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In this week’s Currency Focus podcast with Jackie Cameron, Andre Cilliers – currency strategist at TreasuryONE – underscores the benefits of offshore diversification. He shares how data from around the world play into sizing up the value of the rand and picks up on recent volatility, with the South African currency dipping below R14 to the US dollar. According to the currency expert, it’s still a great time to take advantage of the rand’s strength relative to major currencies.
Andre Cilliers on what’s happening with the rand:
We’ve seen it dipping again and if you look at what’s really happening then it’s a story of the dollar weakening. The euro has gone above the 122 levels and breaking the 122 level was quite significant. And the next target level is actually now reaching up into the 123s, etc., which means that there could still be some further gains on the rand if that actually happens. We have the Federal Reserve meeting minutes coming out and then we’ll see what was discussed and what was the feeling of the people within the meeting and also how they look going forward and their view on going forward.
On the key figures he uses to assess the rand:
There are various figures. If I go back to the 80s, the name of the game was looking at the trade balance. And you go to October 1987 and markets tumbled and stock exchanges tumbled because the trade balance figure of America went above 17 billion, which today is actually a drop in the bucket. So there’s certain things over the years that comes to the forefront and that becomes vital. Now, if you go to 2020 and you look at the pandemic, then the pandemic and the figures surrounding the pandemic and the impact of the pandemic had become vitally important. And the one place that everybody looks at at this point in time is the American economy and how that will grow and how growth in the world will spin off from that growth and also the growth out of China. Inflation figures, interest rates, retail sales, any economic figure out of America at this point in time, that gives you an indication of what the growth could be and where the growth will be going is important and the impact of that growth on the rest of the world and eventually then also South Africa.
On the role that China plays for SA’s figures:
Well, the Chinese forecast is extremely important and the figures coming out of China is extremely important. We must remember that China is one of our biggest trading partners. There’s a lot of trade being done with China. There’s a lot of commodity exports. There’s a lot of other imports out of China into South Africa. We all know if you go into the shop and you buy something, it says ‘made in China’. So a little hiccup in China causes influenza in South Africa because of the big trade figures and the trade amounts that we have with them. So you have to look at the Chinese figures very, very importantly. Also what happens in China, as I said, influences us.
So if China and America starts going into a trade war, and we know about all those trade war discussions over the four-year period that Mr Donald Trump was in power – it’s now sort of subsided with Mr Biden – but the tensions are still there. So tension between China and America – American sanctions of any kind, you know, regulations of any kind on China – anything that impacts on China, impacts on South Africa. They’re the second biggest economy in the world. So what happens there is important for us, not only just because of our trade figures, but because of the impact of the Chinese economy on the rest of the world.
On Europe’s impact:
Once again – retail sales, the impact of their quantitative easing program, the level of their interest rates, how they come out of the pandemic, how growth figures are happening in the European economy. So every little piece of economic data coming out of Europe is important for us. They are also a very important trade counterpart of South Africa, and a lot of trade is being done with them. So, once again, literally every piece of economic data that you can get, every little piece of information that some politician drops, or a little bomb that they drop, or an outcry that they make about something, is important to us.
On the European side, because of our trade with them, they are very, very strict on their trade. If I think in terms of our citrus exports to Europe, for instance, in Europe, they have something called the prohibiting of importing black spot. Now, black spot is a tiny, tiny, minuscule little spot on a fruit that you get in certain parts of South Africa. Now, if there’s a certain amount of strikes in the European Union on getting any imports of fruit from South Africa with a black spot on it, then they close their markets off.
Certain industries are being watched by us and looked at. It helps that we’ve got a lot of customers through various industries and in our interaction with them, we’re also, apart from our own analysis and our own information, we also get information from our own clients in how they perceive markets to be pricing, whether the market is going up, whether the market is slowing, prices going up, etc. So a lot of information goes into the analysis of deciding what we actually think and where things can go.
On Australia and how it plays into the rand:
Australia is also commodity-rich and also a commodity exporter. So if you have commodity prices going up and South Africa doing well out of commodities, then obviously Australia would also do well. And if there’s a hiccup in Australia because of something that happens in China, then there will be a hiccup in South Africa as well. And then there could be a hiccup between us and Australia. And we’ve seen many businesses out of South Africa opening offices in Australia. And obviously there’s been a lot of trade between us and them, not as much as with China, not as much as with Europe, but there is trade between us. And if there’s trade between South Africa and a country, then it’s important to watch those figures and to watch what happens in that country because it influences the trade reference and trade figures.
On whether it’s a good idea to invest offshore (and where to invest from a currency perspective):
It’s always a good thing to invest in other countries. It’s always a good thing to look at various options, to invest your money into various places and diversify your investment portfolio. At this point in time, with the rand being fairly strong and trading at very strong levels, it’s an extremely good time to actually look at increasing the pace at which you invest offshore and maybe do a little bit more than what you would normally do and get a little bit of a bigger foot into the door of offshore investments.
I think America is one of the countries that shows the better growth figures if you look at first world countries. America and their interest rates is at least still slightly positive. Europe will take a little longer to come out of the pandemic and get their growth figures back. I also think that Australia, with higher yields and also being a commodity-rich country, presents everybody with fairly good opportunities.
- Rand strengthens: What’s next? In-depth insights from currency strategist Andre Cilliers of TreasuryONE
- Expect the rand to stay stronger, for longer – TreasuryONE currency strategist Andre Cilliers
- A stronger rand presents opportunities for offshore investors
- Offshore investment advice: Magnus Heystek reveals how advisors are vilified in SA
- How much should you invest offshore?


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Sequoia Capital China opens start-up accelerator despite tech crackdown, slowing economy
- The venture capital firm plans to provide US$1 million in funding to each successful graduate of its inaugural six-week accelerator programme
- The move comes as China’s tech sector grapples with the fallout from a regulatory crackdown, a weakening economy and geopolitical headwinds
The China arm of Sequoia Capital, one of the country’s top technology industry financiers, is looking to invest in up to 30 early-stage start-ups, as the venture capital firm continues to bet on the Chinese tech sector despite challenges.
The inaugural six-week accelerator programme, named Yuè, plans to provide US$1 million in funding to each admitted founder that “successfully graduates”, the company said in a statement on Monday.
Classes will be taught by the firm’s partners in China, while founding and managing partner Neil Shen, one of China’s top technology industry deal-makers, will also attend sharing sessions at the beginning of each programme, according to the firm.
Sequoia Capital China’s move comes as the country’s tech entrepreneurs and investors face a tough environment following Beijing’s 18-month regulatory crackdown, exacerbated by a weakening economy and geopolitical headwinds.
The stock valuations of China’s biggest internet giants – including Tencent Holdings, Meituan and Alibaba Group Holding, owner of the Post – have collectively lost more than US$1 trillion since early last year.
Private funding has also plunged. In the second quarter this year, the number of equity investments from China’s top 100 venture capital and private equity firms dropped 64 per cent year on year, while fundraising volume plunged over 75 per cent, according to data from Chinese market research firm Zero2IPO.
In the internet sector, fundraising volume in the period declined 69.9 per cent from a year ago, according to a report published last week by the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology.
Good opportunities are more likely to emerge in complex and fickle environments, Colin Guo, a partner at Sequoia Capital China, said in a video published by the firm’s official WeChat account. He said the company often ramps up investments in early-stage companies during downturns.
“Many great technologies and great companies are born amid crises,” Guo said.
Sequoia Capital China is among the country’s few major venture capital firms that have recently managed to raise money from Western investors, most of which are increasingly apprehensive about market risks in the country.
In July, the firm raised US$9 billion to invest in Chinese technology and healthcare companies of all stages across four funds.

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Alternative economic approaches – based on commons – have emerged around the turn of the century. Are we heading towards the “ecommony”?
Internal migration is a driving force behind Bangladesh's economic growth but it has ambiguous consequences on the social level.
Ibrahim Mayaki, CEO of NEPAD talks about the possibilities to strategically design Africa’s future and the role agriculture will play in a transformation.
The expansion of big retailers in developing countries poses a challenge for food security.
Technology business incubators are on the rise in developing countries
Why the economic factor is more important than ever
Ever more sophisticated robots are taking over jobs. Poverty might follow in step. But there is a concept, often derided as socialist utopia that could help.
Morocco’s new solar power plants are expected to support 1.1 million people and hopes are high for a boost in job creation. Yet obstacles still remain.
Migrants often send back money to their families. Laura Thompson explains the possibilities and limitations of remittances as a tool for development.
Small investment groups called chamas are a big phenomenon in Kenya. People join to purchase land, start a business, or even to buy their Friday night beers.
The problem lies not in food production, but in access to food. We are letting them starve - but we are not the perpetrators says Jean Ziegler.
Instead of reducing gender inequalities, the current policy of financial institutions contributes to structural discrimination against women.
While in the past most companies were lobbying against any state regulations, the mind-set has changed. CSR departments demand for stronger policies.
Basic Income Guarantees (BIG) were once laughed at as utopian. But they are already today changing the lives of millions worldwide – especially in the south.
When youngsters want to set up their own businesses, experienced entrepreneurs can support them.
International innovation networks preserve local know-how worldwide.
Change the rules of the game by transferring power to the communities.
Why African tech developers might soon overtake Europe and North America.
The Organization ChunriChoupaal does not accept the male bias of the tech industry. Neither in Europe nor in Pakistan
Transition Network aims at the mind sets of developed countries - seeking to transform the affluent Western way of life.
How do smallholder farmers view current food and farming trends? Three points of view from Ghana, Malawi and South Africa.
In his documentary “La Buena Vida”, Jens Schanze depicts the Colombian Wayúus’ fight for their land against supranational energy corporations. A review.
About Partnership between Multinational Enterprises and International Non-Govermental Organisations
A new figure of business is emerging: the social entrepreneur – supposedly combining business spirit and social responsibility. Are expectations fulfilled?
Africa's start-up scene is driven by innovators in the field of digital media and IT. Some of them met through Ampion.
Campaigns for Sustainable Sourcing And Responsible Employment at London 2012
A Dutch company is taking the first steps towards a fairer mobile phone.
Ethical fashion conquers the world couture capital Paris: Good-bye hippe hemp sack, hello haute couture!


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24 South Ave. in Cranford — Courtesy: NAI DiLeo-Bram & Co.
By Joshua Burd
A developer has acquired the site of a 28,000-square-foot warehouse in Cranford, where it’s now seeking approvals to build a 75-unit luxury apartment building.
Brokers with NAI DiLeo-Bram & Co. say the property, 24 South Ave., spans about three-quarters of an acre near the municipality’s downtown and NJ Transit rail service. The buyer, Harrison Developers LLC, plans to raze the existing structure to make way for what would be a collection of studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom homes with ground-floor retail space.
Terms were not disclosed.
“This was a highly sought-after site by many developers looking to maximize the potential of this property, but the sale required a very unique and experienced buyer given the high estimated cost of the environmental cleanup,” NAI DiLeo Bram Vice President Richard Goski said.
He represented both parties in the deal alongside Associate Vice President Catherine Goski, who added: “This property was a family-owned industrial warehouse for generations and we are excited to see the site take on a new life as a vibrant mixed-use development.”


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HK$3m laundered in stocks scam, court told
The owner of a British consultancy firm laundered more than HK$3 million generated by a fraudulent stock-buying scheme through an HSBC account in Hong Kong, the District Court heard yesterday. A retired London judge, Clive Callman, was among 27 British victims allegedly conned into depositing money to secure bogus stock transactions. A Philippines resident, Everton Clive Davis, 51, who set up the Hylton Consultancy Group, pleaded not guilty to six charges of money-laundering before Judge Bernard Whaley. The hearing continues today.
Hunt for maker of fake food
Customs has sought help from mainland authorities to hunt down an underground food manufacturer on the mainland after it seized 620 jars of fake preserved dried cabbage with a retail price of HK$5,000. Forty officers raided a distribution company in Fanling and four grocery stores on Monday, arresting two men and three women.
Welder injured fighting fire
A welder, 61, fell from scaffolding outside a first-floor restaurant while using a bucket of water on a burning banner in Des Voeux Road West, Western. He was treated for a leg injury and firemen doused the blaze.
Losing investor in death leap
A 48-year-old man jumped to his death from the multi-storey columbarium in Cape Collinson Road, Chai Wan. His family told police said he had lost money investing in the stock market.
Food expo to have 720 booths
There will be more than 720 booths at the 42nd Hong Kong Brands and Products Expo in Victoria Park from December 8 to January 1.
There was no winner of the first prize. The numbers were 7, 25, 27, 33, 35 and 45. The extra number was 6. Four tickets each won the second prize of HK$326,830. Third prize paid HK$31,405.


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Netflix has eaten a sizable chunk of traditional TV cable television viewership, and soon it will invade the space with its own channel.
Netflix announced it inked a deal with RCN, Grande Communications and Atlantic Broadband that will integrate its internet streaming app directly into certain set-top boxes.
Starting April 28, customers of the three cable companies who also have a Netflix subscription will be to access streaming on a Tivo cable box. The added functionality will give cable subscribers the ability to watch movies and TV shows from the box just as they would be able to access Netflix on their PCs, tablets and phones.
The Tivo connection
The program requires users to have a cable-provided TiVo box. Although TiVos bought at retail come with a built-in Netflix app, the same functionality has been stripped out of cable sets.
Thanks to deals Netflix has negotiated with its content partners, switching to House of Cards is now as simple as switching the channel and it doesn't require launching a separate app.
The ripple effect
For now this is but a small win for Netflix. According to Variety, RCN counts a viewership of about 333,000, while Atlantic Broadband has 230,000 customers and Grande serves around 140,000 users.
While these cable operators might be comparatively small fish to big names such as Time Warner Cable and Comcast, it's a first for Netflix subscribers to watch their streaming video service as though it were an ordinary cable channel.
As Netflix continues to bulk up its own stock of original series, we could see the service become its own channel similar to FX and HBO.
- Streaming video wins again, where else will the future of TV go?


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News from The Business Journals
Mar 19, 2013, 4:38 pm EDT
Zoës Kitchen is working to provide its customers with a healthier way of life — or rather L.I.F.E.
Feb 21, 2013, 7:30 am EST
Zoës Kitchen, a national restaurant chain serving Mediterranean food, is planning to open another Houston location in mid-March.
Feb 20, 2013, 3:04 pm EST
The fast-casual chain Zoës Kitchen said Wednesday it plans two Philadelphia-area restaurants.
Feb 20, 2013, 12:27 pm EST
Zoës Kitchen, a Mediterranean-inspired, fast-casual restaurant, is opening a new dining location at The Strand shopping center in Northwest San Antoni ...
Feb 19, 2013, 3:51 pm EST
John Cassimus plans to roll out his Jinsei Sushi Bar and Lounge concept in Oxford, Miss., later this year.
Feb 4, 2013, 5:59 pm EST
Zoës Kitchen, one of the fastest growing franchises in the U.S., is planning to add a slew of new corporate-owned stores in 2013, according to a news ...
Jan 30, 2013, 3:05 pm EST
Nation's Restaurant News' list of 50 breakout brands for 2013 has some distinct Birmingham flavor.
Nov 26, 2012, 5:09 pm EST
Rosemont Capital Group has completed an in-house purchase of Birmingham’s fifth largest office tower, One Federal Place, following its acquisition of ...
Nov 23, 2012, 6:00 am EST
The Vogue Center in St. Matthews now is home to the third Louisville location of Zoe’s Kitchen.
Nov 6, 2012, 1:02 am EST
Birmingham-based Zoe’s Kitchen plans to open a second restaurant in Huntsville just months after opening its first restaurant there.
Oct 12, 2012, 8:49 am EDT
Mediterranean-inspired restaurant chain Zoës Kitchen plans to open a new location in Houston on Nov. 1, its 70th store throughout 12 states.
Aug 30, 2012, 12:16 pm EDT
Now that summer is winding down, a few new restaurants are looking to open their doors.
Aug 22, 2012, 11:32 am EDT
Zoes Kitchen plans to open its 17th Texas location in Flower Mound next month.
Jun 11, 2012, 2:49 pm EDT
Zoës Kitchen's has been in expansion mode for some time now, as we've previously reported.
Mar 21, 2012, 6:14 am EDT
The Park West Shopping Center in Morrisville, home to a Target and other big boxes, is getting occupied with a diversified mix of stores and eateries. ...


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Company Changes Policy on Data Collection
The Office of Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta, Canada this week cited Ticketmaster Canada for violating the Personal Information Protection Act when the company required customers to disclose too much personal information when buying tickets online.
Essentially, before someone could buy tickets from the company’s website, they had to enter personal information and consent to that data being used for marketing purposes. According to the commissioner’s office, they found “that Ticketmaster’s requirement that customers consent to the use of their personal information by event providers for marketing purposes is beyond what is necessary for the ticket sales transaction.”
Colin McKay, spokesperson for the national Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, said Ticketmaster Canada worked with the privacy commissioner’s office to correct the matter. “They’re complying,” McKay said, adding that the company did not face a fine or any specific punishment.
Ticketmaster Canada “fully cooperated with [the] Office throughout this investigation and committed to implementing the recommendations in this report,” according to the commissioner’s office.


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The Kenya Bankers Association has signed a collaboration agreement with tech-firm Huawei-Kenya that seeks to deepen financial inclusion in the banking sector through further deployment of technology and building fintech capacity.
In the partnership, KBA will work closely with Huawei-Kenya to spearhead industrywide capacity building initiatives aimed at promoting knowledge on financial technology innovation, digital transformation, and other information and communication technology-related programmes in the banking industry.
Under the partnership, KBA and Huawei will also aim to promote financial inclusion activities in line with the KBA Strategic Plan for the period 2020 to 2023.
Launched last year, the plan seeks to promote access to affordable financial services through tech-aided operational efficiency.
Speaking during the signing of the agreement, KBA Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Habil Olaka, said the cooperation would go a long way in promoting the delivery of efficient banking services in Kenya through knowledge-sharing programmes that will be organised by the two institutions.
“This partnership will further focus on research and knowledge-sharing activities, which will supplement the research initiatives that continue to be spearheaded by the association’s Centre for Research Financial on Markets and Policy®. In this regard, the collaboration will certainly augment KBA’s and member banks’ knowledge base in engagements with diverse stakeholders from a fact-based perspective,’’ Dr. Olaka added.
The partnership comes on the heels of the 2020 edition of the Huawei-KBA Online FSI Summit slated for 30 September. The forum is among the initiatives Huawei and KBA are jointly implementing to promote the delivery of efficient banking services through technology under the cooperation agreement.
Huawei-Kenya Chief Executive Officer, Will Meng, welcomed the partnership, saying technology will remain a core driver towards enhancing convenient access to financial services in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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The developers of Octopath Traveler II are not prepared to commit to a future and hypothetical Octopath Traveler 3, instead they have talked about evolution with the sequel.
Octopath Traveler had many fans on Nintendo Switch, Xbox, PC and Steam Deck, but after this Octopath Traveler II (released on PS4 and PS5) this increased; now its creators do not see for the moment a Octopath Traveler 3.
After a first game and its sequel where it is ‘improved in (almost) everything from the original’, many will be wondering if these two games are part of a trilogy. But according to several of those responsible for it at Famitsu, not for now.
thanks to what read through Nintendo Everything the director Keisuke Miyauchi, his producer Masashi Takahashi and the artist Naoki Ikushima have participated in the chat with japanese magazine.
Octopath Traveler II review
It would be Takahashi himself who would end up sharing some interesting facts about Octopath Traveler II. Specifically about how the team decided to go with evolution instead of making big changes to the original gameplay.
“Octopath Traveler II is a more and better manual: a game that may not be able to change the first’s detractors, but thanks to its novelties and improvements it will dazzle lovers of turns and traditional JRPGs“, we said in our analysis.
Knowing this, Famitsu said: “Compared to the previous installment, this game has come a long way, but I can’t help but wonder: ‘If II has already evolved so much, what would they do to create a III?’ Although maybe it’s a little early“, admitted the interviewer.


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LONDON April 23, 2012
BAE Systems, Dell, General Electric, SAGE, Cisco, IBM, HP, BT, Siemens, and CME Group
It is the first time the UK has seen leading brands debating exclusively B2B social media and breaks the growing trend of B2C focused marketing summits.
Founder of Useful Social Media Nick Johnson stated: ‘This is the first time the UK has seen an exclusively B2B social media summit. Most touch on the issue but very few get to the real core of the topic. We are certain this will finally get to the heart of the biggest problems facing marketers and deliver answers.’
SOURCE Useful Social Media


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Final Fantasy 15‘s Episode Gladiolus DLC is coming soon, and Square Enix unveiled a few more details about the expansion to Final Fantasy 15‘s main story earlier today. While fans already knew that Episode Gladiolus would be part of Final Fantasy 15‘s season pass, Square Enix revealed that gamers can also purchase the episode on its own for $5. The developer also offered up a few more hints about the direction of Episode Gladiolus, stating that the new DLC would take place after a specific event in Final Fantasy 15‘s main narrative and would feature Gladiolus enlisting the aid of Cor to become even more powerful.
The fastest selling game in the history of the Final Fantasy franchise will also offer up its remaining DLC – Episode Ignis, Episode Prompto, and the multiplayer expansion Comrades – as standalone purchases once they are released. As it stands now, Episode Gladiolus is the first major DLC for Final Fantasy 15, following the Moogle Chocobo Carnival event that released earlier this year. It will also mark the first time players will be able to control a party member that isn’t Noctis, so Episode Gladiolus will set the tone for the rest of Final Fantasy 15‘s season pass, which has been heavily marketed as an opportunity to get to know each party member better while playing as them.
According to Square Enix, the Episode Gladiolus DLC will offer up a “completely different type of gameplay”, although that in and of itself is not necessarily a good thing. Final Fantasy 15 was praised for the diversity of its missions, gameplay, and narrative, but it was also heavily criticized for the execution of some of that diversity – in particular, Final Fantasy 15‘s Chapter 13 has been so poorly received that Square Enix is patching it at the end of March.
Luckily, Square Enix has had plenty of time to learn what did and didn’t work in the massively successful Final Fantasy 15, so Episode Gladiolus will likely play to the strengths of the game while offering up a new look at its combat system. Fans will be able to decide for themselves soon, as Episode Gladiolus releases on March 28, 2017.
Final Fantasy 15 is available now for PS4 and Xbox One.


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Avelo has put a number of its 400 staff under consultation following the merger and rebrand of 1st Exchange, N4 and Screen Business in March.
One Avelo employee, who wishes to remain anonymous, says the move was announced internally last week and will affect product analysts, software technicians and project managers across the firm’s sites in Cheltenham, Warwick and Woking.
He says staff at N4’s base in Cirencester are expected to be unaffected.
He says: “Just last month they had a lavish launch and were talking like we were going to conquer the world. Now the people who actually build the products are facing the axe.
“Projects and products are going to have to be restricted or cancelled as a result.”
Avelo refused to confirm how many staff are affected but a spokesman says: “We have embarked on a transition programme as we transform our business into a single organisation as Avelo.
“Consequently, we will be consulting a number of staff throughout May about how this will affect their roles.”
1st Exchange acquired Screen Business, a firm which supplies websites and internet applications, in February and bought software provider N4 Solutions in June.
Barretts Financial Solutions senior partner Kim Barrett says: “When businesses come together, they are looking to share cost and cut outgoings. Unfortunately, the biggest cost for any business is staff.”


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MEXICO CITY — This week, days after announcing tariffs on aluminum and steel that affected Mexico and Canada, President Trump went after the two countries again on trade. This time, he claimed that the U.S. agriculture industry has suffered thanks to “big trade barriers against U.S. farmers.” Farmers have not been doing well for 15 years. […]
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State-run Convergence Energy Services Ltd (CESL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Energy Efficiency Services Ltd, has floated a Rs 3,000 crore tender to buy one lakh electric three-wheelers for different use categories such as garbage disposal, freight loaders, food and vaccine transport and passenger autos, its MD and CEO Mahua Acharya said.
"Before floating the tender, we launched a public exercise for demand aggregation. So we got commitments from financiers, fleet aggregators and others such as states that have funds under Swatch Bharat Mission, for about 85,000 (three-wheelers). And so we kept a margin of an additional 15,000 and floated a tender to buy 1 lakh electric three-wheelers," she said.
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While buying individually may not help get the best of rates, procuring on such a large scale helps in getting a better price, she said adding the commitments are now being converted into firm buy orders.
However, the ability of manufacturers to deliver 1 lakh electric three-wheelers in the promised 18 months remains a concern, she said, adding 20 OEMs participated in the pre-bid conference.
"Of the 6 million three-wheelers on roads, EV is a very small percentage. Auto rickshaw is the biggest market. Then there is the freight and delivery business which has gone through the roof after Covid struck. They want to buy the cheapest ride and the cheapest cost of delivery is met by electric," she said going electric offers the best option where three-wheelers are used for livelihood earning.
Another big market is garbage loaders. Also, there are specialised products such as coolers for vegetables and vaccines. States and municipalities are also coming up with requirements for three-wheeler garbage loaders.
Acharya said there are 5.5 lakh electric three-wheelers (E3W) on the road.
Earlier this month, CESL launched a scheme for the sale of E2W to government employees in Kerala where the state government has directed all departments to switch to electric vehicles instead of purchasing new fuel-based ones.
E2W are available on CESL's app to purchase at rates negotiated by the agency, she said.
"After accounting for central government subsidy, the price of E2W comes to Rs 55,000 to Rs 1.3 lakh. If states give subsidies, the prices will come down further. At this, price is very competitive (compared to fossil-fuel-based two-wheelers)," she said.
However, charging infrastructure is a problem as not enough land is available to set up such stations.
"The government is pushing it (setting up of charging infrastructure). Policy signals are clear. There is a subsidy. But we ourselves have managed to meet less than 25 per cent of the target. We have been able to set up only 250 charging stations," she said.
The land is the biggest issue with municipalities "negotiating endlessly". Also, the absence of large-capacity transformers is hindering the business.
"This business is loss-making and if I have to put transformer, we go deep into the red. And unless the transformer is there, you can't charge," she said.
On top of this, capacity utilisation of existing charging stations was only 15 per cent. Net utilisation after considering downtime is under 10 per cent, she said adding 30-35 per cent of capacity utilisation makes the charging station economically viable.
"Nobody has cracked the code for charging stations, where to locate these. Should it be at parking lots or at cinema halls, or gas stations or malls, no one really knows," she said.
On the E3W tender, Acharya said original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) have been invited to provide quotations for electric three-wheelers.
After procurement of these electric vehicles, the CESL will lease them to entities that wish to avail of such leasing services.
The demand for E3W is coming from cities that aim to transform their garbage collection fleet from fossil fuel to electric power or add a new fleet that is greener and cheaper to operate. A big proportion of the tender comprises demand for vehicles that will be used to deliver vaccines and provide employment.
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- FPO on Track, No Price Band Change, says Adani Group
Adani Enterprises on Saturday said its follow-on public offer (FPO) will continue as per schedule without any changes in the price band, quelling speculation about changes being made after a tepid investor reception on the first day.MSCI Invites Mkt Feedback on Adani, Related Securities
Global index services provider MSCI sought feedback from market participants on Adani Group and associated securities in the wake of US activist short-seller Hindenburg Research’s report on the conglomerate that has resulted in shares tumbling in the past two trading sessions.Tier 2-3 Univs Make the Cut as Indians Rush to Study Abroad
The rising competition for seats amid an overall spike in the volume of applicants has seen Indian college aspirants flocking to tier-2 and -3 universities abroad, education consultants said.
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Samsung Galaxy M53 5G Set to Launch in India on April 22
Let's take a closer look at the specifications and features of the Samsung Galaxy M53 5G.
Samsung India is on a launch spree. Following the launch of several A-series devices in the Indian market, the Korean technology behemoth is now preparing to launch a new M-series device in the country. The Samsung Galaxy M53 5G will now be available in India on April 22nd, according to the company. The Samsung Galaxy M53 5G made its global debut earlier this month, for those who were unaware.
The design language of the Samsung Galaxy M53 5G is similar to that of the Samsung Galaxy M33 5G. The Galaxy M53 5G's highlights include a 108MP camera setup, a Dimensity 900 processor, and a 120Hz AMOLED display. In addition, the device has a 5,000mAh battery and a 32MP selfie camera. Let's take a closer look at the specifications and features of the Samsung Galaxy M53 5G.
Samsung Galaxy M53 5G: Specifications and Features
The most recent M-series device features a 120Hz AMOLED display with a Full HD+ resolution. It has a 6.7-inch display with a centred punch-hole notch, which the company calls an Infinity-O display. The handset is powered by an octa-core Dimensity 900 processor with an integrated Mali G68 GPU.
In terms of optics, the Samsung Galaxy M53 5G has a quad-rear camera setup with a 108MP primary shooter. It is also the first M-series device to feature a 108MP camera setup. In addition to the high-resolution sensor, the phone has an 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens, a 2MP macro lens, and a 2MP depth sensor. Samsung outfitted the M53 5G with a 32MP camera for video calls and selfies.
A 5000mAh battery powers the Samsung Galaxy M53 5G. It has a Type-C port that supports 25W fast charging. However, unlike other mid-range Galaxy devices, the charging brick may not be included in the retail box. The Galaxy M53 5G comes preloaded with OneUI 4.1, which is based on Android 12.
The Samsung Galaxy M53 5G is expected to be priced between Rs 25,000 and Rs 30,000. What are your thoughts on the Galaxy M53 5G? Please let us know in the comments section.


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SRINAGAR: Following the interactions with the Tour and Travel fraternity of West Bengal and Gujarat, J&K Tourism and the Maharashtra Tour Organizers Association (MTOA) on Wednesday organized a Webinar on the theme ‘Chalo Kashmir’.
J&K receives among the largest chunk of tourists from States like West Bengal, Gujarat and Maharashtra.
The Webinar panel comprised of Secretary, Tourism, J&K, Sarmad Hafeez, Director Tourism, Kashmir, Nisar Ahmad Wani, Deputy Director, Publicity, Ideel Saleem, President MTOA, Prabhubhai, President, Travel Agents Association of Kashmir, Farooq A Kuthoo, President, TAFI, Pradeep Lulla President, Adventure Tour Operators Association of Kashmir (ATOAK), Rauf Tramboo,Vice President MTOA, Vishvajeet Patil, Treasurer MTOA, Rajan Parekh, Ex Presidents MTOA, Sudhir Patil and Atul Mohil and Ex Vice President, MTOA, Abhijeet Patil.
A promotional video and a presentation on tourism destinations in Jammu and Kashmir including its lesser known Tourism destinations and an array of adventure activities being promoted in the Union Territory were showcased during the Webinar.
“As COVID restrictions have eased in the Union Territory, allowing for hassle free travel to all Tourism destinations, J&K Tourism has started its publicity campaigns with hosting of series of activities and reaching out to the tourism stakeholders across the country about the facilities in place for the tourists and to convey the message that J&K is ready to welcome the tourists”. Secretary, Tourism Sarmad Hafeez said. He added that Tourism Industry in J&K is resilient and has always bounced back in the face of many challenges. “Although COVID presented a unique challenge, we are sure that with the support of the stakeholders, Tourism sector will bounce back in J&K”.
Secretary, Tourism informed that capacity building programmes are being held to impart training to the workers and staff in the Hospitality business, so that they are made aware about the SoPs to be maintained while serving the guests.
Addressing the Webinar, Director Tourism said that a calendar of activities for autumn season and the upcoming winter season has been drawn and all measures for health safety of the Tourists are in place. He apprised the Tour Operators of Maharashtra about the easing of restrictions related to COVID19 in J&K including lifting of curbs on entry of people into J&K by road, rail or air, opening up all tourism destinations, parks, hotels and restaurants, opening up of Gulmarg Gondola, opening up of cinema halls, theatres, multiplexes, swimming pools, lifting of ceiling in open spaces and various other measures and guidelines to facilitate tourists and general public while ensuring health safety.
During the interactions, it was revealed that a large number of queries have been received from prospective tourists from Maharashtra for visiting J&K in Autumn and the ensuing winter months.
President MTOA, Parbhubhai assured unconditional support of the association for J&K Tourism and reiterated that J&K will always remain the most preferred destination for the Tour and Travel fraternity of Maharashtra.


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German automaker Volkswagen has signed an agreement with Canada to secure access to raw materials such as nickel, cobalt and lithium for battery production, a source familiar with the matter told Bloomberg News.
German Chancellor Olaf Schulz, who is in Canada for talks on energy, is said to have signed the agreement during his trip. This not only gives Volkswagen factories in the US easier access to raw materials. It would also allow Germans to avoid problems with trade prices and tax rules.
US President Joe Biden last week approved new rules on the purchase of electric vehicles. For example, consumers in the United States can still receive a tax cut of up to $7,500 for such a vehicle, provided the manufacturer meets certain requirements. For example, raw materials must be extracted or processed in countries with which the United States has a free trade agreement. Much of the battery’s components must be manufactured or assembled in North America.
“Twitter junkie. Lifelong communicator. Award-winning analyst. Subtly charming internetaholic.”


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Prior to being purchased by Amazon, PillPack had carved out a niche for itself by pioneering the online pharmacy space with customized packaging and automated refill services. In 2019, Amazon began targeted offerings of the PillPack service with free delivery to select Prime members, focusing on a suite of medications for chronic conditions.
Haven, Amazon’s recently announced joint venture with JPMorgan and Berkshire-Hathaway, has so far only said it plans to “improve healthcare for the employees” of the three organizations. There is concern in the industry, however, that Haven intends to establish itself as a pharmacy benefits manager (PBM), negotiating directly with insurance companies to lower the cost of the drugs they purchase while providing a competitive advantage to PillPack.
CVS filed a lawsuit partly aimed at uncovering Amazon’s intentions, and while Amazon denied the PBM allegation, they also did not rule out the possibility of pursuing a future PBM model. Since CVS alone generates 60% of its total annual revenue - $116 billion annually – from their PBM operations, Amazon’s entry into the PBM market could “change the dynamics of the healthcare industry in profound ways,” according to the White Paper.
While CVS’s claim is speculation, should Amazon succeed at establishing themselves as a PBM and negotiating lower prices, it could potentially open the door to the wider adoption of smart technology in healthcare packaging, eliminating concerns from insurance providers and Medicare over cost escalation. Reduced pricing for PillPack could also allow Amazon to focus more on expanding the level and depth of individual patient customization for packaging, making packaging inherently more convenient and increasing senior’s medication compliance.
What does this potential disruption mean for the healthcare market? The move toward digital platforms and online portals presents a significant opportunity as online pharmacies inevitably occupy a larger space. With recent industry trends and the emergence of a number of startup models copying PillPack, the healthcare industry is already showing it will not be immune to this online expansion. Companies packaging healthcare products can be in front of the trends by creating e-commerce capable packaging that can also be utilized in all other channels.
Make plans to visit PACK EXPO East in Philadelphia, March 3-5, to see on-trend healthcare packaging machinery and materials.


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Shop owner's warning as fake Â£50 notes on the rise
A shop owner has warned of a rising number of fake Â£50 notes being used in Chichester city centre.
Dave Hockridge runs a retail business in South Street in Chichester, and has noticed the problem grow in the last few months after reports of a similar scam which is gripping Portsmouth.
He said just this week a customer tried to pay with a fake £50 for a small purchase, but thankfully they were spotted by an eagle-eyed staff member after being warned of a similar incident at Mr Hockridge’s Portsmouth store.
Regarding the Portsmouth incident, he said: “They are very bad copies and didn’t even have to leave the man’s hand.
“He said he’d just been payed with them. I told him he should give them back to his employer.”
If you have any information about the £50 note scam, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.


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Samsung has announced the Galaxy Ace Plus, which slots in just above its predecessor in the Galaxy range, adding a better processor and larger screen.
The device was announced by the Korean company on Tuesday and will ship to customers in Russia first, beginning in January, and will then be "gradually rolled out" to Europe, Latin America, Asia, China and other regions, Samsung said.
"In 2012, we will continue to make every effort to create an easy and fun mobile experience by expanding our incredibly popular GALAXY smartphone range, which is now one of the most recognized and successful mobile brands in the world," JK Shin, president of IT & mobile at Samsung, said in a statement.
The Galaxy Ace Plus will join more expensive and higher specified devices in the Galaxy range, such as the Galaxy S, S II, Ace and Mini.
The Ace Plus features an upgraded processor — up to 1GHz from 800MHz in the Ace — 5-megapixel camera, 3.65-inch display and 3GB of onboard storage. It also offers smartphone staples including Wi-Fi, HSPDA connectivity and pre-loaded social networking features via Samsung's Social Hub and ChatON services.
Like some other lower-end Android devices such as the Wildfire S, the handset will arrive running the Gingerbread — Android 2.3 — operating system with Samsung's proprietary TouchWiz UI atop. However, higher-end devices are now available to buy that use the newer Ice Cream Sandwich (4.0) version of Android.
The device will also have to fend off competition from Chinese manufacturers like ZTE and Huawei, which want to increase their consumer recognition and smartphone market share in the European market using devices running the Android OS.
Pricing for the Galaxy Ace Plus has not yet been disclosed.


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The Anti-Crimson Tape Authority (ARTA) has recommended the native executive of Pasig Town for its newest leading edge carrier that permits citizens to pay their annual actual belongings tax for 2022 the usage of the Pasig Town On-line Cost Facility.
ARTA signed a Memorandum of Figuring out with the Pasig Town executive on February 12, 2020, for the introduction of the Anti-Crimson Tape Unit (ARTU) that targets to verify the right kind observance of ease of doing industry regulations within the native executive.
In a remark, ARTA Director-Common Jeremiah Belgica mentioned ARTA had not anything however praises for the Pasig Town executive, ARTA’s first respectable native executive unit spouse, led by means of Mayor Vico Sotto.
“The Pasig Town executive’s newest effort is totally aligned with ARTA’s mandate to make lifestyles more straightforward and extra handy for Filipinos via streamlined and automatic executive services and products,” he mentioned.
“If truth be told, virtual bills are a key part to achieving the objective digitalization of presidency processes as mandated by means of the Ease of Doing Trade Act,” he added.
In step with Belgica, ARTA has been intensifying its push for the institutionalization of virtual bills in executive businesses previously few months as they supply a more secure and extra handy technique to the general public to transact with the federal government amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
ARTA has required executive businesses, native executive gadgets (LGUs), and different executive instrumentalities to arrange virtual cost choices in preparation for the “new customary,” as said in Memorandum Round No. 2020-06, Collection of 2020.
Belgica famous that it used to be at least President Duterte himself known as for the status quo of e-governance within the nation.
“We’re glad to be told that this undertaking is being carried within the native degree,” he mentioned.
As well as, Belgica lauded the Pasig Town LGU for maintaining Pasig Town Corridor open for the bodily cost of annual actual belongings tax for 2022.
“We remember that an adjustment length will have to be set for the general public to get used to projects like this,” he mentioned.
He, on the other hand, inspired citizens of Pasig Town to check out paying their annual actual belongings tax for 2022 on-line, particularly since those that can pay ahead of December 31, 2021, gets a 15-percent bargain.
“For e-governance to be successfully carried out within the nation, we’d like the participation and cooperation of, now not best executive businesses and LGUs but in addition the general public,” Belgica mentioned.
“We on the Authority are hoping that extra LGUs will observe Pasig Town’s instance of offering virtual cost choices for its constituents and making strikes to streamline their services and products and lower purple tape inside of their workplaces,” he added.
Ultimate month, ARTA expressed support for Senate Invoice (SB) 1764 or the proposed Use of Virtual Bills Act that permits the virtual choice of taxes and costs, bills, and different disbursements. The company mentioned the measure is observed to support the convenience of doing industry and supply of presidency services and products within the nation.


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Nintendo has launched a new update patch for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for the Nintendo Shift console. This is version number 1.2.1.
The update is quite short as exhibited on the official Nintendo Support website. 1 thing was enhanced in this new Mario Kart 8 Deluxe update.
It says:”Corrected a problem that extended the opportunity to come back to the lobby after races close to the start and finish times of tournaments.”
For the sport remains to be seen, whether more updates will be published. If you’d like more Mario games on Switch, then there is the Mario/Rabbids crossover sport coming out soon and Super Mario Odyssey in late October.


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It may not be a sign of an economy that may grow less in any year since the end of the Great Recession, but a bad business climate is likely one reason commercial bankruptcy filings are higher by 28% through the first nine months of the year to 28,789.
The data were posted by the American Bankruptcy Association, based on data from Epiq Systems.
Last month, the problem accelerated:
Total commercial filings for September 2016 were 3,072, representing a 38 percent increase from the 2,219 filings during the same period in 2015.
The distribution varies widely from state to state:
The average nationwide per capita bankruptcy filing rate for the first nine calendar months of 2016 (Jan. 1-Sept. 30) decreased slightly to 2.54 (total filings per 1,000 population) from the 2.55 rate for the first eight months of the year. The average daily filing total in September 2016 was 2,153, a 4 percent decrease from the 2,239 total daily filings registered in September 2015. States with the highest per capita filing rates (total filings per 1,000 population) through the first nine months of 2016 were:
- Tennessee (5.67)
- Alabama (5.52)
- Georgia (4.75)
- Illinois (4.19)
- Utah (4.17)
Unfortunately, there is no explanation in the data for what happened in Tennessee.


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As service companies know, business grows with satisfied customers. Delivery fleets face an additional challenge: They work for customers on each end of every deal – mistakes are amplified. So delayed holiday deliveries this year garnered lots of media attention, despite the millions and millions of last-minute orders that made it down the chimney right on schedule.
Just-in-time delivery pressures are nothing new, of course. And technology has transformed the art of back-of-the-envelope scheduling into a split-second science based on complex math and instantaneous communication throughout the supply chain.
Still, the consumer only cares about receiving an order when they expect it. And upon learning that Pilot Freight Services had completed the holiday delivery rush with its best ever on-time delivery rate – and that the company credited new technology for making its network more efficient – HWT gave them a call.
First off, Pilot is hardly a mom-and-pop shop. The company, founded in 1970, is the largest privately-held freight forwarder in the U.S., handling about 100,000 shipments per month, with most of those going to homes, explains Lou Cortese, the company president.
The company owns some freight stations in its network, but most deliveries are handled by independently owned, exclusive Pilot-branded franchises and fleets.
“We don’t own much, in terms of assets, but we know how to put a system together,” he says. “People in our niche can compete with almost anybody because of technology, even though we don’t have offices all over. It’s about who’s able to put together a seamless system so there’s not a lot of phone calls or emailing back and forth.”
Cortese emphasizes that the company doesn’t compete with parcel shippers, though they have many of the same online retailers for customers, and they deliver purchases directly to consumers.
Pilot specializes in moving freight that’s too big for the sorting conveyors used extensively by UPS and FedEx. Additionally, those large flat screen televisions, recliners and exercise equipment typically require in-house set up by 2-man teams.
A truck will be scheduled for only 10 or 15 deliveries in a day, and because the goods move directly from distribution centers rather than through hectic holiday sorting facilities, the loads don’t run the same level of seasonal risk faced by parcel carriers.
Still, the company knew it needed to be more efficient. Pilot began developing its COMPASS technology, “a pretty neat package,” in 2011.
“Besides sales and operations people out in the field, our biggest investment is IT,” Cortese says. “We’re trying to get ahead of the game through setting up better systems.”
The “Achilles heel” for retailers has been a communications gap, he explains: Typically, an online shopper will click on a big-ticket item like a television, go through the site checkout and pay for it – and then silence, often with little or no information communicated from that point on.
“When a person makes an expensive purchase of a large item, they are subject to buyer’s remorse,” Cortese says. “When a customer has no idea where their order is or when it may arrive, the purchase doesn’t feel concrete. The longer this goes on, the more time that person has to change his or her mind about the order.”
So, on the front end, Pilot’s solution offers shoppers a scheduling option, directly and transparently linked from the e-retailer’s checkout system. The customer choses a convenient date and time from a range of options, and the appointment is simultaneously worked into the delivery drivers’ schedules and routes.
The advantage, he notes, is that shoppers immediately take control of the process, rather than waiting anxiously several days for a delivery company to call to make arrangements.
“You don’t want the customer worried about having to go someplace to set something up,” Cortese says. “The appointment windows are geared toward what our algorithm tells us: Where are trucks are going, where we have capacity in the local market.”
Pilot benefits by providing better service to its customers, the retailers. Smaller retailers looking to establish themsleves in the marketplace, especially, can’t afford to lose such high-dollar sales.
“We developed this technology to be able to say, ‘look what we’re doing for you,’” he adds.
Internally, COMPASS pays dividends by cutting out the paperwork that’s been such a big part of freight business for so long, explains Cortese (who’s been with Pilot since 1985).
Just collecting one payment on delivery involved, at a minimum, four people: the driver, the dispatcher to manually record the date and time, a station employee to scan the signed copy, and a quality assurance employee to visually inspect the document. The driver was given a manifest or a stack of bills to get signed, “hopefully receiving all of the information he needed, hopefully not losing a bill along the way.” Additionally, any update to the route meant multiple calls between the driver and dispatcher, creating “multiple points of failure in which information could get lost, misinterpreted, stuck, etc.”
Now, there’s an app for that, he explains. Truck drivers today need only a smartphone, which provides not only routing and scheduling details, including traffic updates and truck-specific navigation, but also provides set-up instructions and a checklist for the customer to sign-off on. Delivery details, as tracked by barcodes, are instantly transmitted back to dispatch – again, with no paperwork.
The app and the information is available to any delivery driver who’s handling a Pilot order, whether he’s a Pilot driver or works for another carrier, Cortese adds.
The bottom line: Technology that once was available to only global giants can now be more easily developed and integrated into many shipping operations, giving even small, tech-savvy companies a chance to compete. And with the move to more and more online retail sales, the demand for delivery services will grow rapidly as well.
“We have seen more advances in technology in the last five years than in the 30 years before that – and I can only imagine what the next five years may bring,” he says.
Indeed, if he were starting over again in the industry, he’d focus on information flow: the end-to-end tracking of “every touch” in the supply chain.
“You don’t want to get in this business to push boxes anymore,” Cortese says. “You want to get into this business to make all that other stuff easy.”


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When classifying cars, the Insurance Institute considers weight as well as size. That's why, for example, the Buick Verano appears in this list even though it's the same size as the Chevrolet Cruze, which is 200lbs lighter and listed as a "Small car." (With electric cars, like the Chevrolet Volt, the added weight of the battery might not be considered.)
Chrysler 200 4-door
Some are the only ones of their kind, others are one of a few, but all are expected to sell for a lot of money.
|$20 Amazon Prime hike won't scare off customers|
|Meet the SAT tutor to the 1%|
|Number of millionaire households in the U.S. reaches high|
|Tesla CEO fights back in New Jersey|
|Madoff employee trial nears the end|


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MOTHERS are as unique and special as the gemstones they adorn themselves with, says Amee Philips.
In conjunction with Mothers Day, Amee Philips together with the jewellery company that bears her name, organised an exclusive brunch session at Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur.
“As a mother myself, I too want all mothers and women to feel appreciated and pampered on this special occasion,” said Amee.
Close to 80 guests attended the three-day brunch sessions featuring small groups each day for a more personal touch.
Themed “Nature’s Beauty”, guests arrived looking stunning in colourful attire with flora and fauna elements.
Natured-inspired iconic jewellery pieces of Amee Philips were displayed for guests to select before having their photographs taken against a garden backdrop.
“We chose the ideal piece according to each women’s characteristics to bring out the best in them,” said Amee.
During the event, guests were treated to delectable food and sipped glasses of champagne while managing director Drew Philips imparted tips about gemstones.
The best-dressed guests were presented with luxurious prizes including a pair of tsavorite green chrome diopside earrings, two pieces of pearl chokers and a baby pearl necklace worth RM7,500, RM3,500 and RM1,000 each respectively.


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Singapore — A video of a man assaulting the staff at a restaurant for not serving him alcohol past 10.30 pm went viral.
The video, posted on Instagram page @sgfollowsall before also being shared on social media, showed a man who walked into an empty bar.
After picking up a glass from a table, the man reached behind the bar in an attempt to take one of the drinks there but was stopped by one of the staff.
The two then got into a scuffle with a staff member of the bar seen trying to push the man out of the establishment.
View this post on Instagram
Much larger in size, the man pushed the staff member to the floor. At this point, another staff member and a patron of the bar came in. It took two other men to pry the assailant off the staff member.
Under the law, drinking is banned in all public places from 10.30 pm to 7 am. Retail shops are also not allowed to sell takeaway alcohol from 10.30 pm to 7 am.
According to the caption of the Instagram post, the man walked in while the bar was closing up and asked for a drink. When his request was denied, this happened. Later, he was arrested.
@sgfollowsall also added that the incident occurred on Mar 24 and led to the arrest of the man.
In 2018, a male customer assaulted a 7-Eleven employee after being unable to purchase alcohol from the store at Changi Village on Feb 15, at around 10.37 pm.
The male customer apparently got angry and upset that he was unable to purchase beer at the store because all cabinets containing alcohol in 7-Eleven are locked as per the retail sales restrictions under the Liquor Control (Supply and Consumption) Act. /TISGFollow us on Social Media
Send in your scoops to email@example.com


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Hong-Kong based luxury hotel group The Peninsula Hotels sent some of its big guns to London this week to tell the industry press about its brand essence and future plans.
The press briefing took place in the newly reopened Regent Street cinema – the oldest in the UK – a fitting venue for an audience with what COO Peter Borer described as the oldest hotel company in the world.
Joining Borer on stage were regional VP and GM of The Peninsula Chicago Maria Razumich-Zec, VP of marketing Robert Cheng, and Nicolas Beliard, GM of the group’s newest hotel and its first in Europe, The Peninsula Paris.
Borer described Peninsula – which celebrates its 150th anniversary next year – as a brand that “honours the past while not leaving any guests behind” and stressed that the core of the brand is how the hotels “become part of the fabric of their host cities”.
Describing the patient, long-term approach of the company, which is still owned by members of the family who founded, it Beliard said: “The company searched for 15 years for the right building in Paris. Eventually they found the right one – it was originally built in 1908 as a hotel before being converted in to a government -owned conference centre. It’s the right building because it has a soul.”
The Chicago property is undergoing a major renovation of guest rooms, and GM Razumich-Zec emphasised how much thought goes in to the design of each room.
Borer picked up on this theme, saying: “We build hundreds of mock-up rooms in Hong Kong to make sure we get them right. They are built to scale from plywood so the chairman and I can decide if the concepts would work as a room. Functionality comes before design. Then the best ones are built in to actual prototype rooms, which a lot of us stay in and give feedback on.”
Borer said that while the group had lots of thick manuals for back of house construction and operation, he was not a fan of manuals for front of house: “We offer a service which is timeless, classic and observant of the time that we live in,” he said. “Our staff should be empowered to express themselves and to be themselves.” Staff should discreetly observe the guests, and react accordingly, said Borer
As well as giving the staff this freedom, Borer said that good service “comes from the back of the hotel, not the front – from giving the staff good facilities for dining and training, giving them good uniforms, treating them well and making them feel valued.”
Borer and Razumich-Zec both stressed that although Peninsula is something of an iconic hotel brand, it is constantly seeking to evolve and improve: “It’s important to never rest on our laurels and to keep reinventing ourselves,” said Razumich-Zec.
Alluding to the highly competitive luxury hotel space, Borer said: “It’s good to have competition – it keeps you awake. It motivates us and our competitors to keep improving. It’s important to polish the key elements that have built our brand.”
Razumich-Zec spoke about the way the group’s properties immerse themselves in their cities. The Peninsula Chicago offers guests experiences including kitchen tours of the three Michelin -starred Grace restaurant, fast track entry and a free book at the Art Institute of Chicago, and prime seats at theatre shows.
Looking to the future Borer said the company will continue to own most of its current stock and add “significant properties” around the world. As well as the London project, Istanbul and Guangdong are in the pipeline. It is also “interested in” New Delhi, Sao Paolo and Mexico City but Borer is not attracted to the Middle East at this stage, stating that Dubai “is overbuilt”.
The £500 million Peninsula London will have 190 rooms, some overlooking the gardens of Buckingham Palace. The building, on Grosvenor Place near Hyde Park Corner, will replace a 1960s office block on the 1.5-acre site, and will open in 2021.
Designed by London-based Hopkins Architects, the hotel will have a collonaded walkway and main public entrance on Grosvenor Place and an internal palazzo-style courtyard. The complex will include shops, a spa, a ballroom and up to 28 branded residences.


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The Tomatoland author and food-policy gadfly attacks the FDA for declining to enforce a ban on "subtheraputic" antibiotic use among livestock, a practice believed to breed dangerous strains of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
With the new year only a few days old, the FDA issued a press release that was dutifully disseminated by news outlets including the New York Times (one would expect better reporting from that source) with headlines like “FDA Restricts Use of Antibiotics in Livestock.”
Mozzarella has taken an interesting turn for the blue recently in Italy....now that doesn't seem right, does it?
UPI has the story:
Police say they seized mozzarella cheese from a central Italy grocery store after a schoolteacher said her mozzarella turned blue soon after being refrigerated.
Investigators, who seized the entire supply of mozzarella from the Frosinone store, were trying to determine the cause of the discoloration and the origin of the cheese, Italian news agency ANSA reported.
In another recall of cheese processed in Wisconsin, Bekkum Family Farms of Westby, WI, is recalling shredded cheese because it may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes....
The recalled cheese is labeled "Grumpy Goat Shreds" under the Nordic Creamery brand name, in eight-ounce bags with a code date of 10-MAR-12. It was sold in stores in Wisconsin, Minnesota and California beginning Nov. 11.
Restaurant site Monkeydish joins the fray for food predictions in the new year. Be on the lookout for heritage meats, custom potatoes, beer-centric cuisines and, apparently, tons of veggies.
Ten to watch
These are top culinary trends to keep on your radar, compiled from the team of experts we tapped.
- Pimento cheese
- Housemade marshmallows
- Coconut oil
- Chicken skin
- Drinking vinegars paired with food
- Marrow bones
- Sriracha sauce
- Evergreen and eucalyptus leaf infusions
Via the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel:
Wisconsin's dairy industry is on the mend after a dark period in which thousands of farms failed and farmers burned through their retirement savings to remain in business. Lately, the $27 billion industry has been in recovery mode, Agriculture Secretary Ben Brancel said in an interview last week.
As of Dec. 1, the state had 11,786 licensed milk cow herds - down 681 from December 2010. That's less of a decline than in previous years when farm-milk prices plummeted and farmers liquidated their herds and shut down their businesses.
"There are marketing opportunities that have never been there in the past," Brancel said, explaining that developing nations are clamoring for more meat and dairy products in the diets of their middle-class populations.
The SF Chronicle's cheesemaster-in-residence Janet Fletcher gives her year end round up of the curd Her thoughts? The Swiss are coming in strong, home cheesemaking is on the rise, and...
...our independent merchants set the bar, taking risks on unfamiliar cheeses that need to be hand sold.
How satisfying it is to see relatively young shops like Cheese Plus in San Francisco, Farmstead Cheeses and Wines in Alameda and Montclair, Oxbow Cheese Merchant in Napa, and the Cheese Shop of Healdsburg draw loyal and appreciative customers.
photo via stu_spivak
Good news for culture's West Coast office: brewers have survived the recession, and are thriving in the capital.
Chicago-area cheese people, Pastoral Artisan Cheese is hiring. Get paid, learn about great food, and experience the magic of the 25% employee discount!
SANDWICH BAR ASSOCIATE
These positions focus on fulfillment of sandwich, salad and picnic orders in our Lake Street and French Market stores. Sandwich Bar Associates will also be given opportunities to learn about our core product categories: artisan cheese and wine. The position provides a strong platform for future work on kitchen lines, or supplemental work for those with evening kitchen or restaurant jobs.
Adam Roberts, aka, the Amateur Gourmet, thinks the restaurant grilled cheese trend is a ripoff:
Here in L.A., there are restaurants that do a gourmet grilled cheese night. It’s a nice idea: you get to go to a fancy restaurant (like Campanile, for example) and spend far less money than you’d normally spend there for dinner. Only, I find it hard to justify spending ANY money on grilled cheese. It’s the kind of thing anyone can make at home... Last night I decided that I’d do our own Gourmet Grilled Cheese Night to prove that you don’t have to be a fancy restaurant to spend your night frying bread in butter and waiting for the cheese to melt.


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Confidence among small to medium businesses is on shaky grounds with a new survey revealing it has dropped to a low not seen since the global financial crisis (GFC).
The Sensis Business Index, which interviews 1800 small to medium business owners in industries such as retail, shows owners are worried about their prospects over the next year.
“This is one of the largest quarterly falls in business confidence we have seen in the 18-year history of the report,” says report author Christine Singh.
“In a historical context, business confidence is at a low-ebb in Australia. We have really only seen business confidence lower during the peak of the GFC and the introduction of the GST.”
According to the index business also experienced weaker trading conditions last quarter and believe sales and profits will fall in the short and long term.
Singh says businesses are also negative about Australia’s economic future, not just their own ventures.
“Overall, small businesses believe the economy is currently slowing and that it will have deteriorated in a year’s time. This is the first time in a year we have seen perceptions of the economy trend into negative territory.”
Support for the Federal Government has fallen to a 15-year low. Respondents gave reasons such as a lack of incentives for small business and too many costs and policies such as the carbon tax. Fifty-three per cent fears it will have a negative impact, 41 per cent said it will have no impact while just six per cent believe it will have a positive outcome.


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December 9, 2010 - In America, John Woo is probably best known by most mainstream film fans as the director of pictures like Face/Off, Broken Arrow and Mission: Impossible II. But to cult enthusiasts and Hong Kong cinema fanatics, those films represent some of Woo's weaker works.
May 16, 2008 - Face/Off saw its first DVD release back in 1998 with a barebones edition. Paramount is now upgrading this title to a 2-disc Special Collector's Edition with a slew of special features that should bring a smile to the faces of its fans.
April 30, 2008 - After months of speculation and internal planning, Paramount Home Entertainment has finally lifted the veil on their upcoming Blu-ray slate.


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DEARBORN, MI- Led by a record performance in North America and a strong fourth-quarter, Ford Motor Co. outperformed Wall Street’s expectations in 2012.
The Dearborn-based automaker earned $5.67 billion, or $1.42 per share, last year, trumping analysts’ estimates of $1.34 per share. Ford's earnings overall last year were down from 2011, when it posted a $20.2 billion profit, but that included a one-time, non-cash tax benefit of $12.4 billion.
Ford reported a record pre-tax profit of $8.3 billion in North America, including a record pre-tax profit of $1.87 billion in the fourth quarter, which was up from $889 million during the same time period in 2011.
“Overall, despite many challenges, including the tough environment in Europe, we had a solid fourth quarter and a strong full-year thanks to our One Ford Plan,” said Ford President and CEO Alan Mulally during a conference call Tuesday morning. “All-in-all this has been a strong year for Ford.”
As part of the United Auto Workers-Ford collective bargaining agreement, Ford North America pre-tax profits of $8.3 billion will generate approximately $8,300 per eligible employee on a full year basis. Individual profit sharing payments may be higher or lower based on employee compensated hours.
Revenue for Ford in 2012 was $36.5 billion, up from $34.6 billion in 2011. Ford expects better results for North America this year, as the market increases and demand for its best-selling F-Series and new product portfolio, which includes the Escape and Fusion, are expected to grow.
The largest problem for Ford, as with the majority of automakers, continues to be Europe, which continues to be in economic turmoil. Ford lost $1.75 billion for the year, including a $732 million loss in the fourth quarter.
Ford now expects to lose about $2 billion this year in Europe, which is up from $1.5 billion earlier in the year.
Bob Shanks, Ford chief financial officer, said the company is continuing its restructuring plans in Europe, which include lowering capacity nearly 20 percent by shuttering three plants.
“Our results are consistent with prior guidance and our European transformation is proceeding according to plan,” he said during the conference call Tuesday morning. “We’re on-track to deliver a European transformation plan focused on product, brand and cost”
Mulally said Ford aims to turn its European operations around just as it did its North American operations in the late-2000s.
Outside of Europe and North America, Ford performed quite well.
Asia-Pacific operations had $39 million in pre-tax profits compared with a loss of $83 million a year earlier. For 2013, Ford expects the market to break-even, as the company continues to construct seven new facilities.
South American operations achieved a pre-tax profit of $145 million, up nearly $40 million from a year earlier.
Also, Ford's financing arm, Ford Motor Credit, reported a pre-tax profit of $1.7 billion in 2012, compared with $2.4 billion a year earlier.
Ford expects 2013 profits to be the same as 2012, led by a growing market and strong performance in North America.
“Our focus this year will be to continue our strong performance in North America and at Ford Credit, while at the same time, addressing challenges and opportunities in other parts of our business,” Shanks said in a statement.
Ford’s stock [NYSE: F] was down about 60 cents in early-morning trading to about $13.15 per share.


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CBD Oil in Indiana - Is It Legal? Where to Buy CBD Oil in Where can you buy CBD oil in Indiana. Even before CBD oil was broadly approved for legal use throughout the country as the Farming bill was adopted on December 20, 2018, it was made legal to use in Indiana – on March 2018, as Governor Eric Holcomb signed an act legalizing it in the state. Hemp CBD Legal in Indiana As a result, Indiana will become one of the first states to explicitly legalize hemp-derived CBD for retail sale. (Hemp-derived CBD, of course, already has strong legal protections – read more here.) As with much of the sausage-making process which is politics, Senate Bill 52 is not perfect. Most concerning is a potentially burdensome Shop - CBD Health of Indiana Includes 1 joint. CBD KIEF JOINTS contain a 1 gram blend of premium Industrial Hemp derived CBD FLOWER professionally filled in a King Size Cone with a filter. Now rolled with CBD KIEF on the outside. No tobacco, synthetics or additives are included in the hemp joint.
21 Nov 2017 Indiana's Attorney General Curtis Hill will issue an advisory opinion declaring CBD oil illegal in the state of Indiana.
The Governor of Indiana Has Officially Legalized CBD Oil • High On paper, Indiana has been a state where CBD (cannabidiol) oil is legal. But over the past several months, police have raided health stores and confiscated untold amounts of CBD products. Buy Full Spectrum CBD Oil in Indiana- Laws Meaning, it contains the valuable ingredients found in hemp, including phytocannabinoids (CBD, THC, CBC, CBD-V, etc.), terpenes, fatty acids, proteins, and vitamins — that other CBD oils are stripped of during processing. Is PCR hemp oil legal to buy full spectrum cbd oil in Indiana? Let’s take a look at Indiana hemp and CBD laws.
Is CBD Legal? The Legal Status of CBD in 2019 | CBD Origin
CBD oil is now legal in Indiana after nearly a year of confusion CBD oil is now legal in Indiana after nearly a year of confusion. Gov. Eric Holcomb signed a measure legalizing low-THC cannabidiol oil in Indiana Wednesday, after nearly a year of confusion over Is CBD Oil Legal In Indiana? PLUS Where to Buy CBD Oil in Indiana The usage and commercial production of CBD oil containing up to 3% THC is legal in Indiana, courtesy the 2018 Senate Bill 52. The law mandates you to affix a state-approved stamp on your medicinal marijuana to avoid legal hassle. Also, possessing the recreational form of cannabis is a felony in this midwestern U.S. state. The following passages shall elaborate … Is CBD Oil Legal In Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill: CBD is illegal Attorney General Curtis Hill: CBD is illegal. After months of confusion over the legal status of cannabidiol oil, Indiana Attorney Genera Curtis Hill deemed it mostly illegal. CBD Oil In Indiana [The Most Recent Update]
15 Oct 2019 Hoosier farmers now harvesting Indiana's first legal hemp crop in 80 years The bottom of each hemp plant will be pressed and extracted for CBD oil, Enforcement Administration to remove industrial hemp from its list of
20 Dec 2019 Is it legal to smoke or posses hemp flower in your state? Find Green Unicorn Farms' CBD hemp flower for sale here. Good news came for Indiana folks, however, when a federal judge threw out Indiana's ban on smokable those three little letters just about everywhere since Indiana legalized it: CBD. bath bombs, pet treats, gummies, tinctures, lotions, and the list goes on and on Reviews on Cbd Oil in Indianapolis, IN - Denver CBD Indianapolis, Higher Life CBD oil has been the only thing to help with my knee pain and inflammation. 18 Oct 2019 It highlights laws concerning CBD, medical marijuana, and industrial hemp in each state. Click through the map, or scroll down to the list below, to see what each state has to say about cannabidiol, Indiana CBD Laws. 10 Oct 2018 Weed isn't legal yet, but CBD oil is! These are the best shops in Chicago to find legal CBD products. 22 Mar 2019 In this article I'm going to update you on the legal status of CBD, and only CBD hemp-derived products from the Schedule 1 list under the Controlled Indiana passed a law in March of 2018 stating that anyone can buy, sell,


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As the holiday shopping season rapidly approaches, small companies are revving up online marketing efforts. But obviously not every business has a huge budget to shell out for Internet marketing. Here is some insight shared by Irfan Jafrey, CEO of Chicago’s AdRevenu, a company that has grown 100% since 2010 because of its expertise in helping companies […]
Tag: "holiday marketing"
The holidays are just around the corner and the final touches are being made to holiday marketing campaigns. Hopefully marketers and brands have included QR codes on their packaging and marketing materials – if not, they are going to be missing out on an opportunity to attract and engage consumers to buy products and services. […]


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It’s the time of year again for one of New York City’s biggest celebrations – Chinese New Year!
Chinese New Year is an exciting time in New York City’s Chinatown. There are some fantastic events, lots of decorations, special foods and their world famous Chinese New Year Parade.
Chinese New Year is also called Lunar New Year. It is February 10th this year. There will be a firecracker ceremony and cultural festival on the 10th to celebrate. Chinatown’s famous Luna New Year Parade will be held on February 17th.
Chinese (Lunar) New Year is the most important holiday out of all the traditional Chinese holidays. There are twelve animals in the Chinese zodiac and every year falls into the sign of one of these animals. This year will be the Year of the Snake. You can read more about the Chinese New Year here.
The Lunar New Year parade is an exciting event with traditional and modern singing, dancing, music, dress and costumes, dragons, drums, marching bands and more.
There will also be street vendors selling food and goodies to eat while enjoying the festivities.
Here is a short video from last year’s Chinese New Year Parade in New York City:


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Secret Diners Needed For New Campaign
Since 2013, Out to Lunch has been investigating the food served to children outside the home to find out if our kids are getting the fresh, delicious and healthy food they deserve. Our 2013 and 2015 surveys focused on high street chains, while last year’s campaign went in search of good food in the UK’s favourite family attractions. This year we’re back on the high street checking up on how our chains are getting on and putting some new faces under the spotlight too - and we need your help!
The Out to Lunch campaign
Out to Lunch wants eating out to be a real treat for children and their parents. The campaign is putting pressure on restaurants, cafes and family-friendly pubs across the country to cook fresh interesting meals, use quality ingredients, make healthy eating easy, and give families a warm welcome.
Previous years have found kids’ menus dominated by the usual suspects – fish fingers, nuggets, burgers – and free refills of fizzy drinks packed with sugar. Parents have told us they want more of the good stuff. Following previous league tables, a number of the chains we surveyed made some fantastic changes to their menus. However, for many, there is still a lot to do.
With input from our undercover diners we will be publishing a new league table later this year. This time round we will be shining a spotlight on puddings. Which restaurants are serving fresh and seasonal fruit? Which are serving huge portions crammed with sugar? Which restaurants are promoting calorie packed ‘treats’? With your help we can find out.
We need you - volunteer as a secret diner
Are you a parent who loves taking your kids out to eat but struggles to find healthy options? Do you want to help transform children’s food on the high street? Then we have a job for you! We need parents to go undercover as secret diners to help us survey high street restaurants this summer.
You don’t need to be an expert, just willing to work with us to survey two restaurants during the summer holidays in July and August this year. Volunteers will have their children’s meals paid for and will be kept up to date with all the latest campaign news.
If you’d like to volunteer as a secret diner please complete the short survey to confirm your interest. The survey must be completed no later than 21st June 2017, and we will get back to you as soon as we can to let you know if you’re in our restaurant review team. With your help we can continue to create positive change to children’s food on the high street


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Dell Inc (NASDAQ:DELL)’s special committee has again expressed disdain for the stock buyback proposal offered by activist investor Carl Icahn. He suggested that the PC maker begin a $14 per share tender offer last week, and on Friday, Dell’s special committee rejected it for the first time.
Today’s Rejection From Dell
Today’s rejection is reported by DealBook’s Michael J. De La Merced. The company again has argued that Carl Icahn’s plan has a significant shortfall in financing which makes it worth less than the $24.4 billion go-private offer from founder Michael Dell.
Dell Inc (NASDAQ:DELL) made its latest argument via another presentation for investors. The company’s special committee started with the $15.6 billion in cash that Icahn said would be available to fund his tender offer. It subtracted the minimum amount of money the committee said the company would need on hand and the company’s near-term debt maturities.
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That left just $12.7 billion in cash that would be available for the offer. It would mean that if Dell Inc (NASDAQ:DELL) did move forward with Icahn’s tender proposal, it could only pay $8.15 in cash if all of its shareholders other than Icahn and his partner Southeastern Asset Management tendered their shares. It’s a similar argument to the one the committee made to Icahn’s leveraged buyout offer.
The committee also pointed out that Icahn’s proposal still requires him to set up the other financing that would be necessary. He hasn’t named any names yet, although he did say that a “major investment bank” would cover $1.6 billion and that he would provide $2 billion. Dell also said Icahn hasn’t provided enough evidence that he has the financing fully arranged or the additional information its board of directors has requested.
Icahn’s Financing For His Plan For Dell
We do actually have some signs this morning that Icahn may be lining up the financing his leveraged buyout plan for Dell requires. Sources have said this morning that Jefferies Group LLC (NYSE:JEF) is working on a $5.2 billion loan for Carl Icahn, which would support his efforts to acquire Dell. The funding is said to be divided into two loans, a $2.2 billion six-year term loan B-1 and a $3 billion three-year term loan B-2. The loans are expected to be revealed at a lender’s call this afternoon.


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Volkswagen to Reveal New Electric Beach Buggy
Nothing screams summer like a beach buggy, and Volkswagen have just brightened up a rather cold winter with news that a new Meyers Manx inspired dune buggy will be revealed at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show in March. Though this time it will be lacking that sweet smell of petrol fumes (surely on a par with freshly cut grass as evocative smells go) and the chug of a flat-4 engine… this will be an electric beach buggy concept.
The ID Buggy is still pretty much under wraps at the moment, but these tentative shots give us an idea of where VW is going with this. It looks like the ID Buggy will be true to the recognised classic style of a dune buggy with high wheel arches and a sweeping body design with no roof or doors. VW’s head of design Klaus Bischoff describes it as a “modern, non-retro interpretation of a classic”, which might seem strange, as from what we can see so far it certainly hasn’t moved too far from the myriad of variations on a theme dating back to the sixties and seventies – certainly not as much as the reborn Beetle.
Lighting for the ID Buggy will be taken care of by circular LEDs, while the buggy will be powered along by what is almost certainly to be the same powertrain that will sit inside the ID hatchback which is due to appear either later this year or in 2020.
We can’t get too excited yet, as this is still only a concept – though Volkswagen does say that they are entirely open to eventually including an ID Buggy in the ID line-up. As is often the case with concepts, those holding the purse strings at VW will be keenly watching to see how journalists and public alike react to the Geneva reveal.
Interestingly, if you dig a little further, it turns out that VW appears to be feeling a bit nostalgic at the moment, for the ID Buggy is part of a triptych of retro-themed vehicles – one we are already familiar with in the ID Buzz Cargo Microbus which was shown in LA last autumn. The Buzz is being considered for sometime around 2021. The third vehicle we know even less about than the ID Buggy; it will be 5-door hatchback that will have some connection to the (classic) Beetle. Now that sounds intriguing.
The actual southern California company of Meyers Manx is still around too – and still doing what they do best; producing classic style dune buggy kits and parts. Bruce Meyers produced his first 12 buggies in 1964 using the standard VW Beetle running gear and suspension.
But will the ID Buggy make it to full production or just remain a cute concept? Promisingly, with a nod to how the original beach buggy borrowed the chassis of the Beetle, VW say that the MEB platform could be used in the same way, allowing for smaller, more niche production runs alongside the big sellers.
Images: goodwood.com, silodrome.com, autocar.co.uk
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Majestic Wine is on course to change its name to Naked Wines, rebranding some of its more than 200 stores to Naked Wines and closing others.
The wine retailer today set out plans to put its Naked Wines pureplay front and centre of its retail business. The new business model will see Majestic customers and stores move to the Naked Wines brand, although some stores will close. How many shops will close should become clearer when the retailer sets out its full transformation plan in June, alongside full-year results. Currently, Majestic Wine, founded in 1980 has 211 stores.
Majestic Wine is led by Rowan Gormley who founded Naked Wines in 2008 and joined Majestic in April 2015 as group chief executive, when Majestic bought Naked Wines. Today the enlarged group set out its initial plans to release capital from Majestic Wine, which sells to customers and commercial customers through a multichannel model, in order to invest in expanding Naked Wines.
Gormley said in today’s statement: “It is clear that Naked Wines has the potential for strong sustainable growth, and we will deliver the best results for our shareholders, customers, people and suppliers by focusing all our energies on delivering that potential.
“We also believe that a transformed Majestic business does have the potential to be a long-term winner, but that we risk not maximising the potential of Naked if we try to do both. Where we have no choice but to close stores we will aim to minimise job losses by migration into Naked.
Therefore we have taken a decision to focus all of our capital and energies into delivering the long-term potential of Naked, and releasing value from Majestic. Our plans for doing this are well advanced, and we look forward to sharing the final details in June.”
Since Majestic bought Naked Wines in 2015, Naked has more than doubled in size, with sales expected to pass £175m this year. Almost 45% of Majestic Wine group sales are now online and more than 20% are international. Now the retailer plans to refocus its investment into Naked Wines, and expects to boost its new customer investment in Naked by £6m a year to an annual £26m – from which it expects an average fourfold payback. The cash to do that will come from selling assets and closing stores.
Since 2015, Naked has expanded its direct links with winemakers and now works with a portfolio of 200, who it pays up front to make wines for its customers. Customers of the pureplay wine business are known as ‘Angels’, subscribing a set amount each month which they then spend ordering wine. There’s a social element to the business as members recommend the wines that they like on the Naked Wines platform. The Naked business has been built on the idea of freeing winemakers from the need to market their wines, thus enabling them to cut the cost of the final bottle to customers, who then use the money they have accumulated to buy at a discount.
The update came as the Majestic Wine group said it expected to hit its £500m sales target in the year to April 1 2019. It also expects pre-tax profits to meet expectations. Majestic Wine is currently ranked a Top250 retailer in IRUK Top500 research, while Naked Wines is Top500.
Commenting on the plan, Paul Hickman, head of consumer research at Edison Investment Research, said: “Majestic is making the inevitable response to the success of its growth child Naked Wines, outlining a transformation plan to reform the entire group around Naked.”
At the time of writing, however, investors did not appear initially to have warmed to the idea, with Majestic Wine’s share price falling by 11% today to 239p.
Image courtesy of Majestic Wine


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During Intel Vision event 2022, the company confirmed that these CPUs are made for workstation-grade laptops, and OEMs like Lenovo, Asus, and Dell will soon be coming up with laptops with processors like the Intel Core 12960HX, the most powerful laptop processor, period. OnePlus Ace Racing Edition Spotted On India’s Official Website; Launch Expected SoonOnePlus Ace Racing Edition Spotted On India’s Official Website; Launch Expected Soon. While these new Intel Core HX processors were expected to be limited to laptop workstations, dedicated toward professional usage, a new leak suggests Asus might launch a variant of the ROG Strix Scar 15 gaming laptop with the Intel Core i9-12900HX processor with up to 5.2GHz CPU clock speed.
The 12th Generation Intel Core HX series is Intel’s most powerful laptop CPU family. These CPUs have a basic TDP of 55W, which is over 20% more than the DTP of standard 12th Gen Intel Core H/HK series processors. Similarly, the 12th Generation Intel Core HX processors have a boost TPD of up to 157W, making them the most powerful laptop CPUs ever. Asus Is Preparing To Release The World’s Most Powerful Gaming Laptop.
Intel Core i9-12900HX, powering the new ROG Strix Scar 15 is the second most powerful laptop CPU, which comes right after the Intel Core i9-12950HX. Asus will likely combine the Intel Core i9-12900HX with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti laptop GPU, the most powerful notebook-class graphics card. Asus Is All Set To Launch World’s Most Powerful Gaming Laptop. Gizfit 910 Pro Smartwatch Review- One of the most Well-Packaged Budget Wearable Gizfit 910 Pro Smartwatch Review- One of the most Well-Packaged Budget Wearable
The upcoming Asus ROG Strix Scar 15 with the Intel Core i9-12900HX is expected to be an expensive gaming laptop, and could easily cost around Rs. 3,00,000 whenever it launches in India. Along with the high-end SKU, Asus might also launch an affordable variant of the ROG Strix Scar 15 with standard Intel Core H series processors.
The new ROG Strix Scar 15, powered by the Intel Core i9-12900HX is scheduled to launch on 17th May 2022 in China, and the device is expected to launch in other markets such as India in the coming weeks. Hence, if you are looking for the most powerful gaming laptop of this year, it is best to wait for a few more weeks, as we expect more brands to launch their top-tier gaming laptops with a 12th Gen Intel Core HX processor.