text:
The BHF, which has in the past created TV ads to shock viewers about the grim reality of heart disease, has developed a campaign that will only use the internet to target children.
A series of three online videos show children eating junk food while being presented with the products that foods high in fat, salt and sugar can contain and the effects they can produce.
One ad, hosted by a character called Sick Rick, shows a child trying to complete an obstacle course while weighed down with 10kg of liquid fat – the amount produced in a year from eating one chocolate bar and one bag of crisps a day.
The ads have been directed by Pete Boyd-Maclean, the director of offbeat Channel 4 comedy Banzai, and produced by Archie Lauchlan, who worked on Sky One science show Brainiac.
The adverts will all be housed on a central website called junkmonkeys.tv and are also being seeded on websites popular with young people such as Piczo, Bebo, YouTube and Microsoft Live.
The campaign, created by Microsoft-owned digital ad agency Avenue A Razorfish, feeds into BHF's wider Food4Thought initiative. Three further ads will follow the current set.
"With junk food advertisers increasingly using their websites and advergames to target kids in their playtime, it's important that we can provide some basic balance in this arena," said Betty McBride, the BHF director of policy and communications.
Isba, the body representing UK advertisers, criticised the charity's view that advertising is to blame for the increasing problem of childhood obesity.
"It is slightly unfortunate that the British Heart Foundation still feels it necessary to attack the ads for food and drink products that are enjoyed by millions in Britain," said Ian Twinn, the public affairs director at Isba, the British advertisers' body. "As we know, advertising does not make children fat."
· To contact the MediaGuardian newsdesk email email@example.com or phone 020 7239 9857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 7278 2332.
· If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".


text:
Going Back to Static
Keeping up the election theme, I contributed a short piece to the Lean Back 2.0 blog of The Economist this week looking at the implications of data-rich, purpose-built news platforms on print and TV. With many major news outlets in the US pulling out the stops to redesign and augment their front pages and special election sections for national and local races, taking media consumers back to static, rigid news delivery will be tough. We've had a taste of ADHD-like dynamic data delivery, the ability to mix our own coverage, and be a commentator alongside the commentariat. Why would we want to go back to static?
Stop by and add a comment.

domain: news


text:
When I read the news in the New York Times about Americans eating record amounts of quinoa, I was heartened. Finally, something in the news about the US and food that didn’t involve junk food and obesity. Below the headline, more good news: The increased demand for quinoa is raising wages of farmers in Bolivia, one of the poorest countries in the world.
And then, a few sentences later buzzed the fly in the ointment: The increased demand for quinoa is raising prices in Bolivia so that natives can no longer afford it and instead many are turning to cheaper processed foods like white rice. As a result malnutrition rates in the country’s quinoa-growing regions are climbing. Damn, here I was thinking that in addition to eating a healthy food, my quinoa consumption was helping a developing country.
So, are we helping Bolivians or hurting them by eating and selling quinoa?
Obviously helping farmers make more money is a good thing. According to other news reports, some Bolivians who left rural areas for city work are returning to farming because they can earn a living now.
Another positive sign is that the issue is on the government’s radar. It’s providing loans to small farmers and rations are given to pregnant women and children.
I checked in with the people at Trans Fair to see if they were aware of the issue and, sure enough, they were. According to Paul Rice, President and CEO of Fair Trade USA, funds earned by fair-trade certified National Association of Quinoa Producers farmers are using the money to improve the production of their crops.
So, is our growing quinoa consumption hurting Bolivians? For now, I think the good outweighs the bad. It will be interesting to see how the Bolivian government handles the situation and that could affect my future buying patterns. I will commit to buying only fair-trade certified quinoa—organic, of course.


text:
Leading Esports Organization 3DMAX Also Brings Rewarded Video Player Onboard; Further Cementing Gaming Audienceleading Esports Organization 3dmax Also Brings Rewarded Video Player Onboard; Further Cementing Gaming Audience
Verasity, a blockchain-based platform that provides infrastructure of rewarded video and loyalty programs to online viewers, is excited to announce that integration is available for its patent-pending Video Rewarded Player with YouTube, which with 149 billion page views a month is the world’s leading video player. This integration reiterates Verasity’s position as a leader in the digital video space and shows the utility of rewarded platforms in today’s content creation environment.
“Verasity’s integration with YouTube marks a true milestone in harmonizing audience development for content creators with tools to foster loyalty among viewers,” says Chris Gale, co-founder of Verasity. “The platform will bring transparency into how digital video views and audiences get monetized. Moreover, our partnership with 3DMAX will introduce and bring our technology in front of the gamer viewer demographic, an influential and pivotal audience in the online media space.”
The first official YouTube integration of the Verasity Video Rewarded Player will be with leading eSports organization 3DMAX. By building in the Verasity player, Verasity will help sustain 3DMAX as a leading community among gaming enthusiasts, as it will be the first to offer viewers VRA, Verasity’s signature token. The reward token will be available via both 3DMAX’s embedded YouTube content, as well as its embedded stream on Twitch, the premier gaming streaming service.
Marketing Technology News: Biscuitville Chooses SiteZeus to Help fuel their Location Growth
Verasity’s moves to connect with YouTube, 3DMax—and by extension, the gaming community as a whole—are a natural continuation of its recent track record of success within the video platform space. Within the past few weeks, Verasity has unveiled SDK modules with Twitch and Vimeo, the world’s second-largest online video platform, in addition to its existing implementations with JW Player, Brightcove, Kaltura, Flowplayer, and Video.js. In total, these online video players deliver in excess of 110 billion views per month and collectively representing 95 percent of global digital video content. Verasity expects to reach 1 million viewers on its platform by the end of 2019 and 10 million viewers by the end of 2020.
“Rewarded video stands to revolutionize both the consumer and creator side of digital content. Integrating the platform into key video viewership platforms such as YouTube and Vimeo will mean that more viewers will want to opt in and support their content channels of choice,” Gale continues. “By encouraging viewers to click in, view, and support new content, more outlets will be encouraged to produce content, creating a virtuous cycle.”
The utility of Verasity’s rewarded video platform offers use cases for brands as well. After implementing the Verasity Video Reward module into their websites, branded video content publishers such as BMW will be able to use the token to enhance their audience development initiatives. Publishers get loyalty and new revenue, while viewers get rewarded for their attention. This encourages engagement and audience development, and cycles revenues back to publisher sites.
“Rewarded content is a democratizer for video content producers and consumers alike. Our integration on YouTube is an integral step forward in making this revolution happen,” says Gale. “Verasity is proud to be at the forefront.”


text:
RIM has made a smart move with it’s PlayBook by offering developer “quality” tools before releasing it’s PlayBook. This will ensure lots of apps for the PlayBook once it is launched.
We had posted earlier regarding the new developer tools released by RIM at it’s DevCon. Continuing with that only, there is an addition of ammunition for the developers (not shells of metal and gunpowder, but shells of code…divine…!!). This time, it’s DragonRAD. DragonRAD have let people access to their cross platform development tool (though still in beta) for the developers.
According to DragonRAD:
“We believe the Playbook will be a game changer in many industries,” said Julian White, CEO of Seregon. “Our decision to support the PlayBook demonstrates our level of commitment to the BlackBerry platform. With the upcoming launch of the DragonRAD beta program, developers will be able to quickly and easily build native applications for the PlayBook, in addition to other popular mobile platforms.”
If we are to believe the DragonRAD poeple, their tool would be the easiest one to develop on. And from what we have came across, they sure know what a developer wants in a development tool.
So developers, what are you waiting for? Head up HERE and let your coding prowess run wild.


text:
Loews selling 47 per cent stake in blow molder Altium to Singapore’s GIC
Altium has 64 packaging plants in Canada and the U.S.
New York City-based conglomerate Loews Corp. is selling its 47 per cent stake in blow molder and resin recycler Altium Packaging LP to GIC, Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund, in a deal that values Altium at US$2 billion.
Headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., Altium specializes in customized mid- and short-run packaging solutions, serving a diverse customer base in the pharmaceutical, dairy, household chemicals, food/nutraceuticals, industrial/specialty chemicals, water, and beverage/juice segments. In addition, Altium’s Envision Plastics recycled resin business supplies recycled high-density polyethylene in North America. Altium company operates 64 packaging manufacturing facilities in the U.S. and Canada, two recycled resin manufacturing facilities, and has about 4,000 employees.
“Having Loews and GIC – two world-class institutions – as our partners will be invaluable as we continue to pursue our growth strategy and seek accretive acquisitions that add further scale and end-market diversification,” Altium president and CEO Sean Fallmann said in a statement.
The transaction is expected to close in the next 30 days.


text:
After five years of negotiations, Italian cooperative VOG has announced the export of the first shipment of Italian-grown apples to Vietnam. The first shipment will consist of 8 tons of South-Tyrolean apples. The biggest hurdle to be overcome during negotiations was clarification of phytosanitary requirements. These matters have now been resolved following several site inspections conducted by the Asian plant protection authority.
Director of VOG, Walter Pardatscher, said, “With this first delivery to Vietnam, not just our association but the entire national apple market has reached a major milestone. No apple has ever been shipped from Italy to Vietnam before. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Assomela, the representative of the interests of Italian apple producers, and hope that we can consolidate and continue our cooperation with Vietnam in the near future.”
VOG now intends to expand also into the markets of Taiwan and Thailand.


text:
Win Tickets to Brian May's Astrofest Talk
OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE
NEWS PROVIDED BY
The London Stereoscopic Company has teamed up with Astrofest to offer you the chance to WIN tickets to Brian’s captivating virtual 3-D talk on 22 April and an ASTRO APRIL BUNDLE, including:
Capture something astronomy-related in stereoscopic 3-D then email your photo to email@example.com by 18th April, 12pm (UK).
The LSC panel will judge one winning image. Winner to be announced on 20th April at 6pm (UK Time).
If you don't already have one, you will need to download a free stereoscopic camera app, such as 3D Photo for iPhone or 3DSteroid for Android...then get snapping!
April 15, 2021 4:45am ET by Pressparty


text:
Blog: Happy New Year from just-style
Michelle Russell | 6 January 2016
Happy New Year from the team at just-style. We hope you had a good break.
Taking a look back over the stories posted on just-style over the holiday period, industry expert Mike Flanagan asked the question: Is Cuba the missing link in the US apparel supply chain? In his last comment of 2015, he offered a seasonal suggestion for solving several global and industry problems.
We also took a look at the landscape for the global leather industry, which is undergoing a degree of change when it comes to production, retail and technology trends. Figures show the global market for shoes and leather goods is expected to grow over the next four years, and a number of new players are emerging, including Cambodia and Vietnam.
Elsewhere, a new and improved version of Historic Futures' String supply chain mapping platform launched, designed to help tackle the challenge of total traceability by allowing brands and retailers to ask questions along the chain.
And, Lululemon's new approach to its product range and a revised pricing strategy will be crucial to shifting the large amount of stock it holds and to remain competitive. Separately, the company also defended its position over the release of an animal rights campaign video claiming the Canadian yoga wear brand continues to sell clothing items using "cruelly produced down".
Meanwhile, in other news, a Bangladesh court accepted murder charges against 41 people involved in the Rana Plaza disaster; the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA) officially took effect; and Uzbekistan was still using forced labour in 2015.
Click here to read the top news stories on just-style in 2015. Free trade agreements, cutting-edge innovations, sandblasting in Chinese jeans factories, new minimum wages, and retail job cuts were some of the issues that made the headlines.
Earlier this year apparel giant PVH set up Innovation Next, a new department dedicated to preparing for the big ideas coming at the industry - including connected apparel and implications for the supp...
Fashion retailer H&M and UK based glove and leather manufacturer Pittards both say they are monitoring the situation in Ethiopia closely after the country's government declared a state of emergency af...
Increasing competition for garment sourcing contracts is seeing China not only being challenged by other countries in Asia, but by sub-Saharan African and even Russian suppliers too. And it is pushing...
The monthly minimum wage for workers in Cambodia's textile, garment and footwear sector is set to rise to $153 from January next year, following a vote on the issue last week. The increase marks a ris...
The results of two highly-anticipated initiatives in the sportswear sphere were revealed last week: the launch of Under Armour’s new UAS lifestyle brand and the first pair of running shoes created at ...
- Fashion fit for the future – strategies for speed
- Digitisation to drive new apparel-making models
- Will new Vietnam wage hinder competitiveness?
- Under Armour Lighthouse will disrupt production
- Pakistan industry seeks help to kickstart exports
- Child refugees found in Turkey apparel factories
- Chinese manufacturer invests $20m in US facility
- US Q3 in brief - Rocky Brands, Gymboree Corp
- Reebok Liquid Factory reinvents shoe production
- Managing change in the move to new tech tools
- Africa-Med strategic sourcing review – comparing East Africa, North Africa and Turkey
- REPORT BUNDLE: Africa-Med, Southeast Asia and Central America strategic sourcing pack
- Southeast Asia strategic sourcing review – a focus on Cambodia, Vietnam and Myanmar
- Apparel (GLOBAL) - Industry Report
- Global Sports and Fitness Wear Market 2016-2020


text:
German consumers buying goods and services online will pay with something other than a credit card for about 66% of such purchases, according to a report released Wednesday by Germany-based acquirer and payment-services firm Pago eTransaction Services GmbH. By contrast, consumers from other regions around the world use credit cards for 90% of online purchases. Pago based the report on analyses of some 30 million purchases the company processed between October 2006 and September 2007. The report also shows how much better British online merchants are than their counterparts in other countries in attracting international customers. British online merchants attract about 55% of their customers from outside the United Kingdom. One-third of those non-British consumers come from outside Europe, Pago says. By contrast, German online merchants see fewer than 5% of online purchases from customers outside Germany. Of those international customers, 0.8% come from outside Europe. "This could be a result of the language barrier," Pago says in a news release, noting that English is "understood by a majority of e-commerce consumers." Consumers in Germany and the UK show the most enthusiasm for online shopping, followed by those in France and Ireland, the report says.
Authoritative analysis and perspective for every segment of the payments industry
Authoritative analysis and perspective for every segment of the industry
Have an account? Sign In


text:
European road-freight service provider DHL Freight is making “an eight-figure investment” in a new 7,800-square-meter freight hub at the Hanover Airport Business Park in Langenhagen, Germany. DHL Freight expects its investment to translate into improvements in LTL (less-than-truckload) and FTL (full-truck-load) transport. Groundbreaking is scheduled for the beginning of 2018.
The investment is part of DHL’s broader “Freight 2020” program, which focusses on “what has made us successful” – in this case, freight. “The new freight center in Langenhagen, near Hanover, represents an important step forward in this regard,” said Uwe Brinks, CEO of DHL Freight.
Situated near Hanover Airport, on 63,000 square meters of land, the site was chosen for its transport connections for both long-haul and short-haul transport. With 80 loading bays, the new trans-shipment terminal will provide sufficient capacity to process in excess of 600,000 tons of LTL cargo per annum.
Once operational, the two existing Hanover sites (Stelingerstrasse and Büttnerstrasse) will be consolidated into operations at the new location.


text:
News sites are reaping significant rewards from the consumer shift toward mobile devices in the UK, with the number of unique visitors to mobile newspaper sites rising 39% year over year to 13.5 million in December 2013, according to research conducted by comScore GSMA Mobile Media Metrics cited by Newsworks. Page views saw a 63% year-over-year increase, as well.
The same research suggested those who accessed news sites from a mobile device had higher incomes: More than six in 10 respondents with a household income of £75,000 ($117,187.50) or more did so. Visitors were also more likely to be younger, with 18- to 34-year-olds accounting for 45% of consumers who accessed news sites via mobile.
There was a strong correlation between accessing news sites and using social media on a mobile device—85% visited both from their mobile browser. In addition, 89% accessed retail sites via mobile.
Polling conducted by Kantar Media for the UK’s Office of Communications found that there was a difference in the way social networks and news sites were perceived. UK news consumers trusted news sites and broadcast channels more than social media platforms. Respondents rated TV broadcaster websites or apps—such as the BBC, which acts as both a news agency and broadcaster; Sky; and Channel 4 News—slightly higher than TV channels in general. Newspapers and newspaper websites followed. All scored above 5 on a scale of 1 to 10.
Facebook and Twitter were treated with relative suspicion, both scoring below 5. Twitter was slightly ahead.


text:
Mac Pro Boosts Apple’s Green Cred
The latest Mac Pro consumes 68 percent less power in idle mode and its packaging consumes 82 percent less volume than the previous-generation computer, according to Apple.
Most (65 percent) of the Mac Pro’s greenhouse gas emissions come from the production of the product while the second highest percentage (33 percent) comes from customer use (see chart). Apple says the Mac Pro’s emissions total 940 kg CO2e.
Apple says its Mac Pro is extremely material efficient, consuming 74 percent less aluminum and steel compared to earlier versions.
The new Mac Pro’s smaller packaging footprint, which weighs 84 percent less than that of the previous-generation computer, allows three times more units to fit in an airline shipping container, the report says. Additionally, the Mac Pro’s sustainable packaging uses corrugated cardboard made with a minimum of 33 percent post-consumer recycled content.
In November, Apple received final approval to build its sustainable, flying-saucer-shaped headquarters in Cupertino, Calif., that includes a host of green building features.
Energy Manager News
- Better Buildings, Better Plants: 12 Success Stories
- CA Governor Signs Bill Clarifying PACE Disclosures
- CA School District to Get 73% of Energy From Solar Carports
- Two Critical Questions to Ask Yourself About Your Current Energy Contract
- Pepco and Exelon Say Customers Have Benefitted$440 Million Since Merger
- ICC Issues Stringent Consumer Protection Rules For Retail Electric Suppliers
- Tesla’s Battery Storage Device Put to Use. Time to Exhale?
- Variable Speed Drives are a Powerful Efficiency Tool


text:
National Communications Commission (NCC) says about 63 million technology devices are sold in Nigeria every year.
This is according to data from Original Equipment Manufacturers.
In a report titled ‘Deployment of a Device Management System: Project Information Memorandum.’, NCC disclosed that the data showed that device owners change their gadgets every six to 18 months.
The commission said, “Data from OEMs suggests that approximately 63 million devices are sold each year in Nigeria. Estimates suggest that the average device owner changes devices every six to 18 months.
“The size and turnover of the mobile device market offer vast opportunities for the implementation of a DMS.”
In the document, it disclosed that there were approximately 132 million unique devices on the nation’s telecommunication network in 2020.
According to the NCC, the digital economy is about 15.5 per cent of global Gross Domestic Product, growing two and a half times faster than global GDP over the past 15 years.
It added, “According to NCC industry data, the telecom sector is estimated to contribute between 11 – 14 per cent per quarter to the GDP.
“This figure has been rising in the last few years consistent with increasing competition, decreasing telecom sector tariffs, and increasing teledensity. Innovations in the market such as 5G, Internet-of-Things will only further the rate of penetration of telecom devices in Nigeria which makes the DMS project a welcome development.”
Commenting on the number, the Public Relations Officer of the Computer and Allied Product Dealers Association of Nigeria, Solagbade Olaifa, noted that it was a good number. According to him, most of these devices are sold as new ones.
He said, “Yes, most of these devices are being sold as new devices. Lagos accounts for at least 70 per cent of it. About the rest of that is from other regions.”
According to him, about N5bn worth of devices is being sold in Computer Village, Ikeja, Lagos. When quizzed on whether local production of devices, he added, “Yes, it is good we start producing but only when we have the expertise.
“We do not have the technology to produce now, but we can fund part of it, but we cannot produce as a whole because for every device, even over there, there are different companies that produce each component, it is not only one company that produces every component of the devices. However, Nigeria can start somewhere.
The Managing Partner, Bodds IT Solutions, Emmanuel Osho, added that the number of devices being sold in the nation might be higher. He added that the device market was growing larger every year.
He added, “An average person in their 20s and 30s has like two or three devices which include laptops, phones, and others. To be honest, the market could run into billions. The second-hand product is larger because of the low purchasing power of the market. Ideally, majority of the buyers of new devices are organisations.”


text:
Now the dust is settling after the General Election, the British Furniture Confederation (BFC) is bracing itself to work with the newly formed Government on behalf of the furniture and furnishing sector. Jonathan Hindle, chairman of the BFC says:
“In the run up to the election, the BFC published an analysis of each of the Party Manifestos and compared them to our Furniture Industry Manifesto, which was issued late last year. Coupled with this was our response to the Industrial Strategy Green Paper, published last April. Both documents sought to inform politicians by identifying the challenges facing the industry in the short-to-medium term. They pinpointed areas where the Government can work with the sector to overcome these challenges.
“A recurring concern for the furniture & furnishing industry is the issue of foreign workers. The industry faces a shortage of skills across many disciplines, but particularly in manufacture. The sector currently relies heavily on foreign workers for these skills. Whilst there is a clear need for a renewed focus on upskilling the UK workforce, the threat of a sudden drain of resources following Brexit would seriously hinder the industry. Efforts are being made to ramp-up resources for training and development through revived Trailblazer apprenticeships and training schemes. However, these need to be more comprehensive if they are to become effective within Brexit time-frames.
“The weak currency continues to create cost pressures and potential inflationary price outcomes. The industry relies on significant proportions of imported components and materials in our manufacturing processes.
“I am no fan of the waste and unaccountability which prevails in Brussels, and it would be difficult to surmise that the recent Election outcome was a result of a vote against Brexit. However, it possibly indicates a vote against what people understood by a ‘hard’ Brexit versus a more business friendly ‘soft’ Brexit. I do not mean that we should compromise on a strong negotiating stance in the pursuit of genuine trading benefits, yet we must not ‘cut our nose off to spite our face’.
“Encouragingly, as a result of the Brexit vote, our Industry is growing its exports and looking for fresh markets outside the EU. While this can only be a good thing, our ability to continue to trade with our current largest market should remain a priority. Nobody is suggesting this should be negotiated at any cost. The weak fall-back position to a WTO tariff must surely encourage both sides to reach a sensible accommodation. We are, after all, a significant net importer with a thumping great trade deficit to prove it! I am hopeful that a more business-friendly team in Government will begin to support our design-led manufacturing industries correctly as we enter the era of Industry 4:0.
“The BFC looks forward to working with MPs and Peers across the House to ensure the views of the British furniture industry is fully represented in Parliament in the years to come. “
- The British Furniture Confederation (BFC) maintains regular dialogue with Government and other influential stakeholders to ensure that all policies and initiatives support a thriving furniture, furnishings and bed sector. Many of its activities are done in partnership with the All Party Parliamentary Furniture Industry Group (APPFIG), chaired by Stephen McPartland MP.
- UK furniture, bed and furnishings manufacturing is a substantial industry. According to 2015 Government statistics its 8,113 companies contribute £11.1 billion to the country’s GDP (10% up on previous year), which equates to 2.2% of manufacturing output. Over a quarter of a million jobs are dependent on the success of the industry, with 107,000 in manufacturing alone. There are 150,000 in specialist furniture and furnishings retail and wholesale, 3,000 in repair, 10,000 in leasing, plus a proportion of the 52,000 registered specialist designers. Consumer expenditure on furniture and furnishings equates to £16.2 billion per year. In addition to this there is an unquantified value of product entering the contract and office markets.
 Statistics taken from FIRA’s Statistics Digest November 2016, a compilation of published statistics and market information which has been sourced primarily from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), HM Customs and Revenue, The Bank of England and the Communities and Local Government web sites.


text:
Food inflation remains stubbornly high in Canada as grocery prices climbed at the fastest pace in more than four decades last month.
While overall inflation moderated in August, the cost of food purchased from stores was up a staggering 10.8 per cent compared with a year ago.
That’s the fastest clip recorded by Statistics Canada since 1981.
Higher prices affected nearly every aisle of the grocery store.
Flour prices were up 23.5 per cent last month compared with a year ago while pasta prices rose 20.7 per cent, bread 17.6 per cent, eggs 10.9 per cent, fresh fruit 13.2 per cent and fats and oils 27.7 per cent.
Prices of items that were once considered affordable substitutes are now rising as well. For example, frozen and dried vegetables were up 14.1 per cent while fresh vegetables increased a more modest 9.3 per cent.
A similar trend appears to be unfolding in the meat department.
“A few months ago when beef and pork prices were increasing significantly you could substitute for chicken,” said James Orlando, director at TD Economics.
“Now the opposite is happening where beef and pork price inflation is decelerating and chicken prices are increasing.”
Sustained higher prices are prompting Canadians to adopt new shopping habits to save money, a new survey released Tuesday by Dalhousie University’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab and Caddle said.
The survey found Canadian consumers are shopping more at discount stores, buying cheaper store brands, using loyalty programs and scouring weekly flyers for deals.
“Food inflation is lingering and is really starting to shape where and how people buy food,” said Sylvain Charlebois, professor of food distribution and policy at Dalhousie.
The survey also found nearly a quarter of Canadians have cut back on the amount of food they purchased within the last year because of high grocery prices.
“Some people are actually buying less food,” Charlebois said. “There are dietary compromises being made by many Canadians.”
Some relief could be in store as easing input costs reduce pressure on food prices.
“With transportation costs and agricultural commodity prices now off their peaks, the trend in food price inflation should start to soften towards the end of this year and into 2023,” Andrew Grantham, senior economist at CIBC Capital Markets, said in a client note Tuesday.
Michael Medline, president and CEO of Sobeys Inc., said during an earnings call last week that grocery store inflation may have peaked in Canada as price increases from food manufacturers stabilize.
The number and rate of cost increases being passed along to the grocery chain from food suppliers began decreasing in recent weeks, he said.
Grocers have been widely criticized for high food prices in recent months and posting strong earnings throughout the pandemic.
But Michelle Wasylyshen, a spokeswoman with the Retail Council of Canada, said grocers aren’t to blame.
Instead, she said vendors such as food manufacturers, processors and wholesalers have passed along unprecedented price increases to grocers in recent months as they face higher costs from their suppliers such as farmers and importers.
Supply chain disruptions, extreme weather events and the invasion of Ukraine have all pushed up costs this year, Wasylyshen said.


text:
Official website of the New England Patriots
An NFL Draft Wish Come True
20-year old Ben Lepper was diagnosed with leukemia at age 17. Today, as a guest of the Patriots Foundation and Make-a-Wish, he visited Gillette Stadium where he was asked by Robert Kraft to travel to this month's NFL Draft in Las Vegas and announce the Patriots second-round pick.
Patriots Foundation, Devin McCourty and teammates host annual Gifts from the Gridiron event
The Patriots Foundation teamed up with Devin McCourty and his New England teammates to host the 2022 Gifts from the Gridiron at Bass Pro Shops at Patriot Place. The annual holiday shopping event helps local children shop for themselves and wrap gifts for friends and family.


text:
Volkswagen's modern Microbus remake, and more in the week that was
Also, Tesla's Gigafactory is on track to run entirely on solar energy.
The 11 best tech gifts for workaholics
Our favorite laptop, and other essentials for staying productive.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: An impressive mobile home, and more!
In other news, Google co-founder Larry Page invested $100 million in two aerial vehicle startups.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: A VW bug made out of timber
In other news, check out the world's first 3D-printed motorcycle.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: The Karma Revero, and more!
Meanwhile, Ford is working on a 200-mile electric car.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: The Tesla Model S gets an upgrade
The EV benefits from a larger battery, updated design and "bioweapon defense mode."
Inhabitat's Week in Green: Toyota's wooden roadster and more!
Meanwhile, floating farms that produce food and clean power could be coming to a river near you.
Ikea made a kitchen showroom in VR
Don't want to go to the store? No problem.


text:
WATCH: We're Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the Iconic Biopic Selena
The beloved film celebrated the late Mexican-American singer and inspired the music career of Jennifer Lopez!
Come back every day at 8:30 a.m. EST to watch People Now streaming live from Time Inc. headquarters in New York City, and rebroadcast at 11:30 am EST. Get the absolute latest in celebrity news, real-life people stories & the best of fashion and food.
Want even more? Watch clips from yesterday’s People Now.


text:
Fashion sleuths on the internet are calling out celebrity twins Aiman and Minal Khan’s new clothing line for ripping off designs from another prominent fashion house.
The brand’s latest collection seems to take some very serious inspiration, that some may say borders on plagiarism, from Zara Shahjahan. In particular, a red outfit recently posted to the brand’s Instagram page is highly reminiscent of Minal's baat pakki outfit by Zara Shahjahan. Minal donned a red floral co-ord with an organza dupatta from the popular brand and the similarities to her own creation are striking.
A local fashion page on Instagram posted a picture of the two outfits side by side, captioning the photo, “Spot the difference. @zarashahjahan now available at @aimanminalcloset.”
Another floral number from the collection, this one in yellow, also looks near-identical to a yellow outfit from Zara Shahjahan’s recent campaign. Although the colours in the celebrated fashion house’s piece are brighter and bolder, with Aiman and Minal’s rendition being on more of a softer side, the similarities are rather apparent.
Aiman and Minal are not the only ones cashing in on their celebrity status to sell clothes. Sisters Mawra and Urwa Hocane launched their fashion line in 2019 by the name of UXM, with Maya Ali recently getting on the bandwagon with her clothing line named after herself as well.
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ


text:
On July 28, a Sina micro-blogger published a photo of boxes of soy milk powder piled outside a KFC outlet in Guangzhou, capital of South China`s Guangdong province.
The quality of the soybean milk at KFC was called into question. So were the burgers at McDonald`s and the soup at Ajisen Ramen, a popular Japanese noodle shop.
Bread and soup
On Aug 1, a photo appeared on the popular Mop social networking website that showed burger buns, some in ripped wrappings, piled in the sun outside a McDonald`s restaurant in Beijing. The picture was reposted hundreds of thousands of times. ."
This was the food safety issue. The open wrappings could allow flies or vermin into the packages of bread.
McDonald`s later announced that it had punished the restaurant - responsible employees lost their jobs - and that the buns would not be used.
Ajisen Ramen, a Japanese noodle brand with 5,900 outlets on the Chinese mainland, is the biggest loser in this round of mistrust. Its much-advertised noodle soup was discovered to be made from a concentrate produced in East China`s Shandong province, not freshly made at each outlet as many customers believed.
When the word spread, customer levels dropped sharply, local media reported. The parent company`s stock prices on the Hong Kong exchange plunged more than 40 percent from July 27 to Aug 5. Trading was suspended on Aug 8.
Misleading or ambiguous advertisements lie behind foreign fast foods` trust problems in China.
"In the case of Ajisen Ramen, the advertisement obviously advises customers wrongly," said Qiu Baochang, a lawyer specializing in consumer rights at the Beijing Lawyers Association. "The consumers` right of being informed has been violated. This is cheating."
When checked last Sunday, the company`s website refers to "Ajisen Ramen`s exclusive soup base ... a broth of pork bones simmered to perfection". It also says the white soup base "is full of `natural collagen` ... (which) helps the renewal of skin and bone tissues such as cartilage and tendon, and is the richest form of protein in animals".
The Shanghai Food and Drug Administration reported on Aug 2 that the soup is made using a dehydrated broth made with pork bones that is produced by a factory in Tai`an, Shandong province.
As for KFC, its television advertisement says the soy milk is "made in the ancient way" and "tastes nice and pure". The company never said the soybeans were freshly ground.
However, "the advertisement lures the consumer to believe the soybean milk, with its pure taste and flavor, is freshly ground", Qiu said. "The company did not mean to clearly tell what exactly the soybean milk is made from."
Now, neither Ajisen Ramen nor KFC answered those questions about its advertisements.


text:
Car scrappage scheme is daft
Published 01/03/2010 | 05:00
ACCORDING to research by the US Department of Energy, the energy equivalent of 1,540 gallons of petrol is used to manufacture a car.
Scrappage is another daft scheme, like biofuels, electric cars and banning light bulbs dreamt up to evade facing the real problems.
The number of cars in the world cannot continue to grow forever.


text:
Ever since their inception, stablecoins have carried plenty of potential. By acting as tokens tied to the price of fiat currency, these coins have promised to solve the problem of crypto price volatility. Essentially, stablecoins allow users to hold and trade tokens that are as reliably valuable as fiat currency — without introducing the hassles that come with cashing out one’s crypto.
Of course, these promises depend on stablecoins actually maintaining parity with the US Dollar. However, as NullTX revealed yesterday, stablecoins have been fluctuating wildly over the past week. Sourcing data from the Stablecoin Index, the news site has observed that none of the eight major stablecoins are maintaining their price peg:
Notably, Tether’s price remains below the dollar, possibly due to ongoing controversy reducing demand for the coin. Meanwhile, USDCoin’s price has risen above the price of the dollar: it seems to be in high demand, perhaps due to the fact that it is a relative newcomer that is vocally challenging Tether’s centralization. The remaining stablecoins are also experiencing low and high prices in roughly equal measures.
Some level of fluctuation is to be expected, and all stablecoins have a method of adjusting their prices periodically — usually by burning excess tokens and minting new ones. Most, if not all, stablecoins have reset their prices to match the US Dollar at various points in time. Although stablecoin prices are fairly close to the dollar when averaged over time, it seems that these adjustment methods do not have long-lasting effects.
In addition to pricing, market caps also pose an issue for stablecoins. Since the appearance of Tether in 2014, a number of rising stablecoins have entered the scene, including Circle’s USDCoin (USDC), TrueUSD (TUSD), Stasis (EURS), MakerDAO (DAI), and many others. As NullTX notes, “surpassing USDT will be incredibly challenging for all of these stablecoins” due to their relatively low market caps.
Years after its introduction, Tether is the only high-ranking stablecoin — it is the 8th largest cryptocurrency by market cap. Despite their originally promising nature, it is possible that many fiat-pegged stablecoins will go out of vogue before they even gain a foothold in the crypto market. However, price-pegging may have applications beyond fiat-pegged stablecoins: it is an essential basis for cross-chain tokens as well.


text:
Usha presents a cookout with Chef Vikas Khanna at the Delhi Golf Club
Delhi, Nov 21, 2016:
USHA International, one of India’s leading consumer durables company hosted a cook out session with six times Michelin starred chef and Brand Ambassador for Usha Kitchen appliances, Vikas Khanna. The event took place at the Delhi Golf Club, Dr. Zakir Hussian Marg, New Delhi and was attended by select members of the club and kids from the Usha sponsored Golf Junior Training Programme.
The event began with an interactive session with the chef and was followed by a live cooking session. At the cook out, Chef Vikas Khanna delighted the guests with his sumptuous favourites and also demonstrated some of India and New York’s most cherished signature dishes. These gourmet recipes were prepared on the recently launched Usha OTG and Usha Halogen Oven. With increased consciousness towards fitness and well-being, these new-age appliances from Usha allow foodies to cook and enjoy healthy yet scrumptious food without any compromise.
Commenting on the occasion, Vikas Khanna, six times Michelin starred Chef said “Lifestyle and food habits are continuously evolving in India and Usha with its forward-looking approach is enabling us to live this change with new age appliances.”
On the occasion, Mr. Harvinder Singh, President-Home Appliances, Usha International said, “Usha has been continuously innovating and introducing technologically advanced kitchen appliances that not only help consumers lead an active life but also complement their cooking habits – both Indian & world cuisine. ”
Usha OTGs come with convection technology, illuminated chambers for easy visibility and keep warm mode for serving food at the ideal temperature. In today’s busy life, Usha OTG will be every Mom’s bakery, enabling her to make yummy baking delicacies for her child. This new range will be available in 42L, 35L, 29L and 19L capacities and is attractively designed in vibrant colour combinations of wine and black.
Usha InfinitiCook Halogen oven is the first-ever and one of its kind innovative kitchen appliance that allows food lovers to experiment with their culinary skills. This all-in-one cooking solution comes with 10 applications – Baking, Roasting, Grilling, Thawing, Slow cooking, Bar-b-que, Braising, Toasting, Air drying and Oil- less air frying. The multi-functional cooking appliance can prepare everything from starters, appetizers to main courses and dessert.


text:
LensVector Inc. has developed an autofocus technology that may make cameras again a main focal point on mobile phones.
LensVector’s autofocus device, which the company says is the smallest ever, sheers and focuses light using LCD technology. And, very importantly, it has no moving parts. LensVector has its sights set on cameras for cell phones, laptops and other mobile devices.
Founded in 2006, the Mountain View company spent the past four years in stealth mode, working with big names in the industry to build a product that was up to standard.
In February it launched publicly with the announcement of $30 million in Series C funding, which brought its total amount of money raised to $53 million.
The latest round was led by Institutional Venture Partners, which has an office in Menlo Park. It joined existing investors Menlo Ventures of Menlo Park, Silicon Valley Bank, Samsung Electronics Co., Mitsui & Co. Ltd. and Eastman Kodak Co. Other investors joining the recent round were Foxconn Technology Group, the Taiwan-based semiconductor company United Microelectronics Corp., TransLink Capital and Harbor Pacific.
While no customers have yet been announced, LensVector is already in production with 30,000 square feet of manufacturing space in Mountain View and Sunnyvale, said CEO Derek Proudian, who co-founded the company with Chief Technology Officer Tigran Galstian, a professor at Laval University in Quebec City.
The company hopes to go into mass production in the second half of this year and plans to keep initial manufacturing local.
“From a process development perspective, we wanted to keep tight control over our intellectual property and also be able to guarantee the quality and reliability of our parts for initial production,” Proudian said.
LensVector’s Silicon Valley facilities are designed to scale to 5 million units per month, or 60 million per year. Proudian said the demand could be 10 or 20 times that, and the company is considering a second production line. Expansion in Silicon Valley is one of several options it is considering.
Though no customer announcements have been made, Samsung is working with LensVector.
“I am hopeful to see multiple product announcements before the end of this year,” said Brian Kang, managing director with Samsung Ventures America, Samsung’s investment arm.
Refocusing camera technology
LensVector’s technology stands to change the way microcameras operate.
“While there’s been tremendous growth in volume and use of digital imaging the past 10 or 20 years, the mechanical aspect of cameras really has not changed significantly,” Proudian said. “We think that being able to bring a solid-state ability to replace the mechanical aspect of a camera is going to enable a continued evolution of high-quality, small microcameras in a wide array of products from mobile phones to computers to game consoles.”
LensVector chose autofocus as the place to start. Its technology transforms a liquid crystal cell into a lens. A small control voltage makes it focus, from infinity to 10 centimeters in distance. The company believes its technologies can replace other mechanical features in cameras, as well, such as changing the f-stop.
The autofocus stands up in quality to conventional systems, such as the voice coil technology that is widely used in mobile phones today said Kang. The device has other merits, he added. The solid-state unit is more reliable, and it is noiseless, making it ideal for video.
The market opportunity is substantial. The research firm Interactive Data Corp. has estimated that more than 70 percent of the 1.1 billion mobile phones sold worldwide in 2009 had cameras. That is some 745 million phones with cameras, a number IDC forecasts will rise to 883 million this year and hit 1 billion in 2011.
But interest in camera phones by consumers and vendors has faded in recent years. With their tiny lenses, even smart phones cannot match the user experience of a regular digital camera, said IDC’s Chris Chute, research manager, worldwide digital imaging practice. LensVector is one of a few companies working to refresh that interest. Autofocus is standard on digital cameras but one of several features missing from most camera phones.
“One of the reasons handset vendors might come back to this type of technology,” Chute said, “is because they can produce decent enough pictures (where) they finally can say to consumers, ‘Look, you’re going to get a great experience out of using this camera here, and by the way, we have an app for that.’”
There are substantial opportunities beyond the mobile phone. Microcameras are popping up in an increasing number of devices, including notebooks, netbooks, pocket video devices, security cameras and even video game consoles such as the Nintendo DSi.
Headquarters: Mountain View
CEO: Derek Proudian
Funding: $53 million
Web site: www.lensvector.com


text:
Monday, April 30, 2012
Fort Thomas Real Estate - Steady and Bouncing Back
A story in the Enquirer this weekend highlighted the fact that Fort Thomas is one of the most stable real estate markets you can find. While the past three years saw the total sales decline the prices have held up well and there appears to be a modest surge happening.
According to Enquirer data Fort Thomas home values (measured by median sales price) only dropped 1.3% since 2008 and is up 6.7% over last year.
Based on even more recent data the market is actually on a bit of a hot streak. I receive weekly sales reports from Robinson Realty in Cincinnati where they show the stats of home sales for neighborhoods all over the region and Fort Thomas was the third hottest market in the region for March with sales of 24% of the current real estate inventory (22 sales on 93 listings).
This isn't just numbers either as I am seeing first-hand experiences that reflect this as my brother-in-law just contracted a house that had sat vacant for three years. He plans to invest a lot to bring it back up to par and will only serve to stabilize prices on his street.


text:
Lehman Cuts Estimates on Linens'n Things
Lehman slashed its estimates on Linens'n Things (LIN ), citing the company's third quarter outlook and possible sale.
Analyst Alan Rifkin says business trends continue to be very poor. He believes the company's holiday season is in jeopardy as product transitions are not taking place as effectively as thought. As a result, he slashes his 2005 earnings per share estimate by 50 cents to 63 cents and his 2006 estimate by 40 cents to 90 cents. In response to the news of a possible sale of the company, he says there's talk that Bed Bath & Beyond (BBBY ) could be a suitor. He says that given huge cultural differences between these two companies, a Bed Bath & Beyond/ Linens'n Things combination makes no sense. The analyst thinks investors should value the stock on its fundamentals, not takeout speculation, and rates it at underweight.


text:
The automaker has added a new trim to the Camaro lineup designed to pull customers away from the Mustang and Challenger. Introducing the 2020 Camaro LT1.
Chevrolet says the 2020 Camaro LT1 “combines the content and design” of the Camaro 1LT and the Camaro SS, offering customers a less expensive way to get themselves into a Camaro with the 455-horsepower 6.2-liter LT1 V8. It will be available with a six-speed manual transmission or 10-speed automatic and will be offered in both coupe and convertible body styles.
Prices for the Camaro LT1 will start at $34,995 including destination. For comparison’s sake, the 2019 Ford Mustang GT starts at $36,350 including destination, while the Challenger R/T starts at $35,790 including destination.
“The new Camaro LT1 is a great choice for those seeking a pure V8 performance experience,”said Chevy’s director of passenger car marketing, Steve Majoros. “And at less than $35,000, it will be one of the most affordable V-8 performers on the market.”
It seems as though any equipment available on the 2020 Camaro LT will be available to throw on the 2020 Camaro LT1. Some of the new optional equipment available on the LT for 2020 includes a rear spoiler, red or orange brake calipers, 20-inch alloy wheels, Recaro seats, dark tinted taillamps and a sueded steering wheel and shift knob.
The addition of the 2020 Camaro LT1 to the automaker’s lineup was announced today alongside changes to the 2020 Camaro SS. The updated 2019 Camaro SS was panned by media and consumers, leading Chevrolet to fast-track a redesign for 2020.


text:
With millions of people increasingly monitoring their health data online via a profusion of smart gadgets, Apple on Wednesday unveiled a fresh initiative to highlight the significance of health data privacy around the world, including in India. This summer, the campaign will air on television, social media, and billboard in twenty-four different time zones.
The campaign will roll out across 24 nations and include an updated commercial voiced by Emmy Award-winning actress and comedian Jane Lynch, a white paper detailing the many ways Apple ensures the security of information kept in the Health app on iPhone and HealthKit, and a series of billboards.
Lynch lends her hilarious voice to an advertisement that depicts the narrative of those whose health data is released without their consent. Craig Gillespie, whose film credits include "I, Tonya" and "Cruella," directs the commercial. The corporation has also released a white paper on protecting sensitive medical information.
The tech giant has developed all of its Health features on four tenets of privacy that it strongly believes in: data minimization, on-device processing, transparency and control, and security. By calculating health measures locally on the iOS device, the quantity of data transferred to Apple's servers is reduced. Health app data is end-to-end encrypted for users with two-factor authentication, a device passcode, and an iOS 12 or later device. Health app data is therefore unreadable by anybody, even Apple.
In order to deliver health metrics and summaries, storing and processing this data locally on the device helps guarantee that Apple does not have access to it. Apple understands the importance of keeping users in charge of their personal health information and takes every precaution to protect it. Through HealthKit, apps may seek access to a variety of information, and you, the user, can choose which pieces of information to make public.


text:
Look for Tesla (TSLA) to report third-quarter auto deliveries next week, an announcement sure to be scrutinized for any updates on the pace of Model 3 production.
XTesla typically reports the delivery figure in the first few days after the end of a quarter.
In early July, Tesla said it delivered about 47,100 electric vehicles in the first half of this year, coming in at the lower end of its forecast. Tesla blamed that on a "severe shortfall" of new battery packs.
Tesla has not provided specific guidance on third-quarter vehicle deliveries but has said combined deliveries of the Model S and Model X in the second half will likely exceed the first-half deliveries. Tesla also said that third-quarter deliveries would include about 3,500 vehicles that were in transit to customers at the end of the second quarter.
Tesla received several price-target hikes following its second-quarter earnings report on Aug. 2, though analysts expressed concern about the electric car company's ability to execute on a bold and ambitious production schedule with its new Model 3 sedan.
Tesla shares dipped marginally to 339.60 on the stock market today.
The Model 3 is Tesla's first car for the mass market, with a price tag starting at $35,000, moving beyond its niche as a provider of luxury vehicles that typically sell for more than $100,000. At the high end, the Model 3 goes for $59,000.
IBD'S TAKE: Experts say electric vehicles could bring widespread disruption and dramatically shrink the number of carmakers over the next couple of decades. But Tesla is seen as one of the survivors. Here's a look at other Tech Leaders.
Back in early July, Chief Executive Elon Musk said on Twitter (TWTR) that Model 3 production will ramp up to 100 in August and above 1,500 in September, adding: "Looks like we can reach 20,000 Model 3 cars per month in December." Tesla recently said reservations for the Model 3 have grown to more than 500,000, up from the 373,000 that Tesla previously reported in the spring of 2016.
Morgan Stanley delivered a bullish report on Tesla Tuesday, saying it expects the number of the electric-car maker's vehicles on the road to jump 80% next year to 531,000 and triple by 2019, as sales of the new Model 3 accelerates.
Tesla's goal is to ramp up production to 500,000 Model 3 vehicles a year — a huge leap from its 100,000 run rate with the Model S sedan and Model X sport-utility vehicle.


text:
Formula IMC/S multi-packing cartoner from Klockner Bartelt (Sarasota, FL) is the first intermittent-motion, multi-axis cartoner to have independent servo drives performing all major functions, says the manufacturer.
Great Lakes (Chicago, IL) has introduced the 1627CSS compact bundler for food and pharmaceutical applications. The self-contained, hydraulically operated unit can sleeve wrap trayed or individual products.
The Model STB digital bottlecap torque tester from Mark-10 (Hicksville, NY) can measure torque tool calibration, break-away fastener, motor stall, and valve operating torque, as well as standard torque removal.
New York-based Chock full o' Nuts Corp. has incorporated an easy-open ring-pull end on 12-oz cans of its new Cafe Blend line of coffee. Consumer appeal was the main attraction, says the firm's Andrea Bass.
Sengewald USA's 140ꯠ-sq-ft Marengo, IL, converting facility has added a third bag wicketer to produce 2- to 4-mil polyethylene bags at rates to 175/min, for food, nonfood and medical packaging applications.


text:
Logitech Unveils Washable Keyboard, For Those Of Us Who Eat At Our Desk
We all know food, drinks and technology just don’t mix—but yet we still insist on eating at our desk, only to curse the heavens when we make that inevitable mess.
To save us the trouble of that repeated scenario, Logitech has unveiled their latest PC keyboard—the ‘Washable Keyboard K310’.
In a report by CNet, the K310 is able to tolerate anything from “a light dusting to a rinse in the kitchen sink”.
It can be washed multiple times, be submerged in up to 11 inches of water and left out to dry—thanks to holes at the back of the keyboard.
The keyboard characters are laser printed and UV-coated, so they don’t fade after a wash or cleaning.
According to Sophie Le Guen, senior director of mice and keyboards at Logitech, she said, “Because life and its messes will happen, regardless of how careful you are, Logitech designed the Washable Keyboard K310 to look and function like new, even over time.”
The K310 will be compatible with Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7.
It will be available across the US by August for a retail price of US$39.99, while the Europe launch is in October.
Guess it’s time to say goodbye to dirty keyboards!


text:
USA: VF Corp Swings To Q4 Profit Of $76.6m
The North Carolina-based firm reported a net profit of net income of $76.6 million, or 69 cents a share, for the 13 weeks to January 4, versus a year-ago loss of $112.6m, or $1.03 a share.
The latest results include restructuring charges of 18 cents a share and gains of five cents a share. Excluding these items and results from discontinued operations, VF made $84.4m, or 76 cents a share, compared with $56m, or 49 cents a share, in 2001.
Sales climbed 6.2 per cent to $1.31 billion from $1.23bn and all of its units performed well, it said in a news release.
VF, whose other brands include Lee Sport, Vanity Fair and Lily of France, added it expects a "strong" first quarter with earnings growth of around 10 per cent and sales up slightly from a year earlier.
Chairman and CEO, Mackey McDonald, said: "2002 was by no means an easy year, but our management team executed our plan extremely well and surpassed many of the targets we set for ourselves.
"We substantially improved our profitability, gained market share in key categories and achieved our long-term return on capital goal of 17 per cent. We're approaching 2003 with confidence in the strength of our brands and with momentum in sales.
"We're looking forward to a year of renewed growth in most of our businesses and record earnings per share. Armed with a cash position of nearly $500m and a low level of debt, we clearly have the flexibility to pursue new avenues for growth."
For the full year, sales slipped to just over $5bn from $5.22bn in 2001. Excluding net restructuring charges in both periods, income rose to $380.9m in 2002 from $306m in 2001, with earnings per share rising 27 per cent to $3.38 from $2.66.
Help test our new apparel sourcing tool.
Although Ukraine has the potential to be the top East European clothing supplier to Western Europe, the industry's growth is hampered by a lack of foreign investment. But this could be about to change...
Intimate apparel manufacturer Sara Lee Branded Apparel has introduced an integrated mix of retail and supply chain software at its Lovable division in Italy to enhance the smooth running of its new re...
Value retail chain Matalan Plc has confirmed that it will sell its Lee Cooper brand to private equity firm Emerisque Capital for £30 million, and has reported a 31 per cent hike in full-year underlyin...
Manufacturing giant Sara Lee Corp's branded apparel unit plans to axe 350 jobs from the division that makes Champion sportswear and intimate apparel under the Bali, Playtex, L'eggs and Wonderbra brand...
US retail group Sara Lee Corporation has named Frank van Oers as a vice president of the corporation, with immediate effect....
Apparel manufacturer VF Corp has reported an 18 per cent leap in first-quarter income, encouraged by good business at its outdoor, imagewear and sportswear businesses following acquisitions....
Large-scale manufacturer Sara Lee has posted a 50 per cent plummet in third-quarter profit, affected by sluggish clothing sales and high commodity costs....
Turkish denim producer Orta Anadolu hopes to increase its total sales to $230 million in 2005, with exports accounting for around $120 million of this figure....
- US apparel sector braces for potential cost hikes
- Vietnam grows share of US apparel imports in 2016
- Trade Tracker – Trump's first weeks, Brexit agenda
- Key trade issues facing US textiles and apparel
- Does a hard Brexit mean hard times for UK fashion?
- Bangladesh "high threat" for terrorist activity
- VF Corp sees Q4 and FY earnings tumble
- Sales at US clothing retailers jumped in January
- Ralph Lauren new execs to support Way Forward Plan
- US Q4 in brief – VF Corp, Kate Spade, Rocky Brands
- When Things Go Wrong - A Practical Guide to Managing Common Problems in Apparel Sourcing
- Outdoor performance apparel 2016: A broader perspective
- Technical textile markets: product developments and innovations, December 2016
- Global market review of lingerie – forecasts to 2022
- Southeast Asia strategic sourcing review – a focus on Cambodia, Vietnam and Myanmar


text:
Following its launch in May, the 2020 Hyundai Creta was not only the best-selling SUV in India in the month of July but also in August
Hyundai launched the 2020 Creta in March, just prior to the lockdown being announced in the country in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. While sales in April failed to take off, not only for Hyundai but for every automaker in India, sales have been steadily rising since June this year.
2020 Creta is no less than the king of the SUV segment in India. It was the best selling SUV in July 2020 when a total of 11,549 units sold. It was closely followed by the Kia Seltos in second spot with sales of 8,270 units in the same month.
The popularity of the Hyundai Creta continued to August, holding on to its pole position in the SUV segment with 11,758 units sold, crossing the 11,000 sales mark for the second consecutive month and contributing to over 25 percent of Hyundai sales.This was a massive 96 percent increase in sales as against 6,001 units sold in August 2019.
Its arch competitor, Kia Seltos crossed the 10,000 unit mark in the past month to 10,655 units, a 71 percent increase as against 6,236 units sold in the same month of the previous year. Together, Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos command over 63% market share in the segment.
In August, sales of every other SUV, other than Creta and Seltos in the 4+ meter SUV segment, failed to cross the 4,000 unit mark. The Mahindra Scorpio was at No. 3 with 3,327 units sold, a 16 percent increase as against 2,862 units sold in August 2019. The 2020 Scorpio, available in four variants – S5, S7, S9 and S11, does not get any visual updates over its BS4 counterpart. It is priced from Rs.12.39 to 15.99 lakhs.
MG Hector followed with the 4th highest sales in the segment. Sales for August 2020 stood at 2,732 units, a 35 percent increase over 2,018 units sold in the same month of the past year. Maruti Suzuki had the S-Cross in a 5th spot with 2,527 units sold, a huge increase of 279 percent over just 666 units sold in August 2019.
SUV Sales – AUG 2020
Mahindra XUV500 was at No. 7 on the list of best selling SUVs last month. The company sold 919 units of this SUV, suffering de-growth of 5 percent as 968 units had been sold in August 2019. Renault Duster and Jeep Compass also posted de-growth in August 2020 with sales at 477 units and 468 units respectively, down 51 percent and 23 percent as compared to sales in August 2019.
The Volkswagen T-Roc was a new entrant to this segment. It was launched earlier this year but has found its way onto the list of best selling SUVs at No.10 with 227 units sold. The MG ZS EV registered sales of 119 units. Hyundai Kona electric sales were at 26 units last month, down from 88 units sold in August 2019.
Also Read – Sub 4m SUV Sales Aug 2020


text:
By Shasha Dai
"In August, the firm began its overture 'in earnest' for FCX Performance Inc., a designer and distributor of valves," said Sterling managing partner Charles W. Santoro. "Then the financial market was engulfed in the worst crisis seen in decades."
"When the money button was pushed, the Dow [Jones Industrial Average] was down 800 points in interday trading," according to Santoro.
"Nonetheless, the deal closed last week, without any change to terms agreed upon. Nor were the terms much different from those of the Westport, Connecticut-based firm's deals over the last few years, regardless of the credit market conditions," Santoro said.
While exact financial details weren't disclosed, Santoro said the deal was valued at about eight times earnings before interest, depreciation and amortization, including 4.5 times of leverage. The debt is structured as two-thirds senior debt and one-third mezzanine.
FCX said on its Web site that it has about $150 million in annual revenue and about 185 employees.
Sterling attributed the swift closing largely to its relationships with the lenders, including senior lenders GE Antares Capital and Madison Capital Funding LLC, and mezzanine lenders Babson Capital Management LLC and National City Equity Partners.
"There was not a time when they [the lenders] came back and second-guessed us," Santoro said.
GE Antares and National City Corp. are both limited partners of Sterling's most recent fund, a $545 million pool of capital raised in 2005. The LPs' commitment to the transaction wasn't affected by the financial market turmoil that has seen many banks and insurance companies running into trouble. GE Antares said recently that it will be much more selective in backing new deals for the rest of the year.
"There wasn't one commitment that came in late," Santoro said.
GE Antares also invested equity alongside Sterling. FCX's management, including company founder Charles Simon, participated in the investment as well. FCX, of Columbus, was founded in 1984 to provide valves, pumps and other flow-control devices for a wide range of industries such as chemicals, food, pharmaceuticals, power generation, paper and steel. The company also designs such products for it's over 50,000 customers.
Sterling believes FCX has a reliable revenue stream since the company's products are critical to the functioning of equipment. The firm also likes FCX's internal and acquisitive growth prospects.
Robert W. Baird & Co. handled the sale process for FCX. This is Sterling's second investment so far in 2008, after acquiring Miller Heiman Inc., a provider of training programs for sales people, in July. The firm sat on the sidelines for the whole year of 2007, deeming that "valuation had run away."
Reach Sterling Investment at 203-226-8711.


text:
Yahoo Lays Off One Percent of Staff in Front of Earnings
Yahoo, which will announce fourth-quarter earnings later today, is also laying off another one percent of its staff, according to sources.
The layoffs of well over 100 employees are taking place across the company, although cuts are largely in the media and advertising group.
Yahoo currently has about 13,600 staffers worldwide.
After initially declining comment, a Yahoo spokeswoman confirmed the move and released the following statement:
“The personnel changes we are making are part of our ongoing strategy to best position Yahoo! for revenue growth and margin expansion and to support our strategy to deliver differentiated products and experiences to the marketplace. We’ll continue to hire on a global basis to support our key priorities.
Today’s action impacts approximately 1% of the global employee base.”
The Silicon Valley Internet giant conducted a larger layoff of four percent of its staff–mostly in its product organization–in December.


text:
By Kathreen Harrison
“The sleeping giant that is Africa is now rising,” proclaimed African Union Ambassador to the U.S. Dr. Arikana Chihombori-Quao to an attentive audience at an event sponsored by the World Affairs Council of Maine in Hannaford Hall, Portland on September 13.
After a pointed, succinct overview of the history of colonization in Africa, and the continued exploitation of her natural resources by multinational companies and foreign governments to this day, the Ambassador described the change that is at hand.
“The baby is finally born, and the baby’s name is the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA). All 55 countries in Africa have come together around the agreement, which was brokered by the African Union, beginning in 2013, and ratified last March 2018. We are finally speaking with one voice. It is the monumental decision that we have needed to make for over 700 years, since the first colonizers came to Africa – to take her rightful place on the world stage. Beginning in July 2020, Africa will enter the world market as ‘Africa’ instead of 55 countries.”
Dr. Arikana Chihombori-Quao said that AfCFTA is a game changer. The African Continental Free Trade Agreement will allow African workers to work anywhere they would like on the continent; move goods across national borders without delay; open up tourist and business travel within the continent.
“At the moment, African countries are wanna-be boxers, constantly thrown into the ring with heavyweights. West Africa produces 65% of the world’s cocoa, for example, but only last year started to manufacture its own chocolate bars. People rightfully talk about the corruption of some African leaders, but if we’re going to talk about corruption – let’s talk about all the corruption. At least $50 billion leaves Africa each year due to corruption.”
“Africa must get out of the losing lane. We need to come together as Africans, and friends of Africa, and understand her from the point of truth, not lies.”
The ambassador ended her remarks with a plea to the American business community to please wake up to the advent of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement.
“The Europeans are ready – the Chinese are ready – the people who are not ready are the Americans. Wherever I go, the American business community is not aware of AfCTFA.”
Numerous dignitaries attended the event, including Representative Rachel Talbot Ross, Portland City Councilors Pious Ali and Jill Duson, South Portland City Councilor Deqa Dhalac, and Former Minister of Public Works and Reconstruction of Somalia, Eng. Nadifa Osman.
After welcoming remarks by World Affairs Council of Maine’s executive director, Kate McCarthy, Portland City Councilor Pious Ali presented Ambassador Arikana Chihombori-Quao with a key to the City of Portland, and Portland City Councilor Jill Duson read a proclamation from Mayor Strimling announcing September 2019 as African Heritage Month in Portland.


text:
The former Techstars MD Jon Bradford has joined Central Working’s board as a Non–Executive Director.
Bradford’s role at Central Working will be to advise on the future direction of its growing brand and drive key relationships. Central Working currently have four workspace clubs in London and have recently expanded their Manchester club.
Bradford’s career leading accelerators actually began in the north as CEO of The Difference Engine in 2009, he then co-founded Springboard in Cambridge. The Springboard accelerator took up a residency at Campus London, Google’s tech startup community building in Shoreditch and subsequently Bradford convinced American startup accelerator Techstars that they should join forces to expand in the UK. Bradford is also a cofounder of F6S, one of the world’s largest online community of entrepreneurs, and a cofounder of tech.eu.
Bradford gained a reputation as a key player in the London tech scene after launching Techstars London expansion in 2013 and competing with the likes of Seedcamp. As managing director, Bradford oversaw Techstars London’s growth into a renowned accelerator programme, mentoring fledging companies and matching them to potential investors for an injection of launch capital.
James Layfield, CEO of Central Working, said:
“At Central Working we pride ourselves on the unrivalled support we provide our members and the experience that Jon brings will be invaluable in delivering growth for them. He knows what it takes to help businesses thrive, not just during the launch phase but throughout the entrepreneur life cycle, and we’re thrilled to welcome him to the Central Working board.”
Jon Bradford, Non–Executive Director of Central Working, said:
“I know how important it is for modern entrepreneurs to find a nurturing environment which gives them the confidence and connections to grow. Accelerators can be incredibly valuable, but there’s no quick fix for continued growth and maintaining success requires long-term support.”
“The way we work has changed yet very few spaces in our cities have. Central Working continues to pioneer in this area and has understood perfectly this shift, providing their members with growth rather than just a desk and Wi-Fi. They’re leading the way in delivering today’s supportive workspaces for tomorrow’s entrepreneurial success stories.”


text:
According to the UN, 200 million computers and 500 million mobile phones reached their end of life in 2008 alone. As newly industrialised countries such as China and India become increasingly equipped in electrical and electronic products, the generation of e-waste is likely to increase. This is particularly of concern as the majority of e-waste is sent to landfill with little recycled and even less reused. In 2009, just 13% of the 50 million tonnes produced e-waste was recycled.
This industry is characterised by short lifecycles and rapid obsolescence resulting in waste being generated at a rapid rate, much of which ends up in a landfill. Furthermore, poor design of equipment means upgrading is often difficult and costly making simply replacing working equipment a more viable option. This is particularly pertinent due to the high material and energy cost in the production of equipment.
As a result, the adequate treatment of unwanted equipment makes sense from both an environmental and economic perspective. The loss of valuable materials contained within computers is a wasted opportunity. For example, a typical PC includes rare and valuable materials such as gold and platinum. Likewise the dumping of e-waste has environmental and health ramifications as many of the materials used to produce a computer are toxic, such as lead. Other materials such as barium and PVC also have a variety of health impacts.
E-waste can be seen as one of the greatest challenges facing the IT industry due to its impacts on the environment and human health as well as the sheer scale of the problem, which is exacerbated by the difficulty of upgrading equipment. The need to reduce, reuse and recycle is becoming an ever more apparent issue.


text:
Artists Brandi Cade, Katy Larsen and Brandon Goodgion today open the Agora Borealis, an artists marketplace, at 421 Lake St., in Shreveport.
- Filed Under
The good times will roll through the 400 block of Lake Street today as a handful of new businesses celebrate their grand openings with a block party.
The party will run from 4 to 8 p.m. and will include grand opening festivities for iArchitecture, Vintage Design Group, The Agora Borealis, Goody Granoly and Nicole Spikes Photography.
Katy Larsen, who is opening The Agora Borealis artists market with fellow artisans Brandi Cade and Brandon Goodgion, said the entire block will be closed and will feature food trucks, live music, myriad street performers including stilt walkers, fire blowers and balloon twisters. The party also will include organic cotton candy and other treats.
If you're thinking of taking two wheels to get there, SBC Bike Social has plans for a slow-paced, family friendly group bike ride to the event. The group will depart at 5:15 p.m. from Columbia Park in Highland.
To find out more, visit tinyurl.com/cirquedulake


text:
The winners in the Asia Food Innovation Awards 2018 have been announced as part of a special ceremony in Singa...
The World Beverage Innovation Awards 2018, to be presented at BrauBeviale in November, have officially opened...
The winners in the International Beverage Awards 2018 are announced during a special ceremony held at Drink Ja...
All finalists in the Asia Food Innovation Awards have been announced, ahead of the ceremony in Singapore this...
The World Dairy Innovation Awards 2018 were presented as part of a gala dinner at the Global Dairy Congress in...
All finalists in the International Beverage Awards 2018 have been announced, ahead of a ceremony later this mo...
FoodBev Media is proud to announce the launch of the International Beverage Awards in association with Beverage Japan and Drink JAPAN 2018. Read more
FoodBev Media is proud to announce that the World Dairy Innovation Awards 2018 are now open for entries. Read more
FoodBev's selection of photos from the World Food Innovation Awards 2018, held at Hotelympia on 7 March. Read more
Winners in the World Food Innovation Awards 2018 have been revealed at Hotelympia. Watch the video here. Read more
The shortlist of finalists in this year's World Food Innovation Awards has been announced, ahead of the ceremony. Read more
Due to high interest in the World Food Innovation Awards 2018, the deadline for entries has been extended to 1 February. Read more
Three more judges from the World Food Innovation Awards explain what they're looking for from this year's entries. Read more
The World Food Innovation Awards will soon return to Hotelympia, so three of this year's judges explain what they're looking for. Read more
From new ingredients to ethical considerations, we explore 2017's top themes in the food and beverage industry which will inform how brands operate in 2018. Read more
© FoodBev Media Ltd 2018
Subscribe to FoodBev Media’s updates today for the latest food and beverage industry news and free insights delivered straight to your inbox!
Sign up here.


text:
UK imported goods responsible for deforested area twice the size of Paris: study
What’s happening? Despite government promises to end the import of goods linked to deforestation, the UK continues to import beef, soy, and palm oil products associated with deforestation. Campaigners criticise the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) for failing to implement measures to curb these imports, despite the Environment Act 2021 banning the use of commodities produced on illegally deforested land. An investigation found that the UK is importing seven commodities connected to deforestation, including palm oil, soy, and cattle products, leading to an estimated 20,400 hectares of deforestation. Campaigners argue that the UK’s approach is weaker than the EU’s and urge the government to align with EU regulations to combat forest destruction. (The Guardian)
Why does this matter? Although the Environment Act legislation was introduced more than two years ago, the law has not yet been passed as Defra has failed to publish a list of commodities that will be covered by the regime. As a result, since 2021, the UK has been linked to deforestation equivalent to an area twice the size of Paris, according to research produced by Global Witness and Trase.
Until Defra publishes the list of commodities, those grown on illegally deforested land can continue to be distributed in the UK, perpetuating a practice that contributes towards climate change and biodiversity loss in the world’s most biodiverse regions. However, a Defra spokesperson publicly responded to the research claiming the body will be “setting out our next steps imminently”. It is therefore likely the legislation will come into force in the short- to medium-term, posing a risk to commodities and supply chains utilising such land.
Biodiversity decline – Despite covering less than 10% of the world’s surface, tropical rainforests are home to two-thirds of the planet’s species. Habitat loss, alongside pollution, climate change, invasive species and disease, is driving an unprecedented decline in wildlife populations. According to the 2022 WWF Living Planet Report, wildlife has declined by 69% since 1970.
Biodiversity decline is concerning scientists, posing a threat to all aspects of society. Following a business-as-usual approach, 56 million hectares of wilderness will be lost by 2030 in 26 countries. This, according to research by the World Economic Forum (WEF), will cause a “tipping point” in tropical regions, resulting in the loss of wild pollination and supplies of timber. The WEF forecasts this will cost 26 countries $53bn a year, causing 13 countries to go bankrupt. On the other hand, a separate study by the WEF predicts that by switching to nature-positive economic models, 400 million jobs and over $10tn in annual business value will be added by 2030.
Legislative change – The EU, the largest single market on Earth, has taken steps to reduce the sale of products linked to deforestation across various legislation including the European Green Deal, the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 and the Farm to Fork Strategy. This empowers consumers, who may have previously contributed to deforestation unwittingly. The legislation covers the following commodities: cattle, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, soya and wood, including products that contain, have been fed with or have been made using these commodities (such as leather, chocolate and furniture). Suppliers will have to complete due diligence that ensures products have not originated from deforested land or contributed to forest degradation. Further, products must provide proof of compliance with legislation in the origin country, including human rights and the rights of affected indigenous communities.


text:
Better Business Bureau Tips: The Holiday Season is Not a Time to Ignore Unpaid Bills
Better Business Bureau Tips
The Holiday Season is Not a Time to Ignore Unpaid Bills
Excessive debt doesn't magically appear in an instant; it's not going to disappear overnight either, according to the Better Business Bureau. The BBB today encouraged consumers who are finding it difficult to pay their bills to take steps now to improve their financial situation, before they are tempted to overspend during the holidays.
"Consumers should not ignore a heavy debt burden, particularly in light of the approaching gift-buying season. Our new BBBTips(tm) on How to Repay your Debt, released today, is designed to help people take positive steps to pay back their creditors," said Steve Cole, president and CEO of the Council of Better Business Bureaus.
The BBB system's new educational resource is available online at www.bbb.org/tips/clearpoint. Included are helpful tips for:
* Using credit responsibly;
* Determining if your debt level is headed for trouble;
* Figuring out why you owe so much money;
* Learning how heavy debt can impact your life;
* Curbing your spending; and
* Taking effective steps to pay down your debt.
BBBTips(tm) on How to Repay Your Debt is sponsored by ClearPoint Financial Solutions, Inc.(tm), a System-wide member of the Better Business Bureau. This is the newest release in a series of BBBTips(tm) resources on credit and debt issues.
"It takes patience and perseverance to reduce a heavy debt burden. We join with the BBB to provide consumers with practical information that will hopefully start them on the path to a better financial future," said Dan Oelrich, President and CEO of ClearPoint.
The BBBTips(tm) program supplements other helpful information provided by Better Business Bureaus to promote an ethical marketplace. In 2005, BBBs in the United States and Canada provided nearly 90 million instances of service to consumers and businesses."


text:
Report: Only two percent of social sharing takes place on Google+By Shawn Knight 7 comments
According to the report, Facebook alone is responsible for a whopping 50 percent of all social sharing. Twitter placed second with 24 percent while Pinterest finished in third with 16 percent. Even LinkedIn beat out Google+ with three percent.
Broken down further, we also see that these three sites are the top sharing destinations among e-commerce and media / publishing outlets. Interestingly enough, however, Pinterest reigns supreme among e-commerce sites followed closely by Facebook.
Marketing Land points out that Google has been confronted with similar data in the past. Their explanation is that most sharing on Google+ happens privately which makes it invisible to data crawlers. That may be true for data collected from other firms but Gigya measures clicks via social tools installed on client sites.
A separate study from SearchMetric concluded that Google+ sharing would overtake Facebook sharing by 2016. That study actually compared two separate metrics: +1 clicks on Google+ against shares on Facebook. Perhaps the better comparison would have been Facebook likes to +1 clicks or Facebook shares to Google+ shares/posts.


text:
In today’s competitive sourcing arena, Peru remains an ideal destination for producing high-quality apparel. In addition to its 5,000-year history in textiles, the country continues to evolve to address current sector needs like speed to market and synthetics production.
Eduardo Ferreyros, Peruvian Minister of Foreign Commerce and Tourism, noted Peru is an extremely easy partner for the U.S. given its proximity, that there is little time difference, and the cultures are very similar. Moreover, the country is a member of 19 free trade agreements—including one with the U.S.—and it continues to improve its processes and infrastructure.
“We’re working to be more competitive by making business easier through things like modernizing our customs procedures,” he said. “We’re also working to have a better connection with the world by having the best ports and attracting new airlines.”
The main competitive advantage of the Peruvian apparel industry, which supports 350,000 jobs, is its level of integration. The production chain, starting with the fiber to the yarn and fabric manufacturing and the making of garments, is fully integrated. Working in this way means the country is positioned for brands looking for rapid response.
This feature is strengthened by the constant technological modernization of plants and the high level of specialization that entrepreneurs and workers have reached, while also staying true to its roots and supporting local artisans with hand-knitting. This reflects a real mix of the modern with age-old craftsmanship.
Peru is home to some of the best raw materials in the world: Alpaca, Pima Cotton and Vicuna. Worldwide Peru is known for its expertise in natural fibers as well as mixing them into a variety of blends, such as with silk, wool, bamboo, linen, Modal, Tencel. Over the last eight years, the country has also started to push into synthetics like nylon and poly as well, driven by the market’s focus on athletic wear.
This adoption of synthetics shows how adaptable Peru is, according to Ferreyros. “We have the ability to react to changes,” he said. “We have flexibility.”
The Alpaca difference
Peru is home to 80 percent of the world’s Alpaca production. And the country is spreading the word about the ways in which the fiber has evolved through its Alpaca Peru branding initiative.
“Alpaca is now thinner and the colors are brighter,” said Conrado Falco, director of the Trade Commission of Peru in NY. “People say they know alpaca because their grandmother had it, but now it’s young and fresh.”
Alpaca is super soft, breathable, hypoallergenic and very versatile. Its fibers naturally come in a range of 22 colors from black through variations of grays and browns to white. When placed in expert Peruvian hands, the textures, weights and silhouettes are infinite.
Currently in Peru, specialized programs are being developed to help breeders optimize Alpaca rearing, genetic management and improve fiber selection, among others. The goal of such efforts is to advance the entire process in order to better the economic situation of Alpaca herdsmen in the Andean region and their families that rely solely on this industry to live.
Peru also focused on environmentally friendly, sustainably oriented and socially responsible production.
Peru’s textile and manufacturing industry not only has a positive impact on the lives of the farmers it supports, but also all the people in the production chain, from yarn makers to spinners and weavers to the factory employees, too. It is a model country, setting the standard with quality of life for its workers through its high labor standards.
The majority of Peruvian factories have international certifications, such as GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard), WRAP (Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production) and Fair Trade certifications, among others.
The textile and apparel industry has been one of the beneficiaries of Peru’s economic stability, and along with the increase of its production and exports, it has modernized, expanded and diversified its supply.
“It is very easy for companies to move to a new country, so we have to be competitive,” said Ferreyros. “Some countries just have labor. We have production lines from fiber to final production, [which makes] us flexible.”
The best of Peruvian manufacturing and design will be on display at Première Vision New York from July 18 to 19 thanks to PROMPERÚ and the Peruvian Trade Commission in New York.


text: News Treehugger Voices Straw Bans Won't Fix the Plastic Problem, but Something Else Can By Katherine Martinko Katherine Martinko Twitter Senior Editor University of Toronto Katherine Martinko is an expert in sustainable living. She holds a degree in English Literature and History from the University of Toronto. Learn about our editorial process Updated October 11, 2018 This story is part of Treehugger's news archive. Learn more about our news archiving process or read our latest news. Share Twitter Pinterest Email Public Domain. Unsplash News Environment Business & Policy Science Animals Home & Design Current Events Treehugger Voices News Archive What's really needed is a shift in American food culture. Straw bans have gained impressive momentum over the past year. From Seattle pledging to ban straws in the city by 2020, Disney saying it would eliminate plastic straws and stirrers by next year, and San Francisco saying no even to bioplastic straws, to Starbucks remodelling its cups so as not to require a straw and Alaska Airlines removing them from food service, it's a big trend right now, aided by catchy hashtags like #stopsucking. Lonely Whale is the group that pushed for Seattle's straw ban. Like many others in the environmental activism sphere, it views straws as a 'gateway plastic'. In other words, once people realize how easy it is to stop using straws, they will be motivated to eliminate other single-use plastics from their lives. Lonely Whale's executive director, Dune Ives, told Vox, “Our straw campaign is not really about straws. It’s about pointing out how prevalent single-use plastics are in our lives, putting up a mirror to hold us accountable. We’ve all been asleep at the wheel.” But how realistic is it that all the disposable plastics could be replaced with non-plastic alternatives? Think about it for a moment. Plastic-lined juice boxes and takeout coffee cups, sushi boxes and other take-home food containers, Styrofoam soup cups with lids, disposable cutlery, either loose or bundled with a paper napkin in a thin plastic bag, condiment sachets, bottled beverages, any packaged food you eat on the go, like hummus and crackers and pre-cut fruit or vegetables -- these are just a few of the plastic items people use on a regular basis. To get the plastic out of these things would be a monumental, and quite frankly, unrealistic, task. What needs to change instead is American eating culture, which is the real driving force behind this excessive waste. When so many people eat on the go and replace sit-down meals with portable snacks, it's no wonder we have a packaging waste catastrophe. When food is purchased outside the home, it requires packaging in order to be clean and safe for consumption, but if you prepare it at home and eat it on a plate, you reduce the need for packaging. In an article for Huffington Post, titled, "We Can Ban Plastic Straws, But America’s Eating Habits Are The Real Problem," Alana Dao condemns a culture of 'busyness', which is infiltrating all levels of the food industry: "[This] has given way to the fast-casual restaurant, which often includes a steady stream of takeout packaging. They offer a fast-food approach by serving food in takeout packaging, whether the customer is dining in or not. This creates an environmental packaging nightmare for the sake of convenience and quick service." This doesn't happen as much in other countries, where eating away from a table is frowned upon. In Japan, it is considered uncultured and unhygienic. In Italy, mealtime is sacred and life revolves around the hours when one sits down to a meal. The city of Florence recently banned people from eating in the street, a controversial move attributed to rude people "needing to be better managed." Dao quotes Emilie Johnson, an American raising her daughters in France: “Food is not a casual event. Even a snack for children is formalized. There is the proper time to set up the meal, to sit together and to partake. Ritual is a form of respect to the food itself.” I realize that both options here seem formidable, whether it's transitioning all disposable packaging to biodegradable, compostable, reusable alternatives, or altering an entire nation's mindset toward food. But the former, though it would be a major improvement over the status quo, is only a Band-Aid solution. It still requires vast consumption of resources, energy required to process into a usable product, waste collection services, and recycling (which we know doesn't work) or industrial-scale composting (also energy intensive). © K Martinko -- The prioritization of at-home family dinners could go a long way toward fighting plastic packaging waste. A mental shift, on the other hand, has benefits that far outweigh the reduction in waste. Refusing to succumb to busyness and replacing that with slower, more mindful food consumption is conducive to better health (less weight gain, improved digestion, healthier home cooked meals), a calmer mental state, time spent together as a family, and money saved, not to mention cleaner streets and cars and less trash to take out each week. It's idealistic, yes, but not impossible. It's how we used to eat and how other cultures continue to eat because they know how important it is. We can make this happen by talking to schools to change cafeteria culture, by not signing kids up for extracurricular activities that make it impossible to cook and eat dinner at home, by incorporating cooking time into one's weekend or daily routine, by teaching kids not to be picky, by packing lunches at home and making a point of eating away from one's desk. It's time we made American food culture something to be proud of, rather than a source of national shame, and if plastic straws can be the galvanizing force for such a transition, then so be it.


text:
|Bid||31.82 x 1000|
|Ask||31.85 x 1200|
|Day's Range||31.43 - 32.08|
|52 Week Range||30.44 - 39.09|
|Beta (5Y Monthly)||0.76|
|PE Ratio (TTM)||13.09|
|Earnings Date||Jan 05, 2022 - Jan 10, 2022|
|Forward Dividend & Yield||1.25 (3.87%)|
|Ex-Dividend Date||Oct 29, 2021|
|1y Target Est||37.17|
Investment company Investment Managers Series Trust II (Current Portfolio) buys Willis Towers Watson PLC, Conagra Brands Inc, Tyson Foods Inc, Juniper Networks Inc, Enphase Energy Inc, sells Steris PLC, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co, ResMed Inc, The Kroger Co, Amcor PLC during the 3-months ended 2021Q3, according to the most recent filings of the investment company, Investment Managers Series Trust II.
Conagra Brands, Inc. (NYSE: CAG) will host a webcast and conference call to review its fiscal 2022 second quarter results on Thursday, January 6, 2022, at 9:30 a.m. ET. The company's news release will be issued at approximately 7:30 a.m. ET.
Conagra (CAG) is gaining from recovery in the foodservice channel, growth in online sales and efforts to boost portfolio. However, input cost inflation is a concern.