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Safeway acquires land for Kapahulu store
said yesterday it has completed the purchase of land intended for its Kapahulu Avenue store.
The supermarket chain plans to begin construction on the 207,366-square-foot site this summer with an eye toward opening the store, its 19th in the state, in mid-2007.
Safeway declined to give a purchase price for the property, which will include its 61,300-square-foot store and 17,000 square feet of other retail space. The company has retained PM Realty to find tenants.
Also included in the plans are landscaping, parking, outdoor seating and a community meeting room. Earlier plans for gas pumps on the site were dropped because of community opposition.
First Vera Wang Boutique opens
Today, the Halekulani hotel opens the world's first boutique showcasing the luxury goods of designer Vera Wang.
The Vera Wang Boutique will offer fashions, jewelry, fragrances, stationery, china, crystal and silver by the designer, who is largely famous for her celebrity wedding gowns. Wang, who maintains a salon in New York City, also designed a luxury suite at the Halekulani that has been praised by the travel and bridal press.
Owner Donna Bebber said the products --including Wang's first line of lingerie, to be unveiled next month -- will be available only at the Halekulani boutique.
Bebber also is director of development for the Pearl Harbor Memorial Fund and principal of Gemmon LLC. Before that, she was vice president of development for the Honolulu Symphony for seven years.
Grand-opening celebrations for the boutique next month will feature a week of festivities benefiting several community arts organizations.
» Catholic Charities Hawaii has hired David Drews
as youth residential services division administrator. He will be responsible for therapeutic foster homes, therapeutic groups homes and community-based residential homes on Oahu and the Big Island. He has more than 28 years of experience in mental health services.
» Oceanic Institute has appointed Scott Larson chief financial officer. He will be responsible for overseeing the institute's finances and supervising financial and accounting functions. He previously served as CFO at Moana Technologies LLC.
» The Cancer Research Center of Hawaii has appointed Catherine W. Mateja director of development. She previously served as the associate director of development at Scripps Health Foundation at the Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, Calif.
» Maryl Pacific Construction has appointed Thomas Chung vice president, director of operations for their offices on Oahu, Maui and Kauai. He will be responsible for overseeing field operations on the islands and coordinating as needed with operations on the Big Island. He has over 20 years of construction experience.
Krispy Kreme drops big franchise
Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc.
terminated an agreement with its largest franchisee because it hasn't been paid royalties, an action that might put the franchisee out of business.
Great Circle Family Foods LLC has been in default of its franchise agreements because of non-payment of royalty and other fees, the Winston-Salem, N.C.-based company said yesterday in a statement. Great Circle operates 28 Krispy Kreme locations in Southern California.
Krispy Kreme, the second-biggest U.S. doughnut chain, is shedding stores and restructuring operations amid a U.S. probe of its accounting practices. The company hasn't reported earnings for five quarters as the Securities and Exchange Commission and federal prosecutors investigate how the company accounted for the repurchases of factory stores.
GM tops VW in China automobile sales
General Motors Corp.
became China's top-selling foreign automaker last year, surpassing Germany's Volkswagen AG
, after seeing its sales grow 35.2 percent to 665,390 vehicles, according to company figures released yesterday.
South Korea's Hyundai and Japan's Honda also reported strong growth, while Volkswagen, the former market leader, saw its sales decline in 2005.
GM, which is looking to growth in China to make up for its shrinking market share in the United States, said sales were driven by the continuing popularity of its Buick brand, led by the Excelle sedan and hatchback. It sold 105,000 of those two models through September, according to the China Auto Industry Association, although GM gave no figures for the entire year.
Boeing sets record for airplane orders
SEATTLE » Boeing Co.
said yesterday it set a new company record for commercial airplane orders in 2005, while also more than tripling the number of jet orders from the previous year.
The Chicago aerospace company it had received 1,002 net airplane orders during 2005. That beats the company's previous record set in 1988, when Boeing and McDonnell Douglas, which have since merged, booked 877 net orders.


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Like many businesses, SPAR, the international grocery chain with 2,500 UK stores, found last winter tough. Not necessarily because customers weren't visiting the stores in the snow, but because the...
The Awards are back for their second year
Norwegian information security centre blames 'advanced' and 'professional' hackers
New variant of Satori malware subverts other cryptocurrency mining malware by changing wallet address
Cryptocurrency miners infected with Satori malware will see gains given to someone else
Collaboration between the University of Texas and Peking University yields device that could be used in AI and robotics

domain: news


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The gifts just keep on comin’ for baby, North West.
On Monday morning, Kim Kardashian took to Instagram to thank former French Vogue editor, Carine Roitfeld for sending a special shirt over to the West’s.
“Thank you @carineroitfeld for North’s baby version of the shirt you wore from our CR Cover,” she wrote, including an image of the shirt sitting by the CR cover.
Last year, Kardashian was featured on the cover of Roitfeld’s CR Fashion Book. On the front page of the third issue, Kim, who was eight months pregnant during the time of the shoot, flaunts her flawless face while rocking a gold grill. “‘She’s controversial, but so was Marilyn Monroe and I always like controversial people,” Roitfeld told Time Out London magazine about the cover.
“‘I hope the issue will be a good souvenir for her and her baby,” Roitfeld added. And it definitely will be. Just months after Carine wore the cover as a T-shirt and sold it as a collector’s item, Kim’s 7-month old daughter will now be able to sport the tee featuring her mom’s face.
During a recent chat with fans on Mobio INsider, Kim revealed that she is working on a clothing line for babies. When a fan asked the reality TV beauty if she would dress Nori in clothes from Target, the 33-year-old mom wrote, “absolutely.”
“She wears everything. I even created a baby line, so there can be super affordable clothes for babies. It launches in March. Kids grow up so fast. You need affordable clothes!”
The line will reportedly be available for purchase in March.
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Finally! ‘Elvis’ Showcases Presley’s Black Music Roots
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‘The Wire’ Cast And Creators Look Back On Making A Masterpiece
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Work is getting underway in Italy with the first steel cutting for the first LNG-powered cruise to be built by Fincantieri and the first for German cruise line TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff operation.
The Vietnamese Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Center is reporting the successful rescue of 10 people from a coastal cargo ship that sank near the northern port of Hai Pong on June 22. Due to
Swiss oil trading house Gunvor has asked U.S. Customs and Border Protection for a specific waiver to the Jones Act, according to Reuters.
In the ongoing battle between shippers and carriers over the difficulties in shipping goods for the past two years, an Illinois-based manufacturer and importer of gourmet foods and food gifts has file


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Realme confirmed that the Narzo 30 will have 48MP triple camera setup
Sony Xperia 10 III available for preorder in the UK with free noise cancelling headphones
First noise cancelling TWS earphones from vivo set to arrive on May 20
Price of ZTE Axon 30 Ultra price in global market confirmed ahead of May 27 pre orders
Latest Android 11 based One UI 3.1 update rolling out for Samsung Galaxy A11
Realme postpones Realme X7 Max 5G announcement in India due to second wave of COVID-19
Apr 29, 2021
Realme on May 4 was planning to celebrate its three year anniversary by introducing the Realme X7 Max 5G (rebranded GT Neo). This info was shared by CEO Madhav Sheth in the latest episode of AskMadhav.
The situation is getting serious day by day due to COVID-19. Hence the CEO decided to postpone the launch event and the celebration. The company furthermore urges us to follow safety guidelines.
The first device in India with the Dimensity 1200 chipset will have to wait. It’s difficult to predict what will happen in the upcoming weeks. So, there is no detail about the new launch date.
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THE RISE AND RISE OF OUTSOURCING
27 Feb 2019
As more and more IT companies chose to outsource their IT hardware and network requirements, your company should probably be doing it too.
If your company is wondering whether it’s better to outsource its Information & Communications Technology (ICT) needs or try to handle them in house, here’s a clue: hi-tech companies are outsourcing their own hardware and network requirements.
A prime example is Jasco, a JSE-listed technology supplier that has now signed cloud solutions for the hardware and software that its own business relies on. “We used to buy IT infrastructure as a customer and we had large teams of engineers to support our operations, but we now outsource some fundamental components,” says Eckart Zollner, Jasco’s head of business development.
“Changes in technology have accelerated to such a degree that it’s become impossible to keep up in some areas,” he explains. “Lifecycles are getting shorter with replacement cycles every three years or even more frequently, so the business model of owning the technology you use has gone away. How we use and interact with ICT has shifted and it’s now a service that you just subscribe to and access from any device in any location, while somebody else owns it.”
Jasco is involved in many highly technical fields, and even though most of its employees are IT experts, it often proves cheaper and more efficient to utilise a clound solution rather than owning the hardware outright. Imagine, then, how much extra work companies that don’t have a large pool of in-house experts are creating for themselves by trying to run their own hardware and software systems.
“With hardware, if you don’t replace it in time you get left behind, and that’s our supplier’s problem now. We just specify the services we need and sign a service level agreement,” Zollner says.
“More and more companies that used to own and invest in technology now just invest in the service. That brings you scalability and flexibility, because today maybe 30 people in your company need it and the next day only 20 people need it.” IT analysts have been predicting this model for years, but it’s finally gaining traction because of technology development and affordable stable network solutions.
Another prime example is the Internet of Things (IoT), where sensors can be embedded into almost any item to add intelligence and capture information about its location or its performance. “The Internet of Things only works if it’s packaged as a service,” Zollner says.
For example, it would not be worthwhile for a trucking company with 1,000 vehicles to buy a thousand trackers, install 1,000 SIM cards, boost its data storage capacity, install data analysis software and put a team in place to pore over the results.
“That becomes way too expensive, but what works is to subscribe to a service that tells you if a truck is deviating from the route or driving out of prescribed times,” Zollner explains. “It doesn’t make sense for customers to deploy IoT and contract with multiple suppliers on all the different device, network and analytical elements, but it makes sense to contract with one supplier who provides an end to end service.”
For IT vendors, this represents a serious earthquake on the once stable ground of selling expensive kit. As a supplier as well as a consumer of technology, Jasco is experiencing these changes from both sides.
“We used to sell individual products to a customer, help them make it work and walk away. We now have a massive focus on IoT services, so we’ve acquired a company that specialises in end to end IOT solutions and we are integrating it into the Jasco group,” Zollner says.
It has also changed its product lines because some items were being produced far more cheaply in the electronics powerhouse of China. Selling gadgets isn’t where the value lies - it’s how you use them that’s important - so Jasco is now selling solutions rather than products.
The change also required a fresh think about its financial model, as it can no longer rely on revenue from equipment sales. Instead it’s now signing longer-term service agreements with its customers.
Savvy IT suppliers can benefit from this growing trend through the scalability that comes from selling the same services to multiple customers. “In the past, hardware was dedicated to certain tasks and certain customers. Now it’s being shared and virtualised, and that changes the playing field because you can sell a service on a piece of hardware multiple times,” says Zollner.
But putting various hardware, software and communications services together to offer as an end-to-end package will demand new partnerships or acquisitions in the IT industry. “There’s certainly going to be consolidation around the infrastructure side,” Zollner predicts. There will still be room for smaller players if they move up the value chain by providing implementation and management services, he believes. “Big companies can virtualise and sell the same thing to hundreds and thousands of clients, but more agile services entities are going to be needed for the implementation and integration. Each business is different, so an integration component is required between the outsourced services and the infrastructure into the customer’s business.”
This is a learning curve for both customers and suppliers, he adds. “Customers have been used to doing something the same way for 20 years and as humans we are resistant to change.
That’s why it’s not happening fast – you first need to show the customer a proof of concept that’s relevant to them.” As more businesses realise the value in being able to track, monitor and analyse the big data being collected by devices on the Internet of Things, the technology partners to look for will be those that lease you a solution, not those that sell you a gadget.


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WhatsApp, the most popular instant messenger across the globe has now released the desktop version for Chrome Plugin, Android, Blackberry and Windows Services.
WhatsApp is currently most popular mobile chat application and company now wants to redefine the mobile messaging experience for both mobile phone users and also for desktops and laptops. To achieve this, it has released a plugin for the Chrome browser.
Now users of whats app finally get to use the app on their desktops. Despite the app not coming as a native app, at least users no longer have to depend on their mobile phones entirely to receive and send WhatsApp messages.
Now by using this plugin, users can chat simultaneously using their whatsapp account from their mobile phones, desktops, laptops and tablets. Surprisingly, this browser-based services is not available to Apple iPhone users due to some “limitations” as per company source. But this service is now available for Android, Blackberry, Nokia S60, and Windows phones.
But still its not something new launch as whatsapp competitor WeChat and Line already have such services and implemented it for some time. So its time that whatsapp has some catching up to do to make competition more tough in upcoming days.
How to use WhatsApp on Desktop?
To connect your web browser to your WhatsApp client, simply open https://web.whatsapp.com in your Google Chrome browser. You will see a QR code — scan the code inside of WhatsApp, and you’re ready to go.
Ease of use


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Britain is facing an epidemic of podgy pets being fed junk food according to a leading animal charity.
Up to 12 million cats, dogs and rabbits are being given "treats" of takeaways, crisps, cheese and cakes on a daily basis which are a diet disaster for the animals, according to a massive survey of 11,000 pet owners by the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA).
The PDSA Animal Wellbeing (PAW) Report is the largest of its kind ever to assess and measure the health and welfare standards of dogs, cats and rabbits, according to the charity.
And it claims the results show millions of pets are set to develop obesity-related, life-threatening illnesses if their diets do not improve.
Sean Wensley, PDSA Senior Vet, said: "With so many pets being fed inappropriate diets, the effect on their health is devastating.
"Many owners may think that their favourite treats are harmless to pets. This is not the case.
"As in humans, unsuitable diets containing lots of unhealthy food items are linked to medical conditions including diabetes, arthritis and heart disease."
According to the survey half of owners say they think fatty treats make their pet happy with just 2% confessing to feeling any guilt.
But dog obesity levels are already higher than human obesity figures. Data from the Department of Health show that a quarter of Brits are now overweight, but dog obesity currently stands at around 35%.
The survey found dogs are fed the greatest amount of junk food, with 90% of dog owners admitting that cheese, toast, crisps, biscuits, takeaways, cakes and other fatty treats form part of their dog's diet.
Cats have the second worst meal plans, with 43% being given fatty treats while 26% of rabbits are also fed junk food.
Overall, pets in Wales and the North West fare the worst with 67% fed on unsuitable foods, falling to 53% in London.
In Scotland - where 855 pet owners were questioned -dogs get the most fatty treats, with 89% of owners admitting to feeding them inappropriate food. For cats the rate is 42%, while rabbits get the least amount of junk food at 21%.
Commonly fed fatty treats for dogs and rabbits in Scotland is toast, while for cats it is cheese.
Bailey, a five-year-old Border Collie who weighs 40kg but has an "ideal weight" of 25-27kg, is receiving help from PDSA to slim.
Owner Pauline Connor, 48, from Wishaw in North Lanarkshire, said she used to give in to his "puppy-dog eyes".
She said: "We always made sure Bailey had lots of exercise but the titbits we used to give him meant he gradually started piling on the pounds. It was habit to pass him a piece of biscuit whilst watching TV together, and at mealtimes all he had to do was look at us with those puppy-dog eyes.
"But now we have him on weight-loss food and have cut out all the sweet treats and his absolute favourite pasta treat which he loves. It is early days but with PDSA's help I'm sure Bailey will be a slimline pooch in no time."
Dr Alex German, leading animal obesity specialist at University of Liverpool Veterinary School, said: "The PDSA's report reveals some very worrying findings.
"The use of inappropriate treats is particularly concerning, especially the frequency with which these are being given."
The PDSA is launching its annual search to find the UK's most overweight pets to help them slim down and get fit as part of its pet slimming competition, Pet Fit Club.
Owners can enter their pets at www.pdsa.org.uk/petfitclub .


text: GODFREY - Beverly Farm Foundation has rescheduled the fireworks rained out on June 27 for July 16 starting at 9:30 p.m. Guests can start arriving at 6301 Humbert Road, Godfrey, as early as 8:30 p.m. that day. A Cool Time Ice Cream truck will sell treats outside the Administration Building. Beverly Farm Foundation also will hold a raffle that night, $1 each or $10 for an arms-length. Winners will be drawn at 9:20 p.m. and must be present to win either a Cardinals game fun pack for four or a Magic House fun pack for four. People attending the fireworks display are asked to not bring any personal fireworks or alcoholic beverages. In case of a rainout, an announcement will be made on social media.


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As we expected, Xiaomi has released a new update for the device Redmi Note 8T (Russia). Xiaomi roll-out with their device for new software updates. The new update was MIUI 12 version V18.104.22.168 QCRUXM it is based on Android 10. the update size is 3.6GB. This update was good for redmi note 8T users the code name is redmi note 8T #willow,
The new update is only for Russian Redmi note 8T devices. Maybe the chance Xiaomi published worldwide upcoming days.
°Optimization: Control center layout in landscape mode
°Optimization: Updated Android Security Patch to October 2020. Increased system security.
°Fix: Noise could be heard when the screen was turned off in some cases
Stable MIUI based on Android 10
You can download it from the link below.
- Redmi Note 8T (Russia) – V22.214.171.124.QCXRUXM


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Los Angeles International Airport guests can now pre-order food and shop online by viewing products and menus for some of the location’s restaurants and retail stores, Los Angeles World Airports announced Thursday.
The new features are available at the FlyLAX.com website. LAWA said it created the upgraded experience in partnership with Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield Airports.
“LAX is proud to once again be at the forefront of innovation, piloting a new digital marketplace and showcasing a vision of the airport of the future,” LAWA CEO Deborah Flint said. “By utilizing new technologies, we are creating mobile, anticipatory guest experiences and taking a giant step forward in bringing the front door of LAX to the fingertips of travelers well before they set foot at the airport.”
The upgraded website’s features include the launch of a digital product catalog and digital food ordering services, powered by Grab. Guests can pre-order food on their mobile device, Facebook messenger app or desktop/laptop computer by accessing FlyLAX.com and following the link to “Dining, Shopping and More” and choosing one of the participating terminals, or by going directly to LAXShopDine.com, LAWA said.
The current offerings include seven restaurants, with more anticipated in the future.


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BitTorrent, which is now owned by TRON, has recently offered information about the future release of BitTorrent Live in the second half of 2019.
BitTorrent Live will benefit from blockchain technology to be one of the first decentralized social media applications. But what exactly is BitTorrent Live?
From the initial access offered by the company to BitTorrent Live streaming service, the application seems to be a social media platform similar to Snapchat and Chinese TikTok app that permits customers engage in live content creation while sharing it with multiple people via their smartphones.
Similar to other social media video platforms, users will be able to stream from any Internet-connected location while viewers will be allowed to respond with various reactions and feedback.
Apparently, the idea of building this type of video creation platform for everyday users is not original in any way with Snapchat and TikTok already creating massive bases of users that will be difficult to steal.
To quote Justin Sun, BitTorrent CEO: “Imagine chatting with your favorite athlete, becoming immersed in a music festival, or meeting new friends to share your passions – all by simply firing up the BitTorrent Live app”.
Further on, Justin added that blockchain decentralized technology will allow more freedom for Internet users and better content entertainment while returning privacy and control to customers who can take advantage of BitTorrent digital currency to pay for various products and services.
We can now better understand the bigger purpose TRON imagined when purchasing BitTorrent file sharing application and creating later on the BitTorrent cryptocurrency which can be used by both content creators and their audiences.
All that remains now is to see how the future social media content platform will integrate with BitTorrent digital currency and how smoothly will all function as we are well aware that blockchain technology is still working to solve scalability issues and increase overall speed.


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With almost 100 million people using mobile coupons, it’s clear the trend has continued for mobile adoption and overall adoption of coupons in general. The story and study by media post and Koupon Media shares some interesting insights. It’s not as simple as people using paper less and mobile more. People are using coupons more in every vehicle. Mobile is growing for coupons albeit at a rate less than mobile advertising or commerce ironically. One needs to ask why…
In one of the better recent articles focused on OMNI-channel retail strategy, this article from HBR really hit home for me. It outlines a research-driven process for testing several hypotheses about merits of OMNI-channel. In short, getting shoppers to buy online had a negative effect on retail profitability. However, getting online shopper to buy in-store gave a major boost to profitability. Perhaps the article is biased toward brick and mortar, but not blindly so. There are some good insights into what criteria make for more profitable channel shoppers, including a shopper’s proximity to the store. The conclusion I drew from this was that if retailers can win shoppers in any channel, go for it. But if they can get online shoppers to go in-store, they will boost margins and sales. That’s why ship-to-store is the best OMNI-channel strategy to capture this online to offline customer behavior.
In a recent article by AdAge, a variety of companies shared their approach and desire to use purchase-based data to enhance targeting of digital ads, specifically by CPG brands. Epsilon, Acxiom, Datalogix among others are referenced. Lots of talk around high-level trends, but not as much discussion around what specific data is being used, where it comes from and how marketers are using it. Devils always in the details.
I read a post from Seth Godin recently focusing on the fatal dilemma of focusing on the urgent matters often in lieu of important matters. He puts it in simple English what the perceived versus real trade off is between the two. I venture to guess that he is suggesting to focus on the important item that can impact the long-term and help avoid the urgent. Sometimes you can’t, which means that it’s a matter of time management and prioritization so we don’t focus exclusively focusing on putting out fires versus figuring out how to prevent them in the first place.
The retail industry, specifically large brick and mortar retailers, is continuing to struggle against fierce competition and changing consumer tastes. This article highlights some specific reasons why Macy’s, KOHLS, and JCPenney have suffered and have closed stores as a result. Malls continue to see traffic shortfalls, and large anchor tenants like these retailers suffer proportionately. Plus, lower pricing and availability of trendy merchandise elsewhere for retailers with faster supply chains make it hard for these big guys to compete. Troubling trend and not sure there is an end in sight. Check out the full article for some details I missed.
Pretty interesting take on change management Here. Although I think that it’s missing some relevant information and observations of why certain people reject change more than others. Plus, not all individuals want growth, which breeds uncertainty. Some people like stability and predictability, which I believe are fundamentally different than change and growth. Enjoy!
Here is a great article breaking down the differences and details of what makes Comscore and Quantcast unique from Google Analytics and others in the online audience measurement arena. I found the description very informative and objective. I’m a huge fan of both companies and always interested in understanding what’s going on “beneath the hood.” You can check out the full post here.
There are so many articles and books written on the subject of entrepreneurship. Most are fluffy and overly positive. Few focus on the negatives, challenges and issues that most entrepreneurs face. This is one of the rare articles that is raw and honest. It hit home for me and likely for most, so I figured I’d share. Check it out here.
Kantar Research has published a report sharing that Kroger, Walmart and Walgreens are the leaders in their categories in terms of the increase in digital coupons offered on their respective websites. The study references digital coupons as a critical pre-shopping planning tool for customer before they go to the store. Retailers that offer digital coupons will engage shoppers and ensure those shoppers plan online and do their shopping inside that retailer’s physical stores. This online-to-offline trend is not new, but is certainly growing in popularity among marketers and consumers.
No big surprise here. Based on a recent survey, MediaPost announced that 45% of consumers want real-time mobile offers while they are inside a retail store. So it’s not quite the majority, but it’s close. I’m somewhat surprised so many consumers want to be bombarded with messages while shopping. I guess if the messages have a coupon to save you money, sure, bombard away… The most surprising trend is that acceleration of mobile promotion adoption by consumers. It’s happening faster than most analysts expected…


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AT&T profits under fire?
NEW BRITAIN -- The state consumer counsel is criticizing AT&T, saying the company's latest earnings filing with state utility regulators shows that the telecommunications giant is making "egregious profits at the expense of customers."
Consumer Counsel Mary Healey, whose office represents utility ratepayers, said the company's latest financial statements show that AT&T, of Texas, took nearly $222 million from the company's Connecticut operations in 2009.
That's nearly four times the $58.3 million in net income the company made in Connecticut in all of 2009, according to an audited financial statement filed with the state Department of Public Utility Control late in May.
The remaining $163.6 million that AT&T took out of its Connecticut operations came from retained earnings, money left over after expenses and dividends paid to shareholders that is typically reinvested back into the company.
"What their filing tells us is that their land-line business (traditional telephone service) is still a huge business," said Healey. "Their profits are coming at the expense of customers who use land lines, because their service record stinks and it has been substandard for nine years."
Healey's comments come as the DPUC prepares to hold hearings in which AT&T will appeal a proposed $1.12 million fine being proposed by utility regulators. No date for the hearings has been set yet, Healey said.
"We're hoping the DPUC is going to stand firm," Healey said. "I don't begrudge a company making a profit, but this is ridiculous, especially given AT&T's service record."
Chuck Coursey, an AT&T spokesman, said the company has been hurt by competition in providing land-line service.
"AT&T has lost more than 36,000 land-line customers, or 5 percent of our customer base, since the beginning of 2010 to competitors who use nonunion labor," Coursey said. "Despite the loss of over half the state's wire-line telephone customers, AT&T has invested nearly $825 million in Connecticut since 2007. Our state's policymakers, including the OCC, should be more focused on attracting investment and growing jobs, rather than unfairly twisting figures in an apparent attempt to score political points."
Healey said that AT&T's land-line business fits the definition of a monopoly, whether the company wants to own up to it.
"They will tell you the competition is eating their lunch, but I think the financials put that to rest," she said.
The audit also shows that AT&T's Connecticut operations made an average return on equity of nearly 38 percent, which Healey called "an extremely large return."
Healey said the financial figures made available to the DPUC also show that.
AT&T Connecticut paid $38 million in royalties during 2009 alone for using AT&T logos and other trademark material in the state. The company drew the ire of state political leaders when the DPUC revealed last spring that AT&T's Connecticut operations paid $144.5 million in royalties to an affiliate in Nevada between June 2002 and December 2004.
Healey said the latest financial statements are evidence that practice is continuing.
Contact Luther Turmelle at 203-789-5706.


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It’s always fun gathering the blurbs for Facebook in the InfoManager because there’s so much crazy stuff going on there … if it’s happening, you’re reading about it in the UGNN InfoManager . . .
[_] Facebook wants New York to destroy bulk user data seized under gag order
[_] How Facebook and Google are taking over your online identity
[_] Scottsdale writer uses Facebook to solve a family mystery
[_] Baby Dreamer in court for Facebook viral video attack
[_] Facebook Post Alerted Cops to FAA Fire Suspect
[_] Facebook Messenger is actually a monster hit
[_] Globe brings back free Facebook
. . . and more
Careful, we’ve found a pop-up ad splash screens and other stalker links and screen-spam on all of these pages. Seems the news industry has now resorted to heavy screen-spam to make revenue! Be very careful what you click.
I believe that there are some Mac user groups not taking advantage of the benefit of being a recognized Apple User Group. Continue reading »


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Ather 450 e-scooter deliveries begin in Chennai
19 Oct 2019
The first deliveries were made today and the coming week will see 100 scooters being delivered to Chennai consumers, along with the new compact home c...
Ather 450 enters its second city Chennai at Rs 131...
by Vishal Venugopal, Autocar India
08 Jul 2019
The Ather 450 is Rs 8,000 more expensive in Chennai than it is in Bengaluru.
FAME II subsidy makes Ather 450 cheaper by Rs 5,00...
08 May 2019
Ather says it has held deliveries to pass on the new subsidy benefits to owners.
Ather 450 and 340 e-scooters to feature 3 new subs...
05 Nov 2018
Apart from their flagship ‘Ather One’ plan, the company has added 3 new plans that provide data, service and charging privileges.


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Story URL: http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/news.aspx?id=225246
Story Retrieval Date: 4/17/2015 11:26:33 AM CST
Fortune Brands Home & Security, Inc. shares soared almost 6 percent Thursday as increased demand for new homes and consumer interest in improving existing homes drove sharp gains in sales and profit in the third quarter.
Net income in the quarter ended Sept. 30 rose 61 percent to $64.6 million, or 37 cents per diluted share, from $40.2 million, or 24 cents per diluted share, in the year-ago period.
Excluding the impact of restructuring and other charges, the Deerfield-based company reported earnings of 46 cents, exceeding the consensus analysts’ estimate of 40 cents, according to Bloomberg LP.
The company also increased its expectations for full-year 2013 revenues by more than 15 percent and significantly raised its full-year adjusted earnings per share to between $1.47 and $1.49, compared with the previous estimate of 89 cents.
Revenues in the quarter increased nearly 24 percent to $1.13 billion from $909 million a year ago.
“Notably, we're seeing strength in some areas that had been lagging such as bigger ticket semi-custom and custom cabinets and replacement windows,” CEO Christopher Klein said in a conference call.
“We're also seeing increased project size and stronger demand for more premium faucets in our Moen wholesale showrooms.”
In NYSE trading, Fortune Brands' shares jumped $2.35, or almost 6 percent, to close at $42.70 on Thursday.
Sales in the company’s cabinet business surged 36 percent due to growing construction, repair and remodel markets as well as growth in dealers and home centers.
Fortune Brands is still feeling the positive effects of the June acquisition of vanity sink top-maker WoodCrafters Home Products.
“This acquisition further builds on our competitive advantage in cabinets, particularly as the repair and remodel market gains momentum,” Klein said.
The company’s plumbing business booked a 22 percent rise in revenue that “should continue improving, driven by strong volume growth in domestic and international markets (China) and benign raw material costs,” Robert Wetenhal, an analyst at RBC Capital Markets, said in a note Thursday.
“The combination of seasoned management, leading positions in growing categories, and substantial leverage to the housing recovery should enable FBHS to achieve robust earnings growth,” Wetenhal said.
Fortune Brands’ net income for the first nine months of 2013 rose 64 percent to $166 million, or 97 cents per diluted share, from $101 million, or 61 cents per diluted share, in the year-ago period.
Revenue in the first nine months increased 16 percent to $3.05 billion from $2.64 billion.


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Platforms require publishers to master new skills. One of the newest: building a Snapchat content team from scratch — and quickly.
Men’s lifestyle publisher Thrillist is one of those publishers, and it is building a six-person Snapchat crew to produce the types of videos of events, festivals and city guides it’s known for online. Thrillist hasn’t had an active personal account on Snapchat yet, but it wants to have one up and running by the end of summer with daily content.
“Whenever you do something new like this, it’s really important to understand your brand. It’s got to be Thrillist on that platform,” said Eric Ashman, Thrillist’s president. That’s why they put David Infante, the No. 3 employee at the company who clearly understands the editorial voice, in charge of founding the Snapchat channel.
Thrillist is going to Snapchat without the benefit of being a partner of Discover, the exclusive section of the app for select publishers. Discover comes with heavy production demands and the need to generate a minimum amount of ad revenue for the platform, however.
Thrillist sees a private channel as a testing ground for what it could do if Snapchat were to expand Discover or present other formal publishing programs, Ashman said. For now, Thrillist wants to capture a piece of Snapchat’s 10 billion daily video views for its own branded content deals by eventually including the channel in its advertising packages.
New York City-based Thrillist blends local city guides, entertainment, and food, drink and culture stories into one heavily branded digital experience. It’s chased platform riches wherever they present themselves, most recently turning its attention to Facebook Live video.
“Publishing into Snapchat each day, with individual 10-second video pieces but in a story narrative, that’s different than a two-minute video that stands on its own on Facebook,” Ashman said.
Infante is looking to fill six Snapchat spots — two producers, two editors and two illustrators. The Snapchat team will be completely separate from the rest of the video department, which has 35 people who produce for platforms like Facebook Live and other digital video projects.
One challenge to building a Snapchat team is that it’s so new that no one has had much experience doing it. Thrillist is looking for producers and editors who know how to tell stories through video and graphic designers who could make the most of Snapchat’s artistic features — filters, lenses and drawing tools.
Snapchat presents logistical and technological challenges, as well. All the content creation — videos and photos — is done on a phone, inside the app, which makes editing tricky. There also are limited ways to promote accounts inside the app. People have to know the exact username — in this case, “Thrillist” — to follow them.
The difficulty of being discovered, creating consistently and measuring the impact of all that effort has deterred many brands from setting up personal Snapchat accounts, said Chad Martin, director of social media at VML.
“It’s really tough to run a Snapchat channel. You need a lot of content, and you need a lot of investment,” Martin said. “Publishers have built-in reach, so it’s an interesting play for brands to partner with them.”
Snapchat has never solidified a policy on publishers getting paid to post brands’ content on their own channels. However, celebrities like D.J. Khaled and Kendall Jenner are making big money mentioning brands on Snapchat.
It’s unclear how far Snapchat will let publishers go to make money off the platform before it wants a cut. Ashman said that’s why Thrillist is joining now, expecting it to develop a more robust publishing platform.
“We want to be there when they are ready for that conversation,” Ashman said. “Snapchat is looking for publishers that create consistently great content. Thrillist wants to demonstrate what it can do.”
Publishers say the competition is steeper than expected for event sponsorship dollars this year
Selling events was harder than expected for some publishers in Q2, but having a niche helped win some of the coveted sponsorship dollars.
Why some publishers are giving their AI chatbots a personality
BuzzFeed and Ingenio are hoping giving their chatbots a unique voice and tone will differentiate their AI products but others are prioritizing utility over entertainment.
Media Briefing: Publisher execs fear lack of visibility for Q3, but feel steady year over year
Publisher execs share how Q2 shook out for their businesses as they brace for an equally murky second half.
SponsoredWhat the measurement and currency discussion really means to TV advertisers
Ali Mack, head of TV and agency, Experian Major streaming video providers have recently made headlines by adopting new currencies for ad measurement, threatening Nielsen’s long-standing TV ratings monopoly. NBCUniversal, for example, has certified iSpot and VideoAmp as currencies for advanced audiences and formed the Joint Industry Committee with Paramount, TelevisaUnivision and Warner Bros. Discovery. […]
Digiday+ Research: Nearly two-thirds of publishers think they will lose when the third-party cookie dies
Publishers have been busy prepping for the end of the third-party cookie, but that doesn't mean they think they'll come out on top in the post-cookie era. In fact, publishers count themselves among those who stand to lose from the end of the cookie.
Spotify cancels six true crime podcasts amid layoffs, Gimlet-Parcast merger
Spotify is canceling six shows and laying off 200 people as it merges its Gimlet and Parcast units to push its podcast business towards profitability.


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FTC sues T-Mobile over 'bogus charges' on customers' bills
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It’s another controversy for T-Mobile — the Federal Trade Commission on Tuesday sued the telecom company, claiming it “crammed bogus charges onto customers' phone bills.”
In a complaint filed in federal court, the FTC said Bellevue-based T-Mobile US made hundreds of millions of dollars by placing charges on phone bills that were never authorized by the customers.
T-Mobile disputes the suit, saying in a blog post by CEO John Legere, that the claims are “unfounded and without merit.” But the company did not deny charging for “Premium SMS” services last year.
“In fact T-Mobile stopped billing for these Premium SMS services last year and launched a proactive program to provide full refunds for any customer that feels that they were charged for something they did not want,” the blog reads.
The FTC’s complaint said until at least December 2013, T-Mobile charged customers without their authorization for services by third-party companies such as ringtones and texts with celebrity gossip.
“It’s wrong for a company like T-Mobile to profit from scams against its customers when there were clear warning signs the charges it was imposing were fraudulent,” FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez said in a statement.
In a process known as “cramming,” T-Mobile placed charges from a third party on customers' bill without their authorization, the FTC said. T-Mobile received about 40 percent of the amounts charged to customers.
The FTC has filed several lawsuits against companies it suspects of "cramming," including Jesta Digital and Wise Media.
The FTC claims T-Mobile’s billing practices made it difficult for customers to realize the charges were there. The agency said T-Mobile should have realized the charges were not authorized because of the high number of people seeking refunds.
Rachel Lerman covers technology and retail for the Puget Sound Business Journal.
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AUSTIN, Texas (7/17/15)--Consumers continue to rely on word of mouth--now distributed through online ratings, reviews, photos, videos and social posts--before going to a brick-and-mortar store to make purchases.
The same holds true for service-oriented industries such as credit unions, the Bazaarvoice network found in a recent survey regarding the effect of consumer-generated content (CGC) on consumer decision making.
When customer service is a business’ essential component, consumers will research CGC online about interactions between customers and employees.
The latest edition of Bazaarvoice’s Conversation Indexalso found that 54% percent of respondents age 25-34 look to CGC online before making offline purchases. Nearly half of consumers in the 35-44 and 45-54 age brackets also reported that online CGC influences their in-store purchases.
Consumers use CGC to research low- and high-dollar purchases. For food and beverage items, site visitors who used CGC buy those items 73% more often. High-value purchases such as autos and certain brands have seen as much as an 86% and 97% lift in offline sales conversion, respectively, among consumers who used CGC compared with those who didn't, Bazaarvoice noted.
"The information that guides purchase decisions is no longer contained in a single channel, yet brands still struggle to link the online and offline experiences for their consumers,” said Sara Spivey, Bazaarvoice chief marketing officer. “CGC provides the bridge between the in-store and online experiences and the means to pivot from a shopping environment based on company branding to one informed by consumer experience.”


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The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) has announced a series of innovation evening events, as part of its ViVet initiative.
The evening is for veterinary professionals who want to grow their knowledge, network and innovation skill set through learning from and connecting with peers in the local area.
It aims to provide attendees with a chance to fast-track both their own personal career growth and their practices’ transformative journey as innovation and new technology start to change how veterinary services are being delivered in the UK.
Anthony Roberts, director of leadership and innovation, RCVS, said: “We are delighted to be launching these evenings which will support the wider aims of Vivet, to continue to accelerate innovation in the veterinary professions and sector.
“To put veterinary professionals at the centre of innovation in the animal health sector, it is important to bring people together to share ideas and grow our collective knowledge.”
The first event will take place between 7pm and 9pm on 6 August at the University of Edinburgh’s Royal Vet School, the event is free and available to RCVS members.
Arcadia Reptile has announced the release of a brand new product range within its ‘JungleDawn’ lighting brand.
Arcadia Reptile’s JungleDawn-LED Bar uses ‘high output’ LED technology to generate a true ‘full-spectrum’ of visible light in order to aid live plant growth in planted enclosures, but also increases light levels for basking species of reptiles.
JungleDawn-LED Bar also uses an exclusive full-spectrum array of LEDs within its ‘Triple-Track’ system to provide a true flood of energy rich illumination without pin spotting or dark areas. The light’s also do not use PAR limiting Red and Blue LEDs which lower lumen output, lower PAR, PUR, CRI and create an unnatural Purple Hue.
Arcadia Reptile said: “Using the very latest full-spectrum technology ensures very high light levels (up to 141 lumens per watt), High PAR, High % of PUR, High CRI and an overall colour of 6200kelvin.
“JungleDawn-LED Bar has a high level of internal electronic protection, compliments Arcadia Reptile UV lamps and can even be linked directly to the ‘ProT5/ShadeDwellerPro’ UV-B systems.”
The new range includes four standard lengths, each designed to fit onto standard glass ‘mesh topped’ terrariums. The kit also includes a free fittings kit to allow fitting inside of vivaria, power cord with switch and free linking cable. Up to 10 units can be linked via daisy-chain from one power source.
The range is available worldwide with RRPs in the UK starting at just £39.99 per complete kit.
“Celebrity” spaniels Max, Paddy and Harry, raised £4,256 for veterinary charity, PDSA, in a jetty jump that was streamed live on Facebook.
The English Springer Spaniel trio, who are known for their love of the outdoors, including launching off jetties at their favourite lake, Derwentwater in Keswick, Cumbria. Their recent fundraising triumph came about when followers of the social media stars said they’d pay money to see their owner, Kerry Irving join in.
Irving said: “It was suggested by some of Max, Paddy and Harry’s followers that I join the dogs jumping in the lake. I thought OK, and hoped it might raise a few hundred pounds for PDSA. I was completely amazed at how that amount suddenly hit a thousand pounds, then two, then three and ended up at a staggering £4,256.”
Max and Paddy were awarded a PDSA Commendation last year for bringing “support, comfort and joy” to thousands of people.
Sally Prior, PDSA community fundraiser: added: “A big round of ‘ap-paws’ to Max, Paddy and Harry for their fabulous fundraising efforts – and a special thank you to Kerry for leading the way. Thousands of people follow the dogs’ amazing adventures, which bring so much joy every day.
“On behalf of PDSA, I’d like to thank everyone who donated to their jetty-jumping jaunt, your support means so much. The charity doesn’t receive government funding, so we rely on the generosity of animal lovers to help run our vital veterinary services.”
Dog food manufacturer Fish4dogs has unveiled the design of its new advent calender, with the “furry face” of office dog Jasper featured on the front.
The one-year-old sprocker (cocker x springer) spaniel gained the honour after topping a social media poll which asked followers to vote for their favourite. The seasonal shot sees Jasper, owned by customer services advisor Jill Aston, in front of a festive backdrop.
The calendars contain:
Squid Bites – soft and chewy discs made from oven baked squid that are incredibly tasty
Mackerel Morsels for coat, skin and joints – rich in Omega 3 these salmon and mackerel fish-shaped treats are easily digestible and support healthy, shiny coats and supple joints.
Sea Jerky Squares – made from 100 per cent fish skins, these natural, low calorie crunchy treats help clean teeth and control tartar
Aston said: “Jasper has been coming into the office since he was a pup so there was always a good chance he’d worm his way into the marketing material somehow.
“It took plenty of sharing but being the beautiful boy that he is, Jasper was crowned champion of the advent calendar. The fame and glory don’t seem to have gone to his head yet but there is still time.”
The calendars have an RRP £7.50 per unit and are available to order now.
Pet suppliers Pets at Home has invested in pet care provider Tailerster, to expand into the pet services market.
Pets at Home will offer Tailster’s services to its 4.4 million active loyalty scheme customers, giving customers access to Tailster’s 26,000 registered carers across the country and technology enabling owners to track their pets’ activity via GPS and an app.
The pet-sitting market is currently worth more than £1bn annually, and has overtaken the pet accessories market.
Peter Pritchard, Pets at Home CEO, said: “We are delighted to be able to announce this exciting new partnership with Tailster. It is a win-win deal, good for both businesses but especially good for owners searching for someone they can trust to look after their much-loved pet.
“This announcement also represents an important step towards delivering our ambition to generate 50% of our revenue from services, a strategy that is serving us and our customers well. I’m sure our 4.4 million active VIP members will love this easy access to convenient walking and boarding services.”
Indy Sangha, Tailster CEO, added: “We are incredibly excited to be able to work with the team at Pets at Home. We’ve spent the past few years consolidating a previously fragmented market worth over £1bn per year, and we’re delighted to be able to now offer this to Pets at Home customers.
“Not only do the team at Pets at Home share our vision about how we can bring our services to UK pet owners and drive the growth of our business, but they also share many of our values of putting pets first, and the customer at the heart of what we do. This was really important to the Tailster team and I’m delighted that we’ve been able to partner with a business that is a great fit for us, what we do and our ambitions for the future.”
The British Veterinary Association (BVA) has launched its veterinary photographer of the year competition.
The competition is open to all BVA members in two different categories, with the ‘all creatures great and small’ category covering images from across the animal kingdom, including wildlife, livestock or pets.
For the ‘One Veterinary Community – #WeAreBVA’ category, the judging panel will be seeking out snaps that show veterinary working life.
The competition is in its fourth year, and the winner in each category will receive a £250 John Lewis gift voucher and get the chance to have their photographs displayed at BVA Members’ Day in September.
Simon Doherty, BVA President, said: “The annual photography competition is a real calendar highlight and an incredible showcase for the diverse, valuable and often eye-catching work being carried out across the veterinary community.
“Every year since the competition launched we’ve been really impressed by the quality and range of entries and I’m really looking forward to seeing our talented members keeping standards just as high this year. Whether you’re a serious snapper or a casual clicker, we really want to see how you catch on camera the animal kingdom and what being a BVA member means to you.”
The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) Mind Matters Initiative has announced that Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) is the successful recipient of the inaugural Sarah Brown Mental Health Research Grant.
The Sarah Brown Mental Health Research Grant was named for an elected RCVS Council member who passed away in 2017. It provides £20,000 worth of funding for research focused on mental health and wellbeing within the veterinary profession, including areas such as prevention, diagnosis, intervention and treatment.
Professor Stuart Reid, shair of the Mind Matters Initiative, said: “While nothing can replace Sarah, I am glad that, with the blessing of her family, we have been able to launch these grants and, indeed, find a worthy recipient.
“We were very impressed with SRUC’s proposal because it focused on farm animal veterinary sector, an area of practice that can be harder to address when it comes to mental health support, but which has significant challenges that research has demonstrated can put strains on the mental health and wellbeing of veterinary surgeons. For example, some farm vets have cited isolation, the challenging nature of some aspects of the job and the great responsibility it carries for the livelihood of farmers and rural communities as being particularly stressful.”
He added: “The SRUC research has the very laudable aim of identifying how to better promote job satisfaction and to break the cycle of negative thoughts and poor mental wellbeing identified amongst farm vets, and so we are very glad to have made this award to the team. It’s only by improving the veterinary mental health evidence base that we will be able to hone the interventions and support that is available to members of the veterinary team.”
SRUC was awarded the grant at RCVS Day on Friday 12 July. Dr Kate Stephen, a behavioural scientist at SRUC’s Epidemiology Research Unit, will lead the project and undertake the majority of qualitative data collection and analysis.
Kate Stephen said: “It is an honour to be awarded this grant. We hope our project will make a positive contribution towards understanding and improving the mental health and wellbeing of individuals in the veterinary profession.”
Based on the output of the research, which will comprise qualitative data gathering and workshops, at least one tool will be selected for development as a web application, which will be made available for testing in the final phase of the project.
The team at SRUC has been invited to present its research findings at the biennial Mind Matters Initiative Research Symposium in 2021.
Royal College Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) showcased 12 veterinary leaders at its annual Royal College day.
The speakers were based in a variety of roles, disciplines, and career stages, and spoke as part of regulators leadership initiative, which aims to develop everyday leadership skills.
The initiative was launched in April 2018 which was followed by the creation of an online leadership course, developed in conjunction with FutureLearn and the NHS Leadership Academy.
Amanda Boag, RCVS president, said: “Vet professionals are almost invariably all leaders, but we are not always good at recognising and promoting this. The RCVS wants to celebrate leaders from across the vet and vet nursing professions, including both those leading every day in their workplaces, as well as those in traditional leadership roles. We want to highlight our qualities as both people and professionals, and emphasise the need to recognise these qualities and, through that, give us all the confidence to take up leadership roles.
“A few years ago, the RCVS began work with the British Veterinary Association on the Vet Futures project to identify where we are now, and where we want to be in 2030. Leadership development was identified as an area that we have not necessarily been brilliant at as a profession. More worryingly, there was evidence that some vets, particularly younger ones, do not see themselves as leaders, or feel comfortable with that term.”
Some of the charities that will benefit from the donations are DOTS (Dogs On The Streets) London; Second Chance in Southampton; GSR (German Shepherd Rescue) Elite; Greyhound Trust; Greenhill Animal Charity and Cheshire Dogs Home.
Natasha Bryant, brand manager for Butcher’s Nourishing Food For Dogs who created the idea, said: “Every dog deserves to be nourished and we at Butcher’s want to do what we can to ensure dogs less fortunate are fed well. When we first decided to run a social campaign, I wanted it to be engaging and tie in with our TV commercial which is very emotive.
“I am overwhelmed by the response and lovely comments we have had to date as a result of this campaign. #Nourisheverydog is a national ongoing campaign in order to reach our target of donating one million meals nationwide.”
Pet accessory company Trespaws is set to launch its new Einstein Reward Ball dog toy, which will go on sale in September.
The toy works treats after being played with, and it is claimed to develop a dog’s mental stimulation and IQ as it learns whilst playing.
The toy is suitable for large and medium breeds of dog, is durable, has an auto activated quack squeaker, treats dispenser and is made from non toxic plastic.
Marihah Khushi, Trespaws manager, said: “Trespaws is a dog lifestyle brand born out of our love for pups and a stubborn need to elevate their adventures and excite their everyday. Our carefully designed products protect and comfort our four-legged friends, while we aim to build a community that will enrich the lives of dogs and their owners.
“At Trespaws we are passionate about the outdoors and believe that our beloved pooches should be part of every adventure their human goes on. Our carefully designed range of technical performance dog coats and accessories enable just that, ensuring no matter where your next adventure takes you, your dog can go too.”


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All this will be in the cause of saving the planet - but the fact that it will save the world's leading hotels thousands of pounds a week in laundry and water bills has not gone unnoticed by their managers. The potential for increasing profit margins with green policies has been highlighted by a video "Going Green Makes Cent$" produced by the International Hotels Environment Initiative, an advisory organisation backed by the Prince of Wales's business forum.
John Forte, one of the initiative's advisers and the nephew of hotelier Lord Forte, said: "The beauty of environmental issues is that all of them also benefit from an economic point of view. People are beginning to realise that without environmental protection they are in danger of not having a business."
Well-known chains which have already begun encouraging guests to economise include Forte, Hilton International and Best Western. Hilton and Best Western urge guests to use their towels several times to help limit the amount of chemicals used in washing them.
Hilton International's vice president of technical services, Bill Webster, found savings of 30 per cent on electricity, 30 per cent on water, 60 per cent on gas, as well as 25 per cent less waste, after issuing environmental performance guides to hotels. Detailed green proposals developed by the Forte chain in 1995 guaranteed a 25 per cent cut in running costs. The plan made use of solar energy to pre-heat water.
The search for savings led the Little Chef chain of restaurants to introduce waterless urinals: they helped bring down water and effluent bills by pounds 600 per restaurant per year. Now some of London's most upmarket hotels, the Cumberland, the Intercontinental Mayfair and The Waldorf, and the Cafe Royal, have started using them.
John Forte is convinced that the waterless urinal, which saves 500 litres a day, will soon be appreciated by the public.
"The first reaction is how the heck can you flush the urine and what about the smells, but the truth is just the opposite.
"With a waterless urinal, smells just disappear. Engineers are pleased because there's less maintenance; you get fewer floods. All you really need to do is to chuck one jar of water down the urinal every week to get rid of urine salts.
"Water is just a cosmetic. It gives the impression that you are washing away something dirty. It's just the human imagination that it's dirty. The smell actually comes when water and urine combine to form scale."
The next innovation is "grey-water" recycling technology, which filters and re-uses water from baths, showers and washing machines, with potential savings of pounds 5,000 to pounds 10,000 a year for a 200-bed hotel.
The International Hotels Environment Initiative says that as guests become accustomed to such systems, smaller hotels will introduce them too.Reuse content


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The company has already closed a total $3.6 million, including the Pre-Series funding from Anthill Ventures, ViNners, Sana Ventures, SOSV and Duane Park
Social commerce platform Woovly is in talks with investors to raise $10 million as part of their Series-A funding. It had already secured a $3.6 million investment led by Anthill Ventures, ViNners and Sana Ventures, amongst others. Of the $10 million, Woovly has already received partial commitment from marquee investors such as Anthill Ventures and others. Since the launch of the social commerce platform, Woovly has seen 400% growth year-on-year, Venkat J, CEO and co-founder, Woovly said. “This has resulted in $2 million ARR (Accounting Rate of Return) within six months of our commerce launch and is growing at 30% month-on-month. This boosted our investors’ confidence in the business model and the team. Our vision is to enable the next 50 million short-form content creators to make money that is their largest challenge today,” he added.
Woovly’s social media feature allows users to upload short video contents and visuals of the branded products with reviews and recommendations for other users to discover and shop on the platform – giving a real-time word-of-the-mouth marketing feature on the platform. The app’s built-in e-commerce functionality allows users to purchase items straight from Woovly’s official online brand stores. Woovly has collaborations with a variety of direct-to-consumer (D2C) companies in the lifestyle products category that include global popular brands along with niche and indigenous brands. The unique product design of Woovly is a value-proposition for the brands as it creates an omnichannel for them to reach targeted consumers online. These unique product features positively impact the purchasing decisions of the users. “We’re excited about the future of Woovly because as an emerging market leader and category creator in video commerce, Woovly has found a sweet spot in terms of demand, supply, and pricing metrics.
All stakeholders derive a unique value proposition in Woovly’s ecosystem. Product users and influencers get incentivised to share authentic product videos. Potential buyers get a clutter-free experience helping them navigate the vast D2C ecosystem. While, brands have found a high conversion sales channel. The speed of execution of this team and intense metrics-driven approach separates Woovly from other market competitors as reflected by high product AOVs, high repeat users and stickiness (high M6) on the platform,” Kabir Kochhar, partner, Anthill Ventures, said.


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Miami - The Spanish head of a transatlantic cocaine-smuggling ring dubbed “Los Miami” was sentenced in federal court on Monday to 150 years in prison on charges of laundering more than $14 million through waterfront condos and exotic sports cars.
A jury convicted Álvaro López Tardón, 39, of more than a dozen money-laundering charges in June.
U.S. District Judge Joan Lenard also ordered $14 million in property forfeitures and a $2 million fine.
Prosecutors said Lopez Tardón was the head of an international narcotics trafficking and money-laundering syndicate that distributed 8 tons of South American cocaine in Madrid and laundered the proceeds in Miami.
The money was smuggled into Miami by couriers and wire transfers through Lopez Tardón’s exotic car dealership and other companies he controlled in Madrid, prosecutors added.
His trial included testimony from members of the Spanish National Police, a member of the Spanish national wiretapping agency and the Spanish tax authority.
At the time of his 2011 arrest, federal officials seized 17 luxury cars, including a 2008 Bugatti Veyron and a 2003 Ferrari Enzo, from López Tardón and four associates, including his brother, who is also indicted in the United States but is now in custody in Spain.
Federal officials confiscated more than a dozen condominiums and 26 bank accounts as part of the case.
López Tardón lived in a Miami Beach penthouse from 2001 to 2011 and made the bulk of his purchases through a shell company, according to court documents.
His empire began to crumble when officials in 2011 arrested a confidant alleged to be López Tardón’s personal Santeria priest, who was carrying more than 21,000 euros ($27,000) in a briefcase through Miami International Airport.
A former partner later admitted to hiding cocaine inside Peruvian pepper crates destined for Spain, and an ex-girlfriend confessed to funneling López Tardón’s cocaine money into Miami’s booming condominium market. Both pleaded guilty to federal charges in 2012.
López Tardón’s defense attorney, Howard Srebnick, argued the proceeds came from his family’s luxury car dealership and gourmet food shop in Madrid, and the defense offered wire transfer records as proof there was nothing to hide.
Reuters September 29, 2014
Law enforcers in Europe need greater powers to retain data for longer in order to catch cybercriminals selling discrete services that police cannot trace under existing regulations, according to a Europol report published on Monday.
Cybercrime is increasingly conducted by a highly specialised chain of software break-in experts, underground market-makers and buy-side fraudsters who convert stolen passwords and identities into financial gains. Criminals can keep data for months or even years before using it to defraud victims.
The study, entitled "The Internet Organised Crime Threat Assessment" by the EU's criminal intelligence agency, says because laws limit how much data can be held and for how long, police cannot effectively trace and prosecute criminals.
Tougher laws for investigating and prosecuting cybercrime also need to be harmonised across the bloc, the report said.
"The majority of intelligence and evidence for cyber investigations comes from private industry. With no data retention, there can be no attribution and therefore no prosecutions," says Europol of criminals who often operate beyond EU borders in Eastern Europe and beyond.
Europol also says the pool of cyberfraudsters is growing.
"Entry barriers into cybercrime are being lowered, allowing those lacking technical expertise -- including traditional organised crime groups -- to venture into cybercrime by purchasing the skills and tools they lack," it said.
While providing no specific numbers, the agency says that the scale of financial losses due to online fraud has surpassed damages to payment from physical credit and other payment cards. Losses are huge, not just for card issuers but also for airlines, hotels and online retailers, the report states.
In other recommendations, it also warns about the abuse of anonymous virtual currency schemes such as bitcoin, pointing to a "considerable challenge in tracking such transactions or even identifying activities such as money laundering".
The agency highlights the role of anonymous, private networks, known as Darknets, in enabling a vast underground trade in drugs, weapons, stolen goods, stolen personal and payment card data, forged documents and child pornography.
Europol's report capitalises on a growing body of literature from academic and private sector cyber threat researchers that have traced the rise of such online criminal marketplaces trading in billions of personal financial details.
"THE FUTURE IS ALREADY HERE"
Cybercriminals are cashing in on the latest Internet trends such as Big Data, Cloud Computing and The Internet of Things, allowing them to rent massive computing power to analyse vast troves of data gathered from the ever-expanding range of connected devices in homes, cars and on consumers themselves.
For example, the report finds that "Big Data" predictive software is now used by criminals to identify the most lucrative targets for credit card fraud and to improve methods of tricking consumers into divulging more personal data for later attacks.
"The future is already here," the Europol study states.
The agency describes the rise of what it labels "Crime-as-a-Service", running illicit activities via a network of independent suppliers, mimicking parts of the "Software as a Service" playbook that drives top Web companies, including Salesforce, Amazon.com and Google.
Crime-as-a-Service offerings include:
- Data as a service collects huge volumes of compromised financial data such as credit cards and bank account details and bundles it with standard personal ID info. Such specialisation allows the massive automation of both online and offline fraud.
- Pay-per-install, another service, is a means of distributing malware to comprised computers, by country or demographic, expediting both online and offline fraud because it frees fraudsters from having to steal personal data themselves.
- Translation services, in which native speakers are hired to convert phishing or spam attacks written in one language into convincing, grammatically correct scripts in other tongues.
- Money laundering services act as bridges to cash out from digital or physical world financial systems, often using money mules as go-betweens.
Reuters September 29, 2014
Havana - Fourteen Cubans, including two high-ranking officials, were convicted and sentenced to jail terms ranging from 6 to 20 years in a corruption case that also condemned three Canadian executives, the Canadian company said on Sunday.
The case has come under deep skepticism from Western diplomats who have considered the evidence weak and say it threatens to scare off foreign investors at a time when Cuba is actively seeking business partners from abroad. It has also strained Cuba's relationship with Canada.
All 17 suspects who went on trial were convicted in a case that brought a host of charges including bribery, fraud, tax evasion, and falsifying bank documents surrounding the Tokmakjian Group.
The Concord, Ontario-based company had been doing business in Cuba for more than 20 years, mainly selling transportation, mining and construction equipment with annual sales of about $80 million a year.
The conviction of Canadian executive Cy Tokmakjian, founder of the Tokmakjian Group, and two others was reported on Saturday. Tokmakjian, 74, was sentenced to 15 years in prison and has already served three since his arrest.
His company called the case a "show trial" and a "travesty of justice."
Cuba also seized about $100 million worth of the Tokmakjian Group's assets.
Fellow Tokmakjian executives Claudio Vetere and Marco Puche were sentenced to 12 and 8 years each, respectively, said Lee Hacker, the company's spokesman and vice president for finance.
Hacker also provided the sentences for the Cuban suspects, who included Nelson Labrada, the former deputy minister of the defunct Sugar Ministry, sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Ernesto Gomez, former director of the state nickel company, Ferroniquel Minera S.A., received a 12-year sentence.
The Tokmakjian Group and the Cubans were caught up in an investigation of Cuba's international trading sector as part of a crackdown on corruption by President Raul Castro.
Cuba has been touting a new foreign investment law that took effect this year, part of an overt campaign to attract foreign direct investment that is crucially needed for development. The main feature of the law is to lower taxes. But many foreign companies have said they are more interested in the general business climate, transparency and the rule of law, especially in light of this case.
Reuters September 28, 2014
China uncovered almost $10 billion in fraudulent trade nationwide as part of an investigation begun in April last year, including many irregularities in the port of Qingdao, the country’s currency regulator said today.
Companies “faked, forged and illegally re-used” documents for exports and imports, Wu Ruilin, a deputy head of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange’s inspection department, said at a briefing in Beijing. The trades have “increased pressure from hot money inflows and provided an illegal channel for criminals to move funds,” Wu said, adding that those involved in such fraud would be severely punished.
“Some companies used the trade channel to bring in hot money,” said Zhou Hao, a Shanghai-based economist at Australia & New Zealand Banking Group Ltd. SAFE’s investigation “will likely further cool down hot money inflows and commodity imports could slow as banks will likely conduct more careful checks on documentation.”
Industrial metals fell and the yuan weakened after the announcement. Copper slid as much as 0.5 percent and all main metals on the London Metal Exchange declined. Chinese banks have about 20 billion yuan ($3.3 billion) of exposure to companies caught up in a loan fraud probe in Qingdao, two government officials told Bloomberg in July.
SAFE identified the fake trade invoicing as part of a crackdown on the practice in 24 cities and provinces, Wu said. The news raised speculation that metals supplies may increase as stockpiles tied up in financing deals come back on the market.
The People’s Bank of China has built up the world’s largest foreign-exchange reserves as it bought dollars to limit the yuan’s gains with the nation’s higher interest rates drawing inflows. China’s benchmark 10-year sovereign yield declined 51 basis points, or 0.51 percentage point, this year to 4.04 percent on Sept. 24. This compares with 2.56 percent for similar-maturity Treasuries.
After almost uninterrupted annual gains since 2005 that saw the yuan rise 33 percent versus the dollar, speculators had come to see China’s currency as a one-way trade, leaving the world’s second-largest economy vulnerable to a sudden shift in investor sentiment. The PBOC guided the currency 2.4 percent lower in the first half of this year to deter such bets. Yuan positions at Chinese financial institutions, which typically rise as the monetary authority sells yuan to limit gains, fell last month by 31.1 billion yuan.
The currency rose to 6.1283 per dollar on Sept. 10, the strongest level since March, days after the nation posted a record $49.84 billion trade excess for August. The yuan fell 0.13 percent to 6.1458 in offshore trading in Hong Kong today, while 12-month non-deliverable forwards dropped 0.2 percent to 6.2415. The spot rate in Shanghai lost 0.05 percent to 6.1375.
Inventories of copper in warehouses linked to exchanges such as the LME and Comex will rise over the next six months in part because of fewer financing deals in China, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. said in a Sept. 23 report. Banks, trading companies and warehouse operators have been checking their exposure to metals stored at Qingdao and lenders have reigned in commodity financing this year.
Copper for delivery in three months fell as much as $31 to $6,711 a ton on the London Metal Exchange. Aluminum was down 0.4 percent at $1,966 a ton.
“Qingdao is not over,” said Chae Un Soo, a metals trader at Korea Exchange Bank Futures Co. The news will “definitely” impact demand for metals tied up in financing deals, he said.
Bloomberg, September 25, 2014


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Cartamundi expands product offerings with new KBA Rapida 105 10-color perfector press
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Press release from the issuing company
Industry leading card producer optimizes inline finishing, consistency and productivity
KBA North America, a global press manufacturer based in Dallas, Texas, announces that Cartamundi, a major producer of card products and rising commercial packaging printer, has installed a new customized KBA Rapida 105 five-over-five 41-inch sheetfed perfector press with full UV capabilities, coating, and board kit at its new facility in Dallas, Texas.
Cartamundi placed the order for the new KBA Rapida 105 perfector press because KBA could fulfill their specialized manufacturing needs as well as their dedication to unique applications and customer service. Cartamundi prints daily on a variety of substrates, which in addition to paperboard include: APET, RPET, PET, PVC, PP, HDPE, Cellulose Acetate, Styrene, Foils, and Foil Laminates.
The new KBA Rapida 105 five-over-five perfector press at Cartamundi provides the company with high quality printing on two sides for ultimate productivity, extreme efficiency with inline color controls and total automation, and optimal inline finishing. It also offers all processes in fewer steps, higher production due to its one-pass configuration, more consistency, and measureable quality using KBA's premier automated technology tools.
For more than 200 years, Cartamundi has been the world-wide leader in quality card products for casinos and the general public. Its manufacturing facilities, international branches, local agents and distributors are represented in more than 50 countries. Here in the U.S. the company recently moved into its new 300,000 sq. ft. home. This made to order, secure, environmentally-controlled manufacturing space offers an unparalleled experience for its customers. "The new KBA Rapida 105 41-inch 10-color full-UV perfecting press with multiple coaters is an extremely efficient addition to our pressroom. It has dramatically expanded our print offerings and improved overall workflow here in Dallas," says Steve Young, CEO of Cartamundi's U.S operations.


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Apple has recently confirmed that it is going to acquire a self-driving vehicle startup, a company named Drive.ai days before it would have ended. This self-driving vehicle startup has a value of $200 million which was about to close down and laying its staff. But Apple has later confirmed that it is now acquiring this struggling startup.
Drive.ai came into existence in 2015 by machine learning researchers from Stanford University. Since then it had been running a ride-hailing service with shuttles in Taxes. If it would have continued, dozens of the engineers would have joined the Project Titan.
Drive.ai proved to be an efficient autonomous car facility and made its name through deep learning and recognition years ago. However, last year, it made headlines by conducting fixed-route tests through its vehicle without human safety drivers on public roads.
Self-Driving Vehicle Startup Drive.ai Features:
A Drive.ai vehicle which is startup fleet with an orange highlighter is a modified Nissan NV200s. It has a wavy blue stripe with a written tag “Self-Driving Vehicle” on its side. Moreover, it comprises of four LEDs with one on the hood, two above each of the tires. While the last LED on the rear to display messages for the pedestrians and for those who are in the vicinity of the car.
The screen displays a message for the pedestrians from the vehicle which includes messages like waiting, entering, exiting and going.
Drive.ai Startup Survival Struggle:
It is not enough for an organization to survive. A number of investors have spent billions of dollars on the autonomous startup vehicle. But many of them have pulled their timelines back and faced technical glitches and challenges. On the other hand, some experts saw this startup self-driving car years or even decades away from being fully deployed.
Although Apple has decided to acquire Drive.ai completely, it is not known how much this startup will survive through this deal. According to the reports, Apple has purchased the assets of the company including the autonomous cars. Axios and San Francisco Chronicles have suggested to Apple that they should hire engineers who are away from the Drive.ai directly and other workers may not be coming along with the ride.


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A Kimberly pearling company will trial growing edible oysters off the coast of the mining town of Karratha, WA.
The area once had a pearling industry, but disease in 2008 forced it to close.
Maxima Pearling Company, in a joint venture with traditional owners Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation, is able to re-purpose its pearling lease after changes to state legislation.
The company's general manager Steven Gill said a pilot project would allow them to find out whether safe eating oysters could be produced in the Dampier Archipelago.
"Right now there is an opportunity for all pearling leases to become general aquaculture leases, so that's why we've said, 'ok, what can we do with these leases in the future?" Mr Gill said.
"They've had a history of having pearl oysters on them — they can grow oysters — so we figure we might grow edible oysters on there."
Tests will determine if oysters safe for humans
The first step will be to start a $300,000 pilot project funded two-thirds by the Pilbara Development Commission, and a third by the company.
"We really need to be sure that the product that comes out of here is going to be safe for human consumption," he said.
"We need to understand what effluent comes out of the community here, what phytoplankton grows, is it good for growing oysters and does it make the ultimate product safe for human consumption?"
The trial will also need to show that levels of the heavy metal cadmium, found naturally in the environment, are also safe.
"What we've got to do is aim to test whether our product is under or over [the regulated levels]. If it does come that it's over, we have to look at ways to manage the crop so that we can reduce the amount of cadmium in the product."
The lease is in waters surrounded by the Murujuga National Park islands, which are home to millions of rock carvings.
Mr Gill said a joint venture with the traditional owners would be beneficial for not only employment and community, but marketing of the oysters too.
"We've done some market research that a traditional owner-branded product will demand a premium in a marketplace.
"We can show that it has really got traditional owner involvement, a provenance story that goes with it.
"We're fairly confident that we're get a really good market price, and probably well above what other oyster products in the country get."
Traditional owners excited for ranger opportunities
Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation chairwoman Raelene Cooper said she was excited to see the idea of an oyster farm on their country progressing.
"It's been a vision and dream for a lot of our members, especially our elders who have been and gone," Ms Cooper said.
"I think it's such an exciting thing, and I'm honoured to be a part of it.
"Five brand new ranger trainees have just started, and they're quite excited about learning all sorts of things."
Expert supports trials in Pilbara
An oyster expert from NSW with 30 years' experience visited the lease this week for the second time, and said he was feeling positive about the development of an industry.
Dr Wayne O'Connor, a senior principal research scientist with the NSW Department of Primary Industries, said that while he initially had preliminary concerns about large tidal movement and cyclones, he was confident it was worthwhile researching oyster growing in the area.
"To see a site that had that kind of tidal movement, but at the same time protection, was really pleasing," he said.
"It's a site that was previously used for pearls, so we've got an opportunity to get some information about it.
"We know they've been able to place equipment there, so it's not a site that comes completely sight-unseen."
Dr O'Connor said initial research into growth and health of oyster would be relatively simple and inexpensive.
"In reality you should be able to sort those things out with 50 baskets, 2,000 oysters, 12 months, and a capable university student."


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It's official. The holiday season is upon us. Many nationwide retailers such as drug stores and grocery stores have already converted their event card sections to holiday wrapping and greeting card boxes. Holiday music is being piped through streaming media systems. Holiday items are shipping and displays are being constructed by the merchandising team.
As retailers prepare for what we hope will be a prosperous season, here are five things to keep in mind.
1. Don't go cashless.
Certain types of niche retailers, generally in urban areas, have begun to experiment with a cashless point-of-sales, thereby limiting payments methods to cards or ditigal wallets. And it's an urban legend to think cashless is a good idea. Establishments such as Sweetgreen, Argo Tea and others that espouse a "cashless society" are going against the grain or the majority of Americans. Approximately 61 percent of U.S. consumers get upset when establishments don't accept cash, regardless of payments preferences, according to the findings of our 2017 Health of Cash Study. Plus, 89 percent like having the ability to pay with a variety of payment methods.
Going cashless may also end up being illegal in some large markets. A Chicago alderman submitted an ordinance last month that would ban businesses that don’t accept cash. He has been joined by a second alderman. They consider the “no cash” policy to be a "fair and equal access.
2. Make cash accessible.
Consumers are going to be extra busy during the shopping season and when a store can help the consumer make their shopping go faster – such as by having an in-store ATM - everybody wins. Convenience stores and drug stores in particular are realizing even more benefits of having an ATM, according to a study sponsored by Cardtronics and conducted earlier this year by Scansion, an independent market research company. When an ATM is present, the average spend in a drug store doubles from $17.76 to $36.65.
An in-store ATM can also provide additional revenue for the store. In 2016, ATMs generated an average $860 a month - more than $10,320 annually - at convenience store firms of 11-50 locations, according to a survey by the National Asssociation of Convenience Stores. The same survey revealed that convenience store firms considered best at executing in-store offers and attracing foot traffice garnered monthly ATM revenue of $982, or $11,784 annually. Many retailers also arrange items in eye-catching displays near their machine, which generates sales.
3. Support Emerging and Established Payment Methods.
This advice comes from a September
2017 report by payment
processing firm Paysafe, which found that contrary to popular belief,
established payment methods such as cash and checks are still widely used. For example, Paysafe found that 50 percent of
U.S. consumers had written a check in the past month, compared with 31 percent
who used a mobile wallet and 14 percent who had used a cryptocurrency.
Similarly, 40 percent of Canadian consumers wrote a check in the past month and
only 16 percent used a mobile wallet, while the proportions for the UK were 30
percent and 24 percent, respectively.
Other findings showed that US consumers carry an average of $50 in their wallet at any given time. “This suggests that cash remains a familiar and reliable payment option for many people, despite the convenience offered by newer alternatives such as contactless cards and mobile payments,” said a banking.com
article about the Paysafe study.
4. Ensure the safety and security of transaction data.
Holiday shopping money should be safe, secure and especially private. It’s hard to hide a surprise gift when it shows up as a transaction in the Amex statement. And when it comes to safety, security and privacy, consumers find cash to be the leading payment choice, our 2017 Health of Cash Study found.
Retailers large and small need to be extra diligent regarding the protection of all data. In an open letter to the
Wall Street Journal and Politico, the National Retail Federation said that while retail accounts for only 5 percent of data breaches, “data thefts committed against retailers receive the most attention because retail stores are names consumers know and places where they shop every day. Retailers care about cybersecurity because they are committed to combating this criminal threat to their customers and the industry.” An independent store’s livelihood depends on a lot of customer trust, regardless of the type of payment method that customer prefers.
5. The independent brick-and-mortar retailer can compete with its online mega counterparts.
Independent and niche retailers
such as florists and artisanal bakers in the UK are experiencing a surge in
business due to the use of technology, according
to data from payment processor Worldpay. In a study published in August 2017, small
and independent stores saw year-on-year growth of up to 8 percent, a trend
attributed to allowing customers to browse and purchase online as well as
in-store. On the other hand, their in
store-shopping only peers saw revenues shrink in the same period.
By offering the best of both worlds – from in-store sampling or trying on, to browsing online or via an app and then in-store pick up – retailers of all sizes can maximize their sales and build consumer loyalty.
Bonus Tip: Promote Withdraw Cash
Make sure your customers know they have a choice in how they pay for purchases in your establishment, and let them know what the benefits can be to them for using cash. On November 22 and December 20, ATM manufacturers, deployers, financial institutions, and payments processors will be marking Withdraw Cash Wednesday,
of which Cardtronics and Allpoint
Network are major sponsors. Click here to learn more about how retailers can
participate in Withdraw Cash Wednesday.
Chief Marketing Officer


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Global coffee production experiences tectonic shifts time and time again. In recent decades, examples might include the emergence of Chinese arabica or Vietnamese robusta, or the disappearance of stocks in various parts of Latin America due to leaf rust.
Such monumental shifts are often the result of action or reaction from entire coffee-producing countries or regions, whether it be related to climate change, change in political policy or merely economic development.
Earlier this week, we shared our biggest news stories from origin in 2018. Here we attempt to highlight some of the bigger feature stories from origin, shining a light on countrywide initiatives or issues in the interest of gaining a better understanding of what tectonic shifts may well be coming next:
Historically speaking, the Costa Rican coffee sector can be characterized by consistency. Ideal growing conditions, a stable political climate, a mature regulatory framework supporting arabica cultivation, and key support from major buyers such as Starbucks, Nespresso and Illy have all helped Costa Rica maintain a strong position on the global coffee map. Yet things are changing.
As this year’s harvest approaches, Tanzania coffee farmers and traders are facing a stark new reality, and it remains to be seen how the market and the actors involved will navigate the new regulations, or what effect the new system will have on the specialty market. It’s the latest chapter in the long, complex history of Tanzania’s coffee sector.
Starbucks purchased the 240-hectare (600-acre) coffee farm, called Hacienda Alsacia, in Alajuela near the country’s capital city San Jose in 2013. One of nine farmer support centers currently operated by the company, the farm remains in essence the company’s global headquarters for agronomy research and development.
Surrounded by warm sunshine and cool green hills in the Southern Province of Rwanda, a woman coffee producer stands, surrounded by her peers. They are congregated at the washing station where they have expertly processed their coffee cherries for the past two harvest seasons.
In a typical year in Nicaragua, as the harvest comes to an end in late March or early April, the weather remains dry and hot until mid or late May, when the rains come. This is good for the coffee plants, as it produces stress that results in strong flowering for the next year’s production and allows the flower to produce fruit before the rains come. But last year, as the harvest came to an end, the weather remained unseasonably cool, and the rains came early.
After traveling 20 minutes from Popayán, a sprawling, historic city in Western Colombia, I surveyed the land before me and pondered the immense change that has taken place. Just a few years ago, this location surrounded by verdant rolling hills within sight of the Puracé volcano was an active conflict zone. Now it’s the site of TECNiCAFÉ, a science and technology park that holds much promise for the future of Colombian coffee.
Longtime Kona, Hawaii-based coffee estate Greenwell Farms has publicly released an Arabica cultivar called Mamo, pitching it as a uniquely Hawaiian offering — one that’s found nowhere else in the world. Such exclusivity carries with it a formidable price tag, as Greenwell Farms is selling 12-ounce bags of the Mamo coffee ground or in whole bean form for $75 plus shipping.
Coffee grown in the forests of India, the world’s sixth largest producer of coffee, is cultivated under thick canopies in the Western Ghats — a UNESCO World Heritage siteand one of the world’s most important biodiversity hotspots.
Thanks to an aggressive sector-wide growth strategy, Uganda is positioning itself to be the next Vietnam in terms of global production and exports. While the strategy has been in place for several years, the saliency of the ongoing efforts was made abundantly clear in a field trip to Uganda last month.
Nick Brown is the editor of Daily Coffee News by Roast Magazine. Feedback and story ideas are welcome. See the “About Us” page located at the bottom of this site for contact information.