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Flavorists try to trick tastebuds
Where's the beef? Not in these plant-based foods
CRANBURY, N.J. — Marie Wright dips four long strips of paper, the kind you'd sniff a perfume sample from Sephora, into bottles of clear liquid marked Methyl Cinnamate, Ethyl Butyrate, y-decalactone and Furaneol. She holds the four strips together and wafts them, fanlike, under her nose. Suddenly, the lab smells of strawberries.
Wright is the vice president and chief global flavorist for Archer Daniels Midland, one of the world's largest food processors and suppliers. She's a former perfume industry chemist who has created more than 1,000 individual flavors for major food and beverage companies, and she's now facing one of the biggest challenges of her career.
Consumers are seduced and beguiled by flavorists without even being aware of it. Flavorists are the people who tinker with nacho cheese dust, Hot Pockets and pumpkin spice lattes. They are the tastemakers, driving consumer trends and making food craveable.
Wright and the planet's 200 or so other flavorists are bringing their alchemy to plant-based meat. It's the biggest craze the food industry has seen in a long time, driven by concerns about climate change, animal welfare and human health. It is still dwarfed by the $49 billion beef industry; however, the Swiss investment firm UBS predicts growth of plant-based protein and meat alternatives will increase from $4.6 billion in 2018 to $85 billion by 2030.
Despite its swift ascent, plant-based meat is the antithesis of recent trends such as local and farm-to-table dining, representing an embrace of highly processed foods made palatable in a laboratory by technicians such as Wright.
"These are great proteins from a nutritional perspective, but plant-based presents some challenges with tastes that can be unpleasant," Wright says.
First, there is the masking of the vegetal "green" notes in pea protein and the "beany" notes in soy, often by adding other ingredients and chemicals.
"There isn't one magic bullet, not one molecule or extract. It tends to be common pantry items like salt, spices, molasses, honey," Wright said. Vanilla extract is often used for masking because it is known for how it binds to a protein, rendering its own distinctive taste undetectable.
"It sacrifices itself," she said.
She describes vegetal notes that are more about aromatics. The goal is not to remove these aromas, but to prevent them from being perceived.
"Smell and taste are closely linked in the appreciation of flavor but are independently triggered," she said. "Taste is composed of the taste sensations perceived in the mouth and odor compounds perceived by the receptors in the nose linked to the olfactory lobe."
Then comes the insertion of the mineral, musky, charry, "umami" flavors that we associate with meat.
Wright huddles with fellow flavorist Ken Kraut, who works only on the savory side. They swirl little plastic cups of clear liquid, sniffing and tasting. Too yeasty, they say. They want a little less soy and a bit more umami - that elusive, savory monosodium glutamate flavor. Mushrooms give that umami flavor, as does Japanese green tea. Meat's mineralized note can be mimicked by concentrated extracts of broccoli and spinach.
They've got a deadline. A big client is coming in the following week to test blended veggie-chicken meatballs, a plant-based burger and a few other proprietary products. Everyone is launching a plant-based burger these days, and as quickly as possible.
"They want to do it in anywhere from six weeks to three months — there's an urgency, a panic," Wright said. "Usually, a product is a year to 18 months to complete."
Wright says an ordinary product — a snack bar or a protein drink — might cost a client from $10,000 to $200,000 to have ADM formulate a recipe, which the company can then produce in its own processing facilities. Plant-based meat is different.
"This whole area is expensive because it's fairly high-tech, with a lot of dollars involved in research," she said. "Something like this, you're talking $100,000 to $1 million."
There's a lot of heavy lifting that goes into making vegan sea urchins out of soy and vegetable oils or sausage links out of lupin beans, a yellow and occasionally bitter legume. The world is agog at plant-based meats that taste uncannily like the real thing, but nutritionists warn that if companies increasingly rely on chemists to insert desirable flavors into food, consumers might temper their enthusiasm for this new raft of better-living-through-science processed foods.
With their pea protein isolates, their gum arabic and yeast extracts, these new foods are the opposite of whole foods, the obverse of transparent sourcing. Some nutritionists and food industry leaders are wondering whether the food system is being led astray by foods that have flavor and appeal inserted industrially.
"It doesn't resemble the foods from which it came; it has a vast numbers of ingredients. It fully meets the definition of ultra-processed food," said author Marion Nestle, a nutrition professor at New York University, about these new plant-based meats. "Are flavorists complicit? They always have been. These are industrially produced food to which flavors and textures and colors are added so it's attractive. What they do is cosmetics."
Back at the lab, Wright and team nudge the burger formula, trying to achieve the aroma and flavors resulting from the Maillard reaction, a chemical process between amino acids and sugars that gives caramelized meat its distinctive seared flavor.
They dry liquids in a spray dryer, tiny droplets sent through a hot chamber in a stainless-steel box, the water driven off to produce powders. They consider the protein, the flavorings and the binders, looking for a mineral, bloody note and seeking appealing top notes that mimic seared sirloin. They go beyond sweetness, sourness, saltiness, bitterness and umami, reaching for a lesser-known "sixth taste" sensation that the Japanese call kokumi, which translates as something like "heartiness" or "mouthfulness."
Then they take their thoughts into the kitchen.
John Stephanian, ADM's culinary director, went to culinary school but considers himself a culinologist, a job where the culinary arts and the science of food meet. He's plating the plant-based burgers as the flavorists arrive, deep ruddy patties with charry grill marks, tucked onto glossy brioche buns with delicate Parmesan crisps. Wright tastes, appraising. How is the chew? Is it meaty enough?
Achieving flavorist status
Wright grew up east of London and studied chemistry at King's College London. She worked in Europe for years, moved to New Jersey and commuted back and forth to South America to set up flavor labs. Salaries for flavorists vary widely, she says, from $50,000 to $500,000. Flavorist is a mentoring profession, with trainees spending years as underlings in places such as ADM's Academy of Future Flavorists program. It takes seven to 10 years to achieve flavorist status, and 20 to be a senior flavorist, Wright says.
"Learning the materials takes three to four years. Like being a pianist, you have to practice. A trainee may do 20 to 30 versions of a flavor," she said.
Flavorists work with beakers and magnetic stir bars. They work with gas chromatography mass spectrometry instruments that separate chemical mixtures and identify the components at a molecular level. They paint their pictures with essential oils, resinoids, concretes and absolutes, the building blocks of fragrance and flavor. But mostly, they use their noses and skills of prognostication.
Designing an average of 300 new products a year, flavorists have tens of millions of dollars riding on their senses and gut instincts about the next big thing in the food industry.
"There are so many influences from all over the world. If you're going to hang your hat on a flavor for next year, you may be wrong," Wright says.
It's about reverse engineering, listening to clients' visions while tracking trends and predicting consumer fetishes and preoccupations.
"Consumers are driving trends. Trends only used to come from high-end restaurants. Now, a lot of trends are coming from street foods," she said. "The consumer has changed. They're saying, 'I'm not going to eat that, and I have a say.' "
She points to smaller food companies such as Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods, which have pushed food giants such as Cargill, Tyson Foods, Kellogg and Smithfield Foods into a headlong race to produce signature plant-based meats.
Before the day is over, Wright checks in with a flavorist working on an energy bar flavored with salted caramel, then with a team in the mint lab working on a gum that both cools and tingles. She tastes a nitro coffee, deciding whether it should be flavored with Madagascar or Ugandan vanilla — the former classic and beany, the latter sweeter with a hint of milk chocolate.
And about that burger. Nondisclosure agreements prevent her from naming the company behind this plant-based burger, but the meeting is a success, the company's team staying for two days to hash out the details.
"They liked aspects of it, and they also wanted some changes in the fat delivery. They wanted a bit more of that bloody, minerally note and more of that seared taste, as well as that melty quality you get with animal fat," Wright said.
"A few years ago, they didn't have to taste so fantastic, but now we can really replicate a meat product without meat," she said.
Clients often provide nutritional and price guidelines, with the ADM team working within constraints such as calorie counts or projected retail cost. Once the formulation has been approved, the client gets the recipe, frequently having it produced and packaged by a co-manufacturing facility. Wright and her group don't produce the finished, packaged product. They invent the formula.
With food technology and the culinary zeitgeist moving so swiftly, predicting what will resonate with consumers is tricky - even with Wright's expanding toolbox of ingredients and food technologies.
"It's a huge area of investment," Wright said. "If it doesn't taste delicious, people are not going to buy it."


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Emma Chamberlain, a name that resonates with millions of followers across various social media platforms, has become a household name in the realm of digital content creation. Born in May 2001 in San Bruno, California, Emma’s journey to stardom began from humble beginnings. She started her YouTube channel in 2016, but it wasn’t until the summer of 2017 that she posted her first video. From a mere 50 subscribers after her initial 20 videos, Emma’s channel has grown exponentially, boasting over 12 million subscribers and more than 1.6 billion video views as of July 2023.
Emma’s content, which spans across travel, fashion, lifestyle, beauty, and DIY projects, has garnered her a massive following. Her first viral video, “We All Owe The Dollar Store An Apology,” marked the beginning of her meteoric rise on YouTube. Emma’s authenticity and relatability have made her a favorite among viewers, leading to collaborations with high-profile YouTubers like Cody Ko and the Dolan Twins.
Emma Chamberlain’s Net Worth In 2023
As of 2023, Emma Chamberlain’s net worth is estimated to be around $12 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. This impressive figure is a testament to her success and influence in the digital world. Her income streams are diverse, ranging from her YouTube channel to brand endorsements and her personal lifestyle brand.
Brand Endorsements And Business Ventures
Emma Chamberlain at the Louis Vuitton 200 Trunks 200 Visionaries Exhibit Opening on July 28, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Buckner/WWD via Getty Images)
Emma’s popularity has led to numerous brand endorsements. Her first significant endorsement was with the shopping app Dote, which sponsored her throughout most of 2018. She has also collaborated with eyewear brand Crap Eyewear and the luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton.
In addition to endorsements, Emma has ventured into business, launching her clothing line and a mail-order coffee business, Chamberlain Coffee. Her entrepreneurial endeavors have significantly contributed to her net worth.
Emma Chamberlain’s Impact Beyond YouTube
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 01: (L-R) Emma Chamberlain
and Jack Harlow attend The 2023 Met Gala Celebrating “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line Of Beauty” at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 01, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/MG23/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)
Emma’s influence extends beyond YouTube. She has been recognized by mainstream media outlets, with The New York Times calling her “the funniest person on YouTube,” and TIME Magazine including her on their list of “The 25 Most Influential People on the Internet.” She has also graced the cover of Cosmopolitan and served as an official correspondent for Vogue magazine at Paris Fashion Week.
Philanthropy And Giving Back
Despite her success, Emma remains grounded and committed to giving back. She has worked with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, meeting fans and inspiring aspiring creators.
Emma Chamberlain’s net worth in 2023 is a reflection of her hard work, creativity, and business acumen. From a teenager posting videos on YouTube to a multi-millionaire influencer, Emma’s journey is a testament to the power of social media and the opportunities it provides. As she continues to grow and evolve, there’s no doubt that Emma Chamberlain will remain a significant figure in the digital world.

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Rihanna is currently in London for Fashion Week. The Bajan pop beauty was spotted hitting up The Box nightclub in […]
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LONDON: NJoy, the dominant US player in the fast-growing e-cigarette market, has enlisted Hotwire and Seven Dials to support its attempt to build a foothold in the UK and Europe.
The Arizona-based company, which is backed by Napster founder Sean Parker, holds an almost 50% share of the $300 million e-cigarette market in the US.
In June, the company raised $75 million for marketing and international expansion as well as clinical trials and R&D.
Roger Harrison, international marketing director for the brand, has appointed Hotwire to handle corporate PR in the UK and Western Europe and Seven Dials for consumer PR in the UK following pitches.
Hotwire's brief is to position NJoy's product as a credible alternative to smokers and to manage its reputation within the e-cigarette industry. Hotwire associate director Laura MacDonald will lead the account with support from the agency's network of European offices at a local level.
Seven Dials' brief is to boost awareness of NJoy among UK consumers through creative PR ideas, media relations, and celebrity and influencer campaigns. Associate director Dan Turner and business director Eleanor Conroy will lead the agency's work.
This story originally appeared on the website of PRWeek UK.


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Following up on recent visits to Israel by large delegations from the Chinese government and business sectors, top Israeli economic and scientific officials are meeting with their opposite numbers from Beijing. The intense activity reflects the desire of both countries to deepen their cooperation in commerce and technology.
An inter-ministerial task force led by Israel’s National Economic Council along with a team from the Israeli Ministry of Economy headed by Chief Scientist Avi Hasson is meeting with Chinese counterparts from the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) to develop concrete plans to build on an already successful model.
The Chinese delegation, headed by Ren Zhiwu — deputy director-general of the High-Tech Industry Department of the NDRC — arrived in Israel last week for meetings with the Israeli group, the first time the high-level government team has come to Israel. The Chinese delegation is made up of seven officials from the NDRC along with a business contingent of 33 representatives from leading Chinese firms in fields like biomed and venture capital, as well as representatives of several Chinese high-tech/industrial parks chosen by the NDRC to engage in joint ventures with Israel.
As of 2013, China was Israel’s second largest trading partner, with exports of $2.88 billion and imports of $7.99 billion. Electronics constitute 40 percent of China’s exports. The Israel Trade Mission in China lists at least 250 Israeli companies doing business there, and the Export Institute has run numerous seminars designed to help companies get their foot in the Chinese door.
Many Israeli companies are succeeding in the Chinese market. Israel’s Solbar, for example, the world’s largest maker of soy products, has a large manufacturing facility in China, where it makes products mostly for the local market. Solbar’s soy protein and other products are popular among Chinese makers of processed vegetarian and meat products, which are sold to the local market and export to other Far Eastern countries. Solbar, in fact, is one of the few Israeli — or other non-Chinese companies — to have won a top award from the Chinese government for excellence in management.
Israel’s interest in China is not a one-way street. The Chinese are trying hard to woo Israeli firms to the high-tech zones that are sprouting all around their country. One of them, in the city of Changzhou, about 100 miles from Shanghai, is even building a community center with a synagogue and a kosher restaurant, meant to make Israeli entrepreneurs feel comfortable. “We are very appreciative that so many Israeli companies are choosing the Wujin Economic Zone (WEZ) for their China operations,” said Stone Shi, deputy administrator of Changzhou’s Wujin Hi-tech industrial zone. “We want Israelis to feel comfortable doing business in our region, and the new center, 25,000 square meters large, will provide them with an opportunity to enjoy Israeli culture, both secular and religious, and will even offer kosher food — Chinese style, of course.”
Business between the two countries is set to grow in the coming months with the establishment of a $100 million investment fund by Israel’s Catalyst Equity Management and Hong Kong-based Everbright in March of this year. “China has a lot of needs, and we believe that Israeli companies are in unique position to bring in many of the solutions China needs,” said Shangyan Fen, head of Strategic Investment and Development at China Everbright Ltd., and a managing director in the fund. “We are concentrating on bringing in companies that have established solutions in areas like technology, environmental and water technology, manufacturing, and even consumer needs.” Fen expects that the fund will go through several more funding rounds, topping off at some $300 million.
The visit by the NDRC delegation will boost trade even further, said Chief Scientist Hasson. “The meetings between Israeli and Chinese companies within this framework will bring true commercial results,” said Hasson. “It is doubtful if these would have been achieved without cooperation between the two countries on an official level.”
With both governments now going full-force on expanding trade, one day China might become Israel’s largest trading partner, a position now held by the European Union, though the EU’s trade with Israel is currently about three times the value of China-Israel commerce.


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(10 September 2012, Hong Kong) To build anticipation for this year’s hippest-ever Ocean Park Halloween Bash , Ocean Park has turned on the style in its television commercial, by featuring Hip Halloween Master Wyman Wong, clad in his personal collection of brand name outfits and a “Golden Ear” accessory designed by the stylist of Lady Gaga. Playing the role of an exorcist, Wyman will be seen sprinkling “sacred” perfume to drive out demons. Joining Wyman on screen is Halloween icon Helena Law (also known as Law Lan), who will appear as the lookalike of a world-famous fashion designer to help make Hauntingly Hip Halloween the most visually exciting Halloween party in town.
Unlike the past 11 years, this year’s Ocean Park Halloween Bash TVC has taken on a chic edge, featuring a glittering chandelier as backdrop. Clad in a gorgeous outfit sewn with golden threads and paired with a “Golden Ear” accessory, Wyman will be seen sprinkling perfume cum “holy water” on ghoulishly glamorous models to drive out evil spirits. Law Lan, on the other hand, has gone androgynous for the first time with a look inspired by an international fashion icon, sporting a slim fit black blazer, leather gloves, sunglasses and edge punk accessories.
Participating in a Ocean Park Halloween Bash TVC for the first time, Wyman said, “As Ocean Park Halloween Bash has pioneered large-scale Halloween celebrations in Asia, I’m thrilled to be part of this signature Hong Kong event. To me, Halloween celebrations aren’t always gruesome or bloody; instead, glitter and luxury can just as easily bring out the party atmosphere. This is in fact my second time working with Helena as we appeared in the same movie some 10 years ago. Despite being in her 70s, she remains a consummate professional with much to teach the younger generation of entertainers.” In addition to the TVC, Wyman has collaborated with Ocean Park to create the “IN an EERIE Collection” of 8 freaky fashion pieces, bringing a sense of fashion to the frightful fun of Halloween Bash.
Taking part in an Ocean Park Halloween Bash TVC for the third year running, Helena said, “Working on this latest Halloween TVC has been a truly refreshing experience. The world-famous fashion designer look alone has taken me to a new level of trendiness! The crew has not only taken great care of me, but also made the work exceptionally fun. I look forward to working with Ocean Park for many more years to come!” Helena has impressed the entire crew with her professionalism by delivering a wide variety of laughs upon the request of the director, making the filming process extremely smooth.
The TVC of Ocean Park Halloween Bash will be aired in Hong Kong starting from 9:30p.m. tonight (10 September, Monday). The Hauntingly Hip Halloween, which features 500 chic and creepy ghouls and 23 frightfully fun experiences, including 8 haunted houses, 14 street shows and a daytime kids activity zone, will run from 21 September to 31 October.


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The stock market continued to see wild
Victors of VolatilityApple ( AAPL) crushed Wall Street estimates by reporting a 67% jump in profits. If you ask Najarian, it's an amazing number and everything is working. He also mentioned that Morgan Stanley is now projecting a $225 price target for Apple. Najarian recommends looking for any pullback in Apple to get
Volatility VictimsTexas Instruments ( TXN) shares dip on the chipmaker's outlook that was below Wall Street estimates. Najarian hints that Texas Instruments isn't managed as well as Apple ( AAPL) and he would rather own Apple. Adami counsels investors to buy Intel ( INTC) off the TXN numbers. Crude oil and gold both fell 1% Monday as the dollar gained strength. Adami maintains that crude is overextended up here and the next move will be $8 to $10 down. He also predicts gold will fall, if the dollar continues to reverse higher. Najarian continues to like the oil service sector. (To beat volatility, try looking at this portfolio on Stockpickr.com: SEI U.S. Managed Volatility Fund.)
Merrill MurmursMerrill Lynch ( MER) is set to report earnings on Wednesday. CNBC's Charlie Gasparino joined the "Fast Money" crew to discuss his take on Merrill. Gasparino says people are expecting a $5 billion writedown for the third quarter. His sources are also telling him that this same sized writedown could happen for the fourth quarter. Insiders at Merrill tell him that some are calling for CEO Stan O'Neal's head. Even outside shareholders want him out. Macke tells investors not to bother buying this stock; no one knows where the bottom is. Gasparino is now giving O'Neal 8-to-1 odds of being removed as CEO.
Future for SanDiskSanDisk ( SNDK) co-founder, president and COO Sanjay Mehrotra joined the "Fast Money" crew to discuss his firm's prospects. Mehrotra says demand remains strong especially for the mobile-phone segment of the business. He sees continued growth for SanDisk in 2008 and higher profitability. Mehrotra refused to comment on speculation that the company could be bought out. Najarian doesn't like SanDisk shares on valuation, but he sees a takeover candidate at play here. Instead, Adami prefers it for a short-term trade.
Oil TradeHigher oil prices may actually cause BP ( BP) and Exxon ( XOM) to report a decline in profit for the first time in five years. Finerman wants to short tanker stocks like Teekay ( TK) because of declining tanker rates. Najarian agrees that shorting tanker stocks could be a good idea. Adami believes Exxon is going to miss on Nov. 1 and will trade to $86 by the end of the week.
Retail Earnings OutlookAmazon.com ( AMZN) is set to report earnings Tuesday after the bell. Macke loves the stock and thinks the company will blow out the earnings. Finerman prefers Target ( TGT) and Wal-Mart ( WMT), and she hopes they trade lower so that she can buy more for her hedge fund. Finerman thinks there is value in the right retail stocks at these levels. Adami is partial to United Parcel Services ( UPS) ahead of earnings for an online retail play. He explained that if Amazon is doing well, then UPS will benefit. (Another way to watch retailers is through this portfolio on Stockpickr.com, Retailers Tracking Comparison.)


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Mastercard triumphs against £14bn collective action lawsuit
Mastercard can breathe a sigh of relief as the £14 billion lawsuit – a collective action over card charges that were passed on to shoppers – has been stopped by the UK’s Competition Appeal Tribunal.
As reported last year, Mastercard faced the massive lawsuit. The claim was headed by ex-financial services ombudsman Walter Merricks, who was using the UK’s Consumer Rights Act 2015 to file a collective damages claim involving 46 million claimants.
The claim is that Mastercard unlawfully imposed high interchange fees – charged to stores when shoppers swipe their debit or credit cards – from 1992 to 2008. These charges were then passed on to consumers via inflated prices for goods and services.
The European Court of Justice said in 2014 that such fees were a violation of EU antitrust rules.
Last year, Mastercard contacted Banking Technology about the issue and raised a number of points to counter the claims. This includes that “these types of cases have been unsuccessful in the past. In the United States, class action lawyers have attempted to bring almost identical claims for damages supposedly suffered by consumers due to interchange”.
Today (21 July), on the Competition Appeals Tribunal website, for the case ‘Walter Hugh Merricks CBE v Mastercard Incorporated and Others’, the tribunal ruled that “the claims should not be certified under rule 79 of the Tribunal Rules as eligible for inclusion in collective proceedings”.
(Rule 79 refers to the “Certification of the claims as eligible for inclusion in collective proceedings” and the Tribunal says it “may certify claims as eligible for inclusion in collective proceedings where, having regard to all the circumstances, it is satisfied by the proposed class representative that the claims sought to be included in the collective proceedings”.)
In plain English this means it’s been blocked.
Merricks says he is now considering whether to appeal.
So you win again
Earlier this year, Mastercard did a victory dance when a UK High Court judge ruled in the payment card network’s favour regarding a lawsuit brought on by retailers disputing cross-border interchange fees on debit and credit cards.
In that lawsuit, retailers Asda Stores, Morrison Supermarkets and Next Retail, among others, accused Mastercard of overcharging stores when customers used credit and debit cards to pay. Retailers also claimed Mastercard’s interchange fees were anti-competitive and infringed on UK and EU law.


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During the first uncarrier event, that's when John Legere announced no more contracts – only we still have them. Basically what happened is that you get a new phone with a down payment, and a payment each month for the phone until it's paid off. Pretty good deal right? Only, people think they can still sell those phones like with the regular contracts you get at Verizon, Sprint, AT&T, etc. But the thing is that when you sell a T-Mobile phone that has an EIP (you know, paying a certain amount per month for the phone) that EIP is attached to the phone and not the account. So if I were to sell my LG G2 for instance, which is still being paid off, the person who buys it would be responsible for paying off the rest of the device. Which is where companies like UpgradeSwap are getting burned.
Now I know what you're thinking, you checked the IMEI right? Well I did a test on Swappa's free IMEI tool (where you can see if an IMEI has been blacklisted, etc) and the IMEI of a device on an EIP will show up as being perfectly fine and that it will activate. But if the seller decides to stop paying their bill, your new phone can turn into a paperweight, and that's why UpgradeSwap is no longer purchasing T-Mobile devices. It sucks, as a T-Mobile customer I know I buy and sell a lot of phones on Swappa and other services like that as well. And with so many people doing the financing for their device, it was bound to happen.
With T-Mobile being the "uncarrier" I wouldn't be surprised to see Legere do something to fix this, if he can indeed fix it. If you want to read UpgradeSwap's entire blog post they put up yesterday, we've linked that down below in the sources for those interested.


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Nexters coverage by Forbes magazine
We've got incredible news!
Our CEO is on the cover of the russian Forbes magazine! The March issue features a long article covering the history of Nexters and the company’s current state. We’d like to highlight some of the most exciting news found in the magazine.
The company started developing games in 2011, and their first title, Throne Rush, was released in 2014. The game turned out very successful and quickly became one of the most popular social games on the Facebook platform.
After several years of creating social network games, the company’s top-management decided to take a quick turn towards mobile gaming. This was definitely a good decision, as in 2019 almost 95% of the company’s revenue was already coming from mobile titles.
Moreover, Hero Wars from Nexters is now officialy the most successful game on the Russian market in terms of profit, being ahead of other popular titles including Brawl Stars.
This was an excerpt of the article originally published by Forbes magazine in Russian. You can read the original here: https://www.forbes.ru/tehnologii/393591-rebyata-sovershili-nevozmozhnoe-kak-rossiyskiy-razrabotchik-igr-nexters-za-god


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If Bud’s for you, beer may not be.
That seems to be the upshot of a new report by the craft-brew biz focused website brewbound.com, which found that beer sales dropped in Colorado, Oregon and Washington over the past two years.
Citing a market report from communications firm Cowen & Company, they note that beers sales dropped 2.4 percent overall with premium domestic brews (Bud Light, Coors Light, etc.) down 4.4 percent. Diving deeper into the numbers, even the trendy craft-brew market has seen some turbulence with decelerating growth after years of rapid increases.
As recently as last year, beer and weed seemed to be coexisting in the market nicely, according to an AP report that found 2015 sales unaffected by the new normal of legal cannabis out west.
But this year, Cowen & Company’s senior industry analyst for cannabis, alcohol and tobacco Vivien Azer observes that “While [marijuana] retail sales opened up in these markets at different points of time, with all three of these states now having fully implemented a retail infrastructure, the underperformance of beer in these markets has worsened over the course of 2016.”
The Denver market seems to be getting hit hardest with total beer volumes down 6.4 percent year-to-date and craft brews down 5 percent, which is surprising given the rise of marijuana tourism in Colorado that could be expected to boost hospitality spending across the board. In fact, the only beer category so far seemingly immune to the pro-cannabis trend is imports, with higher-end consumers apparently gripping their brewskies a little bit tighter.
Perhaps most worrisome for the big brew conglomerates is that marijuana-favoring millennials are driving the change, trading beer glasses for bongs in increasing numbers.
“This is perhaps not surprising,” says Azer, “given that U.S. government data for the states of CO, WA and OR all show consistent growth in cannabis incidence among 18-25 year-olds, coupled with declines in alcohol incidence.”
With beer sales taking a little hit, it might be time for nervous beer execs to take one of their own—and prepare for the inevitable challenges ahead. In other words, big-time beer bros, just spark one up and chill.


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LG prepares to launch rival to Samsung Pay
It seems that earlier reports were correct, as LG has announced that the company is preparing to launch its own mobile payment system, which will see the company directly compete with services like Apple and Samsung Pay.
Speaking earlier today, LG Electronics stated that it is preparing to sign a deal with a number of major card companies in South Korea. Local reports suggest that a deal with Shinhan Card and KB Kookmin Card, two of the largest card companies in the country, could be signed as early as Thursday. However, LG has not announced when the service will go live, what the service will be called, or exactly how it will work.
We probably have a pretty good idea about what type of name the company will use though, as LG has registered trademarks for a number of potential service names in both Korea and the US. These including “LG-Play” and “LG G Pay”.
“We will sign a deal with some of the country’s major card companies before officially launching our mobile payment platform,” – LG Electronics official
Perhaps one of the biggest unknown details is what technology LG will be basing its payment system on. Samsung Pay is currently in the strongest position with its magnetic secure transmission (MST) technology, which supports a wider range of payment terminals than the NFC based technologies used by Apple or Android Pay. Previous reports suggest that LG is looking at a more versatile technology than current implementations, but this doesn’t shed much light on the situation.
“The competition for the mobile payment market is so fierce, as an increasing number of IT giants are betting on similar services.” – Noh Geun-chang, analyst at HMC Investment & Securities
With a number of mobile companies moving quickly ahead with their own mobile payment systems, LG is going to have a tough time catching up if it cannot offer consumers a very compelling reason to make use of its particular service. LG is expected to make an official announcement about its payment service once the card deals have been finalized, which could be as early as next month.


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In January we are faced with constant bombardment of ‘join this gym’ or ‘try out this diet’ — but you don’t have to sign a contract to begin your fitness journey.
Yes, at the start of a new year there are far more deals but it can feel like a lot of pressure to dive right in.
Today's top videos
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Fortunately there are a lot of options for us to work on our health without having the sometimes daunting experience of being a newbie in a gym.
Home fitness boomed in 2020 with fitness management software Glofox. reporting in the first half of the year — at the start of the pandemic — home fitness app downloads grew globally by 46%.
The Glofox Insight Report from 2021 showed increases in online fitness classes have had an enduring effect on people’s behaviour.
‘In Ireland, when gyms had reopened and stayed open before the most recent lockdown period, online was shown to be helping increase activity levels beyond pre-COVID-19 levels,’ the report read.
They believed that this would drive fitness business owners to adopt a hybrid model as they search for revenue streams.
Pilates instructor and owner of Bondarege Dearbhla Mitchell creates videos online for her clients as well as teaching classes in a physical space.
‘When we were locked down in 2020, I was completely online — whereas now I do a bit of both,’ she told extra.ie.
‘I have my live classes in person and then the online content I offer is on demand. With that, I just send out a new video once a week or whenever it’s due so you can tune in whenever you’re ready.’
Though Dearbhla admits that an online class doesn’t compare to teaching in person, there are a string of benefits for those who want to start their fitness journey at home.
‘You don’t have a professional standing over you, watching you move and giving feedback, but having said that people send me videos and photos so I can offer guidance if needs be,’ she continued.
‘It is amazing how we’ve managed to work it out, somehow! What’s great about videos and teaching online is that it shows people how achievable it is to follow an exercise programme.
‘By that I mean some people may want to start exercising but feel defeated before you even start because you think it’s going to be this huge commitment and it will take all day — but it just goes to show you don’t need to be travelling to and fro for the gym or classes, you can do it at home.
‘Like I said it is great to have a professional watching you but that doesn’t need to happen every day. You don’t need to spend hours at a gym. You can do a 30 minute video three times a week and get maybe one class with an instructor or a trainer, and that will make a huge difference.
‘A hybrid approach has been really beneficial to people for various reasons — be it kids, other commitments, or not wanting to sit in traffic jams!
‘You can log on for 30 minutes three times a week, and that’s all you need to start your fitness journey. It’s small integrations into your every day life.’
Dearbhla’s words were echoed by personal trainer Clare McAleavey who agreed that when someone is returning to a fitness routine or starting from the beginning that they need to go slow.
‘Just ease into it. A lot of the time when people get back into a fitness routine they’re really motivated — which is fantastic — but set these massive goals without any training before,’ she told extra.ie.
‘They go straight in and train for five or six days a week, which is great, but there will be better retention if you start off slow and then build it up.
‘It’s important to find a balance between days you train and rest days. I don’t think people understand how important rest is for your body.’
The reason why many in the fitness industry recommend rest days is to allow the body’s muscles to recover from any damage they’ve sustained during workouts, and allowing them to grow.
‘They more you’re able to rest the better you’ll perform the next day and recover,’ Clare added.
The personal trainer also spoke about setting goals, saying instead of big goal to set out a weekly or monthly goals that are achievable.
‘When people set a massive goal, it’s all they focus on — I think that’s where motivation can start to drop off because they have this massive goal that seems really far away, and sometimes it is really far away,’ she said.
Instead Clare advised small goals such as gradually increasing how much you lift or shortening your running time while keeping the same distance.
‘If you’re hitting these goals every week or every month, that keeps the motivation there making it easier to progress,’ she explained.
Clare also advises to invest a personal trainer if you are forgoing the cost of a gym, and for those who do want to head to a gym to ask for help from coaches and staff.
‘Ask an instructor in a class or invest in a personal trainer because they are there to help. A good personal trainer will give you a plan that’s tailored to you,’ she said.
‘Try to avoid those “six to eight week” challenges that are the same plan for every single person — get somebody who will individualise a plan to your needs and actually listens to what you want, not just handing you out a plan that costs €50 that 20 other people haven.
‘Actually get a coach or PT who can actually help you attain your goals, keep you motivated, and keep you loving exercise throughout the year.
‘Everyone has to start somewhere, so why not speak to someone in that role?’
One of the best things you can buy for your fitness journey is a fitness tracker.
Fitbit is known for their products high quality and ease of use. You can’t go wrong with the Fitbit Versa 3 smartwatch.
It has a smartwatch AMOLED screen, GPS, heart monitoring, built-in microphone, over six days battery life, voice assistant options, plus control Spotify from your wrist.
It’s available to buy from Littlewoods here with prices starting from €229.99.
If you’re unsure about the benefits of a fitness tracker, then head to Dealz.
The budget retailer has introduced an array of fitness tech and clothing to have you feeling motivated.
The Viido Lifestyle Smart Watch is the stand out product however as it has been integrated with multi sports and sleep mode, a blood pressure reader and a blood oxygen reader.
This watch links with your phone to receive notifications, as well as having its own alarm system and a find your phone function. This is compatible with iOS and Android.
Pop into a Dealz store to pick up for €16 — find a nearby Dealz store and more information about the watch here.
Sometimes a new piece of gym gear can help motivate us to take that extra step towards bettering our health.
FitPink founder and CEO Jenni Timony started working on the brand in 2016, officially launching in 2019 to then having beautiful pop-up shops in 2021 filled with her quality clothing.
The Donegal woman thought carefully about her business, stressing that she’s not here to have a lifestyle business or a hobby business but to ‘scale a business’.
Her brand has grown substantially with many Irish stars spotted wearing and love FitPink, including presenter Lorraine Keane and model Rosalind Lipsett.
Speaking with extra.ie, Jenni shared that after having children she was keen to get back into her fitness.
‘Throughout my life I’ve been a member of gyms, but I haven’t gone back to the gym since the first lockdown,’ she said, referring to the initial COVID-19 lockdown.
‘I still exercise four times a week. I know it’s not for everyone but fresh air is great — and being able to live beside a beach in Donegal.
‘So I will be walking on that beach four or five times a week all year round, regardless of the weather.’
However, it is Ireland and sometimes Mother Nature makes it difficult to even get a quick walk in — so Jenni invested in a treadmill so she could still get her walks in.
She also advises others to check out YouTube videos on offer from personal trainers.
Many of FitPtink’s products range from a UK size six to a UK size 24, including the popular Elevate leggings.
The Elevate leggings we’ve chosen are the black pair with pockets — incredibly handy for popping your phone and keys in while out for a long walk.
The Elevate leggings in black with pockets are on sale from FitPink’s website here for €49.95.
For those with a more masculine sense of style, another amazing Irish athleisure brand — that singer Niall Horan and former Ireland captain Brian O’Driscoll support — is Gym+Coffee.
Their stock will suit any style from a pop of colour to more muted tones.
From joggers to t-shirts to beanies to even jackets, Gym+Coffee is a much loved Irish brand that has boomed since it was created in 2017.
One product that has been hailed by customers for it’s comfort and quality is the Pinnacle Pullover, which is genderless and comes in black, grey, and pearl.
It’s available in store and online here for €65.
Gym+Coffee also have an option for customers to plant a tree with their purchases for just 89c.
‘Part of our commitment to sustainability measures centres around the UN’s sustainable development goals relating to the natural environment,’ the company explained.
‘Early in 2020, we launched a program in partnership with One Tree Planted, a non-profit committed to reforesting our planet, one tree at a time.
‘We are integrating their One For One program with our online platform and in our stores, so with every purchase made, a tree will be planted!’


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Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 may not be featuring a traditional campaign, but it will be getting something else: Blackout, a new battle royale survival mode. Yes, it's actually happening.
It's 1500 times bigger than Nuketown, and that's just the beginning. It'll feature your "favorite characters," "favorite weapons," and favorite parts of your favorite maps.
During today's presentation, design director David Vonderhaar discussed the new mode to explain what players can expect to see from it.
“For us to even consider this experience,” Vonderhaar said, “it had to be unique and done in the way that only Black Ops can do it," he said. Obviously this was meant in reference to comments that the experience might be derivative or less-than-original when compared to games like PUBG and Fortnite.
This is the first time Call of Duty has attempted anything that even resembles an open world adventure, and it will feature class-based character bustomization, as well as characters from previous Zombies campaigns, including Jason Hudson, Alex Mason, Viktor Reznov and Raul Menendez.
There's also a wide variety of vehicles players can use to traverse the terrain. "We're going to let you navigate that world with land, sea, and air vehicles," Treyarch teased today during the presentation.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is coming to retail shelves on October 12 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.


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Intel CEO Plugs Softbank, Snubs DISH Bid For Sprint
April 30, 2013 9:58 AM
comment(s) - last by
Retiring CEO Otellini steps up to bat for his partner
Sprint Nextel Corp. (
) finds itself in an unusual position. The struggling third place carrier suddenly finds itself with not just one, but two large, highly attractive suitors vying for partial ownership in it. Softbank Corp. (
) struck first
with a $20B USD bid
last October. Then came satellite TV superpower
$25.2B bid earlier this month
Who should Sprint choose? Shareholders are meeting June 12 to vote whether to finalize the Softbank deal; Softbank has graciously relaxed some terms of its deal to allow Sprint to seek information on the DISH bid. But one of Sprint's top partners is already speaking out about who they want to see win the day -- and they're backing Softbank.
Intel Corp.'s (
) almost-retired chief executive Paul Otellini
wrote a letter
[PDF] to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission backing Softbank's bid over DISH's. Addressing retiring FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, he says that he recently traveled to Japan to meet with Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son who painted a "very compelling" vision of transforming Sprint into a high-speed LTE superpower.
I simply wanted to add my name to the list of companies hoping that Softbank will be able to acquire Sprint, rather than Dish. Son-san’s vision to build a high speed competitive third national network is very compelling. We need this competition in the wireless space as the ATT/Verizon model is not giving that to consumers at this time. I just wanted you to know where I and Intel stand on this important matter.
, Intel is a key business partner of Softbank's. While Intel also does a chunk of business with DISH, it appears to be firmly in Softbank's camp for this campaign.
This article is over a month old, voting and posting comments is disabled
RE: Needs a third player
4/30/2013 3:44:19 PM
You can say apple is losing marketshare which is true but misleading. Their shipments have gone up, not down. The smartphone market has expanded and apple did not keep up with the growth. Apple is in much better shape than any other company right now and has little to worry about.
Apple could buy Sprint to turn it into their service provider and have a top to bottom product/service vertical business strategy. The risk is probably too high for them to make the deal.
RE: Needs a third player
5/2/2013 5:56:30 AM
Saying that Apple is losing market share is not misleading - it is a fact. They are losing market share. Since no market is of infinite size, this means they are continuing to lose potential sales to Samsung/HTC/etc and moving over time towards an ever small slice of the market.
Shareholders get nervous when they see Apple losing out to its competitors. As for the size of the market, smartphones overtook feature phones for the first time this year. We're half way there already! Despite smartphones having explosive growth, bear in mind that the overall mobile phone market grew at 4% in 2012.
So, you see, there is a race. As smartphone penetration moves from 50% towards 100% (bearing in mind 100% won't happen - poor people can't afford smartphones and there are a lot of them on the planet!), Apple's future stable/mature market revenue depends on its market share. The less it captures now, the more revenue it loses to competitors in the long term. Its exploding growth must eventually be limited by the overall phone market, i.e. a possible 4% per annum.
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New York — The Anti-Defamation League’s National Consumer Technology Industry divisio
New York — Bose came to noisy Grand Central Terminal, here, to expand its noise-canceling headphone lineup with its first in-ear noise-canceling model, said to be the first in the industry with a selectable Aware mode that lets users hear car horns or conversations while listening to music.
This TWICE webinar, hosted by senior editor Alan Wolf, will take a look at what may be the hottest CE products at retail that will be sold during the all-important fourth quarter. Top technologies, market strategies and industry trends will be discussed with industry analysts and executives.
Las Vegas — Sakar International went to this week’s CTIA convention with its first Bluetooth speakers under the Altec Lansing brand.
The company has begun rolling out seven AC/DC Bluetooth speakers priced from $59 to $299 but plans no iPod/iPhone-docking speakers under the Altec brand. “Docking is dead,” said VP Stefan Betesh, citing the rise of Android smartphones and Apple’s decision to change pin connections on new Apple mobile devices.
The company is also rolling out a trio of Altec Lansing stereo headphones.
Irvine, Calif. — Vizio reports it has set pricing and begun shipping its 42-inch 5.1 home-theater soundbar with wireless subwoofer and satellite speakers.
Introduced during International CES in January, model S4251w is now available at Amazon.com, Costco, Costco.com, BestBuy.com, Walmart.com, Vizio.com and in-store at Best Buy the week of May 27 for $329.
Stevenson, Md. – GoldenEar Technology shipped the newest models in its Invisa custom-install series of speakers, said to be virtually invisible because of their magnetically attached flat micro-perf grilles that hide the speaker flange.
Champlain, N.Y. – High-end component-audio supplier Cambridge Audio has diversified into the tabletop media-speaker market with the launch of two high-power models incorporating Wi-Fi, AirPlay, Bluetooth and Internet radio streaming.
Oxnard, Calif. — Car speaker manufacturer Planet Audio is expanding into portable Bluetooth speakers with the launch of its new Lynx brand. Six models will make up the line initially.
The Lynx PA100B pocket-sized Bluetooth speaker features auto pairing, track and volume controls, a 3.5mm port, included aux-in and USB charging cables, LED indicator, and four hours of playback via lithium-ion battery. Suggested retail is $29.95; it will be available in May.
Chatsworth, Calif. —Anthony Gallo Acoustics (AGA) has begun shipping its latest additions to the Ti Series of Micro’s and A’Diva’s satellite speakers.
The Micro SE and A’Diva SE (Special Edition), which are enclosed in 4- and 5-inch diameter all-metal spheres respectively, perform like much larger audiophile speakers, the company said. One of the benefits of the new speakers’ technology is the ability to present a vivid, 3-D soundstage regardless of listening position.
Bellevue, Wash. – Component-audio supplier Peachtree Audio has expanded into all-in-one tabletop speakers with the launch of the three-way Bluetooth-equipped deepblue at $399.
New York — Bang & Olufsen dipped its toe into the multi-speaker surround-sound category with the launch of its BeoLab 14 system.
During a press preview that also marked the official U.S. debut of the new B&O Play headphones, Zean Nielson, president of Bang & Olufsen America, said the company decided to enter this particular category because of its commanding share of audio dollar sales.


text:
Asia-focused online casino games distributor QTech Games has teamed up with up-and-coming games maker Spearhead Studios in a deal that will see the former grow the offering available on its platform and the latter tap into new territories.
Under the terms of the recently signed agreement, Spearhead Studios has provided its new partner with access to its fast-growing portfolio of innovative casino titles.
QTech Games has added Spearhead Studios’ 25 slots and table games and these are now available to the platform provider’s clients across multiple markets. Newly added titles include Spearhead Studios’ breakout Book of Souls and Wilds of Wall Street franchises.
Formed in 2019, Spearhead Studios is the game development arm of multi-product iGaming software company EveryMatrix. The studio has signed a number of important deals over the past year to make its content available with a number of leading online casino operators and expand its presence across key territories.
As mentioned above, the studio’s portfolio boasts more than two dozens of titles, with the bulk of these being thrilling online slots packed with innovative features and mechanics. The studio released its first table game, its own take on the beloved casino floor classic European Roulette, in March. It has rolled out several more table games since then to enhance it portfolio.
QTech Games noted that the integration of Spearhead Studios content “adds yet more creative muscle” to its platform, which already boasts a wide range of online casino games that are delivered to emerging territories. The platform provider works with both established industry names, such as Yggdrasil, as well as with new providers, such as Spearhead Studios itself.
Spearhead Studios’ titles have all been optimized for mobile play, and mobile is the distribution channel that is at the heart of QTech’s RNG model and its fully-owned and customized technical platform. The model affords both providers and operators extremely fast integration.
The agreement between Spearhead Studios and QTech Games will provide the studio with the opportunity to unlock the untapped potential of jurisdictions around Asia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America.
QTech Games CCO Ulf Norder said of their partnership with the game developer that it has extended their wide-ranging pipeline for the year. Mr. Norder went on to say that in today’s marketplace, a “premier portfolio of the highest calibre” is what “separates you from the crowd” and that they are thrilled to see “how Spearhead has satisfied this demand.”
Spearhead Studios Managing Director Mathias Larsson said that their ultimate aim is to disrupt the industry by producing local games for local markets and that in QTech Games they have found a platform partner that shares their core values.
Mr. Larsson added that this partnership will enable them to bolster their product distribution across emerging markets and deliver their titles to a wide range of high-profile partners.
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on the day’s top casino news stories
The post QTech Games, Spearhead Studios Announce Content Distribution Deal appeared first on Casino News Daily.


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The casebook on Apple’s payment debacle has been thrown open yet again as it is now promising alternate third-party payment options to iOS users in South Korea (via Yonhap News). This is meant to comply with the new law passed by the Korea Communications Commission (KCC) in September of last year which prevented operators like Google and Apple, who were intent on pressurizing users and developers into using their payment systems which took a massive 30% cut out of what the developers brought in.
Apple is bound to allow third party payment options, starting with South Korea
Due to the law, Apple will now have to figure out a workaround that agrees with the laws laid out by the Government, and in a statement, they said- “We look forward to working with the KCC and our developer community on a solution that benefits our Korean users.”
It went on to say- “Apple has a great deal of respect for Korea’s laws and a strong history of collaboration with the country’s talented app developers. Our work will always be guided by keeping the App Store a safe and trusted place for our users to download the apps they love.”
Not the first time Apple’s app store policies are in controversy
Over the past few years, Apple and Google have come under criticism for their app store policies, something which led to the infamous Epic Vs. Apple Lawsuit, which ended with Apple being called out for its monopoly.
As of now, there’s no official statement from Apple that specifies how they will be implementing the new third-party framework and other important details regarding their plans for South Korea. However, we’ll probably hear more about it as Apple comes closer to figuring something out for iOS users to be able to make purchases on the app store.
What are your thoughts as Apple has promised to give third-party payment options in South Korea? Let us know in the comments below!


text:
Around 120 people have attended workshops on investing in cannabis at The Cannabis World Congress Conference in New York. — AFP Relaxnews
An attendee at the Cannabis World Congress Conference, the plant is currently an estimated US$7 billion (RM29.9 billion) industry. — AFP Relaxnews
Budding entrepreneurs hope the cannabis sector will continue its path of rapid growth — projected to reach US$23 billion by 2020. — AFP Relaxnews
THEY are bankers, accountants and computer engineers – mainstream in every way but for one respect: their love of cannabis and the desire to make megabucks in a growing US industry.
This week in New York, around 120 people took part in workshops on where and how to invest in cannabis, currently an estimated US$7 billion (RM29.9 billion) industry, on the sidelines of the fourth annual World Cannabis Congress.
Mark Giannone and his son Justin, who travelled in from neighbouring New Jersey, were among the wannabe cannabis CEOs.
“Both of us love the plant. We want to get involved with the industry, we feel that there is more than just the recreational benefits,” explained 31-year-old cybersecurity engineer Justin.
“We came on a fact-finding mission. There is lots of uncertainty,” said his 60-year-old accountant father Mark. “I am not quite ready to roll the dice.”
Patricia, currently an auditor and unwilling to give her last name because she works for the federal government, is further down the road with her plans – to open a cannabis dispensary this year in Connecticut with her banker husband.
Connecticut, like New Jersey and New York, have legalised the medicinal use of cannabis. But authorities in the two states neighbouring the Big Apple have only dispensed a handful of licenses in an industry that is still in its infancy.
Convinced of the virtues of cannabis and users


text:
LawFuel – Legal Newswire – R. Alexander Acosta, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Anthony Mangione, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Office of Investigations, Miami Field Office, Lee Huttenbach, Special in Charge, Southeast Region, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Office of Inspector General, Samuel Santiago, Supervisory Investigator, Caribbean Region, USDA, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Investigative and Enforcement Services, and David W. Bourne, Special Agent in Charge, United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Office of Criminal Investigations, Miami Field Office, announced today that on December 22, 2008, FRESH KING, INC. (FKI), a produce importer and distributor based in Homestead, Florida, its owner/President, DENISSE SERGE, 53, of Homestead, and PETER SCHNEBLY, 47, also of Homestead, who was also a part owner of FKI and a former salesman, have pled guilty to charges related to the importation of produce contaminated with illegal pesticides before the Honorable Ursula Ungaro, United States District Court Judge.
FKI and SERGE plead guilty to felony charges that; 1) they conspired with others to smuggle snow peas and sugar snap peas, originating from Guatemala, that could be or would be contaminated with illegal pesticide residues; 2) that they entered and introduced such produce into U.S. commerce by means of false and fraudulent invoices, declarations, and papers; 3) that they knowingly and willfully made materially false statements and used materially false documents concerning such produce; and 4) that they introduced and delivered for introduction into interstate commerce, the snow peas and sugar snap peas, that were adulterated and misbranded, with the intent to defraud and mislead consumers. SCHNEBLY pled guilty to a misdemeanor charge of introducing and delivering for introduction into interstate commerce, the snow peas and sugar snap peas, that were adulterated and misbranded.
As part of their Plea Agreements, FKI and SERGE each agreed to the forfeiture of a $375,000 money judgment, and FKI agreed to payment of a $100,000 criminal fine, including a $50,000 community service payment to the Florida Environmental Task Force Trust Fund (“FETF”). Earlier today, FKI made full payment of the $375,000 forfeiture, and the $100,000 criminal fine. Furthermore, the Plea Agreement requires FKI to complete and abide by the terms of a Pesticide Safety Compliance Plan.
Judge Ungaro set sentencing for all defendants for March 27, 2009 at 2:00 p.m. FKI could receive a sentence of up to 5 years’ probation and a $500,000 criminal fine. SERGE is facing a potential sentence of up to 5 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. SCHNEBLY is facing a potential sentence of up to 1 year imprisonment and a $100,000 fine.
According to the factual statements proffered in support of the guilty pleas, the defendants circumvented the FDA automatic hold and testing process for snow peas and sugar snap peas originating from Guatemala, by conspiring with other individuals, including sample collectors. These sample collectors conducted biased and rigged samples from distinctly marked and sized produce boxes believed to contain produce free of illegal residues of the pesticides Methamidophos and Chlorothalonil, as opposed to random samples from throughout the shipment of produce boxes. In this manner, the defendants and their co-conspirators would evade detection of illegal residues of Methamidophos and Chlorothalonil, during the course of the FDA automatic detention and testing process. Additionally, in the course of this process, SERGE and other FKI employees knowingly participated in directing the sampler to conduct samples from the distinctly marked and sized boxes believed to contain pesticide-free produce, so as to facilitate evasion of the FDA’s testing requirements.
This conduct had begun as early as 2000, and after a search warrant had been executed at FKI’S premises in 2003, the defendants continued to import snow peas and sugar snaps which could be or would be contaminated with illegal pesticide residues, in circumvention of the FDA automatic hold and testing process. They did this by utilizing nominees as the purported owners/purchasers and importers of the subject produce, which was actually owned/purchased, imported, and ultimately distributed by FKI. Several of these nominee owners/purchasers have previously pled guilty to similar conspiracy charges.
“Individuals who seek to circumvent the safety standards put in place to protect consumers must answer for their criminal conduct,” stated United States Attorney R. Alexander Acosta. “We will continue our efforts to work with law enforcement to ensure that this type of conduct does not occur.”
“Protecting the integrity of the food supply of the United States is one of ICE’s most important responsibilities,” said Anthony Mangione, Special Agent in Charge of ICE’s Office of Investigations in Miami. “The American public expects the food that reaches their homes to be safe to feed their families and ICE will do everything in its power to prevent the importation of tainted food that poses a health and safety risk to our consumers and arrest those who attempt to bring these products into the United States.”


text:
And the recent outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) in Germany may further expand Spanish pork exports to Asian markets, according to a USDA FAS report.
Spanish pork production is expected to continue growing in 2020 and 2021, driven by strong pork exports, said the authors of that review.
The Spanish pork industry was not hit by a significant number of positive COVID-19 cases, and pork capacity at the Spanish pork facilities was not affected.
During the first semester of 2020 and despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Spanish pork exports to non-EU countries remained strong albeit facing high competition in the global pork market, with China in the lead in terms of demand, reported the USDA team.
On April 8, 2020, China approved eight new Spanish pork establishments for export, increasing the total number of eligible Spanish establishments to 57. During the first semester of 2020, Spain shipped to China 18% of Spanish pork production. The data shows its exports to China grew by 121% in volume and 191% in value to US$856.5m in that period compared to the prior year period, they wrote.
Conversely, in this period, Spanish pork exports to the US market dropped almost 80% in volume and 53% in value to US$10.3m.
“The decline in exports was primarily due to additional US tariffs on frozen pork in response to the WTO case against EU aircraft subsidies and the temporary pause of the hospitality sector due to COVID-19.”
Spanish swine production and slaughter
In 2019, Spanish swine production and slaughter reached new record levels with almost 53 million hogs slaughtered and 4.6 million tons of pork meat, which represented an increase of 1.3 and 2.4% respectively.
The piglets/sow ratio stands at 27 for Spanish white pigs and 13 to 15 for Iberico sows, giving an average of 21 piglets per sow. In 2020, total swine herd and sows continued to grow.
According to Spanish official data, during the first semester of 2020, swine slaughter continued its growing trend, increasing 3.2% and pork meat production increased 5.5%. In 2020, according to Spanish pork sources, total swine slaughter may stand at 54 million and pork meat production at 4.7 million tons.
Spanish industry observers estimate that, for 2021, Spanish swine production will continue to increase slightly by 0.75% as the expected growth in white pig production will compensate for the drop in the Iberico pig sector. This may result in 54.4 million animals slaughtered and 4.8 million tons of pork with record carcass weight levels.
Source: USDA Foreign Agriculture Service (FAS) report, Spanish Livestock and Poultry Sector Update. September 30, 2020
Implications of German ASF outbreak
On September 10, Germany confirmed a positive case of ASF in a wild boar. The USDA team said this development may result in a reduction of swine and pork prices in the EU and disrupt the current trade flow.
“China and other Asian countries have already banned imports of German pork meat which may further expand Spanish pork exports to these countries.”
However, they noted also that a surplus of German pork meat in the EU may negatively impact Spanish pork exports to other European countries.
To avoid a massive influx of lower-priced imports of live swine for slaughter, they outlined how the Spanish government intends to tighten control measures at the border to maintain the health of the Spanish hogs. The authorities there also announced they will take steps to ensure that pork meat from Germany is not diverted through Spain, to avoid any serious consequences for Spanish exports.


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On Tuesday, February 7, 2023, the head of AvtoVAZ, Maxim Sokolov, signed documents to acquire the former Nissan Manufacturing RUS plant in St. Petersburg. As part of the deal, 99 percent of the enterprise is transferred to AvtoVAZ at a price of 1 euro with payment in ruble equivalent at the exchange rate on the date of payment - today it is 75 rubles 99 kopecks. Nissan has a six-year buyback option if the Japanese side wants to take back the site and this step is approved by the Russian government.
Now AvtoVAZ is faced with the task of restarting production at the St. Petersburg plant and ensuring a high level of localization. It is already known that the plant will organize the production of cars of so far unnamed Chinese partners under the Lada brand. These will be models of classes C and D, which will not compete with current models of the Russian brand. Among them will be sedans and crossovers.
AvtoVAZ, for its part, confirmed plans to restart the plant in the second half of 2023. This year, 10,000 cars will roll off the assembly line.
“In 2024-2027, we will localize these vehicles, where the key task will be to maximize the use of the capabilities of more than 30 regional suppliers of automotive components,” Maxim Sokolov said. - At the same time, for the successful development of the component industry, AvtoVAZ relies on government mechanisms to stimulate suppliers, for example, preferential loans from the federal and regional Industrial Development Funds. It is extremely important that these mechanisms are provided with adequate funding.”
According to the head of AvtoVAZ, by 2027, production volumes at the former site of Nissan Manufacturing RUS will reach 50-70 thousand units per year. The number of models that will roll off the assembly line "depends on the number of future partners." Which Chinese companies will help AvtoVAZ to restart the enterprise is still unknown.
Two self-igniting electric vehicles in recent days add new safety and environmental concerns.
In Hanover, Germany, an electric bus caught fire, luckily no passengers. The building near the bus was also damaged in the accident.
Extinguishing such a bus is practically very difficult, even pointless without the necessary specialized equipment, so the police wait for it to burn, only securing the perimeter.
The other incident is from Sacramento, United States, where a Tesla Model S self-ignited while driving, luckily with no injuries. They reportedly used 22,000 liters of water to cool the battery, but the extinguishment itself occurred after the battery and the front of the car burned.
Until recently, people are welcomed and strongly encouraged to buy electric cars. But this trend is reversing extremely quickly. Electric car bans are becoming more and more common.
Following the words of an elite driver from the Davos forum who stated that the elite do not want to use electric cars because they consider them too dangerous. The driver literally stated that these cars (electric cars) are for the common man.
A Norwegian shipping company bans the use of electric cars on its ferries. According to a risk analysis, the risk of ignition of such vehicles is too great.
Havila Shipping CEO Bent Martini said, according to a report by shipping news service TradeWinds, that a risk analysis showed that an EV fire would require a particularly expensive salvage operation. It could not have been secured by the crew on board. Passengers would also be at risk.
The time won't be far when you won't be able to park your electric car in the mall. It's too dangerous for everyone else, including the building itself.


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It wasn't Friday, but it was black because it was 10 p.m.
About 100 people stood in line Thanksgiving night to get in the doors of the Sony store in the Tanger Outlets Midway center. Another 50 or so shoppers were queuing at the nearby Coach store.
Wrapped up for the cold, Ann Kristal of Jacksonville, Fla., and her friend, Jean Fleischman of Rehoboth Beach, stood in line about an hour with the goal of purchasing a Blue-ray player and digital camera advertised at 40 percent off.
Sony and Coach policed the number of shoppers allowed in the store at one time to stay away from those all too familiar mad dashes for hot deals.
It was all part of the outlets' Moonlight Madness to extend Black Friday hours backward into Thanksgiving evening. All of Tanger's 132 stores were open for the event.
The outlets have joined a national trend of store openings on Thanksgiving night. While several stores opened with the smell of turkey still hanging in the air – Walmart opened at 6 p.m. – Tanger Outlets didn't open until 10 p.m. and stayed open until the following night at 9 p.m.
To Kristal, Black Friday shopping is like a competition. “I'm really into sports, so I look at this as trying to win the prize,” Kristal said. “And there is no sales tax here.”
Looking for deals along Route 1
About 100,000 shoppers scoped out Black Friday weekend deals at outlet stores along the Route 1 corridor, said general manager Amy Norgate. “It was a wonderful weekend for us,” she said, adding sales were brisk from 10 p.m. Thursday until around 2 a.m. Friday with crowds returning at 6 a.m.
The decision to open Thanksgiving night for the third year in a row was Tanger's response to its store owners' requests for longer hours, she said.
Norgate said Black Friday weekend shoppers are among the most organized of the year. “They have their lists, and they are very smart with their money,” she said.
With fewer shopping days between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year, Norgate said many retailers had good deals prior to Black Friday weekend.
More than 500 shoppers from Baltimore, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., poured out of 13 buses for Black Friday shopping at the outlets. “They were focused on tax-free shopping,” Norgate said. “This is our most popular motor coach weekend.”
While holiday sales are important to the bottom lines of outlet stores, sales in the peak tourist summer months of July and August are equally as important, Norgate said.
Nationwide sales up 2.3 percent
It was all about the deals: Walmart had 32-inch HDTVs for $98; Peebles offered gift cards up to $100 to the first 50 customers; and Lowe's and Home Depot slashed some tools by half.
Nationwide, sales for Thursday and Friday totaled $12.3 billion, up 2.3 percent from 2012, according to ShopperTrak. But, nationwide sales for Black Friday were down 13 percent from 2012 because more shoppers took advantage of sales on Thanksgiving, according to ShopperTrak.
For the entire four-day shopping weekend, sales were down slightly from $59.1 billion in 2012 to $57.4 billion this year, according to the National Retail Federation. However, the group predicts that holiday shoppers will spend $602 billion this season, a 4-percent increase from last year.
And for those who missed out on Black Friday deals, Cyber Monday offered another chance.


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USA – Kellogg Company’s Board of Directors has unanimously elected Steven A. Cahillane as the company’s new Chief Executive Officer as the current CEO John Bryant decides to retire.
Cahillane who recently served as the President and CEO of Nature’s Bounty, the manufacturer, marketer and specialty retailer of health and wellness products, since 2014 where he successfully aligned the company with key health and wellness trends, established a thriving e-commerce division and created significant shareholder value.
Bryant said, “He is a proven leader with an exceptional track record of creating shareholder value. Steve has a tremendous history of success as the CEO of Nature’s Bounty, a health and wellness company, as well as in senior leadership roles around the world at blue-chip consumer packaged goods companies including Coca-Cola and AB lnBev.”
“It has been my pleasure to serve as the CEO of Kellogg Company over the past seven years,” Bryant said.
“I am even more confident in the future of our company today than at any other time in my 20 years with Kellogg.
I’ve decided that the time is right to hand over the reins to a new leader who can continue the transformation of this great company.
“Today, it’s my pleasure on behalf of the Kellogg Board to welcome Steve,” Bryant continued.
“I am confident that the strength of Steve’s leadership, combined with the drive and talent of our management team and the passion of our incredible employees, will enable Kellogg to realize our vision and purpose while achieving our long-term growth goals.”
Prior to working with Natures Bounty, Cahillane spent seven years with The Coca-Cola Co. most recently serving as President of Coca-Cola Americas, the global beverage maker’s largest business with US$25 billion in sales.
“Steve clearly has had a distinguished career leading successful CPG businesses throughout the world, including his terrific work recasting Nature’s Bounty as a consumer-facing health and wellness company,” said Donald Knauss, Lead Director, Kellogg Company Board of Directors.
“With his breadth of experience, he truly understands the global marketplace in which we are operating as well as the consumer and retailer trends that will serve as potent sources of growth for Kellogg going forward.
Further, Steve possesses strong strategic thinking ability, understands the levers that drive business performance and has demonstrated an ability to build and inspire outstanding teams.
Steve is the right person to energize our teams and bring new thinking to our company as we seek to achieve our long-term growth objectives.”
“Kellogg is an incredible company with a rich legacy and iconic brands that are beloved around the world,” Cahillane said.
“It will be my privilege and honor to work with such a talented group of employees as we pursue the tremendous growth opportunities before us.”


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Islamabad [Pakistan], November 3 (ANI): The Utility Stores Corporation of Pakistan on Wednesday hiked the price of ghee and cooking oil just after Imran Khan announced a Rs 120-billion "relief package" for the most vulnerable segments of the population, local media reported.
Citing the notification issued in this regard, Geo News reported that cooking oil of different brands has been increased up to Rs 65 per litre at Utility Stores, while the price of ghee has been increased up to Rs 53 per kg.
The notification said the price hike at utility stores would come into effect immediately.
It may be recalled that prices of ghee and cooking oil of various brands were increased at Utility Stores a few days ago as well, said the Pakistani publication.
This comes after Imran Khan announced a "historic" relief package worth Rs 120 billion for the masses under targeted subsidy.
Earlier today, Imran Khan said considering that the masses are undergoing a tough time due to the inflation in the country, the government is introducing a package for 20 million families, which will -- in turn -- benefit 130 million Pakistanis, Geo News reported.
"This [poverty alleviation] package -- called the Raashan Madad Package -- which is worth Rs120 billion, will be offered to [most vulnerable] Pakistanis by the federal and provincial governments," he said.
He further announced that under the package, citizens will be able to avail a 30 per cent discount for six months on three basic edible items, including ghee, wheat, and pulses.
Meanwhile, the opposition parties have slammed Imran Khan over his 'relief package' stating that the prime minister's resignation was the only solution to get rid of all problems.
While addressing a press conference, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb said that the Prime Minister's resignation was the only solution to rid the country of menaces, including inflation, unemployment and poverty, Dawn reported.
Taking to Twitter, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said that the PM's package is nothing but a joke, adding that PM's package is "too little for 200 million people." (ANI)


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Association of National Advertisers’ Latest Acquisition Aims for Word of Mouth Buzz
ANA, which has acquired a number of smaller groups in recent years, announced the latest addition to its stable: the Word of Mouth Marketing Association, an organization that aims to drive organic marketing ethically.
Psst … have you heard? The Association of National Advertisers (ANA) is starting off 2018 with a big acquisition.
The group announced Wednesday that it will acquire the Word of Mouth Marketing Association. Founded in 2004, WOMMA focuses on the ethical use of word of mouth campaigns, along with education, professional development, and networking resources for marketers.
The acquisition is one of a number ANA has made in recent years, though it hadn’t revealed any new acquisitions since 2015. Among the recent groups to become a part of ANA are the Business Marketing Association and the Brand Activation Association, which are now divisions of the larger group, as well as the Advertising Educational Foundation, which became the ANA Educational Foundation.
In an emailed news release, ANA CEO Bob Liodice emphasized that WOMMA, like the association’s previous acquisitions, would help bolster its resources for a broad array of members.
“This is an important day for the ANA,” Liodice said. “Just as our previous acquisitions allowed us to increase member services in disciplines where we found ourselves wanting, this opportunity allows us to focus more on word of mouth marketing and social media than we’ve been able to do in the past. It’s a great boon for our members and a significant step in our evolution as a national trade organization dedicated to serving all facets of the marketing community.”
WOMMA board Chair Spike Jones added that it looks forward to taking advantage of the larger organization’s resources to help bolster its existing work.
“We’re extremely proud of what we’ve accomplished for the word of mouth industry in the research, ethics, and influencer/advocacy spaces, and now the next evolution of WOMMA begins,” Jones added in the release.
(drante/iStock/Getty Images Plus)


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Samsung Galaxy M30s
14 Mar 2020
Samsung Galaxy M30s now available via offline stores in India
Samsung Galaxy M30s, the mid-budget smartphone which has been available exclusively via online sales channels, is now available in offline markets as well.
13 Mar 2020
Samsung Galaxy M30s gets a new 4GB/128GB variant: Details here
Samsung Galaxy M30s, the popular mid-range smartphone which went official in the country last year, will now be available in a new 4GB/128GB variant.
25 Feb 2020
Samsung launches Galaxy M31 smartphone at Rs. 16,000
As an upgrade to the Galaxy M30s and Galaxy M30 models, Samsung has launched the Galaxy M31 in India today.
10 Feb 2020
POCO X2, with dual selfie-snapper, to go on sale tomorrow
POCO X2, the mid-range smartphone which went official last week, is all set to go on its first sale tomorrow.
07 Feb 2020
Samsung's Galaxy M31 to feature 64MP quad camera, 6,000mAh battery
As a follow-up to its popular mid-range offering, the Galaxy M30s, Samsung is working to launch Galaxy M31 in India sometime soon.
05 Feb 2020
OPPO A8 to be priced around Rs. 12,000: Report
OPPO A8, the budget-friendly handset which was launched in China in December 2019, is likely to arrive in India by early next month, according to 91mobiles.
30 Jan 2020
Samsung Galaxy M30s becomes cheaper by up to Rs. 2,000
South Korean tech giant Samsung has slashed the prices of its pocket-friendly mid-ranger, the Galaxy M30s, in India by up to Rs. 2,000.
17 Jan 2020
Amazon Great Indian Sale: Best deals on top-selling smartphones
Amazon has announced the next edition of Great Indian Sale on its platform.
15 Nov 2019
Realme 5s to offer 48MP quad rear cameras, 5,000mAh battery
Realme is all set to launch the Realme 5s smartphone in India on November 20.
07 Nov 2019
Mid-ranger Vivo Y19 to launch in India soon: Report
Vivo Y19, the mid-range smartphone which recently went official in Thailand, is likely to hit the Indian shelves soon.
10 Oct 2019
Nokia 6.2, with triple rear cameras, to launch tomorrow
Nokia 6.2, the mid-range smartphone which was unveiled globally at the IFA 2019, will be launched in India tomorrow i.e. October 11.
08 Oct 2019
Motorola One Macro to launch in India tomorrow
Expanding its portfolio of smartphones, Motorola is all set to launch the One Macro in India tomorrow.
07 Oct 2019
Top 5 smartphones to buy this festive season
The festive season is almost here, and if you have been planning to treat yourself or someone else, a new smartphone could be the most apt gift.
02 Oct 2019
Motorola One Macro to launch in India next week: Report
Motorola is gearing up to launch a new smartphone under its 'One' series in India.
29 Sep 2019
Samsung Galaxy M30s and Galaxy M10s now available in India
The newly launched Samsung Galaxy M10s and Galaxy M30s are now available for purchase in India.
28 Sep 2019
LG Q60, with triple rear cameras, launched at Rs. 13,500
As an addition to its portfolio of smartphones, LG has launched the Q60 in India.
26 Sep 2019
Top 5 smartphones available in India under Rs. 20,000
If you are planning to buy a new handset that satisfies all your smartphone needs including gaming, streaming videos, and DSLR-like photography, and you don't want to shell out a lot of money, keep reading.
23 Sep 2019
Lenovo K10 Plus, with triple rear cameras, goes official
Expanding its portfolio of smartphones, Lenovo has recently launched the K10 Plus in India.
18 Sep 2019
Samsung launches two new Galaxy M Series smartphones in India
As an addition to its M series of smartphones, Samsung has launched the Galaxy M10s and Galaxy M30s in India.
08 Sep 2019
#LeakPeek: Samsung Galaxy M30s to offer a humungous 6,000mAh battery
As an upgrade to its mid-ranger Galaxy M30, Samsung is all set to launch the Galaxy M30s in India on September 18.


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In honor of Women’s History Month, Symphonic is launching Women Empowered, a mentorship program aimed at furthering the progress of women throughout the music industry.
Through the program, the independent music distributor will connect mentees with established music industry professionals who will offer valuable guidance and advice while helping open doors in an industry where women have been underrepresented in leadership roles. Mentees will also have the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the music industry’s business practices and culture.
Senior mentors involved with the program include Ana Martinez, senior artist and label relations executive at Amazon Music; Mirella Schnaidman, artist and label partnerships business manager at Spotify; Alyssa Mark, senior director, label member relations at A2IM; and Rebecca Graff, COO at Symphonic. Other mentors include executives from YouTube Music, Songtrust, Audiomack, Atlantic Records and many more.
“Our team has created this program to provide additional opportunities to women in music in this often male-dominated business,” said Janette Berrios, corporate marketing head at Symphonic. “We hope that the connections and relationships built through the program spark growth, support, and create exceptional opportunities for a new generation of women.”
Women Empowered launches on the heels of Symphonic’s recent $37M Series B investment, as well as the company’s expansion into the Los Angeles area. Symphonic will open mentee applications for two weeks beginning on International Women’s Day on Tuesday (March 8). Mentees chosen for the program will be paired with mentors based on availability and skillset.


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Taylor Ruggers and her partner, Will Perry, were looking forward to their Newfoundland honeymoon this summer before realizing they had no way of getting around the county.
The couple, who live in Port Hope, Ontario, tried to book a car again in February for a trip they had planned to take in late June but had no luck.
“I probably called five or six places, then called anything online I could find, and they [all had] “Nothing is available,” Rugers said.
The lack of rental cars means that the Raggers will not be able to explore the original Perry County and get to know family members who live there. Instead, the couple will hit the road with their own car for an even closer destination: Nova Scotia.
“Did he really want to show me where his family was from,” she said. “And I really wanted to see Newfoundland. It’s big on my luggage list.”
History repeats itself with the return of “Carboglobal” last summer. With increased travel and more Canadians planning to move out this summer as the pandemic subsides, car rental companies are trying to secure more vehicles, said Craig Hirota, vice president of government relations and member services at Associated Canadian Car Rental Operators.
“Our best estimates show that we are probably still 15 to 20 percent below our pre-pandemic numbers,” Hirota said.
Where is my chip?
Earlier this month, Statistics Canada released the first in a series of reports on the car rental industry, with the first focusing on British Columbia.
The report found that the size of the county’s rental car fleets fell more than 30 percent in 2020. And while the fleets began to recover in 2021, they haven’t returned to anywhere near pre-pandemic levels as companies struggle to find vehicles.
The slow production of new cars is a major contributor to the car rental shortage. Automakers are piling production as they continue to face shortages of semiconductor chips, a necessary part of digital technology.
“This was exacerbated by the fact that our industry had to reduce our fleets…when demand fell in March 2020,” Hirota said, the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Montreal-based rental car company AutoPlateau faces this delicate challenge. Gabriel Raymond, who works for his family-owned business, said it had to downsize its fleet when the pandemic hit. Now, as the company tries to expand, Raymond said it’s hard to find cars.
“Car manufacturers are running out of car chips. So car dealers are running out. So car rental companies are not able to renew their fleet,” he said.
But Raymond said the company has been able to make up the shortfall as it keeps the vehicles longer, and is choosing to repair them rather than replace them.
Despite the lack of a marketing budget, he said, AutoPlateau has attracted customers who weren’t so fortunate to secure their rental car elsewhere.
“that it [stressful] “Because we have a huge demand coming from everywhere we wouldn’t have otherwise because we are a small business,” Raymond said, adding that the company relies on word of mouth to attract customers.
The shortage of rents has led to a significant increase in the cost of renting a car. According to Statistics Canada, car rental prices increased by 30 percent in 2021, while the overall inflation rate was stable at 3.4 percent.
Hirota said the higher cost of renting a car is partly because demand is outstripping supply, and inflation is raising the cost of cars and repairs.
Planning to travel this summer
With summer approaching and most coronavirus restrictions lifted across the country, tourism is expected to pick up again. The World Trade and Tourism Council predicts that the contribution to GDP from Canada’s travel and tourism sector could rebound to C$157 billion in 2023, just 0.8 percent below pre-pandemic levels.
That means more travelers, like Taylor Ragers, will be looking to grab a rental car.
Raymond advises travelers hoping to rent a car this summer to make plans as soon as possible and beware of companies that overbook.
“Overbooking, especially in [a] The high demand period means that they will save more customers on the same car.”
Some travelers are also turning to a less traditional transportation option: car sharing.
Similar to Airbnb, car sharing services allow people to rent out their cars to others. US car-sharing company Turo says its services are helping customers secure vehicles amid a shortage of rentals.
“What we are seeing is our Turo hosts stepping in to fill the void,” said Cedric Mathew, Vice President and President of Canada at Turo.
Mathieu said the peer-to-peer car-sharing model is more flexible than the fleet-car model, which faces challenges when it needs to increase or decrease the number of vehicles available for rent.
“With the demand growing again, we can acquire and persuade more hosts to join,” he said.
Turo currently has more than 50,000 vehicles available in more than 350 cities across the country. Recently, the company has expanded to Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.
As for how long to expect a recovery in the car rental industry, Hirota of Associated Canadian Car Rental Operators said it’s hard to predict, given how quickly things could change. But as automakers continue to ramp up production, he said challenges are likely to persist in the next two years.
“I think getting the vehicles over the next year and maybe next year after that will still be a challenge,” he said.


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Being the first international aggregator to offer SPID, Signicat enables companies and public administrations across Europe to seamlessly interact with SPID users for customer onboarding and authentication purposes. With over 35 million Italians already utilizing SPID, its adoption rate is increasing rapidly.
"We are proud to be the first, and currently only, company outside Italy to offer digital identity verification through SPID. As the European leader in Digital Identity services, we are always looking to stay one step ahead and offer the latest technological advances through the best and most seamless user experience and the highest level of compliance required" expressed Asger Hattel, CEO of Signicat.
The integration of SPID, which is eIDAS compliant, into Signicat's electronic identity portfolio marks a significant breakthrough, enabling European corporates across all verticals to offer SPID in their Italian onboarding journeys or as an authentication method already used by 35 million of Italians. This means that any Italian can utilize SPID for services such as opening bank accounts, renting cars, or signing mortgages, when the service provider uses Signicat as their Identity hub. This development effectively bridges the gap between citizens and businesses across Europe, fostering enhanced levels of interaction and engagement.
Signicat's commitment to electronic identification extends beyond its support for SPID. Currently, the company facilitates over 30 electronic IDs in its Digital Identity Platform, simplifying electronic interactions between businesses, public administrations, and their customers. This comprehensive approach aligns with the European Commission's European Digital Wallet project, which aims to bring the continent closer to a unified digital identity ecosystem. Signicat's active participation in the EU Digital Identity Wallet Large Scale Pilots (LSP) further demonstrates its dedication to driving innovation and progress in this field.
As the digital landscape continues to evolve, Signicat remains at the forefront of revolutionizing electronic identification across Europe. By integrating SPID into its portfolio, Signicat enables seamless digital identity verification, propelling businesses and public administrations towards a future of enhanced efficiency and user experience.
For further information, please contact:
Phone: +47 95 81 16 86
Phone: +34 648 839 894