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Rhodes-Aniska knows how to throw a good super bowl party. She, like the other customers we found ordering at The Anthracite Caf, doesn't believe that there will be a shortage of chicken wings come game day.
The Anthracite Manager Lauren Kaye says "I am not really sure what everybody is talking about. I do know this; there is definitely no shortage of chicken wings here." We asked the chef why he thinks some people are worried their favorite finger food might not there for the picking and Sous Chef James Wood says "Super Bowl doesn't really have an effect on us because we sell so many wings in general, but other places now are probably ordering more with the Super Bowl. It's like a holiday. It's like the new Christmas." He says wings are in a higher demand around this time of year, but adds that in his 3 years at the restaurant he only ran out of the super bowl favorite once.
At the Anthracite Cafe they are not really worried about a chicken wing shortage. The customers we spoke to are just worried about which of the 45 sauces they are going to put on their wings. Customer Michael Umphred says "I like a good hot wing as much as the next guy, ya know?" Romayne Williams was also eating there and says "they have the best Cajun-rub wings I have ever had in my life."
All flavors a side one thing is for sure, when kick off comes you better be ready with a wing in hand.
The manager of the anthracite cafe did say that the actual restaurant is closed Super Bowl Sunday, but the good news for wing lovers is that they are open for catering that day.


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Today, more than ever, design is impacting the restaurant industry. There’s a lot of competition in the dining world, hefty staffing, overhead costs, and new and changing tastes. Amid these challenges, creating a hospitality space with impact and staying power can be difficult. We recently explored design trends from around the world in our 2020 restaurant design report, and we also know that restaurant design goes far beyond material choices. In today’s world of Postmates and Uber Eats, attracting customers to a physical restaurant is about more than simply creating a place in which to dine; it’s about creating a complete and memorable dining experience from — pardon the pun — soup to nuts. With that in mind, we’re diving a little deeper into the world of restaurant design to get a sense of how design, and its by-products, can help these hospitality establishments succeed in a crowded field.
A Unique Feature
Bow truss ceiling. Photo credit: EDSEL LITTLE
Restaurants stand out when they establish their individual character. That means creating or highlighting a character-defining design feature, like bow truss ceilings, unique tile work, or other elements that “will speak to a restaurant’s audience — the food and beverage industry is an intrinsically performative one, and becoming more so,” stated Dean Harrada, a Los Angeles commercial broker specializing in restaurant spaces with Paloma Realty Partners. For restaurants today, it’s all about the complete dining experience; and it’s no secret that experiences are driving design, with more and more design decisions geared toward the idea of cultivating a kind of performance or experience aspect to envelop diners.
Color and Graphics
Photo credit: Luis Beltran
One of the trends we identified in our 2020 restaurant design report is the use of bold color, patterns, and graphics in restaurant spaces. High contrast graphics with bold and bright lettering on the walls are some of the ways restaurants are speaking to their communities, noted Stephanie Ragle, co-founder of Los Angeles architecture firm office42. In their newly-designed South LA Cafe, for example, Ragle explained that graphic messaging with the words "Coffee. Community. Connection." are printed on the walls as a way to harness the cafe’s mantra and remind both customers and workers. Design firm FormRoom also employed bold, graphic messaging in their design for London-based ice cream shop Milk Train. Similarly, bold graphics
were also a design choice implemented by KatzDesignGroup in their concept for Scoopwell’s Dough Bar in Phoenix, AZ.
Photo Credit: Scoopwell's Dough bar
Food Halls and Community
When it comes to the world of restaurant design, the trend of food halls is exploding, stated architect Ragle, whose firm is designing Blossom Market Hall in L.A.’s San Gabriel Valley and previously designed a restaurant collective in L.A.’s Highland Park neighborhood. They’re a collection of unique and often artisanal and/or global eateries in one communal setting. Food halls allow for a lower barrier to entry for emerging chefs. “Part of our design focus for these spaces is to design a sort of ‘kit-of-parts’ vendors to plug into,” stated Ragle. With a lower barrier to entry food halls enable a more experimental environment for niche cuisine. Food halls have emerged not only across the country in places like Nashville, Minneapolis, Seattle, and Los Angeles according to Thrillist, but also worldwide with the success of concepts like Eataly. The popularity of food halls and the adventure they provide diners underscores the fact that designing an experience creates an impact for leading edge restaurants.
Eataly. Photo Credit: CARL MIKOY
Food halls also point to a trend within the restaurant world of community, as well as nostalgia. In fact, the emphasis on community in design is something we see echoed in restaurant establishments like Lodgic Everyday Community in Illinois. And while food halls are particularly current, the concept itself might not be all that new. It could be said that food halls are the 21st-century’s take on the mall food court, especially as the demise of the suburban shopping mall leaves a void for this kind of boisterous, communal dining experience. Nostalgia can a powerful force in architecture — it provides comforting, familiar places, connects us with a shared experiences, and, in the case of some rapidly changing areas, it has been utilized as an effort to ease gentrification concerns.
Interested in learning more about leading edge restaurant design and global design trends? Take a look at our 2020 restaurant design report.

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NEW YORK (AP) ? Bank stocks turbocharged what was already a big market rally Tuesday, and all three major stock indexes posted their biggest gains of the year. The Dow Jones industrial average rose 218 points and closed at its highest level since the end of 2007.
The Nasdaq composite closed above 3,000 for the first time since December 2000.
Stocks climbed from the opening bell after the government said February retail sales gains were the strongest since September.
Then JPMorgan Chase, the country’s largest bank by assets, announced that it plans to buy back as much as $15 billion of its stock and raise its quarterly dividend to 30 cents per share from 25 cents a share.
The announcement sent other bank stocks higher. JPMorgan Chase gained 7 percent. Citigroup and Goldman Sachs gained 6 percent.
Major indexes added to their gains after the Federal Reserve said it saw signs of an improving economy. The Fed noted that the unemployment rate has declined and should keep falling. It also said strains in the global financial markets have eased.
The Dow finished at 13,177.68, its highest close since Dec. 31, 2007. The close put the Dow within 1,000 points of its all-time record, 14,164, set less than three months earlier, Oct. 9, 2007.
The Nasdaq composite index rose 56.22 points Tuesday, or 1.9 percent, to 3,039.88, its first close above 3,000 since months after the bubble in dot-com stocks burst.
Jack Ablin, chief investment officer at Harris Private Bank, said the key difference between the Nasdaq then and now is that the technology companies that dominate the index only promised profits 12 years ago.
Today, the Nasdaq’s largest companies are Apple, Microsoft and Google, corporate titans with massive earnings.
“The Nasdaq hasn’t done much of anything for 12 years, but it’s had a huge rally in earnings,” Ablin said.
The Commerce Department said retail sales rose 1.1 percent last month, the biggest gain since September. Some of the gain reflected higher gas prices, but consumers also bought more cars, clothes and appliances. Department stores had their biggest gains in more than a year.
The government also revised its estimates higher for December and January.
The Standard & Poor’s 500 index rose 24.87 points, or 1.8 percent, to 1,395.96. The S&P 500, a broad measure of the stock market, has already gained 11 percent this year, more than its average for a full calendar year.
Brian Gendreau, market strategist at Cetera Financial, said stocks could still go higher. Investors are paying roughly 13 times the past year’s earnings for the S&P 500 index. The long-term average is closer to 15.
“Valuations are still very cheap,” he said.
A reading of confidence among small business owners also rose in February for the sixth month in a row. The National Federation of Independent Business optimism index reached its highest level in a year, helped by an increase in expected sales.
Among companies making big moves:
? Great Wolf Resorts jumped 27 percent to $5.13. Apollo Global Management said it has agreed to buy the indoor water park operator for $5 a share.
? Urban Outfitters dropped 5.3 percent, the worst drop in the S&P 500 index. The retailer reported earnings that fell below what analysts were expecting after it had to mark down prices on women’s clothing at its Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters stores.
? Carmike Cinemas soared 17 percent. The Georgia-based movie theater chain reported earnings and sales that far outpaced what Wall Street analysts had expected.


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By Peggy Kirk Hall, director of agricultural law, Ohio State University Agricultural and Resource Law Program
There’s much disagreement over what we know about COVID-19, but one thing we can agree upon is that it has left an impact on the food supply chain. For some food producers, that impact is creating opportunity. Many growers see the potential of filling the gaps created by closed processing facilities, thin grocery shelves, and unwillingness to shop inside stores. If you’re one of those growers who sees an opportunity to sell food, we have a few thoughts on legal issues to consider before moving into the direct food sales arena. Doing so will reduce your risks and the potential of legal liability. Continue reading
Thus far we have been fortunate to miss out on some of the heavier rain that has fallen a bit farther south. As soil conditions become fit, with the exception of temperature I suspect that we will see increased planting s. This is my annual reminder to be safe and careful on the roads, especially south of Napoleon where 108 is closed and traffic is routed down some of the county roads.
Here yet today, or tomorrow depending on the weather, I plan on mowing the lawn for the third time this spring, the frost a while back slowed up what was some nice lush growth after the first mowing. Remember starting out we should be mowing grass fairly short this time of year, about two and a half to three inches off the ground is about where I like to be.
The smell of fresh cut grass is an indicator that we are also closing in on barbecue and grilling season. This weekend if it isn’t too chilly I think I’ll fire up my charcoal smoker and experiment with a pork loin or in preparation for a brisket on Mother’s Day weekend. Continue reading
By: Stan Smith, OSU Extension, Fairfield County
While supply chain issues have caused short term disruptions in some retail meat cases, livestock inventory is more than adequate to meet demand.
To suggest that supply in local meat cases has been disrupted since schools closed and ‘stay-at-home’ orders were issued last month might be an understatement.
The good is simply this. We have more than adequate supplies of market ready livestock on the farm to accommodate the consumer’s demand for meat.
The bad is that COVID-19 caused disruption to the meat supply chain that created short term shortages in the meat case, and fluctuations of price in both the meat case and especially livestock at the farm.
The ugly is these concerns are likely to affect both the farmer and the consumer for weeks, and perhaps even months to come. The solution to the chain of events that have caused the problems in the supply chain all revolve around how quickly COVID-19 is arrested and the lives of consumers and all the members of the meat supply chain can return to normal. Continue reading
By: Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University
The U.S. meat industry faces unprecedented threats as COVID-19 sweeps through labor forces at meat processing facilities nationwide. Production of beef, pork and poultry are simultaneously threatened as COVID-19 infections affect labor availability and processing capacity in multiple facilities across all meat industries.
Reduced processing capacity could cause backups in live animal supplies if animals cannot be processed in a timely fashion. The severity of impacts will depend on specific situations and locations but could include costly delays in holding animals until slaughter, backlogs in production facilities, or even disposal of animals.
Such disruptions could result in reduced flows of fresh meat to consumers, compounded by the continuing bottlenecks created by the drastic reduction in the food service sector, roughly half of total food distribution. Since early March, those bottlenecks resulted in limited meat availability in retail grocery despite an ample supply of meat production. Continue reading
By: Greg Henderson. Previously published by Drovers online.
By now you’ve probably seen photos of empty grocery store meat cases caused by consumer panic buying over the COVID-19 pandemic.
210 Analytics LLC says meat department sales without deli surged by 76.9% over the week ending March 15, 2020, based on data from IRI.
Anne-Marie Roerink, principal and founder of 210 Analytics, a research and analytics firm, said, “During the week ended March 15, turkey registered the highest growth, nearly doubling dollar sales (+96.1%). Lamb increased sales by more than 50%. Beef and chicken, by far the largest categories, increased sales by $376 million and $183 million, respectively.” Fresh pork was up 89.2%.
After a big year for its plant-based burger, Impossible Foods has something new on its plate.
The California-based company unveiled Impossible Pork and Impossible Sausage on Monday evening at the CES gadget show in Las Vegas.
It’s Impossible Food’s first foray beyond fake beef. The Impossible Burger, which went on sale in 2016, has been a key player in the growing category of vegan meats. Like the burger, Impossible Food’s pork and sausage are made from soy but mimic the taste and texture of ground meat. Continue reading
This is traditionally one of the easier weeks to write a column due to the inseparable link between agriculture and the Thanksgiving holiday. While this year was certainly a challenge for farmers in Northwest Ohio and across the US for many reasons, there are reasons aplenty to be thankful this time of year. As I use this time of the year to do some reflecting, I am thankful the opportunity to live, work in, and serve a great agricultural community, in what I consider a great career as a county Extension educator. Continue reading
Time to Talk Turkey
As an Extension educator who specializes in livestock production and meat quality and safety, I feel somewhat obligated to write about preparing of the Thanksgiving ham turkey.
Nearly 88 percent of Americans surveyed by the National Turkey Federation in 2016 at turkey ate Thanksgiving (I was likely part of the other 12 percent). On Thanksgiving alone 51.6, million birds of an average weight of 16 pounds are consumed. In total approximately 736 million pounds of turkey are consumed in the United States during Thanksgiving. Continue reading
By: Greg Henderson (previously published by Drovers online)
Alternative protein products may have drawn rave reviews and national headlines this year, but consumers still prefer real beef produced on real farms.
That’s the conclusion of a survey of about 1,800 U.S. food consumers conducted by Purdue University’s Jayson Lusk, Ghent University post-doctoral research fellow Ellen Van Loo and Michigan State University agricultural economist Vincenzina Caputo. Continue reading
By: Deena Shanker and Lydia Mulvany, Bloomberg
USDA says the term means that the product has no artificial ingredients and minimal processing.
Consumers want “natural” meat—and the biggest meat companies want to sell it to them.
American shoppers are reaching for healthier, more environmentally and animal-friendly meat products, with 39% saying “all-natural” is the most important claim when purchasing red meat, according to a recent survey by Mintel. But there’s one problem: The U.S. Department of Agriculture says that when it comes to meat and poultry, the term “natural” means only that the product has no artificial ingredients and has been minimally processed.
It doesn’t mean anything when it comes to antibiotics, hormones or preservatives. Continue reading


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Agency eyes ‘right-to-repair’ rules to aid shoppers, shops
Americans can be freer to restore their damaged cellphones, computer systems, videogame consoles and even tractors themselves or to use impartial restore shops underneath modifications being eyed by federal regulators that focus on producer restrictions.
Responding to a brand new competitors directive from the Biden White House, the Federal Trade Commission is shifting towards writing new rules geared toward serving to small restore companies and saving shoppers money on restore prices. The 5 FTC commissioners took up the so-called “right to repair” difficulty Wednesday.
Unavailable components, instruction manuals and diagnostic software and instruments, product design restrictions and locks on software embedded in gadgets have made many client merchandise more durable to repair and preserve, regulators and trade critics say. Do-it-yourself repairs typically require specialised instruments, hard-to-obtain components and entry to diagnostic software that is guarded by producers.
The restrictions have steered shoppers into producers’ and sellers’ restore networks or led them to exchange merchandise earlier than the tip of their helpful lives, the regulators preserve. As the FTC and the Biden administration see it, that raises problems with anti-competitive conduct.
The restore restrictions typically fall most closely on minority and low-income shoppers, the regulators say. An FTC report to Congress in May famous that many Black-owned small companies make gear repairs, and restore shops typically are owned by entrepreneurs from poor communities.
For minority and low-income shoppers, the restore restrictions are particularly acute for cellphones, the report says. Those shoppers typically have cellphones however no broadband entry for computer systems at residence, growing their dependence on the telephones.
Industry critics say the coronavirus pandemic worsened the consequences of restore restrictions for all shoppers as computer systems grew to become important for working remotely, education youngsters at residence and visiting family on screens—whereas many massive chain shops stopped providing on-site repairs.
Allowing shoppers to make their very own repairs “saves money, and it keeps electronics in use and off the scrap heap,” says Nathan Proctor, a director of U.S. Public Interest Research Group’s right-to-repair marketing campaign. “It helps farmers keep equipment in the field and out of the dealership,” Proctor stated in a latest assertion. “More repair choices will protect the environment by cutting down on the amount of new electronics we make and old stuff we toss.”
Manufacturers, however, preserve that restore restrictions are wanted to safeguard mental property, shield shoppers from accidents that might end result from fixing a product or utilizing one which was improperly repaired, and guard in opposition to cybersecurity dangers. Manufacturers say they may face legal responsibility or hurt to their status if impartial restore shops make defective gear repairs.
New right-to-repair legal guidelines and laws “would create innumerable harms and unintended consequences for consumers and manufacturers alike, including by limiting consumer choice, impeding innovation, threatening consumers’ safety and wellbeing, (and) opening the door to counterfeits,” the National Association of Manufacturers stated in a ready assertion.
Legislation to ease restore restrictions is lively in about 25 states, and the European Community is also contemplating new right-to-repair laws.
The restore directive was included in President Joe Biden’s sweeping government order issued earlier this month concentrating on what he labeled anti-competitive practices in tech, healthcare, banking and different key components of the economic system. The order has 72 actions and suggestions that Biden stated would decrease costs for households, improve wages for staff and promote innovation and quicker financial development. New laws that businesses might write to translate his coverage into rules might set off epic authorized battles, nonetheless.
“Let me be clear: Capitalism without competition isn’t capitalism. It’s exploitation,” Biden stated at a White House signing ceremony.
The order contains requires banning or limiting so-called noncompete agreements to assist increase wages, permitting rule modifications to pave the best way for listening to aids to be offered over-the-counter at drugstores, and banning extreme early-termination charges by web firms. It calls on the Transportation Department to contemplate requiring airways to refund charges when baggage is delayed or in-flight providers aren’t supplied as marketed.
More competitors: Biden indicators order concentrating on massive business
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Gameloft has announced a new open world game based on the upcoming Batman movie, the Dark Knight Rises. The game will be available for the iOS and Android platform and is expected to be available on the Google Play store and the Apple App Store in time for the release of the blockbuster movie. No other details were revealed, such as price or an accurate release date.
A trailer of the game has been released by Gameloft, which begins with the caped crusader standing on a tall building watching over Gotham city. The trailer also shows off some cool combat moves where Batman takes on thugs in a fist-to-fist fight. Since the game expected to be open world, we hope to be able to navigate the city in the way Batman did in Batman: Arkham City.
Since Rocksteady’s seminal Batman: Arkham City was one of the most successful superhero games ever made, we hope Gameloft has taken a hint from what all the game did right, and tried to implement it in the mobile version of the game.
The Dark Knight Rises will hit theaters on July 20, 2012 and will be the last film in Christopher Nolan's adaptation of the super hero franchise.
This isn’t the first time that Gameloft has released a game that is tied in with a Hollywood movie release. Just recently it launched a Men in Black game that tied in with the release of the Men in Black 3 film.


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QIWI to Announce Third Quarter 2021 Financial Results on November 23, 2021
NICOSIA, Cyprus, Nov. 12, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- QIWI plc (NASDAQ and MOEX: QIWI) (“QIWI” or the “Company”), a leading provider of cutting-edge payment and financial services in Russia and the CIS, today announced that it will host a conference call and webcast on Tuesday, November 23, 2021 at 8:30 a.m. ET to review the third quarter 2021 financial results. A press release with the third quarter 2021 financial results will be issued before the market opens on Tuesday, November 23, 2021.
To participate in the conference call, please use the following details:
|Date||Tuesday, November 23, 2021|
|Time|| • 8:30 a.m. New-York|
• 13:30 p.m. London
• 16:30 p.m. Moscow
|Live call||Toll Free (US)|
Toll Free (Russia)
|+1 (877) 407-3982|
+1 (201) 493-6780
88 00 100 6268
|Replay||Toll Free (US)|
|+1 (844) 512-2921|
+1 (412) 317-6671
|available since Tuesday, November 23, 2021, 11:30 a.m. ET till Tuesday, December 7, 2021|
The call will be webcast live from the Company’s website at under the Corporate Investor Relations section or directly at .
QIWI is a leading provider of next generation payment and financial services in Russia and the CIS. It has an integrated proprietary network that enables payment services across online, mobile and physical channels. It has deployed around 15.5 million virtual wallets, over 100,000 kiosks and terminals, and enabled merchants and customers to accept and transfer over RUB 140 billion cash and electronic payments monthly connecting over 26 million consumers using its network at least once a month. QIWI’s consumers can use cash, stored value and other electronic payment methods to pay for goods and services or transfer money across virtual or physical environments interchangeably.
Contact Investor Relations +357.25028091


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Already the head of Southeast Asia's biggest confectionary company and cocoa processor, John Chuang is nowhere near satiated.
John Chuang is southeast Asia's chocolate evangelist. Much like the fictional character Willy Wonka, he carries a dozen or so chocolate bars with him whenever he travels, approximately 150 days a year, handing out treats on planes and in offices. "Everyone loves chocolate," he says.
But in much of Asia they just don't love it enough. Whereas Americans indulge in 13 pounds of chocolate candy per capita a year, spending $15.5 billion, Asia-Pacific eats less than half a pound per capita, spending $6.9 billion. And nearly half of that is consumed in Japan. In Southeast Asia the market is just $700 million, according to Euromonitor. Chuang therefore has a challenge on his hands as chief executive of Petra Foods, the number one chocolate company in Southeast Asia.
In Indonesia, Asia's fastest-growing chocolate market, he has done an enviable job. Two of Petra's brands, the nation's signature Silver Queen, and Top, are the most popular chocolate-candy brands in the country, with 20% and 16% respectively of Indonesia's $418 million (retail sales) market. His extensive distribution network covers 60% of the potential retailers, or an estimated 70,000 markets and stores. Petra also distributes third-party candy brands such as Toblerone and Mars, which means that more than half of the chocolate bought in Indonesia is either made by Petra or distributed by it. Still, that translated into just over $66 million in revenues for the first half of the year. A mere morsel, considering that Indonesia is the world's fourth-most-populous country, with 245 million residents.
Even as Chuang looks to boost Southeast Asian consumption, he has smartly found a way for his small company to play in the much bigger global world of chocolate. Petra has established itself as Asia's largest cocoa processor and the world's fourth largest. (Indonesia is the third-largest producer of the beans, behind the Ivory Coast and Ghana, and is expected to become number two by 2010, says the United Nations' Food & Agriculture Organization.) Petra should generate $500 million in revenues this year, 70% from cocoa processing and the rest from its branded consumer business. "It's a great business model, the two businesses are complementary," with each contributing about half of profits, says Chuang.
Investors agree. Petra's stock has nearly doubled from its opening price two years ago when it was listed in Singapore, where the company is headquartered and Chuang lives. This has helped boost his family's net worth to $260 million, enough to earn them the No. 14 slot on FORBES ASIA's list of Singapore's 40 Richest.
But Chuang craves more. "If I can just convince you to eat chocolate every day, I'll triple my sales," Chuang tells people in his realm. So far this year, sales of brands outside of Indonesia have doubled, from $7 million in the first half of last year, to more than $16 million in the first half of this year. Now they make up 21% of sales, and Chuang wants the split eventually to be closer to 50-50. He has pulled off the gains to date in part by acquiring distribution companies in Malaysia and Singapore valued at $5.6 million, adding to its network in both countries. In March Petra also bought Hudson's, a well-known Malaysian brand of throat lozenges.
In January he made his most tantalizing move yet, paying $5 million for the chocolate factory and distribution network of Nestlé's Goya subsidiary in the Philippines. The deal gave Petra key distribution assets in Southeast Asia's second-biggest chocolate market, as well as ownership of such popular confections as Goya chocolate bars and Knick Knacks biscuits.
Out of its comfort zone, Petra will have to compete with well-heeled competitors, some of which also buy ingredients from it, as well as homegrown players like Philippines tycoon John Gokongwei. His Universal Robina has a similar strategy to Petra's in Indonesia, which is to sell cheap chocolates in various sizes and flavor combinations. Although Chuang continues to promote Goya chocolate bars in the country, he vows not to fight head-on with me-too products but to concoct new treats. "We'll grow that market through innovation," he insists.
Nimbleness is in his blood. More than a half-century ago, John Chuang's father, Ming Chee Chuang, fled Burma and settled in Bandung, on the Indonesian island of Java. In a fit of nationalism Indonesia had banned the importation of chocolate bars. The protectionism inspired the elder Chuang and his siblings to create Silver Queen, using local cocoa beans and cashews. To help preserve the chocolate in a tropical country before the era of air-conditioning, he used a formula that cut way back on the milk fats of Western chocolates (the reason why chocolates easily melt). An added benefit is that lower milk fat content and the use of local ingredients kept costs down, making the bars more affordable.
John Chuang, who received engineering and business degrees in the U.K. before moving to the U.S. for six years, had his own ideas about selling chocolate. He thought Southeast Asia was ready for a higher-priced, Western-style chocolate. So he moved to Singapore in 1984 to start Petra Foods with his two younger brothers, Joseph and William, and began distributing Western and Japanese brands in countries like Singapore and Thailand. In 1987 Petra bought Delfi, a Swiss brand it had originally distributed. The following year Petra started to manage the family business in Indonesia and formally took it over in 1989. At the time there was only one type of Silver Queen available.
That's when Chuang & Co. started to invent all sorts of variations of both Silver Queen and Delfi and eventually of other brands as well. Today the company sells more than 300 varieties of its delectables, including such items as Ceres chocolate sprinkles and Delfi Top Cappuccino bars. One of its newest offerings is the 5-cent Funtime snack bar. By blanketing the lower end of the market with such variety, Chuang has fended off challenges from rivals, even as Indonesia opened its chocolate market, imposing a modest 5% tariff on imports. "We don't compete against Cadbury and the others. They are good but expensive," he says. Indeed, multinationals have had a tough time in Indonesia, where the average income is less than $3,000 a year. Cadbury, for instance, set up a chocolate manufacturing plant in Indonesia but eventually pulled out, reportedly unable to get adequate distribution. Mars, of the U.S., now lets Petra do its distribution.
Which brings up another reason why Petra stays away from the market's high end: By doing so it stays out of the crosshairs of the multinationals, which are often its customers. For instance, Nestlé tapped Petra to be its Philippine distributor two months after it sold the Goya business to them. It is also one of the biggest customers of Petra's cocoa-processing business, buying a range of customized cocoa products from the Singapore company.
While Petra has been producing cocoa ingredients for others since 1988, that part of the business has spiked with the chocolate sector's embrace of outsourcing. Since then Petra has added cocoa production plants in Malaysia, purchased ones in Mexico and Brazil from Nestlé in 2003 and doubled capacity in Indonesia earlier this year. It now has a 7% share of the 3.6-million-ton cocoa-grinding market, behind
In that largely commodity business, Chuang insists Petra has an edge: "For ADM and Cargill, chocolate is just one of many businesses. I think about chocolate at breakfast."


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Microsoft's holiday title lineup is already starting to get a little crowded.
Microsoft revealed a vague release date for Fable III in a CES 2010 press release following the company's keynote presentation. "Our holiday line-up of games includes the highly anticipated Fable 3, followed by Halo Reach, which is expected to be the biggest title of 2010."
The previous Fable titles were released in early fall. It should be expected the third title will see a similar release window.
"It's very very likely there will be a LCE for Fable 3, of course more details will follow in the year...," it read.
- Fable III for Holidays


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The City of Newark is proud to participate in multiple charitable collection efforts this holiday season. Nonperishable food items are being collected for the Food Bank of Delaware and the Newark Area Welfare Fund, warm winter clothing items are being collected for the Sunday Breakfast Mission, and the Newark Police Department will once again participate in the Toys for Tots Program.
Collection bins will be placed in the lobby of the Municipal Building located at 220 South Main Street until Thursday, December 19th. The City will also accept donations at the Turkey Trot 10K/5K on Saturday, November 23rd, Thanksgiving Day Breakfast on November 28th and at Winterfest on Friday, December 6th.
All nonperishable food items will be accepted, but the most popular holiday food box items are:
Pasta and pasta sauce
New and gently used cold weather items to consider donating are:


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This deal will further strengthen Singapore based Oplifi’s position as one of the most advanced media technology available to all brands with its key services offering transparency, simplicity and accessibility
Mumbai, : Oplifi, a Singapore based programmatic media company that focuses on transparency, simplicity and accessibility has raised USD 750, 000 (INR 4.93 crores) from Mumbai based early-stage venture capital fund Rainmaker Ventures.
Oplifi – derived from the words “open”, “liquid” and “fit”, seeks to convey the accessibility and flexibility of the service. The programmatic company founded towards the end of 2015, has over the years provided best in class digital media amplification technologies for creating the requisite buzz, increasing intent to purchase and fulfilling strategic business goals. It strongly believes that companies of all sizes should have access to world class technology.
According to a report titled ‘Digital – The new normal of marketing’ published by KPMG in India and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), India’s digital advertising grew by 15.5% in 2016. The report also predicted that programmatic advertising is the future of digital advertising. The report stated that programmatic advertising will soon command a big share of the pie with traditional advertisers recognising the benefits. It further added that programmatic content will no longer just dominate digital display advertising, but will shortly see a mass adoption through programmatic television advertising.
Headquartered in Singapore, Oplifi co-founded by Gautam Dutt and Anup Kumar is focused on bringing the advances in digital paid media technology, services and platforms to companies of all sizes. Currently, Oplifi works with brands like Lufthansa, Motorola, Vicco in India, RWS and Amex in Singapore, Trapper Media in Malaysia, Cyber One Group in Hong Kong amongst others.
Commenting on the deal, Gautam Dutt, Co-Founder,
Oplifi said “Programmatic is the future of our industry. With our background in media planning and buying we hope to contribute towards making this space more strategically aligned with marketing. Oplifi being independent of any large agency network is not beholden to any particular tech platform. This allows us to focus on what truly matters to the client and provide an independent perspective. The investment will allow us to work towards creating something that is truly different and comes from an Asian perspective. This also gives us a great synergy with other companies funded by Rainmaker Ventures.”
Atul Hegde, Co-Founder Rainmaker Ventures added, “With oplifi we are increasing our investment footprint in the digital marketing landscape. We now have investments in the digital design & content space, in influencer marketing & amplification and now into programmatic. Also with oplifi we expand our investment base into south East Asia. We are excited to back an innovative company like oplifi and work closely with the two outstanding co- founders Gautam Dutt & Anup Kumar”
On Rainmaker Ventures plans, Mr. Hegde commented, “We are extremely bullish on the entire digital marketing ecosystem and are actively looking at investing in areas like UI/UX, Digital Video creation, Influencer marketing platforms & IOT integration services. Potential markets for investments include south East Asia, Middle east and of course India.”


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Learn the latest releases, rumours and anticipated announcements surrounding the upcoming Apple September Event this 2022…
First launched in 2012, Apple has held a September event ever since – with 2022 proving no different. Taking place at their headquarters in Cupertino (CA) on the 7th of September at 6 pm GMT, we have high expectations for the upcoming reveals.
Put the rumours to rest and read our official iPhone 14 Series release post for all the confirmed specs & features, or learn about the 2022 Apple Event below.
Watch last year’s September 14th Event for 2021 on Apple’s YouTube for an indication of what to expect this year, or jump straight to the upcoming iPhone 14 Series rumours!
What’s in store?
We’ve had our eye on the AirPods Pro 2 for quite a while now, which was first rumoured to release months ago. Even more excitingly, we’ve also heard tales of the next generation of tablets, the iPad 10. Is all of this too good to be true? Let’s find out together.
So, with the initial details and speculation out of the way, let’s get into the juicy reveals of the upcoming Apple September Event for 2022, starting with the most anticipated releases:
Apple Event 2022 Releases & Rumours
As with every Apple Event, this September is filled with rumoured releases and exciting developments. As usual, the Apple team have told us very little about what to expect, saving most of the surprises for the big day.
However, we have our sources… Whilst nothing is 100% confirmed for now, here’s everything we expect to see announced at the upcoming 2022 Apple Event for September – alongside any other upcoming models:
iPhone 14 Series
Easily the biggest development of the year for Apple, the iPhone 14 Series will most certainly be announced this September 7th. We anticipate a lot of changes to this new model, including a bigger, better camera and a revamped body; although we expect to see many more improvements than just this.
It’s also said that the screen display will vary from 6.1-6.7″ between the iPhone 14 and the Pro Max edition. If the rumours are true, Apple is killing off their popular “Mini” models, instead opting for a “Max” range. We expect the new iPhone 14 lineup to look something like this:
- iPhone 14 – 6.1″ screen
- iPhone 14 Pro – 6.1″ screen
- iPhone 14 Max – 6.7″ screen
- iPhone 14 Pro Max – 6.7″ screen
There have been plenty of leaks this year pertaining to the new iPhone 14 series, so we have high hopes to see it launch this September. If previous releases are anything to go by, we anticipate long waits outside the Apple store & sold-out stock. Skip the queue, buy the iPhone 14 for your business now.
Still undecided or eager to learn more about this model? Read our post covering all known iPhone 14 rumours, leaked features, specs and more – or continue for the upcoming iPad 10 and Pro series below:
Upcoming M2 / iPad 10 Series
10th-Generation iPad (iPad 10)
Apple changed the world with the release of its first iPad. Now, 12 years later, we excitedly await the announcement of the iPad 10. There is talk that this new iPad will take influence from the softer, wider, and highly versatile “iPad Air”; one of the best tablets for business.
Allegedly, the iPad 10 will feature a 10.5″ display, USB-C charging, stylus support and Touch ID, with plenty more to come. Whilst we would love to get our hands on this new & improved tablet, we have our doubts that we will see it announced during the Apple 2022 Event in September.
Instead, stick around – we have high hopes that the iPad 10 will see the spotlight in the upcoming October 2022 Event. Keep an eye out and return here closer to the date to read our coverage of the next event.
M2 iPad Pro
With the release of their patented M2 processor, it’s highly likely that almost any Apple model could be overdue an update. We believe the iPad Pro is especially likely to receive this renovation first, especially as it doubles up as a convertible laptop; perfect for work or play, with the right power!
We also hope to see the inclusion of wireless charging and a bigger display, although this is still unknown. It’s worth noting that the M2 was only just created in June 2022, so it will probably be a little while longer before we start seeing this powerful processor in action.
Our verdict? We’re unlikely to see either the M2 Pro or iPad 10 make an appearance this month. Hold out for our coverage of Apple’s 2022 October Event, when they’re most likely to announce the future of iPads.
Mac Computer Releases
Mac Pro / Mini
It seems Apple may return to their roots with an alleged “Mac Pro” upgraded home computer. Previously, their team told the world that it would take ~2 years before the “Mac Pro” was released using their trademark Silicon M2 processor architecture.
This marks a major achievement, as Apple moves away from mainstream manufacturers and continues to push for self-sufficiency. Even with a design that looks a little like a cheese grater, we expect the Mac Pro to cost some serious cheddar!
If the M2 Mac Pro is produced, we highly expect to see an upgraded Mac Mini model released alongside it. However, whether or not we will see the Mac Pro announced during this September’s event remains a mystery… Much like the next item on our list, the iMac Pro:
Upgraded iMac Pro
On the topic of Macs, there is further talk of another, larger & faster Apple Silicon M2 iMac model. It would only make sense for Apple to improve upon one of its top flagship products, which has proved perfect for home and office users alike for years.
If the rumours are true, we should expect a slightly larger display of ~27″, coupled with LED backlights/HDR or “ProMotion“, alongside an even beefier M2 Max/Ultra processor. This would see the return of the iMac series, which was discontinued in 2021.
But still, there’s no point in pre-ordering yet – we don’t expect to see the iMac Pro until Apple’s September 2023 Event next year!
Lifestyle & Utility
2nd-Generation AirPods Pro 2
Moving on to the hotly awaited AirPods Pro 2, which has remained in development for quite some time now. As usual for Apple, the initial AirPods release changed the world, setting new trends and standards in the process.
It’s only fair that a product with over 200M+ units sold should enjoy a well-deserved revamp. Although unconfirmed, it’s speculated that these new AirPods Pro 2 will include a more streamlined design with better noise cancellation and sound quality.
Even greater compatibility!
There is even talk that these earphones will support Bluetooth 5.2 and LE Audio, implying that the new iPhone 14 Series may be the first of its kind to feature this. In classic Apple fashion, we get the feeling that an iPhone 14 is required to make the most out of these… but don’t quote us on that (yet)!
We hope to see some additional fitness features too, although their team are probably saving that for the Apple Watch…
Apple Watch Series 8
Bigger & Better
Apple’s consistency is almost classic at this point, with a new Watch model announced each September like clockwork. What’s this, they’re adding to their collection of innovative smartwatches again? No surprises there!
From what we’ve seen, the design is very similar to previous models, although the hardware and display have likely seen improvement. There’s also talk of a larger, more rugged model, with several sources independently claiming a 2″ display. That’s an alleged size increase of 5%, coupled with the new WatchOS 9!
There are also apparently plans to release Watch 8 “Pro” and “Max” models. However, this remains unconfirmed; we only have a handful of leaks to go off and nothing is final. Expect to learn everything from the full reveal during the September Apple Event for 2022 (watch the event here).
Home & Entertainment
Apple TV 4K
We currently have very little information on the 4K Apple TV, although there are definitely a few rumours. For starters, Apple is quoted as saying it will possess an “improved cost structure”… whatever this could entail.
This could mean a reduced production price and lower costs for customers, or more profit for Apple – we’ll just have to wait and see. We don’t expect to see the Apple 4K TV released during either September or October 2022; although, there may be a brief announcement.
HomePod with Display
Apple has finally decided to break into the “smart home device” marketplace, competing with the likes of Amazon Echo and Google Nest Hub. Named the “HomePod”, we expect to see this new product featured in Apple’s October 2022 Event or next year throughout 2023.
Whilst they probably could announce it this September, it would definitely be overshadowed by the highly anticipated iPhone 14 series. Either way, we’re excited to see Apple’s twist on the currently accepted “smart home” device.
So, Apple has finally decided to branch out into the world of VR or “Augmented Reality” (AR). Very little is known about this project, although we’re very excited to see its release.
This Apple VR headset is rumoured to remain a luxury high-end design of limited production volume and hopefully, followed by a cheaper, more streamlined successor. With the VR market projected to reach $42.1B by 2027, it’s no surprise Apple is establishing a foothold.
Whilst their team could easily announce this new AR/VR headset during September or even October, we expect to be waiting a little bit longer for development before hearing any details about this upcoming release…
What time does the Apple Event 2022 start?
The Apple Event of 2022 officially starts on September 7th, 6 PM (BST). This event is readily available to watch from their live stream or Apple TV app. View the worldwide starting times for this event here:
- UK – 6 pm (BST)
- France – 7 pm (CEST)
- Germany – 7 pm (CEST)
- Spain – 7 pm (CEST)
- Italy – 7 pm (CEST)
- Russia – 8 pm (MST)
- Pacific – 11 am
- Mountain – 12 pm
- Central – 1 pm
- Eastern – 2 pm
- Vietnam – 12 am (ICT)
- Indonesia – 12 am (WIT)
- China – 1 am (CST)
- Japan – 2 am (JST)
- Australia – 3 am (AEST)
- New Zealand: Thursday 5 am (NZST)
See previous Apple Events over the years, or learn how to watch the upcoming September 2022 Event for yourself below:
How to Watch the 2022 Apple Event this September
Want to know how to watch the 2022 Apple Event this September? It’s easy!
View the 2022 Apple Event online from apple.com or on the Apple TV app on the 7th of September at 6 pm GMT (11 am CA). Alternatively, view their YouTube live stream directly, scheduled to go live for the event:
Apple Event FAQs
Here are some of the common FAQ’s relating to this year’s event:
Thanks for reading our piece on the September 2022 Apple Event, we hope we answered all of your questions regarding these exciting developments. It’s only a few more days until the iPhone 14 release date!
Buy an iPhone 14 for your Business
You know what they say, better late than never! Although you’ve missed our EXPIRED iPhone 14 offer, we still have a variety of iPhone 14 business discounts on all models.
Click the image below & order today, or browse our range of Apple iPhone business deals here.
What announcement are you most excited about? Get in contact with us, we’d love to hear from you! Alternatively, learn more about the world of business tech and mobiles – return to our blog here.


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For several years, West Chester-based remodeling company Pine Street Carpenters has had a strong presence on the design site Houzz, garnering “Best of Houzz” awards annually since 2013. This week Pine Street picked up one more award, joining Houzz’ 100K club.
Houzz said it showcases the design and remodeling work of the nation’s designers and remodelers, accumulating over 35 million unique visitors each month. Visitors use Houzz for design inspiration as they peruse over 11 million home design photos, saving their favorites to their own online Ideabooks. As the Houzz 100K club designation indicates, Pine Street’s photos have now been saved over 100,000 times by Houzzers across the globe.
“We’re thrilled that our remodeling photos resonate with the Houzz community,” said Mike Dolan, marketing director for Pine Street Carpenters and The Kitchen Studio at Pine Street. “It is a testament to our designers, the homeowners we partner with, and the craftsmanship of our carpenters.”
Dolan noted the projects include a farmhouse kitchen in Westtown; a transitional kitchen in Glen Mills; a garage conversion art studio; a traditional mud room; and a master bath remodel and wine cellar in a historic home in West Chester.
“Naturally,” Dolan added, “the wine cellar was also just featured on Houzz in France, so that photo got saved quite a bit among wine lovers here and abroad.”
While the Houzz 100K club designation highlights Pine Street’s residential services, Pine Street Carpenters also provides design and construction management services to both institutional and commercial clients.
– To contact Business Editor Brian McCullough, call 610-235-2655 or send an email to firstname.lastname@example.org


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Some Democrat politicians have no problem exposing their radical colors for all to see.
No one thought one of them would dare admit wanting to go this far, though.
But Brandon Johnson just spilled the tea on a bone-chilling end-game straight out of North Korea.
Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot was the first Windy City mayor in decades to lose a reelection bid.
Some Chicagoans were hopeful that her replacement would get the city back on the right track, but it turns out that her successor is even more radical.
Mayor Brandon Johnson has doubled down on the pro-crime policies that have made Chicago one of the most dangerous cities in the country.
And one of Johnson’s “solutions” to high crime is collectivized grocery stores.
A popular leftists complaint in recent years has been about so-called food deserts—areas for which, usually due to high crime, there are no grocery stores in close proximity.
Of course many American suggest the reality is that it’s leftist policies that cause them.
Nevertheless Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has a final solution in mind that many will see as nothing short of a genocidal starvation plan.
Johnson wants city-owned grocery stores in these parts of town where grocery stores have been forced to leave.
Don’t worry government is surely far better equipped to rob citizens and make them go hungry than ordinary street thugs
The Mayor said, “All Chicagoans deserve to live near convenient, affordable, healthy grocery options. We know access to grocery stores is already a challenge for many residents, especially on the South and West sides. A better, stronger, safer future is one where our youth and our communities have access to the tools and resources they need to thrive. My administration is committed to advancing innovative, whole-of-government approaches to address these inequities.”
But until the underlying areas are addressed, the city-owned grocery stores are going to have the same problems.
In fact, the problems will only get worse because government projects don’t go out of business when they fail; they get more funding.
Meet your friendly new neighborhood grocers’ partners
Johnson announced a partnership with the Economic Security Project to look into the idea of collectivized stores.
Economic Security Project senior adviser Ameya Pawar argued, “The city of Chicago is reimagining the role government can play in our lives by exploring a public option for grocery stores via a municipally owned grocery store and market…Not dissimilar from the way a library or the postal service operates, a public option offers economic choice and power to communities.”
By “reimagining,” Pawar means rehashing old and bad communist ideas.
Stores are leaving high-crime areas because the cost of doing business is too high, and there are safety concerns for employees.
Instead of burning taxpayer dollars on city-owned grocery stores, Johnson could focus on getting crime under control by keeping repeat criminals in jail instead of excusing their bad behavior.
Stay tuned to Blue State Blues for any updates to this ongoing story.


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FinTech news this week spread out over the ecosystem, with no one theme dominating my view of the financial media. Here are some of the reports that caught my fragmented attention during the week after the holiday that marks the beginning of summer in the U.S.
“Can traditional banks keep pace with FinTech challengers?,” The Financial Brand asks. Traditional financial institutions have been ramping up their digital systems over the pandemic year especially. The gap may not yet be too large, but the competition from digitally native challenger banks is great enough now that traditional banks can no longer consider them simply a nuisance.
The solution requires the kind of software-development thinking that’s difficult in an IT environment dominated by legacy systems. It “will require a reduction in operating costs that will necessitate a modernization of back-office infrastructure and a move to the cloud,” writes Jim Marous, co-publisher of The Financial Brand and CEO of the Digital Banking Report.
What’s at stake is banks’ hold on small business lending as FinTech firms in payments and ecommerce embed their services into shopping platforms, as Ron Shevlin argues in, “In The War Between Square, PayPal And Shopify, Banks Are Collateral Damage.” Shevlin is managing director of FinTech research at Cornerstone Advisors.
“Banks will still need to defend their chosen segments from the embedded finance trend and should protect their markets by doing what the platforms do—expand into adjacent value chain areas like accounting and payments. . . The platformification of small businesses is a threat to banks’ small business relationships. Banks are going to get squeezed if they don’t take the offensive.”
Our colleague and friend, Chicago financial writer Chuck Mackie, covered Consensus, Coindesk’s conference on all things crypto. He gives you a tour of the main issues discussed during all four days on his Medium blog, including the speakers from traditional financial institutions and regulatory bodies opining on the convergence of cryptofinance with the systems we all know and love.
My favorite item, from his Day Three report: “In the matter of payments, the divide between the suits on the panels and the cypherpunks in the chat stream couldn’t have been more stark. For example, I was late to the one-on-one interview with Brad Garlinghouse, CEO of Ripple, so I asked the Chat denizens what I had missed. My favorite (name withheld to protect the hilarious): “Ripple summary: ‘We dint do nuthin.’ SEC: ‘Yes you did’”.”
Those of you who know something about stablecoins, digital currency pegged to USD or other national currencies, will be interested in this Twitter thread from Chicago-based institutional investment researcher Jim Bianco. He makes a bold prediction on Decentralized Finance (DeFi):
“Traditional finance cannot compete with stablecoin wallet transfers. . . This will be the massive use case: stablecoin payments! Conquer payments = next reserve currency. DeFi will soar servicing these stablecoins.” Watch for more on DeFin in coming issues.
The institutional interest in and adoption of cryptofinance has been the primary theme of this year’s FinTech Rising. It was not intentional, but it’s where the market has moved with the rising price of bitcoin.
American Banker has increased its coverage with opinion columns and even articles taking this tone: “Crypto is the future. More banks, regulators need to embrace it.” The column provides a gentle introduction to decentralized finance and its basis in crypto stablecoins. It’s written by Brian Brooks, former Acting Comptroller of the Currency and CEO of Binance.US, the cryptofinance exchange. Brooks is one of a number of high-profile financial executives moving to crypto firms this year, part of the overall mainstream move to crypto.
Another traditional finance publication is moving in the same direction. Global Custodian features an article this week highlighting research by Goldman and Citi on, yes, mainstream interest in digital assets.
Some 63% of survey participants indicated they were in the process of developing a strategy to invest in or support digital assets, while 28% said they already have a clear strategy in this regard. Taking into account more than 220 validated responses, the survey results show an overwhelming expectation (91%) that digital assets – essentially a basket of different asset classes enabled by a common technology, cryptographically secured on a distributed ledger – will become dominant over time.
Visa is taking an increased interest, too, as reported by Daniel Webber in Forbes. Visa is banking on fiat-backed stablecoins as a large part of its response.
“We see these as having the potential to be used by consumers and merchants in the same way as existing fiat currencies are,” says Nilola Plecas. “And when it comes to areas of opportunity, there are many for organizations such as ours.” Plecas is head of new payment flows, Visa Consulting and Analytics, Europe.
The tide turns both ways, too. Ant Financial, the giant Chinese FinTech, planned to go public this year. Chinese regulators canceled the IPO. Now Ant has received their approval to create a consumer finance firm to handle its large consumer loan business, the Wall Street Journal reports.
I have kept an eye on FinTech in Asia for the past several years, especially in Singapore. The city-state has become known for a regulatory regime that’s both friendly to FinTech and crypto while maintaining critical oversight. Bloomberg’s interview with Sopnendu Mohanty, chief FinTech officer at the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) caught my eye in that regard.
His comments on central-bank digital currencies, stablecoins, and bitcoin are right in line.
“The first thing which is getting institutionalized is the exchanges. . . . And once this backbone gets created, then the transactions flow through this backbone and eventually becomes more mainstream. There is a value to this shift in how you think about payments and currencies.”
At the Chicago Payments Forum, which we coordinate, the discussion covered two main topics: real-time payments and buy-now, pay-later (BNPL) financing. The bankers on the call noted that demand for real-time payments is increasing from U.S. clients. They are putting systems in place, starting with send capabilities, as quickly as they can.
The change, however, requires even more education than payments organizations are providing. Consumers and small businesses in the U.S., for instance, are used to banks fixing payment errors. That will not be the case when funds are immediately debited from accounts when the customer clicks Pay.
Look for more on BNPL next week. Speaking of which, what would you like to see in FinTech Rising? We are planning for the rest of the year and would like to hear from you in a short survey or reply to this newsletter with your suggestions.


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SafeCard Services said it will lay off eight top executives as part of a major reorganization and will take a $3.5 million charge in the second quarter to pay for severance costs.
The charge also covers costs to close the Fort Lauderdale offices of the Cheyenne-based company, which provides registry and protection services for credit card holders.
The reorganization, which takes effect April 30, won't include any other layoffs, said Bob Stone, a spokesman for SafeCard. Other Fort Lauderdale employees will be moved to other locations.
Among those being laid off are company President W.M. Stalcup Jr., and Gerald Cahill, chief operating officer.
The action comes four months after the company appointed Paul Kahn as its chairman and chief executive officer.
"We felt that the organization had to be streamlined and flattened and the sales and marketing organizations revamped in order to move the company on a higher growth track and to diversify," said Kahn, former president and CEO of AT&T; Universal Card Services.
"In order to do that, new management talent with broader skills were needed in the organization," he said. "Today's reorganization simply reflects these needs and should not be read in any other way."
SafeCard also announced the appointment of G. Thomas Frankland, a partner in the New York office of Price Waterhouse, as a vice chairman and chief financial officer. Richard Interdonato, a former vice president of American Express Travel Related Services, was appointed executive vice president, operations.
Former chief financial officer Lynn Torrent will remain with the company in a senior financial position, SafeCard said in a statement.
SafeCard's services include a "Hot-Line" protection service which alerts banks and other card issuers when a customer's credit cards have been lost. The services are offered in conjunction with more than 150 credit card issuing companies, including Citibank, Shell Oil Co. and Sears Roebuck & Co. Most of SafeCard's revenues come from membership fees that are typically billed to the customer's credit card account.
SafeCard is being sued by its founder and former chairman, Peter Halmos, for breach of contract and for allegedly misrepresenting itself as the sole provider of credit card protection services. Halmos has formed two companies to compete with SafeCard. The lawsuits seek more than $100 million in damages.
In a statement issued Monday, Halmos pointed out that several of the executives being laid off are named as defendants in his lawsuits.
Halmos called the reorganization "nothing more than SafeCard trying to create the illusion that its house is now spic and span without really doing the serious spring cleaning."
Stone said SafeCard had no comment on Halmos' statement.


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Boiler makers are pushing back against government efforts to force a rapid ramp-up of thousands of heat pumps after a new flashpoint over the pace of the transition to low-carbon heating.
Starting next year, the government will fine companies if they fail to meet strict quotas for heat pump production and installation. But leaders are lobbying Whitehall to postpone and revise the plan.
They argued that the allocation was unrealistic given the weak demand for heat pumps and the tight supply of installers, and that a fine of £5,000 per missing heat pump would drive up costs for consumers and jeopardize investment and jobs. claimed to be exposed to
Boilermaker Vaillant UK, which has invested £4m in a new heat pump production line at its Derbyshire factory, has warned it will review its plans to invest in the UK if it goes ahead.
Vaillant UK & Ireland Managing Director Henrik Hansen said: “Across the UK we employ around 1,000 people. If penalties start to be imposed, we will have to reassess our investment plans. We believe there is a risk of
Planned quotas and fines reflect proposals to encourage the transition to electric vehicles, with proponents saying the mechanism is necessary to stimulate the market and reduce costs for consumers. claim.
A spokeswoman for the heat pump advocacy group Electrify Heat added: “We believe the government’s proposed scheme design is fair to those who have obligations.”
But the turmoil highlights the complexities facing governments as they push for a major overhaul of home heating to reach the legally binding target of net zero carbon emissions by 2050. I have to.
The majority of UK homes are heated by gas boilers, but ministers want to rapidly expand the deployment of heat pumps. These draw warmth from the outside air and run on electricity, which is increasingly being generated from low-carbon sources.
About 8,790 heat pumps were installed in the UK in the first three months of this year, but the government wants the installation rate to reach 600,000 per year by 2028, prompting a major overhaul of supply chains and demand. is required.
The spread of heat pumps is held back by the relatively high cost of the equipment, but according to Nesta’s estimates last June, the number of heat pump installers will increase by about 800% from about 3,000 to 27,000 by 2028. need to increase.
Under a market stimulus plan in talks, manufacturers will be fined next year if they don’t sell a certain percentage of heat pumps compared to gas or oil boilers.
The UK industry is already consolidating around a few large European-scale groups that manufacture and sell heat pumps alongside boilers. Vaillant, Baxi and others have expressed concern to the government.
Mike Foster, chief executive of the lobby group the Energy and Utilities Alliance, said there is currently “a deadlock between the industry and Whitehall.” . . Whitehole is disconnected from the workings of the industry. “
As one industry executive said: This penalty is severe and commercially significant. “
Colm Brichfield, policy adviser to the environmental think tank E3G, which manages the Electrify Heat campaign, argues that the policy will help develop supply chains and has broad support in the energy industry.
“The cost of compliance needs to be lower than the cost of non-compliance, so fines are at their current level,” he said.
The Department for Energy Security and NetZero said heat pumps are a proven means of decarbonizing heating across the UK and are key to increasing the country’s energy security.
“We are discussing proposals that will give the industry greater incentives to invest in ways to make heat pumps a more attractive and easy option for more households in the UK,” the company said.


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Press release from the issuing company
Program will include general sessions, panels, educational sessions, exhibits and networking
Lutz, Fla. – Xplor International, the worldwide electronic document systems association, today announced that #XPLOR20, which had been scheduled for September 17-19, 2020 at the TradeWinds Island Grand in St. Pete Beach, Florida, will go virtual.
Tweet this: #XPLOR20 goes virtual! The updated event will be broken up among 4 days beginning Sept 29th and proceeding into Oct on the 1st, 6th, and 8th. The event will still contain the same sessions, panels, exhibiting and networking, just with a little social distancing! bit.ly/3hKj55y
The event will take place over four days, September 29, October 1, 6 and 8, and will include the same great line up of general sessions, panels, educational sessions, exhibits and networking as the St. Pete Beach event. Sessions will be delivered by end-users, analysts, consultants, industry experts, and vendors who will share relevant topics, best practices and trends in the customer communications industry.
“We spent a great deal of time researching various platforms and professional companies to host and facilitate the event,” says Skip Henk, President/CEO of Xplor International. “The platform we selected has great graphics, dashboard and the functionality are amazing. It will significantly differentiate #XPLOR20 from other virtual events.”
The conference site will go live by 7/31.
Questions should be directed to Xplor HQ via email at [email protected] or by phone at +1-813-949-6170, between the hours of 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (ET), Monday through Friday.
© 2023 WhatTheyThink. All Rights Reserved.
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According to the Voice of Economy, the first World Internet Conference yesterday (No. 19) kicked off in Wuzhen, Zhejiang. The leading figures of the politicians and Internet industry have made their debut in the theme of â€œConnecting and Sharing, Sharing and Co-governanceâ€ of the conference. The Internet has brought about profound changes to the world, and has anticipated the trend and direction of the development of the Internet. When China integrates into the Internet, what sparks will be collided when the ancient towns of the millennium smash high-sounding Internet?
â€œNanting Bridge has no waves under the water, and the oleo-ship has been tried.â€ The town of Wuzhen in the poem is soft and relaxed. Yesterdayâ€™s Wuzhen seems to have taken off his cheongsam and put on a fashionable dress. Scan the QR code at the door of the classical building, the apron cakes of the street merchants can be paid by Alipay, the scenic area covers the 4G network, and more than 50,000 people can access the internet at the same time...
"Touch net" 20 years Ma Yun feel?
The integration of the ancient town and the Internet is not unnatural or unexpected. Maybe just like a native of Zhejiang, Ma Yun, chairman of the Alibaba Group Board of Directors, said that the first time he touched the Internet 20 years ago, he could not believe that the Internet would affect all aspects of human society.
Ma Yun: In the past 20 years, I think that the Chinese Internet has not only profoundly affected all aspects of China's social economy, it is also participating in the development of the Internet in the world, and it has provided unique values â€‹â€‹for the development of the Internet in the world.
It is undeniable that while the Internet has brought great value, it has also been accompanied by shocks and changes. Just like yesterday, many people will record and share information through mobile devices such as mobile phones or tablets. In terms of speed, traditional media can hardly expect it.
Zhang Yaqin: The Internet does not "subvert" but only "hug"
Baiduâ€™s president Zhang Yaqin also believes that it is the media that bear the brunt of the Internetâ€™s influence. However, he does not agree with the Internet's claim to subvert the traditional industry. He believes that it is actually a "hug."
Zhang Yaqin: The first industry affected by the Internet is actually the media, the second industry is actually an advertising industry, and the third may affect the telecommunications industry. Of course, e-commerce changes the entire retail industry and now enters every industry in finance, health, and education.
Perhaps 20 years ago, we couldn't imagine the changes that the Internet brought today, but it does not prevent you from thinking about it today. What kind of connectivity will be 20 years later?
Ma Kai, Vice Premier of the State Council: Network Infrastructure Will Become a Key Investment Area
The future of interconnection and communication still has to return to its origin. The network infrastructure is the cornerstone of the development of the Internet. Ma Kai, vice premier of the State Council of China, said at the opening ceremony yesterday that the network infrastructure will become a key investment area.
Ma Kai: China is willing to strengthen cooperation with various countries in the world, accelerate the pace of construction of network facilities and communication facilities, vigorously upgrade the level of broadband, promote the research and development of new generation mobile communication technologies, and establish an information highway accessible to the world.
Not only are there regional differences in development and the distribution of key basic resources is uneven, we are also facing the same problems at home. In view of this opportunity, Chang Xiaobing, chairman of China Unicom, disclosed that Unicomâ€™s big move this year.
Chang Xiaobing: That is, we have been actively deploying mobile broadband networks to the village this year. Together with the industrial chain of smart phones, we can say that there are no obstacles in the industry chain in the 4G era.
Ma Huateng: Because of the focus, so professional
There is also an unexpected company that is returning to the essence. That is Tencent, and Tencent CEO Ma Huateng said that they intend to cultivate themselves.
Ma Huateng: We found that our company's best advantage is still focused on the big platform of communication and social networking. So we saw a great change in our overall strategy. We sold the search business to Zhang Chaoyang and sold the electricity supplier business to Liu Qiangdong. The most essential thing to return to is connector.
The open and co-prosperous Internet ecology requires the participation of many enterprises, and greater interconnection and interoperability will lead to more in-depth data mining. Von Smith, Facebookâ€™s global vice president, believes that the Internet will be smarter in the next 30 years to help people better understand the world around them. Zhang Yaqin also quipped:
Zhang Yaqin: Various kinds of software communicate with you, know what you need, and be a good assistant, may be better than your wife. The secretary also knows you.
The Internet must integrate into the new normal economy
As one of the most influential inventions of contemporary mankind, the Internet is moving into life at a rapid pace, changing China and the world. Since China formally accessed the Internet in 1994, one after another myth has been born in the Chinese internet industry. Among the top 10 global Internet companies, China has already occupied four. E-commerce is even more than the United States ranks first in the world.
The Internet economy focuses on innovation. This coincides with the current new normal of the Chinese economy. To allow the Internet economy to better integrate into the new normal, we must not only speed up catching up with developed countries in the Internet in core areas such as Internet application technologies, but also accelerate the development of more international companies with world-class regulatory standards and industry discourse rights. Develop a new model of Internet business and promote the deeper integration of the Internet and traditional economy.
Just as General Secretary Xi Jinping said in his message, China is actively promoting the construction of the Internet so that the development of the Internet can benefit the 1.3 billion Chinese people.
According to Xinhua News Agency's â€œXinhua Viewpointâ€ Weibo report, the State Council Premier Li Keqiang, who is currently inspected in Zhejiang, will hold discussions with the Chinese and foreign Internet experts attending the conference today to share and jointly manage and win-win cooperation on issues such as Internet development and innovation. Brainstorming".
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If climate change stays the course, we’re looking at a future of bumpier flights and no wine. Which means that air travel is going to be decidedly more uncomfortable for anxious fliers and those folks who have to sit next to them. Start stockpiling your wine now, folks.
In all seriousness, this news should turn heads in the travel or hospitality industry because if (and it’s an if) this future becomes a reality, then those industries will absolutely be feeling the heat, so to speak. The point is that we need to be thinking about the implications of a world with a rapidly changing environment that may impact the world we know.
As the report from the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on the future of wine production noted, not only will anywhere from 19 to 73% of wine country be unsuitable for wine production in the next 50 years, but the land that will be best for wine production are areas like Montana and parts of China. As Will Oremus writes in Slate, “Many of those new wine regions coincide with important habitat for species like the gray wolf, the pronghorn, the grizzly bear, and in China's case, the panda.”
The butterfly effect – recently more discussed in terms of sci-fi and fantasy than in regards to sustainability management – is perhaps taking on more relevance as relatively small changes are being found to have larger, more unexpected consequences.
Wine production interfering with the habitat of the panda is a fairly unexpected consequence of climate change, in my opinion. But it’s not so far-fetched as to be declared impossible, either. This is where sustainability consultants come in: one of the greatest contributions sustainability professionals can make to their organization is to help identify and qualify the myriad of potential outcomes and implications that result from climate change.
It isn’t only industries, like wine, that so obviously rely upon the environment who need to think about a sustainability plan. As the 2012 “Going to Extremes” congressional report wrote, “Global warming has stacked the deck with extra jokers, making some weather events more frequent and severe” and has cost the country literally billions of dollars. Until six months ago, the idea of a hurricane hitting New York City seemed incredibly far-fetched. But six months later, New York City residents are still feeling the impact of that monster storm.
Sustainability consultants and marketers must be thinking outside the box when planning for the future of their organization.
Let me know @Brigid_Milligan how you are thinking outside the box?


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Cover reporter Ouyang Hongyu
On the evening of August 18, Tencent Group released its 2022 Q2 performance report. According to the financial report, Tencent achieved revenue of 134 billion yuan in the second quarter of this year, a year -on -year decrease of 3%, the first year -on -year decline in history; under non -international financial reporting standards, the net profit after adjustment was 28.1 billion yuan, a year -on -year decrease of 17%, compared with the previous two, which was the previous two, which was the previous two. The quarter narrowed. Wang Dongwei, director of Zhongtai Capital, believes that the decline in Tencent’s profits is the result of a combination of internal and external factors.
According to Tencent’s financial report, value-added service business and games, financial technology and corporate services, and advertising are the main business components. At the same time, Tencent Music Entertainment and Reading Group, which have been independently listed, constitute the music and film and television business of Tencent Group. In Wang Dongwei’s view, all of Tencent’s business lines have encountered bottlenecks in business development, mainly due to externalities.
Taking the advertising business as an example, Wang Dongwei pointed out that the sharp reduction of Tencent’s advertising business, on the one hand, is a decrease in the willingness of enterprises to advertise; Enterprises, “As far as advertisers in the field of consumer goods are concerned, live streaming is more conducive to the rapid return of funds.”
In fact, in order to drive profit growth, Tencent is also looking for various new business drivers, such as Douyin and Kuaishou, or will insert advertisements into video accounts. In this regard, Wang Dongwei believes that whether the video account or the information flow advertisement grafted into it, the success in the future mainly depends on the development status of the WeChat ecosystem. Even if there is a gap with Douyin and Kuaishou at this stage, if you can get enough users from WeChat to work hard, you will gain a certain market share.
Just before the financial report was released, rumors that Tencent reduced its holdings in Meituan also attracted attention. Tencent executives also responded on the earnings call that news reports about the sale of Meituan shares were incorrect. Earlier media reports said that Tencent plans to reduce its shareholding in Meituan, which is worth about 165 billion yuan, causing many listed companies invested by Meituan and Tencent to plummet. In fact, in the recent time, Tencent has been in the secondary market to reduce its holdings of the investing companies with little relationship with the main business, including JD.com, New Oriental Online, Backgammon, Weibagang, and other listed companies.
In this regard, Wang Dongwei believes that Tencent spent about 4 billion US dollars in investing in Meituan at the beginning. Today, Tencent’s shareholding in Meituan has a market value of more than 22 billion US dollars. “However, from the perspective of long -term development, the strategic investment methods that have used to expand their own borders and consolidate leading positions in the past will gradually be replaced, focusing on cutting -edge technologies such as hard technology and chips will be more valuable.”Return to Sohu, see more
Disclaimer: The opinions of this article only represent the author himself, Sohu is an information publishing platform, and Sohu only provides information storage space services.


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Subaru Forester, XV eBoxer hybrids arriving in early 2020
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Subaru's Forester and XV SUVs will be the brand's first hybrid vehicles, with both set to get mild-hybrid powertrain options in Q1, 2020.
The vehicles were initially tipped to arrive toward the end of 2019, but their arrival has been pushed back slightly, with "early 2020" now the window.
Both vehicles will share the same powertrain; a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder engine, paired with a transmission-mounted electric motor.
The four-cylinder engine produces 110kW and 188Nmm, while the electric motor adds 10kWand 65Nm, thanks to its 13.5kWh lithium ion battery pack.
You still get all-wheel drive, and a CVT automatic, but Subaru says its X-Mode off-road functions are "enhanced" by the added oomph from take off. Better still, Subaru is expecting significant fuel economy improvements.
"As an electrified power unit, it achieves not only improved fuel economy, but also brings enjoyment in a variety of scenes, from city driving to rough road driving, through responsive throttle and linear acceleration thanks to the power assist from an electric motor," says Subaru.
While pricing and specification details are yet to be confirmed for Australia, it is understood the mild-hybrid options will sit in the mid-range of the model lineup, as opposed to being the most expensive vehicles.
With the current four-model Forester family spanning $33,840 to $41,940, that would put the eBoxer models between $35k and $40k. The XV range spans $28,490 and $35,780, with the mild-hybrid model expected to land in the middle of those numbers.


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In 2014, MtGox a popular site for trading and storing bitcoin went under and with it, were thousands of bitcoins belonging to individual investors as well as Bitcoin enthusiasts. There claims across the internet with allegations that thieves were actually involved in stealing bitcoins while others attributed the loss to transaction malleability. However, this was denied as Bitcoin uses block chain technology. Blockchain is a “general log of transactions” on which “you can see all transactions that have ever taken place or ever will take place.” In other words, if Bitcoin is used in a financial transaction, that transaction is permanently recorded in a public space.
In the case of MtGox, most of the missing coins were stolen straight from an online pool held for settling daily transactions called the hot wallet. The number of bitcoins lost totaled to 850,000 coins worth about $500 million. MtGox bitcoins were sent to a non-MtGox address, several times without a withdrawal log something highlighted on the block chain according to Financial Times.
Owing to the loss, a Japanese man went to court seeking compensation over lost bitcoins on the MtGox site. The man lost 458 bitcoins worth 160,000 euros . The Japanese court however dismissed the suit on the grounds that the virtual currency cannot be owned. In delivering the ruling, the judge said that ownership is limited to tangible things that occupy space and to which, one has exclusive control over. The case is one of the many filed by many users of MtGox seeking a form of compensation owing to losses suffered when the site went under. Bitcoin is increasingly being used in the mainstream especially paying for transactions which makes the ruling all the same interesting.


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State-run telco Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) said it has deployed Tata Communication's Wi-Fi+ and Wi-Fi cloud communication solution, giving its subscribers seamless access to 44 million Wi-Fi hotspots in more than 100 countries including international flights and rail systems. Wi-fi+ allows BSNL subscribers access to the single largest global Wi-Fi network in the world while travelling outside India.
Typically accessing Wi-fi hotspots is very cumbersome and requires the user to remember multiple passwords, the telco said, adding that with Wi-fi+, its users will have to register just once to automatically connect to the closest participating Wi-Fi hotspot, even if they travel to a different city, country or continent.
“BSNL is the first among the Indian Mobile operators to have taken this big step forward towards how mobile subscribers use Wi-fi internationally. It removes the friction from accessing Wi-Fi and makes it simple to use Wi-Fi data,” said Anupam Shrivastava, Chairman and Managing Director, BSNL.
“BSNL mobile subscribers can access Wi-fi anywhere in the world without worrying about the bill shock when they get home and no longer have to limit their internet usage while abroad," he added.
BSNL has 94.36 million mobile subscribers and 13.88 million wireline customers.
Also read:BSNL to invest Rs 2500-cr to install new sites, WiFi hotspots & fiber by March
“Wi-Fi+ changes how subscribers experience Wi-Fi and simplifies how they get connected to the internet and use their applications while travelling abroad. We are really proud of this partnership with BSNL and how it is delivering innovative mobile experiences to BSNL subscribers.” said Christopher Almeida, Sr. Vice President, Service Provider Group at Tata Communications.


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With the £3.7 billion merger between Carphone Warehouse and Dixons expected to be unveiled when the latter announces its full-year trading update next Thursday, attention is turning to the structure of the tie-up. The two have been locked in talks since February over a potential deal that the market anticipates will be a merger of equals.
Will it be equal or is one company more equal than the other? Dixons has 500 stores in the UK and Ireland while Carphone has 800. Carphone’s market capitalisation is £1.9 billion while Dixons’ is £1.8 billion. Yet despite its smaller size, it seems


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Disruption Or Chaos?
Will the rolling out of the ‘Jio First-Day-First-Show’ service to all ‘premium JioFiber’ customers announced by Mukesh Ambani disrupt theatrical revenue?
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On September 1, 2016, some twenty minutes into his speech to shareholders at the 39th Reliance Annual General Meeting (AGM), Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani made it clear that the 4G LTE services of the brand name Reliance Jio (RJio) would come with free voice calls, zero roaming charges, simple tariff plans and a host of attractive offerings, making the worst fears of incumbents such as Airtel, Vodafone and Idea come true. The service was launched on 5 September 2016. Today, the telecom business has been disrupted for sure. Voice service is virtually free, roaming is free too and data consumption is perhaps, at an all-time high. While the consumer does feel like a king, the industry is ridden with debt, taxes and multiple other issues.
Three years later, addressing the 42nd RIL AGM, Ambani made yet another announcement that could potentially disrupt the business of films screened at theatres across India. Ambani announced that JioFiber, the optical-fibre-based fixed line broadband service, will roll out ‘Jio First-Day-First-Show’ to all ‘premium JioFiber’ customers. So come Friday, when typical Bollywood (regional and Hollywood) films are released, they will be available to all ‘premium JioFiber’ customers.
Today, nearly Rs 12,000 crore of revenue is generated by organised, branded, multiplex chains like PVR, Inox, Cinemax, and several other national and regional (state-level) players. Better theatrical experience has attracted more footfalls (Rs 25 crore-plus) leading to higher revenue year after year.
If a mega-starrer film is suddenly available in your home the same day as its theatrical release, the probability of customers not stepping into a nearby multiplex appears to be higher. And this, if it actually becomes a reality, could disrupt theatrical collections and in turn the current business model of the film industry, be it producers, actors, distributors, exhibitors and others. At least, that is the fear. Under what conditions can this ploy actually harm theatrical collections? Are there any benefits for the film industry in associating with the JioFiber platform? We will attempt to answer these questions.
First, let us examine in detail what was announced. While the detailed tariff plans for JioFiber will be revealed on September 5, 2019, the price range has been shared by Ambani. “... We are pricing our plans at less than 1/10th the global rates, to make it accessible for all. JioFiber plans will be priced between Rs 700 to Rs 10,000 per month to suit every budget and every need,” Ambani said in his speech. He also announced that Jio GigaFiber customers who opt for its annual plans “Jio-Forever plans” will get an HD (High Definition) or 4K LED television and a 4K set-top-box for free.
The JioFiber potentially has the capability to disrupt the direct-to-home or DTH services too, because the bundled offer includes lightning fast broadband speeds of upto 1 GBPS, availability of all leading OTT platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hotstar and others, a free landline telephone bundled with low-cost international calling facility, most number of HD channels and certainly all cable-based channels, interactive gaming, virtual reality content, multi-party video conferencing and what not. Nonetheless, the only ones to react to the announcement were the leading multiplex operators – PVR and Inox among others.
Of course, as an immediate fallout of this announcement, share prices of listed multiplex exhibitors, including PVR and Inox took a beating before recovering in later trading sessions. It was but expected that strong reactions would be shared by exhibitors who together account for nearly half the domestic box-office collections (Rs 10,200 crore in 2018). And indeed, the reactions came within a couple of days.
PVR Cinemas said in an exchange filing, “As on date, the publicly available information regarding the proposed service is limited, however, given the wide coverage in various media reports, we would like to place on record our observations ... For decades, the theatrical release window has been a valuable model for exhibitors and producers alike. In India and globally, producers have respected the release windows and kept a sacrosanct gap between the theatrical release date & the date of release on all other platforms, i.e. DVD, DTH, TV, OTT etc.”
Reiterating PVR’s statement, Inox Leisure said that the producer of the film is the owner of the creative content and is therefore, entitled to choose the platform of distribution and consumption of his content. “We would also like to point out that producers, distributors and multiplex owners in India have mutually agreed to an exclusive theatrical window of eight weeks, between the theatrical release of a movie, and release on any other platform. This exclusive theatrical window is a model that is followed internationally, in order to ensure the robust financial viability of all the segments of the sector, and has been replicated in India,” Inox said in a press release.
Inox added that the proposed move by RIL will jeopardise a significant revenue stream for multiplexes, considering that between 60 per cent and 70 per cent of the revenue of any movie comes from the domestic theatrical exhibition. A FICCI report on India’s media and entertainment sector released in March 2019, says of the total filmed entertainment revenues of Rs 17,450 crore in 2018, theatrical box office (domestic and overseas) contribution was about 75 per cent.
The PVR statement ended with hope of continued growth of the film exhibition business. “Theatrical and at-home are two completely different experiences and each has their own places. Both these experiences have co-existed and prospered for decades and will continue to do so in future. We are extremely buoyant about cinema exhibition’s growth prospects and remain committed to expand PVR’s reach in cities and towns across the country, while delivering an unmatched movie going experience to the Indian consumers,” it said.
Merits & Demerit
For the benefit of our readers, let us expand and decode the offerings and announcements made by Ambani on JioFiber. Here is what Ambani said in his speech. “Today, I am announcing that JioFiber plans will come bundled with subscriptions to most leading premium OTT applications. Also, for the first time in India, we are introducing a disruptive concept for watching new movies. Premium JioFiber customers will be able to watch movies in their living rooms the same day these movies are released in theatres! We call this Jio First-Day-First-Show. We plan to launch this service in the middle of 2020,” he said.
Experts tracking the business of films say with caution that the first-day-first-show on JioFiber may not be as disruptive as it appears to be at the moment. “We do not know the details. From whatever is out, it will be for the premium customers those who may be subscribing the annual pack and paying the highest subscription amount (the number may be much lower than the overall subscriber-base),” says an expert on condition of anonymity.
“Moreover, not every film will see the simultaneous release, I suspect. Why? Because of legacy issues like producer-exhibitor contract on revenue sharing that is in effect for over ten years now. Then, out of say 1,000-plus films that are released every year, not more than one to two per cent end up crossing the Rs 100-crore collection figures. So why release each and every film every Friday simultaneously,” asks the analyst, we have quoted earlier in this report.
A clear advantage of the first-day-first-show on JioFiber, however, could be for the smaller budget films. Producers of films of this genre may have a distinct advantage, should they manage to negotiate a healthy deal, which could be much more than say, the potential theatrical revenue.
“In such a scenario, we may see films getting made exclusively for JioFiber release, others exclusively for OTT platforms and the rest for theatrical release. The Direct to DVD film market is a mature one in the USA and Europe. Direct to New Platforms could develop as a genre in India in the coming years,” says a film-trade analyst.
Theatrical Business Scenario
Multiplexes currently account for ~33 per cent market share of the screens, but account for ~60 per cent of the overall box office collections. Fast-paced expansion of multiplex screens has had a major contribution in the number of films that were Rs 100-crore-plus grossers from both Hindi and regional cinema in the last ten years. The Aamir Khan-starrer 3 Idiots, released in 2009 across 1,000 screens is one such example. It was the only film that year to have set cash registers ringing. Fast forward to 2018, the Rajnikanth and Akshay Kumar starrer 2.0 was released across 6,900 screens (virtually seven times the screens as 3 Idiots) and the pursuant collections showed the difference.
Here is another statistic that supports massive growth in the film collection business due to the expansion of multiplex screens. In 2008, only one film grossed net collections exceeding Rs 100 crore. In the last five years or so, the number of films generating collections of Rs 100 crore – Rs 200 crore, have steadily gone up. The year 2018 saw 15 such films including five films that grossed over Rs 200 crore. In 2017, only ten films grossed revenue in excess of Rs 100 crore.
The larger point here is that a steady growth in the number of screens and multiplexes is directly proportional to the revenue growth of the Indian film industry. A disruption can only harm the business, which is the fear for now. But disruptions also tend to open up new business models. For now, however, the stakeholders are adopting a wait-and-watch policy while continuing to invest in expanding their respective footprints.