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Sweden reports another year of decline in meat consumption
2018 is the second year in a row when Swedes are eating less meat than usual. Last year, the average consumption of meat in Sweden dropped by 2.6% (2.2 kilograms), the biggest yearly reduction since the Swedish Board of Agriculture started recording the figures in 1990, and this year the trend continued, with a 2.8% overall decline in meat consumption recorded in the first three quarters of this year.
On average, Swedes consumed 1.8 fewer kilograms of meat through the first nine months of 2018, according to official data presented by The Local newspaper.
“Market trends, climate considerations, a focus on health and animal ethics are all factors in our current consumption trends,”, mentioned Asa Lannhard Oberg, spokesperson for the Swedish Board of Agriculture.
Nevertheless, the country was confronted with a large number of wildfires this year, which led to a ban on all kinds of open fire, including barbecue but this is just one way to look at the situation."Meat sales declined in many stores during the summer as a result of the barbecue ban, but consumption is also decreasing longer-term so there we can’t just point to the summer months to explain the decline", explained Asa Lannhard Oberg.
Despite the trend to reduce the meat intake, Sweedish producers have no reason to be alarmed as the consumers are preferring home-grown products. Official data collected by the Swedish Board of Agriculture showed that demand for Swedish meat and poultry increased significantly. Domestic lamb led the way, with a six percent increase, while Swedish beef increased by 4.4 percent, pork by 3.2 and Swedish poultry by 2.3 percent. One way to explain the consumer's preferences is that the country's agricultural sector is focused on environmental sustainability.
(Photo source: Slow Travel Stockholm)
These figures demonstrate the notoriety that the Spanish Serrano Ham Consortium has today and how...
USMEF is working to defend U.S. beef’s share of Taiwan’s market, currently affected b...


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The experts say we have 10 years to save the planet. That's not a very long time when you consider what needs to be achieved to do that. So news that Amazon is building a hub to cater for 100 Cargo planes isn't great news. The 200 jobs are great news but not the pollution they come with. Shame that Amazon seeks only to disrupt and destroy instead of collaborating with existing businesses and controlling their carbon footprint.
In case the optics of three million square feet is lost on you, it’s essentially a parking garage for a 100 cargo jets.

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Smoked salmon is a firm favourite for consumers on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but with culinary experimentation on the rise, Irish Trout have launched its new Hot Smoked Flaked Trout (RRP £3.25 / 80g) for a #sofishticated Christmas.
According to Michael Freedman, Senior Shopper Insight Manager at IGD, states: “27% of shoppers say they expect Christmas 2021 to be bigger than normal, as people come together for larger celebrations to make up for lost time”[i]. Festive dining is set to be more important than ever this year, with retailers expecting significant sales on their festive products in comparison to pre-Covid levels, as consumers look to make up for lost time.
The new variant is the latest innovation in the brand’s product portfolio, joining its staple pate and caviar in the range. Rolling out into Sainsbury’s, the newest addition aims to strengthen Irish Trout’s presence in the UK market.
Hot Smoked Trout has been re-packaged into a resealable pot, perfect for a convenient healthy option across meal occasions. The new addition is mild flavoured, delicately textured, and packed with nutrients, being a good source of Vitamins B6, B12, pantothenic acid and selenium. The new product is also rich in protein and essential Omega-3 fatty acids, as well as potassium and phosphorus— all helping to manage high blood pressure, improve muscle strength, and boost metabolism.
Over the past year we have also witnessed an eco-awakening, with research stating that 73% of UK consumers want to be more sustainable in 2021[ii]. Irish Trout are verified members of the Origin Green Programme, Ireland’s national food and drink sustainability programme, which enables the industry to set and achieve sustainability targets to protect the environment and serve local communities.
Ger Kirwan, Managing Director at Irish Trout, commented on the launch: “Our new Hot Smoked Flaked Trout will provide shoppers with an innovative, flavoursome product that offers a delicious alternative to traditional smoked salmon, just in time for the Christmas festivities.
Product innovation is at the forefront of our brand strategy, and we are delighted to be expanding our range in Sainsbury’s. We have seen tremendous growth in the UK market this year and hope to be available in more retailers in the New Year. Sustainability is at the heart of the brand, and we look forward to growing our range to appeal to the more eco-conscious consumers, while keeping up with modern consumer tastes”.’


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Business Mirror | Thursday, 22 January 2009
Canberra pins hope on Asean FTA
Written by Estrella Torres / Reporter
CANBERRA has expressed hopes that member-countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) will sign a comprehensive free-trade agreement (FTA) with Australia-New Zealand-already completed-that seeks to loosen restrictions on trade and improve investments.
Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Rod Smith said the agreement was concluded in September last year and awaits the signing by the Asean members.
He also hopes that through the free-trade treaty, the trade between the Philippines and Australia will have a dramatic increase. Smith said the two-way trade volume between Manila and Canberra is now at A$2.7 billion during 2007-08.
“The amount is not as substantial, since the whole trade volume between Australia and Asean is A$70 billion. The Philippines’ share of trade is much lower than it should be and we’re working on that area,” said Smith in his speech at the annual Journalists Reunion hosted by the Australian Embassy held late Wednesday in Makati City.
He said the Australian areas of interests are minerals, oil and gas, well as providing higher education and skills training to Filipinos.
Smith said they expect Asean members to sign the FTA when the regional bloc holds its summit in Thailand from February 27 to March 1.
But the trade agreement will not relax Canberra’s strict rules on sanitary and phytosanitary measures (SPS) that have caused huge losses for many Philippine exporters of tropical fruits whose products were barred from entry. “Australia’s SPS rules are based on the provisions of the World Trade Organization and these will continue to apply.”
A statement from the Australian Embassy said Biosecurity Australia has released its final import risk analysis (IRA) for bananas in November last year, and the commercial shipments of Philippine pineapples to Australia have started following completion of an IRA for Philippine pineapples.
Australia has also resumed import action of Philippine mangoes, but only those coming from the island of Guimaras.
Smith said the FTA will provide significant easing in most sectors of goods as he expressed hopes the private sector in the Philippines and other Asean members will take advantage of opportunities opened.


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Halfords revenue tops £1bn, driven by rocketing online sales
James Wilmore from Retail week today reported that Halfords have seen a healthy rise in pre-tax profits as group revenue topped £1bn for the first time, driven by rocketing online sales.
This is great news for Salmon, a Wunderman Commerce Company, as we continue to work with Halfords to deliver their multichannel strategy and update and improve their online offering across store, web and mobile. The fact that online sales in the year are up 14.3% demonstrates there investment has paid off.
- Full-year pre-tax profits up 11.3% to £80.8m
- Group sales rise 6.9% to £1bn
- Like-for-like sales up 6.8%
- Group EBITDA rises 8.7% to £109.9m
- Online sales up 14.3%
Chairman Dennis Millard said: "The group was “delighted” by the sales performance, as it builds a “sustainable platform for future growth”.
He added: “At the very core of our strategy is customer service and investment in our colleagues, our proposition and our infrastructure.”
Recently Salmon interviewed Clive West, Digital Director at Halfords who said: "It's been a hugely successful project, we've made a huge amount of change and sometimes it's difficult to assess each individual piece of work, but if I look at our customer engagement our customer feedback and our customer conversion, we've absolutely made the step change in our performance that we set out to do." Watch the video Clive West talks about Halfords new digital platform for the future.


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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Target has hired Pepsi executive Brian Cornell as its new chairman and CEO as it looks to recover from a huge data breach and troubles in Canada....July 31, 2014 - 7:37am
NEW YORK — Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s CEO Mike Duke found out in 2005 that the retailer's Mexico unit was handing out bribes to local officials, according to emails obtained by lawmakers. The lawmakers say the emails contradict earlier claims by Wal-Mart that executives weren't aware of bribes being ...January 11, 2013 - 12:24am
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Originally published on opportunity:energy
Fiat Chrysler’s CEO Sergio Marchionne unveiled his last 5-year industrial plan for the Italian-American carmaker a month ago in Turin, Italy. The much anticipated event did not disappoint, as the CEO – now 14 years into his reign at the helm of FCA – confirmed the company would be finally rid of its long standing debt in a matter of weeks (the debt stood at €4.58 billion in 2016). More importantly, in a major U-turn from past statements, Marchionne announced a major investment of 9 billion euros aimed at the electrification of Fiat Chrysler models to the detriment of diesel engines – to be abandoned by 2021 – finally bowing to the technological revolution that is changing the face of the global car industry at an ever faster pace.
Fiat’s financial wizard made it his life mission to close out the company’s debts and reach profitability. He succeeded by adopting a very lean industrial approach, maximizing profits based on existing technologies and minimizing investments in Research & Development, while also capitalizing on spin-offs of the best brands (see Ferrari). All of this made Sergio Marchionne the Wall Street analysts’ darling and helped Fiat quadruple its shares’ value since 2014. But can Sergio’s financial genius survive the capital-intensive tech race to Car 2.0, also known as the electric car? Let’s rewind just a little.
Marchionne Vs The Future
Marchionne has been for years one of the most outspoken critics of EVs, to the point of inviting potential American customers of his Fiat 500e compliance car not to buy one as he’d lose $14,000 on each unit sold. But the irony goes on: as recently as last October, his acceptance speech for an ad honorem degree in Industrial Engineering at Italy’s Trento University focused entirely on innovation and technological changes in the industry. What did he say? Brace for bullshit:
“At FCA we’re working on all kinds of electric cars: from 48-volt light hybrids to traditional hybrids, plug-ins and totally electric systems. But we can’t ignore some important elements. Let’s take for example, the electric 500. […] We introduced it five years ago […], truth is, for each 500e we sell in the US we lose about 20,000 dollars. An operation that, if carried out on a large scale, becomes an extremely masochistic act. But the limits on electric technology are not just about cost, range, charging […]. Globally, two thirds of electricity derive from fossil sources, coal […] accounts for about 40%. […] The emissions of an electric car, if the energy is sourced from fossil fuels, are at best equivalent to those of a gasoline car.”
The story about EV costs is Marchionne’s favorite (and apparently he loses more money now than before!). He should perhaps take notes from his competitors, such as VW-Audi Group, which is seemingly sourcing batteries at around €100 per kWh for its upcoming EVs. As to CO2 emissions’ figures, Sergio’s statement can be easily dismissed by checking real world energy mix data, as shown for instance in a European think tank’s study. Even in coal-intensive countries such as Poland and Germany (Europe’s worst!), EVs’ life-cycle emissions will be much less than for a conventional car. A neat chart exemplifies it clearly below, no scorched Earth in sight.
But let’s keep listening to Marchionne’s 18th century’s lesson from October 2017:
“We have to be realistic. Electric cars may look like a technological marvel, above all to reduce emission levels in urban centres, but they are a double-edged sword. Forcing the introduction of electric [powertrains] on a global scale, without first solving the problem of how to produce energy from clean and renewable sources, represents a threat to our planet’s very existence. The electric [transition] is an operation that needs to be carried out without legal impositions, while continuing to exploit and integrate the benefits of other available technologies. It’s certainly more useful to focus on improving traditional engines and work on increasing the use of alternative fuels, especially methane, which in terms of origin and quality is currently the most virtuous, and the cleanest in terms of emissions.”
Sounds like the words of a true visionary. Can someone please inform Mr Marchionne about the ongoing renewable energy revolution he is apparently unaware of? Also, do update the CEO on fracking when he talks of methane “virtues.” But wait, enough with his thoughts from eight months ago. Things have changed. Fast forward to now.


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Eastman Kodak Company and Heraeus, the global precious metals and technology company based in Hanau, Germany, have combined to achieve a breakthrough in transparent conductive films that may help transform the multi-billion dollar market for transparent conductor technologies.
A new resistive touch screen panel made with a Kodak transparent conductive film was demonstrated for the first time at the Printed Electronics USA 2011 Show.
The touch screen panel features a Kodak high conductive (HCF) polyester film that utilizes a surface coating made by the Heraeus Conductive Polymers Division, marking a change in the way touch screen displays used in computers, smart phones and other electronic devices may be manufactured in the future.
The two companies have been experimenting with a variety of films and formulations to create a touch screen that provides superior performance, flexibility, stability, transparency, neutral color and low haze – all at an economic price, and as a working alternative to Indium Tin Oxide (ITO).
ITO is a rare, complex, unstable material. When used on a thin, flexible substrate, it has a high surface roughness and tends to be brittle.
“Kodak’s high quality conductive films and large scale coating capabilities, combined with Heraeus’ advanced technologies and patterning techniques, offer breakthrough capabilities for applications looking for a competitive technology to ITO,” said Mark Juba, General Manager of Kodak’s Industrial Materials Group.
A NanoMarkets 2011 “Transparent Conductor Market” report predicts that the overall market for transparent conductor technologies will reach $6.9 billion by 2016. The report said new technologies such as the one demonstrated the Printed Electronics show are expected to capture up to 20% of this market from ITO based systems.
“In the near future we will see touch screens in almost every electronic device,” said Dr. Stephan Kirchmeyer, Head of the Functional Coatings Business Unit of the Heraeus Conductive Polymers Division. “This growth will require a touch screen technology that is both more advanced and more economical. We have taken a big step forward.
“The market can now access a complete system that provides patterned transparent conductive films with enhanced performance at lower cost compared with current material sets and processes.”
As the world’s foremost imaging innovator, Kodak helps consumers, businesses, and creative professionals unleash the power of pictures and printing to enrich their lives and businesses.
Heraeus is a global company with 160 years of tradition. Our fields of competence include precious metals, materials and technologies; sensors; biomaterials; and medical products, as well as dental products, quartz glass, and specialty light sources.


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The axiom that “customers come first” is one that few CEOs would challenge. In an environment where consumers have an endless supply of options at their fingertips — literally — failing to deliver value can be a death sentence for any company.
Let's imagine how latest technology can revolutionize the retail industry.
Let's understand the difference between analytics, data science, and cognitive.
In Drupal creator Dries' blog, CI&T was mentioned as one of the top contributors to the Drupal community.
On July 25, Forrester Research VP Frederic Giron and Michael Barnes published their “Now Tech: Digital Experience Agencies In Asia Pacific, Q3 2018” report and CI&T was included in that report.
John Shook, who evangelizes Lean all over the world, made his visit to CI&T HQ with his video comment.


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TweetAmericaJR’s Jason Rzucidlo reports from the Detroit Athletic Club for a meeting of the Automotive Press Association. J.D. Power presented the results of its 2017 U.S. Initial Quality Study (IQS). KIA topped the list for the second year in a row, followed by Genesis and Porsche. Detroit-based automakers Ford and RAM tied for fourth and Chevrolet ended up in fifth. In this video, watch for remarks from Dave Sargent, Vice President, Global Automotive at J.D. Power.
Tweet SAN FRANCISCO — As we look forward to the start of summer and prime travel season, OpenTable, the world’s leading provider of online restaurant reservations and part of The Priceline Group (NASDAQ: PCLN), today unveiled the 100 Best Al Fresco Dining Restaurants in America for 2017. These awards reflect the combined opinions of more than 10 million restaurant reviews submitted by verified OpenTable diners for more than 25,000 restaurants in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Showcasing winners in major metropolitan areas as well as resort towns, theRead More
The District Detroit Announces Detroit’s Largest Residential Development Initiative in More Than 20 Years
TweetDETROIT — Olympia Development of Michigan today announced plans for hundreds of new affordable and market-rate rental housing units across six buildings in The District Detroit’s initial phase of residential developments. Four existing buildings – The Alhambra, The American, The Eddystone and 150 Bagley – and two new-construction buildings will create an exciting mix of urban lofts and apartments in The District Detroit. This initial phase of residential development includes 686 units, 139 of which will be designated as affordable at no more than 80 percent of the Area MedianRead More
TweetDETROIT — General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) and Honda (NYSE: HMC) today announced establishment of the auto industry’s first manufacturing joint venture to mass produce an advanced hydrogen fuel cell system that will be used in future products from each company. Fuel Cell System Manufacturing, LLC will operate within GM’s existing battery pack manufacturing facility site in Brownstown, Michigan, south of Detroit. Mass production of fuel cell systems is expected to begin around 2020 and create nearly 100 new jobs. The companies are making equal investments totaling $85 million in theRead More
DineEquity, Inc. Announces First Co-Branded IHOP® Restaurant And Applebee’s Grill and Bar® To Open At Detroit’s Millender Center In 2017
Tweet GLENDALE, Calif. — DineEquity, Inc. (NYSE: DIN) announced plans today for a new location in Detroit that will for the first time leverage both its category leading brands, IHOP® restaurants and Applebee’s Grill and Bar® in one restaurant destination to be at Millender Center in Detroit. This innovative concept, which brings together the leader in family dining—IHOP—and the leader in casual dining, Applebee’s, will be owned and operated by Applebee’s franchisee TEAM Schostak Family Restaurants (TSFR), a Livonia, Michigan-based, family-owned restaurant group with an expansive portfolio of casual dining, quick serviceRead More
Tweet SOUTHFIELD, Mich. — WardsAuto‘s 23rd annual Wards 10 Best Engines list honors a diverse set of powertrains that appeal to a wide range of tastes and budgets. Three electrified drivetrains make the Wards 10 Best Engines list for the second time in as many years, while all seven remaining honorees are turbocharged, illustrating the industry trend toward downsized powertrains with forced induction and direct fuel injection. For the first time in 23 years of testing, no V-8 engines earned a spot on the Wards 10 Best Engines list, but manyRead More
Tweet LOS ANGELES — The all-electric 2017 Chevrolet Bolt, which offers a breakthrough EPA-estimated 238 miles of range on a full electric charge, was named Green Car Journal’s 2017 Green Car of the Year® during AutoMobility LA. Other finalists for the 2017 Green Car of the Year® award included the BMW 330e iPerformance, Chrysler Pacifica, Kia Optima and Toyota Prius Prime. Green Car Journal editors selected the 2017 Bolt for its impressive 238 mile zero-emission driving range, stylish design, pleasing driving dynamics, and welcome suite of advanced and connected technologies. AlongRead More
2017 North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year finalists announced: Year’s top models range from electric to luxury to heavy pickups
TweetLOS ANGELES — Finalists for 2017 North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year (NACTOY) were announced Tuesday at Automobility L.A., the conference that precedes the Los Angeles auto show. The North American Car and Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year awards honor excellence in innovation, design, safety, performance, technology, driver satisfaction and value. Initiated in 1994, they are judged about 60 professional automotive journalists from the United States and Canada who work for magazines, television, radio, newspapers and web sites. They are the longest-running award notRead More
TweetAmericaJR’s Jason Rzucidlo reports from the Detroit Athletic Club for a special meeting of the Automotive Press Association. Consumer Reports magazine announced its findings from its 2016 Annual Auto Reliability Survey. In this video, watch for remarks from Jake Fisher, director of automotive testing at Consumer Reports. Lexus, Toyota and Buick are the top three reliable automotive brands, according to the C.R. survey. Meanwhile, Dodge, Chrysler, Fiat and Ram ended up dead last.
TweetFor 75 years, Wonder Woman has been Paradise Island’s ambassador for peace, equality, truth, love, justice, and sisterhood. Now, the United Nations is about to make it official when they issued a statement naming the Amazonian warrior princess as their Honorary Ambassador for the Empowerment of Women and Girls. According to Comic Book Resources, the announcement will take place during an event in New York a week from Friday at the United Nations Headquarters. Attending the event are United Nations Security-General Ban Ki-moon, DC Entertainment President Diane Nelson, and notRead More


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As the world is becoming more and more health-conscious, major food corporations such as McDonalds, Boston Market, General Mills, and many more have been forced to take a serious look at their product formulas. McDonalds, for example, had to switch the fry formula to not include trans-fat oils, and Boston Market went at lengths to reduce the sodium in their mashed potatoes and other side dishes. Surprisingly, however, the companies often did not want the public to know.
While it may seem counter-intuitive, sometimes finding out a food is now healthier actually has a negative impact on its sales. McDonalds fries, for example, got thousands of complaints of a “different taste” during the oil switch, even in cities where it had not happened yet. Healthier often equates to ‘worse-tasting’ in consumers’ heads. This leads to a precarious balance food companies must face: satisfy the health trend while maintaining the flavor; no easy feat, especially considering these changes often are implemented slowly over the course of years.
Though fast-food companies are meeting change with heavy resistance, health food companies actually report a large increase in sales upon announcing a health increase. When consumers want healthy food, health increases are positive; when they are looking for some comfort food, not so much. Human psychology is a powerful thing.


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Video of the Sony Ericsson PlayStation Phone in action has been caught online, showing the XPERIA Play branded handset running a PS1 emulator and playing Resident Evil 2 and Rage Racer. The clip, spotted by Edge Magazine, shows the unannounced smartphone loading an app called ROM Buddy and then playing titles from Sony's original PlayStation console.
Sony Ericsson's PlayStation Phone - aka the XPERIA Play - has popped up in the wild again, this time staging a family renunion of sorts with a variety of Sony PlayStation portables and Sony Ericsson handsets. Android.tgbus spent some time with the PlayStation Phone and even managed to get a third-party gaming emulator running on the Android smartphone.
What a week! While a few of us on the R3 crew were rolling around in different parts of the world that weren't Vegas, the bulk were rolling hard at CES 2011! The Consumer Electronics Show had blasts of this, slips of that, and a wacky array of stories and happenings that shall forever go down in the history books as a CES to be clicked with! How ever in the world will we organize all of this information? How about one big monster of a list of links, for starters? Who could we call for such a tast, hm? So much exclusive content, so much time time - I know! The Daily Slash! Get one of the biggest heaping helpings you've ever seen, below!
This isn't the first and it isn't going to be the last roundup post of CES news and info for this season. It's one big thwack. Comb with me, if you will, through the content and devour the ingredients. Joy! PREVIEW: my favorite is the Notion Ink Adam hands-on at CES 2011 - wowie!
While we're left waiting for Sony Ericsson to make the PlayStation Phone official, we'll just have to accept the continuous leaks of the device that keep popping up. This time around, the lucky owner manages to have two on hand to show off. However, we do get to see what version of Android the device, which will be known as either the Zeus Zi or Xperia Play (more than likely) when it launches, is running -- along with a new logo on the bottom-left of the slide-out board.
The rumors surrounding when the Sony Ericsson PlayStation Phone will land keep going. The latest rumor has the device landing in the spring of 2011. That rumor comes from a Japanese paper called Asahi Shimbun and was printed today. According other paper the device will be based on the PSPgo.
Sony's PSP Go failed to ignite the mobile gaming market in the way that the company hoped it might, but that hasn't stopped Sony engineers and designers from pushing ahead with another PSP successor. According to Sony's gaming chief, Kazuo Hirai, the company has been looking to the next-gen handheld "since the day" the PlayStation was released, and might use both a touchscreen and traditional physical gaming controls. Meanwhile, Hirai believes there's still a segment of gamers for whom the popular - and cheap - iOS, Android and other mobile games aren't sufficient.
The discovery of a number of "xperiaplay" domain registrations by a Swedish PR company that counts Sony Ericsson among its clients has led to suggestions that the upcoming PlayStation Android smartphone will launch as the Sony Ericsson XPERIA Play. The gaming handset has been spotted in the wild on numerous occasions, complete with PlayStation-style control pad buttons, but so far its branding has been unclear. The hunt for the domains was prompted by PocketNow's discovery of an "XPERIA PLAY" trademark filing.


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St. John plans to launch its first online store today, which will be followed in a few weeks by an innovative online community, similar to Facebook, for aficionados of the knitwear brand.
The online store will showcase the full breadth of the St. John world, including fragrances, accessories, the new Caviar knitwear collection and the contemporary line, SoCa, which targets a younger customer.
An interim version of the site showcasing the new design was already online Tuesday, although sales transactions were still being handled by Neiman Marcus.
The design and photographs emphasize a clean, pared-down look that telegraphs the Southern California lifestyle with plenty of white, water and bright sunshine.
“There was a demand to modernize our site,” St. John chief executive officer Glenn McMahon said last year when describing the planned changes.
The online store is part of an overall effort to update and rebrand the Irvine, Calif.-based company since McMahon took over in September 2007 from Richard Cohen, who stumbled when his strategy to lure younger customers with a new fit met resistance from loyal and mature clientele.
The site includes the St. John magazine, corporate information, videos of the company’s runway shows, the forthcoming customer community and all the St. John product categories. Designed by interactive agency Createthe group (see related story, this page), the site includes the agency’s signature large-scale photos and ability to see details in lifelike high definition.
In September, McMahon predicted the online store would eventually account for 10 to 20 percent of St. John’s total revenue, bringing in about $20 million annually.
EXCLUSIVE: @tomford is opening its first-ever beauty store. The boutique, which opens November 20 in London’s Covent Gardens, was designed with the over-the-top glam Ford is known for. Read the full story on WWD.com, link in bio. #wwdbeauty #wwdnews (📷: Simon Wagner) #TomFordBeauty
New York-based DJ @harleyvnewton threw a party to celebrate the holiday collection of her dress and pajama line @hvn at the Ladurée Beverly Hills. It Girls @katebosworth, @rashidajones and more joined in on the fun, which included cocktails, croque monsieur sandwiches and a photo booth. #wwdfashion (📷: Owen Kolasinski/BFA.com)
For the holidays, @Burberry partnered with 20-year-old artist @blondeymccoy on a series of three outdoor murals in downtown Manhattan. The murals are McCoy’s interpretation of a Christmas eve party, the idea of charity and the spirit of family. His third mural, pictured here, is the most personal. The image depicts McCoy’s grandparents and father in London’s Trafalgar Square in the Seventies. “My work often features lots of sentimental objects.” #wwdeye
For spring 2018, designers applied bold colors and cartoonish motifs on everything from sneakers and belts to key chains. See all the top men’s accessories trends on WWD.com. #wwdtrends (📷: George Chinsee; Prop Styling by @rnasti; Market Editor: @luiscampuzano)
The @dior-sponsored @guggenheim international gala pre-party has a history of drawing cool-girl musical acts to serenade the crowd –– and last night was no exception. @haimtheband performed songs both new and old, and lured a star-studded audience with the likes of Rebecca Hall, Kate Mara, Mamoudou Athie and more. #wwdeye (📷: @lexieblacklock)
In a partnership between the @metopera and the @englishnationalopera, “Marnie” was born. The opera, with costumes sponsored by @mrporterlive, is an adaptation of the 1961 thriller by Winston Graham. Arianne Phillips, who created the costumes, is no rookie: She’s styled Madonna for her tours and created costumes for a myriad of films in the past. Read WWD’s interview with Phillips, where she talks about her inspiration for the opera’s costumes on WWD.com #wwdfashion
@barneysnyc took a different approach to their holiday windows this year. Instead of Christmas decor, Barneys tapped @thehaasbrothers to tell a story of positivity, gratitude and inclusivity via heartwarming silliness and humor. “It’s about kids and it’s about coming together and being family and loving each other,” said Simon Haas. #wwdfashion (📷: @joshuascottphoto)
Beauty influencer @kandeejohnson makes her foray into hair care with a collaboration with @ogx_beauty — making it the first time that OGX has teamed up for a product creation. The collab includes shampoos and conditioners in three scents. At 39 and a mom, Johnson is a different profile than the emerging social media stars, but is considered one of the pioneers of the digital beauty influencer world. Read WWD’s interview with her on wwd.com, including the strangest beauty product she’s ever tried #wwdbeauty


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Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Located in the heart of Philadelphia, Center City is the downtown and Central Business District of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Encompassing a population of approximately 90,000, Center City is the third most populous downtown in the United States. Additionally, the area is largely recognized as one of Philadelphia’s premiere tourist and shopping destinations and attracts an estimated 5 million visitors annually. Walnut Street in particular, offers a mix of national and local luxury businesses, including Polo, Tiffany & Co., MAC Cosmetics, Diesel, Coach, Cole Haan and Burberry. . . . more
Customers are no longer going in for mortgage business, noticing her shop and maybe coming back when they have a picture or mirror they need framed."That counts for something," Moran said.Over the past 20 months, there has been a rise in vacancies at small retail spaces in Greater Hartford, especially those of 10,000 square feet or less. That points to how the slowing economy is affecting "mom and pop" stores. Smaller locations like that account for nearly half of the region's retail space.
The trend has emerged even as the overall retail real estate market in the region remains relatively healthy when compared with other areas of the country.
According to a new report from KeyPoint Partners, a commercial real estate services firm, the biggest increase in vacancies over the past 20 months occurred in spaces of 5,000 to 10,000 square feet, which rose nearly two percentage points, to 9.7 percent. The report also found that vacancies among the smallest spaces — 2,500 square feet or less — rose nearly a full percentage point, to 10.7 percent. . . . more
The S&P/Case Shiller composite index of 20 metropolitan areas fell 0.9 percent in July from June, S&P said in a statement on Tuesday. Since the peak of the housing boom in July 2006, the index has dropped 19.5 percent, it said.
S&P said its composite index of 10 metropolitan areas declined 1.1 percent in July for a 17.5 percent year-over-year drop. From two years ago, the index is down 21.1 percent.
The pace of home price declines since May has slowed to about a third of the rate of the two previous three-month periods, however, S&P said. . . . more
"One thousand stores is generally kind of a marker for us," said chief executive officer Kevin Mansell. "What it says is that we have a concept that works." . . . more
The store is located in the newly-named Bank of America Plaza on Route 38and Larchmont Road in Mount Laurel.
"This is a landmark day in the history of Saladworks," said founder andCEO John Scardapane. "The formula has been a mix of fanatical customerexperience along with a remarkably fresh product. Saladworks will soon be ahousehold name across the country as we continue our turbo-charged growth to1,000 stores by 2012, but we'll always be true to our South Jersey roots." . . . more
The economy has made many would-be franchisees wary of taking big financial risks, while others simply can't get the necessary loans. Meanwhile, competition among franchisers is growing, giving investors a lot more choices. There are now about 3,000 different franchise concepts, according to the International Franchise Association.
In a survey released last week of some 150 franchise companies, respondents said their franchise sales were about 72% below their 2008 goals, with inquiries from prospective franchisees down about 48%, according to Franchise Update Media Group, San Jose, Calif.
But even as "closing deals is becoming more of a challenge," says Harold Kestenbaum, a franchise attorney in Uniondale, N.Y., franchise companies have to be careful not to alienate existing franchisees when they offer discounts and other incentives to new buyers. "How does it look for the guys who pay the higher price when they see the price is getting lowered?" he asks. Making the situation more sensitive, existing franchisees, especially in the retail and home-service sectors, are being hit by cutbacks in consumer spending. . . . more
The company current plans between 45 and 55 domestic store openings in the current fiscal year, of which 24 have already opened.
“Our current store base doesn’t support the customer or associate experience we want to deliver," said James A. Marcum, vice chairman and acting president/CEO. "We expect to dramatically reduce our store openings, other than those fulfilling existing commitments, which are limited."
Previously, the company had announced a review of strategic alternatives. But the current market has made it prudent to focus on improving the existing business, Marcum said. . . . more
Monday, September 29, 2008
“We’ve got a lot of customers coming in," said John Everett, manager of the Salvation Army store in Cambridge. "They can’t go to the stores and get the stuff they really wanted, and they come here and it’s cheaper.”
At the Salvation Army store in Hudson, manager Elaine Schwartz has seen a 20 percent increase in sales in the last few months. . . . more
Delias also said its core brands, dELiA*s and Alloy, should generate positive earnings before interest, depreciation and amortization in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2008 and fiscal 2009, helping to send its shares up 25 percent.
The all-cash deal for CCS is expected to close within 60 days.
CCS is a direct-to-consumer business that sells skateboard shoes, clothes and accessories through catalogs and the Internet. It is expected to have revenue of $80 million in 2009 and add to Foot Locker's earnings in the first full year of operation, the company said.
Barclays Capital advised Foot Locker while Financo advised Delias on the deal.
Delias, whose main customers are teenagers, said it will not decide how to use the proceeds from the sale until after the end of its fiscal year, in 2009.
Delias shares were up 63 cents, or 25 percent, at $3.13 on Nasdaq.
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Personal income rose unexpectedly in August after a sharp decline in the previous month, while personal spending was sluggish, according to government figures released Monday.
The Commerce Department reported that personal income increased by 0.5% in August after a revised 0.6% decline in July. Economists surveyed by Briefing.com were expecting income to have grown by 0.2% last month.
After adjusting for taxes and certain price changes, however, real disposable income contracted 0.9%, according to the report.
Personal spending, meanwhile, was virtually unchanged in August. Economists had forecast a 0.2% increase in personal spending. Spending has not been this weak since February when it was also flat. . . . more
In a press conference before meeting with House Democrats, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said the bill was a bipartisan piece of legislation. "If we don't pass it we shouldn't be a Congress," said Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., who told reporters that he was confident the bill would pass without a further round of changes.
Under the legislation Treasury will be granted $700 billion in phases to acquire bad mortgage assets from financial institutions at a price it determines or through auction with a market price. If the Treasury decides to take the first option it will have some authority to determine the executive compensation structure of the firm.
If firms sell more than $300 million in assets in the auction, they will lose the ability to deduct the salaries of their top five individuals that have exceeded $500,000. For participating firms there will also be a surtax of 20% on retirement packages of top executives who are involuntarily terminated from their firms, or lose their jobs as a result of the firm's failure. . . . more
The company withdrew its previous fiscal 2009 outlook as it said it's reviewing all aspects of the business ahead of the holiday season, its biggest selling period.
Circuit City shares fell 11% in pre-market trading.
Net loss widened to $239.2 million, or $1.45 a share, from $62.8 million, or 38 cents, a year earlier. Sales in the quarter ended Aug. 31 fell 9.6% to $2.39 billion from $2.64 billion, the Richmond, Va.-based company said in statement. The decline was worse than expected by analysts. Same-store sales dropped 13%, led by a drop in the U.S. . . . more
Friday, September 26, 2008
"TJX is great, Burlington Coat is great, Costco Wholesale Corp (COST.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz)is great," said Kampler, an executive vice president in liquidator Hilco's real estate division. "These retailers that I'm naming are an example of the value retailers who are in a position to assume some of these more distressed, troubled retailers and perhaps they become part of their different concepts.". . . more
"After a thorough evaluation of all new toy introductions throughout the year, and consultations with our global merchandising team in 34 countries, Toys"R"Us has the unique ability to provide our guests with THE ultimate list of items certain to bring big smiles to kids' faces - the Toys"R"Us Hot Toy list," said Karen Dodge, Senior Vice President, Chief Merchandising Officer, Toys"R"Us, U.S. "With new toy shipments arriving in our stores daily, customers will have a better chance of finding the hottest toys, in stock, at Toys"R"Us than anywhere else." . . . more
The company hired two former Pathmark Stores Inc. executives, including rehiring John T. Standley as president and chief operating officer, and three top Rite Aid executives left the company.
The company also cut its expectations for full-year results.
Rite Aid, the third-largest U.S. drugstore chain, said its loss swelled to $222 million, or 27 cents per share, compared with $78.2 million, or 10 cents per share, a year ago. Revenue slipped 1 percent to $6.5 billion from $6.57 billion.. . . more
Some 57% of the executives at leading retailers included in the survey say that while high fuel costs have done the most to hurt consumer confidence so far this year, going forward they see the main threats to consumer spending in the critical months ahead as being gas prices (47%), the housing market (28%), the pending Presidential election (13%) and inflation (11%).
The poll, which included executives at chains with sales greater than $100 million, found balance sheets are in bad shape: Only 36% say sales increased when comparing the first halves of 2008 to 2007, which is down from the 56% who cited an increase last year. And 44% say comparable-store sales in that period declined.
"Overall, the CFOs estimate that the average comparable-store sales growth for 2008 will be virtually flat, averaging 0.72% growth," it says in its analysis of the poll results. "Retailers may remain wary for the rest of the year." . . . more
For the three months ending Aug. 30, the well-known mall retailer earned $13.1 million, or 24 cents per share. That compares with a loss of $1.8 million, or 4 cents per share, during the same period last year.
Revenue climbed nearly 4 percent, to $353.3 million, up from year-ago sales of $340 million. . . . more
Thursday, September 25, 2008
The Dallas-based video rental and retail chain, which closed hundreds of stores over the last year, plans to revamp many of its remaining outlets, expand its movie and game offerings, and add more rental and download kiosks.
But it’s still keeping an eye toward increasing Internet-based downloads through Movielink, the digital movie site it acquired last year, and attracting more movie-thru-mail subscribers. Critics say stores are passé, but Blockbuster notes that its mail customers also have the convenience of returning or trading-in their mail-ordered movie at stores — something which Netflix can't do because it doesn't have brick-and-morter outlets (just in case an Ingmar Bergman flick showed up in the mail when you were more in the mood for "Sex and the City").. . . more
As Crisis Spreads, Market Seizes Up; Capital PreservationFor the commercial-real-estate players that were in hot water before the capital-markets crisis of the past two weeks, the temperature is rising.
Retail giant Centro Properties Group, New York developer Macklowe Properties, office-building investor Broadway Real Estate Partners LLC and others are now facing an even rougher ride in the wake of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc.'s bankruptcy, the collapse of American International Group Inc. and the buyout of Merrill Lynch & Co. by Bank of America Corp.
After these and other market crises, cash-flow projections for properties are being scaled back in anticipation of a greater economic slowdown. The sales market -- long considered the last hope of many distressed players -- has virtually ground to a halt.
Even creditors that were willing to make real-estate loans before the upheaval are pulling back, having witnessed the spectacle of some of the biggest names in finance and banking vanishing in a period of days. . . . more
The additions today bring to 926 the number of protected companies, exchange data show. General Growth is the second- largest owner of U.S. malls, and Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corp. provides financing to farmers, ranchers and rural homeowners. At least two companies, Diamond Hill Investment Group and "boutique'' investment bank JMP Group Inc., have opted off the list. . . . more
Source: Supermarket News
He is replacing Robert J. Easley, who the company said is leaving to pursue other interests.
These days, Braun is more than a model of frugality. She and others like her may hold the key to surviving the economic downturn. Between the sagging economy and soaring food and gas prices, Americans are increasingly feeling financially squeezed.
"I'm Dutch, so saving money comes naturally to me," says Braun with a twinkle in her blue eyes. "But with gas around $4 a gallon and rising, I have extra incentive to get the most mileage possible out of every dollar." So she switched to generic medical prescriptions, targets movie matinees at discount prices, and occasionally checks out garage sales. Most importantly, she remains faithful to her No. 1 rule: "Never buy anything unless it's on sale!"
Braun's example reflects an interesting national trend. Moody's Economy.com, an independent provider of economic analysis, reports that although consumer spending has not risen as much as hoped, it has risen a little every month this year, thanks in part to the $50 billion in economic stimulus checks from the federal government. Even though our economy is in a downturn, shoppers — 80 percent of whom are women — have not stopped spending money: They're just spending it differently. . . . more
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
On a recent morning at the Woodbury Commons Outlet mall an hour north of New York City, Carissa Nava is looking over a red wraparound dress by Diane Von Furstenberg at the Saks Fifth Avenue Off Fifth store. The dress retails for $365 at Saks' main store on in New York, but here it is selling for $126.99.
Nava, a pharmaceutical sales rep who lives in Manhattan, makes regular trips to Saks' flagship store on Fifth Avenue—sometimes to buy, but often just to check out the selection of big-name apparel. Then, at the earliest chance, she drives up to the Saks outlet to pick those items up at a significant discount. "I only wear Seven or True Religion jeans, and I get them here for $149," she says. "Why would I pay $216 for the same exact ones at the main store?"
There's a certain snob appeal that attaches to luxury retailers like Neiman Marcus, Saks (SKS), or Nordstrom (JWN). Which is why, even though almost all of them have operated discount outlet stores for years, they never talked much about them. Saks went to the extent of keeping its name off the outlets, calling them "Off Fifth."
Out of the Shadows
But today, with the economy stalled and consumer spending in free fall, snobbery is a bit harder to pull off. Even the most upscale shoppers are hunting for bargains. So luxury retail executives are taking their off-price operations out of the shadows and launching their most aggressive expansion plans in years. Increasingly, the outlets also are offering not just discontinued or leftover inventory from a previous season, but many items currently available at the mainline stores.
"Only stores that scream value are getting consumers in," says Erin Armendinger, managing director of the Jay H. Baker Retailing Initiative at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. . . . more
With the credit markets seized, the avalanche of bad news surrounding investment banking giants Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch and insurance provider AIG has caused a state of panic in the commercial real estate industry.
Merrill was exposed to about $18 billion between whole loans, conduits and direct real estate investments. Lehman, meanwhile, continues to hold $32.6 billion in commercial real estate between whole loans and CMBS bonds. About 11 percent of its portfolio is devoted to retail. AIG’s exposure is harder to pin down. The company built up a $60 billion position in the credit default swaps market—some of which is tied to CMBS. The company also has $16 billion in international real estate assets.
The question now is, with Lehman in bankruptcy, Merrill Lynch in the process of being acquired by Bank of America and AIG sold off in parts by the government, what’s going to happen to all those holdings?
In the case of Lehman and Merrill Lynch, their commercial real estate assets will likely end up on the auction block, according to David Akeman, director in the capital markets group of Stan Johnson Company, a Tulsa, Okla.-based commercial real estate investment firm. Before filing for bankruptcy last week, Lehman had planned to spin off its commercial real estate portfolio into a stand-alone, publicly-traded entity, Real Estate Investments Global, which would allow the bank to avoid a forced fire sale. But after its September 14 bankruptcy filing, Lehman will not likely be allowed to spin off one of its divisions, says Adam B. Weissburg, partner with Cox Castle Nicholson LLP, a Los Angeles-based real estate law firm. . . . more
Speaking at the Thomas Weisel Partners Consumer Conference in New York, Cabela's Chief Executive Dennis Highby said new stores being developed by the Sidney, Neb.-based chain will follow three size formats ranging from 80,000 square feet to 125,000 square feet.
Cabela's current stores average about 140,000 square feet, although its largest location is a massive 245,000 square foot store.. . . more
The components that will be suspended are the Earth Expansion and the adjacent parking garage. The complex consists of Casino of the Earth, Casino of the Sky, Casino of the Wind, Sunrise Square, the Shops at Mohegan Sun, along with a 10,000-seat arena, a 350-seat cabaret theatre and 100,000 sf of meeting and convention space. There is also a 1,200-room Sky Hotel Tower. The Project Horizon project included costs spent on different parts of the complex with $17 million to Sunrise Square, $116 million for Casino of the Wind, $58 million for Property Infrastructure and $75 million has already been spent on Earth Expansion and $5 million on the parking garage. By halting the expansion now, the project will save $734 million. . . . more
Anthony DiLorenzo, owner of several commercial properties in Portsmouth, entered into an agreement with Shaw's on April 21, according to a published report in the Portsmouth Herald.
DiLorenzo is the owner of the former Meadowbrook Inn, which was recently demolished to make room for a large multipurpose development on the Route 1 Bypass. He is president of Portsmouth Chevrolet, as well as principal of Key Auto Group.. . . more
Four months ago, Chief Executive Philip J. Schoonover asked shareholders for more time to turn around the company amid talks of a possible sale, despite some acknowledged missteps. This week, Circuit City's board decided more needed to be done.
But the move did little to inspire investors or analysts, and the company's shares dropped more than 4 percent.
Circuit City, which has seen only one profitable quarter since the second quarter of 2007, "still faces a mountain of challenges," JPMorgan analyst Chris Horvers told investors in a report following the change of command.
Schoonover stepped down Monday as chief executive, chairman and president of the Richmond, Va.-based company. Schoonover had joined the company in 2004 from rival Best Buy Co., where he was executive vice president of customer segments. . . . more
The second-largest home improvement retailer behind Home Depot said it would open 75 to 85 new stores in 2009, down from about 120 it expects this year.
“While a pullback in the pace of our expansion is appropriate given the pressures in many markets, we continue to see opportunity for new store growth in the years ahead,” Gregory Bridgeford, Lowe's executive vice president for business development, said in a statement.
For 2009, Lowe's forecast profit of $1.40 to $1.65 a share.
Analysts currently expect profit of $1.53 a share for 2008 and $1.57 a share for 2009, according to Reuters Estimates.. . . more
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Lowe's won approval earlier this year to build a 119,328-square-foot store with an attached 27,265-square-foot garden center and a 437-space parking lot.
A combination of the deteriorating economy and a challenging building site appear to have killed the plan, said Tom Sevigny, president of Canton Advocates for Responsible Expansion, which fought the project.
CHICAGO -- Consumers are changing their shopping patterns to cut costs and save gasoline, reported Beverage Industry. As a result, total shopping trips are down nearly 3%, trips are shifting across channels and trip missions within all channels are evolving, according to Chicago-based Information Resources Inc.'s "Times & Trends: Snapshot of Trends Shaping the CPG & Retail Industries."
While total trips are down, drug stores are expanding their role as a fill-in trip destination and are securing major share gains across healthcare categories. Beverage sales play a smaller role in drug stores compared to other channels, but they benefit from the convenience aspect of the channel, said the report. In 2007, drug stores accounted for 3% of beverages sales, compared to supermarkets' 61% share, according to IRI's Consumer Network for the 52 weeks ending May 19, 2007. But beverages should expect to profit from drug stores' new fill-in trip role and the major drug store chains' focus on front-end sales.
Because of their ability to meet consumer needs as a fill-in trip destination, drug stores have a tremendous opportunity to rethink what they offer to the shopper for those fill-in trips, Thorn Blischok, president of IRI Innovation & Consulting, told the publication. Changes may range from offering new beverages, alcohol or even fruit and other perishables, he said. "We're seeing a little bit of emergence from the center store category in drug stores, and that's a very good strategy."
He added, "The drug store itself is the new convenience store of tomorrow.". . . more
Saks Inc. (SKS) and Tiffany & Co. (TIF) may be among the luxury retailers hit worst given that their flagship stores on Fifth Ave. account for 20% and 10% of total sales, respectively. But others linked to high-end spending such as Coach Inc. (COH), Nordstrom Inc. (JWN) and Polo
Ralph Lauren Corp. (RL) could also be shrunk in the dryer.
Even Saks chairman and CEO, Steve Sadove, has pointed out that equity markets are the most important leading indicator of spending at his stores, according to Goldman Sachs analyst Adrianne Shapira.
. . . more
The stores being closed by Lifetime include 39 Pfaltzgraff factory stores, eight Farberware outlet retail stores and six clearance stores. The company will continue to operate its Internet and mail order catalog businesses. Clearance sales at the stores will start Tuesday and should be completed by Dec. 31.
The company has entered into an agreement with a joint venture between Gordon Brothers Retail Partners and Hilco Merchant Resources L.L.C. to manage and operate the inventory clearance sales at the stores. . . . more
Is now the time for a retailer to go upscale? The guru behind clothier J. Crew thinks that's the right strategy.
J. Crew is relatively small - its entire retail square footage would fit into the space of just 13 Sam's Clubs - but CEO Mickey Drexler, the man who made Gap (GPS, Fortune 500) into a pop-culture phenomenon and reinvented retailing icon J.Crew, is closely watched in his industry. He says that the current retail environment is the worst he's seen during his 40 years in the business, and he's making a risky bet on upscale clothes and an edgy new brand. (This is an excerpt from a story in the Sept. 1 issue of Fortune. Read the full story.)
Part of what makes Drexler influential is his ability to predict not only what will sell but also how shopping habits are changing. What does Drexler's trend-spotting instinct tell him now? He thinks the dominance of the big-name designer is played out. He's stacking his chips on quality goods at a fair price, repositioning J. Crew (JCG) as a luxury-for-less alternative. . . . more
The deal will give Gap, which has made previous forays into the segment, a ready-made player in the $31 billion women's athletic clothing market, which includes such brands as Vancouver, British Columbia, sportswear retailer Lululemon Athletica Inc.; Lucy, headquartered in Portland, Ore.; and Title Nine, which is based in Emeryville.
"This is a strategic acquisition that makes sense for both Gap and Athleta. Both brands complement each other, so we see many opportunities for growth," said Gap spokeswoman Louise Callagy. Callagy described the privately held Athleta as profitable but declined to reveal the company's annual revenue.
Gap plans to add Athleta to its online brands, which include Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy and Piperlime. It also might consider giving the brand space in its retail outlets. . . . more
"I like Target," she said of the chain slated to open on the south side next month. "I like everything in there."
Nearly two years after it won Planning and Zoning approval, the town's second Target plans its official opening Oct. 12, though the doors will actually open more quietly a few days earlier. It's one of 45 stores the Minneapolis-based chain is opening in October, bringing the total number of stores to 1,685. . . . more
The buyer was similarly not identified, but described as a regional investment group. The property was originally listed with an asking price of $18 million, and then reduced to $17 million before subsequently trading for the $16.1-million number.
Brokers from Marcus & Millichap’s New Jersey office in Elmwood Park represented both sides in the transaction. Senior associate Seth Pollack and investment specialist Michael Kestin represented the seller; investment specialist Kevin McCrann spoke for the buyer.
Situated on a seven-acre lot, Rockaway Plaza is anchored by Ace Hardware, Drug Fair, Kiddie Academy and Party Fair. A number of regional and local tenants round out the roster, and the center itself recently underwent a renovation. . . . more
Monday, September 22, 2008
A developer is proposing his third retail and residential complex outside Fenway Park - a project that would be aided by a new street the city wants to build to spur fresh development in the neighborhood. The plan disclosed by Steve Samuels and city officials yesterday is the next step in transforming the gritty triangle between Park Drive and Yawkey Way, where residents and neighborhood planners have long sought to create an "urban village" in the shadows of the ballpark. Mayor Thomas M. Menino said plans for the new quarter-mile-long street, to run parallel to Yawkey Way, would ease traffic congestion and lay the groundwork for a shopping district where Fenway sausage vendors would intermingle with high-end boutiques.
"What we want to do is have a balance between residential, retail, and some office space," Menino said. "It will be a more walkable area, a more friendly area. Now all you see is auto repair shops and sub shops. That's not the future, that's the past." . . . more
After much hoopla in town and beyond, Burlington officials are putting the brakes on an ambitious development proposal to turn a large swath of forest land into the state's largest life sciences complex, senior housing, and playing fields.
The Board of Selectmen has decided against selling the 247-acre landlocked parcel near Route 3, saying the community is not ready to let go of the property.
"The land is not for sale," said Sonia Rollins, chairwoman of the panel.
But Patriot Partners, the development group that holds an option to buy the land if the town does decide to sell, is not giving up on its vision for the site bounded by Route 3, Interstate 95, and the towns of Lexington and Bedford. . . . more
Future IKEA Somerville Advances as Developer Begins Demolition on Site of Swedish Retailer's 2nd Boston-Area Store
The 340,000-square-foot future IKEA Somerville, with 1,350 parking spaces comprising two levels of parking below the store, will be built on 12 acres previously occupied by buildings within Assembly Square, southeast of the Assembly Square Mall, east of Assembly Square Drive and the MBTA's Orange Line. Federal Realty and IKEA also will be contributing towards the creation of a T-station along the Orange Line. IKEA Somerville will reflect the unique architectural design for which IKEA stores are known worldwide, and will employ approximately 500 coworkers.
"Today's demolition event is the result of collaboration and hard work by Mayor Curtatone, Federal Realty and key interest groups in Somerville who have worked towards the common goal of opening IKEA Somerville as part of a vibrant, transit-oriented mixed-use development," said Doug Greenholz, U.S. real estate manager for IKEA. "We now look forward to closing on the purchase of the land next year and then beginning construction so we can open IKEA Somerville in 2011, and grow our Boston-area presence that began two years ago with the opening of IKEA Stoughton." . . . more
"This is like watching a car crash, but the two vehicles haven't hit yet," Marian Salzman, chief marketing officer for public relations agency Porter Novelli, told the Associated Press last week before the U.S. government's bailout plan was announced. "Is this the worst week, or are we waiting for the other shoe to drop?
The bailout of financial institutions announced on Friday is designed to free up credit for consumers as well as companies albeit with tighter restrictions. But, as the Washington Post noted, "the economy remains fragile with consumer confidence flagging, spending down and unemployment at its highest level in five years. The turmoil on Wall Street could further slow spending, the economy's key engine." . . . more
Things get off to a promising start: Barely are we in the door when an orange-aproned associate asks brightly, "Can I help you find something?" A small smile plays across Blake's poker face. "That's always good," he says, stooping to pick up some pink flower petals that have fallen to the ground. As he makes his way to the carpet section, which has been redesigned so that women customers can actually reach the rugs, the level of service begins to border on obsessive. "You need help with anything?" "How you doing today?" "Folks, you sure you don't need any help?"
It should be a gratifying moment for Blake, who has bet the ranch on Home Depot (HD, Fortune 500)'s quest to reclaim the $77.3 billion retailer's once-vaunted edge in customer service. Instead he looks uncomfortable. He's accustomed to walking freely through most stores; with his preppy clothes, thinning hairline, and lack of entourage, he resembles a suburban accountant who gets his jollies riding his power mower. Not this time. "You've been outed," I tell him. And sure enough, the manager of store No. 919, Mike Pleskach, comes bounding over to say hello. (Blake says he should have worn a baseball cap; his bald head is too distinctive.) . . . more
As the slump in housing markets and economic pressures weigh on profitability of new stores, Lowe's could cut next year's square-footage growth by as much as 50% from recent targets, according to several analysts tracking the company.
Citigroup analyst Deborah Weinswig expects Lowe's will open 75 new stores next year for 4.5% growth in retail-square footage, down from 120 stores opening this year to generate about 8% growth. . . . more
As economists predict the worst holiday sales season since the recession of 1991, retailers are fighting back with an arsenal of new selling strategies, staff cutbacks and more emphasis than ever on low prices.
Retailers are planning bigger, bolder and earlier ad campaigns to lure shoppers as early as possible, racing to make the most of the shorter holiday season this year-five fewer days between Thanksgiving and Christmas than in 2007. Some chains, including Macy's Inc. and Costco Wholesale Inc. already have put out holiday merchandise.Stores are expected to hire fewer part-time staffers during the holidays, to control labor costs. Gift cards will be fancier, and companies, such as Target Corp. say they'll be emphasizing affordability with a range of gifts under $25. . . . more
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Source: Fox Business
Boscov's, which recently declared bankruptcy, said investor Versa Capital Management Inc. intends to keep the chain open after the sale is complete.
The deal "will result in Boscov's being well capitalized and allow us to move quickly toward completion of our restructuring," Boscov's CEO Ken Lakin said in a news release. "Versa appreciates Boscov's commitment to its customers, co-workers and the communities we serve, and is well positioned to provide the resources to ensure that we build upon our nearly 100-year tradition of providing a friendly, local place to shop with brand names, great values and service." . . . more
Friday, September 19, 2008
National Post Retailers and consumers have been loyal to customer loyalty programs for more than half a century.
In Canada, Canadian Tire was the first chain to introduce the concept of rewarding customer loyalty. Muriel Billes, the wife of Canadian Tire's co-founder and first president, A. J. Billes, was the inspiration for Canadian Tire money, introduced as "cash bonus coupons" at the company's first gas bar in Toronto in 1958.
Originally given for gas purchases only, after 1961 the coupons were presented with purchases at Canadian Tire stores as well.
Today, Canadian Tire Money can be used to buy in-store products and automotive service, but not gas.
In the United States, Niemen-Marcus was the first department store to institute a loyalty program. The company's InCircle program, inspired by Stanley Marcus, has been in operation since 1984 and is considered the father of retail loyalty programs in the United States.
Across the continent, retailers operate on the principle that rewarding return customers pays dividends to them as well as to the clients.
From coffee bars that offer a free cup after a set number of purchases to major department and specialty stores that offer merchandise, cash discounts and special events through elaborate rewards programs, customers are given tangible reasons for loyalty. . . . more
Supermarkets have followed in the steps of chains such as Whole Foods Market Inc (WFMI.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) by offering more prepared foods in their large stores in recent years.
Now they're trying out smaller locations with ready-to-go entrees, as well as produce and basics like milk, so that shoppers can skip the hassles of a big store when they only want a few items.
"I don't think that anybody has got it yet where they've got the exact format that they could run with and know exactly why it works," said Jim Hertel, managing partner at Willard Bishop LLC, a grocery consulting firm.
Supervalu's newest store, Urban Fresh by Jewel, opens in Chicago on Thursday. It is clearly targeted toward shoppers who want to get in and out of the store quickly with pre-made meals and items that don't take much time to prepare.. . . more
Thursday, September 18, 2008
"Unfortunately, the trends in economic conditions offer no sign of an impending recovery," he said.
. . . more
Annie Isaacson and her twin sister were children of the Great Depression. As early as age 11, they picked blueberries in the woods around Framingham and sold them door to door, carefully guarding every penny earned. Their childhoods were spent moving from one foster home to another, and working, always working: babysitting, housecleaning, and, eventually, sewing.
The lessons they learned helped them create Fabric Place, which became a beloved institution in downtown Framingham before spreading across the region. At its peak, the family-owned company had seven New England stores earning $33 million in annual revenue, with 550 employees. But that was a few years ago, before the economy started to slide.
Now, much to the dismay of its loyal customers, the original store, which opened in Framingham in 1946, will be the last to close, sometime in the next month or two.
"I can't believe it," said Isaacson, now 90, in an interview last week in her Framingham home. "It makes me very sad.". . . more
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
The two-story , 63,000-square-foot store is the largest Harris Teeter outpost in Maryland, according to the company. The building also has a 17,500-square-foot green roof. It will be open 24 hours a day.
The 32-acre, $850 million North Bethesda Center is being developed by Berwyn, Pa.-based LCOR. It’s a mixed-use development with office space, retail and four apartment buildings, and is a joint development with Metro. The White Flint Metro station is adjacent to the project. . . . more
According to Generation DataBank, global travel retail revenues jumped 17.2 percent to $34 billion in 2007 from $29 billion in 2006, and are nearly double the levels reached in 2002. (In local currencies, airport retail revenues were ahead 11.8 percent last year.)
Sales are set to continue to grow strongly over the next five years, particularly in emerging markets, driven by the rapid increase in air travel and major investment in new airports and retail facilities. New terminals opening in London, Beijing and Paris have recently boosted airport retail's appeal, but India, the Middle East and Russia are also building terminals and expected to become much bigger markets in the future. . . . more
The economy here is slowing, but unlike many other states, Massachusetts is still adding jobs. The state gained about 12,000 jobs over the past year even as the nation shed 125,000.
The job market here has been buoyed by traditionally strong sectors, including technology, scientific research, healthcare, and education. Employment in professional, scientific, and technical services rose 3.1 percent over the past year; healthcare, 2.5 percent; education, 1.4 percent; and information, which includes software makers, 1.2 percent, according to the state Department of Workforce Development.
That compares to the less than a half-percent growth in total Massachusetts employment, and one-tenth percent decline nationally in employment.
"The outlook really depends on what field you're in," said Alan Clayton-Matthews, a professor and economic forecaster at the University of Massachusetts at Boston.
The Massachusetts economy has performed better than the na tion's in large part because it was less exposed to the deep downturn in housing. While local housing markets were hard hit, the state avoided much of the speculative building that has helped push states like Florida, California, and Nevada into recession. Massachusetts also has a relatively small construction sector.
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The likely rush to sell is driving down the already battered market, forcing financial firms to take additional losses on the estimated $150 billion worth of commercial real-estate debt on their books as the once relatively resilient pocket of the property sector now comes under heavy fire.
"As a result of Lehman's bankruptcy, other financial institutions will feel more pressure to sell assets at deeper discounts sought by investors," said Spencer Garfield, a managing director of Hudson Realty Capital, a New York-based real-estate fund manager.
Goldman Sachs Group Inc. on Tuesday said it had reduced its portfolio of commercial mortgages and securities by about $2 billion to $14.7 billion as of the end of its third quarter, which ended Aug. 29, taking a $325 million loss.
"It sure doesn't feel like the real-estate markets are improving anytime soon, and we will reduce that class going forward even if we think they are good assets," said Goldman Sachs Chief Financial Officer David Viniar. "Those assets are marked where they can be sold."
The limited-service clinics, staffed by board-certified nurse practitioners, offer treatment for minor illnesses and vaccinations for common diseases, including flu shots starting next month. The model of care is designed to offer convenient access for patients with sore throats or rashes who may not be able to make an appointment with their primary care doctors, or who may not have a regular healthcare provider. The clinics will be open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekends. A visit costs $59.
By late morning two patients had already been seen for minor illnesses, MinuteClinic chief nursing officer Donna Haugland said in a phone interview from the store in the town southwest of Boston. One patient came in after seeing television reports about the clinic's opening day and another person working across the street came in when her boss urged her to get help, Haugland said, declining to be more specific about their conditions.
"My experience working in these clinics is patients are very excited to have access and convenience for minor acute illnesses," said Haugland, a nurse practitioner who staffed a Minneapolis MinuteClinic for 18 months. "Sometimes they can't wait for an appointment with their primary care physician or there are long waits in urgent care or the emergency room."
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I. Values: Lehman’s sitting on $32.6 billion in commercial real estate investments in the form of loans and equities. It was a big investor in commercial mortgage-backed securities. What’s it going to do with that? Will it still roll those holdings into the bank it talked about last week? Or will it try to sell this stuff on the market. Right now, investors are so skittish about any kind of securitized debt, Lehman may have to sell at deep losses. That, in turn, will force other holders of CMBS bonds to “mark to market” based on Lehman’s precedent. So we’re looking at a real potential drop in perceived values of CMBS bonds. That could also have effects on determining the value of actual real estate. If the CMBS valuations are to be believed, it would imply deep discounts on actual property values. The industry, I think, had been hoping that the correction in prices would be something like 10 to 15 percent. Now it’s looking like it may be a steeper drop than that.
A perceived drop in values of real estate is also going to hurt retail REITs. The correction in REIT stock prices had settled in at a 10 percent to 20 percent drop from 52-week highs. Now it’s looking like REITs are going head lower again. . . . more
The planning board voted 6-1 to approve the retail project, with Nelson Disco, Pete Gagnon, Alastair Millns, Stan Bonislawski, Tom Koenig and Tom Mahon in support. John Segedy served as the lone voice of opposition.
Segedy said he voted against the mall because he perceives it as unfair to the residents living near the retail project. He also said it would put a considerable burden on town staff and may be too much for them to handle.
Meanwhile, Koenig said he has put "a level of trust in Chelsea" Property Group despite some concerns he has about the plan. He added that there is no legal reason to deny the project, which could be justified in a court of law.
Millns said he's all for Chelsea coming in for the tax advantages related to the project, but reiterated his previous concerns on the traffic impact.
Gagnon described the project as "the most complex plan" he's ever seen, even more so than when Digital came to Merrimack years ago.
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Final liquidation sales have begun at 103 closing Steve & Barry's locations. The last sales day for 24 of these stores will be Wednesday, Sept. 24. The other locations will close soon, although there is no set final sales date, the company reported.
Regarding new store openings, the company said it will move forward with previously announced plans to open a Steve & Barry's store in the next few months at 692 Broadway in New York City. No other new store decisions have been finalized at this time. . . . more


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Patience can be rewarding. Some fans of the newest Droid are finding that out in the sweetest possible way.
Last week, while many dashed to splurge on this latest must-have phone from HTC, some smart ones quietly jumped the queue ordering the device on Amazon.com for a hefty rebate.
At the stores, customers looking for instant gratification paid $200 with a two-year service plan. At Amazon, consumers were and are still getting it $50 cheaper.
So, if you are the frugal kind and don't mind the wait, check out Amazon. Verizon anyways announced on its website that it can't ship the hot gadget until May 14 "due to high demand." At Amazon, with a new two-year activation, the HTC Droid Incredible is tagged at $149.99. That offer is good until 11:59 p.m. PDT, May 6. Buyers will receive an activation-fee credit of up to $35 for each line.
Hailed as a formidable challenger to the iPhone, the phone is expected to take the market by storm. According to PC World, except for some minor design qualms the smart phone "truly lives up to its name." Its 8 MP camera, multi-tasking ability, support for flash and lightening fast processor have wowed its users.


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Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy has purchased a waterfront home in Nantucket for $42 million, the most money ever spent on a house on the island off Cape Cod, according to a Friday report from the Wall Street Journal.
The record-setting transaction for the island enclave tops the previous high of $38.1 million, which was set just months ago, in June, according to property records. Portnoy reportedly paid an additional $2 million for furniture and other items that were not included in the house sale itself.
The roughly 1.2-acre property, described by the Wall Street Journal as a compound with Nantucket Harbor frontage, includes a pool and a guest house, as well as an underground tunnel that connects parts of the estate.
Portnoy, a Massachusetts native, founded Barstool Sports in 2003. Barstool generated $80.9 million in revenue in the first six months of 2023, according to Penn’s Aug. 9 SEC filing, while having a net loss of $16.1 million.
Gambling company Penn Entertainment
finalized its purchase of Barstool Sports at a $550 million valuation in February 2023 and sold it back to Portnoy for just $1 in August 2023. Penn said that it retains the right to half of the gross proceeds if Portnoy sells Barstool Sports again.
Portnoy, 46, has been involved in several controversies in recent years. He was accused of sexual misconduct by multiple women — allegations that he has publicly denied — and he went viral on social media earlier this month for a sidewalk altercation with the owner of a pizza shop in suburban Boston who argued that Portnoy’s pizzeria reviews are bad for small-business operators.
Representatives for Portnoy did not immediately respond to MarketWatch’s request for comment.


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Intex has launched a budget smartphone called the Cloud Gem+ and that comes with a price tag of Rs. 3,299. Exclusive to Snapdeal, the smartphone is available in classic black and soothing white colors.
The Intex Cloud Gem+ packs in a 4-inch WVGA display with Gorilla Glass protection resulting in a pixel density of 240ppi. The handset supports dual-SIM functionality and runs Android 5.1 Lollipop out-of-the-box. Powered by a 1.3GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6580M processor, the device has 512MB RAM and Mali 400 GPU. Internal storage is 4GB, which is expandable up to 32GB via microSD.
The device sports 2MP sensor on the back as well as front that features 2P lens and LED flash. With 1400mAh battery, the device can provide up to 200 hours of standby time and up to 4 hours of talk time. The device supports 3G, AGPS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, FM radio, and Micro-USB 2.0 connectivity.
Intex, earlier this week, launched a mid-range smartphone, the Intex Cloud Jewel for Rs. 5,999 and another affordable smartphone with an aggressive price tag goes on sale today.


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The Gainsborough Farmers’ Market has been located at Marshall’s Yard since 2008.
Now the Marshall’s Yard team are working with West Lindsey District Council on the relocation of the market to its new Market Street location, and will also continue to manage the monthly event.
Alison Shipperbottom, centre manager at Marshall’s Yard, said: “This is a really exciting move for the town’s farmers’ and craft market and we’re really pleased to be working with great local partners on delivering a really strong market offer in its new location.
“We’ll be working to attract new visitors as well as our regular market shoppers, and on getting the message out about the new location for the market.”
The market will have a fresh new look with seasonal themes.
The first market in the new location will be held on Saturday April 13.
Long-standing traders including Pickles Preserves and the award-winning Redhill Farm will still be at the market.
Other producers attending the new-look market will include Good With Wood, Jane Lee Art, Special Edition Chocolate, The Little Cottage Candle Co and With Love From Lincolnshire.
The town’s regular weekly market continues to take place every Tuesday and Saturday as normal.
Ady Selby, from West Lindsey District Council, added: “Our markets are an asset to the town and it’s great to be working in partnership to build on the success of the monthly market.
“This will help create better connectivity between the Market Place, The Roseway Quarter, the Lidl store and Marshall’s Yard.”
Market Street has undergone a major programme of investment in recent months, including the new Travelodge Hotel, Roseway Car Park and a programme of shop front improvements.


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Tapulous may have one of the most successful iPhone franchises on its hands, with Tap Tap Revenge the most popular game on the App Store ever, according to an FADE LLC report. But it hasn’t all been smooth sailing for the studio.
In fact, according to a report on music blog Music Ally, Tapulous is looking to port its Tap Tap titles to other formats. One of the main reasons behind the move is the huge piracy the series has reportedly suffered on iPhone.
‘To date we haven’t been motivated to move to another platform, but in 2010 we’re definitely looking to port,’ VP of business development Tim O’Brien said at the MidemNet Mobile Apps and Music panel session.
The franchise has enjoyed huge success on iPhone, with Tap Tap Revenge titles as a whole having been downloaded 25 million times from the App Store. However, it appears O’Brien’s claim that 1 million of Tap Tap Revenge 3’s first 2.5 million downloads were illegal has tainted the company’s experience with the format.
As a result, it seems likely that we’ll see Tap Tap Revenge turning up on other smartphones, though no details have yet been revealed.
Even those pesky pirates have their uses, however. O’Brien stated that some have even been tempted away from the dark side. The ability to buy tracks in-game and the advertising that decorates play has apparently transformed some into valid, paying customers.


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How battery-powered trucks help prevent skidding
Norway is known to be a model country for electric mobility. Nowhere else is the share of electric cars among new registrations so high, and the switch to electric drives is also in full swing for heavy commercial vehicles. The fact that there are occasional hiccups – such as with some electric buses in Oslo this winter – is a matter of course for Norwegians. What sometimes causes mockery abroad is seen as a learning effect in the Scandinavian country.
Using a special vehicle from Designwerk should be no different: Norway’s public road administration, Statens Vegvesen, uses an electric truck as a snow plough. Specifically, it is an electric truck from Designwerk based on the Volvo FH with a 1,000 kWh battery. The EV is not used to clear snow in a city or on flat coastal roads but on the E6 – right across the Dovrefjell mountains.
In quite hilly conditions at five degrees Celsius below zero, the electric snow plough lasted a full day of operation with almost nine hours on the road without any problems. In a mixture of light and heavy snowfall, the charge level was still at 28 per cent at the end of the day – the Designwerk truck started with 90 per cent. According to the Norwegians, this results in an average consumption of 182 kWh/100 km. And as 38 per cent of the battery was not used, there is even a buffer for even more adverse conditions or longer deployments.
Norwegian authority extends test deployment
After a one-week test phase, the verdict is favourable, so further tests on the E136 between Dombås and Bjorli and at Bjorli Airport will be carried out for a month – with the possibility of an extension. The Norwegian Public Roads Administration has previously carried out several pilot projects with electric ploughing. The first one took place in 2021 when an electric wheel loader was tested on footpaths and cycle paths in Trondheim. However, the battery capacity was too low. That should be different now with 1,000 kWh.
However, the Norwegian road administration is the only one testing electric trucks for winter maintenance – Germany is, too. There, Mercedes-Benz Trucks and the federal motorway authority Autobahn GmbH tested a prototype of the eActros 600 in “demanding winter service” at the beginning of February. With a battery capacity of around 600 kWh, the electric long-haul truck from Mercedes has to make do with slightly less energy than the Volvo FH converted by Designwerk. But it is also subjected to different operating conditions. And on the very terrain for which the eActros 600 was developed – the motorway.
During the test on a section of the A2 motorway between Hamm and Bielefeld, a prototype – series production will launch at the end of 2024 – was on the road with a special semi-trailer from Epoke. Visually, it is a semi-trailer with a large tank, but it is actually more than just a tanker.
As a preventative measure against black ice, Autobahn GmbH uses a brine made from water and salt as a more environmentally friendly alternative to conventional road salt. The brine sprayer semi-trailer enables the brine to be spread at speeds of 80 kph in moving traffic up to a spreading width of 12 metres. The spreader is driven independently of the towing vehicle via the rear wheel of the semi-trailer. The trials have shown that preventive brine spreading operations in winter service can be mastered with electric trucks,” says Daimler Truck.
However, the press release does not mention how far the eActros 600 with the brine sprayer semi-trailer travelled in one day. The manufacturer gives the range as 500 kilometres – and not empty, but “after preconditioning with a 4×2 tractor unit with a gross train weight of 40 tonnes at an outside temperature of 20°C in long-distance transport operations.” In other words, in the temperature range in which it is usually deployed, it is unlikely to be 500 kilometres. However, when properly planned, it seems it can also be used with an electric tractor unit, as the test has shown.


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Google India plans to establish their rule over the rural India. Business Standard informs, “It is developing with local vendors a simpler search engine, as well as content tailored to the needs of rural users. The customized content for rural customers would include weather updates, crop patterns and other local data. Google is also betting heavily on the mobile platform (as PC penetration is low) and plans to introduce services like Google Talk (instant chat application), and Google Maps through tie-ups with Indian mobile operators.”
“How to make the search engine simpler and uncomplicated is a big challenge, but we will have an answer soon,” says Google Vice-president (Asia Pacific & Latin America) Sukhinder Singh Cassidy.
Also owing to the popularity of social community site Orkut, they plan to introduce it in other Indian languages as well. There are some vague news that Google Talk will also be available in regional Indian language. This is not all, very soon Orkut users will be post messages through SMSes. Mobile marketing is new in India and Google plans to target that by introducing online advertising model, AdWords, on the mobile platform.


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DALLAS, TX -- (Marketwired) -- 07/18/13 -- Aegis Limited, a global outsourcing and technology services company and part of the $39 billion Essar Group, announced today that it will be creating more than 5,000 jobs in its centers in the US over the next four months.
Sandip Sen, Global CEO of Aegis, said, "We have expanded our engagements with existing clients, which will result in our hiring of more than 5,000 people. This hiring will take place in all US cities in which we have operations. When we joined the jobs4america Coalition two years ago we pledged to hire more than 4,000 workers in the US over the next two years, and we are proud to report that we have accomplished that goal and more. In addition to creating these jobs, we are creating opportunities at many levels in our organization."
Hiring at the company's centers is as follows:
•Irving, Texas: 1,800 customer service and sales representatives, licensed and non-licensed •Killeen, Texas: 1,400 customer service and sales representatives •Sierra Vista, Arizona: 380 customer service representatives, licensed and non-licensed •New York, New York: 350 customer service and sales representatives, licensed and non-licensed •Joplin, Missouri: 300 customer service representatives, licensed and non-licensed •Port St. Lucie, Florida: 650 customer service representatives, licensed and non-licensed •Fairmont, West Virginia: 120 customer service representatives, licensed and non-licensed •San Jose, Costa Rica: 650 customer service representatives and technical support analysts
Hiring will take place over the next four months in support of health care clients. Responsibilities of these positions will include presenting the options available to consumers so that they can make informed decisions regarding their health care. Bilingual (English and Spanish) speakers as well as individuals fluent in Russian, Mandarin, Cantonese and Korean are encouraged to apply. These are temporary as well as permanent positions. Applications are accepted via the company's website www.aegiscareersusa.com or directly at the centers noted above.
Aegis is a global outsourcing and technology company committed to impacting clients' business outcomes by focusing on enhancing customer experience across all touch points and channels. Aegis was founded 30 years ago in the US and now has operations in 56 locations across 13 countries with more than 55,000 employees. Aegis services over 300 clients from verticals such as Banking and Financial Services, Insurance, Technology, Telecom, Healthcare, Travel & Hospitality, Consumer Goods, Retail, and Energy & Utilities. The company is wholly owned by Essar, a USD 39 billion conglomerate. For more information, write to us at firstname.lastname@example.org or visit www.aegisglobal.com.
Essar is a US$ 39-billion multinational corporation with investments in Steel, Energy, Infrastructure and Services. With operations in more than 25 countries, it employs over 73,000 people.
Aegis media contact
Head of Marketing (Americas)
Global Marketing and Strategy
+91 99301 35788
Essar media contact
Senior VP Corporate Affairs
+91 98197 30092
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Your anti-malware software may not work if you upgraded to the new operating system. But Apple says a fix is on the way.
People with Android phones got a notification that a trembler was about to rock Silicon Valley. WIRED looks at the tech behind that feat.
Some of our favorite camera gear is on sale, just in time to capture the dazzling colors of autumn.
Repressive regimes are teaching each other how to control protesters’ web access with increasingly surgical precision.
Amazon isn’t the only one in a prime position to unleash killer discounts on smart TVs, headphones, and Apple devices.
These are the best bargains to scratch your shopping itch without breaking the bank.
Apple has several models in its lineup, from the iPhone SE to the iPhone 14 Plus. We break them all down.
From Serial to Netflix’s Jeffrey Dahmer series, it’s time to think about what pop culture’s fascination with murder cases does to viewers—and victims.


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December 2 marks the 20th anniversary of Kneaders Bakery and Cafe, headquartered in Orem, Utah, and the company is celebrating an equally important occasion: donating over one million loaves of bread to people and organizations in need. To mark the milestone anniversary, Kneaders is offering a variety of prizes including a paid trip to King Arthur Flour Baking School in Burlington, Washington.
The grand prize includes airfare, hotel accommodations, rental car, dinner and sightseeing experiences for two. From December 2— December 14 customers can find instructions for entering the giveaway on the Kneaders’ Instagram page.
Kneaders first opened its doors in 1997 with a focus on serving customers fresh and wholesome food in a warm, friendly and caring environment where everyone would feel welcome. Giving back to the communities that helped Kneaders succeed has also been a priority of the family owned brand. Beginning with their very first store, Kneaders’ founders Gary and Colleen Worthington have donated day old hearth bread to a local non-profit organization feeding the hungry and have strongly encouraged every store to continue the tradition in their local communities.
“Our guests have become family to us,” says Gary Worthington, co-founder of Kneaders Bakery & Cafe. “Colleen and I started this company to share our love for baking bread with others. It’s incredible that we can do what we love and help those in need in our community.”
“I grew up in the kitchen, so to see my parent’s dream grow into what Kneaders is now, has been a gift,” says James Worthington, CEO of Kneaders Bakery & Cafe. “We are touched that Kneaders has become a place where families can experience wholesome food while creating memories and celebrating milestones together.”
Kneaders has expanded to 59 stores in eight states with an additional 10 percent in store growth projected for 2018. The stores, which typically bring an average of 40 jobs per location, include a retail component offering a variety of sandwiches, soups, salads, pastries and breads, custom-made gift baskets, home décor, online ordering capabilities and drive-thru service. Visit the executive biography page for more history on Kneaders.
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The seized cannabis will go on to support the research and development of cannabis oil for medical purposes.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has downgraded the projections for the state’s legal cannabis tax revenue for this year and the next.
And after compiling and comparing the cannabis-related social equity policies of every US state, the report from Transform Drug Policy Foundation found some regions lacking.
South Africa’s health minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, has amended the country’s drug laws to increase the availability of certain CBD products.
The substance is the first compound of its kind to be banned in the US state under the new regulatory powers.
Biota Biosciences, a Seattle-based CBD oil manufacturer and distributor, is voluntarily recalling several of its products after receiving a warning letter from the FDA last month.
The findings add further weight to the case for using medical cannabis as a substitute for illicit opioids.
In light of other studies that have found similar associations, the research could still have vital implications for public health approaches to cannabis legalization.