at 8:30 PM IST on the same day.
Recently, HDFC Bank’s SmartBuy offer page has revealed the availability of OnePlus 7T Pro on both online and offline channels as per which the phone will go on sale on Amazon starting from October 15. Furthermore, the smartphone will be available for purchase from OnePlus official online store along with OnePlus exclusive stores starting from October 10, 2019. Additionally, the smartphone will be available on major retail stores including Croma, RelianceDigital, Vijay Sales, Bajaj Electronics, Poojara Telecom, and Top 10 Mobiles.
As per previous rumors,OnePlus 7T Pro features a 6.65-inch Fluid AMOLED QuadHD+ display with a resolution of 3100×1440 pixels, 90Hz refresh rate, 516 ppi pixel density, and HDR10+ support. It will be backed by a 4,085mAh battery with WARP Charge 30T Fast Charging support and will run on OxygenOS based on Android 10. There will be an optical in-display fingerprint sensor on the front. The phone will be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Plus SoC paired with 8GB RAM with 256GB.


text:
1235 South 300 West | Salt Lake City, UT 84101
Complete Auto Body Repair
Auto Body Repair Salt Lake City
Collision Repair Salt Lake City
Body Shop Salt Lake City
Join Our Team
Repairer Drive News
SCRS members can post auto body jobs online for free in Oct., Nov.
Have an opening at your body shop? Let the collision repair community know with a free post on the Society of Collision Repair Specialists’ online...
IHS Markit predicts ‘major changes’ to rear-view, side-view mirrors
Research firm IHS Markit predicts side-view and rear-view mirror systems will go increasingly high-tech over the next decade — a trend that could add new...
Shops can now attach photos to online CAPA parts complaints
Get a dud CAPA-certified aftermarket part? You can now submit a photo of the offender through a revised online complaint form, the Certified Automotive Parts...
OEM estimates of training needed for brand suggests ‘our industry has a training issue’
Even the country’s elite collision repairers might have a huge deficit between how much their staff trains and how much OEMs think they should be...
Auto body techs, painters, estimators, detailers: Tell CIC what kind of training you want
The Collision Industry Conference wants to hear how the thousands of you in the trenches fixing, painting, detailing and estimating cars and dealing with customers...


text:
- The New Paper / Kua Chee Siong
You would think the people who braved the weather and queued overnight were hardcore Apple fans who just want to own the latest iPhones, but that might not be the case.
Here, we reveal the reasons why some people join the insanely long queues a day before the launch.
Singapore is the first country in the region to release the new iPhones
This is why tourists from Indonesia, Vietnam, India and many other countries flock to Singapore. It is so that they can be the first ones to get their hands on the new iPhone XS and XS Max.
Instead of keeping the phones for themselves, many of them then return to their hometowns and resell the new iPhones at much higher costs than retail price.
The first person in the queue at the Apple store was Vietnamese national Le Thang, who arrived in Singapore on Wednesday.
The 20-year-old started queuing at 7am on Thursday with his sister and is planning to buy the iPhone XS Max for himself and his friend.
Just a few hours after the release of these new iPhones at the Apple store along Orchard Road on Friday (21 Sept) at 9am, people have already started re-selling them on online marketplaces such as Carousell.
The iPhone XS is priced at up to S$2,000 (US$1,467) for the 64GB version. This reaps resellers around S$400 in profit.
Similarly, the iPhone XS Max is priced at at least S$2,100 for the 64GB version, reaping resellers up to around S$300 in profit.
According to The Straits Times, a 44-member Vietnamese group called Dat Cay Da was also in the queue outside the Apple store at Orchard Road.
Some of them want to resell the phones back home as there are no Apple stores in Vietnam, according to The New Paper.
The operation executive said: “I’m keeping one phone for myself and selling the other three phones away to make a profit.”
Each person can only buy two iPhones.
Last year, in Hong Kong, right after the iPhone X got released at the official Apple stores, touts lined the city’s busiest shopping areas to re-sell their newly-purchased iPhone Xs from makeshift stands.


text:
There's Huge Beer Shortages At The World Cup After Thirsty Fans Drank it All
In an effort to quench their insatiable thirst for cheap lager and sports, World Cup fans have drained Moscow of its beer. The city is currently swelling with an international procession of soccer fans, all of whom consider getting rowdy part of the World Cup experience. Because beer and soccer are an ideal pairing, rabid fans have ordered so much of the golden elixir that restaurants and bars can't keep up with the demand.
As reported by Reuters, the beer shortage has left waiters a bit flummoxed. "We just didn't think they would only want beer," a waiter told the publication. "There are really a lot of people in Moscow... and they are all drinking. It's hot and it's football." The server also said beer suppliers were taking about 24 hours longer than usual due to the excess demand.
Hot weather and the world's preeminent sporting event has indeed caused demand for Carlsberg and Budweiser to spike to the heavens. A bartender named Dmitry who spoke to reporters said fans gulped their way through 800 liters in three days, opting for cheap fare over fancier stuff. "The sun makes them thirsty," he told Reuters. "In Russian we say 'to the bottom!' I like that these guys are embracing our culture."
The assault on beer supplies hasn't just affected Moscow. After Sweden beat South Korea in its opening match last week in the host city of Nizhny Novgorod, rampaging Swedes drank so much beer that the city center ran completely dry. The western city's beer stock was already a bit threadbare, according to Sweden's The Local, so it's possible the drought would have occurred even if Swedish fans hadn't channelled their pillaging viking roots after the country's first World Cup victory in 12 years.
The beer situation in Russia, while largely spurred by thirsty-as-hell fans, is also the product of the government's steep duties and bans on alcohol advertisements. While beer consumption has risen dramatically with the influx of foreign fans for the World Cup, beer sales have fallen by about 33% over the last decade in Russia, per the report.
Still, it's sort of become a point of national pride for fans to drink their faces off during the tournament: Australians, for example, hoovered up all the beer from several bars in the city of Kazan on Monday, rendering it a beer-less wasteland.


text:
Advocate marketing company Influitive has launched a new platform to help business to business (B2B) marketers create customer communities and boost member engagement.
Influitive Communities is an extension of the company’s AdvocateHub platform, and helps B2B marketers create communities can give potential customers social validation from their peers that can help drive the buying decision.
B2B buyers say they want to engage in authentic conversations with their peers to help them make better business decisions, and businesses want to facilitate these conversations, but research from Demand Metric shows that while 2/3s of organizations have branded communities, just six per cent of B2B marketers say their communities are meeting all their expectations.
“Despite significant investment and effort, most B2B communities created on traditional platforms fail because they lack a scalable, sustainable way to encourage member interaction and content creation, and keep members coming back for more,” said Mark Robins, vice-president of product for Influitive, in a statement. “Influitive is the only B2B platform that marries advocacy and community to ignite engagement through recognition, rewards and social capital.”
With Influitive Communities, the company hopes to make it easier for marketers to run a successful community that drives the engagement and return on investment they’re looking for. One element of the platform is the use of recognition, rewards, social capital and competition to spur conversation and participation. It provides a forum for content creation and peer-to-peer interaction, allows members to demonstrate their expertise, and gives marketers an opportunity to identify and nurture advocates in the community and steer them toward higher-value activities such as referrals and references.
“We have heard from community managers and advocates alike that they want a more holistic, valuable experience connecting the branded communities and external websites they participate in, such as LinkedIn, Quora and Stack Overflow,” said Mark Organ, CEO of Influitive, in a statement. “We are excited to deliver this experience with Influitive Communities.”


text:
All the up-to-the-minute news about all the up-to-the-minute smartphones and industry developments.
New move comes as social network defends plans to bring ads to chat service.
Move comes despite company having to discontinue Galaxy Note 7 last year.
Phone set to launch in late March, according to inside sources.
Mobile division boss confirms widely expected news.
Image and details of Korean company’s new flagship device emerge.
Ultra sensitive screen could improve pressure-sensitive tech.
Thousands of devices tested, as mobile maker promises problems won’t arise again.
Online shopping giants give a big thanks to loyal customers.
Update available now for Samsung’s flagship smartphones.
Gold model does not have home button and looks narrower than existing Galaxy devices.


text:
Rae Morris, four-time Australian makeup artist of the year, and Sarah Laidlaw, four-time Australian Session Stylist of the Year, set to share their secrets of success.
Redefining Beauty will launch Australia’s first digital vending machine dispensing beauty products next month.
Sixty years after its launch, Covergirl is redefining the brand and what it means to be beautiful.
IT Cosmetics co-founder and CEO Jamie Kern Lima has called on beauty industry leaders to rethink the images of beauty they use to sell their products.
Lipstick sales are the driving force behind the growth in China’s coloured cosmetics sales, according to the latest research by Mintel.
Thirty years after beginning her career as one of the world’s most famous models, Claudia Schiffer has launched her first makeup range.
Ten years after opening its first hair and beauty trade superstore in Queensland, glamaCo has opened its sixth store – and is also increasing its beauty product range.
Napoleon Perdis has celebrated the 25th birthday of his eponymously-named brand with a cake in the shape of his iconic Primer at the opening of his latest store.
Five of Australia’s best makeup artists were rewarded for their outstanding talent at this year’s Face2Face Makeup Awards.
Total Beauty Network, the owners of Inika Organic and Designer Brands Cosmetics, has launched the ‘world’s first Australian-made superfood cosmetics and skincare range’.
The clothes weren’t the only viewing pleasure for fashionistas at the David Jones Spring Summer show last week – MAC’s latest makeup looks were also a big hit.
New research shows that the majority of women don’t really care if their foundation is ‘natural’ or organic.
Amazon’s beauty sales in the US, its biggest market, reached US$340 million in the second quarter of this year – 40 percent more than in the second quarter last year.
Consumer desire for more simplified makeup routines has resulted in stalled growth in the US colour cosmetics market, according to Mintel.
More than 300 beauty professionals showed off their skills and talent in the inaugural Sunshine Pro Series Competition in Brisbane last week.
Kylie Eustace, the founder of Kylie Professional Mineral Goddess make-up, has once again proven that her range is 100 percent waterproof in a series of spectacular underwater photographs.
In celebration of International Lipstick Day, Perfect Corp, the creators of the YouCam Makeup app, have revealed the world’s most popular lipstick colour.
Time is running out for makeup and nail artists who want to compete in this year’s Nailympia Australia and Face2Face Makeup Awards.


text:
According to a Deloitte survey, 88 percent of mid-market companies (firms with annual revenues of between $100 million and $1 billion) are already using some form of virtual or augmented reality as part of their business.
AR drives engagement
With 37 percent of the world’s population and 60 percent of Americans now active social media users, all those people have access to AR via Facebook, Snapchat, etc.
AUGMENTED REALITY OFFERINGS
"The team at Inception have brilliantly reimagined how children can engage with books in a dynamic new way. We couldn’t be more delighted with the results and we look forward to exploring other opportunities for our brands with Inception."Read more
Head of Licensing & Consumer Products, Penguin Ventures
“We’re really impressed with the success of the Facebook filter that Inception built for us. The filter was shared by millions of people and we got great feedback from our community!”Read more
Condé Nast, Pitchfork
"We're really happy with Inception's work and we're looking forward to continuing to delight our customers together in the future!"
CiscoLive EMEA leader


text:
SEIA Gets Greenlight to Develop 11 New Standards Governing Solar Installation, Training, Recycling, Consumer Protection and Supply Chain Traceability
Today the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) was approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) to develop 11 new solar and energy storage standards.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) has been approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) as an Accredited Standards Development Organization. SEIA can now convene industry stakeholders to develop national standards for materials, products, processes, and services in the U.S. solar and storage industry.
WASHINGTON D.C. — Today the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) is releasing a suite of new and updated resources for consumers to meet the increase in demand for solar power created by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
The Section 25D residential tax credit may be claimed by individuals who purchase a solar energy system or a standalone energy storage system for their home. SEIA put together this summary to help residential customers understand the basics of Section 25D tax credits.
The United States is entering a new era powered by abundant, low-cost clean energy. By 2030, solar energy can meet 30% of U.S. electricity generation while creating $100 billion of annual economic investment and supporting one million family-sustaining jobs. This vision is achievable, but without attention and action, historical injustices in America’s energy sector will continue.
SEIA's Solar Means Business Report tracks solar adoption from America's corporations and businesses. SEIA members at the Watt level and above have access to the full dataset behind this report, containing project level data for more than 48,000 individual commercial solar systems.


text:
Sam, from Gobowen near Oswestry, is a sous chef at the Chester Grosvenor Hotel, where he was presented with his dragon trophy award by the Culinary Association of Wales president Arwyn Watkins.
The surprise visit delighted Sam, who finished third in the final of prestigious competition last year.
“A lot of hard work and organisation went into this competition and it’s amazing to win the national award for the country I love,” said Sam.
“When you get such positive feedback from the judges, it’s such a great feeling. I tried to keep my dishes simple and big on flavour, using the ingredients at their best and not trying to over-complicate things.
“Welsh ingredients are so special that you don’t need to do much to them apart from show them a little love.”
As for the future, Sam is getting married next May and wants to continue his learning journey at the Chester Grosvenor, where he has worked for five years.
“I just want to carry on learning and getting better every day, but I would like to open my own small restaurant sometime in the future,” he added.
His prize for winning was £1,000, an engraved set of cook’s knives made by Friedr Dick and £250 worth of personally selected tableware products from Churchill. He will also represent Wales in the Worldchefs Global Chefs Challenge.
The contest final should have been held in Cardiff but had to be postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the innovative Culinary Association of Wales resurrected the final in a different form.
Instead of bringing all the finalists together at a venue, it was decided to send judges to the establishments where the chefs work to watch them cook their three-course menus.
The chefs had to cook a starter suitable for vegans, a main course using two different cuts of Welsh Beef and a dessert including chocolate as the main ingredient.
Sam’s ‘sunflower’ themed starter comprised caramel artichoke tart, seeds and apple granola followed by a surf and turf main course of poached fillet of Welsh Beef, braised bavette, black garlic and Menai oysters. Dessert, themed Nom Nom red wine, inlcuded dehydrated chocolate and jammy figs.
Lead judge Nick Davies, Senior Culinary Team Wales manager and chef trainer in hospitality, food and drink at Cambrian Training, said: “Sam is going to be a star of the future and is a worthy winner.
“He demonstrated cutting edge skills and all his dishes had a theme and sensational flavours. He is at the right age, has learnt his trade in a great place and is definitely on the way up.”
Mr Watkins said: “This new format has been a very positive experience, as it allows more chefs to be exposed to the competitions and gives host businesses the opportunity to showcase their talented chefs,” he added.
“We had a really warm welcome from the businesses
“The competitions can add real value to hospitality businesses, the supply chain and skills. They have brought a bright ray of light to the resilient hospitality industry at the end of its worst ever year.”
Organised by the CAW, the competition has Food and Drink Wales, the Welsh Assembly Government’s department representing the food and drink industry, as their main sponsor. Other sponsors include Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales, Churchill and Friedr Dick Knives.


text:
A.P. Moller – Maersk and Traxens have announced that Maersk will be joining CMA CGM and MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company as a key shareholder and customer of Traxens.
Traxens, which was founded in 2012, develops solutions for the cargo logistics arena and has created an innovative container monitoring and coordination solution. CMA CGM first invested in the startup in 2012 and was later joined in 2016 by MSC.
The agreement will see Maersk invest capital in Traxens, in which it will have similar shareholder rights as CMA CGM and MSC. Maersk also commits to order up to 50,000 Traxens devices, a similar order to those placed earlier by CMA CGM and MSC.
Traxens will now further focus on strengthening its solution and drive interoperability based on non-proprietary technologies and open standards. The development of Traxens as an open industry solution is expected to benefit the strategic ambition of digitising the container shipping industry.
“Creating visibility into the condition and location of containerised cargo is bringing Maersk’s strategy to offer digital end-to-end solutions to life. Having pioneered IoT-technology in our reefer fleet, we are excited to join Traxens and collaborate on the huge potential within connected containers. With this investment we look forward to working with key industry players to advance a leading solution within connected products and technologies for high value cargo, while ensuring customer choice through interoperability and open standards,” said Ingrid Uppelschoten Snelderwaard, vice president, head of equipment, A.P. Moller – Maersk.
Jacques Delort, general manager of Traxens, added: “We are delighted to welcome Maersk among our backers alongside CMA CGM and MSC. Having three of the world’s largest shipping companies now supporting us, this will help accelerate our international development and contribute to our solution becoming a global market standard for the entire supply chain.”
According to Traxens, its solution addresses key challenges in the shipping industry faced by both vessel owners and cargo owners. Combining telematics and smart data processing, vessel owners can control costs and develop more agile business problem solving, while cargo owners can easily keep track of their containers, bringing improved business processes and decision-making capabilities.