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As we enter a new year, as ever Pursuit Software has made it a top priority to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to trends in retail. Only by being abreast of new developments in the world of retail can we be the perfect partner for our clients when it comes to helping them to build their own businesses.
Here are some of the trends that we feel will be pre-eminent over the coming 12 months.
Become cultural icons
One thing that has become increasingly apparent is that emotion is playing an increasingly large role in the way that customers shop. The importance, particularly to millennial, of a company’s adherence to social consciousness, ethical values and corporate responsibility. The result has led to companies equating their internal culture with their exterior identities. Leading business publication Forbes, says: “Companies will have to consider the image their brand conveys to the world and work to create cultures that match consumers’ values and world views.
This doesn’t always equate to a companies attitude toward sustainability or green issues, it is far more wide-ranging than that. Brands need to take into account the latest buzz in music, fashion, news, entertainment and, of course, social media.
Speed things up
Speed is of the essence when it comes to online shopping. Figures from September 2018 suggest that the e-commerce sector shows that it enjoyed another period of expansion, growing by a further 11 percent on the previous year’s figures. The majority of retailers now have an online presence so now the challenge is to make your online offer better than that of your opposition.
With Amazon Prime making two-day shipping the standard, customers are now expecting quicker deliveries and the amount of time people are willing to wait has dropped from five days to four. This means cutting down shipping time is vital for any e-commerce business looking to survive in the market.
Shopping for an experience
The retail sector has long known that it needs an overhaul and the shape of the overhaul is beginning to become clear. What today’s consumers are looking for is an experience and the more innovative traders are answering the call. The move – both in-store and online – is to offer an experience. Samsung, for example, has unveiled a multi-million pound pop-up store that features its products but doesn’t have any products in-store for sale. As Samsung’s Director of Store Development, Michael Koch, said: “$43 million and the only thing you can buy is a coffee.”
The 56,000 square-foot store has interactive art, virtual reality lounge areas, a recording studio and a three-story 96-screen display wall. The concept is simple: Samsung has recognised that experience is the core to the future of commerce.
Seeing the bigger picture
Despite bricks and mortar stores closing at an alarming rate, for many businesses they still have a key role to play. The role however is changing rapidly and physical stores are now often part of a larger strategy. Instead of being the primary – and often only – point of sale, stores are part of a multi-channel net to attract and keep customers. Other selling platforms include facebook, e-marketplaces websites and other social media platforms. For example, Millenials prefer to buy products they discover on Instagram or Snapchat, while nearly 25 per cent of Babyboomers are influenced into what they buy via Facebook. Within all of these channels, the store still has an important role to play


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Annual Christmas Luncheon attracts over 400 auto industry professionals.
The Trillium Automobile Dealers Association (TADA) hosted its annual year-end party on Dec. 7th in Vaughan, Ontario. Upwards of 400 registered guests enjoyed an afternoon of networking, entertainment, and great food.
This year, organizers changed things up a bit, giving the perennial party a different flavour. Instead of a traditional sit-down meal, guests were invited to mingle and enjoy the various activities while enjoying a buffet-style luncheon.
These activities included a charity casino, a silent auction, and a virtual reality experience. Las Vegas-style showgirls posed with guests while handing out desserts, and the TADA, along with very generous sponsors, gave away numerous prizes and gifts.
Amongst the many giveaways was an all-inclusive trip for two to Puerto Vallarta, as well as an all-inclusive trip to Cuba, and a trip to the President’s Conference in Cap Cana in April.
The TADA also gave away an autographed Wendel Clark jersey, and the first five people who registered for the TADA’s annual ACE Conference had their first night’s hotel accommodations paid for.
The eye candy in the room was a $235,000 Acura NSX, donated by the TADA Foundation in cooperation with Honda Canada. The sale of raffle tickets for the supercar officially kicked off during the Luncheon, with the draw for the vehicle scheduled to take place in February, 2019 during the Canadian International AutShow in Toronto. All proceeds from the draw will go to Prostate Cancer Canada.
The silent auction was new this year, with all proceeds going to the TADA Foundation, which supports a number of charities.

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- Industry Roundup
- Fab & Facilities
- Cell Processing
- Thin Film
- PV Modules
- Power Generation
Singapore-based tier-1 PV manufacturer REC Solar, part of Chinese investment firm Elkem Bluestar provided bullish business figures for the second quarter of 2015.
Wacker’s polysilicon sales may have reached a new peak for the first time in three years in the first quarter of 2015, yet sales declined almost 10% in the second quarter, held up significantly by further penalty payments by customers on terminated long-term supply deals.
Machine vision manufacturer VITRONIC has secured a major order for its ‘VINSPECsolar’ electroluminescence inspection systems from a leading Korean PV manufacturer.
TerraForm Global, a subsidiary of PV project developer SunEdison, has priced its initial public offering (IPO) of 45 million shares of its Class A common stock at US$15 per share, which represents US$675 million in gross proceeds.
PV manufacturing equipment specialist Singulus Technologies has reported new order intake for the first half of 2015 topped €73.1 million, significantly up from €25.2 million in the prior year period.
Integrated PV manufacturer SolarWorld has updated full-year guidance for 2015, which includes expecting to report a profit for the first time in several years on shipments of over 1GW.
Electronics firm Panasonic reported a small sales decline within its Eco Solutions business unit for the first quarter of its 2016 financial year.
PV manufacturer ET Solar is launching a new multicrystalline AC module with a new ultra-thin integrated microinverter from Northern Electric and Power (NEP).
Dow Corning said its polysilicon sales, via its majority owned subsidiary Hemlock Semiconductor declined in first half of 2015.
Major PV manufacturer JA Solar has appointed an outside financial advisor and legal counsel to advise on the petition by its chairman and CEO, Baofang Jin to take the company private and de-list from the NYSE.
Tier-one PV manufacturer and PVEP (Photovoltaics Energy Provider) SunPower is to launch its ‘X-Series’ modules using its next-generation ‘Maxeon’ solar cells with 21.2% nameplate module efficiency and 345W performance configuration in Japan.
Major PVEP (Photovoltaics Energy Provider) SunPower expects full-year 2015 GAAP revenue to be around 50% lower than in 2014, due to the impact of establishing its JV yieldco vehicle with First Solar.
PV module encapsulant producer STR Holdings could be the US front for its parent company, China-based project developer, Zhenfa Energy Group entering the US market.
PV manufacturer China Sunergy (CSUN) has reported that it has regained compliance with NASDAQ rules after previously failing to file quarterly and annual reports. CSUN filed its 2014 annual report on July 20.
Swiss/Hungarian silicon thin-film equipment and technology firm Ecosolifer has been reported to be planning an 80MW module assembly plant in Brazil, using its proprietary amorphous silicon deposition technology on monocrystalline wafers produced at its plant in Csorna, Hungary.


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In today’s unprecedented turbulent times, the global manufacturing industry is undergoing profound and complex changes, facing uncertainties and challenges, while opening up new opportunities under the new normal. Chinaplas 2021, the Asia’s No. 1 plastics and rubber trade fair, themed “New Era · New Potential · Innovation for Sustainability”, will not only stimulate development in the industries, but also keep the momentum going in the exploration of business opportunities in the new era.
New era: get a foothold in dual circulation to adapt to new development model
In a special period when COVID-19 has brought a lot of uncertainties to the global economy, China has been taking actions to contribute more certainties to the world. China’s economy recovered strongly following the COVID-19 pandemic. After a sharp V-shaped rebound in the first six months of the year, China’s GDP expanded 4.9% in the third quarter. It is predicted that China will be the only major economy in the world achieving positive growth in 2020. When the economy is rapidly recovering, China is leading consumption upgrade, enhancing self-innovation capacity to push forward the high level opening up to the world, and hastening the establishment of a new development model featuring dual circulation in the domestics and international markets where the former plays a leading role.
Chinaplas 2021 will be held from 13 to 16 April 2021 at Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center
The 13th Five-Year Plan is coming to end while the 14th Five-Year Plan is about to start. Chinaplas 2021 will be held at Shenzhen, one of the core driving forces of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, to proactively seize new opportunities arising from China’s swift economic recovery and open up transformation under the dual circulation environment.
New potential: ignite new momentum to reconstruct the industries
An unimpeded domestic circulation is the key. The main focuses are reconstruction of the industrial foundation and upgrade of the production chain. China has a fully equipped industrial system and a complete industrial chain, providing huge room for technological innovation and application.
- Great potential in domestic market and a persistent growth in exports
With China’s massive market advantage and the continuous support of domestic market strategies and various stimulus policies, there has been a sustained recovery of the Chinese consumer market. In September 2020, the total retail sales of consumer goods reached 3.5295 trillion yuan, with a nominal year-on-year growth of 3.3%. China has been steadily manufacturing while many countries are still suffering from the pandemic. Relying on its unique advantage in the industrial chain, China’s foreign trade imports and exports have been stabilizing quarter by quarter. China’s exports reached 5 trillion yuan in the third quarter, with an increase of 10.2%.
- Emergence of new consumption patterns and forms of business stimulating growth potential
In the post-pandemic era, demands for healthcare, smart-tech, eco-friendliness, convenience and comfort have increased sharply. The sales and exports of household products like kitchen appliances and fitness equipment have risen. Demands on fresh food distribution, express delivery and convenience food products have increased in adverse market conditions. A surge in diversified, personalized and high-quality demands will give rise to more new consumption patterns and forms of business.
- Accelerated construction of infrastructure outlining the blueprint of smart-tech era
Technologies like 5G, cloud computing, AI and Internet of Things have demonstrated immense development potential in the wave of new infrastructure, providing new impetus for economic recovery and sustainable development, while creating unprecedented opportunities for the plastics and rubber and industries. As the leader of new infrastructure, 5G has been making satisfactory progress since its commercial launch a year ago. China has built more than 690,000 5G base stations by the end of September 2020 and sold more than 100 million 5G mobile phones in the first three quarters this year.
- Diversified demand in reshaped landscape of global supply chain
The pandemic has diversified the global supply chain and suggested domestic supply chain and backup plans as alternatives to prevent supply chain network from being too extensive and over-dependent on a particular region. Considering all kinds of uncertainties, enterprises will pay more attention to safety and control, collaborative innovation, flexibility, diversification, intelligence and localization in the supply chain in the future. In addition, the development of core technologies has reached bottleneck. To overcome this, it is necessary to develop more original technologies and make up the deficiencies of the domestic circulation.
△ Demands on fresh food distribution and household electronic appliances are igniting new momentum in the market.


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It seems that Australia is about to get a new limited release Jim Beam. According to the information on hand, this is a 700ml bottle of 8 years old 95 proof Jim Beam and will retail at (wait for it) $189.99.
The blurb is as follows - Jim Beam 1795, a Bourbon that can only be described as pure Bourbon, can be seen sleeping quietly on the fifth floor of a specially selected, five story rack house, deep in the Kentucky heartland. Since 1795 when Jacob Beam’s first barrels of “Old Jake” corn whiskey were created, Bourbon has been produced by seven generations of Beam family distillers. This unique handcrafted spirit celebrates these beginnings and presents an opportunity to experience Bourbon at its finest.
Does anyone thinks this sounds like fancy packaged 8yo Jim Black Label?
Here's a few pictures:


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VIP Inc. dba VIP Tires & Service has opened its fourth store in Massachusetts, and 59th location overall.
The last time Timothy Peters partnered with Ricky Benton Racing (RBR), the pairing resulted in a seventh-place finish in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) at the half-mile Martinsville Speedway. The team and driver are renewing their partnership in a bigger way.
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”
For the fourth consecutive year, Plaza Tire Service Inc. customers and employees made donations to support St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The tire dealer raised $17,856.71 at its 62 stores and its corporate office.
Jack Williams Tire and Auto Service Centers reports it has launched its new “The Right Way” campaign, supporting its dedication to treat every customer and every car the right way – "The Williams Way."
Plaza Tire Service Inc. turned its winning of Modern Tire Dealer's 2017 Tire Dealer of the Year Award into donations for a pair of children's charities.
To say the charity golf tournaments hosted by Black's Tire Service Inc. have grown over the years is a gross understatement. In 2002, at the first tournament, the tire dealer raised $6,000. In 2017, the company raised $167,690.50.
Colony Tire Corp. has purchased three tire outlets in the Lynchburg, Va., market. Glenn A. Trent Inc., dba Glenn A. Trent Tire & Wrecker Co., will now do business as Colony Tire. Lynchburg Tire Corp. and its two locations also will merge with Colony Tire.
Mark Rhodes and Scott Rhodes, the second generation brothers who own Plaza Tire Service Inc., are the winners of Modern Tire Dealer’s 2017 Tire Dealer of the Year Award.
The winner of our first Tire Dealer of the Year Award and the winners of the 25th prize have a lot in common. Both focus on serving each customer to the best of their abilities. They look at what can be gained from the positive, word-of-mouth publicity that follows, instead of the initial cost involved.
The Herbert C. Ziegler Foundation has awarded $31,500 in scholarships for the 2017-2018 school year. The foundation was started by Herb and his son, Bill Ziegler, in 1994, shortly before the elder Ziegler died.
Modern Tire Dealer and Auto Service Professional won seven medals for editorial excellence at the 26th International Automotive Media Competition (IAMC).
What does it take to be Modern Tire Dealer's Tire Dealer of the Year? Business success, marketing know-how and industry expertise are the foundation. Community involvement and management skills are important, too. And our 2017 award brings something special to the recognition.


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The National, Friday 14th June 2013
LAE resident Waigu Kenttis is now the lucky owner of new Land Cruiser, thanks Digicel’s “Super 8” promotion.
The proud new vehicle owner says now that he has won a Land Cruiser, he may put it up for hire.
Kenttis is from Sialum, Morobe, and lives with his family in Lae.
He was named the fourth winnerof Digicel’s “Super 8” promotion.
He said in Pidgin: “Mi gat bikplaamamastru lo wanem em wanpla bik planid stret. Olsemna mi amamasstret lo displa win blo mi.”
(I am very happy because this was a major need. So I am very excited about my win).
Waigu said he has been making several top-ups in the past days with the aim to win.
Digicel’s chief executive officer John Mangos said: “It’s great to see another happy customer in the Momase region.
“We are glad that this vehicle will serve Waigu Kenttis’ needs … this promotion has attracted a lot of interest nationwide and it’s good to see that we are assisting Papua New Guineans in a practical way.”
Since the start of the competition there have been four winnersone from Port Moresby, Madang, Lihir and now Lae.
Digicel’s “Super 8” competition ends in four weeks’ time with four more Land Cruisers to be won.
Winners are drawn every Wednesday and the last will be on July 10.


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More than a chef, an economist could explain to you why the return of McDonald’s McRib has been somewhat brief.
Similar in some ways to Apple’s iPhone 12, Cornell University has developed two new apples that reflect years of research and development.
First it was toilet paper and hand sanitizer. Now it’s canned corn. But the story is somewhat different. Canned Corn Shortages This year, we’ve purchased a lot more corn. Second only to tomatoes in dollar value, canned corn sales are…
The massive manure pools created by North Carolina’s hog farms have many problems that have not been solved.
Perhaps unnoticed because of its lesser impact on our lives, the pandemic lockdowns created the great lid shortage of 2020.
While the purpose of restaurant calorie labels has been to provide diners with more information, it did not work out entirely as expected.
Because our banana supply could be obliterated, we will have to adjust to a replacement that might taste somewhat different.
In addition to Dr. Pepper and toilet paper, we now can place pepperoni shortages on a list of the products that have been hit by the pandemic.
The men and the women gobbled a record number of hot dogs and buns during the competitive eating at Nathan’s July 4th contest.


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Behavioral biometrics and threat detection firm BioCatch announced it is working with software solutions and IT services company, Samsung SDS America, to combat fraud that occurs after a user has logged in.
Through the partnership, BioCatch will integrate a layer of fraud protection that works beyond the login process into Samsung SDS’ Nexsign enterprise biometric authentication software. The integration is intended to fill security gaps that occur when mobile apps don’t require users to login multiple times to validate their identity. To solve this, BioCatch will collect and analyze more than 500 parameters around a user’s activity– continuously monitoring their behavioral patterns within the app to authenticate the user and detect abnormal bot or malware behavior.
In a statement Eyal Goldwerger, Chief Executive Officer at BioCatch remarked at how new innovations in fintech have made it easy for users to conduct their banking activities. He added:
“However, given how sophisticated fraudsters are today, the consumer-grade authentication protocols that exist leave open the real possibility of account takeovers. In fact, all the fraud that BioCatch finds today, comes from within authenticated sessions, prompted by malware, social engineering and other sophisticated attacks that circumvent the login method entirely. As a result, security continues to be a major factor holding back the full potential of mobile banking and payments… Through Nexsign and our partnership, Samsung has created the platform that resolves this constant battle.”
Founded in 2011, BioCatch monitors 4 billion transactions per month for a handful of major banks. Earlier this year, the company bolstered its fraud detection by forming a relationship with LexisNexis Risk Solutions to offer companies additional risk scores by monitoring user behavior and discerning between real and fraudulent users. In April, the company partnered with Experian to prevent new account fraud for CrossCore users and in February BioCatch teamed up with Nuance Communications to power continuous authentication for Nuance Security Suite solution.
At FinovateFall 2014, the company showed off Invisible Challenges. The company has raised $11.6 million and is headquartered in Israel.


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Atlanta Q4 Market Report: A Spike in Investment Activity to Close 2020
- The Atlanta multifamily market was impacted by another year of steady supply growth as new units continued to come online as the rate of demand growth cooled. Supply and demand conditions are likely to be more closely aligned in 2021.
- Vacancy ended 2020 at 5.6 percent, an increase of 90 basis points from one year earlier. During the fourth quarter, the rate rose 30 basis points.
- After ticking lower in the preceding two quarters, rents rose to close the year. Asking rents recorded an annual increase of 0.5 percent in 2020, reaching $1,283 per month.
- The investment market continued to rebound at the end of 2020. Transaction activity accelerated, prices rose, and cap rates compressed.
Research to help you make knowledgeable investment decisions
Northmarq research featured in GlobeSt.: Single-family own vs. rent gap widens
Northmarq's research was recently featured in a GlobeSt.com article, "Single-Family Own vs. Rent Gap Widens." The Northmarq 2024 National Multifamily...
Northmarq research featured in GlobeSt: How multi-tenant retail sales fared in 2023
Northmarq's research was recently featured in a GlobeSt.com article, "Multi-Tenant Retail Investment Sales Fared Better Than Single-Tenant in 2023."...


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Real estate must respond to growing retailer sophistication
Retail occupiers and brands have become more sophisticated in terms of how they choose different locations following the covid pandemic and also due to the rise of digital, said Alex Avery, CEO of Pragma Consulting, Pragma a management consultancy that specialises in commercial strategy.
The firm supports investors, operators, developers, asset managers, consultants and architects in maximising the commercial value of real estate space by assisting a better understanding of people, products and place, Avery explains.
“With the way market trends are evolving, there’s been an increased emphasis and growing focus on the evidence base behind the way developments are performing,” he said. “It’s getting more complex. There’s a wider mix of features that are playing into that.”
One trend is the increased understanding of underlying profitability and performance of retail tenants in real estate projects. “Traditionally, that’s been an area that hasn’t been that well understood and that’s helping to unpick what kind of different categories and brands are best suited to which locations.”
He said this is leading to more innovation in formats. “That might be in a conventional shopping centre, a high street format, a flagship format or pop-up format. That’s an area that’s very interesting for us in terms of helping to underpin what’s relevant for a different asset and also matching the right brands to a particular scheme.”
Please click on the video above to watch the full interview or listen to the podcast below.


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MINNEAPOLIS-—With new leadership, Minnesota Rubber & Plastics is setting the foundation for long-term success.
Quadion L.L.C., which does business as Minnesota Rubber & Plastics, appointed Marlin Braun as its CEO, succeeding Jim Lande, who retired from Quadion after serving as CEO since 1985.
Braun was appointed CEO just six months after being hired as the firm's chief operating officer in July 2013. He has 30 years of technology manufacturing experience, both on the original equipment manufacturing and material sides.
Prior to joining the firm, Braun worked at Greene, Tweed Co., VEECO Instruments Inc. and Perkin Elmer Inc.—spending more than six years with Greene, Tweed immediately before joining Quadion.
“We were really impressed with Marlin's experience, especially working with what we'd consider very technologically driven manufacturing organizations. He had a really detailed and thoughtful vision for the opportunities in front of the company and where we could go,” said Andy Cantwell, principal at Norwest Equity Partners—the equity firm that owns Minnesota Rubber & Plastics—and a member of Quadion's board.
Quadion said Braun has had experience in growing private and publicly held businesses with revenues between $50 million and $750 million, both organically and through acquisitions, which helped him stand out in the selection process.
Most of Braun's career has been in critical applications and technology manufacturing. In addition to a split between the OEM and materials sides of the business, Braun has spent time in the commercial and operations side. He said he spent the first half of his career in business development and sales and marketing, and the other half on the operations side.
“He's really great at understanding the important issues that drive a business forward,” Cantwell said. “He's the type of guy who develops a really nice vision and strategy of where he wants to take things. He understands the market, the customers and what the needs are.”
Braun, with the support of Norwest Equity Partners, will bring a new focus for the firm that is turning 70 in 2015. Historically, Minnesota Rubber & Plastics has been highly diversified and very opportunistic-driven, taking on different applications in a variety of markets. Braun said the firm is narrowing that focus to four core markets: transportation/automotive; fluid delivery; medical; and fluid power.
Each market involves solving critical-to-function problems in very demanding environments involving chemical attack, temperature, friction and wear, he said.
“We're still diversified, but we're diversified across four primary market segments. It's a much more focused effort, and we're aligning our entire organization with those four markets,” Braun said.
“We will certainly support customers in the other markets and we will continue to support those customers that we currently have within our base,” he added. “But as we make investments in our organization in terms of resources, those efforts will be primarily focused on those four markets.”
Braun estimated between 60 and 70 percent of Minnesota Rubber & Plastics focuses on rubber, but many products that it produces are a combination of rubber and plastic materials. The firm works with fluoroelastomers, HBR, HNBR, liquid silicone rubber, high consistency silicone rubber and high-end plastics.
“We invest very heavily in high performance materials,” he said. “We have a very strong material science capability that we're continuing to invest in, and grow and strengthen. Material science is a key part of who we are and always will be a part of who we are moving forward.”


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Come 21st of March, Apple will be making some kind of announcement as evidenced by the invites that the company has sent out. One of those rumored announcements is an iPhone that is said to be known as the iPhone SE, a 4-inch version of the iPhone meant to be a slightly cheaper iPhone model and also meant to replace the iPhone 5s.
That being said, it seems that Samsung wants to launch a device that could compete with the iPhone SE because according to the rumors, Samsung is said to be preparing to launch a smaller version of the Galaxy S7, a mini version if you’d rather, and despite its alleged smaller size, the phone is expected to pack quite a punch.
If the rumors are true, the Galaxy S7 mini will come with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 chipset under the hood. Alternatively there will also be an Exynos 8890 variant. The mini variant is also said to pack a 4.7-inch 720p HD screen, meaning that it will be bigger than the 4-inch iPhone SE. Basically from what we can tell from the rumors, this phone will be pretty much the same as the current Galaxy S7 handset, just with a smaller, lower-resolution screen.
We’re not sure if launching such a device makes sense since it would detract from the current lineup, but maybe it’s smaller display could allow Samsung to position the device as a more affordable version of the Galaxy S7 for those who don’t really care so much about whether their phones have FHD or QHD displays. That being said until we hear from Samsung officially, take it with a grain of salt for now.


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It’s safe to say “Freedom” has reached a whole new level.
Pharrell is just one of many artists who hopped on board the Apple Music train, offering hip-hop lovers across the country a brand new music platform to get what’s new and what’s hot.
The 42-year-old artist officially showcased his brand new business endeavor with the release of a new music video for the track “Freedom,” which he’s been playing live – although we haven’t heard the studio version until today. Though the singer-songwriter is technically signed with Apple, he did everyone a solid by uploading the new single to YouTube for us all to enjoy.
The song pretty much defines what one might call a “Pharrell classic” – it’s a funky, feel good, and bouncy as expected. But the music video is anything but ordinary, taking viewers around the world to various spots and scenes, from New York City to a sweatshop in China.
Have a look at the must-watch music video above if you missed its first drop on Apple.


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Cubs fans crash website selling World Series rings
Chicago Cubs fans were so eager to buy themselves a part of history that they crashed the website selling the team’s World Series rings.
The Cubs on Wednesday received their championship rings for winning the World Series last year. The rings are spectacular and feature 108 diamonds to reflect the 108 years the team went between championships.
Jostens, the company that made the rings, also has made a few different versions of the ring available for fans to purchase. The price ranges from $10,800 for the high-end ring to $299 for a lower-end replica version.
Cubs fans with a little money to spend of course wanted to see what was available for purchase and ended up flocking to Jostens’ site with such frequency that they crashed it:
— Kylann Scheidt (@kyyysch) April 13, 2017
The site came back up, and you can view what’s available here.
If you had to wait 108 years between titles, you’d probably be that excited about a ring too. Heck, Cubs fans were getting up in the middle of the night just to watch their team in the World Series.


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BYRAM Arcade could begin opening soon on Sundays after the growing success of the town’s weekend markets.
Clr Peter McBride, the regeneration chief, said the idea would be to capitalise on the resulting footfall triggered by the Sunday markets – held on the second weekend in the month.
He said: “There were 42 stalls on the first weekend and 76 on this last one.
“The kind of people and stallholders were those associated with our successful Food and Drink annual festival.
“People said they would definitely come again. The stallholders were not the normal ones that are there Monday to Saturday. The only problem was that other shops weren’t open.”
He said the council would make a decision whether to open the Arcade shortly.


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Vivo X50 Series successor today appeared in an offline store image of the Vivo X60 showing a billboard with the words “Professional Imaging Flagship” and the tagline “Professional Imaging Flagship,” suggesting that the phone will focus on imaging capabilities and support 5G networks. It is expected to be released sometime between November and December, as added by multiple digital bloggers.
There’s little to no information about the device, but most digital bloggers are speculating that it will feature a small perforated curved screen. Weibo blogger Digital Chat Station previously leaked that the new X-series phone from Vivo at the end of the year could have several domestic firsts in terms of technology, such as screen, lens, and chip. The source who revealed Vivo X60 billboard, also said that upcoming Vivo phones may be mass-produced 5-7.5x perimeter continuous optical zoom which is demonstrated on Vivo Apex 2020 concept phone.
Besides, some digital bloggers have suggested that Vivo may premiere Qualcomm’s new flagship SoC, the Snapdragon 875, but could not confirm this. It’s unlikely that the Vivo X60 will be equipped with a Snapdragon 875 chipset, as the new generation of Qualcomm’s flagship chipset will not be available in large quantities until the end of the year, and the Vivo X series is a product line known for its sales volume. It’s also worth noting that Digital Gossip Station has previously indicated that Vivo could be debuting a new 5nm chip.
Besides, Digital Chat Station also said that “Blue Factory’s (Vivo) new system (FuntouchOS 11) will soon be recruiting insiders, mainly for transition animation upgrades and high refresh rate global optimizations. The default round icons and some of the UI have been redrawn, and there’s a richer AOD hover display and more to look forward to.”


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In newly-leaked comments, EA CEO Andrew Wilson has explained why the company is considering ending its licensing deal with FIFA. The comments come after EA publicly announced in October it was reviewing its agreement with FIFA, and considering renaming the title of its popular soccer franchise. The comments, which are the CEO’s most candid remarks yet, were made in a company meeting last November and made public in a report from VGC this week.
Wilson suggested that EA feels its FIFA branding deal is unnecessarily restrictive, while not providing enough value to the company. “Basically, what we get from FIFA in a non-World Cup year is the four letters on the front of the box,” Wilson said. Although its FIFA deal gets EA access to the World Cup every four years, the company also has over 300 other licensing agreements which allow it to use the names and likenesses of players, teams, and leagues without needing a deal with FIFA.
Wilson suggested that in return the FIFA deal imposes restrictions on what EA can do with its games. It’s struggled to build game modes beyond 11v11 matches; to partner with other non-FIFA affiliated brands; or to “expand more deeply and broadly into the digital ecosystems around the fabric of football,” according to Wilson. Last year, the New York Times reported that EA is fighting with FIFA to be able to expand into other areas like showing highlights of real-world games, and offer digital items like NFTs.
“FIFA is just the name on the box, but they’ve precluded our ability to be able to branch into the areas that players want,” Wilson said. EA did not immediately respond to The Verge’s request for comment.
The NYT previously reported that the cost of the deal is also a key factor in EA and FIFA’s negotiations. FIFA reportedly wants more than double what it currently gets from EA, bringing the value of the deal to over $1 billion over four years. But EA’s CEO sought to play down the cost of the deal as the reason the company might walk away from it. “We don’t want to pay more money than this license is worth,” Wilson said. “But it’s not about that, it’s really about our ability to deliver games and experiences that our fans want, in a timely fashion.”
According to the NYT, EA and FIFA’s current 10-year deal is set to expire after this year’s World Cup in Qatar, which is due to run between November 21st and December 18th. EA hasn’t officially announced what it might call its soccer games if it loses the rights to the FIFA name, but the NYT previously reported that it had trademarked the phrase EA Sports FC in the UK and EU in October.


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Much has been made of the New York Times review of the Tesla Model S in which the reviewer claimed the limitations of the electric car caused him to get stranded. The argument over whether long distance electric car trips are up to snuff will likely rage for the next few years, but in the meantime, a Japanese consortium is working to eliminate such concerns via a unique solution.
Led by Mitsubishi and Kyoto University, a group of Japan-based organizations have agreed to work together to develop a remote charging solution for electric cars. Composed of 22 companies and 13 universities, including Osaka University, Kajima Corp., and Omron Corp., the group hopes to make long-distance electric vehicle charging a reality within the next five years.
According to the Nikkei (subscription required), the technology will rely on microwave transmissions, but that's where the details end in terms of specifics. Back in 2006, MIT announced pioneering work in the area that showed the first steps toward remote, wireless powering of devices. The Japanese consortium's plans also include developing ways to remotely charge smartphones and even drones, a dynamic that would allow aerial robots to remain in flight indefinitely during emergencies.


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K9 Magazine recently released its 50 tips for keeping dogs healthy.
The list included recommendations for owners to feed dogs raw, fresh foods; avoid petfoods with by-products and preservatives; and give dogs a bone or non-chemical dog chew.
Though corn is prone to mycotoxin contamination, other pet food ingredients can be susceptible too
Everyone has been talking a lot about the new normal. But what does that really mean?


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Antonio Williams offers tips for eating healthy on the go
Between the shopping, cookie baking and holiday travels, fast food may seem like a cheap and speedy way to feed the family, but some experts think it may be a major contributor to an alarming statistic: 12.5 million obese children and adolescents in America.
Antonio Williams, an Indiana University fitness and marketing expert, said many fast-food restaurants have an increased amount of sugar, sodium and fat in their products to preserve food that is later cooked. This causes calorie counts to skyrocket, he said, in the unhealthy food that children increasingly are eating.
"Parents need to be educated on what a child needs on a day-to-day basis to be healthy," Williams said. "They need to help their kids understand what fats, carbs and proteins are good for their bodies."
With the extra family time spent together, school breaks during the holidays can provide parents with opportunities to show their kids how to be healthy. Youth will have a better understanding of the harmful effects of fast food, for example, if they see their parents eating less of it. Kids are likely to maintain a healthy weight, Williams said, if their parents are health conscious as well.
"It is not what you can tell them," he said, "but lead by example. There is a strong correlation between obese and overweight kids and adults. We need to create a united front and then people won't indulge as much."
These tips can help parents and kids join together to eat healthier:
- Fast-food restaurants are a part of our society that is here to stay. Consider patronizing restaurants that invest in your health by eating at the establishments that have healthy items such as lean proteins (grilled chicken), whole grains (oatmeal) and fruits/veggies (apples).
- Choose restaurants that make their calorie and macro-nutrient counts visible and are starting to recognize the importance of healthy children. For example, McDonald's is launching the "new happy meal" that includes a 10 percent reduction in sodium and a reduction in fries from 2.5 to 1.2 ounces.
- Spending time exercising together takes kids away from the television. Images in fast-food commercials make food look especially delicious through animation and vibrant colors, designed to make people hungry.
- Already have your smartphone in your palm 24/7? Download a calorie counter application such as MyFitnessPal or Livestrong. It will only take a few seconds to look up the items on a menu, which will help you make a smart decision.
- Juice is a big culprit for childhood obesity because of the large amount of sugar. Show kids that sugar is not always bad, but give them natural or less refined sugars. Try caffeine-free fruit tea as a juice option.
- Carry snacks while running errands. Almonds are an easy snack with a lot of great nutrients.
- Be sure to eat a nutritious breakfast before a day of shopping. Try to stay away from sugary cereals. Oatmeal is a great option because it can make one less hungry throughout the day and less likely to stop for a treat.
- Do not be influenced by deals if eating at a fast-food restaurant. Diners should not splurge for the large fries, even if it is only 50 cents more, if the smaller serving is their normal choice.
- Keep it simple. Ordering a sandwich or burger without side items like french fries is a much smarter decision.
- Stay away from sauces, which are a source of hidden calories. Also, salad dressing should be ordered on the side to make it easier to control portions.
- Thirst versus hunger. Signals for thirst are similar to those for hunger, but we confuse them. Drink 8 ounces of water and then wait 15 minutes before reassessing hunger. Try carrying a water bottle in the car or while shopping.
- Eating healthy does not mean a higher grocery bill. Most people over-consume, so it seems like they spend more for organic or fresh food. However, eating healthy foods over time will help control appetites, thus reducing shopping lists and expense.
Williams recently received funding from Ronald McDonald House Charities to launch his Fit U (Fit University) program. Fit U is an overall wellness initiative dedicated to changing perceptions and empowering kids through education to make healthy food choices at home, at school and in fast-food restaurants. The program also encourages physical activity through the monthlong MVP pledge: moderation, variety, play.
To read more articles from the Department of Kinesiology in the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, visit info.iu.edu/cat/page/normal/356.html.


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Avendra Canada is certainly no stranger to the hotel community, and vice versa. “The hotel industry is 95 per cent of what we do,” says Herman Schumacher, VP, Strategic Accounts and Field Support at Avendra, whose Canadian operation is the recipient of this year’s Pinnacle Award for Supplier of the Year.
The Rockville, Md.-based company was formed in 2001 through the cooperative efforts of four organizations — Canadian-born Fairmont, Marriott, Hyatt and ClubCorp — who banded together to create a new kind of procurement model. “Despite the fact they were competing with each other, they also understood they were buying products they didn’t compete on, such as light bulbs,” Schumacher says. “So they asked: how could they leverage that buying power for the greater good?”
The collective goal to ensure a strategic lens, which could meet hotel budgets and guest satisfaction requirements, was applied to any procurement decisions. Today, Avendra in North America leverages more than $4 billion of annual purchases while at the same time offering expert advisory services and in-depth purchasing data and analysis. The supply chain it has built is vast and complex, bringing in products from all corners of the globe to service more than 7,000 member properties throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico — 200 of which are located in Canada. With 290 associates throughout North America, including four in Canada, Avendra runs a very lean operation, says Afsar Ali Khan, director, Field Support and Customer Relations for Avendra in Canada. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t manage a complex business model.”
Khan has been the voice and face of Avendra in Canada for the past 15 years and says the company’s growth in this country has been significant — last year saw a 20-per-cent gain over the previous year. This year, growth is tracking in the eight-per-cent range. Membership with Avendra is free, but requires a minimum purchasing commitment per year. “That allows us to go back to the supply community for the best pricing,” Khan explains, adding the company works with both individual properties as well as hotel management companies to manage total portfolios. Customers can select from any or all of Avendra’s programs, which include food-and-beverage, rooms, engineering, administrative, golf and spa.
Carmen Villarin, vice-president, Finance for CK Atlantis, which operates two of its three properties in Canada, says despite the fact her operations are comparatively small, Avendra has allowed her to leverage the buying power of larger companies to compete. “The moment we signed up, our costs went down by about 15 per cent. Now we purchase 80 per cent of products through their suppliers. With all the industry consolidation going on, it’s important that independents like us can survive and compete.”
A more important factor for Villarin, however, is integrity. “Almost every year I get a cheque back if a supplier has charged more than they should. It’s great to have the security that someone is watching out for us.”
The support goes beyond the properties to the suppliers themselves. Avendra has an expansive list of 800 contracts across North America, 170 of which are extendable to Canada. Out of that 170, 90 per cent of Avendra’s spend is with Canadian suppliers, Khan reports. “People want to do business with others in their neighbourhood, so we try to do as much as we can with in-country suppliers.”
Avendra’s inventory list covers almost all sundries a hotel needs — with the exception of the bricks and mortar, IT and alcoholic beverages. Products range from food, china, tableware and uniforms to engineering supplies, service contracts, landscaping, laundry and housekeeping.
The company has built-in flexibility in terms of catering to brands and programs, Khan adds. “We can supply any brand, whatever the tier. Flexibility is important, as all brands want to be something different.”
The real secret to Avendra’s success is the strong relationships it has built with multiple stakeholders within the hotel community, he believes. “We work with many of the functional leaders who oversee different aspects of operations, as well as supplier partners, to set goals and make sure whatever we do aligns with their brand and the marketplace.”
Avendra also prides itself on keeping its end-users up-to-date on new trends and supplier changes, Khan says. “Everyone at a hotel has multiple tasks, so we strive to align with our end-users at a local level and be a trusted advisor in the field. Sometimes we form development teams from different operations to look at suppliers and how they process their products. If a property has a 100-km radius policy, we give our partners a list of what they can source in their area.”
Tony Tamburro, GM, JW Marriott, The Rosseau Muskoka Resort & Spa, has been working with Avendra for the nine years since the resort opened. “When a resort brings on a partner or vendor, that partnership needs to work for both sides. Avendra has the same philosophy we do — we are all about our customers.”
There’s also the bottom line to consider, he adds. “Avendra is literally a one-stop shop that allows us to leverage its purchasing power and pass the savings on to the property. On average I’d say those savings range between seven and 13 per cent. Also, the vendors are pre-screened, so all the liabilities have been taken care of. We don’t need to waste unnecessary time because they do all the checks and balances.”
Avendra’s Canadian operations may be lean, but whenever there is an issue, there is always someone on the ground to help through the centralized customer-support team that covers all time zones, says Khan. “Our customer-care contact, Nora Cornish, is remarkable in understanding customer needs and helping to resolve any potential issues.”
One testament to the company’s success with the Canadian hospitality community is its annual supplier show, which alternates between Toronto and Montreal. According to Khan, the sixth show in Toronto had 134 suppliers and drew 1,000 customers. The first year they had 50 vendors. “We hold this show for decision-makers, whether it’s general managers, purchasing managers, engineers, or executive chefs. Nobody else does that with their suppliers.”
Charity and community support are also an integral part of Avendra’s commitment to local markets and the company runs defined programs and policies and associate-driven causes ranging from medical foundations to disaster-recovery efforts. On Charity Denim days, for example, Avendra associates donate $5 to support a sponsored cause — raising more than $20,000 (in $5 increments/4,000 donations) and supporting 27 charitable organizations in 2015 alone.
Additionally, Avendra encourages each of its departments to spend a half-day doing community service together each year. Associates donate their time cleaning parks, packing lunches for children in need, working in the local food bank or assisting any number of local charities. More than 600 hours of community service were provided by Avendra associates in 2015 alone.
Throughout the year, Avendra associates donate food, school supplies, toys and clothes to local charity groups. The company’s newest initiative is an annual scholarship program through the Canadian Hospitality Foundation (CHF) worth $1,200.
The company is also doing its part to promote sustainability along the supply chain, forming partnerships with customers and suppliers to create opportunities for collaborative, sustainable decision making.
In the meantime, the Canadian operation continues to grow its customer base. “We’re continuing to see new customers interested in joining the program,” Schumacher says. “The ball keeps rolling — and it is getting bigger as we speak.”
Volume 28, Number 8
Written by Denise Deveau


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Designed to disturb just a tiny fraction of the air around it, the Acabion DaVinci was designed to be the world's most aerodynamic car. Its maker, Peter Acabion, believes his concept has what it takes to be a new-age super car in the spirit of the Volkswagen XL-1 and LaFerrari Hybrid - but even those slippery road missiles produce nearly 10x the aerodynamic drag of the Acabion … [Read more...] about Acabion DaVinci is World’s Most Aerodynamic Car
It’s already been established the celebrities are big fans of the Tesla Model S and Elon Musk, with stars like Cameron Diaz and Seth Green getting their own electric luxury sedans. One particular sect of pop culture seems especially infatuated with Tesla though, specifically hip-hop and rap artists. Grist put together a look at recent rap songs by well-known and established a … [Read more...] about Hip-Hop Icons Love The Tesla Model S
Say you’re like me, an aspiring member of Generation Y who sees Tesla as much more than a car company. It’s a beacon of hope for a greener, better future, and the return of the can-do American spirit. Oh, electric cars aren’t viable? Tell that to Elon Musk. The man has helped revolutionize the way the auto industry sees EVs, and I want to do my part by throwing my hard-earned mo … [Read more...] about Five Steps To Save Money For The Tesla Model III
Elon Musk has bet his fortune on the future electric cars, and he knows that Tesla has to stay on the forefront of battery technology. One of the most promises advancements in battery tech is graphene-based anodes, which have been proven to more than quadruple lithium-ion battery density. A report from China’s Xinhua news agency claims that Tesla is working on a new graphene … [Read more...] about Tesla Developing 500-mile Graphene Battery?
While about half of new cars sold in Europe come with a shift-for-yourself manual transmission, the take rate in America is much, much lower. It is estimated that less than 10% of new car sales in America came with a manual transmission, and the Ford Fusion was one of the last midsized sedans to still offer the option. I say “was”, because for the new 2015 Ford Fusion, the Bl … [Read more...] about 2015 Ford Fusion Drops Manual Transmission
Farm tractors and other off-road vehicles are a major source of pollution, and getting them switched to cleaner power sources would help protect our food sources. The lightweight KULAN electric tractor was created by Germany’s POLY-LAB, and despite weighing just about 300 kg, or about 660 pounds, the largely-plastic tractor can haul one metric ton, or over 2,200 p … [Read more...] about Harvest Crops With The Lightweight KULAN Electric Tractor
Tesla Motors' CEO Elon Musk has built a car that, as a machine, is the equal (or better) of anything else on the market. Now, however, Musk has decided that the best car money can buy should also carry the best warranty, and has announced a new, 8 year, infinite mile warranty. 8 years, and all the miles you can drive, free of worry, hassle, or unexpected repair bills. Even I … [Read more...] about Elon Musk Announces 8 Year, Unlimited Mile Warranty
BYD, China's largest maker of electric commercial vehicles, has recently introduced an new all electric box truck called the T5. And though it has a range of 400 kilometers/250 miles per charge, it has a top speed of 50 kph, or about 31 MPH, making it ideal for delivery duty in China's congested cities, but not much else. The T5 will face stiff competition in the market … [Read more...] about BYD Introduces T5 Electric Truck For Chinese Market
Are you clueless about what a fuel cell is and how it makes electricity? You're not alone. Fortunately, Hyundai has created an infographic to help ordinary clods like me understand what's going on under the hood of a fuel cell vehicle. Honda, Toyota and Hyundai all believe strongly that the fuel cell vehicle (FCV) is the future of transportation. If they're right, you will … [Read more...] about Infographic: How Does a Hydrogen Fuel Cell Work?
Ford has stolen the headlines in the truck world lately by announcing its 2015 pickup trucks will be significantly lighter, thanks to the extensive use of aluminum. A new SuperCab is said to tip the scales at around 4900 lbs, which means a standard cab truck should weigh in around 4500 lbs. There is some controversy over whether the new truck should be weighed with the 5.0 … [Read more...] about 2015 Ford F-150 Materials Infographic


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It’s OK to buy a Porsche again
With the economy emerging from recession, luxury car buyers are feeling more comfortable about splurging on a new model.
Luxury car buyers are giving themselves "permission to buy" a new car again after abstaining during the recession, says the boss of Porsche Australia.
Porsche Australia managing director Michael Winkler says luxury buyers had put off new car purchases during the recession because they didn't want to been seen spending money while they were retrenching staff or asking them to tighten their belts.
"They still had the means to buy a new car, but they were holding on to their existing car for an extra six or nine months," he says.
Porsche sales dipped by more than 20 per cent last year and Winkler attributes the drop - which was more severe than the rest of the industry - to the "psychology" of buying a luxury item.
"Because you've got a product that's more of a reward and not a necessity you are much more exposed to a change in psychology rather than a change in circumstance," he says.
But despite growing optimism about the state of the economy, Winkler is cautious about predicting an increase in sales for the German brand, despite the arrival of an all-new 911 Turbo model this week.
He says finance for big ticket purchases is much tighter than it was before the global financial crisis, which is turning some buyers off.
"It's a customer relations issue for us. For the salesman it's very difficult to divorce the sale from the financing process," he says.
"Two-thirds of the people who finance don't really have to finance, they finance because they've got better things to do with their capital. They want to make a purchase but if someone gives them a hard time about it, they can just extend the middle finger and walk away from it," he says.
"In the end it has nothing to do with a desire to have the product, it's all this other stuff clouding the issue," he says.
As a result, Porsche is predicting sales of just 80 Turbos this year, despite already holding 30 advance orders for the car.
Prices for the new Turbo Coupe start from $360,100, while the Cabriolet starts from $386,200, plus on-road costs.
The new model debuts the first all-new engine in the Turbo's 35-year history. The old 3.6-litre flat six-cylinder has been replaced by a 3.8-litre with more efficient direct injection.
Apart from the increase in engine size, the Turbo also gets revised twin-turbochargers, an improved intercooler and a different exhaust system.
The result is a modest 15kW increase in power to 368kW and a 30Nm increase in torque to 650Nm. An overboost function liberates an extra 50Nm during short acceleration bursts.
More impressive are the fuel economy gains, which have improved in line with the rest of the 911 range. Consumption is a claimed 11.4 litres per 100km for the auto and 11.6L/100km for the manual, which is about 16 per cent better than the previous model. The latest 911 Turbo is also 25kg lighter than its predecessor.
The traditional automatic transmission has been replaced by Porsche's new twin-clutch PDK auto, which shifts more quickly than a manual in even the best trained human hand.
The optional PDK transmission is also faster than the manual, yielding a 0-100km/h of just 3.6 seconds (3.4 seconds when fitted with the optional launch control system and sports chrono pack, which has a more aggressive gearshift strategy).
That's one-tenth quicker than the manual and the quickest time ever claimed for a Porsche 911. The 0-200km/h time has been trimmed to 11.3 seconds.
The new 911 Turbo also gets Porsche's optional Torque Vectoring system, which works in conjunction with the car's limited-slip rear differential to improve drive and balance out of corners. The system brakes the inner rear wheel and sends more torque to the outer wheel to help pull the car out of the corner with maximum traction.
The Porsche 911 Turbo will be followed by a more powerful and expensive Turbo S model in August 2010. The Turbo S has 390kW of power and starts from $423,300.
Porsche expects the coupe to make up the bulk of Turbo sales. Only one in 10 pre-orders has been for the cabriolet.
The company also expects 95 per cent of Turbo orders to be for the dual-clutch auto, but Winkler says the German car maker won't follow the lead of Ferrari, which has done away with the manual gearbox on its latest model, the 458 Italia.
"The PDK is faster and more economical than the manual now, but Porsche buyers still want that involvement of changing gears and heel and toeing," he says.
Porsche 911 Turbo coupe
Price: From $360,100
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo horizontally opposed 6-cylinder
Transmission: 6-speed manual or 7-speed dual-clutch auto
Power: 368kW at 6000rpm
Torque: 650Nm at 1950-5000rpm (700Nm at 2100-4000rpm with optional overboost)
Fuel consumption: 11.6L/100km (11.4 auto)
Emissions: 272g/km (268g/km auto)
0-100km/h: 3.7sec (3.6 auto); 3.5 and 3.4sec with optional launch control


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Britain braced for 1m jobless
A POTENTIALLY lethal cocktail of rising unemployment, runaway consumer spending and growing inflation will be served up in official figures this week. The jobless total could breach the million mark once more, while inflation in August seems certain to be running above the Government's 2.5% target for the first time in two and a half years.
Meanwhile, the huge consumer boom is likely to push the rise in retail sales to six% in the 12 months to July, driven largely by ballooning personal debt. But down in the economy's engine-room, jobs are being shed at an accelerating rate as manufacturing industry is squeezed between shrinking export demand and the strength of sterling.
Ten of 25 economic forecasters drawn from City banks, brokerages, academia and private consultancies expect unemployment to average more than one million this year, according to the research company Consensus Forecasts.
Given that the jobless total dipped below a million in February, that means they expect an imminent return to seven-figure dole queues. Further ahead, 16 out of the same 25 forecasters expect unemployment to average one million-plus in 2002. Figures on Thursday for engineering turnover and orders are likely to highlight industry's weakness.
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Income for Ocado’s retail enterprise grew by 19.8% within the first half of 2021, in contrast with the equal interval in 2020. Within the 26 weeks ending Could 2021, the corporate’s retail income hit £1.2bn, a rise from £1.02bn a yr earlier.
Tim Steiner, CEO at Ocado Group, mentioned: “As we head in the direction of a post-Covid-19 future, it’s more and more clear that the panorama for grocery worldwide has modified, for good.”
Buyer behaviour was already shifting on-line earlier than the pandemic – it’s anticipated that greater than half of shoppers will store for meals on-line by 2021 – however the coronavirus pandemic more and more pressured individuals on-line as lockdown restrictions prevented them from finishing up day-to-day duties elsewhere.
For some, together with Ocado, offering clients with a web-based service throughout a time when individuals had been pressured to remain at dwelling proved useful for enterprise.
When the UK went into its first lockdown in March 2020, Ocado noticed such an enormous spike in orders that it was pressured to tug its web site, and selected to spice up its expertise workforce by 300 within the first half of 2020 to deal with elevated demand.
As lockdowns continued into late 2020, Ocado noticed a rise in weekly on-line orders as extra individuals selected to buy on-line.
The latter half of final yr additionally noticed M&S and Ocado enter the primary week of their on-line supply partnership, permitting clients to order M&S meals via the Ocado platform as a part of a £750m deal.
However as restrictions start to ease, Ocado mentioned there was a slight drop in basket sizes within the second quarter of 2021, which it attributes to fewer meals being eaten at dwelling as issues slowly return to regular.
Because of this drop in basket sizes within the second quarter, with the variety of gadgets offered in a single buy shifting “towards pre-Covid-19 ranges”, the retailer mentioned basket sizes on the finish of the 26-week interval to 30 Could had been 10% decrease than the typical basket measurement throughout the primary half of 2021.
There’s at the moment lots of debate surrounding whether or not client behaviour shifts ensuing from the pandemic will return to “regular” or whether or not an elevated degree of on-line buying will proceed.
Ocado has gone all-in on guaranteeing elevated capability for supply throughout the UK to organize for sturdy demand for on-line grocery buying from clients who’re “now socialised” into digital buying habits because of the pandemic.
This contains making its fulfilment centres extra environment friendly, partly via introducing extra dependable bots, equivalent to its 500 Sequence bot, which is now in operation at its Bristol fulfilment centre, and the event of extra fulfilment centres within the UK within the close to future.
On the expertise facet of the enterprise, Ocado has continued to signal companions for its Ocado Good Platform, which allows its companions to make use of a mixture of Ocado’s software program and bodily fulfilment centres to supply on-line grocery companies.
The corporate has all the time had a repute for placing expertise on the forefront of its selections, and has spent the previous 5 years researching the event of robotic expertise. Earlier this yr, it made a £10m funding in Oxbotica, an autonomous car developer.


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Young said the anti-malware technology and Sourcefire's newest generation of products designed to prevent intrusion into computer systems will break new ground for Cisco. And where the companies' products overlap, the customer bases are largely different, he said.
Cisco — with revenues of $46 billion in its last fiscal year, compared with Sourcefire's $223 million — does a lot more than cybersecurity. It sells routers, wi-fi technology, networking services and videoconferencing products, to name a few.
But the Sourcefire acquisition speaks to Cisco's decision to make security its top priority, Young said. It's a field with ever-increasing threats.
"When this is described as a war, it's not an overexaggeration," he said. "The inability for companies, for service providers and governments to defend against this type of attack can have disastrous consequences."
That's made cybersecurity a fertile sector for Sourcefire.
The company's revenue jumped 35 percent last year. Profit was down 19 percent, to $5 million, but only because the firm plowed $8.4 million more into research and development than it did the year before.
Sourcefire's stock price, meanwhile, was hovering around a record high of $60 a share before the Tuesday offer. The deal pushed values up to $75.49 a share at the close of trading.
But a few years ago, things weren't going so well. Sourcefire lost $5.6 million in 2007, its first year as a public company.
When anti-spam firm Barracuda Networks first offered $186 million and then $206 million to buy the company in 2008, the per-share price worked out to less than the $15 investors paid in the initial public offering. Sourcefire rejected both bids.
The company did like an earlier suitor. It accepted a $225 million offer from Israeli-based Check Point Software Technologies in 2005. But concerns about foreign ownership of a company providing cybersecurity to federal intelligence agencies scuttled the deal the next year.
By waiting seven years, Sourcefire ended up with an offer 12 times larger.
Ho, the William Blair analyst, noted that the deal comes about two weeks after McAfee closed on its $389 million acquisition of firewall firm Stonesoft and a month after a private equity firm paid $1 billion for cybersecurity firm Websense.
"The theme is, the larger companies have difficulty innovating," he said. "They rely on the smaller, newer companies to come up with ideas, and then they acquire them."
Baltimore Sun reporter Steve Kilar contributed to this article.
Sourcefire over the years
1998: Martin Roesch makes a program called Snort, which "sniffs out" network hackers and viruses, available for free online.
2001: Roesch founds Sourcefire in his Carroll County living room in order to produce a commercial version of Snort.
October 2005: Check Point Software Technologies Ltd., an Israeli company, announces plans to acquire Sourcefire for $225 million.
March 2006: Check Point abandons the acquisition after a federal panel begins investigating the deal. Federal officials opposed the acquisition, fearing it could result in the exposure of the government's network practices.
October 2006: Sourcefire applies to list its common stock on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol FIRE.
March 2007: Sourcefire's stock debuts and closes at $15.49, up 3.2 percent over the IPO price.
February 2008: CEO E. Wayne Jackson III announced his departure from the company after fourth-quarter profit dropped 59 percent.
June 2008: Barracuda Networks Inc. offers to buy Sourcefire for $206 million. Sourcefire rebuffs the bid.
July 2013: Cisco announces it is acquiring Sourcefire for $2.7 billion.
Source: Baltimore Sun archives


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The government of Nova Scotia, Canada, introduced legislation on September 26 that would ban single-use plastic checkout bags in a year. The legislation will also allow government to regulate other single-use plastic items in the future.
If passed, industry will have a year to prepare for the legislation. Retailers will still be allowed to use single-use plastic bags for live fish and bulk items. There also will be exemptions for food banks and charities. The legislation won’t require retailers to charge for alternatives to plastic bags.
“Nova Scotians are already leaders in protecting the environment, and they want us to do more,” said Gordon Wilson, minister of environment, in a statement. “We agree it’s time to move forward. This ban will help keep plastic out of our landfills, our waterways and our environment.”
Nova Scotians sent an average of 423 kilograms of waste per capita to landfills in 2017-18. That’s almost half the waste Canadians dispose of, on average. In addition, the province has set one of the most ambitious targets in the country for reducing greenhouse gas emissions: 45 to 50 percent below 2005 levels by 2030.


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Anna von Hausswolff shares the track ‘The Mysterious Vanishing of Electra’ in anticipation of the release of her live album!
Hardcore punk super collective Dead End America announce the release of their EP ‘Crush The Machine’ with a short teaser!
SECT just dropped a full album out of nowhere.
Japanese blackened hardcore outfit Friendship is about to get their “Undercurrent” album issued by Southern Lord!
SUNN O))) announces the special release of ‘Life Metal’ for the upcoming Records Store Day!
Hardcore punk icons Vitamin X are about to start touring the USA and Mexico in support of their latest release!
A Storm of light releases Prime Time of the new album Athroscene.
Martyrdöd hit another homerun with their follow-up to 2016’s ‘List’: ‘Hexhammaren’
RPR Gent BE 0713 477 362
Asgaard specific: eb.dr1701184443aagsa1701184443-hj@o1701184443fni1701184443


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Seven Essential Guiding Principles to Boost Financial Inclusion Laid Out in New Report
Wednesday, April 6, 2016
Seven guiding principles to help countries increase financial inclusion were set out in a report released today by the Committee on Payments and Market Infrastructures (CPMI) and the World Bank Group. The Payment aspects of financial inclusion report builds on a document that underwent public consultation in late 2015 and seeks to tackle barriers to the adoption and usage of transaction accounts, which sit at the heart of retail payment services.
A transaction account is an essential financial service that can serve as a gateway to other financial services such as savings, credit and insurance. However, nearly 40% of the world’s adult population – about 2 billion people – still have no account with a bank or authorised non-bank servicer provider.
In addition to outlining principles to help countries advance financial inclusion, the report suggests possible key actions, including providing basic accounts at little or no cost, stepping up efforts to increase financial literacy, and leveraging large-volume payment programmes, such as government payments, by adopting electronic payment services. Financial inclusion efforts are beneficial not only for those who will become financially included, but also for the national payments infrastructure and, ultimately, the economy.
The seven guiding principles are: (i) commitment from public and private sector organisations; (ii) a robust legal and regulatory framework underpinning financial inclusion; (iii) safe, efficient and widely reachable financial and ICT infrastructures; (iv) transaction accounts and payment product offerings that effectively meet a broad range of transaction needs; (v) availability of a broad network of access points and interoperable access channels; (vi) effective awareness and financial literacy efforts; and (vii) the leveraging of large-volume and recurrent payment streams, including remittances, to advance financial inclusion objectives.
The CPMI and the World Bank Group believe that the guidance developed in this report will be essential to helping central banks and other stakeholders achieve effective financial access and broader financial inclusion. Given that safe, efficient and accessible retail payment systems and services are critical for greater financial inclusion, the report will be instrumental in supporting the goal of achieving Universal Financial Access by 2020.
Source: Press Release (link opens in a new window)


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Import slump catches up with US east coast ports as nationwide volumes edge close to 2019 levels
For the first time since July 2020, the ports of Savannah, Virginia and Charleston have all reported year-on-year declines in imports
Key east and US Gulf coast ports have sustained growth, while US imports increasingly declined in the second half of the year. November’s data suggests that their import volumes are aligning with the broader trend in the US, where total imports in November have fallen within 2.8% of 2019 levels, according to a report by Descartes
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just For Subscribers - The week in drinks
The most popular items among just-drinks' subscribers this week
Here are the ten most viewed, subscriber-only items on just-drinks this week:
The Coca-Cola Co has “stubbed its toe” in China's bottled water market and lost ground to PepsiCo so far this year, an analyst has warned.
Many epidemiologic studies have shown a slight increase in the risk of breast cancer and colorectal cancer to be associated with alcohol consumption.
AG Barr announced its half-year results yesterday (23 September), revealing that profits had taken a dent from its failed merger with Britvic. Sales, however, were up by 5.8%.
The head of Gerber Emig has argued that Suntory Food & Beverage's arrival is “a good thing” for the UK soft drinks industry.
When it comes to being the CEO of a company, knowing where the stapler is kept - and how to order replacement staples - is way more important than the sweeping, quotable gesture.
Once a month, the International Center for Alcohol Policies (ICAP), which covers alcohol policies worldwide, will look at what's going on in-market to promote a responsible role for alcohol in society.
Treasury Wine Estates has reiterated its commitment to the wine market in the US, despite today's departure of its CEO due to the company's stock writedown in the country.
Stock Spirits will use its recently-announced initial public offering (IPO) to target acquisitions in new Central and Eastern European markets, the company's CEO has told just-drinks.
The results of a consultation document regarding verifying the geographical origin and production and aging processes for Scotch whisky will be published in the coming weeks. But, asks, Ian Buxton, is such a procedure necessary? And, what does the industry think?
Today (26 September) is Arthur's Day, an annual celebration of the founder of Diageo's Irish stout brand, Guinness.
For further details on how to subscribe to just-drinks, click here.
- Whisk(e)y leads vodka in US, but for how long?
- Scottish Independence and Scotch Whisky
- Wine in the UK: Tell Us Something We Don't Know
- Sustainability in Spirits - Part I
- Will Craft Brewers be Tempted by Private Equity?
- LIVE BLOG: Industry responds to Scotland 'No' vote
- Diageo settles Explorers Club trademark dispute
- A-B InBev shakes up Euro units, UK head steps down
- Diageo unveils sixth Johnnie Walker House in Asia
- Bacardi lifts curtain on Bombay Sapphire distiller


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STMicroelecronics (STM) - Get STMicroelectronics NV Report , a supplier of semiconductors to major tech players such as Apple (AAPL) - Get Apple Inc. Report , Cisco Systems (CSCO) - Get Cisco Systems, Inc. Report , and Samsung Electronics (SSNLF) wants to be "more present" in flagship smartphones, CEO Carlo Bozotti said.
While the outlook for the smartphone market is not as straightforward as the automotive market, from which the company expects to reap benefits "for several years," Bozotti told TheStreet he wants to grab the opportunities that lie in an area where giants such as Apple, Samsung, and China's Huawei compete, but where smaller players are also gaining presence.
"The [smartphone] market may be a little bit volatile but it is huge volume," Bozotti said, adding that he wants to gain more market share there. "The volume is so important, we want to be more present particularly in flagship models... We want more ST [STMicroelectronics] content in flagship phones, this is our objective."
Flagship models might include Apple's iPhone 7, Samsung's Galaxy S7, and Huawei's P9, although the company did not specify any particular brand.
Bozotti's comments come after the Geneva, Switzerland-based company said it expects fourth-quarter revenue to advance by a greater-than-expected 3.2% quarter on quarter, because of smartphone, automotive and industrial growth. The company's growth estimate compares with the 0.6% estimated by a consensus of 27 analysts compiled by FactSet.
The company reported third-quarter results before the markets opened on Thursday.
STMicroelecronics shares jumped nearly 10% in Paris. The stock has advanced nearly 30% in the past 12 months.
For the third quarter, the company booked net profit of $71 million on revenue of $1.8 billion, which compares with $90 million and $1.76 billion, respectively, in the same period a year earlier.
STMicroelectronics manufactures products that surround the digital core of smartphones such as those related to sensors, wireless charging, near-field communications, securities, secure elements and embedded elements. Bozotti says he especially sees strong demand in sensor products.
The global smartphone market is estimated to expand by 5.7% year-on-year to reach 1.5 billion units in 2016, and to advance by a compound annual growth rate of 6% to reach 1.92 billion units in 2020, according to IDC Research.
"The wave of new products is unprecedented for us," Bozotti said.
Bozotti sees growth from the automotive sector, which is adopting a higher number of semiconductors as cars become increasingly electronized, "for several years."
"[Demand from] automotives, yes it will continue for a long time," Bozotti said. "It is not the volume of cars that is modelling the growth, but certainly the increase of semiconductors per customer."
Bozotti said that while large customers are important, he wants to continue diversifying the company's client base and take in smaller clients. STMicroelectronics has 40,000 customers for its microcontrollers.
The company is spending between $1.3 billion to $1.4 billion per year on R&D.
Bozotti said that while he does not exclude the potential for M&A, it is not a priority and nothing is currently on the table. The company, which had $464 million in net cash at the end of the third quarter, is equipped for acquisitions, he noted.
Earlier today, Qualcomm (QCOM) - Get Qualcomm Inc Report said it finalized a $47 billion deal to buy Dutch rival NXP Semiconductors (NXP) - Get Nuveen Select Tax-Free Income Portfolio Report the world's largest automotive chipmaker by market share. San Diego-based Qualcomm said the purchase will give it a lead in high-performance, mid-signal semiconductors and expand its automotive, security and "Internet of Things" ranges.
Bozotti said he placed more importance on organic growth than M&A.
"Anything we would do in M&A would not be to do more, but to do better," Bozotti said. "To reinforce any of these six [existing business] lines but certainly not to have more lines. Of course, the geography would be an important consideration. The focus would be on to reinforce what we have and possibly complementary in terms of geography coverage."
Bozotti declined to expand on which business areas he wants to improve on or where he wants to increase his footprint. The company currently generates roughly an equal portion of revenue, just above 30%, from the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and Asia Pacific regions.
In July, STMicroelectornics acquired the near-field and radio-frequency identification business of Austrian chipmaker AMS for $114 million.
(Cisco Systems, NXP, Apple are held in Jim Cramer's charitable trust Action Alerts PLUS. See all of his holdings here.)


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Rates cut a boost for local business
WARWICK Chamber of Commerce president David Littleproud said the 25 basis point interest rate cut by the Reserve Bank would go a long way to help Rose City businesses.
The cut, announced on Tuesday, took the cash rate to a record low of 2.75%.
Mr Littleproud said it would do wonders for the Warwick community.
"Obviously we welcome the cut made by the Reserve Bank," he said.
"Business is still tight and people are saving and mindful of spending.
"It will stimulate the economy in the community, get businesses up and going and consumers able to spend.
"This cut is great for the local economy."
All the big four banks passed on the interest rate cut in full.
Mr Littleproud said the economic situation would become more stable after the federal election.
"We will have a clear mandate on where we sit," he said.
"There will be a positive situation later in the year."
What do you think? How will the interest rate cut benefit you? Leave us a comment below.


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“Eat Local” has become the mantra of a new generation of food activists. Implicit in the locavore agenda is the belief that it combines healthy eating and a high standard of environmental stewardship while delivering important economic benefits and increasing food security within local economies.
In a newly published book titled The Locavore’s Dilemma, geographer Pierre Desrochers and his wife, Hiroko Shimizu, offer the first book to seriously question the locavore perspective. Desrochers concludes that “eating local” would only deliver increased social and economic misery, environmental degradation, greater food insecurity, and poorer nutrition.
Gary Blumenthal, president of World Perspectives, Inc., a firm specializing in international agricultural commodities marketing, and supply, will provide a critical discussion of Desrochers and Shimizu’s challenging assessment of the environmental costs of “eating local.”


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Sony ST21i Tapioca specs confirmed via benchmark
Someone out there has a Sony ST21i (codenamed Tapioca) in his or her possession, and thankfully has decided to run a benchmark on the yet-unannounced device. The ST21i Tapioca‘s existence was first uncovered last week, when the upcoming smartphone was also the star of a quick photo shoot. Back then, we also got word of some rumored specs for the Tapioca: an 800 MHz processor, 512 MB of RAM, a 3.2-inch 320×480 touchscreen, and a 3 MP camera. It was supposedly going to launch running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.
Because the NenaMark benchmark publishes its results online, we now know that most of those specs have been confirmed. While the benchmark doesn’t reveal everything about the ST21i, the processor speed, touchscreen resolution, and Android version have been confirmed. The processor has also been revealed to be made by Qualcomm, with an Adreno 200 GPU.
The Tapioca looks like it will be the lowest-end smartphone in Sony’s portfolio for the remainder of this year, and as such it should be pretty cheap in order to sell well. Don’t forget that Tapioca is just a codename – the device will almost certainly end up being named either Xperia + a letter (like the Xperia S, Xperia U, and Xperia P), or Xperia + a different brand (such as the Xperia Sola, Xperia Arc, and so on). We’ll see.


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It’s 2018, and consumers are pushing fast food brands to make bigger commitments to environmental consciousness and the future of food. Sustainable seafood is one area that needs some work across the board, but when it comes to who’s approaching it the best way, McDonald’s is the clear industry leader.
Photo: Peter Pham
McDonald’s has actually had a Sustainable Fishes Program in place since 2001. They’ve been working to utilize it to “restore depleted fish stocks, improve fishery management and conserve marine environments,” according to their website. It’s been more recently, though, that major steps have been taken to turn McDonald’s into the fast food industry standard for seafood sustainablility.
Since 2013, the Golden Arches have been working with the Marine Stewardship Council to reduce the environmental impact involved in making their seafood products, like the Filet-o-Fish. The MSC is the second-largest source of certified sustainable wild catch, according to the UN.
A McDonald’s press release claims that all of the Alaskan pollock used in Filet-o-Fishes sold in the US come from the world’s largest MSC approved fishery. That facility produces just one percent of bycatch and has a zero waste program where all of the other fish parts are converted into other products (unrelated to McDonald’s foods).
From a global standpoint, all of the fish used in McDonald’s signature sandwich comes from sustainable fisheries, making it a world leader when it comes to fast food seafood environmental awareness. The company hopes to have that true for all of their seafood products by 2020.
Today we celebrate our commitment to protecting oceans w/ @MSCecolabel, we created “Reel It In”, the sustainable fishing game that’s fun for the whole fam! Download now: https://t.co/U9XAzAdJeU pic.twitter.com/5oXVIYJvDw
— McDonald’s (@McDonalds) June 7, 2018
Most recently, the fast food titan is extending their efforts to educating children about the importance of sustainable seafood. They just launched a downloadable card game called “Reel It In!” that attempts to teach kids to think more consciously about fishing. The game is similar to Go Fish, but everyone loses if people “fish,” or ask for another card, too many times.
The fact that one of the world’s largest quick-service brands is making this effort helps tremendously in efforts to protect marine habitats. Currently, 35 percent of fish harvested are lost or wasted along the supply chain, and 85% of the world’s fisheries have either been overfished or fully exploited, the World Wildlife Fund reports. Having a business with the global economic power of McDonald’s should help reduce those numbers in both the short term and long run.
Hopefully, other major quick-service chains will recognize that they can have a similar impact and commit to programs akin to McDonald’s. It would be monumental in bettering the future of food. At least from a seafood standpoint, that is.


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If you notice the person in front of you packing heat while you're waiting in line for iced coffee, it's because Friday was "Starbucks appreciation day," as organized by a gun advocacy group on Facebook.
See also: How You Get Hacked at Starbucks
"These events are not endorsed by Starbucks," Starbucks spokesman Zack Hutson told Mashable. "Our stores are gathering places for the communities we serve and we respect the diversity of our customers."
The managers of the Gun Owners Facebook page have not yet responded to our request for comment.
On Facebook, the event's description reads:
Starbucks is allowing us to lawfully carry firearms in their store. Recently, they have been the target of unjust attacks from certain groups that do not support our right to bear arms. We will thank starbucks for standing up for our right to bear arms by going there on Friday, August 9th.
We ask that if you choose to carry a firearm during this event that you follow all local, state, and national laws; and if you choose not to carry that you wear pro-gun rights apparel.
The following illustrations also accompanied the Facebook post:
Starbucks is no stranger to the ongoing controversy over guns in America. Gun owners started using Starbucks as a gathering place in 2010, and advocates on both sides of the debate attempted to use the company as a battleground for their respective causes.
"As the public debate continues, we are asking all interested parties to refrain from putting Starbucks or our partners into the middle of this divisive issue," reads a Starbucks press release from March 2010.
Hutson said Starbucks maintains a policy of allowing customers to openly carry firearms in states where the law permits. Six states and the District of Columbia have prohibitory laws, according to OpenCarry.org. The site lists California as a "rural open carry state," which means open carry is allowed in areas that fall below a certain population density.
The spokesman for the Seattle-based chain also said he does not expect the event will deter customers.
"While in our stores we expect all customers to be respectful of other customers as well as our employees," Hutson said. Those who don't comply with the company's "non-solicitation policy" will be asked to leave.
Images: JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images, Facebook


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In this era of ongoing supply chain instability, rising inflation, and surging fuel costs, companies have enough financial challenges without wasting money advertising products that may end up being in short supply.
Although published in November 2020, a Harvard Business Review (HBR) article authored by several Bain & Company analysts described then what continues to be true now.
Here are a few snippets from “Predicting Consumer Demand in an Unpredictable World” that might sound familiar to businesses and marketers currently trying to figure out how to best invest their resources:
“Covid-19 has shattered the demand forecasts that guide retailers and suppliers of consumer goods and services in figuring out how much to order or manufacture, where to stock inventory, and how much to advertise or discount.”
“Compounding these challenges, when forecasts break down, as they have during the coronavirus, managers tend to revert to their gut instincts. This makes forecast accuracy worse by further confusing noisy data with bias.”
“One common form that we see in our demand-planning work among consumer packaged goods companies consists of trying to please retailers by ensuring an ample supply of items, regardless of whether those items are expected to have strong sales. Field reps don’t want to walk into a store and hear complaints about stock-outs, which cost sales today and damage relationships and thus market share tomorrow.”
The uncertainty captured in those words penned nearly two years ago still rings true today—which is why Omnicom’s recent announcement about its new supply chain tool that connects media spend with inventory has been generating some buzz.
The Supply Chain IQ Score
On May 18th, Omnicom Media Group (OMG), the media services division of Omnicom Group Inc., announced the launch of the Supply Chain IQ Score, “the industry’s first supply-chain based media activation tool,” in a partnership with Crisp, an “open retail data platform.”
Citing a recent White House economic report, OMG underscored the fact that “the supply chain crisis that erupted during the Covid crisis is not fading away as the pandemic subsides.”
As a result, inventory challenges have become “the new normal,” and “marketers need the ability to quickly adjust their media spend to product availability without negatively impacting performance,” according to the statement.
OMG described the new tool like this: “Powered by Crisp, which pipes normalized data from more than 80% of the top U.S. retailers and distributors including Target, Amazon, UNFI and CVS into the Omni open marketing orchestration platform that supports all Omnicom agencies, OMG’s Supply Chain IQ Score gives media planners day-to-day visibility into SKU inventory data at the physical store, digital shelf, and inventory-in-transit levels, enabling media investment to be shifted away from low inventory products in real time.”
Noting that historically, inventory reporting lags behind ad spend, OMG says using the Supply Chain IQ Score helps change the equation so marketing budgets aren’t wasted on products that may be low on inventory or not even in stock.
As soon as an “inventory issue” is apparent, “planners can leverage two years of sell-through and distribution data from Crisp to quickly find an SKU in the brand portfolio that has high repeat purchase behavior, healthy inventory, and strong market basket correlation to the low inventory item,” OMG said. “Working within Omni, the team can determine how much spend needs to be redeployed to the alternate SKU to meet performance targets, and execute the new buy.”
“The Supply Chain IQ Score gives brands the power to quickly, strategically and effectively move media investment at the speed of sales,” Marc Rossen, SVP Investment and Activation Analytics for OMG North America said in the statement. “It flips the historic response to supply chain disruption from ‘pull the spend back ‘to ‘push the spend toward’ – increasing media ROI and helping our clients meet performance goals despite supply constraints.”
Also quoted in the announcement, Crisp founder and CEO Are Traashdahl underscored the value of such data: “You can have the best insights, the most engaging content, and a big media budget – but at the end of the day, you can’t sell what’s not on the shelf. Leveraging the combined force of Crisp’s data-delivery technology and Omni’s marketing orchestration capabilities, the Supply Chain IQ Score enables unprecedented alignment of product inventory and media investment, assuring that marketing dollars are sending consumers to what IS on the shelf.”
In addition to managing low inventory, OMG Managing Director, Commerce, John Schorr, said the Supply Chain IQ Score will also be applied for other purposes, including:
“Geotargeting ad delivery according to actual on-shelf inventory”
“Measuring sales-lift in real-time”
“Local store campaigns”
“Supporting new-product launches”
“Aligning promotion to product freshness windows to reduce spoilage and waste”
Schorr summarized the long-term impact like this: “The Supply Chain IQ exemplifies a future where media will be a true catalyst for consumer demand, influencing e-sales operations and supply chain distribution as we connect product availability to marketing resulting in a better consumer experience.”
Omnicom’s Expanding Footprint
In addition to the launch of its Supply Chain IQ Score, OMG recently announced a series of new partnerships at this year’s Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.
On June 20th, a new “strategic agency partnership” was announced between OMG and Walmart Connect, which was described as “the first such agreement between Walmart Connect and an agency holding company.”
Making the announcement at Cannes Lions 2022, Walmart Executive Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer Seth Dallaire said, “As marketers prepare for the deprecation of third-party cookies, we’re building a platform and ecosystem that leverages the scale of Walmart’s first-party data and strong customer relationships to help them deliver strong ROI in an increasingly fragmented environment. Our partnership with Omnicom illustrates Walmart Connect’s focus on driving growth, improving product capabilities and educating the industry on the role retail media platforms have in delivering measurable solutions that connect clients with omnichannel shoppers.”
On June 21st, OMG announced “a comprehensive strategic partnership with Instacart that will deliver a wide range of benefits to Omnicom clients, most significantly in providing new measurement capabilities.”
In addition to describing other details of the new partnership, the statement said that “Most notably, Instacart is building a roadmap to work within the clean room infrastructure of Omni – Omnicom’s open operating system which orchestrates better outcomes for clients across the entire consumer purchasing journey – building on previously announced partnerships with NBC & Disney for planning and measurement in the Omni clean rooms.”
And on June 23rd, OMG announced a new collaboration with Kroger Precision Marketing (KPM) to “reduce media waste,” and “enhance the customer experience.”
“The agreement will launch with Kroger Precision Marketing feeding its SKU-level store inventory data to Omni…,” according to the statement. “This daily data will add a critical capability to Omnicom’s Supply Chain IQ Score which helps brands to quickly and effectively re-direct media spend to deliver on business KPIs in a supply-strained environment.”
“This partnership with KPM will provide product availability data across Kroger’s 2700 stores in 35 states, as well as fulfillment rates from ecommerce orders and market basket insights around SKUs purchased together and substituted–not currently available through any other third-party platform,” the statement said. “Planners can now optimize in-market retail media, utilizing shopper behavior data to shift spend based on product availability; and still have the flexibility to optimize media, while maintaining national consumer demand.”
In the following Beet.TV interview from Cannes Lions 2022, Megan Pagliuca, chief activation officer at Omnicom Media Group, describes the partnerships with Instacart, Kroger, and Walmart—as well as how OMG is working with Amazon—on retail media.


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Coffee lovers, rejoice! If you're ready for Pumpkin Spice, it's back at Starbucks.
The drink, first introduced 15 years ago, only started being made with real pumpkin three years ago.
Dunkin' Donuts has also announced their fall offerings are now available.
The menu includes Dunkin' Donuts' Pumpkin flavored and Maple Pecan flavored coffees, Maple Cream Cheese Spread, Apple Crisp Donut, and Belgian Waffle Breakfast Sandwich.
Get the latest stories and videos about Starbucks here.