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We are so excited to publicly announce the launch of two new brands to you our loyal listeners.
IconRefined is a new multi-media network celebrating entrepreneurs who not only grow their business, but care about their body, mind and relationships!
IconFit Magazine is a new magazine showcasing entrepreneurs in the health, fitness and wellness industry or business owners who put their physical and mental health as a priority!
Both brands will officially hit the market in early 2021, but we are actually hiring for new team members for these brands! E-mail us at email@example.com if you are interested and we will provide you with more details!
Be sure to subscribe to Beyond the Image to get updates on our podcast designed for you the entrepreneur!


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FRESNO, Calif. (AP) -- California dairy farmers will be getting a temporary increase in the minimum price they can charge for milk.
The California Department of Food and Agriculture announced Wednesday that a 3-cents-a-gallon hike in the minimum will be in effect from January through March 2010.
Officials say the increase is unlikely to affect the price for milk paid by consumers.
Raising the minimum comes amid record foreclosures and efforts by some dairy operators to cull their herds because the prices paid have not covered their production costs.
A reduction in global exports, coupled with a drop in demand, have cost the state's dairies $1.4 billion in the first three quarters of 2009.
Agriculture officials hope milk supplies will stabilize by the time the temporary increase expires.
Copyright 2009 The AP.

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Mahisha Dellinger, celebrated hair care mogul, shakes up beverage industry
April 10, 2024
This launch not only celebrates the empowerment of women through a mindful approach to drinking but also underscores a commitment to social responsibility by supporting the Sad Girls Club, a leading mental health organization, with the aim of providing 1000 Huzzies with access to mental health support this year, alongside a pledge to donate 1% of all Huzzy purchases to support the organization's vital work.
Damiana is a flowering vine native to Mexico, Central and South America, celebrated as an energy booster
January 10, 2024
This latest product line, which includes three caffeine-free SKUs blended to evoke distinct mood-enhancing functionality, is now available on the Numi Website and is available on Amazon and at select retailers, including Sprouts Farmers Market.
The new daily wellness beverage is crafted to enhance digestive function, boost energy levels, and promote overall well-being
December 20, 2023
ActivatedYou Morning Complete is a daily dietary supplement beverage that embodies "wellness in a glass." In addition to the new Mixed Berry flavor, Morning Complete comes in two other flavors: Apple Cinnamon and Citrus Medley.
New drink mix contains whole food nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and superfoods
November 1, 2023
Each Zeal drink mix includes more than 56 whole food nutrients containing over 120 vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants - a natural source of clean energy that provides consistent, stable, long-lasting energy.
Today, many men find themselves sedentary during the week, then go out on a weekend morning with the best of intentions at making up for lost time. They might opt for running 5 or 10 miles, or biking 30 miles, or they hit the gym–hard–lifting too much weight or overdoing the treadmill to “feel the burn.”
The new ready to drink beverages contains vitamins A, C, E
August 3, 2022
Naked Juice, a brand of Tropicana Brands Group, announced the launch of its new product: Naked Antioxidants Mighty Berry, an excellent source of antioxidants to support immune function, according to the company.


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How Food And Beverage Companies In India Play Vital Role In Addressing ‘Double-Burden Malnutrition’
In India we have a ‘New Nutrition Reality’, which means co-existence of under nutrition and new nutrition at the same time, said Dr Rajan Shankar, director of nutrition at Tata Trusts and member of the ATNI board at a launch event of the second iteration of the India Access to Nutrition Spotlight Index event held in New Delhi on Thursday.
India Spotlight Index 2020 stresses on the importance of food and beverages companies in occupying a central role in the Indian government’s Eat Right Movement.
In the backdrop of the prevalence of double burden of malnutrition in India, the report by ATNI, an international non-profit organization that seeks to improve consumers’ access to nutritious foods and beverages across several countries, reveals that several Indian food and beverages companies are providing only a limited choice of healthy foods to the consumers. This is contrary to the need for more healthier and affordable products that would make a difference in the nutrition status of India.
“The India Spotlight Index 2020 shows that among the 16 largest food and beverage manufacturers, that cover nearly a third of the food and beverage market, most take action to fortify products or commit to reformulate products in line with government initiatives to address India’s nutrition challenges,” Shankar said.
Dr Rajan Shankar, director of nutrition at Tata Trusts Addressing The EVENT
There has been considerable improvement in the products being manufactured with ” 10 of the 13 companies, for which staple food fortification is relevant, voluntarily fortify some or all of their products according to the standards set by FSSAI. This is a big improvement since 2016 when ATNI found very few companies producing some fortified foods,” Shankar added.
Inge Kauer, excusive director of ATNI, said lifestyle changes of people has created a shift in the eating habit of the consumers. “From consumption of traditional food to more urban food habits consisting of packaged foods high in sugar and fat and salt" has created a situation that needs to be looked into.
ATNI published the first India Spotlight Index in 2016, a first-of-its kind national assessment, to analyse the nutrition-related policies and practices of India’s top 10 food and beverages
The event of Thursday focused on improving the scope of such companies to boost their performance in manufacturing healthy affordable diets, while addressing integral issues such as malnutrition, obesity and diet-related diseases.


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The move by President Emmerson Mnangagwa administration to currently re-introduce the local currency and abolish the use of multi-currency regime is a noble idea which must be commended.
Over the past years, Zimbabwe has been using multi-currencies as a means of trading, and this has been affecting its trading patterns. Most retailers in the country were pegging their prices based on a three-tier system, such that there would be prices based on bond notes, RTGS and the United States dollar (USD). The three tier pricing system has been causing a lot of confusion in the market. Some unscrupulous retailers were just charging exorbitant prices citing that they were pegging their prices of commodities basing on the prevailing USD to RTGS dollar exchange rate especially on the parallel market. This has not be going well with the consumers most of who earn their salaries in local currency. The multi-currency system was being abused by a lot of businesses who were profiteering at the expense of end users, who are the consumers.
Addressing Harare South residents during a national clean-up campaign early this month, President Mnangagwa hinted that the country would not develop when using currencies of other nations and pointed out that Government had already started the process of introducing the country’s own currency so as to do away with the fluctuating foreign currency rates.
The President reiterated the issue of having a local currency while he was in Mozambique where he was attending the Africa-US business summit last week.
As part of the economic reforms and the Transitional Stabilisation Programme (TSP) which are currently taking place, the introduction of a new local currency is welcomed by many economists who share the same thoughts with President Mnangagwa. Economist and businessman, Eddie Cross said that the introduction of the new currency would strengthen the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) and the monetary policy and it would give the nation control over its money since foreign currency policies are determined in their home countries not in Zimbabwe. Cross was certain that Government had the right fundamentals in place to support the re-introduction of the local currency which included a fiscal surplus and balance of payment surplus.
Adopting a local currency comes with many benefits which among others include increased volumes in circulation. When the bond coins and notes were introduced in 2014 and 2016 respectively, their purpose was to complement the basket of foreign currencies and bring about convenience through availing small change. However, the bond notes were in short supply and this affected the circulation of the notes. The reintroduction of the new local currency is expected to ease the problem of cash shortages and wipe away all bank queues which have haunted Zimbabweans since 2015.
Local currency will also ensure increased support for small enterprise development. Most people earn a living through informal business operations such as carpentry, welding and farming. Rather than relying solely on a high interest commercial loans, entrepreneurs are able to procure at least part of the goods and services they need for start-ups simply by making a commitment to supplying the fruits of their labour to the community. If local currency is embraced, small businesses will not find it hard to trade within the local markets.
There is no doubt that if a local currency is in place, money stays local longer, reducing the need for externalisation. For instance, when one visits a country like South Africa (SA), he is forced to trade in that country using that country’s local currency, the SA Rand, making it very difficult for their money to be externalised. This is in contrast with using other country’s currencies such as the US dollar, which is bound to be externalised by unscrupulous business people. An increased money supply means increased purchasing power at the local level.
Reintroduction of the new currency is part of the economic reforms that Government is currently undertaking. Already, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has acknowledged the commitment by President Mnangagwa’s administration to stabilise the country’s economy through such reforms.
In other countries such as Russia and China, their Presidents agreed to develop bilateral trade using their own local currencies, the Rouble and the Yuan respectively, avoiding the use of foreign currency. The major deal was reached following the talks between the presidents of the two countries, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping. The decision that was reached by the two presidents depicts that it is best for countries to have and trade with their own local currencies, rather than using foreign currency.
In a nutshell, the nation is encouraged to embrace the new currency. Local businesses should adjust their pricing systems in response to the reality of the new local currency regime which the Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Professor Mthuli Ncube announced this week. They should adopt the operations of market forces as they determine the real value of the Zimbabwean dollar.


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FTSE 100 movers: Sainsbury’s rallies on update; airlines fly lower
The London FTSE 100 fell 0.2% to 6,829.47 in afternoon trading Thursday.
Sainsbury’s rebounded as earnings forecasts were raised after a booming holiday season as the British indulged in champagne and steaks, in response to record-breaking pandemic restrictions on congregation sizes and online ordering.
The company now expects to post adjusted pre-tax earnings of at least £ 330m in March 2021 through March 2021, compared to previous expectations of £ 270m compared to £ 586m a year ago after receiving relief from the Business rates of £ 410 million were waived.
Paper and packaging group Worlds was also firmer on an upbeat note from Jefferies, which improved the outlook for the packaging sector to positive. Jefferies held Mondi as the top pick in the industry with a Buy recommendation and a target price of 2,050p.
Building materials group CRH was also higher after upgrading to “buy” from Societe Generale.
British Airways owner IAG fell as a low-cost airline Ryanair said it cut its flight schedule and annual traffic forecasts after new lockdowns in the UK and Ireland in response to a new variant of the coronavirus.
And in addition, Wizz Air said it canceled most of its flights to the UK in January due to the latest lockdown.
FTSE 100 riser
Sainsbury (J) (SBRY) 242.90p 4.47%
Ferguson (FERG) 9,178.00p 2.96%
BT Group (BT.A) 144.35p 2.34%
Imperial Brands (IMB) 1,630.00 p 2.16%
Hargreaves Lansdown (HL.) 1,570.00p 1.82%
Worlds (MNDI) 1,857.00p 1.78%
Rio Tinto (RIO) 6,221.00p 1.73%
CRH (CRH) 3,440.00p 1.71%
Net present value of Pershing Square Holdings Ltd (PSH) 2,655.00p 1.53%
Evraz (EVR) 522.60p 1.36%
FTSE 100 – Faller
Auto Trader Group (AUTO) 583.40p -4.33%
M & G (MNG) 197.75p -2.78%
International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (CDI) (IAG) 153.75p -2.75%
British Land Company (BLND) 475.80p -2.66%
Right Movement (RMV) 629.00p -2.45%
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) 4,707.00p -2.22%
DCC (DCC) 5,476.00p -2.21%
Experian (EXPN) 2,819.00p -2.08%
White bread (WTB) 3,077.00 p -2.07%
Pearson (PSON) 684.00p -2.03%


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Every time you type a number into your iPhone for a text conversation, the Messages app contacts Apple servers to determine whether to route a given message over the ubiquitous SMS system, represented in the app by those déclassé green text bubbles, or over Apple’s proprietary and more secure messaging network, represented by pleasant blue bubbles, according to the document. Apple records each query in which your phone calls home to see who’s in the iMessage system and who’s not.
This log also includes the date and time when you entered a number, along with your IP address — which could, contrary to a 2013 Apple claim that “we do not store data related to customers’ location,” identify a customer’s location. Apple is compelled to turn over such information via court orders for systems known as “pen registers” or “trap and trace devices,” orders that are not particularly onerous to obtain, requiring only that government lawyers represent they are “likely” to obtain information whose “use is relevant to an ongoing criminal investigation.” Apple confirmed to The Intercept that it only retains these logs for a period of 30 days, though court orders of this kind can typically be extended in additional 30-day periods, meaning a series of monthlong log snapshots from Apple could be strung together by police to create a longer list of whose numbers someone has been entering.
Doing dispatch properly is hard, and so engineers did what engineers do, and started collecting data to try and make it better. Because of privacy concerns, though, they only keep that data live for 30 days.
My guess is, fresh data is also the only useful data for this type of bug fixing.
Maybe I’m missing something but it seems like Apple would be better off flushing these logs at much shorter intervals.
When Meyer’s 30-year-old Union Square Cafe reopens in Manhattan next month, every floor manager and sommelier will be wearing an Apple Watch. And when a VIP walks through the front door, someone orders a bottle of wine, a new table is seated, a guest waits too long to order her or his drink, or a menu item runs out, every manager will get an alert via the tiny computer attached to their wrist.
Differential privacy is still a new, fairly experimental pursuit, and Apple is putting it to the test against millions of users' private data. And without any transparency into the methods employed, the public and the research community have no way to verify the implementation—which, just like any other initial release, is very likely to have flaws. Although differential privacy is meant to mathematically safeguard against such flaws in theory, the details of such a large roll-out can blow away those guarantees. Apple's developer materials indicate that it's well aware of these requirements—but with Apple both building and utilizing its datasets without any oversight, we have to rely on it to self-police.
After showing up at an Apple store to sign up for an upgrade, staff told me I’d have to order one online and return with it. So, that’s what I did. But somehow I knew it still wouldn’t be easy. Apple and T-Mobile’s systems don’t really talk to each other as well as they do with other carriers.
In fact, my upgrade was so complicated that at one point, five blue-shirted Apple Store employees encircled me.
One was blind.
While it was wild to see that view counter climb so high, it came with a price. Seeing the replies from people who just wanted to jab at me and reading articles that took my honest accounting of what happened and twisting it defend Apple at my expense was hurtful.
The whole thing was just … exhausting. I’m happy its already out of the news cycle. I don’t regret reporting my experience, but had I known things were going to get so far out of hand, I’m not sure I would have done it.
After surging in Asia over the past few years, digital-sticker mania is spreading across the rest of the world like an out-of control tween slumber party. Stand up and say it proudly with me: Hello, I’m a grown adult and I use stickers to communicate my feelings.
If you really don’t know what I’m talking about, don’t worry; you will soon. Apple’s new iMessage app store, introduced just a few weeks ago, is now home to more than 1,250 sticker packs, according to market researcher Sensor Tower Inc. Last month, Twitter released its own promoted sticker selection. Facebook, Snapchat, WhatsApp, Google’s new Allo, they’ve all got ’em.
The Solo3 can go for up to 40 hours of music playback on a single charge. That’s compared to just 12 hours of playback in the Solo2 Wireless. Apple’s special technology seems to be behind the large majority of that increase as the battery is more than likely the same in both models.
App thinning is a great way to save space on your iOS device, but from Apple’s perspective a thinned app is not a complete app that can be installed on all devices, so they don’t get transferred with iTunes Transfer Purchases option.
I’ve been using Dragon 6 for several weeks, and I’ve been impressed by this accuracy. I would be hard pressed to find an improvement of a double-digit percentage, but I find that I’m correcting fewer small words: prepositions, adverbs, or articles. That may not sound like much, but if you dictate often, you understand that correcting those little words takes as much time as any other correction.
Leaf takes artistic liberties in instilling a new Twitter timeline experience. I’ve spent the past week testing Leaf daily to see if it could replace my daily Twitter clients, and I have to say I’m impressed.
Apple also touts the ease of using Search Ads, saying that they can be set up in “just a few easy steps,” while also noting that they offer full developer control.
Yahoo’s data debacle highlights how those innocuous-seeming questions remain a weak link in our online authentication systems. Ask the security community about security questions, and they’ll tell you that they should be abolished—and that until they are, you should never answer them honestly.
A higher biological age, regardless of actual age, was consistently linked to an earlier death, the study found. For the 5% of the population who age fastest, this translated to a roughly 50% greater than average risk of death at any age.
Intriguingly, the biological changes linked to ageing are potentially reversible, raising the prospect of future treatments that could arrest the ageing process and extend the human lifespan.


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Wall Street brokerages expect La-Z-Boy Incorporated (NYSE:LZB) to post $0.46 earnings per share (EPS) for the current quarter, Zacks Investment Research reports. Three analysts have issued estimates for La-Z-Boy’s earnings. The lowest EPS estimate is $0.42 and the highest is $0.50. La-Z-Boy posted earnings per share of $0.52 in the same quarter last year, which would indicate a negative year-over-year growth rate of 11.5%. The company is scheduled to announce its next earnings results on Tuesday, June 20th.
On average, analysts expect that La-Z-Boy will report full-year earnings of $1.64 per share for the current financial year, with EPS estimates ranging from $1.62 to $1.67. For the next fiscal year, analysts anticipate that the company will post earnings of $1.80 per share, with EPS estimates ranging from $1.75 to $1.88. Zacks Investment Research’s EPS calculations are an average based on a survey of sell-side research firms that cover La-Z-Boy.
La-Z-Boy (NYSE:LZB) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 21st. The company reported $0.47 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.45 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $390 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $392.84 million. La-Z-Boy had a net margin of 5.22% and a return on equity of 14.79%. La-Z-Boy’s revenue was up 1.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.43 earnings per share.
Several research firms have issued reports on LZB. Zacks Investment Research downgraded La-Z-Boy from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a report on Wednesday, April 12th. Raymond James Financial, Inc. restated a “market perform” rating on shares of La-Z-Boy in a report on Thursday, January 5th. They noted that the move was a valuation call. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus downgraded La-Z-Boy from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and cut their price objective for the stock from $33.00 to $30.00 in a report on Wednesday, February 22nd. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. The company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $29.67.
Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Acrospire Investment Management LLC increased its stake in La-Z-Boy by 103.7% in the third quarter. Acrospire Investment Management LLC now owns 5,500 shares of the company’s stock valued at $135,000 after buying an additional 2,800 shares during the last quarter. Miles Capital Inc. bought a new stake in La-Z-Boy during the fourth quarter valued at about $243,000. Analytic Investors LLC bought a new stake in La-Z-Boy during the third quarter valued at about $213,000. Aperio Group LLC increased its stake in La-Z-Boy by 15.6% in the third quarter. Aperio Group LLC now owns 11,339 shares of the company’s stock valued at $278,000 after buying an additional 1,534 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Bowling Portfolio Management LLC increased its stake in La-Z-Boy by 0.3% in the fourth quarter. Bowling Portfolio Management LLC now owns 11,434 shares of the company’s stock valued at $355,000 after buying an additional 33 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 87.94% of the company’s stock.
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Shares of La-Z-Boy (NYSE:LZB) traded up 0.36% on Friday, reaching $28.10. 250,319 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $27.20 and its 200-day moving average price is $27.74. The company has a market capitalization of $1.37 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.55 and a beta of 0.89. La-Z-Boy has a 12 month low of $22.09 and a 12 month high of $32.90.
La-Z-Boy Company Profile
La-Z-Boy Incorporated manufactures, markets, imports, exports, distributes and retails upholstery furniture products. The Company also imports, distributes and retails accessories and casegoods (wood) furniture products. The Company’s segments include the Upholstery segment, the Casegoods segment and the Retail segment.
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As Grupo Tecno celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, owner and President Aaron Porraz attributes his company’s long-standing success to his employees. “The largest value of this company is in those who work here,” he says. “They are worth more than my credentials – they’re very creative.”
The company – which provides corporate and public institutions with complex technological solutions – is made up of almost 400 employees whom Porraz greets individually each day. Every morning, he enters the building from the bottom floor and begins to work his way upstairs as he greets each person. “Sometimes it takes an hour to say hello to everyone,” he relates, “but people appreciate it.”
“I do it because I know it pleases them,” he adds, “but also because it gives me a chance to hear information and learn what’s going on in the company on a daily basis.” Through this simple form of communication, Porraz learns from engineers about client visits – what was done and how the client responded – and hears success stories large and small.
Maintaining a culture of closeness has many positives. Not only does it make Grupo Tecno an enjoyable place to work, but it also conveys a feeling of honesty and good values that attracts other companies to work with it.
Porraz has been at the front line of innovation on many occasions. His company – which was called Tecnocibernetica in its early years – began as a maintenance provider for the Mexican federal government. This company serviced the 32 systems – one for each state – that organized information for the construction of public schools.
Shortly after, the company branched out in its offerings and began selling Sun Microsystems products, becoming Mexico’s sole distributer from 1990 to 1995 and selling $10 million in one year. Grupo Tecno continues to partner with Oracle, which now owns Sun Microsystems.
Today, the firm is much more than a retailer or a computer maintenance provider. “It’s more complex,” Porraz explains. “As an integrator of systems, we see the need and advise what products best suit it. They don’t necessarily have to be the same brand.” Associates have to fully understand the customer’s requirements and know all the computer systems, from Hewlett Packard to IBM, to advise which brand to use for different functions and then be able to design a network to connect them all to each other.
The result of this ingenuity has been astronomical growth. In 2007, Grupo Tecno sold close to $20 million – in 2012, it sold nearly $220 million. During that time, the number of employees grew from 67 to almost 400.
Ahead of the Game
Once the technological design has been created, Grupo Tecno monitors all the details to make sure every system is running as it should. Apart from design and maintenance, the company also has its commercial side, but not just for selling computers. According to Porraz, communication systems are a large part of his business. “The industry has changed from information technology (IT) to information technology and communications (ITC),” he explains.
One example he gives is technology that allows a person to be speaking on a landline and continue the call from a cell phone without interruption. “Mobile technology is an aspect that many companies appreciate,” he explains. “These are the types of things we’ve moved to.”
How does Grupo Tecno stay ahead in an industry that is constantly rolling out new products? Porraz keeps his eye on developmental roadmaps provided by manufacturers. “We know what’s coming and how things are being improved,” he notes.
Grupo Tecno associates take online courses provided by manufacturers. Most of these are free and the rest are offered at a discount for distributers. Despite these savings, last year the company invested $1.2 million in training. “It’s an investment to know what’s coming before it gets here,” he says. “Knowing about and understanding the functionality of upcoming technology allows the engineers to make informed recommendations. In fact, customers are sometimes advised to wait a few months if a new technology is coming out that would be better for their needs.”
The innovative team at Grupo Tecno is a group of pioneers. Grupo Tecno has been the first to implement many equipment models throughout Latin America. At the time of this interview, the group had just finished installing a new Oracle system for banks that is new to Latin America and will soon be arriving in Europe.
Grupo Tecno is the largest ITC provider in Latin America. To put it in perspective: In Mexico, Oracle – one of the world’s largest business hardware and software systems – sells 63 percent of its services through distributers. Grupo Tecno’s sales account for more than two-thirds of this and it is only one of 180 providers. In other words, Grupo Tecno is No. 1 and No. 2 is way behind.


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Flight Centre has achieved a remarkable clean sweep of the inaugural Rail Plus Eurostar Ambassador programme with agents from the retail network’s Mt Lawley and Mackay outlet’s securing the top three spots.
More than 1300 agents from across Australia and New Zealand took part in this year’s programme, which required participants to complete a 30-question online quiz testing their knowledge of everything from Eurostar’s network and cabin classes to travel times and ticketing procedures.
The top three Australian agents each got 100% of the quiz correct, with Jessica Morrissey from Flight Centre Mt Lawley in Perth winning the major prize of a $500 Coles Group & Myer gift card by finishing in a blistering 62 seconds.
Her colleague at Flight Centre Mt Lawley, Erin Duce, was just nine seconds behind and now receives a $300 Coles Group & Myer gift card, while third placed Yvonne McKeown from Flight Centre Mackay finished in 103 seconds and takes home a $150 Coles Group & Myer gift card.
Rail Plus CEO James Dunne says the response to the Eurostar Ambassador programme exceeded all expectations.
“The number of agents who took part was extraordinary, as was the quality of their efforts,” says Dunne.
“It demonstrates once again just how enthusiastic and committed Australian and New Zealand consultants are to continually enhancing their knowledge and skills, particularly when it comes to the world’s most popular train journeys.”
For more information on Rail Plus please visit www.railplus.com.au.


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While mold, insects, rats and dust may sound like we're listing plagues, these are actually common violations found in supermarkets and grocery stores across Long Island, including Smithtown, state data show.
Patch has pulled together information on grocery store inspections across New York state to create our exclusive interactive map, culled from public data supplied by the state's Department of Agriculture and Markets. Unlike restaurants, which are inspected by the Suffolk County Department of Health, grocers in town are inspected by this state agency.
For Smithtown Patch, we collected data on 58 markets in the Smithtown, St. James and Nesconset area, ranging from major chain supermarkets to smaller meat or seafood shops, pharmacies and convenience stores. And while sushi restaurants are inspected by the county, sushi stands located in grocery stores are inspected by the state.
RELATED: 5 Things You Should Know About Grocery Inspections
In the data above you find results of a store's latest food safety inspection as of Jan. 30, and the location's past performance. Violations are either listed as "general deficiencies," which inspectors say did not present an immediate heath risk, and "critical deficiencies" that pose a real hazard to customers. One critical violation and the market fails inspection.
How Smithtown Scored
Of all the markets in town, Uncle Giuseppe's on Route 111 had by far the worst record for health inspections in 2012, failing inspection twice. In its last inspection, the grocer was slapped with 7 critical violations, 50 general violations and one seizure, where nearly 5 pounds of baked goods were destroyed by inspectors.
Mercep Brothers meats in St. James and S&V Convenience Store in Smithtown both failed inspections earlier in 2012, but passed their more recent inspections.
When it came to general deficiencies, Costco in Nesconset was cited for 19 violations, including cracked flooring, overloaded shelves and a dirty chicken rotisserie area. Stop & Shop in Smithtown and King Kullen in St. James both had 18 general violations, though Stop & Shop hasn't had an inspection since November 2011.
That's recent compared to Handy Pantry in Nesconset, which last saw inspectors in July 2010.
King Kullen Vice President of Store Operations Anthony Femminella said the Long Island-based chain is proud of its inspection history, and told Patch that the deficiencies are addressed within days of the inspections.
"We go to great lengths to safeguard the well being of our customers and employees and take that responsibility very seriously," he said.
As for the cleanest stores in the area, the historic St. James General store, which sells candies and chocolate, only had two general deficiencies. The same went for the area's newest 7-11 on the corner of Route 347 and Terry Road: two violations.
According to the state, there were 110 inspectors on the state’s payroll in 2012 responsible for about 31,000 retail food stores and around 6,200 food warehouses, wineries and other processors. Delis are included in the department’s inspections if 50 percent or less of their business is selling ready-to-eat food.
"They are our eyes and ears behind the scenes," said Robert Gravani, a professor at Cornell University who trains state inspectors.
Inspectors show up unannounced, and can spend as little as hour or more than a day inspecting a store, said Stephen Stich, Director of Food Safety and Inspection at the department.
The Inspection System
In 29 percent of the 30,372 retail food store inspections conducted statewide in 2012, the inspector found one or more problems that could make customers sick, Patch’s analysis of public records shows.
If an inspector finds a serious hazard to food safety, the store fails the inspection. Our analysis found more than 5,300 stores across the state failed an inspection last year, and more than 1,100 stores failed more than once. The department can fine the store up to $600 for the first critical deficiency, and double that amount for any more critical problems.
The department does more than just hand out fines. Sometimes, inspectors supervise supermarket employees as they correct violations on the spot, such as sanitizing dirty deli slicers, Stich said. Inspectors also hold in-store trainings to educate employees on the importance of food safety.
"These companies want to do things right," Gravani said. "Sometimes they fall down. That’s why you have a regulatory system."
Shoppers should call state inspectors with complaints about their local supermarket, such as spoiled food, Stich said.
You can reach the Long Island and NYC regional office, located in Brooklyn, at 718-722-2876.
But if you think food from the supermarket made you sick, contact your local health department, Stich said.
You can reach the Suffolk County Health Department at 631-854-0000.
Reading Patch on a phone or tablet? Use our mobile map on the go, or visit Patch from a computer to view the full map.


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Grains were up over the last week while beef declined. The trend in beef prices is still positive, however, as grocery store beef prices re-set record highs and global demand for U.S. beef remains strong. Here is a table showing the trends for the commodity monitors we track. At the end of the post, we supply stacked line charts of each of the commodities below for the last few years of data.
Gas prices continue to rise, the question is at what point it really starts to impair consumption if it has not already. Last Friday in NYC, Darden CEO Clarence Otis said, “I would say as we look back, we don't think the current levels, $4 current gas prices, no longer represents sticker shock. And so as we think about this improving trend that the industry has been on over the last two years that trend has been despite the fact that we've seen these levels before. And so, I think people especially at the income demos that we're talking about $4 … we don't see huge effect. We didn't see it the last time, which I think was roughly 12 months ago if I am not mistaken.”
SUPPLY AND DEMAND
Grains: Wheat and corn prices gained over the past week as shortfalls elsewhere in the world have led to investors buying U.S. grains
Corn: U.S. corn futures are trading strongly on growing export demand… Many dynamics are currently being factored into corn prices including gas prices, gasoline consumption, and ethanol margins, the U.S. Dollar, and demand from China… The USDA’s projections indicate that U.S. corn prices at the farm level are expected to average $5 a bushel for the ‘12/13 marketing year… The USDA’s calculations suggest that a combination of higher yields and higher acreage will generate an almost 2 billion bushel increase in US corn production come fall.
Wheat: Supplies are at record levels… prices are down -15.1% year-over-year despite gaining 3% this past week as concerns mounted around reduced acreage in Ukraine and freeze damage to wheat in Eastern Europe, Ukraine, and Southern Russia.
Beef: Global demand for beef remained strong in the first two months of the year, continuing to track above year-ago levels… Weather is improving prospects for farming in areas of Texas but some areas, like the Panhandle, are still suffering from adverse weather… Experts expect it will take a year for pastures to recover, however… the US cattle slaughter rate has declined below 600k per week in three of the last four weeks as fewer cows enter market… Slowing cattle placements in January slowed, confirming a continuing tightening of beef supplies
Chicken: Egg sets placements continue to contract at around the same rate, according to the Broiler Hatchery report released by the USDA today.
RECENT COMPANY COMMENTARY
Beef: Most companies are expecting beef cost inflation to be up mid-to-high single digits versus last year
TXRH: We expect approximately 8% food inflation in 2012, primarily due to higher beef costs…on the beef side we do have fixed price – pricing arrangements in effect for over 90% of our beef costs in 2012.
CBRL: To the continued pressure on ground beef prices and other commodities partly offset by lower average dairy and produce prices, along with benefits from our supply chain initiatives, we expect cost of sales to increase 60 basis points to 80 basis points over 2011 to near 26% in 2012.
RUTH: We project 2012 beef inflation to be between 5% and 8%. We currently have purchase agreements for beef representing approximately 30% of our needs through August of 2012, which represents an approximate 7% premium compared to the prior years.
CMG: While we're cautiously optimistic we'll see more reasonable prices in 2012 for avocados, dairy and produce, we expect these benefits will be more than offset by higher costs for our beef, chicken, rice and beans. Beef costs will be especially challenging due to protracted supply shortages, despite recent reductions in grain prices.
MCD: As we look at our guidance for 2012, we've built another mid-teens increase for beef, expecting that the dynamics in the marketplaces that we see, and are expecting, will continue.
DRI: U.S. beef production will continue decline though over the next 24 months, placing continued upward pressure on beef prices because of the slow economic recovery hamburger and value oriented beef, cattle beef are in high demand and can be priced accordingly by the packers. At Darden we purchased mainly tenderloins and other premium steakcuts, while we expect pricing for our beef products to increase by 12% our pricing has been tempered by consumers' resistance to record higher retail prices for premium stakes and the resulting shift to value oriented cuts and as you can see beef is approximately 14% of our cost basket … We have 75% of our beef requirements contracted for fiscal 2012 and 40% of the June to December usage under contract for fiscal 2013.
SONC: One item to note is that we recently locked in our beef contract for calendar year 2012… given the potential for beef costs going even higher, which there are a lot of reports out there that speculate that could happen, that we chose to go with making this more of a known quantity here, and the idea of having a set price for the next 12 months, we feel like would be good for our business, adds some predictability to the business.
Coffee: Prices are now down -24% versus last year
PEET: We expect 2012 coffee costs to rise 12% instead of last year's 42%.
SBUX: We've taken advantage of the recent declines in the C-price to lock in more of our coffee needs for fiscal 2013. We now have six months of our fiscal 2013 requirements secured at costs moderately favorable to 2012.
Dairy: CAKE, DPZ, PZZA, TXRH and others could benefit from favorable cheese costs this year
TXRH: The volatility around that 8% estimate for food cost inflation would really be driven by produce and dairy. Those are of the biggest components that we float around the market, and that's about 15% to 20% of our total cost of sales.
CMG: While we're cautiously optimistic we'll see more reasonable prices in 2012 for avocados, dairy and produce, we expect these benefits will be more than offset by higher costs for our beef, chicken, rice and beans.
Chicken – Whole Breast


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Apple plans to use Siri as the primary interface of an upcoming HDTV set, according to a new report. Citing various sources, the New York Times reports that such integration would allow Apple’s TV to bypass the traditional remote control, allowing users to request specific programming—be it on traditional cable or Internet-based content sources such as iTunes, Netflix, or YouTube—and allow the TV set to find it for them, without the need for navigating through channels or directories of content. “Absolutely, it is a guaranteed product for Apple,” one of the sources told the NYT. “Steve thinks the industry is totally broken.” According to the report, which claims Apple still has “quite a bit of work to do” on the project, and may also need to wait on large display prices fall, Apple could announce the product as early as late next year, with an official release coming in 2013.
Charles Starrett was a senior editor at iLounge. He's been covering the iPod, iPhone, and iPad since their inception. He has written numerous articles and reviews, and his work has been featured in multiple publications.


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Movie Theaters Issue Strict Rules on ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ Cosplay
Cosplay has become part of the communal fan experience. Dressing up as your favorite characters in increasingly elaborate fashion has gone from niche hobby to a pop culture phenomenon, especially when it comes to Star Wars. But, as cosplay has become almost omnipresent at fan functions, there’s one place where it won’t be welcome. Three of the biggest movie theater chains in the U.S. have enacted some strict restrictions on Star Wars cosplay during upcoming screenings of The Force Awakens.
Following shootings during a screening The Dark Knight Rises back in 2012 and earlier this year during a screening of Trainwreck, AMC Theaters, Cinemark and Regal Cinemas all have some enacted cosplay safety guidelines that will be enforced at all theaters this December.
First AMC Theaters:
AMC does not permit weapons or items that would make other guests feel uncomfortable or detract from the movie-going experience. Guests are welcome to come dressed in costume, but we do not permit masks. In short, bring your lightsaber, turn it off during the movie, and leave the blaster and Darth Vader mask at home.
Interesting that they do not permit “weapons” but encourage you to “bring your lightsaber.” Also, they are vague enough to say that any item that would “make other guests feel uncomfortable” is not permitted. Which means, even if you are initially allowed into the theater, if someone complains, you may be asked to put your Tusken Raider gaderffii back in the car.
Next, Regal Cinemas:
Generally the same. Wear your costume, but no masks and no weapons or weapon-like props. Again, vague enough where even your Jawa droid caller could become an issue.
Star Wars costumes are welcome. However, no face coverings, face paint or simulated weapons (including lightsabers/blasters) will be allowed in the building.
Things a little more strict at Cinemark, who expressly forbid lightsabers and face paint as well as masks. Sorry, Darth Maul enthusiasts.
It may be disappointing to Star Wars fans eager to express themselves creatively and bond with their fellow moviegoers, but in an era when safety at the movie theater has become as tenuous as ever, it’s sadly necessary.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens opens in theaters on December 18.


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Socure Wins American Financial Technology Award for the “Best New Data and Data Services Technology” From WatersTechnology
DocV and Intelligent KYC solutions recognized for excellence at this year’s 2020 awards ceremony
NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#dataprotection—Socure, the leader in Day Zero identity verification, today announced that it has won the “Best New Technology Introduced over the Last 12 months – Data and Data Services” for its DocV and Intelligent KYC offerings, at this year’s American Financial Technology Awards (AFTAs). Hosted by WatersTechnology, the AFTAs recognize excellence in the deployment and management of financial technology within the asset management and investment banking communities.
Socure recently expanded the company’s Socure ID+ platform to include DocV, a fully-automated omnichannel document verification that expedites onboarding, reduces fraud, and works to eliminate costly manual reviews; as well as Intelligent KYC, which incorporates a wealth of diverse data sources along with advanced logic, and actionable insights.
“It is an immense honor for us to receive this AFTA for our two newest products in the Socure ID+ identity verification suite,” said founder and CEO Johnny Ayers. “We thank WatersTechnology for recognizing our achievements and I am thrilled to wrap up 2020 by congratulating our creative, innovative, and dedicated team for two very successful product launches.”
Launched this past Fall, DocV combines the power and scale of machine learning to accurately verify the authenticity of government-issued IDs and produces auto-decisioning rates as high as 98%, in seconds. The most scalable, accurate service available, it applies machine learning to quickly confirm the authenticity of any identity document in circulation, including more than 3,500 identification types from around the world.
Unveiled in June, Intelligent KYC incorporates a wealth of data sources along with advanced analytics for identity resolution to produce more expansive, actionable insights. By incorporating more data sources, advanced logic, as well as new, more expansive, and actionable reason codes, the sum of these enhancements pushes Socure well beyond check-box compliance. The blend of this unique methodology allows customers to identify more customers, increase auto-enrollments, reduce manual reviews, and integrate compliance into a holistic identity strategy. Businesses leveraging Intelligent KYC from Socure can achieve up to 20% higher auto-approvals vs. legacy IDV systems.
The 2020 AFTA award win follows a number of industry achievements by Socure this year including being ranked number 70 on Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500™ and recently winning the 2020 Finovate Award for Best Use of AI/ML.
Socure is the leader in Day Zero digital identity verification technology. Its predictive analytics platform applies artificial intelligence and machine-learning techniques with trusted online/offline data intelligence from email, phone, address, IP, device, velocity, and the broader internet to verify identities in real-time. The company has more than 350 customers across the financial services, gaming, telecom, and eCommerce industries, including four of the top five banks, eight of the top 10 card issuers, four of the top five MSBs, the largest payroll service, the second-largest retailer in the world, and over 100 of the largest and most successful fintechs such as Varo Money, Public, Chime and Stash. Socure recently received numerous industry awards and accolades including being named a Gartner Cool Vendor, recognized by Forbes as one of the “Top 25 Machine Learning Startups to Watch,” listed to CB Insights: The Fintech 250, and awarded Finovate’s Award for Best Use of AI/ML, to name a few.


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Thoughts and ideas from Neil Ward-Dutton at MWD Advisors, an advisory firm specialising in issues concerning IT-business alignment in the enterprise.
What's coming in 2015?
Cloud platforms as innovation platforms. The blurring of organisational and capability boundaries. The importance of mobile devices as part of the changing digital workplace. The instrumentation of everything. The rise of analytics-driven...
Neil Ward-Dutton, MWD Advisors | 18th December '14
Collaboration vs. communication - and the importance of purpose
Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of participating in a panel webinar focused on The Future of Business Communication, which involved an interesting discussion on the way we use technology to collaborate, as well as the inevitable critique of...
Angela Ashenden, MWD Advisors | 16th December '14
OpenText snaps up Actuate to plug analytics gap
Last week OpenText announced its intention to acquire Actuate, the open source embedded analytics company for around $330 million. The deal is expected to close in the first quarter of 2015. News of an acquisition wasn’t a total surprise for...
Helena Schwenk, MWD Advisors | 8th December '14
Increase your predictive analytics' impact: quantify the expected benefits
Our research suggests that whilst many organisations understand the value and power of predictive analytics and its potential impact on business efficiencies, competitive advantage and revenue generation, a high proportion didn’t articulate...
Helena Schwenk, MWD Advisors | 20th November '14
I was at Amazon Web Services’ re:Invent 2014 conference in Las Vegas last week. There, the company made a slew of new service announcements—some focusing on application development and deployment (such as AWS CodeDeploy, AWS...
Craig Wentworth, MWD Advisors | 19th November '14
Rethinking the email client; IBM raises the bar with IBM Verse
This week, IBM is launching IBM Verse, the software giant’s new email offering. The successor to the long-standing Lotus Notes, IBM Verse is due for general release in H1 2015, and represents much more than just a rebranding exercise. First...
Angela Ashenden, MWD Advisors | 18th November '14
It's big and it's clever - how savvy marketers hit the target with Big Data and Analytics
Last week my colleague Craig Wentworth and I spoke at the inaugural #CMOEvent near Silverstone in the UK. It was an enjoyable and interactive day with marketing attendees from several industries and the not-for-profit sector. Our talk centred on the...
Helena Schwenk, MWD Advisors | 12th November '14
Making connections at J.Boye 2014
There’s definitely a season for conferences—two, in fact, with Spring and Autumn prompting a wealth of vendor, analyst and community events. This Autumn continues to be particularly busy for me, and last week I was over in Aarhus in...
Angela Ashenden, MWD Advisors | 10th November '14
How do you build a digital strategy? How do you make it work on the ground?
My colleague Steve has already highlighted the release of the first of a new series of interviews I’m doing: with Chief Digital Officers, and with CIOs who have taken responsibility for setting and implementing digital strategies within their...
Neil Ward-Dutton, MWD Advisors | 27th October '14
Jive shows it's growing up at JiveWorld 2014
This week saw social collaboration vendor Jive Software hold its annual customer and partner conference, JiveWorld, in Las Vegas. The event welcomed more than 1,600 attendees, including 50 partner organisations, in an event that truly celebrates the...
Angela Ashenden, MWD Advisors | 24th October '14
Published by: electronicdawn Ltd.


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- Nov 15, 2013
Sago Mini Friends, a new animated kids and family series, is now streaming on Apple TV+. Here's how to watch it. Full story from the iMore Blog...
WWDC 2023 is coming on June 5 - Here is everything you need to know about the event!


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Time Warner Cable earlier this year said that it just doesn’t see why it should create a high-speed fiber network on par with Google Fiber since most of its customers just don’t “need” that kind of speed. However, a new study from Cisco shows that even if we don’t “need” to have super-fast networks right this instant, we definitely will in the near future as more and more people watch their video online instead of through cable boxes or over the air.
According to Cisco’s estimates, video traffic will account for 84% of all Internet traffic by 2018, up from the 78% it accounts for today. What’s more, Cisco says that the total amount of traffic on the web will jump from the 15 exabytes that it averaged in 2013 to 37 exabytes per month in 2018. That’s a big surge in traffic and most of it will be due to the growth in online video from Netflix, Amazon and other online video services.
Time Warner Cable, Comcast and other ISPs surely know that they’ll have to improve both their interconnection infrastructureand their overall network capacity to meet this high demand but they’d really prefer to not pay for it all by themselves, which is why they’re trying to get Netflix and other companies that they decry as “bandwidth hogs” to pay up.
Cable companies also can’t be particularly eager to upgrade their networks since online video is threatening to disrupt their own traditional video services and eat into their profits — after all, we’ve seen that relying on Netflix and Hulu for your TV fix will save you a ton of money compared to some of the pricey bundle packages that give you hundreds of channels that you’ll never watch.
So whenever you hear Time Warner Cable or some other cable company claiming that there’s absolutely no reason for them to upgrade their footprint to fiber, then it’s safe to assume that they’re bluffing. Because if they’re not, then it means they’re whistling past their own graveyards.


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It was well over a year ago when we first heard word about the super crazy wireless USB contraptions that were coming out. Since then, Belkin has tried to push out a wireless USB device and it has had never-ending delays. Finally someone has managed to win this race and make a wireless USB hub available. Y-E Data Inc., a Japanese company will make a wireless USB hub available to the public in October.
Kinja is in read-only mode. We are working to restore service.


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Two men robbed after responding to ad for 'happy ending'
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California seeing more wildfires, but sustaining less damage
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In the U.S., more than several states have allowed gay men and women to be married, See which ones allow same-sex marriages, civil unions and domestic partnerships.


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CANADA: Higher sales lift Gildan Activewear FY profit 21%
Canada-based T-shirt and sock maker Gildan Activewear today (1 December) booked a 21% rise in full-year profit, helped by higher sales and selling prices.
Net earnings climbed to US$239.9m for the year ended 2 October, and sales rose 31.6% to $1.7bn thanks to higher selling prices and a 7.7% rise in unit sales volumes for active wear and underwear. Revenues were also boosted by the acquisition of sock maker Gold Toe Moretz, but partially offset by lower organic stock sales.
Gildan said higher active wear and underwear sales reflected a recovery in the US wholesale distributor channel in the first half of the fiscal year, its penetration in other screenprint markets, and a rise in shipments to mass-market retailers.
But these gians were partially offset by an 8% drop in overall market demand in shipments from US distributors to US screen printers in the second half.
The company expects to post a loss of around $0.40 per share in its first-quarter on sales of $300m. Short term promotional discounting is on the increase, it said, and distributors are not replenishing inventory levels in the hope of a reduction in selling price.
Gildan yesterday said it would reduce gross selling prices in the US wholesale channel from 5 December and apply this to existing distributor inventories.
The company also projects a 40% decline in unit sales volumes in the screen print market in the first quarter.
But it expects to benefit from lower cotton prices in the second half of the year, with the full-year EPS forecast of US$1.3%, down from $2.01 in fiscal 2011. It expects revenues to rise to $1.9bn from $1.7bn in 2011.
Apparel company Gildan Activewear has completed the acquisition of apparel maker Anvil Holdings for US$88m....
Apparel company Gildan Activewear has acquired apparel manufacturer Anvil Holdings for US$88m....
Gildan Activewear today (3 May) reported a drop in second-quarter net earnings on the back of higher cotton costs. ...
Top stories on just-style last week included H&M unveiling the name of its new chain, Wal-Mart revealing details of its Women in Factories programme, and PVH being included among companies receiving t...
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- New loan deal to help upgrade Bangladesh factories
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- US Q1 in brief: Carter's, Columbia Sportswear, Ske


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A new Kaspersky Safe Kids study has revealed the top activities of Malaysian children during the first four months of 2021, when the second Covid-19 lockdown was imposed across parts of the country.
The top online activities were related to software, audio and video, involving 44.7% of the children studied.
Other activities included internet communication media (32.53%), computer games (8.62%), e-commerce (8.13%) and news (4.36%).
YouTube was the most visited website with nearly three in 10 Malaysian kids visiting the video-sharing and social media platform during this period.
Zalo (15.67%) came second followed by Facebook (15.10%) and the rising app TikTok (12.18%).
On a global scale, the most popular website categories among children were software, audio, video (44.38%), internet communication media (22.08%) and computer games (13.67%).
Again, YouTube was the most popular video streaming service among children around the world.
In second place was WhatsApp, and third was TikTok which overtook Instagram with almost double the level of popularity.
Searches on YouTube were varied in categories. Cartoons (50.21%) accounted for half of all video searches, followed by TV shows and movies.
Children were also active in listening to and watching music videos on YouTube, with the platform holding a 17.35% share in searches for music genres and videos.
TikTok remained the undisputed leader among children.
However, the app is no longer only a social network for clips and lip syncs, as more educational and creative content has begun to appear on the platform.
As for video games, those trending the most with children included Minecraft (22.84%), Fortnite (6.73%), Among Us (3.80%), Brawl Stars (6.34%) and Roblox (3.82%).
Roblox was also the most frequently played game in almost all countries involved in the study.
In a statement, Anna Larkina, a web content analysis expert at Kaspersky, said modern children grow up with gadgets from a very young age and can adapt to the digital space and master new technologies much faster.
“We see how TikTok has become one of the main trendsetters among children in a short time and continues to keep their attention,” she said. “At the same time, YouTube hasn’t lost ground and remains the leader in popularity among children.”
Larkina added that understanding and analysing the interests of children on the internet highlights the importance of online safety.
“By knowing what kind of music a child listens to, who their favourite bloggers are or what games they play, parents can strengthen their trusted relations with kids.”


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Cross-border E-commerce enjoys diversified channels and booming demands in tier-2 cities
Thanks to policy incentives, a huge number of fund investments and great consumer demand since 2014, cross-border e-commerce has witnessed rapid growth, an improving ecological environment of the cross-border online shopping and an expanding customer base for overseas merchandize.China’s E-commerce Industry Development and Hangzhou Index White Paper recently issued recently by Nielsen, suggests that affluent and well-educated young people make up the majority of cross-border online shoppers and the cross-border online shopping features at low frequency and higher spending per order compared to domestic online shopping.
According to the white paper, young men aged 26-35 and young women aged 26-40 prefer cross-border online shopping, compared to their older counterparts. In contrast to domestic online shoppers, these consumers generally work in private enterprises, joint ventures or foreign companies, have a higher education background and a monthly household income of over RMB11,000.
Based on Nielsen’s study, about one third cross-border online shoppers make 3-5 purchases in the past year or 76% of their domestic online shopping. However, the spending per order of cross-border online shopping is much higher, about 176% of the domestic one. About 1/4 respondents spent RMB1000-3000 per cross-border online purchase and 11% for over RMB5, 000.
Co-Existence and Development of Cross-Border Online Shopping Platforms and Personal Purchasing Agencies
Since cross-border online shopping platforms embraced explosive growth, major online retailers have been scrambling for the cross-border online shopping market and various customized professional cross-border online shopping websites have sprung up to seize the rising trend. Nielsen’s Report of(?) 2015 Online Shoppers Trend found that even if more consumers prefer to purchase by professional/Personal cross-border online shopping websites, the personal purchasing agents still remains a clear favorite.
Nielsen’s research reveals that among all consumers who madecross-border online purchases in the past year, one third still choose overseas purchasing agents on Tmall while those who purchase from overseas websites and from professional cross-border online shopping websites account for 29%, slightly lower.
Steven Li, Vice President of Nielsen China said, “Even though e-commerce platforms are very competitive in quality and after-sale guarantee, better product supply and logistics system, consumers still have strong intention to support purchasing agents because they take the advantages of differentiation, flexibility and timeliness to meet customers’ special demand.”
Strong consumption power and huge potential for cross-border purchase in Tier-2 cities
The penetration rate of cross-border online shopping channels is lower in tier-2 cities compared to tier-1, (38% vs. 27%)for direct purchase from overseas websites and from overseas purchasing agents (38% vs. 27%).
As of frequency and spending, online shoppers from tier 1 and tier-2 cities are almost on par. Just like customers in tier-1 cities, those in tier-2 cities, almost nine out of ten respondents (88%) will certainly or plan to try cross-border online shopping in the coming year, suggesting huge purchase potential. “Offline channels to buy overseas goods in tier-2 cities are relatively limited, “said Li Xin.” Consumers are more likely to go cross-border shopping online for overseas commodities Moreover, tier-2 cities have more middle-income consumers than tier-1 cities. We expect consumers from tier-2 cities to demonstrate huge consumption power in cross-border online shopping.”
Increasingly Mature Consumers and Geographic Presence of Different Merchandises
Mature consumers focus on almost the same categories in cross-border online merchandises and mainstream online ones as younger consumers. In the coming year, they will focus on clothes/accessories/shoes and hats/bags (44%), cosmetics/personal care products (40%), infant and mom products (26%) and home appliances/mobile phone/IT digitals (22%). Notably, infant and mom products are more attractive to freshmen of cross-border online shopping, which become the most appealing overseas products now.
As consumers are more sophisticated about cross-border online shopping and overseas commodities, the correlation between product categories and their origin tends to be more important. In terms of origins, consumers are more likely to buy beauty and skincare products from France and South Korea,clothes from Hong Kong and Italy, shoes and bags from Italy, health care products from Australia,and infant & mom products from New Zealand.
With consumers’ increasing demand on product options and further segmentation, Nielsen expects to see more diversified product categories.
Cross-Border E-Commerce Apps are Gaining Popularity
Nielsen’s research suggests that personal computers (PC) are still the most common device for consumers to conduct cross-border purchases ( 85%usage rate) while mobile accounts for 71% and the 56% respondents claim to use both PC and mobile.
PCs aremore frequently used by consumers for cross-border online shopping than for domestic online shopping. It may be because of consumers’ stronger demands and higher requirement on searching functions. In general, consumers doing cross boarder shopping are more on purpose.
Meanwhile, mobile platforms like social cross-border online shopping APPs have become new favorites due to better social communication and timeliness. With the diversity of cross-border online shopping forms, mobile platforms are expected to further develop.
Li Xin added, “According to the Nielsen research, quality, logistics, price and product options are key considerations when consumers are selecting their cross-border online shopping platforms. Authenticity is the consumers’ top of mind concern. And consumers are not satisfied with the current shipping and delivery time due to the complex procedure of overseas purchase. Given that consumers who cross-border online shop have clear demands and purposes, the depth of category of items selectable is always more important than its width. For those retailers or brands that want to enter this market, it would be good to start with categories of high penetration and acceptance level such as clothes and skin care products; and mom and baby products are the most attractive category in regards of recruiting new users.”
Nielsen Holdings plc (NYSE: NLSN) is a global performance management company that provides a comprehensive understanding of what consumers Watch and Buy. Nielsen’s Watch segment provides media and advertising clients with Total Audience measurement services across all devices where content — video, audio and text — is consumed. The Buy segment offers consumer packaged goods manufacturers and retailers the industry’s only global view of retail performance measurement. By integrating information from its Watch and Buy segments and other data sources, Nielsen provides its clients with both world-class measurement as well as analytics that help improve performance. Nielsen, an S&P 500 company, has operations in over 100 countries that cover more than 90% of the world’s population. For more information, visit www.nielsen.com.


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Rumors are mounting that Apple will be holding a media event on September 12th to introduce a new iPhone. iMore kicked off a frenzy with a report about the event early Monday morning, and The Loop tossed a single word into the fray, “Yep.”
One word, you say? What’s in a word? The Loop’s founder Jim Dalrymple is known for having a tight relationship with Apple, and while he didn’t specify his source, that one word post has a lot of history suggesting Apple will indeed be holding the event.
Invitations have not yet gone out, and iMore’s original report focused on the expected fall update to Apple’s iPhone line. Speculation that Apple will also use the event to introduce a 7-inch iPad (dubbed iPad mini by many) has bloomed like a thousand Internet flowers.
Investors are cheered by the idea, with Apple’s stock advancing on Monday to close at US$595.03, up $9.87 (+1.69 percent), on light volume of 13.5 million shares trading hands. While Apple’s announcement of selling 3 million copies of Mountain Lion in the first four days of availability also played a role, a September quarter release of the iPhone could help boost Apple’s quarterly results.
As Wells Fargo analyst Maynard Um put it in a research note to clients, “Given our anticipation for an October launch, a September launch time frame would be ahead of schedule and likely result in upside to our current September quarter forecasts. We believe an earlier launch would also be viewed positively by investors and expect anticipation to continue to build through August.”
At this point, you can probably mark it on your calendar.


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Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
Lane Bryant, the iconic label catering for sizes 14â28, has announced the exciting new collaboration with the celebrated American ready-to-wear designer Prabal Gurung. Gurung will be creating a limited-edition line of women’s fashion with his signature style exclusively catering for the 14â28 customer.
Linda Heasley, CEO of Label Bryant, noted in a release, ‘Prabal is a master at mixing materials, fabrics and texturesâhe pulls it off in such a way that each piece becomes its own artistic statement. His ingenuity at mixing sporty ease with unabashed glamour has made his label a huge success. We are delighted to welcome him to Lane Bryant and offer his innovative fashions, spirit and unique styles to the Lane Bryant customer.’
Gurung grew up in Nepal, and worked with Indian designers before moving to New York, interning for Donna Karan while studying at Parsons School of Design. His diverse background and eye for modern luxury and glamour is possibly why he is appealing to a range of clients around the world. Gurung has dressed a range of celebrities and dignitaries such as Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey and Priyanka Chopra. He brings a modern and unique vision to the collaboration.
Gurung will be the fifth designer collaborating with Lane Bryant joining the successful Christian Siriano, Lela Rose, Sophie Theallet and Isabel Toledo collections. Gurung’s brand recognizes the importance of domestic production, particularly in respect to the quality of the finished product, and he aims to bring this awareness to an international audience.
Gurung shared, ‘Designing clothes for the modern woman, one who is fashionable and unafraid of how she feels about herself, has always been my source for inspiration. I truly believe that confidence is the key and I continually strive to create clothing that allows women to look and feel their absolute best. I am thrilled to be working with Lane Bryant on this collaboration and look forward to dressing this bold and fashionable customer.’
Lane Bryant will document the design process for the first time, making it available to a web-based audience on Lane Bryant social media sites.
The collection is set to hit stores March 2017, and will be sold under the Prabal Gurung Exclusively for Lane Bryant label.âBhavana Bhim


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- Articles tagged "interchangeable lens"
Hardwarezone members got treated to a special closed door session with Canon and spent quality time shooting with Canon's EOS M line-up of mirrorless cameras, including trialing the very new EOS M5.
It's Friday again and we are finally into the last month of the year. Usher in December with some great deals here!
While not Samsung's first mirrorless system camera, the NX Mini is definitely the smallest. So what does it have to offer? We sum up our initial hands-on experience.
We took the latest Samsung NX30 interchangeable lens digital camera for a quick hands-on test. All we can say for now is, Samsung's getting better at this.
Samsung today announced a new addition to their interchangeable lens camera series with the new Galaxy NX. It comes equipped with Wi-Fi and 3G/4G connectivity as well as an Android operating system that lets you stay connected with your social media apps. Check in to find out more!
- Apple sues Qualcomm for US$1 billion over royalty fees
- LG G6 rumored to come with Google Assistant
- These Samsung Galaxy devices are getting the Android 7.0 update
- Updated Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 launches in India with Snapdragon 625 processor
- Acronis True Image 2017 New Generation is the first of its kind to protect against ransomware
- You can pay for rides on public transport with EZ-Link Wearables
- Thousands of watch faces are coming soon to the Samsung Gear S2 and S3
- Report: Worldwide app downloads grew 15% in 2016, revenue up 40%


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Monday, July 28th, 2014
The time is right for some companies to focus more on updating customer services. Customer journey mapping can help to identify how a customer interacts with an organisation, and a better understanding of a customer’s thought processes can then help reveal opportunities for improvement in their experience.
Furthermore, a greater use of social media, could according to a recent report, improve overall customer experience. A massive 77 percent of digitally focused companies also believed that they needed to put their customers ’social experience’ at the forefront of what they do online. According to the 2014 report State of Digital Transformation, sixty three percent of those surveyed believed that digital transformation (or broadly the impact of “going paperless”) is ultimately responsible for an overall improvement in customer satisfaction. Conversely, whilst less than half those questioned had researched their customers ‘digital journey’, they acknowledged the need to update their associated social and mobile technologies. mplcontact would love to help you on your particular journey by helping you integrate some of those new technologies into YOUR customer services offering. Why not give us a call today on 0800 0186009 to find out exactly how outsourcing your customer services department could help your company to deliver an outstanding service every time.


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Apple’s new Android app helps people switch to iOS
Apple is now becoming more aggressive in expanding its market share. Previously, it offered step-by-step tutorials to switch from Android to iOS. Now, It has developed a new Android app “Move to iOS” which helps users to switch from Android to iOS.
This app helps in moving essentials things like contacts, messages, calendars, mail accounts, and media files including photos from an Android device to any iOS device running on iOS 9. Everything it does over wireless. Not only just in moving data, it also helps in regain all your Apps in iOS. It will check your apps in Android and then suggests you to download the iOS version of those apps in your iOS device. If the app is paid, it will be added to your wish list in App store.
We only know this much of information about the app. There is no demonstration video of the app. This app is expected to release with the release of iOS 9. Releasing it before iOS 9 does not make sense. So, we will have to wait for few more months to know more about “Move to iOS” app.


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Apple released to developers a third beta of iOS 5.1 that brings back the 3G data toggle missing on the iPhone 4S since its release. There are no other changes on the surface in the new beta, but according to 9To5Mac, strings inside the iOS 5.1 beta 3 code hint at a quad-core iPhone and iPad this year.
The references to the quad-core iPhone and iPad chips were found in the code of the iOS 5.1 beta 3, and it’s not the first time Apple hinted at future hardware through its developer releases. In the first beta of iOS 5.1 in November, reference codes were found for the next-generation Apple TV, as well the next iPhone and two new iPad models — although historically not all products referenced in iOS betas were released.
If Apple is indeed working with quad-core processors (A4 was the 1GHz chip, A5 dual-core 1GHz, so maybe A6 for quad-core?), this would allow the company to power high-resolution displays, like the iPad 3 with Retina Display that pundits expect to be released this spring. As it was with the A4 and A5 chips, once the new iPad model is released, the quad-core processors could then find their way in the revamped iPhone 5 tipped for later this year.
Code hints aside, iOS 5.1 doesn’t seem set to be a very exciting update for iOS users. So far Apple listed several minor bug fixes, most of them relating to iCloud accounts or migrating from MobileMe, as well as security improvements. As mentioned, the third beta brings back the 3G data toggle under Settings/Network, missing for iPhone 4S users, which allows data traffic through EDGE in order to use less battery.
Follow Daniel Ionescu and Today @ PCWorld on Twitter


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SEOUL -- North Korea said Tuesday it had taken custody of an American activist who crossed into the country Dec. 24 in an apparent protest of its human-rights record, a move that could complicate relations between the two countries at an awkward time.
North Korean state-run media said Tuesday that the man crossed into the country through its border with China and had been detained. Human-rights groups identified the man as Robert Park, a 28-year-old Korean American and devout Christian from Tucson, Ariz. He was arrested as soon as he crossed, the groups said.
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Spectrum Gaming Group has published their Top 21 Trends for 2013, which casino recruiter Bentley Price Associates, Inc., finds worth reading. All of Spectrum’s items merit discussion, but their number-one trend of domestic expansion of gambling establishments interests us most. Not only does this expansion portend great things for casino recruiters, hotel recruiters and hospitality [...]
Don’t count on a whole lot of loyalty from hotel guests, regardless of how many promotions you might have going on. In fact, according to a Deloitte survey, consumers have turned away from what might have been that perceived “loyalty to travel brands.”
A mere 8% of the survey respondents said they choose the same [...]
It seems the Millennials (Generation Y) are everywhere, even eclipsing the travel-leaning Baby Boomers who ring the population bell at 76 million; this, compared to the Millennials’ 79 million.
But the ‘Boomers’ are going to be left behind in numbers as the year 2030 approaches. In fact, they’re expected to be milling about somewhere near [...]
At Bentley Price Associates, we work with a variety of hotels and casinos. All of them have their own individual needs, and they all have an idea about the type of employee they would consider to be “ideal”. The problem they find themselves facing is lacking the time required to properly screen and hire the [...]
Hotel recruiters are keeping an eye on financial news that affects the hospitality industry. Here, we’ll highlight one international news item and one on the domestic front. The latest in the international market is this from Hotel News Resource: “Commercial real estate continues to rank high on the list of acquisitions for investors around the [...]
Did we ever think we’d see the day when a hotel guest opts to use Twitter over talking to the front desk personnel to resolve issues?
Just last fall, over a two-day confab of industry players attending the Cornell Hospitality Research Summit, the lineup of panels and pointed presentations spoke volumes about the future: Get [...]
Cross-selling and up-selling are a couple of techniques used in many industries, including hospitality and restaurants to drive up sales and increase customer satisfaction. Cross-selling occurs when a person adds a certain thing to what they’re buying. For example, everyone has been asked at some point or another if they would like some fries with [...]
It may be surprising, but the travel industry was responsible for adding many more jobs last year than a lot of other industries. Over 7.7 million people work in this sector, according to the U.S. Travel Association.
Part of the reason for the strong employment in this field is the availability of training, a schooling [...]
Hotel property owners are always on the lookout for new sources of revenue streams, and many are looking no further than their lobby, an alcove or inviting nook within the hotel itself.
A recent article in the New York Times, “Hotels Carve Out Workspaces Rented by the Hour,” notes how the hotel lobby has long [...]
Too many hotel executives try to handle their own staffing needs in the midst of everything else that happens on a daily basis in their hotels. During any given day, there are guest complaints and concerns to handle, employees to manage, and events to coordinate. Those jobs in and of themselves can be very tiring, [...]


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Amazon is quietly piloting a program to let brands like Maybelline and Folgers pay to send free samples to consumers — all based on what the retail giant already knows they're likely to buy.
Why it matters: Turning free samples into new targeted ads plays to Amazon's strength as a trusted delivery service of everyday goods, something Americans already expect from the company. Amazon is betting the sample strategy is something its biggest competitors — Google and Facebook — can't match.. . . more


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Capcom, the company responsible for such beloved series as Mega Man, Street Fighter, Resident Evil, and the Breath of Fire series, has announced something rather unique. At the Tokyo Game Show in a few weeks, Capcom of Japan plans to unveil a new RPG series, but it will not be like most RPGs. The series, which will be on the Sega Dreamcast, will be released in chapters every other month.
The new series has not been named, but there are some that think this is the game "Emblem of Eru," a game that Yoshitaka Amano was designing characters for. However, this is absolutely not confirmed, but it makes one wonder if they are indeed the same. The game at this time has not been announced for release outside of Japan, but hopefully Capcom will continue the trend that they have set with their Breath of Fire series and release this new series in North America. RPGamer will bring you more on these titles when they are shown at the Tokyo Game Show.


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Rupert Murdoch has long championed pay walls for online news content, and now the News Corp. chairman is reportedly working on a newspaper that would be available exclusively on mobile devices like Apple's iPad and smartphones.
The Los Angeles Times reports that the offering would feature short, easily digested stories initially written by staffers at Murdoch's New York Post and Dow Jones. Jesse Angelo, managing editor at the Post, has been tapped to head up the new digital effort, the Times said. If the venture proves successful, however, News Corp. could add several dozen reporters and editors to work exclusively on the digital paper.
There is no set time for the paper's debut, though sources told the Times it could emerge by year's end. Pricing was not discussed, but the company's Wall Street Journal iPad app goes for $4 per week.
Murdoch has long been critical of papers that offer their news for free, and of news aggregators like Google News, the Huffington Post, and the Flipboard iPad app. He recently walled off his Times of London and has plans to do so for all the publications he owns.


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Johnson Outdoors reported a slight increase in net sales for the first quarter, which ended Jan. 1, 2010, though it had a loss from continuing operations for the period.
The company announced net sales of $70.5 million for the quarter, up 1 percent compared to net sales of $69.8 million for the prior-year quarter.
Loss from continuing operations of $4.2 million, or 45 cents per diluted share, was reported, compared with a loss of $6.9 million, or 75 cents per diluted share, in the prior-year quarter.
"We have worked hard over the past 18 months to position Johnson Outdoors to compete effectively in today's new marketplace by reducing infrastructure, focusing strategies, strengthening the balance sheet and investing appropriately in meaningful innovation," chairman and CEO Helen Johnson-Leipold said in a statement.
"Early indications are that outdoor recreational markets will begin a slow, yet steady recovery in 2010 and we feel good about our ability to grow share, improve profitability and enhance shareholder value going forward," she added.
At the end of the first quarter, the company reported inventory levels were 25 percent below the prior year and net debt had been reduced $20 million versus the prior-year quarter.
Marine electronics revenues were up 3.5 percent for the quarter, while watercraft sales declined 7 percent, the company said.


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In what seems to be a growing trend, the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation has teamed with Access for a new member benefit. “Deals Advantage” will give VAFB members access to thousands of exclusive offers across the state.
They join dozens of other organizations who are looking to give back to their members with relevant, everyday benefits. Specifically, VAFB joins a growing list of farm bureaus that have teamed up with Access to build member engagement through exclusive discount programs. We recently announced a similar partnership with the Alabama Farmers Federation.
What's causing these organizations to look to companies like Access to help boost their member benefits?
The economy may be improving, but people have grown accustomed to living leaner. This means more scrutiny on the budget. “What are we getting from this?” is the question applied to every recurring charge, even if it’s once a year.
For farm bureaus, there’s a clear answer to that question. These groups provide advocacy and collective bargaining for their members, promotion for the industry, education programs, even member insurance in some instances.
Each of those has value, but equating that value to dollars and cents is sometimes difficult, especially when the member is faced with a renewal decision.
It's a complex issue with a fairly simple solution: associations need to add frequent relevance, a way to impact members in ways they'll appreciate on a regular basis.
Help them save money. In doing so, these organizations are helping members offset the cost of dues. In the case of Virginia, members will pull up the Deals Advantage site before heading out to dinner. They’ll open the mobile coupon app while walking around the mall. They’ll save money when they head out to the amusement park in Williamsburg.
At the same time, they’ll become more engaged with VAFB and in tune with the latest messages and issues facing the federation.
The result? Whenever the time comes for members to pay their dues, it’ll be a simple decision.
Brandon is a former writer and marketer for Access Development. He's a frequent blogger on customer and employee engagement & loyalty, consumer trends, and branding. Connect with him on LinkedIn or Twitter at @bscarter


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As the Indian stock market celebrated record highs in December, a sobering narrative unfolds in the manufacturing sector, where activity has hit the brakes. The HSBC Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) for December reported an 18-month low, registering at 54.9, down from November’s 56. While a reading above 50 signifies expansion and below 50 indicates contraction, the recent figures have raised concerns about the resilience of India’s manufacturing industry in the face of global challenges.
The PMI survey report highlighted that the latest print remained above the long-term trend but marked the lowest quarterly average (55.5) since the first quarter of the fiscal year 2022-23. This dip indicates a significant deceleration in manufacturing activity, and it prompts a closer examination of the factors contributing to this slowdown.
A confluence of unfavorable circumstances has played spoilsport for manufacturers, impacting various facets of their operations. Notably, the pace of increase in new orders witnessed its slowest rate in a year and a half. Even as international orders continued their ascent for the 21st consecutive month, the spark in new export sales and output remained muted, underscoring the complexity of the challenges faced by the manufacturing sector.
One of the key drivers of the slowdown is the sluggish growth in new orders. Manufacturers, who were expecting a robust uptick, have been confronted with a reality where the rate of order placements has decelerated significantly. This slowdown in domestic demand has cascading effects on the production cycle, affecting output and overall economic performance.
The global economic landscape, marred by uncertainties and challenges, has contributed to the woes of India’s manufacturing sector. Trade tensions, geopolitical uncertainties, and disruptions in the supply chain have created a challenging environment for businesses. The volatility in international markets has led to a cautious approach among manufacturers, impacting their confidence in scaling up production and investments.
Despite the ongoing challenges, it is noteworthy that international orders have continued to rise. The 21st consecutive month of growth in this metric suggests a certain level of resilience and competitiveness in India’s manufacturing capabilities. However, the muted response in new export sales and output implies that, while there is demand, converting it into tangible results within the domestic landscape remains a hurdle.
The dip in manufacturing activity calls for a multi-faceted approach to address the challenges at hand. Policymakers, industry leaders, and stakeholders must collaborate to formulate strategies that not only mitigate the immediate impacts but also build resilience for the long term.
One aspect that warrants attention is the need for a strategic review of trade policies and diplomatic efforts to address global trade challenges. Navigating trade tensions and leveraging diplomatic channels to secure favorable trade agreements could play a pivotal role in revitalizing export-oriented manufacturing in the country.
Additionally, a concerted effort to enhance domestic demand is crucial. Initiatives that stimulate consumer spending, incentivize investments, and promote innovation can reignite the manufacturing sector. The government, in collaboration with industry players, can explore targeted policies and fiscal measures to create an enabling environment for businesses to thrive.
Investments in technology and digitalization can also be a game-changer for the manufacturing sector. Embracing Industry 4.0 technologies, enhancing automation, and upskilling the workforce can improve productivity and competitiveness. The integration of technology not only streamlines operations but also positions the sector to adapt to evolving global market dynamics.
The manufacturing slowdown serves as a wake-up call for all stakeholders to reassess the industry’s trajectory and take decisive actions. While the challenges are formidable, they also present opportunities for transformation and growth. It is imperative for India’s manufacturing sector to evolve, innovate, and adapt to the changing global landscape to emerge stronger and more resilient in the years to come.
Disclaimer: The thoughts and opinions stated in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities represented and we recommend referring to more recent and reliable sources for up-to-date information.


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TIME FOR A NEW WORLD RECORD?
The largest fancy vivid blue diamond ever offered at auction is set to go on sale this May 18 at Christie’s in Geneva. The 14.62-carat stone, the “Oppenheimer Blue,” is named after its previous owner, Sir Philip Oppenheimer, whose family controlled De Beers for 80 years before selling its 40 percent stake to Anglo American Plc for $5.1 billion in 2012. The diamond, whose “fancy vivid” designation rates it the highest and clearest saturation color blue possible, is estimated to sell for $38 million to $45 million.
The auction comes as the worldwide market for jewellery has sagged. Sales, according to Euromonitor International Ltd., dipped more than 4 percent in 2015, from $38.5 billion to $36.9 billion. The top of the market, however, has demonstrated consistent, record-setting resilience.
In 2008, the London jeweler Graff paid a record-breaking $24.3 million for a fancy deep grayish-blue diamond at Christie’s London; two years later, Graff broke another record, paying $45.6 million for a 24.78-carat pink diamond at Sotheby’s Geneva.
Last year, the Hong Kong billionaire Joseph Lau broke that record by paying $48.4 million for a 12.03-carat, fancy blue diamond at Sotheby’s Geneva. (The night before, he paid $28.5 million for a 16.08-carat pink diamond at Christie’s; both jewels, totaling $77 million, were reportedly purchased for his then 7-year-old daughter.)
The sale of the Oppenheimer Blue will come on the heels of another incredible sale, the 9.54-carat blue diamond once owned by the child star Shirley Temple, which sold for US$31 million earlier this week.
The Oppenheimer diamond, however, has the potential to break all existing records.
There’s the diamond’s size, which is more than a carat larger than the previous record; its rarity, given that less than .0001 percent of all diamonds mined are blue, according to Christie’s; and finally its provenance—Oppenheimer founded the London-based Central Selling Organisation, the De Beers-backed diamond cartel that maintained global prices for more than half a century.
“Achieving the strongest colors in traditional shapes, such as the 15-carat Oppenheimer Vivid Blue can only be achieved with a highly saturated intrinsic color of the rough diamond,” said Tom Moses, the executive vice president of the Gemological Institute of America, in a statement. “This blue diamond’s color and clarity, combined with its traditional cutting style and provenance, is truly exceptional.”


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True Food Kitchen opened its first Ohio restaurant in the 16-acre retail Easton Town Center retail development in Columbus.
Founded in 2008, True Food Kitchen has a focus on healthful flavor-forward menu items. “The restaurant, which boasts TV mogul Oprah Winfrey as an investor, beautifully anchors our newest district alongside merchants like RH Columbus, the Gallery at Easton Town Center and Forbidden Root botanical brewery,” says Jennifer Peterson, CEO of Easton. “While the pandemic required a slight delay in the opening of the restaurant, it has proven to be well worth the wait, as the restaurant is a natural fit for Easton’s ever-changing tenant mix to cater to our customers evolving tastes.”
To accommodate COVID-19 challenges, True Food Kitchen offers family meals to go designed for groups of two, four or six. Carryout cocktails have also been added as an option.
The restaurant reconfigured its dining room from original plans to allow for social distancing. There is seating for 116 — 27 tables spaced 6 feet apart — as well as outdoor patio space. Service has been modified to minimize contact, including using mobile menu viewing, ordering and payment.
Image courtesy of True Food Kitchen