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In the past, the process to deliver our 3D products into Latin America was somewhat of a cost prohibitive challenge. But with local integration, we have been able to establish a simple, easy and economical solution...
Past News ReleasesRSS
Sao Paulo, Brasil (PRWEB) May 12, 2014
Exceptional 3D, the world’s leading provider of 3D digital signage solutions, today announced the opening of an integration facility to service South & Central America. Now, Exceptional 3D’s patented, glasses-free 3D technology will be easily available for resellers and end-users throughout the entire Latin American market. This introduction of a local integration facility also coincides with Exceptional 3D’s auto-stereoscopic 3D display solutions and products being featured at TechnoMultimedia InfoCOMM BRASIL 2014. The InfoCOMM International Brasil 2014 event is being held at Centro de Exposiciones Imigrantes, May 13 – May 15, in Sao Paulo, Brasil.
“We’re very excited to bring our glasses-free 3D digital signage into Brasil,” said Mike Egan, CEO of Exceptional 3D. “We’ve invested a lot time into this effort after recognizing the demand for our 3D products,” continued Mr. Egan, “and we believe the timing could not be better with less than a month until the World Cup and the 2016 Olympics.” Mr. Egan finished in saying, “in the past, the process to deliver our 3D products into Latin America was somewhat of a cost prohibitive challenge. But with local integration, we have been able to establish a simple, easy and economical solution to answer the call for our 3D digital signage throughout Latin America without any strain.”
TechnoMultimedia InfoCOMM BRASIL 2014 is being held at Centro de Exposiciones Imigrantes, May 13 – May 15, in Sao Paulo, Brasil. The Exceptional 3D digital signage solutions, capable of playing both 3D content, as well as legacy 2D content in sequence or at the same time through content management software will be staged throughout the entirety of the show. Crowds can engage an entirely future-proof 3D digital signage experience in booths #92, #93 and #100.
To obtain more information from the industry-leading 3D digital signage solutions provider or schedule a meeting with an Exceptional 3D associate, email Mike Egan at mikeegan (at) exceptional3D (dot) com or stop by booth #92, #93 and #100 during InfoCOMM BRASIL.
ABOUT EXCEPTIONAL 3D
Headquartered in New York, Exceptional 3D (http://www.exceptional3d.com) designs, produces and delivers a patented, leading-edge 3D auto-stereoscopic (no glasses needed) visual display technology. The company specializes in providing high quality auto-stereoscopic 3D displays, software and 3D content to resellers, system integrators, trendsetters and network operators for widespread adaptation at cost effective prices. Exceptional 3D hardware and software solutions are a ‘future-proof’ technology that enables flat-panel displays to show high-definition 3D content without the need for any eyewear or 3D glasses, while still being capable of supporting playback of standard 2D content. The company is ‘keeping it simple’ through first-in-class customer service and continual focus on delivering the best 3D experience for industries such as automotive, casino gaming, retail, cinemas, hospitality and a wide variety of additional vertical markets. More information about Exceptional 3D is available by visiting http://www.exceptional3d.com or following @exceptional3d on Twitter.


text: The Eastern Cape, home to four of South Africa’s automakers, will soon launch its automotive cluster initiative to support this key sector. The province’s MEC for Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Mcebisi Jonas, said the goal of the initiative is “to drive a series of priority regional interventions” to support the sector. General Motors, Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz and Ford have manufacturing bases in the province and the local supply chain consists of roughly 80 major automotive suppliers within a 1500-company strong automotive value chain. The total auto sector related industry employs about 40 000 workers in the Eastern Cape, the ministry said. Jonas said in a statement, recent meetings with automakers, key component suppliers and industry associations had shown there was support for the establishment of an auto cluster in the province.MAIN ISSUEThese meetings had also highlighted a number of issues, he said, chiefly logistics. "Logistics was singled out as the key competitive disadvantage of the Eastern Cape and South African automotive sector in general,” Jonas said."The cost structure of the local logistics system, in terms of port charges in particular, was identified as being significantly higher than elsewhere."Jonas also said "key connectivity" needed to be enhanced in three critical corridors between Port Elizabeth and Gauteng, East London and Gauteng, and East London and Port Elizabeth. Connectivity between Uitenhage and the Port of Ngqura was another "critical area", as was the expansion of the Port of East London.Jonas said a series of meetings from January 16 to 20, 2012, would be an opportunity to "flesh out the agenda and key minimum programmes within each of the focus areas of the cluster initiative".

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A gathering entitled “Back to the future for a more humane economy” was held March 4 at the Italian embassy to the Holy See. Entrepreneurs, scholars and economists came together for a more just, inclusive and sustainable economy, in line with the upcoming “The Economy of Francis” event.
“In 2000 we opened a small cosmetics company in a 60-square-meter space, with only one employee. Today we work in a building that is 7,500 square meters with 43 people working, and we produce about 100,000 pieces per day.
“People are our profit and our strength.”
So says Marco Piccolo, 45, an entrepreneur from Turin, Italy, who has four children and also finds time to educate young people in his parish.
He and his company joined AIPEC, the Italian Association of Entrepreneurs for an Economy of Communion. The association is linked to Focolare founder Chiara Lubich’s insights of an economic model that puts people and a “culture of giving” at the heart of business.
Reynaldi is a company that has bet heavily on young people and women (currently 70% of their employees and managers), as well as environmental sustainability: the company does not emit CO2, does not waste water or harm the environment. These attributes mean many large companies in northern Europe and the United States buy their products.
“With entrepreneurial vision you can transform an economic system, do things well and focus on caring for the people in the company,” he says at a gathering in Rome at the Italian embassy to the Holy See called “Back to the future for a more humane economy”. The event was promoted by Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, the Focolare Movement and the Italian Embassy to the Holy See. It came from an idea to offer an opportunity to reflect on today’s economic system and the need to start a global renewal so that the economy of the future will be more just, inclusive and sustainable. It is in line with the “The Economy of Francis” event called for by the Holy Father, to be held in Assisi next November.
Piccolo’s company is a virtuous example of a more humane economy in action. It is an economy that, in the words of Pope Francis, “brings to life and does not kill, includes and does not exclude, takes care of creation and does not plunder it”.
Reynaldi was one of the first companies in Italy to transform its legal structure from a for-profit firm to a ‘benefit company’, which means it integrates in its corporate mission, alongside its objective of profit, the goal to have a positive impact on society and the biosphere.
“We take care of the people who work with us, and that’s why we don’t want working hours to be overwhelming,” says Piccolo. “We want there to be time to live for family and for people to be well.”
There have been many virtuous companies or cooperatives in the wake of Piccolo’s. Take Conad, a cooperative Italian large-scale retail company, which involves Caritas offices so as not to waste food from its supermarkets, allocating it to those in need. Or when buying products from other companies, they verify whether they exploit child labour or illegal hiring.
“If each of us does our part, both in our actions and by injecting wellbeing into the community, this can contribute to an overall improvement in society,” says Francesco Pugliese, CEO of Conad, who spoke at the conference.
If we want to redefine economic progress for the future, we need to involve young people who know how to ask questions, speak out and find important answers. And the popes intends them to be the architects of the Economy of Francis.
“We know that St. Francis of Assisi is a source of inspiration for a way of understanding the economy and finance,” says Sister Alessandra Smerilli, Councillor of State for Vatican City. “We hope that the November event will help us rediscover this.
“In Assisi the young people will try to make proposals and work in 12 thematic villages, where we will try to cover all the important issues and present a proposal for each village. It is a personal commitment, but also a commitment to institutions, business and politics,” she concludes.
There is certainly a need for networking, dialogue between institutions, businesses and universities to find solutions to help young people find work. As Ambassador Pietro Sebastiani reminded us: “Today’s world is more complex than it used to be, and many societies have been experiencing the scourge of youth unemployment for too long. But opportunities exist, and everyone must pursue his or her own talent.”


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“Even though consumers may think their shopping is done, they find themselves back in stores — a little bit of spend creep comes in,” said Bill Martin, founder of ShopperTrak, a retail research firm.
Research firms like ShopperTrak predicted more spending this year nationally: ShopperTrak predicted a 3.3 percent increase in holiday spending.
The National Retail Federation, a trade group, predicted a 4.1 percent increase in holiday shopping, up to $586.1 billion.
The notion that a long shopping season matters may sound counterintuitive: Don’t shoppers have a fixed list to buy for? Won’t they stop once their list is all checked off?
“Christmas time isn’t just buying for that list,” said Garrick Brown, director of research for Terranomics in San Francisco. It’s all the last-second things they get for themselves. It’s the impulse buys. They add and they (consumers) end up spending more than their targeted amount.”
The long shopping season also includes an extra full weekend of shopping. Last year, Christmas fell on a Sunday, curtailing the shopping season as families rushed off to their holiday dinners on Saturday, Christmas Eve. This year, Christmas falls on a Tuesday, leaving all of Sunday and half of Monday for shopping.
“With the Monday of Christmas Eve, you get the full effect of the weekend and the bonus effect of Monday, which everybody has off,” said Brian Miller, owner of La Jolla-based Geppetto’s Toys, which has eight locations in the county.
This year also has convenient timing for Hanukkah, which starts Dec. 9. Judaism relies on a lunar calendar, so the holiday can start as early as Nov. 27 or as late as Dec. 22.
“If it’s too early, it sneaks up on people,” Miller said. “So I don’t get as big of a bang for it. It’s not good at all if it’s at the end of November.”
The extra-long shopping season isn’t long enough for some retailers. Walmart will open at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving, as will Kmart and Sears. Some local Ace Hardware stores will have their Black Friday promotions on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. All of these stores have the same goal: front-load the shopping to snag gift dollars before the competition.
In most cases, owners of small businesses will lay back and wait until late in the Thanksgiving weekend to have their sales.
“Black Friday is the bigger mall or the bigger places,” said Steve Bernier, manager of Mankind, a store for men’s clothing and products in Hillcrest. “Park the car in one place, you shop till you drop for five hours. Boutiques like us, it’s a destination.”
Bernier will have his sales on “Small Business Saturday,” the Saturday after Thanksgiving. He’ll try to goose sales by bundling goods, like a “weekend away” package that includes T-shirt and beach accessories.
The calendar isn’t the only factor that might propel shoppers to do more buying this year. House prices have started to climb locally, as have sales, and people with new homes tend to buy things. Also, consumer confidence almost reached a five-year high last month.
“It’s going to be better than last year, just from what we’ve seen in sales so far this year — we’ve been trending up all year,” said Tom Tierney, senior vice president for San Diego for mall operator Westfield.
Smaller retailers in the region are optimistic, too.
“In spite of the economy and everything, the store has been doing really well,” Bernier said. “I’m hoping it will be better than last year.”


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HTC One E9+ Spotted on the Company’s China Website
There was recently rumours about an HTC’s new device known as the A55 which flaunted some amazing specs. The device was to be a part of the company’s Desire line of handsets. Now the company has gone ahead and quietly posted the A55 on its Chinese website but with a new name. It is now called the HTC One E9+.
The specifications for the device is close to what was previously rumored about the A55. It sports 5.5″ Quad HD display and is powered by a 64-bit, octa-core MediaTek MT6795M chipset along with 2GB RAM. It offers 16GB of internal storage which is expandable, but the limit hasn’t been stated yet. The device will be juiced up through a 2800 mAh battery.
It offers a 13 MP camera at the back and 4MP UltraPixel camera in the front. It features a metal frame design and would be a refreshing change over last year’s HTC One E8 which had an appealing design but was made of plastic. The device runs HTC Sense 7 UI based on Android Lollipop.
There are a few discrepancies in the websites relating to specs at the moment, so some of these specs may change with updates to the website. But looking at the features, it appears that like last year, HTC plans to bring a slightly stripped down version of its flagship, the HTC One M9. The One E9+ will be available in meteor grey, gold sepia, and two-tone classic rose gold colour options.


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(July 18, 2016) A 3D printed smartphone case that may better support and cool smartphones has recently been designed and prototype printed.
Made to look like a real life Pokédex, SparkFun user NPOOLE created the battery pack with the intention of helping Pokemon Go players play for longer amounts of time. The case fits a Samsung Galaxy S4 and “hides a 2,600 mAh battery pack” for sustained gameplay, reported 3Ders.org.
“According to its designer, this is just the first iteration – with cooling fans and extra batteries planned for the near future,” reported 3Ders.org.
To read more, click here.


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The centre was due to open earlier this year, the opening has been delayed due to Covid19 and finalising the terms of the lease. The health centre will not open on 1 September 2020 as recently stated in the local media.
Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Clinical Commissioning Groups are working with OneMedical Group to get the new centre open as soon as possible and exploring the possibility of operating a remote service using telephone, online and video consultations.
Patients can express their interest in registering at the new Whitehouse Health Centre by emailing the team on:
or ringing OneMedical Group’s support centre on 0113 2843 158.
Patients can also sign up to receive the latest information about the centre by visiting
www.facebook.com/Whitehouse-Health-Centre-100332778394917 where updates are shared on a regular basis.


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Sony announced that the Vision-S electric vehicle is maneuvering through the roads. The Japanese mega technology company is in the process of finalizing the tests on this prototype electric car to reach the desired level of perfection. The company revealed this in a technology meeting called CES 2021 and that the test runs are ongoing in Austria. These tests will enable the company to assess the prototype’s technical potential and analyze how to advance the electric car model’s safety. The completion of these tests will determine the company’s next step. The company also plans to conduct more test drives in other areas to ensure that it is plausible for use globally.
The company pointed out that the car has a pair of 200-kilowatt motors to boost the running of the car, with the entire vehicle weighing 2350 kilograms. The vehicle has 40 detectors to observe the car’s safety and facilitate operations like parking and reversing. Since Sony is a company dealing in electronics and technology, the prototype is like the company’s mega plan or expansion strategy to channel more revenue sources for the company. The company stated that the project would outline the future aspirations of its venturing mobility technology on its website. The company is partnering with Magna Steyr, which develops electric vehicles. The head of this company, Frank Klein, called this project the beginning of more projects in this joint venture.
The entourage of Sony into the electric vehicle industry is a strategic move that comes amid the growing rivalry and channeling of resources by the other industry operators to compete with Tesla. Tesla infiltrated the electric vehicle market with close to 500000 vehicles last year. Elsewhere, Volkswagen Group announced that it generated over 100000 battery-electric vehicles ramping up from the previous year’s 45000. Moreover, the company sold over 75000 plug-in hybrids doubling the previous year’s sales. The chief executive of Volkswagen Passenger Cars, Ralf Brandstätter, stated that the sales are on a profit high and they anticipate this trend to proceed over the coming years.
He explained that they are ascending to the leadership of battery electric vehicles’ production if they continue with the outlined strategies. Elsewhere, the chief executive of Daimler, Ola Källenius, articulated that the transportation industry is switching to models that are less emissive with advanced and innovative technology. Ola pointed out that the industry is on the verge of changing to clean energy technology. The electrification and digitization of systems and operations will realign the transportation industry to become a hive of profits.https://minernews.io/


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Seagate's drive plans include 500 GBs and encryption
Seagate Technology unveiled its 2005 lineup on Wednesday, which takes drives to the half-terabyte level and introduces a product family that encrypts data.
Over the course of the year, Seagate will unveil twelve new products, executives said, incorporating the company's shift to perpendicular recording, a technique of aligning the magnetic grains within the drive to increase its storage density.
By Mark Hachman at ExtremeTech.
[ Read more ]
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Wells Elementary School PTSA to Hold ‘ALL-4-KIDS Consignment Sale’ at Wells Elementary School on October 26th
Post date: Oct 18, 2013 6:37:43 PM
Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) for Wells Elementary School is holding their Fall Annual ‘All-4-Kids Consignment Sale’ on Saturday, October 26th from 8 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. Parents and others in the general public are invited to browse and shop for bargains in the WES gymnasium. The sale will take place inside the Wells Elementary School gymnasium rain or shine.
Items for sale include girls’ and boys’ fall and winter clothing with sizes from newborn to size 18; children’s shoes and boots; toys; books; games; sports equipment; baby items and children’s furniture.
This is a great opportunity to get some great kids’ fall/winter items at very reasonable prices while supporting Wells Elementary School. Those who plan on attending should consider shopping early for the best selection.
With funds generated from events like the ALL-4-KIDS Consignment Sale, the PTSA is able to sponsor popular annual events at WES including Colors Day and Starz for Broadway. PTSA money is also granted to teachers for requested classroom items not covered in the District’s budget.
Wells Elementary School is located at 279 Sanford Road (Rte.109) in Wells. For more information, please contact the PTSA at 646-5953 EXT 4330, or e-mail firstname.lastname@example.org.
Photo caption: A file photo of an ALL-4-KIDS Consignment Sale at Wells Elementary School. This is where the next sale will be held on Saturday, October 26th.


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As we head into the peak selling/buying months in Summit County it is important to know that our mountain resort communities are holding strong on to the price gains made in the past and they continue to break new grounds here in the first part of 2022. One of my favorite places in Summit County is the Silverthorne area. With its proximity just off of I-70 and bisected by Colorado Highway 9. It offers an ideal and secluded feel away from the hustle and bustle of the ski resorts but with the practicality of being close for those sought-after powder days and the conveniences of shopping and dining nearby. Prices on residential properties, which includes condos, townhomes and single-family homes have seen an astounding 51.7% increase in prices over 2021. This just in the first 5 months of 2022. The average price of $1,472,808 is well above the price in 2021 year-end of $971,161. Land prices are also up, nearly 20% over 2021. The average price in Silverthorne in the first five months of 2022 is $542,200. With the ability for so many workers to conduct business remotely we are finding that many would rather live where they wish and that is often not close to the traditional “office”. Come explore Summit County and if you find it the playground you want to call home or maybe call a second home contact us today.
Silverthorne Prices Up Across the Board
Read More »
Solterra in Green Mountain are seeing moderating home prices with the average closed price up 10.4% over the year end 2021 closed average price. Prices


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Progress towards protecting Scottish waters
Wet wipes containing plastic could be banned as part of proposals to tackle plastic and microplastic pollution.
The consultation, which is being undertaken by all four UK nations, seeks views on a proposed ban on the manufacture, supply and sale of plastic-containing wet wipes across the UK.
Wet wipes containing plastic break down into microplastics over time, which can be harmful to the environment and human health.
Banning these products would help alleviate this issue, as well as reducing the volume of microplastics entering wastewater treatment plants when wrongly flushed.
The consultation comes in response to public calls for action to tackle plastic pollution in waterways, and widespread support for the proposed ban.
Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater said:
“This is very welcome progress towards a goal we all want to achieve: tackling plastic pollution.
“Wet wipes containing plastic are an avoidable and yet a growing source of beach litter.
“They are unsightly; they pose risks to the environment and wildlife; and annually they contribute to around 36,000 sewer system blockages in Scotland, risking flooding and costing approximately £7 million to clear.
“This is only the first step: legislation alone cannot solve this issue and we all need to be more careful about what we flush.
“We continue to support Scottish Water’s ‘Nature Calls’ campaign highlighting the impact of inappropriately-flushed items and the damage they cause to our environment.
“We have already successfully delivered a ban on other single-use plastic products such as straws and cutlery – which also contribute to marine litter.
“This will deliver on a commitment made in our Marine Litter Strategy and is another important step on our journey towards a truly circular economy.”


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One person in America still has original ideas.
GLENDALE, CA -- Elon Musk has joined Disney's Imagineering as a creative consultant. [Ed.: Didn't we just say that in the headline?]
Uncle Walt's Insider found that the move came after Disney was looking for some sort of ideas for new attractions to put into the parks, but admitted they were out of original ideas and could only turn to Hollywood. And then they discovered that Hollywood is also out of original ideas.
Disney (the company) spokesperson ...
It's 100% effective at stopping the virus, and can be made with common household materials.
COLLEGE STATION, TX -- This may be the break Disneyland officials have been waiting for! Researchers at the Texas A&M University Department of Biotechnology and Concrete Husbandry have announced a new masking solution that is 100% effective at preventing the spread of Covid-19.
"It's so simple, we don't know why we didn't think of it before," says A&M (the college) spokesperson Jun Aggie (no relation). "We've been using ...
Sure, the picture looks the same, but you can tell it's in Texas from all the concealed-carry bulges.
TWITTER -- As predicted by absolutely nobody, Fake Theme Park has joined the growing list of entities that have announced they are moving to Texas.
In a now-deleted tweet, the popular theme park announced that they would be relocating from their current home in **FILLER TEXT** [Ed.: Be sure to find out where they're located before we publish this!] to a swampy inlet not far from ...
Maybe cloth face masks filter out the magic?
WALT DISNEY WORLD, FL -- Fans of the Walt Disney World Resort & Spa are still reeling over the loss of the Magical Express and Extra Magic Hours [Ed.: And pavement]. But like seemingly everything else these days, there is worse news behind the bad news.
Disney has almost completely exhausted its store of magic.
"We've been draining our magic supplies like crazy in the past few months," confesses Disney (the company) spokesperson Jun Disney ...
We suspect it was the source of all of the good ideas anyway.
GLENDALE CA -- Good news from Disney Imagineering headquarters! Although legendary Imagineer Joe Rohde will be retiring effective January 4 of next year, his famed earring will continue working for the foreseeable future.
The earring, which unsuccessfully ran for president earlier this year (and which may be an alien), made the announcement on its official Twitter account.
No announcement has been made as to how the earring intends to get to ...


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Will OnePlus 6T software be updated on the T-Mobile version? According to a leak, OnePlus has listed the 6T smartphone in Thunder Purple variant as one of the options in the companies official support page. That's topped off by the sharing of a gif which simply shows the prices of the two devices being entered into a minimalist representation of a calculator, roughly $512 for the OnePlus 6T and $283 for the Poco F1.
I was in New York City for the launch of the company's most ambitious model yet: the OnePlus 6T.
Who cares about wireless charging when you get Fast Charge?
It's also the first time a OnePlus device will be compatible with the Verizon network, although they will not be directly selling the phone through their stores.
The OnePlus 6T is on sale now starting at $550 dollars for a 128-gigabyte model.
It is equipped with top-of-the-line specs including Qualcomm's flagship processor, Snapdragon 845 SoC which, combined with OnePlus' clean swift interfaces makes it one of the fastest smartphones available.
The latest smartphone from OnePlus is here, the OnePlus 6T, and with it comes much of the same formula that OnePlus fans love about the company's devices. OnePlus has posted some of those details on their blog so you'll know what to expect from the carrier model of the device. The OnePlus 6T with 6GB RAM & 128GB of storage is priced at Rs 37,999 while the 8GB RAM variant of the OnePlus 6T with 128GB and 256GB of storage options is priced at Rs 41,999 and Rs 45,999 respectively. The rear-facing fingerprint sensor is completely gone - OnePlus is the first company to launch a phone in the USA with an in-display fingerprint sensor. The phone's equipped with a 3,700 mAh battery, and in our testing, it proved to be more than capabale for lasting well through a full day even with intensive use.
The camera setup of the OnePlus 6T is similar to that of the OnePlus 6.
The latest smartphone from OnePlus launches with an invisible fingerprint reader in the screen itself, plus an incredible combination of features for the price.


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GM in the Barrel, AgainDavid Welch
Here we go again. With truck sales in an out-and-out freefall, we once again have talk that General Motors will lose another sales crown. This one would be trailing Toyota not just in the global markets, but here at home in the US of A. Some media reports have hinted that GM’s 0% finance offers are targeted toward keeping Toyota off GM’s tail.
I don’t buy it. And hopefully, GM Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner and President and COO Fritz Henderson aren’t thinking that way, either. I doubt they are. Sales crowns mean nothing when a company is fighting for survival. More likely, GM is trying to squeeze every last sale in this weakest of car markets to keep cash rolling in the door. When I wrote about GM’s cash problems several weeks ago, Wall Street analysts variously estimated that GM would run down to—or close to—its bare minimum of cash of about $10 billion by the end of next year. And that was before June sales started sinking like a Hummer dropped in the Detroit River. It was also before Standard & Poor’s put the Detroit carmakers on watch for a possible downgrade deeper into junk territory. As Gimme Credit analyst Shelly Lombard put it, everyone sees GM burning a lot of cash, but there’s a lot of uncertainty over where the truck market bottoms out.
So here we are in summer 2008 and GM is back to where the company was in its dark 2005, only worse in some ways. Market share fell below 20% in May. It was 26% at the end of 2005. The drop in truck sales has GM once again buying out another round of workers. About 19,000 will head off into early retirement or take some kind of buyout deal. GM bought out 34,500 of them with a deal done in 2005. Like 2005, cash is burning and only overseas operations are making any money.
The good news is that GM has already done some of the restructuring it needs. It has a labor deal which will help in the next two years. And its newest passenger cars and crossover suvs are selling. The company is even boosting production at its car plants. Those new vehicles, like the Chevy Malibu sedan and Buick Enclave crossover suv, sell at much higher prices than their weak predecessors. That makes once thinly-profitable cars ( or money losers) look a little better on the income and cash flow statements.
The problem is that those bright signs only mitigate the greater damage that comes from the drop in pickup truck and suv sales. As evidence, GM will build 170,000 fewer trucks in the second half of the year and only 47,000 more cars. And those cars don’t generate as much cash as the trucks once did. GM had almost $24 billion in cash at the end of March. The company has said that it needs $18 billion to $20 billion to last an ugly downturn. The company will likely have to raise cash. Hopefully for GM’s sake, it has planned for a downturn that is as ugly as the one we're seeing today.
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Fashion store to hold sale-A A +A
Thursday, July 12, 2012
A RENTAL and retail fashion store in Talisay City will hold a garage sale on Saturday, June 14, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Ramona Village 2.
The Florida Fashions is offering door prizes to the first 25 customers.
On Sunday, the store will hold Run Way Fashion Show 2012 from 2:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. in the Tabunok Sports Complex. Admission to the event is free, the store said in a press statement.
The Florida Fashions said it chose its name because all its items were purchased in Orlando, Florida. The store sells “barely-used” clothing, jewelry, bags and shoes.
The store was founded by Emily Abregana-Anaya, a full time special education teacher in Meadow Woods Middle School, Orange County Public School in Orlando. She once worked for UK fashion retail store Oasis in Bahrain.
“It is through that experience that she developed her visual merchandising, purchasing and daily store operational skills. Although, teaching is her first passion, she has huge desire and interests with fashionable clothing wear,” the store said in a press statement.
The store said the fashion show they will stage on Sunday will feature real life people who have never experience any professional modeling.”
“I think this event is a tool for ordinary people to experience how to be in front of a crowd, dress up to look good and feel good about themselves. And I hope that the Talisay community will come and enjoy our upcoming events,” said Abregana. (PR)
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on July 13, 2012.


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Brooke Johnson is to retire from her post as president of Scripps Networks Interactive’s lifestyle channels, which include Food Network.
She has been with the US-based cable group for 12 years, overseeing the launch of programme franchises such as Chopped, Cutthroat Kitchen and Food Network Star.
Under her remit was the flagship Food Network channel, plus Cooking Channel, both of which have grown to become established cable networks during her tenure. Johnson will remain a consultant to Food Network until the end of next year.
Scripps will make an announcement regarding new leadership in “coming days”.
“Brooke Johnson has been one of the key driving forces behind the success of Food Network since she joined the company,” said Kenneth W. Lowe, chairman, president and chief executive officer, SNI.
“Food Network touches hundreds of millions of consumers every month, through shows, including Food Network Star and Guy’s Grocery Games and through its many brand extensions.”
“The timing was right for me to step back and enjoy the next phase of my life, but I leave with total confidence that Food Network and Cooking Channel will continue to grow and engage fans of these beloved brands for many years to come,” said Johnson.
She had joined Scripps from A+E Networks, where she launched the Biography Channel and was integral to the formation of the History Channel, overseeing its programming strategy.
Before A+E, she was programme director of WABC-TV in New York.
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17 May 2012
First-Quarter Wholesale-to-Retail Spread Record-Wide
The full set of data that is now available for the first quarter of 2012, is useful in
explaining important hog and pork market dynamics of the quarter, as well as in
indicating potential market direction as the markets move into summer. As a
whole, the data suggest that of all the players in the pork market chain—hog
producers, packer/processors, wholesalers, retailers, and consumers—the only ones
left smiling by the price and demand/supply metrics of first quarter may be pork
retailers. First-quarter retail pork prices finished at $3.49 per pound, 6 percent
higher than a year ago and the highest first-quarter retail price on record. Record
retail prices reflected, in part, robust first-quarter U.S. exports, which were 15.8
percent higher than a year ago. Strong exports—23 percent of first-quarter
commercial pork production—left U.S. per capita disappearance almost 1 percent
below the first quarter of 2011. Tighter first-quarter domestic supplies and higher
prices for competing animal proteins likely supported record retail prices.
At the wholesale level, the situation remains quite different. Wholesale pork prices
have lagged year-earlier prices from late January to the present. First-quarter
USDA wholesale primal cutout values were 5 percent below first-quarter 2011.
Strong retail prices combined with weak wholesale values to yield the widest firstquarter wholesale-retail spread ever: $2.03 per pound. While it is possible that soft wholesale prices reflect slower forward bookings for export, it is more likely that retailers are defending their spread by favoring strong returns over sales volumes. Higher first-quarter retail prices for beef (+9 percent) and for chicken (+5 percent) would accommodate a retail strategy that places less emphasis on maximizing pork sales volume. Such a strategy could lower wholesale pork demand.
Second-quarter 2012 commercial pork production is expected to be 5.5 billion pounds, 2.8 percent higher than a year ago. Increased April-June pork production derives from year-over-year larger fall and winter pig crops and heavier estimated dressed weights. Second-quarter prices for live equivalent 51-52 percent lean hogs are expected to average $62-$64 per cwt, 8.4 percent lower than a year ago. Prices for 2012 are expected to be about 6 percent lower than a year ago.
Commercial Pork Production and U.S. Pork Exports To Increase Moderately in 2013
In 2013, moderate increases in farrowings and continued strong productivity gains
are expected to yield an annual pork production level that is about 2.3 percent above
2012. Commercial pork production is expected to be 23.8 billion pounds. Higher
estimates for average dressed weights as a result of lower feed costs contribute to
the higher production forecast. Hog prices next year are expected to be $57-$61 per
cwt, about 2.7 percent below 2012.
Foreign demand for U.S. pork products will continue to be an important market focus in 2013. Lower U.S. pork prices next year, together with continued global economic growth will, in all likelihood, support continued strong exports. Next year USDA anticipates that 22.7 percent of commercial pork production will be exported, versus almost 23 percent this year. Total U.S. pork exports for 2013 are forecast at 5.4 billion pounds, about unchanged from this year. As is almost always the case, over two-thirds of U.S. exports in 2013 are expected to go to U.S. North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners, Canada and Mexico, and to Japan. Japan is expected to remain—solidly—the no. 1foreign destination for U.S. pork exports in 2013.
U.S. pork imports next year are expected to be in line with 2012 estimates, or about 810 million pounds. In the past, the United States has imported about 4.3 percent of its annual pork disappearance; next year should be no different. U.S. imports of live swine next year are likely to be somewhat higher than forecasts for 2012: 5.87 million head in 2013, versus 5.78 million head expected this year, due mostly to expectations of higher Canadian production as indicated by stronger breeding inventories in Manitoba.
In 2013, per capita pork disappearance is expected to be year-over-year higher in each quarter. For the year, per capita pork disappearance is expected to be 47.2 pounds, 2.1 percent above 2012. For a demand inelastic commodity such as pork, small increases in per capita disappearance are often accompanied by disproportionately lower prices up and down the supply chain. Retail pork prices will likely average about $3.40 per pound, or about 3 percent below forecast retail prices for 2012.
First-Quarter Exports Up Sharply
First quarter U.S. pork exports were 1.4 billion pounds, 15.8 percent ahead of last year. The five strongest markets for U.S. pork are shown in the table below. Firstquarter exports to China likely represent the tail end of deliveries of large purchases made in 2011. The USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service expects 2012 China’s pork imports from all sources to decline by 14 percent. See http://www.fas.usda.gov/dlp/circular/2012/livestock_0412.pdf. USDA also forecasts a 14-percent reduction in South Korea’s imports in 2012, from all sources, as the pork sector recovers steadily from 2010-11 outbreaks of foot and mouth disease. The Government of South Korea recently announced that it would limit the initial 70,000 metric tons (MT) duty free tariff rate quota (TRQ) for fresh/frozen pork bellies announced for the period April-June to 20,000 MT.
U.S. Pork Industry Moving Toward Open Sow Housing as an Alternative to Gestation Crates
In recent years, a growing number of major U.S. companies that demand and supply pork products have adopted strategies that explicitly move away from direct or indirect use of gestation crates in pork production. McDonald’s Corp.—a major buyer of pork products—and thus an indirect user of gestation crates—recently announced that it would require its pork suppliers to submit plans by May 2012 that transition suppliers’ production facilities from use of gestation crates, to group sow housing. McDonald’s thus joins other major U.S. buyers of pork products along with major U.S and Canadian pork-producing companies, in adopting business models that incorporate group sow housing in pork production. Pork users and pork producers appear to be making this move in response to a developing public perception that crating sows during gestation is detrimental to the welfare of the animal.
The Current U.S. Hog Production System: Gestation Crates
For the last 30 years, typical U.S. hog production has employed individual crates to
house pregnant females during gestation.
The typical gestation crate measures 7
feet by 2 feet, or 14 square feet, and was adopted by the industry to overcome innate
hierarchical swine behavior. Female swine, in particular, tend toward aggressive
behavior to establish dominance when they are housed in groups. This means that
freely moving pregnant swine tend to fight until dominance is established. Such
aggression can cause serious injury to less-dominant females and to unborn piglets.
When the females are crated, aggression and threat of injury are minimized.
Gestation crates also facilitate individualized animal care, feeding,
The downside of gestation crates is the severe constraint on movement that the 14- square-foot crate imposes. While the crate affords the pregnant female some limited side-to-side and back-and-forth movement, it totally prevents the animal from turning itself around. The animal welfare questions that are raised by the movement limitations of gestation crates have motivated the industry to adopt a different means of pork production that allows the pregnant animal freedom of movement.
Group Sow Housing as an Alternative to Gestation Crates
A production model based on group sow housing places pregnant swine in open
pens that allow them free movement. An accurate description of a “typical” group
sow housing barn is elusive because no single type has yet evolved in the United
States. Consequently, there is wide variation in design characteristics of existing
grouped housing units. For example, the number of animals grouped in one pen
can vary anywhere from 5 animals to more than 100, depending on per-animal
space allocations. The groups themselves can be “static,” meaning that all the
animals in a pen enter it together when the group is formed, or “dynamic,” meaning
that animals enter and exit the group. The size of the groups and the per-animal
space allocations often determine the method employed to feed the animals.
Feeding the animals in a group setting presents serious challenges given the tendency of swine toward aggression, particularly at feeding time. There are various methods available to feed the animals in a group setting. Three of the most common are electronic sow feeders, where the animals are trained to line up to enter feeding stations from which individualized rations are dispensed, based on information read from chips implanted in the animal’s ear; trickle feeding, where feed is delivered over a period of 15 to 30 minutes to troughs or on the floor of the pen; and free-stall feeding, where the animal enters a stall, often with a door closing upon entry, allowing her protection from aggressive pen mates during feeding. Each feeding method has a different set of cost, space, and management requirements, which together interact with group size, per animal space allocations, and numerous other physical characteristics of the unit’s design to affect the animals’ wellbeing.
Gestation Crates and Group Sow Housing: What Do Comparative Studies Show?
There are now many comparative studies in the animal science literature that
document differences in production performance, behavior, and welfare indications
between animals housed in gestation crates and those housed in pens. One of the
most often-cited studies was carried out by McGlone et al. (2004). This study
aggregated research findings from 35 previous comparative studies to determine
whether sow behavior, performance, or physiology differed between the two
housing types. The study tested for statistical differences between farrowing rates;
pigs born per litter; oral, nasal, and facial behaviors;
and cortisol blood levels
gestating animals. The research results, which are summarized in the table below,
indicate that the differences between the means of measured variables were not
statistically significant. That is, none of measures were significantly (P < 0.05)
influenced by sow housing type. The study concludes that “gestation stalls or wellmanaged pens generally … produced similar states of welfare for pregnant
[females] in terms of physiology, behavior performance, and health.”
This study also addresses two issues important in comparing the different systems. The study indicates that sow productivity—as measured by farrowing rates and pigs per litter—is not affected by housing type. This is good news to for U.S. pork producers, some of whom equate group housing with lower female productivity and lower asset returns. More important perhaps, the study identifies the producer’s animal handling/management skills as the key to maintaining productivity of sows housed in pens.
With respect to concerns about the effects of gestation crate housing on animal welfare, neither McGlone et al., nor current animal science research generally provide clear, empirical evidence that switching to group housing improves the welfare of pregnant female swine. The literature is supportive of the contention that sow/gilt welfare is not determined by housing type. “In other words proper design of stalls and pens can result in equivalent animal performance and welfare outcomes, although the design features for achieving that objective will differ. Therefore, it’s not clear that simply switching to group housing will inherently improve or reduce sow performance or welfare.”
The Group Sow Housing Model Often Employs Gestation Crates To Assure Swine Safety
As the sector continues to evaluate sow housing options, it will be important not to
overlook two crucial safety features of the group sow housing model: First, the
group sow housing model often does not exclude the usage of sow crates. In
current practice in both the European Union and the United States, newly bred sows
are crated for around 30 days to insure proper embryo implantation. Moreover, the
pregnant females are typically crated for a 5-day period just prior to farrowing.
Pregnant females are thus removed from group pens at periods in gestation when
they are most vulnerable to aggression and injury. Second, both production
models—gestation crate-based and group sow housing—move pregnant females
into farrowing crates just prior to the birth of the litter.
The farrowing crate— different in dimension and design from the gestation crate—is designed to allow the female to position herself to nurse the litter. The sow’s movement is restricted to prevent injury to the litter, such as crushing or smothering . Crate use in the group sow housing model implies that the female spends about 35 percent of the year—4 months—in individual housing and the balance of the year in a group setting. Under a gestation crate system of production, the animal is crated 100 percent of the time.
Cattle and Beef Sectors Mostly Take Recent Events In Stride
Drought effects continue to diminish in the United States except for some areas in
the Southeast and Southwest. However, most of the northern half of Mexico
remains under drought conditions, resulting in a 22-percent year-over-year increase
in year-to-date (weekly AMS data through May 5) imports of Mexican feeder cattle
into the United States. Corn planting and emergence in the United States is well
ahead of last year and the 5-year averages. Similarly, 88 percent of winter wheat is
in fair-to-excellent condition leading to a decline in wheat prices. With wheat
prices below corn prices, feeding with wheat could alleviate some of the pressure of
high corn prices on cattle-feeding profit margins.
Federally inspected (FI) slaughter of beef cows has declined steadily since last fall when beef cows represented as much as 60 percent of total (weekly) FI cow slaughter. The cow-calf sector is enjoying high prices for both cull cows and feeder cattle and, despite record-high input costs, is one of two sectors of the cattle/beef industry experiencing positive profit margins—the other being beef packers, since early this month. Feeder cattle prices have dipped from their 2012 record levels of February and March due to declines in stocker calf spring/summer grazing demand and increasing cattle-feeding losses, but they are expected to increase later this year and in 2013.
Cattle feeders continue to experience negative feeding margins due to higher costs of feeder cattle and feed. Feed-grain prices are expected to moderate slightly through the spring and summer of 2012, but feeder cattle and soybean meal prices are expected to increase during the same period. Without a significant improvement in fed cattle prices and lower feed and/or feeder cattle prices, feeding margins will not improve.
The situation does not appear likely to improve until later in 2012 or early 2013 when new-crop corn prices decline. Weaker corn prices are likely to be accompanied by relatively high protein-meal prices because of an apparent shift from soybean acreage to corn acreage, leading to the expectation of higher supplies of new-crop corn and associated price declines. Another factor offsetting lower new-crop corn prices is anticipated increases in feeder cattle prices over the remainder of 2012 and throughout 2013 in response to the tightest feeder cattle supplies in decades.
In hindsight, cattle and beef prices appear to have reached a seasonal spring high early this year, consistent with recent and anticipated weather patterns and their effects on weight gains by cattle in feedlots through the past mild winter. While seasonal price patterns would typically be lower during the summer, the highest prices for 2012 are anticipated to occur during the second half of the year. Based on normal seasonal price patterns, wholesale beef markets appear to have weathered the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and lean finely textured beef (LFTB) storms of March and April 2012 without serious price damage. An exception is the market for 50-percent lean trim. Although short-term impacts are negative, the future outcome for LFTB and 50-percent lean beef trim demand and prices is uncertain and will depend on how consumers respond to LFTB. Prices for 90- percent lean beef have increased steadily since reaching a low in September 2011.
Otherwise, price impacts as a result of the April 23 BSE event have been limited primarily to most live and feeder cattle futures price contracts declining by their daily allowable limit on April 24, 2012, followed by a quick recovery. In the meantime, packer margins have improved to show positive returns for the first time since last September. Retail beef prices continue near their highest levels, averaging $5.05 per pound for Choice beef and a record $4.70 per pound for allfresh beef in April.
First-Quarter U.S. Beef Exports 12 Percent Lower
Beef exports in the first quarter of this year have been sluggish compared with a year ago, perhaps due to a slightly strengthening U.S. dollar through first-quarter 2012. U.S. beef exports were lower year-over-year to Japan (-4 percent), Mexico (- 11 percent), South Korea (-41 percent), and Hong Kong (-19 percent). Exports to Egypt and Vietnam were higher, year-over-year, by 31 and 37 percent, respectively. Total U.S. beef exports are expected to decrease in the third and fourth quarters of 2012 compared with year-earlier levels as less beef is available for export. U.S. beef production is expected to be 5 and 8 percent lower in the third and fourth quarters of 2012, and exports are expected to be 9 percent and 6 percent lower in those quarters. Beef export levels in 2013 are expected to be only slightly (1 percent) below forecast 2012 levels, at 2.65 billion pounds.
First-Quarter U.S. Beef Imports 27 Percent Higher
U.S. beef imports for 2012 are forecast over 18 percent higher, year-over-year, at 2.4 billion pounds. First-quarter imports were 26 percent higher compared with a year earlier Imports were 91 and 4 percent higher, year-over-year, from Australia and New Zealand and 13 and 40 percent higher from Canada and Mexico, respectively. U.S. beef imports for the second, third, and fourth quarters of 2012 are forecast to be 12, 16, and 22 percent higher year-over-year. Increased imports are expected from Oceania, as improved pasture conditions in Australia and New Zealand have boosted carcass weights and production in those countries. Strong U.S. demand for processing beef, amid tightening U.S. production, is expected to at least partly offset the higher Australian dollar and to support higher imports of beef to the United States. U.S. beef imports from North American trading partners Canada and Mexico are also expected to remain strong compared with year-earlier levels. Growth of 8 percent in the U.S. beef import market is forecast for 2013, totaling 2.6 billion pounds.
Higher Mexican Cattle Imports Offsetting Lower Imports from Canada
U.S. cattle imports through the first quarter are fractionally higher compared with
the same period a year ago. Lower imports from Canada have been offset by higher
imports from Mexico through the first quarter of 2012. Cattle imports from Mexico
were 24 percent higher than in 2011 through March. The continued increase of
cattle imported to the United States from Mexico stems from the severe drought
conditions that were—and in some cases, still are—present in the southern tier of
the United States throughout last year and which extended into northern Mexico.
Present export rates of cattle from Mexico may be; however, it remains to be seen whether, and to what extent, Mexican cattle exports to the United States may drop off as the year progresses. This may be largely dependent on weather patterns and if pasture conditions improve.
In the first quarter cattle imports from Canada were 5 percent below a year ago. According to AMS weekly reports, imports of slaughter steers/heifers and cows through April are 11 and 18 percent below year-earlier levels compared to the same time period last year. The lower import levels are likely due to Canadian producers being in the midst of herd rebuilding and retaining females for breeding. Imports of Canadian feeder cattle, however, are 69 percent higher than a year ago, due to a sluggish spring Canadian feeder cattle market and a stronger price incentives in the United States. Total U.S. cattle imports for 2012 are forecast at 2.075 million head and at 1.95 million head in 2013, or 6 percent lower year-over-year.
Milk Production Continues Robust Expansion While Prices Soften; in 2013, a Modest Production Increase Could Help Support Prices
Corn prices are moderating for both the current crop year and for 2012/13. The
corn price is projected to be $5.95 to $6.25 a bushel in 2011/12, a decline from
April’s projected price and to slip to $4.20 to $5.00 a bushel next year. Higher corn
plantings and higher expected yield could lead to a record-high corn supply in
2012/13 despite tight carryin stocks. The recent Crop Progress report showed a
crop well ahead of average development for this time of year. While this is no
guarantee of above-average yields, it minimizes the risk of yield loss due to late
planting. Soybean meal prices continue to inch upward; this month’s forecast calls
for soybean meal prices to average $360 a ton for the current crop year, up from
April’s forecast. For 2012/13, prices are forecast at $335 to $360 a ton. The April
Agricultural Prices reported the preliminary estimate of alfalfa hay prices at $207
per ton. Hay prices could move downward with the 2012/13 crop. The benchmark
16-percent protein dairy ration was calculated at $11.20 per cwt for January-March
2012. Given crop price forecasts, the ration value will likely head down later this
year and could fall further in 2013. For dairy producers, the welcome relief from
high feed prices will likely be countered by lower milk prices for the balance of
2012, with some recovery likely in 2013. On balance, the milk-feed price ratio is
not expected to signal expansion until later in 2013.
The total number of milk cows for 2012 was raised slightly from April to 9.23 million head. The Milk Production report indicated higher than expected cow numbers and, despite weakening returns, producers were not reducing herds as quickly as expected. May is the first month for 2013 forecasts. The dairy herd in 2013 is expected to decline to 9.17 million head, reflecting 2012’s high feed prices and lower milk prices. Milk per cow for 2012 was boosted to 21,880 pounds from the April projection. Production per cow is forecast at 22,100 pounds for 2013. The rise in milk per cow this year is due to nearly ideal production conditions in much of the United States. Next year’s projected increase in production per cow reflects the moderating feed price outlook. Production for 2012 was raised this month to 201.9 billion pounds. The initial forecast for 2013 is for production to reach 202.6 billion pounds, based on higher output per cow.
Milk-equivalent imports on a fats basis are forecast at 3.3 billion pounds for both 2012 and 2013 and 5.4 and 5.2 billion pounds for 2012 and 2013 respectively on a skims-solids basis. Milk-equivalent exports on a fats basis are projected at 8.5 billion pounds in 2012, rising to 8.7 billion pounds next year. Exports on a skimsolids basis are estimated at 31.5 billion pounds this year and 32.4 billion pounds in 2013.
Higher than expected milk production and weaker-than-expected demand led to lowering of the 2012 prices for the major dairy products in May, except for whey. The cheese price was lowered to $1.555 to $1.605 per pound, butter was reduced to $1.425 to $1.505 per pound, and the nonfat dry milk price was revised to $1.235 to $1.275 per pound. The whey price was increased to 56.0 to 59.0 cents per pound as it appears demand is stronger than expected earlier. Next year’s milk production increase is modest, keeping with the herd-size declines, in response to 2012’s high feed prices and lower milk prices. Higher forecast exports and continued firm domestic demand should strengthen 2013 prices. The 2013 cheese price is forecast at $1.600 to $1.700 per pound, butter at $1.465 to $1.595 per pound and NDM at $1.320 to $1.390 per pound. Whey prices are forecast at 55.5 to 58.5 cents per pound, very near 2012 prices.
Milk prices for 2012 were revised downward based on lowered product prices. The Class III price is projected at $15.80 to $16.30 per cwt, the Class IV price was lowered to $14.50 to $15.10 per cwt and all milk is projected at $16.90 to $17.40 per cwt. In 2013, milk prices should recover. The Class III price is forecast at $16.20 to $17.20 per cwt, the Class IV price is forecast to rebound to $15.40 to $16.50 per cwt and the all milk price is expected to climb to $17.25 to $18.25 per cwt.
Broiler Production Higher in 2013
U.S. broiler meat production is expected to total 37.5 billion pounds in 2013, up 2.5
percent from 2012, with the growth spread over the year as processors expand
production in response to generally better conditions. The increase in broiler meat
production is expected to come from both a greater number of birds slaughtered and
a small increase in average bird weights. There are two primary factors that will
likely influence expanded broiler meat production in 2013. The first is the degree to
which processors feel demand will reflect expansion in the general economy. The
second factor is what integrators expect for changes to corn and soybean prices. At
the present time corn prices for the marketing year are forecast to average $4.20-
$5.00 per bushel in 2012/13, down from $5.95-$6.25 per bushel a year earlier. This
decline will be mitigated by relatively high prices for soybean meal. Prices for 48
percent protein soybean meal are forecast at $350-$365 per ton in 2012/13,
compared to $360 per ton the previous year.
Broiler meat production in first-quarter 2012 totaled 9.1 billion pounds, a 2.2 percent decline from the same period in 2011. The number of broilers slaughtered fell by 2.6 percent to 2.1 billion birds. Partially offsetting this decline in birds slaughtered was a small (0.6 percent) gain in the average weight of birds at slaughter to 5.83 pounds. With the number of chicks placed for growout down about 4 percent from the previous year, the number of broilers slaughtered would normally be expected to be down more, but due to the Leap Year first-quarter 2012 had an additional processing day compared with first-quarter 2011.
The broiler meat production forecast for second-quarter 2012 is 9.1 billion pounds, down 4.3 percent from a year earlier. Broiler production is expected to be below the previous year until fourth-quarter 2012 when processors are expected to respond to a gradually strengthening economy and lower grain prices.
Over the last 5 weeks, (April 7 through May 5), the number of chicks being placed for growout has averaged 3.9 percent lower than in the same period in 2011. In addition, the number of eggs placed in incubators has been down 4.4 percent. These estimates point toward continued declines in broiler meat production in second-quarter 2012 and into the third-quarter.
Broiler cold storage stocks totaled 549 million pounds at the end of first-quarter 2012, 17 percent below first-quarter 2011. The decline in cold storage holdings extended to most of the categories in the report. Most of the decrease is attributable to the lower broiler meat production in the first quarter. With broiler meat production forecast lower than the previous year through the first three quarters of 2012, cold storage of broiler products is also expected to be below the previous year through the same period. Cold storage is expected to rise in fourth-quarter 2012 as production rises. Much of the decline at the end of the first quarter is attributable to lower holdings of leg quarters and wings, down 27 percent and 52 percent from a year earlier. Some of the decline, especially for leg quarters, is the result of strong exports during first-quarter 2012.
The 12-city wholesale price for whole broilers is expected to average 86 to 89 cents per pound in 2012, up from 79 cents per pound the previous year as lower production through the first three quarters of 2012 is expected to place upward pressure on prices. Prices in 2013 are expected to fall slightly and are forecast at 82 to 89 cents per pound, as expected higher production in 2013 gradually placing downward pressure on prices.
Turkey Production To Post Small Increase in 2013
Turkey meat production is expected to increase in 2013 to 6 billion pounds, up
almost 1 percent from the previous year and the third consecutive year with a
production increase. The production increase is expected to come from both an
increase in the number of birds slaughtered and slightly higher average live weights
at slaughter. With higher prices throughout 2011 and expected in 2012, turkey
producers should have an incentive to increase production in 2013, as long as the
general economic indicators remain positive.
In first-quarter 2012, turkey meat production was 1.4 billion pounds, up 3.1 percent from the first quarter of 2011. After rising only slightly in third-quarter 2011 compared to a year earlier and falling in the fourth quarter, turkey processors have responded to the strong prices for whole birds that were present throughout 2011. The increase in turkey meat production was the result of a moderate increase in the number of birds slaughtered (up 1.7 percent) and higher average weights for the turkeys at slaughter (up 1.3 percent). With turkey prices higher throughout 2011, turkey producers have had an incentive to increase production, with total production for 2012 estimated at 6.1 billion pounds, 3.3 percent higher than the previous year.
Turkey Stocks Higher
With higher production expected throughout 2012, cold storage holdings of turkey
products throughout the year are also expected to be higher than in 2011. At the
end of first-quarter 2012, turkey stocks were 376 million pounds, 15 percent higher
than in first-quarter 2011. The increase was from a combination of higher stocks of
whole birds, up 6 percent, and increases in stocks of turkey parts and products (up
23 percent). Stocks of whole birds had been lower than the previous year through
the first 10 months of 2011, and even though stocks are now higher than the
previous year, they are still well below historical levels. For example, at the end of
March in 2009, stocks of whole birds totaled 253 million pounds, 96 million pounds
or 61 percent higher than at the end of March 2012. Stock levels were also higher
for all the other categories of turkey products. While most of the gain in quantity
was due to higher cold storage holdings in the unclassified category, stocks of
turkey legs were also much higher than the previous year (up 73 percent).
Wholesale prices for whole hen turkeys are expected to average $1.07 to $1.11 per pound in 2012, up about 7 percent from a year earlier. Even with larger beginning stocks and increases in production expected in 2012, whole bird prices are expected to remain above the previous year throughout 2012, although the price gap on a year-over-year basis is expected to narrow considerably as the year progresses. In 2013, any upward pressure on prices from an improving domestic economy is expected to be offset by higher production.
Egg Production Down Slightly in 2013
Table egg production is expected to total 6.6 billion dozen in 2013, down
fractionally from 2012. While 2013 is expected to have higher prices for many
meat products and improving general economic conditions, egg producers are
expected to face lower prices for the remainder of 2012. While the rate of lay is
expected to very gradually increase, the decrease in production is expected to come
from a cut in the size of the laying flock.
Hatching egg production is expected to total almost 1.1 billion dozen in 2013, a marginal increase after a decline in 2011 and 2012. The expansion in hatching egg production is based on the forecast for higher broiler production starting at the end of 2012 and carrying through 2013.
Egg Production Higher in First-Quarter 2012
Egg production totaled 1.91 billion dozen in first-quarter 2012, up slightly (1 percent) from the previous year. The increase was due to greater production of table eggs at 1.65 billion dozen, up 1.7 percent from the previous year. Production of hatching eggs totaled 258 million dozen, down 3 percent as the production of broiler-type eggs continue down significantly from a year earlier. The average number of birds in the table egg flock during first-quarter 2012 was slightly higher (up 0.7 percent) than in 2011 at 285 million birds. Table egg production for the rest of 2012 is expected to continue to be slightly higher than the previous year during the second and third quarters and about even with the previous year in the fourth quarter. Production of hatching eggs is expected to have the opposite pattern with lower production through the first three quarters of 2012 and higher production in the fourth quarter as broiler processors react to the incentives of a generally better economy, higher prices, and slightly lower grain prices.
Egg Prices Higher in 2013
Better overall economic conditions in 2013 are expected to generate greater
domestic demand for shell eggs and egg products, especially from the food service
sector. However, higher production is expected to offset the demand and leave
overall wholesale egg prices in 2013 at $1.00-$1.08 per dozen, only slightly higher
than in 2012.
During first-quarter 2012, the wholesale price in the New York market averaged $1.09 per dozen for Grade A large eggs. This is up almost 3 percent from a year earlier, in part due to the high prices at the beginning of the year carried over from strong fourth-quarter 2011 prices of $1.31 per dozen. Shell egg prices have fallen seasonally since the Easter holiday and second quarter prices in the New York market are expected to be average $0.91-$0.93 per dozen, down 14 percent from the previous year.
Egg Exports up to 266 Million Dozen in 2013
Exports of shell eggs and egg products are expected to expand to the equivalent of
266 million dozen in 2013, slightly higher than the forecast for 2012. Higher
shipments in 2013 are expected to be generated primarily by stronger demand from
a number of Asian countries, including Hong Kong, Japan, and Korea. Egg exports
in 2012 are expected to contract, with smaller shipments to Mexico and Canada.
One factor that could affect the impact the 2012 forecast is high demands for
breaking eggs and egg products from EU countries facing lower production.
In the first quarter of 2012, egg and egg product exports totaled 63 million dozen, down 6 percent from the previous year. Much of the export decrease occurred in March, when shipments were down 13 percent from the previous year. The March decline is chiefly the result of sharp drops in shipments to both Korea and the United Arab Emirates. Shipments to Korea during first-quarter 2012 were only 1.1 million dozen, down 88 percent from the same period in 2011.
Broiler Shipments Rose in March 2012
Broiler shipments rose in March 2012 from a year earlier. March broiler shipments
totaled 595 million pounds, a 7-percent increase from last March. U.S. broiler meat
exports remain strong in spite of higher leg-quarter prices in the first-quarter of
2012 than in the same period of 2011. Cuba, one of the top seven U.S. broiler
markets, imported almost 41 million pounds more of broiler meat from the U.S. in
March 2012 than a year earlier. Broiler shipments to Russia, the second-largest
U.S. broiler market, were up 96 percent from last year. Other foreign markets such
as Georgia, Mexico, and Lithuania also made considerable contributions to March
2012 increase in broiler shipments.
For 2013, it is projected that the United States will ship 6.975 billion pounds of broiler meat to countries around the world. Next year’s projection is less than 1 percent below the 2012 projection for broiler shipments. Two reasons for this small drop include greater domestic demand and a continued decline in shipments to Russia.
Turkey Shipments Continue To Climb in March
March 2012 turkey shipments were up from a year ago. A total of 64.2 million
pounds of turkey meat was shipped abroad, a 9-percent increase over March 2011.
Turkey shipments to Mexico, Hong Kong, Canada, and the Philippines were all up
from a year ago. The largest increase was exports to the Philippines, at 368 percent.
Next after the Philippines, shipments to Canada increased 65 percent from last
March. Volumes of turkey meat shipped to smaller markets, such as Jamaica and
Gabon, were also up in March 2012 compared with a year ago.
Turkey shipments in 2013 are projected to reach an all-time high. It is projected that turkey exports will total 730 million pounds, 1 percent higher than the projections for 2012, which will be a record if it holds. The primary reason for the increase in turkey exports is the continuing increase in shipments to Mexico, the largest U.S. turkey market.
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Big digital video platform Hulu pulled in slightly more new subscribers than Netflix in the first quarter of this year -- though it is still far behind the subscription VOD leader.
Hulu added 3 million more U.S. subscribers since January -- now totaling 20 million subscribers, from all its digital media packages, ad-supported and non-ad supported.
This figure is less than half of Netflix’s 55 million U.S. subscribers. Netflix said it has added 2 million in the first quarter of this year.
This news of Hulu's increase in subscribers came during its NewFront presentation on Wednesday.
As part of its announcement, Hulu says its ad load is less than half that of linear TV. When marketers run a schedule on Hulu, 50% of the audience has not seen the ads on traditional TV.
At the same time, Hulu said it would be ramping up ad revenue for its Hulu with Live TV platform -- a package of live, linear TV networks -- which it started in 2017 as a 50-channel, $39.99-a-month service. This would come in TV commercial adjacencies Hulu gets to sell on those networks. Estimates are the Hulu with Live TV has around 500,000 subscribers.
In addition, Hulu will offer viewers -- for the first time -- downloadable movies and TV shows with TV commercials.
Standard Media Index estimates Hulu’s advertising revenue in the first quarter has grown 18% to $300 million versus a year ago. In January, Hulu said it pulled in $1 billion in advertising for all of 2017.
Netflix has no ad-supported subscriber packages/services. For years, its senior executives have been adamant that this is not a business they want to pursue.


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In June, the web market rose to an annualized $45 billion, nicely under its pre-covid stage of $75 billion annualized, however up sharply from its April quantity of $10 billion, in keeping with a report by market analysis and advisory agency RedSeer Management Consulting Pvt. Ltd.
The numbers are the newest proof that the outbreak of the novel coronavirus has battered web companies. The pandemic’s influence, nevertheless, has been extraordinarily uneven. While sectors like journey, hospitality and mobility have collapsed, it has caused an unprecedented growth in sectors like on-line grocery and digital training.
In an effort to establish the web corporations which have benefited most from the lockdown, RedSeer has compiled a Covid Impact Leadership Index that it shared in a report with Mint. To arrive at a rating, RedSeer used three parameters: resilience, which appears at metrics like new buyer additions and time spent; innovation, which captures client notion of new merchandise, companies and options launched by the web platforms throughout the lockdown; and empathy, which measures the client notion of the well being focus and charitable contributions of the web corporations.
According to the index, the massive winners of the lockdown had been BigBasket, Flipkart’s grocery ordering app Supermart and Amazon’s grocery enterprise. These had been adopted by Grofers, Netflix and PharmEasy. Other prime performers in the index embrace Amazon Prime, Medlife, Paytm and PhonePe.
The index is fully based mostly on client surveys. RedSeer surveyed greater than 7,000 web customers throughout 30 cities to compile the index, which covers about 100 web corporations. All these customers had been individuals who had purchased merchandise from the corporations in the index. The index covers the interval from late March to late May.
The RedSeer report reveals that tens of millions of individuals who had been earlier shopping for solely a small quantity of services and products on the web had been pressured to maneuver a big half of their total spending to the digital medium from offline.
In the final three months, buyer retention charges have shot up wherever between two to a few occasions for web platforms. At the identical time, their buyer acquisition prices plunged as a lot as 80%, and much more in some areas like on-line grocery, e-pharmacies and on-line training, RedSeer information reveals.
Given that web corporations spent as much as $Three billion on buyer acquisition in 2019, the financial savings will present a lift to the corporations’ bottom-lines this yr. For the winners, it’s a dream mixture: add tens of millions of new customers and retain most of them whereas spending far much less cash to draw them.
Notwithstanding the short-term hit, these tendencies point out that the pandemic has triggered some structural shifts in client spending habits and utilization patterns that can convey enormous advantages to web corporations over the coming years.
The report’s findings verify what entrepreneurs in areas like on-line grocery, e-pharmacies and digital training have been saying. Companies like BigBasket, Grofers, Practo, 1 mg, Byju’s and Unacademy are all registering a spike in utilization and gross sales whilst India braces for a pointy financial contraction this yr. These corporations are all in talks to boost massive quantities of capital at hovering valuations amid a broader funding downturn for web startups.
State of the web
The restoration in the web financial system has been pushed by a powerful rebound in e-commerce. Compared with January ranges, on-line retail was up by greater than 10% to an annualized $33 billion in June, in contrast with January. In the first six months of 2020, non-public consumption spending dropped by as a lot as 33% from final yr’s ranges. Given the drop in offline retail, e-commerce comprised 4.5% of India’s total retail market in June, an enormous leap from 3% in January.
Pent-up demand and clearance gross sales have pushed restoration of e-commerce throughout sectors, RedSeer mentioned. Still, greater than 50% of the individuals in the survey mentioned that they may “commerce down”—purchase cheaper manufacturers—over the subsequent six months in discretionary classes like style, electronics and private care, reflecting worries about the poor financial system and revenue losses. This implies that the non-public label merchandise of on-line retailers like Flipkart and Amazon India might develop into a key space of focus.
Within e-commerce, almost all classes, besides style, grew in dimension in June in contrast with January. The sharpest growth got here in on-line groceries, massive home equipment and different digital merchandise. Products like laptops and televisions are seeing excessive demand as individuals throughout massive and small cities are pressured to proceed working from dwelling.
The development in on-line groceries has sustained regardless of the partial reopening in cities. RedSeer mentioned that e-groceries has seen the addition of two main units of clients: middle-age individuals in metros and prosperous customers in tier II cities and under. Previously, on-line grocery companies had been principally utilized by millennials in massive cities.
Sales of style merchandise, nevertheless, are nonetheless down from pre-covid ranges, as individuals working from dwelling have reduce spending on garments and footwear. Still, even inside style, on-line companies have fared significantly better than offline chains like Shoppers Stop and Future Group which are struggling to draw clients after reopening their shops in some cities.
Three different sectors have benefitted from the pandemic: on-line healthcare, digital training and leisure content material. Scores of sufferers and medical doctors each have been pressured to rely on digital well being platforms to deal with fevers, coughs, psychological diseases and different illnesses as many clinics stay shut. More persons are ordering medication on-line. Internet penetration in digital well being doubled to 2% of the total market in June from January, RedSeer information reveals.
With colleges and schools shut, and the worry of transmission resulting in a cancellation of offline tuition courses, digital training has seen a surge in demand. Digital training doubled in dimension in June from pre-covid ranges. By 2022, the sector will develop to $3.5 billion from about $750 million final yr, in keeping with RedSeer estimates. Audio and video leisure apps like Netflix, Amazon’s Prime Video and Jio’s Saavn have seen utilization leap to all-time highs. By including dozens of new movies, TV reveals and different content material and providing versatile pricing plans, their subscription numbers have elevated too.
Travel, expectedly, has collapsed. The dimension of the on-line journey market shrank to $2.2 billion in June from almost $22 billion in January, in keeping with RedSeer’s information. All affected corporations, together with Oyo, MakeMyTrip, Yatra, Treebo and others have lower hundreds of jobs since March.
Another sector badly harm by the pandemic is mobility. In May, bookings at mobility companies like Ola, Uber, Bounce, Vogo and others had been lower than 10% of their pre-covid figures. These companies, too, have lower lots of of jobs and different bills to preserve money with a purpose to tide over the disaster.
Demand for meals supply has additionally slumped, hurting each Swiggy and Zomato. In June, the meals supply sector was at simply 40% of its common dimension, in keeping with RedSeer. People have reduce on ordering meals in favour of cooking meals at dwelling. Restaurant and bar visits had been fully halted until the finish of May. Though some state governments started to permit eating places to open final month, solely 20-30% of all dine-in eating places in India are working, as per RedSeer estimates. Even these at the moment are struggling to draw clients.
However, each Swiggy and Zomato had been amongst the prime 15 in RedSeer’s index, principally as a result of individuals surveyed mentioned they appreciated the efforts of the two corporations to guard the well being of their staff and clients by introducing measures like contactless supply and temperature checks of supply executives. Swiggy’s growth of its grocery service was additionally well-received by clients.
In phrases of restoration of the struggling sectors, the survey confirmed that individuals count on the mobility and meals supply areas to regain 90% of their previous enterprise by December. Travel, nevertheless, may take far longer to recuperate.
In 2019, of the 583 million web customers in India, solely 232 million individuals paid for any service or product on-line at the very least as soon as (the relaxation used the web primarily for messaging and looking), in keeping with RedSeer. And even amongst the 232 million, solely 135 million purchased merchandise from e-commerce platforms, indicating the relative shallowness of the web financial system.
According to RedSeer, it’s largely the identical set of customers that has pushed the restoration in the web financial system since May. What’s completely different is that customers who had been earlier solely shopping for one thing a few times a yr in the previous have now been pressured to purchase each extra steadily and a wider vary of items and companies.
“There hasn’t been a lot growth in the total quantity of transacting customers, however there’s a steep development in the quantity of severe or holistic customers who’re buying on a number of platforms,” mentioned Mrigank Gutgutia, an affiliate director, RedSeer.
RedSeer mentioned that this variation may lastly maintain so-called super apps in India.
Super apps are dominant in China’s web area the place platforms owned by Tencent, Alibaba and Meituan-Dianping supply a variety of services and products like e-commerce, journey bookings, meals supply and cab bookings all inside the identical app. In India, up to now, this idea hasn’t labored. Most internet buyers nonetheless use completely different apps throughout e-commerce, journey, meals supply and different sectors. With the growing depth and width in the web financial system, this might change, doubtlessly offering a lift to Paytm, PhonePe and Amazon Pay, which are trying to develop into super apps.
“From the buyer surveys, what has emerged is that there at the moment are a really massive quantity of on-line customers who’re utilizing a number of platforms. We consider that that is the proper time for a super app to emerge,” Gutgutia mentioned.


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Lovelyz Confirms First Concert Since Debut
Lovelyz’s fans will be able to see the group perform live for the first time since its debut!
Woolim Entertainment has confirmed that the Lovelyz would hold its first concert on January 13-15 next year. The concert will happen at the Blue Square Samsung Card Hall in Hannam-dong Seoul.
Tickets can be purchased via Interpark on December 7 at 8 p.m. for fan communities, and on December 9 at 8 p.m for the general public.


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A 27 years old Japanese man called Yoshitomo Imura has been arrested for the possession of 5 guns ,printed using 3D printers.
The recent free android app you have installed ,might have started giving trouble . The ad support free versions of Android applicants used to display advertisements in your phone or Android tablets.
Many apps display push notifications ,and it will be shown on your notification bar . Some applications go wild and displays popup ads .Even during a name search in your contacts ,you shall be shocked by a popping message or an image . How to remove this ads?
For the folks who have been trying new Android devices ,I guess ,one of the important questions they may have is “Should I use anti virus software on my Android phone or Tablet ?”
I have been using Android over last 3 years but I have never used a bulky Android AV app in my phone or Tablet.
The mid sized Phablets ,Samsung Galaxy Notes are one of their main stream devices now .Note 3 is the current device of its kind.
I have spent few hours with Galaxy Note 3 ,I love the screen quality ,I love the speed it does things at. Even the slimmest design ,the smooth edges all are some special attractions for a Note 2 user like me .
Which models of Samsung mobiles are getting Android KitKat 4.4 ?
Guys it is a quick heads up . It is tipped off ,that nice folks at Samsung Mobile are busy at cooking Android 4.4 –Code named KitKat for the premium Samsung mobile devices . You can expect a nice update soon for your devices .
The release date is not confirmed yet,but we got to know what are the devices ,which are lucky enough to get the new update .
Samsung Electronics has demoed a flexible mobile display last year and many people appreciated the idea . The have showcased a three sided display on a prototype mobile phone too. The flexible display bends on its right and left and creates the space to have some notifications on it(Checkout the video here).
Nokia has been purchased by Microsoft last year ,and the the transition has been taking place over last six months since September 2013 . In a press release today ,Nokia announced the last step of transition that is going to take place within next few days.
“Nokia expects the sale of substantially all of its Devices & Services business to Microsoft to close on April 25, 2014”-Nokia
A new silicon valley startup company called Technologies Inc ,has invented a smart door bell . This door bell has been named as Chui-Door Bell ,which recognizes your face and opens the door (optional – when connected with internet door locks) .
Nokia has officially announced today that ,they are in the process of offering a solution for the consumers who purchased Nokia Lumia 2520 tablet’s travel chargers and for the people who got some variants of supplied chargers (European and UK variant of the AC-300 charger) .
Google Glass went on sale for everyone yesterday in US and the deal has been closed by now.
Despite the technological advancement of the Google glass and the people’s enthusiasm were praised ,some folks attacked the people who wear Google glass .
Wearables are taking up the main stream of technology space today. As we all have understood the mobile phone market and the hardware development there have saturated now.But wearable devices like Smart watches (Samsung Gear ,Sony’s Smart Watch)and Google’s Glass have shown some space to further growth.
Want to buy a Google Glass ?
Very limited number of users have been using Google Glass ,who have purchased it based on special invitation extended by Google.
It has been rumoured by many technology blogs for last few hours ,that Android is getting some redesign in the factory and the users are likely to get an update soon.


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Food waste reduction: the time for talking is over
Laura Gilbank, business development manager at Columbus UK, explains that food waste has been a global problem long before the pandemic – and why food companies need to digitally transform their processes to help address the issue.
“Waste not, want not” has perhaps never been so fitting as when looking back to the panic buying witnessed across supermarkets following the Covid-19 outbreak. Food waste is something most of us have been guilty of. In the UK alone, more than 10 million tonnes of food is wasted from farm to fork, worth over £20bn a year.
Food waste – and loss – is affecting our environment too. Producing, moving, storing, and cooking food uses energy, fuel, and water – each of which emit greenhouse gases contributing to climate change.
It’s also worth considering the amount of land needed for production. The estimated area of land required to produce the amount of food thrown away by UK households is 19,000km2.
Laura Gilbank, business development manager at Columbus UK
“Food waste” and “food loss” are commonly used terms but it’s important to understand that they have different meanings. Food loss typically refers to food lost in the earlier stages of production. This could be because of harvesting, a lack of proper infrastructure, or poor storage and transportation practices.
Food waste, however, refers to items that are fit for human consumption but end up being thrown away by consumers who fail to plan meals properly and store food until it spoils or exceeds its expiry date. In fact, it’s been suggested that the prevention of good food and drink waste would have the same positive environmental impact as taking one in four cars off UK roads.
What’s being done to stop the rot?
Companies such as HelloFresh have emerged to help tackle food waste with its offering of planned meals made up of the correct and measured amount of ingredients and doorstep-delivery service, while the Courtauld Commitment 2025 delivered by the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) brings together organisations across the food system to make food and drink production and consumption more sustainable.
At the heart of this voluntary agreement between WRAP and Courtauld is a 10-year commitment to identify priorities, develop solutions and implement changes to cut the carbon, water and waste associated with food and drink by at least one-fifth in 10 years.
Under a “three pillars” strategy, there’s a call to action for leading food businesses to set a waste reduction target in their UK operations, measure loss consistently, and act to reduce food waste and in turn help consumers limit their food waste.
WRAP is using a “5-5-5” approach to help maximise waste reduction. This provides businesses with five actions to take, five key areas to target and five essential stages to follow to reduce their environmental impact. Interestingly, the first of the five key target areas is to improve systems and processes. Here’s how.
Technology – a key ingredient
It’s not always easy to understand exactly how much waste you are producing and what the true cost of waste is. Many companies significantly underestimate this cost, but food producers can develop insights into waste reduction by systematically capturing information in their supply chains and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. This can be achieved through operational analysis using Power BI, which analyses each stage of operations to identify waste or loss.
In the food and grocery industry, smart technology in the form of the Internet of Things (IoT) is being used across the food supply chain. This not only improves supply chain performance, profit margins and tracking for food freshness, but helps predict and avoid the spoilage of perishable foods.
In addition, the integration of 5G connectivity, along with better sharing and integration of data between suppliers and retailers, will reduce waste and improve the real-time visibility and availability of products.
Food producers need to rethink their production processes. This may mean using by-products in other markets – such as pet food in meats or surplus bread for brewing, for example – which will strengthen supply chains and make them more resilient.
Management of promotions is also vital to help companies flex production in line with ordering patterns and to ensure effective production planning to reduce discrepancies and overordering.
Only business transformation will do
Changing consumer trends, regulations, and costs mean that food and beverage businesses need to do more than just adapt, they need to digitally transform.
The digital transformation journey must start with modernising business infrastructure, as technology constitutes the essential building blocks necessary to deliver the products, services, applications and workloads every business needs to operate.
In the warehouse, the heart of the supply chain in food and beverage, traditional manual handling processes can no longer meet consumer demand for faster service, greater transparency and better accountability.
Warehouse owners must also look to increase their use of renewable energy and be far more energy-efficient or carbon neutral in response to changing consumer sentiment.
While digital transformation isn’t simple, many food and beverage companies have used the pretext of digital transformation for too long to buy more time to develop their core business models.
Food companies must realise that if they want to survive and grow in today’s economic climate and meet evolving customer expectations, they must implement the right technology and develop a digital strategy which prioritises the environmental and ethical concerns of consumers that show no signs of abating.