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Offsite manufacturing is set to play a major role in the expansion of Heathrow Airport.
The Heathrow project will pioneer the large-scale use of logistics hubs, where components will be pre-assembled offsite before being transported to the airport in consolidated loads when they are needed.
Using offsite manufacturing will reduce the overall cost of the expansion project and cut emissions in the local area, the airport owners claim.
They argue that the logistics hubs will revolutionise the construction sector and create a new industry for the UK which can then use its expertise to support other major projects around the world.
A campaign to identify suitable sites for the hubs has received 121 responses from across the UK. Although the majority are from England, bids have also been received from Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
Once the bids have been sifted, a list of potential sites is expected to be announced later this year. Applicants will need to demonstrate that siting a logistics hub in their area will have a positive economic impact locally as well as offering good connectivity, access to an appropriate supply chain, regional support and what Heathrow terms “adequate facilities”.
Following an agreement with the Scottish Government, one logistics hub is to be based in Scotland.
Describing the expansion project as “a once-in-a-lifetime chance to really boost growth across Britain”, Heathrow’s CEO John Holland-Kaye praised the communities that have put themselves forward to host one of the hubs.
“Together we’ll build an expanded Heathrow – boosting growth outside London, leaving a world-class construction legacy for the UK and delivering expansion faster, cheaper and with less impact on our local communities,” he added.


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April 23, 2014 8:18 AM
Several new changes to Miiverse have been made, including a cooldown timer for comments and new search functions.
April 23, 2014 7:16 AM
A new rumor suggests that Nintendo may be planning on releasing a Mario Kart 8 demo before the May 30 release date.
April 22, 2014 11:43 AM
NES Remix director Koichi Hayashid says he'd love to do remixes from other systems, if fans want to see them.
April 22, 2014 11:03 AM
If you're looking for a deal on a Wii U before Mario Kart 8 gets here, be sure and check this one out. They go quickly!
April 22, 2014 10:03 AM
Bandai Namco has announced a sequel to Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures, releasing later this year.
April 22, 2014 8:21 AM
Tecmo Koei and Nintendo are planning to bring another Fatal Frame installment to the Wii U.
April 22, 2014 7:52 AM
Here's a look at the top 40 games in Britain this week, where Nintendo hasn't cracked the list for the second week running.
April 21, 2014 12:45 PM
Ronimo Games would consider bringing Awesomenauts to the Wii U with the right port partner.
April 21, 2014 11:18 AM
Super Mario 3D World's Captain Toad levels could be expanded into something more in the future thanks to critical reception from fans.
April 21, 2014 9:50 AM
Sears is currently offering Nintendo Land Wii U bundles at $99, though your mileage may vary.

domain: news


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Amur the tiger was supposed to eat Timur the goat. Instead the pair is sharing an enclosure at a Russian safari park.» Read More
DirecTV is in talks with Disney to license the rights to offer Disney's broadcast and cable channels as part of an Internet deal, DirecTV said.
Homeowners are cashing in on the overwhelming demand for hotel rooms during SXSW by renting out their homes for a premium during the conference.
CNBC's David Faber reports Dish Network and Disney have reached a carriage deal which includes Dish relinquishing ad-skipping for streaming rights from Disney.
In a Supreme Court filing, the Justice Department is backing broadcasters' copyright claims in their fight against Aereo, re/code reports.
Dish Network and Walt Disney reached a long-term deal to carry Disney-owned networks and deliver the content outside of a traditional TV.
Discussing Twitter and Samsung's big night at the Oscars, with Kevin Delaney, Quartz editor-in-chief and co-founder. Oscar host Ellen DeGeneres' "selfie" with some of Hollywood's biggest stars crashed Twitter.
Comcast is considering spinning off 3 million subscribers into a publicly traded company, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Is Netflix's "House of Cards" as big a hit as we think? Derek Thompson, The Atlantic senior editor, analyzes the viewer data.
CNBC's Jane Wells reports the small screen is providing competition for the big screen.
Discussing promotion and spending costs for some of the top Oscar contenders, and just how much the performers profit from a win, with Tim Gray, Variety Awards editor.
CNBC's Jane Wells reviews this year's top three Oscar contenders, which were not shot in Hollywood.
The movies make more money than ever. But a lot of it isn't going to traditional players or even staying in Tinseltown.
"You have to give the people what they want, how they want, it when they want it," says executive producer Dana Brunetti, Trigger Street CEO, who is heading to the Oscars after being nominated for "Captain Phillips." Brunetti helped Netflix disrupt the TV industry as executive producer of "House of Cards."
CNBC's Jane Wells reviews this year's contenders and discusses last year's record industry sales.
Winning Best Picture at the Oscars doesn't necessarily boost a movie's box office take.
Here's a preview of Sunday's Academy Awards show—Oscar facts and figures from years gone by.
Nick Varney, CEO of Merlin Entertainment, says that, in the last few years, the group registered "significant growth" as the business is recession-proof.
Seattle's airport will soon get a dose of indie cred as the grunge-famous Sub Pop label starts selling vinyl and CDs, and hosting gigs.
The Oscar-nominated film "The Wolf of Wall Street" took its artistic liberties too far, says one former Stratton Oakmont employee.
Don't count Netflix co-founder Mitch Lowe among the thousands who spent an entire weekend watching "House of Cards."


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In what is considered a significant monetary judgment for copyright infringement lawsuits, the United States District Court in Los Angeles has awarded plaintiffs Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. (EPE), SOFA Entertainment, Inc. and songwriters Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller $2.8 million in damages and attorneys fees to be paid by Passport International Productions, Inc. (a/k/a Passport Video, Inc.) and its owner, Dante Pugliese.
The case began in 2002 when, without permission and against numerous express objections, Passport manufactured and sold a set of eight DVDs entitled "25th Anniversary Elvis: The Definitive Collection August 16, 1977 - August 16, 2002," otherwise entitled "The Definitive Elvis." The 16-hour set included copyrighted works and the rights of publicity owned by Plaintiffs. In reaching its decision, the Court agreed that Passport released the set with the full knowledge that Plaintiffs did not consent to the unauthorized use of their copyrighted material, and that their activities would mislead consumers and damage Plaintiffs. Passport appealed the case up to the 9th Circuit, claiming "Fair Use," arguing that the set was a documentary look at the life of Elvis Presley. The Court did not agree in a 2005 ruling, and the decision successfully delineated the limits of the Fair Use defense.
“This is a landmark decision for all of us,” stated Gary Hovey, Executive Vice President of Entertainment/Music Publishing for Elvis Presley Enterprises. “We are delighted with the Court’s ruling, the damages awarded and the precedent it sets.”
The copyrighted materials included Presley home movies owned by EPE, material from “The Ed Sullivan Show,” and portions of “Ed Sullivan Rock & Roll Classics – Elvis Presley,” owned by SOFA Entertainment, a producer of movies, videos and television programs. Other unauthorized material was from the EPE owned “The Elvis 1968 Comeback Special (a/k/a "The Singer Special,”) “Aloha From Hawaii,” and “Elvis In Concert,” which also include songs written by Leiber & Stoller.
“It is reassuring to know that the courts have seen fit to uphold our copyrights thereby putting unscrupulous parties on notice that historic performances from ‘The Ed Sullivan Show,’ cannot be used by those who prefer to steal rather than to license,” commented Andrew Solt of SOFA Entertainment. “We are very pleased with the court’s informed decision.”
“Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller have always supported the ownership and protection of intellectual property,” said Randy Poe, President of Leiber & Stoller Music Publishing. “This ruling puts on notice anyone wishing to improperly claim ‘Fair Use,’ rather than acquiring permission from the copyright owner.”
George R. Hedges of Quinn Emanuel Urquhart Oliver & Hedges, LLP successfully argued the case for the Plaintiffs.
The Definitive Elvis is the biggest selling Elvis DVD in Australia. It was the #1 selling Music DVD in 2002 and has been released in ordinary and limited edition "Gold" editions.


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An Oregon hotel property in a popular beach town has recorded one of the highest sales ever in the region, another positive sign amid a recovery in hotel prices on the North Coast of Oregon. ‘Oregon.
Vesta Hospitality has purchased the Surfsand Resort & Spa from 148 W. Gower Ave. in Cannon Beach, Ore., for $58 million from Cannon Beach’s Martin Hospitality, or about $598,000 per room for the 97-room property, according to a statement from Sonnenblick-Eichner, the Beverly Hills-based investment firm , California, who brokered the sale.
The price per room was more than three times the surrounding market average, and CoStar data showed the overall price was the highest in at least five years for Cannon Beach, which census data shows has less than 2,000 inhabitants all year round. . It far exceeded the second highest, a four properties, 37 keys wallet sale which grossed $7 million.
Asked about the price of the property, Elliot Eichner, co-director of Sonnenblick-Eichner, pointed to the property’s size and proximity to sand as distinguishing factors on the state’s notoriously rocky coastline.
“It’s the only full-service hotel of its kind directly on the beach,” Eichner said, noting that many rooms have steps directly onto the beach, and adding that he believes the buyer intended to put about $100,000 per key in upgrades on the property.
The sale marked another positive sign for the entire northern Oregon Coast, where prices per key have been steadily rising since hitting a low in the throes of the pandemic earlier this year. 2021.
Average prices per key for coastal hotel properties north of Coos Bay were around $177,000 in July, according to CoStar research.
This figure had peaked at $167,000 in March 2020, before falling steadily as the COVID-19 pandemic rocked the hospitality industry nationwide, driving average sales per key on the North Coast to a nadir of $158,000 in March 2021.
Cannon Beach is one of the closest beach resorts to Portland and Seattle, with 9 miles of coastline and a large scenic rock monolith offshore nicknamed Haystack Rock, one of the largest such monoliths in the world.
Founded in 1996, Vancouver, Wash.-based Vesta has a portfolio of hotel properties concentrated in the South, Southwest, West Coast and Pacific Northwest, according to its website.


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Halfway to Halloween is finally here, and it comes with lots of big news about this year’s event. If you caught up with Erica yesterday, you might have seen a few new items of merchandise that will be on sale throughout the spooky season. Side note: How cute was that backpack? Well, we have a few additional items that you simply have to see before making your shopping list for the occasion.
I’m going to leave these here for you to choose your favorites. And for those of you at home who won’t be visiting this eerie celebration, I’ll let you know as soon as these items are released online in our Monday Merch Meetings.
Zoë Wood is a travel writer from Sydney, Australia. Since her first visit to Disneyland at the age of 6, she has spent her years frequently visiting Disney Parks and traveling around the world.
Join Zoë as she lets you in on all the tips, tricks, anecdotes, and embarrassments that arise from her family adventures.


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Semiconductor sales — and the chip stocks — are on fire.
Worldwide chip sales rose 9% to $26.9 billion in May, according to the Semiconductor Industry Association, with the Americas in the lead with an 11% year-over-year gain for its 12th straight month of double-digit growth.
The heady growth isn't just in America. All regions saw month-over-month and year-over-year gains for the first time since August 2010. Europe rose 10%, Asia-Pacific 9% and Japan 5%.
Chipmakers placed eighth out of IBD's 197 industry groups, the same as six weeks ago.
Taiwan Semiconductor (NYSE:TSM) is trading at a multiyear high as it nears its March 2000 peak. The stock has cleared a series of patterns this year, including a long consolidation in April, a five-week flat base in May and a four-weeks-tight last week. It's nearly 4% above a 21.79 buy point.
Analysts forecast the world's biggest contract chipmaker will boost Q2 profit 12% on a 16% sales gain when it reports July 17. Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) is expected to account for a bigger slice of its revenue in the back half of the year.
Chipmakers such as Taiwan Semiconductor receive orders from fabless chipmakers, which design chips and outsource the manufacturing process.
The fabless group has fared well too. It ranked No. 25, down a notch from the prior six weeks.
NXP Semiconductors (NASDAQ:NXPI) is just off record highs after retaking a 63.45 flat-base buy point. It's still within buy range at 3% above the entry, but the latest pattern was late-stage, which tends to be more prone to failure. The stock has more than doubled in price since breaking out from a cup with handle in May 2013.
The Netherlands-based company's chips are used in the mobile, car and security markets. China made up nearly half of NXP's revenue last year, 42%, followed by Germany and Singapore at 9% each, and 8% from the U.S.
NXP is one of five fabless members with a 99 Composite Rating in the 58-stock group. Singapore-based Avago Technologies (NASDAQ:AVGO), held by top-rated mutual funds such as Fidelity Contrafund and Columbia Mid Cap Value, also earns a 99 Composite. It's 11% above a 65.93 flat-base entry.
Bermuda-based Marvell Technology Group (NASDAQ:MRVL) designs chips that go into disk drives, smartphones and storage devices. It lags a bit with a 91 Composite and is trading below a 16.72 buy point. Profit and sales growth resumed the past three quarters after a slowdown and declines in the prior 11 periods.


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Tesco is fighting back against Amazon with its first “just walk out” store, where it is possible to buy groceries without having to scan items or visit a till.
The supermarket’s GetGo store in Holborn, central London, follows a small trial of a similar store at Tesco head office in Welwyn Garden City, which has been selling goods to the retailer’s staff since 2019.
Weight sensors in the shelves work with an AI system that can track an individual’s movement around the store and monitor the items they pick up via cameras, which follow each shopper. The AI system works by building a unique skeleton outline of each person rather than using facial recognition.
Shoppers must download the Tesco.com app to use the store, where they check in by scanning a QR code generated on their phone. Once inside, shoppers can pick up the items they want without scanning them. The bill is automatically charged to a shopper’s Tesco account when they leave.
The shop looks very similar to any other Tesco Express convenience store with the usual range of goods, from fresh flowers and alcohol to sandwiches, ready meals and bakery items. Cigarettes and alcohol are sold in a separate zone where a member of staff, about a dozen of whom are on duty on any day, is present to check that shoppers meet age restrictions.
The AI technology in the Holborn store has been developed in partnership with the specialist technology firm Trigo, led by two scientists who previously worked in the Israel Defence Forces. It is the first time it has been used by a UK retailer.


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AV1 Specification Released: Can we kiss goodbye to HEVC and royalty bearing video codecs?
02 Apr 2018
The newly released AV1 codec marks an important milestone in our road to royalty free video codecs. Here's a detailed analysis of what it means.
13 Nov 2017
Vidyo is prepping for 2018 with important announcements around VP9/SVC support and a new alignment of their product line. Here's what it means.
12 Jun 2017
Apple now officially "supports" WebRTC in iOS 11 and Safari. But what does that really mean, and what is still missing?
13 Mar 2017
Multiparty video support in WebRTC seems to be the holy-grail at the moment. Here's how the various offerings look like today.
08 Mar 2017
Check out the update to my WebRTC CPaaS report - where are vendors today and where this industry is headed. It will help you select a vendor to work with.
30 Jan 2017
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Vidyo.io is a new CPaaS offering. Lets see how well they are differentiated from the other players that are already in this market.
15 Sep 2016
The IMTC WebRTC Activity Group has been around for quite some time. Bernard Aboba was kind enough to share their efforts and plans in this domain in this guest post.
20 Jun 2016
VP9 is starting to find its way into chipsets, making VP9 hardware acceleration a reality. How is this turning out, and what the future of video coding looks like?
09 Jun 2016
There's been progress in the Alliance of Open Media recently, and all of it is positive. Here's a quick analysis of the various players.
30 May 2016
H.264 is about to become the popular choice for WebRTC developers. Here are a few reasons why this is happening.


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Nintendo recently surprised fans with more news regarding the upcoming Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. The game is already pretty exciting as it is, but it seems it’ll be better with a Season Pass. One of the add-ons in the Season Pass is a new story. Will the new story in the Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Season Pass star the anticipated female Link?
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Season Pass will include a few interesting items. Perhaps the most interesting of all in the $20 Season Pass is the DLC pack 2 which adds new ways to enjoy the game. Nintendo is yet to expound on the contents of the DLC packs, but we have our guesses as to what they could be.
DLC pack 2, which launches during the holiday season, will include new dungeons, additional challenges, and a new story. The last of these could be the most interesting to fans as it will serve as an expansion to the game. What the story could be is hard to guess now, but based on the request of fans, we could be getting a female Link story.
Even series creator Eiji Aonuma showed interest in creating a story for a female version of Link. In an interview with Waypoint a month ago, Aonuma said, “regarding the future possibility of us taking a Zelda title in a new direction, perhaps with Link as someone different, or with a new protagonist altogether who’s radically different from what we’ve seen before, on the Wii U there’s already Hyrule Warriors. A female protagonist is definitely the direction Nintendo is headed to.”
If the developer does release a DLC centered around a female Link, it wouldn’t be the first time players will get their hands on a female version of the silent protagonist. Linkle is the female version of Link made exclusively for the 3DS version of Hyrule Warriors.
Aside from these add-ons, Nintendo is also including other special stuff for the Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Season Pass. The first of these will be available at launch day. Players will be able to get their hands on helpful items if they decide to get a Season Pass, so it’s definitely worth it.
As for the first DLC pack, it will launch this summer. When it comes to content, the first DLC pack includes new Cave of Trials challenges, a new hard mode, and a new map feature that Nintendo is yet to reveal.


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Nokia and Apple have resolved a long-running legal argument over a series of patents.
Apple announced on Tuesday that it settled all litigation with Nokia, and the two companies agreed to a multi-year patent license.
“This is a meaningful agreement between Nokia and Apple,” Nokia chief legal officer Maria Varsellona said. “It moves our relationship with Apple from being adversaries in court to business partners working for the benefit of our customers.”
“We are pleased with this resolution of our dispute, and we look forward to expanding our business relationship with Nokia,” Apple chief operating officer Jeff Williams said.
Under the new agreement, Nokia will provide Apple network infrastructure product and services to Apple, while Apple will resume the sales of Nokia’s digital health products. Those products were removed from Apple stores after Nokia sued Apple last December.
Monetary details remain confidential, but it looks like Apple will, once again, pay an “up-front cash payment from Apple,” and the iPhone maker will continue to pay royalties during the term of the agreement.
However, the press release does say that Nokia’s future quarterly announcement may provide more details about how much Apple is paying to settle the lawsuit.
It’s unclear how this matter would have been resolved in courts, but it’s more than clear that Nokia appears to have prevailed against Apple in a patent-based case once again.


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The traditional travel agent is a thing of the past. Nowadays, the burden of planning a vacation falls on the consumer.
"Traveler decision support is one area that has become more and more automated and perhaps less and less helpful to a traveler," said Mark Lehto, an industrial engineering professor at Purdue University.
Travel agents and booking websites, however, are only the starting point in a decentralized network of the tourism and hospitality industry, which also includes transportation services, hotels and restaurants. These businesses are moving toward automation to improve efficiency and cut costs, sometimes to the detriment of the consumer.
Research shows, for example, that humans benefit more from interacting with people than with computers, and that human interaction is extremely important to travel experiences, said Xinran Lehto, a professor in the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Purdue.
"It doesn't matter if it's in a hotel, resort, on the road, in an airport or at an attraction site," she said. "The human interaction is part of the product. It's the experience we provide. I question the wisdom of automating away a lot of that."
Drawing from tourism and industrial design perspectives, the Lehtos have proposed a traveler-wellness centered model under which this web of products and services would operate like a well-oiled machine. The researchers also suggested developing a wellness index for consumers to quickly and conveniently identify personal health benefits at each point along the way.
The recommendations were published
in the Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research
as part of its distinguished scholar series.
"How can we translate what we've learned in other settings?" Mark Lehto said. "Much of the work has been done in manufacturing and traditional factory-type jobs, but also more recently, there's been a lot of work in hospitals to try to improve the delivery of services."
Research shows that consumers feel more isolated by technology than ever before and that they seek the restorative qualities of vacation above other considerations, such as price, Xinran Lehto said. The model suggests that the tourism and hospitality industry focus its energy on activities that maximize wellness value to consumers while automating tasks of lesser importance. This approach is similar to improvements made in industrial and health care processes.
"Look at how to reduce wasted time and enhance experience time. Conventional productivity measures may not work well in this regard," Xinran Lehto said. "That's why we were inspired to use existing concepts and engineering principles to explain why we have to be careful in terms of what we do. Don't just blindly utilize something because it reduces time and cost, because in the process, we can throw the baby out with the bath water."
From the outset, travelers are forced to interact with technology as they plan their vacations, not through traditional travel agents, but through booking websites and other reservation systems. These platforms, however, often are oriented around affordability rather than emphasizing health and wellness aspects, such as walkability, physical activities, social interactions and safety.
Due to inadequate information, it's difficult for consumers to make decisions in their health's best interest. As a result, the researchers proposed developing a ranking for consumers to quickly and conveniently know what wellness benefits to expect.
"We propose a wellness quality index or ranking," Xinran Lehto said. "Cost is one consideration, but you travel to a place not to save money, per se, but to enrich yourself, to enhance your well-being, to have fun. But the current system really fails to communicate that."
Xinran Lehto said that the tourism and hospitality industry can better serve its customers by emphasizing the health and wellness aspects of vacation each step of the way, leading to a more sustainable business model in the future.
"Vacation, if it's well done, does wonders in terms of restoring people, restoring their mind and empowering them to be more creative," she said. "Vacation is a wellness product, and the support system is extremely important."
Vacation as a Public Health Resource: Toward a Wellness-centered Tourism Design Approach
Xinran Lehto, Mark Lehto, Purdue University
In today’s technology-driven configuration of work and life systems, wellness imbalances underscore the need for time away from sources of stress in the workplace, school, and other living scenarios. Increasingly, consumers are turning to vacation travel for health and wellness enhancement. The tourism and hospitality industries can design experiences and services that support optimal health and wellness outcomes for consumers. Drawing from interdisciplinary perspectives, this study revisits tourism as a personal health and wellness resource and discusses opportunities for better leveraging design factors in delivering, communicating, and sustaining health and wellness benefits of tourism. This article proposes a traveler wellness-centered design framework and highlights the important role of tourism and hospitality providers in safeguarding human health and wellness.


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LAS VEGAS — MediaTek came to International CES this year with a singular focus: going global.
Taiwan's chip behemoth, which dominates the Chinese market, is now intent on establishing a foothold in the United States in addition to Europe and Japan. For that, the company has new ammo: a multimode-LTE modem chipset, currently going through operators' arduous certification process; and an advanced "worldphone" SoC that will incorporate CDMA2000. But the commercial version of the worldphone won't hit the market until early 2015.
Dubbed MT6290, MediaTek's LTD chipset handles both FDD and TDD modes. Designed for broad compatibility with mobile operator networks worldwide, the chip supports the DC-HSPA+, W-CDMA, TD-SCDMA, EDGE, and GSM/GPRS radio technologies, in addition to LTE.
Still missing in the radio mix is CDMA2000.
MediaTek addressed the issue this week by announcing collaboration with VIA Telecom for integrating VIA's CDMA2000 technology into MediaTek's upcoming worldphone SoC.
The move, in turn, will open the door for CEVA, a DSP core IP vendor, to seek a big design win in MediaTek's SoC. This is possible because CEVA's TeakLite DSP core is already used at the heart of VIA Telecom's CDMA2000 baseband solution.
While CEVA CEO Gideon Wertheizer declined to publicly connect the dots, MediaTek President C.J. Hsieh, in an interview with EE Times, confirmed that CEVA will be in MediaTeK's worldphone SoC.
MediaTek President C.J. Hsieh
Why CDMA2000 now?
Qualcomm and Samsung are the two biggest LTE modem players, and Huawei (through its HiSilicon chip subsidiary) is in the Chinese and Korean LTE markets, according to Will Strauss, president of Forward Concepts, the Arizona-based market research company. Marvell also recently cracked the China market with an LTE and TD-SCDMA modem, Strauss told us.
But often, so-called newly designed "global" LTE modem chips -- developed by vendors other than Qualcomm -- do not address CDMA2000.
In an impromptu interview with EE Times at CES, Sehat Sutardja, CEO of Marvell, confirmed that Marvell's multimode LTE solution does not include CDMA2000. It's because "that standard is going away anyway," he said. Sutardja referred to Verizon Wireless's announcement in which the carrier said it is to sunset 2G and 3G CDMA networks by 2021.
Finbarr Moynihan, general manager, international sales and marketing at MediaTek, disagrees.


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As far longstanding institutions in the Canadian auto recycling industry go, there are few that can say they hold the same achievements as McGregor’s Auto Parts, out of St. Thomas, Ontario.
Now on its third generation of ownership in brothers Tim and Jeff McGregor and having recently celebrated 60 years of operation in the southern Ontario community of St. Thomas, challenges relating to lockdowns and supply chain disruptions could only slow, but never stop, the momentum building at this family’s yard.
“Inventory is a bit harder to get and you have to pay more these days. Everybody is hungry for inventory, so that jacks the prices up,” said Jeff. With standing still not even a thought on the minds of Jeff and Tim, the team at McGregor’s opted to use the downtime of parts sourcing to invest in some quality-of-life items for the business, including a Freightliner flatbed truck for hauling in vehicles, as well as a front-end loader for stacking and moving them about the yard.
The brothers remain undaunted in the face of increasingly competitive auctions, as with the new year comes new plans to grow the already iconic business.
“We press on to buy as many cars as we can, whether they just come in off the street or through insurance contacts with companies like Progi,” said Jeff.
“We strive to keep our sales up. We’re trying to get into higher-end, later-model wrecks, so high-quality, low-kilometre parts.”


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Players of the classic fantasy role-playing video game series “Monster Hunter” will be delighted to find out that the franchise could potentially hit the big screen, courtesy of the team behind the “Resident Evil” films.
According to Deadline, as the latest installment “Resident Evil: The Final Chapter” marks the end of the survival horror series, which currently has five movies on its roster, writer and director Paul W.S. Anderson and Impact Pictures producing partner Jeremy Bolt have set their sights on their next video game to movie franchise adaptation. Their manager, Ken Kamins has apparently begun taking meetings with some filmmakers.
When the first version of the game was released by Capcom in 2004, it gained prominence within the gaming community, particularly with the Japanese audience. The RPG revolves around an ordinary man discovering that he is actually the descendant of an ancient hero. He has to travel to a mystical world to train and become a Monster Hunter before the mythical creatures destroy the human world.
“What I love about ‘Monster Hunter’ is the incredibly beautiful, immersive world they’ve created. It’s on the level of like a ‘Star Wars’ movie, in terms of world creation. There are no real central characters so it’s a bit like when we first approached ‘Resident Evil’ and imposed our own characters and story on that world. I think this is a perfect IP for us to do exactly that same thing again,” Anderson said.
It is believed that the script may tackle the said universe invading the reality of mankind. This then necessitates humans to rise up and hold off the threat. Capcom is said to be supportive of the film’s development in the hands of Anderson and Bolt given that the “Resident Evil” franchise is expected to exceed $1 billion with the upcoming release of “Final Chapter.”
Moreover, another advantage is that Anderson has an existing relationship with visual effects studio Mr. X, the Canadian company that helped keep costs down for the said franchise.


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Others praised Nike for its gutsy ad campaign.
US President Donald Trump has once again weighed in on Nike's ad campaign featuring controversial quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Martin told the news station that he called Nike "the mother of all harlots" for the campaign and criticized their use of the term "sacrificed everything".
Screencaps of the "like" spread on social media.
People have been on either side of the spectrum when it comes to Nike's decision.
Leaked OnePlus 6T Packaging Shows In-Display Fingerprint Sensor, Tear-Drop Notch
We can see that there appears to be a smaller, redesigned notch, and also a fingerprint reader that's built into the screen. If you own a OnePlus 6, you're probably wondering whether the OnePlus 6T retail box in these photos are genuine.
Colin Kaepernick in Dream Crazy. A 30-second version will also include Kaepernick. Several superstar athletes make cameos throughout the video, including LeBron Jameserena Williams.
Carlson then asked Portnoy how Nike is helping the cause of civil rights if it's trying to sell expensive shoes to people who can't afford them. He closes with the mantra that first appeared in his marketing for Nike on Monday: "Believe in something".
Now a free agent, Kaepernick filed a grievance in November a year ago against the National Football League and its owners, accusing them of collusion by not hiring him.
Utah Jazz center and NBA Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert is one of them. That policy also says teams will be fined if players are on the field and "do not stand and show respect for the flag and the Anthem". Those rules were recently put on hold pending further discussion.
The NFL did not respond to a request for comment about the commercial.
Closing his remarks, he said he stood "for anybody who believes in change".


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The Deep Deuce part of downtown will finally have a grocery store to call its own very soon.
Deep Deuce boasts 600 apartments, but a grocery store is nowhere in sight. However, coming this May or June, the popular "Native Roots" Market in Norman plans to open a second store in Deep Deuce.
Native Roots Co-Owner Matt Runkle says the 2,400 square foot store will be at 2nd St. and Walnut, on the southeast corner of the new "Level" apartment complex.
"From bagged ice to aspirin, to beer to coffee. To get a cup of coffee, not just a bag of coffee, full spread, crammed with a lot of greatness," said Runkle.
Runkle says the new Native Roots will make Deep Deuce residents very happy. He says the new store will have a large selection of meats, cheeses, fresh breads, a deli, beer, bagged ice, and even cleaning supplies.


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A new three year domestic tourism campaign has been announced by VisitEngland aimed at creating 9,100 jobs and generating £365 million in additional spending.
The Growing Tourism Locally initiative is a public private partnership which has received £19.8 million from the Government’s Regional Growth Fund plus funds from VisitEngland and the tourism sector.
It will back local destination campaigns based in specific regional themes that are designed to inspire more Britons to holiday at home.
The campaign follows this year’s hard-hitting £4 million Great Britain domestic holidays push, timed to capitalise on the Olympics and Queen’s Diamond Jubilee that urged Brits not to go abroad this summer.
This angered many in the outbound travel trade and the government has indicated any future campaigns will not seek to promote UK breaks at the expense of foreign holidays.
Under the new push destination campaigns will start to roll out over the next six months while themed campaigns will begin running in early 2013 in time for Easter and summer holiday bookings for next year.
Themes expected to be part of the programme include heritage, coastal, countryside, and culture including sport and literature.
Cumbria Tourism kicks off the programme today with a campaign called Go Share Great Moments and Go Take your Breath Away highlighting local food, adventure and family activities.
James Berresford, VisitEngland chief executive, said: “The RGF money is a huge boost for tourism in England.
“This project enables our public and private sector partners to work together to stimulate tourism and ultimately grow jobs throughout the country with particular emphasis on some local areas.
“This is a great time to launch and we hope that by riding on the crest of a wave of a successful London 2012 Olympic Games we will harness the swell of national pride and inspire Brits to take the home advantage and holiday at home this year and beyond.”
Enterprise Minister Mark Prisk added: “Whether it’s creating jobs or boosting tourism, the RGF shows the difference that Government and the private sector can make when working together.
“It is projects like this which will unlock private sector investment in parts of the country that need it most and boost local economic growth.”
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A "brave" man.
Described as a "brave" man for having accepted the job, Horacio Rieznik became this week Argentina's Director of Fisheries, one of the "hottest" and most unattractive posts in the Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food Secretary.
Mr. Rieznik with a vast experience in the private sector announced he plans a complete review of the industry, targeting for produce with brand names, proper labelling and origin identification, and greater added commercial value.
"We must undergo a process similar to that of Argentine wineries that has been so successful; now we can find Argentine labelled and identified wines in the top world shops and restaurants", indicated Mr. Rieznik.
"It took us a long time to find a man with the conditions of Mr. Rieznik, and who is equidistant from all the interests in this industry", pointed out Argentine Agriculture Secretary Antonio Berhongaray during the taking office ceremony.
"It's not going to be easy, we've committed too many mistakes, human not arbitrary mistakes, and much less with any vested interest in mind", admitted Mr. Berhongaray.
The almost collapse of the hake fishery, Argentina's main product, which forced a catch ban, has left the whole industry in a critical situation.
Mr. Rieznik who was manager of the fish industry Alpesca from 1978 to 1992, promised to have a strategic plan ready in the next few months and anticipated he will also promote fish farming, such as salmon and other species.
Mr. Rieznik's predecessor, former mayor of Bahía Blanca Juan Carlos Cabirón resigned after two months in the job alleging "all sorts of pressures".
The new Argentine Fisheries Director was accompanied during the ceremony by a rabbi who prayed for God's inspiration in helping meet success and avoiding mistakes. Antarctic tourism.
Promising to promote "responsible tourism", so that the fragile Antarctic eco-system will not be affected, the International Association of Antarctica Tourism Operators, IAATO, ended their annual meeting in Hobart, celebrating the opening of a new air route from Australia to the Antarctic continent. IAATO president, Denise Landau indicated this is "a great challenge for tourist operat


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Sony announce RX100 VII, 20fps no blackout, 4K and 90fps with AE/AF locked
Hot on the heels of last weeks announcement of the Sony A7R IV, Sony have announced the new Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 VII compact.
The new camera sports a newly designed 1-inch stacked 20.1-megapixel CMOS sensor with DRAM chip, and features the same 24–200mm f/2.8–4.5 Zeiss Vario Sonnar T* lens as found on last year's RX100 VI.
There's 357 phase-detect and 425 contrast-detect autofocus points that cover 68 percent of the frame, with Sony saying the camera can autofocus up to 0.02 seconds and perform 60 autofocus and autoexposure calculations per second.
Like the Sony a9, the RX100 VII can shoot 20 frames per second blackout-free silent shooting, and also gains a host of Sony's latest autofocus features, including Real-time Tracking, Real-time Eye AF and Real-time animal Eye AF.
On the backside, there's a 3-inch, 921.6k-dot touchscreen LCD that's tiltable 180-degrees up and 90-degrees down. The EVF is 0.39-inch and has 2.36 million dots.
A new feature called Single Burst Drive Mode alllows capture of seven RAW or JPEGs at up to 90fps (or 60 or 30 if you so wish) per single shutter press. Focus and exposure will be fixed at the first shot fired.
There's a host of video features too, including 4K in-body movie recording with full pixel readout and no pixel binning,Real-time Tracking and Real-time Eye AF for video, interval shooting, super slow mo at 1000fps, a microphone jack and 180 degree flip screen LCD.
The RX100 VII will be available in Australia from August 2019 for SRP $1,999. You can find out more at Sony.


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As I study world affairs and read through the international and business news I see mistakes being made by many diplomats of many nations – things which cause friction in our global supply chain. These wheels need greasing, not more regulations or forced tariffs and barriers. If money is allowed to flow without restrictions in the global economy, without manipulation or interference due to disputes or human conflict – we can have a much safer world without all these wars and war posturing. Okay so, let’s talk about some international business issues that have flown across my radar screen recently.1. Last year North Korea stopped a factory in a neutral industrial zone along the border of South Korea – a shoe factory making bright colored tennis shoes for exports. With the shoe factory closed the supply and demand of the market was unbalanced causing an increase in shoe costs.
2. Bangladesh factory fire that killed all those people in Mid-2013 caused everyone to criticize American Companies which would inevitably buy those products through vendors or the components for products in the competed products from certified vendors – so many US companies halted buying anything from Bangladesh until that government made new standards and enforced them. But as bad as the conditions are those who have those jobs feel “fortunate” to have them, as they are good jobs and feed their family – now many out of work.
3. In some of the shoe factories in some Asian countries the workers cannot afford to even buy the shoes they make, so one US retailer is now giving away a pair in that country for every pair someone in the US buys at retail; $60.00 here, they make them for $1.45 cost there. But the PR is well received because the US wants to help out.
4. Shoe Drives in the US after Haiti Earthquake sent over nearly a million pairs of shoes, more than they needed. This was easy because the average American has 10 pairs of shoes, now all those non-needed shoes are dumped in the landfill which is already overflowing, and many people are trying to sell the best ones at little shoe stands – basically free-inventory.Although that fourth one wasn’t a business issue, it shows how misinterpretation and poor knowledge or what’s going on can lead to unintended consequences no matter how good the intentions were at the onset. Perhaps you might consider all these things, as examples of where we all need to work harder at allowing international business trade to work things out without adding sound and fury to the friction of the human endeavor.


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In a meeting of creative heavyweights, advertisement firm Weiden + Kennedy’s John Jay caught up with Visvim founder Hiroki Nakamura in an article which encompasses a series of pressing issues. From the initial onslaught of creative juices which defined the world scene of fashion in the Ura-Hara Movement, the article delves deeper into the development of Visvim and the company ethos and how it has been a formidable representation of the post-Harajuku movement. View the article here which was done as part of a series of blogs done by the NY Post titled The Moment.


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Google Boost Ads, an advertising solution aimed at helping local businesses connect with potential customers, now appear on Google mobile search results pages for Android and iPhone devices. The
search engine announced the offering for traditional search in October. Now, Kiley McEvoy tells us about the ad platform for mobile.
Read the whole story at Google Mobile Blog »


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Written by: Monica Redondo @MonicaRedondoD August 1, 2022 3 minutes
The month of July confirmed the 12.5% drop in car and SUV registrations. What will happen in August?
The seventh month of the year ended with a 12.5% drop in car and SUV registrations, compared to the same period of the previous year. On this occasion, they registered 73,378 units, all marked by a marked month conditioned by economic uncertainty, resulting from the rise in inflation and prices, and by the shortage of semiconductors which continues to weigh on the arrival of vehicles at dealerships.
Until July, sales of passenger cars and SUVs were down 11% compared to the same period of the previous year, with a total of 481,135 units. With regard to emissions, the average CO2 emissions are at 122.4 grams of CO2 per kilometerwhich is 2.7% less than the average number of models sold in July 2021.
In the last month, only corporate sales managed to achieve a positive result, with a growth of 2.7% and 31,035 units sold. For its part, the individual channel suffered a drop of 12.1% to 31,330 sales. As for purchases made by tenants, they maintained the annual downward trend, accumulating 11,013 units in the seventh month, or 38.9% less than in the same month of the previous year. This channel is the one that suffers the most from the lack of semiconductors.
July confirms the negative trend in the sector
In July, registrations of light commercial vehicles fell again sharply, with a drop of 17.9% and a total of 11,279 units. Year-to-date, a total of 68,138 units were added, which represents a decrease of 33.1%. As for the chains, they all maintain the downward trend, the rental chain, with a drop of 33.7%, suffering the largest drop.
Félix García, director of communication and marketing at Anfac, explained that “the market for cars and SUVs has still not reached positive figures. A month like July, which historically showed good behavior, closed on a significant decline. bad economic situation which was already an important conditioning factor for users’ purchasing decisions, was aggravated by the sharp rise in inflation and energy prices, as well as by consumer uncertainty in the face of certain messages against the use of private vehicles.
For his part, Raúl Morales, director of communications at Faconauto, indicated that “traditionally, July was one of the best months of the year for the automobile because families planned the purchase of their new car before the holidays. and car rental companies strengthened their fleets before the summer campaign. These situations did not occur this year, hence the drop not only in registrations but also in orders. De esta manera, el mercado sigue deprimido, más de un 30% por debajo de las cifras de 2019, y con los mismos achaques de los últimos meses, mainly la falta de stock y sobre todo la incertidumbre que sienten los compradores, que además se tienen que enfrentar a claro encarecimiento de los vehículos, del 6% de media en lo que va de año, y ahora a una subida del precio del dinero, lo que aleja cada vez más a la familia española media de la posibilidad de aquirir un new car”.


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Despite all the scheduling disruptions last season, total NFL hours viewed fell by less than 5%, according to Jeremy Carey, managing director at Optimum Sports, an Omnicom-owned sports marketing agency that represents dozens of NFL sponsors and advertisers. “I look at that and say ‘Wow, that is what they did with so many uncertainties last year.’” he says. “It speaks to the power of the [NFL] brand, it speaks to the power of the broadcast—and for us, it lets us know we can’t not be there.”
In another sign of strength, the league did not lose a single sponsor after last season and managed to add three new partners for the 2021-22 slate—FanDuel, Diageo and Cisco—while expanding deals with Caesars Entertainment and DraftKings, which are now designated as “official sports betting partners,” along with FanDuel. That gives the league 37 sponsors heading into the new season. And the deals are not slowing down even as COVID rises: Lexus on Wednesday announced a new multiyear deal with the Miami Dolphins and its home venue of Hard Rock Stadium that includes “significant branding presence at all stadium events.”
See all the winners of Ad Age's 2021 Small Agency Awards here.
Last season, the league and individual teams raked in $1.62 billion in sponsorship revenue, up from $1.47 billion in 2019-2020, according to sponsorship consultancy IEG. New additions included Postmates, which joined in September 2020 as the league’s first “on-demand food delivery partner”—a category that gained steam in the pandemic. “While NFL continues to operate as a mass-reach platform for some of the usual suspects in sponsorship, it has quickly evolved as a marketing destination for new categories, lesser-known brands and new executions,” Peter Laatz, global managing director at IEG, stated earlier this year when the report was issued.
But the league and its teams had to get creative to satisfy sponsors that lost out on reaching fans in crowded stadiums. For instance, at the Super Bowl, where attendance was limited, sponsors got placement on LED signage that covered the first few rows of Raymond James Stadium.
“We reimagined everything,” says Tracie Rodburg, the NFL’s senior VP for sponsorship management. “We really worked closely with our partners on finding the assets we could deliver,” she adds, including using ad inventory on its own NFL Network.
“Our goal this year, as the commissioner says, is to have full stadiums,” she says. “While there is still uncertainty going into this year, there was way more uncertainty last year.”
One wildcard for brands this season is a new rule stating that a team experiencing a COVID outbreak will forfeit a game if it cannot be rescheduled within the 18-week season. While that could bring more certainty that the season gets completed on time, the rule, if activated, would result in lost opportunities for brands to activate sponsorships at the home site of the canceled game.
What brands have planned
Most brands have yet to reveal their NFL ad or sponsorship plans for the season, including big spenders Pepsi and Verizon. Anheuser-Busch InBev, whose Bud Light brand is one of the league’s biggest sponsors, declined an interview request but issued a statement from Bud Light Marketing VP Andy Goeler describing its NFL campaign as “centered around celebrating fans no matter where they’re rooting on their favorite teams—whether that be from the comfort of their homes, watching at their favorite bar, or at their team’s stadium,” adding that “we remain ready to respond to the changing environment.”
Subway, which inked an NFL sponsorship deal in July 2020, is “working on a new creative campaign that taps into football culture, featuring some of the NFL’s incredible roster of talent,” Chief Marketing Officer Carrie Walsh said in a statement to Ad Age. “We are still planning for on-site activation this season, but are ready to pivot to virtual experiences as needed.”
DraftKings this week put out a new campaign called “The Feels,” which stars Martin Lawrence and dramatizes the emotions experienced by sports bettors by putting in human form thoughts and feelings like “logic” and “indecision.” The ads feature a man watching a game at home—not at a stadium.
Asked if COVID influenced the approach, VP of Brand and Sports Marketing Michael Shonkoff in a statement said: “Perhaps our decision to focus on the at-home experience was done subconsciously as we recognize there having been a shift in consumption habits given the challenges presented by COVID. However, provided that DraftKings’ mobile app conveniently lends itself to gaming from the safety and comfort of home, the vision for an at-home ad spot was there from the start, further emphasizing DraftKings' mobility as a source of entertainment."


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An article posted over on The NY Times offers some new information on Disney’s upcoming streaming service which is set to launch sometime in 2019. The article introduces us to a Disney executive named Ricky Strauss, who was recently given “creative oversight of the service’s programming”. Armed with this responsibility, Strauss has the ability to approve all new episodic series and movies that will be released to consumers via the new streaming service.
For the purpose of Star Wars relevance, the Times piece states that Jon Favreau’s live-action series will be comprised of 10 episodes and will fall under a $100 million production budget. Little is currently know about this new series from Favreau except that it is slated to take place in the official Star Wars timeline about 3 years after Return of the Jedi. An earlier report also named artist Doug Chiang and designer Andrew L. Jones as being part of the production crew.
Check out an excerpt from the Times article below and then click here for the full read.
A live-action “Star Wars” series coming to the platform from Jon Favreau, the director of films like “Iron Man” and “The Jungle Book,” is expected to cost roughly $100 million for 10 episodes. “‘Star Wars’ is a big world, and Disney’s new streaming service affords a wonderful opportunity to tell stories that stretch out over multiple chapters,” Mr. Favreau said in an email. He added of Mr. Strauss: “Marketing is about telling a story, and his background in that area allows us to collaborate and create new content.”


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Could A Ban On Microbeads Overhaul The Cosmetics Industry?
Cosmetics companies could see US legislation overhaul their product lines over the next few years as consumers begin to pay more attention to their effect on the environment.
Though many companies have begun to introduce “green” cosmetics lines, a push to outlaw microbeads could result in major changes to the beauty industry.
Microbeads, small plastic cylinders found in exfoliating scrubs, are set to be banned in Illinois beginning in 2015 due to their negative impact on the state's aquatic ecosystems. The beads can be harmful to marine life as they are small enough to pass through water treatment systems and later ingested by fish and birds.
Illinois is the first state to make the sale of such products illegal, but many see the ban widening to other states in the coming months. New York, California and Ohio have already begun to draw up legislation supporting a state-wide ban.
Companies like L'Oreal SA and Unilever N.V. (NYSE: UN) have already promised to completely remove the plastic beads from their product lines by 2015 in an effort to satisfy consumers' demand for social responsibility.
International campaigns like "Beat the Microbead," for example, have been encouraging consumers to stop purchasing products that contain the beads, causing many big-name companies to take note.
Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG) has also vowed to become microbead free, though not until 2017.
If other states start banning the beads in the coming year, though, most expect to see big cosmetics chains picking up the pace on phasing out products that include the tiny plastic balls.
© 2017 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.


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Latest ground turkey recall: 164,000 more pounds impacted in ongoing salmonella outbreak
More than 164,000 pounds of raw ground turkey have been recalled amid an ongoing salmonella outbreak that has now sickened 216 people since November, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Friday.
Jennie-O Turkey Store Sales, Inc. said Friday that it is recalling ground turkey packaged in 1, 2.5 and 3 pound containers. The affected products are labeled as ground turkey, taco seasoned ground turkey, Italian seasoned ground turkey and Stater Bros. all natural ground turkey. The products come in several lean/fat proportions.
The recall comes as 52 new illnesses associated with the salmonella outbreak were announced. In total, 216 people in 38 states have been sickened since the CDC began tracking in November 2017. Eighty-four people have been hospitalized and one person has died, the agency reports.
The outbreak strain of salmonella "is present in live turkeys and in many types of raw turkey products, indicating it might be widespread in the turkey industry," the CDC said.
It's the second recall to affect Jennie-O's ground turkey product line since November, when the company recalled more than 90,000 pounds, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The latest recall impacts products manufactured between October 22, 2018 and October 23, 2018. The products have a “Use or freeze by” date of Nov. 12, 2018 or Nov. 13, 2018 on their packaging. The USDA has provided a visual guide to that packaging on its website.
Symptoms of salmonella include diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps; the illness can last 7 days, according to the CDC. Severe salmonella can lead to hospitalization or death, especially in children, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems.
The CDC advises consumers to handle raw raw turkey carefully as "raw turkey products can have germs that spread around food preparation areas and can make you sick." Turkey should be throughly cooked before eating to prevent food poisoning, the agency says.
Contributing: The Cincinnati Enquirer and The Associated Press
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Latest ground turkey recall: 164,000 more pounds impacted in ongoing salmonella outbreak


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SA out of recession with 2.2% GDP growth
By Lameez Omarjee - Dec 5th, 16:42
The SA economy has officially exited the recession after reporting 2.2% GDP growth for the third quarter of the year, Stats SA announced.
SA slipped into a technical recession during the first half of the year following two consecutive quarters of negative growth, denting initial positive market sentiment after the election of Cyril Ramaphosa as president.
The economy declined by 2.6% in the first quarter and by a further restated 0.4% in the second.
The 2.2% rebound was in line with the expectations of economists surveyed by Fin24, who projected positive growth of between 0.8% to 2.5%.
Stats SA announced that GDP growth for the second quarter of the year was revised from -0.7% to -0.4% after figures for the mining and manufacturing industries were revised upward. Data on agriculture and construction were revised downwards, explained Statistician-General Risenga Maluleke.
The main drivers of growth during the third quarter were the secondary sector, which grew by 4.5%, and the tertiary sector, which grew by 2.6%.
While manufacturing helped boost the growth of the secondary sector, the electricity and construction sectors contracted by 0.9% and 2.7% respectively.
The tertiary sector was boosted by growth in the trade (3.2%), transport (5.7%), finance (2.3%), government (1.5%) and personal services (0.7%) industries.
The primary sector slumped by 5.4% in the third quarter.
While agriculture grew by 6.5%, mining slumped by 8.8%, largely due to the decrease in production, particularly for platinum, iron ore and gold.
In nominal terms, GDP was valued at R1.27trn for the third quarter, this is R40bn more than the second quarter.
During the period household final consumption expenditure grew by 1.6%, government expenditure grew by 2.2% but gross fixed capital formation declined by -5.1%.
Despite the rebound, economists expect overall GDP growth for 2018 to remain weak, even perhaps less than a percent. The SA Reserve Bank has projected just 0.6% real economic growth for 2018, while ratings agency S&P Global expects an increase of 0.8 for the full year. Fin 24
Business confidence remains flat
06/12/2018 - 13:28
Business confidence remained flat in November.
SA grocery retailers hoping for a merry festive season
06/12/2018 - 08:18
Grocery retailers have had a tough year, and like other retailers are hoping to see a boost in sales over the festive season.
Agriculture confidence drops to lowest level in nine years
04/12/2018 - 13:19
Confidence in the agricultural sector has fallen to the lowest level in nine years on the back of uncertainty around land reform.
Green shoots for SA's manufacturing sector
04/12/2018 - 10:04
As manufacturing looks set to boost GDP in the third quarter, a survey has showed that factory owners are more upbeat about the sector.
Rising imports push trade balance deficit to biggest in 10 months
04/12/2018 - 08:07
As SA records its biggest trade deficit in 10 months, economists warn that trade tensions could keep the trade account in the negative for the next few months.


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Samsung’s New ‘OLED Finder’ Helps you Identify Products that use Samsung OLED Displays
Samsung Display makes OLED screens for smartphones and they are awesome. OLED screens have better colors, less blue light and use less plastic than LCD screens. Samsung Display has a website called ‘OLED Finder’ (oledera.samsungdisplay.com/oledfinder) where you can check if your phone has a Samsung OLED screen or not. Just type in your phone brand and model name and see for yourself.
The website has data on 700 phone models from eight brands like Samsung, Vivo, OPPO and Xiaomi. Samsung Display will add more phones and other devices like laptops and tablets soon.
“With 70% of OLED-equipped smartphones using Samsung Display technology, it is clear that Samsung OLED is highly trusted by both our partners and customers,” said Brad Jung, Vice President and head of the Mobile Display Marketing Team at Samsung Display. “Smartphone brands use various display technologies, including LCD or OLED, and even the same smartphone models can use panels from different manufacturers. We launched OLED Finder to provide more accurate information to consumers that are looking for superior Samsung OLED products.”
OLED Finder also tells you why Samsung OLED is better than other screens. When you pick a phone with Samsung OLED, it says “Awesome!” and shows you the cool features of Samsung OLED like diamond pixel. When you pick a phone with another screen, it suggests a better phone with Samsung OLED and gives you a link to its website.
OLED Finder can be accessed through the Samsung OLED website, OLED ERA (oledera.samsungdisplay.com) and Samsung Display’s official website (www.samsungdisplay.com)


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Sincethe starting of war in Ukraine, experts are warning that both war and climate change could combine to create a food crisis around the world. At its third week, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is already affecting world wheat supply. Many countries are already facing food shortage. The World Food Programme is raising the alarm especially in connection to regions already under severe hunger such as Syria, Yemen, Ethiopia and Afghanistan.
For AMAGEP, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is halting the delivery of wheat to areas suffering from drought and other climate impacts as assessed by UN experts.
Russian forces have been bombarding the almost all Ukrainian cities effectively shutting down the port of Mariupol and grain exports from it, stopping the connection between cities to export agricultural products from through different borders.
AMAGEP is alarming that Russia’s war in Ukraine is squeezing food supplies in countries that depend on those two nations for critical grains and cooking oils.
The halt in agricultural shipments out of the Black Sea has sent the price of wheat and fertilizer soaring and prompted growing concerns of a global food crisis.
In Africa, people are scrambling to buy wheat related products in anticipation of further price hikes. Thailand faces surging costs for fertilizer and feed stock. Egypt, the top importer of Russian wheat, has banned exports of homegrown grain, and Indonesia has restricted exports of palm oil, a potential substitute for other vegetable oils. Aid groups worry that rising prices will exacerbate hunger in already vulnerable countries.
Russia and Ukraine are two of the world’s agricultural powerhouses and the invasion of Ukraine comes as the global food system is already dealing with supply chain constraints due to the Covid-19 pandemic and climate-charged weather events.
Climate change could make the situation worse if agricultural production in the world’s other breadbaskets is disrupted this year by extreme weather events. Amagep notes that climate change is already having a negative impact on environment and food system around the world where northern part of Africa is facing drought and countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo depend mainly on food importation. South Africa is also dependent on import on first necessity goods but mostly affected by oil prices rise since last week.
For AMAGEP, climate change is increasing weather and yield variability and if severe weather events such as droughts, heatwaves, or floods will hit this season there will be compound effects, destabilizing the food system further. Russia and Ukraine are the countries that produce about 12 percent of the food calories consumed globally.
While most of the world has observed negative effects, ranging from lost livelihoods to increased food insecurity, the impacts have been felt unequally.
Wheat originated in the Middle East and remains a drylands crop, he said. But as the world has warmed, it’s gotten harder to produce wheat in the region of its provenance. That has meant a shift to higher latitudes, such as Canada, North Dakota, and Ukraine and Russia. Africa is totally dependent on world market.


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Today, Nestle USA voluntarily recalled its Toll House refrigerated Toll House cookie dough products after it was notified by both the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control that they were investigating reports of E.coli illnesses that might be related to the ingestion of these products. Reports indicated that 66 people have been sickened thus far within 28 states. Here is the link to the FDA press release indicating that all products should be thrown away.
Here we go again, yet another reported food contamination incident, as if we did not have enough.
I have a few thoughts to share from a supply chain risk mitigation perspective. First, as occurred with Kraft Foods in the pistachio recall incident, we should applaud Nestle USA for its immediate response to this incident. Having a response plan, and marshaling a crisis team are all critical steps to effective crisis management of these situations.
The production plant that produces the bulk of this product is located in Danville Virginia, and has shutdown production. An article from a local news outlet quotes a Nestle USA spokesperson indicating that this plant also produces refrigerated pasta, but strangely, that was not reported as being shutdown. It strikes me that it would be more prudent to suspend production of all products until this plant can be cleared of any suspected contaminates.
Today, information moves much faster as a result of wide syndication across the Internet. By my informal observation, the first AP story announcing the recall hit the media a little after 9 AM Eastern Time. By 3 PM Eastern, Google had a listing of 774 categorized news stories with the keywords of Nestle USA Toll House, and E, Coli associated in the banner, and most of the national and cable networks were featuring the story on breaking news or health related sites. By 5 PM, the number rose to over 900. I mention all of this for two reasons. First, the most important priority was obviously to get the word out to consumers. That seemed to work at remarkable speed. But the consequences are obviously one for concern for product management and supply chain. In the span of just eight hours, the potential demand for this product has ceased, and much work remains to identify the root cause, fix the problem, and restore the brand credibility.
Needless to say it’s going to be a hectic few weeks for Nestle USA teams. I wish them well. As we sadly have done too often on Supply Chain Matters, we will continue periodic observation and commentary on this latest incident of supply chain disruption. We trust there will be no further cascading supply chain effects as occured with the paenut butter incident.
In the meantime make sure everyone in your household is aware of this recall and does not eat the uncooked dough.
An article in today’s Wall Street Journal indicates that Nestle’s Darden Virginia plant refused to provide certain information to FDA inspectors on previous visits as far back as 2005. The Journal requested this information from the FDA under a Freedom of Information request.
The article implies that while this specific information does not legally need to be shared, it does not present a positive impression of transparency across the food industry. The FDA continues to inspect the Darden plant to determine if there is any sign of contamination.
Here is the link to the WSJ article: (Subscription may be required)
Nestle USA obviously needs to become more proactive in its response to this crisis.


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There have been plenty of high-profile staff departures in the racing game industry lately.
Last year, five key developers left Criterion Games, the creator of Burnout Paradise and more recently Burnout Paradise, to pursue new opportunities outside of EA.
Then Forza Horizon 5’s creative director Mike Brown founded Maverick Games to work on a new unannounced open-world game. And now another former Playground Games developer has formed a new AAA studio to work on a new “genre-defining franchise.”
Playground Games co-founder announces Lighthouse Games
Back in 2010, Gavin Raeburn founded Playground Games, the Leamington Spa-based studio behind the Forza Horizon franchise, alongside Trevor Williams and Ralph Fulton.
Raeburn then left Playground Games in January 2022 along with other Forza Horizon veterans. Today, Raeburn has announced his new triple-A startup studio: Lighthouse Games.
Raeburn is leading a “veteran team” of 30 staff made up of "key founding members of Playground Games’ original team" and industry veterans to build a "new best-in-class game." Like Playground Games, Lighthouse Games' studio is based in Leamington Spa.
Lighthouse Games working on new “genre-defining franchise”
“I’m delighted that 30 former colleagues and other industry heavyweights have chosen to join me at Lighthouse,” said Raeburn.
With Horizon, Playground and I created one of the most successful Xbox franchises of all time. We delivered significant commercial success year after year, to massive critical acclaim, following the success from my time at Codemasters leading Dirt, Grid and F1."
"That DNA is now at Lighthouse, and with it, we intend to build something truly special using all our experience to create a new genre-defining franchise.”
That new genre-defining franchise remains a mystery for now, but we’re hoping Raeburn and his team at Lighthouse can reinvigorate the racing genre with a new original IP – just as he did ten years ago with the original Forza Horizon.
It will also be interesting to see how these staff departures affect the future creative direction of Forza Horizon at Playground Games.
For more articles like this, take a look at our News page.


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Beacon has acquired Crabtree Siding and Company, a wholesale distributor of residential exterior building materials, including a broad offering of complementary products, to contractors and builder customers.
“Joining forces with Beacon is a step ahead for our customers,” Donna Crabtree, Crabtree Siding and Company owner, said in a news release. “We have grown the business from humble beginnings by working hard and treating customers right, and it’s clear that those values are inherent at Beacon.”
According to Beacon, Crabtree has a strong reputation for long-term mutually beneficial relationships with customers and suppliers and reached annual sales of approximately $1 million. Beacon said Crabtree’s Cookeville, Tenn., location is strategically located in the growing market between Nashville and Knoxville.
“We are pleased to welcome Crabtree to Beacon’s team. Their history of excellent customer service and supplier relations, combined with a superior location, will allow us to further grow Beacon’s presence in Tennessee, particularly this important but underserved area of the state,” said Munroe Best, president of Beacon’s south division.


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The PS4 is Entering the Final Phase of Its Life Cycle – The End of the PlayStation 4?
According to the CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment, the PlayStation 4 console is indeed entering the final phase of its life cycle. However, it’s not exactly what you think is happening with the PS4.
The PS4 is Entering the Final Phase of Its Life Cycle
During Sony Interactive Entertainment’s Investor Relations Day 2018 which was held in Tokyo, an interesting piece of information surfaced. The CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment, John Kodera, told investors that this is the phase where the PlayStation 4 console sales would take a hit.
As bad as this might sound for PS4 owners however, this is not an announcement where Sony will be pulling the plug on the PlayStation 4. What he means is that the majority of PS4 consoles have already been sold, and that the company will be shifting their focus from selling hardware (the console itself) to maintaining engagement with people who own and play the console.
Kodera is quoted as saying that Sony continues to invest in first-party and exclusive games, though that doesn’t just mean new IPs. Refreshing existing IPs and expanding successful ones even further is also part of the company’s plan.
The CEO also touched on the topic of PlayStation VR sales, saying that PS VR is growing, despite an overall low growth rate for the VR industry as a whole. As far as revenue is concerned, the growing revenue from PlayStation Plus should offset the decline in hardware sales.
Interestingly, Kodera was quoted as saying that from now until March 2021 (the company’s mid-term plan), Sony will “crouch down once to grow further in the future.” It’s not exactly clear what Kodera means by this, but it could be referring to the period of ramping down that typically precedes the design and launch of a new platform.
This goes in line with what we initially talked about with the upcoming PlayStation 5, or more accurately referring to the successor of the PS4 assuming it uses a different name. If you missed out on that and would like to know more about the PS5 as well as when it could be launched, click right here to find out.
The PlayStation 4 launched in 2013 and it has seen good times in its 5-year lifespan. There are already rumblings of PS5 dev kits being sent to developers in anticipation of a possible 2020 launch but take that information with a grain of salt.
Pokdepinion: And here, I was already planning to starve myself so I can save up and buy the new console. Guess we don’t have to worry about that so soon.


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What’s Happening in the Market
“The Market continues to move fast, however, it is slower than it has been in the last six months.
- Months’ Supply of Inventory is 0.9, the same as this time last year, and is still historically low.
- The percentage of closed sales selling for above list price was 41% in October, down from the peak of 63% in June, but it is still very competitive out there for properly positioned homes. (Price, Condition and Location)
Just under 2/3 of the homes that sold in October 2017 occurred with less than 15 days market exposure. Buyers in the market are knowledgeable, and move quickly for correctly priced homes.”


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Presented with their award at a glittering gala dinner held on board the Royal Yacht Britannia in Edinburgh, the dealership was congratulated on selling more cars than any other in the SsangYong UK dealer network.
Their achievement was made all the more significant having only held the franchise since September 2014.
Paul Williams, CEO of SsangYong Motor UK said: “Sincere congratulations to everyone at SERE – sales, aftersales and management. This is a great achievement, and a beacon to all our dealers to demonstrate what can be achieved.”
“We are naturally delighted,” commented Stanley Edgar, managing director of SERE Ltd, which is based in Boucher Road, Belfast. “This is a great accolade for the whole team who have worked so hard. Getting a new franchise bedded into a dealership inevitably takes some time and effort. Everyone has pulled together and the results we have achieved with SsangYong in just over a year are a credit to them all.”
Added SERE general manager, Bernard McCotter who accepted the award, “The SsangYong franchise has done extremely well since we launched just over a year ago. We are very pleased to have received the Dealer of the Year award and are confident the franchise will continue to go from strength-to-strength.”


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Diversey Teams With Bona for ISSA Show 2018 ContestSeptember 5, 2018
Diversey has partnered with Bona® to co-host a special booth at ISSA Show North America 2018, which takes place October 30-November 1, at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, TX.
The two companies will present a booth with a basketball court and three product giveaways valued at US$4,000 each. To be eligible for the product giveaways, attendees must visit Diversey’s booth (#5901), Bona’s booth (#6460), and the contest booth, which is located at the ISSA Food Service and Lounge (#6868).
With sales in more than 175 countries, Diversey is a global provider of commercial cleaning, sanitation, and hygiene solutions. For more information, visit www.diversey.com.


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Maserati’s new Alfa-based Grecale SUV teased
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MODENA, ITALY - Maserati has released a few images of its upcoming Grecale SUV in disguised prototype form, far ahead of its global premiere which is scheduled for late 2021.
Maserati says the prototype vehicles are currently being put through a series of “intensive” road, track and off-road tests, which will determine the vehicle’s final set-up.
That’s as much as Maserati is prepared to tell us about the Grecale for now, however Autocar previously reported that the new SUV, which slots beneath the Levante, will share a fair amount of its DNA, as well as an assembly line, with the Alfa Romeo Stelvio.
However, the newcomer will be powered by Maserati engines rather than units sourced from Alfa so those paying the premium for Maserati ownership will at least have some additional bragging rights besides the unique styling and badge.
The company also reportedly plans to introduce an electric version further down the line.
Last year Maserati’s global planning head Francesco Tonon was quoted as saying that the Grecale would offer best-in-class performance, handling, design, practicality and features.
Incidentally, the Grecale name comes from the fierce north-east wind of the Mediterranean Sea and fittingly, this is not the first Maserati to be named after a strong wind - think Mistral, Ghibli, Hasmsin, Merac and Levante.
So when can you buy one?
Our contact at Maserati SA says the importer is hoping to introduce it by the end of 2021, however any Covid-related delays could push it back to 2022.
Further to that, the local importer is planning a number of new models for 2021, including Trofeo performance versions of the Ghibli, Quattroporte and Levante, a Ghibli hybrid and the ferocious MC20 supercar - which is powered by an interesting F1-inspired engine.


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Simulated Environment Concepts, the manufacturer and developer of medical, aesthetic, weight loss, wellness, and slimming equipment, today reminded investors of the company’s First Shareholder Conference Call of 2011, scheduled for this Thursday at 2PM EST. Those interested will be able to attend via both telephone and webcast.
“We are extremely excited about this event,” stated Dr. Ella Frenkel, President and CEO of SE Concepts, and Keynote Speaker of the event. “As a relatively new public company, this will be our first opportunity to really engage our shareholders and give them the opportunity to get to know the management of SE Concepts. In addition, we plan to provide some very important updates, key announcements and exciting news which we feel will be very well received by our shareholders.”
Several updates and announcements are anticipated. It is widely speculated that call topics would include the company’s plans to seek FDA approval for their flagship product (SpaCapsule), the possibility of becoming fully reporting and perhaps uplisting to a higher exchange.
Dr. Frenkel and Chief Operating Officer of SE Concepts, Mr. Allen Licht, will be conducting the conference call. Mr. Licht has been with the company since its inception and will be addressing the company’s shareholders throughout the question and answer session following the Keynote Address by Dr. Frenkel.
Those wishing to attend the event are encouraged to participate either by telephone at 877-407-8031, (International callers, please call 201-689-8031), or by joining the live webcast at: www.investorcalendar.com/IC/CEPage.asp?ID=163687
Let us hear your thoughts: Simulated Environment Concepts Inc. Message Board


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Plans include expansion to 100 locations through 2012.
TravelCenters of America LLC (TA) has become an authorized Verizon wireless retailer and opened retail outlets under the UltraMobile name at eight of its TA and Petro Stopping Centers branded locations in Ohio and Pennsylvania.
The UltraMobile outlets provide a full service offering in a convenient location for professional drivers and highway motorists.
UltraMobile can be found at the following locations:
• Petro Girard – I-80, exit 226, Girard, Ohio
• Petro New Paris – I-70, exit 156B, New Paris, Ohio
• TA Harborcreek – I-90, exit 35, Erie, Pennsylvania
• TA Hebron – I-70, exit 126, Hebron, Ohio
• TA Jeffersonville – I-71, exit 65, Jeffersonville, Ohio
• TA Lodi – I-71, exit 209, Seville, Ohio
• TA London – I-70, exit 79, London, Ohio
• TA Toledo – I-80/I-90, exit 5, Perrysburg, Ohio
All locations are open Monday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. – 10 p.m., and Sundays from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
With UltraMobile, customers can purchase phones, set up service plans and new activations, upgrade existing plans and pay their Verizon bills. UltraMobile carries all makes of phone provider accessories. Data/internet cards, PCs, tablets and prepaid wireless phones/cards are also available. UltraMobile sites also have the ability to transfer a customer’s contact information from one handset to another.
For professional drivers, UltraONE Points can be redeemed for phones and accessories at UltraMobile sites, and store associates will load the TA and Petro TruckSmart mobile app on all smartphones, in addition to demonstrating all of the app’s features. Drivers can use the app to locate TA and Petro sites, access their UltraONE loyalty program account information and enter the shower queue without going to a kiosk – all things that save on time.
TA and Petro have long been bringing drivers the full-service advantage by providing a large number of amenities at one stop for drivers. “It’s about respect,” said Tom O’Brien, president and CEO of TravelCenters. “We respect the job they do and what life is like for them on the road. And we hope providing useful services like this will make that life on a road just a little bit easier.”


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Streaming giant Netflix is doing something pretty good for its inactive customers.
The platform will now ask customers who have not watched anything on Netflix for a year since they joined the platform to confirm if they want to keep their membership. This is especially helpful for customers who made their accounts and forgot about it — and something that I wished gyms did.
Netflix is also doing the same thing for anyone who has remained inactive for more than two years. Further, subscribers will receive emails or in-app notifications this week. And for those who don’t confirm they want to cancel the subscription, Netflix will automatically cancel it.
Further, Netflix says these inactive accounts represent only a few hundred thousand viewers, which is less than half of one percent of the company’s subscriber base.
Netflix is also making it easy to rejoin the platform. Anyone who cancels their account and then rejoins within ten months will still have their profiles, viewing preference and other account details.


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Lil Wayne is going to have to settle for second place. The YMCMB rapper’s latest LP, I Am Not A Human Being II, sold about 217,000 units its first week, which will land it at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 album chart. Who is number one? Justin Timberlake.
Justine Timberlake is a hard act to follow. Lil Wayne’s I Am Not A Human Being II isn’t expected to put up 900,000+, like that of The 20/20 Experience, but a more modest, 210,000, in a week.
Who said consumers don’t buy albums anymore? Justin Timberlake‘s third album, The 20/20 Experience, will debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart tomorrw, selling almost a million copies its first week in stores.
Justin Timberlake’s first album in six years is being massively well received by fans. In just one week. Timberlake’s The 20/20 Experience is expected to sell 750,000 copies, Billboard.com reports.
Justin Timberlake may have premiered The 20/20 Experience on iTunes last week, but the Pop crooner still managed to save some newness for the album’s official release date. JT drops the visuals for his “Suit & Tie” hit’s follow up single, “Mirrors.”
Can’t wait for Justin Timberlake’s new album, The 20/20 Experience? Well, you are in luck.


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With consumers’ growing taste for fresh and healthy food, major packaged food giants have seen their growth slow and their businesses disrupted by upstarts that consumers consider as more authentic. But some of those big giants are fighting back — in a good way.
In the latest example,
The acquisition will make the combined company the fifth-largest packaged foods giant in the U.S., with more than $12 billion in retail sales, Conagra said, citing IRI data. In the frozen food section — excluding ice cream, beverages and novelty items — the tie-up will send the two to the No. 2 spot. (
Why is this significant? As consumer demand continues to grow in the perimeter of grocery stores, which houses fresh deli items, meat and seafood, the frozen category is one big bright spot in the lackluster "center" part of the stores, Nielsen data shows. In the year through May, U.S. frozen category sales rose 1.8% to $51.2 billion, more than double the growth rate seen in either dairy or dry packaged grocery goods in the center aisles of stores.
That’s relevant because the center still commands $344 billon in industrywide grocery sales, double the size of what the fresh and perishable items generate on the perimeter, according to Nielsen.
The combined company will see more than two-fifths of its sales from frozen food. The category already outpaces snacks and condiments, among others, as the biggest business segment for both. Pinnacle had the No. 1 U.S. share in the frozen vegetables category in 2017 while Conagra and Pinnacle took the No. 2 and No. 3 spots in frozen meals, according to Euromonitor. Conagra also owns other brands such as Hunt's ketchup while Pinnacle has labels including Log Cabin syrup.
The deal goes beyond just a play for “cost synergies,” which Conagra estimates will total $215 million annually by fiscal year 2022. By combining, the two companies could also gain bigger negotiating clout with retailers and complement each other.
Making Frozen Foods Cool Again
Both companies make good case studies of how major packaged goods companies don't have to just rely on buying young and hip brands to diversify and fuel growth. There's just as big of an opportunity to grow by retooling their classic portfolios.
For instance, Pinnacle has driven demand by reinventing its Birds Eye frozen vegetables with “innovative and on-trend items” including riced vegetables and cauliflower items with "bold" flavors, Dewey Warner, a research analyst at Euromonitor, said in a note. That's lifting demand at a time when convenience-seeking consumers are moving away from “heavy consumption” of fresh vegetables partly on concern that the fresh vegetables will go to waste if they don't use them in time, he said.
“This merger could create a really powerful duo and a new giant in the food industry with a leading and growing role to play in the health and wellness segment,” Warner said. Pinnacle also owns meat substitute brand Gardein and specialty gluten-free baked goods labels like Udi’s and Glutino, which will also allow Conagra to tap into these other fast-growing specialty areas that it doesn't yet participate in, he said.
Conagra has had its own reinvention with brands such as Healthy Choice. Last year the brand introduced a Power Bowls line, featuring natural ingredients and environmentally conscious packaging, to target younger consumers. And just as restaurants like McDonald’s, Chipotle and IHOP have jumped on the online food delivery bandwagon to meet the convenience needs of time-squeezed consumers, the Healthy Choice line has this tagline: “Perfect for that busy schedule.”
"I really thought the flavors in this were delicious," a customer in New York named Sami wrote in a review recommending the "Shiitake Chicken" bowl. "I usually don't write reviews but I enjoyed this a lot. I was looking for something quick for dinner and this was only about $4....Plus I love that the bowl is biodegradable."
Related on Forbes: Will Robot Chefs and Drone Delivery One Day Kill Kitchens?
Those efforts have paid off. While other frozen meal brands, including Nestle’s Lean Cuisine and Kraft Heinz’s Weight Watchers, have seen lower sales, Healthy Choice and other Conagra frozen brands including Banquet and Marie Callender's have seen sharp sales gains “after years of double-digit declines,” RBC analyst David Palmer said in a 64-page report in April on the U.S. frozen food space.
Companies like Conagra and Pinnacle Foods “are increasingly showing that growth spending works — in the form of effective core product renovation, innovation, marketing and promotion,” Palmer wrote, adding that as consumers continue to shift to "whole" foods like vegetables and protein, that will continue to “disproportionately benefit” players like Conagra and Pinnacle.
Frozen meals and appetizers are the largest frozen segment, representing 35% of the category, which has seen the highest sales growth in five years, he said.
In the past 10 years or so, frozen foods sales had been hurt as consumers avoided what they perceived as food “engineered” to be healthy or lean, Palmer said. “But now, we believe frozen food companies are catching up to align their frozen offerings to the [whole foods] attributes consumers demand,” he said. Frozen meals and appetizers “are gaining share of stomach.”
In tuning in to what consumers want and in giving frozen a new makeover, both companies show that other major CPG companies also have a shot at rejuvenating old brands and rewriting the industry playbook.
The marriage looks like a good one to toast to.
Related on Forbes: American Appetites Have Become More Adventurous Than Ever


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63w ago - Hello Games Managing Director Sean Murray has shared a video today announcing that Joe Danger: The Movie is roaring onto PSN with exclusive content.
To quote: It's even more exciting to be able to announce that Joe Danger: The Movie is coming to PS3 in the very near future with exclusive new content!
Two years ago, three friends and I made the original Joe Danger. The PlayStation community then took us under their wing and helped make it the huge success it became.
Since then we've been working incredibly hard to create the follow-up, Joe Danger: The Movie. Finally, today we can announce that Joe is coming home to the PlayStation Store very, very soon.
What I really can't wait for is the surprises we have in store for PlayStation gamers. This has been a total labour of love for us, and I'm really looking forward to seeing what people think of the game.
If you want to know more about the game, you can read some previews here and here, but first let me tell you a bunch of stuff you might not know.
Make your own Movie!
In the original, Joe Danger was a washed up stuntman, living in a caravan in the middle of the desert. Now he has been discovered by a mysterious...
79w ago - Following up on yesterday's US PSN update, PlayStation Store Director Grace Chen is back with details on today's E2 2012 PSN content updates below!
• Ncaa Football 2013 Demo (E3)
• E3 2012 Press Conference Post Show Video
• E3 2012 Press Conference Pre Show Video
• Hitman: Absolution - ICA File Benjamin Travis Trailer (720)
• Lost Planet 3 - E3 2012 Trailer
• Sleeping Dogs E3 Trailer
• The Last Of Us E3 2012 Gameplay Video (720)
• The Unfinished Swan Announce Trailer (SD, 720, 1080)
95w ago - Sony Network Entertainment Marketing Manager Christopher Lastrapes has posted up the new Video and Music Unlimited content for this weekend today, as follows:
This week, the Video Unlimited service adds the spy spoof sequel Johnny English Reborn.
Plus, rent Johnny Depp's new film, The Rum Diary, and laugh it up with five-buck comedy flicks including The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, Big Daddy, Date Movie, Robin Hood: Men in Tights, and Monty Python and the Holy Grail this week in Own $5 Films.
The Music Unlimited Service welcomes new releases from Islands, Eisley and Amos Lee.
We're also celebrating all of the winners of The 54th GRAMMY Awards in our premium channel and asked GRAMMY nominees Foster the People and others, If you could create a new genre, what would it be called?"


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PETE BANNAN — Digital first media
WEST GOSHEN >> For the second time in a year, home shopping network QVC is laying off workers from its West Chester area operation.
The company said 100 people were given notices on Wednesday. The reductions were not specific to a particular area of the business, said Colleen Rooney, vice president of global communications for QVC.
“Our vision at QVC is to change the way the world shops by reimagining shopping, entertainment and community as one,” Rooney said in a statement. “To achieve this vision we are constantly evaluating our structure to make sure we have the right resources and expertise to drive innovation and growth.
“To that end, we told our team today that we have made the difficult decision to reorganize some areas of our business and eliminate approximately 100 positions.”
A week ago, QVC opened its new West Coast Distribution Center in Ontario, California. That 1 million square foot facility is expected to produce 500 new jobs in Ontario by 2018 and an additional 500 jobs by 2020.
“… We are investing strategically in our business, growing retail platforms and adding positions that enhance our customer experience and further differentiate us in a competitive, dynamic retail marketplace,” Rooney continued. “For example, we opened our new West Coast Distribution Center last week with 160 positions, and we’ll add hundreds more as the center expands.
“We greatly value our team members and their contributions, and we will support impacted team members through this transition with a severance package, job counseling and other resources,” she said.
Last year, QVC filed notice with the state that it planned to lay off 147 people from its distribution operation in Chester County.
A company spokeswoman at that time said affected employees work in a “very small” distribution center that was no longer efficient to operate.
Much of that work was moved Florence, S.C.; some of the affected workers were given the opportunity to work at QVC’s distribution center in Lancaster County, the spokeswoman added. There are no more warehouse operations in the West Chester area.
At the end of 2015, QVC employed around 17,000 people, including 2,600 in the West Chester area operations, where the electronic retail giant broadcasts from its Studio Park headquarters off of Airport Road and has its headquarters.
QVC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Liberty Interactive Corp. It describes itself as the world’s leading video and ecommerce retailer.
Since 1986, QVC has shipped more than 1.8 billion packages in the U.S., with a single-day shipping record of approximately 800,000 units.
Laid off workers will be given the opportunity to apply to other positions within QVC, the company said.
To contact Business Editor Brian McCullough, call 610-235-2655 or send an email to email@example.com.


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Basis Science is pushing forward with its vision of a smart watch, one that is aimed at monitoring your health as well as the time.
The San Francisco startup has raised $11.75 million in Series B funding with investment from Intel Capital, iNovia Capital, Dolby Family Trust, Stanford University and Peninsula-KCG.
Also joining in the round were existing investors Mayfield Fund, DCM and Norwest Venture Partners.
The funding brings the total raised by Basis Science to more than $23 million.
It comes as the market for wearable devices is heating up.
Samsung Electronics Co. has launched its Galaxy Gear smart watch, which serves as an extension to a smart phone, and Apple Inc. and other companies are reported also to being developing such devices.


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The Bank of England has urged consumers not to worry about the rate of inflation across the country.
According to the bank, if the public become concerned that inflation will rise, it will lead to demands for pay increases, which will in turn have an unwanted impact on inflation.
So while consumers struggle to become debt free and prices continue to rise, the bank is hoping that the country will have faith in its capacity to control inflation through its setting of interest rates.
“It is easier for monetary policy to achieve its objective of price stability if households and businesses believe that policymakers will do so – i.e. that inflation expectations remain close to the target in the medium term,” a bulletin from the organisation explained.
A report from cahoot recently suggested that many thousands of British consumers remain willing to add to their respective debt management burdens in order to pay for shopping sprees.
Written by Dan Mather