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by Adilin Beatrice
January 14 2022
These cryptocurrencies are cheap and profitable in the long run
Although 2021 was an eventful year for cryptocurrencies, 2022 brought more challenges to the field. Even popular digital tokens like Bitcoin and Ethereum have been struggling to make ends meet since the beginning of the year. While cryptocurrencies are an interesting investment model, they do come with severe risks and volatility. Therefore, experts have always suggested that cryptocurrency investors spend a minimum amount of money on digital tokens. For example, only 5% of a person’s savings portfolio should contain cryptocurrencies. Because everything is unpredictable in the virtual domain. Just three months ago, Bitcoin and Ethereum hit record highs of $68,500 and $4,800, respectively. But today, BTC drops to the death cross. Once Bitcoin falls under the hard radar, other cryptocurrencies will eventually take the hit. However, some cryptocurrencies are gaining prominence when BTC is on the decline. Cryptocurrency investors can choose these affordable digital tokens which will serve as a great investment source. In this article, Analytics Insight lists 10 of these amazing cryptocurrencies that can be purchased for just $5. These cryptocurrencies are cheap and make profits in the long run.
Best cryptocurrency to buy under $5
Besides being a direct competitor to Bitcoin, Cardano is also emerging as a major “Ethereum killer” in 2022. Its easy transaction methods and low fees make it direct via Ether in the market. Another thing that makes Cardano thrive is its internal mechanism that mimics the Ethereum network. Charles Hoskinson, co-founder of Ethereum is the founder of Cardano. Therefore, he comes with knowledge of Ethereum along with his blockchain skills. At the time of writing, Cardano’s market capitalization is $41 billion.
Polygon is a futuristic platform that has Ethereum compatibility. Its token called “MATIC” is used for governance, warehousing and gas costs. The network creates interconnected blockchains and also helps investors overcome some of the complex Etheruem issues. The Polygon architecture is isolated by Etheryem, security, Polygon Networks, and the Execution layer.
Tether is another Ethereum coin that experiences less volatility. It is also called the top stablecoin Tether, and it is pegged to the US dollar. Therefore, you can buy Tether coin with just one dollar. However, stablecoin may seem strange to some investors. The whole point of many cryptocurrencies is to reap huge benefits for buyers. On the other hand, Tether is here to make profits for long-term token holders.
Shiba Inu is one of the popular memecoin cards that popped up in 2021. For a long time, Dogecoin remained as the best meme currency without much competition. However, SHIB, another memecoin, emerged from online jokes that went viral in 2013. Shiba Inu recorded over 17,000% growth in 2021 alone after a Change.org petition circulated asking Robinhood to add SHIB to her wallet. It also outperformed Dogecoin for a while.
Stellar is a stand-alone payment platform promoting its own cryptocurrency called “Stellar Lumens”. The objective of the network is to provide easy transaction methods for financial institutions. Even large transactions can be made smoothly in an instant. Although Stellar Lumens has been extremely volatile since its launch, the cryptocurrency has doubled in value in 2021.
Two years ago, no one must have believed that the Shiba Inu-driven coin could bring in huge profits. But today, Dogecoin, the first memecoin to emerge as a major choice for cryptocurrency investors. Launched in 2013, DOGE held a low position for a long time before hitting the mainstream in 2020. After Bitcoin rose to prominence, it shed some light on Dogecoin. Today, DOGE has a large number of honorable followers led by famous names such as Elon Musk and Mark Cuban.
Terra is a network that uses its LUNA token to guarantee payments. It uses stabecoins pegged to fiat currencies to facilitate the global payment system. Currently, Terra has a market capitalization of $27 billion and it is one of the best performing coins in the market.
Ripple has created a digital token called “XRP”. The platform is well known for its ability to exchange between fiat and cryptocurrencies. Its association with central authorities and financial institutions makes XRP a unique way to invest. Ripple has gained fame over the years. However, the platform was subjected to public prosecution by the Securities and Exchange Commission. If the lawsuit ends in favor of XRP, the value of the digital token will increase exponentially.
Many cryptocurrencies experienced massive growth after the bullish run of 2017 only to face price drops later. But Binance Coin is a digital token that became familiar in 2017 and maintained a slow and steady upward trend even after the bull run ended. This is another stablecoin that is doing well in the market.
Chainlink is an attractive and affordable cryptocurrency. Chainlink has recorded steady growth over the years. Investors believe that the digital token has much greater potential than what we see today. They say it is in the early stage of adoption and will reach extreme levels in the coming years.
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Vivid Sydney 2013 provided the perfect celebratory backdrop for HASSELL to officially open their new Sydney Studio and mark their 75th Anniversary.
June 7th, 2013
HASSELL is celebrating their brand new harbour side studio in Sydney with a major contribution to Sydney’s Vivid Festival of Light, Music and Ideas.
“Our designers have produced four separate Vivid installations that are drawing hundreds of thousands of people to the city’s streets,” said Managing Principal Matthew Pullinger
“The Vivid installations may appear modest compared to some of the projects we work on. But they give our people a great opportunity to extend their creativity and sense of fun. It also demonstrates our commitment to making a contribution to enlivening creative places and the cities we live and work in.”
The new studio takes up 2,600 square metres in Pier 8/9. The move to an industrial wharf building re-imagined for a new purpose continues a HASSELL tradition – the practice’s Shanghai studio is in a former motorcycle factory, in Brisbane it is housed in a transformed bakery and in Melbourne it occupies what was once a clothing warehouse.
The new studio is designed to reflect the engaged culture HASSELL has fostered over the years. It is focused on a large double height creative hub that reveals the historic fabric and function of the building. This space facilitates everything from incidental get-togethers, to formal presentations and even performances for larger groups.
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PUBG Mobile is a Battle Royale game, in which gamers should be quicker than enemies to win. In this sort of state of affairs, for clear viewing of the display screen, it is very essential to open the scope at once. And in this kind of scenario, playing the mobile game at ninety frames in a second will prove to be effective.
OnePlus has introduced that the popular Battle Royale mobile game PUBG Mobile can now be performed at ninety frames in a second (FPS) on the organization’s pick out the mobile range. The Chinese veteran said that this option can be available exclusively on OnePlus 7 Pro, OnePlus 7T Series, and OnePlus 8 Series. The 90 fps experience may be available from August 6 to September 6. This is the first time that PUBG Mobile will be on any phone at ninety FPS. Certainly, players gambling at a better body in step with per second rate will experience smoother and this can also improve their recreation significantly.
OnePlus said in a press launch that OnePlus 7 Pro, OnePlus 7T Series, and OnePlus eight Series users can play PUBG Mobile at 90 FPS. In India, this selection has commenced from Thursday. This feature has been added until 6 September. The display refresh rate of all the devices stated above is ninety Hz and above. Interestingly, this experience will no longer be available on the currently released OnePlus Nord, which also has a refresh rate of ninety Hz.


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The story so far: At the ongoing COP27 conference, Secretary-General of the United Nations (U.N.), António Guterres said, “We must have zero tolerance for net-zero greenwashing.” He made the remarks during the launch of a report titled ‘Integrity Matters: Net Zero Commitments by Businesses, Financial Institutions, Cities and Regions, by the organisation’s High-Level Expert Group, instituted in March this year.
Referring to the recent net-zero commitments made by private companies and sovereigns, the Secretary-General observed that they had “varying levels of rigour and loopholes wide enough to drive a diesel truck through.”
Catherine Mckenna, the committee chair, also expressed a similar viewpoint, saying that “bogus net-zero claims drive up the cost that ultimately everyone would pay. Including people not in this room, through huge impact, climate migrations and their very lives.”
What is ‘greenwashing’?
Greenwashing refers to misleading the general public into believing that companies, sovereigns or civic administrators are doing more for the environment than they are. This may involve making a product or policy seem more environmentally friendly or less damaging than it is.
Environmentalist Jay Westerveld coined the term in 1986. During a 1983 stay in Fiji, he came across notes next to towels in a particular resort. The note asked customers to reuse the towels and help reduce ecological damage to the ocean and the coral reefs. While it may appear to be an environment-friendly practice, in reality, the endeavour was for the hotel to save up on laundry bills. As Mr Westerveld told The Guardian, “They were in the middle of expanding at the time and were building more bungalows.”
The phenomenon came into practice as consumers and regulators, owing to greater awareness and environmental consciousness, increasingly sought to explore planet-friendly, recyclable and sustainable ‘green’ products. By 2015, 66% of consumers were willing to shell out more for an environmentally sustainable product.
How is it done?
Although several companies, cities, states and regions have committed to reaching net zero, in the absence of regulation, many of these pledges are not aligned with the science of achieving the same. They do not have enough detail to be credible, the report notes.
Additionally, the inconsistent use of the terms ‘net-zero’, ‘net-zero aligned’, ‘eco-friendly’, ‘green’ and ‘ecological’ are not accompanied by satisfactory evidence to substantiate their claims. In April, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission penalised retailers Kohl and Walmart $5.5 million for misleading customers about their home furnishing products being made of bamboo. In reality, they were made of rayon — a fibre made from cellulose whose manufacturing entails using harmful chemicals such as sodium hydroxide that are hazardous to the environment.
Why does greenwashing happen?
It is done primarily for a company to either present itself as an ‘environment-friendly’ entity or for profit maximisation.
The latter could be achieved by either introducing a product, catering to the inherent demand for environment-friendly products, or, in certain instances, using the larger idea as a premise to cut down on certain operational logistics and providing consumer essentials (as illustrated in the example above).
“If greenwash premised upon low-quality net zero pledges is not addressed, it will undermine the efforts of genuine leaders, creating both confusion, cynicism and a failure to deliver urgent climate action,” the High-Level expert committee’s report states. It is thus necessary to establish a level-playing field and measures where actions correspond with stated ambitions, and it points out.
What does it have to do with the financial sector?
Harvard Business School observes that sustainable investing has become increasingly popular among millennials and impacts investors concerned with ‘ethical investing.
Thus, if the financial sector is to respond effectively to the demand for products that endeavour to introduce positive economic changes, it is imperative that ‘greenwashing’ is averted and that customers are accorded the right information and standards.
Consultancy services provider KPMG notes that financial services providers expect increased scrutiny of a company’s Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) credentials from regulators, shareholders, customers, and other stakeholders. In May this year, the market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) constituted an advisory committee to look into all ESG-related matters. Among other things, the committee endeavours to institute norms for continuous enhancement of disclosures specific to ESG Schemes of Mutual Funds, focusing on mitigating risks of mis-spelling and ‘greenwashing’.
What are the broader expectations from the financial sector?
Broadly, financial institutions are expected to fund the transition towards renewable energy and discourage investments in further harnessing conventional energy sources such as coal, oil and gas.
The Expert Committee recommends that financial institutions immediately discontinue all lending, underwriting and investments in companies wanting to strengthen or expand their coal-related infrastructures, such as power plants and mines. As for oil and gas, it recommends discontinuing all investments involving the exploration of new oil and gas fields, expansion of existing reserves and further production.
Also, read The gaping holes in climate finance.
Instead, it says that companies should facilitate increased investment in renewable energy and institutions aligned to facilitate net zero emissions by 2050.
What are the recommendations to combat ‘greenwashing’ in the non-financial sector?
The committee states that non-state actors cannot claim to be net-zero while building or investing in new fossil fuel supply. As per the report, coal, oil, and gas account for 75% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Thus, net zero pledges are incompatible with continued fossil fuel investment.
It states, firstly, that companies must work towards reducing emissions across their entire value chain and not limit the endeavour to only one part of the chain. Secondly, the companies must not invest, through any means, in harnessing fossil fuels or engage in deforestation and other environmentally destructive activities.
In addition, companies cannot compensate for this investment using cheap credits that “often lack integrity”. For perspective, carbon credits work as a permit allowing the holder to emit a stipulated amount of carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases.
Also read: Carbon farming: Climate change fix or greenwashing?
Further, all state and non-state actors must ensure a ‘just transition’ so livelihoods are not affected.
The committee also recommends transitioning from voluntary disclosures (about net emissions) to regulatory norms. Verification and enforcement in a voluntary space can be particularly challenging. A regulatory mechanism would ensure that non-state actors also put forth their net-zero commitments in case they have not. This, in turn, would also induce competitiveness in the space — made possible by standardised norms and regulations.


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The East of England Co-op has beefed up its security services to launch a new arm of the business.
A Norfolk audio-visual and lighting equipment distributor is looking to the west for growth opportunities.
Fears have been raised that small firms will be hit the hardest by a hike in auto-enrolment contributions which came into effect last week.
Focusing on higher margin sales has brought an East Anglian motor trader back into the black.
The gender pay gap figures are in – and some of them aren’t pretty. The main finding is the gender inequality which persists at senior and board level. Bethany Whymark reports.
With less than 48 hours to go before gender pay gap reports have to be filed, a number of East Anglia’s biggest companies are yet to submit their figures.
A Norfolk-based outsourcing group has added nearly £100m in forward orders in the last year, helped by public sector contracts.
Norwich City Football Club says the earnings of its players have skewed its gender pay and bonus gaps.
More than 10 of the biggest companies in Norfolk and Suffolk have yet to report their gender pay gaps.
Becoming a “simpler, stronger” group will allow Aviva to give more back to its shareholders this year, according to new figures.
East Anglian facilities giant Servest is expected to pass the £1bn turnover mark following an acquisition.
Speakers from diverse backgrounds explained how they built happy, healthy workforces, as the Best Employers scheme kicked off. Mark Shields reports.
Workers at a Norfolk food manufacturer say they fear for their futures as a dispute continues over new terms and conditions.
As public consciousness of health and wellbeing grows, more and more people are choosing to cut down on or shun alcohol. But what is driving this trend away from drink? Bethany Whymark reports.
More than two-thirds (68%) of the East of England’s mid-market businesses are looking to increase exports beyond Europe because of Brexit, according to research.
Trading in the run-up to Christmas exceeded expectations at a regional meat processor.
Hundreds of workers at one of Norfolk’s biggest factories are facing a pay cut and changes to their shift patterns as their employer struggles to maintain profit margins.
Iconic carmaker Lotus will create 300 new jobs as it plans to design and build the next generation of sportscars in Norfolk, we can today reveal.
Brewing and pub giant Greene King says it saw record sales on Christmas Day, but took a hit to trading in the weeks surrounding it.
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Struggling automakers hope their 2008 offerings will lure buyers back to the showrooms — but only some models will be hits.
Car dealerships in the old days, come September, would put curtains in their windows while the new models were installed. There was so much public anticipation that crowds would encircle the stores waiting for the curtains to be pulled back and the doors unlocked.
Today, 2008 models have been dribbling into dealerships for the past few months, and pictures have been all over the Internet for most of the year. Though some of the romance of the new model year has, for consumers, gone the way of leaded gas and doctors making house calls, a new model year of possibilities is still hugely important to car companies. And a few are in dire financial need of their new designs' catching on with the public the way iPods and social networking sites have done.
General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler are especially hurting with falling market shares, and each quarter ranges from scant profitability to deep pools of red ink. The housing bust and credit-market swoon from subprime mortgage lending has already infirm car companies such as Ford and Chrysler looking at more difficult rehabilitations.
Meanwhile, Asian manufacturers including Toyota and Honda are the brands that seem to increase market share every month no matter what housing prices do. In uncertain economic times, brands trusted for reliability and above-average fuel economy are a hedge against recession.
But hope springs eternal for every automaker and car dealer in September. Consumers are back from summer vacation and ready, automakers hope, to replace the wagon, minivan or sedan, or perhaps add a sports car to the garage now that the last of the kids has been packed off to college.
As fuel prices promise to stay above $3 per gallon in most parts of the U.S., and threaten to climb back up to $4, the fastest-growing vehicle segments are small cars and car-based, crossover sport-utility vehicles, which are replacing the heavier and thirstier truck-based SUVs in many driveways. Luxury cars remain strong, as affluent buyers continue to buy premium vehicles no matter how their stock portfolios are performing.
General Motors is trying to mount a design renaissance, while German automaker Audi is trying to increase pressure on rivals BMW and DaimlerChrysler's Mercedes-Benz with new vehicles in niches it hasn't competed in before. Volvo has a new small car. Jaguar has ditched its bowler hat styling for a truly modern sedan. Honda is replacing the venerable Accord with a new design. The diminutive Smart car is readying its U.S. debut after a delayed launch.
Some of the new cars will flop and rely on big incentives to make up for what the designers left out. In many cases, new models carry the hopes of struggling car companies — Ford, GM, and Mitsubishi — in their trunks. Others, like models from Toyota and BMW, could probably sell themselves without benefit of a salesperson.
So what kind of year will it be for the auto industry and its customers? Click on the “Slide show” link above to find out how BusinessWeek’s Detroit Bureau Chief David Welch and Detroit-based senior correspondent David Kiley rate the 2008 model year cars.


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Survey: Half of all App Store games generate less than $3K
Fifty percent of all mobile games distributed via Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) App Store yield revenues under $3,000 throughout their lifecycle according to the results of a new developer survey conducted by Owen Goss, founder of Streaming Colour Studios, the startup behind iOS titles including Dapple and LandFormer.
Click here to see the charts from this study.
Roughly 250 iOS developers participated in the online survey, conducted during the week of Sept. 19. Goss found that the top 20 percent of iOS developers earn 97 percent of App Store revenues, with the top 1 percent earning more than a third of App Store payouts. Only 25 percent of developers have earned more than $30,000 lifetime total revenue selling iOS games and another 25 percent of developers have hauled in less than $200. Four percent of survey respondents have earned more than $1 million in the App Store.
App Store games generated median revenues of $1,100 over the last 12 months--in other words, half earned more than $1,100 and the other half brought in less. Goss adds that a quarter of games earned more than $10,675 and another quarter generated less than $140.
Freemium mobile games--i.e., titles that are free to download but offer premium in-app transactions like virtual currency and virtual goods--generate 65 percent of gaming revenues in the App Store according to data published in July by mobile app analytics provider Flurry. The report states that the number of consumers who spend money in a free game ranges from 0.5 percent to 6 percent, with spending influenced by the quality of the title and its core mechanics. Ninety percent of consumers are still not spending a dime on in-game transactions.
Games remain the most popular mobile application category, with 64 percent of U.S. wireless subscribers playing mobile titles in the last 30 days, according to research published by Nielsen. Gamers across Apple's iOS platform spend 14.7 hours a month playing mobile titles, while the average gamer spends 9.3 hours each month. Sixty-nine percent of iOS gamers download titles from the App Store--14 percent play preloaded games, 4 percent turn to web games and 3 percent play games transferred from another device.
- read this Streaming Colour blog entry
Who's making money in mobile app development--and how
Flurry: Freemium titles yield two-thirds of App Store gaming revenues
Nielsen: iOS users spend twice as much time playing mobile games
Flurry: iOS, Android games rake in $800M in 2010
PopCap: One third of adults play mobile games each month


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A Cheshire teen has become a TikTok sensation for his cleaning videos.
Liam Burton, from Crewe, has amassed more than 52,000 TikTok followers in under a month for his employer, Fabulosa, which makes cleaning products..
The 19-year-old took over his Crewe-based employers TikTok page in January when it only had 400 followers.
Within weeks, the videos he posted were engaging thousands of fans in the UK and abroad.
The app, which lets people make and share short videos, has become hugely popular since its launch in 2016.
The chain of events started when Liam was furloughed from his 20 hour-a-week restaurant job last year due to COVID-19.
He said: "It was very tough during my furlough, I felt like at the time I had nothing going for me and wasn’t quite where I wanted to be in life."
The teen reconsidered his career after being furloughed, securing a job cleaning at Fabulosa's head offices.
He added: "As soon as I started working at Fabulosa, I had a great feeling about the company.
"One day in January, whilst cleaning the offices, I decided to do a few TikTok videos on my personal page.
"Very quickly, I was getting thousands of views and comments on my posts. I couldn’t believe how much people loved them!"
Liam showed the videos to Jen Sharpe, Fabulosa's chief fragrance officer, and she offered him the chance to manage the company's TikTok page.
In under four weeks, the page gained more than 52,000 followers.
The teen often appears on the channel, entertaining people with cleaning content, posting comedy sketches and showing off his make-up skills.
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Their most popular post to date has racked up more than half a million views.
Jen Sharpe, Chief Fragrance Office at Fabulosa, said: "We quickly recognised Liam for his big, creative personality.
"We had to hire another cleaner so Liam can solely focus on creating amusing and engaging TikTok videos.
"We are keen to continue to reach Gen Z customers who are the biggest users of TikTok."
Fabulosa is a family founded and managed disinfectant brand and said to be "the fastest growing disinfectant brand of 2020".
Adam Burnett, Fabulosa’s Marketing Director, said: "Liam is really talented and full of creativity, and we can’t wait to watch him grow both personally and professionally at Fabulosa.
"We have been celebrating an outstanding year of growth, achieving a substantial £30m of sales in 2020 and targeting £40m of sales in 2021, and we know that keeping our customers engaged is one of the secrets to our success!"
On the success of Fabulosa's TikTok page, Liam said: "I honestly can’t believe how quickly we have grown our audience on TikTok this past month.
"I am loving the experience and I am now inspired to develop my design skills so I can do even more with my creativity."
On his plans for the future, Liam said: "It's great to be able to do something I love for a brand that I love.
"I am still young so my plans for the future are pretty open but for now, I want to grow and develop with my team at Fabulosa HQ and develop new skills with the business.
"I am still learning so much from Jen and Adam!"
Today's newsletter headlines:
- Find out in seconds when you'll get your covid vaccine
- Residents 'have to break lockdown rules' every two hours to avoid parking fines
- Burglar blames OAP assault on 'thought process' skewed by cocaine and booze
- TikTok stardom for furloughed Crewe teen who went to work at cleaning firm
- Arrest uncovers stash of knock-off sweets feared laced with drugs


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Federal Reserve regulators announced their intent to close some of the loopholes from recent Credit CARD Act rule changes. In a press release, the
Fed's Board stated that banks would soon have to consider an applicant's
individual ability to repay his or her debt before opening a new credit card
account. Traditionally, banks made decisions based on applicants' self-reported
household income, a system that could result in distorted calculations when
spouses applied for multiple, individual accounts.
In the same announcement, regulators warned that "no-interest" credit card promotions would soon fall under the same rules as other kinds of teaser interest rate programs. Under existing law, credit card companies cannot alter the interest rate on an account unless a cardholder falls sixty days into delinquency. By classifying a zero interest program as a fee waiver instead of as a promotional interest rate, lenders could revoke the promotion without notice. Industry analysts view the Fed's announcement as a signal to banks that the regulatory body intended to strongly enforce the consumer protection elements of the Credit CARD Act.
About the Author
Joe Taylor Jr. is an internal business consultant for a Fortune 500 company, who writes about finance, culture, and design. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Communications from Ithaca College.


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Home Arts & Leisure In the midst of difficult times, HSMA honors its own
In the midst of difficult times, HSMA honors its own
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THE VIRTUS awards by the Hotel Sales and Marketing Association (HSMA) Philippines continues to honor professionals and institutions in hospitality: a particularly difficult career during the last two years due to the pandemic disrupting that industry.
Ericka Joy Calamba, Hotel 101 Group’s Sales Executive for MICE, was awarded as Outstanding Sales and Marketing Associate. Robinsons Hotels and Resorts Group Director of Sales and Marketing Joy de Mesa was awarded Outstanding Sales and Marketing Leader, and Alexis John Aquino, former Marketing and Communications Manager of JPark Island Resort & Waterpark Mactan, Cebu, was awarded Outstanding Sales and Marketing Manager.
The Conrad Hotel Manila was awarded Outstanding Marketing Campaign for their Meetings To Go/Signature Takeaway campaign, which went beyond creating an effective marketing campaign that drove sales and brand equity and became a true innovation that pushed boundaries and helped move the industry forward — all within a limited budget.
HSMA also awarded special awards this year in recognition of the resiliency of their selected properties. Okada Manila earned this year’s Virtus Award for Most Resilient Business — Property.
According to Victor Galzote, Okada Manila director of corporate marketing and communications in a statement, Okada Manila won its award for “its three-pronged approach, which enabled us to reinvent our offerings based on consumer insights we’ve gathered, which, basically, show their need to experience a semblance of normalcy again.” Part of this approach was also to effectively maximize its participation in e-commerce channels through special monthly online sales on Lazada and Shopee, which served to supplement its direct and OTA bookings. A statement from the HSMA said, “These efforts, plus their proactive approach in enforcing strict safety standards, have also earned Okada Manila official verification under the Forbes Travel Guide/Sharecare Certification as compliant with all safety requirements.” At the time of certification, only 134 properties worldwide were certified, with 17 based in Asia, and only three in the Philippines.
A second award was given to the Chroma Hospitality Group (behind the Crimson chain and Azure), for Most Resilient — Hospitality Group Award. According to a statement, this is because of “their ability to keep occupancy rate up with their bubble initiatives.” This included their properties in Boracay where their tourist bubble provided livelihood to the tourism-dependent island. In Clark, their athlete bubble became home to the PBA in September 2020, catering even to the dietary needs of their clientele, like serving kosher meals for an Israeli team.
“The Virtus Awards have allowed the HSMA and its outstanding members to move on with a renewed confidence that the light is now getting brighter,” said Rose Libongco, Virtus chair, in a speech. “Encouraged by the upbeat outcome of HSMA projects, we are conscious of the next steps to keep going and building on achievements. We see it best to remain united and be ahead of the game, be strong and keep the momentum towards developing an emerging future.
“In this second year of the scourging pandemic, we are less scared, less tentative as we persevere to keep going against odds and make the difficult possible. Undaunted by the uncertainty, we choose to see the opportunities.” — JLG


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Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 19
By Fikret Dolukhanov – Trend:
On Nov. 15, 2018, 2,664 contracts for the purchase of GM Uzbekistan cars were signed through the Uzavtosavdo online platform, the Uzbek automaker said in its Telegram channel.
Uzavtosanoat has launched Uzavtosavdo, an electronic platform for the online sale of GM Uzbekistan cars, earlier.
All it takes to purchase a car is to download the Uzavtosavdo application, register with the Unified Identification System (One ID) by complying with the online instructions. With electronic digital signature, it is possible to purchase a car through the application even while being abroad.
In January-October 2018, Uzbekistan manufactured 148,300 cars, which is 31.7 percent more compared to the same period in 2017.
Follow the author on Twitter: @FDolukhanov


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Bill Bentley Joins KEA Technologies as Director of Engineering
Marlborough, MA – May 5, 2021 – KEA Technologies, a provider of independent testing services, product development, and engineering solutions, announced today that Bill Bentley has joined its team as Director of Engineering. Bentley brings over 25 years of experience in the development of machinery and electro-mechanical safety products from concept through launch for various markets and will help KEA to continue to exceed customer expectations in product development, testing, and R&D.
“Bill’s extensive engineering experience and in particular, his work on IoT product developments for wireless and smart sensors will be a key component to our product development in the coming months,” said Dr. Bud Zaouk, KEA Founder & CEO. “We continue to work with industry leaders to ensure the safety and efficacy of life saving products and first-of-a-kind technologies. Bill’s work with us is vital to this mission and we are happy to have his leadership.”
Bentley will lead the engineering and integration of products into vehicles for human subject driving – for example, to ensure that sensors correlate well and monitor how they respond to human behavior in a moving vehicle. He will also be responsible for growing and leading the engineering team that works closely with a variety of product manufacturers, expanding the team’s capabilities to ensure safety and compliance of customer product releases and updates.
“It’s my passion to work with new technologies and complex products that positively impact lives,” said Bentley. “I enjoy developing and leading engineering teams and organizations that are highly motivated on problem solving in support of core products and new product growth opportunities and KEA is a prime example of this leadership. I look forward to expanding both the team and our customer base to help KEA reach its growth goals.”
Most recently, Bentley was the Global NPD Engineering Director, Industrial Products for Sensata Technologies. He holds a MS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Rhode Island.
About KEA Technologies, Inc.
Founded in 2015, KEA is a leader in engineering services, product development, and independent testing services for the transportation and other related industries. In addition to providing a wide array of independent testing out of its lab in Littleton, MA, KEA is a valued product development partner to its clients, helping to identify the root of any testing issues and enable clients to get to market faster, safely. KEA staff have excelled in innovative transportation R&D for the past 25 years and hold extensive subject-matter expertise regarding advanced engineering research, development, testing, and evaluation that has been applied to other industries such as defense and the oil and gas sector. KEA’s team of world-renowned consultants hold expertise in various engineering disciplines and the standards, regulations, specifications, and recommended practices that are pertinent to their fields of expertise. For more information, visit www.keatechinc.com.


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Lending Marketplace Acorn Finance Raises $8.4 Million
As the new year gets underway, another FinTech is celebrating by raising money. This week, Acorn Finance (not to be confused with micro-investment app Acorns) announced that it had closed an $8.4 million round. The Series A was led by MassMutual Ventures. Previous investors Vestigo Ventures, Accomplice, and MetaProp also participated along with Moderne Ventures. To date, the company has now raised a total of $12.4 million, including seed round raises last year and in 2019.
Acorns Finance is a loan marketplace platform that allows homeowners to view home improvement loan offers from multiple lenders. Additionally, the service markets itself to contractors as a way to help their customers obtain the funding they need. According to the company, the number of loan applicants increased by 800% in 2021, which also brought an 800% increase in revenue.
With its latest fundraising, the platform hopes to expand its marketplace by including regional banks as well as credit unions. Other planned upgrades include near-instantaneous loan processing (as opposed to the current next-day status), improving customer experience, expediting application time, making algorithmic improvements, and more. Meanwhile, Acorn is also considering offering other types of loans, including those for elective healthcare and legal expenses among others.
Commenting on the impact of the Series A, Acorn Finance founder and CEO Giri Addanki said, “This new funding will allow us to double our team and expand Acorn’s technology to instantly provide customers with the most competitive lending options at the point of need.” He added, “We are thrilled to welcome MassMutual Ventures and Moderne Ventures as investment partners and look forward to leveraging their deep Fintech and Proptech expertise to accelerate Acorn’s growth.”
Additionally, MassMutual Ventures managing director Eric Emmons — who is also joining the Acorn Finance Board of Directors — said of the company, “Acorn’s embedded lending marketplace increases consumer choice while improving proposal ticket size and conversion rates. The team’s outstanding combination of vertical-specific expertise and consumer credit allows them to deliver a unique solution for SMB and service businesses.”
While the first two weeks of 2022 have been fairly quiet in terms of megarounds, Acorn Finance’s solid Series A is another win for early-round FinTech investment. It’s also worth noting that Acorn’s success could also boost other FinTechs as lenders including SoFi, Upgrade, Prosper, and others are included on the platform’s marketplace. In any case, with big plans ahead, Acorn Finance could certainly make a name for itself in the field — even if it encounters some name confusion along the way.


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Has been in high demand since it was first released in March of 2004, his Crunk energy drink has just announced the launch of a new flavor, called "Citrus."
Is on recording hiatus following the bankruptcy of one of his record labels TVT Records, Lil Jon is expanding his other business empire. The rap artist is having his energy drink Crunk adds a new flavor into its line.
Has been in high demand since it first hit the stores in March of 2004, the Crunk energy drink most recently added a new flavor, called "Citrus" which is labeled as containing all real lemon lime which gives it that lemon-lime taste. The new lemon-lime flavored drink is set to be launched this summer in a new yellow and green can.
"We takin Crunk!!! to another level," Lil Jon who serves as the Chief Brand Advisor told AllHipHop.com, adding that "Citrus is the best damn tasting energy drink you will ever have!"
Tom Mahlke, President and CEO of Crunk, furthermore commented, "With the continuing popularity of the pomegranate flavor Crunk!!!, we are thrilled to be introducing Crunk!!! Citrus to the market this summer. Crunk!!! Citrus is the only energy drink on the market with an all natural lemon-lime taste and the renowned Crunk!!! bite. The strong consumer demand is driving the success of the Crunk!!! brand, and is the reason we keep opening new markets on a regular basis."
In other related good news, Crunk is expanding its distribution to Los Angeles, North Carolina, Missouri, Oklahoma and Tennessee. Lil Jon, additionally, also is planning a Crunk Girls 2009 calendar.


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The T-Mobile G1, which was introduced in the fall of 2008, was the first to run Android, the operating system developed by Google. Its successor, the T-Mobile G2, will be the first phone in the US to take advantage of HSPA+, a relatively new high-speed data network. That's the news from T-Mobile, which today unveiled the G2, calling the second generation handset "another breakthrough product" for the smartphone market.
The original G1 received high marks from many tech reviewers – some analysts thought the G1 had the capability to challenge the Apple iPhone head-on – and from consumers. In 2009, T-Mobile announced it had sold 1 million G1 handsets within six months of launch, a solid number for a phone that was at that time running a relatively new operating system.
With the G2, T-Mobile is hoping it can catch fans of the G1 – or former iPhone users looking to make a switch to an Android phone. As Google's Andy Rubin hinted today in a press release, Android phones offer a nice alternative to the "walled garden" created by Apple. "On Android Market alone, the number of applications available to consumers has grown from just 50 applications two years ago to more than 80,000 applications today," Rubin wrote.
The phone is certainly a full-featured machine. According to T-Mobile, the G2 will ship with the Android 2.2 operating system – "including a dedicated panel with one-click access to your favorite Google applications" – a MSM7230 Snapdragon mobile processor, Adobe Flash, Swype text input, and a 5-megapixel camera with LED flash and HD video capability.


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Ryanair has defied the government’s move to ban surcharges on payments to airlines and other firms by saying it does not charge its passengers any credit or debit card fees.
Airlines, cinemas and holiday firms will be stopped from imposing millions of pounds in “‘hidden last-minute'” charges on internet bookings. Treasury minister Mark Hoban said the government is prepared to legislate to prevent airlines and other businesses from imposing hefty charges on credit and debit card bookings that are difficult to detect.
However, the budget airline said in a statement: “‘Ryanair, the UK’s favourite airline, today confirms that it does not impose any debit or credit card fees.'”
Ryanair claims instead to charge an “‘admin fee'” per passenger per one-way flight. This £6 charge is levied when a passenger comes to pay and can only be avoided by using the airline’s own prepaid Mastercard. It states on its website that this charge “‘relates to costs associated with Ryanair’s booking system.'”


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Twin Falls Olive Garden Now Has Buy One Get One Free Entrees
With restaurant dining rooms closed throughout the country due to the financial, as well as health effects of the Coronavirus, some restaurants are stepping up and altering menus to ease the strain on families.
Olive Garden announced via its Twitter page on March 30, that the restaurant has now made a change to the current curbside pickup menu that was created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. For weeks the restaurant has been offering car pickup entrees as a means to continue generating revenue with dining room seating unavailable to the public.
I personally haven't had the opportunity to eat at our Twin Falls location yet. With the addition of this recent, cost-friendly addition to the car pickup menu, I might be ordering from them very soon.
Many restaurants across the United States are surviving alone on delivery and pickup services, so it's very important that we do what we can to make sure our favorite restaurants whether this storm.
Customers can now take advantage of a buy one, get one entrée free, addition to the curbside menu, for just $12.99. A phone call to the Twin Falls Olive Garden, at 1597 Pole Line Road East, verified the addition to the menu.
The restaurant is offering a handful of hot entrée choices to choose from, including Fettuccine Alfredo, Cheese Ravioli with Marinara, Spaghetti with Meat Sauce and Chicken Parmigiana. The take home entrées will be served cold, and can be reheated at home.
The Olive Garden in Twin Falls is also offering delivery. To place a delivery order, call 208-735-5201.


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The next installment shows some big promise.
Back in 2012, Dishonored was a critically acclaimed compelling video game set in sci-fi fantasy world in the dingy streets of Dunwall. With a massive following and a range of incredible options of murderous strategies, this stealth action-packed adventure was thoroughly satisfying to gamers and naturally needed a sequel. As if to give in to the pressure of fans, Bethesda has now revealed a brand new trailer for the highly-anticipated Dishonored 2 video game.
While it brings most characters back from the streets of Dunwall, most of the actions will take place in a dazzling Mediterranean-style coastal metropolis called Karnaca that’s referred to as “jewel of the South.” The sequel reveals plenty of exciting details not only about the game’s characters, but also about the mechanics.
Set 15 years after the first Dishonored game, Dishonored 2 shows that the Isle is under threat from “a ghostly usurper.” As a player, you’ll have to choose to play as either the first game’s stealthy assassin Corvo Attano or as former empress Emily Kaldwin, who has her magical arsenal of supernatural abilities, and hunt down the enemies that have taken over the beloved city.
For gamers that can’t wait to slip in through the shadows and massacre everyone in sight, this tremendously cool game will be released on November 11, 2016 and will be available for Xbox One, PS4 and PC.


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Behind the Scenes: Check out 3M’s new heat-applied fire coat trim
3M scientists continue to innovate, announcing their first-to-market reflective and fluorescent fire coat trim that is heat-applied onto turnout gear
The following is paid sponsored content by 3M.
By Mary Rose Roberts for FireRescue1 BrandFocus
3M has announced that its newest innovation, 3M Scotchlite Reflective Material – Series 5600 Fire Coat Comfort Trim, is now available: a heat-applied, segmented, reflective technology that is attached directly to the outer shell of turnout gear without the need for sewing.
Here’s why this new trim is a game changer when it comes to firefighter turnout gear:
Engineering the product
3M has a reputation for being a science-based company with a culture of innovation, including fire products like Series 9500 Fire Coat Trim as well as their new Series 5600 Fire Coat Comfort Trim.
“The new Series 5600 Fire Coat Comfort Trim is a material that helps provide daytime fluorescence and nighttime reflectivity,” said Reflective Material Technical Specialist Ken Hanzalik, 3M Scotchlite. The trim meets the Stored and Thermal Energy test requirements found in NFPA 1971 without any modification of the trim or addition of any extra layers, he said.
“3M scientists strive to improve their last invention,” Hanzalik said. He said the industry as a whole has been shifting toward lighter-weight, more flexible garments, and 3M wanted to help solve the lack of flexibility found in sewn-on reflective fire coat trim.
So the 3M development team started to brainstorm on ways they could make the Series 5600 Fire Coat Comfort Trim as robust as the current trim, but seamless, and also to improve the breathability and flexibility.
“It’s ingrained in our company to keep pushing our team of scientists and researchers to come up with innovative new products,” said Hanzalik. “Firefighters work in extreme conditions, so when it comes to personal safety, we want to ensure we have a diligent process to bring to market a product that can withstand the harsh conditions they face.”
Combining two technologies
In this case, the company blended existing technologies to create the new fire coat trim product.
The first step was to leverage their existing Series 9500 fire coat retro-reflective technology. The trim uses glass beads about 65 microns across; smaller than the width of a human hair. Each one has a reflective mirror on the back.
“We use glass beads because they are stable when exposed to heat” he said.
Based on light-refraction science, the light comes in, reflects within the bead and projects back to the light source, such as a firefighter’s flashlight or a vehicle’s headlights. Each bead sends out a cone of light, much like the highway signs that reflect your headlights when you are driving down the road, Hanzalik said.
3M took this reflective technology and combined it with their expertise in the heat-applied transfer film business.
The development team then went to work, creating the new, more flexible, breathable fire trim that is smooth to the touch and stitch-free.
Eliminating the stiffness and adding comfort
Firefighters like the feel of broken-in gear because it is flexible and comfortable.
The new heat-applied fire trim reduces much of the stiffness and bulkiness caused by old, multi-layered fire trim– and the gear feels closer to broken-in right from the box, Hanzalik said.
This is because the new fire trim behaves like a single layer with the turnout gear shell versus previous versions that were 2 distinct layers.
It also doesn’t have the “catch points” most trim has, he said. One of the disadvantages of sewn-on trim is that it may get caught on something – the last thing a firefighter wants when moving through a burning building.
At the same time, it still offers the same level of visibility, Hanzalik explains. 3M human factors data of nighttime and daytime visibility properties of segmented products indicated no significant performance differences when compared to solid trims.
He said the new trim helps ensure reflectivity at nighttime and visibility during the day.
“At a distance, there is no visual difference between a segmented and a solid trim when viewed at night,” he said. “The brightness of the light reflected causes overglow that fills in the empty spaces.”
3M’s new fire coat trim is another of the many innovations the company brings to market. This product will be a game changer when it comes to providing firefighters with more flexible and comfortable turnout gear.
For more information about how to get the new fire coat trim integrated into your gear, visit 3M.


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Browse the companies building headlines following the bell Thursday:
American Outdoor Brands stock plummeted more than 13 percent following the bell. The gun maker published financial effects that beat Wall Street expectations, but slashed fiscal year 2018 outlook.
The business cut earnings instruction by near to 50 percent, citing what CEO James Debney called “challenging marketplace conditions” and declining wholesaler and retailer firearm orders.
Shares of United Airlines climbed more than 1 percent following the bell. The airline declared a fresh $3 billion show repurchase program, that may authorize the company to get back about 17 percent of its market show. The move follows a $2 billion repurchase method, introduced in July, that may finish Dec. 2017.
Shares of Cloudera jumped more than 5 percent in extended trading. The software company posted financial effects that beat Wall Street objectives, and updated fiscal time 2018 instruction to reflect its achievement.
Investors have been viewing Cloudera closely since its April IPO.
Finisar shares gained more than 2 percent on the extended program. The fiber optic supplier posted mixed third one fourth results, beating on income but posting revenue that missed Wall Street expectations.
Finisar stock is straight down about 40 percent year-to-date.


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Companies failing to maintain payment-card protections after PCI DSS certification
- 12 March, 2015 12:03
The majority of companies handling personal financial details are failing to meet their obligations to adequately protect those details under compliance with Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS) requirements, a scathing evaluation of ongoing compliance by Verizon has found.
Investigations into payment card security after a security breach found that not a single target company had been fully compliant with PCI DSS standards, Verizon's 2015 PCI Compliance Report noted.
Equally as worrying was the fact that even companies successfully completing PCI DSS compliance were struggling to retain it: just 28.6 percent of surveyed companies were still fully compliant a year after they had been certified, according to Verizon, which offers PCI DSS assessment and certifications through its Verizon Enterprise Services arm.
“You have a huge discrepancy between the compliance level of companies that have been breached and companies that have been assessed,” Sébastien Mazas, professional services manager for Payment Card Industry services with Verizon Enterprise Solutions, told CSO Australia.
While the percentage of companies meeting PCI DSS compliance requirements had increased from 2012 – when 92.5 percent of companies failed their interim PCI DSS compliance assessments – in 2014 four out of five companies were continuing to fail their interim assessments.
Two-thirds of organisations in the Verizon research did not adequately test the security of all relevant systems.
There were some encouraging results, with compliance in 11 of the 12 PCI DSS domains actually increasing by 18 percent from 2013 to 2014. But that last domain – relating to testing of security systems – had proved to be stubbornly difficult because it required companies to view PCI DSS compliance as an ongoing process – which needed to be monitored – rather than a tick-the-box exercise.
“It's typical and it's human nature,” Mazas said. “Customers and candidates are so focused on being compliant for the first time that they forget they have to do some things periodically.
“We have seen companies that forget to do one thing in their PCI compliance, or where the guy that was supposed to do it left the company and nobody reassigned the task.”
The complexity of PCI DSS compliance was also proving challenging, with complex systems of capabilities, checks and balances required to ensure that requirements were met.
There were signs that the recent spate of breaches against high-profile companies like Sony, Target and Home Depot had scared companies into increasing their compliance efforts: some 60 percent of large US enterprises said they would increase their data security budgets as a result of the recent breaches.
Yet increasing budgets won't fix the problem alone: even simple procedural issues, such as patch management, were continuing to trip up many companies: 64 percent of breached companies were not compliant with PCI DSS requirements around patch management, and 72 percent were not meeting compliance requirements around security log monitoring.
“If you're not testing your environment appropriately, and if you don't have the logs that are going to help you detect and understand what's going on in the case of a breach, it's a problem,” Mazas warned. “These and other requirements are a bit more tricky for companies to meet, especially when they are doing the job by themselves.”
This article is brought to you by Enex TestLab, content directors for CSO Australia.


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PSP 2 unveiled at E3?
A new iteration of the PSP is rumoured to be in the works and could be announced at E3.
Senior industry sources have commented that two publishers have increased their marketing budgets for the last quarter of this year in preparation for something big.
On publisher went so far as to say that they were waiting on Sony to announce it new platform so that they can talk about what they have planned for the PSP.
Sony as usual "do not comment on rumours and speculation" and have "no imminent plans" to launch a successor to the PSP.
These rumblings could make for an interesting year if they are true. All eye s should be of E3 to see if Sony have a new handheld up their sleeve.
- Here's a bunch of new screenshots of Project CARS running on the Xbox One
- Free Power Of Defiance DLC arrives for Shadow Of Mordor
- Teaser trailer arrives for Telltale's Game Of Thrones
- Tales From The Borderlands to debut this month
- Archwing update arrives for the console versions of Warframe
- Free update and Black Sea Colonies DLC arrives for Total War: Rome II
- Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions coming next week
- World Of Warcraft subs jump back over the 10 million mark with the release of Warlords Of Draenor
- F1 2014 gets a new trailer to celebrate the F1 season finale at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi


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February 9, 2012 BY Aaron Hope
When you think of non-traditional enclosures, examples like the Footscape’s asymmetrical lacing system, the Reebok Insta Pump Fury and Puma Disc Blaze are probably right at the top of the list. But none of those can hold a candle to the latest release from ever-innovative Japanese designer Yohji Yamamoto‘s long-running collaboration with adidas, the Y-3 Black Savage hightop. Sporting a Tricolore sole with more teeth than your average hacksaw, this shelltoed boot-inspired design utilizes an elastic cord lockdown system like the one Yamamoto used on the Y-3 Sneak, another model we expect as part of the spring/summer 2012 collection. If you can’t believe your eyes, click through for more proof that these are indeed a real design, and you’ll find them at top-tier retailers like Ssense.


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Day Worker video aims to go 'beyond stereotypes'
Original post made on Jul 18, 2011
Read the full story here Web Link posted Monday, July 18, 2011, 11:14 AM
Company partners with Coupa Cafe to launch mobile payment app
By Elena Kadvany | 0 comments | 1,514 views


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Material science and pharmaceutical packaging company Corning will be investing USD 500 million into the domestic production of glass pharmaceutical packaging. The announcement was from made from the White House
China’s packaging industry has been growing at a rapid and stable pace over the recent years, thanks to the country’s growing economy and increasing middle class with higher purchasing power.
The packaging industry in Asia is growing rapidly, especially for food and beverage, e-commerce, retail, and pharmaceutical applications. Though many consumers and vendors are turning away from plastic and other
Singapore’s National Environment Agency has announced new rules to be put in place for packaging waste in Singapore in order to extend the lifespan of the country’s only remaining landfill
Consumers around the world are increasingly opting for products that do not have a negative impact on the environment, and that are manufactured, sourced, produced, and packaged in a sustainable
The global packaging industry is expected to reach USD 770.5 billion by 2020, growing at a CAGR of 5.6%, according to data from Technavio. Packaging is a wide and complex


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ACA Hosts Webinar Following NAFTA Renegotiation
Feb. 23, 2018—The Auto Care Association has announced its upcoming webinar scheduled for March 13, 2018 at 2 p.m. ET. The webinar will focus on the latest developments in the renegotiation process of NAFTA and its potential impact on the auto care industry.
The webinar, “NAFTA Renegotiation Update - Impact on the Auto Care Industry,” will be moderated by Angela Chiang, international affairs, Auto Care Association and will feature a panel of speakers from Dentons’ International Trade practice, including:
Yohai Baisburd – a partner at Dentons’ International Trade practice in Washington, D.C. Baisburd leads the firm's U.S. trade team in matters around the globe.
Paul Lalonde – a partner at Dentons’ in Toronto. Lalonde is widely recognized in Canada as a leading practitioner in international trade, government contracting and anti-corruption law.
Joaquín Contreras – a partner at Dentons’ Mexico City office. Contreras’ practice focuses on ports and maritime law with particular emphasis on petroleum-related projects, customs and foreign trade, automotive regulation and the maquiladora industry.
Negotiators from the U.S., Canada and Mexico concluded the sixth round of negotiations a few weeks ago where Canada introduced a counter proposal to change the current methodology in calculating NAFTA auto rules-of-origin. The U.S. had proposed during a previous negotiating round to raise the rules of origin threshold from 62.2 percent to 85 percent and to add a 50 percent U.S.-content requirement. The seventh round of negotiations is scheduled for late February in Mexico and it’s likely that the auto parts rules-of-origin provisions of NAFTA will likely continue to garner a great deal of attention.
Interested attendees will have the opportunity to participate in a Q&A discussion at the end of the webinar to address questions and anticipated NAFTA renegotiation challenges. If you are unable to attend at the scheduled time, please register to receive a recording after the webinar concludes.


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A popular instant hot chocolate drink is “saltier than seawater”, health campaigners have warned.
The drink contains 16 times more salt than the maximum amount detailed in official salt reduction targets for 2017.
Galaxy Ultimate Marshmallow Hot Chocolate is one of many products being called out as part of Consensus Action on Salt and Health (CASH)’s call for an immediate reduction on the nation’s salt intake.
In a review of 28 food categories, CASH found that bread rolls were the only category to have so far met the maximum - and not even average - target for salt intake in 2017.
Professor Graham MacGregor, chairman of CASH, labelled it “a national scandal” and said they were “alarmed by the lack of action so far by manufacturers and Public Health England (PHE)”.
According to CASH, 14,000 deaths could be prevented every year by reducing salt intakes from the current 8g per day to the recommended 6g.
“The UK was leading the world in salt reduction, but PHE are doing nothing to ensure that the 2017 salt targets are met,” said Professor MacGregor.
“NICE clearly demonstrated the huge cost savings for the NHS of salt reduction (1g reduction saves £1.5 billion per year, at a cost of less than half a million pounds a year).
“PHE should seize this opportunity and ensure the 2017 targets are met, as well as setting new mandatory targets for 2020, to ensure that we continue to lead the world and save the maximum number of lives.”
The new survey by CASH compared two shopping baskets each containing similar everyday food items, but with different amounts of salt.
The saltiest shopping basket had 107g of salt compared to a basket containing the same categories of foods with only 47g of salt. This is a 60g difference which is equivalent to 130 bags of Walkers Ready Salted crisps.
Worst offending products included Galaxy Ultimate Marshmallow Hot Chocolate, Baxters Chef Selections Cullen Skink and Aldi The Fishmonger Piri Piri Smoked Mackerel Fillets, which contained four times more salt than the target for fish-based meals.
A spokesperson for Mars told The Telegraph: “Our Galaxy Ultimate Marshmallow Hot Chocolate is an indulgent treat that comes as a powder. Each 25g serving of the powder diluted with hot water contains 0.6g of salt, some of which comes from the intrinsic sodium in milk and other ingredients and some of which is added to enhance the chocolatey flavour.
“As a business, we continually work to improve the nutritional profile of products across our whole range, while maintaining the best possible taste for our consumers.”
A spokesperson for Baxters told The Huffington Post UK: “Baxters has nearly 50 varieties of soup products many of which are within the current guideline levels for salt content. We constantly monitor the recipes of all our products for nutritional, fat, sugar and of course salt content to ensure we can deliver healthy, nutritious products full of flavour.
“Soup by its nature is a savoury product and some recipes and varieties require more or less seasoning in order for the taste to be acceptable to the consumer. Baxters provides full nutritional information on the labels of all of its soup products, both sodium and the equivalent value as salt, in order that our consumers can make a fully informed choice.”
A spokesperson for Aldi said they are working to reduce salt levels across their range and are working with their fish supplier to ensure they achieve the salt reduction target by the end of 2017.
In light of the review’s findings, CASH has urged PHE to “immediately ensure that the 2017 targets are met and that they urgently set mandatory targets for 2020”.
In response to this, Dr Alison Tedstone, chief nutritionist at Public Health England, said: “The food industry has reduced the amount of salt found in our foods by 11% in recent years, which is encouraging progress.
“We know there is more to do. This is why we’re talking to retailers, manufacturers, and the eating out of home sector on how they go further and faster to reaching the 2017 salt reduction targets.”
A separate poll highlighted that only 40% of people know that a teaspoon (6g) of salt is the maximum amount you should have in a day.
The general population believed that ready meals, crisps, savoury snacks and salt added to food during cooking contributed the most to the salt intake. But in reality, bread and cereal products are the worst offenders, contributing nearly a quarter of salt in the UK’s diet.
Katharine Jenner, registered nutritionist and campaign director for CASH, said: “Salt is the forgotten killer. We are shocked to see that many food manufacturers and retailers are still failing to meet the salt reduction targets, despite having had years to work towards them.
“We congratulate the other, more responsible manufacturers that have successfully achieved them, or are on track to meet them by the end of the year – which shows it is possible. With only nine months to go, action must be taken now.”


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Joanna Wong had been stuck in the same corporate job for years, becoming more and more disillusioned, when she decided one day that things had to change.
"I was frustrated, I think, working in a large organization," said Wong. "I wanted to be able to make a bigger impact."
So, she quit her 9-to-5 job as a womenswear buyer in Australia, and set out to find what she hoped would be a more fulfilling path as an entrepreneur.
"The fashion industry wasn't being inclusive enough and didn't cater to plus-sized women ... I felt like I could enter entrepreneurship by solving a real problem for real women," continued Wong, founder and CEO of All Woman Co.
Wong is not alone in her vision. Indeed, almost half (49 percent) of U.S. millennials say they'd like to start their own business, according to a study by America's SBDC (small business development center).
Only it's easier said than done: Estimates suggest anywhere from 50 to 90 percent of new start-ups fail within the first few years.
So, just what is it that sets apart the successful few, and how do you know if you've got what it takes to follow their lead? CNBC Make It spoke to three entrepreneurs — each with different stories but all of whom quit employee life to pursue the entrepreneurial dream — and found three key things united them all.


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It’s that time of year again! Crab and Lobster Festival launch famous Art Trail
- Credit: Eastern Daily Press Â© 2010
North Norfolk is officially gearing up for summer, as famous festivals taking place in the district launch this year's events.
The hugely popular Crab and Lobster festival taking place between Cromer and Sheringham have announced the launch of this years' Art Trail, which draws hundreds of people to the towns and raises thousands for local causes.
Last year's art trail saw shops promoting their sponsored portholes, where this year windows will be adorned with light house statues.
Chairman of the Crab and Lobster Festival Tony Shipp explained: 'The Art Trail will launch on the first weekend of the Crab and Lobster festival, which this year will be May 19 and 20.
'Shops and businesses will be displaying their lighthouse figures until the end of the Crab and Lobster festival when they will be auctioned off.'
In previous years the auction has raised as much as £7,000 for local organisations.
'Last year raised £5,000 which was fantastic, it's what we tend to average so we'll be looking to raise that, if not more,' Mr Shipp added.
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He continued: 'We chose lighthouses this year to stick to a nautical theme. Plus, Cromer has a lighthouse.
'We've already had a lot of businesses asking if they can have one of the large lighthouse models so we're going to order some more of those.
'People are also already getting their requests in for the smaller models which they're looking forward to decorating.'
There will be around 100 lighthouses of two different shapes across Sheringham, Cromer and the surrounding areas.
The Art Trail will be hosting a launch on February 20 for potential businesses and sponsors to sign up and learn more about the trail.
The event will be held at The Cliftonville Hotel on Runton Road from 7.30pm until 8pm.
A spokesperson for the Crab and Lobster Festival said: 'The prospect is an exciting one and the lighthouses will provide a wonderful base for some artistic creations.'
Food and drinks will also be available for attendees, however if you do wish to attend the Festival committee asks that individuals confirm with Mr Shipp on 01263 512591.


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Lumax Industries has surged 13.5% to Rs 1,540, also its record high on the BSE, after the company said it has received order to supply new age headlamps and rear lamps for the new generation Maruti Suzuki Swift.
The company expects to commence production later this year at its Gujarat facility in Mehsana district. The order, however, will be fulfilled from the Sanand plant.
“The company has done a capex of about Rs 120 crores at Sanand, which is expected to commence operations from November 2017. The capex has been funded through internal accruals,” Lumax Industries said.
Going forward, the plant is expected to cater to the needs of TATA Tigor at Sanand as well as Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India’s (HMSI) existing models at Gujarat. The facility will have a capacity of about 300,000 car-sets annually. The plant is expected to be operational at its full capacity by FY19-20, it added.
In past one-year, Lumax Industries has zoomed 235% as compared to 14% rise in the S&P BSE Sensex.
At 10:52 am; the stock was up 12.7% at Rs 1,530 against 0.44% gain in the benchmark index. A combined 91,390 shares changed hands on the counter against an average sub 10,000 shares that were traded daily in past two weeks on BSE and NSE.


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Snapchat is looking to further its inclusivity efforts with the launch of a new series of Lenses that encourage users to fingerspell, as part of International Week of the Deaf.
As explained by Snapchat:
“Using SignAll’s AI and computer vision technology that recognizes and translates American Sign Language language, these AR Lenses will inspire Snapchatters to fingerspell their name, as well as other common words like ‘love,’ ‘hug,’ and ‘smile’.”
The Lenses, developed with the assistance of Snap’s own hearing-impaired employees, aim to elevate awareness of sign language, while also providing a more inclusive environment – and ideally, getting more creators to consider hearing-impaired users when they create their content.
In addition, users can also share their experience with the new Lenses with friends, while Snapchat’s also added some new Bitmoji stickers to further promote the event.
It’s a good initiative from Snap, because for many people, sign language remains a distant concept, something that they’re tangentially aware of but have limited direct exposure to. By promoting ASL in the app, and raising awareness, Snapchat could help to get more users to understand the need for more inclusive communication, which, in turn, could see more people considering such within their content and posting process.
You can access the new Snap sign language Lenses in the app.


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On average, Albertans 45 and up in saw the largest increase (5.6%) in the past year, while Ontarians 18 to 24 saw an 11.8% decline in their rates: LowestRates.ca 2018 Auto Insurance Price Index report
Toronto, ON (Mar. 13, 2018) – Today, LowestRates.ca launched its 2018 Auto Insurance Price Index report, the country’s only price index that uses proprietary data to track the average cost Canadians pay for car insurance on a quarterly basis. The index uses the hundreds of thousands of quotes processed annually by LowestRates.ca, an online rate comparison site for insurance, mortgages, loans and credit card rates, to collect the data.
The report shows that since Q4 of 2016, the price of auto insurance in Alberta has been trending upward, increasing by 5.1% in the last year, which means that the average consumer in Alberta paid more for car insurance in 2017 than she did in 2016. In comparison, prices in Ontario over the past year have been trending downward, decreasing by 4.9% in the last year. This means that, on average, consumers in Ontario paid less for auto insurance in 2017 than in 2016 (though there was a slight increase in the last quarter of the year). The Auto Insurance Price Index gives consumers a comprehensive look at the trends in pricing, ensuring that they are better informed when it comes time to renew their insurance policy.
“The car insurance industry can be a bit of a mystery to consumers, and that’s the main reason we created the Auto Insurance Price Index—to pull back the curtain and give consumers the information they need to make the decisions that work best for them,” said Justin Thouin, Co-Founder and CEO of LowestRates.ca. “We hope consumers can use this information to make better decisions. Don’t accept rate increases if our index shows prices falling in your province.”
Auto insurance prices in Alberta have increased from 98 on the index in Q4 of 2016, to 103 in Q4 of 2017, while prices in Ontario have gone from an index score of 102 to 97 within the last year. The index works by looking at the average price for quotes on LowestRates.ca, with each quarter compared against Q2 2017 (the benchmark quarter). Each point on the index above 100 represents a 1% change in prices. For instance, a 105 index reading would mean the price has increased by 5% since Q2 2017.
Breaking the report down by age:
- 18- to 24-year-olds are paying 2.3% more compared to Q4 2016
- 25- to 44-year-olds are paying 0.84% more than they did in 2016
- 45-year-olds and up are paying 5.6% more than they did in 2016
- 18- to 24-year-olds are paying 11.8% less than 2016
- 25- to 44-year-olds are paying 3.2% less than 2016
- 45-year-olds and up are paying 10.8% less than 2016
Breaking the report down by sex:
- Men are paying 5.9% more than in 2016
- Women are paying 2.9% more than in 2016
- Men are paying 6.9% less than in 2016
- Women are paying 1.9% more than in 2016
Insurance companies determine rates based on their costs—particularly how many accident claims they receive each month, and how expensive those claims are. If claims rise in a given quarter, premiums can go up for some insurers, even if others lower their prices. The LowestRates.ca Auto Insurance Price Index tracks the percentage change in the average quote requested for car insurance by individual drivers residing in Ontario and Alberta, insuring only one vehicle.
Other notable trends include:
- The average premium in Ontario is $1,458, based on data from the Ontario Ministry of Finance. In comparison, the average for all other provinces and territories in Canada is $930. That makes Ontario’s average price 44% higher than the rest of Canada.
- In Ontario, car insurance rates have been trending higher in the most recent quarter, with the average premium rising 3.2% in the fourth quarter compared with the third quarter of 2017. But rates have dropped 4.9% year-over-year.
- The average premium in Alberta is $1,179. That makes Alberta, on average, 23.6% more expensive for car insurance than the Canadian average.
- In Alberta, auto insurance rates are up 5.1% compared to last year. In the fourth quarter, the average rate for car insurance rose 1% from the third quarter of 2017.
The full report can be found here.Tags: LowestRates.ca, report


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The jump in UK service sector growth has helped the pound to shake off its early losses.
Sterling has crept back over $1.32, having dropped to $1.317 earlier, as traders conclude that an August interest rate hike is now a little more likely.
Balraj Sroya, Sales Trader at Foenix Partners, explains:
The Services PMI print today concluded a trifecta of phenomenal PMI figures from the UK this month, posting 7-month highs at 55.1. The bullish figures from the Services, Construction and Manufacturing sectors, along with GDP beating estimates last week, prove the UK economy is gaining momentum once again.
As a result, the likelihood of the Bank of England raising rates this summer has strengthened, with chances currently sitting over 60% in favour of a hike.
The pick-up in growth does have a downside. Companies are struggling to find skilled staff to help them tackle their new orders.
Duncan Brock, Group Director at the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply, explains:
“Exceeding expectations the sector ended on a positive note at the end of the second quarter, buoyed up by the fastest rise in new orders in over a year and the strongest overall performance since last October.
“However the downside of this achievement came in the form of relentless capacity difficulties as business backlogs rose to an acute degree, not seen for around three years. Not even the minor uplift in hiring could alleviate the problem as salary pressures and the struggle to find skilled hires caused firms to hesitate to increase staff numbers further.
Add increased costs for fuel, and the picture emerges of a sector experiencing the sharpest cost inflation since September last year, as well as the confidence to pass on these additional costs to their clients to maintain their margins.
This is actually good news for workers, though, with some companies reporting that staff salaries have risen as they try to attract and retain employees.
Today’s forecast-beating services data shows that Britain has recovered from the winter slowdown - when the ‘Beast from the East’ forced school and shops to close.
Jeremy Thomson-Cook, chief economist at WorldFirst, comments:
“These are the best sentiment numbers for the UK services industry since October and highlight that the sector is continuing to bounce back from the weather affected Q1 that saw shops shuttered and supply lines cut.
Both growth and inflation within the services sector and the wider economy are set to have risen in Q2 with the PMIs for the period hinting at a GDP number of 0.4-0.5% with inflation higher on both higher fuel and wage costs.”
Service sector growth makes rate hike more likely
The pick-up in growth last month will encourage the Bank of England to raise interest rates in August, suggests Capital Economics:
UK service sector growth hits eight-month high
Boom! Britain’s dominant service sector has picked up pace, suggesting that UK economic growth has accelerated in the last quarter.
Service sector firms enjoyed the strongest rise in activity since last October, data firm Markit reports, thanks to a rise in new orders.
Companies reported a pick-up in demand, particularly from particularly for business and financial services. Some companies also got a boost from the warm weather, as consumers hit the shops.
This has propelled Markit’s service sector PMI up to 55.1 in June, from 54 in May. That’s a stronger result than expected.
Markit’s surveys indicate that UK GDP rose by around 0.4% in the last three months - twice as fast as in January-March.
Chris Williamson, chief business economist at IHS Markit, explains:
“Stronger growth of service sector activity adds to signs that the economy rebounded in the second quarter and opens the door for an August rate hike, especially when viewed alongside the news that inflationary pressures spiked higher.
“The survey data indicate that the economy likely grew by 0.4% in the second quarter, up from 0.2% in the opening quarter of 2018. The sharp rise in business costs, linked to surging oil prices and the need to offer higher wages, suggests inflation will also pick up again from its current rate of 2.4%.
“It remains encouraging yet also surprising that current business activity continues to show such resilience amid relatively moribund confidence regarding the year ahead outlook. The survey once again highlights how the business outlook remains clouded by widespread concerns about the impact of Brexit uncertainty in particular.
Just in: Eurozone service sector growth picked up last month, suggesting Europe’s economy is recovering after a weak start to 2018.
Data firm Markit’s eurozone services PMI has risen to 55.2, up from May’s 53.8.
This makes up for a slowdown at Europe’s factories, where growth slowed last month.
The eurozone economy regained some traction at the end of the second quarter. Rates of expansion in output and new business accelerated, although failed to fully recover the momentum lost earlier in the year.
The main impetus was provided by the services economy, which saw growth accelerate to a four-month high, offsetting a further waning in the pace of increase in manufacturing production.
However, business optimism at eurozone service companies has dropped to a 19-month low. Markit cites “rising trade worries and political uncertainty” as likely causes.
Beijing policymakers will be relieved to hear that growth in China’s service sector rose last month, despite trade war jitters.
The monthly Chinese service sector PMI rose to 53, the highest in four months, showing accelerating growth. Service companies reported a pick-up in new orders, encouraging them to take on more staff.
However, the picture is less rosy at China’s manufacturing companies, where new orders fell last month.
Trade war worries are hit metal prices today.
Copper has dropped to a nine-month low (at $6,423 per tonne) while zinc touched its lowest level in a year.
That reflects concerns that economic demand will be hurt by the looming US-China tariffs.
Chinese stock market hits two-year low
China’s stock market has dropped again today, as traders fret about the escalating trade dispute with America.
The benchmark Shanghai Composite index fell 1% to finish the day at 2,760 points, its lowest closing point since March 2016.
With US and China both finalising tariffs on each others goods, further jitteriness is likely.
Mark Haefele, chief investment officer at UBS Global Wealth Management, explains:
“Investors should expect volatility to continue. Uncertainty over interest rates, protectionism, and China are key risk factors.
We recommend investors stay invested, but consider five actions: looking to alternatives, hedging equity exposure, improving credit quality, diversifying sector and country risks, and taking a longer-term view.”
Introduction: China to introduce tariffs on Friday
Good morning, and welcome to our rolling coverage of the world economy, the financial markets, the eurozone and business.
The trade dispute between the US and China is heating up.
Beiijng is preparing to impose 25% tariffs on over $30bn of American imports, including agricultural products and manufacturing items, in response to Donald Trump’s own tariffs on Chinese imports which kick in on Friday.
And it appears that China will actually get its retaliation first - officials are preparing to implement the tariffs from midnight on July 6, or noon Washington time tomorrow (5pm UK time).
Reuters has the details:
Chinese tariffs on $34bn of U.S. goods will take effect from midnight July 6 Beijing time, a person with knowledge of the plan told Reuters, amid worsening trade tensions between the world’s two largest economies.
Washington has said it would implement tariffs on $34bn of Chinese imports on July 6, and Beijing has vowed to retaliate on the same day.
However, the 12-hour time difference puts Beijing ahead in terms of actually implementing the tariffs.
“Our measures are equal and being equal means that if theU.S. starts on July 6, we start on July 6,” the source told Reuters, who requested anonymity as they were not authorised to speak to media.
“The implementation time for all policies starts at midnight.”
Economists had hoped that Washington and Beijing might step away from actually imposing the tariffs they had threatened each other with. But neither side has backed down, despite the real risk that the measures will hurt growth and cost jobs.
The prospect of a trade war may cast a shadow over the US today, as it celebrates Independence Day. Wall Street will be closed, so it could be a quieter day generally in the markets.
European stocks are expected to dip.
Also coming up today
We get a healthcheck on Britain’s and Europe’s service sector, as data firm Markit publishes its last monthly surveys of purchasing managers.
The UK’s services PMI is expected to be unchanged at 54, showing steady growth. Anything higher would be a boost for the British economy, as Westminster wrestles with Brexit negotiations.
Jasper Lawler of London Capital Group says:
Even if service sector activity is stronger than forecast, it may fail to capture investors’ attention for any significant amount of time. Brexit will be firmly back on the agenda, with the Prime Minister due to hold talks at the Chequers residence this weekend, in the hope of finding a solution to the customs partnership with the EU post Brexit.
Theresa May has made a series of pleas to her bickering party to sort out their differences and to the EU, not to decline the third proposal.
- 9am BST: Eurozone service sector PMI for June
- 9.05am: Bank of England deputy governor Sam Woods
- 9.30am BST: UK service sector PMI for June
- 10am BST: OECD publishes its annual employment outlook report
- 2.15pm: UK treasury committee hearing on economic crime and digital currencies


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Inflation falls back to 4.8% but continues to push UK into debt
Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation fell back to 4.8 per cent in November, the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics have shown.
The rate fell by 0.2 per cent, down from 5 per cent in October, with the largest downward pressure coming from food, petrol, clothing and furniture. This was partially offset by upward pressures from increases in the cost of domestic heating and sales of alcohol.
But at 4.8 per cent, inflation is still pushing millions of people into debt. Moneysupermarket.com claims that 10 million UK consumers will be tipped into or pushed further into debt over the festive season.
Commenting, Kevin Mountford, head of banking at Moneysupermarket.com said: “The rising cost of living is something UK households have had to bear the brunt of over the last few years, with rising energy, fuel and food costs putting significant pressure on the nation’s wallets. It is no surprise that a high number of people will be tipped into debt this festive season, and consumers really need to take immediate steps to manage debt, especially in the current economic climate.
“With inflationary pressures starting to ease slightly over the past couple of months, and predictions of further falls towards the Bank of England’s inflation target of two per cent in 2012, it is imperative that households take the opportunity to bring their finances under control. Sitting down and going through your finances and reviewing all your outgoings can really make a difference. Switching to cheaper products or moving expensive debts over to cheaper forms of borrowing, can help free up cash which is vital at a time when the cost of living has been putting the nation’s wallets under severe pressure.”


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Top cloud providers 2019: AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud
The cloud computing race in 2019 will have a definite multi-cloud spin. Her
U.S. Department of Defense officials have decided this week that the only two cloud vendors able to meet their requirements for a huge, winner-take-all project are Amazon and Microsoft. That decision takes Oracle and IBM out of the running for the $10 billion JEDI contract.
The DoD's JEDI (Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure) contract is designed to upgrade legacy systems with newer cloud services. According to the original proposal, "JEDI Cloud will provide enterprise-level, commercial IaaS (infrastructure as a service) and PaaS (platform as a service) to the Department and any mission partners for all Department business and mission operations."
Google dropped out of the JEDI bidding last year, acknowledging it couldn't meet the requirements (and citing its AI principles, as well). Oracle officials had protested the bidding process, claiming bias against a former military employee who also worked at Amazon AWS. Oracle filed a lawsuit over this late last year. In February his year, it looked like the DoD was going to have to postpone the award of the contract as a result of a required review.
The DoD was expected to name a winner in April, but now the soonest the JEDI winner will get the nod is mid-July, according to Bloomberg.
Over the past year-plus Microsoft has been working to get all its required certifications lined up so that it can meet the JEDI requirements .
- AWS: Complete business guide to the world's largest provider of cloud services
- How to save money and reduce costs with a yearly auto-renew services checkup
- Public cloud spending to surge as companies start moving from cloud-first to cloud-only, says Gartner
- Microsoft and BMW: We can help you build a smart factory with the cloud, robots, and IoT
- VW taps Siemens, Amazon Web Services to link factories to the cloud (CNET)
- 10 Frequently Asked Questions about multi cloud (TechRepublic)


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AR Takes Customer Experience to the Next Level at Starbucks Shanghai Reserve Roastery
Starbucks said it launched the "first fully immersive coffee experience” in what the company is calling its "most ambitious project ever." The Reserve Roastery in Shanghai opened on December 6 and the 30,000-square-foot space is one of the most advanced digital locations for Starbucks in the world, offering customers the chance to immerse themselves in an augmented reality experience.
Those visiting the Shanghai Roastery will be able to learn about Starbuck's bean-to-cup story by downloading the custom-designed Roastery digital web-app platform or Alibaba's Taobao app and pointing their mobile devices at key features around the Roastery. Upon doing so, certain aspects of the building will "come to life" and provide customers with incredible amounts of detail, while serving as a digital tour guide. For example, when pointing the phone at the Roastery's roasting cask, coffee connoisseurs will be able to "peer inside" and watch an animated version of newly roasted beans dropping into the cask. They will also be able to "see" the beans at rest before they are whisked through copper pipes to the individual coffee bars located within the Roastery.
“It’s coffee as theater,” said Echo Jiang, director of customer experience at the Roastery.
Each step of the way, customers unlock a virtual badge and once all badges are earned, they receive a custom Roastery filter to commemorate the moment and share on social media. The Shanghai Roastery digital experience is designed by Starbucks and powered by Alibaba Group’s scene-recognition technology.
“We wanted to create a completely new brand experience for our customers,” said Emily Chang, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for Starbucks, China. “Coffee is already such a deeply sensorial experience, even before the first sip: from hearing the unmistakable sound of beans being freshly ground, to inhaling that rich aroma and sipping your perfect blend, brewed just right. We wanted to take that customer experience even further.”
Visitors who don’t download the Roastery app, but who have a QR code reader on their phone, can still have a virtual experience by scanning QR codes embedded around the Roastery that unlock insider information, invisible to the naked eye.
Famed for its mobile ordering platform, Starbucks took this capability to the next level at its Shanghai Roastery. Digital designers didn’t want visitors to have to go stand in line to order. Instead, customers can look at the menu on the app, or point their phones at one of the icons hanging from the ceiling at various bars at the Roastery to see the menu unfold. Then, once they’ve explored, they can talk with one of the roaming baristas on the floor who will help them create and place an order exactly to their liking. The customer can pay on the spot and be digitally notified when their order is ready, along with the location where they can pick it up.
If visitors want to understand more about the particular way their coffee is being brewed by a barista, all they have to do is point their phone at one of the icons that hang from the ceiling to enter a virtual world and see the method demonstrated right on their screen.
“With AR, we are able to go beyond educating, enabling and engaging, to empowering our customers to experience the space on their own terms,” Chang said.
Starbucks, often hailed as an innovative technology leader, is expertly experimenting with how to continuously draw consumers back to their physical stores, according to Ajay Paul, Director Travel, Transportation and Hospitality Lead at Information Services Group (ISG).
"Starbucks is a traditional brick-and-mortar operation," he says. "It continues to open stores worldwide even though retailers have experienced tremendous disruption due to the prevalence of e-commerce tools that have changed the way we all shop. But AR creates an experience, a content-rich environment so that customers want to come to the restaurant."
Using AR to incentivize customers to visit the Roastery is very logical, agrees Robert Haslehurst, Managing Director, at L.E.K. Consulting. It helps give customers a wow factor and reason to recommend a visit; it helps Starbucks tell the stories behind their Reserve coffees; and it drives app downloads and press buzz.
"What’s more, this experience minimizes the pain point around transaction (waiting in line), and enables personalization (each person can have their own tour/experience)," Haslehurst adds. "And it does all of that without a big investment in in-store physical technology that will soon be tired and obsolete."
Restaurants could similarly offer customers an AR experience at their locations, Paul notes. For instance, they could create virtual badges to enhance loyalty, offer discounts tied to the AR program, or even provide diners with a video showing a menu item being prepared by the chef.
Haslehurst believes that restaurants could also use AR menu experiences to showcase dishes in context (e.g., portion size), so consumers can understand dishes or be tempted to pay more for a different dish. However, he believes restaurants have to be realistic about adoption and see AR as just one communication channel to the customer to supplement great customer service and existing menus.
"At the end of the day, it's all about connecting with your customer," Paul notes.