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Supply Chain Crisis Impacting Beauty Companies Big And Small: ‘It’s The Great Equalizer,’ IBA Says
The Independent Beauty Association’s Akemi Ooka, head of global supply chain resources, and new board chair Elizabeth Corrigan sat down with HBW Insight to discuss ongoing supply chain challenges, how the trade association’s members are adapting, and prospects for relief ahead.
At the end of August, there were some 40 vessels awaiting entry to the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, CA, the first- and second-busiest container ports in North America, due to bottlenecks formed over 18 months of COVID disruptions to shipping, transportation, warehousing, and labor.
By mid-September, the number of ships anchored off California’s shores had exceeded 70, according to leadership at the Independent Beauty Association.
“And that’s half as many as are anchored outside of the ports of China. There is an even worse backlog there,” said Elizabeth Corrigan, founder and CEO of The Complete Package, whom IBA announced as 2021-2022 board chair at the end of August. (Also see "Independent Beauty Association Adds Global Supply-Chain Expertise; Cosmetics Appointments In Brief" - HBW Insight, 19 Sep, 2021.)
“If there was ever a time our membership needed us, it’s right now in supply chain."HBW Insight spoke with Corrigan on 5 October, along with IBA’s Akemi Ooka, former VP, product, at J.R. Watkins, who joined the trade association in September as head of global supply chain resources. Both said supply chain issues around the globe had only gotten worse in recent weeks due to port shutdowns and limited workforces, with continued challenges and high costs associated with raw material availability, labor, and logistics.
Rampant inventory stocking to avoid later problems, while perhaps prudent, isn’t helping with supply chain congestion.
Ooka noted, “I don’t think anybody foresees relief until probably well into 2022.”
According to Corrigan, lengthening delays mean that companies now are trying to forecast their supply needs roughly four months out – for example, placing orders at the start of October to be stocked through the Chinese New Year in February 2022.
“We have to plan for a four-month transit time, which is just killing forecasting ability and the ability to manage your appropriate safety stock levels and to cover any kind of accelerated growth,” Corrigan said.
And explosive, unleashed growth is exactly what’s happening in the beauty industry around the world as lockdowns ease, retail channels reopen, and consumers return to work and social activities wanting to look, smell and feel their best.
Corrigan summed it up, “We are in this imperfect storm that companies need to manage daily.”
Barring major disruptions on par with, for example, the historic freeze that gripped Texas in February, leading to plastic shortages, or the Suez Canal blockage in March, some are optimistic that a lull following the Chinese New Year could enable snarls in the supply chain to be worked out.
Others are less confident, Ooka said. She called COVID-19 the ultimate wild card. “Are there going to be more variants? Is there going to be broader vaccination available? I think the hope is that we’ll see things taper off, but no one knows.”
One thing is certain in IBA’s view, following the group’s in-depth strategic review in 2020 prompted by the pandemic. “If there was ever a time our membership needed us, it’s right now in supply chain. The timing is right on all fronts. It’s unfortunate because it's creating a lot of pain and disruption in our industry, but we will be able to say that we are that go-to solution for our members,” Corrigan said.
‘Everybody’s In Line’
IBA’s more than 600 member companies range in size, and today’s supply chain is a problem for virtually all of them.
For small and mid-sized enterprises, contracting for limited supplies can be exceedingly challenging. “Smaller companies don’t always have the voice, don’t always have a seat at the table to get the attention. Often the big guys are the ones who get that. To the extent that money can solve any problem, those with deeper pockets” tend to win out, Ooka said.
On the other hand, SMEs can have some advantages over large competitors, she suggested.
“To support large brands, [suppliers] really need large volumes,” Ooka said. “In the last year, for example, where plastic resin has gone on allocation, manufacturers have had to determine how to distribute that allocated material to produce their customers’ orders. They have to ask themselves, ‘Is it better to use my allocation to support a full order for a customer that has a lower volume or a partial order of a customer that has a really big volume?’”
In many instances, suppliers are better able to fulfill the smaller volume orders.
Further, SMEs “tend to be a little more nimble. They have more flexibility and can take more risks. So there's an advantage that smaller companies have in this kind of environment to make fairly quick changes. They don't have a lot of bureaucracy to work through,” Ooka said.
Corrigan agreed that large firms have a bigger ship to navigate, but also command leverage that smaller companies lack. As for SMEs, greater agility can be a significant asset.
Often, “they’re able to shop out potentially smaller, excess quantities, whether it be a stock bottle, raw material overstocking, something like that, because the smaller companies can make that change without the extraordinary timeline is that is required within a larger organization,” Corrigan said.
Overall, though, the supply chain crisis is weighing hard on companies big and small.
Per Corrigan, “Everybody's in line for a container, everybody's in line for a booking, everybody's in line at this point for air shipping, which I never thought I would say. It's the great equalizer.”
While all are strained, companies are adapting to the challenges in different ways.
In addition to increasing project lead times, Ooka said, “they’re definitely qualifying alternative materials and thinking through stock solutions that can be swapped in that are fairly invisible to the consumer to give them a little bit more cushion.”
Many companies are choosing to hold inventory to insure against shortages. “And that has to be a business choice for each company because you're just tying up working capital with inventory sitting in your supply chain. But I think companies are getting more granular about what type of inventory they need and where in the supply chain they need to carry it,” Ooka said.
Further, cosmetics businesses are taking closer looks at their cost structures and having difficult conversations about increasing prices, a practical necessity in many cases to make up for margin loss.
Ooka noted, “The other thing they're doing is really looking at their customer base. So just like the suppliers are looking at their customers and figuring out who they can serve, the brands are doing the same thing and having much more detailed customer segmentation conversations. Who are our strategic customers, why are they our strategic customers, and what does it really take to serve them?”
In some instances, that exercise can lead to SKU simplifications and sharpened focus on strategic products.
“There’s much more attention being paid to that than maybe there has been. In the past it was, ‘Let's throw it against the wall and see what sticks,’ and now it's too expensive to do that,” Ooka said.
IBA is still building out its global supply chain resources under Ooka, but already is providing members with educational support, tools and services to help them negotiate the crisis.
“There are a lot of small brands that just kind of walked into this, and now they're swept up in this really unprecedented situation and don't know what to do or where to go. So we’re working with companies seeking greater supply chain visibility and how we can help them achieve it,” Ooka said.


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According to Sanger, there is surplus liquidity in the world and scarcity of growth and India is the only bright spot. Its GDP is expected to move from 5 percent to 6.5 percent in the next few years. He says the outlook for India has improved in past few months.
The current rally in the Indian market is more of a hope and expectation rally, says Arvind Sanger of Geosphere Capital. Despite the poor core sector data that came out on Friday and poor auto sales data, he believes these numbers to be abberational. He is surprised that consumer sales numbers did not pick up in the festive season.
However, he adds that after a while, the hope rally will fade and the effects of growth will need to be seen in terms of the economic data coming out – whether in terms of rise in consumer spending or on the industrial side, capex side. Sanger says it will take a little longer to see growth in terms of capex, but he expects quicker turnaround on the consumer spending front. Due to the base effect, benign numbers are expected on the inflation side, he adds.
Going ahead, he expects positive economic data as the backdrop continues to be favourable for the Indian economy in terms of lower diesel prices and inflation.
According to Sanger, there is surplus liquidity in the world and scarcity of growth and India is the only bright spot. Its GDP is expected to move from 5 percent to 6.5 percent in the next few years. He says the outlook for India has improved in past few months. However, he expects to see more volatility in the Indian market.
He says though bank stocks have moved up, there is still room for further upside if economic growth and loan growth shoots up. He also continues to be bullish on auto stocks despite the weak data and believes commercial vehicles sector to be a great place to be in.
Below is the verbatim transcript of Arvind Sanger's interview with Latha Venkatesh and Sonia Shenoy on CNBC-TV18.
Latha: We had core sector numbers for September, which looked pathetic, much worse compared to August that is and we had auto sales numbers for the month of Diwali and yet not looking very impressive at all. Will at some point the fundamentals of growth quell the enthusiasm created by liquidity?
A: Right now we have kind of a hope and an expectation rally but we have to see the economic data follow. I believe for a while that India has some time and some running room but that time is not unlimited. So as we get towards the end of the calendar year, people are going to want to see signs of growth.
Clearly, the inflation side - the base effect is going to show some very benign numbers over the next couple of months but on the growth side, we have to see this confidence that we hear about translate into actual economic reality, whether it is in terms of consumer spending where I thought some of the early data on pre-Diwali sales were looking quite encouraging. So it is a little surprising that the numbers did not follow through.
I think the industrial side, the capex cycle is likely to take a little longer to develop because that has certain lag effect of decisions that are getting cleared resulting in actual capex but on the consumer side, I would expect to see some quicker turnaround especially with oil having fallen as much as it has and diesel. So I am still optimistic that all the backdrop is so favourable in terms of lower diesel prices, in terms of lower inflation and in terms of general feel good in the country, it would be very hard to imagine that this was not an aberration number and we are not going to get more follow-through of the positive data coming through but you cannot keep expecting that without some follow-through sooner or later.
Sonia: What does an average Indian investor do now? At almost 28,000 on the Sensex, is this still a market that one should buy?
A: I have a simple view that there is a surplus of liquidity in the world and there is a scarcity of growth. You were talking earlier about Chinese growth, I would say that if China's real numbers are even 5 percent that would be a positive surprise. So China’s real growth not what they report is substantially below what people think, so other than the US where for developed market to have more than 3 percent growth is pretty amazing, the only bright spot that people are counting among major markets in the world is India where the growth rate is in the mid-5 percent and is expected to get to 6.5-7 percent.
So, I would say strap yourself in, this thing could get crazy, in terms of - if global liquidity is around, I am not sure where the Indian market could go over the next 12 months, obviously over the next couple of months where the data comes, I don’t know but if our expectations of improving fundamentals because of just the cyclical recovery, the backdrop of lower commodity prices and government positive action - things could continue to ripe but there is going to be volatility around the way and certainly European lack of growth and continued debate about what they are going to do on expanding QE is one of those.
Latha: Would there be a seller strike now? Do you think the bottom of this market has moved up, would you have the courage to sell?
A: I think so. We were buying on Friday. I think that when Bank of Japan is opening the spigots then the one fear that we have, which was what happens when Fed withdraws liquidity is now being offset by another liquidity source. What are the risk factors? The risk factors are liquidity going away and that leading to buyers strike or buyers withdrawing or alternately any major growth scare on a global basis and growth scare is there in Europe but therefore people want growth more desperately. So yes, I think that clearly the outlook for India has moved up and if we are all surprised and growth doesn’t follow then all bets are off and I find it very hard to imagine that Indian growth is not going to continue to trend up. So Friday’s data was abberational.
Sonia: What should one be doing with some of these domestic growth stories like autos, banks, some of the capital goods names etc because they have run up far ahead of the growth?
A: That is always a challenge - finding the companies where we can make big market calls but at the end of the day it is about buying stocks. So we have to find stocks that are reasonable where the fundamentals are not fully reflected and so I think banks have moved up but I think there is room for upside. If you get the growth cycle and the borrowing cycle which has been pretty tepid in terms of loan growth, if that starts to recover, I think there is upside.
I would say, the auto names, some of them like Maruti and others have run a lot but again if you are talking about many years of 15-20 percent growth, which is not inconceivable of given the kind of growth we have in the last year, four years in terms of auto demand. So I think if we get some of these data, there is still room for both in terms of multiples moving up and in terms of growth driving further valuation upside.
Latha: Would you want to point out to us any specific sector that you would be buying for instance, would you buy non-bank companies because wholesale rates could go down the way inflation is trending lower or within the auto space which ones would you like?
A: Yes, you mentioned non-banks, so among NBFCs, we like companies focused on commercial vehicles, which is a great place to be because that cycle is going to be even more powerful than auto cycle. We like NBFCs focused on housing. Some of the banks may still have meaningful upside, we have stayed away from the public sector undertaking (PSU) banks but maybe it might be even time to look at PSU banks if the inflation cycle has turned. I would say that some of the other sectors, one of the sectors that we have been a little disappointed that it has not done better but again the data should follow. I think some of the other capital goods sectors and even some of the domestic consumption stories, which have been somewhat disappointing till recently I think again with the inflation and oil backdrop, there should be recovery in those. So I would opportunistically look at some of those names.

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Bitcoin has continued to erupt greater, at the same time as sure merchants have asserted that the market is clearly overbought. As will be seen within the chart beneath, BTC lately moved towards $28,000. Whereas it didn’t handle to faucet that stage, it peaked at $27,900 on high exchanges.
Bitcoin at the moment trades for $22,700 as shopping for strain has briefly paused.
There are some that assume that BTC may goal $30,000 within the close to time period because the development stays optimistic and as institutional gamers proceed to flood into area.
Associated Studying: Right here’s Why Ethereum’s DeFi Market Could Be Close to A Backside
Bitcoin Able to Transfer Even Increased?
Travis Kling, the founding father of Ikigai, says that Bitcoin may transfer even greater because of the lack of institutional publicity to this area. Whereas there have been billions siphoned into BTC over latest months by institutional gamers, most nonetheless have little publicity to the area and will search to achieve publicity as the worth continues transferring greater with little sell-side liquidity:
“It’s quickly changing into clear that the ache commerce in #Bitcoin is way greater. It’s obvious that establishments are coming in w/ huge checks. A lot of that capital nonetheless has to “get via docs” and “funding committee”. They thought they’d purchase $20okay. They’ll be fortunate to purchase $30.”
It is quickly changing into clear that the ache commerce in #Bitcoin is way greater.
It is obvious that establishments are coming in w/ huge checks. A lot of that capital nonetheless has to “get via docs” and “funding committee”.
They thought they’d purchase $20okay. They will be fortunate to purchase $30.
— Travis Kling (@Travis_Kling) December 26, 2020
Many others within the area have shared an identical opinion.
At this level, the place Bitcoin is in value discovery with no recognized assist or resistance ranges, those who need publicity to the area might choose to purchase the cryptocurrency now in expectations they’ll flip it months down the road for far more, even barring a short-term dump.
MicroStrategy made this a lot clear only recently when it bought practically $650 million price of BTC at a value foundation of ~$22,000.
There have been many on Twitter arguing that this was unwise, contemplating BTC’s 100% achieve over latest months. However, as evidenced by this rally, this is probably not the case.
Larger Than Visa
Bitcoin now touts a much bigger market capitalization than Visa, making it the world’s most beneficial fee community.
It has additionally lately turn into the world’s 20th largest forex by whole cash provide, in keeping with information shared on-line.
#Bitcoin soars previous $27Ok, Has risen >$2.5K in a bit of over a day; Market Cap now tops $500bn. This additionally makes Bitcoin greater than #Visa. pic.twitter.com/vF9RNonKHW
— Holger Zschaepitz (@Schuldensuehner) December 27, 2020
Associated Studying: three Bitcoin On-Chain Tendencies Present a Macro Bull Market Is Brewing
Featured Picture from Shutterstock
Worth tags: xbtusd, btcusd, btcusdt
Charts from TradingView.com
Bitcoin Nearly Faucets $28,000 in Continued Vacation Rally


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People who are extremely excited for the release of AMD?s Ryzen lineup of CPUs might want to hold on to their horses. Apparently, upgrading from an AMD AM4 socket CPU not only requires a new motherboard but a new cooler as well. Hence, it will be difficult to use older CPU coolers on the new platform.
AMD AM4 Socket Requires Not For Old CPU Coolers
Ever since the announcement of the new AMD AM4 platform, there has been a huge issue, as well as debates. These debates are usually about whether or not this new AMD socket will support existing AMD-ready CPU coolers via AMD AM2 compatible mounting solutions. AMD has been using the same mounting solution since the release of their AM2 socket back in 2006.
Hence, some people are expecting that nothing is going to be changed. However, there are numerous reports regarding the AMD AM4 socket on the Internet. And apparently, most of the reports suggest that the AM4 socket requires a new mounting solution.
Instead of the old 96mm x 48mm mounting solution from the AM3 socket, AMD now appears to be using 90mm x 54mm. The AMD AM4 CPU requires more than just a motherboard, which is quite frustrating for some people. The image shown below in courtesy of Overclock3D provides a great view of the said changes.
Noctua?s Take On AMD AM4 Socket Motherboard
Noctua has recently confirmed that their existing CPU coolers are going to be compatible with AMD?s AM4 socket. As a matter of fact, Noctua is generous enough to provide free AM4 mounting kit to everyone who uses a CPU cooler from Noctua that is under 10-years-old. However, there are exceptions such as NH-L9i series and their D0 series.
On the other hand, Noctua didn?t confirm the fact that AMD is really using a new mounting solution. However, images of the AMD CPU socket later appeared. As a result, it has been confirmed that AMD will really change the mounting holes.
For more news and updates, regarding the AMD AM4 socket, stay tuned to TheBitBag.


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More than two million air fryers have been recalled because of a fire or burn hazard.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced the recall of Cosori Air Fryers after it was found that a wire connection can overheat.
In addition to the 2 million appliances recalled in the U.S., an additional 250,000 were sold in Canada and 21,000 were sold in Mexico.
The recall involves the following models:
The brand name Cosori is on the front of the fryer and the model number is printed on both the label on the bottom of the appliance and on the user manual.
The fryers were sold in a variety of colors — black, gray, white, blue or red — in 3.7- and 5.8-quart versions, the CPSC reported.
They were sold by several stores, such as Best Buy, Target and Amazon, from June 2018 through December 2022 for between $70 and $130.
Owners are being told to stop using them immediately and to contact Cosori to receive a replacement air fryer or another product.
To start the process, owners are being told to visit recall.cosori.com and provide their contact information and a photo of the fryer showing the cord cut off.
If you have any questions you can call Cosori at 888-216-5974 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET or via email.
©2023 Cox Media Group


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UK: Tiger switches UK, Singapore managers
Tiger Beer UK has switched the general manager from its Singapore business with its managing director in the UK.
Alan Gourdie will become the new managing director of the UK business, replacing Bennett Neo, who will take up the newly vacated role of general manager for the Singapore business, the Asia-Pacific Breweries-owned company said yesterday (10 May).
Neo said: "Alan brings with him a wealth of experience and will be a great asset to the UK business. He has been with the beer business for the last thirteen years. Before running operations in Singapore, Alan was global marketing manager for Heineken International. The UK team are looking forward to welcoming him into the business."
The new appointments will be effective as of July.
The company, which saw sales in the UK last year rise by 13%, said in March that its promotional strategy in the country - at a cost of GBP5m (US$9.8m) - will include its first foray into television sponsorship.
The company plans to sponsor the Sky Movies Indie channel, part of Sky's recently rebranded Sky Movies channels as well as having signed with UK lifestyle channel Discovery Travel & Living's series 'Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations'.
The moves follows the company's will renewed focus online, including an online advertising campaign through media sites such as Cool Hunting, Urban Junkies and LoveFilm, and the launch of its revamped website.
Scottish & Newcastle faces a tough battle to defend itself from the joint takeover launched by Carlsberg and Heineken. But today's announcement of a legal challenge to Carlsberg over alleged breac...
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Scottish & Newcastle has said that it has "nothing to talk about" with prospective buyers Carlsberg and Heineken....
Carlsberg has reported double digit growth in revenues and operating profit for its first nine months, as the company benefited from higher sales volumes and positive results from its "Excellence" pro...
Heineken has declined to comment on speculation that it is looking to buy the Serbian brewery Pivara MB....
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Imported and craft beer sales have risen across the US market....
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Scrolling through Instagram last week, I came across a picture of someone who looked so, well, nice, that I felt compelled to buy the Warehouse dress off their back. The person who posted the picture was the celebrity stylist Angie Smith, taken of her client, the daytime television presenter Holly Willoughby.
In certain high fashion circles, this confession could be deemed career suicide. But after a month of catwalk shows, watching anonymous models parading next season's collections, I looked at this picture of Willoughby and simply thought; I can see here what that dress might look like on me.
Willoughby has been consciously and quietly upping her fashion credentials since hiring Smith last January, selecting pieces from both the high street and the high end that are stylish but not scary. The pair have been sharing daily snaps of Willoughby’s outfits over the last few months, with interest in her style peaking in the five weeks since she returned to work on This Morning after her summer holidays. Since 4th September, her looks have racked up more than three million ‘likes’ and plenty, besides me, are even saying yes to the Will-you-buy effect.
Fashion search engine Lyst tells The Telegraph that an L.K. Bennett skirt worn by Willoughby, which attracted more than 167,000 people to press ‘like’ on Instagram, also prompted more than 3,000 to then search for the skirt on their website in the two hours after Willoughby posted the image on 21st September. Searches for the brand L.K. Bennett, also increased by 30% on Google on the same day.
Willoughby’s other recent hits have included pieces by Massimo Dutti, Very and River Island, all of which have experienced similar spikes after Willoughby has revealed that she is wearing pieces by them on her page. Lyst searches for Hobbs dresses rocketed by 132% on the day that she wore one, while Whistles skirts received a 33% boost.
The greatest success story so far, though, was a rainbow striped, sequin dress by the London Fashion Week-showing designer Ashish. More than 300,000 people ‘liked’ Willoughby’s picture of the dress she was going to wear on The Jonathan Ross Show, prompting a 300% surge in UK Google searches for the designer. Despite its £1,408 price tag, the dress promptly sold out on both Net-a-Porter.com and MatchesFashion.com.
Woman wears dress, dress sells out. 'What’s all the fuss about?', you might currently still be asking yourself. The appeal of the first lady of daytime television seems to actually be pretty simple; she looks like any one of us. Her style is polished and glamorous, but with elements that we could all so easily pull off for ourselves.
Willoughby’s stylist, Angie Smith, previously told me that the presenter thinks carefully about what she chooses to wear on air, knowing that women around the UK might be influenced by her look, but also that television cameras can be very unforgiving when you get it wrong.
“Dressing for TV is trickier than the red carpet because you’re going to be shot from so many different angles and depending on the show you might be moving around a lot and sitting down,” Smith told us of the considerations. “We work with a seamstress who will alter things until they fit perfectly.”
“We don’t tend to chose things from the catwalks for This Morning because we’re really keen, and I know Holly’s really keen, that she’s not wearing things that are ridiculously expensive,” she added. “We want viewers to see something that’s a great look and think ‘I could get a lot of wear out of that’.”
She's right, and I will.


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Updated Mercedes-Benz GLA will be shown on December 11November 25, 2019
Mercedes-Benz GLA 2020 model year will be shorter than its predecessor, but inside the car will be more spacious.
Mercedes-Benz is preparing a very large premiere. On December 11, as part of an online presentation, Mercedes will present the second-generation compact SUV – the GLA.
The smallest crossover of the brand will be shown on the teaser image and several more photos of the prototype completely hidden behind camouflage. Although the images of the test car are far from new, as they were previously presented on the Internet.
To begin with, the crossover height has become more than 10 centimeters in comparison with the previous variation, whose height is only 1,494 millimeters. The current GLA for its “short stature” was called by some a hatchback, not a compact crossover, but with the new model this problem will go away, because the model will get the ground clearance characteristic of an SUV.
Another advantage of the car is the space inside. Despite the fact that the restyled crossover will be 15 mm shorter than the previous car, the legroom at the rear will be more convenient due to the slightly stretched wheelbase.
Mercedes-Benz assures that the restyled GLA will be equipped with safety and assistance systems, for example, pedestrian warning, cornering and lane departure warning, as well as brake assist systems with a warning function for approaching vehicles or cyclists.
- Bis Industries will launch the Rexx dump truck
- Nissan has begun restructuring its business
- Fiat is preparing to release a new version of the electric car 500 EV
- Audi’s new technologies will make roads safer
- Toyota Camry 2021 will receive a complete set of XSE Hybrid


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Two in three CEOs don’t believe that their current marketing leads have the leadership skills or business acumen required for the role, according to a new report from Accenture.
The findings are based on a survey of nearly 1,000 CMOs and more than 500 CEOs at the world’s largest organisations and contained in the report — Way Beyond Marketing — The Rise of The Hyper-Relevant CMO.
Nearly one-third (31 per cent) of the CEOs surveyed expect CMOs to drive growth using customer data and insights to create new products, services and experiences.
And the majority (90 per cent) of both CEOs and CMOs agree that the chief marketing function will change fundamentally over the next three years.
The report identified a cohort of marketing leaders who are ahead of the curve, the top 17 per cent of CMO respondents who are driving transformational change at the highest levels of their organisations.
According to Accenture, investing in a portfolio of companies with leading CMOs would, on average, have outperformed a portfolio of other companies (with the same allocation across industries) by up to 11 per cent in 2017-2018.
The value is created by overhauling their organisation to put the customer at the centre and deliver hyper-relevant customer experiences, the report argues.
These CMOs don’t necessarily have larger budgets, but their projects are more holistic and transformational, “helping them respond quickly to changing customer needs by rewiring their organisations to enable better integration and collaboration and deliver superior customer experiences.”
“These marketing leaders are finding creative ways to reinvent the customer experience, which is setting them apart from competitors,” said John Zealley, who leads Accenture’s customer insight and growth practice.
“They are challenging the status quo of traditional organisational structures, taking the reins of innovation and disruptive growth and unlocking value through new C-suite collaborations.”
The study found that innovative CMOs (the top 17 per cent) actively partner with others in the C-suite to create customer-obsessed organisational cultures.
“CMOs need to lead an effective, joined-up customer experience at all touch points, at pace and at scale, to drive growth,” said Mhairi McEwan, managing director and marketing practice lead, customer insight and growth, Accenture.
“In essence, there are four key actions they must take: using advanced customer insight and analytics to shape the future; building the marketing and sales capabilities of their people and organisation; leveraging partnerships to create innovative new products, services and solutions; and delivering cost-effective technological activation of personalized and scalable marketing programs.”


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LightSquared has begun planning for GPS interference tests that will determine whether it can roll out a combination satellite-LTE mobile data network and issued the first of several required monthly reports on the process.
The latest Android smartphone loaded Web pages 52 per cent faster than iPhone 4 running iOS 4.3, according to thousands of independent field tests released today by Blaze Software.
Android hasn't just surpassed Apple's iPhone in terms of total device sales, but in Web page load time as well.
Apple's decision to shave the iPad 2's profile and reduce its weight may mean a slight increase in broken screens, a repair expert said today.
The world of new Hewlett-Packard CEO Leo Apotheker is lot more complicated than the one imagined by his predecessors.
Motorola Mobility announced today that its Wi-Fi-only Xoom tablet will hit the U.S. market on March 27 for $599 from a variety of retailers.
University researchers in Taiwan have released a mobile phone application that with one touch can transmit to any number of people the location of users trapped in earthquake rubble or under mudslides, the professor behind the project said on Wednesd...
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By now you've seen all the ads pitching wireless companies' new 4G mobile broadband services and devices. But beyond all the buzzwords and hype, which companies can reliably provide next-generation speed?
The dual-screen Kyocera Echo, an Android smartphone, will sell for $199.99 with a two-year agreement starting April 17 exclusively from Sprint, the carrier announced Monday.
The price of smartphone materials dropped by 13 per cent last year compared to 2009, according to In-Stat, as volumes of low-cost smartphones increased amid surging popularity.
Parts of coastal Japan have been so badly hit by earthquakes and tsunamis in recent days that the only communication about other possible dangers such as radioactive fallout from damaged reactors has been one way, coming to residents through portable...
Verizon Wireless started pushing a Motorola Xoom software update today that includes support for Flash Player 10.2, which Xoom tablet users will have to download on March 18 via Android Market.
Apple started selling its new iPad 2 earlier today through its online store, but shipping delays mounted as immediate supplies vanished.
It was literally yesterday (Wednesday) that Apple released iOS 4.3, and just a little over 24 hours later, it's already been jailbroken.
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First impression on unpacking the Q702 test unit was the solid feel and clean, minimalist styling.
For work use, Microsoft Word and Excel programs pre-installed on the device are adequate for preparing short documents.
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The screen was particularly good. It is bright and visible from most angles, however heat is an issue, particularly around the Windows button on the front, and on the back where the battery housing is located.
My first impression after unboxing the Q702 is that it is a nice looking unit. Styling is somewhat minimalist but very effective. The tablet part, once detached, has a nice weight, and no buttons or switches are located in awkward or intrusive positions.
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NEW YORK, United States — I read with great interest the Associated Press piece entitled "The Funny Math of Clothing Sizes" that appeared on this website a few weeks ago. The article describes the disparity between the growing number of plus-size female consumers in the United States and their disproportionately small share of overall women’s apparel sales.
“The average American woman is about 25 pounds heavier than she was in 1960. Yet women's plus-size clothing, generally defined as size 14 and up, still makes up only about 9 percent of the $190 billion spent annually on clothes," says the article. The author goes on to identify the drivers of this disparity as twofold: firstly, a lack of focus on the category by fashion designers (“the fashion industry has long spent more time, money and marketing on clothing for taut bodies”) and, secondly, pervasive stereotypes associated with the notion that larger women do not want to dress fashionably.
As the co-founder and chief executive of Fashion To Figure (FTF), a fast fashion retailer targeting plus-sized women, I have first-hand experience with these issues. Moreover, my great-grandmother Lena Bryant pioneered the plus-size clothing market in the 1890s and many generations of my family operated her namesake business (Lane Bryant) during much of the 20th century.
While the point about designers ignoring larger women is unfortunately entirely accurate, the focus groups and surveys we have conducted -- along with many hours spent on our store floors interacting with customers -- indicate that today, plus-size women want to dress as fashionably as anyone.
There was a time, decades ago, when society was more rigid and specialty stores catering to larger women like our family’s business essentially provided a place for plus-size consumers to hide. Back then, avoiding scrutiny was more important than finding fashion trends. But thankfully, things are changing. Actresses, public figures and other role models of all shapes and sizes have started to change stereotypes for a new generation of women. And, now, a majority of women sizes 12 to 26 want what all consumers want: fabulous product, compelling prices, a contemporary store environment and a range of options. This is what we provide at FTF. So, it strikes me that by ignoring this segment, fashion brands are missing a substantial business opportunity.
Why would anyone ignore this market when women like Adele, Rebel Wilson, Oprah, Queen Latifah, Octavia Spencer, Melissa McCarthy and Christina Hendricks, to name just a few, are massive influencers of consumers and encouraging plus-size women to be fashionable?
It no longer makes sense for fashion companies to refer to channel or brand conflict or a traditional fashion aesthetic as a reasons for not pursuing the plus-size segment. Back in 2006, Karl Lagerfeld’s annoyance that his H&M collaboration was produced up to size 16, captured in his statement that his designs were only for "slim, slender people" offended many. Today, as the average size continues to rise, the stance is not only offensive but foolish from a business perspective. H&M seems to have recognized as much as has started to carry plus-sizes in stores.
When we launched FTF in 2004, we were surprised that there was not more competition in the plus-size market. And we are still taken aback that there are not more choices now. While this may seem like a good thing from a self-interest standpoint, we think it is a bad thing for our customers and society as a whole. We started our business for the same reason our great-grandmother started hers: to affect lives positively.
Whether they end up working with us, or with others who may join the market, it’s time for those throughout the fashion industry to realize that catering to plus-size women is one of those instances where one can do very well financially by doing what's right.
Michael Kaplan is co-founder and chief executive of Fashion To Figure (FTF), a fast fashion plus-size women's clothing company.


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Australia's c bank lifts inflation forecast
The Reserve Bank of Australia said strong price data, which last week prompted the bank to raise its official cash rate from 6.25 to 6.50 percent, contributed to the higher forecast for this year.
The bank said that despite the effect of the latest rate rise and the appreciation of the Australian dollar, underlying inflation was forecast to be around 3.0 percent over the year to December 2007.
Ongoing pressures were also forecast to keep underlying and Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation near the top of the target range in 2008, it added.
"Weighing up all these considerations, the board judged that a somewhat more restrictive monetary policy setting was required in order to contain inflation in the medium term," it said in a quarterly monetary statement.
The bank said the growth of the Australian economy, which appears to have strengthened since the middle of last year, continued to be driven by domestic demand with consumer spending picking up.
"With the exception of housing construction, all the other main components of domestic spending have shown strong growth over the past two years," it said.
The bank said it expected Australia's economy to show gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 4.5 percent in the year to June 2008.
The RBA said the subprime mortgage crisis in the United States posed no immediate threat to US or global growth forecasts or the Australian economy.
But it added: "The board will continue to monitor economic and financial market developments and make such adjustments to the policy setting as may be required in order to promote sustainable economic growth of the economy consistent with the inflation target."


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US-based cloud computing vendor, 3Tera, will enter the Australian market through new distributor, firstservis.
Formed 18 months ago, firstservis focuses on “agile, lean and green” technology when selecting vendors to represent.
firstservis managing director, Derek Merdith, said 3Tera's cloud solutions fitted squarely within the “lean” technology interest.
"As a distributor we focus on new and emerging technologies. We see the next big step in IT as cloud computing, and our research into the market produced 3Tera as the best fit for us," Merdith said.
The distributor also represents liftshare, a car pooling solution from the UK designed to help organisations reduce their carbon footprint. It is also currently looking at virtualisation analysis vendors.
Merdith said the 3Tera product would be targeted at Citrix's channel. Part of the process of getting the product into market awareness was meeting with the vendor's channel team.
"We see Citrix systems integrators and resellers, as well as datacentre owners looking to wrap the solution around the datacentre to make it more efficient, as the people who will be most interested in 3Tera," Merdith said.
3Tera has not had a presence in Australia previously.


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PC sales are in a definite slump, and prices are becoming cheaper in an effort to try and convince consumers to buy – and we could soon see notebooks retailing for less than 200 notes. Android-powered notebooks, no less, according to Intel.
The decline of the PC has been more precipitous than expected over the last year or so, with sales dwindling due to a number of factors – the rise of the tablet, the fact that PCs last longer these days before they become obsolete, and indeed the unpopularity of Windows 8 (on new machines).
Not to mention the ever-gloomy economic climate meaning that folks have less to spend on tech in general.
Of course, at the moment you can grab a Chromebook for £230, but that’s not strictly a laptop as we know them (cloud-reliant as Chromebooks are).
Soon enough, though, there will be Intel notebooks pitching in at under $200 in the US (and presumably well under £200 over here), or so Intel CEO Paul Otellini recently said. And now Dadi Perlmutter has come forward to say that these low priced laptops will run Intel’s Atom CPU in combination with Android, mainly, not Windows.
There will, of course, be Windows 8-loaded budget machines, but whether they can be pitched that cheaply will depend on Microsoft, Perlmutter notes in a C-net report. (In other words – no, they won’t be that cheap).
Is Android set to dominate every sphere of mobile devices, and not just smartphones? If this is the sort of movement we’re expecting in notebooks, and the iPad’s market share continues to shrink in the tablet world (it’s now down to 48 per cent according to Strategy Analytics, only 5 per cent ahead of Android slates), the answer to that question may well be yes.


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Dave Burke, one of Google's engineers, said the company plans to switch to the Android R screen, confirming that it is one of the first features to be added to the Andorid update.
Google has many features that can be added in the upcoming versions of the Andoride operating system, which is one of the required features of Andoride.
Dave Burke, head of Android platform development, recently noted that shifting between frames will be one of the features of the Android R update, so it's time to add this feature to Android. This fall.
Screen Scrolling is one of the features already offered in some smartphones, delivered through Shawomi and Huawei, along with Samsung via the corporate interface, with a different name in every company.
Some features of phone giants are already listed in the operating system, including the multi-window feature of the Galaxy Note 3, and then came to the Android platform in Android 7 Nougat.
These are the details of technology news: Google brings the scrolling feature of the Android R for today, we hope we've given you complete details and information and track all our news you can sign up for a warning system or in one of our different systems to give you everything that is new.
It should also be noted that the original reports have been published and are available on unlimited technology and the Gulf 365 editorial team has confirmed that it can be modified and can be fully transmitted or cited from it and can read and follow the innovators of this report from its source.


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Singapore-based unicorn startup Acronis released its latest cybersecurity survey on March 31 today, highlighting that 86% of IT professionals are concerned about cryptojacking.
According to the 2020 World Cyber Protection Week Survey, there is a growing fear among IT experts in the face of cryptojacking attacks, as the study shows that 30% of personal users and 13% of professional users wouldn't know if their data or computer's resources were modified unexpectedly, as such threat does.
The report also stresses that awareness and concerns about cyber-threatening methods like cryptojacking have been increasing in the last two years, surging by 33% since 2019.
There is also a growing fear among IT experts in the face of ransomware attacks. In fact, 88% of those surveyed said they were concerned about this modality, surpassing cryptojacking by only 2 percentage points.
Cryptojacking is the unauthorized use of a third-party device to mine cryptocurrencies. It can be a computer, smartphone, or a complete network of equipment.
Cryptojacking can break the security of a computer in two ways: introducing malware by installing suspicious applications or from websites that use the device's resources without the user's consent.
Peak volume of coronavirus-related scams in Asia
In general terms, the survey highlighted a peaking volume of COVID-19 related cyber scams in Asia during the last two weeks, with Singapore being the most affected country on the continent.
To keep safe, Acronis recommended always creating backups of valuable data, ensuring that operating systems and applications are updated and being aware of suspicious emails or websites.
Is cryptojacking technically extinct?
Contrary to what Acronis’ survey found, Cointelegraph reported last year that MalwareBytes considers cryptojacking against consumers “essentially extinct.”


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NEW ZEALAND - DairyNZ chief executive Tim Mackle says the on-farm cash income of farmers from all milk production this season will be under NZ$4 per kgMS as a result of today’s news from dairy co-operative Fonterra that it is dropping its forecast Farmgate Milk Price to $4.15 per kgMS.
"That’s because some extra Fonterra payments for this season are shifting forward out of the 2015/16 season into 2016/17. Very little was carried over from 2014/15.
"This will have ongoing effects on farmers’ cashflows, their business equity and their ability to keep managing debt. The reduced milk price announcement today means our industry is facing a reduction in dairy revenues by around $800 million. That means $67,000 less in cash revenue for the average farm producing 150,000 kgMS.
"Hard calls will need to be made. However, dairy farmers are extremely resourceful and have been taking significant action to manage the last two seasons. Farmers’ ‘let’s stick together and look out for each other’ attitude will continue to come to the fore. And as always the industry will be doing its best to provide support, building on what has already been done.
"A positive note is that production and homegrown feed supply this summer is good. El Nino has not been as severe so far as some predicted. Some reasonable rain in December and January has bolstered pasture and crop growth," Mr Mackle said.
Milk production across the country to the end of December was down 2.6 per cent on last season. Lower North Island (including Taranaki) and the Waikato had the largest declines this season so far, dropping 9 per cent and 5 per cent respectively.
"The issues creating the soft prices are supply related - Europe is well ahead on production in the last three months. It looks like we could start the 2016/17 season with less than break-even milk prices," Mr Mackle said.
"On the bright side, a lower New Zealand dollar will provide some support to milk payments and should keep fuel prices and on-farm inflation in check. But the breakeven milk price for the average New Zealand farmer is still $5.40 per kg/MS so they will be getting $1.50 less than that this season.
"Global conditions are challenging and continuing to impact prices for dairy. Those factors are completely outside the control of the individual farmer. That’s the hard thing for them. Most will have done all they can to reduce their farm costs.
"This strengthens our resolve as an industry to help farmers through yet another difficult year. We’ll be doing all we can to help them focus on tight and skilled pasture management.
"Pasture is still the cheapest feed to produce and our ability to grow pasture year round is our competitive advantage as a country. We will be working with farmers to get the best out of their farming system and change it if they need to do that," he said.
DairyNZ is working alongside industry partners to provide a variety of support, building on work carried out over the past two seasons, including workshops and trained professionals to help farmers under pressure.
TheCattleSite News Desk


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Sports Direct has snapped up triathlon specialist brand Tri UK and plans to roll out six new stores next year, including a Nottingham flagship.
The sportswear giant has acquired 100% ownership of Tri UK’s parent company Tri Yeovil, specialist title BikeBiz.com reported, and plans to open a 25,000 sq ft flagship in Nottingham early next year as well as shops in Oxford, Edinburgh, Kent and Dublin.
The brand currently operates one 17,000 sq ft bricks-and-mortar store in Yeovil, so this backing from the Mike Ashley-run retailer will significantly boost its store footprint and create 150 new jobs.
Sports Direct founder Mike Ashley has owned cycling brand MuddyFox since 2011, but this acquisition marks the retailer’s first push into standalone cycling retail.
The acquisition follows Ashley’s plan to craft Sports Direct into “the Selfridges of sport” following a nosedive in full-year profits.
The retailer plans to open a selection of “new generation” flagships to lure in more affluent shoppers and placate suppliers after increased competition from rival JD Sports.


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Kimberly Greenberger of Morgan Stanley asks about the Victoria's Secret promotions. $LB said it shifted its promotional strategy from free panty, $10 off of a bra, direct mail coupon generally to promotions intended to drive trial. $LB said it can drive trial and had good progress in 2Q16 and will continue to learn more in 3Q16 and the fall season.
$DB is going to cut off services for about 3,400 clients in equities trading.
$F stock slid more than 2% after the company issued two safety recalls involving more than 650,000 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ model cars.
The new CEO of $SBUX, Kevin Johnson, has some pretty large shoes to fill but there are many who have good faith in his ability to do so.
$TSLA opening a showroom in Michigan. A bold move !!


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Two more Valley lawmakers have added their names to a letter by a bipartisan group of 11 state legislators urging Gov. Gavin Newsom to reclassify restaurants as essential businesses deserving special consideration during the pandemic.
The letter dated Friday and signed by state Sens. Shannon Grove, R-Bakersfield, and Melissa Hurtado, D-Sanger, does not specify at what capacity level restaurants should be allowed to operate but refers to industry-proposed guidelines that would let them “continue to operate safely and at capacity levels that will allow restaurants to stay afloat.”
The lawmakers’ letter notes many restaurants have gone out of business during the pandemic.


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The pandemic is still affecting companies in the Zacks
Audio Video Production industry. Declining consumer demand and supply chain disruptions pose major concerns. Also, fierce competition from importers of comparatively low-priced devices weighs on these industry players. Online accessibility of recording equipment and the availability of distribution channels on the Internet remain headwinds. Nonetheless, the companies are concentrating on the premium segment of the branded products market for business growth. Panasonic Corporation ( PCRFY Quick Quote PCRFY - Free Report) , Sharp Corporation ( SHCAY Quick Quote SHCAY - Free Report) , Sonos, Inc. ( SONO Quick Quote SONO - Free Report) and GoPro, Inc. ( GPRO Quick Quote GPRO - Free Report) are likely to benefit from investments in cutting-edge technology solutions that create better communications experience. Industry Description
This industry includes developers, manufacturers and sellers of audio, visual, and infotainment systems like Harman International Industries, Incorporated (HAR)
What's Shaping the Future of Audio Video Production Industry
In the United States, smart-connected televisions, microphones and speaker enclosures are the most popular electronic devices among customers. But the U.S. manufacturers of audio and video systems continue to face intense competition from importers of comparatively low-priced devices, particularly from China, Vietnam and Mexico. The firms face stiff competition across all end markets, which often leads to intense price wars and margin contraction. Also, a decline in picture and music sales has taken a heavy toll on the industry. Nevertheless, the companies are likely to benefit from investments in cutting-edge technology solutions that create a seamless communications experience. Aggressive Competition: Rapid changes due to the technological obsolescence of products lead to a plethora of challenges as the ecosystem continues to transform in the digital age. The fast-evolving industry has called for innovation, which necessitates the participants to continuously come up with ground-breaking technology to stay ahead of the curve. Keeping up with changing consumer preferences, licensee demand, shifting standards makes the industry vulnerable to operating risks. While the companies are coming up with compelling offerings to broaden their customer base, they face risks associated with new product development. Changing Consumer Preferences: The pandemic continues to deal a blow to the industry, with companies seeing a substantial decline in cinema product sales. Theater closures and lower sales for television productions are impairing the overall performance. While the companies keep investing for market share gains and supply chain resilience, a shortage of critical hardware components due to supply chain disruptions is expected to hurt their revenues in the near term. Unit volume shipments across end markets and devices are expected to decline. Fluctuations in commodity pricing for different components pose another concern. Pandemic Continues to Hurt Businesses: Zacks Industry Rank Indicates Gloomy Prospects
The Zacks Audio Video Production industry is housed within the broader Zacks
Consumer Discretionary sector. It currently has a Zacks Industry Rank #192, which places it at the bottom 24% of more than 250 Zacks industries. The group’s Zacks Industry Rank, which is the average of the Zacks Rank of all the member stocks, indicates weak near-term prospects. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1. The industry’s positioning in the bottom 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries is an outcome of a negative earnings outlook for the constituent companies. Looking at the aggregate earnings estimate revisions, it appears that analysts are losing confidence in this group’s earnings growth potential. Since July 2021, the industry’s earnings estimates for the current year and the next have decreased 2.8% and 5%, respectively. Before we present a few audio-video production stocks that you may want to consider for your portfolio, let’s take a look at the industry’s recent stock market performance and valuation picture. Industry Outperforms Sector, Lags S&P 500
The Zacks Audio Video Production industry has outperformed the broader Zacks Consumer Discretionary sector but lagged the S&P 500 composite in the past year.
The industry has lost 9.1% over this period against the S&P 500’s rise of 15.3%. The broader sector has declined 22.2%. One-Year Price Performance
Industry's Current Valuation
Price-to-Sales is commonly used for valuing audio video production stocks. The industry currently has a trailing 12-month P/S of 1.2X compared with the S&P 500’s 4.85X. It is also below the sector’s trailing 12-month P/S of 2.48X.
Over the past five years, the industry has traded as high as 1.43X and as low as 0.56X with a median of 0.8X, as the chart below shows. Price-to-Sales TTM Ratio (Past Five Years)
4 Audio Video Production Stocks to Watch
Panasonic: Headquartered in Kadoma, Japan, Panasonic sells and services various electronic products globally. It operates through five segments — Appliances, Life Solutions, Connected Solutions, Automotive and Industrial Solutions. The company continues to control fixed costs and make efforts to capture new business opportunities. It aims to create value by combining Blue Yonder’s software platform, which offers state-of-the-art artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities, with Panasonic’s manufacturing expertise and its edge devices, IoT applications and sensing technologies. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current-year earnings has been stable over the past 60 days. The stock has, however, lost 23.9% in the past year. It currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Price and Consensus: PCRFY Sharp: Headquartered in Sakai, Japan, Sharp produces and sells telecommunication equipment, electric and electronic application equipment, and electronic components worldwide. It operates through three segments — Smart Life, 8K Ecosystem and ICT. It aims to collaborate with various companies to develop innovative services and solutions in eight priority areas — Smart Home, Smart Office, Healthcare, Entertainment, Education, Industry, Security, and Mobility. It benefits from increased demand for in-home consumption, a rising preference for cleanliness, expanded telework, advancements in ICT-based education, the acceleration of online medical treatment and telemedicine and digital transformation in retail and industrial applications. The consensus estimate for its current-year earnings has been revised 4.2% upward over the past 60 days. The stock has lost 48.9% in the past year. It currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Price and Consensus: SHCAY Sonos: Headquartered in Santa Barbara, CA, Sonos is one of the world’s leading sound experience brands. The company is focused on its three strategic initiatives — expanding its brand, boosting its offerings and driving operational excellence. It benefits from robust demand for its products in the growing global audio market. It is well-positioned to deliver significant free cash flow and increased shareholder value over the long term. The consensus estimate for its current-year earnings has been stable over the past 60 days. The stock has lost 21% in the past year. It carries a Zacks Rank #3. Price and Consensus: SONO GoPro: Headquartered in San Mateo, CA, GoPro sells cameras, drones and wearable accessories in the United States and globally. The company is committed to producing the world’s most versatile cameras and imaging software solutions. It benefits from a solid product line and a direct-to-consumer strategy, with an accretive customer base. It has been expanding its footprint in emerging markets and is focused on scaling up its customer relationship management efforts. Strong demand across all regions, with increasing subscription revenues, bodes well. The consensus estimate for its current-year earnings has been revised 1.2% upward over the past 60 days. The stock has inched up 0.7% in the past year. It carries a Zacks Rank #2. Price and Consensus: GPRO


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Artisan coffee have long sneered at Starbucks and their whipped cream laden, syrupy confections. But the world famous coffee chain is now trying a whole new tactic in Milan. Their very first location in Italy is the historic Poste building in Piazza Cordusio which will be home to the world’s first Starbucks Reserve Roastery. This space will be a 2,300-square-meter (25,000-square-foot) homage to the Italian espresso culture that inspired Howard Schultz 35 years ago to create the Starbucks Experience.
This is clearly the Seattle base company’s bid to enter a burgeoning artisan coffee market which has lately become the center of coffee consumption. The Reserve experience is built around the Arabica coffees that are sourced from more than 30 countries around the world.
The coffee is handpicked by quality experts, and each one offers a unique taste profile and stories from the region where it was grown. Seven skilled roasters who have spent nearly a year training in Starbucks roasting plants around the world are responsible for roasting the coveted beans. They apply their craft daily in the Milan Roastery, which is the first place in Europe where Starbucks’ unique, small-lot Reserve coffee will be roasted.
At the coffee bar guests have access to hundreds of baristas who will handcraft a menu of more than 115 beverages across multiple brewing methods: ModBar® Pour Over, Chemex, Coffee Press, Siphon, Espresso, Cold Brew and the proprietary CloverTM Brewed coffee. For the first time at Starbucks the bar will feature an affogato station, where guests can enjoy a shot of coffee over a scoop of made-to-order liquid nitrogen ice cream.
This Milan location will also be the first Starbucks location to feature an Arriviamo Bar. Here, a team of mixologists create beverages from a bespoke menu that draws on both the Italian palate and Starbucks coffee heritage. Expect classic Italian favorites such as the Spritz and Negroni as well as cold-brewed coffee cocktails. This is an altogether new experience for Starbucks customers.
“During my first trip to Milan in 1983, I was captivated by the sense of community I found in the city’s espresso bars – the moments of human connection that passed so freely and genuinely between baristas and their customers. The opening of the Milan Roastery is the story of Starbucks coming full circle,” said Howard Schultz, chairman emeritus of Starbucks. “Everything we have experienced, since that first moment of inspiration 35 years ago to now being a daily part of millions of people’s lives around the world, we bring with great respect to Italy. On behalf of the 350,000 partners who wear the green apron and millions before them, I am so proud and humbled to bring our Italian customers an experience that is the very best of Starbucks.”
With so many new offerings available to Italians, we can’t help but be jealous! Hopefully Starbucks will bring some of these new features stateside for their longtime fans to enjoy. While the Roastery concept is bold and enticing, it is questionable whether this artisan approach will work well in the US, where the brand has a well-established identity.


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Anime streaming service Crunchyroll has announced Grand Alliance, a new anime-inspired mobile game.
Crunchyroll is partnering with VIZ Media and Gaudium on the game.
Grand Alliance offers real-time battles with a squad of three heroes fighting against enemies. The game includes several skills and ultimate attacks to destroy enemies. Additionally, players can equip abilities and equipment depending on their playstyle. There’s also a player-versus-player arena.
Grand Alliance is releasing on Android and iOS devices. Pre-registration is available at this link.


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Earlier this week, Chinese automaker Great Wall announced its intentions of possibly buying Jeep. It was hoping to make contact with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles about starting negotiations. But just a day later, Great Wall has poured a bucket of cold water on their plans.
In a recent filing to the Shanghai stock exchange, Great Wall said there are “big uncertainties” with FCA and isn't sure if it will continue investigating it. The company also stated they have not made any contact with Fiat's board.
"The company has not built any relationship with the directors of FCA nor has the company entered into any discussion or signed any agreements with any officer of FCA so far," Great Wall said in the filing.
On this news, Great Wall's share price went into freefall on Tuesday that the Shanghai stock exchange put a halt on trading.
Analysts find it hard to see FCA selling Jeep alone, as it is the crown jewel in their lineup. There are also the concerns of getting government approval. A recent report from Deutsche Bank AG said Great Wall could run into issues with getting approval from the Chinese government as restrictions have been placed on capital outflow. There is also the political ramifications in the U.S. due to President Donald Trump.
Source: Bloomberg, Reuters
Trying to figure what is going with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Jeep could be a full-time job. This week has seen Chinese Automaker Great Wall announce its intentions of possibly buying Jeep from FCA, before backtracking on that a day later. Then rumors surfaced that FCA is considering spinning off Maserati and Alfa Romeo, along with its components operations. Now there is another twist.
According to a report from Bloomberg, FCA believes Jeep could sell as many vehicles as a standalone automaker thanks to the increased demand for SUVs. The company forecasts that Jeep's annual sales will rise 30 percent to two million next year. FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne told analysts that the brand could deliver up to seven million vehicles a year if demand for SUVs keeps rising.
But for Jeep to reach that ambitious sales goal, they would need to have their lineup (including the new Wrangler, Wagoneer, Grand Wagoneer) to sell 50 percent more vehicles than what FCA delivered last year.
“It seems pretty pie-in-the-sky at this point,” said Richard Hilgert, an autos analyst at Morningstar.
Hilgert does also note most observers thought it was crazy that Jeep could expand to 2 million in annual sales by 2018 - something that is likely to happen.
Marchionne also talked about why it would be a bad idea to split Jeep away from FCA.
“We do need to worry about the stump that’s left behind,” Marchionne said.
“If we start picking away all the things that appear to be interesting to people, then I think we’re going to end up with a sub-optimal business that cannot run.”
It should be noted that only a few months ago, Marchionne floated the idea of spinning off Jeep.
The relationship between Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Volkswagen has been frosty, to say the least when it comes to a possible merger - Volkswagen has said no to this idea. But it appears the two have been talking about possible alliance when it comes to certain light utility vehicles.
The Wall Street Journal has learned from a source that the two companies held discussions on producing some light-duty vehicles such as the Caddy van (Transit Connect and ProMaster City sized) and Amarok pickup. The source said the talks are still at an early stage.
"It's still very vague, we have to see if this will be pursued," said the source.
If these discussions do go somewhere, it might give Ram something it badly needs in the U.S.; a midsize pickup.
Also, sources tell the paper that Volkswagen "isn’t currently eyeing the Jeep unit itself, or considering a takeover bid for Fiat Chrysler." They're still dealing with the fallout from the diesel emission scandal.
Source: The Wall Street Journal (Subscription Required)
It is no secret that Sergio Marchionne has been looking for a buyer to take on Fiat Chrysler Automobiles for the past two years. But no one seemed seriously interested.
That has changed.
Automotive News has learned from various sources that a number of Chinese automakers are conducting appraisals into FCA, with some meeting with representatives of U.S. retail groups about a potential acquisition last week. One source revealed that FCA executives have traveled to China to meet with Great Wall Motor Co. and that Chinese delegations were at FCA's HQ. AN also reports that a well-known Chinese automaker has put forth an offer this month for the company, but was turned down as it wasn't enough money to do a sale.
It is unclear which Chinese automakers are looking at FCA. Aside from Great Wall, sources say Dongfeng Motor Corp., Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, and Guangzhou Automobile Group (FCA's joint venture partner in China) are interested. Unsurprisingly, FCA and the Chinese automakers are keeping their mouths shut.
Why are Chinese automakers suddenly interested in FCA? Part of it comes from the government putting pressure on companies to expand beyond China. A government directive called China Outbound is pushing Chinese companies "to acquire international assets from their industries and operate them "to make their mark."
"Right now, Chinese automakers enjoy the full support of the leadership in Beijing to go and make it happen. That's something brand new, and it's really picked up since 2015," said Michael Dunne, president of Dunne Automotive based in Hong Kong.
A key example is Geely acquiring Volvo back in 2010.
Also, FCA provides Chinese Automakers wanting to enter the U.S. something akin to a turnkey operation. FCA has about 2,600 dealers in the U.S., along with extensive networks in Canada and Mexico. Worldwide, FCA has 162 manufacturing operations and 87 research and development centers - something that would appeal to Chinese Automakers.
So if a deal was worked out, what would a Chinese Automaker be getting? According to a source, the sale would include Jeep and Ram Trucks - FCA's profit makers, along with Chrysler, Dodge, and Fiat. Alfa Romeo and Maserati would be spun off to maximize returns for Exor - holding company controlled by Agnelli family which holds a controlling interest in FCA.
Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required)


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With fears before economic hurricane Approaching US economy, venture capitalists advise technology companies to cut costs and expand runways as the boom times stop.
But for the Pacific startup ecosystem of the Northwest, there is reason to be optimistic.
That’s the word from Chris Devormanaging partner of the Seattle venture capital firm Cooperative of Founderswho said the region’s focus on enterprise software could provide some resilience in an uncertain economic environment.
“Whether it’s cloud infrastructure, developer tools, business process automation – technologically we’re building plumbing infrastructure,” DeVore told GeekWire this week. “We solve problems that people know are problems and are willing to pay for them – and I feel it’s the best place to sit down to finish.”
Seattle has long been known for its influential businesses. It’s home to cloud giants Amazon and Microsoft, and startups that sell other companies – also known as B2B companies – make up half GeekWire 200our ranking of the leading private technology companies of the Pacific Northwest.
“Companies here are making business better and stronger, smarter and faster with software,” Devor said. “It may not be so much fun when the market is frothy and a lot of money goes to shiny, glamorous things. But when the world becomes real again, plumbers are still being called. ”
This is a similar thread laid out longtime investor in the technology industry Hadi Portavi in February 2020, just as fears of a recession began at the start of the pandemic.
Seattle Startups in 2021 there was an explosionwith record funding and several new unicorn births – part a surge in venture capital for startups around the world.
Read more from DeVore about the downturn and what it means for startups. The conversation has been edited for brevity and clarity.
Thanks for talking to us, Chris. Let’s talk about what everyone is talking about: the recession.
Chris Devor: The end of easy money was about to end at some point, and that’s probably a good thing. It’s going to be uncomfortable and painful and people are going to lose their jobs and it’s all very shit. But the endless ascent up and to the right creates all kinds of unhealthy dissociation with real value. We are not just trying to increase the value of the enterprise through private investment. We try to create companies that work and solve problems for money. And I think we lost sight of that. I am therefore grateful that the economy has shifted to creating real value for customers.
How is this decline different?
The situation in Ukraine, especially after the pandemic and upheavals in the supply chain. The emergence of this new exogenous factor of war and the impact on energy prices in the supply chain – it gives him a certain level of uncertainty and anxiety.
How long do you think it will last?
It’s hard to see a V-shaped recovery here. The government cannot stimulate our way out of this. It will be difficult for the lever that anyone can pull to speed up the reset to normal operation. By the end of the year, we may have clarity on inflation and interest rates, but there is still uncertainty about supply chains and refactoring the geopolitical situation. There’s just a lot of long tail potential uncertainty.
How about the impact on specific verticals or sectors?
I’m very curious to see how this cycle settles in the crypto market. The engineering ideas behind the crypt are really elegant and interesting. But it was difficult for me as an investor to understand where the price is.
I am also very interested in the geopolitics of trade and what it means for companies that rely on equipment production. When there is a cooling of US-China relations, in particular, what happens when nationalism plays a role in the innovation industry? I think this will open up interesting opportunities for how goods and ideas move across borders.
Is the founders’ cooperative changing its investment strategy?
No. In our business we collect the fund every three years, you deploy it for 3-5 years, and the fund lasts 10-12 years. We are in the middle of a fund deployment cycle that we closed in the first quarter of last year, so we have plenty of time. But I’m glad you don’t need to raise money now. Even if people like our income, it is a very troubled time to ask people for money.
What do you advise the founders?
It is useful that we are at the bottom of the capital market stack because we are the start-up and investor before sowing. The life cycle of the companies we work with is probably 10 years before liquidity. These watches are conveniently located outside the typical business cycle.
I just talked to an entrepreneur who asked if it was a bad time to start a company. My short answer was this I.There is never a bad time to set up a company if there is a problem you are sure you need to solve right now and if you have a deep belief in a problem that you can solve better than anyone else.
Now there is no shortage of capital for venture capital. There’s still a lot of money floundering, especially for small checks. And there is never a bad time to start a business if you are sure it is a business that should exist today.
What worries you most about this downturn?
The reset will incur ugly human losses. It’s like 12 years of expectations around people’s careers, employment and compensation. A lot of people are losing their jobs. And many large companies that could pick up that talent are freezing hiring. Human casualties of recession should never be underestimated, even if it is healthy for the economic situation. It’s real life and livelihoods for affected families, and it’s the hardest part of it.


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More Cooperation, Less Competition Will Win the CPG Wars – our CEO shares with Consumer Goods Technology.
Forget what you think you know about success with CPG sales online and adopt these five keys to driving CPG sales online in 2019.
SmartCommerce’s CEO shares three things that CPG brands should re-think when promoting their products online for success in 2019.
CPGs can take advantage of Prime Day by making marketing pushes that encourage carting — knowing that conversions will be right around the corner.
Retailers that wish to be successful online must ensure that all digital channels offer simple, convenient paths to purchase.
SmartCommerce’s CEO, Jennifer Silverberg, is included on Retail Leader’s distinguished roster of women leaders for “winning the online CPG war.”
SmartCommerce’s Click2Cart solution was featured in Shopper Marketing Magazine.
Haley Rubin, VP of Client Success at SmartCommerce, was mentioned in Shopper Marketing Institute’s ‘Comings and Goings’ for April 2018!
The following is a short list of additional solutions providers delivering unique value to the consumer goods industry.
The online model for CPG products works only if it mirrors brick-and-mortar: toss it into your existing online shopping cart and move on with life.
Read our selection of CPG Brand marketing news below. Make sure to follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn as well!
Although e-commerce only accounted for $74 billion worth of CPG sales out of the total $845 billion in 2017, it’s this channel that’s growing the fastest.
Digital grocery sales are reaching a tipping point, an unavoidable fact given at the inaugural Groceryshop conference held this week.
Through 2023, grocery ecommerce sales are anticipated to more than quadruple as online options become more available and consumers become more open.
Traditional grocery has been taking hits, not just from newer ecommerce options but also warehouse clubs and big box multichannel retailers.
As online shopping gains mainstream acceptance, Big Food can no longer rely on a captive in-store audience — and brands are racing to find ways to capture these spontaneous buys in the digital space.


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Filed in LTL
Friday, April 27, 2012
The company announced the launch of TRNet Express, which Pitt Ohio is offering in conjunction with Mountain Valley Express, a Manteca, Calif.-based regional LTL services provider.
Friday, April 20, 2012
The Cudahy, Wisconsin-based company announced this week it has acquired all of the outstanding capital stock of Clearwater, Minnesota-based D&E Transport, an asset-light flatbed carrier focused on food and agricultural products. D&E is located 40 miles from the Twin Cities.
The new multi-million dollar facility is located on Wrangler Crescent SE in Rocky View County and handles shipments throughout Western Canada and pick-up and delivery of FedEx Freight shipments in local communities.
Posted on 04/20 at 08:04 AM
Friday, April 13, 2012
While publicly-traded less-than-truckload (LTL) carriers are gearing up to announce first quarter earnings results, it appears—at least on the surface—that the sector has made up significant ground from the depths of the Great Recession. This is due, in part, to tighter capacity and steady rate gains since 2010.
Posted on 04/13 at 11:42 AM
Friday, March 30, 2012
Company says this network design provides choice for shippers in all lengths of haul, which is part of the company’s value-add proposition.
Posted on 03/30 at 01:33 PM
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
YRC Freight, a subsidiary of less-than-truckload transportation services provider YRC Worldwide, recently had its proposed change of operations plan approved by the Teamsters Union, according to a trucking industry message board and Teamsters for a Democratic Union (TDU).
Friday, March 09, 2012
With a close eye on regaining North American market share, less-than-truckload (LTL) transportation services provider YRC Worldwide (YRCW) said yesterday it has sold its interest in Shanghai Jiayu Logistics Co. Ltd. to its 35 percent joint venture partner.
Posted on 03/09 at 11:57 AM
YRC Worldwide •
YRC Freight •
Thursday, March 01, 2012
Our annual panel convenes to paint a murky picture for truckload shippers due to increasing rates, unresolved regulatory shifts, and an increasingly competitive landscape.
Our March issue includes coverage of a number of recent collaborative efforts geared toward driving the industry forward through the power of a more unified voice.
View all categories and topics
Company officials said this computer—the fifth generation Delivery Information Acquisition Device (DIAD V)—accelerates the delivery of package information to the UPS network and its customers.


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Easing concerns that certain tax collection practices of e-commerce firms are causing huge losses to the government, the Supreme Court today issued an order allowing states to require online retailers to collect sales tax even if they do not have physical presence there.
Shares of Amazon (AMZN), which has been in President Donald Trump’s firing line for the company’s allegedly flawed tax collection practice, lost nearly 2% following the court ruling, which had a negative impact on several other e-commerce stocks also.
The landmark order overturns a decades-old ruling that stated retailers could collect tax on their sales only in states where they have physical presence. Apparently, lawmakers found the old rule – which was formulated at a time when e-commerce was not prevalent – irrelevant in the present retail environment.
The tax collection model followed by online retailers has been a point of contention ever since Trump accused Amazon of trying to monopolize the sector by eating into the market share of traditional retailers.
The court issued an order allowing states to require online retailers to collect sales tax from customers
While issuing the order, the court said the growth of e-commerce added to the woes of states already facing revenue shortfall for being unable to collect their taxes. The court made the observation while considering a case between the state of South Dakota and online retail firm Wayfair. Currently, Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon are the US states that do not impose local sales tax.
The order was welcomed by both state legislators and retail store operators, who had alleged that the ‘tax exemption’ enjoyed by online retailers gave them a significant advantage over their traditional counterparts.
A few months ago, Trump unleashed a scathing attack on Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Washington Post, the media business owned by Bezos, alleging that non-collection of sales tax by the company had caused huge losses to states where the merchandise is sold.
The other e-commerce stocks that suffered losses are eBay (EBAY), Overstock (OSTK) and Wayfair (W). Meanwhile, shares of traditional retailers Walmart (WMT), Target (TGT) and Best Buy (BBY) gained in the latter part of today’s regular session.
Beyond Meat, Inc. (NASDAQ: BYND) reported net revenues of $73.7 million for the fourth quarter of 2023, down 7.8% year-over-year. Net loss was $155.1 million, or $2.40 per share, compared
Automotive parts retailer Advance Auto Parts, Inc. (NYSE: AAP) on Wednesday reported a net loss for the fourth quarter of 2023, compared to profit in the year-ago period. The company
E-commerce platform eBay Inc. (NASDAQ: EBAY) on Tuesday reported financial results for the fourth quarter of 2023. Earnings and revenue topped expectations. Fourth-quarter revenues came in at $2.56 billion, compared


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Over a year ago, Google added an Android TV Data Saver mode in India which helps cut down on internet usage. Now, after hitting the Play Store a few weeks back, Android TV Data Saver works in more countries.
When this data saver app is used on Android TV devices, it automatically adjusts video quality to use less data. This is especially handy for using a TV that’s connected to a hotspot, such as an Android TV projector. The feature can also toss up a pop-up message when your TV has hit a certain amount of data usage. You can get notifications for every 100MB, 500MB, or 1GB of data used by your TV.
Unfortunately, while the app can be installed on Android TV devices in the US and the UK — that’s all we’ve been able to test so far — and does properly appear in the Settings app, it doesn’t appear to be working properly. I tested the device on a Chromecast with Google TV as well as a JBL Link Bar, but neither device could actually turn on the setting.
You can now install Android TV Data Saver from the Google Play Store.


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After more than three years of working to restore the luster of the Oscar de la Renta fragrance business, the design house has signed a multiyear global licensing pact, as well as the sale of certain assets, in a deal with Inter Parfums USA LLC, a subsidiary of Inter Parfums Inc. The acquisition is expected to be completed by Dec. 2, when Inter Parfums will take over production and distribution of de la Renta’s fragrances. The agreement covers cosmetics as well as scent. RELATED STORY: Inter Parfums SA Raises 2013 Targets >> Spearheaded by Alex Bolen, Oscar de la Renta’s chief executive officer, the fashion company wrested control of its beauty license from L’Oréal through court arbitration at the end of 2009. The design house contended that the fragrance business had been allowed to deteriorate to the point where it was casting a pall over de la Renta’s other businesses. With de la Renta himself involved in guiding the project, the group launched a restoration campaign by cleaning up the business and then introducing new scents, such as the Esprit d’Oscar eau de parfum; a new women’s brand, Live in Love; the Essential Luxuries limited-edition scents, and Something Blue, which has a wedding orientation. These initiatives were launched in the shadow of the landmark 1977 Oscar fragrance, which is still operating. While none of the parties would discuss terms of the deal, industry sources calculate that the house has tripled the size of the fragrance business since the 2009 takeover. The business, calculated in retail sales dollars, is approaching $100 million, according to industry sources. In an interview, Bolen said the Oscar fragrance business had been in a sorry state when the house reclaimed ownership. “We had been thrown out of Saks, we had been thrown out of Neiman’s and we had mostly been thrown out of Macy’s,’’ Bolen said. “The business was limping along.” He added that those relationships have been repaired and the company is ready “to really expand sales aggressively. We can achieve our goals a lot more quickly by partnering with Inter Parfums. They can put gas in our machine.” Bolen mentioned that Michele de Bourbon, senior vice president of fragrance sales and marketing, will interface with Inter Parfums after it takes over de la Renta’s existing fragrance business. The designer himself will also be involved. Reached in Saint-Tropez where he was preparing his executive management team of 30 for the annual duty-free conference in nearby Cannes, France, Jean Madar, chairman and ceo of Inter Parfums Inc., described the acquisition of the Oscar franchise as “a fantastic opportunity.” He said it was a potent combination of “a legendary name with and iconic fragrance.” The original Oscar fragrance was not the first American designer fragrance but it was first to gain dominant stature. Madar said he was excited about de la Renta’s high recognition in North and South America, combined with Inter Parfums’ penetration into Asia, where it does 23 percent of its sales. Madar pointed to his company’s track record in building up other venerable designer names, such as Lanvin. Inter Parfums acquired that brand seven years ago and its fragrance sales now total nearly $100 million. “We want to leverage all of our possibilities to help Oscar reach the next level,” Madar said.He added that there are plans to launch a new de la Renta women’s fragrance next year. Inter Parfums also plans to take over de la Renta’s recently announced amenities line with the Peninsula Hotel chain as part of a new in-house division. The deal was put together within the last month by Financo Inc., which earlier this year had brokered the Inter Parfums purchase of the Agent Provocateur fragrance license. “This license is a win-win for both parties,” said Gilbert Harrison, chairman of Financo. “Inter Parfums has plans to grow the Oscar business. They know luxury fragrance as well as anyone in the business and have excellent marketing abilities.”Inter Parfums has been on an acquisition march since Burberry bought back its fragrance license, which had been the biggest piston in the Inter Parfums portfolio. Madar pointed out that in the last eight months, Inter Parfums has not only acquired licenses for Agent Provocateur but also Shanghai Tang and Dunhill. He mentioned that Anna Sui, Montblanc and Lanvin are all growing at more than 20 percent a year, and predicted that within three years, Inter Parfums will easily make up for the loss of the Burberry business. “We are very comfortable,” he stated.
Exclusive: @isabelmarant and @lorealmakeup have teamed up to create a capsule makeup collection. "She is rather natural in the day but doesn't have time to go back home before going out [in the evening] and redo her entire beauty look," said Marant on the 5 products included in the collection, which will launching in September. Read @jenniferbethweil's interview with the designer on WWD.com. #wwdnews #wwdbeauty
After 17 years, Tomas Maier is leaving @bottegaveneta. “I am deeply grateful to him and I personally thank him for the work he accomplished, and for the exceptional success he helped to achieve,” said François-Henri Pinault, head of parent company @kering_official. Head to WWD.com for more on his departure. #wwdnews #wwdfashion (📷: Davide Maestri)
@shaymitchell is no stranger to teaming up with beauty brands, but she’s made her latest partnership official: She’s signed with @buxomcosmetics as global creative brand ambassador, WWD learned exclusively. Mitchell and Buxom will collaborate on campaign development, social media strategy and content and new product and shade development. Read more on WWD.com. #wwdbeauty (📷: @clint_spaulding)
Today we’re at the WWD Retail 20/20 Forum where industry leaders will be talking about the future of shopping for fashion, footwear and beauty. Tune in on Instagram Live at 9 am and 3:30 pm to hear from two of our speakers –– @therealreal’s Rati Levesque and @bandier’s Stephen Ippolito. #wwdsummits (📷: @elizaflorendo)
Seen last night at @coach’s launch party for “Life Coach,” an interactive pop-up in Soho: @joansmalls. Open now, visitors of the pop-up can engage in themes of “creativity and self-expression,” through tarot, carnival games, live performances and art. See the rest of the party pics on WWD.com. #wwdeye (📷: @vnina)
“We figure there’s enough cynicism to go around the world right now let’s go out there and be ourselves, let’s be enthusiastic, let’s have positive energy, which is something I think a lot of people really want and need right now,” said musician @joshgroban ahead of hosting the Tony Awards with @sarabareilles. Read @leighn’s interview with Groban on how he picked his look for the night, his next record and more on WWD.com. #wwdeye #tonyawards (📷: @vnina)
“Rock as an attitude and not a uniform. Street as a style and not just clothing. Sportswear as the new normality,” @paul_surridge said of his first @roberto_cavalli men’s wear collection, previewed here. The British designer joined the brand as the creative director in May 2017, and is gearing up to unveil his debut for the label with a runway show at the Florence Charterhouse on June 13 at #PittiUomo. Head to WWD.com to read more about his collection and see more sneak peek photos. #wwdfashion (📷: @simonelezzi)


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The Coffee Club, one of the country’s fastest growing café brands, says that more Kiwis than ever before are enjoying salmon dishes when they dine out. The ingredient is quickly becoming a firm favourite for many consumers, regardless of whether they’re eating breakfast, lunch or dinner.
The Coffee Club, which has more than 60 stores around New Zealand, is expecting to get through 7000kg of smoked salmon this year, up 500kg from last year. That’s an increase of almost 600 plates of eggs Benedict with salmon. Salmon now ranks in two of The Coffee Club’s top ten selling dishes, Salmon Eggs Benedict and their Salmon & Avo Stack, and they have also recently added a new salmon dish, the Salmon & Cream Cheese Omelette, to meet the ever increasing demand.
The Coffee Club’s supplier, New Zealand King Salmon, which provides the cafes with Regal Salmon from Marlborough Sounds, is not surprised at the jump in sales. They have been experiencing strong growth for some time now.
“Kiwis are becoming more aware of what’s in their food and where it comes from,” explains New Zealand King Salmon Marketing Manager, Sahra Cliffe. “New Zealand salmon appeals as it’s a locally sourced product and is rich in nutrients. It also contains lots of healthy fats and protein, so it’s very good for you and you don’t need to eat much to feel satisfied.”
“The premiumisation trend has also had an impact,” she adds. “More consumers are looking for the finer things in life and are prepared to pay a little more for quality. The influence of cooking shows and social media channels like Instagram are encouraging people to be more adventurous with food and to try new things as well.”
The Coffee Club stores can be found throughout both the North and South Islands. For more information visit thecoffeeclub.co.nz.