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Top 3 tips for engaging multi-cultural campaigns
Look for more companies to focus on minorities and immigrants in the US ad space, says one expert, who points to the upcoming mid-term US elections to push more talk of minorities and immigrants past politicians and into American board rooms and even marketing departments.
The mid-term elections are coming up this November and one of the key issues on the table will be immigration. The dialogue around that national debate will shape how some brands tailor their multicultural marketing strategy.
Geoscape is a company that offers actionable insights into America's New Mainstream, which is comprised of high growth populations such as Hispanics, African Americans, Asians and millennials. Businesses often lack the technology, data and understanding to successfully communicate with New Mainstream consumers, leading them to instead rely on traditional and misguided approaches. Their CEO offers his top 3 tips to create better, more engaging multi-cultural ad campaigns.
First, engage your C-Suite.
"[Make] sure that [C-level executives] are fully on board with a multicultural strategy. It's important that direction comes from the top, so that messages make their way beyond the marketing department," said Cesar M. Melgoza, CEO and Founder, Geoscape.
Second, align all pieces of business. If in advertisements and marketing collateral, you're claiming to offer an authentic Hispanic experience, you need to deliver through the products that you're stocking, the employees you're staffing, the merchandising you're employing and the signage throughout the store.
Third, go granular.
"By segmenting and tailoring your message you're going to be far more successful in your efforts. The concept of appealing to different multicultural groups is becoming more mainstream, however, marketers need to take it a step further to consider factors, including, acculturation level of their audience, their country of origin, their language preferences and their socio-economic status," said Melgoza.
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50 percent of 16-24-year-olds in the UK are considering giving up meat, according to a new study.
The survey, which was commissioned by UK Asian-inspired food chain itsu, has shown that while half of millennials are interested in ditching meat, only 22 percent of Brits over 55 are considering the dietary change.
The new data comes as itsu added a number of vegan dishes to its menu, in a bid to address the shift toward meat-free diets; itsu’s veggie sales have doubled since 2015, with 20 percent of all sales now coming from meat-free products.
The data also brought to light that more than a third (40 percent) of women have considered giving up meat entirely, compared to only 28 percent of men.
The study also looked into how food affects our dating habits, naming vegans as the 'fussiest lovers'; 70 percent wouldn’t date a meat-eater, but more surprisingly, half (50 percent) wouldn’t even date a fellow vegan.
Moreover, 60 percent of respondents wouldn’t change their diet for a loved one.
Will Da Silva, Senior Food Development Manager at itsu, said: "We were surprised to see how much of an impact dietary requirements have on Britain’s dating game; with so many vegans saying they wouldn’t date a meat-eater, it only reinforces how much food really does mean to the nation.
"At itsu we’ve just added five new vegan options to our Hot Food menu in order to widen our meat-free offering even further."
He added: "itsu is synonymous with sushi but we wanted to remind our customers about how much variety there is in our range.
"We’ve seen a lot of increase in our vegetarian sales, for example, our veggie udon noodle dish is the bestseller in the udon range (over and above meat options), so we wanted to respond directly to our customers and provide them with even more options.
"We’re excited to launch the menu nationwide and hope our customers enjoy our Asian-inspired hot food as much as we did creating it. Keep an eye out for our new additions over the coming months."

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J.C. Penney Denies Credit Problem with CIT
August 2, 2013,
PLANO, Texas-Responding yesterday to various press reports, J.C. Penney said it is "untrue" that CIT Group, which factors some of the department store's vendors, had stopped funding on some future merchandise shipments to the company.
In a statement issued yesterday, J.C. Penney said it was told directly by CIT that the commercial credit provider "continues to factor and support deliveries from J.C. Penney suppliers. In fact, J.C. Penney continues to have the support of all of its key vendors, who have maintained their shipments to the company."
The statement was a response to a story that appeared yesterday in the New York Post--versions of which also appeared on several wire services--which stated that CIT "has abruptly stopped financing deliveries from smaller manufacturers to Penney stores." The press accounts cited the story in noting that, in trading on the New York Stock Exchange yesterday, J.C. Penney shares fell from an opening of $15.51 to a close of $14.58.
Contacted yesterday by HFN, CIT refused to comment on the story.
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We commemorate HFN's 90th anniversary by paying tribute to the iconic retailer and supplier brands--and the people--that have helped the industry flourish, then and now.
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:
- Up & Coming Leaders - The home industry is in capable and visionary hands as this year’s 40 Under 40 list attests. Today’s young leaders span all disciplines and varied levels of operation.
- Omnichannel Retailing - In the Mobile App World, Time is Money


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Traditionally speaking (if you can call it that after only a few years), what makes denim sustainable is the use of 100 percent organic cotton and plant-based indigo dyes. Some brands use recycled denim and Del Forte had a great recycling program where they would take your old jeans and recycle them into new ones.
Another major step on the eco-denim scene has been to ban sandblasting. The sandblasting technique involves the ˜blasting’ of an abrasive material in a granular or powder form, at a very high speed and pressure, on specific areas of the garment surface to give it the desired distressed or used look. You know, the look some of us achieve more naturally from wearing our favorite pair of jeans for years and years.
A number of brands, beginning with Levi and H&M, have now announced plans to globally ban sandblasting. Gucci and Versace have followed suit. Benetton, Bestseller, Burberry, C&A, Carrera Jeans, Charles Vögele, Esprit, Mango, Metro, Pepe Jeans and Replay have also banned the process.
Their surprising decision came about from rising concerns over textile workers developing silicosis, a harsh lung disease caused from the airborne particles produced from sandblasting denim.
Turkey imposed a ban on the practice of sandblasting apparel in 2008, following a study conducted by news channel France24 that uncovered numerous denim workers in Istanbul who contracted this incurable disease.
As a result of the ban, some of the large denim companies in Turkey are now subcontracting to Pakistan, Bangladesh, Syria and Egypt, potentially making it difficult to monitor. However, brands that are engaged with their supply chain, such as H&M and Levi’s, are in a better position to police the restriction closely.
But not everyone is convinced that this is a good idea. Monitoring the ban means that someone would have to visit the factories, to which some argue that a more effective solution is to impose a ban on factories that fail to implement good health and safety practices when sandblasting. And another possible solution could be to provide workers with the appropriate protection, and use dust extraction equipment, making it less of a health risk.
Still, the decision to impose the ban is a step in the right direction, toward more responsible production that cares for its workers and their overall health. And because the ban could pose great operational risks for both companies, their actions should be applauded.
While I sit back and watch this play out, I think I’ll stick to buying vintage denim that already comes with that worn out, distressed look.
Kelly Drennan is a true social entrepreneur, devoted to making change within an industry known for its many negative social and environmental impacts including labour, energy, waste, water, and the use of toxic chemicals.
Kelly has successfully aligned her company Fashion Takes Action with many leading businesses and ENGOs including Fashion Fights Poverty, Social Alterations, Environmental Defence, Earth Day Canada, Change for the Environment, FEM International, Vancouver Fashion Week, Green Enterprise Ontario, Toronto Greenhouse and Fashion Group International.
As a media “go-to” expert on sustainable fashion, Kelly has been featured in top media outlets including the Globe & Mail, Fashion Television, Metro, Breakfast Television, Toronto Star, Virgin Radio, Green Living Magazine, UK Times and Flare Magazine. Kelly also writes the “green” column for Canada’s fashion industry magazine, Trends,and is a contributor to two of the top US blogs in the “green” space, Elephant Journal and Eco Salon.


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Perfumer Miller Harris and M Restaurants have announced a partnership with Odore, a vending and sampling platform, to bring on-demand fine fragrances to customers.
Launched in September 2017, Odore’s platform operates as a vending machine and consumer insights data marketplace.
The platform works by giving consumers complimentary samples of their preferred perfume in return for their accurate and honest feedback. The aim is to satisfy the needs of the consumer and the perfumer by providing high quality of consumer data that can result in increased sales, better product development and reduction in time-to-market.
It is hoped that the partnership will help the perfumer increase sales and gain consumer insight, as well as enticing new consumers to visit M Restaurant to collect their perfume sample.
Odore machines will be placed in M Restaurants hosting Miller Harris’ range of fine fragrance samples and in the future further brands will be welcomed to use the platform in a similar way.
Restaurant director of M Restaurants, Zack Charilaou, said: “We at M Restaurants are delighted to be the first ever venue partner for Odore. Their unique smart machine and technology platform allows our clientele to access some of the newest, most elegant and luxurious fragrances.
“We truly believe that the combination of fine dining, fine wine, fine fragrances and innovation will elevate our clientele’s experience well beyond what any other established restaurant in London can offer. I am personally very excited and looking forward to our clientele embracing their very own Odore experience in our restaurants.”


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End of an era: Google is ditching the DoubleClick name
So long, DoubleClick. Google is doing away with the DoubleClick name, 22 years after launch and 11 years after the tech company acquired the ad tech platform, as part of the company’s rebranding of its advertising suite.
Google executives announced the change on Tuesday during a press event at YouTube’s creator space in New York. While the changes to Google’s ad products are minimal, Google kicked off its an hour-long presentation with one of the big reasons why it was hosting it in the first place rather than just publish a blog post.
“It’s the first time in 18 years that we’ve changed the names of our products under new product lines,” said Google’s comms director Chi Hea Cho.
The tools within DoubleClick aren’t disappearing. Rather, they’re being worked into two out of the three of Google’s new buckets of ad products. It’s simply the name and the brand we’re losing now after more than two decades.
“We’re sunsetting the DoubleClick brand. We believe this will bring together the best tools to help them optimize,” said Dan Taylor, Google’s managing director of platforms. “We’ve seen marketers get the most value of our products when they use ads and analytics solutions together, our best customers are doing that on a regular basis and seeing results, but we can’t take credit for making that easier.”
Jonathan Bellack, director of product management for publisher ad platforms, was at the event and shared he joined Google after its acquisition of DoubleClick, having joined that company in 2004 in product management. As Bellack said, the advertising world is evolving, and now so must Google’s brands.
“We live in a shifting ecosystem. Content consumption is on new surfaces, programmatic across deals and platforms. There are higher standards for transparency, control and ad experiences,” Bellack said.
Now, Google’s ad ecosystem has three buckets: Google Ads, Google Marketing Platform and Google Ad Manager. Here’s what that looks like:
- Formerly called Google AdWords
- Buying ads on Google.com, other Google properties (YouTube and Google Play), partner sites and apps
Google Marketing Platform
- Formerly DoubleClick and Google Analytics 360 Suite
- Helps marketers plan, buy, measure and optimize campaigns on Google
- Introducing Display & Video 360 that consolidates Google’s display advertising products
Google Ad Manager
- Formerly DoubleClick for Publishers and DoubleClick Ad Exchange
- Tool for publishers to monetize content across connected TVs, Accelerated Mobile Pages and apps
The update is a “set of solutions for agencies, advertisers, publishers that offer transparency, that offer real value and that offer choice. The first principle we always believe in is relevant advertising that works with our users,” said Sridhar Ramaswamy, senior vp of ads at Google.
Ramaswamy said the move was not about favoring direct relationships with advertisers over working with agencies. The change also has little effect on the user experience.
The only update to ad formats was designated for small-business owners. Google is launching “Smart Campaigns,” a new term for the default experience when new advertisers sign up for Google ads, said Kim Spalding, Google’s gm and product lead for small-business ads. These Smart Campaigns will include auto-optimized landing pages, where the landing page to a website matches the ad that led a user there. Later this year, Google will launch Image Picker, a product that makes it easier for advertisers to select images for ads.
“We’re doubling down on small businesses because when small businesses grow, so does our community,” Spalding said.
Indeed, Facebook and Snap have focused on growing its small-business customers over the last few years. Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook’s chief operating officer, touts the success of small-business advertisers during her company’s quarterly earnings calls. When it comes to the products, both Facebook and Snap have worked to make it easier to create and to buy ads in minutes. Of course, for Facebook, some of that ease has been restricted in light of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election via its platform.
During the event, Google executives also emphasized the company’s focus on privacy. A slide from the presentation simply read, “Privacy first platform.”
“At Google, we take [privacy] very seriously across all of our products, and Google Marketing Platform is no different,” Google’s Taylor said.
Yet Google didn’t reveal any updates to privacy settings for users or for advertisers. Google did share that it was one of the early adopters of the Interactive Advertising Bureau Tech Lab’s ads.txt initiative that helps ensure transparency and prevent spam.
Advertisers will start to see the new brands and the sunsetting of DoubleClick over the coming days and weeks. Google said it will announce new campaign types at its Google Marketing Live event on July 10.
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Co-production is a key aspect of Blast’s esports strategy because it means both partners are invested in keeping “Rainbow Six” esports healthy in the long run, even if their key performance indicators for the collaboration might be different.
To accommodate the global needs of the campaign, Quaker created numerous iterations for Canada and Latin America to reflect the way that consumers in those various local markets use the product.


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As the outbreak initially started escalating, there was a shortage of hand sanitizer that made it difficult for essential workers to stay protected on the job. Woodsprings Pharmacy was featured in their local news for compounding hand sanitizer and donating it to their police department.
After eventually getting more shipments of alcohol to the pharmacy, they were able to continue compounding and donate more to their local nursing homes as well.
Brittney Johnson, staff operations manager at Woodsprings Pharmacy, says “We just looked around in our community to see who we thought could benefit.” While they do also sell hand sanitizer in their store, Johnson says they make sure to limit hoarding of supplies. “[It’s about] getting it to the people rather than making the money.”
Like most other pharmacies, they have shifted their services to drive-thru, delivery, and curbside pickup.
They’ve always had a drive-thru, but never experienced a majority of their customers using this service before. This has led to a need for innovative ways to help manage traffic and get a better flow of operations. They have started to ask customers to sign up for 1-hour designated time slots to come pick up their medications, in an effort to manage the number of vehicles in the line throughout the day.
Using their PioneerRx software, Woodsprings has also set up a way for their staff to work remotely.
They have started a work-from-home schedule to help limit exposure within their group of employees.
“We started working with only half our staff, in an effort to be more socially distant,” Johnson explains. “I broke them into 2 teams, and each team only works every other day. So if one person gets sick on a team, then only that team needs to be quarantined – the whole staff doesn’t need to be quarantined.”
Since they have 4 different store locations, their store owner has also been using PioneerRx Central Office to help alleviate some pressure off each pharmacy during the WFH schedule.
He is able to remotely access each location’s data in order to monitor operations and even help process things out of the queue if needed. This allows for a simpler, more convenient way to manage and assist stores without having to physically travel to each location.
The overall driving force behind the innovation at Woodsprings Pharmacy is the fact that the COVID-19 situation is constantly changing.
“Every day is a new day,” Johnson reminds us. “I keep telling our staff – ‘everything is fluid.’ Just because it’s what we decided is the best for today doesn’t mean that it is the best. And so we’re open to ideas and suggestions.”
She involves the staff in brainstorming and gets their feedback on what can help their specific workflow run more efficiently. But sometimes, she says candidly, the solution you’re looking for may already be created by someone else.
“You don’t have to be original. Just look at what other people are doing and sort of build off of that,” Johnson says.
They follow their favorite news outlets to keep up with relevant updates, including reading Next Wave newsletter from RedSail Technologies. There is an extensive amount of resources and information available online that people are sharing based on their own experiences, and pharmacies can use each other’s insights in order to overcome this new disease together.
Right now, it’s not a battle to see who can be more innovative. It’s a cooperative effort to innovate and be stronger together.


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Yodel is set to hire over 4300 seasonal staff as it prepares for the festive ecommerce delivery spike but faces staff shortages across its supply chain.
Yodel, one of the UK’s largest parcel couriers, is set to hire 4311 new staff ahead of the festive period across 50 locations in the UK.
The roles will span its entire supply chain, including couriers, parcel sorters and warehouse operatives.
“We expect the ongoing growth in online retail will continue in the winter months as consumers look to finalise their Black Friday and Christmas shopping for friends, family and loved ones as conveniently as possible,” Yodel’s chief executive Mike Hancox said.
READ MORE: Royal Mail to hire 20,000 seasonal workers to deal with upcoming Christmas online shopping spike
“There’s a huge breadth of roles available, with many presenting an opportunity to grow into long-term careers. By joining Yodel you’ll become part of a nationwide family and have options to work either full or part-time to suit your lifestyle.”
It comes as the UK faces a labour shortage crisis, with both delivery drivers and warehouse workers in desperately short supply.
Last month the UK Warehousing Association’s chief executive Clare Bottle said the UK is facing a deficit of tens of thousands of entry level workers, forcing warehouse managers to bump up pay by between 20 and 30 per cent in increasingly desperate efforts to attract staff.
One senior executive at major British retailer, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said: “I can’t honestly think of a time in the last 20 years when labour intense UK industries have faced a problem like this.”
According to KPMG, demand for temporary workers and the near-record fall in candidate availability is seeing wages rise at their fastest pace on record.
Just last week Yodel rival Royal Mail announced plans to hire 20,000 seasonal staff to deal with the upcoming spike in online deliveries.


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China LotSynergy Holdings Ltd, a provider of technology and services for lottery systems, terminal equipment, gaming products and their operations in mainland China’s lottery market, says it has expanded the supply of sports lottery terminals to three more provinces.
“Guangzhou Lottnal Terminal Co Ltd, a subsidiary of the company, has recently won a bid to supply sports lottery terminals to Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region,” China LotSynergy said in a filing to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
“Over the past two months, Lottnal has successively secured orders to supply sports lottery terminals to Heilongjiang province, Qinghai province and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region,” it added.
Sports lottery ticket sales reached RMB143.9 billion (US$23.4 billion) during the period between January and October, up by 33.2 percent from a year earlier.
China LotSynergy said the lottery markets of Heilongjiang province, Qinghai province and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region “have undergone rapid development”.
“From January to October of this year, sports lottery sales growth in the three provinces was higher than the industry average growth rate of 33 percent, with growth in Heilongjiang and Qinghai exceeding 60 percent year-on-year,” the firm said.
So far this year, China LotSynergy has secured orders to supply sports lottery terminals to eight provinces and regions in mainland China.
“The sports lottery market in China is developing rapidly, and the group will actively grasp market opportunities and continue to expand its market share, in order to provide quality products and services for the Chinese sports lottery market,” the company said.
New regulations in China for legal lottery products delivered via the Internet and via smartphone are with the country’s Ministry of Finance and could be announced within months, a conference session at Macao Gaming Show heard on November 19.
China LotSynergy posted a net profit of HKD54.9 million (US$7.1 million) for the first half of 2014, up 35.2 percent over the same period last year.
Tencent Holdings Ltd, a firm that controls some of the most popular online social media platforms in mainland China, last month completed a subscription – via a wholly held unit – to 594,034,513 shares of China LotSynergy.
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”We do not believe that reopening the advance notice nomination deadline [for board directors] is appropriate or justified”
Daniel Boone Wayson
Chairman of the Wynn Resorts board of directors


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In the Beach Boys’ tropical-inspired hit “Kokomo,” the song’s lyrics extol the virtues of a “tropical drink melting in your hand” and “falling in love to the rhythm of a steel drum band.” Although not a catchy tune that makes one dream of a tropical vacation, more brands are “catching up and loving” the tropical fruits trend by using sunny-tasting tropical ingredients and fibrous nuts in ice cream, cheese, milk, and yogurt.
“The demand for simple, minimally processed foods such as dried fruits and nuts that are easily recognizable ingredients is what a growing number of consumers seek in all food categories including dairy,” Heidi Clark, national sales and marketing manager for MicroDried, points out.
“Mixed berries and blueberries, rich in flavonoids and antioxidants, are trending in the dairy and dairy-alternative space as consumers continue to demand functional ingredients,” she continues. “As dairy and dairy-alternative categories continue to innovate — such as artisan butters and nutrient-rich beverages — MicroDried is seeing a growing demand for fruit and vegetable-based inclusions.”
Founded in 2012, the Nampa, Idaho-based ingredient supplier offers a range of 100% ready-to-eat whole fruit and vegetable ingredients in a variety of piece sizes — whole, diced, fragments, and powders — to help dairy developers create wholesome traditional dairy or plant-based products with a clean ingredient label, sustainability commitment, and functionality.
As on-the-go snacking remains a top trend in the food and dairy industries, the dried fruit extracts market stands poised to capitalize. Fact.MR reports that the global dried fruit extracts market is expected to nearly double over the next 10 years, growing from $8.9 billion in 2022 to $15.8 billion by 2032. Over the 2022-2032 forecast period, growth is anticipated to accelerate at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.9%, the market research firm says.
The healthy halo of dried fruit extracts, which are processed from fruit juices and purees using various drying methods and technologies, and rising health awareness among consumers serve as a catalyst for growth. “These dried fruit extracts are rich in nutrients and thus offer various health benefits including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antitumor and antidiabetic,” Fact.MR states.
Highly inclusive ice cream
In dairy categories, ice cream is the leader in using inclusions, with nearly one-in-two new products containing one or more over the last two years, notes Phil A’Becket, senior consumer insights manager at Kalamazoo-based FlavorSum. “Inclusions such as cookie dough, cake bits, and sprinkles are also highly popular as bakery-inspired flavor systems increase in popularity in North American ice cream. Other dairy categories heavily incorporating inclusions like fruits and nuts include spoonable yogurt and some processed cheese.”
Citing Innova Market Insights, Tara Gonzales, who works in marketing at Pecan Deluxe Candy Co., notes that brown flavors are No. 1 in desserts and ice cream, comprising 43.3% of new category launches, followed by fruit flavors, which climbed 3 percentage points over 2021 to nearly 31% of new product development. Nuts, at 6.3%, ranked No. 5 in new category ice cream and dessert launches.
Proclaiming that “everybody wants a date,” Lyons Magnus, a global foodservice and ingredient company, suggests that naturally caramelly sweet, delicious and versatile dates containing antioxidants and fiber will be turning up everywhere this year. Application-wise, look for dates in smoothies, baked goods, coffee beverages, on charcuteries boards, in desserts, as ready-to-eat snacks, as a syrup substitute for honey and more, the Fresno, Calif.-based source states.
Yet, the top emerging trend influencing food and beverage menus this year and beyond is “all things pistachio,” according to Lyons Magnus. Not only will consumers see pistachio as a flavor in beverages, pastries, ice cream (think spumoni), and plant-based milk because formulating with pistachio requires less water than other nut-based milks, but the green-shaded-pistachio color is expected to be the “it” color this year in handbags, shoes and interior design, the company notes.
While they never went away, slushies are new again, and they’ve evolved to a broader and more robust line of frozen treats, Lyons Magnus reports. Somewhere between a smoothie and a shaved ice, premium slushies, real fruit slushies, and creamy slushies will drive basket rings for quick-service restaurants like McDonalds, Starbucks, and Subway.
“Flavors will be bold, [and offer] more complex flavors choices such as guava, blood orange, and pitaya,” the report states. “We also anticipate seeing restaurants that serve alcohol and bars follow suit with upgraded adult versions of the frozen treats.”
In a nutshell
Plump blueberries, succulent strawberries, amazing almonds, wonderful walnuts, and other clean-label ingredients derived from nature are providing color, crunch, added nutrients, and functionality to milk, ice cream, cheese, yogurt, and cream cheese.
Citing Mintel, CJ McClellan, senior strategic marketing manager for Blue Diamond Global Ingredients Division, reports that 28% of consumers are interested in nuts and seeds included within their baked goods, and 23% would like those as a dessert topping. However, when it comes to ice cream, consumers expect a nut with a crunchy and firm texture, he says.
As a result, the almond supplier expects demand for the crunchy goodness of California almonds to increase and give consumers the crunch-factor and texture preferences they’re looking for in dairy products.
“For dairy-based offerings, such as ice cream, milkshakes, or cheese, formulators can include a nutty flavor while maintaining texture with the help of almond inclusions,” McClellan says. “Research shows a growing interest in dairy products, like spoonable yogurt or yogurt drinks, with a range of functional benefits. In fact, 34% of consumers are interested in yogurt with gut health benefits.
“To meet this need, formulators can incorporate ingredients that provide nutritional benefits, such as gut and immune health,” he adds. “Recognized as a superfood with benefits like fiber, protein, and vitamin E, almond inclusions can be included within yogurt products to attract consumers looking for functional dairy offerings.”
The Pecan Deluxe Candy Co.’s Allyson Iwanski is seeing a lot of unique spins that pair well with more well-known flavor profiles. “Using common and more well-known nostalgic flavor profiles, like chocolate, vanilla and caramel are an avenue to introduce new flavor profiles,” she explains. “We offer a variety of inclusions from cookie dough and extruded inclusions, baked inclusions, granola, pralines, hard candy, clusters and so much more. Our quick turnaround time, adaptability to the market, and ability to lead on upcoming trends sets us apart.”
Inclusions are generating more interest within dairy products, confirms Smokey Waters, director of culinary innovation for Dallas-based Pecan Deluxe Candy Co., which has been servicing the ice cream industry since 1950.
“Fruit is especially interesting, since you can add flavor and eye appeal without compromising the integrity of the original product. Fruit is a great way to build on flavors like chocolates and caramel. Fruit can really pull out some of the nuances the average consumer may not notice but enjoy the enhanced eating experience,” Waters explains. “Yogurt and nondairy have been using fruits and nuts from the get-go as a driver to gain more buy-in.
“Ice cream is such a personal product to consumers that is has been an uphill battle to get away from run-of-the-mill vanilla and chocolate concepts but adding these inclusions to a familiar product has been a winning formula,” Waters continues. “Talenti, Blue Bunny, Milk Bar, and Chobani are just a few of many who have been very successful.
“Small operators are really pushing this initiative as well with over-the-top layered sundaes and shakes. It’s not just about the sauces and cookie dough anymore, consumers want fun, vibrant flavors and textures. If I see fruit in an indulgent dessert, I inherently think this must be semi-healthy for me,” she adds.
FlavorSum’s A’Becket agrees. “People continue to expect excitement and indulgence from dairy,” he explains. “In products like ice cream or other frozen desserts, inclusions deliver an enjoyable multi-sensory experience. Mintel reports that in U.S. ice cream launches, texture terms like chunky, smooth, and crunchy top the charts.”
Yet, there are challenges to overcome when formulating with fruits and nuts in dairy and alternative dairy products, notes Kelsey Cheadle, senior applications scientist at FlavorSum.
“When developing multiple-component product, such as frozen desserts with a base, inclusion, and variegate, it’s essential to consider how the flavors in each element will interact. For example, if you’re formulating a s’mores ice cream flavor, you’ll want to think about how to bring the three flavors together — graham, chocolate, and marshmallow,” she explains. “Once you identify the flavors you want to leverage, you can play around with how those tastes come to life. In the case of s’mores, this could be a chocolate inclusion, a marshmallow variegate, and a graham-flavored ice cream — and that’s just one way you could do it.”
FlavorSum also is seeing dairy formulators leveraging flavors and variegates to play up notes in the inclusion that might not be fully coming across. “Let’s say you have a cookie piece, but you want more baked notes to come through. You could leverage flavors like butter or vanilla in the base to enhance the taste to your needs,” Cheadle says.
The company offers an expansive portfolio of flavors, custom flavors, and variegates. “The benefit to partnering with a flavor supplier on variegate solutions is the access to an entire library of flavors. This allows for more creative and custom flavor profiles, such as our lemon cream variegate,” she states.
Adding spice, flavor, and eye appeal
Dairy processors that combine new tastes and functional elements and those in a position to transform traditional offerings are adding spice to typically conventional dairy categories, experts note.
“Whether it’s a cheese spread, yogurt or ice cream, incorporating almond inclusions adds a delicious flavor and texture that consumers desire, but it also adds nutritional benefits,” Blue Diamond’s McClellan says. “Almonds and almond inclusions are rich in fiber, vitamins, and protein, and can help improve the nutritional value of dairy foods. Additionally, consumers interested in clean-label products are drawn to offerings with healthy, recognizable ingredients such as almonds, which are widely recognized as a superfood.”
Blue Diamond offers a range of almond ingredients in slivers, protein powder, slices, butter, flour, and whole that can help meet the demand for healthy, functional, and sustainable inclusions within dairy foods such as yogurt, ice cream, and cheese.
McClellan points out that Blue Diamond almonds are sustainably grown with water conservation initiatives and boosted biodiversity, so formulators can be confident they’re incorporating almond ingredients that are not only nutritious and delicious but sourced responsibly, too.
Despite inflation driving prices up, consumers still want a premium eating experience, notes Jennifer Williams, marketing Director, US Branding and Food Innovation, for the California Walnut Commission, Folsom, Calif.
“Inclusions like walnuts offer dairy processors and food manufacturers a premium experience by providing flavor, color, and texture in every bite,” Williams says. “They are a great way to add nutritious properties to dairy foods ranging from yogurts to ice creams. Similar to most tree nuts, walnuts are a source of good fats. However, walnuts are also the only tree nut that offers an excellent source of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) – the plant-based omega-3. One ounce of walnuts offers 18 grams of total fat, 2.5 grams of monounsaturated fat, and 13 grams of polyunsaturated fat including 2.5 grams of ALA.”
According to a report from Chicago-based Research and Markets, the nut products market size was worth $6.7 billion in 2022, and is projected to reach $8.9 billion by 2027 at a CAGR of 5.9% through 2027.
The walnut segment — which accounts for the second largest market share — is booming in California, with more than 4,000 growers and more than 90 manufacturers. Additionally, nearly 99% of the U.S. walnut production originates from California, making walnuts the fourth leading export from the state, with a value of $970 million, the research firm states.
For on-the-go snacking, a handful of walnuts and almonds are a good choice since they contain 4.3 grams and 6 grams of protein and 2 grams and 3 grams of fiber, respectively.
Consumer awareness of health, wellness, and nutrition is propelling the global dietary fibers market to a CAGR of 9.2% through 2030 and an estimated $14.9 billion in sales, according to a report from San Francisco-based Grand View Research Inc. The nut butter segment, which can be made with almost every nut type including almonds, walnuts, pistachios, cashews, peanuts, and hazelnuts, accounts for the second largest market share, the report states.
The fruity flavors of yogurt and drinkable yogurt also are evolving, offering a plethora of options such as cherry, strawberry, coconut, mixed berry, raspberry, blueberry, mango, and vanilla.
With the supply chain in flux, the cost of adding fruits, nuts, and other inclusions is a major factor for dairy processors to consider. Therefore, “understanding piece identity and customer expectations when utilizing fruits/nuts is important,” Pecan Deluxe Candy Co.’s Iwanski notes. “End application, consumer expectations, cost, and desired flavor profiles drive formulation.”
“Healthy indulgence is driving flavor development and fruits and nuts fit perfectly into that space,” Pecan Deluxe’s Gonzales concludes. “Being that we custom-make products, we are really only capped by our own imagination.”


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But games will be subject to approval from local authorities, which means violent ones may not pass.
Microsoft is bringing its Xbox One to China this September after the nation recently ended a ban on foreign-made video game consoles.
The U.S. company, which announced the move on Wednesday, is targeting a market with over a half billion gamers, according to the company.
In preparation, Microsoft has established a joint venture with Shanghai-based BesTV, a provider of Internet television services, to help develop its Xbox business.
So far, the company is the first foreign console maker to announce a launch for China. Government restrictions on the systems had kept Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo out of the market for 13 years.
But last September, China effectively lifted the ban, allowing foreign-funded companies located in a new trade zone in Shanghai to sell consoles nationwide.
On Wednesday, Microsoft called the Xbox’s upcoming launch in China a “historic milestone” for the industry. But the company could still face some challenges in selling the system.
All Xbox games brought to China will still need to receive approval from local authorities before they can be sold. This could mean that more violent games won’t arrive in the market.
Local Chinese companies, including ZTE, Huawei and TCL, are also releasing cheaper consoles for around US$100 that can play Android games. In addition, many Chinese gamers are accustomed to playing on PCs at Internet cafes or on their smartphones.
But Microsoft’s partner BesTV is confident the Xbox One can still sell well as a high-end gaming device.
In addition, Microsoft also wants local Chinese developers to build games for the console.
The Xbox already has some popularity in China. For years, local consumers have bought video game consoles from unofficial dealers at Chinese electronic markets. These grey market dealers specialize in buying consoles from Japan or Hong Kong, and then shipping them to China for sale.
In the case of Xbox 360, grey market dealers have been able to reconfigure the system to play pirated games, helping gamers save on costs.


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Pininfarina S.p.A., the Italian car design firm and coachbuilder will begin operations in Shanghai International Automobile City’s Auto Research and Development Harbor, the Beijing Morning Post reports.
With an investment of 1.5 billion yuan (238 million U.S. dollars), the Auto R&D Harbor covers an area of 186 mu (12.4 hectare), in which 120 independent research and development houses are planned to be built.
The firm said it will build up a team of more than 100 people of mostly local talent at the harbor inthe next few years.
Recent foreign reports cited Silvio Pietro Angori, the firm’s CEO, saying that China is likely tobecome the biggest market for Pininfarina by the end of this year, supplanting Germany in annualrevenue. Currently about 35 percent of the firm’s global revenue is generated by each country.
Others in the automobile industry have realized the importance of China on the global stage. Mercedes-Benz and Audi have already established design laboratories in the country, while Nissan has built a specialized design center, aimed at making models specific to Chinese tastes.
Pininfarina forecast a return to profit in 2012, its first since 2004, as lower financial charges from a debt restructuring help its bottom line and its design and engineering business improves.
The Italian design firm said in a statement on Friday it expects to make an operating loss in 2012, but will earn a net profit because it will benefit from a one-time gain of around 45 million euros.


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Trend Micro is extending its e-mail security coverage to instant messaging.
The Cupertino, Calif., security vendor Tuesday unveiled Trend Micro IM Security for Microsoft Office Live Communication Server along with new versions of its e-mail security product ScanMail for both Microsoft Exchange and Lotus Domino as well as an upgrade to its Portal Protect for Microsoft's SharePoint collaboration platform.
Trend's security product for Microsoft's Live Communication Server instant messaging platform helps prevent worms such Bropia, Kelvir and Fatso from using IM as a propagation vehicle, said Howard Price, senior global product manager for the vendor.
Extending messaging security end-to-end to cover instant messaging is a significant move for Trend Micro, said Kathy Johnson, director of sales for Johnson Consulting, a Woburn, Mass., messaging consulting company. "People now use instant messaging every day as a part of business," she said. "It needs to be as secure as e-mail."
Bill O'Brien, principal of Commercium Technology, a security specialist in Rumson, N.J., said Trend Micro's new products will be attractive to large companies considering adopting Microsoft's collaboration technologies. "Trend is in lock step with Microsoft on their collaboration products," he said. "The ability to use one vendor instead of using point products will be attractive to large clients."


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Sterci, the leading international software provider of STP solutions, today announced that its financial messaging technology Stelink is fully certified by SWIFT for RMA.
Sterci has successfully passed qualification for usage of their RMA for SWIFTNet phase 2 with their pilot customers, after passing the initial qualification test and conformance test at their laboratory applying the SWIFT test facilities. The detailed information is published on swift.com and on Sterci.com Sterci reports an enthusiastic reception from their existing customers for their 4 web based RMA user interface. With more than 100 banks having ordered Stelink RMA, Sterci is one of the market leader’s independent of SWIFT interface.
The product will be released for all Stelink customers in February 2007 with version 9.2. Stelink RMA can also be installed as a stand-alone RMA solution that will interoperate with an existing SWIFT FIN application.
Etienne Savatier, marketing director of Sterci, said: “We are proud to be one of the first Independent Software Vendors to be fully certified. It demonstrates to our customers our strong commitment to comply with SWIFT standards evolution. Our RMA is regarded as highly functional, browser deployable and suitable for multi-hub environments. Our Stelink product is the only product in the world that offers the full range of SWIFTNet services access (FIN, RMA, FileAct, InterAct) from a single application. Stelink has proven its performance scalability with a benchmark throughput of 550’000 messages per hour”.
by Daniel Bardini, Managing Director, Financial Messaging at Bottomline Technologies Globally, more than 60 countries are already live with real-...View article
Bottomline Technologies (NASDAQ:EPAY), a leading provider of financial technology that helps businesses make payments simple, smart and secure, today ...View article
PORTSMOUTH, NH (October 5, 2017) — Bottomline Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: EPAY), a leading provider of financial technology that helps make comp...View article


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French broadcast company Canal+ has made an offer to purchase South Africa’s MultiChoice, Africa’s largest provider of subscription TV services, which include DStv.
Canal+ is already a majority shareholder in MultiChoice and has a 30% stake.
The company said it is proposing to buy the remaining shares for 31.7 billion rand ($1.6bn, £1.3bn).
Canal+ currently has more than seven million subscribers across 25 African countries and is the leading TV operator in French-speaking Africa.
MultiChoice has been struggling in recent years, with its main product, DStv, losing thousands of subscribers, amid increased competition from streaming services.
Canal+ has said that its acquisition of the South African company promises to turn around its fortunes by creating “a group with significant scale, putting MultiChoice on a secure long-term path and enabling the company to thrive”.
However, it added that the progression of the purchase is still uncertain “at this stage”.


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Most endowments on track - FSA
MORE than eight out of 10 people with an endowment mortgage say it is either on track to pay off their debt or the shortfall will not be a problem, the City watchdog says.
Research by the Financial Services Authority found that 84% of consumers said their policy would reach its target maturity value, or if there was a shortfall it would present them with little or no financial difficulty.
The survey revealed that 99% of people were aware of the issues surrounding endowment mortgages, but 21% of those who had the policies said it was no longer or had never been used to pay off a mortgage. Of those who have decided not to complain, 85% said they knew how to go about it if they wanted to.
But half of those who had complained said the firm they held their endowment with took too long to deal with their complaint, and 39% said they had not been given a clear reason for the firm's decision regarding it.
Click here for our endowment survival guide.
The research comes a day after the FSA said it was fining Abbey Life, the defunct firm owned by Lloyds TSB, a record £1m for endowment mortgage mis-selling and said around 50,000 consumers could be in line for compensation totalling £160m. It also warned that more companies would be fined and ordered to pay compensation.
So far, around 300,000 consumers have either received or are in line for compensation for endowment mortgage mis-selling, with redress payments averaging about £3,000.
The Association of British Insurers said a sample of the second phase of reproduction letters had found 35% of letters were red, warning consumers that they almost certainly faced a shortfall, while 26% were amber, warning there may be a problem, and 39% were green, meaning the policy remains on track.
An ABI spokesman said low interest rates, which had reduced the cost of an interest-only mortgage, had helped people build up additional savings. While some people faced big shortfalls, for many consumers they were less than £5,000.
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Samsung has announced that it has started mass production of first commercial embedded magnetic random access memory (eMRAM) product based on the company’s 28-nanometer(nm) fully-depleted silicon-on-insulator (FD-SOI) process technology, called 28FDS.
The eMRAM is a successor of eFlash and works on resistance-based operation that allows strong scalability and als includes memory semiconductor characteristics such as nonvolatility, random access, and strong endurance.
Samsung said this 28FDS-based eMRAM solution offers power and speed advantages in lower price. The eMRAM does not requires an erase cycle before writing data that makes its writing speed approximately a thousand times faster than eFlash. Also, eMRAM uses lower voltage compared to eFlash and does not consume electric power when in power-off mode for power efficiency.
The company also said that an eMRAM module can easily be inserted in the back-end of the process by adding least number of layers, it has less dependence on the front-end of the process for easy integration with existing logic technologies, such as bulk, fin, and FD-SOI transistor.
“By integrating eMRAM with existing proven logic technologies, Samsung Foundry continues to expand its eNVM process portfolio to provide distinct competitive advantages and excellent manufacturability to meet customers and market requirement.” said Ryan Lee, vice president of foundry marketing at Samsung Electronics.
The South Korean tech Giant arranged a ceremony to celebrate the first shipment of eMRAM product will be held on March 6 at Samsung's Giheung campus, Korea. The company is also also planning to expand its options for high-density eNVM solutions, including a tape-out of 1GB eMRAM test chip later this year.


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Loblaws to triple its purchase of sustainable beef by 2023 for its Ontario brand.
By Andrew Joseph, Farms.com, Photo by Stijn te Strake on Unsplash
Loblaw Companies Ltd. said it is going to triple its purchase of beef sourced from Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB)-certified sustainable farms and ranches by 2023.
From its 1-million pound purchase in 2020, Loblaws will now purchase 3-million lbs of sustainable beef as part of its continued support of providing sustainable-raised food options for consumers and to Canadian farmers dedicated to those sustainable practices.
“(The) announcement reaffirms our long-term commitment to help advance sustainability in the beef supply chain in Canada,” said Simon Romano, Vice President of Fresh Procurement, Meat, Seafood and Deli for Loblaw Companies Ltd. “As both a retailer and a founding member of CRSB, our hope is that more beef producers will embrace certification of their on-farm practices that meet CRSB standards for sustainability.”
Loblaw said it wants at least 30 percent of its overall beef purchases to come from CRSB-certified farms to be used for its Ontario Corn Fed Beef brand sold in Ontario stores.
“CRSB appreciates the ongoing support from a large grocery retailer like Loblaw, committed to working collaboratively with the beef industry in support of our sustainable practices, and sharing that story with Canadian consumers,” stated Anne Wasko, Chair of the CRSB and rancher from Eastend SK. “This robust commitment will show our community of beef producers that Loblaw values their dedication, and is serious about working with them to make real progress.”
Canada continues to be a global leader in sustainable beef production, with 2030 goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 33 percent, a 50 percent reduction in post-harvest food loss and waste, and preservation of the remaining 35 million acres of grasslands in Canada.


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Putting her unique brand of beauty on full display, Coco Rocha is featured in the new issue of the Mexican magazine Hola.
Always graceful, the 26-year-old Canadian poser worked with photographer Diego Uchitel on location at a countryside mansion. Coco donned designer dresses and gowns in vintage-inspired gilded metallic, silky chiffons and floral embellishments, styled by Eugenia Silva.
The fashion industry has always been criticized for putting thin women on a pedestal so when Calvin Klein used a size 10 model named Myla Dalbesio for their new lingerie campaign it seemed like a good thing.
However, Klein labeled her a ‘plus size’ model, drawing criticism from women who wear extended sizes, and now everyone seems to be upset.
With her reality fashion show "The Face" set to debut on 2013, Coco Rocha pitched in on promotions by covering the Winter 2013 issue of Fashion magazine.
The 24-year-old model wearing a stylishly unique outfits from Roberto Cavalli and Mawi for the Gabor Jurina shots while opening up about topics including her life as a model to the upcoming of "The Face".


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The upcoming Nintendo Switch version of Out Run arrives next month.
Psyonix has released the McLaren 570S Car Pack DLC for Rocket League.
Psyonix has shared details about Rocket League's December update.
or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love a Digital Eclipse Release
Nintendo Switch Online subscribers will soon have three more classic games to enjoy.
Players can earn new decals, toppers, wheels and more in Rocket League's latest event.
Psyonix has announced the first ever double XP weekend for Rocket League.


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So what are users to do? You have the option of looking for Lightning headphones, go wireless, or rely on the adapter. However there is a fourth option, which is come up with a DIY solution and create an iPhone case with a headphone jack. This is according to a post on Reddit by Redditor DungJohnson who claims that his brother and his brother’s friend have been working on creating an iPhone 7 case with a built-in headphone jack.
According to his post on Imgur where he uploaded the photos, “My brother and his friend have been working on an iPhone 7 case that addresses the lack of ports. It has a 3.5mm audio jack on the left, and 2 lightning ports, one in the middle and one on the right. An iPhone 6s is being used for testing the fit and function for now.”
Right now it looks very crude, which we guess is to be expected since it is a prototype. We’re not sure if there are plans to commercialize it, or if they’re just planning on using it for themselves, but it’s an interesting idea, although sharing it online is probably not the smartest thing if they’re trying to patent their invention, assuming it hasn’t been patented already.


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Signet is now 78th Biggest Retailer in USJuly 15, 21
(IDEX Online) - Signet Jewelers rose up the rankings in the National Retail Federation (NRF) new list of Top 100 Retailers in the US - from 98th place to 78th.
But its total retail sales plunged by almost a quarter from $6.05bn in 2019, to $4.65m in 2020 according to the NRF data, provided by Kantar data analytics.
Walmart and Amazon.com, placed first and second respectively in both 2020 and 2021, also saw sales down significantly.
Signet is the biggest retail jeweler in the US, the world's biggest diamond retailer, and parent company of Kay Jewelers, Zales, Jared, H. Samuel, Ernest Jones, Peoples, Piercing Pagoda, Rocksbox and JamesAllen.com.
It had 2,381 U.S. stores in 2020, a drop of nine per cent compared with 2019. The company has been moving out of poor-performing malls and investing heavily on its online activities.


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The Rise of Brand Google
Google continues to redefine the age we live in and to become a household name across the globe. Just 10 years ago Google was barely a glimmer in the eyes of its founders. Now according to a recent study, Google is the most valuable brand in the world.
Surpassing long-time well-established brands such as Microsoft, Coca-Cola, General Electric and Wal-Mart, Google has done so with flying colors. In 2006, Google ranked #7 in the world’s top brands. A year later, they have grown 77% in brand value, based on intangible assets that create a competitive advantage, and have jumped to the #1 spot. With little advertising and mostly relying on word of mouth, Google’s effective branding is now valued at over $66 billion.
When I stand back and look at the lifetime picture of Google, I am quite amazed by their growth in their short lifespan. At just 10 years old, many firms are still considered to be in their infancy, but not Google.
It has already been a year since “to Google” was added as a verb into the English dictionary. As I look at the other brands considered to be in the global top ten, I don’t see any verbs created specifically for those brands. When was the last time someone said “I Microsoft’d him“?
What’s next? While dipping into markets such as radio, newspapers and telecom to name a few, what is next on the horizon for Google? Without even breaking a sweat, Google is investing millions into research and development. I guess that is what a powerful brand does – spends millions and lets the world know of its purchasing power ($3.1 Billion DoubleClick purchase).
With yearly revenues of more than many small countries, Google is quickly turning into an Internet marketing monopoly. It’s hard to imagine ten years from now; how will the Google story unfold?


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Now arrested in connection with the ICICI Bank loan fraud case, the Videocon chief's downfall started when he entered into the cellular service area with Videocon Telecommunications.
Domestic two-wheeler sales grew 4 per cent at 2,06,131 units as compared to 1,98,738 units in the same month a year ago, BAL said.
The private sector lender posted a 52% jump in standalone net profit at Rs 703.71 crore.
Bajaj is out with the new CT 125 it boasts being the ideal commuter bike that is built for the long haul.
Total revenue from operations rose to Rs 8,005 crore in the quarter from Rs 7,386 crore in the year-ago period, Bajaj Auto said in a regulatory filing.
Talking about the new bike, Ronin is powered by a new 225cc motor and is capable of delivering around 20 bhp of max power @ 7750 Nm and 20 Nm @ 3750 Nm of peak torque.
The setting up of Chetak Technology Ltd as a fully owned subsidiary of Bajaj Auto is expcted to aid in the research, development, production and sale of EVs.
The board of directors of the company, at its meeting held on Monday, approved the proposal for buyback of the fully paid up equity shares of the company.
Two-wheeler and three-wheeler maker Bajaj Auto has deferred its share buyback plan, which was brought before its board for consideration on Tuesday.
Chetak Technology Ltd and its vendor partners will be investing nearly Rs 750 crore in this new electric vehicle manufacturing plant.


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The Google Glass was first made available in the US last year but the wearable is now making its way over to the UK for the first time. In addition to the UK launch, the Google Glass is getting a hardware upgrade too, bumping it up to 2GB of RAM and adding in a photo framing view finder mode.
At first, Google sent out invitations to tech bloggers and YouTuber's to take part in the Explorers Program, this allowed the company to raise hype and awareness for the product, while at the same time collecting valuable feedback to put in to the final product before its general public release. Now, the explorer program is open to anyone who is willing to take part.
Google posted on its social network, Google+, listing some of the improvements the Explorers program allowed it to make:
“The Explorer Program has been an exciting ride, and as a result of your feedback, we've picked up the pace on making more improvements. In the last year we've made over a dozen software and several hardware updates. For example, we've improved battery life by over 20 percent, made voice search 10 percent faster and brought you frames, shades and prescription support.”
The glasses are still very expensive, coming in at £1000 here in the UK and sticking to its $1500 price point in the US.
Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.
KitGuru Says: The Explorer program is still going so this version of Google Glass won't be the last. Hopefully Google can find a way to bring the price down because right now it is a little too high. What do you guys think of Google Glass? Have any of you ever tried one out?


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Online eyewear e-tailer, Lenskart has invested $1 million in the US-based startup Ditto for a minority stake. Ditto provides 3D face modelling for virtual trial service to eyewear retailers to improve their customer experience.
Lenskart is an old client of Ditto’s 3D try-on services and employs on its website and app. Further integration will help the company enhance its online engagement with consumers, wherein they can share different pictures of themselves trying various eyeglasses, with their friends and relatives on social media.
Commenting on the announcement, Peyush Bansal, Founder and CEO, Lenskart.com said “Lenskart as a company has always believed in constantly innovating and leveraging the technology interface to give customers a best in class experience. Ditto provides us with the patented 3D virtual try-on technology that allows customers to see themselves in eyewear in 180° angles with realism. So far, the response to this service is commendable with over 10,000 trials everyday. We have been evaluating our relationship and now want to take it to the next level. With this association, Ditto has now become a strategic partner for Lenskart and we certainly believe this will help us achieve a wider and more satisfied customer base.”
Ditto, which is operated by Ditto Technologies Inc, was founded by Stanford Graduate School of Business alumnus Kate Endress, former Google executive Sergey Surkov and former Nokia executive Dmitry Kornilov. In 2012, it raised $3 million from a group of investors led by August Capital.
Lenskart, which was founded in 2008, is promoted by Bansal, Amit Chaudhary, Neha Bansal and Sumeet Kapahi. In addition to the online platform, it has a wholesale division which is engaged in assembly, distribution and supply of eyewear products.
The startup has already garnered fundings from some of the industry’s best venture capitalists like IDG Ventures, Ronnie Screwvala-led Unilazer Ventures, IFC, Premji Invest, TPG Growth and TR Capita etc.


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After releasing a teaser back in February, TVXQ has recently revealed the full commercial film for cosmetic brand MISSHA's new fragrance launch.
MISSHA launched their new fragrance for women, L'eau De Missha, on March 30th, and to go with it, they've recruited the help of the handsome TVXQ boys to help bring attention to the new launch.
The commercial film, titled 'Fascination', shows Yunho and Changmin reminiscing about a woman (Lee Hye Sang) who has captivated them with the spray of her perfume, leaving them "fascinated by her scent".
Check out the commercial film below!
[Thanks to emmiiaahh for the tip!]
Upvote if you think more people should see this post!
Posted bySaturday, March 31, 2012
MISSHA reveals fragrance commercial film featuring TVXQ
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Mobile gaming sees record weekly downloads amid COVID-19 lockdown
Average weekly installs reached 1.2 billion as downloads increase by 35% from January to March 4
The weekly average download figures for mobile games hit a record 1.2 billion in March as more people turn to gaming for entertainment amid the COVID-19 lockdown.
That's according to a report from market intelligence firm App Annie, which found that users downloaded 35% more games in March compared to January.
Games continue to dominate the mobile app stores, accounting for 70% of user spending on both iOS and Android. Globally, consumer spending increased on both formats by 1.7% year-on-year.
Mobile also remains the leading segment of the games industry, and is projected to become 2.8 times larger than PC gaming, and 3.1 times larger than consoles in 2020.
Despite this, games accounted for just 40% of total downloads on Google Play and the App Store.
Tencent published Game for Peace -- the Chinese release of PUBG Mobile -- was the top-grossing game on iOS in Q1, followed by another Tencent juggernaut with Honor of Kings.
Lineage 2M from Korean games giant NCSoft was the highest-grossing mobile game for the period on Google Play, followed by Monster Strike by Japanese developer Mixi.
As ever, casual games dominate the mobile gaming space, growing by 0.4% for the period to reach around 13%.
Simulation was the fastest growing category with a 0.9% increase to just over 10%. Adventure, board, and trivia complete the top five categories each with a share of just below 5% each.


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Hamburger chain Byron has opened its first Newcastle restaurant in one of the city’s most historic buildings.
The brand, which was founded in 2007 by Tom Byng, has taken over a site formerly occupied by fashion retailer H&M on Grey Street in the heart of the city’s shopping district.
Byron has signed a 25-year lease on the property after agreeing a deal with Charles Street Buildings Group.
Ian Webster, director of the National Retail Agency team at CBRE, which advised the landlord, said the deal was symptomatic of the trend for restaurant chains to seek unit space that would once have been seen as the domain of mainstream retailers.
“The opening of Byron in Newcastle is a great example of the growing trend we are seeing of A3/A4 sector moving into what was previously considered A1 retail prime pitch,” he said. “It’s also encouraging to see an historic, listed building being brought back to life for the community to use following the exit of H&M.”
The Grey Street restaurant is understood to be one of the largest in the Byron estate. It has been transformed over the past few months, with the historic building’s unique quirks incorporated into the design.


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Let’s face it, the future of big box retailers is questionable at best if they keep to the status quo. As a society, we are shifting how we shop. We browse bookshops, then buy online. We research automobiles, then show up at a dealership to test-drive and sign contracts. And as for big box electronic stores, the only real use I see for them is as a showroom for the latest products, or to talk live with an “expert”—if you can find one. The showrooming trend is here to stay, thanks to the Internet, enterprising e-commerce companies, and mobile technology and adoption.
Apple figured this new trend out before it launched its retail chain, but companies like Best Buy need to deal with the legacy issues, and fear of change. As a public company, and one that relies heavily on its retail presence, I, along with many, have questioned their future prospects.
And, apparently, another person who is questioning Best Buy’s prospects is its founder and (former) Chairman of the board.
And we think that’s good news for the big-box retailer.
According to The Wall Street Journal founder Richard Schulze is working with Wall Street investment bank Credit Suisse to take the struggling consumer electronics giant private.
Schulze, who owns 20% of the company appears highly interested in orchestrating a turnaround strategy, but only if they remove the shackles of being a public company and its demand for GROWTH GROWTH GROWTH every quarter. We’re not sure what Schulze has in mind for a private, and re-directed Best Buy, but we’re thinking it has got to be better than a strategy of closing stores and laying off employees as a single-point plan. I would suspect that Schulze has every reason to believe in the company that he created decades ago, and if he can go back to some of the fundamentals of what made the company great in the first place, and apply lessons learned to the new reality of how customers want to browse and buy, he might just have a shot.
Whether the company goes with a buyout, or stays a public company, we wish them the best, and hope they pivot soon.


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The hacker put out messages seeking donations to the Prime Minister's relief fund for COVID-19 using...


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‘Ere-we-go, ere-we-go’, Boxpark is coming to Wembley and the fans are going to go wild! The home of football will become the latest destination for the shipping container popup in late 2018 and it looks like it’s going to be another winning goal.
Boxpark started out in 2010 with their first popup mall in Shoreditch. The concept, melding retail fashion outlets and the arts as well as food and drink popups proved to be a success and in 2016 Boxpark Croydon was born. Boxpark Croydon is the biggest market of its kind in London with 35 startup and established traders from around the world and set in over 70 former shipping containers, the venue has capacity for over 2,000 happy shoppers and eaters and hosts a multitude of events including music nights, fitness sessions and community events for locals.
Boxpark Wembley will build on this as another step up for the Boxpark founders, with 29 units to be held by established and independent food operators, as well as a multitude of shopping options and a cultural hub for a programme of over 200 events throughout the year and a separate 2,000 capacity arena entertainment venue within the park. Also look out for BoxBar, a dedicated Boxpark bar stocked craft beers, fine wines and spirits, and intended for more intimate events.
This is all happening within the context of the greater Wembley Park investment which is seeing over £2bn invested in 3,000 new homes, shops, cinema, hotel and restaurants in this growing London hub. Given the numbers flocking to Wembley as a result, Boxpark Wembley looks like it may well be another canny move from the company.
We can’t wait for Boxpark 3.0 to kick-off and we’re already counting down the days until we can check out all the retailers and foodie destinations at Boxpark Wembley.
Boxpark Wembley opens in late 2018


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Organic foods, long associated with the crunchy West Coast and the yuppie East, have made dramatic inroads into more conservative places — so dramatic, in fact, that Idaho, home to many rabid anti-enviros, has become one of the top five states in the nation for total organic acreage. Part of the new popularity of organics may be a growing awareness of the health virtues of eating chemical-free food, but from the farmers’ perspectives, much of it also has to do with the bottom line. In 2000, organic food was a $7.8 billion market, and in Idaho, organic farming has grown 10-fold since 1990. Across the country, mainstream grocery stores like Safeway and Albertson’s are beginning to stock their shelves with organic items.
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Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Preeti Sharma Menon, in a blog, alleged that the demonetisation exercise is a "scam" by those who had insider information about the currency ban.
"People are making profit by accepting OHD (Old High Denomination) at discount or selling their assets at very high price in lieu of OHDs.
"We are hearing news of gold selling at Rs 50,000 per 10 gram in exchange of OHD and old Rs 500 and 1000 notes selling at a 20-30 per cent discount (Old Rs 500 notes being exchanged with new currency of Rs 350 to 400)," the leader claimed.
"At a time when people want to get rid of old notes, a fundamental question comes to mind ? who are these people accepting the old notes and what will they do with them," Menon said. PTI APM ARS AAR


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Indivior had filed petition with the Supreme Court of the United States in the preliminary injunction matter. On February 05, 2019, US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) had cleared Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories for selling gSuboxone film in the US market.
Last week, Dr. Reddy’s had said that it will be in a position to launch the drug in this week, after Supreme Court hearing.
With the Supreme Court hearing in favour of Dr. Reddy’s, we believe that company would now launch the drug. Sandoz, is an authorized generic and launched its gSuboxone in the US yesterday. Mylan and Alvogen are also likely to launch their products very soon while Teva and Par are also likely to join the part sometime in future.
Dr. Reddy’s Lab will also get $18mn from Indivior. The US Court, in its June 2018 temporary restraining order, had asked Indivior to pay $18mn to Dr. Reddy’s should it lose the case.
We believe that Dr. Reddy’s can generate $65mn in the next 12 months from this drug. We have a price target of Rs3008 on the company.


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EV vision in doubt as Tesla trounces domestic manufacturers
Korea’s future car dream is under threat as foreign makers dominate the market that is supposed to make it all possible.
In the first half of the year, sales of fully electric sedans from domestic carmakers dropped by 43.1 percent on-year, while imported electric sedan sales jumped by 564.1 percent.
Telsa’s Model 3 has 43 percent of the market, with 7,080 units moved in the first half. Hyundai Motor sold 4,877 Kona EVs, a 40 percent year-on drop, while 2,309 Niro EVs from Kia Motors were delivered.
Overall, sales of full electric sedans in Korea hit 16,359 in the first half, a 2.7 percent year-on-year drop, according to Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association data.
Foreign electric vehicle (EV) makers receive the same subsidies as domestic EVs. The calculation is based on the driving range of the vehicle.
Tesla’s Model 3 base model is priced at 53.7 million won and qualified for nearly 8 million won from the central government as an incentive. When the municipal government subsidy is added, the price tag can go down to a 30 million won level, same as EV models from Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors.
“When the price, the biggest hurdle to buying an imported car, is similar with models from domestic carmakers, Korean consumers will highly likely to go for an imported model, especially when it is a Tesla,” said Kim Pil-soo, automotive engineering professor, Daelim University.
The subsidy is similar even for more luxurious models, such as the Tesla Model S or Mercedes-Benz’s EQC, both of which cost more than 100 million won without the subsidy. Although they are still expensive, a favorable environment to sell expensive EVs in Korea could continue to put a threat on value-for-money models made by domestic carmakers.
“An undifferentiated and big subsidy plan for EV purchases makes Korea a favorable market for EV manufacturers because a lot of big auto markets have already implemented subsidy scheme that gives a different amount of incentives depending on the model,” Kim added.
In the United States, for example, some states put a cap on subsidies.
More incoming competitors
Domestic car manufacturers are likely to be more challenged in the latter half of the year as their strongest selling point - a low price - will no longer be an advantage. Affordable imported EVs are slated to hit the Korean market.
Peugeot recently brought two of its full EV models to Korea: the e-2008 SUV and e-208 sedan.
The e-208, which was selected Car of the Year in Europe, costs from 41 million won and is eligible for a 6.5 million won central government subsidy. When added to municipal government incentives, the imported model ends up in the 20-million-won range. Both e-208 and e-2008 can go 244 kilometers per charge.
Renault Samsung Motors will bring the Zoe hatchback EV to Korea in the latter half as well. The car’s driving range is 309 kilometer per charge. Its price hasn’t been confirmed, but considering its European price starts at around 32.5 million won, it is highly likely for it to be sold in the 20-million-won range after subsidies.
In luxury segment, Porsche is expected to bring the Taycan, its first full EV model, to Korea in the latter half. The Taycan 4S will have a 407 kilometer range and will be priced starting at 145.6 million won. Audi already brought the e-tron EV to Korea last month. The car, which can go 307 kilometers per charge, starts at 117 million won.
“This year, foreign carmakers will take more share in the EV market,” said Kim. “From next year, however, when Hyundai Motor Group releases new models under its EV-dedicated E-GMP platform, it could be a completely different story.”
BY JIN EUN-SOO [email@example.com]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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The Ardonagh Group has hired ex-Morrisons chair, Andy Higginson, to come on board as chairman of its growing retail business, the Ardonagh Retail Platform.
In his new position, Higginson – who was previously the chairman of Big 4 grocer Morrisons until earlier this year – will manage a number of brands, including Swinton Insurance, Carole Nash and Autonet.
His most recent appointment comes following Morrisons’s recent £7 billion takeover of Morrison by private equity firm Clayton Dublier & Rice in October.
Prior to Morrisons, Higginson was chairman of Poundland, up to and including its 2014 stock market floatation. He has also held a variety of senior roles at Tesco, and was ceo of its Retail Services division.
His retail career includes 15 years as an executive director of Tesco, with four as chief executive officer of its retail services division including Tesco.com, Tesco Bank and customer data science division Dunnhumby.
“I’m delighted to be joining a great leadership team and a strong business with proud roots in the North West and global momentum behind it,” Higginson said.
The Ardonagh Group chairman John Tiner added: “The Ardonagh Retail platform is a significant business with a strong track record, ambitious growth plans and a high calibre leadership team, which Andy is ideally suited to chair.
“His relevant experience in the strategic evolution of customer-centric businesses together with his background in chairing major retail groups brings valued additional knowledge.
“We welcome his appointment as part of the broader group, deepening our bench strength across our highly diversified range of insurance-related services in the UK, Ireland and broader international markets.”


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Posted: Monday, June 9, 2014 12:33 pm
Injured Women Call on Washington Attorney General to Investigate
Johnson & Johnson:
Washington Women Cite Injuries and Public Health Care Costs in Letter to AG Ferguson
Olympia, WA – Washington women who have been seriously injured by pelvic mesh implants asked Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson to investigate Johnson & Johnson for its dangerous pelvic mesh implants, citing their personal health problems and costs incurred by Washington taxpayers.
“We ask that Attorney General Ferguson investigate Johnson & Johnson and its CEO Alex Gorsky for selling dangerous products to women throughout the state of Washington. The damage this product has caused already has cost taxpayers too much money through Medicaid and other state public health systems,” stated Jane Akre, who has been organizing survivors of pelvic mesh implants for more than five years.
“Across Washington, women are being hurt by Johnson & Johnson’s dangerous products, and the company’s top executive, CEO Alex Gorsky, needs to be held accountable for the women he has hurt,” added Akre. “Pelvic mesh implants are perhaps the most dangerous product to women’s health on the market today. Gorsky should immediately take this dangerous pelvic mesh product off the market.”
More than 70,000 separate lawsuits have been filed against manufacturers of pelvic mesh implants. Local survivors in Washington signed onto today’s request for an investigation.
"Johnson & Johnson should be investigated because too many have suffered too long, and they need to bring a stop to it,” stated survivor Danyelle Robinson of Washington. “Something has to be done to assure there are substantial penalties."
See the letter to Attorney General Ferguson directly below.
# # #
June 9, 2014
By Facsimile: 206-587-5636
The Honorable Bob Ferguson
Washington State Office of the Attorney General
1125 Washington Street SE
PO Box 40100
Olympia, WA 98504-0100
Dear Attorney General Ferguson,
As survivors of pelvic mesh implants and Washington taxpayers, we request that your office immediately begin investigating whether Johnson and Johnson should be held liable for expenses incurred by the state as a result of dangerous and defective pelvic implants.
Johnson and Johnson is the largest producer of pelvic mesh implants in the world. This product is creating a health crisis among women across the state of Washington, which in turn is resulting in significant costs to the states' public health systems.
Specifically, we ask for you to investigate Johnson and Johnson and its Chairman Alex Gorsky for possible violation of section 19.86.20 of the Revised Code of Washington for deceptive and fraudulent business for their knowledge of the danger of the mesh implants and the public health systems’ costs to the taxpayers of Washington.
This request follows the recent revelation by a West Virginia court that Johnson and Johnson destroyed numerous documents relevant to lawsuits filed against the company by thousands of women across the United States who have been seriously injured by the company’s pelvic mesh implants.
It is critical that the Washington State Office of the Attorney General pursue this matter to recoup the state taxpayer dollars Medicaid and other public health systems have been and will be forced to spend to treat women who have been injured. Action by the state attorney general will also demonstrate that a major U.S. corporation should not destroy evidence in judicial proceedings. The destruction of this evidence undermines the ability of Washington women who have been hurt by Johnson & Johnson to receive justice.
In the last few years, medical device manufacturers including Johnson & Johnson have come under fire for marketing dangerous medical devices, drugs and other consumer products, often without receiving proper regulatory approval. Many of these companies, including Johnson & Johnson, have paid billions of dollars in fines in litigation and settlement costs and made repeated pledges of reform, yet continue to display an indifferent attitude toward the harm they have caused as well as a willingness to evade the law.
Currently, Johnson & Johnson faces thousands of product liability lawsuits relating to the company’s pelvic mesh implants, marketed most commonly as treatment for pelvic organ prolapse and stress urinary incontinence. There are estimated to be hundreds of thousands of women that have been – and continue to be - implanted with these dangerous products. Women have suffered severe pain and injuries due to ineffective and dangerous implants.
Investigations into the pelvic mesh products produced by several companies, including Johnson & Johnson, date back to before October 20, 2008, when the FDA first issued a Public Health Notification.
Beginning in March 2005, Johnson & Johnson sold one of its most popular devices, the Gynecare Prolift, without alerting the Food and Drug Administration for three years. When the FDA was made aware of the Prolift device, the agency informed Johnson & Johnson that the device required government approval. In May 2008, the Prolift was cleared for sale under the 510(k) process under the claim of “substantial equivalence” to devices already on the market. It had never been rigorously tested nor demonstrated effective in clinical trials.
Further indicating Johnson & Johnson knew how harmful pelvic mesh implants were but nevertheless continued marketing the defective product to unsuspecting women, the company destroyed thousands of documents regarding the implants. Although top company executives initially denied it, a magistrate judge found that Ethicon, a wholly owned subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson that manufactured the implants, destroyed documents pertaining to their effectiveness and safety as far back as 2007. Alex Gorsky, the current Chairman and CEO of Johnson & Johnson, was named head of Ethicon in 2008, before most of the documents were destroyed, and has continued to oversee it in his climb through the company’s ranks.
Apparent Violation of Law
Johnson and Johnson and its CEO Alex Gorsky may be in violation of section 19.86.20 of the Revised Code of Washington for unfair or deceptive business practices concerning both his corporation’s knowledge of the inherent danger of the mesh implants as well as the document destruction.
The Washington State Office of the Attorney General has the authority to conduct a comprehensive and thorough investigation into whether Johnson & Johnson, in the course of advertising, soliciting, selling, promoting and distributing pelvic mesh implants, has engaged in a course of trade or commerce that constitutes unfair or deceptive acts or practices, and is therefore unlawful under the Washington consumer protection laws by misrepresenting the safety of pelvic mesh implants.
The fact that Johnson & Johnson has offices and conducts business throughout Washington only adds to the importance of your office pursuing this matter.
Johnson & Johnson also may have violated Washington Case Law pertaining to destroying physical evidence in an official proceeding. In Pier 67, Inc. v. King County, the Court held “where relevant evidence which would properly be a part of a case is within the control of a party whose interests it would naturally be to produce it and he fails to do so, without satisfactory explanation, the only inference which the finder of fact may draw is that such evidence would be unfavorable to him.” Culpability turns on whether the party acted in bad faith or whether there is an innocent explanation for the destruction.
After initial denials by top executives, it is now clear that Johnson & Johnson destroyed thousands of documents related to Ethicon’s development and marketing of pelvic mesh implants.
Johnson & Johnson is one of the world’s largest corporations whose products are used not only by women but also children and men. This investigation is urgently needed as the lives and safety of so many women in Washington and across the United States depend on it.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if we can provide any further information. Thank you for your consideration.
Patricia Buchanan – Seattle, WA
Danyelle Robinson – Spokane, WA
Mary Wakefield – Colbert, WA
Elizabeth Weber – Spokane, WA


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A new report suggests the second-generation Chevrolet Bolt EV is still a ways off. Analysts aren’t expecting a new version of the battery-electric vehicle until 2025.
The news comes from Autoforecast Solutions, a firm that forecasts future vehicles by all automakers. Their research has shown GM plans to build the next Chevrolet Bolt and Cruise AV on the same platform. The Cruise AV being Cruise Automation’s fully autonomous vehicle that is slated to be used as part of an autonomous ride-hailing service next year. Cruise Automation is a wholly-owned subsidiary of GM.
Expect the new Bolt EV to offer a larger battery pack and more power. Subsequently, the bones of the new Bolt will likely serve as a springboard for additional electric vehicles within the GM stable beyond the Cruise AV. The new Bolt’s platform could spawn up to nine other GM vehicles.
So far there’s no word on which GM assembly plant will produce the 2025 Bolt EV. The current Bolt is produced at GM’s Lake Orion Assembly in Michigan.


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Last year’s Super Bowl ad spots focused heavily on politics and the event was widely deemed “the most political Super Bowl ever.” This year, most companies decided to give politically fatigued viewers a break and instead opted for humor to win the audience’s attention. “Now, more than ever, I think people want—no, make that need—to laugh a little,” said Dan Kelleher, chief creative officer for Deutsch. “Heck, even the NFL itself needs a break from all of the politics.”
The Super Bowl LII on Sunday drew in approximately 103.4 million viewers, making it one of the biggest television platforms for advertisers to showcase their brands. Below we round up some key themes beyond the laughs from the Super Bowl ads.
The Amazon effect
Amazon reminded us of the company’s buying power by rounding up a host of celebrities for its comical 90-second commercial “Alexa Loses Her Voice.” The ad, which stars actor Anthony Hopkins, actress Rebel Wilson, chef Gordon Ramsay and singer Cardi B as Alexa voice replacements, was the most viewed on YouTube on Super Bowl Sunday.


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After witnessing a dip on Friday, gold prices have again witnessed a downfall while silver futures were trading on the higher side on the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) on Monday.
Recording a dip of Rs 51 or 0.11 per cent, gold futures maturing on October 5 stand at Rs 47,951 per 10 grams. Meanwhile, silver futures maturing on September 3 are retailing at Rs 67,812 per kg, after witnessing a slight hike of Rs 33 or 0.05 per cent.
On Friday, both the precious metals were trading on the lower side on the MCX. While gold futures stood at Rs 48,281 per 10 grams, silver was at Rs 68,100 per kg, witnessing a dip of Rs 192 or 0.28 per cent.
Gold and silver prices on the international market:
Gold prices eased on Monday as the dollar held steady. Prices retreated from a two-week peak in the previous session after the dollar recovered, according to Reuters.
Spot gold fell by 0.2 per cent to $1,809.21 per ounce. Meanwhile, U.S. gold futures fell by 0.1 per cent to $1,814.90.
Furthermore, silver fell by 0.4 per cent to $25.37 per ounce, while platinum gained 0.6 per cent to $1,054.72.
Last week, gold's physical demand was subdued in India as rising prices discouraged retail purchases, while top consumer China saw some safety buying, though jewellery sales were dull.
Gold and silver prices on the domestic market:
|CITY||GOLD (per 10 grams,22 carats)||SILVER (per kg)|
|New Delhi||Rs 47,140||Rs 67,900|
|Mumbai||Rs 47,380||Rs 67,900|
|Chennai||Rs 45,470||Rs 73,000|
|Kolkata||Rs 47,550||Rs 67,900|
|Jaipur||Rs 47,600||Rs 67,900|
In India, gold and silver rates largely depend on the international prices and are calculated keeping the latter as a basis. Other factors like the USD to INR conversion rate, the supply and demand of gold and silver in MCX trading also play a key role in determining the prices of these precious metals.