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Table of Contents:
- Introducing the hottest trend in the world right now
- Who is Teeka Tiwari?
- Getting to the bottom of the NFT craze
- NFT technology will help launch the next generation of the internet
- Decentraland and Sandbox surge…
- The savviest investors in the world are going all in…
- Building a network in the blockchain space
- An unprecedented event that’s guaranteed to happen
- Major companies are also getting involved in NFTs
- An entire nest egg starting with just $1,000
- The gains are happening faster than anything I've ever seen in my 30-year career
- The “tokenization” of real-world assets
- Teeka Tiwari's No. 1 stock for the NFT Boom
- 3 NFT Projects for the $139 Trillion Revolution
- The Bitcoin Boost: How to Supercharge Your Crypto Gains With the 1170 Account
- How to get started…
JOHN: It’s the hottest trend in the world right now. As Time Magazine says…
Just listen to these crazy stories…
24-year-old Sean Kelly recently put up these cartoonish dinos for sales. 18 minutes later, they were sold out and he walked away with $2 million.
Someone paid $1,300 for this image… two months later, it was sold for $3.3 million. That’s a mind-blowing return of 253,746%… in just two months.
Tom Osman bought this image of a rock for $6,630, something that most people would consider insane. And yet, less than 3 weeks later, he sold it for $1.8 million.
What the heck is going on?
When it comes to NFTs, most Americans are sitting on the sidelines scratching their heads. But the few who understand what’s happening are getting rich.
Not even the recent market volatility has been able to stop this trend. As Forbes says:
And Time magazine even called it…
So as an Emmy-award-winning reporter, I decided to get to the bottom of what many are calling “the new crypto gold rush.”
And I traveled over 1,000 miles to meet with a legendary crypto millionaire who was voted Most Trusted Crypto expert in an independent poll in 2020 by 130,000 analysts…
Teeka Tiwari is a former Wall Street vice president and hedge fund manager who picked Bitcoin in 2016, before it skyrocketed as high as 15,787%…
He picked Ethereum when it was trading for just $9, before it soared as high as 54,244%…
And he picked another crypto called NEO at 13 cents before it exploded as high as 151,323% … which turns $1,000 into more than $1.5 million.
In fact, Teeka has recommended the #1 crypto every year since 2016…
And now he’s going to help me get to the bottom of this NFT craze….
What are NFTs and why are people making millions from these things?
Is this something everyday Americans should be investing in…
Or is this just a passing fad?
Pay close attention because we’re not only getting all the answers, but Teeka will also reveal his #1 way of playing the hottest trend in the market right now.
Here’s the full interview…
And my goal today is to get to the bottom of this NFT craze.
Teeka, how are you?
TEEKA: I’m doing great, glad to be here John.
JOHN: Teeka, like most Americans I’m watching this NFT boom from the sidelines and asking myself if everyone has lost their mind.
I mean, the other day I read a story of a guy who bought this pixelated image that we’re seeing here on the screen for about $83,000… which is more than enough to buy a brand-new Tesla
And yet as crazy as that sounds…
Look what happened next.
Someone else came along and offered to buy it from him for more than $9.4 million.
And get this… He refused to sell it.
Isn’t that insane?
I mean, who says “no” to $9.4 million?
What am I missing here Teeka?
TEEKA: John, I can’t blame you or anyone for thinking this is insane because it really is.
JOHN: So you also think this is crazy?
TEEKA: There’s no denying the price of some of these Non-Fungible Tokens are ridiculous.
That’s why just a few months ago – I laughed this idea out of the room.
Like most people, I couldn’t believe what was going on. I couldn’t fathom the lunacy of a cartoon ape selling for six figures.
But you know what John, I had to eat my words…
Because the reality is all these images that are selling for millions are all a huge distraction.
JOHN: A distraction? From what, exactly?
TEEKA: From what’s really happening behind the scenes.
Which is a much BIGGER story.
Forget about the Bored Apes… the Crypto Punks… the squiggles – and the dozens of other hyped-up art you’ve seen on the news.
The real story is this…
NFT technology will help launch the next generation of the internet.
JOHN: The next generation of the internet?
TEEKA: Yes, and before you think I’ve lost my mind John, you should know that’s not just me saying it.
The Wall Street Journal called it…
Forbes has confirmed that…
And The Washington post says
JOHN: So NFTs are not just about these images that are selling for millions?
TEEKA: Absolutely not. It’s much, much bigger than that.
And John, that’s not just me gazing into a crystal ball and trying to see the future. Take a look at this chart…
Tech venture capital firm M13 estimates this new internet will be a $139.3 trillion trend.
That’s 63 times bigger than the entire crypto market.
And almost 3 times bigger than the entire US stock market.
There are trillions of dollars on the line here.
But most people still don’t get it…
And by the time this story becomes front-page news. By the time it seems like common sense? It will be too late… And I fear investors who miss this trend will regret it for the rest of their lives.
JOHN: Wow, so you took a 180-degree turn and went from skeptic to believer?
TEEKA: I did. You see, I worked on Wall Street for over 15 years as a vice president of a major bank and as a hedge fund manager…
And one of the most important things I learned in all those years is that it’s ok to be wrong and make a mistake…
Nobody is perfect.
But it’s NOT ok to stay wrong.
I’m telling you right now John, saying NFTs are a fad is like saying the internet was a fad in the early 1990s.
If you end up missing this trend because you think it’s just a fad. Or because it “doesn’t make sense” or it makes you “uncomfortable,” it could be the biggest financial mistake of your life.
JOHN: Wow Teeka, those are some strong words.
TEEKA: I know John. But those who are sitting on the sidelines are already missing out on some of the fastest gains in the history of financial markets.
You see, there are several NFT projects that are helping build this next generation of the internet, and these projects have nothing to do with jpegs.
JOHN: So I don’t need to speculate on these random artwork, these jpegs that we see on the news?
TEEKA: No. The beauty here is that you can invest directly in some of these projects without having to buy a single piece of digital art.
And today I’ll show you exactly how because some of these NFT projects are moving faster than anything I’ve seen in my 30-year career.
For example, this NFT project called Decentraland jumped 6,443% in 2021 alone.
As you can see, that turns $1,000 into more than $65,000 in less than one year.
JOHN: My goodness. And all that last year alone?
TEEKA: Right, just last year. Let me put this into perspective for you John.
2021 was a great year for the stock market, right?
JOHN: Right, it went up about 25%.
TEEKA: Yes, it will go down in history as one of the best years ever. And yet, this single NFT project jumped 257 times higher than the stock market.
This is going on across the entire space.
For example, look at this other NFT project known as Sandbox.
Had you invested just $1,000 at the beginning of 2021, by Thanksgiving you’d be up to more than $226,000.
So that’s 225 times your money.
JOHN: Unbelievable. Teeka, that’s almost a quarter of a million dollars… just from $1,000… in less than a year.
TEEKA: You’ve seen nothing yet John.
Take a look at this other NFT project. It’s called Axie infinity and it jumped even higher… 36,478%.
JOHN: Hold on, that can’t be right. 36,000% in one year? Is that a typo?
TEEKA: No, it’s not a typo. That’s an insane 364 times your money… meaning you invest $1,000 in January… then less than a year later you’re sitting on more than $365,000.
JOHN:Wow… that’s insane.
I mean, most Americans spend their entire lives saving money for retirement…
We’re talking about decades of investing, and they’re still never able to build a $365,000 nest egg.
TEEKA: John, I’ve worked on Wall Street for decades and I’ve seen every single investment strategy you can think of, so I’ll be the first one to say that these kinds of gains should not be possible.
It should not be possible for anyone to start with $1,000 and build an entire nest egg in less than a year.
But as I’ll show you here tonight, when you get into an exciting NFT project early, the impossible becomes possible.
JOHN: So you’re saying all these gains you’ve just mentioned… 64 times your money…225 times your money… and even 364 times your money….
I could have made all these gains last year?
Now, let me be very clear… I cannot guarantee we’ll see these same gains this year, next year or the year after… nobody can.
But my point is..
You could have made all those gains starting with the click of a mouse John. If you ever bought a stock, you should be able to do this.
That’s why I say it’s not ok to STAY wrong with this massive trend.
JOHN: But Teeka, 2022 started with a big selloff in cryptos. We’re seeing a lot of market volatility. Are you sure now is a good time to be jumping into this new trend?
TEEKA: I hear you, John. You’re right about that. Bitcoin and many cryptos started the year with a big correction.
January was not a pretty month.
But you know what? NFT sales broke the record in January with $4 billion in sales.
That’s 40 times more sales than the entire year of 2020, in just one month… in the midst of a crypto correction.
That’s why Forbes wrote, and I quote:
Look John, I know that it feels like the right thing to just dismiss NFTs as a fad and go on with your life.
It’s the comfortable thing to say… isn’t it?
If you call something a fad – you’re basically letting yourself off the hook. You’re giving yourself a “pass” on the whole thing. Right? You’re basically saying, “this isn’t comfortable – I don’t want to think about it.”
And if that’s how you feel – fine.
But I’m here to tell you…
The kind of money that’s changing hands could truly change your financial future in ways you never thought possible. So if you stay wrong, it could be the biggest mistake of your life.
JOHN: Well, those gains you mentioned are definitely mind-blowing, but I don’t know Teeka…
This still feels to me like just a bunch of crypto nerds collecting jpegs and other images that can be easily copied.
TEEKA: John, those projects I just mentioned have nothing to do with Jpegs.
Instead, they are harnessing NFT technology in a way that’s going to transform the world.
So the first thing I need everyone to understand is that ANY digital asset can be packaged as an NFT, not just artwork.
As I’ll explain later today, even physical assets can be packaged as a non-fungible token.
So again, forget about digital art for now….
Because while everyone is focusing on these ridiculous stories of jpegs selling for millions, the savviest investors in the world are investing untold amounts of money in this technology.
JOHN: Really? You mean, they’re buying NFTs?
TEEKA: They’re going all in on NFT technology.
JOHN: Like who? Can you mention a few names?
TEEKA: I’m talking about people like billionaire Mark Cuban.
JOHN: The Shark Tank star and owner of the Dallas Maverick?
TEEKA: Yes, most people know him from that TV show. But do you know how he made his fortune?
JOHN: In the dot.com boom, right?
TEEKA: Yes, in the mid-1990s, he founded one of the first online streaming companies… and just a few years later he sold it to Yahoo for a cool $5.7 billion.
So I’d say he knows a thing or two about the internet. Would you agree with that John?
TEEKA: Well, he said recently that if he had to start all over again, he’d build his entire business around NFTs. When asked about it, he said, and I quote,
JOHN: So he agrees with you that this will be the next generation of the internet?
TEEKA: He does… and he’s not just saying it. He’s putting his money on the line, which is what really matters.
He has already invested millions in this space, buying stakes in NFT platforms like SuperRare, Mintable, Cryptoslam, and OpenSea.
John, do you really think he’d be investing millions in this technology if this was just a fad?
And he’s not alone.
Kevin O’Leary is also getting involved.
JOHN: You mean, Mr. Wonderful?
TEEKA: Right. I don’t know if you know this, but he also made his fortune in the 1990s, when he sold his online education company for $4.2 billion.
Just listen to what he’s saying now…
Again, ask yourself… if this technology is just a fad, why is Mr. Wonderful so fired up about it?
JOHN: That is a good question.
TEEKA: Or look at another internet pioneer, the entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk.
He launched one of the first e-commerce platforms for alcohol in the country when he took his family’s wine business online in the late 1990s.
And he went on to build a social media empire. He even invested in Facebook and Twitter in their early days, before they went public. So I would say he also knows a thing or two about the internet.
Would you agree with that?
JOHN: Yes, I would.
TEEKA: Well, he’s already making millions from NFT technology. And when someone asked him why he was pouring so much money into this space, he said, and I quote…
Again John, ask yourself…
If this tech is just a fad, why are all these internet pioneers betting millions on it? Tell me John…
JOHN: Well, when you put it like that…
It makes me think maybe it’s not a fad.
Maybe there’s really something to it.
TEEKA: John, just look at what’s happening in Silicon Valley.
JOHN: Don’t tell me they’re also investing in NFT technology.
TEEKA: Check out this headline from NPR:
JOHN: Limitless? Wow.
TEEKA: John, that’s not me saying it.
This is coming from the smartest investors in Silicon Valley.
I’m talking about people like billionaire venture capitalist Marc Andreessen.
I’m sure you know the name.
JOHN: Yeah, he’s the founder of Netscape, the very first internet browser we saw in the 1990s.
TEEKA: That’s right. Nobody understands the internet better than him. Today he’s arguably the most important venture capitalist in the world.
This man is such a visionary that he’s been called “the man who makes the future.” He got into Facebook, Twitter, Airbnb, Stripe, and Coinbase before they went public.
Clearly, he’s got a knack for seeing tech trends before anyone else.
John, his firm just raised $2.2 billion to invest in NFT technology.
JOHN: $2.2 billion? Wow.
Teeka, all these people you’ve just mentioned… these are not just random financial pundits trying to be a hotshot on TV.
These people are the real deal.
They’re some of the top VCs and billionaires in the world.
If they’re all jumping into NFTs, what are we all missing?
TEEKA: John, that’s exactly the question I asked myself a few months ago.
I thought to myself…wait a second, these people are not dumb… they’re some of the smartest investors on the planet, they would never flush billions down the toilet investing in a fad.
So here’s what I did. I went down this rabbit hole to find everything I could about NFTs.
And I’m not just talking about researching information online. I’m talking about real boots on the ground research.
You see, over the last few years, I built quite a network in the blockchain space, including the co-founder of Ethereum, Vitalik Buterin, Billionaire Investor Mike Novogratz, and Cardano creator Charles Hoskinson.
And after talking to blockchain developers, billionaires, and major investors in the space…
I kept hearing two simple words, over and over again.
John, these two words have been the foundation of the biggest wealth creation events in history…
They’re behind the birth of capitalism…
They’re behind the Industrial Revolution…
And they’re even behind America’s rise as the wealthiest nation in history.
And it was these two simple words that made me change my mind about NFTs.
JOHN: Wow, now I’m really curious Teeka. What are these words?
TEEKA: I promise I’ll tell in just a moment because these two words are the key to understanding how transformative NFT technology really is.
John, once I understood these two words, it was like having a veil pulled from my eyes.
I was blind… but now I could see…
And what I could see John is that NFTs are actually powering the largest wealth creation event of this decade.
I realized that NFTs are the building blocks of the next generation of the internet.
As medium.com says:
So today I’m going to explain how NFT technology will change how we shop, how we work, how we invest, how we retire, how we travel, how we attend events, how we make friends and so much more.
JOHN: Wow, you’re blowing my mind. I had no idea NFTs were such a big deal.
TEEKA: Remember, this is estimated to be a $139 trillion trend. So there are literally tens of trillions up for grabs.
That’s why today I’m going to share a couple of different ways of playing this NFT boom, including one investment you can make directly from your regular stock brokerage account.
And I’ll even give away a recommendation that’s set to benefit from this NFT craze… absolutely free, no strings attached.
JOHN: Just to be clear Teeka, you’re going to give it away for everyone watching this? What’s the catch?
TEEKA: I think it’s a fair exchange… you give me a few minutes of your time to hear what I discovered about NFTs…
In return, I’ll give you the name of an investment that I believe could 10x your money in the coming months and years.
But there’s one catch…
And this is very important so I want everyone to pay special attention.
You’ll need to act very quickly because we’re moments away from a watershed moment in this market.
It’s an unprecedented event that’s guaranteed to happen.
TEEKA: John, that’s a word I rarely use. But I think it’s important everyone watching this knows that I’m not making a prediction.
This is not one of those things that might happen.
This is happening with 100% certainty. As CoinDesk analyst Christine Kim says:
And I believe this event will accelerate the adoption of NFTs and this new internet, sending these investments through the roof.
The website Medium.com even wrote about it, calling it…
I think historians will look back and mark this as the beginning of this new internet.
And it could happen by March 31st.
JOHN: Wow, so by the end of this month? We got no time to waste, so let’s get into the details.
Teeka, I can’t wait to hear all about it because you’ve made some pretty big calls in technology before and you were spot on.
For example, in 2003 shares of Apple had just crashed 70% and nobody wanted to touch it.
But when you were on Wall Street, you picked Apple for your private clients in the midst of all that chaos… and shares exploded more than 56,000%.
In 2019 you gave a presentation behind closed doors, and you singled out Square, Nvidia, and Tesla as some of your top tech plays…
And look what happened since then.
Square jumped as high as 357%…
NVIDIA went even higher, 679%…
And Tesla has jumped as high as an incredible 2,453%!
And while these are all market-beating gains, it’s nothing compared to your crypto track record.
Honestly, the first time I saw it, it left me speechless.
You’ve simply recommended the #1 returning crypto every year since 2016…
So I’m not surprised that 130,000 independent analysts voted you as the most trusted crypto expert in the world.
I mean, just $1,000 invested in your crypto recommendations across your research services could have grown into as much as
$158,870 in Bitcoin
$367,515 in Binance
$543,440 in Ethereum
And $569,482 in Luna
And more than $1.5 million in Neo
That’s unheard of.
After delivering all these massive gains, you’re now saying NFTs will be the next big thing.
And if you’re right again, it really sounds like an opportunity of a lifetime.
So you really think this NFT craze is the beginning of a new internet?
TEEKA: I do. It’s a new version of the internet where we can finally keep track of who owns what in the digital space.
And I’m not the only one who believes in that.
John, I don’t know if you remember this, but in 1994 only a third of Fortune 500 companies had registered a website with their names.
Most people thought the internet was just hype…do you remember those days?
JOHN: I do, I actually remember thinking it was just a fad.
TEEKA: Right. In 1994, a journalist even called McDonald's headquarters and asked them if they were thinking about registering a domain…
You know, it would probably be a good idea to register mcdonalds.com.
And you know what they said?
TEEKA: They said they were not sure because they didn’t understand the internet.
Think about how insane that is. Initially, most companies didn’t even bother about having a website.
But soon they realized that the internet was about to launch an entire new economy… what we now know as e-commerce.
And once they realized that…everything changed. There was a mad rush to buy and register domains.
I’m telling you this because history is repeating itself. Right now it’s like 1995…
All these companies are realizing NFTs are just the beginning of the next generation of the internet.
And there’s an absolute mad rush going on right now, just like we saw in the early days of the internet.
JOHN: So companies are also getting involved in NFTs?
TEEKA: John, you have no idea.
There should be a list of companies and organizations coming up on the screen.
For example, all the major sports leagues are getting involved, including the NBA, the NFL, the MLB, the UFC, and many others.
Nike just filed 7 new trademarks for this new internet…
Adidas just partnered with one of these NFT projects called sandbox.
Major record labels like Universal music group, Warner music group, and Sony music group are planning to get involved as well because they know NFTs will change the music industry forever.
Hollywood is also investing millions in NFTs, with Disney, HBO, and Discovery all getting involved.
Walmart and BMW are planning to use NFTs to disrupt their supply chain.
Ebay is already selling NFTs on their site…
Mcdonald’s, Budweiser, C0ca-cola, Campbell’s, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, Charmin, and Pringles are getting involved too.
Coca-Cola just sold its very first NFT and they made more than $575,000 in just 72 hours.
JOHN: Wow, I had no idea Teeka.
TEEKA: Hold on John… there’s more.
Visa is also getting involved. The head of crypto at Visa even said, and I quote,
“We think NFTs will play an important role in the future of retail, social media, entertainment, and commerce.”
Mastercard doesn’t want to be left behind, so now they’re getting into the space too.
Now, these next few companies I’m going to mention… not sure if you’ve heard of these companies…
Twitter, Amazon, Microsoft, Google Apple, and Facebook.
Have you heard of them, John?
JOHN: Haha, wow…So all the big tech players are getting involved?
TEEKA: They are all in. In fact, Mark Zuckerberg is betting the future of his company on this NFT trend.
In 2021 alone he not only invested $10 billion in this trend. He said
John, I’m not talking about some random start-ups with a bunch of high school dropouts working out of a garage.
I’m talking about the tech giants that basically run the internet today.
JOHN: Wow. One thing I noticed right away is that you have companies from all different sorts of industries.
TEEKA: That’s because this isn’t just a crypto story… it’s a technology story that will change every single industry in the world.
That’s why Ark Invest CEO Cathie Wood said…
I mean, this is a Who’s Who of Fortune 500 companies…
From every single industry, you can imagine, from music to movies… from food to retail… from social media to supply chain.
Look at this entire list and ask yourself…
Are all these CEOs a bunch of fools who are throwing their money away?
Or are they getting ahead of a new trend that will completely transform the internet and our economy?
JOHN: Yeah, I see your point Teeka…
And now I really feel like I’m missing out on something big.
You know that regret you mentioned earlier? I’m already starting to feel it.
TEEKA: Yeah, unfortunately most people will miss out because they think NFTs are just about these ridiculous jpegs that are selling for millions.
This happens over and over again…
Whenever there’s a new revolutionary technology, most people spend years scratching their heads and thinking it doesn't make any sense.
And that’s why most people end up missing out on the biggest tech trends of our generation.
By the time they realize it’s actually a big deal, it’s too late and all the big money has already been made.
We’ve seen this time and time again.
For example, today it’s obvious to all of us that personal computers would change the world, right?
TEEKA: But when personal computers were invented, did most people embrace it as a life-changing technology?
No, instead they were scratching their heads and thinking “why would I ever need a personal computer?”
In fact, in the late 1970s, Ken Olsen, founder of Digital Equipment Corporation famously said, and I quote:
JOHN: Wow. Talk about being dead wrong.
TEEKA: But John, what’s shocking is that most people believed that. And they missed the boat on the personal computer revolution.
But the few who saw that coming had a chance to make an absolute fortune. For example, take a look at this chart…
Had you invested just $1,000 on Microsoft when it launched Windows 1 in 1985, you could have made as much as $611,350 by the 1990s.
JOHN: Wow, so you could have built an entire nest egg starting with just $1,000.
TEEKA: John, at that time I was working on Wall Street and I actually had a chance to buy Microsoft, but I passed because I thought it had gone up too much already…
And I never changed my mind.
I was wrong and stayed wrong.
And that literally cost my clients millions of dollars.
Do you know what that kind of regret does to you?
Even now, 30 years later, I still regret it. It still eats away at me.
I’m not going to make the same mistake with NFTs.
JOHN: It’s funny you mentioned personal computers because we briefly discussed the internet before…
And I also remember when the internet was invented most people were asking themselves “what is this internet thing and why do I need it?”
TEEKA: Exactly. That’s another great example.
Today, most of us couldn’t even imagine living without the internet. I mean, if I take the internet away from my kids, I think they would literally drop dead.
Today the internet is like oxygen to most people.
But John, just listen to what famous economist Paul Krugman said in 1998:
JOHN: Wow, that might go down in history as the worst prediction ever.
TEEKA: Yeah, right? He couldn't have been more wrong.
And again, everyone who listened to that nonsense ended up missing out on incredible gains from the internet boom…
For example, shares of the router company Cisco returned an amazing 67,491% in the 1990s alone. That turns $1,000 into more than $670,000.
Just $1,000 invested in Netflix would have grown to more than $650,000.
And had you invested $1,000 on Amazon, it would have grown to almost $2.3 million.
JOHN:So what you’re saying is that believing that the internet was just a fad would also have cost us massive gains.
TEEKA: Millions of dollars. I’m talking about the chance to be set for life.
Unfortunately, time and time again, when we’re faced with a new revolutionary technology, most people tend to dismiss it as a fad.
Just look at bitcoin and cryptos, which is a much more recent example.
John, what did you think of Bitcoin when you first heard about it?
JOHN: To be honest, it all sounded like some magic internet money.
Nobody knew exactly who created it and how it worked… so I definitely thought it was some kind of scam.
It didn’t really make much sense to me. And all I kept hearing in the media is that it was some kind of pyramid scheme.
TEEKA: And you were not alone.
I first heard of bitcoin in 2011. At the time, it was trading at $7, and I thought it was total nonsense.
At best, it looked like a bunch of computer geeks trading worthless bits of computer code amongst themselves.
At worst, it looked like a Ponzi scheme.
JOHN: Exactly. That’s how I felt.
TEEKA: But around 2014 and 2015, I started seeing some of the smartest investors on the planet invest in Bitcoin.
I’m talking about people like Marc Andreessen, who I mentioned before. I mean, he’s arguably the world’s best venture capitalist. And he started investing millions in Bitcoin in 2014.
That made me stop and think “hold on, I might be missing out on something big here.”
So in 2016 I flew to the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas to listen to a talk on bitcoin.
It was there that I finally discovered the transformational power of bitcoin and its underlying blockchain technology.
And John, it was like a fire ignited in my brain. I remember thinking… My goodness, this is going to transform the world and make a lot of people rich.
JOHN: So you were wrong about Bitcoin, but didn’t stay wrong.
TEEKA: I didn’t stay wrong.
JOHN: Yeah, I’m still kicking myself for missing out on the boom in Bitcoin and cryptos.
I wish I had met you back then because that was the opportunity of a lifetime. And it’s gone.
TEEKA: But John, if you missed out on the boom in Bitcoin, I have good news.
Actually, it’s wonderful news.
I believe you now have a second chance…
A second chance to change your financial future forever, starting with just a small stake.
All you have to do is NOT stay wrong.
All you have to do is not to make the same mistake you made with cryptos.
JOHN: So you think this is deja vu all over again?
You think NFTs are the next breakthrough technology that most people don’t fully understand?
But there’s one big difference.
And this is very important, so I want everyone to pay special attention.
The gains are happening faster than anything I've ever seen in my 30-year career…even faster than Bitcoin.
JOHN: Faster than Bitcoin? I mean, everyone knows Bitcoin is the fastest moving asset in the world.
TEEKA: You’re right about that. Bitcoin is like a McLaren that goes 250 miles per hour.
But let me tell you….these NFT projects are making Bitcoin look like a golf cart that barely hits 12 miles per hour.
John, If you think that’s hype, take a look at this chart. These are peak gains from last year.
As you can see, Bitcoin jumped as high as 125%.
JOHN: That’s pretty good. More than double your money in just one year.
TEEKA: Yes, it beats pretty much any asset class you can think of. But it’s nothing compared to what ‘s happening with these NFT projects.
For example, let’s say at the beginning of 2021, you put $500 in each of these projects. Just $500.
At the peak of their performance, you could have made $32,000, $113,000 and even $256,000.
JOHN: My goodness. And all that just last year?
TEEKA: This is all from 2021.
JOHN: That’s unbelievable. I mean, Teeka, if this is right, some of these projects are making 400 times more money than Bitcoin. And that’s absolutely insane.
How is that even possible?
TEEKA: It should not be possible. But remember what I said about these NFT projects?
JOHN: That the impossible becomes possible?
TEEKA: Right. The impossible becomes possible.
That’s why in just a moment I’m going to give away a free recommendation.
But John, I can see you’re getting all fired up with these gigantic gains.
And I don’t want you to get too excited because we might have a problem in our hands.
JOHN: What do you mean? What problem?
TEEKA: The window of opportunity here is closing very quickly.
I can’t emphasize this enough.
I wish I could just tell you we can all just take our time. But the reality is that by the end of this month it could be already too late.
This unprecedented event is guaranteed to happen, but it will only happen once. And if you miss it, you won’t get a second chance.
I believe this event will single-handedly launch NFTs from early adoption to mass adoption phase… and that’s when we’ll see the biggest gains.
JOHN: What do you mean?
TEEKA: Take a look at this chart…
Every new technology follows this pattern of adoption.
First, the innovators adopt the technology as soon as it becomes available.
Then it expands to early adopters…
Until it hits an inflection point, where the tech goes mainstream and reaches mass adoption.
See that inflection point in the chart, John?
JOHN: I see it.
TEEKA: That’s where all the money is.
It’s in that inflection point when you see the biggest gains because that’s when you go from just a few million people using the technology to billions of people using it.
JOHN: And you think we’re at this inflection point with NFTs?
TEEKA: Yes, I believe this single event that could happen this month will be like flipping a switch…
And that’s not just me saying it. Listen to what the blockchain director at Microsoft said:
JOHN: Wow, so you and this Microsoft director believe we’re about to see an acceleration in adoption?
TEEKA: John, that’s why Yahoo finance wrote that…
And that’s why I’m telling you that anyone who spends too much time scratching their heads and thinking that this is just a fad will end up missing out on this massive trend.
And if you miss out, it could be the biggest financial mistake you’ll ever make…
The kind of mistake that could haunt you to your death bed.
JOHN: Ok, so let’s get into the details because if you and all these big players in Silicon Valley are right about NFTs…
I don’t think anyone wants to miss out on this.
I mean, if I had to guess, most Americans are like me and they missed out on Bitcoin and the crypto boom because they thought it was just a fad.
And I don’t want to make the same mistake.
Teeka, I know you want to discuss different ways that folks can profit from NFTs…
And you’re also going to give away a free recommendation to play this trend.
I can’t wait to hear all the details…
But first, can you explain that one thing that made you change your mind about NFTs?
You said it’s just two simple words…
TEEKA: Yes, two simple words that are behind all the biggest wealth creation events in history.
Please write these two words down because it is very important.
If you walk away from this broadcast with one idea, this should be it.
The two simple words are Property Rights.
Without property rights, we wouldn’t have capitalism. We wouldn’t have America. We wouldn’t have wealth. Period.
So John, would you agree that property rights are important?
JOHN: Absolutely. Like you said, it’s the foundation of capitalism and wealth. But what does it have to do with NFTs?
TEEKA: Well, NFTs are simply digital property rights.
And here’s why that’s a big deal.
Our world is becoming more and more digital.
We do everything online these days. We work online, play online, watch online, talk online, exercise online and learn online more than ever before.
John, do you think that trend is going to stop?
JOHN: No, I don’t think.
TEEKA: It will not. That genie is out of the bottle.
With advancements in 5G, virtual reality and blockchain, that trend of digitization will only intensify. We’ll spend more and more time online.
In the next generation of the internet, everything that can be digitized will be digitized.
And in a world where everything is digitized, we’ll need a way to track ownership of digital assets.
And that’s where NFTs come in.
These tokens are a certificate of ownership registered on the blockchain for everyone to see.
John, when you buy a house, you get a deed that proves you own that house right?
TEEKA: NFTs work as deeds, but for digital assets. Any digital assets.
And that’s the part that most people still don’t get.
Any digital asset can be packaged as an NFT, not just digital arts and collectibles.
So let me repeat that…
Any digital asset can be packaged as an NFT.
JOHN: Yeah, I had no idea. I thought NFT’s were just those JPEGS. So you’re saying digital arts and collectibles are just the first application of NFTs?
TEEKA: Exactly. Look at the music industry, for example.
In the next generation of the internet, musicians will be able to sell limited-edition albums through NFTs…
And because you can wrap NFTs into smart contracts, they could get paid royalty automatically anytime someone buys their album.
They can also package that with things like concert tickets or special access to NFT holders-only.
JOHN: And when do you think that’s going to happen?
TEEKA: It’s already happening with artists like The Weeknd, Linkin Park, Madonna and Metallica all getting involved in NFTs.
That’s why Mark Cuban recently said:
And remember John, the beauty here is that you can invest in these NFT projects directly from your computer, with a click of a mouse.
JOHN: So how do you actually invest in one of those NFT projects?
TEEKA: Well, for example, there’s an NFT project called Theta. And it’s using this technology to disrupt video and music streaming. Take a look at this chart…
Anyone could have invested in this.
Let’s say you invest $1,000 in this project…
John, just over a year later, that small stake would have grown to as much as $263,274.
CHRIS: Wow, you were not joking when you said these are the fastest gains in history.
I mean, that’s more than 26,000%.
Normally, it would take you decades to make that kind of money in the stock market.
TEEKA: Yeah, but you know what’s crazy?
That gain is nothing really compared to this next project I want to show you.
This one is in the video game space. That’s another area where we’re seeing major NFT disruption.
Now, I know when I talk about gaming, most people roll their eyes because they think that’s just a bunch of kids playing in their parents' basement.
JOHN: That’s exactly what I was thinking.
TEEKA: But John, did you know the gaming industry is bigger than movies and the music industries… COMBINED?
JOHN: Oh wow, no I didn’t know that. So how will NFTs change gaming?
TEEKA: Well, NFTs make it possible for gamers to own digital assets in the game.
The characters and items themselves are NFTs that can be bought, sold and traded. So gamers are earning and trading these NFTs in the game and making real money.
JOHN: You mean people are making money playing video games?
TEEKA: Exactly, it’s a brand-new business model called play to earn. And it will change the entire industry.
In the new internet, most games will have this “play to earn” feature. And the nice thing about this trend is that you don’t have to play video games to profit.
For example, I mentioned an NFT project called Axie Infinity earlier. John, take a look at this chart again…
That’s a 36,478% jump. Not in decades, but in less than one year.
JOHN: Yeah, you showed that one earlier. You invest $1,000 in January… then before Thanksgiving, you’re up to more than $365,000.
Unbelievable. It’s painful to think that any of us could have invested in that.
TEEKA: That’s why in just a moment I’ll tell you how you can invest directly in these projects. If you can buy a stock, you can do this.
I’ll even give you a free recommendation. First, it’s important you understand we’re still just scratching the surface here.
So if you missed out on all those big gains from 2021, it’s not too late.
Because I believe the application of NFTs will get even bigger. Much bigger.
JOHN: So you’ve already mentioned digital art and collectibles, movies, music, video games. What else?
TEEKA: You see, just because NFTs are mainly used in the digital world, doesn’t mean they can only be used for digital assets.
This next generation of the internet will be so powerful that even real assets will go digital.
I’m talking about the “tokenization” of real-world assets.
JOHN: What do you mean by tokenization? Turning real assets into tokens?
For example, NFTs can also represent ownership of physical items, like real estate.
Let’s say you have a rental property. You can tokenize that property, and sell those tokens to a number of investors on the blockchain.
Those investors then would receive a portion of the rental income and get a profit split whenever you sell the property.
That’s why Fortune says these tokens:
John: That’s interesting. The real estate market alone is worth trillions. That’s a big disruption for sure.
TEEKA: And it’s not just real estate.
Since this new internet will run on blockchain-based tokens, you’ll be able to tokenize anything that has future potential.
JOHN: Like what? Can you give us some more examples?
TEEKA: There are companies out there that have started to use NFTs to tokenize things like rare wines and diamonds.
Another company is planning to tokenize classic cars like this 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO.
JOHN: That looks awesome.
TEEKA: John, this car sold for $48 million. Most people don’t have that kind of money.
But what if you could tokenize this car and you could buy a share of it, just like we buy shares of companies?
JOHN: My goodness Teeka… the possibilities here are endless.
It’s why Forbes wrote:
We’re literally talking about the potential for trillions and trillions of dollars in disruption…
$139.3 trillion to be more precise.
JOHN: Ok Teeka, I think I get it now.
It really sounds like we’re at the early stage of a massive trend.
So what do you recommend folks do?
TEEKA: There are 2 steps I recommend.
And I recommend you take these steps immediately. Do not wait.
Like I mentioned before, we’re just moments away from a major catalyst that’s guaranteed to happen.
And it could happen by the end of this month.
Once they flip the switch on this big NFT project that I’ll discuss in a moment, it will be too late.
And this will only happen once.
JOHN: Ok, we’ll get to the details of this catalyst in just a moment, but what’s step #1 you’re recommending?
TEEKA: Step #1 is to buy my #1 stock for the NFT boom.
JOHN: Oh, so there’s a way to play this NFT boom in the stock market?
TEEKA: Yes. You see John, some of the biggest beneficiaries of the Internet boom in the 1990s were not the Internet companies themselves… but rather, those that delivered the “picks and shovels” that enabled the entire ecosystem.
JOHN: Picks and shovels?
TEEKA: Yeah, that’s a term from the gold rush days. The people who really made money were not the speculators digging and panning the rivers, but rather those who provided the essentials – picks, shovels, and boots.
Think about it this way…
You have a bunch of miners looking for gold… and you have no clue which miner will strike gold.
So instead of taking a gamble, you can simply invest in the companies that are selling those things because every miner needs picks and shovels.
JOHN: Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. Sounds like a much better bet.
TEEKA: Right, so in the internet boom of the 1990s, some of the biggest gains came from these picks and shovels plays. For example..
Intel skyrocketed more than 7,000%…
Qualcomm soared 16,484%…
And just $1,000 invested in EMC corp would have turned into more than $1.7 million during that same period.
That’s why my #1 stock for the NFT boom is also a pick and shovel play.
John: So let me see if I get this right. We don’t know who will be the Google, Facebook, and Microsoft of this next generation of the internet…
But this stock you’re recommending is set to benefit from this trend, no matter who wins?
TEEKA: Exactly. That’s why some very famous billionaires are loading up on shares of this company.
I’m talking about people like Ray Dalio, who runs the world’s largest hedge fund.
People like billionaire Ken Griffin, who invested $314 million in this stock through his hedge fund.
Billionaire Jim Simons is also investing in this stock through his hedge fund Renaissance technology, which by the way is the best hedge fund in history with an incredible 66% annual returns since 1998.
His fund has even been called “the Greatest Money-Making Machine of All Time.”
JOHN: Wow, and they’re all betting on this stock?
TEEKA: They are. And the good news is everyone watching this can learn how to join them because I put all the details of this company inside a special report called The #1 Stock for the NFT boom.
JOHN: And everyone here can get access to this special report?
TEEKA: Yes, I’ll explain how in just a moment. First, let me cover the second step I recommend…
Because the gains could be exponentially bigger.
JOHN: Ok, so what’s the second step?
TEEKA:The second step is to invest directly in my top three NFT projects.
Like I mentioned before, there are several NFT projects that are building the backbone of this new internet.
Last year alone, just $1,000 invested in some of these projects would have grown to
More than $65,000
and even $365,000.
As far as I know, these are some of the fastest gains in the history of financial markets.
John: And you think your top three NFT projects have that kind of potential.
TEEKA: Absolutely. Take a look at this list John…
According to Forbes, all these companies are already investing in one of these projects.
JOHN: I’m looking at this list, and I see Amazon, Fidelity, Google, Comcast, Microsoft. Those are some pretty big names.
TEEKA: I believe this single project will completely reinvent the internet in ways we can’t even imagine. And I’m not the only one who’s excited about it.
Elon Musk is personally investing in this project.
Billionaire Mark Cuban is also putting his own money on this because he believes that out of all the existing NFT projects, this is the one with the most upside potential.
I put all the details inside another special report called 3 NFT Projects for the $139 Trillion Revolution.
JOHN: And I’m assuming you’ll also make that report available to everyone here tonight?
TEEKA:Of course. Everyone watching this can learn how to join Elon Musk and Mark Cuban.
But before I show you how, I’d actually like to cover my free recommendation first. Is that ok?
TEEKA: I don’t know if you know this John, but most NFTs run on the Ethereum blockchain.
And Ethereum has become so popular that its network is clogged with too many transactions.
And that’s driving up fees. So it’s becoming expensive and inefficient to use Ethereum.
And that’s why their developers are working on a major upgrade.
They’re even calling it Ethereum 2.0.
And according to their lead developer Tim Beiko, they could flip the switch by the end of this month.
That’s why I’m urging everyone to act now.
JOHN: So you’re recommending Ethereum because most NFT applications run on Ethereum?
TEEKA: Right. I believe you could 10x your money in Ethereum in the coming months and years.
JOHN: And how do you think this upgrade will impact the NFT market?
TEEKA: Right now Ethereum can only handle 30 transactions per second.
And the fees are really high.
But once Ethereum 2.0 goes live, those problems could disappear overnight.
Transactions will become faster and cheaper…
And they could be able to handle 100,000 transactions per second.
That’s more than 3,000 times faster.
Remember, most NFTs run on Ethereum.
So, I believe this upgrade will trigger an even bigger boom in NFTs…
JOHN: Ok, I can see now why you’re telling everyone there’s no time to waste.
TEEKA: John, as soon as they flip the switch on Ethereum 2.0, it could be too late. And you may never get a second chance.
If you missed Bitcoin in 2012, you can’t go back in time and buy it for $4.
You missed that chance. It’s the same thing here.
This upgrade is only happening once. It’s not like one of those halvings that happen every four years.
So you only get this one shot.
And again, if you miss out on this, I believe it will be the biggest financial mistake you’ll ever make.
JOHN: OK, let’s not waste any time then. Earlier you said everyone would have a chance to claim the special reports for free. Is that right?
TEEKA: Absolutely. I’ll give you both reports for free.
All I ask in return is you try my monthly research service, The Palm Beach Letter, at zero-risk to you for your subscription.
JOHN: The Palm Beach Letter is your monthly research service where you share your best ideas right?
TEEKA: Yes, and today, I’d like to invite you and everyone at home to try it out for the next 60 days with no risk.
And when you do, I’ll immediately send you everything I promised here today absolutely free.
JOHN: Ok, Teeka, that sounds great.
But can you explain a little more how The Palm Beach Letter works.
TEEKA: Absolutely. The first thing you should know is that we do not accept advertisers. And we do not take commissions on anything we recommend.
We’re only beholden to our readers. So our business model only works if we show them how to make money. And the way it works is actually very simple…
In each issue of The Palm Beach Letter, I’ll explain the biggest trends in the markets and select my #1 investment for that month…
It could be a stock. An income play. Or some other, little-known alternative asset I discovered while doing my boots-on-the-ground research.
I’ll do all the research and just hand you all the information you need to decide if you want to participate.
I’ll tell you what to buy, what price to pay, and how much money I expect you to make.
John: Teeka, we all know that all investment carries risk, and past performance does not indicate future success. Cryptocurrencies are volatile, so I know you don’t recommend anyone invest their mortgage money on this.
I also know you’re too humble to toot your own horn… but we have to talk about your track record because I was stunned the first time I saw it.
In fact, I asked the production team to create this chart. Take a look…
Since you took over the reins of this publication in 2016, your crypto recommendations have gained, on average, as much as 281%.
That’s 18 times better than the stock market…
And more than 4 times better than the Medallion fund, which is considered the best hedge fund in history.
And folks, that’s no cherry-picking. That’s Teeka’s actual track record across up markets, down markets, and flat markets.
So Teeka, tell us, how much does a one-year subscription go for?
TEEKA:You know John, it’s funny you mention that Medallion hedge fund because they’re the world’s best hedge fund.
And because of that, they charge a 5% annual flat fee plus 44% of the profits, the highest fee on Wall Street.
That means if you invest $10,000 with them…
In a typical year, you’ll have to pay them more than $3,400 in fees.
Like you just showed everyone, our crypto recommendations are beating their performance. So if I charged $3,000 for my research it would be a bargain.
But I’m not publishing my research to rich institutional investors.
I’m publishing it to everyday folks like you.
For that reason, we sell subscriptions to The Palm Beach Letter on our website for $199.
That’s per year. Not per month.
JOHN:Wow, that’s much lower than I imagined.
TEEKA: And it gets even better. I know most people watching this probably don’t know me yet, so I understand I need to earn everyone’s trust first.
For that reason, I’m going to give everyone here a special discount today.
JOHN: That sounds great. But before you reveal the final price, let me do a quick recap.
Folks, here’s everything you get when you accept this risk-free subscription to Teeka Tiwari’s Palm Beach Letter today…
- 12 months of Teeka’s best investment ideas — Every month, you’ll get a brand-new issue of The Palm Beach Letter with Teeka’s latest recommendations and market insights…
- Bonus #1: The No. 1 stock for the NFT Boom
- Bonus #2: The Top Three NFT Projects for this $139 Trillion Revolution
- Access to Teeka’s model portfolio, where you can see all of his current open recommendations, buy-up-to-prices, and more…
- Access to Teeka’s special reports library. We haven’t mentioned this yet, but that’s where you’ll find other reports like The Bitcoin Boost: How to Supercharge Your Crypto Gains With the 1170 Account, where you’ll learn how you can get paid interest in Bitcoin. That’s pretty cool.
Ok Teeka, tell us… what’s the special deal you’re offering today?
TEEKA: Right now, we’re offering a limited special introductory offer for new members.
So instead of $199, today you and anyone at home can become a new member of The Palm Beach Letter for just $49.
That’s a $150 discount. And it will give you full access to everything you’ve just listed.
JOHN: Ok, so a full year of access to your best ideas. That works out to about 13¢ a day.
This is an incredible offer. And it also comes with a money back guarantee, right?
TEEKA: Absolutely. I don’t want your money if you’re not 100% happy.
That’s why when you sign up for The Palm Beach Letter, I’ll give you 60 days to test out the service — at no risk to you.
And if during that customer satisfaction period you find that you’re not getting information that could change your financial future…
Or for any reason at all…
You can simply call our customer service team and cancel your subscription.
We’ll give you a full refund, no questions asked.
And we’ll let you keep everything you’ve received as a subscriber — at no charge.
You can keep all the issues…
You can keep all the special reports…
You can keep everything.
This means that there’s no risk to you at all.
It’s our way of saying thank you for giving The Palm Beach Letter a try.
JOHN: Folks, you heard Teeka. To get started, simply click on the button below.
It will take you to a secure order form, where you can review everything one last time before you join.
I already mentioned how Teeka has arguably the best track record in the industry. With that kind of performance I’m not surprised his readers are pretty happy about his research. In fact, let me share a few notes he’s received…
Teeka, I know your time is valuable. I just want to say thank you for taking the time to explain this NFT boom to us. And thanks for this no-brainer offer to join your flagship research service, The Palm Beach Letter.
Any last words?
TEEKA: I just want to remind everyone that it's ok to be wrong, but it’s not ok to stay wrong.
Maybe when you started watching this interview you thought NFTs were a fad.
But hopefully now you see it’s not a fad. It’s the future of the internet.
That’s why some of the smartest investors on the planet are betting billions in this space.
So I’ll say it again…
Don’t stay wrong.
Missing out on this boom could be the biggest mistake of your life.
I’m sure you’ll make the right decision for you and your family.
If you missed out on the Bitcoin boom because you thought it was a fad, you now have a second chance.
Don’t miss it. Act now because once Ethereum 2.o goes live, it could be too late.
John, thanks for having me.
Thanks everyone for watching.
JOHN: Thanks Teeka.
Folks, one more time…
Teeka Tiwari, the man regarded the #1 Most Trusted Crypto expert is inviting you to join his premier Palm Beach Letter today at absolutely no risk to you.
All you need to do to get started is click the button below.
Thanks for watching.
© 2022 Legacy Research Group, LLC. All Rights Reserved.


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Tencent protects users’ virtual property by suing red envelope snatching app
Virtual red envelope (hongbao in Chinese) exchange is growing into a form of social custom in China inspired by the penetration of WeChat use. However, the arrival of lucky money snatching apps, which allow users to snatch random amounts of money from group chats without opening the app, violate the rule that requires users to physically tap a hongbao to receive a share. Such action is often fired by the co-work between monitor and sensor system of the chat log embedded in apps, which poses threats to users’ privacy. According to Technode, if Tencent wins the case, it will set precedents for other tech companies to take legal action against virtual property infringement.

domain: news


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Tablet computers are no longer being seen as expense toys, according to research being released by Resolve Market Research.
Our exclusive first look at its latest report on how consumers buy and use tablets reveals an increasing acceptance--even reliance--on tablets for work purposes. Of the 1,000 tablet users surveyed, 57 percent said they are using tablets to replace laptop functions. Compared with a year ago, tablet owners are much less likely to buy a new laptop or Netbook, as well.
Tablets are also cutting into e-reader purchase plans to an ever greater degree.
What's more surprising, given the newness of the tablet market, is that 46 percent of consumers who already have a tablet are planning to buy another one. In the case of business users, it appears they're doing so to get their kids away from devices that have work data on them.
Also in the business world, the data shows that Apple is vulnerable to competing products, as Android products proliferate and the operating system matures. Non-business users, however, are more loyal to Apple.
This research illustrates at least one of the big reasons that Apple is pushing a strategy of interconnecting its devices through the cloud. Users have decreasing loyalty to individual platforms and operating systems, but they are buying more devices, and they do form loyalties to applications. Apple is more likely to keep users on its products if it makes users' data and apps come across automatically. Google already does this. Its collection of apps, services, phones, and tablets is clearly accelerating threat to the Apple product suite.


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13 Jun 2015 – The Malaysian Insider
Sixty Malaysian franchise brands have penetrated more than 55 countries with the total number of outlets reaching 2,160, said Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism Minister, Datuk Seri Hasan Malek.
In Malaysia, Hasan said 773 franchises had been registered under the ministry to date.
”The food and beverage sector leads with 36%, followed by services and the maintenance sector with 12% of the total registered franchises.
”Hence, the government would like to encourage franchise entrepreneurs to venture into new sectors, particularly in ICT, tourism and green technology,” he said in his speech at the Franchise International Malaysia 2015 (FIM 2015) at Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) today.
The FIM 2015 Exhibition and Conference was opened by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak. Also present were deputy minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah and Malaysian Franchise Association (MFA) chairman Datuk Mohd Latip Sarrugi.
Hasan said for the past years, the government had been promoting franchising as the preferred business solution among business owners and a preferred career choice as an entrepreneur domestically and internationally.
He said exhibitions such as FIM and other franchise road show programmes would continue, and that the homegrown franchisors were encouraged to grab this opportunity to promote their businesses.
”The theme ‘Leap Beyond the Limits’ is a true reflection of the direction that should be adopted by homegrown franchises at this juncture.
”I believe by the year 2020, the franchising industry will be recognised as one of the catalysts to national economic growth similar to developed countries such as Australia, France and the US,” he said.
Hasan added the ministry was working closely with other government agencies such as the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) to formulate effective strategies in expanding the market for homegrown franchises.
He said the government also provided continuous support in the form of various grants and facilities to enable businesses to grow through franchising. – Bernama, June 13, 2015.


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The creators of the craft beer Blue Moon are moving into the cannabis realm. On March 28, 2017, Keith and Jodi Villa announced the official launch of CERIA BEVERAGES.
“I’m ready to introduce another high-impact brand to the industry again, this time with a new line of custom cannabis-infused craft beers. Today, the opportunity and the demand are here, inviting Americans to enjoy a more social way of consuming cannabis – by drinking rather than by smoking it or through ingestion of edibles,” said Keith Villa in a statement.
Based in Denver, Colorado, CERIA hopes to be the first company to launch a line of non-alcoholic, cannabis-infused, craft beverages. With a similar body and flavor, the beverage will be similar to a craft beer but with fewer calories due to the elimination of alcohol.
Jodi Villa will serve as the CEO of CERIA, while her husband Keith will act brewmaster and co-founder of the company.
In an effort to deliver a consistent and trusted experience, CERIA will closely work with the cannabinoid research firm ebbu. ebbu has already developed a series of cannabis formulas that they claim can inspire specific emotions and feelings such as chill, bliss, and energy.
“We have always loved what Keith stands for – great-tasting mainstream beers that really kickstarted the entire craft beer movement,” commented ebbu CEO, Jon Cooper. “We are honored and thrilled to partner with Keith, Jodi, and CERIA to bring this groundbreaking new product to cannabis consumers in legalized states.”
The Villas know their way around a brewery. “When Keith created Blue Moon in 1995, the cloudy, unfiltered Belgian-style beer that would later be served with an orange slice, he in effect, introduced craft beer to the mainstream American beer drinker. It changed the beer industry and was even a question on the TV game show ‘Jeopardy,’” said Jodi Villa. “Since then it has grown to become the largest craft beer in the country.”
The company plans to first roll out its product line in the state of Colorado, followed by other recreational cannabis states. By the end of 2018, the company hopes to launch its craft cannabis beverage in at least three strength; light, regular, and full-bodied.
To help with the company’s initial rollout, CERIA has hired the advisement firm InterContinental Beverage Capital (IBC), which will assist with strategy, commercialization plans, and business operations.
The Villas, both University of Colorado graduates and native Coloradans, note that the new brand, whose name is currently being developed, will also be less caloric than traditional beer, due to the elimination of alcohol.


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Running a bakery has its challenges but imagine doing it while still in high school.
Aya Islim, 17, is doing just that in Dearborn Heights, opening a bakery, Aya’s Sweets in July 2021.
“My favorite part I would have to say is the decorating because that’s where I get to let myself be artistic and just do what I want,” Aya says. “I love it because one simple detail can change everything.”
Aya says she began baking at 9 years old after watching The Food Network.
She made her own batter, buttercream, and fondant that day. “She messed up my kitchen,” her mother, Amal Essa, says.
“I don’t even know where she was getting stuff from and I tried to help her get stuff together,” says Essa. “And, it was a really, really good cake. I was very proud of her.”
Aya began selling her custom designer cakes on social media five years ago. (Her Instagram account has more than 20,000 followers.) She and her mother expanded to selling fried Oreos, cannolis, and other small desserts from a food truck last year. Her over-the-top cakes, however, are what people rave about. She can transform almost any design into a cake.
“Once we saw that it was in high demand and that people loved it, I said ‘OK, it is time to get you a shop’,” Essa says.
Now Aya starts her mornings at school, attends three hours of a co-op program, goes to her new brick-and-mortar on Ford Road until volleyball starts, and then heads back to the bakery before returning home. Essa manages and bakes the store while Aya is at school.
“I really don’t have time for social life,” Aya says. “I have very few friends and I hang out with them mainly on Mondays, so that’s when I take the day off to myself and for friends.”
Aya’s Sweets officially opened on her birthday this year, July 14, selling waffle ice cream sandwiches, fried Oreos, Shirley Temples, cupcakes, and her creative custom cakes.
“I feel like these are comfort foods and stuff that people would enjoy,” she says. “Customers can put on like a sweet twist to it and basically customize them.”
Aya plans to continue to operate the shop when she attends college.
“It’s all about your mindset and saying you can do it, and putting in the work,” she says.
Aya’s Sweets is at 22028 Ford Rd. in Dearborn Heights; 313-429-3099


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Windows 10 free upgrades are still unofficially available
Officially, Microsoft stopped giving away Windows 10 six months ago. Unofficially, it's still readily available.
Microsoft's new Windows 10 build can tie licenses to your online account
Microsoft has a new Windows 10 feature in the works -- one that'll tie your license and product key information to your Microsoft account. In theory, this could make swapping hardware or reinstalling the OS simpler.
What happens when the Windows 10 free upgrade timer runs out?
The Windows 10 free upgrade offer is now six months old, and an estimated 200 million users have switched to the new OS. What happens when the offer ends -- and will Microsoft take steps to address the concerns of users who are holding off on upgrading?


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Despite making millions in profit in Britain, Apple paid no corporate taxes to the U.K. last year, according to company filings cited by various news outlets.
The tech giant logged a pre-tax profit of 68 million pounds -- or more than $103 million -- from its main U.K. subsidiaries last year, the Financial Times reports. It's possible that the company made even bigger profit than that, but avoided the appearance of doing so by logging some of its sales elsewhere, according to the Telegraph.
So how did Apple wipe out its UK tax liability? In large part by awarding employees stock options as part of their compensation, an expense the company can legally deduct from its taxes. Facebook used this same tax loophole to eliminate its entire U.S. tax burden in 2012, according to the Citizens for Tax Justice.
Apple didn't immediately return a request for comment from The Huffington Post.
The tech giant isn’t the only prominent company to skirt British taxes though. Starbucks announced last month that it paid U.K. corporate taxes for its 2013 profits and planned to pay corporate taxes on its 2014 profits. This is the first time Starbucks paid corporate taxes in the U.K. since 2008; the company elected "to forgo certain deductions" this year after facing backlash from customers and lawmakers.
Apple’s low global tax bill is indicative of the way many U.S.-based multinational corporations are able to take advantage of global discrepancies in the tax code. Indeed, 18 of America’s biggest companies, including Apple, used tax havens to skirt $92 billion in U.S. taxes, a recent report from the Citizens for Tax Justice found.
The revelations come just a little more than a month after a U.S. Senate panel found that by housing money in countries with low tax rates, the company paid just 2 percent in taxes on $74 billion in worldwide income. Apple CEO Tim Cook defended the company’s low global tax bill during a Senate hearing in May, saying that the tech giant pays “all the taxes we owe.”


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Joe Browns debut store opens at Meadowhall
The Joe Browns store covers 4,000 sq ft store on Meadowhall’s High Street and is an eclectic space designed by creative agency Dalziel and Pow. Echoing the bight and colourful products the brand offers, the space is “full of interesting visual pieces and inspiring content such as hand-painted illustrative statements.”
The debut is particularly significant as it’s the latest in a trend that has seen pureplay e-tailers moving into the physical store realm. Misguided has already opened two stores and the biggest e-tailer of them all, Amazon, has been moving into physical stores both through organic openings and acquisition.
So why is physical space so important for brands already powering ahead in digital? Commenting on the launch of the Joe Browns debut store, Richard Crowther, Asset Manager for Meadowhall landlord British Land, said: “Our True Value of Stores research shows that stores improve brand awareness, customer service and trust and that ‘physical’ also contributes to online sales that do not directly touch the store.”
Meanwhile Joe Browns MD Simon Brown said he is “absolutely delighted with the store, I think we’ve achieved what we set out to do, which was to create an impressive three dimensional version of our catalogue. It crystallises our brand in a physical space perfectly.”
The opening coincides with the conclusion of Meadowhall’s £60 million refurbishment, which will be completed before Christmas. Some 73 brands including All Saints, Hollister, House of Fraser and Hugo Boss have invested £38 million in redesigning and refitting their stores and further upgrades are currently under way.
Copyright © 2023 FashionNetwork.com All rights reserved.


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Sharjah’s tourism sector expects a boost from visitors during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and the following Eid Al Fitr holidays, which begin next week. The UAE is a popular destination for Eid vacations within the region, where some Middle Eastern countries will celebrate the end of Ramadan with holidays up to 9 days long.
Whilst figures are awaited for the first full half-year, Sharjah registered some 600,000 tourist visitors during the first quarter of 2014 and expects two million tourists by year end. Sharjah International Airport registered 1.7 million passenger arrivals during the first five months of 2014.
Ramadan and the Eid holidays provide a new stream of inbound tourists during the quieter summer months of July and August and Sharjah’s wide range of art, culture and Islamic heritage attractions are expected to resonate particularly well this year with Eid holiday visitors. The emirate’s year as the Islamic Culture Capital has ushered in a long list of events, tourism facilities and investments in tourism and cultural attractions.
Expo Centre Sharjah, one of the city’s main attractions during the Ramadan and Eid period, which attracted more than 100,000 visitors last year, was already visited by an estimated 65,000 people during the first two weeks of Ramadan. The venue’s Ramadan Festival and Eid Fair traditionally provide a range of family entertainment, retail and dining attractions. As part of Sharjah’s Islamic Culture Capital celebrations, the Expo Centre also offers art exhibitions and theatrical performances, plus public lectures, seminars & panel discussions.
Sharjah was voted the Capital of Arab Tourism for 2015 by the summit of Arab tourism ministers.
Source: Shurooq, Expo Centre Sharjah, media


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A federal judge has thrown out a lawsuit accusing McDonald’s Corp. of racial profiling for placing black franchise owners in underperforming stores.
In a decision released Tuesday, District Judge Harry Leinenweber said the plaintiffs did not show that McDonald’s executives or managers treated African-American store owners differently from non-blacks, or when such a thing could have happened.
“The court does not want to imply that McDonald’s operations over the years have not been tainted by racism,” but historical discrimination did not justify the lawsuit, the Chicago-based judge wrote.
James and Darrell Byrd, brothers with four McDonald’s restaurants in Tennessee, accused the company of placing franchised blacks in unwanted downtown locations with high security and insurance costs and below-average sales.
They also said that Chicago-based fast food chains denied black owners the same opportunities for growth and financial assistance that they did offer whites.
Leinenweber said the Byrds can amend their lawsuit, but forever dismissed their allegations about the locations because the statute of limitations had run out.
The Byrd’s attorney, Jim Ferraro, said Wednesday that they will amend their complaint. He also claimed that McDonald’s has lowered rents for many black shop owners since the lawsuit was filed in October.
McDonald’s did not immediately respond to requests for comment, but has previously refused to treat black owners differently and repeatedly reiterated its commitment to diversity and inclusion.


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EU threatens to BREAK UP Google amid fears over internet giant's growing power
- EU commission has had a series of run-ins with Google over its growing power
- Commissioner Margaret Vestager voices 'grave suspicions' about internet giant
- Ms Vestager says she does not ruling out ordering break-up of the company
Margrethe Vestager said she had 'grave suspicions' about the internet giant's growing power.
The European commission has had a series of run-ins with Google, including hitting the firm with a record £2billion fine last June for favouring its own comparison shopping service.
It is appealing the ruling, but two other separate cases are ongoing.
EU competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager (file picture) said she had 'grave suspicions' about the internet giant's growing power
Asked in an interview with the Daily Telegraph whether she thought Google might have to be broken up, Ms Vestager said: 'I think it important to keep that question open and on the agenda.
'We are not there yet but it is important to keep an awakened eye.'
The commissioner warned that the search engine - which has a 91 per cent share of the market - could become so big that it is indispensable for the economy.
Ms Vestager said: 'There is no ban on success in Europe. You get to be dominant and you get a special responsibility that you don't destroy the already weakened competition.
'We have proven their dominance in search and we have found they have misused this dominance to promote themselves and diminish competitors.'
Since taking the EU competition job in 2014, Ms Vestager has earned a reputation for taking on tech giants.
She ordered Ireland to claw back £11billion from Apple after finding the company was given illegal tax breaks.
But she rejected the idea she is hounding tech companies.
The European commission has had a series of run-ins with Google, including hitting the firm with a record £2billion fine last June for favouring its own comparison shopping service. Pictured is Google's HQ in London
'I think the motives for illegal behaviour are the same for any kind of company. Money, fear, power - these motives have been the same across centuries,' she said.
The threat comes with tech firms under unprecedented levels of scrutiny for their behaviour.
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg is facing demands to give evidence to a Commons committee amid a furious backlash about a data breach affecting 50million users
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South African growers pushing pears to processing
Many South African growers will be sending their early maturing Williams Bon Chretien pears to canning factories instead of risking low returns with European exports.
A massive oversupply of Conference and Abate Fetel varieties in the Northern Hemisphere means producers are looking elsewhere to shift volumes.
Delecta Fruit marketing manager Gert Marais told www.freshfruitportal.com that Europe had enough existing supplies of Conference pears to last it until the end of April.
"The Conference and Abate Fetel crop was a record one and they are still sitting on stock. Our fruit would compete with their poor quality late stock, which would affect our prices in a negative way," he said.
He added many growers would be sending Williams pears straight to processing factories.
"The canning industry will pay better than we expected and the risk of sending pears to Europe is too high."
Du Toit Group marketing manager Gysbert du Toit, agreed and said there would be certain varieties, such as Williams, that his company would not be sending to Europe.
"If you want to be conservative and want to avoid risk on the fresh market then canning factories are an option."
He said his company would only be selling fruit to Europe where it was sure there were potential buyers, but there was access to different markets.
"We are optimistic and we aren't panicking. You have to take things as they come. There are certain varieties you can only export to Europe such as Doyenne du Cornice and Abate Fetel. However, with the other varieties we aren't nervous at all."
He said other African countries were an important market, as was the Middle and Far East, and to a more limited extent the U.S.
Apples, however, do not face the same fate and du Toit was upbeat about the coming crop, describing it as good quality and likely to exceed the previous season in volumes.
"We had a good cold winter which is important for apples. The apple trade, in general, is less of a worry than the pear trade."
Related stories: Pear oversupply in Europe poses SA export challenge


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"The nascent NoSQL market is extremely fragmented, with many competing vendors and technologies. Programming, deploying, and managing NoSQL solutions requires specialized and low-level knowledge that does not easily carry over from one vendor's product to another," the two researchers, Erik Meijer and Gavin Bierman, published in the April issue of Communications.
The pair of researchers offer a mathematical data model and standardized query language that could be used to unify NoSQL and SQL data models, work they call "coSQL."
"There is little to disagree with in this paper," said James Phillips, a co-founder and vice president of products for NoSQL database vendor Couchbase, who had no involvement in the work. "I firmly support the conclusion that a standardized data manipulation language would accelerate market adoption of NoSQL database technologies by eliminating developer-impacting fragmentation."
Over the past few years, , including CouchDB, Cassandra and MongoDB. Administrators have found these new data stores more suitable than relational databases for tasks such as storing large amounts of data across multiple servers, or for easily storing information that does not need to be indexed for complex querying.
Meijer and Bierman compare this current flourish of non-relational databases to the proliferation of relational databases in the early 1970s. At that time, developers would have to understand the peculiarities of each database, as well as how to interact with the underlying hardware. What unified this industry was the widespread adoption of SQL (Structured English Query Language), the researchers argue.


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Helio Protocol, a leading decentralized over-collateralized lending and liquid staking platform, has recently announced several key partnerships and updates aimed at enhancing its offerings and expanding its reach in the DeFi ecosystem. Helio Protocol is a liquidity protocol designed for borrowing and earning yield on HAY, a new type of stablecoin that is over-collateralized with liquid-staked asset BNB.
Through leveraging Proof-of-Stake (PoS) rewards, liquid staking, and yield-bearing assets, the protocol seeks to establish HAY as the premier stablecoin in the BNB Chain ecosystem. Helio Protocol operates as a DAO, where the community has the authority to govern the protocol’s treasury, revenue pool, and future direction.
0% Borrowing Interest for $HAY
One of the most significant updates is the temporary reduction of borrowing interest rates to 0%, which the platform hopes will encourage more users to try out its borrowing services. Helio Protocol believes that it is a great time for users to borrow on the platform.
In a statement on Twitter, it stated: “The advantage of Helio Protocol lies in our use of liquid staking derivatives in BNB. This allows us to earn real yield on BNB collaterals and distribute the rewards to HAY stakers & LP providers. Therefore, we have the flexibility to reduce borrowing interest to 0% and still be able to incentivize HAY staking & LP provision in a sustainable manner.”
USDFi’s Foundational Launch Partner
Another exciting development is Helio Protocol’s partnership with USDFi, a new DeFi platform that will allow users to borrow, lend, and trade HAY, Helio Protocol’s native token. The platform is an official launch partner of USDFi and is expected to offer enhanced liquidity and trading options for HAY users.
While announcing it on Twitter, USDFi stated: “We are incredibly excited to announce Helio Protocol as a foundational launch partner of USDFi. Soon, you’ll be able to trade, stake, or earn fees/bribes/emissions with various $HAY pools on the USDFi DEX. We are thrilled to announce that $HAY will be available on the USDFi Money Markets for borrowing and lending as well. Get ready for the next level of super-boosted $HAY utility!”
Strategic Partnership with Frax Finance
In a bid to strengthen its position in the decentralized stablecoin space, Helio Protocol has also announced a strategic partnership with Frax Finance. Under the partnership, the two platforms will co-incentivize various HAY and FRAX liquidity pools on Wombat Exchange and Thena Fi, in addition to other co-marketing and partnership activities.
The #VERIFIEDGUARDIAN Campaign
In terms of marketing efforts, Helio Protocol has launched a new campaign called #VERIFIEDGUARDIAN, aimed at promoting its lowered borrowing interest rate and encouraging users to borrow more HAY.
This evergreen campaign model is set to be launched with unique features and additional utility for NFT holders. While Helio Protocol is yet to reveal the exact plans, it will be teasing potential additional rewards and benefits for NFT holders in the future.
The budget for Phase I of the campaign, which runs from 3rd to 18th May, is set at 10,000 HAY. A total of 215 winners will be selected, with prizes structured as follows: 1 x 2000 HAY winner, 1 x 1000 HAY winner, 3 x 500 HAY winners, 10 x 150 HAY winners, and 200 x 20 HAY winners.
As Helio Protocol continues to expand its offerings and partnerships, it is poised to become a major player in the rapidly growing DeFi space.


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When WatchOvers founder and CEO Eamonn O’Connor’s elderly uncle fell in his garden, he couldn’t call for help because his personal SOS device only worked indoors. Eamonn realised a better solution was required. The result is a device worn on the wrist like a watch that acts as a personal alarm, GPS tracker and voice-only mobile phone. Initially developed for the elderly, the device also offers peace-of-mind to parents of young children.
A major challenge when launching a new technology product is not knowing for sure how it is going to be used. WatchOvers needed an IoT solution that was robust and could provide 24 hour connectivity, but wasn’t sure how much data and voice communication would be generated by watch-phone users.
“We needed a communications provider that wouldn’t tie us to one particular price plan too early,” says O’Connor. “We went with Three because we found them to be the most open, the most flexible and the most helpful in bringing the product to market. Three’s technical support is also very good, which is essential when you are providing a 24/7 SOS device.”
3IoT is based on Three’s global network infrastructure, and allows devices to connect automatically with any international mobile network. This means the SOS alert feature can be used almost anywhere.
The 3IoT platform is easily scalable, so WatchOvers won’t suffer technical growing pains. The platform also provides full visibility of all WatchOvers devices, allowing individual device management.
“We are able to set an automatic limit on each device’s voice and data usage, so we know we aren’t going to be hit by any unforeseen costs,” says O’Connor. “That’s a great reassurance for a start-up company operating on tight margins.”
WatchOvers fulfils numerous needs in the market and O’Connor is delighted to report that the devices have helped save lives, thanks to the SOS alert feature. WatchOvers is now preparing to launch a new device, PetTrackie. Marketed at animal lovers, the device will alert owners if their animal wanders away from home. It will also allow owners to track where their pets are and where they have been.
“Three has been a great technology partner to work with,” says O’Connor. “They have provided the device management and analytical tools to help us make informed decisions about our product offering in the marketplace. We expect to continue to partner with Three, especially as we continue to grow and increase our scale.”
“It enables us to take on more work without having to take on extra resources, because supervision happens quicker and remotely. You don’t have to go on as many site visits because of the ability to send pictures,” says Stephen. “I would never have thought mobile voice and data would help us so much. It really has developed our business and allowed us to expand so much more.”
Download our case study brochure here.


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US retail sales declined sharply in December 2021 to fall well below market expectations, according to figures released by the Commerce Department on Friday.
Retail sales came in at $626.8 billion, plummeting 1.9% from the previous month’s revised figure of $639.1 billion.
The market expectation for December was a 0.1% drop, while the figure in November was revised down to 0.2% from 0.3%.
The annual change in December 2021, however, was a 16.9% increase from the same month of 2020, when the economy was trying to recover from the coronavirus pandemic.
“Gasoline stations were up 41% from December 2020, while food services and drinking places were up 41.3% from last year,” the Census Bureau said in a statement.
The contraction in retail sales suggests that high inflation continues to be a major problem for the US economy and American consumers.
The Consumer Price Index rose 7% in December, the largest 12-month increase since June 1982, the Labor Department announced earlier this week.
Copyright 2022 Anadolu Agency. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.


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Alexandria venture capital firm secures $350M in funding
QED Investors has funded Credit Karma, SoFi, among others
Alexandria-based boutique venture capital firm QED Investors secured $350 million in funding for fintech companies in North America, South America and the United Kingdom, the company announced Wednesday, making it the sixth round of funding in the firm’s 12-year history.
QED was co-founded in 2007 by Frank Rotman and Capital One Financial Corp. co-founder Nigel Morris. It has invested in more than 120 early-stage, disruptive financial services companies, including U.S. companies SoFi, Credit Karma Inc., GreenSky, Avant LLC, Flywire and Remitly. In total, it has more than $1.6 billion under management.
“As experts in fintech, they bring unique knowledge of the space that has enabled us to be proactive and intentional as we scale a rapidly growing business,” said Matt Oppenheimer, founder and CEO of Remitly, which allows customers to send money internationally via mobile phone. “Remitly would not exist as it does today without the ongoing support of QED.”
Credit Karma, another company which received early funding from QED, was bought by Intuit on Feb. 24 for $7.1 billion in cash and stock.


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It's no secret that consumers in the UK are increasingly demanding more from their favourite food and drink brands.
More transparency, more accountability and higher standards for sustainability and responsibility are all becoming key issues for companies keen to manage reputational risk and ensure brand loyalty.
This is certainly the situation for customer-facing brands - whether in supermarkets or on the high street - but it's also becoming increasingly vital for upstream suppliers, foodservice companies and caterers to be aligned with the responsible companies they work with to satisfy the demands of information-hungry consumers.
One sector where sustainability standards are particularly crucial is seafood. In 2011, environmental lawyers ClientEarth released a damning report about the state of the UK's seafood industry. The report showed a confusing array of environmental claims that varied from business to business. A third of those claims were considered to be potentially misleading, creating widespread customer confusion over labelling.
The resulting confusion was not just a problem for customers. Retailers reported that uncertainty around the sustainability of brands were leading to consumers leaving their products on the shelf.
To give certainty to the industry, the Sustainable Seafood Coalition was formed. The coalition is a partnership of UK businesses committed to a healthy future for our oceans by ensuring all fish and seafood sold in the UK comes from sustainable sources.
Since its formation, more than 23 brands have joined the coalition, with businesses helping to draft a workable code of conduct around sourcing and labelling upon which the alliance then agreed. Today, around 75% of all seafood sold through supermarkets in the UK comes from retailers signed up to the coalition. Our research shows that companies that sign up to such codes of conduct benefit from the enhanced brand credibility that comes with responsible sourcing commitments and clear and consistent labelling.
But while consumers can now have confidence that the majority of supermarket seafood is sourced in line with the code of conduct, only a small percentage of foodservice companies or caterers have signed up. This is significant given their combined businesses account for about a third of all seafood volume purchased in the UK.
The foodservice sector has massive purchasing power in terms of British seafood. Their brands may not all be consumer-facing, but they're responsible for a large part of what seafood is served in restaurants, shops, schools, hospitals and care homes.
Just as a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, industry standards work most effectively when delivered across the board, at all stages of the supply chain. Britain's seafood industry will benefit from the foodservice and catering sector joining together to ensure the UK supply chain continues to be a world leader in environmental sustainability.
With increasing awareness about the need for responsibly sourced seafood, successful suppliers more than ever need to be aligned with the demands of their customers and end-consumers, the foodservice sector should join the drive to make 100% of seafood sold in the UK sustainable.
Foodservice companies can find out more about joining the coalition at www.sustainableseafoodcoalition.org
Katie Miller is sustainable seafood project lead at ClientEarth
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More major wineries have been sold in the US. This time, unlike some of the more recent major deals in the wine biz, two conglomerates are shuffling their portfolios. Constellation brands, one of the top two largest international wine conglomerates, has announced (AP commentary) that they are selling eight wineries to a new player in the field, the reformed Ascentia Wine Estates (Eight Estates Fine Wines) of Healdsburg, CA.
Gary Farrell, Geyser Peak, XYZin, Buena Vista Carneros, and Atlas Peak will be sold from Constellation’s California stable. They will also transfer Pacific Northwest properties Columbia Winery, Covey Run, and Sunnyside Winery to Ascentia. Ste. Chapelle from Idaho will also see its ownership change. The deal has been valued at up to US$234 million, and will also include 600+ acres of vineyard properties around Napa and Sonoma.
It will be interesting if the sales will actually affect any of these wineries, unlike some of the private wineries that have been sold recently to major conglomerates.


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B$Z: Suzuki Inks Two-Year Commitment to American International Motorcycle Expo
The American International Motorcycle Expo (AIMExpo) has announced that Suzuki, one of the founding OEM exhibitors of the groundbreaking event, has committed to a multi-year agreement that will see the brand in attendance for years to come. The third-annual event returns to the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) in Orlando, Florida, this October 15-18 where the OEM plans to showcase multiple 2016 product lines and offer demo rides of its most popular models. With this agreement, Suzuki becomes the first OEM exhibitor to commit to a multi-year contract with the event that continues to revolutionize the powersports industry.
Since establishing itself at the inaugural AIMExpo back in 2013, Suzuki continues to leverage the innovative, all-in-one platform offered by AIMExpo. For 2015, Suzuki will again have a presence at AIMExpo Outdoors! where attendees will have the opportunity to experience first-hand Suzuki motorcycles such as the GSX-R, V-Strom, and Boulevard, as well as Suzuki KingQuad ATVs. The OEM’s booth inside the OCCC will feature an interactive and highly engaging display of its 2016 product line. The indoor and outdoor presence provides dealers, consumers and media with an all-encompassing experience unlike any other.
“From year one we recognized the value AIMExpo was providing for the powersports industry as a whole by creating an event for dealers and consumers,” said Rod Lopusnak, Director, Operations Head, Motorcycle/ATV Sales Operations at Suzuki. “Suzuki is committed to supporting Suzuki dealers first so they can provide value to consumers, which is why we have signed a multi-year agreement to leverage the show's platform for both Suzuki and for Suzuki dealers. We will have even more products on display and available for demo rides this year including our GSX-R and new GSX-S line, plus Suzuki V-Strom, Burgman, Boulevard and KingQuad ATV lines. We look forward to connecting with Suzuki dealers, Suzuki riders and with the industry as a whole throughout the four days in Orlando.”
“Suzuki’s two-year commitment speaks volumes about the impact AIMExpo has generated in just two short years and is a significant milestone,” said Mike Webster, President, Marketplace Events Motorcycle Group. “Each year they have expanded their presence and found ways to engage with dealers, consumers and media in a very authentic fashion. This is exactly what the all-inclusive AIMExpo platform was designed for. We value their partnership greatly and look forward to Suzuki’s continued growth and involvement with AIMExpo.
Nearly 400 exhibitors
have already committed to AIMExpo in 2015. Exhibitor presence builds each day,
and companies looking to take advantage of the AIMExpo platform should contact
an AIMExpo Account Manager toll-free at
Be sure to stay tuned to the AIMExpoUSA.com website and keep up to date on exciting news as it happens by visiting AIMExpo’s social media pages. “Like” the American International Motorcycle Expo on Facebook, and “Follow” on Twitter or Instagram: @AIMExpo.


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- Dozens of small-town grocers throughout Kansas have closed in recent years, creating rural food deserts, according to KUNC.
- The city of St. John, located in south-central Kansas, is hoping to secure an $800,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to bring a full-service grocery to its 1,300 residents. U.S. Senator Jerry Moran, meanwhile, has introduced a bill that would provide grants and tax credits to retailers that serve rural food deserts.
- Many residents living in small towns will travel long distances to reach Walmart stores. To compete, smaller grocers like Paul’s Grocery in Stafford, Kansas try to offer superior service.
When most people think about food deserts, they picture impoverished urban spaces void of grocery stores. But rural areas qualify, too, and many of these regions have seen a rapid decline in access to fresh foods in recent years.
Kansas, for one, lost one fifth of its grocery stores between 2006 and 2010, according to Kansas State University’s Center for Engagement and Community Development. Since 2007, 43 out of the state’s 213 rural groceries have closed.
Many communities are seeing declining populations that can’t support grocers. Towns with 1,000 people or less often don’t provide enough business to keep a supermarket afloat. Retailers that do succeed in these areas often do so by drawing customers from other nearby towns. Pat White, the owner of White’s Foodliner, which operates stores in rural Kansas and Oklahoma, told KUNC that he looks for towns with at least 2,000 residents, and that are at least 30 miles from the nearest big-box store.
Oftentimes, it’s a Walmart store that’s drawing shoppers from far and wide with its low prices, which are tough for local grocers to beat. Becoming a regional draw in rural areas throughout the country has been one of the keys to Walmart’s success in recent decades.
Over the years, dollar stores have also become popular outlets in rural communities, though traditionally these stores don’t offer fresh produce and other healthful foods. This is starting to change as more dollar stores have expanded their food selection. Dollar General, for one, says it’s seeing positive results from its stores that feature produce.
Increasingly, communities are looking to federal and state funds to bring full-service grocery stores to town. St. John is hoping a hefty grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human services, intended for projects that spur hiring in rural areas, will secure a vacant building for a grocer to occupy. Even with this money, however, as KUNC notes, there’s no guarantee a retailer won’t meet the same fate as other grocers that have set up shop in the tiny town.
Stories like this are playing out across the country as once-vibrant small towns dry up. It’s a reminder that for as over-stored as many cities and suburban areas are in the U.S., there are many places with little or no access to supermarkets.