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How Lila Moss Hack brought diabetes to the track
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The Fendace show, held at the end of Milan Fashion Week in September, made the news for a number of reasons: Fendi designers Kim Jones and Silvia Fendi created their version of Versace, and Donatella Versace had made her Fendi; it was the first time that two brands from different luxury groups had been released into each other’s archives; and the runway was teeming with former models including Kristin McMenamy, Naomi Campbell, Amber Valletta, Kate Moss and Gigi Hadid.
Still, the most notable aspect of the show was perhaps one of the smaller ones: a tubeless white pump visible on the upper left leg of Lila Grace Moss Hack, a 19-year-old model who strutted on the runway in a gold-and-white Fendi x Versace swimsuit, cut high on the thigh, and a Greek-trimmed jacket.
An omnipodic insulin pump used to treat type 1 diabetes (T1D), an autoimmune disease that can be diagnosed at any age – my daughter was diagnosed at age 8 – it was impossible to miss. Her appearance on the runway, highlighting an often invisible condition, was another step in fashion’s definition of inclusivity.
While the last full fashion season, earlier this fall, was perhaps the most inclusive in terms of race, age, height and gender, according to The Fashion Spot, a trend forecasting site, models with disabilities remain under-represented and under-exposed.
Laura Winson is the Director of Zebedee Management, a modeling agency founded in 2017 to represent disabled and visually different models. “Before Zebedee, disability was not included in the diversity debate,” she said. “Only 0.02% of the people featured in fashion advertising had a disability. “
The image of Ms. Moss Hack with her splinter pump quickly circulated within the T1D community – according to JDRF, an organization that funds T1D research, there are an estimated 1.6 million Americans who have it. – and triggered a flurry of support messages. Melany Gray posted on Ms. Moss Hack’s Instagram feed: “The whole T1D community salutes you! Angie Martin wrote: “I love showing your photo to my 11 year old daughter T1D.” And Eliska Pole simply posted, “Thank you for wearing your insulin pump so proudly.”
Although Ms Moss Hack declined to comment on her decision to go public with her pump, she was the only model on the Fendace show to wear a revealing swimsuit, and given the scrutiny of any model on a catwalk, it is hard to believe the choice was an accident.
This is especially true when a trawl through more than 30 magazine covers, reports and runway shots featuring Ms. Moss Hack as well as two other models, Stephanie Bambi Northwood-Blyth and Grace Clover, who also have the T1D and wear insulin pumps, did not disclose any pump or other glucose monitoring device. Whether they were removed, hidden or airbrushed was not clear, but it is also undeniable that they had been erased.
Ms Northwood-Blyth, a 30-year-old Australian model, walked the runway for Balenciaga and Chanel and was the face of Calvin Klein CK One perfume. A T1D advocate who has been modeling since the age of 14 and was diagnosed with T1D at age 12, she said although she has found support in the industry, she has sometimes chosen to take her glucose meter off. at work.
“It has always been my choice because there are days when I want to talk about diabetes, but there are days when I take it off or I don’t have that one-line explanation ready to go,” Ms. Northwood-Blyth mentioned.
Ms Clover, 19, was diagnosed with T1D at 14, two years before she started modeling and walked the runway for Dior, JW Anderson, Prada, Ferragamo and Fendi, unsure if she had ever been asked to remove her pump on the platter.
“I feel like I have been on one occasion, but that’s because I asked if that was going to be a problem, as it would be visible in the look,” she said, adding : “I totally understand that. It can be photoshopped later.
Like the pump worn by Ms. Moss Hack, constant blood glucose monitors (CGMs) or blood glucose monitors (BGMs) help reduce the need for finger pricks or insulin injections and allow for better blood sugar regulation, especially for those with high blood sugar levels. people with T1D.
As visual indicators of T1D, these devices open lines of communication and improve people’s understanding of T1D.
“Seeing Lila wearing her court shoe reminded me that I had stumbled upon the practical need to communicate with people, instead of sharing my experience more openly,” said Ms. Clover, who now wears her CGM for all of her design work. modelization.
“I hope others can see Grace as a model and feel reassured that they too can achieve whatever they set their minds on,” said Levi Asher, associate director of development at IMG Models.
For Irish author and disability activist Sinead Burke, who suffers from achondroplasia, a genetic condition which is the most common form of dwarfism, seeing disabled models on the catwalks is important because, she said, ” fashion touches everyone because we all have to wear clothes, it’s almost universal.
That Ms Moss Hack may not have realized that wearing her insulin pump visible on the trail “would be a big deal,” Ms Burke said, “is, in and of itself, a success.”
Local News News Today How Lila Moss Hack brought diabetes to the track


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On Thursday the online retail giant Amazon.com launched a new shipping service that promises to deliver household products to its Prime customers in Manhattan within an hour. ‘Shipping,’ in this context, means ‘delivery.’
The one hour delivery service includes products such as shampoo, books, toys, batteries, paper towels. It is currently delivering to select areas of Manhattan.
The one hour delivery service is only available to Amazon Prime customers (a service that costs $99 per year).
Those in Manhattan can opt for the one-hour delivery service for $7.99. Prime Now is available from 6 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week.
There is fierce competition though from other delivery services in the area, such as Instacart, FreshDirect, and Google Express.
The company said that it hopes to roll-out the service to more cities next year.
Dave Clark, Amazon’s senior vice president of worldwide operations, said:
“There are times when you can’t make it to the store and other times when you simply don’t want to go. There are so many reasons to skip the trip and now Prime members in Manhattan can get the items they need delivered in an hour or less,”
“We’ve long felt that Amazon Prime is the best deal in the history of shopping and now it has gotten even better. Prime members in Manhattan are going to love this service and we cannot wait to roll out Prime Now to additional cities in 2015.”
A portion of Amazon’s new building on 34th Street in Manhattan will serve as a hub for delivery of Prime Now orders.

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In the warehouses and stores of many retailers, excess inventory has accumulated. Although buyers continue to pay more as the closet is updated.
According to the consumer price index released on Wednesday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, clothing costs increased 5.2 percent over the last year and 0.8 percent in June compared to May. The overall inflation rate, which takes into account necessities like food and gas, increased by a higher-than-anticipated 9.1 percent from a year earlier.
When attempting to assess the health of the American consumer and economy, economists and industry observers use a variety of metrics, including trends in apparel. Numerous well-known businesses and investors have issued recession alerts in recent weeks. Retailers like Target, Gap, and Walmart announced plans for additional markdowns to get rid of unsold goods. The actions were anticipated to deflate the market.
However, both garment sales and prices — at least thus far — have surpassed those of the previous year. The work market is still strong. The unemployment rate remained constant and payrolls exceeded forecasts in the June jobs data, dispelling fears of a recession.
Experience is everything, according to Kristen Classi-Zummo, an industry researcher for The NPD Group who focuses on fashion goods. The growth in clothes is primarily driven by a return to going outside. This experiential re-emergence, which we didn’t completely see the previous year.
Additionally, several shops have said that. Revenue at Levi Strauss & Co. increased by 15% from the same period last year. However, according to CEO Chip Bergh, the company’s value brands, which account for a small portion of total sales and are offered by Walmart, Target, and Amazon, had mid-single-digit decreases from a year ago.
Walmart also noticed a divergence in the clothes market. As consumers cut back on discretionary purchases in the first quarter of the fiscal year, it aggressively discounted some of its goods. Charles Redfield, the company’s head of merchandising, however, claimed to CNBC at the beginning of June that the big-box store could not meet the demand for its trendier and more expensive goods, like sundresses and shirts from Scoop.
A surplus of the wrong things
According to NPD, a market research company, apparel sales in the U.S. increased by 13 percent compared to the same period in pre-pandemic 2019 and by 5 percent year over year from January through May.
Particularly formal clothes have become more popular once more as Americans attend weddings or spend more time at work, according to the expert. Some shoppers are willing to pay full price for things while buying gifts on those occasions.
According to NPD, the sale of women’s dresses increased by 42% from January through May. Additionally, that was 14% more than in 2019, before the epidemic.
Retailers who overstocked on the incorrect items have suffered as a result of the shift in consumer preference. Customers didn’t desire the firm’s numerous fleece hoodies and athletic wear, according to Gap’s most recent earnings report, which the company released this week along with the resignation of CEO Sonia Syngal. Additionally, due to its push into plus-sized, it experienced a mismatch in the sizes of its customers.
Due to a combination of items not selling and a reduction in supply chain delays, Abercrombie & Fitch and American Eagle Outfitters reported sharp increases in inventory levels, up 45 percent and 46 percent, respectively, from a year ago.
Higher levels of discount promotions are typically sparked by the availability of inventory, and this is currently happening at Walmart and Target across a variety of product categories, including home goods and apparel. The Commerce Department will release its retail sales figures for June on Friday, another carefully anticipated economic barometer.
But there are indications of a slowdown in the apparel market. According to NPD, units have decreased by around 8% from the same time last year despite an increase in garment sales in terms of dollars, which could eventually hurt sales.
According to a survey conducted in June by the equity research firm Jefferies, around 35% of customers either expect to buy fewer clothing or are already doing so.
In the poll, there were different customer views expressed. Those with annual incomes of $100,000 or more stated they intended to cut back on their expenditure on things like dining out and travel. People with lower incomes were more likely to say they were already limiting their purchases of food and clothing.
Tale of two customers
The clothing sellers had several advantages a year ago that ultimately worked in their favor. Due to stimulus checks, Americans have additional money. Because of Covid worries, some people were still hesitant to spend those cash on more expensive trips, dining out, or other services. Limited inventory levels are hampered by the supply chain.
According to Classic-Zummo, retailers can “reset” and end a “vicious sales cycle.” All of these factors helped shops sell more clothing at full price.
According to her, clothing merchants now have to pass on a larger portion of their costs, such as increased pricing for the materials used to produce clothing or the gas required to transport it. This has increased the cost of shirts, dresses, and other items.
Higher-income consumers are boosting clothes sales because they still have the money and are prepared to pay full price for more expensive brands and clothing products. According to Classic-Zummo, this may help to partially explain why clothing prices are so high.
For instance, overall swimwear sales are down after rising sharply the previous year. But this year, swimwear costing $100 or more is the market sector with the strongest growth. According to NPD, swimwear under $70 is what’s causing the year-over-year decline.
She remarked, “There’s a little bit of a tale of two consumers. “Whether or not clothing is on sale, a shopper from a lower-income household could hesitate before making a buy. Higher-income consumers have not yet been impacted; they are still purchasing more frequently. The high-end market is still booming.


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Nokia’s upcoming Android Device codenamed “Normandy” is set to be called simply as the Nokia X. This comes from the latest leaked press image from @evleaks which completes the last piece of the puzzle. The upcoming Nokia X is set to be unveiled at the upcoming Mobile World Congress in Barcelona and this would be replacing its current entry level Asha range of Symbian products.
To recap, the device is said to come with a 4″ 800×480 pixels resolution display and runs a modest dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 processor with 512MB of RAM. There will be 4GB of on-board storage which can be expandable with microSD and it even comes with dual SIM support. At the moment, it isn’t clear which Android version it will run on and word has it that it could be either Android 4.1 Jelly Bean or the latest Android 4.4 KitKat.
Unlike other Android devices, the Nokia X would not be having the usual Google Play Store but instead it will feature its proprietary Nokia App Store which is similar to Amazon’s Appstore on their Android powered Kindles. Since this is a budget device, we should expect pricing to be below the current Nokia Lumia 525 of around RM200-400 range. The device will also be available in a wide variety of colours like the Asha 500.
Head after the break for more leaked images of the new Nokia X courtesy of @evleaks.


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What Does It Take to Get to #1 in the App Store?
- Wednesday, July 25th, 2012
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Logo quiz apps seem to be everywhere at the moment – you might not have played any, but if youre the kind of commuter who peeks over other passengers shoulders at their mobile screens, youll doubtless have encountered at least one of this recent wave. The idea is simple – the user is presented with a series of logos, badges or flags, and has to name the company, car manufacturer, or country.
Developed by a two-man team, game designer Al Boysan and programmer Bahadir Yerdelen, in just four days, Football Logo Quiz is one of these apps, centered around – as you might have guessed – the badges of football clubs.
The app wasnt promoted at all, but within five days, it saw 37,500 daily downloads, and in less than a week, it was the #1 free app in the App Store. It didnt even make its original deadline, the finals of Euro 2012, due to Apple rejecting the app over an issue with licensing Premier League teams, which had to be removed.
So how did it get to the top spot?
“It wasnt our strategy to go for a big hit,” Boysan told Mobile Marketing. “We just got lucky. But I think it was successful because it was based on a previously successful format, combined with another popular theme, football. Its a formula the Americans have been using for years.”
The free app is monetised through in-app ads – which, according to Boysan, makes up 20-25 per cent of the revenues the game pulls in each day – and a set of in-app purchases, which can be used to buy text hints, stars to unlock higher levels, or just to make the ads go away.
Its notable that, given the option, the two have still havent given much thought to porting the game to Android.
“We know is that monetising games on Android is more about advertising, rather than sales,” said Boysan. “But it is an obvious avenue, along with Facebook games, when it comes to expanding the business.”
Back to 3D
Boysan and Yerdelin have released a variety of other apps in the past, as developer team Dirtymartini, but Football Logo Quiz wasnt put out under this brand – it was released under Yerdelins name. Thats because its very different to the type of app Dirtymartini normally makes, which are more complex 3D shooter games.
So, where next – back to 3D games or continue with these potentially lucrative quick hits?
“Well probably try out a few clones of the app, for different sports,” said Boysan. “But our primary long-term strategy is to keep making high-quality 3D games. We can predict better how well do with that, whereas this isnt very stable.”


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Boca Juniors have a great habit of releasing sublime football shirts and the club’s new third strip absolutely follows that trend.
The lovely shirts, combined with the fascinating culture surrounding the Argentinian side have long made them the second team of choice for any budding football hipster.
With that being said, this one’s going to go down a treat.
Inspired by their iconic La Bombonera stadium, one of the most talked-about, revered grounds in the world, the striking number celebrates the 80th anniversary of the side calling it home.
The sttunner features that golden yellow that is used as a trim on the home and away shirts, along with loads of really nice little touches like the blue trim running down the side to represent the stadium’s seating and a special embossed patch to mark the anniversary.
Surely it’s one of the best kit releases this year?


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Reliance Industries Limited on Thursday said that it had acquired the 259-year-old British toy retailer Hamleys through its Reliance Brands subsidiary. This is the first time the Mukesh Ambani-owned company has acquired an overseas retail brand, Reuters reported.
Reliance already owns the master franchise to operate the 88 Hamleys stores in 29 Indian cities. Worldwide, the company has 167 stores in 18 countries.
In a stock exchange filing, Reliance said it had signed an agreement to buy 100% shares of Hamleys Global Holdings Limited for a cash consideration of £67.96 million (nearly Rs 620 crore). The company was owned by Chinese fashion wear brand C Banner, which bought Hamleys for £100 million (Rs 909 crore at current exchange rate) from France’s Groupe Ludendo in 2015.
“The worldwide acquisition of the iconic Hamleys brand and business places Reliance into the frontline of global retail,” said Darshan Mehta, chief executive of Reliance Brands.


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Virgil Abloh, the artistic director for Louis Vuitton menswear collection and founder of luxury streetwear label Off-White, died Sunday, November 28th, after a private battle with cancer. He was 41.
LVMH, Louis Vuitton’s parent company, announced Abloh’s death in a tweet along with a joint statement with Louis Vuitton and Off-White. "We are all shocked after this terrible news. Virgil was not only a genius designer, a visionary, he was also a man with a beautiful soul and great wisdom. The LVMH family joins me in this moment of great sorrow and we are all thinking of his loved ones after the passing of their husband, their father, their brother or their friend," CEO of LVMH Bernard Arnault said in the statement.
LVMH, Louis Vuitton and Off White are devastated to announce the passing of Virgil Abloh, on Sunday, November 28th, of cancer, which he had been battling privately for several years. pic.twitter.com/CytwZLvSFu— LVMH (@LVMH) November 28, 2021
According to a post on his personal Instagram account, Abloh battled a rare and aggressive form of cancer, cardiac angiosarcoma, since 2019. “He chose to endure his battle privately since his diagnosis in 2019, undergoing numerous challenging treatments, all while helming several significant institutions that span fashion, art, and culture,” the Instagram post read.
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Since 2018, Abloh operated as the artistic director of Louis Vuitton's menswear collection – which he made history of becoming the brand’s first-ever Black artistic director. He was also the CEO of Off-White, a fashion house he founded in 2012 that collaborated with Nike, Champion, Jimmy Choo, and other companies. Celebrities such as Rihanna, A$AP Rocky, Beyoncé, and Jay-Z were all seen wearing Off-White. Prior to the achievements mentioned above, Kanye West named Abloh as his creative director, for whom he designed album art covers and merchandise.
Despite contending with cancer, Abloh continued to work on his many projects and partnerships, said the Instagram post on his account. “Through it all, his work ethic, infinite curiosity, and optimism never wavered. Virgil was driven by his dedication to his craft and to his mission to open doors for others and create pathways for greater equality in art and design. He often said, ‘Everything I do is for the 17-year-old version of myself,’ believing deeply in the power of art to inspire future generations.”
The official Twitter account for streaming service Tidal said its staff was heartbroken over “the monumental loss of the creative genius, visionary, and icon – Virgil Abloh.”
Our hearts are broken over the monumental loss of the creative genius, visionary, and icon — Virgil Abloh.— TIDAL (@TIDAL) November 28, 2021
Rest in Power, Virgil. pic.twitter.com/0yMyCnVVgH
In a statement on Instagram, Questlove wrote: “The teachable lesson here is disrupt. Provoke. Be controversial. Push buttons. Be a conversation piece…. live as a true artist.”
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Abloh is survived by his wife Shannon Abloh, his children Lowe Abloh and Grey Abloh, his sister Edwina Abloh, his parents Nee and Eunice Abloh, and many dear friends and colleagues.
Photography by: Edward Berthelot, Getty Images


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As another strong running community gathering at The Running Event (TRE) comes to a close this week the industry is flying high once again after a couple of years of declining sales in the run specialty channel. Click here to read the article.
Callaway Golf Co. announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Jack Wolfskin for €418 million, or approximately $476 million. The acquisition furthers Callaway’s push into the active lifestyle category after its successful 2017 acquisitions of TravisMathew and Ogio.
Sears won court approval for $350 million in bankruptcy financing that will keep the retailer operating through the holiday selling season as it attempts to reorganize.
Six Moon Designs, the maker of tents, shelters, backpacks and other accessories, is looking for hikers, backpackers, paddlers and ultrarunners to be a part of the new SMD Ambassador Team.
Medical Center announced a gift of $4 million provided by Lisa Gorman and the children of L.L. Bean Chairman Emeritus Leon Gorman and their spouses.
New Balance, in another major step in its return to basketball, has signed Kawhi Leonard, the star forward for the Toronto Raptors, to an endorsement deal.
The American Apparel & Footwear Association’s 2019 AAFA American Image Awards honorees include United Legwear & Apparel, a joint venture partner of Puma and licensee of Skechers and Champion; as well as Birkenstock.
Mountain Equipment, a U.K. designer and manufacturer of outdoor gear and apparel, announced that the brand is renewing its sponsorship at the Ouray Ice Festival in January 2019 by increasing its involvement as an Official Sponsor.
The Northwest Company, leader in the home textile industry and the No. 1 throw and blanket manufacturer in the U.S., has partnered with the Hackensack Meridian Health’s Tackle Kids Cancer (TKC) campaign to raise needed funds and awareness for pediatric cancer research.
With the growing sport of trail running attracting more than 9.1 million annual U.S. participants, Spartan, the world’s largest obstacle course race (OCR) and endurance brand, plans to expand its fitness footprint with the launch of a new race product, “Spartan Trail.”
Asics America Corp. has appointed Sean Mannion, formerly at Under Armour, as VP of sales.
PVH Corp. on Thursday afternoon reported earnings per share for the third quarter of $3.21, beating Wall Street’s target by 7 cents and sparking the company to raise its EPS outlook for the year.
Fila announced that it has extended its partnership with World No. 8 and global tennis star Karolina Pliskova.
Arc’teryx continues to expand in the Japanese market with the recent opening of a new brand store in Fukuoka. With 264 square meters located in two floors, it is the brand’s largest in-mall-store in Japan.
BPI Outdoors, a leader in muzzle loading rifles and accessories with the CVA, Powerbelt, and Durasight brands, promoted Jason Sebo to the position of vice president of sales and marketing for its CVA division.
Lem Helmets, manufacturer of cycling helmets, welcomed Sam Whitley to the team as national sales manager.
LeftLane Sports announced that its Cyber Monday sales were up 30 percent company-wide over last year.
Throughout the holiday season, Smartwool is pledging to donate to Protect Our Winters and SOS Outreach.
The Fair Labor Association (FLA) announced the reaccreditation of the New Balance social compliance program, confirming that the company has policies and practices in place to monitor and remediate labor abuses in its global supply chain.
The International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association has announced that four keynote speakers will be headlining the 38th Annual IHRSA International Convention & Trade Show in San Diego, CA.
This holiday season, Patagonia said it is giving away the $10 million in unplanned cash the company saw as a result of last year’s “irresponsible” tax cut. According to the company, the tax cut was not only a windfall for the oil and gas industry but will also open up 19 million acres of Alaska’s wildlife refuge.
The 2018 SFIA Tracking the Fitness Movement Report reveals sustainability in the fitness industry, as it succeeds in keeping up with the latest trends, providing innovative options and satisfying a majority of the market through diverse fitness avenues.
The Nike The Community Store in Detroit awarded $50,000 in grants to six local non-profits that focus on getting kids moving through play and sport so they can lead healthier, happier and more successful lives.
Erin Beresini, editor-in-chief of Triathlete, has been promoted to editorial director of Magazine & Digital Media for Women’s Running, Competitor Running, and VeloNews in addition to her current duties.
Ccilu Footwear and PGA Tour announced a long-term license agreement to create a special sports/lifestyle footwear collection — PGA Tour by Ccilu — beginning with its SS19 Collection.
Paddlesports Retailer, the official national trade show of the paddlesports industry, will remain in Oklahoma City, OK, for at least the next two years.
Newell Brands on Wednesday announced it will voluntarily transfer its stock exchange listing from the New York Stock Exchange to the Nasdaq Global Select Market effective December 10 after market close.
Sportsman’s Warehouse is opening a new store in Lansing, MI, in the summer of 2019.
The Personal Health Investment Today (PHIT) Act, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives on July 25, behind bipartisan support, now awaits a vote in the Senate.
Skechers is taking Giving Tuesday to heart in partnering with local non-profit organizations to donate much-needed goods for thousands of wildfire victims who have lost their homes and personal possessions after multiple disasters in Northern and Southern California.
On November 27’s Giving Tuesday, Fun Socks, a division of United Legwear and Apparel Co. (ULAC), announced a formalized partnership with Delivering Good (formerly K.I.D.S and Fashion Delivers).
At the beginning of November, Zaful launched a campaign destined for UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles), CSULB (California State University, Long Beach) and USC (University of Southern California) to bring their latest activewear to LA students.
Southern California-inspired Vuori Clothing announced the opening of its latest store located at 2070 Union Street in San Francisco.
Defend Your Head, the sports safety company based in Chester Spring, PA, announced results of an independent study recently released by Penn State University centered on football related head injuries.
About 5,400 bicycle forks from Öhlins are being recalled.
Brunswick Corp. announced the pricing of its offering of $115 million aggregate principal amount of 6.625 percent senior unsecured notes due 2049.
Women’s Running released its 2018 Audience Study based on interviews with 6,572 of its readers. The survey found Women’s Running audience on average spent $1,438 each year on running-related goods and services and an additional $1,155 on running-related travel. Respondents on average ran average of 198 days a year for 941 annual miles.
Kohl’s on Tuesday announced today the company will award $3.2 million in grants to more than 300 nonprofit organizations across the country that work to improve the health and wellness of children and families as part of its national giving program.
Yeti Holdings Inc. on Tuesday announced that the underwriters of its previously announced initial public offering of common stock have exercised, in part, their option to purchase additional shares of common stock, in an amount of 918,830 shares, from the selling stockholders at the public offering price of $18.00 per share, less the underwriting discount.
Hydro Flask, maker of insulated stainless steel flasks and soft good innovations and a Helen of Troy Ltd. company, has announced the recipients of its 2018 Parks for All Charitable Giving Program.
Building off the successful launch of flagship store and pop-up boutiques across France, Italy, Switzerland and Norway, including last month’s new Paris flagship store location, Rossignol has announced the planned opening of its first U.S. retail pop-up boutique in Aspen, CO, next month.
Merrell has announced a partnership with Ragnar Trail Series as the official footwear sponsor of the 2019 and 2020 seasons.
On Giving Tuesday, Dick’s Sporting Goods and The Dick’s Sporting Goods Foundation announced a $6 million commitment to support youth sports teams in need.
Riddell and The Alliance of American Football announced a multi-year partnership bringing the latest in football helmet technology and protective equipment to the new league and its players.
Columbia Sportswear Co. announced the appointment of John Soh as vice president and general manager of China, effective February 2019.
The Buckle Inc. announced Monday that net income for the fiscal quarter ended November 3, 2018, was $20.5 million, or 42 cents per share, missing Wall Street’s target by 4 cents.
Saucony, a division of Wolverine Worldwide Inc., announced that Don Lane has been named chief marketing officer, effective immediately. Lane joins Saucony from DraftKings, the Boston-based global sports technology and entertainment company.
RYU Apparel Inc., based in Vancouver, reported revenue in the third quarter of 2018 was $1.22 million, 64 percent higher than the same period in 2017. The urban apparel specialist also earned a gross margin of 58 percent in the period.
Active Ride Shop, the action sports chain based in Rancho Cucamonga, CA, has launched a new “The Crew” referral program that gives back to anyone 13 and up in cash and/or gear.
Young football players may experience a disruption in brain development after a single season of the sport, according to a new study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).
Suunto and Strava, the social network for athletes, announced that the two companies have deepened their partnership.
Newell Brands on Monday announced the appointment of Christopher “Chris” H. Peterson as executive vice president, CFO.
Peak Resorts Inc. on Monday announced that it has completed its previously announced acquisition of Snow Time Inc. for $76 million.
Black Friday pulled in $6.22 billion in online sales, up 23.6 percent from a year ago and setting a new high, according to Adobe Analytics. Traffic was seen declining again at physical stores but some reports showed the extent of the declines were lower than previous years.
Logitech International SA, the Swiss manufacturer of keyboards and webcams and owner of Jaybird, has ended discussions to acquire Plantronics Inc., a U.S. maker of Bluetooth earpieces and gaming headsets, both companies said.
Running USA announced that Stephen Lease, who co-founded Goodr sunglasses in 2015 and serves as the company’s CEO (chief executive octopus), will deliver a Tuesday keynote presentation at the running organization’s annual conference, set for February 10-12 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Keen Inc. said it will match donations up to $15,000 to help California-based first responders and the Northern California communities affected by Camp Fire.
Runner’s World and Salomon are teaming up to help runners end the year on a high note with the latest edition of the Holiday Run Streak Challenge.
Balega, the performance sock brand in the run specialty market, has officially opened the application portal today for its fifth annual “Impi” ambassador team.
Zoot Sports, the triathlon apparel brand, welcomed over 600 new athletes to Team Zoot.
REI Adventures, the active adventure travel company of national outdoor co-op REI, has added 30 new trips this year.


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Supermodel Naomi Campbell has designed an iconic collection for PrettyLittleThing.
"This collaboration is an extension of my commitment to create and promote opportunities for young, emerging designers," Campbell stated in a press release.
"Within my collection, it was important to recognize and include some of the amazing talent that's out there," she continued. "I'm very intentional about using my platform to create opportunities for the next generation of creatives from around the world."
The collection debuts on Sept. 5 with a runway show in New York City. It includes dresses, outerwear, pants, skirts and more with dramatic and glamourous details like sequins and plunging necklines.
Campbell has had a busy year so far. Earlier this year, the model welcomed her second child, and in August, she appeared on the cover of Vogue's famed September issue, reuniting with fellow supermodels Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista and Christy Turlington.
Continue below to shop our picks from Campbell's PrettyLittleThing collection now.
By clicking on these shopping links, visitors will leave Goodmorningamerica.com. These e-commerce sites are operated under different terms and privacy policies than Goodmorningamerica.com. ABC will receive a commission for purchases made through these links. Prices may change from the date of publication.


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ATEME Outlines HEVC Plans
The encoding business is all about squeezing more bits per buck, and the industry is about to advance another level, where HEVC compression plays a huge role in delivering HD quality with optimised throughput and bandwidth.
French telco Orange may be the first to launch a service based on the High Efficiency Video Codec (HEVC, also known as H.265), ratified by the ITU in January. According to an announcement at CES 2013, the telco is on the verge of debuting a VoD movies service using HEVC to deliver 1080p HD content in France.
The service is offered in partnership with Samsung and will permit any anyone in the country with a new Samsung smart TV to receive HD streamed video (at half the bitrate of H.264, estimated by Orange at 3Mbps).
Orange currently offers full HD movies over its managed IPTV service using a set-top box. HEVC means the telco can now make this content available over-the-top.
It will likely be the first of many implementations of the new compression scheme which has gained copious press attention because it can lift 4K/Ultra HD satellite broadcasting into the realms of commercial practicality, but its implications are perhaps even more profound to the immediate future of IP streaming and mobile video delivery.
Doubling the efficiency of H.264 will enable more content to be streamed more efficiently, and in particular boost the volumes of streamed broadcast quality content. One benefit for mobile is that it will allow users to download files for offline viewing in half the time.
ATEME's HEVC Plans
Encoder vendors are rushing to adapt to the new technology. French specialist ATEME has demonstrated HEVC with constant bitrate (CBR) video encoded offline with software, and the company has begun work on real-time encoding. At IBC last year it showed 4K resolution content at 60fps running at 11-15Mbps.
“The primary reason HEVC will be used early in multi-screen is not the fact that you have software decoding but the fact that renewal cycles for those devices are much shorter,” argues chief strategy officer Benoit Fouchard. “Lower resolutions will be delivered in MPEG-4 AVC, and as more HEVC capable devices become available, the lower resolution services can start migrating to save bandwidth.”
ATEME's MPEG-4 EAVC4 encoder, for example, is even claimed to be capable of delivering 4K video over IP. “EAVC4 provides a major leap forward in performance for users to either encode faster at current video quality levels or to significantly increase quality while maintaining current encoding speeds,” says ATEME CTO Pierre Larbier. “The software unlocks the future of multi-screen delivery and supports MPEG growth demands while HEVC matures.”
Meanwhile the French government-backed research and development project 4EVER, of which ATEME is a partner, is continuing its experiment into HEVC with trials at the French Tennis Open at Roland Garros beginning 17 May.
ATEME Not Alone in HEVC Rollout
4EVER, whose collaborators include a number of other French companies: Orange Labs, France Televisions, Technicolor, TeamCast, Doremi, GlobeCast, and Institut Telecom ParisTech, are investigating the distribution of HD (to remote populations and mobiles) and Ultra HD (to the home and cinemas) using HEVC.
In 2012 the project shot 4K footage (compressed in MPEG-4) of Paris streets and of Brest sea events (Les Tonnerres de Brest) which is included in the loop of programming beamed from Europe's inaugural Ultra HD satellite channel operated by Eutelsat.
This year's Roland Garros tournament will be used by 4EVER as a platform to test HEVC codecs for delivery of HD content over OTT networks, according to ATEME.
ATEME is far from the only vendor researching and developing the technology. Motorola Mobility has demoed HEVC running HD video at 8.8Mbps using MPEG-4 AVC and at 4.4Mbps with HEVC. Ericsson has an HEVC encoder on trial with several telcos for delivery of linear TV over mobile networks and Rovi is to enable third parties to provide HEVC support on their own devices. Meanwhile, Swiss telco Swisscom plans to use HEVC to boost bitrates of HD content for delivery of multi-screen video services by mid-2014.
Ultra-HD (4K) satellite broadcasts may be 18-36 months away before they are technically and commercially ready, suggests analysts Deloitte, but there are already several significant landmarks in progress. Among these are the Eutelsat's satellite which transmits using the Quad-HD format in MPEG-4. Satellite operator SES Astra is likely to follow suit with a test channel of its own and Japanese government-backed project has announced launch in summer 2014 (timed for the FIFA World Cup) using communications satellites.
A number of trials at broadcasters are also ongoing including by BSkyB, Fox Sports and Sky Deutschland. Sport is likely to be one of the genres most likely to be captured in 4K given its strong commercial appeal, but it may require a higher bit rate driven by a need to ramp up frame rate (the number of still images shown per second). For sports, the frame rate may need to be 120Hz to provide a fluid picture with no blurring: with higher resolutions image blurring is more visible, making 60Hz transmission less viable.
According to Deloitte, the cost for broadcasters of creating a 4K channel, factoring in upgrades to existing equipment and infrastructure, could be $10 million to $15 million. Currently an HD channel costs about $2 million; a decade ago it would have cost about $10 million.
One of the main impediments to rollout is bandwidth, says the analyst. In 2013 4K could require up to 40Mbps by end 2014 it should require as little as 20Mbps, equivalent to the bandwidth requirements for the first standard HD transmissions in 2005, and the first 3D TV transmissions in 2010.
To receive Eutelsat’s QuadHD 4K broadcasts over existing Ultra-HD displays is only possible by routing the signal through four receivers in the home, and even then the picture may not be properly synchronised. To receive 4K broadcasts compressed in HEVC requires new set top decoders - currently there are none available – although Broadcom announced a 4K HEVC decoding chip at CES, which supports up to 24 Hz, and could be available in prototype STBs from mid 2013.
“Moving away from the tile (QuadHD) approach to a single 4K picture, still using a best in class implementation of MPEG-4, would deliver almost as big a bandwidth efficiency gain as keeping the tiles and swapping the MPEG-4 compression for an ‘early’ implementation of HEVC encoding in real-time,” says Fouchard.
While ATEME and others work on HEVC, the company says its new codec can deliver 4K and 8K video over IP using existing MPEG-4 compression
Companies and Suppliers Mentioned


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Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) is now worth $1 trillion after it crushed its earnings report Thursday night. Once again, it's showcasing the role of e-commerce in the American economy.
Shares topped $2,000 this morning. And that's great if you've been buying Amazon stock for a while. But it might be out of reach for many investors.
These investors should consider penny stocks.
Just a small investment in stocks trading under $5 each can turn into a massive windfall over the next 12 months.
Our best penny stock to buy right now has growth potential of 367%. It's the kind of windfall that might even enable you to buy Amazon later.
But this first penny stock promises decent growth as well, a potential 48% gainer...
Best Penny Stock to Own, No. 3: Nio Inc.
The coronavirus has pummeled Chinese stocks in recent days. But one success story has been holding up - the electric vehicle industry. NIO is a Chinese electric-vehicle market that has recently secured $1 billion in new capital from Guangzhou Automobile Group.
This investment is a significant development for Nio Inc. (NYSE: NIO).
Chinese automaker GAC has joint ventures with other major manufacturers like Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV (NYSE: FCAU) and Honda Motor Co. Ltd. (NYSE: HMC). This capital raise could help alleviate ongoing concerns about NIO's cash on hand. Shares have pulled back considerably this week, presenting an opportunity for speculators to take a small position and bet for a recovery in the Chinese markets.
NIO shares currently trade near $4.03 per share. However, NIO stock has a potential upside of about $6 per share in 2020. If it bolsters its cash position, continues to slash quarterly losses, and meets its delivery expectations, this is likely to happen. And that price target represents a potential upside of 48% from its current price.
That's a nice profit for today's investor. But this next one could double your money...
Best Penny Stock to Own, No. 2: UR-Energy
It's been a challenging year for uranium companies. Last summer, the U.S. government announced it wouldn't offer incentives to boost domestic uranium production. That fueled a sell-off in uranium stocks, with the sector losing more than 30% of its value.
UR-Energy Inc. (NYSEAMERICAN: URG) is a junior mining company that operates the Lost Creek uranium facility in Wyoming. This location processes roughly 2 million pounds each year. Shares are now sitting at just $0.48, representing a significant opportunity for speculators to consider a bounce-back for the industry.
Uranium prices have slumped in the wake of the Fukushima disaster. As nations aim to address climate change, the global economy can't afford to cut off oil and gas production. Nuclear must be part of the all-of-the-above approach. Nations like Russia are already increasing production of reactors, and demand is aligning with global supply. Some analysts now expect a supply shortage.
URG represents an exciting contrarian play for the 2020 election. The Trump administration has expressed the need for more nuclear power. URG would benefit from both political and macroeconomic tailwinds in the year ahead.
The stock could reach $1 this year should speculation accelerate. That forecast represents an upside of about 100% from current levels.
But if you want to more than quadruple your money, our top penny stock right now is your best bet...


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Irish regulator the DPC has fined Meta €1.2bn in a case relating to transfer of data to the US, and whether it broke GDPR regulations.
Europe’s AI Act takes next step including training-data rules
Europe may soon become the first territory to craft and pass new legislation on the use of artificial intelligence technologies.
Music AI update: Grimes, The Beatles, Sound Ventures, EU’s AI Act…
AI music has hit one of those moments where individual news stories come thick and fast, creating a bigger picture.
Impala offers its latest plan for reforming the streaming economy
In 2021 European indies body Impala published a 10-point plan for reforming music streaming. Now it’s revisited and reworked those ideas.
Impala reveals new ‘100 Artists to Watch’ list with YouTube
In March 2022, Impala teamed up with YouTube for its showcase of emerging independent artists in Europe. A year on, it’s time to refresh.
TikTok’s ‘Project Clover’ targets data-security fears in Europe
TikTok is under intense scrutiny in the US and Europe alike over data security. Project Clover is its latest response.
Management body EMMA launches EMMpower initiative in Europe
The role of the average music manager has expanded greatly during the streaming era, with plenty of challenges.
Apple ‘pleased’ at narrowing of EC’s App Store investigation
Earlier this week we reported on the European Commission narrowing its antitrust investigation of Apple. Now it has responded.
EC narrows its Apple music-streaming investigation to ‘anti-steering’ issues
The European Commission launched a pair of formal antitrust investigations of Apple in June 2020. Now there’s a development.
YouTube, Meta, Twitter and Spotify (sort of) reveal their EU user figures
Last week we reported on TikTok’s announcement that it now has 150 million monthly active users (MAUs) in Europe.
TikTok debuts Next Gen rap program and hits new Euro milestone
TikTok’s latest music-focused campaign is happening in the UK, and it’s based around homegrown hip-hop artists.
Spotify and Deezer step up their pressure for an Apple crackdown
It’s been a few weeks since the last call from Spotify for a regulatory crackdown on Apple, so it must be time for another one.


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Hitachi Construction Machinery (HCM) and Deere plan to dissolve their joint venture in the Americas, saying the dissolution will be completed February 28, 2022. At the same time, HCM announced that Hitachi Construction Machinery Loaders America (HCMA) will assume all product and service operations for the Americas in spring 2022. HCMA is planning to add more than 60 new local positions to strengthen its North American headquarters in Newnan, Georgia.
HCM Chairman Masaaki Hirose will continue to be responsible for HCMA. Alan Quinn, who currently serves as CEO, will continue in the same role. “HCM, through HCMA, will be able to better determine its own destiny in the Americas with its own business strategies, improved products and services, and updated technologies, all provided through a revamped and strengthened distribution network,” Quinn said.
Beginning in spring 2022, HCMA said it will introduce new equipment to the Americas with cutting-edge technologies that increase efficiency and safety while lowering total cost of ownership. The company plans to differentiate itself through the product capabilities of these new machines, including the latest in hydraulic systems, innovative “uptime” and IoT services, and advanced safety features. It will also assess the potential for completely new products that meet the needs of the Americas markets.
HCMA will be able to structure its business to respond to market changes and fulfill the evolving needs of equipment owners and operators. Competition for mining excavators and haul trucks has intensified as the global trend to reduce CO2 through automation, unmanned and electrification has increased. In after-sales service, the development of “uptime” services is also growing.
“HCM has been improving and investing in business strategies since 2017 to prepare for the creation of HCMA,” Quinn said. “This includes many ‘value chain’ initiatives to bolster parts and service, rental, used equipment, remanufactured parts and financing. It has also been improving technologies in analytics, IoT, telematics, fleet management and uptime services. In the future, HCMA will be able to better utilize these advances to capture more market share.”
In the short term, all wheel loaders, excavators and mining equipment will be manufactured in Japan. HCM and HCMA will continue to evaluate this supply structure for the future to evaluate the possibilities for production in the Americas.
One of HCMA’s main strategies will be to increase the usage of ConSite globally. The company will extend the service to new Hitachi brand excavators and continue to expand its use in mining. The goal is to increase the use of telematics and predictive analytics to increase uptime on the jobsite.


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People are using their printer less — but will they still keep it around?
When Ed Crowley was buying his Kentucky home in 2003, there were plenty of hard-copy documents he had to fill out during the process, culminating in a closing with piles of papers to sign.
But when Crowley purchased a new house in 2016, he didn’t touch a single piece of paper until the closing. Until then, he was using cloud-based software to complete and transmit documents.
Changes like these might help explain why Xerox is considering acquiring HP, the personal computer and printer maker, said Crowley, CEO of Virtulytix, a printing-industry market-research firm based in Lexington, Ky.
The businesses are trying to figure out next steps as people print out fewer documents, and need fewer printers and less toner as a result, Crowley told MarketWatch.
Across the world, people are printing out fewer — albeit still very high — amounts of paper documents, Virtulytix data shows. This year, consumers across the globe will print out a projected 210 billion pages, down 20% from 2015, company data shows.
In America, consumers printed out an average 38.4 pages monthly in 2018, down from nearly 40 in 2017 and 38.6 in 2015, according to MetaFacts, a San Diego, Calif.-based consumer technology research firm.
Americans bought approximately 8.5 million ink-jet home printers through September, own 11% from September 2018, according to the NPD Group, a market-research firm. Sales numbers were essentially flat during that period for the previous two years, the data showed.
Here’s a look at three reasons for the slide:
Digital photographs and e-tickets
Likewise, people can now display an airplane boarding pass on their phone instead of relying on a printer to make a hard copy, and cloud computing and electronic signatures cut paperwork out of what were once paper-intensive transactions like Crowley’s home loan application, he added.
‘There’s still a lot of trust in paper. It’s ingrained in the American psyche.’
But Dan Ness, principal analyst at MetaFacts, said many American homes aren’t going totally paperless. Many still want to print out physical copies of important documents, like tax returns, he said. “There’s still a lot of trust in paper. It’s ingrained in the American psyche.”
In fact, some financial planners recommend keeping a range of documents in paper form, such as wills, deeds, stock documents, insurance policies and tax-related documents.
There’s evidence some printers are starting to gather dust. Just over two-thirds of American adults are actively using their home printer, according to Ness, down from 73% in 2015, his data showed.
Stephen Baker, a consumer electronics analyst at NPD, said people may be printing less now, but many still won’t go printer-free. They like to have printers at home just in case they might need them.
More people are working remotely
Printing demands may also be dropping because more people are working remotely, Crowley said. If employees are scattered about, the most important means of communication are phones and computers, he said.
More than 40% of people worked remotely at least sometime, up 4% increase from 2012, one Gallup survey said
But Baker said the sales numbers for higher-end printers associated with home offices haven’t seen the same slippage as other mass market printers, he said.
Do older workers use more paper?
Crowley did an informal experiment at work, and took pictures of desks to determine which work station belonged to which age worker. “The way we could sort them was whether paper was present or not,” he said.
As younger generations grow up immersed in the internet and smartphones, many are comfortable going paperless, Crowley said.
‘Everyone is printing less, whether they’re millennials or baby boomers or anyone else. Everyone’s printing less.’
But Ness supplied data that might be a wrinkle in the theory. His data showed people between the ages of 25 and 44 printed the most monthly pages on average. As younger parents start a family, they may be using their printers to instantly have hard-copy photos.
Baker added, “Whether they’re millennials or baby boomers or anyone else.”
Xerox and HP did not respond to requests for comment.
Xerox XRX, +3.55% shares are up 91% year to date, and HP HPQ, +6.36% shares are down almost 4% in that time. The Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA, +0.00% is up almost 18% since the start of the year and the S&P 500 SPX, +0.96% is up more than 22%.


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Wessanen, the Europe-focused health food maker, has reported a jump in sales and comparable earnings for 2015 and claimed its brands were mostly able to grow faster than the expanding categories in which it operates.
Sales increased to EUR523m (US$581.4m), up 21.6% from EUR430.6m in 2014. The group’s top line was lifted by the acquisition of Abafoods as well growth from its brands. Wessanen said the “majority” of its sustainable and healthy brands were able to “outgrow” a “growing market”. The firm reported its revenue increased 9.4% on an organic basis.
Operating profit was also up. EBIT rose to EUR34.6m versus EUR26.6m. Excluding exceptional items, operating profit increased to EUR34.7m from EUR23.6m. Earnings were supported by a higher gross margin, which rose to 41% from 40.2% last year. The company attributed margin expansion to the strength of the British pound versus the euro.
In 2015, net profit from continuing operations was EUR27.8m, a “marked improvement” compared to EUR11.4m in 2014. Including discontinued operations – notably the ABC US beverages business which was sold during the year – total net profit amounted to EUR37.3m, down from EUR€45.3m last year.
CEO Christophe Barnouin said the group is well-positioned to continue to take advantage as consumers increasingly switch to more sustainable, healthier food. “A food revolution is underway as people switch from Big Food to healthier, more sustainable alternatives. We have only just seen the beginning of a long term trend and we are in a unique position to contribute to its development,” he suggested.
Looking to 2016, Wessanen said it expects higher operating earnings before exceptional items in the coming year. The company added it anticipates earnings will be a higher percentage of sales as it continues to strengthen margins.
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As the Packaging Strategies ranking of the largest beverage packaging companies demonstrates, the big just keep getting bigger. Since its merger with SAB Miller in late 2016, Anheuser-Busch InBev has become the undisputed king of the beverage world, leading the list for the second year in a row with reported revenues of $56.44 billion, well above its 2016 revenues of $45.52 billion.
Based on beverage sales alone, the rest of the top four maintained the same order—The Coca-Cola Co ($35.41 billion), PepsiCo Inc. ($29.85 billion) and Nestlé SA ($29.11 billion)—while the Japanese spirits giant Suntory Holdings ($22.05 billion) edged Heineken ($21.88 billion) for the fifth spot. It should be noted that Nestlé and PepsiCo, whose sales also include substantial food product lines, have much larger total revenues. These rankings are based primarily on beverage sales, exclusive of food revenues where we were able to identify the differences.
Recent studies show that global demand for packaged beverages is growing rapidly, especially in developing countries. The global beverage packaging market is expected to reach $173.26 billion by 2025, according to a report by Grand View Research (grandviewresearch.com), progressing at a CAGR of 4.5 percent in the next five years.
Beverage companies are seeing major shifts in consumer beverage consumption. For many years, carbonated sodas were the preferred beverage. However, with increasing health concerns about sugars, many consumers are switching to bottled waters and functional beverages.
WATER FLOODS THE MARKET
Bottled water is the No. 1 beverage product in the U.S. by volume for a second year in a row, according to a recent report by the International Bottled Water Association (bottledwater.org) and the Beverage Marketing Corp. (BMC, beveragemarketing.com). Nestlé, PepsiCo and Coca-Cola all have major product lines in bottled water.
The distance between bottled water and carbonated soft drinks continues to widen as consumers increasingly choose bottled water instead of soda. Carbonated soft drink sales decreased for the 13th consecutive year, according to the most recent numbers from BMC. Bottled water sales now total $18.5 billion, an increase of 8.8 percent. Per capita consumption exceeds 42 gallons of bottled water, a 6.2 percent increase. Meanwhile, the average annual intake of carbonated soft drinks has slipped to 37.5 gallons, BMC statistics show.
Although there has been a persistent decline in carbonated soft drinks, BMC’s DrinkTell database indicates that Americans are not shunning carbonation completely. Consumption of sparkling bottled water and energy drinks is increasing dramatically. PepsiCo recently launched its Bubbly brand of seltzer waters and LaCroix (not on the Top 25 list) has made major inroads into the U.S. market.
TOUGH TIMES BREWING
Major beer brands have struggled to hold on to consumer loyalties. According to BeerBoard (beerboard.com) a company that monitors the beer industry, consumption of Budweiser, Miller and Coors slipped to 49.59 percent of the U.S. market, a two-point decline that showed up directly as an increase to craft beer’s share (35.9 percent). To counter this stagnation, the majors have resorted more frequent updates to their packaging, along with use of active packaging to increase engagement with consumers. In addition, the international conglomerates are stepping up acquisitions of smaller, independent breweries.
Another major change in the beverage market is the move toward functional beverages as consumers strive to improve the health. The rise of clean-label, non-GMO, organic and better-for-you products are impacting purchase behaviors across generations. Innova Market Insights (innovadatabase.com) places this action as one of the top two trends in the beverage marketplace for 2018.
In its 2017 “Functional Drinks” report, the market research firm reports that 27.2 percent of all beverages launched globally in 2016 featured functional benefits, rising at a compound annual growth rate of 12.6 percent between 2012 and 2016. In 2017, 30.5 percent of all functional drink launches were vitamin/mineral fortified, while 22.8 percent contained high amounts of protein. Rounding out the Top 5 were energy/alertness (20 percent), digestive/gut health (19 percent), and antioxidants (12.7 percent).
According to Grand View Research, bottles and jars were the largest beverage packaging segment in 2016. However, cartons will likely witness promising growth for the several years due to burgeoning adoption of active packaging. It helps in extending shelf life of products by using several systems such as moisture absorbers, oxygen scavengers, antioxidants and antimicrobial agents.
JARS AND BOTTLES STILL ON TOP
The bottles and jars typically use glass and plastic materials. The demand for plastic bottles is directly supported by rising consumption of bottled drinking water and carbonated soft drinks, the report states. High-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) are among the most com grades of plastics utilized to manufacture plastic bottles. Exponential growth in the single-serve water packaging is likely to expand the demand for plastic bottles, although there is also increasing demand to limit single-use plastic containers.
In late January 2018, Coca-Cola announced plans to help collect and recycle 100 percent of its bottles and cans by 2030 and has a goal of 50 percent recycled content for its bottles. In 2017, PepsiCo announced plans to make 100 percent of its packaging recyclable or recoverable by 2025. In its Evian bottles, Danone is already using 25 percent recycled contents and has announced plans to be 100 percent recycled by 2025.
Top 25 Archives
More Top Beverage Packaging Companies Resources


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Once again, a large chunk of the white community is attempting to silence the very real experiences of Black folks in America, but this time they are doing so through threats targeted towards a company that is shedding light on the devaluing of Black lives in their latest ad.
Consumer goods corporation Procter & Gamble recently released one of the most realized and unapologetically transparent ads ever seen with their new promotional clip titled "The Talk."
The commercial shows a series of African-American parents spanning several generations throughout the years, warning their children of the disadvantages and injustices they will face as they grow older, with one particular scene showing a mother having an exchange with her daughter about driving while Black.
The company, which manufactures Cascade, Mr. Clean, Downy, Febreeze, Tide, and many other products, is being applauded by several members of the Black community for its realistic portrayal of what it is like to be Black in America. However, as expected, much of the white population found the commercial problematic.
Before we get into their butt-hurt tirades, take a look at the chilling commercial, below:
See how one of the world's favorite famous faces handled an actual racist situation with BET Breaks, above.
Further solidifying their stance on the subject, the major corporation took to Twitter to share their mission.
Needless to say, the white community found great issue with the company's realistic marketing of the Black American experience, with the majority labeling the company "racist" for the message they conveyed.
After noticing the one-sided backlash, some Twitter users, most of whom are Black and minority, came to Procter & Gamble's defense, educating those folks who deemed the marketing piece "racist."


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Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (18 February 2023)
The “Visit Ethiopia” mobile app is now accessible on the play store, offering a convenient way for tourists to explore and experience Ethiopia’s cultural and natural attractions. The app was launched in late December 2022 by the Ethiopian Ministry of Tourism as part of its efforts to enhance the country’s tourism sector.
Visit Ethiopia allows users to easily access and explore various tourist destinations across Ethiopia, including historic landmarks, national parks, and museums. It provides useful information about each location, such as opening hours, ticket prices, and contact details.
One of the unique features of the “Visit Ethiopia” app is that visitors can share their travel experiences and earn rewards, which can be redeemed for future trips. This encourages tourists to explore more of Ethiopia and promote its tourism industry.
The launch of “Visit Ethiopia” is part of the Ethiopian Ministry of Tourism’s broader efforts to boost the country’s tourism sector. Alongside the app, the ministry has also launched other initiatives, such as the Tourist Smart Card and the Guzo savings account, aimed at making it easier for visitors to save for future tours and pay for their travel expenses.
Source: Ethiopian Ministry of Tourism, ENA
The opinions expresses here in the post "Discover the Wonders of Ethiopia with the "Visit Ethiopia" App" are those of the individua's contributor(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Business Info Ethiopia , BIE Intelligence PLC, its publisher, editor, or any of its other contributors.


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The competition judged by winners of the Revelation Trophies
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Domaine de l’Herré – The competition is part of a business strategy focusing on the estate’s flagship wine
Founded in 1974, Domaine de l’Herré currently covers over 130 hectares in Gers, South-West France. Although the estate boasts a comprehensive varietal range, Sauvignon blanc takes pride of place, a strategy that undoubtedly paid off at this year’s Concours Mondial du Sauvignon.
Gold-medal-winning Domaine de l’Herré took its PGI Côtes de Gascogne Sauvignon to the top step of the podium by claiming the Revelation Trophy for its unoaked Sauvignon marketed for under 10 euros, crowning the achievements of its owner Pascal Debon, whose aim was to create a Sauvignon blanc capable of competing with wines from the world’s finest regions. The Gascony estate chose to compete in the Concours Mondial du Sauvignon as part of a business strategy focusing on its flagship wine. Although Catherine Gal from the marketing and sales department believes the competition has yet to go fully mainstream and needs to build more awareness, she points out that the estate will be using the event and the accolade to engage with the media, agents and distributors via press releases, campaigns and advertisements. These efforts aim to boost the estate’s reputation as well as its sales, even though, as Catherine Gal stresses, it is always difficult to gauge the precise impact of an award on sales.
Domaine de l’Herré
Domaine Bouchié Chatellier – A quality competition in terms of organisation, specific nature and results
The Pouilly Fumé Argile à Silex label by Domaine Bouchié Chatellier appealed to judges at this year’s Concours Mondial du Sauvignon who awarded it a Revelation Trophy in the unoaked Sauvignon category selling for over 10 euros.
Domaine Bouchié Chatellier may well have been the most highly awarded estate in its region for the last 40 years, taking part in the 2016 Concours Mondial du Sauvignon was a foregone conclusion as it considers the event to be one of the leading challenges worldwide. A regular medal-winner at previous competitions, owner Arnaud Bouchié claims he is honoured that the labour of four generations at the same estate on the hillock of Saint Andelain with its flint soils should be rewarded by this ultimate distinction. Praising the quality of the competition’s organisation, its specific nature and results, Arnaud Bouchié claims that the company wants to stay true to itself and keep a low-profile, even though its agents and distributors are unlikely to pass up an opportunity to let its clients know about the accolade. Admittedly, the estate can only produce a finite amount of wine, but it is hoping that a Revelation Trophy from the 2016 Concours Mondial du Sauvignon – “a magnificent award” – will allow it to consolidate its “unique position as a top quality Pouilly Fumé producer”, says its owner.
Alvarez & Diez – A significant role in boosting future sales
Located in the heart of the host region for the 2016 Concours Mondial du Sauvignon, Bodegas Alvarez & Diez jumped at the opportunity to showcase its white Sauvignon-based wines. Its decision was vindicated as it came away with a Revelation Trophy for Spain.
The company’s location in the Rueda region, which hosted the 2016 competition, gave it a unique standpoint from which to witness the quality of the event’s organisation and tasting system, and gain first-hand experience of communicating with the organisers. As soon as it was awarded the Revelation Trophy for its Mantel Blanco Sauvignon label, Bodegas Alvarez & Diez immediately incorporated the accolade in its PR and marketing and passed the news on to its overseas importers and national distributors. According to Felipe Rodriguez from the company’s marketing and export department, the award also provides support for the sales team and events communication. The firm is in no doubt as to the Trophy’s ability to “strengthen the image of our wine and the winery in general and consequently play a significant role in boosting future sales”.
Álvarez y Díez Bodegas
Calle Juan Antonio Carmona, 12,
47500 Nava del Rey, Valladolid
Weingut Muster- A considerable impact on the estate’s image
With sixty or so entries in this year’s Concours Mondial du Sauvignon, Austria is making no bones about its determination to carve out a place for itself in the international Sauvignon marketplace. One entry, an oaked Sauvignon by Weingut Muster, even carried away the Revelation Trophy for the best wine in its category.
The decision to take part in the competition this year was driven by the prominent role played by Sauvignon in the varietal range at Weingut Muster, located in southern Styria. The panel’s array of international specialists was also a decisive factor. Describing the amount of entries as “impressive” and praising the event’s purpose and quality of its organisation, estate owner Reinhard Muster has already placed medal stickers on his bottles and notified his partners and the media via a press statement. “Every time we sell the wine, we talk about it”, he claims. The impact of the accolade on the company’s image is already considered to be substantial and potentially capable of generating a lot of attention in the Austrian media. Weingut Muster is also expecting to reap sales benefits from the award. A presentation of Trophy winners at Prowein this year, described by Reinhard Muster as “great”, will most certainly have helped him achieve that goal.
Château les Clauzots – A Revelation Trophy creates coherency and credibility for consumers
Blended from a selection of its finest Sauvignons, Château Les Clauzot’s white Graves found favour with judges at this year’s Concours Mondial du Sauvignon, so much so that they awarded it a Revelation Trophy in the blend category.
“For us, the competition is a benchmarking exercise, enabling us to compare ourselves with other white wines in the global marketplace”, explains Frédéric Tach, manager of the Bordeaux estate. Tough international competition and myriad labels available also prompted him to seek shelf stand-out for his wines via an accolade: “Winning a medal is a significant selling point”, he believes. This is particularly true of a competition boasting “a reputation for quality due to the recognition and renown of its judges”. The estate intends to use its Revelation Trophy to boost awareness of its wines and grow sales by focusing media and PR attention on the award-winning wine. “We hope to give our consumers a measure of coherency and credibility due to our expertise. We would also like to see visibility grow for Château Les Clauzots in the top-end dry white wine market”, concludes Frédéric Tach.
Château les Clauzots


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December 21, 2016 at 6:00 am ET
What Matters Most to Americans When They Fly
Traveling is hard, and the holidays make it even harder. While Americans prefer knowing what they’re getting upfront when they fly, they are still intrigued by a cheaper option.
Fifty-nine percent of people making $100,000 or more annually said they prefer traveling with a full-service airline that has fewer fees and provides the most services in the initial fare, according to a recent Morning Consult survey. Fifty-two percent of people making between $50,000 and $100,000 said the same. That number dropped to 38 percent for respondents making less than $50,000.
People also value their comfort during a flight: 81 percent said leg room is important, while 68 percent and 69 percent, respectively, said the same about choosing their own seat and sitting in seats that recline. In-flight Wi-Fi is important to 56 percent of respondents, and 53 percent noted the importance of on-board power outlets.
When it comes to luggage, 78 percent of respondents said overhead storage for carry-on items is important, a concern that may have influenced their responses when asked about United Airlines’ recently introduced “Basic Economy” fare. The company promises decreased ticket prices for passengers willing to: forgo picking a seat; board last; and not travel with overhead luggage. After being briefed on the offer, 39 percent of respondents said it negatively impacted their view of United Airlines.
But that’s not necessarily a cause for concern for United: 45 percent of people said they would buy a Basic Economy ticket, and 39 percent of people making $100,000 or more said they’re likely to purchase that kind of ticket.
Forty-four percent of people making between $50,000 and $100,000 annually said the same, as did 49 percent of people making less than $50,000. One double-digit disparity was the 13-percentage points between men and women. Fifty percent of men said they are likely to buy a Basic Economy ticket, compared with 37 percent of women who said the same.


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Earlier this morning, Apple announced the new iPhone 13 and 13 Mini , iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max, and the sixth-generation iPad Mini and ninth-generation iPad.
And in official releases from the company, they also said that iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 will both be available on Sept 20. That should mean Sept 21 for us in Singapore.
iOS 15 features new sharing features with SharePlay, a redesigned Safari app, Private Relay in iCloud+, and a host of other improvements. Check out what are our favourite new iOS 15 features here.
iPadOS 15 also has new sharing features via SharePlay, a new Safari app, Private Relay in iCloud+, and a new Quick Note feature that should be handy for taking notes.
System wide translate should also make things easier for users who stumble upon websites in foreign languages. Most of all, however, it has a revamped multitasking system. Read our iPadOS 15 recap here.
Take note, Apple has said that some features, such as SharePlay, will only be available later.
This article was first published in Hardware Zone.


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The future of ensuring the world's population was nutritionally well fed was incorporating all the best technology, including the strategic use of genetic engineering, she said during a public lecture at the University of Otago yesterday.
There also needed to be a greater research and innovation culture so advances could be made to feed the world's ever-growing population.
''That is why in New Zealand we need to encourage everybody to become involved in science,'' Prof Rowarth said.
The downsizing of the Crown research campus at Invermay and the discussions about making science elective at school in year 11 did not meet that brief, she said.
''Nutrition depends on agriculture which depends on an understanding of the soil.''
Prof Rowarth, who worked in plant improvement with AgResearch for six years early in her career and is a former Crown Research Institute Crop and Food Research director, said she commiserated with her colleagues at Invermay and those at Crown institutes who were doing their best to try to ensure science did not die.
There were plenty of examples of how the past few hundred years of science had helped increase the yield from plants and animals, improving human nutrition.
Advances in wheat and milk production were prime examples.
The benefits of this were highlighted in the fact that the percentage of the world's population that was malnourished had dropped significantly from 34% in 1969 to 17% in recent years, even though the population had grown massively.
''More people are fed to a better level of nutrition. It is a triumph of agriculture.''
New Zealand needed to direct its efforts into producing premium products such as grass-fed, free-range beef or lamb, she said.
Prof Rowarth also dispelled a few modern-day myths on modern food consumption, pointing to literature showing in real dollars food was cheaper than it had ever been, even though it ''didn't feel like it''.
People could now afford to buy fresh fruit and vegetables, as they were more affordable than ever, and what they should be worried about was their consumption of highly processed foods.
''Back in 1912 you were lucky to get vegetables, maybe a carrot or potato.''
People's first consideration when buying food was price, despite claims they might buy based on factors like organic growth, she said.
While people might think buying organically or from the farmers market was environmentally friendly, research showed carbon dioxide emissions were higher buying that way, Prof Rowarth said.


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Bowling Green, Ky. – March 4, 2016 – The 2016 Macaroni Kid Silver Daisy Boondoggle is coming to Bowling Green August 14-17, 2016. The Bowling Green Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, plus assistance from attractions and industry partners, will host this 60-person national travel blogger media tour bringing nationwide publicity to the Bowling Green experience.
Macaroni Kid is a family fun travel blog with over 500 contributors nationwide. More than 1.5 million monthly readers depend on 500 weekly editions of family fun experiences covering 5,000 communities across the country.
Contributing bloggers with more than 10,000 weekly readers are top-tier publishers receiving the “Silver Daisy” title. The Macaroni Kid Silver Daisies are the most accomplished and most influential family travel bloggers in the Macaroni Kid network.
Every summer Macaroni Kid partners with a destination to connect readers with somewhere new and celebrate the accomplishments of its publishers, and this year Bowling Green will host the summertime excursion. The Silver Daisies will experience family-friendly fun at Bowling Green attractions, along with getting a taste of Bowling Green at local restaurants and one-of-a-kind Bowling Green-only experiences.
“This is by far the largest media tour the Bowling Green Area CVB has ever hosted and it’s an amazing publicity opportunity for the city,” Telia Butler, Public Relations Manager at the Bowling Green Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, said. “This city is geared for family fun and we’re excited to work with our attractions and industry partners to roll out the red carpet for these media contributors.”
The Silver Daisies will feature their Bowling Green experiences on their contributor blogs and provide social media coverage leading up to and during the event.
The Macaroni Kid blogging network announced Bowling Green as the host destination for the Silver Daisy Boondoggle on Tuesday this week and the social media campaign has already generated over 545,000 impressions as of today. Follow the Twitter hashtag #BGBoondoggle for updates.
More information about Macaroni Kid and its contributors can be found at www.macaronikid.com


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After a series of complaints about Active Noise Cancelation starting with the ones dating back to January 19, 2017, professional audio equipment maker Bose has now addressed the claims of Bose QuietComfort 35 owners.
The issue is believed to have got significant and easily noticeable with the firmware update version 4.5.2 the company rolled out this June. “Made an account to come and say the same thing- new update has severely lowered the quality of ANC, absolutely nowhere near where it was.”, wrote a user on Bose community forum.
There was even a petition on Change.org with 898 signatures alleging Bose for intentionally making the ANC worse so that users would upgrade to the newer Bose NC700 model. Considering all these user feedback, Bose conducted an investigation and published its investigation report on Thursday.
According to the report, the company did not find any issues with the firmware update. “Through all of our investigation and testing, we’re confident that firmware 4.5.2 did not affect the noise cancelling feature.”, wrote Wayne_M, Lead Bose Community Manager.
To come to this conclusion, the company conducted a series of tests including engineering tests in the firmware, testing headphones of customers,third-party testing, and even in-house visits to test the credibility of the claims.
However, if you’re still facing issues, Bose has temporarily made it possible to downgrade the firmware through its Bose BTU site. “We’re re-introducing the ability to downgrade firmware QC35 II to 4.3.6 and QC35 series 1 to 2.5.5 via the Bose BTU site for a limited time. Further communication regarding the availability of the downgrade option will be posted to the community at a later date, but if you wish to take advantage of this downgrade option, we advise you to do so as soon as possible.”
In addition, the company has published a video on YouTube that could help you troubleshoot noise cancelation issues that you might be facing with your Bose ANC headphones.


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REPORT FROM THE U.S.—Cleanliness is always important in the hotel industry.
With the spread of the coronavirus, being germ-free and having more open windows and less closed-in spaces are elevating exterior-corridor properties above their competition. And as hoteliers fight for their share of fewer travel dollars, they need any and all ammunition in their corner to bring in guests.
“Exterior-corridor hotels have a situational advantage during the COVID-19 pandemic, by giving the guest the ability to reduce touchpoints, avoid elevator rides, and be a more self-contained traveler,” said David Sangree, president of Hotel & Leisure Advisors.
In addition, exterior-corridor hotels tend to have lower prices and be located off highways versus in urban settings. They have not been impacted by the loss of group and corporate business as much as their urban counterparts, he added.
Hoteliers agreed, saying they are making the most use of their accommodations and how travelers are relating to them at this time. Exterior corridors have seemed to have become more popular than ever. and are gaining a resurgence in many markets across the country.
“Exterior corridors have definitely become a selling point as customers re-enter the market,” said Mike Frits, GM at DoubleTree Resort by Hilton Myrtle Beach Oceanfront. “This is particularly true of seasoned meeting planners that have to communicate the positive health and safety attributes of a property to their potential group customers. Balcony doors, windows that open, and individual ventilation units have become selling points as well.”
To make the most marketing use of its design, the DoubleTree Resort by Hilton Myrtle Beach Oceanfront has edited all of its room-type descriptions on its website to include exterior corridor as part of the room description, he said. It also has added “exterior corridor” to its group solicitation responses to highlight this as a favorable amenity in the current environment.
Casey Numetko, marketing manager at the Hacienda Del Sol Guest Ranch Resort in Tucson, Arizona, said air flow and ventilation are now competitive advantages.
“We feel that the overall layout of our properties rooms gives us an advantage over larger enclosed hotels and resorts that have more constricted air flow,” he said. “Nearly all our rooms have open-air access allowing for greater ventilation, spa treatments rooms are accessible from the outside, and we have a number of Catalina rooms that have outdoor showers.”
The property informs potential guests on social media and in other marketing avenues the safety benefits of choosing to stay where there is an exterior-corridor layout.
The Downtown Clifton hotel in Tucson, Arizona, is actively marketing and promoting its exterior corridor design to guests during the coronavirus pandemic. (Photo: Downtown Clifton)
The outdoor corridors of the Downtown Clifton, which is also located in Tucson, help make people feel safe, said Marketing Manager Sierra Lemerise.
“There are no shared elevators, which require touch, as well as the ability to have contactless check-in, which allows guests to avoid shared spaces entirely,” she said.
The hotel has marketed its open-air areas to guests who are fleeing high-density areas greatly impacted by COVID-19, to those who need to quarantine, and to others looking for staycations.
“We have updated our website, our reservation confirmation emails to guests, sent marketing materials to first responders who may need sheltering, and pivoted our online listings and advertisements to highlight these features,” she said.
Occupancy levels are holding steady in exterior-corridor hotels, sources said. Valencia Hotel Group’s four Court properties, for example, are running about 15 occupancy points higher than its traditional-style hotels, said Amy Trench, corporate director of brand marketing and public relations.
“Guests can drive up to the hotel and park their own car, minimizing potential interaction in busy lobbies and avoid elevators entirely if they prefer,” she said. “Each guestroom also offers guests their own inward-facing exterior entrance, and generous front porches.”
At 68% of Red Roof’s properties nationwide, guests access their rooms from the outside of the building instead of an interior hallway, which has helped business, said Marina MacDonald, chief marketing officer of Red Roof.
“After check-in, guests are able to drive to their room without walking through the building, reducing contact with interior touchpoints and avoiding public areas,” MacDonald said. “In addition, most properties have individual air-handling units continually providing fresh outside air.”
In the second quarter of 2020 alone, Red Roof’s exterior-corridor properties had 14% higher occupancy than those without this type of design, Trench added.
“These days, guests are seeking safety more than ever,” she said. “Coupled with RediClean, Red Roof’s enhanced cleaning protocols, exterior-corridor Red Roof hotels have regained their popularity.”
The brand now promotes its exterior corridors in emails to members of its loyalty program, RediRewards, as well as non-member guests, and offers access to a map of all such properties nationwide. Guests who visit Red Roof’s website will see messaging about the safety of exterior-corridor properties and can view exterior photos of each property on individual property pages.


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Here’s how being denied for a credit card impacts your credit score
Being denied for a credit card doesn’t hurt your credit score. But the hard inquiry from submitting an application can cause your score to decrease.
What New Parents Should Know About Life Insurance
Having a baby can bring the gaps in your financial plan into sharp focus. New parents often feel they need to find ways to provide financial security...
Why Searching for Cheap Stocks Is the Wrong Investing Strategy
The premise makes more than enough sense: For the same reason consumers want more bang for their buck at the stores they regularly shop...
Private credit lenders seek protection in minimum liquidity protocol
Private credit firms are requiring their borrowers maintain a strong liquidity cushion as the coronavirus pandemic forces middle market companies...
Consumer credit fell at a slower 5.3% in May as the economy began to recover
The use of credit cards fell at a much slower pace in May as the economy began to recover and the government provided financial relief to households...
fell at a slower 5.3%
in May as
began to recover
By Jeffry Bartash, Reporter for MarketWatch in Washington
Rehiring of millions of workers, federal benefits prop up economy
The numbers: Consumer borrowing fell at a slower 5.3% annual pace in May after a huge decline in April, as the economy began to recovery from the deepest downturn in American history.
Total consumer credit dropped by an annual rate of $18.2 billion in May, compared to a much larger $70.2 billion plunge in April, according to Federal Reserve data released Wednesday.
The use of credit sank in April at the height of the coronavirus pandemic by a 20% rate, marking the biggest decline since World War Two. Many businesses were forced to close, millions of people lost their jobs and spending tumbled as anxious Americans saved their money.
The U.S. economy began to reopen in May and the government doled out trillions of dollars in business loans, more generous unemployment benefits and other measures to save a sinking economy.
What happened: Revolving credit, like credit cards, declined at a nearly 29% clip in May. In April, revolving credit shrank by a record 65%.
Yet nonrevolving credit, typically auto and student loans, actually rose 2.3%. Auto sales rebounded during the month.
The Fed’s credit data does not include mortgage loans.
Big picture: Most households naturally cut back on spending during the early stages of the pandemic, unsure of their own job security and what would happen to the economy.
Generous government aid and the return of 7.5 million people to their jobs in May and June has given boost to spending, but it’s likely to remain depressed until the threat from the coronavirus fades.
Market reaction: The Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA, -0.46% and S&P 500 SPX, -0.84% rose slightly in Wednesday trades.
This article was originally published By Jeffry Bartash, marketwatch.com.
VantageScore 3.0: What's a Great
Why an Excellent
MONEY • BEST • CREDIT CARDS • SCORE


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Hermes reigns in Glassdoor's latest 'Best places to work' in France survey, outshining the likes of Ubisoft and Amazon
In its fourth year of running a top employers list for France, Glassdoor has seen several companies — like Thales and Airbus — make a reappearance over the years. This December however, the company that's been hailed as the best place to work for 2019 is a newcomer to France's list: fashion designer Hermes.
It's fair to say that France is renowned for its luxury brands, yet Hermes is the only group from this field to make it into this year's top 10, with Louis Vuitton and L'Oreal coming in at 11 and 16 respectively. Instead, a few other industries fill the top 10, including transportation and retail.
To compile, Glassdoor assessed the input that workers give when offering feedback, in addition to recent ratings, which are on a scale from 1 to 5. The top 10 firms found in this Glassdoor list surpassed the average global rating of 3.4; with each group receiving a figure of 4.2 or higher.
CNBC Make It breaks down the top 10:
Coming in at number 10 is e-commerce titan Amazon. With a global workforce of more than half a million, Amazon is renowned for its job creation with the e-commerce group stating that in the past five years, it's created over 125 jobs every day in the States alone.
While office perks vary from country to country, some benefits mentioned include access to medical care and career development programs.
9. Leroy Merlin
Another retailer that's winning over workers as well as consumers is French-headquartered Leroy Merlin.
The DIY group's operations are featured in about a dozen countries, with 100,000 staff members employed to keep the retailer functioning around the clock.
Having placed on Glassdoor's "Best Employers" for France since the survey began in 2016, the retailer attributes one reason why it remains popular among employees, is that it sees people as the "central resource" of the business.
Moving up from last year's no. 24 spot, Thales is all about being a responsible leader in the transport, security and defense spheres. While Thales has attributed "acting responsibly" as a crucial quality to its long-term success, it's not the only qualities it aims to foster.
Inside the firm, Thales is dedicated to supporting its staff, through promoting diversity, team collaboration and career development — it even has an in-house university to support employees through any part of their profession.
7. AUTO1 Group
From its small beginnings in 2012, AUTO1 Group has now become Europe's leading car trading platform with its operations taking place in over 30 countries.
Inside the company, more than 3,500 people from over 55 nationalities are employed — which AUTO1 attributes as one of its key strengths when it comes to keeping the company thriving on a financial level.
When hiring, onepoint looks for talent that holds "cutting-edge skills, (a) strong commitment to the Group and an open frame of mind."
In return, onepoint dedicates a large amount of time on an employee's first few weeks with its integration period strategy; which can include introducing them to partners, training and different teams. On Glassdoor, reviews indicate that the company offers an innovative atmosphere with a strong, upbeat culture.
With more than 180,000 people hired worldwide, Saint-Gobain asks its large workforce to abide by five key values during each workday: to be agile, uphold the open and engaging culture, foster strong relationship with clients, constantly innovate and embrace their entrepreneurial abilities.
In return, staff members have a range of work benefits on offer. In France, this can include personalized training and commercial discounts.
Making its debut in Glassdoor's rankings for France, Adrexo is considered a leading private operator of advertising print in the country, having collaborated with the likes of McDonald's and Haribo. Inside the firm, over 20,000 individuals in France have been employed by Adrexo and no matter what level they are at, the company wants to make sure it promotes each person's leadership and entrepreneurial capabilities.
The business that's seen success from the likes of "Assassin's Creed" and "Far Cry," is winning over its employees as well as consumers.
With more than 14,000 workers running its ship, Ubisoft is keen on hiring individuals who are innovative and ooze creativity. While game design is an important role at the videogaming firm, it's not the only job in town, with Ubisoft offering a whole host of divisions including marketing, programming, finance and quality control.
Last year's winner Criteo has moved down to second place for 2019, yet the ad firm remains a top favorite — with employees applauding the staff who've been employed and the strong overall management seen, Glassdoor reviews reveal. From what began as a start-up in the mid-2000s, Criteo has now transformed into a business with dozens of international offices and several "success stories," such as partnering up and helping the likes of Office Depot, Sephora, and Microsoft.
When people think of this high-end luxury brand, the iconic, top-dollar Birkin bag often comes to mind. Yet that's not the only product on offer at Hermes.
The luxury group sells jewelry, fragrances, watches, accessories and more to customers across the globe, both in brick-and-mortar stores and online. Inside this designer world, over 12,000 people work hard to keep the brand running at full speed and are hired to keep true to its values: high standards and authenticity, imagination and daring, elegance and simplicity.
Here is the complete rankings of Glassdoor's 'Best Employers' for 2019.
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Let's support Columbus restaurants that lost power
Along with tens of thousands of homes, lots of restaurants in Central Ohio lost power. And for small business owners, several days without customers can be devastating. Clintonville and North Campus were among the hardest-hit areas, with restaurants like Alana's, Sage, Taj Mahal and Lavash in the dark for six straight days. A week with no customers is bad enough, but these places also lost thousands of dollars worth of refrigerated and frozen food (Alana's donated food to a local soup kitchen, announcing to Facebook fans "5 star cuisine now available at Faith Mission.")
As those restaurants slowly but surely reopen (we got word that all four of those places were back up and running by Thursday afternoon), let's all show some neighborly support and stop in for a meal sometime soon, shall we?
A few more Columbus restaurants that endured extended outages after the Great Derecho of 2012: