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Gloucester Brewery has launched a £500,000 crowdfunding campaign to brew more beer and open more bars.
The award-winning company has launched the public phase of its £500,000 crowdfunding campaign and it has enlisted the help of Gloucester Rugby Head Coach George Skivington as an early investor and ambassador for the project.
Managing Director Jared Brown said: “This crowdfunding campaign will help us realise some long-held ambitions at the brewery. We want to establish ourselves as one of the leading independent eco-friendly breweries and distilleries in the UK by producing high quality, progressive beers and spirits.
“Closer to home, the money will also help us to further develop Warehouse 4 to include a mezzanine floor that will link into a wedding venue and event space above our existing Fox’s Kiln brewery. We also want to grow our portfolio of bars across the South West.”
Despite the challenges to the industry due to COVID, Gloucester Brewery has recorded very strong financial performances over the last year. In August 2021, revenue was 612 per cent up on January this year and last month, it was up 140 per cent on October 2020.
“This year we are celebrating our 10th year of business and it has been our most successful to date despite the uncertainty of the pandemic. With the help of our supporters investing in Gloucester Brewery Group we can scale even higher heights in the years ahead,” Jared said.
More than £200,000 of the half a million total has already been raised so far thanks to the support of in excess of 150 private crowdfunding investors. The brewery has now opened up the investment opportunity to everyone to raise the extra £300,000.
Campaign ambassador and investor George Skivington said: “I first got to know the brewery as I buy their lager which is a top-quality product.
“For me, there are a lot of parallels between the brewery and Gloucester Rugby, with both of us building things here in the city. They are a great team at the brewery, and I like what they are doing for Gloucester.”
Nik Hill, from Gloucester, who runs popular comedy nights at the brewery and at Kingsholm, has invested in the business. “I have worked with the brewery now since 2016 after they approached me with a view to starting up a comedy night which has gone from strength to strength and I have been really impressed with how they have grown the business, developed their brand and expanded into new markets,” he said.
“Jared is very visionary, and the team has worked very hard to get where they are today. I am from Gloucester, and I couldn’t think of a better use for some of our savings than to invest in the brewery and give something back to a city business doing so well.”
For more information, visit www.crowdcube.com/gloucesterbrewery


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In what's being called a "tasty as quintessentially Kiwi mix", Lisa's Hummus has a new Marmite flavour on the market.
The ancient Middle Eastern chickpea and tahini spread is being fused with the New Zealand yeast spread in the new product which will likely sharply divide opinion over its yumminess.
According to a press release from Lisa's Hummus, the flavour combination is a "deliciously unique product that's set to enter Aotearoa’s gastronomic hall of fame".
Marketing manager Mark Roper says it's "the most interesting" flavour of Lisa's Hummus yet.
"Luckily, us Kiwis love to be experimental and try new flavours... we couldn't be more excited to be collaborating with Marmite, another much-loved homegrown brand," says Roper.
"We can't wait for New Zealanders to give Lisa's Marmite Hummus a try with their own best mates and tell us what they think."
What do you think of the flavour idea? Have your say below.
Disclaimer: This straw poll is not scientific.

domain: news


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There’s nothing worse than trying to pick up the pieces following a natural disaster. Today we face a different kind of disaster – the unexpected and unprecedented global pandemic that is COVID-19 (Coronavirus). And lots of people are experiencing a range of emotions from anxiety, to concern, to downright fear.
Unfortunately, just as people can be negatively impacted by a large-scale, terrible incident, businesses can be affected the same way.
To survive, business owners must prepare for emergencies and take steps to prevent, or minimize, the effect of this crisis. There are steps that small businesses can take to make sure they are doing the best they can given the situation. To navigate the current crisis, it is necessary for owners and managers of small businesses to act both with a sense of urgency and with prudence.
As states begin setting timelines for lifting their COVID-19 stay-at-home orders, businesses across America are contemplating what that might mean for their operations.
Businesses that have been shut down or operating at limited capacity are thinking ahead to what their post-coronavirus reality might look like. Depending on the type of business you run and where you’re located, your strategy for reopening post-coronavirus may look very different from other small businesses across the country, and even within the same state. However, one thing is common to all businesses: You must be prepared to proceed with caution, empathy and understanding.
TELECO has been helping businesses succeed since 1981, delivering customized technology solutions. We are confident we can help you rebuild your business after the coronavirus pandemic by providing technologies to help your company get back on track.
Get Ready Now! Call us at 800.800.6159 or visit us at www.teleco.com and let us show you how our solutions can make this transition a little easier.


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When water is scarce and citizens face mandatory water restrictions because of the drought, starting a car wash business wouldn’t seem to be a wise move.
Six businessmen, however, thought the drought conditions were the perfect environment for their car wash business.
Businessman Randy Gibson, his wife, Linda, and four others - Erik Clendenen, Lisa Clendenen, Jason Hicks and Casey Hicks, put their heads together and started Bubba’s Waterless Car Wash. Randy Gibson assumed the job of president and co-owner.
Gibson said the technology has been available for about 10 years. “The problem with it was that it was a novelty type thing,” said Gibson. “The product that was used was kerosene-based. The product we’re using has no kerosene in it. It’s all evironmentally friendly, no chemicals.”
The introduction of the microfiber towels in recent years also helped the Gibsons decide that the business was something people would like.
“That is something new that just come out three or four years ago. It has revolutionized the car cleaning industry,” he said.
Gibson said now is the time to look at ways to save water when washing vehicles. “With the tie in with water shortage, the time has come to clean cars the non-traditional way,” he said. “We’re hoping we can eventually do a franchise. We are in on the ground level.”
Co-owner Erik Clendenen said this is how cars are washed in Australia. “Now it’s time for America to follow,” he said.
Randy Gibson said the company is very young. “Mid-October was when the idea came to me and I started the research,” he said. “Since then we’ve been gathering data and trying to form the company and get it up and running.”
The whole idea of a waterless car wash flies in the face of common sense, said Gibson. “But when you use this product, it’s totally amazing how it works. It blew me way. I could not believe it would work like it does.”
The main thrust of their business is the convenience factor, said the owners. “We can go to the site where a car is and do the job while the customer is working. We can do it at the job site or home, said Gibson. “The environmental aspects are positive, too. The national average of water used each time a car is washed is between 80 and 140 gallons per car or vehicle.”
Clendenen said the population has grown rapidly in Blount County the last few years, adding to the drought problem. “Our water facilities haven’t been able to keep pace,” Clendenen said. “We’ve already seen the days when the government cut off water for us. We’re still in a drought, and it will take years to catch up. We’re still 15 to 17 inches behind, and, even if it was to come a steady rain for several days, we would still not be caught up.”
“We’re an eco-business,” added Gibson. “We’ve done calculations based on what cars we have cleaned and products we’ve sold,” he said. “We’ve saved already over 20,000 gallons of water since the third of January based on averages.”
Randy Gibson said he learned about the waterless car wash system because the drought was having an effect on his other business. “I had another business, a lawn care business. We were in the middle of the drought. I had no lawns to mow. I wanted to wash the vehicles, but there were restrictions in place. I thought, ‘There has to be a better way,’” he said. “I found this system available and zeroed in on this particular product because of the aspects of it being environmentally friendly.”
The name Bubba has family ties for the owners, especially Randy Gibson.
“Bubba is a nickname from my granddaughter,” Gibson said. “It’s a personal term of endearment. Most of my close friends and family call me that.”


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Business Insider SA
Darth Kitchens’ first kitchen in Cape Town. (Photo: Darth Kitchens)
Ghost kitchens, a hot trend in food delivery, are now also gaining traction in South Africa.
Also called ‘dark’, ‘virtual’ or ‘cloud’ kitchens, they are shared cooking spaces that serve as hubs for online deliveries. Different brands prepare their food in the same space, which are then sent out as ordered. The kitchens don’t offer a dine-in option.
The main attraction is that it saves a lot of money – instead of setting up their own restaurant or kitchen, a company can rent a spot in these new big kitchens.
It also gives companies the flexibility to expand their business to new suburbs, without taking the financial risk of setting up a restaurant there.
The first ghost kitchen was set up in the UK in 2017, and Uber’s founder Travis Kalanick has raised more than $400m to fund CloudKitchens, which plans ghost kitchens in the US, India and China. Google has also invested millions in its venture Kitchen United.
The phenomenon has now also arrived in South Africa. New start-up Darth Kitchens has established a delivery-only establishment – 400m2 facility in Cape Town – that only produces food for delivery.
But unlike other ghost kitchens, where different food companies work from the same kitchen, Darth Kitchens is launching its own food brands.
Darth Kitchens was founded by restaurateurs as well as executive chefs from prominent restaurants like The Test Kitchen and Thali, according to a statement.
It is developing various cuisine types, and has launched brands like Buddy’s Burgers, Fluent health bowls, Bagels Shmagels, Anvil Burger Co and Ringo’s NY Style Pizzeria which are only available via food delivery apps like UberEats, Mr D and OrderIn.
“For the most part restaurants think of takeaways as an afterthought,” says Darth Kitchens CEO Heini Booysen, who was co-founder of the food delivery app OrderIn.
“You can order the best Thai curry in town for delivery but then it arrives in a Styrofoam box and plastic bag, probably spilt in the bag because it was badly sealed. Years of listening to unhappy customers made me realise that there is an opportunity for creating quality food optimised for delivery.
“The key is that Darth Kitchens does not cater for sit-in diners which means that we’re able to dramatically reduce overheads in comparison to traditional restaurants. It also lets us focus on important elements like packaging and the delivery experience.”
Darth Kitchens has secured seed capital in excess of R5m to date from investor Silvertree, with a further R30m planned to rapidly scale the model over the next few years.


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https://www.bbc.com-image copyright Getty Images
image caption Spain’s agriculture minister emphasised the importance of the meat industry to the country’s economy
A Spanish minister has been roasted by members of his own coalition government over his efforts to reduce meat consumption in the country.
This week consumer affairs minister, Alberto Garzón, launched a campaign to encourage Spaniards to eat less meat.
“Eating too much meat is bad for our health and for the planet,” Mr Garzón said in a video on Twitter.
But for some cabinet ministers, his plea for moderation was difficult to swallow.
“It seems to me the campaign is unfortunate,” agriculture minister Luis Planas said in an interview with a local radio station.
Mr Planas said the “Less meat, more life” campaign was “unfair” for Spain’s meat industry, which is a major contributor to the country’s economy.
Those views were echoed in an open letter to Mr Garzón, penned by six meat-producing associations.
The associations accused the minister of defaming a sector that accounts for 2.5 million jobs and exports worth almost €9bn (£7.7bn; $10.6) in Spain.
This criticism raised the stakes for Mr Garzón, who went on state TV to defend his campaign and clarify his message.
The idea, he said, was not to stop eating meat altogether. Rather, he urged people to follow the guidance of Spain’s food regulator, which recommends eating between 200g (3.5oz) and 500g of meat a week.
At the moment, the average Spaniard eats more than 1kg, he said.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says many national health authorities advise people to limit intake of processed meat and red meat, which are linked to increased risks of death from heart disease, diabetes, and other illnesses.
The emissions produced by the meat industry have also been linked to climate change.
But meat remains a dietary staple for many worldwide for cultural, economic and personal reasons.
When asked about the debate during a diplomatic trip to Lithuania on Thursday, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez appeared to side with the carnivores.
For him, steaks were “unbeatable”, he said in a news conference.
The feud exposed political differences between parties within Spain’s ruling coalition.
Mr Planas belongs to Mr Sánchez ‘s Socialist Party, which has strong support in some rural areas and among traditional working-class voters. Mr Garzón is from the left-wing Unidas Podemos, which depends on younger and urban progressive voters.
To beef or not to beef is also a contentious subject in neighbouring France, where the government criticised Lyon’s mayor for removing meat from school dinners.


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Walmart launches sleek new store designs to attract more footfall
According to CFO of Walmart, John David Rainey, 75 percent of Walmart's market share gains in food have come from households that earn more than $100,000 annually
Walmart is bringing in a new strategy to bring in shoppers. The multinational retail corporation, which is known for its low-priced groceries, has now turned five of its SuperCenters into flagship stores after remodelling. The new features of the store include brighter lights, pet supplies, colourful displays of makeup and more. Walmart’s new look is a part of its effort to sell more discretionary items, including jeans, baby strollers, and lipstick. These items have a higher profit margin than groceries, as mentioned in a report by CNBC. Last summer, Walmart tested the sleeker model at one of its big-box stores in Springdale, Arkansas.
All of Walmart’s flagship stores have been launched in the last three months- in North Bergen and Teterboro in New Jersey, Quakertown in Pennsylvania, Yaphank in New York and Hodgkins in Illinois. A remodelled store in Secaucus, New Jersey, is scheduled to debut next month. The retailer is remodelling its outlets, and copying some store features of its rival Target Corporation.
The retailer firm has remodelled around 500 stores in the United States as of the third quarter, which ended 31 October. It did nearly 600 remodels last fiscal year. The move comes when more high-income households are shopping at the retail giant. According to Walmart Chief Financial Officer (CFO), John David Rainey, 75 percent of the company’s market share gains in food have come from households that earn more than $100,000 annually.
The company anticipates that the same-store sales are going to be higher in the US but profit margins will be lower as shoppers purchase more food and less discretionary items. But according to a CNBC report, Walmart’s snazzier look is winning over converts, according to data from analytics firm Placer.ai, which takes anonymized data from mobile devices to estimate overall visits to any location.
Visits to the Walmart store in Springdale, Arkansas, which was the original prototype for the remodelled store, have increased more than what an average Walmart or Target location gets. In the fourth quarter, the outlet received 31.2 percent more visits than the average Walmart received during the same period. It received 66.6 percent more footfall than the average Target store during that time.
Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Fake job ads, spiked drinks & webcams: How Indian-origin man in Australia lured Korean women and raped them
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Former President Donald Trump's potential indictment caps decades of legal scrutiny
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FRANKFURT: Food and drinks firms which regularly increase their investment in marketing typically see more rapid revenue and profit growth than their cautious rivals, a new study has found.
Deutsche Bank analysed the performance of 30 of the biggest companies in these sectors – including Carlsberg, Danone, Diageo, Nestlé and Reckitt-Benckiser – over the last 15 years.
It found that organisations which committed more funds to communications saw their sales rise 30% more quickly than competitors adopting the opposite approach.
Moreover, the profits of businesses in the former group expanded at a rate that was 50% greater than those falling into the latter category.
Deutsche also revealed the results of a survey of 50 investors, with 73% of its panel arguing they did not have a "good idea" of how food and beverage makers spent their marketing budgets.
A further 83% of respondents stated that they either did not understand, or would like to improve their knowledge of, certain aspects of marketing practice.
The same number believed that corporations do not provide sufficient disclosure regarding their activities in this area in their financial releases.
Deutsche suggested "investors should be paying much more attention to this topic than is currently the case," with advertising and promotions a sector where this requirement is particularly important.
This is because marketing "builds and protects the value of consumer brands", and is thus vital to the on-going growth of their parent companies.
More articles on the impact of increasing and reducing advertising expenditure during a recession are available to Warc subscribers here.
Data sourced from Marketing Week; additional content by Warc staff


text: Flat-panel display market research and consulting firm DisplaySearch has released its 300-page customer satisfaction report, "TFT LCD Manufacturers," in which buyers representing 60 percent of large-area display purchases rated flat-panel suppliers on quality, technology, logistics, service and support and commercial terms. The following system makers -- Acer, AmTRAN, AOC, ASUSTeK, BenQ, Clevo, Compal, Coretronics, Dell, Elitegroup Computer, FIC, Fujitsu, Fujitsu Siemens, Hitachi, HP, IBM, Jean, Lite-On, NEC, Philips, Proview, Sampo, Samsung, Sharp, Tatung, ViewSonic and Wistron -- rated the following display suppliers: ADI, AUO, BOE-Hydis, CMO, CPT, Fujitsu, HannStar, Hitachi, IDTech, LG.Philips LCD, NEC, Quanta Display, Samsung, Sharp, TMDisplay and Tottori Sanyo. For more information, visit: www.displaysearch.com/products/customersatisfaction2003.html . . . Fischer Imaging Corp. announced that Gail S. Schoettler, PhD, has been named chairman of the board, succeeding Morgan Nields. Schoettler has been a member of Fischer's board since January 2003 and has served as the chair of its corporate governance committee. She was recently named president and CEO of SenoLase Inc., a majority-owned Fischer subsidiary formed to develop a breast tumor ablation technology. Nields will continue as a member of the Fischer board and will be CTO of Fischer Imaging. Roman Janer, the current CTO, will continue as senior vice president of research and development. . . . OmniVision Technologies Inc., a supplier of CMOS CameraChip solutions for high-volume imaging applications, has relocated its corporate headquarters to a larger facility. The new address is 1341 Orleans, Sunnyvale, Calif., 94089-1136; phone: 408-542-3000.


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ICFE eNEWS #16-19 - June 30th 2016
Penn Corner June 2016 - Update from the Federal Trade Commission
FTC Targets Student Loan Debt Relief Schemes
The FTC and the State of Florida sued Consumer Assistance Project
and Student Aid Center for student loan debt relief schemes. The
companies allegedly promised to get people out of student loan debt
or to get those debts significantly reduced through government programs.
However, people who paid the companies got virtually nothing for
their money. At best, loans were deferred or put into forbearance.
At worst, Student Aid Center told people to stop contacting their
lenders and pay the company instead, which made the situation worse.
"The FTC is not going to stand on the sidelines when
it uncovers evidence of fraudsters targeting students. Consumers
should be wary of any company that claims it can eliminate or greatly
reduce debt, especially if they ask for money in advance."
- Jessica Rich, Director, FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection
FTC Stops LearningRx "Brain Train" Promises in Their
LearningRx Franchise Corporation has agreed to settle FTC charges
that it falsely advertised its brain-training programs as able to
dramatically improve brain functions. Some ads even claimed its
programs could permanently beat symptoms of ADHD, autism, age-related
cognitive decline, Alzheimer's disease, strokes, and traumatic brain
injuries. But, despite ads saying "results are clinically proven,
scientifically measurable and permanent," the FTC says LearningRx's
claims were not backed by solid science.
FTC Says Fake Charity Claimed Donations Help Disabled Workers
The FTC sued and shut down American Handicapped and Disadvantaged
Workers, Inc. (AHDW) for pretending to be a charitable organization
and lying about how it used people's donations. According to the
complaint, AHDW's telemarketers - often claiming to be disabled
themselves - asked people to either give money or buy household
products to help pay wages for disabled AHDW employees. Callers
also promised a free gift as thanks for the donations. In reality,
says the FTC, most of the telemarketers weren't disabled, and only
a small portion of AHDW's earnings went to its few disabled employees.
And those unordered "gifts"? They came with invoices -
and harassing calls demanding payment.
Company Settles Charges about Privacy of Doctor Reviews
Practice Fusion settled FTC charges that it misled consumers
when seeking reviews for their doctors without adequately disclosing
their comments containing sensitive health information would be
posted publicly on the internet. According to the FTC, Practice
Fusion emailed surveys to patients after doctor visits, with the
aim of becoming an online healthcare provider directory, complete
with reviews. The emails appeared to be from patients' doctors,
and people likely thought they were communicating privately with
their physician. Then, says the FTC, Practice Fusion published information
about prescriptions, conditions, and procedures - and, in some cases,
included the person's full name, phone number, and other private
Spam Campaign Pitches Bogus Weight-Loss Products
The FTC charged an affiliate marketing operation with dishonestly
trying to sell weight-loss products by sending millions of consumers
spoofed, spam emails with links to fake news sites. The FTC says
the emails seemed to come from someone familiar, but actually came
from hackers. The emails linked to fake news sites with fictitious
articles and phony endorsements - even, supposedly, from Oprah -
and claims of huge weight-loss results. But, the FTC says, the claims
are not backed by solid science.
New Videos, Site Warn Consumers about Imposter Scams
To help people recognize and avoid some common imposter scams,
the FTC has created new resources. You can find new videos and articles
about spotting IRS imposters, romance scammers, tech support schemers,
and family emergency scammers. The videos and other information
are available in English or in Spanish.
Florida Energy Companies to Sell Pipeline Interests per FTC
Two energy companies, Energy Transfer Equity and The Williams
Companies, agreed to sell an interest in an interstate natural gas
pipeline to settle FTC charges that their merger would lead to higher
priced natural gas for Florida customers. Natural gas often is used
to generate electric power, but Florida has few local sources of
natural gas. Instead, utilities and other customers there depend
on pipelines to transport natural gas from out-of-state. The FTC's
order preserves competition by requiring the companies to sell certain
interests to a Commission-approved buyer.
FTC Says Gold, Silver Investment Outfit is Fraudulent
The FTC filed charges against a gold and silver marketing operation
for defrauding investors. The FTC says DiscountMetalBrokers marketed
gold and silver as investments, selling "at discount prices,"
yet failed to deliver. Many people used their retirement savings
to buy the precious metals, with individual orders ranging from
$1,000 to $300,000.
Company Settles Misleading Weight-Loss and Menopause Relief
Lunada Biomedical, Inc. has settled FTC charges that it deceptively
marketed a dietary supplement to perimenopausal and menopausal women,
making unsupported claims about its ability to help users lose weight
and relieve menopause-related symptoms. Among other things, the
order bars defendants from making unsubstantiated claims for any
Banned Mortgage Assistance and Debt Relief Operations
The FTC has created a list of mortgage and debt relief operations
that the FTC has asked the courts to permanently ban from the industry.
The FTC has sued over 500 companies and individuals who broke the
law, and banned nearly 300 of them.
Your Money Back
The FTC is returning money to people targeted by scams.
FTC recently settled a deceptive advertising lawsuit against Lumos
Labs, Inc., the marketers of the Lumosity brain-training program,
saying its claims about the program are not supported by science.
Affected consumers may apply online or complete this PDF form and
mail it to: FTC v. Lumos Labs, Inc. et al.; Refund Administrator;
P.O. Box 2008; Chanhassen, MN 55317.
The FTC is mailing 1,400
checks to people who paid for bogus cancer cures. Daniel Chapter
One and its principal, James Feijo, deceptively marketed the supposed
benefits of four dietary supplements - BioShark, 7 Herb Formula,
GDU, and BioMixx.
If you get a check, deposit or cash it within
60 days of the mailing date. The FTC never requires consumers to
pay money or to provide information before refund checks can be
cashed. Want information about the FTC's refund program? Visit ftc.gov/refunds.
IN OTHER NEWS:
FTC Adds Defendants,
Charges in Ongoing Tech Support Scam Case
FTC Seeks Public
Input On Proposed Changes to the Fuel Economy Guide
to make money? Say no to income #scams #workathome #workathomescams
Beach bound this
summer? Here's what you need to know about #timeshares #timesharescams


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Amazon Stock Price Gains Strength After Retesting $126.5 Support
After retesting the $125-$126 demand zone, Amazon stock (NASDAQ: AMZN) price is gaining strength once again. The stock experienced a 12% correction from its yearly peak after it failed to break above the $146 resistance level in September 2023. The ongoing price action reveals a major battle between the bulls and the bears to gain control.
Since the last week of September, Amazon shares have been trading sideways within the $125-$129 range. Despite strong selling pressure, the bears failed to gain acceptance below the $126 support level.
After a 0.66% gain last week, the stock of the e-commerce giant extended gains by another 0.23% on Monday. The price action will likely remain volatile for the rest of the week as the traders await the September 2023 CPI data for key insights on inflation.
In a major development, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently filed an antitrust lawsuit against Amazon. The lawsuit alleges the tech giant is harming consumers by stifling competition. Attorneys General from 17 US states have joined the lawsuit, which is also impacting the Amazon stock price.
Amazon has responded to the FTC with an official statement.
..if successful, force Amazon to engage in practices that actually harm consumers and the many businesses that sell in our store..
David Zapolsky, Senior Vice President, Global Public Policy & General Counsel of Amazon
Amazon Stock Price Analysis
I accurately predicted a bounce in the NASDAQ: AMZN from the $126 level. Although the price dipped below this level, the bulls pushed it back above the key level. There is a strong chance that the price will fill the $132-$135 liquidity void in the coming days.
Amazon stock price will remain bullish for me as long as the bulls hold the $126 demand zone. A breakdown below this level will be a strong sell signal for me. Since last month’s breakdown from the uptrend, bears have a slight edge. This week’s CPI report will keep the price in check as the US equities try to recover.


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Northern companies combine to back Manchester’s “More Than An Airport” campaign
Manchester Airport has created a new advertising campaign, which will run across the North of England.
More Than An Airport will promote how it can promote trade, community, business and tourism opportunities across the region.
“What the creation of this campaign has done is enable us to fully understand the many ways in which the international connectivity we provide truly makes the North a great place to visit and do business with,” explained Andrew Cowan, CEO of Manchester Airport.
“We are also proud to be able to showcase the many community groups and organisations we support each year and promote businesses who are doing great things around the world through the eye-catching imagery.”
More than 50 companies and individuals feature in the advertising, they are based in Manchester, Lancashire, Cumbria, Yorkshire and Wales. These include Uncle Joe’s Mint Balls, Saltaire Brewery and Leeds Pride.
The images will be used across social media, online and at various sites across the North.
“Our visitor economy has grown year-on-year over the last decade to the point where it brings £4.3 billion into the city region each year, and having Manchester Airport less than an hour away has been a huge part of that growth,” said Chris Brown, Director of Marketing Liverpool.
“It allows visitors from long-haul markets such as the US, China and India to come directly to the north west; frequently mixing a visit to Liverpool with other cities like Manchester or glorious natural beauty in Lancashire and Cumbria. It is also a huge benefit to our meetings and conferences industry, to businesses working globally and the thousands of international students who make Liverpool their home each year.”
Rachel Tyson, the Head of Marketing and Sales at Cumbria Tourism added:
“Manchester Airport is a key gateway to Northern England and it is fantastic to be part of a campaign which reinforces the warm welcome that we can collectively offer to international visitors. With the lure of two UNESCO World Heritage Sites and a world-class reputation as a visitor destination, Cumbria’s £3billion tourism industry has a compelling story to tell and it’s an exciting time to be developing some of our most important overseas markets alongside our partners in other northern destinations.”


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Traditionally, well-off Indian families have taken the luxurious, opulent route when hosting weddings, but a new generation of environmentally-conscious couples are opting for a different way to celebrate their union.
The lavish, three-day ceremonies, the extravagant decorations, the endless personalised gifts, and the smorgasbord of food options in over-the-top buffets no longer appeal to a new breed of young Indian urbanites who do not want their special day to cost the earth.
The appetite for eco-weddings is partly a result of growing environmental awareness among young people, and also the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic – lavish celebrations are considered wasteful. Where once it was not unheard of for a thousand guests to attend a ceremony in a deluxe farmhouse, now more families prefer close-knit, sober affairs that save on money, time, and resources.
As the idea of a sustainable wedding is taking hold, wedding planners and organisers who specialise in eco-friendly ceremonies have started to proliferate.
“Out of the 10 weddings we hosted in the past few months, two were eco-friendly. Sometimes the couples themselves want to be environmentally conscious while planning their weddings, sometimes we suggest it and they adopt the idea,’’ said Anuja Ravikumar, founder of Levitate, a wedding planner from Bengaluru in southern India, who specialises in plastic-free ceremonies.
Conceptualising a wedding that goes easy on nature requires meticulous planning — from the invitations, design, and décor, to the catering, gifting, and even wedding attire.
“We curated a wedding where we sourced old, worn-out tyres. The tyres were painted in five different colours, adorned with reusable flowers and used as decorative props. It made quite an impression on the wedding guests,’’ said Rahul D’Silva, events manager at Panigrahana Weddings, which is also based in Bengaluru.
Panigrahana Weddings’ eco-friendly option uses natural products like bamboo and jute instead of plastic; signages are hand-written on blackboards, which avoids wasting paper; and trees and shrubs are used to hang lights, rather than artificial structures.
The e-invitations inform guests that the venue is plastic free. Gifts for wedding guests include plants, edible food items, and products made out of recycled goods. Cane baskets and flowers for decoration are sourced locally. The ingredients for the food menu are usually sourced locally too, giving local farmers a boost. Leftover food is donated to local charities or NGOs. “We have a tie-up with an NGO to hand over leftover fresh food to be donated to old-age homes or orphanages. Food waste is collected and given to farmers to feed farm animals like cows or dogs. Nothing is left at the venue,’’ said D’Silva.
Another important factor is the wedding attire worn by the bride and groom. Instead of going to fancy showrooms and purchasing their wedding attire, couples opt to either rent or reuse wedding attire that has been in their family.
Wedding planners usually have to be very creative when planning a green wedding as they have to strike a careful balance between eco-friendliness and uniqueness. “Sustainable weddings basically involve finding eco-friendly alternatives in the various aspects of an event. Whether it’s decor, gifting and packaging, or invites, we use upcycled or natural materials. We also love to incorporate traditional Indian art and craft techniques as they mostly follow age-old sustainable practices,’’ said Aishwarya Lonial and Indraja Khare, co-founder and designer, respectively, at Nose to Tail Green Events, which specialises in curating eco weddings.
We are now planning to opt for a simpler, more natural wedding with a strong eco-friendly theme because we have new-found respect for life and our natural surroundings.
Bengaluru-based Anchitha Akhilesh had a green, eco-friendly wedding in March 2022, and was happy with the way Panigrahana Weddings planned it. “I was particular that we did not want any wastage at our wedding. Our event planners used a lot of recycled items – throwaway items that they sourced from various places, which were painted, crafted, decorated, and used at the venue. Indian weddings generally use a lot of flowers, but we didn’t want to use too many fresh flowers as these end up being wasted by the end of the event. So, a lot of the flowers used for our décor were created from recycled items. They looked just like real flowers. For our wedding guests, everyone was gifted a seed bomb – a ball of mud with seeds that they had to go home and plant. These were given to every guest in a bag made of recycled fabric, such as from old saris, which we got made especially,’’ she said.
When it comes to the financial aspect, the cost of a green wedding is usually either comparable to or lower than that of a traditional wedding. “Weddings in India have a varied spectrum when it comes to expenses so it’s tough to compare. But financially, hosting an eco-friendly wedding is similar to a traditional wedding. There are areas where you would end up spending more to ensure sustainability, but at the same time there are other areas where you would save by avoiding unnecessary expenditure. So it balances out,’’ explained Lonial.
According to Ravikumar, green weddings entail recycling and reusing products, which proves a huge cost-saving measure. “For instance, we don’t use plastic water bottles but paper cups or even glass water bottles, which can be reused. Instead of confetti, we encourage the use of dried flower petals. These end up being financially prudent as well,’’ she said.
Usually, Indian weddings, particularly in northern India, feature elaborate events such as haldi, mehndi and cocktails, followed by a grand wedding ceremony and reception. Many planners concede that not every client is willing to go the green way completely. For instance, most families still prefer to stick to the conventional way of going to people’s homes to personally invite them with a fancy wedding card and a box of sweets.
In many families, a wedding in the family must be celebrated with opulence and grandeur just to maintain social status. Gifts are expensive and personalised. Lakhs are spent just on the decorations and the food, so the cost can add up to crores. “Sustainable weddings are a relatively new trend in India. However, in our last four years of being in the industry, we have noticed a steady growth in the number of people reaching out to us, which is a positive sign of people accepting this idea,’’ said Lohani.
The Covid pandemic has played a role in changing people’s minds about the way they wish to live, with many choosing simplicity and subtlety. “Covid changed the way we perceived celebrations and family events. The pandemic taught us that life can be celebrated with family, without all the fuss and splendour,’’ said Delhi resident Avya Arora, who is planning her wedding in 2023, “We are now planning to opt for a simpler, more natural wedding with a strong eco-friendly theme because we have new-found respect for life and our natural surroundings.”
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The basmati specialist has introduced two brown rice recipes – Butternut Squash and Mushroom & White Wine – and two white rice variants – Coconut & Lime Leaf and Oriental Stir Fry, which use white rice.
Tilda claims its 19-strong Steamed Basmati range, rsp £1.69, has grown 29% to £11m since its launch in May 2007, almost double the market’s growth of 15%.
Kate Barnett, senior brand manager, said the success was down to the products’ health credentials, as well as convenience.
“The new recipes will complement a variety of meals and have been inspired by current health trends,” said Barnett. “As brown basmati sales have grown 80% over the past two years, our consumers have requested more brown rice recipes. The new Butternut Squash variant also feeds interest in superfoods.”


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Thursday, Jan. 13, 2011 | 6:14 p.m.
Casino equipment maker Shuffle Master Inc. said Thursday that its fourth-quarter net income fell 8 percent, dragged down by a legal settlement and financing costs.
The company, which makes automatic card shufflers, chip sorters and other equipment, said its net income in the quarter that ended Oct. 31 was $5.7 million, or 10 cents per share, compared with $6.2 million, or 12 cents per share, a year earlier.
The results included a charge of 3 cents per share for a legal settlement that covered licensing fees to Prime Table Games and a penny per share for financing costs under a previous credit agreement.
Analysts expected Shuffle Master to report net income of 13 cents per share, excluding such one-time charges so the results met analyst estimates.
Revenue rose 7 percent to $58.6 million, boosted by a 12 percent gain in lease, royalty and service revenue, which accounts for nearly half the company's sales. Analysts expected $54.6 million.
For the fiscal year, the company earned $23.1 million, or 43 cents per share, compared with $15 million, or 28 cents per share, a year ago. Revenue rose to $201.3 million from $179.4 million.
The shares rose 41 cents, or 3.7 percent, to end regular trading at $11.58.


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The Greenville Chamber of Commerce has partnered with The Hayes Approach to offer InstantHR, a digital human resources platform designed for small businesses.
The InstantHR platform provides small businesses with resources such as toolkits, templates, and instructional videos, as well as regular updates and personalized assistance, according to a news release. It will be offered to the chamber’s investors as part of the Value-Add Partner Program, which helps businesses save on critical business products and services by providing discounts only available to chamber investors, the release said.
“The Greenville chamber is dedicated to creating innovative solutions to challenges our small businesses are facing and InstantHR aligns perfectly with this mission,” said Carlos Phillips, CEO and president of the Greenville Chamber of Commerce, in the release. “InstantHR gives small businesses access to the same quality services as other larger companies and it will help them save time and money, both of which are extremely valuable.”
The Hayes Approach was selected following a request for proposals and an interview process by a committee of chamber leaders, the release said.
“We are excited to partner with the Greenville chamber to deliver this valuable service to our fellow small businesses,” said Leslie Hayes, founder and president of The Hayes Approach, in the release. “We understand the impact an HR headache can have on a small business, so we hope that this tool will allow business owners to leave the HR work to a team of professionals and help them get back to what they do best and build thriving businesses.”
For more information, visit www.greenvillechamber.org/savings.


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Oracle says it wants to challenge Salesforce.com with products using technology gained in its Eloqua acquisition. Eloqua's software will "create modern marketers" that "know exactly what their customers want," Oracle's Thomas Kurian says. In addition, the company said it is transitioning 130 manufacturing jobs from Mexico to Oregon.
Eloqua tech will let Oracle take aim at Salesforce.com, exec says
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Piper's Munster Highlights Long-Term Growth Opportunities for Apple (AAPL) Beyond Current iPhone 'Super-Cycle'
- Nasdaq hits record; bank earnings validate Wall St. rally
- Intrawest Resorts (SNOW) Exploring a Possible Sale - Reuters
- Alibaba (BABA) Has No Plans to Acquire Rest of Groupon (GRPN) - Source
- Time (TIME) Said to Soon Begin Discussions with Interested Buyers - Bloomberg
- JPMorgan (JPM) Reports Q4 EPS of $1.71
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Piper Jaffray affirms Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) at Overweight with a price target of $151, offering up expected near-term and longer-term growth drivers for the company in terms of hardware and software innovation.
Analyst Gene Munster commented today:
Our core thesis on AAPL remains that investors should own the stock for two shots on goal over the next year. First, there is a small chance the iPhone 7 surprises positively and drives growth above levels of the iPhone 6 cycle. Second, and more likely, in our view, the iPhone 7 is incremental as expected and the iPhone 7S/8 (10th anniversary device) is a more meaningful update with a large pool of 2-3 year old device owners for upgrade, creating a "super-cycle." Beyond the super-cycle, we believe there are four categories to consider for innovation over the next 10 years: phone evolution, augmented reality, virtual reality, and the car.
On the iPhone evolution:
We believe that in the next three years, the area where Apple can make the most impactful improvement is in battery life. While batteries aren't as exciting technologically as retina scanning or curved glass, we believe that functional improvements tend to drive the most consumer excitement and interest.
Beyond battery, we believe that Apple will likely experiment with curved glass devices. We note that some investors have talked about a hybrid phone/tablet type device delivered through a foldable OLED screen (similar to a device many believe Samsung is working on); however, we note that Apple has been slow to enter into hybrid type devices in the past. For example, the company did not offer a connected keyboard for the iPad to create something closer to a tablet/laptop hybrid until it launched the iPad Pro almost three years after Microsoft introduced the Surface.
Munster on AR:
We remain believers that augmented (or mixed) reality devices are the future of screens, but expect the current combination of smartphones, PCs, tablets, and TVs to remain the standard for the next several years. More specifically, we expect the iPhone, and smartphone in general, to continue to act as a bridge to an augmented world. The popularity of Pokemon Go, while a simple example of augmented reality, shows.
While we don't expect ARrelated features to drive an inflection in iPhone growth, we do see them as an important evolution in the device as we move beyond the smartphone. Long-term (beginning more meaningfully in 5-10 years), we continue to expect that some form of wearable, most likely in the form of glasses, will replace the majority of screens in our everyday lives. These wearables, and eventually contact lens or implant-based devices, will likely be the future of augmented reality hardware.
Munster on the Apple car:
Initial WSJ reports suggested that the car had a "target ship date" of 2019; however, more recent reports suggest the launch is more likely in 2021 or five years from now. We believe that Apple could release some of its learnings before 2021 as it continues to develop its own car. For example, autonomous driving software could come out earlier via an automotive partner or more advanced CarPlay features. In terms of the market, as we've previously written, BMW might be the best comp for what Apple could do with the car in a wildly successful long-term scenario. BMW brand sold 1.9 million vehicles worldwide in 2015. At a $75k ASP, that would represent a $142.5 billion revenue opportunity. The bottom line is that the car, while it could still be scrapped, has the potential to be a true needle mover.
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MUMBAI, Aug.4 (Reuters Breakingviews) – A price comparison exercise roughly compares to Policybazaar. The online supermarket for insurance and loans is the latest Indian tech company to go public in recent weeks. The money-losing SoftBank-backed company (9984.T) is targeting a huge and underserved market, and its meteoric growth in a country where demand for financial products is exploding helps justify a skyrocketing valuation.
The operating income of the company founded by Yashish Dahiya and Alok Bansal in 2008 was increasing by 57% per year before the pandemic. Customers use its platform to educate themselves, get personalized quotes, check credit scores, calculate monthly repayments, and process complaints. Policybazaar seeks clients for around fifty partners in each of its two business sectors and takes no underwriting or credit risk.
As a market leader, it has one of the characteristics most coveted by investors trying to pick winners. Policybazaar derives more than two-thirds of its income from insurance; it accounts for 65% of all digital insurance sales and has one of the most recognized brands alongside the state-owned Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIFI.NS). There is also a lot of trail. Non-life insurance premiums currently represent 1% of India’s GDP, compared to 2% in China and 6.5% in the United States.
The theoretical valuation of up to $ 5 billion implies that the company will trade at 42 times operating revenue for the year through March. This compares to 11 times for Thai insurance aggregator TQM (TQM.BK) and 4 times for London-listed MoneySuperMarket (MONY.L), which is also embarking on lending. Yet those peers were growing their earnings before the pandemic much more slowly, at around 10% year-on-year, according to data from Refinitiv. In contrast, New York-listed Lemonade (LMND.N), a faster growing digital insurance provider, trades 49 times.
Competitors with stronger distribution networks are entering the Indian market. Paytm, another SoftBank-backed company that has lined up to be listed at an even higher implied valuation, acts as an insurance market and will soon be able to write policies as well. It has 333 million users and 21 million merchants on its financial super-app that offers payments, wealth management and more, compared to Policybazaar’s 48 million registered users. Despite this, Policybazaar maintains cost control while increasing revenue. This puts him on the path to profitability in a market where there is room for many winners.
To pursue @ugalani on Twitter
– The Indian Policybazaar filed on August 2 an initial public offering to raise up to 60.2 billion rupees ($ 810 million) through the sale of new and existing shares.
– The insurance and loan market could also target an equity placement before the IPO and will reduce the size of the offering if it goes through.
– The company is 15.8% owned by SoftBank Vision Funds. A unit of Chinese Tencent owns just over 9%.
– Kotak Investment Banking and Morgan Stanley are global co-coordinators and lead book managers on the transaction.
Editing by Pete Sweeney and Katrina Hamlin
Reuters Breakingviews is the world’s leading source of financial agenda information. As the Reuters brand for financial commentary, we dissect big business and economic stories from around the world every day. A global team of around 30 correspondents in New York, London, Hong Kong and other major cities provide real-time expert analysis.
Sign up for a free trial of our full service at https://www.breakingviews.com/trial and follow us on Twitter @Breakingviews and at www.breakingviews.com. All opinions expressed are those of the authors.


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IPOH, July 16 — Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Perak affected by the Covid-19 outbreak can apply for the Perak SME Prihatin Grant (GERUP) via online starting today, said State Rural Development, Entrepreneur Development, Cooperatives and Consumer Affairs Committee chairman Datuk Saarani Mohamad.
Saarani said, entrepreneurs could apply for the one-off financial aid of RM3,000 until July 30 at gerup.smecorp.gov.my.
He said among the expenses covered by the aid include marketing and raw material expenses, workers’ wages, business premise rental as well as the purchase of equipment.
“SMEs receiving this aid will then be monitored and guided by entrepreneurship agencies in Perak to ensure continued capacity building,” he told reporters at a media conference after launching the Perak SME Prihatin Grant (GERUP) at the Entrepreneurs Development Centre of the Perak State Development Corporation (PKNP) here, today.
He added that entrepreneurs could also seek assistance from the 24 agencies appointed by the state government to apply of which includes SME Corporation Malaysia, State Economic Planning Unit, Yayasan Perak, Perak State Department of Agriculture, Majlis Amanah Rakyat, Tekun Nasional and PKNP.
He said to apply, the SMEs must be registered with the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM) and have been operating before January 1 with an annual total sales of less than RM3000,000 or hiring less than five workers and have never received the Special Prihatin Grant from the federal government. — Bernama


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Pepsi returns to Sainsbury's shelves
Pepsi is back on Sainsbury's shelves again, following a stand-off between the supermarket and Britvic over pricing.
According to the Financial Times, Britvic, the UK distributor of the Pepsi portfolio, stopped supplies after Sainsbury’s refused to pay a significant cost increase.
The spat led to shortages of the Pepsi brands in Sainsbury’s stores over the past two weeks.
The supermarket is reported to have ‘"caved in" to Britvic's price increase in order to restock the brand on its shelves.
Britvic told Marketing that "the issue has now been resolved". Sainsbury’s, however, declined to comment.
Earlier this month, Sainsbury’s launched an ad for 2011 to show the positive impact that collecting Sainsbury's Active Kids vouchers has on youngsters in customers' local areas.
This article was first published on marketingmagazine.co.uk
- Marketing Manager Ball & Hoolahan £80,000 per annum + Car or c/a, South East England
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- Qual Research Executive Ball & Hoolahan £30,000, London (Central), London (Greater)
- Virgin Media 'night owl' ad to break in Gogglebox
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- Adam & Eve/DDB wins 2014 IPA Effectiveness Awards Grand Prix
- Testicular cancer awareness campaign launches comedy show
- Enjoyed getting an hour back on Sunday? You'll get years back if you stop smoking, says charity
- Tiffany & Co hires MEC for $100m global media


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Cassper says he was chilling and drinking water at a tablewhen AKA walked up to him from across the room and, without a word, klapped him.
JOHANNESBURG - Cassper Nyovest has launched a new cellphone in collaboration with MTN and AG Mobile.
The impending release of the cellphone had been communicated months prior to Tuesday’s release.
The AGHashtag, as the cellphone will be called, will feature 4G LTE connection, 5.5 HD screen, 13 Mega pixel back camera, 16 gig internal memory and more.
AG Mobile has previously collaborated with other South African celebrities including Danny K, Kabelo Mabalane, DJ Fresh, Loyiso Bala, Lloyd Cele and Sophie Ndaba.
AG Mobile hit the South African market in 2007. It is a home grown cellphone brand that offers a range of feature and smart phones at an affordable price, which has seen it make gradual inroads into the market.
AG Mobile reports that in the 10 years of operating it has captured almost 10% of the local market, challenging brands such as ZTE (Zhongxing Telecommunication Equipment) and Vodacom.
The AGHashtag (Cassper phone) is set to position itself alongside the best smartphones such as the iPhone 6, Samsung S7 and Sony Xperia range.


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Because the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak spreads all through the world, delaying motion pictures, cancelling sporting occasions and shutting companies, it is inevitable that sport manufacturing shall be impacted as properly.
Sony has mentioned that it does not anticipate coronavirus to affect the deliberate launch of the PS5, although first-party video games for the PS4 might but be affected. Microsoft has warned about manufacturing delays with sure product strains, however has confirmed that the Xbox Collection X continues to be on schedule. Each new consoles are anticipated to launch this yr.
Numerous video games have been delayed as groups should abide by lockdown and self-isolation, together with some big-name titles. This is each delay we all know of to date.
The Final Of Us 2
Most likely the most important title to have been affected by the disaster, Sony has pushed the discharge of the highly-anticipated sequel again indefinitely, because of coronavirus “stopping us from offering the launch expertise our gamers deserve.” Naughty Canine additional clarified that logistical points would affect very best launch situations, corresponding to a simultaneous international launch.
In contrast to different video games which were delayed, the difficulty just isn’t growth however the ultimate push in the direction of release–likely impacted by the truth that The Final Of Us 2 is such a giant title for Sony.
Marvel’s Iron Man VR
Sony has additionally pushed again Iron Man VR, asserting the delay concurrently The Final Of Us 2. Iron Man VR is a PSVR sport developed by Camoflaj, already having been delayed by a number of months to present the builders extra time to refine it.
Replace: SIE has made the troublesome choice to delay the launch of The Final of Us Half II and Marvel’s Iron Man VR till additional discover. Logistically, the worldwide disaster is stopping us from offering the launch expertise our gamers deserve.
— PlayStation (@PlayStation) April 2, 2020
The Outer Worlds Change Launch
Whereas already out for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC, Change gamers must wait just a little longer for The Outer Worlds. This delay has been attributable to impacts to the developer of the Change port Virtuos, an organization based mostly in Singapore with workplaces throughout China.
We’re delaying @OuterWorlds on Nintendo Change as a result of coronavirus impacting the Virtuos workforce engaged on the port, to supply them sufficient time to complete growth. We’ll now be releasing the bodily model on cartridge. As soon as we now have a brand new launch date, we’ll let you realize!
— Personal Division (@PrivateDivision) February 6, 2020
With the delay being introduced in early February, The Outer Worlds on Change now has a brand new launch date of June 5.
Fallout 76 Wastelanders Replace
Besthesda’s huge replace for Fallout 76, designed to carry the sport extra according to what gamers anticipate from a Fallout sport, has additionally been delayed as builders transition to working from house. Initially scheduled for April 7, it is now coming per week in a while April 14. The Steam launch of Fallout 76 has additionally been pushed to April 14.
Initially scheduled for launch in April, the dungeon-crawling Minecraft spinoff has been delayed and can now launch on Could 26 for Nintendo Change, PlayStation 4, PC and Xbox One.
Earlier in March, an replace on the sport’s Twitter account warned of potential delays because of adjustments in workflow, with groups working from house because of coronavirus. The Minecraft Dungeons workforce had been nonetheless working in the direction of an April launch at that time.


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Larky announces Bret Taylor as Sales Executive
Experienced digital banking professional joins company’s sales team to assist prospective fintech partners
ANN ARBOR, MICH (December 20, 2022) — Larky, a fintech provider helping financial institutions proactively connect with their audience in the right place and at the right time, has appointed fintech sales veteran Bret Taylor as Sales Executive.
Taylor has nearly a decade of experience within the financial services technology industry. Throughout his career, he has specialized in customer acquisition, client engagement, solutions consulting and account management at SMA Technologies and, most recently, with digital banking provider Bankjoy.
“Larky’s targeted outreach tool offers financial institutions a competitive edge and truly elevates the digital banking experience,” Taylor said. “I recognize the strong value-add communication strategy of the platform, and I am eager to have the opportunity to expand sales reach and bring this timely solution to more banks and credit unions.”
Reporting to Vice President of Growth Scott Brown, Taylor identifies potential prospects for new business growth, builds and maintains new client relationships, shares Larky’s value proposition and plays a key role in closing partnership agreements. He also acts as an expert on the latest sales trends and shifting needs of financial institutions to strengthen the success of Larky’s nudge® sales strategies.
The nudge® platform enables banks and credit unions to leverage tailored, turnkey push notification campaigns to their account holder base. nudge®, when integrated into an existing mobile banking application, uses time-based, geolocation technology to reach account holders at the right time and drive stronger engagement. Larky’s push notification messaging can be distributed to address each customer with meaningful account updates, new product offers, updated branch information, etc.
“The addition of Bret and his wealth of industry expertise best positions us to continue building upon the strong growth we’ve experienced in the past year,” Brown said. “With Bret, we look forward to identifying valuable opportunities, fostering new partner relationships and serving our clients.”
Larky, the market leader of consumer engagement technology, empowers financial institutions to proactively connect with their audience in the right place, at the right time. The company advances digital transformation in the banking sector through its Larky nudge® platform, which delivers tailored turnkey push notification campaigns to selected account holders. For more information, visit https://nudge.larky.com. Follow Larky on LinkedIn and Twitter.


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TOULON — Brooke Rennick, the teenage founder of an ever-expanding charity project that has drawn international attention in efforts to provide coats for needy children — celebrated her 14th birthday Friday by giving more coats to more kids.
Joined by her parents and a friend, the Toulon Junior High School eighth-grader, who started Koats for Kids, delivered 145 more coats and other cold weather apparel to the Salvation Army's Estate and Charitable Gift Planning Center in Peoria.
"I believe with today's drop-off that she will have collected and donated about 900 coats and other items the past two years alone," said Rich Draeger, the organization's assistant development director.
Brooke's project began about four years ago with clearing out her family household's closets of unused coats, hats, boots, and mittens that could benefit children in her own area. It has expanded to include not only numerous collection points for donated items but also an online fundraising auction of designer apparel donated by a Hong Kong attorney who read about her efforts online.
"Brooke is a great young lady and always seems to be of a mindset to help others," Draeger said. "What may have started as a house-cleaning project has certainly grown into a wonderful endeavor."
Of 14 designer coats that had been donated by attorney Kristi Swartz, a Texas native who is managing partner of the Hong Kong office of a global law firm, nine were sold on eBay last week for bids totaling nearly $900. Five others remain up for bid through at least 2 p.m. Saturday, and that may be extended for another week, said Brooke's father, attorney Robert Rennick Jr., who is handling the financial transactions.
"If we don't sell them on eBay, we'll try to sell them on the Facebook page or something," he said.
Meanwhile, two more shipments from Swartz have arrived in recent days, including more coats, other clothing, and also designer purses, Rennick said. The plan is to sell those items on eBay as well, and use the proceeds to buy still more coats at discount or second-hand stores to donate to the Salvation Army.
"There will be more auctions soon that include some very amazing handbags," noted a Friday posting on the Facebook page maintained by Brooke's parents. Her mother, Leslie Rennick, is a teacher at Stark County Elementary School in Wyoming.
Draeger pointed out that efforts of this type can have inspirational impact far beyond the direct benefits to people served by the Salvation Army.
"Not only is she helping youngsters who might be without (coats)," he said. "I hope she is motivating and inspiring other young people to get involved in whatever way they can."
More information on the online auction of designer coats donated for a charity program can be obtained on the Facebook page for "Koats for Kids Toulon."
Page 2 of 2 - Coats and other winter apparel also can be dropped off at various sites listed on Facebook, including the law office of Robert Rennick Jr., 117-119 W. Court St., PO Box 430, Toulon IL 61483. Donations also can be mailed to Koats for Kids at that address.
Gary L. Smith can be reached at (800) 516-0389 or firstname.lastname@example.org. Read his Northern Circuit blog at pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @Glsmithx.


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Back during its first virtual event for the fall, Apple unveiled the updated iPad Air –the fourth generation of the tablet – bringing an updated design with smaller bezels and flat edges. The tablet boasts of many improvements such as the new A14 Bionic processor, an upgrade over the A12 Bionic offered in its predecessor. It also offers a power button-based Touch ID, a first for the Cupertino giant’s devices.
While the company did not mention a specific launch date for the device and only noted a vague “October” time frame, the device has now passed through FCC for certification. Spotted by 9to5Mac, the listing suggests that the device is now approved for sale in the U.S.
GOT EM!— Jon Prosser (@jon_prosser) October 13, 2020
iPad Air preorders on Friday, October 16th.
Launch on Friday, October 23rd. pic.twitter.com/BNtbmGNhzK
Rumors suggest that the new iPad Air will go up for pre-order tomorrow, October 16, with availability slated for October 23. Best Buy Canada has already posted a listing for the tablet, suggesting that the pre-orders are closer than ever in that country. It will be interesting to see if these rumors are accurate and if the device indeed hits the web for pre-orders as suggested by the reports.
The iPad Air starts at $599 and offers a design similar to the iPad Pro and also adds support for the second-generation Apple Pencil, bringing premium features to a more affordable price point. The eighth-gen iPad retails for $329 and is already on sale.


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Redefine Meat Launches Category-Defining Range Of ‘New-Meat’ Products, Marking Major Milestone For Expansion Of Alternative Meat
Tuesday, July 27th, 2021 | 341 Views
Leading Alt-Meat innovator, Redefine Meat, has announced the commercial launch of its first ever series of ‘New-Meat’ products in Israel. Available today in select restaurants and hotels nationwide* (famous for their meat quality and most debuting Alt-meat for the first time), the plant-based range consists of a premium 170-gram (6 Oz.) hamburger, sausage, lamb kebab, middle eastern ‘cigar’, and ground beef developed for high-quality restaurants and open flame grilling. In Q4 2021, Redefine Meat will extend the rollout of its first New-Meat product range to Europe, with USA and Asia expected in 2022. The company also revealed that it will launch its first whole cut range later this year, following pilot-testing success.
With its eyes firmly set on meat lovers, Redefine Meat has worked closely with global meat experts and developed proprietary technologies to create a new category of high-quality meat products made from plant-based ingredients. One that does not compromise on the experience of eating animal meat, but also goes beyond todays Alt-Meat products – attracting new chefs and consumers to the fast growing category. Having made huge strides in developing technology to replace the entire cow, the company today brings to market its first product range delivering unparalleled taste and texture.
“Launching our first product portfolio represents a big step in our mission to become the world’s largest meat company, and accelerates our ability to bring to market our further innovation later this year” says Eshchar Ben-Shitrit, CEO and Co-Founder of Redefine Meat. “Each product in the range and the ones to follow are born from our understanding of meat at the molecular level, extensive R&D and technological innovation, which combined provides us the ability to create any meat product that exists today. This has been critical to achieving a superiority in taste that honestly, we did not even expect, and the technological versatility to do what no other has done – replace every part of the cow with tasty plant-based meat.”


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La Tale: Now available on Steam
OGPlanet is proud to announce that the cute, anime-style MMORPG La Tale has just been released on Steam. The long-running 2D adventure is the latest free-to-play offering on Steam, giving players another way to experience the game, and comes complete with Steam Trading Cards, full Steam Wallet integration, and more. Players can now join the experience on Steam at http://store.steampowered.com/app/264360/.
After being listed on Steam’s GREENLIGHT program, La Tale players quickly flocked to support the game, leading the title to be Greenlit in late 2013. Now that the game has launched, Steam players will be able to join the original community side-by-side in-game! Steam players will have access to the latest content, and can join in on the awesome ongoing events run by the team of Game Masters at OGPlanet.
For more info, visit http://latale.ogplanet.com
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The consumer version of the app is closing its digital doors, but there's a replacement.
The consumer version of Blackberry Messenger is shutting down today.
Friday is the last day for users to download photos, videos and files so they're not lost. Contacts, Stickers and Feeds can't be exported. BBM is offering refunds for Stickers but not for BBMojis. Reward balances had to be collected by May 20.
BBM tweeted a goodbye Friday morning to remind users of the shutdown and to suggest that they check out BBM Enterprise as a replacement on iOS and Android. The app will be free the first year. Then a six-month subscription will cost $2.49.
Emtek, the company BlackBerry partnered with in 2016 to run the consumer version of the messaging app, said in a blog post Thursday that the technology industry is "very fluid" and that despite "substantial efforts," users have moved on to other platforms.
"We poured our hearts into making this a reality, and we are proud of what we have built to date," Emtek said.
Mark Wilson, BlackBerry's chief marketing officer, said that though the company is disappointed, BBM users won't be without a secure messaging platform.
Originally published April 18.
Update April 19: Added more details.
Update May 31: Added BBM goodbye message.


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Rita Restaurant Corp. Purchases Don Pabloâ€™s and Hops Restaurants
Rita Restaurant Corp. has purchased 41 Don Pablo’s restaurants in 15 states and seven Hops restaurants in four states from Avado Brands Inc. of Madison, Georgia
Rita Restaurant Corp. is a newly formed corporation owned by funds and accounts managed or advised by DDJ Capital Management LLC. The company will remain in Madison under a new management structure. David Barr will lead the company as chairman of the board, Paul Seidman will serve as chief operating officer, and Kurt Schnaubelt as chief financial officer.
Rita Restaurant Corp. purchased the restaurants from Avado Brands as part of Avado’s Chapter 11, Section 363 auction. Financial advisor Lane, Berry & Co. International LLC of Boston assisted with the transaction, which was finalized on February 27.


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Netflix streaming subscribers are cutting the cord at an accelerating rate, a recent poll found.
According to The Diffusion Group, Netflix customers who stream their content through their Web devices are more than twice as likely to drop at least some of their pay TV services.
The market strategy firm polled a random sample of adult broadband customers who also subscribe to cable, satellite or telco TV services in March and found that, of the respondents who watch Netflix streaming content, 32 percent are likely to at least downgrade their pay TV services — an 100 percent increase over the 16 percent who were likely to do when the same survey was conducted last year.
According to TDG director of research Michael Greeson, the trend indicates that, sooner rather than later, pay TV services and Netflix will have to acknowledge their adversarial relationship.
"Despite its rhetorical positioning, both Netflix and PayTV operators have long been aware that there will come a point at which its services are not only dilutive to regular TV viewing, but antithetical to PayTV subscription levels," Greeson said. "The question for realistic observers has been not if this will occur but when. According to our latest research, that time is upon us."
The continuing bleak economy is also contributing to viewers' tendency to abandon pay TV. Of those Netflix streamers who say that they're likely to downgrade their pay TV services in the next six months, nearly half cited "cost of service" and "need to save money" as a reason for doing so, compared to 34 percent who cite their increasing consumption of video via the web.


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Newsroom: Industry News
Today’s manufacturing industry faces surging consumer demand, a forceful global market and cutthroat pricing competition. With these concerns piling up, it’s difficult to stay focused on the most important factors that keep manufacturing organizations successful, including lean manufacturing, supply chain management and industrial safety. These initiatives are especially challenging without a skilled workforce. In fact, the skills gap in manufacturing has become a significant problem that the industry cannot ignore.


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Nigeria’s 32.4% revenue growth boosts Airtel Africa’s operations
•Combined subscribers base impacted by NIN-SIM directive in Nigeria
Airtel’s Nigerian operations added 32.4 per cent revenue growth to the cumulative earnings of the telecommunications firm in the first half of the year ended September 2021.
According to the financials released yesterday, Airtel Africa revenue grew by 25.2 per cent to $2,272 million with double digit growth across all regions.
The report showed that the revenue in constant currency grew by 27.6 per cent.
Specifically, the report showed that there was strong double-digit constant currency revenue growth across all regions: Nigeria up 32.4 per cent, East Africa up 25.8 per cent and Francophone Africa up 22.1 per cent; and across all key services, Voice up 19.7 per cent, Data up 36.9 per cent and Mobile Money up 42.0 per cent.
The firm said its underlying EBITDA grew by 35.2 per cent to $1,098 million in reported currency and underlying EBITDA margin improved to 48.3 per cent, an increase of 360 basis points led by both revenue growth and improved operational efficiencies.
While the report revealed that operating profit was up 55.1 per cent to $732 million in reported currency, Profit After Tax more than doubled to $335 million, largely due to higher profit before tax which more than offset the associated increase in tax charges.
According to the firm, the basic EPS was 7.6 cents, an increase of 155.9 per cent, as a result of higher profit. EPS before exceptional items increased to 7.5 cents from 3.0 cents in previous period.
The firm’s leverage ratio reduced to 1.5x from 2.2x, while customer base grew by 5.4 per cent to 122.7 million, with increased penetration across mobile data (customer base up 10.9 per cent) and mobile money services (customer base up 19.0 per cent).
Airtel Africa revealed that its customer base growth was affected by the new NIN/SIM registration regulations in Nigeria, stressing that excluding Nigeria, the customer base grew by 13.7 per cent.
Going by the result, the board has declared an interim dividend of two cents per share (1.5 cents in H1’21) in line with an upgraded dividend policy.
The firm said the new policy aims to grow the dividend yearly by a mid to high-single digit percentage from a new base of five cents per share for FY 2022, with a continued focus to further strengthen the balance sheet.
Chief Executive Officer, Segun Ogunsanya, on the trading update, said: “Our first half financial performance has been strong. The first half of last year, especially Q1, was impacted by the start of Covid-19, but even after adjusting for these effects, our revenue growth rates for the half year for the Group and all our service segments are ahead of our FY’21 revenue growth trends, and in reported terms these are all in strong double digits.”
Ogunsanya said the risks from Covid still remain, with sub-Saharan Africa continuing to experience a third wave of the pandemic.
He said governments continue to implement balanced measures of lockdowns and restrictions accordingly.
Ogunsanya said vaccination levels remain low, and “we continue to monitor the situation for potential impacts on economies and consumers.
Accordingly, the firm has continued its network modernisation and expansion, aligned with an extension of distribution capabilities, which have together contributed towards continued strong growth in ARPUs across voice, data and mobile money.
“We have seen an improvement in our customer growth trends for the Group as we approach stability of net monthly movements in Nigeria.
“Alongside our results we have today launched our sustainability strategy. Airtel Africa has always been a business with a sustainable premise at the heart of our purpose to transform lives across Africa through our promotion of both digital and financial inclusion.
“Our sustainability strategy builds upon this, extending and more comprehensively articulating our sustainability goals and credentials. I am excited by the new initiatives we have launched and I look forward to reporting back on our developments in this area with our first sustainability report next year.
“As incoming Group CEO, I have inherited the responsibility to build upon a business with solid foundations and as I look ahead, I continue to see huge potential across voice, data and mobile money from low penetration levels across Africa. The continent continues to be a growth story for us despite the pandemic. We will continue to invest in mobile and digital technologies to drive digital and financial inclusion sustainably in Africa. I am pleased with the progress we have made in the last couple of years on delivering value to everyone touched by our network.”
According to him, Airtel Africa Plc results for half year ended September 30, 2021 are unaudited and in the opinion of management, include all adjustments necessary for the fair presentation of the results of the same period.
He said the financial information has been prepared based on International Accounting Standard 34 (IAS 34) issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) approved for use in the UK by the UK Accounting Standards Endorsement Board (UKEB) and apply the same accounting policies, presentation and methods of calculation as those followed in the preparation of the Group’s annual consolidated financial statements for the year ended March 31, 2021 except to the extent required/ prescribed by IAS 34.


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In the morning today, on Japanese-based bitcoin exchange Mt. Gox, the value of bitcoin surpassed that of an ounce of gold, prompting bitcoin aficionados to call it a symbolic event for the digital currency.
The price has since dropped, though. At the time of this writing, a bitcoin is trading for $1,146 on the exchange, while an ounce of gold can be bought for $1,246.
The digital currency’s value broke $1,000 just recently, and had been rising to the value of the gold ounce, which had fallen in the past some weeks. On Mt. Gox today, bitcoin’s price touched $1,242, surpassing gold’s price of $1,241.98.
Erik Voorhees, an early bitcoin investor and who sold his gambling website SatoshiDice for 126,315 BTC this year, was ecstatic, and said this was a psychologically important event.
Voorhees said, “For believers, it means bitcoin is really becoming a ‘respectable asset’. Clearly, bitcoin is no longer a penny stock. It’s playing in the big leagues – a share being worth more than a share of Google or Apple, and even more then an ounce of gold.”
He added, “Many of us two or three years ago said that bitcoin could (and probably should) absolutely cost more than an ounce of gold. We were laughed at and ridiculed. Now we can just look and say, ‘scoreboard!’.”
Anthony Di lorio, the head of Canada’s Bitcoin Alliance, which is a national organization that promotes bitcoin, reminded that it is not the cryptocurrency’s first emblematic price threshold.
“It went past $500 and then $1,000, and now it’s past gold,” said Di lorio.
The fact that gold’s value had also been falling helped bitcoin meet (or temporarily, and by 2 cents, surpass) the value of gold. The gold’s value has dropped this year. At the beginning of the year, an ounce of gold was being traded for $1,700, but in July, the price plummeted to a yearly low. In September, it regained some value – just over $1,400 – but has since taken a dive to a four-month low.
Voorhees said that it is unlikely for bitcoin to replace gold. According to him, the digital currency has many gains over the metal, though. He explained that first of all, unlike gold, bitcoin can be taken anywhere in the world straightaway, making it ideal for internet payments. He went on to state that the cryptocurrency is also far easier to divide and recombine compared to gold.
He added, “Put simply, it’s impractical for normal economic exchange. While it’s true that a digital gold could exist, such as e-gold, we know how that turned out.”
In contrast, gold doesn’t require the Internet to work, which means when there is no Internet, it will continue to work. It doesn’t face bugs, hackers, or the loss of community support.
Voorhees said, “This is very special, and cannot be replaced by bitcoin for a very long time.”


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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Runningboards Marketing, a Watertown–based mobile digital-billboard company, has opened a Syracuse office at 224 Harrison St. as part of the new ShareCuse coworking space.
The company opened the office in early September.
“Our focus is on helping successful businesses grow, whether it’s growing their business, growing their brand, rebranding. That’s really what we’re about,” Calvin McNeely, president of Runningboards Marketing, told reporters during a Tuesday morning press conference.
McNeely and his business partner, Zachariah Yelle, launched the firm in 2018.
“We started in Syracuse earlier this year, and now we’re excited to have an office in Syracuse,” said McNeely.
The firm uses a digital advertising vehicle, or DAV — which is pronounced “dave.”
DAV has three independent screens, which can display “anything you can do on a computer, a television,” said McNeely. That could include video, audio, or streaming from a drone.
“Pretty much endless possibilities,” he noted.
The firm’s local employees include John DeSantis, digital marketing sales representative. DeSantis is also known locally as the founder of the nonprofit Believe in Syracuse. The organization works to “promote positive perceptions and improve the quality of life in the greater Syracuse area,” per its website.
Its effort also includes promoting local businesses, according to DeSantis.
Runningboards Marketing has also hired some drivers and wants to deploy two or three vehicles in the downtown area.
“I definitely expect we’ll increase our numbers this fall here in Syracuse and by next year, we should have six to 10 employees working out of the Syracuse office, with two or three digital advertising vehicles,” said McNeely.
Contact Reinhardt at firstname.lastname@example.org


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© Reuters. Elon Musk, Tesla Accused of Dogecoin Pyramid Scheme in $258B Suit
- Tesla CEO Elon Musk is being sued for $258 billion by a investor over an alleged pyramid scheme to support the cryptocurrency.
- In a lawsuit filed in federal court in Lower Manhattan on Thursday, an investor named Keith Johnson accused Elon Musk and his two firms Tesla and SpaceX.
- According to Johnson’s estimate, investors have lost a total of around $86 billion dollars.
A class-action lawsuit worth $258 billion has been filed against Tesla and SpaceX CEO and Founder Elon Musk, his aforementioned companies over alleged “engag[ing] in a crypto pyramid scheme.” The plaintiff, Keith Johnson, who invested early and promoted Dogecoin, filed the complaint in a federal court in Manhattan on Thursday.
Johnson is accusing Musk, Tesla, SpaceX, and DOGE of “a fraudulent scheme to artificially inflate the price” of Dogecoin (DOGE) through “false and misleading” tweets, according to the court filing. He is now suing Musk for up to $86 billion in damages.
What is more, the group of DOGE investors whom Johnson claims to be representing are also seeking $172 billion in damages. As per the suit, this is a “reasonable estimate of investors’ losses” from trading DOGE since 2019.
The suit also claims that Musk’s tweets about Dogecoin were part of a “pump-and-dump scheme” to get rid of his DOGE holdings. Musk has long been a vocal supporter of Dogecoin, often tweeting about the cryptocurrency even before the start of the 2020 bull run.
Earlier in March 2022, Elon Musk, announced on Twitter (NYSE:) that his space exploration firm, SpaceX, will start taking Dogecoin (DOGE) as payment for its goods. Musk also disclosed that Tesla Motors (NASDAQ:) would accept merchandise payments in DOGE.
The complaint also compiled comments from Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, and other influential people who doubt the validity of cryptocurrencies. Since the currency has no inherent value, according to Johnson, then it is comparable to a pyramid scheme.
However, the crypto community has ridiculed the lawsuit. Dogecoin creator Shibetoshi Nakamoto, a Tweet of whose was cited in the lawsuit as supporting evidence, called the lawsuit “stupid as f*ck” on Twitter on Thursday, but admitted that crypto trading isn’t much different from gambling.
Dogecoin’s value has been on the decline over the past year, dropping to $.057 per coin Thursday, from a peak of $.64 last May. The cryptocurrency was created in 2013 as a joke but has since been embraced by Musk and other celebrities. At the time of writing, Dogecoin’s price is $0.057743 USD with a 24-hour trading volume of $672,859,771. The current CoinMarketCap ranking is #10, with a live market cap of $7,660,870,520.


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– by Huang Chunmian
The Energy-Saving and New Energy Vehicle Development Plan (2012-2020) (NEV Plan), which was approved by the State Council in April and expected to be officially released in the near future, will bring some welcome news to hybrid cars.
Zhang Xiangmu, director of Equipment Industry Department of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, said at a recent conference that the NEV Plan crafts tax incentives for both electric vehicles and energy-saving cars.
According to Zhang, the purchase tax, excise tax and the new vehicle and vessel tax for energy-saving vehicles will be halved between 2012 and 2015.
Hybrids cars have been always downplayed in the drafting of the industry blueprint which was started as early as in 2010. Though the industry has at times voiced support for the hybrid technology route, hybrids never gained traction at the policy-making level.
But the recent string of policies released this year show that hybrid cars are gaining more prominence, though battery EVs still remain the strategic goal of policymaking.
“Hybrid technology is maturing. Hybrid vehicles are commercially available and represent a growing segment in the auto market,” states the Special Plan for Electric Vehicle Technology Development in the 12th Five-Year Plan which was released by China’s Ministry of Science and Technology.
Many industry watchers believe the lowered status of hybrid cars is caused by the dominant position of hybrid technology leader Toyota. But a source from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology noted that their changed attitude towards the hybrid technology is not a result of PR work by Toyota. The change was made based on the global economy and the country’s top leaders’ understanding of the whole picture of the industry.
According to the source, the top leadership is taking a technology-neutral stance, like the American government. The United States does not design technology routes for the industry. Instead, the government sets up the emission standards and leaves the new energy vehicle products to the market.
The previous BEV-centered roadmap is believed to have put policy makers under pressure for too much intervention in the free market.
China is enhancing regional economic and trade operations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. Analysts believe that such regional cooperation requires more market freedom and trade inclination than WTO treaties, which has contradicted the previous non-neutral new energy vehicle technology routes.
(Rewritten by Ray Jing based on author’s article on auto.sina.com)


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Deltamune, an award-winning private biotech company that produces vaccines for livestock, has cashed in on the export of vaccines to the rest of Africa and the Middle East to fight diseases that are unique to those regions.
In recent years, the Pretoria-based company has grown in size and has expanded its product range thanks to a capital injection from MCEP.
When the company applied for funding to the programme, it had already spent its own funds to buy equipment to “build capacity” in virus antigen production and for freeze-dried vaccines. So, the MCEP support helped the company recoup costs it had already incurred for beefing up its capacity.
“We needed to build capacity in virus antigen production, specifically cell cultures, so most of the equipment was bought for that purpose. We also bought equipment for freeze-dried vaccines, which is part of the virus vaccine range,” explains Dr Hannes Swart, the company’s CEO.
According to Swart, once a virus product has been produced, it has to be stored in a secure facility. “A big portion of the funds were also earmarked for big cooling facilities to store the final product,” he says.
New funding, new machinery
The new equipment, which includes incubators, freezers and various laboratory apparatus, has given Deltamune an opportunity to look at different products and expand its product range.
“Although these machines are fairly small-scale machines, they allow us to make plans [to purchase] bigger machines in the future,” he says.
Established in 1977, Deltamune operates in two major divisions: Test Laboratories and Animal Health Products.
“On the Test Laboratory side, we provide services to more than half the South African poultry industry, the dairy industry and supporting veterinarians in all the other production animal industries.
“We also do extensive food safety testing, not only for animal products but also other food products like yeast and spices to ensure safe food for people.”
On the animal health products side, Swart says, the company is involved in developing various animal vaccines. When the company started, the major focus was on poultry vaccines but in recent years it has expanded to include other species such as cattle, sheep and horses.
“Currently, our major vaccines are supplied locally and we also export our poultry products to South African Development Community countries.”
Deltamune employs 154 permanent staff members, “with a couple on a contract basis”.
In most cases, those taken on a contract basis are students studying bio-technology at technikons or universities.
“Most of the time these people are stars – and when we see stars, we would like to employ stars and they are then offered permanent positions.”
Swart would like to see a large footprint for the company on the continent and in the Middle East, both as a test laboratory and on the vaccine production side.
“Some people may wonder why Africa and the Middle East. It’s basically because there are certain unique diseases occurring in Africa and the Middle East and that is where we see our excellence. We are busy developing products to cater for these diseases,” he says.


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ITC sides with Microsoft in Motorola patent infringement case
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After postponing its decision several times, the U.S. International Trade Commission ruled Friday that Motorola’s Android phones violate a Microsoft patent, and ordered an import ban for the offending devices.
“Microsoft sued Motorola in the ITC only after Motorola chose to refuse Microsoft’s efforts to renew a patent license for well over a year,” Microsoft corporate vice president and deputy general counsel David Howard said in a statement. “We’re pleased the full Commission agreed that Motorola has infringed Microsoft’s intellectual property, and we hope that now Motorola will be willing to join the vast majority of Android device makers selling phones in the U.S. by taking a license to our patents.”
Motorola could license the Microsoft patent or build a workaround. The decision will affect all the Motorola Blur and Google Experience devices that existed at the time of the trial, including the Droid 2, Cliq and Devour, and any devices using the patent that are developed after the decision.
“Microsoft started its ITC investigation asserting nine patents against Motorola Mobility,” Motorola said in a statement. “Although we are disappointed by the Commission’s ruling that certain Motorola Mobility products violated one patent, we look forward to reading the full opinion to understand its reasoning.”
Motorola said the company would not experience any impact in the near term, as the ITC’s ruling is subject to a $0.33/per unit bond during the 60-day review period.
Emily Parkhurst oversees all digital content for the Puget Sound Business Journal.
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