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Story of the Day:
More anger directed at chancellor following failure to freeze VAT for hospitality in spring statement: Further anger has been directed at Rishi Sunak after the chancellor failed to announce any sector-specific support in his spring statement. The industry has long been campaigning for its rate of VAT to be frozen at 12.5%, highlighting both the importance of the sector to the UK’s economic recovery, and to the damage already done to it by pandemic-related lockdowns and subsequent restrictions. But hopes of avoiding a return to the rate of 20% were dashed when the chancellor failed to make any mention of such a move in his “mini-Budget”. Nick Mackenzie, chief executive of Greene King, said: “While the government has taken some important steps to address the cost-of-living crisis, including the very welcome cut to fuel duty, we feel the measures do not go far enough to support pubs. We’re disappointed the chancellor has failed to reverse the VAT rise for the hospitality sector, which is a bitter blow for UK pubs still struggling to recover following the pandemic. Coupled with rising prices across the supply chain, and disproportionately high business rates, today’s VAT hike is a missed opportunity for the industry and puts at risk the ability of UK pubs to fully recover from the pandemic, create jobs and support the wider economy.” Neil Manhas, managing director and chief financial officer at Pizza Hut UK and Ireland, added: “Several government initiatives have been critical for the survival of hospitality businesses, but the temporary VAT cut has played an out-sized role in allowing the industry to rebound following the pandemic. The government choosing not to grant an extension will be devastating for the momentum of our post-pandemic growth, recruitment and expanding the support we offer our communities.” Clive Chesser, Punch Pubs & Co chief executive, said: “The spring statement signalled a missed opportunity for the chancellor to provide the critically needed long-term strategic support to a sector that has paid a disproportionate burden of tax for decades. This is hugely disappointing but we will continue to lobby the government for the essential, targeted and meaningful financial support required to help our sector to thrive again.” JD Wetherspoon chairman Tim Martin said: “We are naturally disappointed the chancellor has not taken the opportunity to reduce VAT in respect of food in pubs and restaurants to the same level as supermarkets. It does not make economic sense for the hospitality industry to be taxed at a higher rate.” Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer & Pub Association, added: “The sector remains on a knife-edge as it emerges from the pandemic, and the impact of the recent energy crisis and invasion of Ukraine has ensured the turbulent times will continue. The coming months could be some of the hardest yet for our pubs and brewers, and the failure to act represents a hugely missed opportunity.” Ronan Harte, chief executive of BaxterStorey, said: “As a workplace hospitality provider, we have started to see promises of a fast recovery following the latest restrictions lifting, with more and more customers returning to the office on a more frequent basis. However, with the cost of living on the rise and consumer spending likely to suffer as a result, failure to do more to support hospitality bosses may impact this upwards trajectory and leave the industry struggling to invest and forward plan.” Sunak made his statement against a backdrop of inflation rising to a 30-year high of 6.2% in the 12 months to February, and forecast to rise further to 7.4% this year.
Host of burger-themed concepts set to join updated Premium Database of Multi-Site Companies:
A host of burger-themed concepts are among the 69 new multi-site companies being added to the next edition of the Propel Premium Database of Multi-Site Companies, which will be released on Friday, 1 April, at midday. The updated Propel Multi-Site Database
, which is produced in association with Virgate, features Burger Joe
, which is owned by Lloyd Wilson, and currently operates three sites in Moreton, Marine and Hoylake. Also added this month is Cow and Cream
, a new burger and dessert concept founded by John Dunning and Robert Green, which is opening a second site, in Crystal Peaks, Sheffield. In addition, Worcester-based gourmet burger and cocktail bar concept Hanbao
, which is owned by Alex Lam, and is opening a second branch, in Floodgate Street, Birmingham, will be featured. Meanwhile, French gourmet burger concept The Patate
, which was founded by Paul-Henry De Vassoigne and Martin Le Boulc’h, and is opening its central London debut site in April, is included. Premium subscribers will also receive a 5,155-word report on the new additions to the database. The comprehensive database is updated monthly and provides company names, the people in charge, how many sites each firm operates, its trading name and its registered name at Companies House if different. It features more than 2,000 companies. Premium subscribers will also receive the eighth edition of the New Openings Database
, which is produced in association with StarStock, on Friday, 8 April, at midday. It focuses on newly announced openings and upcoming launches in the sector and is updated every month. The eighth edition also includes a 16,440-word report on the new additions to the database. Premium subscribers also receive access to another database – the Propel Turnover & Profits Blue Book
, which is produced in association with Mapal Group. The Blue Book, which is also updated monthly, provides an insight into UK operator turnover and profitability over five years, profit conversion and directors’ earnings. Premium subscribers are also to be given exclusive access to a new database early next month. The UK Food and Beverage Franchisor Database
will be an exhaustive guide to the companies offering a food and beverage franchise in the UK and be updated every two months. The first edition will feature more than 100 companies, providing insight on the offer, locations, cost and other key details. The first edition provides almost 25,000 words of content. Companies can now have an unlimited number of people receive access to Propel Premium for a year for £895 plus VAT – whether they are an operator or a supplier. The single subscription rate is £445 plus VAT for operators and £545 plus VAT for suppliers. Email firstname.lastname@example.org to upgrade your subscription
. Subscribers also receive access to Propel’s library of lockdown videos and Friday Wrap interviews and now also have access to a curated video library of the sector’s finest leaders and entrepreneurs, offering their insights on running outstanding businesses in the sector. Premium subscribers also receive their morning newsletter 11 hours early, at 7pm the evening before our 6am send-out; regular video content and regular exclusive columns from Propel group editor Mark Wingett.
Pubs code changes to kick in on 1 April, including updated MRO procedure: Changes to the pubs code, including a new market rent only (MRO) procedure, will take affect from Friday, 1 April. The code allows tied tenant to request the option of a MRO tenancy at renewal or rent review, and from next month, there will be a longer period of negotiation before any dispute is referred for arbitration. The 21-day period in which the tied tenant must send their MRO notice to the pub company will start the day after instead of the day of the event, and the pub company must send an offer for the amount of rent payable as part of its MRO proposal, or the tied tenant has 14 days to make an arbitration referral. If the pub company disagrees there has been an MRO event, the tied tenant has 14 days to make an arbitration referral, and if the pub company fails to send a response, the tied tenant has 14 days from the end of the 28-day period of response to make an arbitration referral. A tied tenant receiving an MRO proposal will have three months to consider and negotiate it, and within seven days of the resolution period ending, the pub company can send an updated MRO proposal. The tied tenant can end the resolution period earlier by giving seven days’ notice, but it must last for at least 21 days, and a tied tenant has 21 days after the end of the updated response period to refer the proposal for arbitration or refer any dispute to an independent assessor. The comparison period for annual price increases that trigger the right to request an MRO and rent assessment will also change from 13 to 12 months, and pub companies will be required to give the pubs code adjudicator details of who they have sold any tied pub to so it can ensure the rights of tied tenants continue. In addition, the period for which pub companies come under the code’s regulation will be reduced to having 500 pubs or more for three months rather than six months.
Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a business that owns a number of leisure and entertainment venues across the UK and is seeking a head of entertainment. The individual will be responsible for creating and implementing the business strategy across the sites in order to drive brand awareness, guest experience and achieve pre-determined revenue targets. The ideal candidate will have a background in promoting products and entertainment programmes for multiple sites. A COREcruitment spokesman said: “We are seeking someone ambitious and creative who can think outside the box and is excited to be part of this fantastic brand.” This role is London based with hybrid working available and the salary starts at £55,000. For more information and to apply, email David@Corecruitment.com
Young’s adds award-winning Surrey Hills pub to estate: London pub operator Young’s has made a further addition to its premium managed pub portfolio, with the acquisition of the White Horse in the Surrey Hills, Propel has learned. The company has acquired the freehold of the multiple award-winning 16th century pub in the village of Hascombe. The company called it a “quintessential English country pub with charming interior and a capacious garden”. The pub was previously owned by Paul Morganti and his wife Sorrel. The acquisition of the White Horse follows Young’s purchase of seven pubs in total from the Cotswolds-based Lucky Onion Group; The Pheasant near Hungerford, Berkshire, from Jack Greenall, a scion of the Greenall Whitley brewing family; and The Bull at Ditchling, East Sussex, for an undisclosed sum.
Hopback Brewery forecasts challenging year ahead as trade polarises, fears lost customer base may prove permanent, turnover down but losses narrow: Salisbury-based brewer and retailer Hopback Brewery, which also operates nine pubs – mainly in the south and south west of England – has forecast a challenging year ahead as trade polarises. It has also reduced its losses, despite less turnover, by selling a pub and received £330,000 in government grants. In its accounts for the year ending 30 September 2021, Hopback reported turnover of £1.4m (down from £2.2m in 2020), but saw its pre-tax losses narrow from £182,000 in 2020 to £129,000. A statement accompanying the accounts said: “The directors consider this coming year could be a most challenging one for the sector. In common with many businesses, the main points of concern are inflation, leading to a squeeze in household incomes, and we are in a sector relying on discretionary spending. At the same time, the resultant increases in input prices for energy, raw materials and labour will make it all the more difficult to keep prices at the level which would attract the consumer. The way that pubs are assessed for business rates, relying on historical income that is unlikely to be reflected in present day trading, is another threat to the profitability of the hospitality sector. It also seems clear that not all of those who were prevented, during lockdown, from going to the pub, are coming back at present, and this trend may well prove permanent. This has resulted in a very polarised trade, with less demand for wet-led pubs, and some in city areas suffering from the increase in working from home, another trend which may persist.” As well as selling a pub and receiving rent support from landlords, the company took out a Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan, which meant it didn’t have to increase its borrowing. The company has also acquired a canning line to help extend its take-home offer and allow access to other outlets.
Prospect Pubs & Bars opens debut London site: Prospect Pubs & Bars, owned by Dan Shotton and Mark Draper, who sold Redcomb Pubs to Young’s in 2019, will open its debut London site today (Thursday, 24 March). The company is launching The Cambria in Camberwell, adding to the group’s five already trading sites. The lease of the Heineken-owned Star Pubs & Bars site was acquired by Shotton and Draper in November, and has since undergone a major £600,000-plus upgrade. The main bar has been enlarged, plus The Cambria now also benefits from a new, 70-cover garden room with retractable roof and sides. Outside, there’s a 40-cover enclosed garden, plus upstairs the private dining room has also been upgraded, with space for 40 seated diners, a private bar and bespoke menus. The food menu features a range of pub classics with the drinks offering including beer, cider, wine, spirits and cocktails, plus a selection of no and low-alcohol options. Draper said: “We’re delighted to bring this landmark south east London pub back into operation after being closed for more than two years, and to also be adding our first London pub to the Prospect portfolio.” Star Pubs & Bars business development manager, Colin Coogan, added: “We’re delighted to have co-invested with Prospect Pubs & Bars to create a fantastic neighbourhood pub. The Cambria has retained its character and individuality while improving its look and feel, broadening its appeal.” As previously reported, Prospect Pubs & Bars plans to increase its rate of openings to between five and seven sites annually from this year.
Gordon Ramsay Restaurants to open Street Burger site in Farringdon: Gordon Ramsay Restaurants is to add to its fast-growing Street Burger estate, with an opening in London’s Farringdon. Propel understands Street Burger is to take over the ex-Byron site in Cowcross Street for an opening later this spring. Ramsay is also understood to have also applied to take the ex-By Chloe site at One Tower Bridge for his fast-growing burger concept. Earlier this month, the company confirmed it is to open a site under its Street Burger concept in Edinburgh, as part of the St James Quarter scheme. It has secured a 5,600 square foot site across two floors of the development. The new site, the ninth under the brand, will feature a games lounge and DJ booth alongside a dining area.
Pret to open new sites in Luxembourg and Germany: Pret A Manger, the JAB Holdings-owned chain, is to further increase its presence in Europe with new openings in Luxembourg and Germany. The company will open its first Luxembourg outlet in the Royal-Hamilius complex in the summer. Before that it will open its first site in Frankfurt this spring, in the German city’s financial district. It has partnered with local business Shaffi Group to launch in Frankfurt. The Shaffi Group is one of the largest franchisees of Burger King in Germany with circa 40 sites in the south west of the country. The openings mark another step in Pret’s ambitious growth plans to double the size of its business through expansion into new regions and countries across the globe. Stéphane Klein, managing director at Pret A Manger Europe, said: “We are proud to open this first Pret shop in Frankfurt in partnership with Shaffi Group. The Shaffi family has a remarkable track record in our industry over the last 25 years and we share the same sense of people focus and quality customer experience, which is very important to us. Bringing Pret A Manger to more German customers is also exciting as we know their appetite for fresh and healthy food. I can promise that, together with Shaffi Group, we will give them the best of Pret.” Pret made its debut in Germany in 2018, when it opened a site in Berlin’s main station, under franchise with SSP.
Itsu appoints Greg Thorp as new chief financial officer: Itsu, the healthy Asian food chain, has appointed Greg Thorp, formerly of Pret A Manger, as its new chief financial officer. Thorp joins the Julian Metcalfe-founded business after more than 15 years with Pret where he was most recently group business partnering and development director. He also had stints as Pret’s US president, head of finance and financial controller. He joins as Itsu gears up to make its debut in Scotland on Friday (25 March) in Edinburgh’s St James Quarter. The opening in Edinburgh will be the second franchise site for the brand with Heart with Smarts. It will open a company-owned site in Woking at the start of April. Talking to Propel earlier this month, Metcalfe said the company’s sales were at last back to 2019 levels and he believes by June “the City will be rocking”. Metcalfe said the success of the group’s recent regional openings and the backing of Bridgepoint, which acquired 30% of the business from Ambrosia SPV last year, had given the company the confidence to commit to 25 new store openings this year and “also next year and the year after”. The company also has sites lined up in Hampstead and Bromley.
KFC further strengthens UK & Ireland management team with new CFO and CDO appointments: KFC UK & Ireland has further strengthened its management team with the appointment of Matthew McCormick as its new chief finance officer, and James Whitehorn, as its new chief development officer. McCormick, who has been the brand’s chief development officer for the past three years, replaces Chris Drew as chief financial officer. Drew recently left KFC UK & Ireland, to take up a global role with parent company Yum! Brands. McCormick previously spent more than seven years with Boston Consulting Group. Whitehorn has been with KFC since February 2018, and has been its commercial director for the past two years. Neil Piper, interim managing director of KFC UK & Ireland, said: “Matt moves into the chief financial officer role, having led record breaking new restaurant development results with his team and our franchisees as our chief development officer since 2019. James joins our leadership team having rapidly progressed through our commercial finance organisation, most recently stewarding strategy and performance as commercial director. Working closely with both Matt and with James is a privilege for us all; our entire organisation benefits from their partnership and impact for the continued growth of KFC.”
Albion & East to open Teatro Hall in Ealing next month: Albion & East, the Imbiba-backed, London-based bar business, is to open its sixth site next month at The Filmworks scheme in Ealing. The new 5,000 square foot site, which will open on Monday, 11 April, features the company’s signature “all-day and late-night offer”. Teatro Hall will have a coal-fired pizza oven, in-house baking and a new urban distillery and tasting room, where customers can create their own gin, bottle it and wax-seal with personalised labels. The tasting room will also host gin blending masterclasses, gin tastings and a bottle shop. Teatro Hall will serve coffee, brunch and hot-desking by day, and cocktails, events and DJs by night. Albion & East also operates Martello Hall in Hackney, Canova Hall & Cattivo in Brixton, Serata Hall in Old Street and Allora Hall in Crouch End. Sarah Weir, founder and managing director, said: “We are very proud to have created our new ‘Hall’ in such an iconic building in Ealing, the site of an old theatre and cinema, which has been empty for many years. With floor to ceiling windows, high ceilings, a large island bar and open kitchen with coal-fired pizza oven, it has a scale that is evocative of art deco buildings of old. To bring this building back to its former glory and provide an all-day hub for the local neighbourhood is exciting and we are looking forward to opening in Ealing.”
Chef Thomas Straker to launch debut restaurant this summer, former Acre project scrapped due to pandemic: Chef Thomas Straker, previously of Elystan Street and Casa Cruz, will open his debut restaurant, Strakers, in London’s Goldborne Road in June. A 40-cover restaurant with an open kitchen, Straker’s will see the chef “draw on more than a decade of experience in some of London’s best restaurants such as The Dorchester, Heston Blumenthal’s Dinner and Phil Howard’s Michelin-starred Elystan Street, to create a menu driven by quality produce”. Straker’s is a replacement project for the chef’s proposed Acre restaurant, which was due to open in Queen’s Park last year, but never got off the ground due to the pandemic, leading him to find a new site and tweak the concept. At Straker’s, the menu will be constantly evolving, with a mix of snacks, small and larger plates, with guests encouraged to “muck in and order for the table”. There will also be wine from France, Italy and Spain alongside contemporary classic cocktails on the drinks list. Straker said: “Straker’s has been a long time coming, and I couldn’t be more excited to finally open after years in the planning. For me, it’s all about using the best produce, so while the menu will be uncomplicated and unfussy, the techniques used in the kitchen have been carefully considered to really ensure each ingredient has its moment in the spotlight.” Having left the commercial kitchen scene to work as a private chef during the pandemic, Straker also used the lockdowns to create food and recipe content for his YouTube, Instagram and Tiktok platforms. Last year, he returned to the London restaurant scene for a sell-out residency at Marylebone pop-up Carousel, and in January, he opened content studio Bunka in West London to assist his social media showcasing.
Prison-themed immersive experience opens fourth site: Prison-themed immersive experience Alcotraz has opened its fourth site, in Liverpool. Combining premium cocktails with a theatrical storyline, Alcotraz sees guests become part of the story as they team up with a cast of actors to try to smuggle contraband liquor past the warden to the inmates, who then transform it into cocktails. Based in Liverpool’s Seel Street, the new experience is called Alcotraz: Cell Block Three-Six and comprises ten individual cells, accommodating 50 “inmates” for each experience. Created by Inventive Productions, Alcotraz first opened in London in 2017 and has since expanded to Manchester and Brighton. Sam Shearman, creator of Alcotraz and founder of Inventive Productions, said: “This new Liverpool site will see us experiment with really ambitious expansions to our unique storyline.”
KityCow founder Aaron Thomas to host long-term residency at Hackney Church Brew Co: Chef Aaron Thomas, who is behind Indo-Nepalese concept KityCow that featured on BBC show My Million Pound Menu, is to host a long-term residency at Hackney Church Brew Co in east London. Thomas, who was a semi-finalist on MasterChef: The Professionals in 2020, will be cooking up dishes at the brewpub in Bohemia Place from next month. Thomas began his career at Claridge’s in London before heading to Australia. On his return to the UK he went to work at London restaurants Picture and Perilla before appearing on My Million Pound Menu with business partner Joe Allen to showcase KityCow. Although the duo did not receive investment, they impressed judges Jamie Baber and Atul Kochhar, which led to a four-month residency at Barber’s Hush restaurant in Mayfair. When the residency ended, Thomas went to work for Kochhar at his Hawkyns restaurant in Amersham, Buckinghamshire. Hackney Church Brew Co managing director, Hamish Glenn said: “Aaron will be serving the best of British produce, locally sourced and sustainable where possible, using Indian flavours and inspiration alongside non-traditional ingredients and modern European cooking techniques, elevating dishes to fine dining standard. Aaron will be cooking his own food his own way for the first time and we’re excited for him to join us.”
Leeds Premier Inn sells for £16m in off-market deal, reports strong trading: London-based investment fund Mayfair Capital has acquired a Premier Inn hotel in Leeds for £16.08m, reflecting a net initial yield of 4% in an off-market deal. Mayfair made the purchase through its flagship fund, Property Income Trust for Charities (Pitch), from property investment company Town Centre Securities. The hotel was built in 2017 and is let to Premier Inn with a guarantee from its owner, Whitbread, until 2042, with indexed rent reviews. The asset includes 136 bedrooms over eight floors with a bar and restaurant on the ground floor. Since opening, the hotel has delivered strong trading results and has remained open throughout the pandemic. Hector Ahern, investment associate at Mayfair Capital, said: “After muted activity in the hotel sector during 2021, the outlook for long let hotels appears to be improving rapidly. As the largest operator with a strong balance sheet, Premier Inn has remained largely stable, with well-located assets and strong fundamentals. It remains the operator of choice for most institutional real estate investors.” Simon Martindale, Pitch fund director, added: “This asset is an excellent addition to the portfolio that increases the fund’s weighting to alternatives and provides secure and long income that will rise ahead of inflation. We expect the strong hotel fundamentals and thematic credentials of the asset to underpin performance during the hold period.”
Former MasterChef: The Professionals contestant makes restaurant debut: Chef Gavin Barnes, who made it into the last ten of the 2015 series of MasterChef: The Professionals, has made his restaurant debut. Barnes, who was most recently executive head chef at Brooklands Hotel in Weybridge and was also head chef at Gerard and Nina Basset's Hotel Terravina and Spot in the Woods, has taken on a former PizzaExpress unit at 68 High Street in Lymington, Hampshire. His restaurant, The High Street Kitchen is set over 2,660 square feet, with basement and ground floor restaurant areas offering seating for about 68 covers, plus a small rear courtyard terrace. Barnes said: “It has long been my dream to open a restaurant, and I am delighted to now have the opportunity to do so in my adopted home town of Lymington. The High Street Kitchen is built around the vision of a relaxed fine dining experience that champions the incredible seasonal produce available locally, supplemented by the finest ingredients from around the world. My dining style is based on simple food well cooked, so you can expect an honest and uncomplicated but perfectly crafted meal.” Savills advised landlord, the Whitelock Group, on the letting.
Salford hotel put on market for £8.5m by administrators: Boutique four-star Ainscow Hotel in Salford has been put on the market for £8.5m after its owners called in administrators. The hotel, which was founded by late property developer Carol Ainscow, is set in the former Brown Brothers brewery in Trinity Way. Artisan, the developer and operator of the Ainscow Hotel, appointed joint administrators Jimmy Saunders and Andrew Knowles, of Kroll Advisory, to Artisan H1, The Ainscow Hotel, Greyday, and Artisan Group Facilities Management in September 2021. They have now instructed Knight Frank as the sole selling agent for the sale of the hotel. The property was originally the home of The Watson & Woodhead Brewery in 1878, before it became a Mackie & Sons Fruit Preserves jam factory in 1972. The Artisan Property Group then purchased the property in 2003 and later converted the building into a hotel, which opened in 2014 following a major capital expenditure programme. The building comprises 87 rooms that are arranged over two floors and there are plans in place to create extra rooms including 99 apartments on the site. Matthew Smith, partner in Knight Frank’s hotels team, said the team expects to find a buyer soon given “the lack of hotels available for sale in the current market”.
Woking’s £700m regeneration scheme, including F&B concepts, officially opens, with new Superbowl and hotel to follow: Woking’s £700m town centre regeneration scheme Victoria Place, which includes food and beverage concepts such as Itsu, Gail’s and Komo, has officially opened. Anchoring the scheme is a new flagship 50,000 square-foot M&S store, which will include a bespoke bakery and cafe offering Fairtrade coffee. East Asian-inspired fast-food chain Itsu, artisan bakery Gail’s and independent cocktail bar Komo are all set to open next month. A new branch of Gym Group will also open in the scheme next month, followed this summer by a new 16-lane Superbowl in a 26,500 square-foot space that will also include a licensed food and beverage offer. The series of launches will culminate in November with the opening of a 22-storey, 189-bed four-star Hilton Hotel, which will house three independent dining concepts totalling almost 9,500 square feet. These will include a contemporary sky bar on the 22nd floor called Loft, providing views across London and Surrey. Hilton Woking will also house a 7,600 square feet of function areas and corporate meeting space.
Tipjar appoints Julian Ross as non-executive director: Cashless tipping platform Tipjar has appointed Julian Ross, chief executive of Wireless Social, as a non-executive director to help guide their team into the next stage of growth. Tipjar, co-founded by Brewdog Bars managing director James Brown, is on a global mission to bring “transparent, fair, and staff-controlled digital tipping to the hospitality industry”. Ross joins board members including Gary Dolman, co-founder of Monzo, and Simon Bocca, former chief operating officer of Fourth. Tipjar, which launched in 2019 and is now cleared by HM Revenue & Customs, is live in more than 2,000 venues across four countries, and has in excess of 20,000 users interacting with the platform. “Julian brings decades of diverse experiences both in the hospitality sector and otherwise, having already spent almost ten years as chief executive of Wireless Social,” said Brown. “We are already looking to Julian to support our sales effort, and to strengthen the personal growth of our teams, as well as the financial growth of our young business.” During his time at Wireless Social, which focuses on guest-driven Wi-Fi connectivity experiences for hospitality, Ross has helped the business expand into more than 600 brands, with in excess of 28 million guests interacting with the platform.
Ayrshire-based burger restaurant concept Meat in the Middle to open sixth site, five more planned this year: Ayrshire-based burger restaurant concept Meat in the Middle is to open its sixth site, in Ardrossan – with more to follow. The company will launch the restaurant in Princes Street in the next few weeks in the former Garfield’s Tapas and Wine Bar premises, which closed in April 2019. Meat in the Middle co-owner, Ross Gilmour, said he is keen to keep growing the business with plans for five new venues by the end of this year. He told the Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald: “It’s exciting times and it’s full steam ahead.” Meat in the Middle also has sites in Ayr, Falkirk, Irvine, Kilmarnock and Paisley, with a new site in Greenock due to follow soon.


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Several U.S. airlines are raising baggage fees for passengers, and some, including American Airlines, are offering customers lower prices if they pay in advance instead of at the airport.
Now, JetBlue is trying a new strategy: dynamic baggage pricing that charges passengers extra depending on the date.
For example, the airline offers a $10 discount on checked bags if customers choose to pay for checked bags online at least 24 hours before flight departure.
Related: Report: Airlines made $33 billion in profits last year from charging for checked baggage
In February, JetBlue increased the price of checked bags to $45 for the first checked bag and $60 for the second checked bag. These are the prices for all domestic Blue, Blue Basic and Blue Extra Tier tickets on dates that are considered 'off-peak'.
During peak season, the price of the first bag jumps to $50, and the price of the second bag jumps to $70.
Dynamic pricing applies to flights booked after March 22, 2024. Currently, 2024 and his 2025 peak dates are listed as follows: From June 20th to September 3rd. November 21st to December 2nd December 19th to January 6th. February 13th to February 24th. and from April 3rd to April 28th.
“Rising wages and rising fuel costs have significantly increased the cost of transporting baggage, and the company remains unprofitable since COVID-19,” a JetBlue spokesperson said. travel + leisure. “While we do not like the increase in fees, we are making these adjustments to return the company to profitability and cover our increased costs.”
Blue Plus, Mint and Mosaic 3-tier tickets include the first two checked bags in the ticket price.
Related: Baggage handlers share hacks to avoid baggage loss
The increase comes amid an industry trend of increasing checked baggage fees, with the world's top 20 airlines reportedly earning $33 billion in baggage fees in 2023 alone. Masu.
JetBlue was down just under 4% in a year as of Tuesday afternoon.

domain: news


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Just as the Project xCloud beta is preparing to reach even more areas, it’s adding a few new games from EA. The list of available titles ready for streaming from Microsoft’s cloud is already longer than you might think, and during the April 2020 Inside Xbox presentation, Microsoft announced that Dragon Age: Inquisition, The Sims 4 and Unravel Two are all joining the preview.
Right now players can try out the games on compatible Android devices, and manage their Sims or plow through Bioware’s RPG just as though they were playing on a full-fledged console. There’s still no word yet on when it will be ready for testing on other platforms, but at least there should be plenty of games to try when it is.
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Mr Khor Joo Heng, 60, was hurrying about his stuffy motor workshop in AutoCity at Sin Ming when he was asked what he would do if Singapore achieved its aim of phasing out internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles by 2040.
“Die lah,” he quickly told CNA without missing a step, shuffling from car to lorry wearing stained overalls with tools in hand.
Mr Khor is among a number of traditional motor workshop owners who said they would likely shut down if Singapore’s vehicle population becomes fully electric, attributing it to factors like advancing age and a potentially crippling lack of business.
In particular, the workshop owners pointed to how brand new electric vehicles (EVs) would come with extended warranty periods – longer than some ICE vehicles – and thus be exclusively maintained at authorised agents, ending their stream of customers.
And with no potential successors intending to enter what could be an increasingly niche and costly market, the workshop owners said they were only biding their time before retirement.
The Singapore Motor Workshop Association (SMWA) said about 50 to 60 percent of its roughly 2,000 members have indicated they could shut down once EVs fully roll out.
“Either they stop business or they diversify,” its president Mike Keh told CNA, explaining that this includes shifting to EV maintenance or other areas like body work. Right now, most of the workshops are run by first-generation owners. They are old already, with no second generation to take over. So, they got no choice. They have to close.”
Many of these traditional workshops specialise solely in servicing ICE vehicles, which require a number of maintenance tasks at various age or mileage milestones in their lifetime. EVs, on the other hand, require significantly less maintenance as they do not have an engine and thus have fewer moving parts.
“For ICE cars you have to change engine oil and other minor things, mostly on the mechanical parts in the engine,” Mr Keh added. “Whereas for EVs there’s totally nothing you can do, other than checking the battery health and how much they are in working condition.”
Electric Vehicles On The Rise
The plan to phase out ICE vehicles was first unveiled during Budget 2020, when then-Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat announced that all vehicles should run on cleaner energy by 2040 in a bid to cut emissions.
While Mr Heng mentioned cleaner alternatives like hybrids and EVs, it should be noted that hybrid vehicles are still powered by ICEs with batteries that cannot be charged externally. In February 2021, the Government launched the Singapore Green Plan 2030, aiming to achieve its long-term net-zero emissions goal “as soon as viable”.
This includes “a strong push to electrify our vehicle population”, supported by a campaign to raise awareness of EVs, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said on its website.
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Facebook’s stepping into the world of virtual reality.
The company announced on Tuesday afternoon it had acquired Oculus VR, a company paving new roads in the world of virtual reality technology, for $2 billion.
Oculus VR’s flagship product is the virtual reality goggles known as the Oculus Rift, which was first funded through a massively successful Kickstarter campaign. It has already received more than 75,000 orders for development kits.
Here’s a statement below from Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg:
[fb_embed_post href=”https://www.facebook.com/zuck/posts/10101319050523971?stream_ref=10/” width=”null”/]
Earhustle411 will keep you updated as this story develops
Source: Huffington Post


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An increase in rail freight collection, higher goods and services tax mop-up, rise in power demand and improved FDI inflows indicate that the economy was doing better, said Union Minister
New Delhi: The pandemic-hit economy is coming back on rails at “more speed than expected”, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar on Wednesday said citing factors like increased demand of power and higher GST collections.
An increase in rail freight collection, higher goods and services tax mop-up, rise in power demand and improved FDI inflows indicate that the economy was doing better in the second quarter of the current financial year, he said. “…economy is coming on track at more speed than expected,” the information and broadcasting minister said while briefing reporters after a cabinet meeting here.
The increase in power demand was despite lesser consumption by the agriculture sector due to good rains and railways, which is not yet fully operational, Javadekar said. “Despite these two facts, 12 per cent increase in power indicates a complete return to normalcy in the production sector,” he added.
The economy has dropped by a historic 23.9 per cent in the April-June quarter on account of the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown to check the spread of coronavirus. The RBI too has projected a contraction of 9.5 per cent in the current fiscal. On Tuesday, Finance Secretary Tarun Bajaj too had said the Indian economy is recovering fast and will soon be back on rails as all parameters have started showing improvement.
The GST collection has touched Rs 1.05 lakh crore, almost 10 per cent higher year-on-year. E-way bills (GST) have gone up almost 19 per cent in October and valued at 16.82 lakh crore. The railway freight was up by 15.5 per cent in September and almost 14 per cent in October. The foreign direct investment during April-August was $35.73 billion.
The economic activity was hit severely following a strict countrywide lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus in March. Since then the country has witnessed gradual unlocking and the economic activities have started picking up.


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A pioneer in open finance headquartered in Milan, Italy, Fabrick helps banks and third-party solution providers connect and innovate together.
With Axway’s Amplify API Management Platform, the open finance service provider goes beyond regulatory compliance to harness new data-driven services. Discover how Fabrick and Axway together are lifting the speed, convenience, and security of the customer experience to new heights.
Europe sets the scene for open banking
In 2017, the EU’s European Commission launched the second Revised Payment Services Directive (PSD2) to regulate payment and service providers all over the EU and European Economic Area. The move was a shock to the system for many well-established banks in Europe and had ripple effects globally.
What is PSD2? It aims to create a more cohesive European payments market and add equivalent rules between banks and fintechs to set a level playing field. It also helps build a safer payment system that’s more secure for customers in the long run.
Effectively, it means some of the biggest banks globally have to securely open up their data, notably via APIs. For consumers, this means changes in the ways we use and move our money around.
Seeing regulation as an opportunity to lead on innovation
A number of established banking institutions saw PSD2 as a threat, worried about losing their customer relationships or having to rethink their business models. Others saw it as an opportunity to transform the financial landscape for the better.
Fabrick sits solidly in the latter camp, jumping at the chance to not just comply with regulation, but also take steps to harness new data-driven services to build collaborative offerings. Fabrick sees Open Finance as an evolution of open banking combined with Open Payments.
For Axway’s experts, it’s clear that PSD2 is just the first step. As Axway Catalyst, Emmanuel Methivier wrote:
“[PSD2] has enabled financial institutions to understand that open banking, imposed by the regulator, is not a source of risk. We now need to initiate a second stage in the project, which will lead the banks to embrace the business opportunity that these new distribution channels (APIs) can present. Banks still need to understand the benefits of embracing this new distribution channel by offering a complete opening of their services in the form of an Open API,” added Methivier.
Giulio Rattone, Chief Information Officer at Fabrick, explains that the financial services provider had an opportunity: Traditional banking revenues were in a steady decline, and new challenger banks were disrupting established players by differentiating themselves through seamless, personalized, and highly responsive customer experiences.
“We saw the chance to do something unique: create a space where banks, Fintechs, and businesses could discover, collaborate and co-create innovative solutions for their customers,” said Rattone.
Protecting mission-critical financial data, cost-effectively
Fabrick chose to build its new open finance platform on Axway’s Amplify API Management, an open platform that automates the discovery, reuse, and governance of APIs.
The financial services industry is highly regulated, and a company like Fabrick can’t afford even a minute of unplanned downtime for its new ecosystem. Amplify provides bulletproof security, stability, and high-availability capabilities.
Flexibility and scalability were also crucial to achieving Fabrick’s long-term ambition to become Europe’s leading open ecosystem of financial services.
Supporting dramatic growth and strong partnerships
One strong indicator of the company’s success is the fact that many organizations arrive on the platform as consumers of APIs and become producers publishing their own services on Fabrick’s ecosystem.
Today, Amplify is at the heart of Fabrick’s rapidly growing open finance ecosystem, and Axway continues to provide support and guidance as needed to support the partnership.
Fabrick has over 250 partners, using 500 APIs to deliver 16 data-driven services: from PSD2 compliance solutions for banks to banking-as-a-service offerings for Fintechs.
“In one year, our API calls grew from one million transactions per month to one million per day — and our API volumes are growing by a factor of ten year-on-year,” concluded Rattone.
“Amplify API Management Platform gives us the security, scalability, and cost-efficiency to expand our open ecosystem across Italy and beyond, and we’re excited to continue our work with Axway as we bring service innovation to stakeholders across Europe.”
Read more about how Fabrick and Axway collaborated for a great success story.


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Modern media is a funny thing. In the same month that Buzzfeed, Verizon Media, and vice media saw massive layoffs, the Washington Post splurged $10m on a Super Bowl ad. So what is the future of journalism?
The Digital Model
A big reason digital-first companies like Buzzfeed and Vice saw huge success early on was the business model. It was dynamic, adaptable and scalable for the modern web. However, as recent trends show, the model is flawed. Today, it is common knowledge that advertising revenue lives and dies on platforms such as Google and Facebook; there is just not enough competition for everyone to have a slice of the pie.
— OpinionPanel (@OpinionPanelC) March 29, 2019
The notion that journalists are losing their jobs because of the apparent ‘decaying quality’ of journalism could not be further from the truth. As we have seen with Trump, the sharp rise in right-wing rhetoric today is calling for a kind of censorship that is not overt, but covert. The press is muzzled, facts are hidden, and it is becoming harder and harder to determine the truth. The rush to be the first to report is causing a decay in the need to fact-check. Most stories will have some semblance of the truth, just not the whole picture.
Attacking the press for this is not a fair solution; it is worth remembering that there is no supply without demand. Our need for instant gratification is forcing organisations to take the fast lane, and the high competition has created a situation where if you are not first, you lose.
Bring on the Paywall
News outlets are facing a cash crisis and there appear to be 2 main solutions. The first is to set up a paywall. Short term, it will surely have consumers reeling, but it is a necessary step. A guaranteed source of income creates greater stability, a greater sense of purpose and encourages loyalty. Secondly, smaller companies need to come together to create their own platform, offering access to all articles and content at a single price. Think of the streaming service industry (Netflix, Prime, Hulu). They’re not only able to hold their own but are enabling other platforms to pop up and keep the industry competitive.
Yes, I am sure even this is riddled with issues, but this business model seems to be a good step to counter the likes of Facebook and Google, who simply cannot compete because they do not produce their own content. If Vice, Vox, Buzzfeed and HuffPost got together to create their own paid platform, one way or another, users would pay and there would be a guaranteed income. Taking content off YouTube and Facebook may seem counter-productive, but it will only push their own platforms. It is critical here that multiple platforms exist, each offering its own niche services to keep the playing field open.
Managing the Monopolies
Another critical step is action by lawmakers, it is imperative that all over the world, governments step in and regulate how much a company can control the internet. With data clearly the new gold rush, it is critical that Google, Facebook, and Amazon have their wings clipped. They own too much of the internet and are clearly operating a monopoly. Laws have to be enacted to protect the smaller players, or else it will be game over.
Even after so many years, papers like The Guardian and Washington Post exist despite declining sales simply because of loyalty and their ability to navigate the ever-changing media landscape. Buzzfeed and Vox can do the same if they go out on a limb and dare to be different. It’s not about ad dollars anymore, but about trust and faith.
That is the true value of journalism.


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There are over 6,000 disc golf courses scattered across the US today, an enormous number for a niche activity. Craft brewing has seen a similar explosion, so it should come as no surprise that there has been a convergence of these two interests.
A far cry from the hokey corporate bars that market themselves with surfboards and beach themes, authentic surf culture has shaped a growing number of breweries across the country—from the company ethos to the beers themselves.
As smaller, independent breweries have steadily chipped away at the market share held by larger national or multinational competition, they’ve also found ways to move into spaces formerly controlled by Big Beer—like Major League stadiums.
California’s Mraz Brewing Co. is putting its weight behind an initiative to expand the trails of El Dorado Hills, right in the brewery’s backyard. The partnership is just one example of a flurry of likeminded ventures between the beer world and nature trail enthusiasts.
Chris Ray and his brother Phil parted ways with their former careers and opened Center of the Universe in November 2012. Knowing that a beer means more to consumers if it comes with a great story, they wanted to put theirs right on the can: Chris was a Major League Baseball pitcher and Phil was a NASA engineer.
Craft brewers debate proposed tax breaks; arsenic detected in some beers found to be result of filtering process; Brazilian beer-flavored ice cream causes a stir; action sports athletes open Saint Archer Brewery; and Dixie Brewing fighting federal government for its fair share.
Many bar owners and managers say the decision whether or not to have a television in their beer-centric business is a highly conscious one. From sports fans who’ve discovered they like craft beer to purists who prefer pixel-free bars, the options are certainly becoming more varied.
In recent years, running and craft beer have buddied up. Running and drinking beer, one a presumed healthy activity and the other a presumed unhealthy one, have begun to coexist in some interesting ways.
Churchkey Can Company ressurrects the flat-top steel can; interstate brewery expansions loom; study finds two drinks a day could be a life saver; Heineken bans branding of local brews during London 2012 Olympics; and new beer laws passed in Indiana and Georgia.
Fortunately, there are a lot of crisp, greasy snacks that pair very well with winter beers. And suppose you don’t go for dark ales at all—most of the usual suspects on the basic bar menu are designed to go with lighter, bubblier beer.
Adverse growing conditions impact the Canadian barley crop; archaeological site provides oldest evidence of brewing in France; non-alcoholic Weissbier’s health benefits; New Century Brewing closes; and Charles Koch Jr. passes away at 88.
The price of gas is soaring, and the warmer weather is encouraging you to get more exercise. Geoffrey Franklin was inspired by two of his favorite things—bikes and beers—to create three items that help the biking beer aficionado get from point A to point B.
For some, tailgating is a chance to catch up with old friends, show off homebrew and try new beers. For others, it’s a party to celebrate the return of football season and a perfect excuse to drink a locally brewed favorite.


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Hom Furniture will become a key presence at the Shingle Creek Crossing retail center in Brooklyn Center.
Under the proposal from shopping center owner Gatlin Development and Hom, the Coon Rapids-based furniture retailer will purchase, rehabilitate and add onto the shuttered former Kohl’s Department Store along Bass Lake Road, originally built in 1987 next to the then-Brookdale Mall.
The 75,000-square-foot store was closed in 2014 as Kohl’s moved to a new location in Plymouth. That left a gap in the center’s redevelopment plan, which calls for reusing the building rather than razing it.
A pitch from another developer last year to turn the sprawling space into a self-storage facility was rejected by city leaders. Hom’s plans call for a two-story, 24,000-square-foot addition on the building’s west side. The addition’s first floor will be used as multitenant retail space, while 12,000 square feet on the upper floor will extend its new store.
Hom will remodel all of the interior areas and modify most of its exterior.
Hom acquired the development rights to a neighboring building pad site from Gatlin and is planning a three-story, 48,000-square-foot structure there, most likely to be a medical office building.
Address: 2501 County Road 10 (Bass Lake Road), Brooklyn Center
Addition size: 24,622 square feet
Landowner: Gatlin Development Co.
Developer: Hom Furniture
Architect: Archnet USA


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Hearst Magazines has announced it has adopted LiveRamp’s Authenticated Traffic Solution across all 25 of its U.S. brands, including Elle, Esquire, Good Housekeeping, and others. Hearst Magazines, one of the largest publishers of magazine media, reaches 165 million readers and site visitors in the U.S. each month across its print and digital assets. As a result of the integration, brands will be able to buy authenticated ad inventory directly from Hearst Magazines without relying on third-party identifiers such as third-party cookies, mobile ad IDs, or IP addresses.
The move is significant, coming at a time when no single identity solution has yet emerged as the victor for when third-party cookies are sunsetted at the tail end of 2023. The announcement also further highlights the difference in strategy between U.S. publishers – who favour authenticated IDs – and European publishers who prefer random IDs and first-party cookies. This is underlined by the fact that LiveRamp’s deal is with Hearst’s U.S. magazine portfolio only.
While authenticated IDs (a group of users that have gone through some sort of validation process e.g. email address) can carry more data, they don’t scale as well as first-party cookies – only a small percentage of the internet occurs behind logins. They also don’t provide additional functionality such as frequency capping, profiling, reporting, etc. However, for many large publishers already using log-ins or verification processes to identify their audience, authenticated IDs make sense.
An independent study conducted by Forrester Consulting for LiveRamp, recently concluded that a composite marketer using LiveRamp’s cookieless solution was able to achieve an ROI of 343%, and over $1.4M in incremental return on ad spend (ROAS). Cost savings totaling nearly $1 million were also realized.
We’re seeing marketers achieve incredible results – including 2x return on ad spend, 20%+ increases in reach, and 37% better conversion rates. Sophisticated publishers, like Hearst Magazines, recognize this tremendous opportunity, and are embracing the creation of a new ecosystem built on trust and transparency with consumers.Scott Howe, CEO, LiveRamp
However, in an interview for WNIP’s report on the issue last year, BlueConic’s COO, Cory Munchbach, said that many publishers are still overwhelmed with identity options and warned that many solutions “are merely third-party cookies in another ID’s clothing. To future-proof revenue and customer trust, companies need to take back control of their data and build closer connections with their customers using first-party assets.”


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Sono Motors wants to go public
According to a media report, the start-up needs more money to produce its solar cars. An IPO should bring fresh capital.
Already at the beginning of next year, the Munich-based start-up Sono Motors wants to go public in the USA. This was reported by Manager Magazin. Then the latest prototype will be presented. Sono Motors wants to deliver the first solar-powered cars from 2022, 12,000 "Sions" have already been reserved by customers.
The start-up company needs a total of 200 million euros until market launch. A year ago, Sono Motors already received millions through crowdfunding. Another 50 million were collected in January through down payments of already reserved cars. The IPO is now expected to put additional money in the till.
Sono Motors wants to build the Sion in Sweden. The car will be solar-powered, and customers will be able to drive 255 kilometres with it. The solar cells can produce electricity every day for an additional 34 kilometers of range. The 163 hp car will cost 25,500 euros. In total, the start-up company wants to build almost 260,000 cars.
Startups, Stories und Statistiken direkt in dein Postfach. Mit 2 Klicks abonnieren. Noice.LinkedIn Connect


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Twitter has tons of potential and that can only be unlocked with a full-time CEO, SQFT aims to reduce agent costs to only 2%, Taylor Swift and Apple harmonize over Apple Music, Google and Tidal try to keep up, Pando become subscription based, Facebook Messenger doesn’t require a Facebook account, Uber is driver France crazy, 360Fly wants to capture the VR recording market, and Swarm mayors are in the house again.
This week we talk about…
Google playing with photos (see image above), E3 where Microsoft and Sony show off all sorts of cool goodies, the future of virtual reality from Oculus, Valve & Starbreeze, Nintendo level maker and MarI/O, the death of the Mac, the possibilities of WebAssembly, Apple Music and TSwift, and finally Uber’s employees of the California Labor Commission.
It sounds like Jurassic World is pretty good and will hold the open weekend box office record until December. We also talked about the the impact of the World’s Fair on your life, Apple’s numerous announcements: El Capitan, Siri, Swift 2, watchOS 2, Music, News, and more. Oculus announced their consumer hardware which will work with Windows 10 and Xbox One. Finally Dick Costolo is out of Twitter and Jack Dorsey will be taking over.
Jurassic World is upon us! But first, let’s tweet about it.
Google Photos puts together some strange albums, The World Video Game Hall of Fame includes some great titles, Swift is a year old, Chris Sacca believes in Twitter, The Button is done, Google will start reprint accidents, Windows is coming next month, LEGO is going to take on Minecraft, Netflix will start showing ads, Apple Watch has a heart rate problem, ThunderBolt gets a USB-C plug, TechCrunch is changing hands again, and Yahoo is killing off properties nobody cares about.
James celebrates the birth of his new daughter: Elinor. Thankfully she manages to be quiet the entire episode. Speaking of this episode, we talk about:
Vox buying Re/Code, Jony Ives moving up the ladder and doing less, Minecraft’s massive size, Google I/O: Photos, Pay, M, Now on Tap, Brillo/Weave, Jacquard, Soli, Ara, and Vault. We also talk about Mary Meeker’s Internet Trends Report, Snapchat’s something or other, and Facebook becoming a bank.
James makes all sorts of confessions this episode, but we’re not here to talk about that. Instead, we talk about Tomorrowland, the Apple TV, Automatic, Pebble, Ossur’s IMES, Caltech’s bionic arms, the Lime Equation, crowd sources timelapse videos, Apple Maps, Oculus, Google+ Photos, Medium eBooks, Hycopter and Aria.
We talk about four stories this week. That’s right. Just four.
First, Google has an image problem which is going to cause them problems with their self-driving car program. Second, Nasdaq is going to be implementing the blockchain on their private equities market. Third, Verizon is buying AOL. Nobody should care, be we all really do. Fourth, Facebook announces Instant Articles in an attempt to speed up the internet by making links native.
An online acquaintance is a ecquaintance. Get it?
This week we talk about Nucleus Scientific and their battery disruption, Selequity’s service to make funding real estate deals easier, Facebook’s Internet.org, Nintendo’s profitability, Keurigs pouring out of customer satisfaction, Fitbit’s statement to IPO, Oculus Rift’s pressure to ship, and how Showcard is using the Blockchain to store your identity.
This week we focus on Microsoft and their announcements at their Build Conference. In short: Continuum looks great, .NET aims to kill Java and Oracle, HoloLens to coming along just fine and Microsoft still doesn’t know how old you are.
We also chat about the Avengers (of course), the EM Drive, Facebook’s video chat feature, and Tesla’s home battery.
The Spanish city of Jun using Twitter to run its government, Matthew got an Apple Watch, Google experiments with cell networks with Project Fi, BWM is selling a car that parks itself, Elon Must almost sold Tesla to Google, Central Japan Railway breaks a speed record at 603km/h, Cedar Fair’s new roller coaster Fury is decided to scare us, Apple haptic are going to become more life like, the Chevrolet-FNR looks cool but isn’t real, and Twitter is getting more into the messaging space.


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What the business team has on its mind this Friday morning. Good morning!
Dallas weather: Windy with some clouds and a high of 73°. Partly cloudy tonight, low near 63°.
Dallas stocks: Follow the numbers of the top D-FW stocks with our live ticker.
Talks with Japan
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and U.S. President Donald Trump will meet in Washington today, and both can brag about strong economic markets.
The Associated Press reports that Asian shares rose to the highest level since July 2015, following U.S. stocks' climb to record highs after President Donald Trump said he plans to overhaul business taxes.
"Stocks advanced in nearly all Asia-Pacific markets following Trump's pledge that a 'phenomenal' plan to overhaul business taxes will be released within weeks."
Strike may be coming for AT&T
The Communications Workers of America union, which is negotiating on behalf of about 21,000 AT&T wireless employees nationwide, voted to authorize a work stoppage with 93 percent in favor, reports The Associated Press.
The union's main point of contention is job security. A spokesperson said the CWA is negotiating to ensure workers in AT&T's U.S. call centers aren't replaced by staff overseas. The union will hold rallies in 35 cities while negotiations continue.
Southwest employees' bank accounts to soar
Need to boost morale? Southwest Airlines has gotten this thing down, but it can be a little costly if you aren't coming off the year the Dallas-based carrier is. Our Conor Shine wrote one of our most popular stories Thursday, reporting what employees will get at Southwest in the 43rd consecutive year of profit-sharing.
"Southwest's nearly 54,000 employees will share in a $586 million payout, just off the record $620 million the carrier doled out last year. Southwest reported a record 2016 profit of $2.24 billion. This year's profit-sharing payment translates to about 13.2 percent additional pay for each Southwest employee."
Pizza Hut wants to remind you it's easy
When the numbers came out at Yum Brands Inc., the fourth quarter of 2016 proved that Pizza Hut didn't deliver for its parent company. But Pizza Hut does deliver, it's just that not enough consumers noticed, according to an Associated Press report.
"Part of the problem is that people increasingly prize convenience, and chains such as Starbucks have sought to increase sales by making it easier to place orders on mobile phones or online. Pizza Hut's rival Domino's has steadily increased sales by making it easier to order with new technologies."
Neiman Marcus gets some bad news
S&P Global Ratings downgraded the credit rating for Dallas-based retailer Neiman Marcus, saying Thursday that the retailer's current heavy debt load is unsustainable unless the weak outlook for the luxury department store improves, writes our Maria Halkias.
"While leading the luxury sector, Neiman Marcus still faces issues that are hurting the industry across the board."
May your day and weekend be delightful.


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State by State: Vietnam and Illinois Trade
As the 5th most populous state in the U.S, Illinois is the economic engine of the Midwest region and a hub for global commerce. The state owns the third largest intermodal port in the world, after Hong Kong and Singapore. As the state of innovation, Illinois is home to 32 Fortune 500 companies, involved in everything from agribusiness to life sciences, aerospace and financial services. In 2013, the GDP of Illinois was US$720.7 billion and ranked 5th in the U.S.
Vietnamese Exports Leading The Way
Imports from Vietnam to Illinois shot up 70 percent from 2013 to 2014, reaching a total of US$2.32 billion and making Vietnam the eighth most important exporter to Illinois by value. This figure, over five times the level of imports in 2011, represents a booming interest in Illinois for Vietnamese products, and exceeds the already impressive growth of Vietnamese imports to the United States – U.S. goods imports increased 21.6 percent from 2012 to 2013. In comparison, Illinois’ exports to the entire ASEAN region, in which Vietnam is a constituent member state, reached US$2.6 billion in 2013. The balance is clearly in Vietnam’s favor.
With the Trans-Pacific Partnership under negotiation, Illinois is posed to continue receiving a wave of Vietnamese exports. As the U.S. remains Vietnam’s top textiles export market, Vietnam is set to benefit from a reduction in U.S. tariffs on man made fiber shirts, which faced an average rate of 32 percent in 2013, and women’s synthetic fiber pants, which had an average 27.1 percent rate. In 2014, Vietnam was the origin of 9.3 percent of the U.S.’ textile imports, almost half of the ASEAN total.
The benefits of trade relations are of course not all one-way: Illinois’ top exports to ASEAN are agriculture and related products, reaching $0.7 billion in 2013. These could also benefit from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, as average tariffs on corn imports from the US were 30 percent in 2012, and tariffs on frozen beef were 15 percent.
Low labor costs, deep water ports and transportation infrastructure bring Vietnam-manufactured products from the factory floor to an Illinois door in a matter of weeks. The development of this infrastructure does not only benefit Illinois firms using it to extract products from Vietnam, but also Illinois companies involved in infrastructure development. This includes the Illinois-based global giant Caterpillar, which distributes its machinery in Vietnam through Phu Thai Industries.
High-Level Strategic Partnership
The success of the bilateral relationship has caught the eye of policymakers. In May 2013, Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Cuong paid a working visit to Missouri and Illinois to promote ties between Vietnam and the Mid-west of the U.S. The Ambassador conveyed a message on great potentials for solidifying U.S.-Vietnam ties, particularly in economic, trade and investment cooperation as Vietnam and the U.S. negotiate the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
How to Make the Most of Vietnam
For Illinois firms to take advantage of Vietnam as a source of imports to the home state, a local presence is advisable.
The Representative Office approach gives the presence necessary for supervising distribution lines and product quality control, and is best for those needing a presence for conducting marketing activities on behalf of the parent company. For those who would be directly involved in the import and export of goods, and potentially distribution within Vietnam, a Trading Company is the way to go. As the establishment procedures can take several months, and granting of the necessary investment certificate and distribution license is not guaranteed, it pays to have local experts guide you through the process.
Asia Briefing Ltd. is a subsidiary of Dezan Shira & Associates. Dezan Shira is a specialist foreign direct investment practice, providing corporate establishment, business advisory, tax advisory and compliance, accounting, payroll, due diligence and financial review services to multinationals investing in China, Hong Kong, India, Vietnam, Singapore and the rest of ASEAN. For further information, please email email@example.com or visit www.dezshira.com.
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Import and Export: A Guide to Trade in Vietnam
In this issue of Vietnam Briefing Magazine, we provide you with a clear understanding of the current business trends related to trade in Vietnam, as well as explaining how to set up your trading business in the country. We also attempt to give perspective on what will be Vietnam’s place in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2015, and look at some of the country’s key import and export regulations.
Using Vietnam’s Free Trade & Double Tax Agreements
In this issue of Vietnam Briefing we explore how Vietnam’s Free Trade Agreements – and especially those via its membership in ASEAN – will affect foreign investment into Vietnam. We also go a step further and examine the specific, bilateral Double Tax Agreements that Vietnam has enacted, and how these can be further used to minimize profits and withholding taxes that would otherwise be levied upon foreign investors.
Developing Your Sourcing Strategy for Vietnam In this issue of Vietnam Briefing Magazine, we outline the various sourcing models available for foreign investors – representative offices, service companies and trading companies – and discuss how to decide which structure best suits the sourcing needs of your business.
- Previous Article What Does the Eurasian Economic Union-Vietnam FTA Mean for Your Business?
- Next Article The Cost of Business in Vietnam Compared With China


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"There's probably more to come" in the Google-Dell partnership, Google chief executive Eric Schmidt told investors at a Goldman Sachs & Co. Internet conference. "This is the first" of several agreements.
The companies will share revenue from the tie-up, but Schmidt and Dell spokesman Jess Blackburn declined to give details.
"We're doing this because we feel the tools will help the customers search and organize digital information quickly and easily right out of the box," Blackburn said.
Dell will start selling Google-equipped PCs to consumers and small and mid-sized businesses by the end of this month, Blackburn said. The systems will also be offered to some large corporate customers.
Google and Dell in February said they had begun to test incorporating Google's software package, which would allow PC customers to search both the public Web and information stored on their computers.
At the time, Dell and Google were reported to be in talks to install the software on as many as 100 million new Dell PCs, following a bidding process in which Google edged out Microsoft, the world's biggest software maker, and after Web search rival Yahoo withdrew.
A large-scale agreement with the world's No. 1 PC maker would be a major coup for Google. A decade ago, Microsoft used its leverage over PC makers to control which software came installed in new computers, betting that customers rarely bothered to replace many of those programs.
Dell, whose growth has slowed for the past year as competitors reduced prices, stands to benefit by aligning itself with the Internet's most popular search engine.
The company last week announced it would equip some high-end corporate server computers with microchips from Advanced Micro Devices Inc. AMD, whose advanced processors have been gaining in popularity at the expense of industry leader Intel, previously Dell's sole chip supplier.
Dell, led by Chief Executive Kevin Rollins, has been trying to enhance its image by buying and selling more consumer electronics such as wide-screen televisions, buying Alienware, a seller of high-powered gaming PCs, and opening two storefront outlets to showcase its products.


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Ahead of the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics, All Nippon Airways (ANA) unveiled a new livery and slogan to celebrate people and the Games.
While many travellers are familiar with the inner workings of Lufthansa’s Miles and More™ program, many do not know much about the additional Status Stars™ tiers they can earn and the marketing genius behind an airline’s goal to build more loyalty.
British Airways cancelled all flights to/from London Heathrow Airport (LHR) and London Gatwick Airport (LGW) today due to an IT system failure.
Finnair Celebrates Finland’s 100 Years of Independence With Specialty MealsX ADCHOICES IDENTIFIED Ahead of Finland’s upcoming centennial anniversary, its national airline Finnair is celebrating the occasion by launching three new in-flight meal collaborations with ELO Foundation. Finnair and ELO Foundation Partnership The ELO Foundation is a non-profit organization established in 2009 that is known […]
Turkish Airlines is the official airline partner of Warner Bros Pictures’ Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
ANA All Nippon Airways (ANA) introduced more Star Wars themed jets and initial routes at a conference on August 18, 2015 at the ANA Intercontinental Hotel in Tokyo, Japan).
In a unique marketing twist, Delta Air Lines sells very limited edition gift cards at an online retailer.
Cathay Pacific Airways (CX) unveiled its new logo back in late 2014 (News – October 24, 2014). While the new branding has been deployed in many airports and social media properties for the past year, planes have not been converted. This changed with the unveil of its latest delivery of Boeing 777-300ER.
All Nippon Airways (ANA) is the latest to announce a partnership with a luxury vehicle manufacturer to transfer its premium class passengers within the airport. In this post, Experience The Skies look into the effectiveness of airlines maximizing value from co-branding with luxury vehicle partnerships.
All Nippon Airways released the first pictures of the new Star Wards themed aircraft’s interior ahead of its commercial operation on Sunday, October 18, 2015.


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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services said Tuesday will begin taking applications for “microbusiness” licenses July 27.
Amendment 3 — which voters passed in November 2022, legalizing recreational marijuana in the state — requires Missouri to begin issuing small-business licenses for retail sales and wholesale production by September.
RELATED COVERAGE | Marijuana in Missouri
To meet that deadline, state officials will open the application process from July 27 to Aug. 10, 2023.
Forms and instructions on how those interested in starting a new dispensary or wholesale facility will be available by June 6.
There will be six licenses issued in each of Missouri’s eight congressional districts, two dispensaries and four for wholesale, via random lottery in October 2023. The Missouri Lottery will conduct the drawing, according to DHSS.
The microbusiness licenses “are designed to allow marginalized or under-represented individuals to participate in the legal marijuana market,” DHSS said.
Dispensaries sell products to consumers, while wholesale facilities cultivate and manufacture marijuana or marijuana-infused products.
Only one submission from an individual or entity is allowed per drawing.


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When Stripe introduced earlier this year that it had picked up one other $600 million in funding, it mentioned one huge cause for the funding was to increase its API-based funds companies into extra geographies. In the present day the corporate is coming good on that plan within the type of some M&A.
Stripe is buying Paystack, a startup out of Lagos, Nigeria that, like Stripe, supplies a fast method to combine funds companies into a web-based or offline transaction by means of an API. (We and others have referred to it previously as “the Stripe of Africa.”)
Paystack at the moment has round 60,000 clients, together with small companies, bigger corporates, fintechs, instructional establishments, and on-line betting firms, and the plan might be for it to proceed working independently, the businesses mentioned.
Phrases of the deal should not being disclosed however sources near it affirm that it’s over $200 million. That makes this the largest startup acquisition so far to come back out of Nigeria, in addition to Stripe’s greatest acquisition so far anyplace. (Sendwave, acquired by WorldRemit in a $500 million deal in August, relies out of Kenya.)
It’s additionally a notable shift in Stripe’s technique because it continues to mature: usually, it has solely acquired smaller firms to increase its know-how stack, somewhat than its world footprint.
The deal underscores two fascinating factors about Stripe, now valued at $36 billion and usually tipped as an IPO candidate (be aware: it has by no means commented on these plans to date). First is how it’s doubling down on geographic growth: even earlier than this information, it had added 17 extra international locations to its platform within the final 18 months, together with progressive feature expansion. And second is how Stripe is placing a guess on the rising markets of Africa particularly in the way forward for its personal development.
“There may be monumental alternative,” mentioned Patrick Collison, Stripe’s co-founder and CEO, in an interview with PJDM. “In absolute numbers, Africa could also be smaller proper now than different areas, however on-line commerce will develop about 30% yearly. And even with wider world declines, internet buyers are rising twice as quick. Stripe thinks on an extended time horizon than others as a result of we’re an infrastructure firm. We’re considering of what the world will appear like in 2040-2050.”
For Paystack, the deal will give the corporate much more gas (that’s, funding) to construct out additional in Nigeria and increase to different markets, CEO Shola Akinlade mentioned in an interview.
“Paystack was not on the market when Stripe approached us,” mentioned Akinlade, who co-founded the corporate with Ezra Olubi (who’s the CTO). “For us, it’s concerning the mission. I’m pushed by the mission to speed up funds on the continent, and I’m satisfied that Stripe will assist us get there sooner. It’s a very pure transfer.”
Paystack had been on Stripe’s radar for a while previous to buying it. Like its US counterpart, the Nigerian startup went via Y Combinator — that was in 2016, and it was really the first-ever startup out of Nigeria to get into the world-famous incubator. Then, in 2018, Stripe led an $8 million funding round for Paystack, with others taking part together with Visa and Tencent. (And for the document, Akinlade mentioned that Visa and Tencent had not additionally approached it for acquisition. Both have been regular investors in startups on the continent.)
Within the final a number of years, Stripe has made quite a lot of investments into startups constructing know-how or companies in areas the place Stripe has but to maneuver. This 12 months, these investments have included backing an funding in common checkout service Fast, and backing the Philippines-based cost platform PayMongo.
Collison mentioned that whereas buying Paystack after investing in it was an enormous transfer for the corporate, folks additionally shouldn’t learn an excessive amount of into it when it comes to Stripe’s larger acquisition coverage.
“After we put money into startups we’re not making an attempt to tie them up with difficult strategic investments,” Collison mentioned. “We attempt to perceive the broader ecosystem, and maintain our eyes pointed outwards and see the place we may also help.”
That’s to say, there are not any plans to amass different regional firms or different operations merely to increase Stripe’s footprint, with the curiosity in Paystack being about how properly they’d constructed the corporate, not simply the place they’re positioned.
“A number of firms have been, let’s say, closely influenced by Stripe,” Collison mentioned, elevating his eyebrows a bit. “However with Paystack, clearly they’ve put a number of authentic considering into the best way to do issues higher. There are some particulars of Stripe that we think about errors, however we will see that Paystack ‘will get it,’ it’s clear from the location and from the product sensibilities, and that has nothing to do with them being in Africa or African.”
Stripe, with its enterprise firmly on this planet of digital transactions, already has a robust line within the detection and prevention of fraud and different monetary crimes. It has developed an in depth platform of fraud protection tools, however even with that incidents can slip via the cracks. Simply final month, Stripe was ordered to pay $120,000 in a case in Massachusetts after failing to guard customers in a $15 million cryptocurrency rip-off.
Now, bringing on a enterprise from Nigeria might give the corporate a unique form of danger publicity. Nigeria is the largest economic system in Africa, however it is usually one of many extra corrupt on the continent, in line with analysis from Transparency International.
And associated to that, it additionally has a really contentious strategy to regulation and order. Nigeria has been embroiled in protests in the last week with demonstrators calling for the disbanding of the nation’s Particular Anti-Theft Squad, after a number of accusations of brutality, together with extrajudicial killings, extortion and torture. In reality, Stripe and Paystack postponed the unique announcement partially due to the present state of affairs within the nation.
However whereas these troubles proceed to be labored via (and hopefully finally resolved, by means of authorities reform in response to demonstrators’ calls for), Paystack’s acquisition is a notable foil to these themes. It factors to how proficient folks within the area are figuring out issues available in the market and constructing know-how to assist repair them, as a manner of enhancing how folks can transact, and in flip, financial outcomes extra usually.
The corporate acquired its begin again when Akinlade, for enjoyable (!) constructed a fast manner of integrating a card transaction into an internet web page, and it was the simplicity of the way it labored that spurred him and his co-founder to think about the best way to develop that into one thing others might use. That turned the germination of the concept finally landed them at YC and within the scope of Stripe.
“We’re nonetheless very early within the Paystack funds ecosystem, which is tremendous damaged,” mentioned Akinlade. The corporate at the moment supplies a funds API, and it makes income each time a transaction is made utilizing it. He wouldn’t discuss what else is on Paystack’s radar, however when you think about Stripe’s personal product trajectory as a template, there’s a variety of accounting, fraud, card, money advance and different companies to satisfy enterprise wants that could possibly be constructed round that to increase the enterprise. “Most of what we might be constructing in Africa has not been constructed but.”
Final month, at Disrupt, we interviewed one other profitable entrepreneur within the nation, Tunde Kehinde, who correctly famous that extra exits of promising startups — both by going public or getting acquired — will assist carry up the entire ecosystem. In that regard, Stripe’s transfer is a vote of confidence not only for the potential of the area, however for these placing within the efforts to construct tech and proceed enhancing outcomes for everybody.
#Stripe #acquires #Nigerias #Paystack #200M #increase #African #continent #PJDM


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KBzine: the original kitchen and bathroom industry e-news - since 2002
28th January 2021
We strongly recommend viewing KBzine full size in your web browser. Click our masthead above to visit our website version.
BiKBBI strengthens Board with two appointments
British Institute of Kitchen, Bedroom & Bathroom Installation's CEO Damian Walters has announced two Advisory Board appointments. Jon Thelwell is tasked with developing the organisation's commercial strategy, while experienced finance director Karen Stanley has joined the senior team as the organisation further develops during times of "significant growth".
Jon joins the BiKBBI with over 20 years' strategic experience, working with some of the industry's leading manufacturers and retailers. This experience includes showroom director at Jewson, managing director at Crestwood, head of marketing & development at Moores Furniture Group and sales director at Knauf.
"It is with great pleasure that we welcome Jon to the BiKBBI Advisory Board," said Damian. "He has vast experience and a great understanding of the KBB sector at a senior level, which brings a new dimension to our Institute, having led strategic initiatives in the sector over the last 20 years. It's this deep sector experience which makes him a valuable addition and we look forward to working with him. He will bring a fresh and insightful perspective to the Board."
Karen qualified as a Chartered Accountant with PWC in the Business Services Division, which supported and audited developing companies. Shortly after qualifying she moved into a company finance role. Karen has spent most of her career working in the construction, manufacturing and retail sectors as finance director, developing finance teams to support the needs of a growing business and working with the senior management teams to develop business strategies, forecasts and reporting.
"In less than a week we've managed to secure the support of two highly experienced professionals who will help steer our organisation through this period of exciting and significant growth," added Damian.
"We are working with some of the industry's biggest and most respected brands, a growing number of great independent retailers and thousands of installation specialists across the UK. Our organisation is growing rapidly, both in terms of membership and profile.
"We've already welcomed over 500 new installation businesses so far this year; we're about to announce further developments with our Retail Installation Standards Partnership initiative too. It's therefore important that we develop the senior team to meet these exciting demands."
Damian said the Institute plans to make further appointments to the Board over the next few weeks.
He also confirmed that the BiKBBI's planned launch of its 'Protected' product is on track and that the Institute is working with two national retailers, four regional retailers and has expressions of interest from over 240 independent retailers since launching the initiative at The Houses of Parliament in January.
25th March 2019


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Bankrate.com recently ran this article about the future of personal banking.
The next time you write a personal check it could be deducted from your account as fast as an ATM withdrawal. Banks and retailers across the nation are ushering in the day when you write a check and it is debited instantly and electronically from your account.
The future of checks as debits will be fed through a device that reads your account number at the bottom of the check. The amount is transferred electronically from your account to the merchant, just as if you had used a debit card. Hundreds of retailers are participating in pilot projects across the U.S. Other tests, conducted by electronic funds network Star Systems, is going on with some of the country's biggest retailers. Sometime this spring, when you write a check at Best Buy, CompUSA, Kmart, Office Max, Sears, Talbot's or ToysRUs, the money will be debited from your account, regardless of which bank you use.
Companies in the payment industry, from retailers to banks and all the businesses in between, welcome the conversion of checks into electronic debits because they expect it to cut costs and fight fraud. Retailers will get their money quicker. "It's going to accelerate the verification process and lessen losses," says Hank Farrar, chief operating officer of Small Value Payments Co. "Merchants lose billions of dollars to fraud. The fact of the matter is, the consumer pays for those losses in the cost of goods and services." Some folks might find record keeping easier. If you report your checkbook lost or stolen, the missing checks won't be usable.
As soon as the tests prove workable and affordable, everyone in the industry expects retailers to adopt the technology quickly. It might not stop at the cash register. Collection agencies, investment brokers and mortgage lenders have expressed interest, says Farrar of Small Value Payments Co. Let's wait and see!


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AUSTRALIA’S Sheep Sustainability Framework board and the Sustainability Steering Group have welcomed new members and paid tribute to four outgoing contributors.
Incoming WoolProducers Australia president and Gippsland wool producer Steve Harrison, replaces former WPA president Ed Storey on the SSG board, and Melbourne-based manufacturer Julian Collins and South Australian producer Jane Kellock have joined the steering group.
SSG chair, Dr Scott Williams, said the new members will complement an outstanding group of leaders from across the value chain.
“With such a broad range of skills we can build and develop the SSF into a mature food and fibre framework that ensures sustainability from farm to fork and sheep to shelf,” Dr Williams said.
Mr Harrison said he has a clear goal to maintain trust in wool and to achieve this on an industry-wide basis, there must be collaboration. He started out with ten sheep and now runs 10,000 on his Gippsland farm.
“It’s difficult to achieve unity when we have such a vast range of environments and production systems for sheep and wool.
“But as an industry we’re very small – only point-six per cent of the apparel market – so we have to work together if we’re to achieve sustainability,” he said.
“I’m looking forward to positively contributing to industry decisions through the SSF and representing growers in key discussions with industry and other stakeholders on issues that directly affect our livelihoods, like animal welfare and biosecurity for disease prevention.”
Collins aims to inform retailer and consumers of industry work
Mr Collins is the global sales manager of ABMT, one of Australia’s largest textile mills that processes locally grown Merino wool and cotton into fabrics for brands like Kookai, Anaconda and Under Armour.
A media release said Mr Collins has maintained a keen interest in on-farm practices during his 15 years in the wool textile and apparel manufacturing industry. He’s looking forward to using his new role to better inform retailers and consumers about the work that sheep and wool producers and industry bodies are already doing, the statement said.
“Progress in areas such as the transition to renewable energies and improved welfare practices needs to be clearly communicated.
“At the other end, the SSF needs to collect clear and accurate data from producers that is highly relevant to retailers and consumers, so that we can communicate that the industry is in a great position,” Mr Collins said.
Kellock wants to ensure SSG framework is practical and viable
Ms Kellock is chair of South Australian Sheep and Beef Blueprints working group and would like to ensure the sheep sustainability framework is practical and viable for producers to achieve. She sees her new role as a valuable add-on to the work she’s already doing in industry bodies and at home.
Ms Kellock was born and raised on a sheep station in South Australia’s north.
“Personally, we’re working very hard on sustainability practices in our business.
“I think as industry bodies we need to be looking at things holistically, making sure that people and businesses are sustainable.
“The environmental side is important but so is the whole licence for us to farm including animal welfare, financial viability – everything,” she said.
“I’m looking forward to the SSF discussions and hearing different perspectives on what our value chain needs to achieve.”
Dr Williams expressed his gratitude and thanks on behalf of the SSF to those leaving the organisation, including Mr Storey, an original board member; NSW producer Ian McColl, who served two years on the board and one year on the SSG; and inaugural SSG members Ag Communicators SA managing director Deanna Lush and producer New South Wales producer Michael Field, who each served for three years.
Dr Williams said Mr Storey was a key contributor in developing the SSF and has been integral in making decisions on policy that will ensure that the sheep and wool industry stays strong for the long term.
Source – SSG.
HAVE YOUR SAY


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The shelves of Eltham Community Food Bank are looking a lot fuller, thanks to a donation from Chorus.
Chorus property manager Gareth Phillips says when Fonterra asked to use the land at Chorus's Eltham Exchange for an event they were hosting, Chorus decided to put the fee that Fonterra paid to good use.
" We know people struggle as this time of year when the post-Christmas bills start rolling in."
Gareth says the Chorus team at New Plymouth enjoyed shopping for the Eltham Food Bank.
"It is not often you get to spend so much on groceries at one time."
He says the shopping was done with advice from the Food Bank team about what items to buy.
Senior delivery specialist for Chorus, Bruce Vanner, says the shop was certainly a change from his usual work day.
"My job is about making sure that our network is connecting our communities and helping out the Eltham Community Food Bank really is an extension of that. It was great to be able to put the fee to such good use."


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Domestic mobile wallet platform MobiKwik and on-demand bike taxi company Baxi on Friday announced a tie-up to offer trips to customers using digital transaction. The partnership allows customers to add cash to their MobiKwik wallet through “Baxi buddies” instead of transferring from bank accounts or credit cards. Also Read - Mobikwik data leak: Personal data of 3.5 million users up for sale on dark web; company denies claimsAlso Read - Top 5 UPI apps you can use to transfer money in India: GPay, Paytm, more
“Our association with Baxi Taxi is another step to serve users after demonetization of high-value currency notes. Now with MobiKwik, our customers can have a hassle-free bike ride,” said Mrinal Sinha, Chief Operating Officer, MobiKwik, in a statement.
Gurugram-based Baxi is planning to expand to nearly 50 new cities in 2017, thus giving a fillip to MobiKwik’s expansion plans, as they can penetrate smaller cities using on this partnership. “By partnering with MobiKwik, we hope to bring the cashless economy to many more cities and towns across the country,” added Ashutosh Johri, Co-founder, Baxi. ALSO READ: Now, pay at Amul outlets via MobiKwik wallet


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Nearly every retailer is looking to do its part, setting up ambitious sustainability targets and goals. For example, Target is seeking to be a net zero enterprise by 2040; Ahold Delhaize USA aims to ensure sustainably sourced seafood, coffee and tea products are 100% sustainably certified in cocoa, palm oil, pulp, and paper products and packaging; and Aldi is striving to make 100% of its Aldi-exclusive packaging reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025.
One way retailers can reach these goals faster is through composting — where applicable. On Jan. 12, Store Brands is hosting a webinar that goes further into the ways composting can be beneficial through own brand packaging and products, the certification process for compostable products, how landfills are impacted, and how retailers can take the lead in this area though private brands and communicating with consumers and suppliers.
Moderated by Dan Ochwat, executive editor, Store Brands, the webinar features insights from leaders inside the world of composting, packaging and product development. The panelists include:
- Susan Thoman, managing director, Compost Manufacturing Alliance (CMA)
- Rhodes Yepsen, executive director, Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI)
- Glenn Abrahamson, CEO, BB17 Inc.
- Solange Ackrill, vice president of marketing and corporate strategy, Club Coffee
Go here to register for the virtual webinar Jan. 12, 2 p.m., EST.
Thoman and Yepsen addressed composting at a recent Store Brands Industry Forum on beverages, looking at how coffee is driving initiatives forward, as well as other issues. This webinar broadens the scope mightily. Ackrill and Abrahamson are leaders in producing compostable product options.
Ackrill helps drive innovation at Club Coffee, as discussed in a recent Q&A, where she highlighted a long list of sustainable programs including its compostable coffee pods. Abrahamson and BB17 lead the way in providing affordable compostable products that replace traditional plastic material items such as tablewares, trash bags, straws and food bags.
Together, from a product side, looking at regulation issues, and how to work alongside organizations like CMA and BPI, the panel will give attendees insights into how to better understand composting and move it forward.