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Insider buying can provide clues about a stock’s next move. Insiders sell company stock for many reasons. But they only buy stock for one reason – they expect it to go up.
In this report, we are going to highlight some interesting insider buying at Workday Inc (WDAY:US). Workday is a US software company that offers financial management and HR solutions for enterprises. Its software is designed to help businesses enhance their operational performance and make decisions faster. The company is listed on the Nasdaq and currently has a market cap of around $64.7 billion.
Our data shows that on August 29, Co-CEO Carl Eschenbach purchased 8,676 shares at a price of $240.44. This trade – which was part of a 10b5-1 trading plan – cost the insider approximately $2.1 million.
While this trade was an automated purchase, we still think it’s notable.
Mr. Eschenbach has been a member of Workday's board of directors since 2018, so he is likely to know the company well. Additionally, he has broad experience at a lot of other tech firms including Palo Alto Networks, Snowflake, UiPath, and Zoom Video Communications.
He also has an investment background. Prior to Workday, he was a general partner at venture capital firm Sequoia Capital. And he continues to stay involved with Sequoia in a venture partner capacity.
Workday recently posted a good set of Q2 results that were ahead of estimates.
For the quarter, total revenues amounted to $1.79 billion, an increase of 16.3% from the second quarter of fiscal 2023, while subscription revenues were $1.62 billion, an increase of 18.8%. Earnings per share came in at $1.43 versus the consensus forecast of $1.26 per share.
On the back of these results, the company raised its fiscal 2024 guidance. It now expects fiscal 2024 subscription revenue to grow 18% year on year to a range of $6.57 billion to $6.59 billion and non-GAAP operating margin guidance to hit 23.5%.
"We're incredibly well positioned going into the second half of our fiscal year as Workday is increasingly seen as the system of trust for enterprises around the world," said Mr. Eschenbach.
“Our growing customer base, continued global expansion, industry growth, and partner ecosystem momentum set us up for durable long-term success,” he added.
In light of this solid performance, we see the insider buying here as a bullish development.
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EuroTranciatura inaugurates its third plant in Queretaro
QUERETARO - The governor of Querétaro, Mauricio Kuri González, inaugurated the third plant of EuroTranciatura Laminaciones EuroGroup in the state, a company that plans to generate around 500 new jobs.
The general manager of EuroTranciatura Mexico, Eduardo Arana Collazo, indicated that this new plant will be dedicated 100% to the production of lamination packages for electric car traction motors.
In addition, more than 50 million euros will be invested in this third EuroTranciatura plant between this year and the next three years.
It is worth mentioning that EuroTranciatura Laminaciones EuroGroup currently has a workforce of approximately 2,800 employees, seven production plants in Italy and five abroad.
For his part, the Secretary of Sustainable Development, Marco Antonio Del Prete Tercero, said he was pleased to witness the opening of EuroTranciatura Laminaciones EuroGroup's new plant, a company that has reaffirmed its confidence in Querétaro by announcing its expansion during one of the Governor's tours of activities abroad in 2023.
He highlighted that this investment is in addition to Queretaro's automotive sector, which from January to September 2023 reported exports of US$6.6 billion. This represents an annual growth of 16.5 percent, in addition to accounting for 49.2 percent of the total products exported by the state.

domain: news


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Cocosa, the leading designer sales website selling luxury fashion at affordable prices has selected Realex Payments as its payment processor. Cocosa is the latest company in the retail sector to move to Realex Payments which is proving to be a rapidly growing sector for the company.
Realex Payments’ expertise and flexible approach is ringing a chord with retailers wanting to engage in a partnership rather than a more traditional supplier relationship.
Andrew Miles, Head of Operations at Cocosa stated “We chose Realex Payments because of their overall retail expertise and partnered approach to doing business. We had a tight deadline in which to launch our new payment gateway and trusted Realex had the capability to deliver, they did not let us down”.
Jon Sheard from Realex Payments added “partnering with Cocosa is a great win for Realex Payments against some strong competition. With rapidly changing technology, new emerging channels to market and international expansion, all balanced with PCI legislation, retailers are not surprisingly looking for a payment partner that has the expertise to advise on all areas of the value chain, not just their own solutions. We strongly believe this is one of our key differentiators against our competition and are looking forward to a fruitful partnership with Cocosa going forward“.


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Thursday Samsung’s UK branch officially announced an agreement to use Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 platform on upcoming devices slated for Europe, the US, and Asia this year. While no specific models were announced, the company said that it commitment to the Windows Phone 7 platform was "long-term."
"For years, Samsung has been a key partner in bringing new Windows phones to customers all over the world," said Steve Guggenheimer, Corporate Vice President, OEM Division at Microsoft. "Windows Phone 7 is an important release and we look forward to deepening our collaboration with Samsung on mobile devices and beyond, with our multi-screen strategy."
The news marks a change in focus for the world’s second-largest cellphone manufacturer. Earlier this month Samsung said that it would use Google’s Android as a key operating system along with its internally developed bada platform.
"We are prioritizing our Android platform. Android is very open and flexible, and there is a consumer demand for it," YH Lee, head of marketing at Samsung Mobile, told Reuters in an interview.
At the time of the statement, Samsung had just revealed its Android-powered tablet, the Samsung Galaxy Tab. However the company also said that it would introduce a smartphone running Windows Phone 7 later this year. Now it seems that the company plans to manufacture more than just one WP7 device.
Microsoft is expected to reveal Windows Phone 7 devices running on AT&T’s network this October 11th.


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Venture capital investing and Bird’s Nest rarely mix. One belongs to the world of cutting-edge technology, the other is a traditional 400-year-old Chinese delicacy.
This company has a unique founder mix: Teck Hiong Chua, a tech geek involved in tech startups Progeniq and AutoMoneyBack, is a director, alongside Patrick Tan, a lawyer and investor in swiftlet farms, and Dr Henry Leung, a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) practitioner.
The company also stands out because while Bird’s Nest has traditionally been thought of as food, they are applying it as an active ingredient in its skincare line.
While cosmetics brands like Bio-Essence already have similar products, Teck Hiong believes their advantage lies in vertical integration due to access to farms in the region, which not only lowers cost but also increases the concentration of Bird’s Nest in its products.
It also has a proprietary process in place to quickly and completely liquify Bird’s Nest, which usually takes hours.
The company appears to be off to a running start. Besides selling its products online, they’re already retailing at ten Watsons drug store outlets in Singapore. They’ve also begun a marketing push with beauty bloggers and entertainers, and have amassed 19k likes on Facebook.
Purer Skin will use the investment for R&D on integrating Bird’s Nest into its products. The company will also expand into foods like Bird’s Nest beauty drinks and beauty jellies, in tandem with increased marketing activities.
According to Red Dot Venture’s managing director Leslie Loh, its decision to invest lies also in Purer Skin’s use of natural, organic ingredients.
“Organic skin care products are gaining momentum — consumers are becoming increasingly educated and are more aware of the harmful ingredients in traditional skin care product lines,” he said.
While Red Dot Ventures is part of the NRF TIS scheme, a government co-funding initiative for early stage investment firms, it has a history of betting on companies well outside the mobile-web space, a departure from many fellow incubators in the program.
For example, it has backed GCoreLab, a company making thermal management systems for electric vehicles, Intuitive Creations, a startup dedicated to reducing medical wastage, and Ascenz, a firm that wants to bring energy efficiency to the shipping industry.
TCM is rising with the ascendance of Asia. According to some estimates, the industry has grown to USD 65B by 2012, with a CAGR slightly outpacing Western medicine.
Given its prevalence, the industry is inevitably modernizing itself to cater to a younger audience. Before Purer Skin was spun-out as a company, the founders worked on improving productivity in Bird’s Nest farms by introducing mechanical cleaning.
The duo later met Dr Leung, who is the CEO of nanotech startup Clearbridge NanoMedics, to explore integrating the ingredient with nano-membrane masks. They ended up developing a whole range of products, leadng to the founding of Purer Skin the cosmetics brand.
Another example is Eu Yan Sang, a TCM mainstay, which has also ventured into e-commerce with branding that better suits Western tastes. It has even gone beyond TCM into general health and wellness products in an effort to capture the younger set.
Photo: Purer Skin


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- Technology company, Datametrex AI (DM) has entered into a sales agreement with the South Korean division of 7-Eleven
- 7-Eleven’s international chain of convenience stores has a strong presence in South Korea, with approximately 9,231 stores currently in operation
- Datametrex has been contracted to provide 7-Eleven Korea with Robotic Process Automation (RPA) infrastructure
- RPA technology allows computer software or robots to replicate actions within digital systems, to conduct a business process
- Datametrex AI (DM) is up 3.33 per cent and is currently trading at C$0.16 per share
Technology company, Datametrex AI (DM) has entered into a sales agreement with the South Korean division of 7-Eleven.
7-Eleven is a globally recognised international chain of convenience stores, with over 71,100 stores operating worldwide.
The brand has a particularly strong presence in South Korea, where approximately 9,231 stores are currently in operation. As such, South Korea currently hosts just under 13 per cent of the 7-Eleven stores in the world.
Datametrex has been contracted by 7-Eleven Korea to provide the chain with Robotic Process Automation (RPA) infrastructure.
RPA is a technology which allows anyone to configure computer software, including robots, to replicate and incorporate certain actions. Specifically, the software or robot is taught to copy the actions of someone working within digital systems, in order to conduct a business process.
RPA is a sub-category of the much larger business process automation (BPA), in which technology is used to automate complex business protocols. This contract is indicative of a growing demand for BPA, which is partially being driven by artificial intelligence (AI) applications like RPA.
Datametrex AI’s CEO, Marshall Gunter, said the company is continuing its efforts to facilitate ground-breaking technologies to companies across the globe.
“Our technology is proven to be valuable to make sense of the data beyond complicated spreadsheets.
“We pride ourselves on providing tools that our clients can use to visualise their customer and stakeholder data. Through predictive analysis, they can support their decision-making, mitigate risk, and improve their bottom line,” he said.
Datametrex AI (DM) is up 3.33 per cent and is trading at C$0.16 per share at 1:22pm EDT.


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‘Seen the dinosaur, now buy a mug’ was the traditional approach to museum shops.
The fact that last week Peter Leonard & Company won a Design Week award for its work at the Science Museum’s concourse – including the shop – proves that museums are now keen to invest in the best design for their retail operations.
Tilney Lumsden Shane, which last year redesigned the V&A’s shop, has looked into this issue. Director Marvin Shane’s new report on the subject, titled The Great Museums Challenge, makes no bones about how museums should be cashing in on retail design skills.
“There was a time when museums were happy for visitors to simply enjoy perusing the exhibits and absorbing culture as part of their leisure time activities,” says Shane. “Today, however, it is a very different story.” Visitors, argues Shane, must be converted into shoppers.
Peter Leonard & Company was in at the start of the new revolution in museum retailing with its first treatment of the Science Museum shop six years ago, says senior designer Jason West.
More are beginning to “see the light”, says West, especially as they convert from free entry to paid entry and reconfigure entrance areas. Now, he adds, “the high street is being brought in”.
Indeed, Shane argues for museums to look to the high street and to take on ideas such as building brand equities, giving value for money, creating unique propositions, and using packaging and point-of-sale design to their best advantage.
Merchandise, says Shane, is the most difficult area but also key to the whole success. In agreement is Marcello Minale, chairman of Minale Tattersfield & Partners.
Minale Tattersfield has been heavily involved in many aspects of the new Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds, due to open on 30 March, including designs for the shop and its merchandise and packaging.
Minale points to the Van Gogh and other national museums in Amsterdam as the epitome of good museum shop design. Unfortunately, British museums generally don’t come close to such focused and relevant retail areas, he says.
“Usually museum shops could be a massive economic success but unfortunately they are often a massive disappointment,” says Minale. “The biggest error is usually the quality of the merchandise, which can be quite poor and not even related to the museum itself. A committee of famous people decides ‘let’s have an umbrella, a mug, a T-shirt’ and they miss the unique selling proposition.”
Shane concurs: “A lot of museums sell similar products. Branded goods are better and make for a lot more credibility.”
Putting an object, say a vase copied from an actual artefact in a museum, in packaging which imbues it with authenticity helps to achieve a premium price.
Other lessons from the high street include being consistent with brands. The shop at the Museum of the Moving Image has, for example, just been redesigned by BDG/McColl. Sales figures from its first three weeks’ trading have not yet been released. But BDG/McColl designer Andy Bodily says it appears to be “doing very well”. However, one of the major problems the shop has is with products being left on-shelf with outdated or inconsistent branding. It would never happen in those areas of the high street that are on the ball, but for a cash-careful museum like MOMI there has been little option.
One museum considering its retail activity very carefully doesn’t even exist yet. But it’s a sign of the times, and of commercial nous, that the planned 10m National Centre for Popular Music in Sheffield is taking retailing opportunities very seriously.
“We are looking to generate our own merchandise such as exclusive CDs and CD-ROMs,” says development director Tim Strickland.
“The retail design and packaging are also vital. We want to make ourselves distinct from, and not be competing with, the Our Prices, Virgins and HMVs down the road.” There won’t be any mugs or extinct retail ideas in Sheffield then.


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Apple did more than any other company to seal the fate of the personal computer. There are people who argue that thanks to the iPad we now live in the post-PC era.
Or perhaps, thanks to laptops like the new MacBook Air, we don’t.
Apple's marketing says the 13-inch model of the company's slender new laptop can run for up to 12 hours on a single battery charge.
That’s a whole working day.
Going by Apple’s past performance, that’s not a dubious claim. While other computer makers have a tendency to bend the truth about battery life, Apple’s earlier promises have been close to reality.
It’s the breakthrough many of us have been waiting for.
Apple's 2013 MacBook Air ahead of the trend
Of course what Apple does today, other PC makers will do, or attempt to do, in the coming months.
The power-sipping fourth generation Intel Haswell processors in the MacBook Air are not an Apple exclusive. Although it is possible the Air will keep something of an edge over rival devices.
When it comes to battery life, Haswell processors are a significant improvement over what went before. The chips are a few per cent faster than the previous generation Ivy Bridge processors, but power consumption is to to 25 per cent lower.
Apple’s NZ prices are sharp. NZ$1450 buys an 11-inch screen, 128GB of flash storage, an i5 processor and ten hours battery life. NZ$1900 gets the full monty: 13-inch screen, 256GB flash storage and that whopping 12 hours battery life.
So can the MacBook Air save the PC?
Probably not, but the computer and any soon-to-arrive Windows MacBook Air lookalikes will rekindle the flame.


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Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta has this week released an open source version of an artificial intelligence model, Llama 2, for public use. The Large Language Model (LLM), which can be used to create a chatbot similar to ChatGPT, is available to startups, established companies, and independent operators. But why is Meta doing this, and what are the potential risks involved?
What does an open source LLM do?
LLMs endorse AI tools like chatbots. They are trained on vast data sets that allow them to mimic human language and even computer coding. If an LLM is made open source, that means its content is freely available for people to access, use, and modify for their own purposes.
Llama 2 will be released in three versions, including one that can be built into an AI chatbot. The idea is that startups or established companies can take the Llama 2 models and play with them to create their own products, including, potentially, rivals to ChatGPT or Google’s chatbot Bard, though by Meta’s own admission. , Flame 2 is not at the level of GPT. 4, the LLM behind OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
Nick Clegg, Meta’s president of global affairs, told BBC Radio 4’s Today program on Wednesday that making LLMs open source would make them “safer and better” by inviting external scrutiny.
“With the…wisdom of crowds, it actually makes these systems safer and better and, more importantly, gets them out of the…sweaty hands of big tech companies, who are currently the only companies that have the computing power or vast data stores to build these models in the first place.”
There’s also the possibility that by giving all comers the chance to pitch a rival to ChatGPT, Bard, or Microsoft’s Bing chatbot, Meta is potentially diluting the competitive edge of tech peers like Google.
Meta has admitted in research published alongside Llama 2 that it “lags behind” GPT-4, but is nonetheless a free competitor to OpenAI.
Microsoft is a key financial backer of OpenAI, but nonetheless supports the release of Llama 2. The LLM is available for download through the Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services, and Hugging Face platforms.
Are there concerns about open source AI?
Tech professionals, including Elon Musk, co-founder of OpenAI, have raised concerns about an AI arms race. Open source makes a powerful tool in this technology available to everyone.
Dame Wendy Hall, Regia Professor of Computer Science at the University of Southampton, told the Today show that there were questions about whether the tech industry could be trusted to self-regulate LLMs, and the problem loomed even bigger for open source models. “It’s a bit like giving people a template to build a nuclear bomb,” she said.
Dr Andrew Rogoyski, from the University of Surrey’s Human-Centered AI Institute, said open source models were difficult to regulate. “You can’t really regulate open source. You can regulate repositories, like Github or Hugging Face, based on local law,” he said.
“It can issue license terms on software that, if abused, could make the abusing company liable under various forms of legal redress. However, being open source means anyone can get their hands on it, so it doesn’t stop the wrong people from taking the software, or stop anyone from misusing it.”
If you request to download Llama 2, you must agree to an “acceptable use” policy which includes not using the LLMs to further or plot “violence or terrorism” or to create disinformation. However, LLMs like the one behind ChatGPT are prone to producing false information and can be persuaded to bypass security barriers to produce dangerous content. The release of Llama 2 also comes with a responsible use guide for developers.


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THE START of 2019–20 has seen record high milk price announcement as processers compete for a smaller national milk pool. Cost of production is elevated, due to high cost of feed, electricity and purchased irrigated water, which is impacting farmer margins.
While global commodity markets remain well balanced, a majority of milk produced in Australia is sold on the domestic market. Thus, value creation in Australia is the most direct way to drive returns. This is especially true in domestic focused dairy regions, where global influences have a longer lead time.
Of all milk produced in Australia roughly 65 per cent is sold on the domestic market as liquid milk or manufactured dairy products. This varies significantly between states, from 100 per cent in Queensland to less than 30 per cent in Tasmania.
Liquid milk is the key dairy product sold in the domestic market (largely for practical reasons) and one of the most heavily featured in media over the past year. Following the implementation of the $1/litre price policy in early 2011, the share of private label milk sold grew to reach a peak in early 2016.
Consumers respond to media campaigns
Over the past eight years, consumers have quickly changed their purchasing behaviour follow various media campaigns.
The ‘permeate’ controversy, generated one example of a rapid consumer response. Over a few weeks, sales of private label milk plummeted and forced retailers to follow the lead of branded product lines in eliminating permeate, in order to attain customers.
The most effective media campaign against sales of private label milk sales occurred in 2016, when prime-time television panel news program The Project released a segment called ‘Milked Dry’.
They urged consumers to purchase company branded products to support dairy farmers. In addition to a sharp immediate response (an approximate 10 per cent change in market share virtually overnight), full year sales data showed private label share of the total fresh milk market drop more than 7 per cent.
This demonstrated consumers’ willingness to pay more for a product if they believed it benefitted the farmer.
Interestingly in late 2018 when retailers introduced a ‘drought levy’ on private label milk, consumers chose to purchase more private label milk as it was advertised as an effective way to support dairy farmers.
Growth in domestic market
The end of the $1/litre milk price point has generated additional value growth in the domestic market since the start of 2019. Evidence from Dairy Australia’s Domestic Sales data suggests that an additional $25 million has been added to the dairy supply chain since the $1/litre price point was removed, during the first quarter of 2019.
While the increase in the price of private label milk has captured attention, unit value growth for other smaller dairy product segment continue to deliver additional money to the dairy supply chain.
This has been particularly true for sales of flavoured milk and deli-style cheese.
Flavoured milk is a significant value creator for dairy companies, due to its premium retail price and growing demand across the country. It is likely to remain an important product in the future, due to its ability to generate value growth in the domestic market.
Deli cheese also continues to grow in popularity with Australian consumers and deli cheese sales made up 17 per cent of cheese sold. This marked an increase of almost 6 per cent compared to 2009 as it is becoming increasingly popular to consume a wide range of cheeses.
Deli cheese is retailed at a significantly higher price compared to chilled cheese and continued to be the main driver of value growth.
Rain will be of paramount importance to improve conditions this season and relieve cost-pressures on farm.
While domestic value growth won’t change farmers’ cost of production, it can provide some grounds for optimism about the opportunities that do exist, even in a challenging market.


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District Court approves final $7.5 million TCPA class action settlement with payment processor
On April 16, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California granted final approval to a $7.5 million class action settlement resolving allegations that a payment processor and its sales representative violated the TCPA by using an autodialer for telemarketing purposes without first obtaining consumers’ prior express consent. The settlement terms also require the defendants to pay roughly $1.8 million in attorneys’ fees. According to the second amended complaint, the sales representative placed pre-recorded calls to potential clients on behalf of the payment processor through the use of an autodialer, including consumers who had not consented to receiving the calls. The plaintiff further alleged that the payment processor also violated the TCPA by sending facsimile advertisements that did not contain a “Compliant Opt Out Notice” to recipients. The parties reached a preliminary settlement last August following discovery and mediation.


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July 15, 2016
St. Louis Business Journal
By Brian Feldt
The Yield Lab, a St. Louis-based agtech accelerator that launched in 2014, plans to launch a new location in Galway, Ireland.
The Yield Lab is led by former Novus International CEO Thad Simons and financially backed by Cultivation Capital.
The expansion was announced Friday while a group of St. Louis startup leaders visited Ireland as part of a broader European trip focused on engaging and potentially recruiting international startups to St. Louis.
“We chose Galway because it is similar to St. Louis in proximity to vast agricultural production and innovation, especially in livestock,” said Matt Plummer, executive director of The Yield Lab. “It also provides our current St. Louis investments with a beachhead to new markets and alternative sources of capital.
Similar to the way it operates in St. Louis, The Yield Lab will invest €100,000 (or about $110,670) in four to six startups each year.
To date, The Yield Lab has invested just more than $1.1 million in 11 early-stage agtech companies from around the world. Those companies have gone on to raise $15 million in follow-on capital.
Investments in agtech startups reached a record $4.6 billion in 2015, or nearly double the $2.36 billion seeded by venture capitalists and others in 2014.
Plummer said the expansion is a big opportunity for St. Louis “as it creates a tangible, economic highway between our two regions to grow and expand much faster.”


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We last heard from Pirq when the company announced a nice deal with Apple to offer its employees a special app for discounts on food at restaurants near its offices in Cupertino — a relationship that just might develop into something further, according to sources at the time. Today, however, we have some more news about Pirq expanding other parts of its service. The company has picked up an extra $1.2 million in funding from existing investor Rally Capital (a fund headed by former Nextel CEO Dennis Weibling); and it is adding a digital punchcard to its retail restaurant deals offering, as it prepares to take the service nationwide and to other categories besides food.
James Sun, the CEO, says the company is also preparing for another significant round of funding in the new year with to ramp up its service once more. Today’s $1.2 million takes the total invested by Rally into Pirq up to $3.2 million.
Pirq’s service, which offers discounts on food to users of its app, is different from deals from the likes of Groupon and Living Social, in that it uses an algorithm to measure when restaurants are less busy. This has the catchy name “SmartYieldTM Program.” In real-time, that service then combines that data with the location of app users to provide information on deals that they can come in and redeem near them (or whatever location they choose). The deals, meanwhile, get paid for at the point of sale, rather than in advance as you would do with Groupon.
The punch card getting added to the service today, Sun says, was borne out of conversations that Pirq has been having with its restaurant customers, who wanted to “monetize the frequency” of visits from some customers. That’s no surprise: loyalty services are a prime area in the retail sector and have been highly targeted by mobile app companies (companies like 5 Stars and Belly also chasing that business, and represent at least two of Pirq’s biggest competitive threats).
What’s notable here is that Pirq’s punchcard will actually work independent of the app. Restaurants will be able to link up with users and offer rewards for repeat visits; and it will also be able to track and analyse those visits by way of a user’s mobile phone number and a short messaging code. So if you have the app, the totals will tally there and you can rack up visits using a Microsoft Tag; but if you don’t have an iPhone or the app downloaded, you can still collect rewards via text messages to a short code.
After your visit, the retailer can also use the phone number to send you targeted offers to drive another visit.
Sun says Pirq is filing a patent for the punchcard part of the service, and he believes that the way it leverages a basic phone feature could be part of a bigger trend.
“I think the new trend in mobile will be about leveraging older features like SMS to enhance the app experience,” he says.
The rewards service and deals app are being rolled out now in anticipation of a wider national push for Pirq and an eventual move beyond food to other kinds of retail categories, capitalizing on the fact that all businesses reliant on footfall face ebbs and flows in traffic. “Starting next week our salesforce is contacting six different verticals,” Sun says.
What Pirq has yet to integrate into its deals and rewards service are payments. In one sense that is good: some don’t like to pay it forward in a Groupon-model. (That was one of the praises of Pirq the last time we wrote about it.) But on the other hand, it cuts out a potential revenue stream for Pirq in helping facilitate purchases.
“We’re still trying to figure out who will win the mobile payments space. It could be point-of-sale vendors, or Square, or Isis, or something else,” says Sun. “We’re still waiting on the winner before we try to say to the vendors: this is how our payment system will work.”
With its Apple relationship still intact, Sun wouldn’t say even a small speculative word to me about whether Apple’s Passbook service — or any other initiative from the company — might be the “something else” that could end up being the killer mobile payment method.
As for pricing, the loyalty service, which will start to get rolled out commercially in October 2012 along with a new iPhone app, is being sold separately from Pirq’s deals service.
It will be $50 per month, per location for any size business. Sun says that each participating location will also have an Android tablet to display with details for how the loyalty scheme works. That will work for chains like Taco del Mar and Little Ceasars, but he says Pirq is still working out how to offer a similar experience for places where you don’t approach a counter to pay. “That’s a more complicated process,” he says.


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February 15, 2012 by staff
Stefano Canturi, With 2011 nearing its end, several fashion houses, big brands and art galleries are rolling out their best possible art works. Recently, such artworks were displayed by New York Martin Lawrence Gallery that commemorate the life and work of Russian-born French artist Romain de Tirtoff commonly known as Erté. The event was held on 10th of November at Martin Lawrence Gallery. Erte was one of the most prominent artists of 20th century as he was known for his elegant fashion designs which capture the art deco period hence known as the “Father of Art Deco.” Two floors of the gallery were filled with his extravagant and original works. The gallery also exhibited a dazzling jeweled evening bag ‘The Clasp’ created by the renowned jeweler Stefano Canturi who also created world’s most expensive Barbie doll that was priced at $608,940.
Most Expensive handbag
The Clasp, is inspired by Erté’s design of 1926. The bag is unveiled for the first time at the gallery and is an inspiration from the clasp bag based on an Erté’s design prepared for a George White’s Scandals revue in the late 1920s. The Clasp is adorned with 3,978 diamonds, 63 sapphires and 43 rubies and pearls put on 40 grams of 18k gold base.
ccktail rings collection called Captivo’
Besides, Stefano Canturi has also unveiled his latest ccktail rings collection called Captivo recently. Each ring is inspired by five exotic locations, including Las Vegas, New York, Melbourne and two others. Rings are crafted in five bright colors that feature a big stone as a centerpiece surrounded by a bed of rubies. Many celebs and models were spotted wearing these ccktail rings at the launch of his latest jewelry line.
Erte has not only inspired many designers but also authors like Charlotte Perman who is launching a new book on Romain de Tirtoff titled as ‘the Art Deco artist known as Erté’, published this month by Chalk & Vermilion. Chalk & Vermilion also published the print of his design as a limited edition imprinted serigraph with hot foil stamping.
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In an effort to improve the quality and competitiveness of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Indonesia, PT Telkom Indonesia (Telkom) held PameranTelkom Craft Indonesia at 10-12 March 2017 in Hall A Jakarta Convention Center. The exhibition with the theme Local Heroes to Global Champions is officially opened by the Minister of State Enterprises Rini M. Soemarno and witnessed by the Board of Directors of SOEs.
SOE Minister Rini M. Soemarno said, "SMEs still need guidance and assistance in terms of standard of product development, quality, and the use of technology and management. SMEs also need access to a wider market through exhibitions and online sales. Equally important, the SMEs need capital support. Therefore, the Ministry of SOEs encourage SOEs to work together to build RKB in all cities/regencies in Indonesia to provide solutions to these problems, "said Rini.
Telkom Craft Indonesia is part of the Creative Home SOE (RKB), initiated by the Ministry of SOEs aimed at fostering SMEs to obtain access to competence, commerce, and capital. Until the end of 2016, there are 100 RKB has been built by the state. Furthermore, RKB 514 will be present in cities/regencies throughout Indonesia are targeted to be completed by the end of 2017.
Rini hope, through RKB SOE presence, can really be felt by the entire people of Indonesia, especially by SMEs. "The appreciation must be given to Telkom who initiated this event, as the implementation of the RKB provides an opportunity for SMEs to gain access to a wider market through the exhibition and digitization of business," Rini message.
Meanwhile, Telkom CEO Alex J. Sinaga confirms Telkom has been instrumental in supporting the digitization of SMEs. According to him, in this digital era, SMEs have great potential to become the driving digital economy ecosystem in Indonesia.
"Telkom took the role as an enabler or facilitator to build a digital society Indonesia. One of them is support for MSMEs through RKB, which provides guidance and assistance Telkom ICT utilization in the business operations of SMEs, "explained Alex. As the economies of nations, Alex hopes SMEs can compete and advance to the global market as the theme of the exhibition, namely the Local Heroes to Global Champions.
Telkom Craft Indonesia is a response to SOEs on Nawacita government program to build and improve SMEs and competitiveness in the international market and to realize economic independence by moving the strategic sectors of the domestic economy.
Telkom Craft Indonesia presents 126 SMEs that were selected from 125 thousand SMEs across Indonesia Telkom fostered and trained partners another state, which consists of three categories, Craft, Fashion, and Food. On this occasion, in addition to presenting products selected SMEs, there is also a talk show, business consulting, fashion show, fashion tutorials and more attractive appearance. In addition, as the first exhibition of digital SMEs in Indonesia in this event, visitors are invited to transact digitally using t-cash and blanja.com.
SOE Ministry believes that the simultaneous and balanced cooperation between SOEs with established partners will open a larger economic space for local SMEs in the development of creative industries archipelago. "We hope this exhibition can be a place for the local SMEs craftsmen to create works of concrete from a craft and develop business not only in Indonesia but also in ASEAN, even in the global arena," said Rini.


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In a surprise move, General Motors Co. said Friday it is killing off its U.S. monthly sales call, ending a more than decade-long practice where each month analysts and journalists get to pepper executives with questions about the company’s latest performance.
GM said it decided to nix the call because it already provides ample opportunity to interact with its executives throughout the year. It participates in six to seven major analysts’ conferences annually, and on top of that, holds quarterly earnings calls and offers interviews to the media during auto shows, said Jim Cain, a GM spokesman.
“We’ve been thinking about this for a while,” Mr. Cain said, noting that it will still field questions individually on sales reporting day.
More on this after the jump…


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Range Named RVDA 2008 Top Quality Dealer
Joe Range, owner of Range RV, Hesperia, Calif., was recognized as the 2008 Top Quality Dealer of the Year during the Sept. 23-26 Dealers International Convention/Expo at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas hosted by the Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA).
Range accepted the award with his wife, Cherie, on behalf of the dealership as part of the Sept. 24 RVDA annual meeting.
Range is a past RVDA chairman and former member of the RV Assistance Corp. (RVAC) board. Range is also an RV Learning Center contributor, a founding member and past president of CalRVDA, and received RVDA’s James B. Summers (JBS) award in 2006.
“I am extremely honored to receive this award,” Range said. “I have always liked the RV lifestyle and enjoyed family vacations touring the country in our RV, which inspired me to open my own dealership.”
“The industry has changed a lot since I started, and even though it’s tough right now, I think we will be OK.”
In 1989, Range RV moved its operations to a 10-acre lot in Hesperia. Recently, a 10,000-square-foot facility was completed which consists of a large indoor showroom, training rooms and a museum and cafe for customers’ and employees’ education and comfort.
According to RVDA, the Top Quality Dealer of the Year Award recognizes dealerships that, through their professionalism, “promote a positive image of RV travel, RV dealers and the RV industry at large.”


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August 02 2011
Indian Technical Textiles Sector to Reach $36 Billion
By Seshadri Ramkumar
Texas Tech University, USA
The government of India estimates the Indian technical textiles sector to reach $36 billion (Rs. 1,60,000 crore) by 2016-17 and the annual estimated growth is about 20%. Indian government is promoting the growth of technical textiles sector by creating new Centers of Excellence and market research and support programs.
Sujit Gulati, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Textiles India, while giving a one day seminar on technical textiles in the South Indian city of Coimbatore, emphasized the need for inter-ministerial coordination involving Ministry of Textiles, Health and Highways to grow the nascent technical textiles sector. The conference was jointly organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry and the Ministry of Textiles in Coimbatore on July 26, 2011.
During the conference, Anil Joshi, Textiles Commissioner of India emphasized the need for implementing technical textiles to improve the hygiene and medical sector in India.
Govindhan Ramakrishnan, a professor of textiles and a delegate who attended the conference spoke from Coimbatore and insisted that market awareness and the knowledge of converted products are essential for the growth of technical textiles sector in India. India offers enormous opportunities for collaborators to conduct knowledge enriching workshops to boost the technical textiles sector.
Source: Cotton Grower


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Are you looking for a stock?
Try one of these
Volkswagen, the world's second-largest carmaker, posted an unexpected decline in fourth-quarter operating profit as inventories of unsold vehicles nearly doubled, ending an otherwise bumper year on a downbeat note.
Based on preliminary full-year results published on Friday, quarterly operating profit slipped 0.9 percent to 2.29 billion euros ($3.05 billion US), just missing forecasts for a slight increase to 2.38 billion euros.
The results come after Europe's number two carmaker PSA Peugeot Citroen pledged to sell key assets and cut more costs after its automotive business swung to an operating loss.
The French rival is now in talks with General Motors' loss-making German carmaker Opel, because it has a high exposure to the shrinking European market, unlike Volkswagen.
VW is not entirely immune to the economic downturn in its home region, though, despite its strong market position in the relatively dynamic economies of Asia and Latin America.
Car production at VW outstripped deliveries by nearly 100,000 in the final quarter, creating a stock of unsold vehicles that was nearly twice as big as the number of cars built in the first nine months.
The group's cash pile, needed to fund the possible takeover of Porsche's sports car business this year, shrank to 17 billion euros at the end of December from over 21 billion three months earlier.
"It's not bad at all though, considering they splashed out some 7 billion to buy shares in MAN and increased their investments due to the all new Up! minicar and upcoming Audi A3," said Silvia Quandt analyst Albrecht Denninghoff.
"After this amazing rally at the start of the year, though, upside potential is dwindling, so adding to your (investment) position now is not as great an idea as it was two weeks ago," he said.
Preferred stockholders will receive a payout of 3.06 euros per share, which was below the average estimate of 3.16 euros.
Volkswagen is expected to publish detailed results for the full year and an outlook for 2012 at its annual news conference on March 12.


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Swedish firm Hälsingestintan has entered into a long-term partnership with France’s SAS Boeuf Ethique to introduce its mobile abattoir concept in France during 2017. The ethical concept for meat production marks the next step in Sweden’s advanced animal care model, with France becoming the first country outside Sweden to adopt the concept.
Hälsingestintan’s mobile abattoir, launched in Sweden in December 2014, comprises two carriages containing an office, changing rooms, stun platform, slaughterhouse and a cold storage unit.
Out with the old...
Instead of transporting cows to an abattoir, Hälsingestintan brings the mobile slaughtering unit to the farm. This avoids transportation-inflicted stress on livestock and improves welfare as cattle are slaughtered in their home environment, according to Britt-Marie Stegs, CEO of Hälsingestintan.
“There is a big market for the new way of meat production,” Stegs told GlobalMeatNews.
“The world currently has a lot of problems with meat products: with the environment, with the way we treat farmers, with the way we treat animals. The slaughter system cuts the chain between the farmer and the consumer and this is not good for a sustainable meat industry.”
... In with the new
Stegs’ mobile abattoir was purpose-built in Finland and, whilst a micro unit, it has all the bells and whistles needed to slaughter hundreds of animals per month. It has an on-site water purification system, sustainable power sources and separate disposal units for skin and waste. A state-appointed vet is also present at each slaughtering to ensure government-set standards are met. Crucially, it has a digital traceability chain to provide consumers and buyers with all the information about the animal and its farm.
Franck Ribière, producer of hit documentary Steak (R)evolution, has helped facilitate the partnership that will see SAS Boeuf Ethique buy knowledge of mobile slaughter techniques from Hälsingestintan.
“We are absolutely convinced that this concept is ideal for the French market,” said Ribière in a statement. “I have spent many years travelling the world on a quest for the perfect meat, and have long wanted to improve animal welfare. We are giving French consumers a good reason to carry on eating meat, produced in a sustainable, ethical way.”
Hälsingestintan said it hoped the initiative in France would open the gateways for more European companies to adopt the mobile slaughter system and move to a more transparent production system.
“We regard this [partnership with SAS Boeuf Ethique] as an excellent first step for us in establishing our concept on more new markets,” said Henrik Viken, deputy managing director of Hälsingestintan’s international business.
However, the key to the long-term success of the newfangled system will depend on one thing: profitability. “Yes, we have to prove that its profitable for the whole meat industry,” added Stegs.
She added that she was “delighted” to see her concept make an impact outside Sweden.


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In anticipation of the upcoming holiday season, the Fairfax County Health Department released a set of guidelines with information on how to celebrate Thanksgiving safely.
The county emphasized that it’s still vital to work to slow the spread of COVID-19 and that, despite the cold months and inevitable pandemic fatigue, community members should not let their guards down now.
According to the guidelines, high-risk activities include:
- Going shopping in crowded stores just before, on, or after Thanksgiving
- Participating in or watching a crowded race
- Attending crowded parades
- Attending large indoor gatherings with people from outside your household
Moderate-risk activities include:
- Having a small outdoor dinner with family and friends in your community
- Visiting pumpkin patches or orchards where people use hand sanitizer before touching produce, wearing masks is encouraged or enforced, and people can maintain social distancing
- Attending small outdoor sports events with safety precautions in place
Lower risk activities include:
- Having a small dinner with people who live in your household
- Having virtual dinner and sharing recipes with friends and family
- Preparing recipes for family and neighbors and delivering them in a way that doesn’t involve contact with others
- Shopping online the day after Thanksgiving, as opposed to in-person
- Watching sports events, parades, and movies from home
The county advised against participating in any in-person activities if you or anyone in your household has, or are showing, symptoms of COVID-19 and reiterated that traveling increases the chance of getting and spreading COVID-19.
The health department suggests following the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendations on holiday gatherings to further lower risk.
Photo via Fairfax County Emergency Information
The weekend is almost here. Before you get into an argument about mask etiquette or head to bed for some much-needed sleep, let’s revisit recent news from the Tysons area…
A mayor, a governor, and four Racing Presidents stepped onto a baseball diamond, and thus began the 2021 Virginia State Little League Majors Tournament. Hundreds of young athletes and their…
Open houses this weekend include a 5 BD/3 BA Vienna home with a multi-level deck on a treed lot.
Tysons-headquartered Cvent, which provides business tools for customers to plan, market, and organize meetings and events, is headed back to the stock market. The event-management tech company announced today (Friday)…


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Bentley Shows Off Plug-in Hybrid Concept Destined for '17 SUV Project
April 9, 2014 8:53 AM
Bentley hybrid tech will show up in new SUV in 2017
Bentley isn’t exactly a company that you think of when the words “fuel efficiency” come up. Bentley is mostly known for making including luxurious, heavy, and powerful vehicles that only the super wealthy can afford. However, that doesn’t mean that the company can’t embrace “green” technology.
Bentley is talking up its hybrid concept ahead of the vehicle’s debut in China. The hybrid tech is being showcased inside the Bentley Mulsanne. However, the first production car from Bentley that is planned to use the hybrid tech will be a new Bentley SUV hitting the roads in 2017. The Bentley SUV will use the same platform as the next generation
, and will come equipped with a 575hp V12 engine.
Bentley's Mulsanne Hybrid Concept
"There is no doubt that plug-in hybrid technology is true to Bentley's values of outstanding luxury and effortless performance. Combining our renowned engines with electric power reinforces and enhances both principles, and so we will gradually introduce this powertrain across our model range.
“By the end of the decade, at least 90% of our production will be available as a plug-in hybrid. We are proud to be pioneering these developments in the luxury sector."
Bentley's upcoming SUV
The car’s plug-in hybrid system promises a power increase of up to 25% while reducing CO2 by 70%. Bentley notes that the hybrid system will bring those benefits without affecting the luxury of the vehicle. The hybrid vehicle will be able to drive 50 km (31 miles) on electricity alone.
It's also unclear at this time exactly how large the battery pack will be or how long it will take to charge.
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Summer has ended, which means that you're probably spending your days in the classroom - or the office - counting down the clock until Christmas.
There are plenty of seasonal things to look forward to, including the Broadgate Christmas lights switch-on on Wednesday, November 25.
We'll have news of the Coca-Cola truck heading to the city soon, but before that, we've got a countdown clock which indicates that Christmas is NOT that far away.
In fact, we are less than 100 days away.
The nights are turning darker, the mornings are more frosty and foggy, and the X Factor has already started to boot.
Christmas is well and truly coming - so you better get used to it!
Christmas Day is the start of the Twelve Days of Christmas, also called Christmastide.
Twelfth Night is January 5, when the Christmas decorations are taken down and packed away. Epiphany then starts on January 6. Some traditions have slightly different dates.
Early preparations for the big event are not as uncommon as you might think.
Selfridges opened its Christmas shop on the fourth floor of its flagship London store at the start of August, 143 days before Christmas.


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Diageo has announced a project to build a new distillery and warehouse in Kentucky, at a cost of $130 million. It is planned to be in operation by 2021.
The distillery will have the capacity to produce 3.8 million nine-litre cases per year, and will be used to distill Diageo’s current bourbon brands as well as new ranges that the drinks giant will launch in the future. It will supplement the company’s American whiskey production currently taking place at its still houses in Louisville and Shelbyville.
“Bourbon and American whiskey are vibrant and growing categories,” said Barry Becton, senior executive in Diageo’s North American business, speaking to the Daily Journal, “and we are excited to expand Diageo’s footprint in Kentucky to support our ambitions in this space.”
The governor of Kentucky, Matt Bevin, said: “We are proud to further our relationship with Diageo, and of the job growth associated with these announcements.”
Diageo owns several American whiskey labels including brands such as Johnnie Walker, Royal Lochnagar, Haig Club, and Bell’s whiskies.


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In November GE sold their metering business to Aclara, now Aclara look to capitalise on this and add Tollgrade’s grid sensors to their portfolio. On Thursday the St. Louis based company announced it was going to be acquiring the smart grid business from Tollgrade who have customer on three continents
The full details of acquisition including the price and terms have not been disclosed yet. Tollgrade who started as a tech startup will still retain a portion of the business, noting in their press release that they will still focus on its “traditional broadband business”
Aclara have not provided details yet of how they intend to integrate the Tollgrade technology with their own smart metering business.
Aclara Technologies LLC is a world-class supplier of smart infrastructure solutions (SIS) to more than 780 water, gas, and electric utilities globally. Aclara SIS offerings include smart meters and other field devices, advanced metering infrastructure and software and services that enable utilities to predict and respond to conditions, leverage their distribution networks effectively and engage with their customers.
Aclara Technologies LLC is owned by an affiliate of Sun Capital Partners.


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Online marketing has become the new mantra in India with more than a billion-strong Indian population already experiencing its profusion and... ...http://www.millenniumpost.in/NewsContent.aspx?NID=156195
Kindle Unlimited is a service which allow users to subscribe and freely read as many books as they want from Kindle books. Amazon today... ...http://www.themobileindian.com/news/16545_Amazon-Kindle-Unlimited-service-now-available-in-India-for-Rs-199-per-month
The rumoured smartphone is also speculated to feature a 5.7-in Full HD display, and the octa-core Kirin 935 SoC Huawei has started teasing its... ...http://www.digit.in/mobile-phones/huawei-teases-force-touch-enabled-mate-s-27042.html
The images show off the device from different angles, and reveals the location of the SIM and microSD card slot, as well as an 18MP rear camera.... ...http://www.digit.in/mobile-phones/images-of-the-android-powered-blackberry-venice-get-leaked-27016.html
BlackBerry's much-rumoured 'Venice' Android smartphone has once been leaked in a series of images purportedly showing the design of the handset.... ...http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NdtvNews-TopStories/~3/K6mtpylkvpk/story01.htm
BlackBerry Bold Touch 9900 reviews,...
Blackberry is quiet the brand that...
Way2smile Solutions, a leading mobile...


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|Platinum PR Awards Winners
|Social Media Icon Awards Winners|
|CSR & Nonprofit PR Awards Winners
Today’s corporate counselors must look past 140 characters and beyond "tactics" and show some sensitivity in helping shape their organization’s messaging.
Cision’s Heidi Sullivan, who leads research efforts at the media and measurement company, discusses the importance of business goal alignment, choosing tools and more.
As public trust in the U.S. banking industry falls, financial communications pros weigh in on how the industry can regain some respect. First step: Communicate the positive effects of banks on their customers.
While digital trends and tools are rapidly altering the ways investor relations pros communicate, more traditional outreach and an enlightened worldview can’t be overlooked.
Regulatory edicts notwithstanding, more and more investor relations pros are using Web and social media platforms to spread the financial word. Here are some tips for leveraging digital tools.
PR, advertising and marketing come together as the three disciplines work toward the launch of CDW’s "People Who Get IT" ad campaign.
Ogilvy PR’s Suzanne O’Leary Lopez, who recently helped CDW launch a national ad campaign, offers some tips on how PR and advertising can be best integrated.
Adults who spend time online used some of that time before the Nov. 2010 elections to connect with a political campaign or get other political info using social networking sites.
A new PR News feature recognizes recent great work done by individuals and/or teams. First up: An Edmonton agency "huddles up" for successful cause campaign.
Due to the growing complexity of digital communications, more PR pros and marketing agencies are looking to outside contractors for help.


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Watch Dogs 2 Showcases Free Roam & Multiplayer in Latest Gameplay Video
Ubisoft shared today a new video of Watch Dogs 2, the upcoming open world game sequel.
Set in San Francisco and sporting a new protagonist, Marcus Holloway (a hacker who's wrongfully convicted of a crime by the ctOS 2.0 and decides to fight back against Blume Corporation), Watch Dogs 2 features a number of improvements that are detailed one by one in the video below, narrated by Animation Director Colin Graham.
In this new demonstration, a small slice of the expansive San Francisco Bay Area is explored, as Marcus wanders through such world-famous landmarks as Coit Tower and Fisherman’s Wharf. Enhanced hacking and driving mechanics, use of drones, deeper customization options and world activities are on display in this extensive look into the gameplay experience.
Marcus also encounters various online multiplayer scenarios, where he gets caught in Bounty situations - both as the hunter and the hunted - and joins a friend for co-op missions.
Among the biggest new features there's certainly parkour, allowing you to move effortlessly through San Francisco. Driving has been made more accessible than in the first game and it will be very much needed, since Watch Dogs 2 will feature a playable area estimated to be over twice as large as the one in its predecessor.
Hacking options have been greatly improved and multiplayer is coming back with a new mode called Bounty Hunter. If you're connected online and are causing too much chaos, other players will be invited to join the police and hunt for you; of course, the classic one-on-one Invasion mode is also coming back.
Watch Dogs 2 will be out for PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on November 15 worldwide.
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Ryder Acquires Whiplash, Expands Its E-Fulfillment Network
Ryder System has recently acquired Whiplash, a company based in City of Industry, California, with multiple channels for fulfillment and logistics services. The acquisition deal is worth around $480 million.
Ryder System plans to integrate Whiplash assets such as tech, operations, robotics, and warehouse automation with its existing eCommerce fulfillment solutions. In the press release from the company, Ryder spokesperson stated that the company intends to keep on board Whiplash’s executive team and workforce as it looks to increase growth and customer solutions in this particular segment.
“The acquisition of Whiplash is consistent with our strategy to accelerate growth in our higher-return supply chain business. It also expands our eCommerce and omnichannel fulfillment network and reflects our continued focus on technology and innovation,” said Ryder’s chairman and CEO Robert Sanchez.
By acquiring Whiplash, Ryder has gained access to a scalable eCommerce solution that cooperates with more than 250 brands and has 19 warehouses with approximately 7 million square feet. It also has access to port operations and other gateway markets.
“Whiplash’s best-in-class eCommerce platform and key geographic strongholds - coupled with Ryder’s industry-leading transportation logistics solutions, including our robust Ryder Last Mile delivery network for big-and-bulky goods - positions us to deliver incredible value for our customers who are looking for more advanced e-fulfillment solutions in today’s ever-changing landscape,” said Sanchez.
By expanding its operations, Ryder has significantly improved its eCommerce and omnichannel fulfillment solutions as the company can now cover the entire US within two days and around 60% of the territory within a day.
The acquisition is also beneficial for Whiplash, providing opportunities for growth as both companies apply best practices for eCommerce shipping solutions.
“This announcement signals a new accelerated phase of growth for Whiplash that will benefit our current customers and dramatically enhance our ability to scale and deliver innovation for digitally-native brands and omnichannel retailers. Ryder’s supply chain expertise, facility network, and last-mile transportation solutions are a perfect complement to the Whiplash eCommerce platform, and we’re excited to be part of the Ryder team,” said Whiplash’s CEO Jeff Wolpov.
Julia A. is a writer at SmallBizGenius.net. With experience in both finance and marketing industries, she enjoys staying up to date with the current economic affairs and writing opinion pieces on the state of small businesses in America. As an avid reader, she spends most of her time poring over history books, fantasy novels, and old classics. Tech, finance, and marketing are her passions, and she’s a frequent contributor at various small business blogs.
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Hilton offers a taste of Vermont to guests and locals
The Hilton Burlington located at 60 Battery St. has undergone a major, multi-million dollar facelift, aimed to make it a destination spot for out-of-towners and locals alike.
Renovations at the hotel began in November. A new lounge opened in time for Mardi Gras and work in the lobby was completed in April. A new executive lounge offers meeting space for business travelers.
At a grand opening and networking event with the Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce Thursday evening, the hotel will unveil its Mounted Cat restaurant and lounge and “Cat-io” outdoor lounge, which has a fire pit.
The event will showcase what General Manager Jeff Webb calls “not your grandfather’s Hilton,” meaning the new hotel is more informal. .
Walking through the Mounted Cat, a play on Vermont’s catamounts, Webb said Wednesday the hotel is “Hilton grade, Vermont made,” and helps visitors fully experience.
Webb and executive chef Herve Mahe said the lounge and outdoor seating will bring a greater connection to those outside the hotel walls.
“We didn’t have a store front, we have a store front now,” Mahe said.
There are a number of popular eateries just a few steps from the hotel lobby, Webb said, but the Hilton’s Battery Street spot is often passed by. Though in-hotel restaurants originated as an amenity for guests, Webb said, “The rules have changed now,” and locals are welcomed in for dinner and drinks.
The Mounted Cat will offer locally-minded specialty drinks, including a rhubarb-strawberry “adult smoothie” and the Vermont maple creemee “adult shake,” and the Mounted Cat Lager, an exclusive beer from the Trapp Lager Brewery.
In keeping with Vermont ideals, Mahe’s menu offers tasty but light fare, using almost no cream, he said, and local goods. The minted caprese skewer uses Maplebrook Farm mozzarella made in Bennington.
His establishment is approachable for anyone, Mahe said. Eaters can come in wearing jeans or a business suit.
A collaboration with Local Motion is helping the Hilton’s cycle-friendliness with bike parking, a bike maintenance station and more. A flavored water station is planned. The hotel offers bike-specific packages to reserve a bike, a fleet of loaner bikes is available and a bike storage room keeps riders’ gear safe, Webb said.
Contact Jessie Forand at firstname.lastname@example.org or 651-4859.
If You Go:
Grand Opening Event
5:30-7:30 p.m., Hilton Burlington, 60 Battery Street
Features music from A House on Fire, appetizers from the bar bites menu, Magic Hat No. 9-infused cupcakes, adult smoothies and a bicycle raffle.


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Apple Pulls Further Away From Samsung As TSMC Ships Processors Likely For iPhone 6
Citing "people familiar with the matter," The Wall Street Journal says TSMC started shipping its first batch of microprocessors to Apple in the second quarter of this year. Those chips will find their way into Apple's upcoming iPhone 6, and just as importantly, it reduces the Cupertino company's reliance on Samsung.
Image Source: TSMC
Now armed with a second chip manufacturer, Apple has additional leverage to hammer out price agreements with Samsung, as it's no longer the sole chip supplier. At the same time, Apple will want to tread carefully, at least until TSMC proves that it can keep up with demand. For now, Apple seems confident the chip maker can, as the two have already agreed to collaborate on more advanced processors next year.
As for Samsung, the timing couldn't be any worse. Samsung's chip sales are down due to a slowdown in smartphone demand around the world, and with TSMC getting in on the action, it means Samsung will be producing (and selling) even fewer mobile chips.


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May 26, 2015 – Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care – Today, the Ontario government passed the Making Healthier Choices Act, which will help families make healthier food choices by giving them caloric information when eating out or purchasing take-away meals. The act will also protect youth from the dangers of tobacco and the potential harms of electronic cigarettes, known as e-cigarettes.
As part of the government’s commitment to achieve the lowest smoking rate in Canada, the new legislation will:
- Increase the maximum fines for those who sell tobacco to youth, making Ontario’s maximum fines the highest in Canada
- Ban the sale and supply of e-cigarettes to anyone under the age of 19
- Ban the sale of flavoured tobacco products, with a temporary exemption for menthol flavoured products.
The new legislation will also make it illegal to:
- Use e-cigarettes in designated non-smoking areas
- Sell e-cigarettes in certain places where the sale of tobacco is prohibited
- Display e-cigarettes in places where e-cigarettes are sold, or offered for sale
- Promote e-cigarettes in places where e-cigarettes or tobacco products are sold, or offered for sale.
To make it easier for families to make informed and healthy food choices, the new legislation will:
- Require restaurants, convenience stores, grocery stores and other food service premises with 20 or more locations in Ontario who sell ready-to-eat and prepared food to post calories for standard food and beverage items, including alcohol, on menus and menu boards
- Require regulated food service operators to post contextual information to help educate patrons about their daily caloric requirements
- Authorize the minister to appoint inspectors to enforce menu labelling requirements.
Providing Ontarians with caloric information, and protecting youth from the dangers of tobacco and the potential harm of e-cigarettes is part of the government’s plan to build a better Ontario through its Patients First: Action Plan for Health Care, which is providing patients with faster access to the right care, better home and community care, the information they need to live healthy and a health care system that’s sustainable for generations to come.
- Each year, tobacco claims 13,000 lives in Ontario – equivalent to 36 lives every day.
- One in four Ontario high school smokers have smoked menthol cigarettes in the last 30 days (Canada’s 2012-13 Youth Smoking Survey).
- Over 60 per cent of large chain restaurants with more than 20 locations in Ontario already provide nutritional information voluntarily to their customers (upon demand, on websites or in store).
- According to a 2011 Ipsos Reid study, approximately 95 per cent of Ontarians support requiring fast food restaurants to list nutrition information on their menus.


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GrabTaxi (known as MyTeksi in Malaysia) has announced it has raised more than US$15 million in Series B funding, led by Silicon Valley-based GGV Capital with participation from new investor Qunar and Vertex Venture Holdings.
A new app called myRent developed by mobile development studio BinarizeMe wants to make navigating the rental market in Malaysia an easier, less painful and more mobile experience.
Last minute hotel booking app In2nite announced the successful conclusion of a US$2.8 million investment round led by IDG Ventures and a number of other regional strategic corporate parties.
With its product positioned as a 'pure dating app,' Malaysian startup Kehmistry hopes it becomes the de facto dating app for South-East Asia within two years.
Penang-based startup DeliverEat has acquired mobile loyalty platform ChopChop from parent company GetChopChop, in line with plans to expand its business and fortify market share in the northern state.
Online car rental marketplace Drive.SG has launched a mobile app for the iOS and Android platforms, saying it would better meet the needs of its customers as well as tap the mobile growth of its car rental service.
The Malaysian retail market is estimated to enjoy 6.4% growth this year, a jump up from the RM88 billion in transaction volume recorded in 2012. However to fully capitalise on growth opportunities, retailers should embrace new trends such as the rising use of mobile platforms to reach out to and retain consumers.
Talent management solutions provider PageUp People has announced it would be integrating the mobile-based recruitment solution Apply Anywhere with its unified talent management suite.
New event discovery app Calendo aims to help people make better decisions about events they attend, and now eyes global expansion with newly launched support for eight languages.
HP has introduced the SureSupply app which allows customers to select and shop for original HP ink and toner cartridges directly from their iPhone, iPad, iPod touch or Android device.


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- Today Chief Operating Officer Pawel Lekki
at EXOR Studios has confirmed that Zombie Driver HD is coming to PS3 via PlayStation Network alongside a video trailer below.
To quote: After months and months of hard work I am proud to tell you that Zombie Driver HD will soon be coming to the PlayStation Network. Zombie Driver
was originally released on the PC and after lots and lots of improvements it will soon be ready for you to enjoy on PS3.
In the game's Story campaign, you find yourself trapped in a city full of walking corpses, locked in by a military quarantine. Your only way to survive is to use your driving skills to smash through hordes of zombies and try to save anyone left alive in the city.
Zombie Driver HD features a more varied narrative campaign that is twice as long as the original, adding epic boss fights, demolition missions, new enemies and special vehicles such as a fire truck, bulldozer and even a tank, as well as many more gameplay enhancements.
The gameplay mechanics have received a new round of polish by introducing an improved camera system, a recharging afterburner that will help you get out of tough spots and a minimap that will guide you through a labyrinth of zombie-filled streets.


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What if you traded Apple stock around Steve Jobs’ January Macworld keynotes…would you make any money? Short answer is yes but buying Apple stock 10 years ago and holding would have been the better move. Also interesting is the market’s reaction to OS X and Jobs’ installment as CEO…Apple lost 7.3% of its market cap the day after the announcement.
David Pennock on the steep rise of Apple’s stock after announcing the iPhone: “Jobs’s speech could not possibly have revealed over $8 billion in previously undisclosed information”.
Update: On the other hand, analysts think that Steve Jobs’ mere presence at the company is worth $20 billion.


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NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- More than 5,000 people took the new 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport for a test drive during the first 10 days of this month without ever going outside.
In one of the most unusual and innovative digital-marketing campaigns in the auto space, Mitsubishi Motors North America teamed with its ad agency, 180 LA, and production company B-Reel to produce what it called the world's first online test drive. Dubbed "Mitsubishi Live Drive," the program allowed users to actually operate a 2011 Outlander Sport using the arrow keys on their computer keyboard and watching on the screen from one of four different cameras, including the driver's view.
This was no simulator -- the vehicle itself was parked on a closed course created at the Port of Long Beach, Calif. (where viewers could clearly see the giant Maersk shipping containers on the course). The Outlander was fitted with special software, robotics and video cameras that allowed users to remotely operate the vehicle from their computers. The car could only be driven within the boundaries of the course, and Mitsubishi had people on-site with an automatic kill switch if anything went wrong.
And, while nothing did go wrong, it certainly made for some, shall we say, adventuresome driving. "You should have seen the people who were trying to drive at 11 o'clock at night," joked William Gelner, executive creative director for 180 LA.
Mr. Gelner helped design the overall campaign, which includes TV, print, digital and direct mail and runs through January. The online component of the Live Drive only lasted from Nov. 1 until Nov. 10 at drive.outlandersport.com. Drivers could navigate the course for two minutes, and then a new driver took over. So, roughly 30 people an hour had a chance to "live drive" the car.
"When we pitched and won the business, we went down there and got to know all their cars. One of the things that struck us was a lot of their brands, especially this one, are chock full of technology that is normally reserved for luxury cars like the BMWs and such," Mr. Gelner said of the Outlander, which starts at $18,495. "The navigation screen is big and cool, the iPod integration, the Bluetooth ... so with all that technology we figured we should tell the story with a bit of technology."
180 LA partnered with B-Reel in producing the online site. Then it was a matter of pitching it to Mitsubishi.
"To their credit, they embraced what was a bold, ambitious idea," Mr. Gelner said. "They're in a situation right now where they really can't afford to play by the rules in terms of spending tons of dough and going by the marketing rulebook that exists in the automotive industry. They had to do something that would stand out."
"It's strange, it's bizarre, it's risky, but it's certainly rewarding," said Nicole Muniz, executive producer for B-Reel.
Her B-Reel colleague, creative director Ben Tricklebank, said the biggest concern was how to make it fun for the end user and tie it in with a way to allow drivers to get a sense of the Outlander's features. "Obviously you're not sitting in the car, you're just controlling the car on a track, so there's a big disconnect there," he said. So while "driving" the car, users can roll over certain markers that allow them to see the special features in the car.
And at this point, Mitsubishi needs to show what it can do. Outlander sales were down 24% last year at 10,283 units, according to Automotive News figures, from 13,471 units in 2009. The automaker announced last week that year-to-date sales of the model are up 19.8% over 2009 without citing specific unit numbers.
There's a reason why that aspect of the promotion lasted only 10 days. "It's probably not viable long-term," said public relations/social-media expert Peter Shankman. "The end result is, you're still sitting in your living room or office," he said. "You do it once it's pretty much going to be the same. But this seems pretty cool for a one-time thing."


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Earnings per share in the year through January will be $2.73 to $2.78, the company said. That's below the company's earlier guidance of $2.95 to $3. Analysts estimated $2.91, on average, Bloomberg said.
CEO Glenn Murphy has been working to improve merchandise at Gap-brand stores, which have cut prices to clear out slow-selling styles. Same-store sales at Gap slid 5 percent in the quarter. Murphy, 52, said last month that he'll step down as CEO in February and hand the reins to Art Peck, president of Gap's growth, innovation and digital unit, Bloomberg noted.
Net income for the quarter ended Nov. 1 was up 4.2% to $351 million, or 80 cents a share, from $337 million, or 72 cents, a year ago. The average of analysts' estimates compiled by Bloomberg was 79 cents.
Net sales declined 0.1% to $3.97 billion.


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Learn about the latest trends in natural beauty, eco-friendly fashion and organic make-up.
If you have trouble wearing stilettos, a California strength class could help.
These five products are easy on the earth and will get those gams smooth and lovely.
Video: A new report is raising questions about the safety of trendy false eyelashes, saying the adhesives and solvents used to remove them can cause eye infections and irritation.
A topical treatment is able to combat oxidative stress that causes gray hairs.
Researchers detected lead in 75 percent of the lip products they tested.
Eco-friendly clothing and accessories that pick up on the warm season's hottest sartorial option.
Bangladeshi families and friends mourn the latest in a series of disasters caused by unsafe conditions in clothing factories.
An Australian woman and her fiancé started collecting tags 10 years ago and decided they would marry when she had enough to make a dress.
An Ohio tanning business is in hot water for a policy regarding customers weighing more than 230 pounds.
Join Aveda in setting an Earth Day world record.
The facial hair craze that has hipster neighborhoods looking like Civil War camps is more than just an ironic fashion statement.
New campaign aims to help women see themselves through the eyes of a stranger.
Burn your brasseires, ladies: Scientists say they increase sagging and don't alleviate back pain.
In celebration of the 100th birthday of the beloved American classic.
Video: Sandro Lupo claims her bosses at the St. Louis restaurant told her to wear a wig following surgery.
Pop-culture expert writes about entertainment, arts — and the occasional zombie.
Travel and style pro blogs about smart consumption and conscious living.


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Team Cherry to Release Full Sequel to Original Hollow Knight: Here’s What We Know About Hollow Knight: Silksong
The original Hollow Knight took the gaming world by storm when it was released in 2017, quickly becoming a favorite in the Metroidvania genre. The hand-drawn art style, tight controls, and captivating story made it an instant hit among players and critics alike. As if that wasn’t enough, the team behind the game, Team Cherry, continued to expand the world of Hollow Knight with four DLCs, adding new enemies, bosses, and game modes. However, what was initially planned as just another DLC evolved into a full sequel, Hollow Knight: Silksong.
Release Date Speculation
Despite leaks and speculations, there is still no official word on the release date for Hollow Knight: Silksong. The game was first announced in February 2019, but with no specific release date in sight, fans are eagerly hoping for a 2024 launch.
Hollow Knight: Silksong is officially announced for Nintendo Switch and PC, with a day one addition to Xbox Game Pass. While it may initially be exclusive to these platforms, the success of the original game on various consoles suggests that a staggered release may be possible.
Hollow Knight: Silksong Trailers
The reveal trailer for Hollow Knight: Silksong showcased the stunning animation and gameplay that players loved in the first game. The trailer focused on the new playable character, Hornet, and introduced the new kingdom of Pharloom, setting the stage for a new adventure in a different world.
Hollow Knight: Silksong Gameplay
Hollow Knight: Silksong retains the beloved Metroidvania gameplay of its predecessor but introduces a new playable character, Hornet, with her own set of abilities and weapons. The game promises a more expansive world to explore, complete with quests, NPCs, and new combat options. Hornet’s ability to speak and the addition of a crafting system are just some of the new features players can look forward to.
Hollow Knight: Silksong Preorder
While preorders are not yet available, those who backed the original Kickstarter campaign for Hollow Knight will receive Silksong for free, in keeping with Team Cherry’s promise. Once preorder information is made available, including pricing, fans can look forward to securing their copy of Hollow Knight: Silksong.


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Professor King reaches out to owners
Pharmacy remuneration review chair Professor Stephen King is reaching out to pharmacy owners and managers to participate in an online financial survey.
In his monthly message, Prof King says existing data does not provide enough detail about pharmacies’ location and business models.
More detail is needed to improve the review panel’s understanding of the current, and possible future, operating environments for pharmacy in Australia.
“For this reason we are requesting the broad
support of community pharmacies,” says Prof King.


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Payment Wars: Revolut to take on PayPal & Apple. Here's what everyone is missing 🧠; Goldman Sachs again reminds us that FinTech is hard 😳; FTX's war chest is about to get even more solid 💸
You're missing out big time... Weekly Recap 🔁
👋 Hey, Linas here! Welcome back to a 🔓 weekly free edition 🔓 of my daily newsletter. Each day I focus on 3 stories that are making a difference in the financial technology space. Coupled with things worth watching & most important money movements, it’s the only newsletter you need for all things when Finance meets Tech.
If you’re not a subscriber, here’s what you missed this week:
As for today, here are the 3 FinTech stories that were making a huge difference this week. This probably was one of the most interesting weeks in the space this year so far, so definitely check out all the above stories.
Payment Wars: Revolut to take on PayPal & Apple. Here's what everyone is missing 🧠
The news 🗞 British Super App wannabe Revolut has entered the one-click checkout game with the launch of Revolut Pay. The news was first reported by Bloomberg and sparked a lot of discussions within the FinTech community.
I believe everyone is missing the big picture here, so let’s take a closer look.
The USP 🥊 Revolut customers can now check out in one click on any site where Revolut Pay is available. Non-Revolut customers can do the same once they save their card details to Revolut Pay. All customers can earn cash back on purchases.
The commercials 👉 Revolut will charge businesses a roughly 1% fee for the service, and it will pay them within 24 hours, which Revolut claims is faster than other checkout providers.
If we have learned anything from the struggles of Bolt and the fast failure of Fast, one-click checkout as a standalone business has no moat (but it’s a different case for Revolut). More importantly, both PayPal PYPL -0.43%↓ and Apple AAPL -0.11%↓ are the ones who should worry the least about Revolut Pay (all the magic happens somewhere else).
Here’s more on that, what everyone’s missing + the takeaway:
✈ THE TAKEAWAY
Here's what everyone is missing 🧠 First things first - the rise of e-commerce and growing demand for convenience were the key drivers for one-click checkout to take off. The key reason this payment method is gaining steam is that it adds complementary (sometimes - marginal) value on both sides of the purchasing chain: (1) for customers, one-click checkout gives a more seamless buying experience (you can avoid inputting your personal information thus saving time & effort during checkout) while (2) for merchants, it simply means higher conversion rates (it helps them bolster sales by removing many of the friction points that result in cart abandonment). But the problem with one-click checkout is that it’s a really tough business model - it has no real moat, so it’s all about scaling and scaling fast. And scale is often very difficult in payments. Given that Revolut already has some scale (it counts 20M retail & >500k business customers), it’s a bet worth taking. Also, it complements the neobank’s earlier push into retail payments tech - in July it launched a card reader. Hence, offering notable perks to both consumers and merchants can help Revolut stand out from the strong competition. On a macro level, the product is all about Revolut’s quest to diversify its revenues and build a stronger presence in the payments sector. Zooming out and looking at the competition, we must note that PayPal was the one that helped popularize one-click checkout and has a loyal base of close to 400M users. PayPal also has a checkout rewards system, which can make it even harder for Revolut to compete with the payments titan. Apple is a completely different beast playing this game on a totally different level. So where’s the magic then? 🪄 It’s Cash App/Cash App Pay. Having one of the strongest FinTech ecosystems globally, Block/Square is the real force to be reckoned with.
Goldman Sachs again reminds us that FinTech is hard 😳
The news 🗞 The weakest American borrowers are starting to miss payments and default on their loans, and that is showing up at a surprising place: Goldman Sachs, CNBC reported.
More on this 👉 Goldman Sachs’ Apple Card business has a bad-credit problem, according to competitor JPMorgan. In 2019 the investment-banking giant triumphed over established card companies to become Apple's card issuer. That didn’t seem to age well…
Over a quarter of Goldman’s card loans have gone to customers with credit scores under 660 (aka: fair to poor). More importantly, Goldman’s loss rate on credit-card loans is the worst among major US card issuers and “well above subprime lenders," JPM said.
Oh the other hand, competitors like Bank of America enjoy repayment rates at or near record levels.
✈ THE TAKEAWAY
FinTech is hard, folks 🤷♂ With inflation at a 40-year high and unemployment ticking up, the weakest American borrowers are starting to miss loan payments, and this is hurting GS. Goldman CEO David Solomon is under pressure to produce profits at Goldman's consumer-facing business (which makes up 18% of its total revenue). The Wall Street-centric bank expanded to consumers in 2016 with its high-yield Marcus savings account. Then Apple Card supercharged its retail reach. Despite growing revenues, the consumer division is on track to lose $1.2B this year, and Goldman has been forced to set aside more reserves in case of future loan losses (if there’s a deep recession, even more $$$ will be needed). Hence, banks with more subprime exposure will feel the hit first, and GS could be one of them. This is yet another reminder that FinTech is really hard.
FTX's war chest is about to get even more solid 💸
The scoop 👀 Crypto exchange giant FTX is raising capital and there’s talk of a possible acquisition, a report from Coindesk said citing a source familiar with the matter.
More on this 👉 According to the publication, FTX is evaluating several possible takeover candidates, some of which are companies operating retail-trading platforms. Negotiations are reportedly in preliminary stages.
It’s worth noting that FTX is seeking the same $32B valuation it was assigned the last time it raised money early this year if it does a capital raise. That’s pretty huge given its rival Coinbase is currently worth just more than $16B.
✈ THE TAKEAWAY
Something’s cookin’ 👨🍳 If you are following the space, this should come as no surprise. As I said back in August, FTX is definitely going to make an acquisition soon, and it’s probably going to be a gigantic one. There are several reasons for that. First, its US crypto exchange is very small - with just 212,000 monthly active users it falls way behind Coinbase which counts 9M MAU. Second, FTX's average trading fees are less than 0.05% compared with 0.35% and above for Coinbase. So when you think about it, FTX doesn’t really need Celsius, Huobi, BlockFi, or Huobi - what it needs is its users. And a big influx is definitely underway. In fact, given that FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried already has a tie to retail trading after personally buying a 7.6% stake in Robinhood HOOD -6.06%↓ in May, they should just buy it and never look back.
🔎 What else I’m watching
ECB in action🔥 In its 24 years of existence, the European Central Bank (ECB) had never before hiked interest rates by the amount it did recently. To tamp down record inflation in the eurozone, the ECB raised interest rates by 0.75 percentage points, its second rate hike this year and likely not the last. The aggressive move parallels actions by the US Federal Reserve, which seems poised to boost interest rates by 0.75% for the third time this year. What does it mean for FinTechs? Read here.
FinTech M&A on the watch 👀 Global Fintech M&A rose sharply in the first half of 2022 with 591 recorded deals, as bargain hunters shop around for deals at discounted prices. Figures collated by M&A and corporate finance advisory firm Hampleton Partners show a 46% increase in 1H2021 numbers (406 Fintech deals), and a massive 70% increase in 1H2019 pre-pandemic figures (348 Fintech deals). Meanwhile, valuations remained steady: 1H2022 saw the trailing 30-month median revenue multiple at 3.1x - broadly in line with the levels seen in the past two years. Watch this space!
💸 Following the Money
Web3 game development studio Revolving Games raised $25M in a funding round. The company will use the capital to develop scalable decentralized game experiences for in-house titles with global franchise partners.
EQT Growth launches with a €2.4B fund. The growth-stage sister of Sweden's EQT Ventures has an enormous wallet to give European scaleups the funding they need to go global.
Diamond Standard, a startup that aims to tokenize diamonds, raised $30 million. Diamond Standard says that tokenizing diamonds opens up the rare mineral as an asset class, providing a new store of wealth to both retail and institutional investors. Diamond Standard is "aggressively hiring" and plans to use the fresh capital to expand production capacity and accelerate distribution.
👋 That’s it for today! Thank you for reading and have a relaxing Sunday! And if you enjoyed this newsletter, invite your friends and colleagues to sign up:


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Malaysia’s chicken export ban starts today
Singapore. Malaysia’s chicken ban announced last week (23 May) by Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob will start today.
The chicken export ban announcement is likely to impact Singapore. The country import about 34 per cent of its chicken from Malaysia in 2021. Aside from facing economic challenges due to the Ukraine-Russia conflict, Singapore will be facing a new challenge – the rising costs and supply distraction of fresh chickens.
After the announcement, various news outlets in Singapore have shared the concerns of Singapore consumers and businesses.
But, how did Malaysia end up halting the exports of chicken?
Why is Malaysia halting chicken exports?
To address the nation’s rising chicken prices and shortage, the Malaysian government has decided to curb the export of up to 3.6 million chickens a month.
“The government’s priority is our own people,” said Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob
Moreover, the Malaysian government added that they will investigate the allegations of cartel pricing.
How long will the halting of chicken export last?
There is no definite period for the chicken export ban. Based on PM Ismail, the chicken export ban will last until their domestic production and prices stabilise.
But, what’s the impact on Singapore, especially as the country’s national dish is chicken rice?
What’s the impact of the chicken export ban on Singapore consumers?
According to Singapore Food Agency data, about 34 per cent (close to 73,000 tonnes) of chicken are imported from Malaysia in 2021, making Singapore one of the main export markets. Almost all bought are live chickens. These are then slaughtered and chilled in Singapore.
“The sudden announcement by Malaysia is likely going to have an adverse impact on the prices of chicken and related products in Singapore,” said the president of the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) Melvin Yong on 24 May.
Moreover, various news outlets have shared stories following the announcements.
On 24 May, CNA reported that some of the stallholders in Singapore may close temporarily amid the chicken export ban. The curb will likely affect food retailers, especially where chicken is the main dish.
Moreover, on the same day (24 May), the Poultry Merchants’ Association said that prices of chicken are set to rise in the coming days.
Chicken importers in Singapore have also expressed their concern. In an interview with CNA on 24 May, the secretary of Singapore’s Poultry Merchants’ Association Ma Chin that it will be hard to find supplies from other countries on short notice.
A news report by TODAY on 31 May said that sellers are expecting that the supply of fresh chickens on wet markets may not last the week. Moreover, some sellers said that customers may expect higher prices for fresh chickens at wet markets.
On the other hand, last week (26 May) Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment Desmond Tan assure us that there is enough supply of frozen chicken and no need to hoard. Mr Tan added that about 70 per cent of Singapore’s chicken imports from other countries are frozen. Moreover, authorities are working to diversify the food supply.
Is it time to switch to frozen chicken?
On 25 May, a report from CNA expressed the concern of eateries. Singapore eateries that specialise in chicken dishes said that they may use frozen chicken as a last resort or use alternative meat. However, they are worried about the food quality.
Amid Malaysia’s chicken export ban The Straits Times reported on 31 May that most shoppers are comfortable with frozen chicken or alternative meat.
First day of Malaysia’s chicken export ban in Singapore
A CNA news report said that some wet markets have well-stocked displays of fresh chickens and no queues or panic buying on the first day of the export ban.
The Strait Times reported that chicken sellers in Singapore are facing higher costs from suppliers and some of those who are dependent on Malaysian suppliers are halting operations for a month. Moreover, those chicken rice sellers are now preparing to sell frozen chicken once the fresh chicken supply is depleted.