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BALTIMORE -- An increasing number of famous restaurants are finding the best signature items from their menus sell just as well in the supermarket, much to retailers' delight.
They're finding that there is value -- and profit potential -- in offering products manufactured by restaurants, particularly if those establishments are local, since they are more likely to be patronized by shoppers. In turn, shoppers who find such a food item in the store might be more open to an impulse buy, especially if they recall eating it, and enjoying it, in the restaurant.
"Name recognition is so much more critical now than it has been in the past," said Scott Samuels, managing partner of Overland Park, Kan.-based Horizon Hospitality Consultants. "Consumers are naturally attracted to brand names they recognize and are willing to pay premium prices for a product they know and trust. This is a great opportunity for restaurants looking to expand revenues and sales."
Retailers like Landover, Md.-based Giant Food; Safeway, Pleasanton, Calif.; Weis Markets, Sunbury, Pa.; and Klein's Supermarkets, Forest Hill, Md., have begun to carry signature, restaurant-quality crab cakes in the seafood and frozen-food departments of their Baltimore and Washington-area stores.
Introduced to the supermarket industry about a year ago, the Maryland-style crab cakes are a product of Phillips Foods, a division of Phillips Seafood Restaurants, based here. The recipe blends jumbo lump and special-grade swimming crab meat to create a cake that is more than 70% crab meat. Phillips controls the entire production process, from the harvesting of the crabs to the cooking and pasteurization.
Deciding where to stock the crab cakes is left to the individual retailers. Company officials said some stores, like Giant, have chosen to carry them in cases adjacent to their seafood department, while others are carrying them in their frozen-food aisles.
The cakes are prepared at Phillips Quality Assurance Center. The company follows the same recipe it has used for more than 40 years in its restaurants. The Baltimore manufacturing/processing plant is the same location that hand-prepares the crab cakes for Phillips Seafood Restaurants. The same product that is shipped fresh to the restaurants is flash-frozen and packaged for the retail sector.
"This is a trend that makes a lot of sense and I think you're going to see a lot more of it," continued Samuels. "The customer enjoys the consistency of the product from the restaurant to the store shelf and doesn't mind paying more for it. From a retail standpoint, the name brand product is always going to sell better."
Phillips test markets new recipes and products in its seven restaurants located in the Baltimore/Washington area and along Maryland's Eastern shore. The ongoing testing allows it to perfect recipes before presenting them for retail sale.
Loyalty to the original recipe has served Phillips well. Phillips crab cakes were recently charted as the No. 1 item in dollar sales -- in the frozen-fish and -seafood category -- for the Baltimore/Washington region. The rating, for the period ended Jan. 24, 1999, came from Information Resources Inc., Chicago, an industry monitor service that ranks supermarket sales.
Officials at the company said they have already expanded their sales region to include Philadelphia-area supermarkets and are currently expanding into the Florida market as well.
Additional restaurant menu items now being marketed for retail sale are Phillips' Maryland vegetable crab soup, New England clam chowder and crab and spinach dip -- the No. 1 selling appetizer at Phillips Seafood Restaurants.
"Restaurants are tapping into a great market with the supermarket industry," added Samuels. "And more and more [restaurants] are realizing the potential of the retail market. It's a great move for a regional restaurant with an established name and loyal customers."
Phillips Foods, a division of Phillips Seafood Restaurants, produces more than 5 million pounds of crab meat a year, as well as a full line of crab products for the retail and food-service industries.


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KARACHI: Business communities of Pakistan and Oman should work together to improve trade and investment relations.
This was stated by Chairman of Oman Chamber of Commerce & Industry (OCCI), Redha Jumma Mohamed Ali Al-Saleh, who led a 20-member delegation during visit to Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI).
“Oman and Pakistan have been enjoying very good relations and both countries have many things in common but the trade volume was not sufficient which needs to be focused as before COVID-19 pandemic, trade volume stood at $655 million but it came down to $250 million,” said Chairman OCCI.
READ MORE: KCCI urges SBP to restore PKR at Rs150 to dollar
Vice Consul General of Consulate General of Oman in Karachi Hamood Nasser Al Nahdi, Pakistan’s Ambassador in Oman K.K. Ahsan, Chairman Businessmen Group Muhammad Zubair Motiwala, Vice Chairman BMG Tahir Khaliq, Senior Vice President KCCI Abdul Rehman Naqi, Vice President Qazi Zahid Hussain and KCCI Managing Committee Members were also present at the meeting.
Chairman OCCI further stated that the visit Omani delegation, which has arrived after a very long time, would certainly help in improving the existing trade and business ties between the two countries.
“Under the vision 2040, Oman is working on five sectors including mining, logistics, tourism, food security and industrial growth. As Pakistan is also focused on all these sectors hence, we can work together,” he added.
READ MORE: KCCI flays restoration of IR officers bank freezing powers
He informed that Oman was open for foreign investment as under the new rules, investors can now invest 100 percent capital with no need for having a local partner but it was better to have a local partner who could help in easily setting up businesses in Oman. “As compared to other countries, taxes in Oman were much lower with tax holidays for up to five years. Oman has also opened a road to Saudi Arabia which has substantially reduced the distance, cost and time hence, Oman can become a hub for export to Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Syria and GCC countries.”
Chairman OCCI informed that Oman has free zones where no tax was applicable on production for exports while incentives were also being offered to new investors who can start businesses in a stable economic, social and political environment with availability of advanced infrastructure facilities and other benefits including tax exemptions on equipment for establishing industrial projects.
He admitted that obtaining Omani visa was not an easy task but the Omani Embassy in Pakistan along with OCCI was working seriously towards making it easier. “We are ready to assist any Pakistani businessman in obtaining visa with a view to make your visit easier.”
READ MORE: KCCI demands COVID restrictions ease for businesses
He was of the opinion that Karachi Chamber was the right platform for Omani investors to seek advice before undertaking joint ventures with Pakistani companies and same was the case for Pakistani investors who can approach Oman Chamber before partnering with any Omani company.
Chairman BMG Zubair Motiwala, in his remarks, stated that Pakistan and Oman have been enjoying friendly relations and excellent bonding since Pakistan came of existence and it was heartening to see that Pakistani manpower has been comfortably working in Oman. Sultan Qaboos Bin Said, during his 40 years of rule, has done a marvelous job by transforming a desert to one of the most modern countries of the world.
“The new ruler of Oman Haitham bin Tariq is also doing an excellent job by bringing positive changes which means that the progress of Oman would continue in the times to come”, he added.
He said that although government-to-government relations exist but people-to-people relations were also very important which have to be not only maintained but further improved.
“Pakistan’s exports to the world have been rising by 20 percent every month due to conducive investment policies and business friendly environment, hence the Omani investors must look into the possibility of setting up businesses or undertaking joint ventures in Pakistan.”
Zubair Motiwala, while referring to meager trade volume of around $650 million between Pakistan and Oman, stressed that both countries have to look into the issues and identify the bottlenecks which have been hindering trade and collective efforts have to be made to take the current trade volume to at least $1 billion.
READ MORE: KCCI opposes lockdown, suggests forceful vaccination, strict implementation of SOPs
“Trust deficit is one of the major issue that needs to be addressed as obtaining business visa for exploring trade and investment opportunities in Oman is hard to get which has to be simplified while exchange of trade delegations must also frequently take place along with single country exhibitions in Karachi and Muscat which would certainly prove more effective for promoting trade and investment,” he said, adding that the biggest booster for trade is regional cooperation and regional connectivity instead of international trade. “We have to supplement and complement each other by sharing the expertise and undertaking joint ventures.”
Senior Vice President KCCI Abdul Rehman Naqi, while warmly welcoming the Omani delegation, pointed out that Pakistan exported US$149.22 million worth of goods to Oman in 2020 while the imports from Oman stood at US$614.81 million. “There are a number of commodities in which the two countries can enhance trade like the semi-milled or wholly milled rice, tents of textile materials, fresh or dried guavas, mangoes, onions and shallots, fresh or chilled potatoes etc.
He also stressed the need for setting up Oman-Pakistan Joint Business Council to enhance trade cooperation and economic relations between the two friendly countries. “Moreover, Special Economic Zones being setup under CPEC provide an ideal opportunity for Omani investors to consider Pakistan for investments and joint ventures, particularly in the food sector. Oman can enhance economic cooperation with Pakistan by virtue of investments as vast prospects of investment lie in industry, livestock, energy, agriculture and information technology.
Pakistan and Oman should cooperate in the field of Blue Economy including enhancing tourism through frequent ferry service given their close proximity, he said, adding that Pakistan can tremendously benefit from Oman’s technological advancement in the oil sector.

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The Nigeria Customs Service says it seized goods worth N40.5 million Duty Paid Value in Kaduna state.
Kaduna State Comptroller, Al-Bashir Hamisu, who disclosed this on Wednesday at the Zone B Headquarters, Kaduna, said the seizures were made by the Federal Operation Units of the zone.
He listed some of the seized goods to include 484 parcels of Indian hemp, 373 bags of foreign rice, vegetable oil 45 kgs and 48 bales of second hand clothing.
Hamisu said the 484 parcels of the seized Indian hemp had been handed over to Kaduna state commander of the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Uche Iyke.
The comptroller said rice importation remains illegal and therefore his personnel will not compromise by allowing foreign rice into the country, adding that the federal government has a very good plan for agriculture and customs is ever ready to ensure that the policies are achieved.
He vowed that Customs will continue to secure the borders against smugglers.


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Taking too many vitamins pills 'increases risk of heart disease and cancer', study warns
- Exceeding the recommended daily amount of vitamins can harm health
- Decade-long study found it increases the risk of cancer and heart disease
- 'Supplements are not actually beneficial for health' leading doctor warns
- Getting vitamins from eating healthy, nutritious food is preferable, he said
Most people take vitamin tablets in the belief they will improve their health and protect them against disease.
But a new study has found popping too many supplements can actually increase the risk of heart disease and cancer.
Over the counter supplements are promoted for their health benefits but exceeding the recommended daily amount may have a counter effect, experts say.
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Taking over the recommended daily amount of vitamins increases the risk of cancer and heart disease
Dr Tim Byers, of the University of Colorado Cancer Centre, said: 'We are not sure why this is happening at the molecular level.
'But evidence shows that people who take more dietary supplements than needed tend to have a higher risk of developing cancer.'
Two decades ago, research found people who ate more fruits and vegetables tended to have less cancer.
So Dr Bryers began to investigate if taking extra vitamins and minerals would further reduce the risk of developing the disease.
He said: 'When we first tested dietary supplements in animal models we found that the results were promising.
'Eventually we were able to move on to the human populations. We studied thousands of patients for ten years who were taking dietary supplements and placebos.
'We found that the supplements were actually not beneficial for their health.
'In fact, some people actually got more cancer while on the vitamins.'
Experts said most people get the daily recommended doses of vitamins and minerals in their diets by eating healthy meals
One trial exploring the effects of beta-carotene supplements showed that taking more than the recommended dosage increased the risk for developing both lung cancer and heart disease by 20 per cent.
Folic acid, which was thought to help reduce the number of polyps in a colon, actually increased the number in another trial.
Dr Bryers said: 'This is not to say that people need to be afraid of taking vitamins and minerals.
'If taken at the correct dosage, multivitamins can be good for you.
'But there is no substitute for good, nutritional food.'
He added most people get the daily recommended doses of vitamins and minerals in their diets by eating healthy meals.
He concluded: 'At the end of the day we have discovered that taking extra vitamins and minerals do more harm than good.'
The findings were presented at the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2015.
However, critics say that many people are deficient in vitamins, and supplements can help them get the nutrients they need.
A spokesperson for the Council for Responsible Nutrition, the trade association for the dietary supplement and functional food industry in the U.S., said: 'Cancer is a multifactorial disease for which there is no proven prevention.
'However, good nutrition is highly recommended by many experts as just one way to keep you healthy.
'Government research demonstrates that Americans do not obtain all the nutrients they need from food alone, and in those cases, dietary supplements can help fill nutrient gaps.
'We do not recommend high doses of vitamins, unless under the direction of your doctor.'
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VC firm Lightspeed India Partners has opened a new office in Koramangala, Bengaluru. This is Lightspeed’s second office in India after Delhi. The announcement was made by Managing Partner Bejul Somaia in a LinkedIn post. The office which will be inaugurated tomorrow reflects the firm’s commitment to deepening its engagement with entrepreneurs in the Bengaluru area and to better serving its existing portfolio companies headquartered in the city.
Bejul shed light on the reasons behind opening the office in Bengaluru. In an emailed response he stated, “This wasn’t a sudden decision. The question has always been ‘when’ and not ‘if’. The reason for opening the office now is because we felt that we were organizationally ready to operate in two offices. We’ve made several Bangalore investments including Byju’s, Udaan, Sharechat, FreshMenu so the issue was not a concern of missing deals. Rather, we want to be closer to our companies and engage with entrepreneurs earlier in the lifecycle, which we will now be able to do.”
Lightspeed’s notable Delhi based investments include budget hotel booking marketplace OYO, hyperlocal discovery platform Magicpin, social shopping platform Limeroad, and Big Data startup Innovaccer among others.
In the post, Bejul also mentioned that the Bengaluru office is also a sign of Lightspeed’s commitment to the startup ecosystem in Bengaluru. Lightspeed Venture Partners has been investing in India since 2004 focusing on direct and cross-border businesses. The firm generally invests $1 to $25 Mn in growth or early-stage startups seeking to disrupt or transform large markets in the domestic economy. The Silicon-Valley-based VC firm had raised a $115 Mn India-specific fund in 2015 to invest heavily in India’s burgeoning landscape.
Recently the VC firm invested in the $18 Mn Series C funding round of Mumbai-based startup OneAssist that offers credit card and smartphone protection in case of loss/theft. In June this year, it also led the $4Mn Series A funding round of HRtech startup, Darwinbox. Prior to that in May this year, it invested in the $7 Mn Series B funding round of magicpin.
Lightspeed India also had a successful exit (3x-5x returns) this year when US-headquartered Ebix Inc. invested $123 Mn (INR 800 Cr) in Mumbai-based payments solution firm ItzCash against 80% stake in the company. Last year, the VC firm had inducted Sunil Rao, ex-Google as Partner of business services and community. Sunil is a veteran in the startup community and was instrumental in rolling out the startup initiatives at Google in India.
Sunil told Inc42, “Approximately one third of our existing companies are Bengaluru-based.”
As far as the investing focus is concerned, there would no change. Bejul stated, “There is no change to our focus – we continue to invest in technology and technology-enabled companies in consumer and B2B / enterprise. Areas of current interest include financial services, education, healthcare, logistics and content as well as horizontal SaaS companies.” He also added that both the Delhi and Bengaluru teams would be spending equal amount of time in both the cities.
As per Inc42 DataLabs funding report for H1 2017, tech city Bengaluru took the first spot in overall investments in H1 2017. Delhi and Bengaluru have always been locked in the battle for the top slots (although Delhi consists of Gurugram, Ghaziabad, and Noida – far larger scope in terms of area than Bengaluru) and this continued for H1 2017 as well. Bengaluru received over 144 deals and $2.572 Bn in total funding, whereas Delhi/NCR witnessed 128 deals and $2.129 Bn funding. Mumbai and Hyderabad took the third and fourth spots, respectively.
Apart from SAIF Partners and Lightspeed India, most of other large funds are based in Bengaluru and Mumbai. Interestingly last month, another VC firm Matrix Partners, with offices in Bengaluru and Mumbai, moved in the opposite direction to Lightspeed and established a Delhi office to harness the emerging potential of the NCR region.


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One Direction might be busy jetting all over the world and performing to thousands of fans every night on their Take Me Home tour, but last night they found time to attend the launch of their debut fragrance, Our Moment, before heading off to Mexico.
The event, hosted by the gorgeous Laura Whitmore, took place in a top secret location and with our official invite we found ourselves as near to the boys as we could possibly get. And yes, they are as beautiful in the flesh. Trust us!
The big reveal of the bottle came when Niall, Louis, Liam, Zayn and Harry whipped a huge cloth off a massive box in the center of the room. And it didn't disappoint, with a pink and silver royal theme going on, the lid looks like a crown (apparently Niall said that was because all the fans are princesses, aww!) with pink netting in the center. Definitely one for the dressing table!
The boys have been working hard on the fragrance for the past few months, the idea for which apparently came from a fan on Twitter who set up a petition for them to create one. "It's been a long process and we're really proud," said Harry. Niall's already tested it on his family and they love it, and Liam said: "We love the idea behind a fragrance as you mix individual scents to create something so much better." Wise words, Liam.
So, what does it actually smell like? There's notes of pink grapefruit, wild berries, jasmine petals, creamy musk and white patchouli which all blend together beautifully to create something amazingly sweet, floral and fruity and just plain lovely. And well, if 1D want us to smell like that, who are we to complain?
Our Moment is available nationwide on 9th September, but you can get your hands on it from 24th August exclusively at Harrods. Prices start from £21.
Are you excited for the 1D fragrance? Tell us in the comment box below or tweet us @CosmopolitanUK.


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AccuWeather Inc. and Huafeng Media Group announced a joint venture (JV) on May 22. The JV, aka Huafeng-AccuWeather (Beijing) Co. Ltd, will bring AccuWeather technology to consumers in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macao via Huafeng’s forecast location capabilities.
Huafeng, a commercial weather media company owned by the China Meteorological Administration, will expand the forecast locations available to AccuWeather in China. In return, AccuWeather will provide enhanced weather forecasts not yet available in China, form distribution partnerships with Chinese companies, and help to expand its forecasting locations throughout the country.
Initially the JV’s services will be available on mobile, including smart phones, smart cars, and wearables.
“AccuWeather’s technical and meteorological innovations, including our unique forecasting products and longer-range forecasts, will provide new value to the people of China,” said AccuWeather CEO Barry Lee Myers, calling the JV “a groundbreaking endeavor.”
The JV is the only company sanctioned by the Meteorological Law of China to distribute the China Meteorological Administration’s weather information and forecasts via AccuWeather.
(Photo by AccuWeather)


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- Cryptocurrency prices have plunged, with bitcoin falling as low as $36k and Ethereum as low as $2,200. Elon Musk may have started, and stopped, the fall but a decline of this magnitude demonstrates that other buyers have concerns, potentially after hoping for more robust answers to questions about environmental impact, use cases, illicit activity and regulation, now they see crypto as a mainstream asset.
- This is unlikely to be the end of the bull run. Prices are historically high and much more is at stake than in past price declines. $410 billion has been spent to acquire current bitcoin holdings. $300 billion of this has made a loss at a price of $36k, but the remaining $110 billion in profit is greater than all that had been spent to acquire bitcoin in mid-March 2020, the last major price fall.
- Bitcoin inflows into exchanges are relatively low compared to past sell-offs, at 412k bitcoin in the last three days, compared to 412k on the 13 March 2020 alone, while investor whales bought 34k bitcoin on Tuesday and Wednesday, 18 and 19 May, after reducing their holdings by as much as 51k bitcoin in the last two weeks. This suggests much of the selling pressure is occurring from sellers already on exchanges, likely retail.
Cryptocurrency prices have plunged this week, falling by 30% or more. The bitcoin price was as high as $58k on Wednesday 12 May. Today, Wednesday 19 May, it has reached as low as $36k, although it is now recovering towards $40k. The Ethereum price reached an all time high seven days ago, of $4,308 but approached as low as $2,200 today before recovering above $2,800.
If you cannot bear to read any further, you can now listen to the Market Intel Report as a podcast! Today we also launch the archive of all past Market Intel Reports, so you can go back to reading about when prices were rising…
The end-of-day bitcoin price has only fallen by more than 25% over seven days on four other occasions since the start of 2017. These were:
- 24 December 2017, when the price fell from the $20k peak of the 2017 bull run;
- 5 February 2018, when the price fell below $10k as the bull run ended;
- 25 November 2018 when the price went to $4k as crypto winter set in; and
- Mid-March 2020, when the price touched as low as $4k as financial markets reacted to Covid.
So the current price fall is very significant, although the price level, for both bitcoin and Ethereum, is still historically high.
Last week I wrote: ‘the market is hot right now’ and that ‘if you are not playing a very long game in crypto, you probably should be playing a very short game’ as the question is ‘will the scale of investment and interest advance technology and adoption enough to sustain prices, before hype wanes and Fear Of Missing Out turns into Fear Uncertainty and Doubt?’.
It now looks like the heat I felt was the market overheating. I worried about how short the very short game would be. I just didn’t think it only had a day left to run, but then Elon Musk hit the accelerator. However, I think that Musk is just the messenger, even as his diamond hands seem to be lifting up the price right now.
When Coinbase went public, I wrote that it was ‘the end of the beginning for crypto but new growth needs uses beyond trading’. Since then, people have been asking hard questions because crypto has matured into an asset that people have made serious investments in. Crypto faced questions before, but they were largely a mix of curiosity and cynicism. Now, the industry needs to answer questions about environmental impact, use cases, illicit activity and regulation. I provide answers in the links, but the depth of this week’s price falls show that more needs to be done to keep the investment coming in. Elon Musk can clearly drive price volatility, but the sell-off is large enough to demonstrate that other buyers have concerns.
So is this the end of the bull market? Is crypto winter coming? I don’t know, but I also don’t think so. Things are different from major price declines in March 2020 and December 2017 as I’ll show in the charts below. While buyers’ concerns may have risen recently, there are many recent entrants who have bought large amounts of cryptocurrency. The stakes are much higher now than they ever were. The on-chain data suggests that retail is selling on exchanges while institutional investors are just not buying as much rather than selling, although some have started to buy the dip today.
To understand just how much higher the stakes are now, consider the cost curves in the first chart of the Report. You may ask: how is cost curve analysis doing right now, as price falls below multiple support levels? For me, cost curves provide a floor where price should settle, not when the market panics. Today it looks like the price may settle around $38k, which actually is a plateau on the current cost curve…
But the main insight I draw from comparing the current cost curve with the cost curves in March 2020 and December 2017, is just how much more has been invested in bitcoin since those times. $410 billion has been spent to acquire current bitcoin holdings. $300 billion of this has made a loss at a price of $36k. However, the remaining $110 billion in profit is greater than all that had been spent to acquire bitcoin in mid-March 2020, the last major price fall. These are some serious incentives to resolve problems that people may have with cryptocurrency and to invest in improvements.
It also does not appear that institutions are significant sellers, although they may be more cautious as buyers right now. The second chart in the report shows that bitcoin inflows into exchanges are relatively low compared to past sell-offs, at 412k bitcoin in the last three days, compared to 412k on the 13 March 2020 alone. This suggests that much of the selling is from people with assets already on exchanges, which tend to be retail investors.
The third chart in the report strengthens this view. It shows the change in bitcoin held by post-2017 investor whales for the 14 days before the price bottom of the current and past declines. Post-2017 investor whales are self-hosted wallets that have held at least 1k bitcoin in their lifetime, acquired this since the start of 2017, and who retain at least 75% of the bitcoin they receive. The chart shows that investor whales bought 34k bitcoin on Tuesday and Wednesday, 18 and 19 May, after reducing their holdings by as much as 51k bitcoin cumulatively in the last two weeks. This is a stronger response than in March 2020. So investor whales currently appear cautious but low prices may be tempting them to buy the dip, rather than sell into it.
And talking of buying the dip, I’ll be presenting at Consensus on ‘Should I Buy the Dip? The On-Chain Answer‘ on 25 May at 9:05pm EST. In the meantime, I’m sure I’ll be providing updates via Twitter as the market evolves, let me know your thoughts via email@example.com, and don’t forget you can now listen to the podcast and read the archive of the Market Intel Report!
Philip Gradwell, Chief Economist


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Mash Direct has continued to grow rapidly outside its domestic Northern Ireland market as consumers looking for a blend of health and convenience throughout the coronavirus pandemic turned to its range of prepared veg.
Chief operating officer Jack Hamilton said the brand had outperformed the declining chilled ready meal category during lockdown.
Newly filed accounts for the year ended 29 February 2020, just before the Covid outbreak hit, revealed a 20% increase in turnover to £22.1m thanks to a raft of NPD and increased marketing raising brand awareness on the UK mainland, which now accounted for 59.4% of total sales.
EBITDA jumped 54% in the year to £3m while pre-tax profits stood at £1.7m, compared to £22k in 2018/19 when it was hit by £610k of one-off costs for a postponed retail listing in the US.
The company’s range of prepared mash veg has grown to include the likes of curry chips, shredded duck bites and crispy vegetable bakes. Mash launched a range of vegan-friendly mashed potato and mashed carrot & swede side dishes during the 2019/20 financial year and has since taken its first steps into the ready-to-eat salad pot segment.
It positioned the supplier well as the pandemic hit in March last year, with increased demand in supermarkets and convenience retail more than offsetting a reduction in foodservice trade.
Jack Hamilton said: “We have seen an increase in demand for the Mash Direct range as consumers have looked for healthy vegetables with provenance during the pandemic.
“While the chilled ready meal category as a whole has been in decline due to the poor performance of own label, demand for Mash Direct branded products has increased.”
Mash Direct also benefited from disruption to UK retail supply chains caused by Brexit this year, securing its first-ever M&S listings in Ireland.
Founded by Martin and Tracy Hamilton in 2003, the business continues to be run by the couple and their sons, Jack and sales director Lance.


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India's food safety authority has been urged by an anti-tobacco voluntary group to expand its public health policy by checking on the promotion and sales of tobacco products in the country.
HRIDAY (Health Related Information Dissemination Amongst Youth), in a letter to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) said tobacco products were being indirectly promoted in the country.
"The tobacco industry has been using indirect and surrogate means like sponsoring TV shows, cricket tournaments and award functions to promote products such as pan masala through their identical brand extensions."
"The use of identical or similar brand names creates a confusion and incites consumers, particularly youth, to experiment with such products," the letter to FSSAI chairperson K. Chandramouli said.
FSSAI, under the ministry of health and family welfare, lays down scientific standards for food articles and their manufacturing, storage and distribution.
Citing advertisements of certain products at Delhi's Metro stations and the international airport, which claim to have "zero percent tobacco", the anti-tobacco group demanded that these be tested to ensure the safety of consumer.
"We urge FSSAI to initiate a process of testing all pan masala and mouth fresheners available in the market and, based on their cancer-causing and other hazardous properties, prohibit their direct and indirect advertisements," the letter said.


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Navteq, a leading digital map and location content provider, with its headquarters in Chicago, sees a huge scope for navigation and location-based services (LBS) in India.
While consumers and enterprises in the country have started to adopt digital navigation, the market will mature from a navigation focus to a broader location focus in the long term, according to Rajat Tandon, Country Director (Sales), Navteq India.
In an interaction with this correspondent, he said unlike in developed countries where navigation was established by portable navigation devices (PND), followed by vehicles and then smartphones, India was witnessing a reverse trend with consumers first experiencing with the navigation on a smart phone.
In India, Navteq has an extensive network of digital map operations with its world-class map making capabilities at its 32,000 sq.ft. production centre in Mumbai. With a workforce of over 650, it has covered 759 cities and over 4.2 million points of interests (POI).
The company has more than 60 vehicles fitted with state-of-the art cameras and navigation devices.
Its junction view images simplify navigation and help drivers avoid difficult last-minute manoeuvres. As car manufacturers and mobile operators in India show inclination towards bundling navigation-enabled services into their end-consumer products, Navteq is collaborating with these industries to provide them with a precise digital map of India. Navteq's maps were utilised by multiple industries.
Among them are in-dash vehicle navigation, online mapping, location-enabled portable devices (mobile and portable navigation devices), fleet and government and enterprise solutions.
Navteq maps span over 84 countries and territories across six continents and has more than 1,200 geographic analysts strategically located globally. Navteq was founded in 1985. It was bought over by Nokia in 2007 and operates as a subsidiary of Nokia.


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Aligning our business and sustainability strategies to create shared benefits
LDC was recognized for aligning its sustainability efforts with business strategies by the Private Social Investment index (IISP), a ranking created by Colombian magazine Semana Sostenible, in collaboration with local company Jaime, Arteaga & Asociados and the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
Supporting farming communities is a key part of the way we do business. Through various initiatives over the years – in Colombia and elsewhere – we work to provide incentives for farmers to remain in the coffee business, helping then to improve their livelihoods and produce good-quality coffee in an environmentally, economically and socially responsible way.
At the beginning of 2020, LDC launched its latest joint sustainability project in Colombia with Jacobs Douwe Egberts (JDE), aiming to improve the productivity and quality of coffee grown by approximately 1600 smallholder producers in the regions of Cauca, Risaralda, Tolima and Huila.
Projects like this one saw LDC invited to participate in the IISP alongside 101 other companies – an amazing opportunity to showcase these key efforts, and the importance of supporting farmers to secure future coffee supplies.
At an award ceremony on June 25, LDC proudly accepted the “Alignment” category award, which recognizes companies who promote sustainable and gender equality practices throughout the entire value chain, by aligning sustainability efforts with business strategy.
“As the African proverb says: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” This recognition shows that our approach to driving sustainable development through collaboration for maximum impact, is the right one,” said Ross Hawkins, Global Head of Coffee Partnerships at LDC. “We are committed to investing in the development and resilience of farming communities, who are the heart of the food chain, and we hope we can inspire others to do the same, working toward a safe and sustainable future for all.”


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It's Official: Valve Releasing Steam, Source Engine For Linux!May 13, 2010, 00:03 (0 Talkback[s])
(Other stories by Michael Larabel)
No-Size-Fits-All! An Application-Down Approach for Your Cloud Transformation REGISTER >
[ Thanks to Michael Larabel for this link. ]
"Valve Corporation has today rolled out their Steam Mac OS X client to the general public and confirmed something we have been reporting for two years: the Steam content delivery platform and Source Engine are coming to Linux. This news is coming days after we discovered proof in Steam's Mac OS X Client of Linux support and subsequently found more Linux references and even the unreleased Steam Linux client. The day has finally come and Linux gamers around the world have a reason to rejoice, as this is the biggest news for the Linux gaming community that sees very few tier-one titles.
0 Talkback[s] (click to add your comment)


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BOS Comments on Sweden Online Casino Restrictions
The Ministry of Finance has issued a proposed extension of the restrictions for Swedish-licensed online casinos until November 14, with reference to Covid-19. If the government decides on another extension, this is the second time that the temporary restrictions have been extended.
“I have previously stated that there is nothing as lasting as a political promise of something temporary. The government seems unaware that their own expert authority, the Swedish Agency for Public Management, just over a week ago stated that the leakage from the Swedish gaming market to the unregulated gaming market is alarmingly high. The leakage for online casinos is particularly high, where as much as every fourth gaming krona is played outside the Swedish licensed market,” says Gustaf Hoffstedt.
“To extend restrictions that are disapproved by gaming consumers is to ask for continued problems for the channeling into the licensed market when it comes to online casinos. Thus, Swedish gaming consumers will lose out on the consumer protection that the Swedish Parliament has decided will apply in our country. It is provocative that the Swedish government in a rhetoric about caring for the consumer in practice does the opposite and hurts the Swedish gaming license market with its strong consumer protection.” Hoffstedt concludes.


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Microsoft denies involvement in FBI raid on Xbox 720 leaker SuperDaE
Last week, SuperDaE, most notable for his attempt to sell the Xbox 720/Durango dev kit on eBay, informed his Twitter followers that his house had been raided. It is believed that SuperDaE was in possession of a dev kit for Microsoft's next console and is responsible for leaking details on it. As a result, FBI and Australian police knocked on his door last week with a warrant to search his home for proof of such things. As the gaming community unites to #freeSuperDaE, Microsoft claims they had no involvement in the raid.
"Microsoft did not initiate this FBI investigation with this individual, as has been asserted in some of the articles in the media," a Microsoft spokesperson said.
"We take security very seriously and have no evidence of any compromise of our corporate network. We have no further comment on this matter."
Although Microsoft claims no involvement, a search warrant obtained by TheTechGame seems to suggest otherwise. Among the companies mentioned are Microsoft, PayPal, and eBay. If you've been following SuperDaE's story, you'll realize those three are seemingly linked to the eBay auction which was eventually shut down.
Was Microsoft involved in the police raid on SuperDaE? I have time believing they weren't, but decide for yourself.


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Realme India is all set to launch the new Realme 3 smartphone today in India. The new smartphone will be company's first device for the year 2019. To be pitted against Xiaomi Redmi Note 7, the new Realme 3 will be introduced as a successor to last year's Realme 2. It is also rumoured that the company might launch Realme 3 Pro along with Realme 3 at the launch event. The smartphone manufacturer will be live streaming the launch event from the venue on its official YouTube channel. You can watch the live webcast here –Realme 3 Smartphone Launching Today in India; Watch LIVE Streaming of Realme's New Phone Launch Event.
Under the hood, the new Realme 3 will be powered by an octa-core MediaTek Helio P70 chipset, which will be clocked at 2.1GHz. As a reminder, it is the same SoC that is equipped on the Realme U1. The company also claims that Helio P70 chipset is designed to make 40 percent lower power consumption and 30 percent fast download speeds when compared to Qualcomm’s tried-and-tested Snapdragon 660. The chipset is likely to be clubbed with 4GB and 6GB of RAM along with 64GB and 128GB internal storage.
The phone maker has also confirmed via microsite on Flipkart that the phone will be fuelled by a 4230 mAh battery that is touted as long-lasting battery. Coming to the camera department, the Realme 3 is speculated to come with a dual rear camera setup and a single camera upfront. However, there is still a mystery on the configuration details. Realme 3 India Launch Confirmed For March 4; Key Features & Specifications Revealed on Flipkart.
When launched, the smartphone will be made available exclusively via Flipkart. However, the sale details will be revealed at the launch event. To be slotted in between Realme’s C Series and Realme U Series, the new Realme 3 is likely to be priced below Rs 10,000. Stay tuned with us for more action from Realme 3’s launch event.


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Sony is chasing Fortnite and Apex's billion-dollar revenues and wants to have a dozen live service games up and running in the next 3 years. Bungie will help, but don't expect all of these games to be Destiny-likes.
Sony is doubling-down on live service games and plans to release 12 live titles on the market by 2025. Earnings projections show that Sony has massive confidence these games will be successful. The company expects add-on revenues (microtransactions) to reach $24 billion by 2025, which suggests a few things.
We know that Bungie is guiding Sony's live service plans. But this level of revenue growth strongly indicates a diversified slate of games that could be outside of the types of games Bungie is known for. The sheer volume of games coupled with the significant jump to $24 billion earnings (a 7.5% CAGR growth rate) suggests that Sony's live games will deliver a broad spectrum of experiences that appeal to different demographics/age groups and types of gamers across different platforms.
In short, don't expect all of these games to be Destiny-like titles. In fact, most of them probably won't be. That's not feasible nor is it sustainable.
The majority of these games may be smaller-scale experiences that appeal to a wider base of users. Remember, live games are built on accessibility and replicability. Sony's emphasis on success shows that it's taking all types of live games into consideration and not just games like Destiny or MMORPGs like FF14.
The games could be built for younger audiences or even specific regions. Some of Sony's live games could target a specific Asian market--a region that enjoys browser-based titles (NetEase, for example, made $2.92 billion from PC browser games).
Whatever the case, Bungie will be directly involved in the live games, but it won't necessarily be developing them. Sony has said that it plans to "fully integrate Bungie expertise in all SIE processes," however Bungie is still very busy. It can assist, but co-developing 12 live games isn't reasonable. Bungie will review design/concepts, monetization & data, pre-production pipelines, and launch readiness/post-launch.
Also, not all of these live games should be dedicated console/PC titles. Sony is expanding big into mobile, and expects 20% of first-party game releases to launch on mobile by 2025. This is a considerable jump in adoption. Sony has had big success with Fate Grand Order, a live service mobile game, in Japan. The company has confirmed that Fate Grand Order developer Lasengle will help lead its push into mobile games and synergize development by lending its expertise to new teams.
Sony's confidence may also indicate more unannounced mergers and acquisitions deals specifically targeting live ops and/or mobile games.
I recently suggested that Sony needs more mobile and live operations teams to help fulfill its vision, and the mighty GAGR add-on growth does coincide with new games, but it could also indicate new highly-skilled teams and studios are joining SIE.
Let's also remember that Sony could license its IPs out to third-party studios.
Not all of its 12 live games will be developed internally. Sony simply does not have the scale for that kind of delivery (not yet, at least). Even with devs like Firesprite, Haven, Bungie, and its stable of existing first-party teams that are working on multiplayer components (Naughty Dog has Factions 2, Sucker Punch had Ghost of Tsushima Legends), this kind of delivery is extremely demanding.
For example, Sony could team up with Daybreak Games (formerly Sony Online Entertainment) to release a new live game based on one of its wholly-owned IPs. There's other live devs like, for example, Saber Interactive, who now has its own label under Embracer Group.
Whatever the case may be, Sony is all-in on live services. The company has routinely seen its partners like EA, Epic Games, and Activision make billions of dollars every year on the PlayStation Store and now it wants in on the action.
Sony is investing heavily into live games, and by 2025, the company expects that 55% of its PS5 platform investment spending will be on live games.
- > NEXT STORY: New Xbox device to bring Game Pass to all TVs
- < PREVIOUS STORY: Sony's new acquisitions may target mobile devs and live ops teams


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SIG Combibloc expects its aseptic carton and filling business to “grow exponentially” in Africa in coming years as consumer demand for long-life dairy products rockets.
A food processing researcher has scored a grant of nearly $300,000 to explore bio-based antimicrobials and other nanotechnology applications for food packaging.
The annual WorldStar awards (presented by the World Packaging Organisation) recognize excellence in packaging design: sustainability, functionality, aesthetics and more. Here are some of the winners in the Food category...
Avantium is to file a food contact application for the use of its biobased polymer in the next step of its partnership with Coca-Cola, Danone and ALPLA.
A resealable beet container featuring Amcor film bested the competition in this year’s UK Packaging Awards.
Mocon has launched a system that gauges oxygen transmission rates through flat materials and food packaging.
Flexible packaging might be gaining market share, but canned foods still figure into meal preparation at Thanksgiving and other holidays.
Allpax Products reports its Gentle Motion retort system, recently installed at a plant in Europe, cuts process time by as much as 40%.
Færch Plast is ready to launch absorbers in its packages in the UK for meat and fish to extend shelf life by days.
Tetra Pak is helping retailers grab a bigger share of the booming private-label business with services that speed time to market.
Powerhouse processor Bonduelle is tapping into EnWave dehydration for quick-frozen vegetables.
PACK EXPO International 2014 is expanding its tech content by welcoming an event dedicated to 'smart' packaging technologies.
Increasing hunger for fresh-cut fruit, ready-to-eat-salads and other convenience foods is helping drive growth in produce packaging.
An operation specializing in high-pressure processing has installed its second Avure line at its fresh-food facility.
Membrane filtration and aseptic filling technologies will never provide a "complete replacement" for traditional heat treatment methods in the manufacture of extended shelf life dairy products such as UHT milk,...
Food packaging, beverage bottles and other containers are driving global demand for polyethylene terephthalate.
Pinhole detection in metallising is crucial in flexible food packaging where defects can affect the barrier performance of packaging structure and jeopardize the associated shelf life, said Bobst.
PhD candidate Jenneke Heising is working on packaging with a built-in nose that can tell a smartphone how fresh fish is, before consumers buy it.
This year's PROCESS EXPO event has treated attendees to a broad array of processing technologies, packaging equipment, educational programming, and other features. Here are some of the sights and sounds...
A meat manufacturer has sought the help of a Norwegian research institute to evaluate barrier properties of its revamped packaging and avoid discolouration.
Processing professionals from all over the world are gathered at the event, and sharing the sights, sounds and technology via Twitter.
Insignia Technologies will go ahead with trials in the US, UK and Europe after renewed interest with a sizeable cash investment.
It’s Fresh! has won a slice of a €5m ($6.5m) investment to advance its technology which absorbs and locks ethylene gas, a natural plant hormone to slow the ripening and...
Kraft Foods is recalling approximately 735,000 cases of Kraft and Polly-O brand string cheese varieties in the US over concerns that the products may spoil before their ‘Best When Used...
AkzoNobel has launched antifog additives for polyethylene and ethyl vinyl acetate (EVA) food packaging films to boost the appeal and shelf life of fresh products.
Chicago / Conference and exhibition


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Kia and Hyundai, two major Korean automakers, have reached a settlement agreement worth approximately $200 million to resolve a class-action lawsuit. The lawsuit alleged that a significant number of vehicles produced by these manufacturers were highly susceptible to theft. The settlement encompasses around 9 million owners of Hyundai or Kia vehicles manufactured between 2011 and 2022, equipped with a traditional “insert-and-turn” steel key ignition system. This article will delve into the details of the settlement, the compensation provided to affected owners, the vulnerability of the vehicles, and the measures taken by the companies to address the issue.
Settlement Details and Compensation for Owners
Lawyers representing the owners have announced the settlement, which includes compensation for both out-of-pocket losses and damages incurred. The owners will receive up to $145 million to cover losses resulting from stolen vehicles. The compensation amount will vary depending on the extent of the loss. Owners may be reimbursed up to $6,125 for a total loss of their vehicles and up to $3,375 for damages to the vehicle and personal property, as well as insurance-related expenses.
Increase in Vehicle Thefts and Vulnerability
In recent months, there has been a notable increase in vehicle thefts involving the affected Kia and Hyundai models, primarily due to a hacking method that gained popularity on various social media platforms. A TikTok “challenge” demonstrating how to steal Kia and Hyundai vehicles lacking basic security features has contributed to the rising number of thefts. Regrettably, this trend has been associated with eight deaths, as reported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Companies’ Response and Additional Measures
To address the vulnerability of their vehicles, Kia and Hyundai announced in February that they would introduce software upgrades to approximately 8.3 million vehicles in the United States. These vehicles lacked engine immobilizers, a security feature that prevents a car from starting without receiving an electronic signal from the key. However, the companies faced increasing pressure to take more substantial action to combat the thefts.
Legal Actions and Calls for Recall
Several cities, including Seattle, St. Louis, Columbus, and Baltimore, filed lawsuits against Kia and Hyundai due to the surge in thefts. Additionally, attorneys general from 17 states and the District of Columbia urged the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to issue a mandatory recall for the affected vehicles. These legal actions and calls for a recall further underscored the urgency for the companies to promptly address the issue.
The Settlement’s Impact and Future Measures
As part of the settlement agreement, Kia and Hyundai will automatically install anti-theft software in the affected vehicles during any dealership service appointment. This measure aims to enhance the security of the vehicles and prevent unauthorized access. The companies have expressed their commitment to supporting owners affected by the criminal activity targeting their vehicles.
The $200 million settlement between Kia, Hyundai, and the affected owners of vulnerable vehicles signifies a significant step towards resolving the class-action lawsuit. The compensation provided aims to cover out-of-pocket losses and damages suffered by the owners due to vehicle thefts. The surge in thefts, driven by a social media challenge, prompted legal actions and calls for a recall. In response, the companies announced software upgrades and pledged to implement additional security measures in the affected vehicles. Through these measures, Kia and Hyundai are striving to address the vulnerability issue, prevent future thefts, and ultimately ensure the safety and satisfaction of their customers.


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TRENDING ON ONEINDIA
- Selection Panel To Meet On January 24 To Decide On New CBI Director
- Owning A Maruti Suzuki Is Now A Special Occasion — Here's How
- Flipkart Republic Day Sale Starts From January 20: Deals And Offers
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- Company Fixed Deposits In India Which Offer Yields Of Near 10%
- Visit Yanam: The French Counterpart Of The Southern Peninsula
- Kareena Kapoor Khan's Latest Airport Look Is Laidback And About Flared Denims
- Birthday Boy Sidharth Malhotra Cuts Cake At Midnight! Pics!
Radio cab service provider Meru Cabs recently launched its low-cost taxi service called 'Genie' in a Hyderabad, India. The service is aimed at intra-city commuters in the mid-segment. The company has also released the Meru Cab App couple of months ago which helped the customers to track down the caps via GPS.
The company also has planned to expand the service to other cities soon including New Delhi and Bangalore among others. Moreover, the service is also likely to head towards Lucknow, Chandigarh and Visakhapatnam.
Meru Cabs, which is popular in Bangalore, will start this cheaper service with 50 Genie cabs in the city of Hyderabad and it is said to expand to about 500 in the next 6-9 months.
The service provider also said that they would employ hatchbacks like Toyota Liva, Indica Vista and Ford Figo for the air-conditioned cab service. It has priced the service at Rs 16 per km and in the night it will be raised to 25%. The business works through a driver-owned model. Moreover, customers can always hail a cab on the streets if its not occupied. The low-cost service will have a dedicated 24x7 call centre for booking the cab.
The cheaper taxi service 'Genie' will have a dedicated call centre team, separate from its parent. It will also use the same technologies, including digital meters, automated e-bill and GPS tracking like Meru.
Siddhartha Pahwa, chief executive officer, Meru Cabs reportedly said, "The city has the capacity to absorb 500-1,000 Genie cabs and nationally it is around 10,000".


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Australia’s Lockbox is seeking US$10 million in Series A funding through boutique advisory house Mandie Consulting. The group’s chief executive Peter Long spoke to Deal Journal Australia about the group which has developed privacy solutions for cloud storage services.
Founded in 2008 in Melbourne, Lockbox filed patents in February this year after developers built a significant intellectual property portfolio leveraging “open source” cryptographic technology which has been used by the likes of NASA, Google Android, and various Fortune 500 Companies.
WSJ: What has the market’s reaction to Lockbox been like?
Peter Long: Clients are grateful that Lockbox exists as it secures confidential and sensitive information stored in cloud services through the use of encryption and key management technologies. Cloud services, on the whole, are cheap. The downside to that is you lose control of your data as exampled in situations like LinkedIn’s privacy breach and in Amazon Cloud Drive’s terms and conditions which state “You give us the right to access, retain, use and disclose your account information and your files.” Lockbox gives users that control back. Also, we’ve won security technology innovation awards in Australia and the U.S. which has been affirming.
WSJ: What’s your target market?
Peter Long: We have started with small-to-medium enterprise businesses in Australia and the U.S. and have 3,000 users to date. The product — which takes just 15 minutes to embed into a website — is sold as a service on a per use per month. The idea is that the system can be rolled out to anyone, it’s very scalable. We are also in discussions with several larger enterprises, including franchise groups who have a compliance need to share confidential client data securely. Separately, the core technology is interesting to others so we’re in discussions with governments and Fortune 50 companies.
WSJ: Are you developing the product in association with user feedback?
Peter Long: Absolutely, according to VoteBox — which compiles DropBox’s user’s feature requests — 96% of voters asked for client-side encryption so DropBox can’t look at the data or for the ability to remotely wipe access if a laptop is stolen. Lockbox is the answer to both since it allows data-owners to secure information using keys and certificates. Users have the opportunity to remove access to keys and the power to approve the provision of a new set. Also on VoteBox, a million users said they’d pay up to $10 a month for a security solution so the development of one could fundamentally change the economics of DropBox.
More In Venture Capital
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- Australian Government Commits $104 Million to Venture Capital Funds
- Athlete Tracking Technology Developer Sprints for New Investors
- Online Retail Venture StartHere Shops for Investors


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On this page, we have provided the Dollar to Naira black market exchange rate for June 2022.
Exchange rate changes every hour. Also, the rate depends on the volume of dollars you have available and the market demand.
Currently, you can exchange $1 dollar for ₦588. However, the price can go up or low within hours.
The local currency opened at ₦588.00 per $1 at the parallel market otherwise known as the black market, in June 2022, in Lagos Nigeria, after it closed at ₦587.00 per $1 on May 2022 in the previous week.
CBN Statement on Exchange Rate
Although the dollar to naira opened in the parallel market at ₦588 per $1 today, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) does not recognize the official black market price.
The CBN also directed that anyone in need of forex should approach their bank. It insisted that the I&E window is the only recognize official exchange rate.
How much is the exchange rate of Dollar to Naira in the Black Market today?
At the black market, reports have it that individuals exchanged a dollar for ₦588 and sold for ₦590 earlier in June 2022. However, the rate on the previous day, people bought and sold at ₦577 and ₦585 respectively.
The USD started this week at ₦587 in the Parallel market also called the Black market in Lagos Nigeria. However, it started at ₦585 in the previous week.
Please, note that we DO NOT set or determine forex rates and prices. The official NAFEX rates recommended by the CBN are gotten from the FMDQQOTC website while the parallel or black market rates are from various sources including online media outlets. As a result, you might eventually buy or sell forex at a different price from what we have here.


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It felt like yesterday where someone could be close enough to step on other people's toes during the typical rush hours. Wearing a mask was optional then, so the rest of us were to deal with the coughing and the sneezing from people stood by our side while praying to God that we would not catch his or her cold. That was the good old days before the coronavirus has brought us the "new normal". These days, this term got mentioned as often as people were saying "Hello". The priority to save lives has unavoidably halted the continuity of livelihood. The IMF has forecasted the worst economic downturn since the great recession in 2008. The fall of global growth was to hit -3% before climbing up to 5.8% in 2021. Within the first month of the greatest lockdown, the world has never ceased to witness the daily struggling of everybody.
There is no secret behind closed doors
The priority to save lives has unavoidably halted the continuity of livelihood. The IMF has forecasted the worst economic downturn since the great recession in 2008. The fall of global growth was to hit -3% before climbing up to 5.8% in 2021. Within the first month of the greatest lockdown, the world has never ceased to witness the daily struggling of everybody. No going out didn't mean zero shopping. Still, the migration from offline to online has hurt the majority of sellers, whose businesses depended on their physical property. Consumers were spending differently under this new circumstance. They were discreet and cautious around these particular two factors; safety, and value for money. Many sellers had creatively adjusted their products and services to keep their operation afloat. Here are some of the best crisis management and practice from the business survivors that deserved an applauded.
What is the qualification that all best-selling products have in common? They promised to solve the problems of the buyers. Since our problem has arisen from the invisible virus, the best way to fight against this invisible threat before the vaccines arrive, are distancing and keeping clean. Let's look at how the businesses have adapted themselves to gain consumers' trust during the pandemic. Some product may go overboard to demonstrate the safety look and feel; however, this is the time that there is no such thing as an overrated safety measure.
Economic instability from the pandemic has certainly brought fear, and this fear has automatically discouraged people from spending. As life doesn't go on as lavishing as before, budget cut is a sensible thing to do. Takes food for an example; not everyone had the skill of a master chef, so many consumers tended to opt for something quick and easy to fill their stomach. Although food delivery was one of the most popular options, sometimes it was simpler to throw something in the pan or pop a package in the oven. The local cut, or worst process food like; ham, sausage, or a TV dinner, have taken the place of imported Australian beef. Eating out meant paying extra for the atmosphere, which is unachievable by sitting under the candlelight in most homes. There is no incentive to spend more here.
Thanks to the internet that kept people on the grid, connected. The rise of Netflix, online game, slack, and zoom was quite an indicator of how intensive we depended on virtual services. Of course, not everything can be bought, sold, stored online. Still, there are less and less commercial items that are not presenting themselves on the internet. There was even a moment, where we thought virtual goggle would replace travelling and everything that required moving further than our front doors. Even the most difficult demographic, like "baby boomers", were dropping their guards of "I'm too old for this technology" and going online. The keyword here is user-friendly. If your company never care about how your wireframe works and where a click on your virtual menu would take your customer, this is the time to start caring.
We can sum the promotion during the COVID-19, simply in one sentence, "everyone is on sale". An aggressive advertisement of "Buy 1 get 1" or even "Buy 1 get 3" has ranged from food to real estate. During the isolation, besides the campaign that promoted health and safety tips, many friendly and uplifting hashtags had sprinkled every campaign;
Although the fear has subsided, the habits stay. The gloom of economic downturn and the fear of the new spike of new confirmed cases of COVID-19 have shaken the confidence level at every corner of the world. Two months under the lockdown was long enough to affect the behaviour shift of the market. Effective risk and crisis management is considered a long-term strategy for companies. Risk culture is vital for an organisation to comply with a highly volatile market and an unprecedented emerging threat like this one.


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The Jeep® brand is marking the end of Gladiator EcoDiesel production with the limited-edition Gladiator Rubicon FarOut.
Introduced for the 2021 model year, the Jeep Gladiator Rubicon EcoDiesel raised the capability bar with best-in-class 442 lb.-ft. of torque, unmatched in the midsize pickup truck segment, the TorqueFlite 8HP75 eight-speed automatic transmission and more than 500 miles of driving range.
“As the Jeep brand continues its drive to electrification, we are phasing out EcoDiesel technology with the final, limited-edition Gladiator Rubicon FarOut,” said Jim Morrison, senior vice president and head of Jeep brand North America. “Limited to 1,000 vehicles for the 2023 model year, the special-edition Gladiator Rubicon FarOut further builds on the industry’s only open-air pickup truck infused with Trail Rated capability and best-in-class truck utility.”
The Jeep Gladiator will continue to offer the award-winning 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine, available with a six-speed manual transmission or an eight-speed automatic transmission.
The 2023 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon FarOut edition package, priced at a U.S. manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $12,100, features the 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V-6 engine with best-in-class 442 lb.-ft. of torque, the TorqueFlite 8HP75 eight-speed automatic transmission, third-generation Dana 44 front and rear heavy-duty axles, a 3.73 axle ratio and the Rock-Trac two-speed transfer case with a 4.0:1 low-range gear ratio. The following equipment is standard on the limited-edition FarOut edition:
- “Diesel 3.0L” hood graphic
- Exclusive “3.0 D” tailgate badge
- “FarOut” tailgate badge
- Black fender decals
- 17-inch low-gloss black polished aluminum wheels
- 33-inch mud-terrain tires
- Steel front bumper
- Body-color fender flares
- Satin black grille
- Mopar spray-in bedliner
- LED Lighting Group
- Black leather seats with red accents
- Black leather-wrapped dash panels with red accent stitching
- Cold Weather Group
- Trailer-Tow and Heavy-Duty Electrical Group
- Safety Group
- All-weather floor mats
The 2023 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon FarOut edition, priced at a U.S. MSRP of $69,995 (excluding $1,795 destination), is available for ordering through the end of September 2023, with deliveries beginning in the third quarter of 2023.


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Social media has given ordinary people access to a huge audience, but some have been extremely skillful at using it to build followers. Forbes Middle East ranked the top 10 Arab beauty influencers, based on their most recent number of followers on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. These beauty experts reached a total of 37.7 million people.
1. Huda Kattan @hudabeauty
Total followers: 21,950,767
[caption id="attachment_23594" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Photo courtesy of Huda Beauty[/caption]
Iraqi-American Huda Kattan quit her job in finance to study makeup in Los Angeles, before moving to Dubai. She started blogging in 2010, and is the only Arab on Forbes’ global list of beauty influencers, at number three. With the help of a $6,000 investment from her sister Alya, she created a line of fake eyelashes that are now sold at cosmetics retailer Sephora alongside her matte lipsticks. Her highlighter palette debuts in April.
2. Dalal Al-Doub @dalalid
Total followers: 2,457,590
[caption id="attachment_23589" align="aligncenter" width="750"] Photo courtesy of Dalalid[/caption]
In the five years since she started her blog Dalalid, Dalal Al-Doub has racked up two million followers on Instagram, where she posts short videos and makeup tutorials. She collaborates with cosmetics brands, such as Bobbi Brown.
3. Sondos Alqattan @sondos_aq
Total followers: 2,440,055
[caption id="attachment_23595" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Photo courtesy of Sondos Alqattan[/caption]
Sondos Alqattan became a makeup artist in 2006, and last year left her job as a Gulf Bank branch manager in Kuwait. In March 2016, she held her first makeup masterclass in partnership with Japanese beauty giant Shiseido at Dubai Mall.
4. Nora Bo Awadh @nora1352
Total followers: 2,155,460
Since she started her YouTube channel in October 2016, Nora Bo Awadh has gotten over one million views on her six makeup tutorial videos. The makeup maven also sells her own line of false eyelashes.
5. Samer Khouzami @samerkhouzami
Total followers: 2,143,434
[caption id="attachment_23596" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Photo courtesy of Samer Khouzami[/caption]
Known as “the master of contouring,” Samer Khouzami has an ability to skillfully transform people through makeup. He opened a salon in Beirut six years ago and went on a U.S. beauty tour in 2014, holding workshops and masterclasses with cosmetics brand Anastasia Beverly Hills.
6. Fouz Alfahad @therealfouz
Total followers: 1,804,546
[caption id="attachment_23590" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Photo courtesy of Fouz Alfahad[/caption]
Kuwaiti-born Fouz Alfahad works with Gulf digital media marketer Ghaliah to feature beauty products on her social media accounts. Most recently, she promoted Pantene shampoo to her 1.8 million Instagram followers.
7. Mona Kattan @monakattan
Total followers: 1,613,834
[caption id="attachment_23598" align="aligncenter" width="603"] Photo courtesy of Mona Kattan[/caption]
When Mona Kattan isn’t busy helping her older sister Huda, she runs The Dollhouse Dubai, a posh Jumeirah beauty salon. Last year, she collaborated with shampoo brand TRESemme to promote its products.
8. Maya Ahmad @themayaahmad
Total followers: 1,427,560
[caption id="attachment_23591" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Photo courtesy of Maya Ahmed[/caption]
The Lebanese beauty blogger partnered in March with Middle Eastern cosmetics retailer Wojooh Beauty to provide makeup tutorials using its products. Her YouTube videos, which mix lifestyle and beauty, have racked up more than 14 million views.
9. Bouba @makeupbybouba
Total followers: 905,102
[caption id="attachment_23588" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Photo courtesy of Beautique By Bouba[/caption]
Bouba became a makeup artist in 2005 and has worked with celebrities, such as Lebanese singer Haifa Wehbe, the U.A.E.’s Ahlam Ali Al Shamsi and Tunisian pop star Latifa Bint Alaya El Arfaoui. He runs Beautique by Bouba salon in Beirut, and periodically works with makeup brand Make Up For Ever to promote its products. This year, he is holding makeup masterclasses in London and Berlin.
10. Nilo Haq @nilohaq
Total followers: 819,820
[caption id="attachment_23599" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Photo courtesy of Nilo Haq[/caption]
In 2012, Jeddah native Nilo Haq started Saudi Beauty Blog, which has since grown to a team of 16 writers and editors. Last year, she opened Nilo Haq Salon & Academy in Toronto, Canada, after years as a brand ambassador for Uber in Saudi Arabia, hair care appliance company Braun and Ponds cosmetics, among others.


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Although it will look a little bit different this year, the South Carolina Department of Agriculture is gearing up for the annual Grower-Buyer Mash Up. Here to tell us more is SC Ag Commissioner Hugh Weathers.
- This year’s Grower Buyer Mash Up will be held outdoors at the State Farmers Market in West Columbia to allow for social distancing.
- This year, the agency is teaming up with the Midlands Local Food Collaborative to host farmers and producers, chefs, farm to institution & farm to school personnel,distributors, retailers, buyers, food writers, and local food leaders
- The Grower Buyer Mash Up offers a chance for growers to meet potential buyers for their It’s also an opportunity for chefs,distributors, retail and wholesale-level food buyers who want to include local food in their menus or product offerings to meet local producers to supply that demand
- The event will be held March 22 from 12-5pm and consist of panel discussions and trade show exhibits. You must register by March 1, 2021.
- To learn more and to register for the event, please visit grower-buyer-mash-up.eventbrite.com


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The downturn in the crypto market seems like a disaster. But people surveyed by Bank of America see it as an investment opportunity.
Bankers conducted a study in early June on a group of 1,000 people. As many as 91% of respondents answered that they were ready to buy cryptocurrency in the next six months. So, the optimism of investors has not yet ended. And this despite the bear market.
Bank of America also interviewed those who already own cryptocurrencies. 30% do not plan to sell savings, whatever the price. 39% of owners answered that they use their assets for online purchases. That is, for them, crypto is not a way to save value in the face of inflation.
Bank of America is surprised by the results of the survey. As analyst Jason Kupferberg said, after the fall of LUNA Terra, they did not expect such a positive attitude of investors towards cryptocurrencies.
The bank itself does not plan to become a member of the crypto market. According to CEO Brian T. Moynihan, financial institutions have no right to engage in such activities until the authorities pass regulations. Perhaps this will happen soon: last week, senators have already presented a draft law on crypto regulation.


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Valhalla Darknet Market
On online drug markets, taking down Wall Street Market and Valhalla. Darknet Markets have seen a constant rise in the numbers of vendors and. Darknet markets (Black MarketReloaded, Sheep Marketplace,. Deepbay, BuyItNow and Valhalla). Shortly after, a prolifera on of markets came into existence. The origins and evolution of the dark web, where an underground marketplace for Wall Street Market and Valhalla, two of the largest drug markets. The Finnish cryptomarket Valhalla has quickly risen to become one of the darknet's leading online shopping places for drugs and other illegal. District Court in Sacramento, California. Helix served other big-name market on the dark web, including Dream Market, Valhalla Market, Wall.
5 mins Published by Darknetlive on 3 May, 2019 and tagged Darknet Markets using 971 words. Not long after the German Federal Criminal Police Office. Deep Web Markets Links Best Darknet Market Links. Note: If you are a seller (Vendor) then these silkkitie link dark web marketplace links will proving a. On online drug markets, taking down Wall Street Market and Valhalla, two of the largest drug markets on the so-called dark web. Then came the. Europol announcedthe shut down of two prolific dark web marketplaces Wall Street Market and Silkkitie (also known as Valhalla)in simu. E. The marketplace was established in 2013, Initially, it was a Finnish Darknet Market known as Silkitie.open only for Finnish citizens, although they went.
Silkkitie, also known as Valhalla, was a Finnish drug selling According silkkitie market darknet to Finnish Customs, the dark web marketplace. Then came the seizure of Valhalla and Wall Street Market last week. The 2022 darknet market latter's takedown began, the head of the Dutch federal police's darknet-. There have been freDream Market, TradeRoute, Valhalla, quent reports, for instance, of darknet vendors located in the Netherlands who chose German IP. Sipuli is the largest Finnish darknet market site and was created in early 2018, just after Silkkitie (Finnish Silk Road) went down. Valhalla (. We talk to dark web experts about illegal drug markets wall street Ilascu I (2019) Dark web's Wall Street market and Valhalla seized. 5 days ago It was already very effective but as the darknet markets. Web marketplaces: the Silkkitie, also known as the Valhalla Marketplace.
Darknet markets (Black Market Reloaded, Sheep Marketplace,. Deepbay, BuyItNow and Valhalla). Shortly after, a prolifera on of markets came into existence. Shut down Darknet criminal trading platform Wall Street Market Tor trade site Silkkitie (Valhalla) earlier this year, said Europol. On online drug markets, 2021 darknet market taking down Wall Street Market and Valhalla. Darknet Markets have seen a constant rise in the numbers of vendors and. China!), but you also have the problem of getting your goods from the slave state to which you offshored back to your markets at home. On online drug markets, taking down Wall Street Market and Valhalla, two of the largest drug markets on the so-called dark web. Then came the. Double blow to illegal dark web marketplaces: Wall Street Market and Silkkitie Valhalla shut down after global law enforcement operations. The.
Tor2door is a valhalla darknet market Modern unknown dark web market highlighting secure multisig escrow. Markets (You can find there drugs, credit valhalla darknet market cards, etc). Valhalla Market Review - Marketplace forDrugs and Services, Looking deep web drugs store alternatives like dream market, you need to try. Law enforcement authorities in Europe and the US successfully took down two major Dark Web marketplaces Wall Street Market and Valhalla. Despite years of volatility, darknet marketplaces continue to be created While the seizures of the Wall Street and Valhalla markets were. Concepts of illicit drug quality among darknet market users: Purity, embodied experience, Interview with Valhalla (Silkkitie) admin. Darknet Market Seizures.
The dark web provides all the advantages of online valhalla darknet market trading and more. If you’re just making a harmless little purchase, like CBD oil, no one will be interested in establishing your identity anyway. Tantor Audio May 2017 Catalog Ever Over After Book 2 in the Over Duet series Digital Download Only Author(s): J. It is filled with activists' websites, anonymous stock traders, information databases for journalists, political chat rooms, instant messaging services, artist platforms, valhalla darknet market as well as the WikiLeaks portal where whistleblowers can submit information anonymously. Crypto asset management firm Osprey Funds has launched the Solana trust product for private placement. McKinsey’s auto retail micro-market model (ARM 3 ) for used-car demand in the United States estimates that Americans buy 39.
“Besides the many legitimate use cases of the Tor network, it also provides together with Bitcoin the technology most cryptomarkets use.”
Drugs sold online included MDMA, amphetamine, methamphetamine, cannabis, cocaine, opioids, LSD, psychedelic mushrooms, ketamine and prescription drugs vice city market link (mostly benzodiazepines). Like many kids, I grew up in the middle class where games would eat more time than drugs. But Dutch police had already been in control of the site since June 20. But to do that, she will need to reveal a secret that will pull her back into a life she left long ago. Authorities said he'd moderated about 20,000 disputes on the site. Troy Hunt, an Australian cybersecurity expert who maintains the hack-tracking website haveibeenpwned. In case vice city market link the vendor does not send you the product, you owe money to many people now. Principally, the federal government handles cybersecurity investigations along with some state governments and the FBI acts as the center for all cybersecurity complaints. Research with cryptomarket users suggests that superior drug quality is one reason customers elect to access drugs this way; and emerging research using forensic testing of substances purchased on cryptomarkets suggests that these may be less likely to be adulterated, and have higher purity levels than drugs purchased in local offline markets. Whilst I would never admit here that we have tried to buy illegal data (not least because our lawyers have told me not to), today I’ll give you a detailed run down of how much your data is (potentially) selling for, and what you can do about it.
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Smarter Living by Design, the first-ever smart home showroom in North America, recognized by leading residential technology association
DALLAS – October 2, 2020 – CEDIA, the global trade association for the residential technology industry, has announced the finalists for its 2020 CEDIA Awards, recognizing outstanding projects in the Americas, EMEA and Asia Pacific regions that offer technical excellence and product innovation. Among 20 finalists for the Americas region, CEDIA has recognized Dallas Market Center’s Smarter Living by Design, the first smart home showroom in North America showcasing a range of best-in-class brands spanning technology categories from lighting, audio/video, appliances and artificial intelligence.
The groundbreaking open-daily exhibit launched at the June 2019 Total Home & Gift Market and Lightovation shows at Dallas Market Center and was coordinated by Dallas-based CEDIA member HomeTronics. Spearheaded by Samsung, the space also features other international leaders in home technology, including Crestron, Basalte, Future Automation, CinemaTech, LumaStream, Koa Technology Group, Kaleidescape and California Audio Technology. Located on the 10th floor of the Dallas World Trade Center in WTC 10085, it was also the site of the world premiere for the BRYTE smart bed.
“We carefully selected the best brands from around the world for this first-of-its-kind showcase that will attract buyers from across North America,” said Greg Margolis, president of HomeTronics. “Dallas Market Center is an exceptional venue for connecting home technology with the design industry.”
Smarter Living by Design has been updated since its debut to keep pace with the latest innovations, including Samsung’s Frame TV and The Wall modular microLED display. The exhibit was also recently expanded by 25% to encompass an Executive Briefing Center for Samsung, which will have its grand opening on October 15.
The 2020 CEDIA Awards for all divisions will be presented during an all-day, all-virtual celebration on Thursday, October 8, culminating in the presentation of the Americas awards at 7 p.m. CDT. Register to attend at https://cedia.net/membership/get-involved/awards.
Dallas Market Center serves retail buyers and interior designers from around the world who seek a wide range of home decor products rom leading manufacturers and emerging brands. Its open-daily design marketplace, the largest in North America, spans approximately 2 million square feet and features furniture, decorative accessories, floor coverings, wall art, lighting, and home technology. The venue hosts global trade events like Lightovation, the Total Home & Gift Market and the recently announced ArchLIGHT Summit, as well as specialty design events throughout the year like Dallas Design Week.
For a complete list of design events and showrooms, visit the Dallas Market Center website.
About Dallas Market Center
Dallas Market Center is a global business-to-business trade center and the leading wholesale marketplace in North America connecting retailers and interior designers with top manufacturers in home décor, furniture, gifts, lighting and fashion. Inside its dynamic, five million square foot campus, nearly 200,000 customers from all 50 states and 85 countries seek industry trends, business education and new products from exhibitors throughout the year via dominant trade events for gift, home décor, holiday and floral; the nation’s most comprehensive apparel and accessories markets featuring the latest styles from East Coast and West Coast designers; the largest residential lighting trade event in North America; and the largest and most successful open-daily design center. The marketplace is located in the strongest economic zone in the country. In addition, more than 80 percent of Dallas Market Center buyers report that they do not shop other market centers. To make plans for upcoming markets, visit the Dallas Market Center website and download the Dallas Market Center and Lightovation Apps. Also, keep up-to-date on all information by visiting Dallas Market Center on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and the Dallas Market Center blog.


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Janet Jackson, front row and center (of course), is still enjoying London’s Fashion Week. She attended the A Child of the Jago show on Wednesday.
Tyra Banks was in attendance at ‘The CW: It’s a Reality’ event held at Simyone Lounge in New York City on Tuesday.
Michelle Williams promotes her new role in the Broadway play Chicago at The Pix11 Morning News in New York City on Tuesday.
Leona Lewis was on hand for the Naked Heart Foundation’s Love Ball at London’s Roundhouse on Tuesday, performing her latest single “I Got You” and “Homeless”.
Rosario Dawson attends the Whitney Biennial by fashion sponsor Tommy Hilfiger on Tuesday at the Tommy Hilfiger Fifth Avenue store in New York City.
Nicole Richie presents her fashion lines “Winter Kate” and “House of Harlow 1960″ at the Galeries Lafayette store in Paris on Wednesday.
Corbin Bleu attends the celebratory after party following opening night of the award-winning musical In the Heights, in which he stars, held at Angus McIndoe in NYC on Tuesday.


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Richemont, the Swiss luxury company that owns Cartier and Montblanc, destroyed £400M of their own watches to prevent them from ending up on ‘non-riche’ wrists in past few years.
After shifting habits and new competitors caused a slump in the timekeeping market, the well-to-do watchmakers resorted to deluxe destruction — a common strategy to keep branded products off the “grey market” — to preserve their ‘prestige’.
For luxury producers like Hermès and Cartier, brand is everything — but these companies can only charge exorbitant markups when their products are as rare as the trust funds that can pay for them. Some brands like Burberry even BURN unsold stock rather than discount.
The range of watches have been piling up on retailer shelves across Europe, unsold and seemingly unwanted. With a large pile of watches in the hands of retailers, the next step is to drop the prices to get them out the store. A retail strategy that Richemont wanted to avoid.
Buying back €203m worth of unsold watches in 2017 and €278m worth of Cartier watches in 2016, the Swiss-based watchmaker has being strategically destroying them to avoid discounting and keep up exclusivity. This affected company profits says Richemont but they are positive that the trade is worthwhile.
In regards to the decision, Chief Financial Officer, Burkhart Grund explained; “We don’t believe that having our inventory in the grey market will help long-term brand equity, so that’s why we bought it back,”.
The problem is: e-commerce loves discounts.
Even as Richemont destroys watches by the thousand, unlicensed 3rd parties continued to use e-commerce marketplaces to sell Cartier watches.
In the past Richemont has sued Amazon, Alibaba, and eBay for listing counterfeit watches.


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Countdown Welcomes Modern Slavery Legislation Proposals
8 April 2022: Countdown has welcomed the start of a public consultation on potential legislation that could change the lives of people working in modern slavery and exploitative conditions both locally and around the world.
The Modern Slavery and Worker Exploitation consultation document, released today by the Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment, outlines a series of legislative proposals that would help reduce modern slavery and worker exploitation in Aotearoa and globally.
Countdown, which already reports under the Australian Modern Slavery Act as part of the wider Woolworths Group, has been part of the Modern Slavery Leadership Advisory Group which helped develop the proposals released today.
Countdown’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Safety and Sustainability Kiri Hannifin says the proposals are not only an important step towards delivering better outcomes for workers but also helping businesses understand and address their own supply chain human rights risks.
“Through our own experience with Australia’s Modern Slavery Act, we’ve been able to better understand our supply chain, identify any potential human rights risks and take action to address these. That’s why we’re immensely supportive of the outcomes these proposals are seeking to achieve, and why we’ve been involved in their development.
“We have seen examples of worker exploitation both in Aotearoa and globally, and worked with our suppliers to correct the issues uncovered. Only this week, we took action on an issue with one of our international suppliers and we are working through this with them. Worker exploitation is a very real issue. Without legislation and a requirement for businesses like ours to report on these types of issues, it’s likely that human rights abuses will continue to happen.
“Aotearoa is a country that believes everyone deserves the opportunity to earn a fair and decent wage and safe working conditions. The proposed legislation will support businesses to ensure these rights are being upheld across their domestic and international supply chains,” Kiri says.
Today’s proposal comes as the Woolworths Group has been shortlisted among the top three businesses globally for a Thomson Reuters Foundation 2022 Stop Slavery Enterprise Award. Judged by a panel of international anti-slavery leaders and experts, the Enterprise Award identifies businesses that set a gold standard in their efforts to eradicate forced labour.
“Tackling an issue as significant as modern slavery will require the collective action of our business community. We’d encourage all businesses to engage with the submission process so that any proposed legislation is not only fit for purpose, but also becomes a powerful tool in addressing human rights abuses and ensuring all workers are paid a fair and decent wage and given safe working conditions,” Kiri says.
Kiwis can have their say by providing feedback through the survey at: https://www.mbie.govt.nz/have-your-say/modern-slavery/.


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The government of Egypt agreed on a bill that would allow oversea Egyptians to import cars without tax in the territory. In return, the country will collect some foreign reserves for five years.
During a meeting on October 12, the Cabinet of Egypt approved a draft law that will lift import tax on some passenger cars temporarily.
The new custom regulations will give Egyptians who live abroad the right to import one passenger car for personal use exempted from custom tariffs and tax, including the value-added tax.
But this right is granted only if buyers pay for the car, which can’t be older than 3 years, in cash with foreign currency from a foreign bank account. Egyptians eligible for the tax exemption need to have a valid legal residence abroad, to be at least 16 years old with a bank account opened overseas for at least three months.
According to the statement, the government answered long-time requests of Egyptians living abroad. Premium cars are often cheaper to import than in the domestic market in Egypt and some regulations had been applied to car imports a couple of years ago. But the government spokesperson Nader Saad on Elbalad TV said it will not affect the domestic car industry as the tax exemption will only be temporary.
The benefits will indeed be available for only four months after the law is enforced, which is expected in two weeks after coordination between the minister of Finance, the Central Bank and competent authorities. Details about which foreign currencies are eligible and the tax amount for each vehicle type will be released later on.
Diminishing foreign currency reserves
But Egypt will also be able to collect some foreign currency that way. Buyers indeed first need to pay all of the taxes to the ministry of Finance to get the right to import the vehicle. And it will keep this money for at least five years before being returned to the purchaser at the same exchange rate value as the original payment date. If the import is not completed within the year of purchase, the administration would refund the buyer with the exact same amount in the foreign currency that was transferred.
This announcement comes in the context of shrinking foreign currency reserves, inflation and depreciation of the Egyptian pound.
Some banks have tightened limits on foreign currency withdrawals from local currency accounts this week, Reuters reported. Egypt’s net international reserves decreased 19 percent since the start of 2022 with substantial hits in March, May and June.
The war between Ukraine and Russia significantly affected Egypt, one of the largest importers of Ukrainian and Russian wheat in the world.
To stabilize financial markets in March, the Central Bank of Egypt used excess foreign currency reserves to “cover substantial foreign investor outflows and partially cover local demand” so that import of strategic goods remains available and that prices remain stable. It also had to repay external debt obligations in May of about 2 billion dollars.
But despite the Central Bank efforts, the Egyptian pound actually lost approximately 18 percent of its value to the U.S. dollar in a couple of days in March, and the currency has kept depreciating since then, driving the country’s inflation.
Inflation in Egypt has continuously increased in 2022 but accelerated since the war in Ukraine. Consumer price index in September recorded a 15 percent increase annually, and reached 18 percent when excluding price increases for food and energy, according to the Central Bank of Egypt.
Egypt is hoping to sign a support package deal with the International Monetary Fund.


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The Food Brigade has been selected to become a local partner agency of Feed the Children, the international hunger-relief organization. This relationship will provide new, additional sources of food for The Food Brigade and its clients.
In 2021, Feed the Children, working through its partners (like The Food Brigade):
- Distributed approximately 98.9 million pounds of food and essential items worldwide to benefit more than 10 million people globally.
- Reached more than eight million children and families in the United States with distributions of shelf-stable food and essential household items valued at more than $445.7 million.
- Benefited more than two million people in the international communities through its food, nutrition, water, sanitation, and livelihood programs in 8 African, Asian, and Latin American countries.
- Helped 29,538 teachers across 482 U.S. school districts with more than $2.8 million in teaching supplies as well as books valued at more than $4 million to reach more than 803,500 students.
- Provided more than 2.1 million pounds of food and supplies valued at more than $5.6 million to disaster-affected regions in the United States.
The Food Brigade looks forward to working together as partners with Feed the Children, to help feed even more New Jersey residents dealing with hunger and food insecurity.