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NEW YORK — "We’ve got weather on our side this year," said Keith Kaplan, executive director of the Fur Information Council of America, regarding the cold temperatures across the East Coast that have sparked fur sales this holiday...
NEW YORK — "We’ve got weather on our side this year," said Keith Kaplan, executive director of the Fur Information Council of America, regarding the cold temperatures across the East Coast that have sparked fur sales this holiday season.
Meanwhile, fur retailers across the country concurred that the category has performed well thanks to designers who use fur for trims, linings and accessories, rather than the sometimes-socially challenged traditional full-length mink — even though they said that, too, has sold well.
In addition, shearling coats continue to be in top form, as are fur-lined coats and coyote-trimmed hooded parkas with a more casual feel, retailers reported.
"In 1985, there were 42 designers working in fur," said Kaplan of FICA, the industry’s public relations vehicle. "Now, we have close to 400 who [use fur in their collections]. The increase comes from new techniques that make fur much lighter in weight, but just as durable and warm. The way designers are dyeing, cutting and trimming fur makes it just like any other fabric category."
According to FICA, fur sales in 2001 were $1.53 billion and the group expects that number to increase by roughly 8 to 10 percent for 2002.
It’s been a hot season for fur at Neiman Marcus, where sales in the category saw double-digit increases, according to Terry Thornton, associate divisional merchandise manager.
"We’re really doing very well in the fur division, which is a pleasant surprise for me," Thornton said. "You never know after 9/11, but it’s rebounded, driven by designer product that’s not conservative or basic. It’s about novelty, grooved and textured applications and color. It’s not about a classic mink coat."
Neiman’s top three collections that include fur are Guiliana Teso, Chado Ralph Rucci and Michael Kors. Feminine styles by Zandra Rhodes have also done well and J. Mendel trunk shows have been successful.
"Retail sales are [solid]," said Carol Kaye, who manages the Morris Kaye & Sons fur store in San Antonio. "Sales are up 40 to 50 percent and this is our third really strong year. We’re selling basic mink coats, but our clients are yearning for different stuff. I just sold a customer her eighth fur coat in the last three months and I’m in San Antonio."A wide variety of looks are moving, but the accent has been on novelty sheared mink, including a lime car coat with matching fox collar and cuffs. Other highlights include a burgundy coat that reverses as an iridescent raincoat and sheared mink coats trimmed with chinchilla or sable. The store has also seen action in knitted fur vests and coats with sleeves that zip out, as well as styles with collars and cuffs.
In California, temperate weather often hampers fur from flying off the shelves, but the region’s appetite for fashion shouldn’t be underestimated.
"Younger clients here are really loving it," said Jeffrey Lehman, vice president of Beverly Hills furrier Edwards Lowell.
The under-40 set is snapping up shearlings, mink coats, chinchilla jackets and a lot of denim with fur trim or liners at the 60-year-old retailer.
"Fur has really made a comeback," Lehman said, noting the popularity of a warmer-climate item — a knitted sweater with interwoven mink pelts. "That [item] has given us a good shot in the arm."
Younger customers are also showing interest in fur coats, detail and trim at another Beverly Hills furrier, David Appel Furs, where woven sheared mink wraps and sweaters are emerging as standouts.
David Appel, the third-generation owner, said sales of new coats are not as brisk as they were one year ago due to a soft economy. But consumers’ thrifty solution is to recycle fur coats they already own, Appel said.
"Young people who inherit coats are remodeling them," Appel said. "I’m making them into reversible pieces with water-repellent silk on the reverse side. We’re also doing a lot of fur trim on pieces, such as leather and denim jackets. It’s encouraging for the fur business."
Peter Cohen, designer and owner of his namesake store in Los Angeles, believes the fur trend is on a downhill trajectory. Noting he’s done well with rabbit, shearling, patchwork goat fur and lamb — curly or straight — he nonetheless believes the demand has peaked this season.
"They definitely have glamorous appeal, but it’s the sort of garment you need only one of in your closet," Cohen said.In the Parisian stores division of Saks Department Store Group, the overall fur business is up, according to Gregg Kennedy, general merchandise manager for ready-to-wear. In the seven Parisian stores that have fur departments, novelty styles have sold over basics. Kennedy cited examples such as furs with embroidery, fringe and trims, as well as sheared mink with ruffled trim.
While retailers said luxury pieces with a casual feel, such as shearling, sold well this holiday season, mink-lined denim jackets have been a popular trend in the past couple years. That’s led to them being brought out to more visible locations at department stores, such as on the ground floor at Saks in New York and at retailers not typically known for selling fur, like Boyd’s of Madison Avenue Department Store, also in New York.
Further up Madison at Denimaxx, shearling legwarmers are the top seller at $795 retail, according to president Dennis Bason, who also noted that overall volume is up 15 percent from last year. Denimaxx, which sells coats from $2,395 to $3,395, also has stores in Aspen and Coral Gables, Fla. Earth tones such as vicuna, rust, brick and whiskey are key.
He noted that shearlings are more acceptable to people concerned with the way furs are made, since they are a by-product in the food chain and don’t come from animals raised just for their fur.
"It’s more friendly than a mink coat, less bulky, just as warm, comes in different colors and is a little less expensive," Bason said.
At James Davis, a 12,000-square-foot bridge and designer specialty store in Memphis, sales of fur and fur-trimmed pieces have exceeded expectations, according to K.K. Weinberg, co-owner.
"This has been our best year ever," Weinberg said. "We’ve added more product this season and took a stand on novelty fur pieces, which has paid off."
Weinberg said he sold 10 Cassin rabbit jackets since October for $2,600 apiece. Other bestsellers include shearling vests and coats from Cole Hahn and three-quarter and full-length coats from Robert Talbot. Weinberg said he sold 28 Talbot jackets in a recent trunk show, each priced around $2,100.Meanwhile, at 54-year-old Douglas Fur Co., a 5,500-square-foot fur specialty store in Charlotte, N.C., business was up over last year, especially since cooler weather has boosted sales. Consumers exposed to fur through the growing editorial coverage in fashion magazines has also helped generate interest, according to Paul Gordon, president.
"Magazines have promoted fur in coats, collars, cuffs and trims, and that’s been building during the past several years," said Gordon, who noted that the store carries lines from designers such as Arnold Scaasi, Anne Klein and Mary McFadden.
Basics and classic styles, including full-length mink coats, always sell well in the South, said Gordon. However, fashion items, including color and combinations of fur treatments below the $3,000 price range, have also appealed to consumers. Fur-trimmed denim jackets have sold in the hundreds, Gordon said, and sheared mink jackets and strollers have also been strong.
@zacposen's go-to holiday gift? Cookies! "I'll usually bake cookies and send them as a gift," said the designer, who recently released his cookbook "Cooking With Zac: Recipes from Rustic to Refined." Get the recipe for his Brown Butter-Chocolate Chip Cookies via link in bio 🍪🍪🍪 #wwdeye #cookingwithzac
For @monsemaison’s pre-fall 2018 collection, Fernando Garcia and Laura Kim honed in on the brand’s many signatures — men’s wear, which was tweaked and feminized through deconstruction, proportion play and lots of bare shoulders. See the rest of the photos on WWD.com #wwdfashion (📷: George Chinese)
On Friday night, @yohjiyamamotoofficial received the Design for Asia Lifetime Achievement Award in Hong Kong. The 75-year-old designer has been celebrated for many years and is best known for his dark and avant-garde tailoring. “In my long career, in design, architecture, [I’ve been to] so many parties, this is the very first time that I have such a warm feeling, I really appreciate this,” Yamamoto said. #wwdfashion (📷: @dominiquemaitre)
Discovery is collaborating with British pop artist @philipcolbert on a new line of clothing and accessories called Discovery Shark. The collection, which will launch next summer for Shark Week’s 30th anniversary, features a whimsical line of women’s and men’s bomber jackets, sweatshirts, bags and more. #wwdfashion
“I’m always a big champion of a female rapper, and I’m glad to see a new voice that feels unique and authentic that’s coming up, and I think we’re going to see more great things from her,” said @itsjeremyscott about @iamcardib, who performed at @moschino’s Art Basel Miami Beach party last night. #wwdeye (📷: @lexieblacklock)
@janellemonae’s “What’s Your Frequency?” room in @refinery29's #29Rooms made its debut this week at the opening of the Los Angeles art exhibit. “It’s about the ongoing conversation around mass surveillance, the weaponization of technology and cultural uniformity. My space was created so that we can come together and talk about the complexities of our humanity,” said Monáe. #wwdeye (📷: @bucknerphoto)
@pantone announced their Color of the Year 2018: Ultra Violet. Nearly 20 months after the musician Prince’s death, fashion is having a purple moment. Varying shades of purple appeared on spring or fall runways, from @christopherkane to @calvinklein. @gucci’s Alessandro Michele bathed his fall runway in ultra violet-colored light at one point. Pantone 18-3838 is meant to “push the boundaries of what inspires us to look upward and outward to the future.” #wwdnews #wwdfashion (📷: @kukukuba)


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Finding service technicians remains far and away the largest challenge facing independent heavy-duty aftermarket operations entering 2016.
According to Truck Parts & Service’s November 2015 reader survey, nearly 56 percent of aftermarket operations cited technician availability as one of the three biggest challenges they face in their business. That number was distantly followed by keeping abreast of new industry technology and competition from dealers.
Most distributor responders say they have started recruiting at high school and tech schools in an effort to combat their staffing problems.
Responders also showed significant concern over low-cost and quality components in the write-in section of the survey.
Nearly two dozen distributors specifically mentioned the importance of aftermarket distribution remaining committed to high-quality brands and product lines. These responders opined that customer perceptions of the independent aftermarket are weakened when the independent aftermarket begins touting products that don’t meet industry standards and expectations.
Says one responder, “More and more people are less interested in quality and more interested in the upfront cost of an item — even when that cheaper item will end up costing them more in the long run. The ‘race to the bottom’ pricing mentality is very bad for the industry overall.”
To return to January’s Truck Parts & Service cover story on the state of the independent aftermarket, please CLICK HERE.

domain: news


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ReutersMar 20, 2020 09:26:28 IST
Senator Ed Markey, who has long had an interest in consumer privacy, Thursday urged caution in the government's efforts to partner with big tech companies to track the coronavirus as a way to combat the disease.
In a letter to Michael Kratsios, the White House's chief technology officer, Markey cited a Washington Post report that said the government had discussions with Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google, IBM, and other tech companies to discuss potentially using smartphone location data as part of "modeling efforts" as the virus spreads in the United States.
"We need assurances that collection and processing of these types of information, even if aggregated and anonymized, do not pose safety and privacy risks to individuals," Markey wrote.
He asked the government to describe how the data would be collected, anonymized and stored, who would have access to it and which companies were involved in the effort.
Facebook said in a statement that there was no agreement to share location data of individuals with the government.
"In the US, we briefed the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) on the work we do with aggregate, de-identified data maps with researchers -- which has been previously reported -- and they were supportive of our doing more of it," a Facebook spokesman said. "We have not received requests for location data from the U.S. government."
Apple said in a statement that it does not track user locations. It noted that it has participated in White House COVID-19 task force meetings but is focused on telehealth and distance learning.
Find latest and upcoming tech gadgets online on Tech2 Gadgets. Get technology news, gadgets reviews & ratings. Popular gadgets including laptop, tablet and mobile specifications, features, prices, comparison.


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Target workers are planning a “sickout” for May 1.
Organizers say they do not have enough protection on the front lines of COVID-19.
Target workers want to draw attention to the health risks they face everyday.
A group called Target Workers Unite claims the company is more focused on sales than employee health. The activist group says the company is only taking half measures to protect them against the virus.
The planned sickout also marks International Workers Day or May Day.
Target has reduced store hours and supplied masks to its workers, but they are not required to wear them.
In a statement, the company says it is important that Target team members feel comfortable sharing their concerns.
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Inkjet printing firm Xaar disappointed investors today, warning on struggling sales and downgrading guidance on full-year profits.
Shares in the London-listed firm fell by a fifth in morning trading.
The Cambridge-based firm, which supplies industrial printheads, said growth in revenues in the second half of 2017 will not hit guidance. Instead, sales over the second six months of the year would be "broadly in line with the first half".
Xaar said it was "disappointed by the revenue shortfall" but stressed it was reducing dependency on its troubled legacy ceramics business.
Read more: New boss in the hot seat at print firm Xaar
Demand for some printheads is strong, the firm added - although one of its products, the 1201 printhead, experienced "supply constraints".
Analysts from N+1 Singer cut their full-year profit forecast for the firm by almost a third in the wake of today's announcement.
N+1 analyst Jo Reedman said:
These downgrades are disappointing. However, it is notable that the issues relate to the decline of Xaar’s legacy ceramics business, along with short-term issues in meeting demand for the new graphics product. Demand continues to grow for the portfolio of new products introduced in the last two years.


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World-Renowned Simulation and Engineering Expert Joins KAM
Keselowski Advanced Manufacturing rounds out leadership team with the addition of Dr. Robin Tuluie.
A Closer Look: KAM Expands With New Certifications, Equipment
With additional certifications and new equipment, KAM has set forth a clear path to quality in the additive manufacturing industry.
KAM Continues Accelerated Growth in Hybrid Manufacturing
The startup company speeds to the forefront of the fourth industrial revolution with the completion of industry certifications and additional capital investments.
KAM Teams With Elementum 3D To Form Powerhouse Duo
New partnership combines KAM’s cutting-edge additive manufacturing technology with Elementum 3D’s groundbreaking materials development.
KAM Gets Spotlight in New Issue of Twin & Turbine
The August issue of Twin & Turbine Magazine features KAM founder and CEO Brad Keselowski talking about the future of additive manufacturing and its potential in the aviation industry.
Keselowski Featured in USA Today’s Industry Mag
KAM founder and CEO Brad Keselowski is featured in USA Today's Industry 4.0 mag, highlighting 3D Printing as part of the future of Business and Technology.
KAM Grows with New Investments, Leadership and Facility Updates
The hybrid manufacturing company’s significant expansion propels it closer to becoming the industry leader in North America.
KAM Leaves A Mark on AMUG 2019 in Chicago
Keselowski Advanced Manufacturing continues making a splash [...]
Keselowski’s Visionary 3-D Business Reflects Racing ideals
The typical go-tos for NASCAR drivers looking [...]


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Government must start acting now to ensure the farming industry is equipped to profit from whatever trade deals are in place when the UK finally exits the European Union, according to Allie Renison, head of Europe and trade policy at the Institute of Directors.
Without predicting whether there will be complete free trade access, trade with tariffs or trade liberalisation, Ms Renison told NFU Conference delegates there was likely to be a phased implementation of any deal post-Brexit.
Echoing Secretary of State Andrea Leadsom’s earlier comment, she said: “We want tariff-free and frictionless cross-border trade with Europe. So, with zero tariffs and zero non-tariff barriers as our starting point, we are striving for the best possible access for our farmers and food exporters.”
Trade policy, she said, had a serious impact – sometimes for good, sometimes for worse – on agriculture.
“The Prime Minister has said that once a deal is reached, we will have a phased implementation process. But the whole divorce process might stretch on. What happens if we reach the two year mark: are you going to be able to extend it or not? Moving back to World Trade Organisations and ‘most favoured nation rules’ between the UK and EU are highly undesirable,” Ms Renison said.
“It is not just a question of tariffs as to why that is undesirable. There is a big incentive that, once Article 50 is triggered, to make sure we get it right on content rather than [just] focusing on doing it at lightning speed. It has to be a balance of those two priorities.”
Ms Renison raised the possibility of negotiating an extension to the period in which the UK extricates itself from the EU to ensure the best trade deals are in place.
“But then you have a big issue about who enforces those mechanisms for trade, cross-border enforcement and dispute resolution,” she added. “Potentially the EU could have a ‘phasing in’ of tariffs over time. That would be better than tariffs being imposed right away.”
Business, including farming, needs a variety of different skillsets and, with regards to the pool of labour, both permanent and seasonal from within and outside the EU, Ms Renison said Brexit might force employers to either pay higher wages or use innovative ways of taking up some of the slack.
The NFU reiterates that it wants UK farming to have a free access to the EU, with the freest possible trade. To keep up-to-date with the NFU’s changing work on Brexit for its members, visit www.nfuonline.com/news/eu-referendum/
Food security equals national security
A line was drawn between national security and the ability of Britain to feed itself by the head of the Food and Drink Federation (FDF).
FDF Director General Ian Wright told delegates at the trade and investment session: “Food is at the heart of our national security – if you can’t feed the country, you haven’t got a country.”
Mr Wright said that he thought that the transition deal was as important as the final Brexit trade deal that was struck and that ministers should take as much, if not more, care over the transition arrangements.
He said that our export performance has been exceptional over recent months but there was a basic need for us to protect our trading partnership with Europe, which he underlined was the most important trading partner we have.
Mr Wright said: “The record food and drink exports announced represent £20 billion value to the UK economy that speaks volumes as to the importance of this dynamic and diverse industry. Speaking with one voice on areas such as trade and our future workforce needs will secure the best outcome for manufacturers, farmer and consumers alike.”
Interview: Food and Drink Federation Director General Ian Wright
Mr Wright emphasised the need for ‘frictionless borders’, especially in the case of Northern Ireland, which would be the UK’s only land border with Europe. He said that Ireland had the potential to be our biggest ally in negotiations. There are 200 routes between north and south Ireland, and during the troubles the British Army could only man 20 of them, so border control could be a big issue for trade.
He ended by calling for the British Government to back the European workers who live in this country and not use them as political bargaining chips when Article 50 is declared. And he stressed the importance of not swapping a single EU market on food regulation for four separate ones, based on the devolved UK assemblies.
“We need the whole of the food chain from farming to fork to speak with one voice,” he added.
Top #NFU17 content
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- NFU17: Watch the opening video


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Today's clothing needs to offer more than just a fashion statement--it needs to offer value and practicality. That's the thinking behind the growing industry of performance apparel.
Performance apparel is clothing with a purpose, like shirts that offer UV protection or sunglasses with an embedded MP3 player for active people who love the outdoors. You may have been donning performance threads for a couple of years without even realizing it--think wrinkle-free pants and stain-resistant shirts. Apparel that's really pushing the envelope includes clothes that clean themselves; suits that monitor the body and deliver drugs like insulin when necessary; raincoats that receive real-time weather forecasts, notifying the wearer of the outdoor conditions; pants that repel insects; washable suits; and anti-microbial underwear.
Bill McNally, co-founder of Noble Fiber Technologies in Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania, has created X-Static, a silver-woven textile fiber that's easily incorporated into any textile material and enables the material to kill odor and bacteria while enhancing existing sweat-wicking systems. McNally, who has a biomedical background, recognized the benefits of X-Static for the medical community and also saw applications for use in the military and consumer markets.
"To maximize the performance of a given product, you need to be able to deliver multiple benefits--and that's what we do," says McNally, 43, whose company has seen exponential growth each year since it was founded in 1996.
David Schmida, executive director of the International Association of Clothing Designers & Executives , predicts that by 2010, some 40 percent of all garments sold will have some performance apparel element to them. "Where I see the entrepreneur coming in is in nontraditional uses of fabrics or technologies in apparel," says Schmida. For example, Schmida says entrepreneurs might develop a new fabric for the military but find a use for it in golfwear. Schmida adds that fitness and leisure-time clothing are the hottest segment of the performance apparel market today.
McNally can attest to that: His product was used by 61 countries during the Athens Olympics; Johnson & Johnson and NASA are also on his client roster. One success secret is pretty simple, he says: "Value is a recession-proof asset."-S.C.
Water isn't just water anymore--it can now be fortified with vitamins and minerals to enhance your health. And the same goes for nutrition bars, shakes, snacks, cookies--you name it, and companies are adding nutrients like calcium and soy protein to enhance it. Such "functional foods" experienced an average of 9 percent growth year-over-year, accounting for $22.8 billion in U.S. sales in 2003, growing from$13.7 billion in 1997, according to the Nutrition Business Journal .
Promising benefits that range from defeating dehydration to alleviating joint pain, functional foods are marketed to play up their health and wellness benefits. It was, in fact, a search for something to relieve his mother's menopause discomfort that led Dr. Aaron Tabor to create his company, Revival Soy . Founding the company in 1998 while he was in medical school, Tabor wanted to create a line of shakes, bars, snacks and such that would harness the positive health effects of soy but taste good, too. Tabor patented the process he'd found for isolating the most beneficial elements of soy and, adding them to his products, began putting the Revival Soy products through clinical trials. To date, the company has 20 such trials completed or underway, offering evidence of the products' health benefits. "I've been able to touch hundreds of thousands of people now, [compared to] if I'd just gone into clinical practice," says Tabor, 34. Selling direct to consumers via a toll-free number and the internet, Kernersville, North Carolina-based Revival Soy has annual sales of more than $20 million.
Patrick Rea, research director with Nutrition Business Journal, notes that nutrition bars remain one of the most popular functional food items, while drinks and snack foods also show a strong market presence. Still, he notes that it's a challenge to get noticed among all the competition--especially because you'll want to get your product on the shelf beside those from huge companies. To get started, check out Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals magazine , not only to find out what's going on in the market, but also to see the listing of functional food technologies and innovations to possibly license and put into food products.-Nichole L. Torres
Now entering their retirement years, 77 million baby boomers are finding themselves forced to deal with financial planning and asset management if they want to live comfortably well into retirement. From the wealth boomers are expected to inherit in the next few years to management of the money they've earned in long careers, there's a need for good financial planning. Still, according to a 2003 survey by financial services company ING, 62 percent of baby boomers spend one hour or less on retirement planning activities per month, while 32 percent say they don't spend any time on it at all.
And therein lies a huge market--or plethora of markets. "Even within the baby boomer demographic, find a niche--a target group," advises Michael Kitces, director of financial planning for Pinnacle Advisory Group Inc. , a wealth management company based in Columbia, Maryland. There's opportunity, he notes, for financial planners to target boomers within a specific asset level, for example, or even boomers getting ready to retire from a specific profession or industry.
Bruce Fenton started wealth managment and private banking firm Atlantic Financial Inc. , now based in Boston, in 1994. He targets boomers as his main clients and warns that they are a particularly demanding group. "Boomers tend to be savvy consumers," says Fenton, 32. He has built his business to more than $1 million in annual sales by meeting those demands as well as being highly communicative with his clientele.
While the boomer market is highly competitive, forward-thinking entrepreneurs can also target Gen X and Gen Y consumers. Jonathan Guyton, principal with Cornerstone Wealth Advisors Inc . in Minneapolis, notes that financial planners can get into the business today by managing the assets of slightly younger consumers--who often don't have the same large net worth as boomers--and build a long-term trust with those clients over the years. But whatever niche you ultimately choose, Guyton sees a trend of more service-oriented vs. product-oriented financial planners--those who are paid a fee to provide ongoing advice on all relevant financial matters.-N.L.T.


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ARRIS highlights the connected path to the future at BroadcastAsia2016
It's vital then, that connectivity is a priority and not an afterthought. Home bandwidth demands will continue to increase, but the good news is that the technology to meet that need is available today. Advances in access network technology like DOCSIS 3.1® and G.fast will deliver gigabit speeds to more consumers than ever before.
At Broadcast Asia, ARRIS will showcase the technology that will accelerate the delivery of new services. On the connectivity side of things, there will be demonstrations of a DOCSIS 3.1 network and CPE solutions. Accompanying this will be a 1.2GHz cable plant for delivering multi-gigabit services to the home. At their suite at the show, they will also showcase ARRIS’ broadband gateways and set-tops for cable, telco and satellite operators to deliver next-gen consumer experiences including 4K video over Wi-Fi. Plus, they’ll display their cloud solutions and demonstrate how these solutions can optimise and manage the delivery of linear and stored IP video to set-tops and consumer devices.
If you’re keen to find out more about these technologies, what it means for in-home entertainment and connectivity, and service providers, we’d be happy to arrange for a 1:1 interview at Broadcast Asia from 31 May to 3 June. Alternatively, if you’re interested to check out their demos at the show, please feel free to drop by at the ARRIS Hospitality Suite at Melati 4010A, Level 4.


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Gorgeous Bollywood actress Vaani Kapoor’s career is on a massive high after her stellar performance in Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui in which she sensitively played the role of a transgender girl who fights all odds to stand up for her rights. Vaani received unanimous praise for her performance and that has led to her equity shooting up in the last couple of months! Vaani Kapoor has signed eight new brands as an endorser and has become a name that’s being chased by top brands in the country.
An industry informant says, “The best thing about brand Vaani Kapoor is that with Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui she has proven to be a gutsy, ambitious, free-thinking artiste who is tremendously risk-taking. These are qualities that are being seeked by brands that need actors who are opinionated, represent modern India, stand for things that they believe in, and is keen for social good to be the face. Vaani fits the bill completely and the result is there for everyone to see because her equity is only going northwards from here on.”
The informer further says, “Vaani has signed eight brands in the last couple of months! Since Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui release, she has signed brands left, right, and centre. From clothing to hair products, from jewellery to skin care products, Vaani has been snapped up by top brands of the country. She is also under-exposed as a face because she has been extremely choosy about the films that she does. This is also helping her equity because brands are seeing her as someone who isn’t typecast or selling way too many brands.”


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Total U.S. apparel imports dropped in December, according to data released last week by the U.S. Census Bureau, resulting in the first annual decline in the category in the past four years.
Apparel imports plunged by 7 percent in the month, to $6.6 billion on a CIF basis, their tenth straight month of year-over-year decline, in stark contrast to total U.S. goods and services imports, which increased by 2.3% in December to $186 billion. Apparel exports rose by 5.4% to almost $127 billion.
The sky-high dollar and recovering economy last year did little to stimulate demand among apparel-weary consumers who took advantage of the lower prices to spend less on clothing. Although most big retailers reported a solid holiday 2016 season, apparel was cited as weaker than usual.
Apparel exports dropped by almost 5 percent in December, to $450 million. Total apparel exports on an FAS dollar basis fell every month in 2016 compared to the same month in 2015.
Total apparel imports were $91.2 billion in 2016, down 5.9% from 2015. Apparel imports fell by 6.8% to $27.5 billion.
Print PDFPrint PDFWhen times are tough, companies are more willing to test new ideas and Target, Warby Parker and Amazon are pushing the boundaries of traditional retail. Target gets in bed with Casper After failed attempts at an acquisition, Target has instead invested in Casper...Read more
J.Crew has been shifting in its seat trying to adjust to a new normal of shrinking sales and growing debt, but nothing has quite yet paid off, so the company is cutting its prices.Read more
It’s official. Coach, Inc. is snapping up shares of handbag brand Kate Spade.Read more
This week, consumers called for better children's apparel, retailers turned internally to remedy their financial woes and apparel incubators improved China's manufacturing sector.Read more
Whether and how much consumers care about sustainability may be an ongoing question the industry wants an answer for, but one thing that’s clear is that though some consumers do care, sustainability isn’t the first thing they think of.Read more
Gymboree tapped former Tilly's executive Daniel Griesemer as its new CEO, JC Penney appointed Marci Grebstein as its new EVP and Wolford creative director Grit Seymour is leaving the company.Read more
Aiming to clear up potential conflicts with state laws, the Reinforcing American-Made Products Act now moves to the full Senate for consideration after the chamber’s Commerce Committee gave approval to the measure.Read more


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Check Out The X22 Report Spotlight YouTube Channel – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1rn…
Get economic collapse news throughout the day visit http://x22report.com
Report date: 02.28.2017
Greeks continue to take their currency out of the banks.
Target stores sales are declining.
A new gas tax is going to hit 20 states.
GM is now pushing incentives like they did prior to 2008.
Auto delinquencies are rising quickly.
The retail apocalypse has begun and many retailers are going to get hit.
Case Shiller reports housing prices are now leveling off in the 20 cities.
Credit markets are starting to look like 2008, they are now stagnating and will be freezing up.
Marc Faber says the markets are going to crash.
All source links to the report can be found on the x22report.com site.


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Kingsmill, the Allied Bakeries-owned bread brand, is attempting to leave behind 18 months of confusion and falling market share with a television sponsorship deal that breaks next week on GMTV. The brand is seeking to mount a comeback under Allied chief executive Brian Robinson, who was drafted in last year to combat falling Kingsmill sales […]
EasyJet is arguably the name most synonymous with low-cost airlines, but while three years ago there were just seven low-cost carriers battling it out for market share in the short-haul European travel sector, now there are more than 60.
The launch of Bacardi Breezer in the mid-1990s created a new breed of drinkers – much younger consumers who preferred easy-to-drink, sugary alcohol. More than just creating a new ready-to-drink (RTD) market and spawning an array of alcopops, i
Mercedes-Benz would have returned to profit in the first quarter of this year had it not been trying to fix its small car business Smart. The iconic but troubled spin-off marque, which has consistently been in the red since its launch in 1998,
Lloyds TSB has axed the role of current accounts director Gordon Rankin as part of a cull of its senior management and marketing functions. The high street bank has confirmed that Rankin, a former Barclays senior marketer, is working out his notice period. He is the latest high profile name to leave Lloyds TSB since […]
Smart UK managing director Jeremy Simpson has seen his role axed as part of the integration of the marque into Mercedes Car Group. Simpson, who joined Smart three-and-a-half years ago from parent company DaimlerChrysler (MW August 29, 2002), has moved to work on an environmental project for Daimler, believed to include the development of hybrid […]
Virgin Mobile is offering a member of the public the chance to follow in the footsteps of Kate Moss and Missy Elliot by appearing in its next advertising campaign. The company has launched a nationwide search called “Get Spotted”, and 20 finalists will be invited to London to audition. A winner will be chosen by […]
Carlsberg UK is relaunching premium lager Carlsberg Elephant in the UK, after the brand disappeared from shelves in 1999. It was scrapped in the UK amid production problems, as the brewer struggled to meet demand for it alongside the flagship Carlsberg and Carlsberg Extra drinks. Carlsberg has now increased capacity and Carlsberg Elephant will be […]
Heinz has appointed David Woodward, sales director at Procter & Gamble, as the president of Heinz UK and Ireland.
A soft drink which claims to improve water, vitamin and mineral uptake and battle dehydration is being backed by Olympic gold medallist Sir Steve Redgrave. The Juice Doctor is made from a specially formulated blend of spring water, natural fruit juices, vitamins and rehydrating minerals, and comes in three flavours The drink, which will come […]
The Guardian Media Group (GMG) is appointing headhunters to help replace Carolyn McCall as chief executive of Guardian Newspapers despite commercial director Stuart Taylor being tipped as the favourite. McCall has been appointed to replace Sir Robert Phillis as chief executive of GMG when he retires at the end of July and GMG has announced […]
Two-thirds of purchasing decisions are made once a shopper is inside a store, it’s said, so the material that the consumer sees in the retail environment is critical. Despite this, point-of-purchase (PoP) is still seriously undervalued by many


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Warframe unleashes its 13th update
Unlucky for some; Warframe's 13th update is here, and it's locked and loaded with some awesome new features, including a brand new class.
The new class, the Hydroid wades its way into the mmofps, armed with some awesome aquatic abilities. The elemental new Warframe class can summon and control water and use it to push hordes back, trap and drown unsuspecting foes, and can even morph the water into a Kraken-like creature that can punish your enemies from 1000 leagues below.
In addition to the new class added, new weapons, weapon skins and enemies have been added to the mmo, plus much, much more.
One of the biggest new gameplay features is the addition of Melee 2.0; a brand new melee system that will see you melee weapons reach a whole new degree of power. With Melee 2.0, players will now be able to add combo chaining, equip state and stance mods to their melee repertoire, granting a fresh new take on your melee combat.
"We've taken each and every weapon that has three or four attacks, and they now have a dozen things that they can do."
Interestingly, the Melee feature has taken a serious portion of the stage in this update, putting a little extra ninja into the mix. If you really want to test your swordsman ship, you can now go it alone, with nothing but your melee weapon and see how long you can last in the shadows.
For a detailed list of the key new features in the Warframe Update, check out the official update info here.


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Media headlines about Kohl's (NYSE:KSS) have trended somewhat positive recently, according to Accern Sentiment. The research firm identifies positive and negative press coverage by reviewing more than twenty million blog and news sources. Accern ranks coverage of public companies on a scale of negative one to one, with scores nearest to one being the most favorable. Kohl's earned a daily sentiment score of 0.07 on Accern’s scale. Accern also assigned headlines about the company an impact score of 46.2730418876364 out of 100, indicating that recent press coverage is somewhat unlikely to have an impact on the company’s share price in the next few days.
These are some of the headlines that may have impacted Accern Sentiment Analysis’s analysis:
- Retail Sector Earnings: Strong Data Points To A Good Holiday Season (finance.yahoo.com)
- Nordstrom’s Valuation: Where It Stands Currently (finance.yahoo.com)
- Kohl's (KSS) Rating Increased to Buy at Zacks Investment Research (americanbankingnews.com)
- How Kohl's Corporation Sharpened Its Retail Edge (finance.yahoo.com)
- Nordstrom’s in the News: Trying Again to Go Private (finance.yahoo.com)
Shares of Kohl's (NYSE:KSS) traded up $0.26 during midday trading on Thursday, hitting $64.85. 2,847,719 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 4,460,000. The stock has a market capitalization of $10,900.00, a P/E ratio of 17.20, a PEG ratio of 2.33 and a beta of 1.24. Kohl's has a 1-year low of $35.16 and a 1-year high of $65.23. The company has a current ratio of 1.63, a quick ratio of 0.30 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.88.
Kohl's (NYSE:KSS) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, November 9th. The company reported $0.70 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.72 by ($0.02). The firm had revenue of $4.33 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $4.30 billion. Kohl's had a return on equity of 12.72% and a net margin of 3.47%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up .1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $0.80 earnings per share. analysts expect that Kohl's will post 4.08 EPS for the current fiscal year.
The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 20th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, December 6th were issued a dividend of $0.55 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, December 5th. This represents a $2.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.39%. Kohl's’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 58.36%.
Several equities analysts have weighed in on the stock. Zacks Investment Research upgraded shares of Kohl's from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $71.00 target price for the company in a report on Wednesday. Robert W. Baird set a $70.00 target price on shares of Kohl's and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday. They noted that the move was a valuation call. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded shares of Kohl's from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating and raised their target price for the company from $51.00 to $72.00 in a report on Friday, January 12th. Royal Bank of Canada upgraded shares of Kohl's from an “underperform” rating to a “sector perform” rating and set a $60.00 target price for the company in a report on Friday, January 12th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets set a $60.00 target price on shares of Kohl's and gave the company a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, January 12th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have issued a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. The company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $51.71.
In other news, Director Stephanie A. Streeter sold 4,173 shares of Kohl's stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $53.85, for a total transaction of $224,716.05. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 21,960 shares in the company, valued at $1,182,546. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, Director Jonas Prising purchased 4,725 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 15th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $42.35 per share, with a total value of $200,103.75. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director now owns 8,661 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $366,793.35. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Insiders own 1.20% of the company’s stock.
ILLEGAL ACTIVITY WARNING: This news story was originally posted by Transcript Daily and is owned by of Transcript Daily. If you are viewing this news story on another website, it was illegally stolen and republished in violation of US & international copyright & trademark legislation. The original version of this news story can be viewed at https://transcriptdaily.com/2018/01/19/somewhat-favorable-media-coverage-somewhat-unlikely-to-impact-kohls-kss-stock-price-2.html.
Kohl's Company Profile
Kohl’s Corporation (Kohl’s) is an operator of department stores. The Company operates approximately 1,154 Kohl’s department stores, a Website (www.Kohls.com), approximately 12 FILA outlets, and approximately three Off-Aisle clearance centers. The Company’s stores and Website sell moderately-priced private label and national brand apparel, footwear, accessories, beauty and home products.
Receive News & Ratings for Kohl's Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Kohl's and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.


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It's possible (probable?) that either GM or Ford (or both) will soon get in line for their helping of Goverment Cheese, i.e., federal bailout money. Would it be anti free-market to then require that 50% of their 2013 model year vehicle fleet be electric, hybrid, CNG, or E(M)85 powered, with an effective in-service fleet CAFE standard that would reduce gasoline consumption by 40% by 2020? There are tangible financial and strategic advantages for the government in achieving this (keeping petrodollars in the country and energy security), and consumers would not be forced to buy these vehicles. And they can pay us back over time, with E-Z terms.
Thoughts and comments are always cheerfully accepted.
Postscript: Well, Holman Jenkins strongly disagrees with such a proposal. His arguement - that CAFE standards forced the Big 3 to loses billions producing small cheap cars that consumers didn't want - makes sense to explain their problems in the '90s when oil was less than $20 per barrel. But at the current $100+ per barrel, consumers are ditching their lower mpg trucks and SUVs for higher fuel economy vehicles. The Ford Focus, for example, with 35 mpg is a hot seller right now, while F150 sales have dropped by nearly 25% this year. GM's Rick Wagner has announced that there has been a fundamental change in the market toward fuel economy, and that this change is more likely than not irreversible.
Perhaps $100 oil for the forseeable future will make CAFE standards irrelevant? A decline in fleet average fuel economy from 20 mpg to 16 mpg would cost consumers about $800 per year at $4 per gallon (based on 16,000 miles driven per year), or $4800 of additional operating expense over a six-year vehicle life. One wonders whether relaxing CAFE standards could result in a lower vehicle purchase price that would compensate for this increase in operating costs and still improve the automakers margins. Again, Jenkins' arguement does make sense in the world of $20 oil. Too bad we don't live that world.


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Tickets for the Lakers' home games in the Western Conference finals go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. Pacific time via Ticketmaster outlets.
There is a limit of four tickets per person per game. Tickets will not be sold at the Staples Center box office.
The first two games of the series are Monday and Wednesday at Staples Center. The next two games will be in Phoenix. Although the NBA has not determined those dates, there is some expectation Game 3 will be Sunday night and Game 4 will be Tuesday night at US Airways Center.


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Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme is charted here by Zero Waste Scotland’s Deposit Return Programme Manager, David Barnes in this recycling focus
Scotland will soon be the first part of the UK to introduce a deposit return scheme for single-use drink containers, a move that is expected to massively increase recycling rates for bottles and cans. As Glasgow prepares to host this year’s critical COP26 climate conference, the spotlight will be on high-profile environmental legislation like this.
Of course, while Scotland is leading the UK by introducing a scheme, it’s far from being a new idea. It’s a thoroughly proven initiative and more than 45 countries and territories around the world already have similar schemes, with the best of them capturing upwards of 90% of target materials for recycling. That success is something Scotland will be seeking to emulate, delivering a world-class scheme tailored to our requirements and geography.
So, how does it work?
Consumers will be charged a 20p deposit when they buy any drink in a metal can or plastic or glass bottle and, once they return the item to a store or collection point to be recycled, they then get their money back. The scheme will make it easier for everyone to recycle their bottles and cans and will incentivise a positive behaviour change so that more people choose to do the right thing.
Deposit return is a type of extended producer responsibility (EPR) meaning that producers will be responsible for the recycling of the packaging that contains their drinks. With wider EPR reforms due at UK level, this is part of a growing shift towards putting producers in charge of the management of their environmental impacts.
While the regulations place the obligation on drinks producers to make sure that their empty containers are collected for recycling, they will be able to fulfil this collectively, by appointing a scheme administrator. This will be a privately-owned and operated body and will give drinks producers direct control and accountability for the running of the scheme. Producers have a range of transferable skills and experience from their businesses that can help make sure the deposit return scheme is effective and efficient. This model is tried and tested across much of Europe, including Scandinavia, Eastern Europe and Germany.
Scotland’s scheme is the result of intensive engagement and research with scheme operators around the world and will have a range of benefits.
Perhaps the most visible will be litter reduction across both our towns and cities and countryside and coastal areas. The 20p incentive to return your empty bottle or can will mean a big difference to the levels of litter we see in our streets and greenspaces, reducing the impacts of discarded containers on wildlife, removing glass hazards from our environment and helping everyone feel proud of their local communities.
The scheme isn’t just good for the environment – it has economic benefits too. With increased recycling, Scotland will not only see less litter but will spend less on litter and fly-tipping too. With litter negatively influencing other areas of Scotland’s economy, such as businesses, house prices and community wellbeing, the introduction of deposit return will also lessen these knock-on effects and help Scotland prosper.
Deposit return won’t just increase the volume of recycling – it will help improve the quality of recycling. As materials will be collected separately, they can be recycled to a higher standard, retaining greater economic value. And with a guaranteed supply of high-quality glass, metal and plastic, the scheme is an opportunity to encourage the development of greater recycling and reprocessing opportunities here in Scotland.
Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme will be a key player in tackling carbon emissions. Recycling is one of the simplest actions we can take to tackle climate change. It requires less energy than creating new materials and so reduces our energy consumption. Scotland will also be reducing the harmful emissions caused by recyclable materials ending up in our landfills or incineration.
Responding to the current climate emergency requires taking a serious look at how we use and manage our materials. Scotland is also looking at ways to tackle the problem of single-use coffee cups and measures like these will help reinforce Scotland’s reputation as a leader in creating a circular economy, using all our resources as best we can and cutting waste from our lives. Scotland is ready to lead the way in the UK, joining others around the globe who already benefit from deposit return.
Reducing waste: Harmful plastics and other single-use packaging
Reducing waste, including harmful plastics and other single-use packaging, to enhance and protect the UK’s natural spaces and our climate are actions The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) calls for strongly. As you know, waste in the countryside harms our rivers, oceans and soils. Single-use packaging costs money to remove, destroy or recycle and contributes to climate change, which is why the CPRE calls for a comprehensive deposit return system for all drinks containers. This is a very commonly littered item and the ambition here is to increase recycling of these items to over 90%. Tom Fyans, Deputy Chief Executive of CPRE says: “To boost recycling rates for all drinks containers – cans, glass and plastic bottles, cartons and pouches – the only option is for the government to introduce an all-in system.”
Editor's Recommended Articles
Must Read >> Deposit-return and Scotland’s circular economy


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Profile of Chris MurphyEditor, InformationWeek
Member Since: 11/15/2013
News & Commentary Posts: 640
Chris Murphy is editor of InformationWeek and co-chair of the InformationWeek Conference. He has been covering technology leadership and CIO strategy issues for InformationWeek since 1999. Before that, he was editor of the Budapest Business Journal, a business newspaper in Hungary; and a daily newspaper reporter in Michigan, where he covered everything from crime to the car industry. Murphy studied economics and journalism at Michigan State University, has an M.B.A. from the University of Virginia, and has passed the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) exams.
Articles by Chris Murphy
posted in February 2015
IT should take the proposed FAA rules as an invitation to get companies exploring how to use drones and similar semi-autonomous gadgets.
We're honoring that person who brings something special to your IT shop and your company. Nominate him or her for our first-ever IT Hero award.
Target can't ease up on security after its massive data breach, but the retailer must fire up its tech innovation to compete against online rivals.


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Samsung Electronics is enjoying record sales for LCD TVs in Vietnam. Vietnam represents 5% of Samsung’s Southeast Asia region sales. Southeast Asia regional sales revenue hit $10 billion in 2006, growing from $8.7 billion in 2005. LCD TV sales in the region grew more than six fold to 250,000 in 2006. Samsung is planning to build a plant in Vietnam that will volume manufacture PC monitors and printers. Samsung already has a plant in Ho Chi Minh City that produces LCD TVs.
Source: The Korea Herald


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Brexit has had more of a negative impact on food and drink manufacturers than any other business in the UK, according to a report by global credit company Creditsafe.
Spanning 755 businesses leaders, the Business Census report found that 60% of surveyed food and drink businesses had been impacted negatively by the UK’s imminent exit from the EU.
It found that food and drink is one of the sectors ‘not optimistic’ for 2019 and that businesses across the UK expect their biggest challenges to be the economy and recruitment.
Creditsafe chief executive Chris Robertson said: “The Business Census is intended to provide a snapshot of the state of the UK business based on experience, as opposed to just statistics. The impact of economic uncertainty on the optimism of business leaders for 2019 will undoubtedly gain the attention of business bodies and the government, who should take note of these less tangible, yet still important, impacts of their actions.”
“It’s been a memorable year for businesses in Britain, with Brexit dominating the media headlines and uncertainty around our role in the EU still rife.”
The report linked fears over Brexit to a slump in economic optimism, with those businesses reporting a negative impact also indicating a lack of optimism for the year to come. The findings showed 35% of businesses said Brexit has already had a negative impact on them.
Despite fears of the impact of Brexit amongst businesses, the report found that 90% of UK businesses expect to grow in 2019.


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KOZHIKODE: Despite the high price, more people go for organic farm products which are believed to be free of pesticides. They include vegetables, pulses, cereals, fruits and rice. Among the rice varieties the Gandhakashala rice and Basmati are preferred in the market.
Organic vegetables, including carrot, onions, tomato, potato, lady's finger, beans, ginger, cabbage, carrot and pumpkin are in high demand.
Noted artist Paris Mohan Kumar, who promotes organic farming among tribal communities in Wayanad and Coorg district in Karnataka by ensuring them good price, said that there were only a few farmers other than tribals who pursue 'real' organic farming. "More farmers should take up bio-farming methods which would bring down the price and make the products accessible to more people," he added.
Mr Kumar alleged that many shops were mushrooming claiming to sell organic products.
"The organic food products are being collected from individual farms," said Bijoy Franko, media in-charge, Elements Organic Store. Pioneers in the sale of organic food products, Elements claimed that they collect organic products from small-scale homestead farms.
"We have not collected any products from ordinary farmers who pursue commercialised farming practices," he said.
In the organic products' market, a variety of fruits, including mangoes, also are getting regular customers.
Alfonsa is the leading organic mango type in Kerala. Rice varieties come from Wayanad and Palakkad and from other neighbouring states.


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TAIPEI, February 6, 2024 -- Bitcoin returned to $45,000 at the beginning of 2024, driving the overall cryptocurrency market value to exceed $1.7 trillion. However, after the launch of spot Bitcoin ETFs in the United States, originally regarded as a milestone in the cryptocurrency industry, Bitcoin price has fallen 20% and still wavers at $40,000. Despite the deceleration that happened last week, net inflows of the 11 spot ETFs remain sizable, hitting 1.1 billion since launch!
This situation has already been the "New Normal" of the blockchain industry, and the “New Order” comes next. The increasing governmental regulation of centralized exchanges and Stablecoin makes the overall industry environment and development less permissive. At the same time, after the FSC officially became the competent authority for centralized exchanges and OTC in September last year, Taiwan’s VASP Association, and the KYC and AML mechanisms of major local exchanges are both in the active preparation stage.
Will Taiwan soon have special legislation to regulate cryptocurrency in 2024? How can investors master the upward and downward of cryptocurrency shocks? In addition, whether there are more cryptocurrency and blockchain technology applications is still the focus of Taiwans industrial development.
To explore the direction of blockchain and cryptocurrency industry development in Taiwan, the 7th "Hit AI & Blockchain" Summit was successfully held, gathering leaders from around the world to explore the direction of blockchain and cryptocurrency industrial development in Taiwan.
(Executive Yuan Vice Premier Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦)）
Cheng Wen-tsan, Executive Yuan Vice Premier pointed out that in the face of various challenges brought about by the development of emerging technologies and digitalization, all government departments will strive to establish relevant institutional regulations and provide more computing and innovation spaces for collaboration with startups. This aims to enhance digital resilience and assist industries in progressing towards a better direction.
(Former Chairwoman of NDC & Chief Convener of Taiwan Blockchain Alliance Chen Mei-ling)
An award ceremony, "The 6th Blockchain Authority of Value" was also presented at the 7th "Hit AI & Blockchain" Summit today.
For the previous five award ceremonies, previous award presenters include Taiwans Vice President Lai Ching-te, Legislative Yuan President You Si-kun, the Former Premier of the Executive Yuan Chang San-cheng, Former Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je, the Former Chairwoman of NDC & Chief Convener of Taiwan Blockchain Alliance Chen Mei-ling, Former NCC Chairwoman Nicole Chan, Former Taipei Deputy Mayor Huang Shan-shan, and Chairperson of Taiwan Women on Boards Association & Co-Founder of Lee, Tsai & Partners Attorneys-at-Law Jacyln Tsai.
(The 6th Blockchain Authority of Value Award ceremony)
For this years award, we invite Executive Yuan Vice Premier Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦), to present an award and personally encourage high-quality blockchain start-up teams.
The winners are as follows: MaiCoin Group for the “Best Virtual Asset Service Provider”, BitoGroup for the “Best Infrastructure for Web3 Ecosystem and Cryptocurrency”, Rybit Cryptocurrency Exchange for the "Best Web3 Brand in Taiwan", Bitget for the "Best Cryptocurrency Derivatives Exchange“, BaaS Innovation for the "Best ESG Enterprise Blockchain Application", and CoinW Crypto Exchange for "Most Trustworthy Cryptocurrency Exchange in Asia".
About The 7th "Hit AI & Blockchain" Summit
Initiated and organized by KNOWING News, Bitnance and SR-Tech Media, the "Hit AI & Blockchain Summit" is the first summit that combines AI and Blockchain issues in Taiwan. The summits focus on the current status and future of AI and Blockchain through in-depth discussions about multiple applications of AI, 5G, smart cities, CBDC (Central Bank Digital Currency), DeFi (Decentralized Finance), NFT and Metaverse, and other key topics between leaders from Taiwan and overseas. We hope that starting from the "Hit AI & Blockchain Summit", we can help Taiwans artificial intelligence and blockchain industry to continue to flourish, make progress, and move forward.


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Rodney Williams, an alumnus of the Chambers College, has been named one of the newest members of the WVU Alumni Association Board of Directors. Elected during the November 2022 meeting, Williams will serve a six-year term expiring in 2028.
Williams is the co-founder and president of SoLo Funds, a financial service company offering community banking and lending solutions to Americans in communities that may face hurdles to traditional banking options. Prior to founding SoLo, he launched LISNR, a Visa-backed fintech company, and secured numerous awards and partnerships across retail and financial services. He currently serves as the company’s chairperson.
Read more about Williams from a previous issue of the WVU Magazine.


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Processing & Packaging
South East Asia
Type of resources
Shows & Conferences
– Last updated on GMT
Related tags Vitasoy Oat financial results
Vitasoy recently announced its H1FY2022 (internally dubbed its ‘interim period’) financial results for the six months ending September 2022, reporting an overall revenue growth of about 1% year-on-year to HK$3,642mn (US$) and gross profit growth of 1% year-on-year to HK$1,738mn (US$). The firm also highlighted a strong 48% increase year-on-year in EBITDA to HK$473mn (US$).
“[This performance was] mainly driven by reduced operating expenses and an increase in COVID-19 related government subsidies from HK$4mn (US$) in [H2FY2021] to HK$59n (US$) this period,” Group CEO Robert Guidetti stated in the investors’ conference announcing these results.
“That said, all markets Vitasoy is present in is seeing growth with the exception of Singapore which is evolving its business model [and] we will be placing focus on on-trend innovation to complement this.”
One of the main areas that is part of Vitasoy’s on-trend innovation plans is that of oat milk, as although the company is traditionally best-known for its soy milk products, the trend across many of its markets in APAC appears to be shifting away from soy and towards oat.
“In China, one of the new products contributing to growth is VitaOat in various flavours whereas in Australia the growth of oat milk has been particularly strong, with Vitasoy Oat Milk emerging as market leader here,” he added.
“Revenue [in Australia and New Zealand] grew 8% by successfully leveraging consumers' growing interest in oat milk, and revenue [also] grew across all our key Plant Milk platforms of Soy, Almond and Oat.
“In the Philippines we launched the Vitasoy Plus Milky Oat product which has accelerated Vitasoy sales, [further backed by] a sustained in-home consumption drive to improve associations to key drinking moments.
“As the plant-based movement continues goes mainstream here [in the APAC region], we are confident in our long term growth trajectory [and] on-trend innovation plans to add extra scale on both our Vitasoy and Vita brands.”
Amidst its otherwise positive performance, Vitasoy did suffer a surprising significant setback in Singapore, made doubly as surprising as this market is considered one of the major hubs for plant-based innovation in the region.
When we previously spoke to Vitasoy earlier this year, the firm had expressed its hopes to push its plant-based barista milks range in the South East Asian region and especially in Singapore, but it appears that this has not yet yielded sufficient desired results to offset losses.
Describing the performance in this market as ‘disappointing’, the firm attributed its poor results in Singapore to challenges in the tofu sector which has been its main business in the country so far.
“Our performance in Singapore suffered a setback as a result of increased price competitiveness and the commoditisation of the tofu category where shoppers switched to more affordable offerings, which could not be offset by the growth of our new VITASOY Fresh Plant+ plant milk platform,” said the firm via official financial documents.
“The market saw a -16% drop in revenue in this period to HK$51mn (US$) [and a 225% drop in] operating profit to a loss of -HK$11mn (US$) due to underperforming sales, higher soybean prices, utility costs and operating expenses, and the higher advertising and promotion spending.
“Exports of tofu were also down due to similar buying patterns and high inflation caused by COVID-19 in Europe, Singapore’s main export market for tofu.”
In hopes of bouncing back, Vitasoy is looking to fully reorganise its business structure in Singapore to place a stronger focus on beverages and take a step back from the unprofitable tofu category.
“In Singapore we are resetting our business model to strip down costs on the tofu operation and accelerate the scale up of local beverages,” Guidetti said.
“Our Vitasoy Plant+ is seeing growth in the chilled segment [so] we will also be focusing on this.”
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US Slaps More IP Theft and Sanctions Charges on Huawei
The US Department of Justice (DoJ) turned the heat up on Huawei on Thursday by filing new charges of racketeering and conspiracy to steal trade secrets.
The new charges build on a January 2019 23-count indictment against Huawei, its affiliates and CFO Meng Wanzhou which accused the Chinese firm of conspiracies to break sanctions on Iran and to steal trade secrets from T-Mobile USA, as well as wire fraud and other charges.
The latest superseding indictment focuses again on Huawei and subsidiaries Huawei Device, Huawei Device USA, Futurewei Technologies and Skycom Tech, as well as Meng, who is founder Ren Zhengfei’s daughter and remains in Canada under house arrest awaiting extradition to the US.
It alleges a “decades-long effort” by the company and its subsidiaries to misappropriate IP from six US companies including “trade secret information and copyrighted works, such as source code and user manuals for internet routers, antenna technology and robot testing technology.”
The means by which the Shenzhen giant is alleged to have done this will be familiar to China-watchers: entering into confidentiality agreements with the IP owners and then breaking them by misappropriating the IP, recruiting employees of the US firms to steal the IP, and using third-parties like professors to obtain and pass across the tech.
It’s even claimed that, on one occasion in 2004, a Huawei employee broke into a trade conference at night to take photos of a rival’s networking device, although the company maintains the man was acting alone.
The DoJ claimed Huawei ran an employee bonus scheme to reward those who obtained competitor information. It alleged that by gaining access to non-public IP for router source code, phone antenna tech and robotics, Huawei was able to cut its R&D budget and accelerate development, giving it an unfair commercial advantage.
There are also new allegations centered around sanction-busting business activity in Iran and North Korea, and apparent attempts by Huawei to keep this a secret, as well as lying about Huawei’s relationship to Skycom and trying to obstruct the DoJ investigation.
Huawei is claiming the charges are based largely on “recycled civil disputes from the last 20 years that have been previously settled, litigated and in some cases, rejected.” It argued in a statement sent to Infosecurity that they are an attempt to damage the firm’s reputation for reasons related to competition rather than law enforcement.


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Notorious Business Blunders
Failure is OK – to a point.
A slew of business executives will tell you the lessons they learned from their biggest goof-ups, and educators are increasingly developing curriculums that help students learn by failing. But often, failure is just that. For businesses, a big failure is often near-fatal, if not fatal.
We looked at some of the biggest business failures and tried to find the key lesson that could be taken away from the debacle. Here’s what we learned.
Motorola Loses the Phone Market
What happened: After releasing its Razr in 2005, Motorola made the No. 1 and No. 2 selling mobile phones in the world. Then, for reasons largely within its control, Motorola lost $4.3 billion between 2007 and 2009, as well as its perch as the world’s leading mobile phone maker.
“The emergence of Android technology was devastating for Motorola and the lackadaisical pace at which they climbed on the 3G bandwagon made them too slow to make the best of the surge,” said career coach and business analyst Michael D. Brown of Fresh Passion Institute. “By the time Motorola was waking up from its innovative slumber trying to catch up with the Q series of smartphones, the bell had rung and they were unforgivably late for the party.”
Lesson: Don’t fall victim to what Bowen calls “predictive short sightedness.” Many businesses “don’t have ‘meteorologists’ on board who appropriately understand the business weather to know when and where the next opportunity is going to rain,” Bowen said. “Therefore, they are embarrassingly ill-equipped and rather than riding the waves of change, they are drowning in the tides.”
LEGO Gets Too Technical
What happened: It’s hard to believe that the successful maker of plastic bricks for generations of kids was once on the verge of bankruptcy. But that’s exactly where the company found itself in the late 1990s and early 2000s after a series of disappointing product launches. Anyone remember “Fiber Optic Technic Kit” or “Primo,” a building set intended for babies? Didn’t think so.
Lowey Bundy Sichol, author of the “From an Idea to…” series of books, said LEGO moved away from its system of play, lost touch with its customers and hired young “innovators” as its engineers rather than AFOLs – adult fans of LEGO. They also lost control of costs. Fiber Optic Technic Kits, for example, contained parts that cost more to produce than what the entire set was sold for.
Lesson: Not all failure has to be fatal.
“What LEGO learned from these failures was to go back to its roots of a play-based building model, one that fit into the LEGO system,” Sichol said. “Business analyst Michael McQueen called LEGO's near-death experience ‘the best thing that ever happened to it.’"
New Coke Angers Classic Coke Lovers
What happened: Arguably one of the biggest business failures of the 20th century, Coca-Cola messed with a good thing and launched a new formula for its namesake beverage on April 23, 1985. Seventy-nine days later, Coca-Cola retreated and returned the original formula to store shelves and fountains. But not before consumer outrage, complete with loyal Coke drinkers pouring out gallons of the new formula in public demonstrations outside Coke’s headquarters in Atlanta.
“We set out to change the dynamics of sugar colas in the United States, and we did exactly that — albeit not in the way we had planned,” then chairman and chief executive officer Roberto Goizueta said in 1995.
Lesson: Always learn from your mistakes.
Today, Coke executives say the New Coke debacle has helped fuel its push to create — and launch — new beverages.
Blockbuster Fails to Buy Netflix
What happened: Blockbuster developed an up-to-the-minute inventory system which allowed it to squeeze out regional chains and mom-and-pop video rental stores to become the dominant player in the video rental market. But it went from innovator to bankruptcy when it failed to see the threat posed by Netflix. Blockbuster reportedly turned down multiple chances to buy Netflix, which was offering to handle its online distribution.
Blockbuster didn’t launch its own DVD-by-mail service until 2005, six full years after Netflix had launched. By that time, it was too late for Blockbuster and Netflix was already looking ahead to the next disruption in the industry and plotting how to dominate then then almost-unheard of streaming video market.
DISH bought Blockbuster out of bankruptcy, and today the company exists as Blockbuster @Home, a package of 15 movie channels and a library with thousands of titles.
Lesson: Don’t delay when it’s time to call an audible on your business plan.
Kodak Loses on Digital
What happened: When photographs relied on film, Kodak was the industry leader and widely seen an innovator. But the company grew complacent and relied on the fat — but quickly diminishing — profits it made from selling film and film processing papers and chemicals.
It’s a familiar story, but Kodak’s version offers a sad twist: many of its own engineers saw the threat that digital photography presented and urged executives to invest more in making the company the leader and innovator in digital. Those warnings and pleas went unheard, and Kodak watched its core business all but disappear while conceding the digital market to other players.
Lesson: Listen to the people who made you successful in the first place.
Borders Partners with Amazon
What happened: Like Blockbuster and movies, Borders developed sophisticated inventory systems to better track sales and predict trends. But as Amazon rose to prominence, Borders stuck to its core business model. Not only was it locked into long-term brick-and-mortar leases, it continued to build new stores.
Then, in an effort to catch up, it made a deal with the devil and allowed Amazon to act as its online distributor. The thinking was it could continue to focus on its brick-and-mortar business. The end result is Borders ceased to exist.
Lesson: Don’t bury your head in the sand when your core business model is threatened.
Apple Maps Bugs Out
What happened: Maybe Apple is too big to fail, but in 2012 its launch of Apple Maps was a major setback to the behemoth. Apple kicked Google Maps off its iOS platform and replaced it with its own version. The product was notoriously buggy, which gave the tech press fodder as it went after a company that had portrayed itself as the perfectionist in developing tech products.
It could have been an even bigger failure for Apple if it hadn’t decided to admit its mistake. Within a few months, it had brought Google Maps back into its App Store.
Lesson: It’s okay to admit someone else does something better than you if you can find a way to partner with them.
Schlitz Gets Gooey
What happened: Schlitz had made beer the same way for 100 years and was in the upper echelon of the most recognizable American brewers. Then in 1976 CEO Robert Uihlein decided to mess with that recipe for success.
Uihlein proposed massive shifts in how Schlitz made its beer. He cut the brewing time from 40 to 15 days and replaced barley malt with corn syrup. Fearing proposed regulations that would require brewers to put a more detailed list of ingredients on packages, he also switched stabilizers. The end result was a beer that tasted awful and had a thick sediment that many drinkers compared to mucous. Schlitz was forced to secretly recall 10 million bottles of the beer, but the damage to its brand had already been done.
Lesson: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Ford Botches the Edsel
What happened: Microsoft founder Bill Gates calls the Edsel his favorite case study in business failures. Indeed, the name is nearly synonymous with bad business ideas. The car was launched in the 1958 model year after Ford poured $400 million into its design and production.
You can’t find a 1960 Edsel because the line was discontinued after the 1958 model year. Among the problems with the car were oil leaks, sticking hoods and trunks that wouldn't open. But the biggest problem was that Ford executives didn’t listen to their own research – research that showed the middle class Americans the car was being marketed to were looking for smaller, more manageable cars.
“It wasn't because the car was overly poll-tested; it was because Ford's executives only pretended to be acting on what the polls said,” Gates wrote on his blog. "Although the Edsel was supposed to be advertised, and otherwise promoted, strictly on the basis of preferences expressed in polls, some old-fashioned snake-oil selling methods, intuitive rather than scientific, crept in."
Lesson: Listen to your research. If you spend all that money on trying to assess the market, you need to use that research and not let it be dismissed by executives’ egos.
Qwikster Hastily Retreats
What happened: Netflix has done few things wrong since its 1998 launch, but Qwikster was the biggest blunder in the company’s history. In 2011, after experimenting with an on-demand streaming service, CEO Reed Hastings ignored the advice of others within the company and pushed forward with a plan to split Netflix’s DVD distribution service and its streaming service, which would become the new company, Qwikster.
That meant customers that wanted both DVD and streaming service would have to pay two separate subscription fees. The backlash was instantaneous, and Netflix’s retreat from the plan was almost as quick. Within two weeks, Netflix had scrapped plans for Qwikster.
Unfortunately, for Netflix, recovering from Qwikster would take much longer. It would be two years before its stock price reached the high it hit when it first announced the plan. (Investors, like Netflix, only saw the additional revenue and didn’t predict the customer backlash, causing the momentary spike in Netflix shares after Qwikster was announced).
Lesson: Know your customers and, while you’re at it, treat them well. Netflix failed to figure that its customers would be savvy enough to figure out they were being fleeced for the sake of shareholders.
Excite.com Spurns the Google Guys
What happened: In 1999, Excite was the world’s second most popular search engine and Google was a small start-up. That was the year that Google’s co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin offered to sell Google to Excite for $750,000, with the condition that Excite replace its own search technology with Google’s.
“The thing that Larry insisted on that we all do recall, is that Larry said, ‘If we come to work for Excite, you need to rip out all the Excite technology and replace it with Google’s search.’ And, ultimately, that’s, in my recollection, where the deal fell apart,” George Bell, who was the CEO of Excite at the time, recalled in 2014.
Today, Google is now known as Alphabet and has $197.30 billion in assets – or more than 263,000 times the price Page offered in 1999.
Lesson: Make sure you kick the tires – and kick them again, and again and again – before saying no to a deal.
MySpace Gets Swallowed
What happened: It’s too simple to say “Facebook killed MySpace,” because dozens of social media platforms have managed to co-exist with Facebook. But business analysts point to NewsCorp’s $850 million acquisition of MySpace in 2005 as the beginning of the end.
Initially, it seemed like a great deal for both sides, as MySpace continued to grow, and by 2008 its value peaked at an estimated $12 billion. Then the rapid decline began.
The internal innovation that had driven MySpace’s initial growth was stifled by NewsCorp and it couldn’t keep up with Facebook. NewsCorp ended up selling MySpace in 2011 for an estimated $35 million.
Lesson: Bigger isn’t always better.
Sony’s Betamax Bombs
What happened: Sony famously ended up on the losing end of the battle it waged with JVC in the 1970s and 1980s over which video cassette system would reign supreme. The failure was so big that Betamax persists as a punchline for bad business decisions.
Betamax had a two-year head start over JVC’s VHS, and it offered better picture quality. There are several reasons why VHS erased the difference and ultimately became the standard, including lower cost, bigger catalog of available films and longer recording times. And, yes, the fact that pornographic movies were available on VHS but not Betamax helped a lot. But the biggest factor may have been Sony’s refusal to license the technology to other companies.
JVC, on the other hand, licensed its technology to dozens of other companies. And as more consumers started buying VCRs, they would find they could share tapes with friends and family, even if their recorder was made by a different company.
Lesson: The best technology isn’t always the best marketed. Sony got complacent with the superiority of its technology and lost to a smarter upstart.
Closure Hurts Apple’s Newton
What happened: Apple tried to jump into the handheld computer market long before it released the iPod and, later, the iPhone. In the early 1990s it released Newton, a handheld computer that was almost instantaneously panned for being too big for a pocket but too small for a bag. There were other flaws with the product, most notably an operating system that relied on handwriting recognition but had an awful system for recognizing what was written with the stylus. Apple eventually stopped production.
Another big problem? Apple closed the platform to outside developers, meaning you could tether Newton to your Mac and use Apple programs, but that was about it. When Apple released the iPhone, it nearly repeated the mistake, but ultimately opened the platform to outside developers. That, more than anything else, has made the iPhone an indispensable tool for modern living for millions of people.
Lesson: Learn from your past mistake. Had Apple insisted on, say, blocking music services other than iTunes as it initially planned when it released the iPhone, we probably wouldn’t be talking about the iPhone 11 years after its launch. But someone at Apple pointed to the lesson the company learned from Newton and the device was opened to outside developers, increasing its usefulness faster than Apple could have done on its own.
Orbitz Looks Cool, Tastes...Not So Cool
What happened: The Clearly Food & Beverage Company of Canada, makers of Clearly Canadian mineral water, launched Orbitz in 1997 in hopes of capturing younger consumers. It billed Orbitz as a "texturally enhanced alternative beverage," but the (few) people who bought it called it a drinkable lava lamp. The drink had small, edible balls that floated because they had equal density to the surrounding liquid. Clearly added an ingredient known as gellan gum to help keep the balls suspended in the drink.
It looked cool, but there was one problem: Most people who tried it said it tasted awful. The most common description of the drink was “cough syrupy.” Other descriptions include “Pine-Sol” and “the old water from a flower vase.”
Lesson: Quality counts. Especially in food and beverage sales, you don’t get very far on novelty, gimmicks and marketing if the product is something people try once and never want to try again.
Zune Pales in Comparison to Its Competitor
What happened: Zune was supposed to be Microsoft’s answer to the iPod. Microsoft spent tens of millions of dollars on marketing Zune, but it sales were sluggish at best during the six years it was in production. At its peak, it didn’t have even an eighth of iPod’s market share.
Android has proven there are ways for multiple product makers to exist in a similar space, but the problem with Zune was that it was what Microsoft executive Robbie Bach later called a "chasing product." Zune was too much like the iPod, meaning there was no real incentive for customers to trade for the Zune. Timing didn’t help either. Six months after Zune was launched, Apple released the iPhone, which would quickly kill the market for stand-alone MP3 players.
Lesson: Pick a problem and solve it when developing products. The most successful tech solves a consumer problem, even if the consumer doesn’t realize it’s a problem until the product is invented. Microsoft didn’t look to solve any problems with the Zune; it simply looked to duplicate a product.
Polaroid Overestimates the Need for Hard Copies
What happened: Following a 2010 reorganization, Polaroid has remade itself. But it is a shell of the company that employed more than 20,000 people and had $3 billion in annual sales in the early 1980s, a little more than three decades after it launched the first – and dominant – instant camera.
And Polaroid seemed to be poised for continued success, jumping into digital photography early on – in 1989, 42 percent of its research and development budget was earmarked for digital photography. Despite its head start, Polaroid was quickly losing film sales, as well as customers in real estate and other key markets.
What went wrong?
Polaroid’s early thesis – a thesis it held onto for far too long – was that customers would always want hard copies of their photos. "As electronic imaging becomes more prevalent, there remains a basic human need for a permanent visual record," CEO I. MacAllister Booth wrote in his 1985 letter to shareholders.
Polaroid held onto that thesis through the 1990s. "People were betting on hard copy and media that was going to be pick-up-able, visible, seeable, touchable, as a photograph would be," Gary DiCamillo, Polaroid CEO from 1995 to 2001, said in a 2008 interview at Yale.
Lesson: Being first to disrupt an industry doesn’t matter if you go about it the wrong way. Looking ahead is important, but so is changing course before it’s too late.
Tower Records Misses Music (Industry) Cues
What happened: Early in the digital music era, general retailers realized CDs were a loss leader – a way to get people in the store and hopefully entice them to buy something else while they were there picking up the latest release from Pink or Korn. Tower Records, however, dug in and tried to go forward as a pure-play music store. It filed for bankruptcy in 2004 and again in 2006, and by that time the buyer decided to liquidate the business and close what had once been a big-city destination for music lovers.
If Tower had survived long enough, it might have used Best Buy’s turnaround as a model for survival. The place where you used to go to buy a TV or stereo system revamped its stores to be service centers while simultaneously diversifying its product line. Tower, alas, held on to its music-only model to the bitter end.
Lesson: When you’re losing market share, it’s time to remake your business.
Toys “R” Us Gets Disrupted by Digital
What happened: Stop us if you’ve heard this one before: a dominant brick-and-mortar retailer is disrupted by online sales and fails to act as quickly as its peers to figure out how to sell its products online. That was the fate of Toys “R” Us and so many of the businesses that have failed in the past 10 decades.
So why, then, do so many independently-owned toy stores continue to not just survive, but flourish? The answer is customer experience. Independent toy stores create elaborate displays to draw customers in and have been trying out a range of ideas, including setting up in-store, “play-it-before-you-can-buy-it" arcades to showcase the next big video game release. In much the same way independent bookstores have survived with author readings and book groups, independent toy stores are focusing on experiences that can’t be duplicated online.
Lesson: Get personal with customers. There’s nothing personal about buying a toy on Amazon, but independent toy stores show you can still get people into a brick-and-mortar store if you focus on customer experience.
Quaker Buys Snapple
What happened: Before energy drinks, Snapple was a beverage of choice for high school and college students. Quaker noticed its success for small retailers and made a massive, $1.7 billion purchase of the drink maker.
But other drink makers had already noticed Snapple’s success, and if they hadn’t, the price Quaker was willing to pay for Snapple certainly opened their eyes. Beverage behemoth Coca-Cola launched Fruitopia in 2004 and SoBe in 2006. Quaker cut its losses one year later, selling Snapple for $250 million in 1997.
Lesson: Get in on the next big thing before it’s the next big thing.
Compaq Gets Ahead of Itself
What happened: By the 1990s, Compaq was the world's biggest maker of PCs, thanks in large part to its emphasis on better graphics and performance, not to mention a better price. That decade followed phenomenal fast growth after its 1982 founding. In 1986 it became the youngest company to make the Fortune 500.
But by 2002, its stock price had dropped by 75 percent and it was eventually bought for pennies on the dollar by Hewlett-Packard. HP finally discontinued use of the Compaq brand name 11 years later. Initially, observers assumed Compaq was a victim of the dot-com bubble bust. But why Compaq and not, say, Dell? The culprit, according to more detailed analysis, is that Compaq grew too fast. Boston Consulting Group research shows accelerated revenue group correlates with shorter lifespans for companies. In Compaq's case, acquisitions of Tandem Computers in 1997 and the Digital Equipment Company in 1998 made the company too complex. In other words, they mucked up the simple formula that had fueled their success.
Lesson: Slow down. The 1990s were a time of rapidly changing marketplaces and companies like Compaq felt pressure to make moves to keep up. But branching into new businesses took attention away from its core effort – the thing Compaq did well and built its success on.
WOW! Chips Become a Punchline
What happened: If the promise of WOW! chips seemed too good to be true – a fat-free chip that tasted like they were laden with fat – it’s because it was. Lay’s launched versions of Lay's, Ruffles, Doritos and Tostitos made with Olestra in 1998. Olestra was supposed to be the wonder ingredient that gave the fat-like flavor without the negative consequences. And the products initially did well, posting $400 million in sales in the first year.
The problem was Olestra's molecules were too large to be digested by the body, meaning they passed directly through the digestive track. For many consumers, the effect was the same as a laxative, including the accompanying side effects of cramping and diarrhea.
By 2000, sales had been cut in half, in large part because of the warning Lay’s now had to put on packaging: “This Product Contains Olestra. Olestra may cause abdominal cramping and loose stools.”
Lesson: Product testing and common sense are important. Frito-Lay could have undone a lot of consumer trust but, fortunately for the company, the product is now mostly remembered as a punchline and not a brand killer.


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Over 75 percent of small-business owners believe their businesses have stagnated, according to a new survey.
The survey of more than 500 small firms nationwide, conducted by The Price Group, a Dallas-based marketing firm, also found that 90 percent of owners with languishing businesses had done nothing about it. Small-business owners named not knowing what changes to make as the main reason for inaction.
The problems likely stem from a lack of planning and organization, according to Price Group president Betty Price. Seventy percent of respondents said they have no formal organizational structure for employees, and 99 percent do not have a written plan for growth.
- more briefs -


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Nike brings the UNC colourway to the Jordan 1 Low.
After years of being the less desirable alternative to the highs, Jordan Brand seems to be pushing for the lows with a plethora of new colourways and collaborations in the silhouette and fans have been slowly giving the lows the respect they've been deserving.
The shoe will be mostly dripped in university blue, which will cover most of the upper. The entire upper will be done up in leather (a welcome change from recent nubuck-heavy releases) and fans will be pleased to find that Jordan Brand will be fitting the collar, toe box, and swoosh in black tumbled leather.
The shoe is topped off by a nylon tongue with blue Jumpman embroidery, while the heel features the Wings logo in black embroidery.
These are rumoured to drop this year, although a specific release date has yet to be confirmed.
Will you be copping or passing on these? Sound off in the comments with your thoughts.