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CryptoCoin.News | Crypto News TodayIndia May Overtake China in Bitcoin Use. Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and. blockchain and Bitcoin bringing you the latest news and analyses on the future of money.
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Comic Store In Your Future Free Comic Book Day 2023 How Was It?
In this month's Comic Store In Your Future, Rodman Comics owner looks back at Free Comic Book Day 2023 and how it looks from the retailer's point of view.
May 6th was this year's Free Comic Book Day. How did it go for us at Rodman Comics? It seemed lackluster this year. We had our first sales day of the year in March and set a record sales day. On FCBD, we were thousands less in sales than our previous sales day. How did we approach FCBD this time? Behind the counter, we kept the free comics. People would come in and say they wanted free comics, and then we would ask them which ones, and a vast majority would say they did not know; they just knew it was a day they could get free comics, totally clueless as to what was being offered. We listed the link to this year's FCBD comics on our Facebook page to help promote them. It just seemed no one really cared.
Marvel had yet another Spider-Man and Venom free comic, which they did last year. DC's FCBD titles were not listed on the main FCBD page, so people did not know what DC offered even if they had gone to the official FCBD website. FrazettaVerse was a free comic this year with full frontal nudity. Why? The title is in red, which means it is an adult title. Yes, nothing could go wrong with a color-coded system that most people walking into a comic store have no clue about. Out of the thousands of comic stores, there is no way anything could go wrong with a color-coded system. Last year one free comic aimed at adults was not even colored-coded correctly.
FCBD did bring in people that had never been in before. One person helped themself to a long box of comics under the back issue bins that are mostly overflow comics marked with a code for looking up comics in a spreadsheet and set it on graded comics that we had up for auction. Classy, I, of course, did speak up and said something. Luckily, the graded comics plastic was not damaged.
Overall, everyone was polite; many came in, got nothing but freebies, and left. We did have a sale with 20 percent off everything not already discounted as we did in March. The problem is when telling people something is free, then that is the only reason, they will stop in. Tell people there is a sale, and they will buy something.
We had plenty of comics, but I over-ordered this year. I knew when my employees and I were talking to customers before FCBD and asking which titles they were looking forward to, and there wasn't an answer that was not good. No one said Spider-Man and Venom or any title for FCBD. Nothing was exciting them. The biggest hit this year was Dog Man, which most had no idea it was an FCBD comic until we told them it was. Kids did light up when we said there was a free Dog Man comic.
If companies that make millions want comic stores to keep buying free comics to give away for them, they need to put more effort into what they are releasing. FCBD needs to try something new. FCBD was boring this year. Boring is not going to bring in new repeat customers.
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As the world wonders what to do about TikTok some organizations are taking it into their own hands and blocking the use of TikTok throughout their company, one such organization is BBC. BBC has announced staff must begin to delete TikTok from any corporate devices unless they are using the app for editorial or marketing purposes.
BBC’s decision to do this comes shortly after the social media app was banned on government devices as well.
TikTok responded with the comment that the company was “disappointed with the BBC's decision and said bans were based on fundamental misconceptions and driven by wider geopolitics".
Despite BBC’s decision the company’s TikTok account remains active with nearly 4.4 million followers and continues to post content.


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Independent grocers are known for their ability to pivot in response to market conditions or customer demand, but 2020 threw them a major curveball in the form of a pandemic that, despite the rollout of vaccines, isn’t over yet. In recognition of the unique challenges presented by the worst public-health crisis in more than a century, Progressive Grocer made the decision to honor those resilient independents that were the most creative and undaunted in overcoming the myriad difficulties presented by COVID-19.
Of course, the coronavirus wasn’t the only issue that independents had to deal with this past year. For some, there were massive wildfires, while others faced the floodwaters of disastrous storms. A few powered through planned remodels and construction projects at what might have seemed an inopportune time, while others rolled out e-commerce platforms for the first time, or greatly ramped up existing programs, in response to circumstances. All met the moment by continuing to serve their communities through countless uncertainties, providing safe havens not just for shopping, but also for fellowship and fun. Beyond the walls of their stores, these extraordinary grocers — many of them the mainstays of their small towns — reached out more than ever to help the hungry, the jobless and the hopeless, with inspiring results. In a particularly poignant twist, there were instances where grateful communities repaid years of caring actions by in turn raising funds for, or offering free services to, their beloved local grocers to help keep them going.
What PG’s 21 honorees, whose store counts range from one to 42, share in common, along with a steely determination to succeed despite the odds, is a vast capacity for joy. In the midst of calamity, these retailers created gorgeous displays, offered in-store music concerts to uplift shoppers’ spirits, and even arranged for kids to receive a socially distanced visit with Santa.
Additionally, in another Outstanding Independent award departure, PG has bestowed its first-ever Visionary designation on Vegan Fine Brands, a Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based concept that may consist of just one location now, but whose founder/CEO, Steven Smith, is determined to take to underserved areas across the country. Despite their often small size, independent grocers have never been afraid to dream big, whatever the obstacles, and that quality is still very much in evidence with Vegan Fine Brands and PG’s other Outstanding Independents.
Balls Food Stores
Kansas City, Kan.
Number of Stores: 26
Operating 26 supermarkets under the Hen House Market, Price Chopper, Sun Fresh and Payless Discount Foods banners in Kansas City and surrounding markets, locally owned and family-operated Balls Food Stores immediately looked for ways to take care of displaced workers when the pandemic shuttered restaurant dining rooms.
In March, shortly after a state of emergency was declared in Kansas by Gov. Laura Kelly, Balls’ Sun Fresh Market banner hired furloughed workers from local restaurants. With the support of the entire Balls organization, Sun Fresh Market Store Director Kathy Scott found jobs for the workers at one store. Further, to foster hope and unity among workers and customers alike, the transferred workers were encouraged to wear the shirts from their usual restaurants.
“In my wildest dreams, I could not have foreseen any of this happening,” noted Liza Terry, who usually works at the nearby Blue Moose Restaurant. “To have this opportunity to keep the bills paid and to give my family some hope, it’s been really great.”
CEO David Ball — grandson of company founders Sidney and Mollie Ball — took the outreach one step further for another local business, Jack Stack Barbecue, a fourth-generation family-owned barbecue restaurant with five locations in Kansas City. Understanding the plight of a small, locally owned business and feeling a kinship with a family similarly steeped in the tradition of serving the community, Ball arranged for Jack Stack Barbecue to be in Balls’ deli sections, advertising the product and running an appeal to support local restaurants in his stores’ weekly circulars.
The Ball family and organization’s century-long practice of working to improve the places where they live and work is best summed up in a portion of a letter written by Ball to community members: “The people of Kansas City, working together with our health care workers and essential employees to do the best for the greater good, is what makes Kansas City what it is — very special. We could not be prouder or more grateful to have built our business and our lives here over the last 100 years.”
Number of Stores: 2
Over the years, the Bi-Rite Family of Businesses has been a community builder, working with others to create a healthier, more equitable San Francisco. When the coronavirus pandemic began, Bi-Rite maintained its focus on protecting the health, safety and long-term vibrancy of its staff and community, even as the company’s B2B catering business evaporated overnight, its Cafe and Creamery temporarily closed, and it started metering the number of customers at its markets, resulting in a significant decrease in revenue.
Throughout the extraordinary year of 2020, Bi-Rite did the following:
• Provided financial support to local farmers’ markets EBT Market Match programs, to San Francisco’s Women’s Building food pantry and to 18 Reasons’ Cooking Matters program, to specifically address food insecurity
• Partnered with SF New Deal x Great Plates Delivered to prepare more than 24,000 meals for seniors housebound due to the pandemic
• Donated food culls five days a week to nonprofits focused on feeding seniors and unhoused neighbors
• Teamed with a local restaurant to donate 1.6 million free meals to front-line and restaurant workers
• Increased the number of families served by the Mo’MAGIC Healthy Holiday Meals program by 60%, delivering organic turkeys, produce and fresh eggs to 400 families living in SROs and public housing
• Raised more than $20,000 such organizations as Old Skool Café, a 1920s-style speakeasy and jazz restaurant offering violence prevention job training, and employment for formerly incarcerated and at-risk youth
• Held a staff-led Juneteenth celebration and silent protest
• Boosted the staff discount to 40% to ensure that all employees had even greater access to food
• Provided annual wage increases for all non-exempt staff
• Added further sick pay protection benefits and enabled access to free weekly on-site COVID-19 testing for staffers.
As its communities rebuild and recover in 2021, Bi-Rite’s plans include:
• Serving more families with its Healthy Holiday Meal program and Cooking Matters classes, and provide more frequent food boxes to help these families truly become food secure
• Increasing the minimum wage to $20/hour (more than 20% higher than San Francisco’s minimum wage)
• Expanding its commitment to being a more equitable, antiracist organization
Bi-Rite aims to accomplish all of this while continuing to offer nourishing, healthy food and maintaining a safe yet joyful place.
BriarPatch Food Co-op
Grass Valley, Calif.
Number of Stores: 1
BriarPatch Food Co-op is committed to helping shoppers feel safe, welcomed and cared for, despite the challenges of COVID-19. Adding to the stress of the pandemic, the co-op’s Sierra Foothills community simultaneously faced unprecedented California wildfires and power outages. During a daunting year, the marketing team made the strategic choice to use resources not only to keep operating, but also to remind shoppers that they were supporting — and could depend upon — their long-standing community hub during a difficult time. The result was BriarPatch’s highest-ever sales year on record.
Early on, the store implemented safety protocols beyond the minimum state mask and capacity mandates, such as installing plexiglass register shields, starting Curbside Service, and offering Early Bird and Night Owl hours for vulnerable shoppers. BriarPatch wanted to go a step further, however, by helping shoppers understand the connection between their support of the store and its positive effect on their neighbors.
By March, normal donation requests had slowed to a trickle, despite the fact that many nonprofits were struggling to meet an increased need compounded by lack of funding and volunteers in lockdown. In response, BriarPatch launched the Helping Our Heroes campaign to recognize those working on the front lines. The co-op regularly delivered small tokens of the community’s gratitude — lunch, flowers, baked goods and gift cards — to these heroes. BriarPatch also donated groceries to people in need, dollars enabling economic recovery for struggling small businesses and a Thanksgiving meal for local firefighters, sharing these stories on social media and with local media. As a result, those who felt powerless and isolated shared how the stories helped them reconnect with one another.
To further help local businesses, BriarPatch teamed with an area brewery on Unity in the Community IPA, sold exclusively at the co-op, and both businesses each donated $1 toward a local small-business relief fund, creating another opportunity for shoppers to participate in rebuilding the town through patronage, this time while enjoying a brew.
At a time when touting promotions and sales felt inappropriate, BriarPatch opted to show its neighbors the value of its cooperative model and its deep roots in collaboration, keeping it local and sharing, all of which resonated with the community.
Burns’ Family Neighborhood Market (The Fresh Grocer/ShopRite)
Drexel Hill, Pa.
Number of Stores: 7
After months of responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and dealing with violence in the community caused by civil unrest, The Fresh Grocer of Upper Darby was faced with yet another major challenge early last August, when it had to close temporarily in the wake of severe flooding caused by Hurricane Isaias.
The severe weather brought more than feet of floodwater inside the supermarket, ruining hundreds of thousands of dollars in inventory and destroying millions of dollars in equipment. The Fresh Grocer of Upper Darby first opened in 2016 and offers a state-of-the-art shopping experience with more than 40 varieties of home-style prepared hot entrées made fresh daily and signature made-to-order hoagies and sandwiches, along with such other offerings as an online shopping service with curbside pickup and contactless home delivery options available daily.
Bringing their more than 40 years of experience in the supermarket business in the greater Philadelphia area to bear, Patrick J. Burns and the Burns family, owners and operators of the 53,000-square-foot store, worked with tireless staffers to reopen in record time so that the Upper Darby community wasn’t without access to its major local supermarket for an extended period of time.
“Our team has been working day and night to rebuild, repair and replenish,” said Burns during the rebuilding phase. “If this year has proven anything, it is that we are resilient and can overcome our greatest challenges by working together. Regardless of the obstacle, we remain committed to providing our community with access to fresh and affordable foods in a safe, friendly and top-notch shopping environment. We can’t wait to open up our doors again.”
The diligent efforts of Burns and his team enabled The Fresh Grocer of Upper Darby to reopen just a little more than a week after it had been devastated by the floodwaters.
Number of Stores: 1
As the first cases of COVID-19 began to emerge in the United States, kosher market Cedar Market located in one of the hardest-hit areas of the country, took action to make sure that its store was safe to shop just weeks ahead of Passover.
The market implemented daily deep cleaning and sanitizing of the entire store and all contact surfaces, and rolled out new protocols to protect customers and employees. A 25-person limit was instituted immediately, with a door monitor enforcing mandatory hand sanitizing at the front door, proper face coverings for entry and supplying latex gloves for use. Further, a system was set up in which customers receive a sticker that is prominently displayed, showing an exit time (20 minutes from entry), with only one member of a family allowed entry.
Social-distancing and sanitizing reminder signage were put up in prominent spots throughout the store.
Cedar Market knew that Passover 2020 would be much busier than in previous years, as travel plans had been canceled and many people who were accustomed to going away would now be observing the holiday at home. Subsequently, the demand for deliveries exploded. Eighty to ninety percent of customers started submitting delivery orders rather than coming to the store in person, as they were quarantining. As the store doesn’t offer an e-commerce program, customers submit orders by making a shopping list via email. To assist customers unused to this process, Cedar Market created department guides and took to social media to showcase available products. Its Instagram stories were saved as highlights showcasing each aisle or department, filled with pictures and videos of products. This way, home shoppers could get a sense of the store and of shopping normally when placing their orders.
As a result of this new reality, staffers found themselves feverishly shopping orders to keep up with demand. The buying team went into overdrive, securing product so shelves remained stocked, even with all of the shortages experienced nationwide. Thanks to the dedication of every staff member, the team came out of this period stronger. Furthermore, the good relationships that Cedar Market formed with many vendors helped ease some of the challenges of procuring difficult-to-obtain products.
The Co-op Ozark Natural Foods
Number of Stores: 1
In June 2020, The Co-Op Ozark Natural Foods, which has been in business since 1971 and is a mainstay in the local community, moved to a newly designed and renovated location with the aim of returning downtown and re-establishing itself with area residents. Since the move, the co-op has seen a steady 20% total-store sales increase over the previous year. It was also able to bring in more than 10 new local vendors, while continuing to support the roughly 50 area producers that it has partnered with for years. The retailer’s Farmhand program has generated $20,608 for local producer projects since it opened at the new location, while the co-op’s outreach program has donated more than $20,700 to 74 organizations since the move.
Aided by what it calls the “immeasurable” dedication of its staff, The Co-op Ozark Natural Foods has been able to offer smaller in-store services that were much needed and appreciated by the community in the midst of a pandemic: a massive indoor/outdoor patio that allowed families and college students to safely gather, study, eat lunch, grab a beer from one of the local breweries now on tap or get a to-go salad from the only store in town providing pre-packaged salads. Meanwhile, a new department, The Homestead, offers all things plant-related, including locally grown native plant seedlings, farm animal feed like chicken scratch — the only organic option in the area — and, of course, all of the pet needs anyone could anticipate for their furry loved one. The response from the community has been overwhelming, according to the co-op.
Looking to the future, the retailer is full of hope. As Emily Ann Timmons, The Co-op Ozark Natural Foods brand manager, notes, “We cannot wait to see what a post-pandemic world has to offer our co-op and what we can, in return, offer to our community.”
Dorothy Lane Market
Number of Stores: 3
While modestly protesting that its actions in 2020 were “perhaps no more heroic than [those] of our fellow independents,” Dorothy Lane Market nevertheless finds that “ it’s quite impossible to highlight a single accomplishment.” What the retailer did manage to include among its achievements is impressive enough, however.
To protect dedicated cashiers working in closest contact to customers, Dorothy Lane’s small maintenance team quickly built and installed plexiglass barriers. Meanwhile, associates at all levels pitched in to help in the face of product shortages; for instance, when yeast and flour grew scarce at times, Dorothy Lane’s bakers individually cupped and merchandised their bulk supplies, and they continued to bake. Additionally, round-the-clock positions were created at each location to sanitize any used cart before allowing it to move into the cart corral.
On top of it all, Dorothy Lane’s vendors, with which it has cultivated strong relationships over the years, were there for the retailer when it needed them most, such as a valued local partner who kept on delivering his family’s farm-fresh organic eggs. Further, the grocer has seen its existing online business quadruple overnight, giving rise to dizzying growth and a remodel of its in-store dining area to serve as a curbside pickup hub. Dorothy Lane similarly improvised on the fly this past May for its annual Lobstermania promotion. Instead of canceling the eagerly anticipated event showcasing Maine lobster, the retailer converted the promotion into a drive-thru experience.
As for its interactions with often worried shoppers at an uncertain period, the grocer asserts, “There is perhaps nothing more [humbling] than providing that sense of security to our community during what may be one of the most collectively eerie times of our lifetime.”
All of these activities have given rise to the retailer’s key operational takeaway from the pandemic. Having adapted successfully to extraordinary times, Dorothy Lane vows that even after “this strange era that we’re living [in] continues to move into its next, hopefully happier chapter, we will continue to evolve.
Eddie’s of Roland Park
Number of Stores: 2
While 2020 has required near-constant innovation and operational adaptations throughout the grocery industry, Eddie’s of Roland Park led by example in its beloved hometown of Baltimore.
Eddie’s modified internal procedures, training additional staff and establishing dedicated phone lines to accommodate a dramatic increase in demand for Eddie’s Personal Shopping service — fulfilling more than six years’ worth of online orders during just the first six weeks of the pandemic alone. Overnight, the retailer’s decades-long tradition of personalized shopping assistance morphed from a customer convenience to a neighborhood necessity, generating a 500% year-over-year sales lift, amassing more than 100 positive customer testimonials and leading to an unprompted community-led fundraiser that collected $11,000 in gratuities to distribute among store staffers.
Meanwhile, to quench homebound customers’ thirst for escapism, Eddie’s developed a summer-long Staycation Supper Club series of family-style dinners inspired by popular travel destinations. The pay-as-you-go program offered a bi-weekly menu from June through Labor Day, and was accompanied by a Spotify soundtrack consisting entirely of Baltimore-area musicians and bands, curated by local musician and customer William Cashion, of the alternative rock band Future Islands.
The retailer has also supported the Maryland Food Bank with more than $12,000 in contributions since the start of the pandemic, including customer donations made through an Eddie’s-sponsored virtual food drive, as well as based on sales from its Holiday-in-a-Box menu, a series of family-style holiday dinner options created to meet growing customer demand while ensuring safe and efficient store operations.
Further, in recognition of Baltimore’s creative community, whose livelihood has been imperilled by the pandemic, Eddie’s collaborated with, employed and promoted various local professional artists on such ventures as sidewalk serenades from jazz musicians Eddie Hrybyk and Clarence Ward III; an in-store performance of “Christmas Vibes,” a CD (sold at Eddie’s) by vibraphonist Warren Wolf, streamed via Facebook and featured on local television for Small Business Saturday; a virtual cocktail class hosted by Nikki G. Davidson, of Cocktail Crafty; and a marketing collaboration with papercut artist Annie Howe, whose work inspired Eddie’s holiday advertising campaign, along with an eggnog cheesecake featuring a cinnamon nutmeg snowflake based on Howe’s design.
In sum, Eddie’s of Roland Park worked hard throughout 2020 to retain its tradition of personalized, community-minded service, and succeeded brilliantly.
Number of Stores: 28
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and with it, supply chain issues facing the grocery industry, Greer’s wanted to be more nimble in its advertising so as to give customers a more accurate description of what might be in stock. The retailer decided to create a digital version of its fresh-focused circular, titled “Fresh Picks at a Great Price.”
To that end, the Greer’s team adjusted some of its normal timelines and structures to provide information more quickly and closer to the sale date, without the need to be several weeks ahead for the print ad. The retailer collaborated with Associated Wholesale Grocers Advertising and Marketing to complete the graphics for the digital versions of these ads and digital assets.
The switch to digital has proved to be a huge success: So far, 26 of Greer’s 28 stores are ahead of pre-COVID customer counts. Additionally, all 28 stores are ahead of sales goals from the previous year – making 2020 one of the most effective years to date for the longstanding family-run store group.
Number of Stores: 11
Twin Cities area mainstay Kowalski’s Markets, which bills itself as “one-stop shop offering specialty and conventional products in a warm, accessibly elegant environment,” helped its customers shop safely, maintain social distance and stay home during 2020’s pandemic by partnering with DoorDash and Grubhub to add and increase offerings for delivery and pickup of ready-made meals, bakery and produce items, and more; increasing program capacity and product availability for curbside pickup and delivery of groceries, and selectively eliminating service fees; and upping capacity and availability of online preorder and prepay programs.
Beyond its pandemic response, Kowalski’s operates industry-leading trash-to-energy and recycling programs, and enables its food waste to be used by local farmers. The retailer’s plastic-recycling program turns bags into decking, while its reusable-bag program supports Great River Greening in conserving and restoring local land and water resources.
Other charitable endeavors include Kowalski’s4Kids, which benefits at-risk youth, and its Groceries for Good Causes (GFGC) has donated $2 million-plus to schools, churches and food shelves immediately surrounding each of its stores. GFGC allows customers to nominate beneficiary organizations and have a say in how funds are dispersed. The first grocery retailer to partner with Second Harvest Heartland’s foodshelf network, Kowalski’s has donated more than 1 million meals to Minnesota’s food insecure. The retailer also employs numerous clients of Merrick, a nonprofit organization offering enrichment activities and employment support to disabled local adults.
As part of its business model, Kowalski’s devotes substantial resources to train stakeholders to organize, educate and set policy in accordance with democratic principles and standards. This proprietary program teaches employees that they have the capacity to know what’s good, and the responsibility to grow that knowledge and act accordingly to create sustainable solutions that serve common good among diverse self-interests.
The retailer additionally helps local suppliers learn the ins and outs of the retail industry, labeling, packaging, ingredient sourcing and more to help them compete with bigger brands on the national level. Also as part of its food offering, Kowalski’s invests substantially in specialty/exclusive programs and recipes, such as build-your-own concepts for burrito, pho and ramen noodle bowls, and custom-made hibachi and pasta bowls featuring exclusive and private label products.
Little House Green Grocery
Number of Stores: 1
Erin Wright, owner of Little House Green Grocery, aptly describes the spring of 2020 as “such a blur — all of a sudden our shelves were cleared out, the food staples that we counted on were no longer able to be sourced and people were getting nervous. Would we be able to get flour, rice and sugar again? How were we going to keep our staff and our customers safe? All we knew was that our customers were counting on us to provide a safe and reliable place to get their groceries, and we were going to work as hard as we could to provide for them.”
Little House was able to find creative solutions to these new problems, one by one. The retailer’s small team knew it would have been impossible to put its inventory online, since it couldn’t count on the stability of a supply chain. Therefore, according to Wright, “We simply committed to creating an atmosphere that was as safe as possible, with clear signage, requiring masks to enter, and a strict sanitizing schedule for high-touch areas.”
As demand for healthy food was soaring, Little House was able to increase its purchases from local farms. The retailer’s Veggie Box, a weekly produce subscription, grew at unprecedented levels — in fact, Little House had to stop accepting new subscriptions because it ran out of room in its refrigerator to store them.
After shoring up its business, Little House looked to aid its neighbors. “As the season wore on and we could finally lift our heads up, we saw the needs popping up in our community,” notes Wright. When it found out that one of its nonprofit farm partners, Frank Community Farm, was struggling because it couldn’t teach classes or rely on most of its former income streams due to the pandemic, Little House donated 100% of the funds raised through a tote bag sale to aid the enterprise. Additionally, the retailer asked farmers who were delivering to it if they had extra produce to add to its weekly donation of edible shrink to two organizations, and happily joined with one of its vendors, a local jam company, to help raise awareness and money for a local trans youth fundraiser.
Salt Lake City
Number of Stores: 18
Among the outstanding initiatives Macey’s carried out in 2020.
1. The Community Hero Awards: This program was created to help recognize those individuals in the community who were going above and beyond to help others in the early months of the pandemic. Customers could nominate their community hero to receive a $100 Macey’s gift card. As the stories came in, they were printed and shared in the retailer’s weekly ad so that others could hear about the good that was happening around them, at a time that goodness was hard to see.
2. Food Drives: From May through December, Macey’s held several food drives in its stores. The food was shared with local community pantries, the Utah Food Bank and programs set up to help provide food for students living with food insecurity in the state, where one in every five children doesn’t know where their next meal is coming from. The haul from the November food drive took six semi-trailers to deliver everything to the Utah food bank. The retailer has already planned two food drives planned for the first quarter. of 2021.
3. Visits With Santa Claus: This past holiday season, Kris Kringle greeted children at the retailer through scheduled pickup appointments with Macey’s Anywhere online orders. Customers could schedule their Santa pickup time with no minimum fee, so purchasing a box of mac and cheese or bag of M&M’s would enable a visit with St. Nick. Selfie photos of Santa and the kids were taken from outside the cars, with everyone masked for safety, offering a way to preserve the memory of an unconventional — and hopefully unique — Christmas.
Menomonie Market Food Co-op
Number of Stores: 1
A community-owned grocery store founded as a food buying club in 1973 by a small group of local residents and today boasting 3,000 owners in the Chippewa Valley, Menomonie Market Food Co-op maintained its commitment to sourcing from local producers and to helping its community amid the COVID-19 crisis.
The co-op found ways to protect the rural area it serves, among them keeping employees and customers safe by installing plexiglass shields at checkstands, promoting social distancing, implementing a store sanitizing program and mandating masks. Its biggest innovation, however, was launching an e-commerce platform to offer customers curbside pickup. Menomonie Market’s website allows shoppers to shop for local products, helping keep sales of those items at pre-COVID levels so that the retailer could maintain its purchases from, and investment in, area farms at a time when local producers were losing revenue from the closure of other businesses. Although the e-commerce launch was originally planned for 2023, a team of five staff members managed to get it up and running in just a few months.
Eager to add money to the local economy, the co-op secured a Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin grant to buy processing equipment to increase their purchases of local food. Menomonie bought unsold produce from farmers’ markets and seconds from local farms, which were then turned into house-made foods by the deli. The program enables farmers to earn money for products they wouldn’t otherwise be able to sell, and helps create jobs at the co-op. Additionally, the retailer’s annual Fund Our Foodshed grant program awarded $4,500 to fund projects at three small farms in the area.
Further, when Just Local Food Cooperative in Eau Claire, Wis., lost its entire administrative staff just before the pandemic, Menomonie Market staff stepped up to help by providing interim general management and administrative services. The two co-ops are currently looking at ways to continue their collaboration.
All of these activities added up to Menomonie Market’s busiest and most productive year ever — achieved while helping their tiny town to survive and thrive despite a global emergency.
Nature’s Food Patch
Number of Stores: 2
Since the COVID-19 crises began, family-owned locally community grocery store Nature’s Food Patch (NFP) has stepped up to the plate to ease the pains of the pandemic for consumers.
Under its initiative to facilitate grocery shopping for its customers while keeping everyone safe, The Patch has implemented a number of new concepts, innovations and operations with respect to its online technology. Since March 2020, the retailer has spent countless hours establishing and honing an online ordering platform for all of its departments, including café and deli. These innovations involve Instacart delivery, Patch Curbside Pickup and a café ordering app.
While considering the needs of its customers and staffers, NFP devised a solution for its “Patch Family.” As an accommodation for those who weren’t shopping in-store, The Patch teamed with Instacart to offer grocery pickup and delivery, thereby establishing a safer means of providing essential services to the community. Shortly thereafter, the retailer introduced its own free online ordering platform to offer convenient curbside pickup, enabling consumers to continue to receive senior and wellness discounts, save on in-store sales, and earn rewards towards their Patch Perks.This service permitted The Patch to continue providing enthusiastic and courteous service to their family in a new medium.
At a critical time, NFP succeeded in creating a more prudent and accessible approach to shopping for high-quality natural products, organic produce and scratch-made deli items, among other items, with safety always top of mind.
Northgate Gonzalez Markets
Number of Stores: 41
Family-owned for the past 40 years, Northgate González Market (NGM) this past year committed more than $650,000 to support and assist its most vulnerable community members during the COVID-19 pandemic, which was just a continuation of the Southern California retailer’s partnerships to aid those who live and work in the areas it serves.
NGM’s actions during this time included donating more than 55,000 bags of tortillas supporting food distributions, more than 5,000 meals for first responders and hospitals, and thousands of meals through Meals on Wheels at store level for seniors; assisting food distributions by lending its transportation team for deliveries, associates to support food drives, and refrigerated trucks to store perishable foods, forklifts and warehouse storage; the creation of several Food Voucher programs for families in need of assistance; supporting organizations by shopping and bagging groceries for families who have been affected by COVID-19; aiding organizations with food distributions by providing in-kind donations, bulk sales at cost for the first time in its history, and matching and donating gift cards; the early April 2020 launch of a bilingual multimedia platform, Stay-at-Home Solutions, aimed at keeping families safe and healthy at home by offering fun recipes, tips, activities and more; the creation free bilingual PSA messages for in-store radio spots specific to its community regarding COVID-19; and conducting free COVID testing at three of its stores.
Further, the supermarket operator worked in concert and maintained frequent communications with public-health authorities, as well as adhering to sanitation and cleaning protocols that exceed recommendations made by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Along with providing all associates with masks, gloves and other personal protective equipment, and instituting quarantining with pay for employees age 65 and older to protect their health, NGM became one of the first grocers in the United States to designate early shopping hours exclusively for high-risk senior citizens and persons with disabilities.
Santa Rosa, Calif.
Number of Stores: 4
Oliver’s Market, a 32-year-old grocer in California’s Sonoma County, adapted nimbly not only to keep employees and customers safe amid the pandemic, but also during two wildfires and planned local utility outages in the area.
The retailer’s leadership team immediately set to work installing plexiglass shields at checkstands, instituted daily temperature and wellness checks, and established aggressive practices to remove staffers who may have been exposed, offering supplemental paid sick leave in addition to paid time off. For transparency, staffers receive notification of any case in their facility, and of the sanitation plans and actions taken.
Oliver’s also put on display Sonoma County’s Exhibit A disclosure, listing all cleaning protocols, precautions and maximum store capacity; posted store signage containing safety messages; installed socially distanced line markers; played recorded pages to remind customers of proper protocols; sanitized all baskets/carts; and had door greeters monitor customer counts during key shopping hours while welcoming shoppers and checking for masks.
To make shopping safer for seniors, the retailer extended its Wednesday Senior Discount event to three days per week and added store hours for elderly and immune-compromised shoppers.
Meanwhile, after the closure of self-serve deli areas, Oliver’s converted to full-serve hot bars or pre-packed food, launched a full-service hot soup bar behind the counters, and added Square for online ordering to reduce traffic.
Crucially, Oliver’s leadership team opted not to lay off staff when foodservice sales plummeted, instead extending hazard pay to staff. In fact, the business is one of the few grocers who has paid hazard pay throughout the entire pandemic.
Faced with product shortages, management gave staff autonomy to source replacement items for out-of-stocks, while buyers leveraged relationships with multiple vendors to improve inventory gaps. Oliver’s relied on its local vendor relations to keep products in stock, particularly meat and produce.
In its fourth year as an employee-owned company, the retailer transitioned its Employee Appreciation month from in-person activities to an independent activity packet completed for raffle tickets, a Zoom raffle prize event, online video employee education, and meal vouchers supporting local restaurants.
Finally, as the festive season loomed, Oliver’s Q4 advertising offered full-month discounts, encouraging people to shop early and avoid holiday congestion. Most spectacularly, the Windsor store’s closed Tavern Off the Green was reimagined as a holiday shopping wonderland.
Sioux Falls, S.D.
Number of Stores: 1
Local grocer Pomegranate Market made the strategic decision to view the challenges of 2020 as “even greater opportunities to better serve our community and expand our brand.”
The first such opportunity was a total brand refresh after 10 years in business. A major part of the overhaul was the creation of vinyl graphics for the retailer’s front windows to communicate to existing and potential customers who Pomegranate is as a store and what it provides. The next step was to redesign the store image with new banners, signage, and such private label items as snacks, water, vitamins and local wines.
Along with these changes, Pomegranate began to create its own monthly ad amid the shortages of the pandemic. Constantly confronted with out-of-stocks from its distributors, the retailer opted to offer an online-only ad. This move gave Pomegranate the ability to home in on the products and offerings that make its store unique, while giving customers a more personal experience. Only as its delivery schedule and product stock normalized was the retailer finally able to roll out in-store ads.
As the pandemic wore on, Pomegranate identified the need to expand its services even further. The retailer began offering free curbside pickup to any customer looking to limit contact, as well as creating its own online shopping experience via Mercato — a service the store’s customers have been making full use of.
Finally, a major highlight at the close of the year was the donation of more than 1,000 pounds of food to Feeding South Dakota, a local hunger relief organization. Throughout November and December, Pomegranate teamed up with customers to assemble and donate natural food bags, each full of such essentials as organic cereal, pasta, pasta sauce, mac and cheese, soup, and crackers. This past holiday season, Pomegranate’s donation surpassed the original goal it set of beating its 2019 donation of 680 pounds of food.
Buoyed by its accomplishments in 2020 and the rock-solid support of customers, vendors and local residents, Pomegranate promises even more improvements in store, as regards both its business and its community outreach efforts.
Thompson’s County Market
Number of Stores: 1
When COVID struck back in March 2020, third-generation grocer Thompson’s County Market sprang into action. The local school system hadn’t developed a school lunch program for students quarantined at home, so Thompson’s stepped up to the plate, offering all school age children free lunch, no questions asked, and the retailer continues to do so, ensuring that no one in their community goes hungry.
Thompson’s also worked to make sure that its elderly and high-risk customers have access to home deliveries when they can’t make it into the store. Since the retailer has no formal delivery program, its managers take calls from these customers and deliver the groceries personally.
Simultaneously, Thompson’s used this time to completely change out all of its registers and front end fixtures, as keeping up to date and providing the best shopping experience have always been priorities for the retailer.
Part of living in a small town is the unique connection a grocer can develop with its customer base. In Thompson’s case, the retailer not only takes personal product requests from the customers its staff knows so well, it also frequently donates products and cash gifts to local charities, and its attached gas station gives a percentage of profit back to the local Booster Club, a school partner organization that helps students purchase sports equipment, among other enrichment programs. This dedication to helping others comes straight from the top: owners Mike and Wendy Thompson, who truly value their shoppers and their community, and take such great pride in their store.
Number of Stores: 7
While for 50 years Trig’s associates have demonstrated the retailer’s core value, “Make A Difference in Our Communities,” the coronavirus pandemic showed them the business’ deep impact on the community, and the depth of appreciation of its customers.
One key way that Trig’s, operated by T.A. Solberg Inc., embodied its core value in 2020 was by supporting those facing food insecurity and donating to local organizations. This past year, those needs only increased.
With community members choosing to shop at Trig’s over larger chain retailers, due to customers’ reliance on the neighborhood mainstay for its fresh, quality foods; superior service; and integrity during an uncertain time, the grocer experienced significant sales lifts from in-store and online visits. This led to increased staffing needs, so Trig’s actively hired people who had lost their jobs due to business closings, providing temporary or permanent work for those in need of a new source of income.
Also, recognizing the financial hardships that local restaurants were enduring, the retailer reached out to have daily meals catered for its staff, essential workers who were now working harder, longer hours than ever. This move not only kept the restaurants open, it also helped to boost energy and morale within Trig’s own team.
Then, as it was facing the exponential growth in product demand, work hours, community fear and ever-changing policies, Trig’s unexpectedly found itself on the receiving end of support from its community as other businesses and individuals came forward to make a difference of their own. Without hesitation, community members offered their expertise and gifts to enable the retailer to make its stores safe and comply with new mandates.
For instance, local businesses sanitized shopping carts and fabricated and installed plexiglass shields at no cost, residents and businesses alike proposed to sew masks for associates, and customers showed renewed gratitude to Trig’s front-line workers by displaying yard signs that paid tribute to their efforts and thanking the team for coming into work so that they had a place to shop.
As Director of Marketing Kindl Furtak notes, “We’re proud of the work our associates do in our communities, and a very bright spot in this challenging year was how we were all able to come together to support each other.
Number of Stores: 3
Celebrating its 20th year in business, Turnip Truck – a locally owned natural and organic grocer in Nashville began 2020 preparing to open its third location in the heart of Music City. Those plans were jeopardized when a deadly derecho ripped through the area, demolishing much of the equipment for the store the same month the COVID-19 pandemic began. Undeterred, founder/owner John Dyke and his team sourced available equipment and built the West Nashville store, ensuring a local food source for a new part of town.
The West Nashville store features environmentally responsible design, including solar panels and the reuse of an existing structure on a busy road. In common with Turnip Truck’s other locations in East Nashville and The Gulch, the new location is near established neighborhoods, increasing residents’ access to healthy fresh food.
Not only was Turnip Truck able to weather the storm, its three stores thrived in difficult conditions by protecting employees and shoppers and giving back to the community. From installing sanitizing stations and sneeze guards to being an early adopter of strict cleaning protocols, the retailer worked diligently to combat disease spread. Its good stewardship led to prominent coverage by numerous local news outlets, including TV, the front page of The Tennessean, and a multi-issue series in the local business press.
In the area of community outreach, Turnip Truck supported Nashvillians facing homelessness, joblessness and food scarcity because of the storms and the pandemic by donating food to worthy causes, including Martha O’Bryan Center’s Second Harvest Food Bank in East Nashville and The Nashville Food Project. Further, to help heal Nashville’s storm-ravaged ecosystem, the retailer raised funds for Nashville Tree Conservation Corps, which replanted mature trees in town.
Meanwhile, on a lighter note, in a city increasingly known for its mural art, Turnip Truck brought beauty to its newest store by commissioning an original work by a local artist. In collaboration with Fairtrade America, which sponsored the project, the retailer designed and installed a mural promoting gender equity and Fair Trade products.
Vegan Fine Brands
Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Number of Stores: 1
Progressive Grocer’s first-ever Outstanding Independent Visionary designation goes to Vegan Fine Brands, a single-store Black-owned and -operated business founded in 2016. The brainchild of founder and CEO Steven Smith, the retailer not only survived the 2020 pandemic, but also has just revealed an equity crowdfunding raise that will help the company expand and franchise to bring its one-of-a-kind retail experience to millions across the country.
Located in the Riverwalk section of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Vegan Fine Brands encompasses Vegan Fine Foods, a 5,000-square-foot 100% vegan market; Vegan Fine Café, featuring plant-based sandwiches, bowls, smoothies and baked goods; and Vegan Fine Body, offering high-quality plant-based face and body care products. The enterprise is far more than a grocery store for vegans, however.
Smith, a former engineer for Procter & Gamble and PepsiCo, estimates that more than 75% of his customers in South Florida don’t identify as vegan or plant-based eaters. That statistic is one of the reasons that wants to bring the Vegan Fine Brands model to cities across the country.
“I spent years living in food deserts with little to no accessibility to nutrient dense foods, and I see how damaging that can be for underserved communities,“ notes Smith. “I’m competitive and driven, and my extensive business background has given me the tools and connections to see this through. My commitment to increasing access to quality plant-based products for everyone deepens my conviction.”
While 2020 was a challenging year for most retailers, Vegan Fine Brands was able to thrive by forming a strong bond with, and understanding of, its loyal customers, who see this unique retail experience as a mainstay in their lives.
A 100% vegan market in every city, bringing healthy options to food deserts across the country? Smith is dedicated to turning his ambitious vision into reality.


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- Victoria Beckham has given up on her YouTube channel because it wasn't making enough money, according to The Mail on Sunday.
- Beckham was reportedly bringing in just £25 ($30) a day, making five-figure losses on her videos as a result.
- "While Victoria enjoyed the filming and had lots of fun doing it, there were production costs that were not being covered by its income," a source told the Mail.
- Many channels on YouTube have spoken out about how their videos are monetized on the platform. Ad revenue doesn't tend to be where creators make the most money.
- However, a spokesperson for Beckham told Insider the channel is not closing, the "rhythm and type of video content shared" has just changed.
- Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.
Victoria Beckham has given up on making YouTube videos because they don't make enough money, according to The Mail on Sunday.
The Mail reported Beckham was bringing in just £25 ($30) a day, and making five-figure losses on her videos as a result.
The channel, Victoria Beckham, has over 100,000 subscribers and posts videos that follow Beckham as she shows behind the scenes footage of fashion shows and gives makeup tips. Her most popular video has over 600,000 views, but numbers seem to have been inconsistent over the past few months.
Due to struggling with the financials, Beckham has decided to focus on other parts of her business instead, according to the Mail. For example, she reportedly had to let 60 staff go last year — a third of the total workforce.
"The YouTube channel has been impossible to monetize, and it was very time-consuming so the decision was that it would be pulled," a source told The Mail.
"While Victoria enjoyed the filming and had lots of fun doing it, there were production costs that were not being covered by its income ... The decision was made to concentrate everyone's time and efforts on something that is going to benefit her business."
However, a spokesperson for Beckham told Insider the channel has not in fact closed and the reports about production making losses was incorrect.
"Victoria is not currently posting further 'fly on the wall' content due to focus on our new World of VB platform and the recent beauty launch, both of which have shifted the rhythm and type of video content shared," they said. "For example the forth coming beauty tutorial with Lisa Eldridge created for YouTube."
They added that the brand "continues to post relevant fashion content to the YouTube channel in line with other fashion brands."
Monetization on YouTube has been a huge conversation on the platform recently, with channels seeing their videos being labelled as not advertiser friendly for seemingly inconsistent reasons. Even if videos are fully monetized, many creators are more likely to make consistent money from their merchandise, brand deals, and sponsorships.
In August, Business Insider reported on how some YouTubers have lost thousands of dollars when their channels were mistakenly demonetized for months.
One experiment by channels Nerd City, Sealow, and Analyzed identified a long list of words that immediately got videos demonetized, including "gay" and "lesbian" but not "straight" or "heterosexual." Some words on the list seemed incredibly random like "countryside," "Indonesia," "Missouri," and "leisure."
YouTube has denied the existence of such a system, but has remained secretive about how its content management bots work.
Julia Alexander, a reporter at The Verge, pointed out on Twitter that the monetization problem has gotten so bad, even big creators and celebrities are struggling.
"Lol, when even Victoria Beckham can't really monetize her shit on YouTube I mean," she said.
—Julia Alexander (@loudmouthjulia) October 6, 2019


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Unfortunately, this is not a bad joke and therefore the cancellation of the most anticipated technology event of the year, the Mobile World Congress 2020, is official. The decision came as a bolt of lightning, even if the probability of canceling the MWC 2020 was partly in the air, given the renunciations by a number of producers as well as practically the "desert" that would have welcomed the patrons of the fair, as the companies surrounding the event would all remain at home given the vast origin from Chinese territory, the center of the Coronavirus epidemic.
The current situation deriving from Coronavirus and its widespread diffusion have alarmed the city of Barcelona, leading to the decision by the GSMA team (association that deals with the organization of this important appointment in the world of technology) to cancel the MWC 2020, even if until the end the hope of the opposite has remained alive.
The news was made global by GSMA CEO John Hoffman, who gave his explanations via the Bloomberg portal, stating that the event could not have taken shape given the growing concerns arising from the Coronavirus, as well as the scarce knowledge of the "enemy".
MWC 2020 has been canceled due to Coronavirus
A news that catches all the unprepared workers in the sector, given that up to the last the presence by many other demonstrators was guaranteed, just like Xiaomi herself who had planned the event launching the top of the Mi range on a global scale 10 but also the Mi Explorers program, in which 20 lucky users from all over the world could have previewed the new flagship of the Asian brand.
However, we must admit that the decision to cancel the MWC 2020 event is to be considered responsible and sensible given the extent of the problem generated by the Coronavirus. Should we therefore expect press releases from the various producers who would participate in the event? Will special events be organized to demonstrate the launch of their devices on a global scale?
Certainly among the most awaited news of the MWC 2020 we find precisely the Xiaomi Mi 10, which was supposed to come to life on Sunday 23 February, the day in which Huawei and Motorola would also have unlined their axes. Oppo e Realme instead they should have launched their flagship Find X2 and X50 Pro on day 22. We will surely know more in the next few days so stay tuned because we will be ready to give you all the necessary updates. For the moment, see you tomorrow with the launch in China of Xiaomi Mi 10. Are you ready?


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The holiday season is the busiest time of year for long-distance travel, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. But as expected, holiday travel in 2020 has been significantly impacted by the pandemic.
While many people traveled this Thanksgiving, more opted to stay home compared to the previous year. Data from the U.S. Department of Transportation and a new survey from Clearcover, a car insurance company, lend some insight into what we can expect for holiday travel as we enter the final days of the year.
If you’re planning a trip, flexibility is key. Given the fluid nature of COVID-19 outbreaks, you may decide to alter plans as your trip gets closer.
More People Stayed Home For Thanksgiving, But Trips Got Longer
Not surprisingly, the number of people who decided to stay home this Thanksgiving increased from the year before. About 29% of Americans decided to stay home during Thanksgiving week 2020 compared to 20.5% during the same period in 2019, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
For Americans who did take a trip (by any mode of transportation)during the six-day Thanksgiving travel period, there was an increase in long-distance trips, defined as a trip of 50 miles or more by the U.S. Department of Transportation. The number of trips between 50 and 500 miles during Thanksgiving week increased by about 145.5 million compared to 2019.
But really long road trips of 500 miles or more saw a decrease of 3.5 million compared to last year.
Americans are 58% less likely to say they’re planning to travel over Christmas and New Year’s than they were a few weeks ago, according to a new survey from Clearcover. Almost half of the survey respondents indicated they canceled their holiday travel plans due to increased COVID-19 cases.
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Fendi Hosted a Fashion Show in Rome's Trevi Fountain
Fendi celebrated their 90th anniversary with a show in Rome's famous Trevi Fountain on Thursday.
Karl Lagerfeld, Silvia Venturini Fendi and celebs like Kendall Jenner were all part of the event that turned the iconic landmark into a picture-perfect fashion venue.
“One of the most beautiful shows last night,” Jenner commented on Instagram.
Related: Rome Travel Guide
“We walk on water,” Chaos Fashion commented on an Instagram of the see-through platform.
The Trevi Fountain is important to Fendi — the brand contributed $2.4 million to its restoration.
Related: Four Secrets of the Trevi Fountain
The fashion show kicked off Altaroma fashion week, which takes place July 8-11 this year.


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Google is reportedly working on its subsequent-gen facial recognition technologies for its Pixel 4, and it is getting a somewhat unconventional route of gathering deal with facts for its investigate. Employees of the look for huge are heading on the streets of New York to ask persons for their experience info, in trade for $5 (approximately Rs. 340). These staff talk to for your permission, get you to signal a consent kind, and give you a $5 reward card for scanning your experience. This new process of info collection is reportedly underway in many metropolitan areas.
This offbeat knowledge amassing method hints at Google searching to amp its face unlock aspect on the Pixel 4 releasing this tumble. Whilst other providers opt for much more standard procedures, Google has taken to the streets to request for people’s consent. ZDNet reviews that Google staff members ended up located to be flocking in teams asking men and women if they could acquire their face details.
These employees are approaching individuals on the streets to collect information “to boost the subsequent technology of facial recognition cellphone unlocking.” The information is gathered in a mobile phone hidden under a extremely substantial circumstance. The scenario produced it very tough to see what is inside of, but it is presumed to be the Pixel 4.
At the time the volunteer delivers their consent, they have to use the selfie method on the concealed cellular phone and move their deal with about to collect deal with information at distinctive angles. In exchange, the Google staff members offer you a $5 gift card to Amazon or Starbucks.
The report remembers one user’s bump-in with these Google employees. He spent pretty much five minutes offering distinctive angles of his face data into this hidden cell phone. These employees reported that they had “teams in several towns undertaking this.” They even created him signal a waiver, which signifies Google possibly has the rights to his deal with details.
When prodded about invasion of privacy, the user failed to think it was a major deal. “Google basically has my total existence on their servers presently. And removing Google from my life just just isn’t heading to transpire from a practical place of perspective. I do not really care about info privateness because I think it is all an illusion anyway,” he claimed.
Separately, Android Police promises customers in Miami, Florida also noted a comparable conversation, other than this time they were produced to use a Pixel 3 XL to report their experience information. The volunteers ended up explained to the knowledge was for a “long term Google solution.” In any scenario, if correct, it could pretty well suggest Google is gearing up to make improvements to it Confront Unlock technological innovation for the Pixel 4. Maybe, as stated, the telephone inside the substantial case was the Pixel 4, and Google’s initiatives trace that they are undertaking everything they can to bring a far more exact and speedy technological innovation to this year’s Pixel series, it’s possible even superior than Apple’s Encounter ID.


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Weve got all the newest on the next stock drop (iStock/The Independent) Update: Argos, Game, Very and Asda could all drop stock this week. The return failed in June, with the only highlights a couple of huge stock drops at Game and Very. Were here to help you get ahead of the video game and find a PlayStation 5 by keeping an eye on all significant sellers, as well as offering the most current insight on any rumoured releases.Read more: Check stock from UK PS5 sellers below: PS5 stock updates UK Show latest update
1626685486PS5 rate– how much does the console cost?Youve most likely memorised the cost of the PS5 off by heart by now– we certainly have, but for those who dont know: The PS5 disc edition costs ₤ 449.99, while the PS5 digital edition is a little cheaper, costing ₤ 349.99. The disc edition console is the precise same rate as the brand-new Xbox series X– conveniently likewise out of stock at a lot of sellers. The Xbox series S, which is the all-digital version of the console costs simply ₤ 249. Weve really recently began an Xbox series X stock tracking liveblog, so inspect it out for the current stock updates.Alex Lee19 July 2021 10:041626684504 More news on todays Argos PS5 stock drop As discussed below, Argos is anticipated to have a stock drop today, with one stock tracker saying that it got new deliveries of the disc edition console over the weekend. The digital edition of the console was likewise dispersed, however its obviously a little haul. Theres some conflict regarding when the stock drop could occur, with @PS5UKStock suggesting that it might drop any time this week while @PS5StockAlertUK has zeroed down on Friday. Theyre both in arrangement that stock will drop at 8am, however.Alex Lee19 July 2021 09:481626683375 What happened to the Very PS5 stock drop last week?Very was expected to have a PS5 stock drop recently and the week prior to that, however two times now it has failed to materialise. Whats going on? According to the @PS5Instant UK stock tracker, shipments arrived a lot later than expected, with the seller only getting the disc edition of the console.Does this mean there will not be a digital edition drop of the console today? Possibly, but it likewise indicates that the drop could end earlier than we d like. Over the previous month, weve become accustomed to Very having these drawn-out and long stock drops, so we d hoped that the one this week would have been a huge one, too.Alex Lee19 July 2021 09:291626682546 When is the next Game PS5 restock?Game is another seller greatly tipped to drop new PS5 stock today. Simply a few days ago, the retailer updated its PS5 bundles page with a brand-new release date of 30 July. It always drops stock a week and a half prior to the release date, so were likely going to get a brand-new batch of consoles this week.The most affordable package costs ₤ 389.98 and includes the console, a T-shirt and a snazzy cap, although we d constantly recommend opting for a more odd bundle for a much better possibility of securing a console. This isnt constantly the most affordable– as the more affordable bundles tend to sell out incredibly quickly.Alex Lee19 July 2021 09:151626681346 When is Argos PS5 stock going to drop?Argos is one of the merchants predicted to have a restock this week. Yes, all of us heard your groans. For those inexperienced, Argos has actually traditionally dropped stock in the dead of the night, requiring individuals to keep up till 4am if they desire to secure a console. That might not be the case this time round. Argos has begun dropping stock at 8am in the most recent drops, and the stock trackers predict it will do so once again this week. According to the folks over at @PS5StockAlertUK, the seller got a hefty PS5 delivery last week. If we hear any more news, well let you understand. Alex Lee19 July 2021 08:551626680415 What PS5 stock drops might we see this week?Good morning PS5 applicants! Although last week was fairly disappointing in terms of weighty stock drops, this week could be extremely good certainly! Argos, Game, Very and Asda are all rumoured to drop this week, with most of the action anticipated to begin tomorrow.Three out of the 4 merchants regularly have prolonged drops, so if we were a seer, we d say that this is the week you lastly get yourselves a PS5. Well be here all day and all week bringing you the newest stock updates as and when they take place, in addition to news on PS5 games and the console itself. Stay tuned for more!Alex Lee19 July 2021 08:40 IndyBest product evaluations are impartial, independent recommendations you can rely on. On some events, we make profits if you click the links and purchase the products, but we never permit this to bias our coverage. The reviews are assembled through a mix of expert opinion and real-world testing.
Weve really just recently started an Xbox series X stock tracking liveblog, so inspect it out for the latest stock updates.Alex Lee19 July 2021 10:041626684504 More news on this weeks Argos PS5 stock drop As pointed out below, Argos is anticipated to have a stock drop this week, with one stock tracker stating that it got brand-new shipments of the disc edition console over the weekend. Theyre both in arrangement that stock will drop at 8am, however.Alex Lee19 July 2021 09:481626683375 What happened to the Very PS5 stock drop last week?Very was supposed to have a PS5 stock drop last week and the week prior to that, however twice now it has actually failed to materialise. Over the previous month, weve become accustomed to Very having these long and lengthy stock drops, so we d hoped that the one this week would have been a big one, too.Alex Lee19 July 2021 09:291626682546 When is the next Game PS5 restock?Game is another merchant heavily tipped to drop new PS5 stock this week. Argos has begun dropping stock at 8am in the most current drops, and the stock trackers forecast it will do so again this week. Alex Lee19 July 2021 08:551626680415 What PS5 stock drops might we see this week?Good morning PS5 candidates!


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South Africa-based IT distributor Axiz, has allayed partner concerns amid the COVID-19 pandemic and stated that it is working closely with various technology vendors to minimise disruption to the supply chain and partner businesses.
The distributor which distributes IT products and solutions from brands like Cisco, Aruba, HP Inc, HPE, Dell, Lenovo, VMware, Oracle, Infoblox, Rocket, Solarwinds, Micro Focus and Citrix, said it has undertaken steps to lessen any challenges in the IT supply chain
“As the world continues to steer through the disruption of COVID-19, I wanted to reach out to you to make sure you know that at Axiz we remain committed to servicing and supporting your business throughout this uncertainty,” said Craig Brunsden in a blog post. “Given the mutual dependence our organisations have, I wanted to highlight some of the steps Axiz is undertaking to address the circumstances. We are closely monitoring developments relating to the global COVID-19 pandemic and implemented several best practices at all of our sites across Southern Africa.
Brunsden said Axiz remains open for business and operational. “We have seen disruptions to the supply chain, but these vary by vendor and even by product line. We are working with all our vendors to limit the impact on our channel where possible. We are actively promoting the use of digital technologies for ongoing engagement and collaboration with your business,” he added. “Please continue engaging with your account managers and our product teams for all your business requirements. Should there be anything we can assist with to limit the impact on projects or your customers, please reach out to the teams, the executives or me directly. We acknowledge that business unusual is now the new normal.
He pointed out that Axiz realises that your partner organisations may have implemented comparable responses to COVID-19. “Axiz will ensure that we respect and accommodate any policy changes you have implemented in your organisations. Our office workers, warehousing and logistics operations remain fully operational and alternative business continuity plans are in place should the need arise,” he said.
On March 23, 2020, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa declared a lockdown for 21 days from midnight on Thursday. Ramaphosa said the National Command Team on the coronavirus felt this was a necessary step to contain the spread of global pandemic.


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Singapore’s sovereign investment fund Temasek has bought a 21.7 percent stake worth $300 million in Li & Fung’s logistics business, LF Logistics.
The investment values LF Logistics at approximately $1.4 billion. Proceeds from the investment will be used to fund “future capital expenditures, repay existing bank facilities and accelerate business growth initiatives at LF Logistics,” the Hong Kong company said, adding that its proposed spin-off of the logistics arm will be postponed until further notice.
After completion, Li & Fung will remain a controlling shareholder of LF Logistics.
While Li & Fung’s core supply chain solutions business has been challenged in recent years due to a weakening retail environment in key markets like the U.S., Li & Fung’s logistics business has reported robust “multiple-year double-digit organic growth,” it said. Its expansion has been buoyed by the rise of China, the e-logistics boom, accelerated development in the ASEAN region and rapid expansion into new geographies including Japan, South Korea and India.
“We expect the strong growth of LF Logistics to continue,” said Joseph Phi, group president, Li & Fung. “With operations in all of Asia’s fastest-growing cities, we are well positioned to capitalize on rising middle class consumption and our early investment in e-logistics allows us to enjoy first-mover advantage. Our logistics strength combined with Li & Fung’s sourcing and new digital supply chain solutions, represents a unique end-to-end offering that encompasses the entire value chain.”
According to the company web site, LF Logistics manages more than 26 million square feet of space, partnering with more than 400 global companies, and delivers over 100 million units of consumer products each day.


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MILAN — Dolce & Gabbana confirmed Tuesday that former Gucci Group executive Giacomo Santucci is joining the company, but not as chief executive officer, as some in the industry had expected.
Santucci starts work Monday as the company’s commercial, licenses and retail director, Dolce & Gabbana said in a statement. Santucci will report to Alfonso Dolce, board member and Domenico Dolce’s brother, and Cristiana Ruella, general affairs director, both top-tier executives at the company.
“We will follow the proper positioning and development of the different brands of the group and the merchandising categories they represent,” the company said in the statement, adding that Santucci will coordinate all commercial functions, including wholesale, retail and licensing.
In a phone interview, Ruella said Santucci’s task will be to “harmonize the market presence of the two brands, Dolce & Gabbana and D&G, across the board.”
Santucci did not return calls seeking comment.
Ruella also said Santucci will help select a replacement for outgoing Dolce & Gabbana USA president Gabriella Forte since he will coordinate business in that market as part of his responsibilities. Ruella said the company hopes to find a new president in America within a few months.
She downplayed the possibility that Santucci could take over Forte’s position, saying such a scenario is “not expected.” Ruella specified that Forte’s role, like Santucci’s, reports to Alfonso Dolce and herself.
As reported last week, industry veteran Forte chose not to renew her contract with Dolce & Gabbana, marking a significant power shift at the Italian fashion house. She is staying at the company “as long as necessary” to guarantee an effective handover.
It looks like Santucci will have plenty of work on the licensing front. Last year, Dolce & Gabbana ended its eyewear license with Marcolin and inked a deal with the much larger Luxottica. The company also has started to evaluate whether to renew its licensing pact with IT Holding, which produces the diffusion line D&G. The license expires at the end of 2006. Ruella said it would be “premature” to say what the company plans to do at this stage.Ruella said several companies, including Procter & Gamble, are courting Dolce & Gabbana in a bid to expand the house’s beauty business. She said the company will likely decide by the end of the year whether to stay with current partner EuroItalia or switch to another licensee.
Last year, Gucci Group famously “terminated” Giacomo Santucci as Gucci brand ceo in a whirlwind of management changes under new group ceo Robert Polet and majority shareholder PPR. Santucci joined Gucci in January 2001 and the industry considered him one of several potential candidates whom PPR could promote to the group ceo slot to replace the outgoing Domenico De Sole. Instead, Santucci stayed on as Gucci brand ceo until relations with Polet and PPR soured late last year.
Prior to joining Gucci, Santucci spent eight years at Prada, helping to develop the company’s cosmetics and eyewear businesses, reorganizing operations in Asia and working closely with acquired brands like Helmut Lang.
@tradesy is turning the concept of a showroom upside down with its new space in Santa Monica. Here, the company plans to hold events, art exhibits and a showcase rare fashion pieces like this Louis Vuitton boxing set. Get all the details on Tradesy’s first showroom on WWD.com. #wwdnews
Spotted last night at the @erdem x @hm launch event: Kate Bosworth, Rashida Jones, Kirsten Dunst and Selma Blair. The party, which took place in LA, also marked the opening of their pop-up shop. “I was interested in creating a collection that wasn’t in any way disposable. It was about pieces you’d create and keep forever, things that have a permanence to it,” designer Erdem Moralioglu said. #wwdeye (📷: Katie Jones)
Renee Zellweger in yellow in 2001 and again in 2017. Chosen as one of the 12 @pantone Leading Spring Colors (and dubbed “Meadowlark”), it only makes sense that the bright hue stands the test of time and is making a resurgence this season, seen already on stars like @blakelively and @gigihadid. (📷: Donato Sardello & @rexfeatures) #wwdfashion #tbt
Dior’s 70th anniversary celebration continues with a new exhibition at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto. “Christian Dior,” which is scheduled to run through March 18, takes a look at the founders tenure from 1947 to 1057 and feature 40 designs. Pictured here is an evening gown from the Ailée, fall 1948-49 haute couture collection. #wwdfashion (📷: Brian Boyle)
As one of the most recognizable models in the world, Christy Turlington Burns has an insider’s view of the fashion industry and the allegations of sexual harassment swirling around it. “I can say that harassment and mistreatment have always been widely known and tolerated in the industry. The industry is surrounded by predators who thrive on the constant rejection and loneliness so many of us have experiences at some point in our careers,” Turlington told WWD, along with her suggestions for how the modeling world should protect younger women and men. Read more on WWD.com. Link in bio. (📷: Tony Palmieri) #wwdnews
@asics America has tapped a new brand ambassador: famed DJ/record producer @steveaoki. This initiative is intended to set the tone for the new brand identity and philosophy and will include partnerships with influencers and in-store and off-line activations that will continue into next year. This is Asics’ most significant marketing effort in two decades, and is expected to attract younger consumers to the brand. #wwdfashion
24-year-old Jean Prounis is redefining the rules of jewelry. Formerly a studio assistant to Jemima Kirke and a design apprentice at Ghuran, she focuses on handcrafted subtleties and ancient goldsmithing techniques. “There was a really sterile feel in the environment and I wanted to have jewelry with character that shapes how you wear it everyday,” Prounis said. Each piece is hand made in New York, either by Prounis or three other jewelers in the district. #wwdfashion
“These collections continue to build on that vision, empowering differently abled adults to express themselves through fashion,” said @tommyhilfiger of his line of adaptive apparel, which launches today. The line consists of 37 men’s and 34 women’s styles based upon the pieces from the spring Tommy Hilfiger sportswear collection. #wwdnews


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Berlin-based Digital auto retailer HeyCar will exit the Spanish market at the end of August, website La Tribune de Automoción reports. All of the company’s staff in Spain will be made redundant, it added.
It quotes an unnamed industry source as saying that the company will leave Spain as part of “the repositioning and restructuring process of the group at a European level” and focus on Germany, France and the U.K.
If true, this news would hardly be a shock — in June, the AIM Group noted that German car magazine AutoHaus had described HeyCar Spain as “on the brink.”
HeyCar is owned by Mobility Trader Holding GmbH, whose largest shareholder is Volkswagen Financial Services. Other shareholders include Volkswagen, Renault and insurance company Allianz.
HeyCar Spain launched in September 2021 — a time when optimism regarding the prospects for digital auto retail was cresting in the wake of the pandemic — investing heavily in TV and online marketing.
HeyCar Spain company currently has more than 26,000 used vehicles listed for sale. It requires that cars on its platform are less than eight years old, have less than 150,000km on the clock and come with a dealer guarantee.
Meanwhile, it has been revealed that Mercedes-Benz Group AG (formerly Daimler AG) disposed of its stake in HeyCar and exited the company in May this year.


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Drive Electric Earth Day
Drive Electric Earth Day Lakeland
Apr 22, 2023
|Day:||Saturday, April 22, 2023 NOTE: this event has already happened, find current-year events on the Attend page.|
|Time:||9:00 am - 1:00 pm EDT|
196 N. Kentucky Ave.
Lakeland, FL 33801
Lakeland celebrated the 53rd Anniversary of Earth Day with the City’s second annual DEED event, ”Drive Electric Earth Day Lakeland 2023”.
This free, family-friendly outdoor event was held on Saturday, April 22, 2023 in downtown Lakeland’s beautiful Munn Park, adjacent to the Lakeland Farmers Curb Market. The event featured local EV owners showcasing their vehicles, answering visitor’s questions, & sharing their EV-enthusiasm. The Lakeland Farmers Market's wonderful weekly fresh produce, delicious food, and crafts booths added to the festivities.
Eleven electric vehicles (EVs) were on display, including: Mustang Mach-E, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Chevy Bolt, Nissan LEAF, Ford F150 Lightning pickup, Rivian R1T pickup, and several Tesla Model 3.EV exhibitors included individual owners and Lakeland Electric Utility.
Visitors enjoyed learning about EVs at our DEED welcome canopies, which featured EV educational displays, free prize drawings, an “EV-IQ” quiz, and children’s EV craft activities. Drawing prizes included Bonsai Tree kits, a set of 14 dessert place settings, a gift certificate for Yoga classes donated by Satya Life Yoga Studio, and a programmable thermostat donated by Lakeland Electric.
Lakeland Mayor Bill Mutz issued a Proclamation designating April 22, 2023, as “Drive Electric Earth Day Lakeland”. The proclamation states that the City of Lakeland is dedicated to leadership in clean energy, energy conservation, sustainability, and ensuring a healthy environment for its citizens.
Drive Electric Earth Day Lakeland was organized with the help of volunteers from the Polk EV Outreach Committee, the League of Women Voters of Polk County, the Polk Democratic Environmental Caucus, and the Ancient Islands Sierra Club’s Clean Energy Committee.
The groups also look forward to hosting National Drive Electric Week (NDEW) events in September 2023, as well as our third annual Drive Electric Earth Day event in April 2024.
photo by: Karen Freedman
This eye-catching Tesla Model 3 was the hit of the show! The proud owners designed & applied the customized exterior wrap themselves. Beautiful Munn Park and our DEED welcome canopies housing EV educational displays and kids' crafts are in the background.
Day's 53rd Anniversary at
Drive Electric Earth Day Lakeland !
the many Economic
Benefits of driving Electric Vehicles!
Are you curious about Electric Vehicles (EVs)? Have questions about EV charging options?
Come to Downtown Lakeland’s beautiful Munn
Saturday, April 22, 2023 at 9:00am-1:00pm
& Learn why EVs are becoming so popular!
At this FREE family-friendly event,
Local EV owners will showcase their EVs, answer your questions, & share their EV-enthusiasm.
Several different EV makes & models, including electric bikes, will be on display.
This event also features Downtown Lakeland's fabulous local restaurants & outdoor cafes
as well as the Lakeland Farmers Curb Market's wonderful weekly fresh produce, food, & crafts.
There are currently 17 attendees registered.
Owners of These Vehicles Have Registered To Attend
|Hyundai Ioniq 5||2|
|Tesla Model 3||2|
|Nissan Leaf (2011-2017)||1|
|Toyota RAV4 EV (2012 and later)||1|
Registered attendees report 190,000 electric miles driven.


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GIRLS Aloud star Kimberley Walsh is backing a Dorchester opticians’ bid to promote looking good in specs.
The pop star and West End actress is supporting Specsavers in Dorchester and anti-bullying charity Kidscape by launching the Spectacle Wearer of the Year competition.
The overall winner of the competition will be announced at a star-studded awards event hosted by Gok Wan later in the year and will receive £10,000 in cash and a holiday to the Bahamas.
Kimberley said: “I love my glasses, I like to make a real statement by wearing something bold. They are such a part of who you are. Everyone should wear their specs with pride! I’ve been wearing glasses for six years.
“I think I let my eyes get a little bit worse than I should have before I did start wearing them but now I have fully embraced them – it’s a new look for me.”
Store director at Specsavers in Dorchester John Molesworth said: “We know that people in Dorchester love their glasses and we want to celebrate it.
“The Spectacle Wearer of the Year competition gives us the opportunity to prove that glasses are fabulous at any age by celebrating the specs wearers right on our doorstep who wear them with pride and plenty of style.”
The competition is part of Specsavers’ Love Glasses campaign and sees £1 for every entry donated to Kidscape.
Kimberley added: “We’re all more fragile and vulnerable when we’re young and bullying is much more prevalent than we think and takes many different forms.
“It’s important that we stand up to bullies, know how to spot the signs and encourage young people to have strength and the confidence to be themselves.”
There are four age categories for the completion, from 16 to 24, 25 to 39, 40 to 59 and 60 plus, as well as a Facebook favourite voted for by the public.
Each category winner will receive a VIP makeover and will attend the grand final in London in October.
For more information visit specsavers.co.uk/loveglasses


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Many people say that AEW is already the second biggest wrestling promotion in the United States. There are detractors that say “AEW is just a t-shirt company until they have a tv deal.” Turns out, the television deal is close.
Jim Ross has openly said there are deals on the table. Dave Meltzer, who is very close with the AEW Executive Vice Presidents, also says a television deal is imminent. News broke on Twitter today that AEW will be on a Time Warner channel.
May 15th is the date where news will be confirmed and that is almost a week before Double or Nothing. The timing couldn’t be better for the fledging company.
Check out our brand new store at PRO WRESTLING TEES, show us your support and buy a shirt. You can visit our store by clicking here.
Make sure to follow us on Twitter @BodySlamNet and on Instagram @BodySlamDotNet
Also check us out on Facebook and give us a like and share by clicking HERE.
Article source: http://www.bodyslam.net
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CIMG Advocates for Regulation and Ethical Guidelines in AI Development in Ghana
In a significant gathering held at the Coconut Grove Hotel in Accra, the Chartered Institute of Marketing, Ghana (CIMG) celebrated World Consumer Rights Day with a focus on Artificial Intelligence (AI) ethics and consumer rights. The event, themed “Fair and Responsible AI for Consumers,” delved into the crucial topic of AI’s pervasive role in modern life and the urgent need for safeguards to protect consumer rights.
Dr. Kasser Tee, the National President of CIMG, opened the event by acknowledging the historical context of March 15 as a day dedicated to advocating for consumer rights worldwide. This year, the emphasis was on the ethical deployment of AI technologies, given their significant impact on consumer experiences, from e-commerce to automated customer services.
Dr. Tee emphasized the importance of ethical AI use and consumer protection, noting the lack of a comprehensive regulatory framework. He encouraged public dialogue to advance the understanding and application of AI, aiming to harness its benefits while ensuring consumer rights are protected.
Insights into AI’s development process were provided by Mr. Emmanuel Gbeve, Chief Technology Officer at AIDEC Digital. He explained Machine Learning and Deep Learning’s roles in creating systems that replicate complex human thought processes. Mr. Gbeve underscored the potential dangers of AI without appropriate consumer protection measures.
Prof. Fred Mcbagonluri, President of Academic City College, then discussed the need for thoughtful regulation of AI. He pointed out that AI’s impact on various fields, including medicine and education, requires setting wise boundaries. Prof. Mcbagonluri advocated for homegrown solutions and cautioned against overregulation that could hinder Ghana’s technological progress.
Representing the Cyber Security Authority, Mrs. Mary Ama Bawa highlighted efforts to educate Ghanaians about AI and cyber threats. She noted the absence of an AI policy in Ghana, contrasting it with recent developments in the EU. Mrs. Bawa stressed the importance of cautious yet urgent progress toward understanding and regulating AI.
Mr. Maxwell Ababio, Deputy Director of Tech and Ethics at the Data Protection Commission, shared that his agency has been collaborating with the UN Global Pulse and the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation to develop Ethical Guidelines for AI in Ghana. Highlighting the completion of a draft awaiting approval, Mr. Ababio announced an upcoming national sensitisation programme to foster awareness and understanding of these guidelines.
The event included discourse from a diverse panel of experts from the Data Protection Commission, Cyber Security Authority, and the fields of technology and marketing. Together, they underscored the importance of a multi-stakeholder approach to ethically harness AI’s power while protecting consumers.
In conclusion, CIMG demonstrated its commitment to advocating for consumer rights in the era of AI, emphasizing the need for all organizations to recognize and uphold these rights zealously. The discussions at the event highlighted the complex challenges and opportunities presented by AI, paving the way for a future where technology serves humanity ethically and responsibly.


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Spotify is releasing a new feature aimed at making it easier for subscribers to find new music that fits their personal taste. The new addition, called Release Radar, is similar to the service’s Discover Weekly playlist, but it only surfaces recently released music.
Release Radar includes new tracks from artists you frequently listen to, as well as songs from bands Spotify thinks you might enjoy based on your listening habits. The weekly playlists can be up to two hours long. While Discover Weekly is updated every Monday, Release Radar will refresh each Friday. The new feature is available for both the mobile app and desktop versions of Spotify.
If Release Radar follows the trend of Discover Weekly, it could be a big hit for Spotify. The streaming service announced in May that nearly five billion songs had been streamed through Discover Weekly since its launch last July.
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Spotify’s efforts to discover and curate music for listeners could help it fight competitors like Apple Music, which has been focusing on exclusive releases as a means to attract subscribers. A subscriber who has spent years listening to Spotify and feels like the service knows what he or she wants to hear is perhaps less likely to switch over to a new streaming app.
But Apple (AAPL) is making improvements to its streaming service as well. Curation and discovery has always been a big part of Apple Music, as the company touted the experts it has on hand to find songs based on your taste when it first unveiled the service. And this fall, Apple Music will get a slick redesign that makes the service cleaner and easier to navigate. Meanwhile, Apple is not solely reliant on revenue from music streaming, thanks to sales of devices like iPhones. That’s a big advantage when competing with music-focused companies like Spotify, which face an increasingly difficult economic reality.
This story was originally published on TIME.com.


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For the past several years, AMD has been relying on two companies to manufacture its chips: GlobalFoundries, its former manufacturing arm that was spun off in 2008, and TSMC. According to a report by ZDNet, AMD may soon add a third partner to that list: Samsung.
ZDNet's story is actually about an Apple chip deal, but it names AMD as one of Samsung's manufacturing clients:
Samsung is expected to start producing application processors (APs) for clients such as Apple, Qualcomm, and AMD, using its 14-nanometre process around the end of the year.
Last we heard, GlobalFoundries was going to license Samsung's 14-nm FinFET fab process, and AMD was voicing its excitement about the prospect. This is the first time I've seen anything about AMD tapping Samsung as a foundry partner directly, though.
I've asked AMD to chime in on this. Stay tuned for a response. (Thanks to TR reader Carl for the link.)