text:
Restaurant Insiders on 2020 Lessons Learned, Part Two
16 Min Read By MRM Staff
Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine asked restaurant industry insiders for their perspection on 2020: What lessons did you learn and what do you feel the restaurant industry learned this year? Here are their responses. Click here for part one.
Scott Lawton, CEO and cofounder at bartaco
We have learned a lot of lessons this year for sure. Keeping our guests and team members safe remains our top priority and is the highest form of hospitality in these times. We’ve always seen bartaco as a place to escape, and providing that comfort allows our guests to relax, have fun, and feel transported for a while.
Keeping our guests and team members safe remains our top priority and is the highest form of hospitality in these times.
We’ve found our guests really appreciate and need that experience now more than ever. We have also learned that our guests are willing to try new things and have really embraced our touchless ordering system as well as our new takeout offerings. Our guests are not the only ones who have adapted well during this time – we could not have survived any of this without our resilient team members. We appreciate how our team shows up every day with positive attitudes, ready for new challenges and open to all of the operational changes thrown their way. We are so grateful to each and every one of them as well as our loyal guests for their continued support during this time.
Steve Martorano, owner of Cafe Martorano in Fort Lauderdale
You need to be quick on your feet and be able to reinvent what you’re doing and be flexible. Restaurants had to quickly adapt by adding outdoor seating while creating an inviting atmosphere, as well as offering the same experience your customers are used to receiving at your establishment via delivery and takeout. If you don’t learn to adapt and reinvent yourself, you’re not going to be successful, COVID or not.
If you don’t learn to adapt and reinvent yourself, you’re not going to be successful, COVID or not.
We realized how important transparency and communication were this year, both with our staff and our customers, in order to make everyone feel comfortable and feel safe. Everyone has been affected by this crisis in one way or another and now more than ever it's important to us to be authentic.
Barry McGowan, CEO Fogo de Chão
At Fogo, we learned very quickly that there is no limit to the kindness and generosity of people, especially when times get tough. As a longstanding partner of No Kid Hungry we knew that the forced closure of schools across the nation in March would result in thousands of children suddenly being left without subsidized meals.
That’s why we decided to donate 10 percent of sales of our off-premise take-out and delivery platform to No Kid Hungry. Thanks to the support of our guests, we were able to fund 2.6 million meals in just six weeks. Throughout the pandemic, we have also provided meals to local first responders, our team members and their families.
John Moezzi, National Account Manager, Sharp NEC Display Solutions
In order to survive the downturn brought on by this pandemic, operators have had to quickly adapt to evolving consumer behavior by offering contactless pickup and delivery as well as digital ordering and payment options. Operators that were already embracing an omni-channel approach have accelerated those efforts as a result of this evolving consumer behavior.
Operators that were already embracing an omni-channel approach have accelerated those efforts as a result of this evolving consumer behavior.
Colin Palfrey, CMO of Majesty Coffee
It's been an interesting year to be in the restaurant space.
Restaurants were previously about experiences, but it's impossible to deliver that experience when you can only stay open for takeout. Restaurants have had to get really creative to stay afloat this year and the industry has had to totally redefine itself.
Chris Prociv, VP Marketing & Innovation at La Brea Bakery
2020 has been an extremely challenging year for many reasons, but as a result, we at La Brea Bakery have learned so much and are entering the new year ready to adapt. With the pandemic limiting most dine-in services and changing typical customer buying behavior, restaurants were forced to pivot and find new ways to survive. Each individual obstacle, while likely frustrating in the moment, ended up teaching us all a lot.
The biggest takeaway we’ve had at La Brea Bakery is that we are here to serve our community, and it’s our job to put customers’ needs at the forefront. For example, with shoppers looking to make fewer trips to the grocery store, our Take & Bake breads have seen an increase in sales as they present the perfect opportunity to buy in larger quantities and store in the freezer for later use. As a result of this trend, we’ve shifted our focus to provide more Take & Bake options and even have plans to launch additional varieties of our Take & Bake breads in early 2021.
Each individual obstacle, while likely frustrating in the moment, ended up teaching us all a lot.
Additionally, to accommodate this increased demand for our La Brea Bakery Take & Bake portfolio, we recently adapted the operations at our Van Nuys bakery in Los Angeles to incorporate automated packaging capabilities and in-line bagging automation. The bakery, which distributes to grocery stores nationwide, is now built to better accommodate both customer and consumer needs while continuing to put the safety of employees and customers first.
Shyam Rao, CEO and Cofounder, Punchh
This year we witnessed how resilient our customers are. We’ve seen consumer behavior transform faster than ever before during the pandemic, and it’s been an incredible experience helping our partners adjust their business models to keep up with – and in many cases, ahead of – the ever-evolving times. We’ve also noticed the increased importance of loyalty programs at times like this. During the start of the pandemic, data show that sales from loyalty program customers dropped off more slowly and ultimately recovered faster than anonymous ones. Specifically, loyalty sales were 19 percent greater at their lowest point and reached pre-COVID levels six weeks quicker compared to anonymous sales. This is renewed confirmation that loyalty customers are the most valuable customer base for a company – and a helpful certainty amid great uncertainty across the industry.
We’ve seen consumer behavior transform faster than ever before during the pandemic.
The restaurant industry continues to face many pandemic-induced restrictions, and rather than giving up, brands have decided to innovate. They’ve reworked old models and introduced entirely new concepts to keep their businesses relevant, successful, and most importantly, safe. The seamless integration of customer engagement and loyalty technology into services such as online ordering and contactless pick up has been key for brands across the restaurant industry. It’s been an honor working with brands to enable them with the data and tools needed to take anonymous buyers and transform them into superfans, and to also lean into their loyal customers effectively to drive long term loyalty and ROI.
Bruce Reinstein, Partner, Kinetic12
Many restaurant brands were focused on a growth path that was not feasible. In some cases, it was simply to make money through a merger or acquisition. They continued to expand their menus to a point where inconsistency became more of the norm from market to market. Growing new markets and adding new franchisees became more important than maintaining the standards that the brand has focused on early on.
The restaurant industry learned, when forced to slow down and evaluate, that their brands had become too complex to consistently execute and that they were not focusing more on growth than on listening to their customers so that they could differentiate and drive incremental sales.
Andy Rosenbloom, VP, Marketing, Buyers Edge Platform
For me, the most unfortunate thing that happened in the restaurant industry this year is that so many restaurants lost so much revenue. Even worse, many were forced to close permanently.
It is my suspicion that a lot of the restaurants that closed were running rather inefficient operations that were not focused on utilizing best practices on both the revenue and cost side in order to drive profitability. I think the most important lessons that restaurants did learn this year is that they have to use all of the resources that are available to them to drive their own success.
Restaurant operators opened their eyes to the fact that same creativity needed to be applied to the profitability side.
Much attention has been paid in the media, on webinars, and among the public audience, to the creative ways in which restaurants are attracting new customers and meeting shifting customer demands. That same creativity needs to be applied to the cost side of the profitability equation. I think restaurant operators opened their eyes to the fact that same creativity needed to be applied to the profitability side.
There are some simple ways the restaurants can reduce their costs; namely: partnering with GPOs that bring instant savings to their bottom lines. Beyond that, there are attainable steps that restaurants can take including, sku rationalization, assessing utilities and other fixed costs, monitoring their inventories (recipe costs) and costs of goods sold, and auditing their contracted prices. All of which will bring significant savings to the operation and will serve to maximize the margins that they earn from the revenue that they bring in.
Raquel Rosenthal, CEO, Digilant
We've learned that the increase in digital consumption and e-commerce adoption that's resulted from COVID-19 has impacted QSR much like it has retail. QSR brands and the partners and agencies they work with have been hit hard with the reality that for digital transformation to be successful it must offer better choices and greater convenience to consumers.
To cut through the noise, 2020 has been the year that many QSR brands have pulled the trigger on CTV, programmatic audio and influencer ad formats. McDonald's, Chipotle and Firehouse Subs are some brands that have successfully risen to the occasion – offering easy options for ordering and fulfillment and spreading the word beyond traditional ad channels.
Tasso Roumeliotis, CEO and Founder of Numa
Lesson #1: Multiple factors are leading to businesses increasingly communicating via messaging – with both customers and employees. Gen Z continues to penetrate the job market, and with 30 percent of restaurant employees already aged 20 or younger, it’s important to know that 75 percent of this generation indicated they would rather text than talk on the phone. But that’s not the only factor pushing businesses to text messaging – in the restaurant industry, where part-time employment is common, communicating with employees outside of scheduled shifts expedited responses while being perceived as less disruptive than calling.
Meanwhile, texting with customers strengthened customer satisfaction results with faster and more convenient updates, confirmations, reminders and troubleshooting. In a separate survey, 75 percent of millennials indicated they find text reminders for appointments, deliveries, payments, promotions, and surveys helpful, and our research indicates there was a 393 percent increase in restaurant text-to-order revenue between March and June of 2020.
Texting with customers strengthened customer satisfaction results with faster and more convenient updates, confirmations, reminders and troubleshooting.
Lesson #2: The gig economy propelled small businesses and restaurants. American businesses and employees took advantage of the jobs available through the gig economy, primarily due to flexible working conditions. Restaurants saw exposure to new customers by utilizing a food delivery service and reported a 20% increase in check sizes from delivery orders versus dine-in. In 2020, Uber Eats expanded their network of supported restaurants to 500,000 from 220,000 in 2019, and gross bookings from $14.5 billion to $25 billion. Intuit reports that by 2021, the gig economy will surge and add 9.2 million more Americans to the gig workforce.
Lesson #3: Curbside and takeout helped restaurants make up for reduced foot traffic. According to our research, there has been a 748 percent increase in check-ins for curbside orders since the onset of the pandemic. Customers discovered they could save time by avoiding the hassle of parking and not going inside a store or business. According to research from Technomic, 40% of Americans took advantage of takeout and curbside delivery (at both fast casual and dine-in) during the pandemic.
Lesson #4: Reviews gained in quantity and importance.
A positive reputation online builds trust with customers and boosts search engine optimization, both of primary value in the restaurant industry. According to BrightLocal, 82 percent of consumers read reviews for local businesses, and 48 percent specifically only paid attention to reviews written within the past 2 weeks. However, don’t assume your customers will be understanding of a poor takeout experience during COVID-era dining.
Dan Rowe, Founder & CEO, Fransmart
I’ve learned many lessons this year that go hand-in-hand with what the restaurant industry has learned, including that everything goes in cycles, timing is everything, supply and demand shifts are real, and there will always be change and the need to change fast.
Even in the worst of times comes innovation.
Even in the worst of times comes innovation, and the industry has demonstrated unique and creative ways to combat the pandemic, ranging from menu changes to pick up and delivery strategies. No one is safe from shifts and cycles, or highs and lows in supply and demand, as we will all experience crises or recessions when we’re least expecting it. Many chains were extremely close to bankruptcy due to the surprise of the pandemic, so always remember to save for a rainy day. Making sure you have emergency funds to fall back on can make or break an entire business.
It’s also important to remember that safety always comes first, and this pandemic has reiterated to us that safety measures and precautions should be taken very seriously to keep employees and customers safe and operations running smoothly.
TJ Schier, President and Founder of Incentivize Solutions and S.M.A.R.T. Restaurant Group
The industry learned many expensive lessons this year. First and foremost, we saw the heart of the industry, as we all worked together and continued to feed those in need even when many of the restaurants were closed.
We learned how important it is to not be too dependent on one revenue-channel.
Second, we learned how important it is to not be too dependent on one revenue-channel. Curbside, digital, off-premises – none of it is new but those who had these strategies and tactics in place are the ones who are thriving while others struggle to survive. Third, we all learned we need to be more involved locally in supporting diversity, inclusion and voting to ensure those elected have our best interests in mind when they enact legislature.
Finally, it has reinforced and magnified how resilient those in this industry are: we are ESSENTIAL workers!
Karen Schloss of New Jersey-based dsc/ diaz • schloss communications
#1 – We all RE-learned how vital restaurants, coffee bars and bakeries are to a vibrant, healthy community. Especially in this gig economy, when so many worked from home even prior to COVID, we took for granted how easy and safe it used to be, scheduling business lunch meetings and coffee shop meetups. When restaurants had few customers and were making barely enough money to pay the rent – what did they do? Donated thousands of scrumptious meals to essential workers and the hungry via food pantries in their communities. Amazing. They give and give and give.
#2 -A business can't do just one thing; it has to be nimble. If you previously didn't do takeout (like Serenade in Chatham), you adjust your menu/kitchen and start takeout. Jockey Hollow partnered with local businesses and created a mini farmers market, then a wine shop for another revenue stream. Osteria Morini in Bernardsville got creative with outdoor Sunday BBQs and a holiday bake shop. Even local governments complied and allowed "cocktails to go" for the first time ever! Flexibility and innovation are key words now and moving forward.
Bart Shuldman, Chairman and CEO, TransAct Technologies
The restaurant industry experienced a five-year technological and operational evolution in a matter of months during this pandemic. For many years now, the restaurant industry has been adopting digital solutions to improve operational efficiencies that ultimately benefit both the customer and staff. This adoption was understandably sped up out of great necessity this year.
For example, operators are now relying on staff health checks prior to a work shift. Our solution, BOHA!, allows managers to record those health checks, as well as stores, tracks and verifies the data for reliable, real-time monitoring and reporting. Digitizing operational record keeping such as this provides ease of accountability and instills confidence in staff and guests that their safety and well-being is top priority.
Jennifer Schuler, CEO of Wetzel’s Pretzels
This is a trying time for many restaurants but in general, however, the shift in consumer behaviors toward grab and go, delivery and drive-through does create an opportunity for QSR. For example, as dining options are limited in the mall, consumers are using Wetzel’s more like a mini-meal. We are safe, quick, fresh, grab and go food that you can consume outside the mall, in your car or at home. This is increasing our average ticket and getting us thinking about how we can continue the momentum of being a mini-meal for consumers.
The shift in consumer behaviors toward grab and go, delivery and drive-through does create an opportunity for QSR.
The most notable development that we’ve seen throughout the industry (and, yes, we’re doing it as well) has been restaurants flexing their concepts. You should always be working to innovate and reinvent, but COVID kicked everyone’s butt into gear. Right now, restaurants are finding ways to stay true to their core business while creatively bringing their product to the people. As we’ve flexed our concept and adapted, we’re seeing other restaurants across the country do the same.
For Wetzel’s, we are seeing growth in non-traditional development – with an increase in food trucks, delivery and mobile orders. Pre-COVID, our internal rallying cry was “Bring Pretzels to the People” and we’ve seen that shift toward other venues increase dramatically in a COVID environment. We’re finding more ways to go where the people are and flexing our format and business model to enable it.
Mandy Slater, Co-owner, 9 Mile Station
This year, we learn to be incredibly resourceful. We’ve had to shift around people and some employees have had to do multiple jobs. We’ve had to be more creative with limited financial resources and not rely on a steady stream of business. No one is taking anything for granted and every guest, every sale is appreciated. I think the entire industry has learned this as well.
You can see from creative take out businesses that people have had to develop creative family meals to go, and even offer delivery service. We’ve just all had to find ways to get our product in people’s hands when they couldn’t come to us in a traditional way.
Atul Sood, Chief Business Officer, Kitchen United
Over the last year, we’ve witnessed the resiliency of the restaurant industry and learned very quickly the importance of pivoting with more to-go offerings amidst a new and unprecedented normal.
At Kitchen United specifically, we’ve seen a shift in demographics from primarily millennials and Gen Z using our service, to baby boomers and GenX’ers, who are eager for more delivery and take-out options than in years past. We’ve also noticed an increased interest in family style meals during this time, as many people are looking for convenient and delicious options for the entire household.
Jon Taffer, Founder, Taffer’s Tavern and host of Paramount’s Bar Rescue
The restaurant industry learned how blessed we were. It’s been a year of self assessment—a complete business assessment and greatly reduced resources. I have a new view of the level of sanitation and employee safety. There is an enhanced responsibility and tehchnolgy is in everything attached to safety.
Taka Tanaka, CEO of AUTEC Sushi Robots
First and foremost, I learned that we were not alone during this crisis. Our partners, vendors, and clients were going through the uncertainty, and we quickly came together to maneuver through the unknown. I also learned what it meant to have business agility. The pandemic turned our world upside down, and we had to adjust relatively fast on how we moved forward with our strategies and operations nimbly and safely.
Should another COVID-19 wave occur, consumer dining habits will fluctuate again, and the need for technology will continue to increase to embrace the change.
2020 has been an unusual and devastating year for all businesses, especially the restaurant industry. After speaking with restaurant owners, I noticed there was a common theme. Restaurants who quickly adapted to the change in the industry survived, if not thrived.
One of the crucial things that the pandemic has taken away from restaurants is using their hospitality services to lure customers to their business. Technology has become the forefront solution to these challenges. Even those who initially rejected folding in technology are now adopting delivery platforms, contactless payments, and investing in kitchen automation like our sushi robots to survive.
Should another COVID-19 wave occur, consumer dining habits will fluctuate again, and the need for technology will continue to increase to embrace the change.
Mark Toth, Founder, Urban Wok
Urban Wok learned that your operation needs to be flexible, technology plays a huge role in your ability to pivot, change etc and third party delivery is a great thing – if you price accordingly and if you do it will work! I believe the restaurant redefined the word innovation – creativity, problem solving and an open mind are paramount in this industry more than ever before.
Sara Tucy, Director, Restaurant Client Strategy, Valassis
The industry learned that very few restaurant brands have intimate relationships with consumers.
The industry learned that very few restaurant brands have intimate relationships with consumers.
When the pandemic began, messaging shifted toward safety and wellness, and the resulting interactions were clunky as consumers had not built this type of trust with the brand. In a way, this leveled the playing field among restaurants, and those that were able to quickly deliver safe, convenient experiences – whether it be takeout, curbside, family bundles or delivery – managed to develop stronger relationships with consumers.
Danny Turner, Global SVP of Creative Programming, Mood Media
With the pandemic causing unease in consumers at dine-in restaurants, brands have learned they need to provide a sense of safety and comfort through holistic experiences, both online and offline. For example, more restaurants are forging stronger connections to diners through social media and email outreach with messages that inform restaurant-goers about dine-in safety regulations, guidelines, special discounts and promotions.
Operators around the globe are discovering unique and innovative avenues to still serve their core markets, but in different ways.
We’ve seen a massive shift to take out and curbside. Some restaurant partners are reporting incredible opportunities super-serving the take-out market. Take-out has evolved so much from being a last resort to being a first resort. One food critic in Washington DC dined exclusively with take-out only from Michelin star-rated restaurants during the month of November. Operators around the globe are discovering unique and innovative avenues to still serve their core markets, but in different ways. The consumer feedback has been incredible, and stronger connections are being formed as a result that will last well beyond the pandemic.
Carl Van Ostrand, VP of Consumer Insights, DISQO
Pandemic aside, both attitudinal and behavioral data predict that customers won't stop using digital meal delivery services, so every brand needs a plan for fostering takeout and delivery in 2021. Restaurants should do their research to determine which digital solution will best serve their customers, while maximizing margins and operational efficiencies. They should also consider surveying clients and staff to understand their needs and preferences.
Even after we have developed a vaccine and life returns to normal, people will continue to use these convenient and user-friendly services. By building out these capabilities now, restaurants will be well-suited to weather the repercussions of COVID-19, to earn customer trust and to stand out in what is sure to be a digital-first future.
Farrellynn Wolf, CEO of Goodcents
We all know this, but 2020 taught some huge lessons about how important it is to be flexible and keep your focus on guests. We were fortunate that in January, we began rolling out a new product line called Goodcents To Go, which are prepared, prepackaged dinners such as fresh grilled Alaskan salmon and chicken Alfredo. It was just before the pandemic hit, and our customers loved how easy they were to pick up and eat at home.
We also were out front with a grocery program. As supermarkets struggled to keep up with demand, we began selling our deli meats and cheeses for $5 per pound and freshly baked loaves of bread for 75 cents per loaf. The convenience and price made it an exceptional value for our customers and brought in substantial revenue for our franchisees at a critical time. Most importantly, it was the right thing to do for our community.
Justin Worster, Performance Strategy Manager, VDX.tv
In 2020, restaurants saw resilience in off-premise ordering. Despite economic conditions and a pandemic, consumers were still likely to frequent restaurants, and specifically QSRs, for takeout/delivery meals. As a result, casual dining restaurants were forced to pivot to limited menus to service off-premise demands.
Overall, we are seeing the industry take lessons from QSRs — adapting menus, safety measures and pricing accordingly.
An interesting takeaway from this year’s course of events is the continued success of QSRs, which made mealtime decisions easier for families. Overall, we are seeing the industry take lessons from QSRs — adapting menus, safety measures and pricing accordingly. In fact, most casual dining restaurants now feature new, limited menus and family bundles to appeal to value-diners. With COVID-19 cases climbing back up, we can safely assume that restaurants will continue to have strong off-premises offerings that ensure safety, convenience and value for the average consumer.
Le Zhang, CEO and Founder, Squadle
2020 was the year of the QSRs, which proved to be uniquely qualified to continue serving guests in the face of a worldwide public health crisis. Pizza, sandwich, coffee and other QSR brands were well prepared for the pandemic. Thanks to their emphasis on takeout, delivery and drive-through service, most were able to pivot quickly from dining room service to 100 percent takeout service. However, these businesses are still looking for ways to improve the dining experience that they offer to guests and continue adopting innovations such as contactless service and food safety technology.
Despite, or perhaps because of, Covid-19, QSRs continued to thrive in 2020. McDonald’s 2020 Q3 financial results were among the brand’s best ever. Massachusetts-based coffee shop Dunkin' Brands was purchased by private equity-backed Inspire Brands largely due to its pandemic-proof earnings.


text:
For example, in June 2016, Movidius (US) partnered with Lenovo (Hong Kong) to provide Myriad 2 VPU
and custom computer vision algorithms for various VR products of Lenovo.
Cad sequences present two characteristic residues of the Cdx class, an lie at position 28 and a Lys at position 31, except for a Thr substitution for lie at position 28 in Vpu
The scientists next looked for evidence that vpu
actually produces a protein outside of the test tube.
"With industry leading technologies like VPU
, the Exynos 8895 will drive the innovation of next generation smartphones, VR headsets, and automotive infotainment system."
The new studies found that the HIV protein vpu
specifically binds to the immune protein IRF3 and targets it for destruction, thereby, preventing IRF3 from functioning to trigger an immune response within the infected cell.
The architecture combines a next-generation Visual Processing Unit (VPU
) and a unique Vertex/Scalability Unit (VSU).
One said: "Asking to go to the VPU
is one of the worst things you can do.
In essence, while the multi-core processor on your phone will be responsible for fast boot-up of an augmented reality app, the VPU
will be responsible for what that app does," he said.
Summary: TEHRAN (FNA)- Scientists made major breakthrough in understanding how the Vpu
protein of HIV-1 interferes with the antiviral activity of Tetherin, a novel effector of innate immunity.
In the case of HIV, a protein called Vpu
ATI (NASDAQ:ATYT)(TSX:ATY) has shipped its one millionth native PCI Express visual processing unit (VPU
), speeding the industry transition to PCI Express.

domain: news


text:
23 Nov 2011 04:11:43
Export growth leads to new distributors
Having recently reported another year of outstanding growth, Yorkshire (Rotherham) based company EMSc UK Ltd is pleased to announce it has expanded its international network by signing distribution agreements with companies in Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Malta.
In Sri Lanka, Powerstar has signed an exclusive agreement with Direct Contact International (Pvt) Ltd, a subsidiary of Coalit UK, to market, develop and install the Powerstar products.
EMS has also secured an agreement with the UAE’s MHM Green Systems in Dubai to optimise power consumption at the famous Atlantis The Palm Hotel, Dubai. Other projects include Marriott Hotels and Tencate.
In Bahrain the company has secured a distribution agreement with Mannai Tech and in Malta CD Powersaving recently became an exclusive distributor for Powerstar after already a successful period of cooperation. Projects include Millies Cookies and Amigos Restaurants.
Paul North, EMS international business development manager commented: “In response to increased international interest in Powerstar, our market leading voltage optimisation solution, we are happy to announce we have signed a number of international distribution agreements. Having experienced significant growth over the past few years, both in the UK and internationally, we anticipate our growth to continue at an even faster pace thanks to mounting worldwide demand for our revolutionary technology. We are proud to be flying the flag in so many new markets, particularly bearing in mind the current economic climate.”
The latest additions to the growing team of international distributors now sees the Powerstar system exported to more that 15 countries which also include Ireland, Cyprus, Greece, Australia and South Africa.
EMS manufactures all its products in the UK and counts Asda, Hilton Hotels, Whitbread, London Transport, Sheffield University as well as a large number of other government departments, local authorities and the NHS, as customers.
The company is celebrating 10 years of continued success, having recently announced another successful 12 months trading, with turnover increasing by 50%, to £12.4m. It is also accredited with the Made in Sheffield accolade in acknowledgement of the quality of its manufacturing process, its expansion into international markets and the international success of Powerstar.


text:
It’s not often that a thriving company takes a full 180 turn while in the midst of a booming economic rise. Save for a few examples, it’s usually not seen as a great move in the business world. But this is exactly what the online dispensary Buds2Go, one of the largest and most profitable, in Canada did.
Opting to remove itself from the grey market and push into the medicinal market, Buds2Go partnered with giant Namaste Technologies to provide a strictly medicinal marijuana experience in Nov of 2018.
Why would they do this? And is this something that we can be expected from more and more of Canada’s online dispensaries?
As Canada’s cannabis economy continues to grow and flourish, there’s a multitude of avenues that will continue to grow, even more, that are yet to be explored.
We’re going to take a look into some of the decisions that will continue to influence the overall outlook on Canada’s latest billion-dollar industry.
First off, let’s venture into the acquisition of Buds2Go by Namaste and how this affected the mail order marijuana landscape in Canada.
Out of the Shadows, Buds2Go’s Newest Venture
It’s not commonplace to see businesses that are enjoying a large amount of success make a pivot, just as Buds2Go has. While it’s not your run of the mill business decision, it makes plenty of sense for both them and Namaste. Together they have combined, in conjunction with Cannmart, to offer one of the most comprehensive medical cannabis dispensaries in Canada.
Who’s Namaste Technologies?
Namaste Technologies is a Cannabis Ecommerce tech company employing the power of Artificial Intelligence to provide a unique purchasing experience for medical patients. Founded in 2005 by Sean Dollinger and Kory Zelickson, their vision has expanded to over 20 countries and 1.5 million customers globally. This reach has allowed them to create an outstanding platform that helps those looking for “small batch” or craft cannabis.
Like any forward-thinking company, Sean and Kory investigated multiple avenues to grow their company, such as aggressively acquiring competitors. Buds2go was a perfect candidate for their goals.
As described by an article on Newswire, Namaste Technologies purchased the online dispensary Buds2Go due to its organic traffic and strong authority in the marijuana SEO world. Their stats, which would be impressive for any legal market business, are nothing to be looked down upon. From 400,000 unique visits per month and an extremely solid 6 minutes per visit, their website is a heavy hitter.
As quoted by CEO Sean Dollinger, the purchase of Buds2Go is one that excites him and his colleagues.
“We’re very excited about this deal. Buds2go.ca has some of the best SEO and natural search traffic we have ever seen. This brings an immense amount of value to our vision of becoming a leading in the sale of medical cannabis online…”
So what does this mean for other cannabis online dispensaries?
The Budding Cannabis Economics of Canada
In the United States, Marijuana Stocks have been traded and valued for years, catapulted by U.S. state after state legalization. Whether it’s medicinal or recreational, only 3 states, Idaho, Nebraska and South Dakota currently do not possess laws set to legalize cannabis. However, Nebraska has elected to decriminalize, which is a victory in itself.
Even though marijuana use has been rampant in Canada for years, investing in this sector had been seen as a gamble due to the uncertainty of how it would grow. Economists argued that these stocks were overinflated and a result of unrealistic expectations.
Just like any market or sector, there are companies that will boom or bust.
However, something that doesn’t happen often is a Billion dollar commodity with a giant pre-existing consumer base that suddenly becomes legal overnight.
Stats Canada has been keeping a close eye on the cannabis industry, and while the numbers may shock some, to most this was an expected result. In their most recent report, StatsCan has estimated that Canadians spent 5.9 billion dollars on cannabis in 2018.
This is more than a drop in the bucket as they like to say, and in turn, has created what may be a very strong bull market for the top players and those looking to invest.
With that being said, is there room for other companies that are functioning in the pseudo grey market like Buds2Go to move into the now flourishing legal market?
Now that Buds2Go has vacated, is there more of the pie for other grey market companies? Let’s take a look at these very important questions and more.
Buds2Go Left the Wild Wild West
As we previously mentioned, before joining forces with Namaste, Buds2Go was maneuvering in the grey area of cannabis. This grey area could easily be known as the dark green sludge area, for its contents are murkier than the bayou in Louisiana. Dispensaries all over Canada have been opening and closing faster than cell phone case shops, mostly due to the fact the enforcement and repercussions have been almost nil.
With an already well-established chain of dispensaries in Vancouver and B.C., many wondered whether these dispensaries would be able to continue operating as they previously had. Many of them function with business licenses and were approved by the city to sell pot. Thus, you would think the province would approve businesses already providing a service within the lines drawn in the sand.
Unfortunately, this has not been the case, and cities such as Vancouver have neglected to approve the necessary paperwork to open storefront dispensaries.
Mike, owner of West End dispensary, a family operated dispensary, chose to close its doors and follow the rules so their application to sell cannabis would be approved. Unfortunately, it’s been 7 months into legalization and no such permit has yet to be granted.
Cannabis Culture, the Marc Emery run chain of dispensaries, also closed its doors to appease the government. This seems to have been all for nothing as they are also stuck in dispensary limbo, falling prey to the bureaucratic nightmare that’s been plaguing Canadian business owners for years.
In the world of online dispensaries, the battle becomes even more fierce with 100’s of sites jostling for their place in the hierarchy. Just as Buds2go, Herbal Dispatch, a long-time favourite for many became a medicinal online retailer.
By doing so, they force themselves into a bigger pond, but with far more regulations and nonsense. This move has opened up the door for even more dispensaries to flourish while simultaneously creating a void for those who require edibles and extracts to medicate daily.
So, even taking into light the restrictions and inequitable playing field, the move ensures Herbal Dispatch’s future is bright.
Like a Game of Chess, The Next Move is the Most Important
As we’ve seen with the like of Buds2Go and Herbal Dispatch, combining forces with white market medicinal retailers has its advantages and disadvantages.
In the case of Namaste and Buds2Go, the combined power of Namaste’s financial backing and the marketing prowess of Buds2Go is sure to be a great symbiotic relationship. Others may or may not have the same success, but that’s to be seen as more online dispensaries are sure to make the move.
With any 5 Billion dollar market, there’s plenty of the pie to share. While only a few online dispensaries have transitioned into the white hat world, there will be more to follow suit.
Which and when is yet to be seen, but as news outlets are focusing more and more attention to the marijuana industry there will be no lack of information daily. There’s a new sheriff in town, and his name is cannabis.


text:
Hollander to Buy Louisville Bedding Retail Business
Posted on April 23, 2013 by
BOCA RATON, Fla.-In a move that combines two of the biggest manufacturers of basic bedding, Hollander Home Fashions has reached an agreement to buy the retail business of Louisville Bedding.
Terms were not disclosed in a joint statement from the two companies. Louisville Bedding will retain its contract bedding-component business. The sale is contingent on the approval of Louisville Bedding's stockholders, which is expected in late May.
Hollander CEO Chris Baker said the deal will include all of Louisville Bedding's North American operations related to the retail business. This will include the mattress-pad production facilities in the United States and Canada. Baker said the purchase "strengthens our ability to provide outstanding products and service to our customers."
The deal will add Louisville Bedding's roster of basic-bedding brands--which includes Simmons, Beautyrest, Nautica, Croscill, La-Z-Boy and Deep Sleep--to Hollander's brand roster, which includes licenses with Ralph Lauren, Laura Ashley, HoMedics, Court of Versailles, Royal Velvet and Waverly, along with other in-house brands.
Steve Elias, Louisville Bedding CEO, said, "Hollander will enjoy increased production capabilities and desirable retail brands for their customers. We were fortunate to have a buyer that shares our vision for the American renewal movement and domestic production."


text:
Video Marketing and Transmedia
At the WWD Digital Forum Fall Conference, top digital marketing masterminds shared their insights into leveraging social and digital platforms to enhance the consumer experience behind some of our favorite luxury brands. Below are a few of FMM’s top five highlights:
As you learned in The Complete Guide To YouTube, in many cases, while viral is good because of its reach, not every brand wants to incorporate elements of viral videos into their brand message. An effective, well-executed video strategy does not need to reach a million people or more to be considered successful, it simply needs to reach its target demographic and effectively communicate its brand message.
While looking for the right digital partner, it’s important to forge a mutually beneficial relationship. With the right collaboration, both brands can elevate their stories while expanding their audience. Today’s consumer seeks savvy content in a saturated market, and Verve Management CEO Ryan Kristopher said now’s the perfect time for creativity. FMM sat down with Ryan to discuss his recent case study (his partnership with stylist Chesley Tolentino and creating a new “Fashion Fridays” video series) and his advice for brands leveraging partnerships in the digital space.
#Beauty industry leaders offer digital strategy tips at #WWDBeauty on Fora.tv
I can’t hide it any longer–I’m a conference nerd. I love to attend events that feature industry experts speaking on topics that interest me, especially digital. Our industry moves so quickly that there is no book that captures the essence of what’s happening: by the time the book is published, it’s out of date. To get the most current information on digital strategy, you must watch industry leaders speaking on current topics.
YouTube beauty vloggers Elle and Blair Fowler announce Skylark cosmetic line, available in September.
Burberry’s Multi-Part Video Campaign For Fall Aims To Give Context To Their Brand’s Essence Digitally
Fashion brands and retailers have watched Burberry’s rise to digital greatness with envy and awe. Last week, the brand created a series of ‘story telling’ videos which aim to give context to the clothing and collection for the first time. According to Burberry, “it was the brand’s largest shoot production; approached on a cinematic scale.”
Can you imagine Saturday in Paris? “Isabelle wakes up to sun pouring in through the shutters and sounds of chatter from the cafes below. Today she’ll indulge in the city’s streets, sounds, smells and shops before tonight’s celebrations–her favorite way to spend a birthday.” Trendland and Modewalk have partnered to bring shoppers a series of beautifully produced fashion films that tell multi-retailer stories through the point of view and lifestyle of the woman who wears the designers.
Content strategist Sudha Thakur reports on the rise in mobile video and video sharing apps for smartphones.
Smartphones are everywhere. A report from the Pew Internet Project states that more than 50 percent of people in the U.S. own a smartphone, which may be the primary device for web access as early as 2013. Flurry Analytics reported that the fastest growing app categories are photo and video sharing at 89 percent, measured in minutes spent per active user. Also, mobile video app consumption has increased by 52 percent and online video consumption has decreased by 10 percent since March 2011.
A smartphone is not bought for making and receiving calls: it is used for everything from surfing the web to watching videos to getting directions. Soon people will spend the majority of their time on mobiles, and one day they will start using their mobile devices in place of computers for everything they do online.
More people watch videos on mobile devices every day
Almost half of the time after six o’clock p.m. is being spent watching online videos, according to the NielsenWire. People who commute long distances love to watch videos on their phones relaxing in their cabs or trains. Organizations are gradually switching to digital marketing, and videos are an important part of any digital strategy. The growth of online video has also increased the growth of video sharing tools as a way to market products and services.
Video sharing apps gaining popularity
Video sharing apps like Thwapr, Viddy, Magisto and SocialCam are all video sharing apps with editing and mass sharing capabilities. These apps not only help you capture a video but let you edit and share great video content among friends, all from your phone, without touching a computer. In addition, these apps are user-friendly and make the process of sharing custom videos hassle-free, as most of them come with inbuilt tools for editing and adding special effects to the videos.
Zuckerberg’s doing it
Mashable reported that Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg signed up for Viddy, a video-sharing mobile app. Zuckerberg uploaded a video of his dog (which is small, white and poofy, btw – MD). The fact is that this video sharing app is adding between 300,000 and 1 million users a day.
What about YouTube?
Video sharing apps are almost on the verge of cannibalizing video sharing platforms like YouTube and Vimeo. Thwapr, a video monetizing platform that I work for, recently got an offer of partnering with MSG Varsity to provide mobile video services for its video content. The brand chose Thwapr’s SMS video subscription model to provide its fans with high quality content on a regular basis. Thwapr’s ‘Share to Phone’ button is being used by many websites, so that the browsers may share the videos on their phone or to any phone, without much hassle.
Will apps surpass video sharing websites as the go-to video portals for online content? Only time will tell.
About the Author: Sudha Thakur is a content curator who has written on a wide variety of topics including VOIP technology, social media marketing, mobile video sharing, website development methodologies and latest gadget reviews. Right now she is working as a content strategist for Thwapr, a mobile media sharing technology.


text:
Online event strengthens ties between Yantai, Middle East
(chinadaily.com.cn)| Updated : 2022-03-24Print Print
The Yantai-Middle East International Trade and Procurement Conference of Shandong Week kicked off at the Expo 2020 Dubai via online channels on March 23.
The event, held by the Yantai People's Government and the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Shandong Sub-council, offers an innovative platform for foreign trade enterprises to make full use of advanced technologies to showcase their latest products and engage in the global market despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
A total of 40 Yantai foreign trade enterprises signed up to take part in the online event, and their exhibited products include construction and building materials, mechanical equipment, hardware mechanical and electrical products, food and agricultural products, and new-energy equipment.
The online event will last for three months until late June, and online negotiation and matchmaking activities will also be held at the same time to attract potential buyers.
China and Middle Eastern countries and regions are crucial partners in promoting high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and the two sides have significant economic and trade potential. Yantai, as well as countries and regions in the Middle East, are likely to benefit greatly from the online event. It will also assist Yantai businesses in expanding their worldwide markets and forming more Middle Eastern cooperative partners.
The Yantai-Middle East International Trade and Procurement Conference of Shandong Week kicks off at the Expo 2020 Dubai via online channels on March 23. [Photo/Iqilu News]


text:
Discover more from NOT BILLABLE
🏭 A Union Rally
You're not imagining things: unionizing efforts across the country are indeed increasing. For the first nine months of the fiscal year, union petition filings have increased 56% over the number of filings for the entirety of FY2021 — hitting 1,935 petitions, already 695 more than last year's total. And it's not just unionizing efforts on the rise, notes the National Labor Relations Board, but charges of unfair labor practices as well. For FY2022 so far, “unfair labor practice charges have increased 14.5% — from 11,451 to 13,106,” the NLRB's statement reads.
But the board is struggling to keep up with this influx, following budget cuts to the agency resulting in the lowest staffing levels since the 1960s. “Our dedicated staff, especially in our 48 field offices, are handling unsustainable caseloads. The Agency urgently needs more resources to process petitions and conduct elections, investigate unfair labor practice charges, and obtain full remedies for workers whose labor rights have been violated,” said NLRB General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo. “We need Congress to help us restore the capacity that we have lost after years of underfunding.”
As The Hill notes, even with this unionizing uptick, union membership among the American workforce is just about half of what it was back in the early 1980s— 10.3% of the workforce in 2021, versus 20% in 1983.
The Starbucks Count
“Some of what’s in this count is a large number of relatively small workplaces,” Rebecca Givan, professor of labor studies at Rutgers University, explained to Marketplace. “A Starbucks coffee shop with maybe 20 workers and an Amazon warehouse with 6,000 workers. Each of those is just one election.” Of this year's nearly 2,000 union petition filings so far this year, the ones from Starbucks account for about 16%. And with each Starbucks union win, more and more of their employees are thinking of joining in.
It's wild to note how much Starbucks employees account for the uptick in unionizing efforts, but it’s a great trend to see that workers around the country are fighting to take back some control and power.


text:
Busted! Companies Putting You In Danger
FRESNO, Calif. (KMPH) —
If you're hurt when using something you bought, the company that made it is supposed to tell the government.
It's possible there will be a recall on that item, but sometimes that doesn't happen.
And more and more companies are dodging that reporting rule.
In a KMPH News investigation, the feds say several manufacturers knowingly fail to report safety defects or hazards immediately to the Consumer Product Safety Commission as required by federal law.
As a result: companies could face big fines!
Bob Dolan was hurt by a yard line trimmer.
He says, "It's pretty upsetting when I hear that they just kind of ignored it."
It's a growing trend; in 2010 the C.P.S.C. hit two companies with more than a half a million dollars in fines.
And in 2011 that number increased to 10 companies - and the fines totaled more than $4 million!
It includes manufactures of defective buggies, high-end refrigerators, exercise and office equipment and even drawstring sweatshirts.
Consumer Product Safety Commission Spokesperson Scott Wolfson says, "If they are putting the health and safety of consumers at risk and keeping that information from us, they can really be held liable."
Federal law does require when a company learns a product fails to comply with safety standards, contains a defect, or creates an unreasonable risk for serious injury or death, it must immediately inform the C.P.S.C.
Attorney Christie Thompson says, "If the risk is maybe a little bump, probably wouldn't trigger an obligation to report, but if the risk is cutting off a body part or a concussion or something that's more significant then that would likely trigger an obligation to report."
If you'd like to report something you think is defective, go to www.saferproducts.gov and fill out the form.
Report it, it's your right!


text:
Three of TikTok’s biggest stars announced deals outside of TikTok yesterday, giving the creators another way to make money off their immense popularity on the shortform video app.
Charli D’Amelio (TikTok’s most followed creator) and Dixie D’Amelio (who rivals Will Smith in TikTok followers) announced a makeup line in partnership with Morphe, and Addison Rae (TikTok’s second most followed creator) announced a Spotify-exclusive podcast that’ll be co-hosted by her mom.
YouTubers have taken these exact same steps to make money
TikTok largely doesn’t offer creators a way to make money from their popularity on the app. Creators can receive tips during live streams, but live-streaming is a very small part of TikTok. The short dance videos that receive millions of views don’t make creators anything, so they have to post sponsored videos or — as we’re seeing this week — head off-platform to monetize their popularity.
These kinds of deals are newer terrain for TikTok stars, but plenty of YouTube creators and other online influencers have taken these steps before. Morphe, in particular, is known for partnering with YouTube creators. A collaboration with Shane Dawson and Jeffree Star last year was expected to bring in $35 million in sales, Morphe said at the time. Spotify has also turned shows from YouTubers into exclusive podcasts, like Mom’s Basement from FaZe Banks and Keemstar.
Unlike YouTube, TikTok doesn’t give creators a cut of the ads that run between the videos it plays. That’s a big drawback for creators, and it means they have to look to sponsorships to make money. Rae posted a video about an American Eagle partnership today; Dixie did a recent video for T-Mobile; and Charli has posted ads for Aerie and the film The High Note in recent months. Charli could be charging as much as $40,000 per sponsored post, according to a Rolling Stone report that spoke with digital marketers.
Charli, in particular, has gone off-platform in big ways before: she appeared in a star-studded Super Bowl commercial earlier this year for Sabra Hummus. A portion of the ad was also posted to her TikTok account.


text:
Automotive MMI: GM Strike Ends After 40 Days; PSA, Fiat Chrysler to Merge
The Automotive Monthly Metals Index (MMI) ticked up one point for an MMI reading of 86.
Keep up to date on everything going on in the world of trade and tariffs via MetalMiner’s Trade Resource Center.
U.S. Auto Sales
As mentioned in previous reports, the top three automakers in the U.S. — General Motors, Ford and Fiat Chrysler — all now report sales on a quarterly basis.
GM reported net income of $2.3 billion in the third quarter, down 8.7% on a year-over-year basis. GM delivered 739,000 vehicles in the third quarter, up 6% on a year-over-year basis.
Ford reported third-quarter net income of $400 million, down from $1 billion in Q3 2018.
Fiat Chrysler’s worldwide shipments fell 9% “primarily due to continued dealer stock discipline in North America.”
Honda’s U.S. sales rose 7.6% in October, with its truck sales rising 15%. For the year through October, Honda’s U.S. sales are up 0.6% compared with the same period in 2018.
Toyota Motor North America saw its October sales drop 1.2% on a volume basis and by 4.9% on a daily selling rate basis.
Nissan’s October sales dropped 5.8% on a year-over-year basis.
According to a forecast report by J.D. Power and LMC Automotive, new-vehicle retail sales in October were forecast to decline by 0.9% year over year (when adjusted for number of selling days).
Average transaction prices, however, are at a record high. According to the jointly released report, the average transaction price moved above $34,000 for the first time ever in October and was up nearly $1,300 compared with October 2018.
GM Strike Comes to an End
After 40 days, the nationwide strike at General Motors finally came to an end.
“The work stoppage in the U.S. negatively affected North American business results in the third quarter and expected results for the year,” GM said in its third-quarter earnings release. “In the third quarter, about two weeks of vehicle production was lost.”
According to GM, the strike resulted in a net EBIT-adjusted impact of $1 billion, or $0.52 per diluted share; GM expects the full-year impact to come in at $2.00 per diluted share.
In September, the United Auto Workers union initiated the first nationwide strike at GM since 2007.
On Oct. 25, UAW announced it had ratified a new four-year labor deal.
“General Motors members have spoken,” said Terry Dittes, UAW vice president and director of the UAW-GM department. “We are all so incredibly proud of UAW-GM members who captured the hearts and minds of a nation. Their sacrifice and courageous stand addressed the two-tier wages structure and permanent temporary worker classification that has plagued working class Americans.”
According to UAW, the approved deal included “an economic package of an $11,000 per member signing bonus, performance bonuses, two 3% annual raises and two 4% lump sum payments and holding the line on health care costs.”
Fiat Chrysler to Merge with PSA Groupe
As MetalMiner’s Stuart Burns explained earlier this week, Fiat Chrysler and France’s PSA Groupe — maker of Peugeot — have plans to merge.
According to Fiat Chrysler, the merger would create the world’s fourth-largest OEM by annual unit sales.
“FCA abandoned attempts to merge with Peugeot’s French rival, Renault, earlier this year when the French government, a 15% shareholder, blocked the move,” Burns explained.
“But the FCA has long held that consolidation within the European car industry, if not globally, is inevitable as the industry goes through unprecedented disruption in terms of a switch to electric and competition from Asia.
“There is arguably a better logic to a Peugeot-FCA merger than a Renault-FCA tie-up.”
Looking for metal price forecasting and data analysis in one easy-to-use platform? Inquire about MetalMiner Insights today!
Actual Metal Prices and Trends
U.S. HDG fell 7.2% month over month to $746/st as of Nov. 1.
LME three-month copper rose 3.7% to $5,840/mt. U.S. shredded scrap steel fell 11.4% to $225/st.
The Korean 5052 aluminum coil premium rose 2.2% to $3.21/kg.
Leave a Reply


text:
Pangasius production and export in 2021 and forecast in 2022
MEKSEA.COM – In 2021, the covid-19 epidemic seriously affected the country’s economy, including the pangasius industry. In November 2021, Vietnam’s seafood industry showed many signs of recovery. This is a positive prospect for Vietnam’s pangasius exports in 2022.
Pangasius industry in 2021
Since the 4th outbreak of covid-19 in Southern Vietnam, seafood businesses have been severely impacted due to strict and prolonged social distancing. The epidemic situation spread further and complicatedly, causing interruptions in farming, processing and transportation of goods. The costs of feed, production materials, and “3 things at the factories” processing expenses significantly increase. Besides, the international ocean freight increased 8-10 times, the costs incurred in epidemic prevention and control caused many difficulties for businesses.
In 2021, many seafood enterprises face “3 things at the factories” due to covid-19. (photo: internet)
It was not until November that the seafood industry showed signs of recovery. In the first 11 months of 2021, basa fish exports reached 1.4 billion USD, up 3.3% over the same period in 2020. It is expected that Vietnam’s basa fish exports in 2021 will reach 1.54 billion USD.
Pangasius market 2022
After months of closure due to covid-19, the economy has gradually recovered and adapted to the new situation. However, the policies to stimulate economic development and inflation have pushed up the prices of raw materials and input materials. The prices of aqua feed have continuously increased led to production costs increase. Besides, the epidemic situation is still complicated, making the recovery of production is a challenge for businesses.
It is forecasted that in 2022, China maybe still maintains its position as the largest import market of Vietnam pangasius. However, Zero Covid policies are a big challenge for seafood exporting countries. Moreover, Covid-19 also seriously affects shipping rates and shipping time for frozen seafood to China. It is estimated that the prices for 1 imported shipment are twice as high as in the same period last year. The stereotype that pangasius is a cheap white fish makes it difficult for consumers to pay for its high price.
Vietnam seafood enterprises have gradually recovered and adapted to the new situation. (photo: internet)
2021 is considered a successful year for pangasius in the US market when it maintained a high growth rate for the whole year, increasing in both quantity and export price. Specifically, in the first 11 months of 2021, the turnover to this market will reach nearly 324 million. USD increased 48% over the same period. This result is thanks to the quick recovery of the US market right after the ease of social distancing and returns the normal. Pangasius demand of the US market in the last 6 months of 2021 increased significantly. As a result, the US market turnover skyrocketed in the second half of 2021.
Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Russia and Egypt are potential markets for Vietnam pangasius in 2022. Its forecast comes from the results of this seafood export in the epidemic season in 2021 with a double-digit growth rate, from 44-84%, and the total market share of these 5 markets accounts for 16.3% of export turnover of the pangasius industry in the first 11 months of 2021.
If you are looking for seafood from Vietnam to distribute in your market in 2022, this is the right time to contact Meksea for the best deal from Winter Offers 2021
√ Free 2 seafood product sample packets which your market is in demand for each order from 2 cont.
√ Free (L/C fee) 30 days deferred payment L/C for Asian orders and 45 days for EU and US orders.
√ Especially discount up to 1-2-3-4-5 cent for 2nd – 3rd – 4th -5th – 6th container for all orders.
*The promotion is valid from Dec 15th to Jan 15th, 2022.
WhatsApp: +84 903 872 469
By Hayati (Meksea Team)
If you found this topic interesting, please click the Like button below, so we may continue to expand this topic. Leave a comment with your thoughts for the author team to discuss


text: Buntrock Industries, known for servicing the precision investment casting industry, would like to announce some company changes. After 44 years as the owner of Buntrock Industries, Kermit Buntrock has sold the company but will continue working there on special projects and through the transition for the next few years. The new owners of Buntrock Industries are Blake Ryan as VP of Operations, John Scott as VP of Sales, and Tim George as the new acting President. As new owners, we look forward to continuing the excellent service and traditions that Buntrock has established. We appreciate the support we have already received and look forward to a bright and successful future with all of our customers and vendors.


text:
100 fewer restaurants participate in Queen’s Feast: How they’re overcoming staff shortages, supply chain issues
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - The popular Charlotte Restaurant Week, also known as the Queen’s Feast, is back.
The 10-day event kicked off on Saturday, allowing people to enjoy multiple course meals for just $30 to $35 dollars at an array of restaurants across the Charlotte area.
Restaurant owners say they are excited to participate after the feasts scheduled for last July and this January were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
But they are also facing more challenges than ever.
Staffing shortages are forcing restaurants like The Manchester in South End to re-think their Queen’s Feast operations.
“We tested it on Friday going full board and that was a little more chaotic than normal, so on Saturday we scaled it back, we had to close off our patio section,” Christopher Harris, assistant general manager at The Manchester, said.
Harris says liquor shortages are also making it tough to keep his bar stocked.
“I spend two to three hours a week driving around to multiple stores to pick out what we need, or we have to switch to different products,” he said.
The challenges are standing in the way of many restaurants participating.
The last Queen’s Feast was in January 2020 and it included 143 restaurants, amounting to a $10 million dollar economic impact over 10 days.
This year for the July 2021 feast, just 42 restaurants are participating.
One of them, Red Rocks Cafe in south Charlotte, has been involved since the first Queen’s Feast in 2008.
“It was very scary for us to schedule it this year because of staffing levels,” John Love, co-owner of Red Rocks Cafe, said. “We have about 25 to 30 percent less staff than we had in 2019.”
Love says they are also making adjustments.
“We had to completely disable our to-go business and our reservation system because we were maxed out,” he said.
But despite the uphill battle, he says the customers make it worth the fight.
“Our customers have been very understanding, they’ve all been in a great mood, and they’ve been gracious, they’ve been patient, and we haven’t had a hard time with customer satisfaction,” Love said.
Restaurant owners say they are already seeing a boost in business.
The feast continues through Sunday, July 25.
For details click here.
Copyright 2021 WBTV. All rights reserved.


text:
Remember Gluster, the scale-out file system that Red Hat snapped up for $136M in 2011? Anand Babu (AB) Periasamy, the brain behind Gluster is back to create an open source, lightweight, minimalistic object storage service called Minio that is designed for developers. Co-founded by AB, Frederick Kautz, Garima Kapoor, and Harshavardhana, Minio was read »Janakiram MSV, Contributor
#949 Jerry Yang
- Real Time Net Worth As of 7/2/15
- $1.89 Billion
- Cofounder, Yahoo
- Source Of Wealth
- Yahoo, Self Made
- Los Altos Hills, CA
- United States
- Marital Status
- Bachelor of Arts / Science, Stanford University; Master of Science, Stanford University
More On Forbes
Earlier this week, startups including human resources software provider Zenefits and financial technology company Affirm raised hundreds of millions of dollars in funding, increasing scrutiny on the state of private capital markets and the multi-billion dollar valuations that are being placed on unproven ventures.
At a read »Ryan Mac, Forbes Staff
Just two years after it was treading water as a fading startup called dotCloud, open-source darling Docker is soaring. The company announced Tues. it had raised a $95 million Series D funding that should value the company at about $1 billion, making it the latest in a wave of private tech companies to join the billion-dollar ranks. read »Alex Konrad, Forbes Staff
Koreans take their beauty seriously. Per capita, South Korea is one of the world’s biggest spenders on cosmetics, a fact that is made all the more obvious when visiting Seoul, a city where beauty stores are as prevalent as coffee shops in Seattle.
While cosmetics continue to be a lucrative business for brick-and-mortar shops in South read »Ryan Mac, Forbes Staff
The Office of Inspector General recently did some analysis on Medicare Part D … and the results showed the feds where to go to make over 240 arrests. read »Walter Pavlo, Contributor
Shares in Shanghai Metersbonwe Fashion and Accessories dropped by their 10% daily lower limit at the Shenzhen Stock Exchange today after the struggling apparel retailer said it planned a huge private placement.
Metersbonwe, led by billionaire Zhou Chengjian, said today it would raise 9 billion yuan, or $1.5 billion, by issuing up to 1.1 read »Russell Flannery, Forbes Staff
SungardASVoice: Startups On a Shoestring: 5 Successful Tech Companies That Were Started For Under $10,000
These enterprising founders prove you don’t need a ton of money to begin building your technology empire. Start with loads of talent and a great idea, throw in some grit and perseverance and heed the advice from those who’ve gone before and, who knows, you may be the next next big thing. read »SungardAS Contributor, SungardAS
While big-name streaming services like Music, Spotify, and iHeartRadio offer massive catalogs with track numbers in the tens of millions, there are some acts that simply aren’t happy with the idea of their work being available for such low costs (or for free entirely). Some performers are willing to give their work to one company or a handful, read »Hugh McIntyre, Contributor
Gazrpom’s CEO says Ukraine will not get a temporary solution to its natural gas bill owed to the Russian government. read »Kenneth Rapoza, Contributor


text:
Jaguar Land Rover is creating a "smart city hub" for real-world testing of technology related to self-driving cars.
The Future Mobility Campus Ireland (FMCI) will include 7.4 miles of public roads equipped with sensors, high-accuracy location systems, a data management and control center, and a fleet of prototype self-driving cars, according to a Tuesday press release from JLR. Those cars will be modified versions of the Jaguar I-Pace electric crossover, the automaker said.
This setup will allow for testing of "smart junctions" and "connected roads," as well as autonomous parking and charging for electric vehicles.
The campus will also be linked to a 279-mile stretch of "connected" highway, and a managed air-traffic corridor for drones running from Ireland's Shannon airport along the Shannon Estuary. The location is also near an existing JLR software hub in Shannon.
Jaguar Land Rover Future Mobility Campus Ireland
JLR is partnering with a number of software and telecom companies on the FMCI, including Cisco, Seagate, Renovo, Redhat, Valeo, and Mergon.
The automaker began testing prototype self-driving cars on public roads in the United Kingdom in 2017. While several other automakers (as well as tech companies) are conducting similar testing programs, JLR has taken a particular interest in how autonomous cars will interact with pedestrians and cyclists, even testing vehicles with human-like eyes as a way to communicate with other road users.
JLR is developing partially automated systems that would act like advanced driving aids for scenarios like off-roading, as well as systems that take human drivers completely out of the equation. In March the automaker unveiled an autonomous shuttle designed for ride-sharing services. The vehicle is scheduled to begin testing in the U.K. in late 2021.
The Jaguar I-Pace also serves as a test vehicle for Waymo, using a hardware package and software developed by that company.


text:
Snow and ice removal services are fickle on more than one level for landscapers. Not only do you have to try to plan correctly for what Mother Nature will bring in the winter, but you also have to make sure you have the supplies to get the job done.
Salt is a staple material when it comes to snow and ice management but in past few years, it has not always been readily available for contractors, leaving some high and dry during heavy snow seasons. As the 2018/2019 winter approaches, reports of salt shortages are circulating once more.
The first thing to clear up is what people mean when discussing a salt shortage. Salt is abundant in the world, but shortages occur when there isn’t enough salt harvested above ground or available for a certain market.
Sometimes shortages occur in the second half of a winter, as more snow events than expected cause an increased usage of salt, but this year’s shortage is due to the combination of several different factors.
One of the major causes of the shortage is from a 12-week strike at a salt mine in Goderich, Ontario, Canada, owned by Compass Minerals. While the strike started on April 27 of this year and union workers reached an agreement with the company on July 16, the current salt piles are reported to be 40 percent smaller than they were at this time last year, according to Adam Schlicht, director of Port Milwaukee, who told TMJ4.com.
In August, Compass Minerals notified contractors that due to the strike and contractual obligations to municipalities, there will be no salt supply available for private contractors.
Cargill, another major salt supplier, has also let private contractors know that it would not be supplying them with rock salt, as it is still replenishing its stock from the busy winter last year, and one of its mines has not been able to perform at optimum levels due to a leak.
This is causing landscapers to resort to importing salt supplies from other countries such as Egypt, Chile and Morocco. Due to transportation costs, this can cause salt prices to double or jump even higher.
This doesn’t mean that municipalities are getting off lightly, as cities and counties are reporting noticeably higher bid prices per ton of salt. In Elizabethtown, Kentucky, the lowest bid was from Compass Minerals at $110 per ton. Last year, the price was $54 per ton.
Meanwhile, Richland County officials in Ohio only received one bid for providing road salt this year. Morton Salt of Chicago bid $96.33 per ton compared to last year’s $42.10 and Cargill and Compass Minerals sent out letters saying they were not bidding this year.
So what does this salt shortage mean for you and your customers? Just like how you communicate with your clients about any other issue or change in pricing you need to let them know about the current situation and what it means for them.
Salt pricing is not something a contractor can control, so don’t feel like you are financially responsible for this change in costs. If you are transparent with customers about the issue, you can work to cut down on areas that need salting and focus on priority areas. Some contractors have even asked customers to pre-pay for salt in order to help secure their inventory.
Landscape Ontario has a sample letter template available to send out to customers to educate them on the situation and what they can expect during a salt shortage.
You should also take care to protect yourself contractually by including clauses that protect you from situations when there is a scarcity of salt or increased salt prices.
Dealing with shortage issues
When it comes to facing salt shortage challenges, there are several options you can pursue. The first step is to talk to your supplier and see what the situation is.
Once you know where you stand with them, you can go about trying to find alternative salt suppliers. Tony Johnson, president of Midwest Salt, told SIMA that it is better to buy from multiple suppliers, preferably those that control their salt supply.
You can reduce your salt usage by incorporating alternatives such as beet extract solution, magnesium chloride or calcium magnesium acetate. You can also make your salt supply go further by mixing what you have with sand.
Pre-treating with anti-icing materials is another way to decrease the amount of salt needed on a job.
To ensure that your company is using salt as efficiently and effectively as possible, make sure your equipment is calibrated properly to avoid over-salting.
To circumvent this sort of supply chain disruption in the future, or minimize it, it is advised to purchase salt in the spring or summer and to invest in a facility that can store 30 days’ worth of salt at a time.
Building a facility solely for salt storage can run anywhere from $30,000 to $50,000, according to Johnson, but these costs are recovered during the next shortage by having salt on hand before price spikes and the luxury of selling to those who are less prepared.


text:
Chicago Pizza Set to File for Bankruptcy with ¥1.5 bil. Debt
12:34 JST, March 15, 2023
OSAKA — Chicago Pizza Co., a pizza delivery chain based in Ibaraki, Osaka Prefecture, is expected to file for bankruptcy after racking up some ¥1.5 billion in debt.
The chain ceased operations on Tuesday, according to an attorney representing the company.
Although the company had experienced a rise in demand for home delivery due to the pandemic, its earnings were hit hard by increased competition and higher purchasing and labor costs.
Founded in 1986, Chicago Pizza delivered pizzas as well as donburi bowls. The company had a total of 66 stores mainly concentrated in the Kinki region but also spanning the Kanto, Chugoku and Shikoku regions.
Although the firm reported sales of ¥4.2 billion in fiscal 2020, revenue fell to ¥3.4 billion in fiscal 2021, due in part to the foray of new companies into the pizza delivery business.
"BUSINESS" POPULAR ARTICLE
BOJ Ueda: Japan Increasingly Likely to Hit Inflation Target
Japan April-Sept. Current Account Surplus Hits Record High
Exports of Nishikigoi Carp to China Halted; Permits for Japanese Aquaculture Facilities By China Have Expired
Food, Beverage Price Hikes Show Signs of Easing; Fuel Prices, Consumer Frugality Slowing Down Price Rises
Japan 2023 Food Exports Reach 1 Tril. Yen at Record Pace
JN ACCESS RANKING
- BOJ Ueda: Japan Increasingly Likely to Hit Inflation Target
- Japan April-Sept. Current Account Surplus Hits Record High
- Japan 2023 Food Exports Reach 1 Tril. Yen at Record Pace


text:
'We have been told since we were children, that fairness is the only definition of beauty.'
Richa Chaddha recently posted on Instagram that she was 'not fair but lovely'.
'I had gotten this printed on a T shirt back in 2015. Yesterday, the brand @fairandlovely_id and I were finally in agreement!', says the Panga actor.
Unilever decided last week to renamed Fair and Lovely as Glow and Lovely, trying to erase its decades of discrimination against dark skin.
'Before you attack the brand for only paying 'lip service', please remember it takes many generations for ideas to change,' Richa points out.
'There is demand and hence there is supply...We have been told since we were children, that fairness is the only definition of beauty! It is also another unfortunate byproduct of colonialism and casteism! But it’s 2020, and a lot of BS is getting dismantled!,' she adds.
'It took me many years of unlearning to gain confidence and start LOVING my complexion! Der aye durust aye, I say.'
'I welcome this decision by the brand... and it's not easy... brands have a thousand meetings before they change even the FONT in their logo... I hope slowly and steadily mindsets change... we must continuously and without any influence of the West, define our own idea of beauty. Beauty must be inclusive! Bravo,' Richa applauds Unilever's decision.
According to a report in The Guardian newspaper, published out of London, 'a new kind of caste system is emerging, defined by symbols of success. The film industry is built on marketing an aspiration in which fair skin is seen as much a status symbol as designer handbags and sports cars'.
Dr Rajinder Dudrah, author of The Bollywood Reader, is quoted in the Guardian report saying, 'Bollywood is associated with glamour and promotes aspirational Indian values of wealth and success. It sells that aspiration via its stars, who promote skin-lightening creams as part of their star personas.'
'This has highlighted the ways in which Bollywood mirrors attitudes to skin colour and social hierarchies prevalent in Indian society,' explains Dr Dudrah.
Pallavi Sharda -- the Indo-Australian actor who was seen opposite Ranbir Kapoor in Besharam and is currently seen in Beecham Palace -- confirms the bias against dark-skinned actors in Bollywood, saying, she was called dusky for her tanned skin.
The Guardian article also quotes actor-film-maker Nandita Das who explains this racism against dark skin in the film industry more clearly.
'The glorification of fair skin has been present in our films for a very long time and reflects the bias of our society. When I play a slum dweller or a Dalit woman, my skin is perfect, but directors tell me to make my skin lighter to play affluent upper-class roles,' Das told the British newspaper.
'Films associate fairness with beauty, success and love and acceptability. It becomes about making women feel inadequate,' she said.
'It's hypocritical to protest and say #blacklivesmatter, yet discriminate against people with dark skins and endorse fairness products in our own country, ' Das added in her conversation with the Guardian.
'Now society is more vocal about these hypocrisies and many actors have been called out for it. The more we call out discrimination, the more we address the issue.'


text:
The president of Mitsubishi Motors is stepping down after the company s admission that it cheated on fuel economy tests in Japan, a new report claims.
Current president Tetsuro Aikawa s post will be filled by Mitsubishi CEO Osamu Masuko, according to the Nikkei Asian Review via Automotive News .
Masuko will reportedly handle presidential responsibilities until Nissan s purchase of a 34 percent stake in Mitsubishi is finalized.
Mitsubishi used its own testing procedures on certain models for years, yielding higher fuel economy results than would have been achieved with the testing methods mandated by the Japanese government.
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration subsequently requested information on fuel economy testing from Mitsubishi.
Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Nissan and partner Renault, said the intention is to help Mitsubishi overcome the fuel economy scandal and incorporate it into the Renault Nissan Alliance.


text:
LPGA Dress Code Updates: Our Take
Posted on February 23, 2018 at 02:13 AM
This summer, the LPGA threw the game a curveball (er, a slice?) with the release of its updated Tour dress code, and they aren’t messing around.
If you’re wearing a racerback top, for example, it has to include a collar. Your skirt or skort must to be long enough so that when you bend down to grab a ball, there’s zero risk of revealing your rear — even if it’s covered by undershorts. Women are allowed to wear leggings, but only if they’re under a skirt. And workout clothes? Don’t you dare!
This shift came as a big surprise to the golf community, and not just because of the borderline-slight on women (more on that later). Up until these new rules came out, the Tour had been doing so much to appeal to a younger crowd. And given that two of the game’s defining tenets — tradition and decorum — aren’t necessarily topping your average millennial’s “What’s Cool” list, debunking the stodgier stereotypes around golf is no small feat. But tradition and decorum also make golf so special (!!), so naturally, there’s this tension around staying true to the game while remaining realistic about present day.
This tension isn’t just an LPGA-Tour thing, either. We see it quite a bit when we’re out on the course ourselves. There was that time, for example, when a friend of Tami’s invited her brother and sister-in-law for a round of golf at her club. After the 3rd hole, an employee emerged to inform the sister-in-law that her skirt was too short and “distracting”. This means that another club member had called the pro shop to complain (which is standard protocol, as clubs don’t want members confronting other members). Odds are that the offended party was an older female member.
Many clubs do have an older, more established — and usually more conservative — membership, and they struggle to balance the needs of those members with those of the next-generation golfing family. When a member calls the pro shop to complain, the pros must oblige, which inevitably leads to a humiliating conversation for everyone involved. What are you supposed to do, anyway? Head back into the clubhouse and change? What if you don’t have a back-up option?
Sky Sports Golf presenter Henni Goya points out that, in her experience, female golfers are the ones getting in the way of change. She has a hunch that it has to do with feeling threatened — but it could also be a hazard of the game’s antiquated character. Goya offers: “Maybe golf is just so far behind the times that they haven’t even seen that this is a movement in media now; that women do actually like to help other women.”
This idea of women supporting women takes on even more significance when you consider what a fantastic impact the game can have on future female generations. A girl can learn so much from golf, be it persevering through that umpteenth missed putt to keeping conversation alive with a foursome of strangers (you can’t text your way through 18 holes, after all.) As women, we should be encouraging this exposure, not denying others of it. But if outdated dress codes are turning younger girls away from the game, then that’s a huge missed opportunity for personal development — and that’s a shame.
Of course we need to respect the game, which in itself already boasts far more rules and etiquette than most other sports. But despite that, why does, say, yoga get to have so much fun? And can we talk about how men are allowed to wear joggers on Tour — it’s a celebrated trend, even! — yet in the LPGA, they’re forbidden? (PS: Leggings under a golf skirt is never a good look. Just saying.)
There is a fine line between the tradition of the sport, the rules of a club, and the fashion of the day. Yet despite the fact that it’s the 21st century and styles have changed, there are still far more professional women golfers stuck in dated LPGA-legal golf attire than there are professional women golfers who have pushed the boundaries of what’s allowed (see: Michelle Wie.) When professional swimmers started wearing full-length swimsuits with hoods, for example, a fashion statement was the last thing on their minds — they were positioning themselves for optimal results. Obviously.
The ability to comfortably swing a club, maintain even body temperature and optimize overall performance should be top of mind for any professional golfer, no matter their gender. Until the LPGA modifies its latest mandates, it’s up to women’s golf apparel to work harder than ever. And therein lies KINONA’s goal: To deliver such dynamic materials and smart designs that women can play the game they love without even thinking about their clothes — a welcome alternative to this otherwise clothing-obsessed era that’s somehow holding the game captive.
View All Posts


text:
The COVID-19 pandemic has created a global awareness of supply chain systems, and consumers are beginning to question the origin of their product sources. Food & Beverage Asia speaks with Mark Toohey, managing director at Aglive, on how technology can empower food traceability, and enable farmers with greater control over their products to ultimately increase consumer confidence.
From a consumer perspective, what is the level of demand that you are currently seeing for food traceability?
Mark Toohey: Perhaps the main lesson from the COVID-19 crisis is the vital importance of good health. All of us have witnessed both the importance and the fragility of our supply chains. Anecdotal evidence suggests that this sharp jolt has shifted consumer perceptions and awakened a renewed interest in not just the quality of food, but also certainty about its source. Indications are that this trend will only increase as we all work to rebuild our supply chains in a post-COVID world.
And from food growers, suppliers and manufacturers’ perspective, tracking food through all stages – from harvesting through to production, processing and distribution, and ultimately to consumer’s plate – present many challenges, including the complexity and cost of putting together an open end-to-end system. What are the key business drivers for food businesses to embrace such transparent track-and-trace process, and what other challenges businesses will have to overcome?
Toohey: Inertia – the tendency to do nothing and change nothing – is something that the food and beverage industry is struggling with. Adopting new processes or concepts is often more about our reluctance to change our settled ways, than it is about anything else. But this needs to change. Implementing a cost-effective tracing platform is far more than adopting a new, innovative technology.
When a restaurant can prove the origin of a product served to a customer, it opens a world of marketing opportunities. Brands can embrace the changing consumer sentiment and meet these new expectations. People want to know where their food comes from. We all do and most of us are quite willing to pay a premium to get good food, but we are also reluctant to be conned. How many of us have looked at the free range of products and wondered if the claims are genuine and worth the extra cost?
So, the solution is revitalised marketing and communicating to the consumers that a product is safe and authentic. New campaigns can answer these key questions that flit through a consumer’s mind at the time of the purchase decision. If we win that marketing moment, the technology is the easy part.
Find out how food manufacturers and consumers can protect themselves against food fraud, and how blockchain contributes to a clear, transparent track-and-trace process in the latest Food & Beverage Asia Aug/Sep 2020 issue. Click here to find out more.


text:
Bennigan’s Franchising Co. on Tuesday named Paul M. Mangiamele president and chief executive, succeeding David Goronkin, who is leaving to head Real Mex Restaurants Inc.
Mangiamele is a former president and chief executive of Charlotte, N.C.-based Salsarita’s Fresh Cantina, which he left in June 2010.
Goronkin was named chief executive and chairman of Real Mex Restaurants of Cypress, Calif., in April. He will leave Dallas-based Bennigan’s, which has more than 90 casual-dining restaurants in 12 countries, at the end of the month.
Related: Real Mex names David Goronkin CEO
Before joining Salsarita’s in 2008, Mangiamele held a variety of retail and restaurant leadership posts. He served as chief operating office and executive vice president of salon-chain Sports Clips Inc. and was vice president of business development for Regis Corp.
Related: Salsarita’s taps new leader
Earlier in his career, Mangiamele worked with Buffets Inc.’s Original Roadhouse Grill, Carlson Cos.’ Dalt’s Classic American Diner and global development for Bennigan’s when it was part of Metromedia.
Bennigan’s Franchising Co. acquired the Bennigan’s brand in 2008, after parent S&A Restaurant Corp., a division of Metromedia Restaurant Group of Plano, Texas, and affiliated companies filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation and closed about 240 company units, including both Bennigan’s and Steak & Ale.
Bennigan’s in November debuted a new 4,200-square-foot prototype in Appleton, Wis., to freshen the brand with updated menus, bar offerings, uniforms, logos and signage.
“We’re embracing the past yet unlocking the value, vibe and energy that originally made Bennigan’s among the best brands in the casual-theme space,” Mangiamele said in a statement. “It’s all about providing legendary service, craveable food, and creating a fun, exciting atmosphere that guests rave about.”
Goronkin added, “Paul is the right leader to take the company forward.”


text:
Klarna plans to tell credit agencies if repayments fail
Industry News | 10/12/20
The Buy Now, Pay Later company Klarna plans to report missed and failed payments to credit reference agencies.
Klarna gives customers different ways to pay for items online such as within 30 days or over three instalments. The company doesn’t currently report customers who miss payments.
“What we are looking at in terms of to protect consumers is to work with the credit reference agencies to enable reporting in the future,” Klarna’s Alex Marsh, told Radio 4’s Money Box.
Mr Marsh, Klarna’s UK lead, said while the company only accepts customers which it believes can pay on time, it freezes or closes down the accounts of those who end up missing too many payments or make none at all.
GO TO ARTICLE +


text:
In a late-afternoon press release tweet yesterday, Elon Musk announced that Tesla's Fremont, CA, factory would be restarting production, defying Bay Area coronavirus-related health restrictions.
Elon’s angry. He feels like Tesla has been unfairly put in timeout, while all of its friends—Ford, GM, and Fiat-Chrysler—get to reopen their factories come Monday.
But...state governors are neither powerless nor pleased. Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf lambasted county officials, saying, “they need to understand the consequences of their cowardly act” while also threatening to pull disaster relief funding and business licenses if they don't comply.
Share this story with your network


text:
Latest North China Plain Stories
A week-long celebration of design and a conversation series to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of Sister Cities Relations between Washington D.C.
The company has been highly prolific in its development of innovative indoor and outdoor air purification products BEIJING, June 17, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Beijing Bihua Environmental
TIANJIN, China, June 10, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- On May 29, 2014, the Journey of 'Heart' summing-up meeting for the 10th anniversary of Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) screening among children in
SALT LAKE CITY, May 6, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- MultiLing, the innovative leader in intellectual property (IP) translations and related support services for foreign patent filings by Global 500
DUBLIN, April 16, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/48stkw/global_and ) has announced the addition of the "Global and
MarketResearchReports.Biz announces addition of new report “China Automatic Fare Collection (AFC) System Industry Report, 2013 ” to its database. Albany,
SAN ANTONIO, March 17, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Marking the 35th anniversary of the establishment of Sino-US diplomatic relations, Beijing Tourism rocked the NBA court on March 16th at the AT&T
JUNAN COUNTY, China, March 12, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- American Lorain Corporation (NYSE MKT: ALN) ("American Lorain" or the "Company"), an international processed snack foods, convenience
DeepResearchReports.com offer “2013 Deep Research Report on Global and China PM2.5 Monitor Industry” in its store.
- A young chicken: also used as a pet name for children.


text:
SEGA has sent out a few official details on Sonic Generations for 3DS, a week after a bevy of information on the game was pulled from Nintendo Power magazine.
The game is set across three “defining eras from Sonic the Hedgehog’s twenty year history,” and contains 3D levels designed exclusively for the handheld.
Environments based on iconic levels from previous Sonic titles will include an exclusive unlockable Special Stage, and the game will also make use of StreetPass by allowing players to collect new content and unlock bonus material each time they pass another player.
In addition, a new two-player versus mode as been added to the 3DS version.
Sonic Generations will be made available on 3DS, PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 in November.


text:
The year 2020 was both unusual and quite eventful thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some companies benefited from the health crisis as stay-at-home orders drove growth for their business while others suffered as their operations were disrupted. However, the year was particularly tough for these three stocks.
Nikola Corporation (NASDAQ: NKLA) had a tough time in 2020 dealing with fraud allegations made by activist short-seller Hindenburg Research. These allegations led to investigations by regulatory agencies and the subsequent exit of founder and executive chairman Trevor Milton.
Prior to this incident, Nikola had struck a partnership with General Motors (NYSE: GM) under which the latter was to take a stake in the EV-maker and team up to produce its Badger pickup truck. The deal was seen as a game-changer for Nikola at the time but following the aforementioned allegations and the leadership change, it was sizeably cut down.
GM and Nikola subsequently entered into a supply agreement under which the previously proposed stake and Badger alliance were dropped. This came as a huge hit to Nikola and the Street turned pretty much pessimistic on the company’s prospects. The stock has dropped 49% over the past three months.
Facebook Inc. (NASDAQ: FB) had its fair share of controversies this year too. The social media firm faced an advertising boycott earlier in the year when several major companies announced that they would halt their advertising on the platform for its failure to tackle hate.
The pandemic also led to several companies reducing their advertising budgets and this trend was expected to impact digital advertising in general but Facebook was not impacted much. The company continued to post strong advertising revenues through the year.
After emerging from the boycott, Facebook was hit by an antitrust lawsuit by regulatory agencies in the US. The lawsuit alleges that Facebook misused its dominant position to stifle competition and the agencies have proposed splitting up the company to tackle this issue.
If this proposal goes through, Facebook will have to let go of its Instagram and WhatsApp divisions, both of which are massive growth drivers. Facebook is preparing to fight this lawsuit hard with the intention of keeping the company intact.
Cruise company Carnival Corporation (NYSE: CCL) suffered extensively due to the pandemic as it had to halt its cruises for the most part of the year. The company continued to incur losses during the first three quarters of this year and even though it resumed limited guest operations in September, it is still far from a complete recovery. The stock has plummeted 57% since the beginning of the year.
The virus-related movement restrictions have had a complementary effect on the business of Shopify Inc. (NYSE: SHOP), which was already thriving on the widespread cloud adoption and digital shift. The
There has been a spurt in the number of food and beverages companies going public lately, but many of them failed to perform as expected in the stock market. Fresh
For consumer staples companies, rising inflation is probably turning into a bigger challenge than the virus-induced supply chain disruption and store closures. After bettering its position since the early months