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PricewaterhouseCoopers defies gloom with £2.6bn in sales
Impressive: PwC delivered strong performance in a challenging market, according to UK chairman Ian Powell
Ordinary workers and small businesses may be struggling to make ends meet, but the world’s biggest accountancy firm has counted up a surge in annual revenues to £2.6bn.
PricewaterhouseCoopers will today reveal that sales climbed by 7 per cent in the 12 months to June 2012 from £2.5bn a year earlier.
The firm also recruited 2,300 people during the year, including 1,200 graduates and 100 school leavers who were signed up to professional training courses.
Ian Powell, PwC UK chairman and senior partner, said: 'We took a decision at the start of the downturn to continue to hold our nerve and invest in our business.
'We have recruited significant numbers of new people, and invested heavily in our infrastructure to make sure we deliver a world class service to our clients.'
He added that there was 'significant potential' to increase its share of work among private companies.
The traditional audit practice saw revenues rise 6 per cent to £963million thanks to winning work for FTSE 100 insurer Aviva, transport giant Dubai World, Genel Energy and chemicals group Yule Catto.
Consulting business – which also includes sustainability and climate change services – registered 13 per cent sales growth to £438m.
Despite the lacklustre pace of the global mergers and acquisitions market, PwC’s deals practice reported 8 per cent growth to £561m while tax grew 2 per cent to £659m. Overall profits at the firm rose to £727m from £656m a year ago – making average profit per partner £798,000 – with £975m paid in UK corporation taxes by PwC.
Along with Ernst & Young, Deloitte and KPMG, PwC makes up the ‘Big Four’ of accounting firms. Together they dominate the auditing of Britain’s biggest quoted companies.
And these strong results will attract the attention of the Competition Commission, which is investigating the dominance of the big four over the UK market. It follows strong results from rival Deloitte, which last month reported an 11 per cent surge in revenues despite mounting pressure on audit fees in the industry.
A probe of the market is being conducted by competition authorities and is expected to call for it to be easier for smaller rivals to pick up audit work for major businesses.
In July industry website Accountancy Age revealed that the Top 50 UK accounting firms had broken the £10bn revenue figure for the first time, pulling in £10.3bn in sales compared with £9.8bn in 2011. The combined fee income for the Big Four was £7.73bn – a 6.7 per cent increase on the previous year’s result of £7.24bn.
Accountancy Age editor Kevin Reed said: ‘The UK’s biggest firms have learned from the mistakes of the early noughties, when the downturn following the dotcom bust caught them unawares and overstaffed.
‘More judicious hiring and flexible working conditions have seen the top accountants hold their own during very tough trading conditions.’
Despite the continued gloomy economic outlook with output set to be flat for the remainder of this year, Powell said: ‘While the short term economic environment remains tough, I am confident in the UK’s longer term prospects.’
PwC, which operates in 158 countries and employs 169,000 staff in total, said its UK arm paid £975milllion in taxes to the UK Exchequer in the year.
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Increasing prices of petrol have been impacting demand for entry-level vehicles. Almost 60 percent of the two-wheeler volume comes under the entry-level segment and the continuous rise in fuel prices delays purchase decision by approximately by a month, suggest experts.
Now, as automakers are set for another round of price hike in Q2 to offset rising input cost, in an interview with CNBC-TV18, Nikunj Sanghi, chairman of Automotive Skills Development Council (ASDC) and Vinkesh Gulati, president of Federation of Automobile Dealers Association (FADA) discussed the impact rising prices can have on-demand.
Gulati said, "Overall, the two-wheeler segment is not in a good shape because the highest percentage of the sale which comes from entry-level is not back and the increasing petrol price, which is around Rs 100 per litre, also affects because entry-level purchases are based on need base. So maybe fuel price level at Rs 100/litre makes one wait and it delays the purchase."
Meanwhile, Sanghi said, "The stress in the two-wheelers continues and two-wheeler industry which would normally contribute to almost 80 percent of total registrations, but when I see the June (as against last year) figures, it has come down to 75 percent of the total registration."
According to him, affordability becomes a big question in purchasing vehicles. "When we are talking about entry-level two-wheelers or cars, affordability becomes a big question when it comes to making a purchase decision and these are the people who are impacted the most by the second wave of COVID. Therefore, the sentiment is poor, they have spent a lot on healthcare and if they cannot afford to buy a vehicle or even operate a vehicle then both the price increase in the cost of acquisition and price increase in the cost of fuel both are going to impact demand," said Sanghi.
He added that sports utility vehicles (SUVs) will continue to see growth as customers of this segment do not have affordability issues.
Watch the video to know more.

domain: news


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Ultima Foods is recalling seven yogurt products under the brand
name Iogo because they may contain pieces of plastic.
The company says the affected items were sold in all three
prairie provinces, as well as B-C, Ontario and Quebec.
The C-F-I-A says there have been no reports of injuries due to
consumption of the affected products.
Press-release from Ultima Foods


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Ariel Middle East - one of the world’s most recognisable laundry brands – is bringing their second pop up Pod Swap Shop to Ripe Market at Academy Park this weekend on 18th and 19th December 2020. The boutique comes as part of their sustainable fashion initiative that aims to raise awareness about purchasing habits when it comes to buying and wearing clothes.
The Ariel Pod Swap Shop encourages people to exchange preowned items of clothing for preloved items available from the brand’s pop-up boutique. The shop has been stocked from Retold, one of Dubai's leading pre-owned fashion destinations and has items from well-known brands such as Dolce & Gabbana, Ted Baker, Hugo Boss and Zara.
A relatively new concept in the region, the series of pop-up shops from Ariel aim to raise awareness about the importance of using quality detergents to keep clothes looking fresh and bright for longer. The intention is to discourage the throwaway nature of fast fashion, and to encourage people to be more conscious with their shopping habits.
Anyone who’s heading to Ripe Market this weekend can get involved by bringing an item of clothing from their wardrobe to swap with a piece from the Ariel Pods Swap Shop. In addition, people can bring an empty bottle of liquid detergent, to swap for a pack of Ariel PODS. Ariel Middle East launched its first pop up swap shop at Breakout DXB last month and welcomed hundreds of people to get involved and browse the stand.


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GREEN, Ohio (AP) — Authorities say they've identified two people who they believe stole an elderly woman's purse while she was in line for Communion at an Ohio church.
The Summit County sheriff's office says they're looking for a 38-year-old woman and a 53-year-old man in connection with the purse snatching.
The 79-year-old woman's purse was stolen Dec. 8 from the pew where she was sitting at Queen of Heaven Catholic Church in Green.
Authorities say a surveillance camera shows a man putting the purse inside his bulky coat before walking out with a woman.
They say the pair used the woman's credit card to purchase more than $1,000 in merchandise from a grocery store and a discount store. The purse also contained a small amount of cash.


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The move is seen as the first step necessary for removing DeJoy as postmaster general.
The lawsuit cites a “significant delay in election mail,” calling the dysfunction “particularly egregious.”
DeJoy failed to divest himself from several corporations in the first months of his tenure.
The U.S. Postal Service isn’t merely a business; it’s critical infrastructure.
The complaint alleges that the plan, which slows mail delivery and increases consumer costs, was not properly reviewed.
The postal service charges fees that are significantly lower than what payday lenders charge customers to cash checks.
The plan ushers in changes that will permanently slow mail delivery while hiking prices for consumers.
The limited response to postal workers’ repeated appeals provides a window into the failures of two federal agencies.
The postmaster’s plan to further slow mail would only compound the USPS’s service problems, the officials write.
Former employees have alleged that DeJoy pressured them to donate to GOP candidates with the promise of reimbursement.


text: Tourism traffic in Athens will decline this season, according to estimates by the capital’s hoteliers based on occupancy rate figures for the first months of the year. The Athens Hotel Association (EXA) noted there is a great risk that this year will see a downtrend at a rate of about 6 percent both in terms of occupancy and in prices. March saw an annual decline in occupancy rates of 4.23 percent. Preliminary signals from all markets are quite discouraging. The decline from the US market may even exceed 30 percent, while markets such as those of Germany, Britain and France are showing a drop that ranges from small to medium. The only increase may come from relatively unpredictable markets, whose behavior depends on non-economic factors (such as Russia, Bulgaria etc). The association complains that the tourism product of Athens is not sufficiently supported by the appropriate specialized advertising or the essential special infrastructure projects. For example, the delay in the completion of the new conference center in Athens has taken its toll on the city’s congress tourism. EXA wants the Tourism Development Ministry and the Greek National Tourism Organization to launch a special promotion of Athens as a tourism destination and help toward its better organization.


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Starting in China, Adele and the Bard can help us build a global Britain
As the UK prepares to leave the European Union we have an opportunity to look again at our international relationships. The vote of the British people in June was not a vote for the UK to turn in on itself, but rather a decision to look beyond just 27 countries on our doorstep and out into the wider world.
Making a success of Brexit involves both forging new links and strengthening existing ones. Key to that will be our rich and varied culture — the things that people across the globe consider British whether they have visited these shores or not. From literary icons such as Shakespeare to our world-famous film, television and theatre, leading fashion brands and such instantly recognisable landmarks as Stonehenge, musicians


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By RD Velasco
Published in Business Mirror
18 July 2017
In Photo: Agnes Perpetua Legaspi, assistant director of the Department of Trade and Industry’s Export Marketing Bureau, speaks during the Asean multisector forum held on June 30 at the Provincial Capitol of Benguet. She discussed opportunities in Asean for micro, small and medium enterprises, as well as free trade and investments.
LA TRINIDAD, Benguet—As the Philippines holds the chairmanship of the Asean this year, the Public Information Agency (PIA) of the Cordillera Administrative Region organized a multisector forum on Asean on June 30 at the Benguet Provincial Capitol.
The forum was led by the PIA in partnership with the Benguet provincial government as part of the information campaign to spread awareness on the Asean Economic Community at the grassroots level.
UP Associate Professor Arellano Colongan said, “The impact of [the] Asean is just around us, perhaps closer than we may realize. There are challenges, but there are also good things.”
The forum brought more than 300 participants from various sectors in the province of Benguet.
Assistant Director Agnes Perpetua Legaspi of the Trade and Industry’s Export Marketing Bureau (DTI-EMB) was invited to discuss micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) opportunities on trade and Investments under the Asean Economic Pillar.
In her presentation, Legaspi underscored the value of being part of the Asean not only economically, but also politically and socially.
She said, “The three pillars of [the] Asean all tie together. It is important we work on these three pillars to achieve the quality of life that we want for Filipinos.” The other two pillars of Asean, namely, the Political-Security Community and Socio-Cultural Community, were also discussed by speakers from the regional government offices.
The resource speakers presented the size, characteristics and scope of these markets where exporters can take advantage from, considering the preferential tariffs these countries provided.
The forum is a response to the call of President Duterte to take active support and participation in the various Asean activities as the Philippine chairmanship of Asean coincides with its 50th founding anniversary.


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Proxy Foods has successfully secured funding from a consortium of prominent investors, including Ted Leonsis, CAVA's managing partner Ike Grigoropoulos, and SWaN & Legend Venture Partners' Anthony Nader and Fredrick Schaufeld, among others. The substantial investment is earmarked for expanding Proxy Foods' team of data scientists and software developers, further solidifying its position at the forefront of AI-driven food and beverage development.
Transforming the Industry Landscape:
AI and R&D Collaboration: Proxy Foods is spearheading a new era where advanced machine learning and food development converge to revolutionize the industry's knowledge and innovation landscape. By leveraging proprietary and public data, the company is not only enriching the industry's knowledge but also transforming the process of discovery itself.
Centralized Platform for Product Development: The platform offers food and beverage developers a centralized hub equipped with an extensive ingredient database and AI-generated data and analytics. This empowers developers to create new recipes, reformulate existing products, and gain valuable insights for the product development process.
Comprehensive Product Information: Proxy Foods' platform provides developers with a wealth of product attributes, ranging from taste and nutrients to raw ingredients. This comprehensive approach ensures that developers have access to crucial sensory, nutrient, and cost-related data, enabling them to make informed decisions throughout the product development lifecycle.
Addressing Consumer Trends and Customization:
Aligning with Consumer Trends: Proxy Foods aims to bridge the gap between product development and evolving consumer trends. By providing real-time insights and data, the platform enables developers to stay attuned to current consumer preferences, thereby reducing the risk of releasing products that are out of sync with market demands.
Tailored Solutions for CPG Companies: The platform allows consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies to import their data, facilitating the creation of tailor-made recipes that resonate with their target audience. This personalized approach ensures that companies can develop products that align closely with their unique brand identity and consumer base.
Data Security and Compliance: Emphasizing data security and compliance, Proxy Foods assures that all data shared by companies is handled with utmost care and in adherence to global data regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The company's commitment to individualized algorithm training and strict data privacy measures underscores its dedication to maintaining data integrity and confidentiality.
Accessible and Scalable Model:
Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) Model: Proxy Foods operates on a subscription-based SaaS model, offering a flexible and scalable pricing structure based on the number of platform users and overall usage. This accessibility ensures that both large CPG companies and startups can leverage the platform's capabilities without facing prohibitive cost barriers.
Empowering Innovation: By democratizing access to advanced AI-driven insights and data analytics, Proxy Foods is empowering companies of all sizes to drive innovation and enhance their product development processes. The platform's user-friendly model and adaptable pricing strategy position it as a catalyst for fostering creativity and agility within the food and beverage industry.
As Proxy Foods embarks on this transformative journey, the strategic infusion of capital and its pioneering approach to AI-driven food and beverage development underscore its potential to redefine industry standards and catalyze a new wave of innovation. With a focus on data-driven collaboration, consumer alignment, and accessible scalability, Proxy Foods stands poised to shape the future of food and beverage development.
Stay tuned with Market Unwinded for comprehensive insights into transformative industry developments and strategic investment opportunities.


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Jan 12, 2018
How the Internet of Things will Impact the Trucking and Logistics Industry
The Internet of Things is a significant movement in which more and more products are becoming connected to the Internet. Thus far, the Internet of Things has had a major impact on our lives in a lot of ways and is expected to continue to develop in the future. One industry that has continued to be positively impacted by the Internet of Things is the shipping and transportation industry.
The shipping and transportation industry will continue to benefit from the Internet of Things through improved end-to-end visibility. To maximize efficiency and profitability, all companies in the transportation and logistics industry need to have an efficient supply chain. Through a variety of connected systems, logistics companies will soon receive real-time data on products, inventory, and available shipping. This will then allow them to make improved decisions to improve their efficiency.
The shipping and transportation industry is also using technology to improve fleet management. Today, many trucks share one connected network that reports locations, traffic conditions, weather patterns, and a variety of other factors. This allows a logistics company to provide more accurate delivery estimates than ever before and reduce the amount of time spent waiting for a truck to arrive.
In the near future, semi-trucks will all be able to provide real-time data about their condition. This data can be used by a fleet owner to identify maintenance needs. They can then better manage their fleet by accurately predicting which trucks will need repairs and when.
If you are interested in how the Internet of Things will impact this industry and other areas of life, contact us to learn more.


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The agri-food industry came together on 9-11 June, for the first virtual and interactive SAI Platform online annual event. The crux of the event addressed the importance of recognising the value of agriculture for a thriving future. From the keynote speakers and panel discussions to interactive polls and Q&As, clear ideas, solutions and commonalities emerged as to how the food and drink industry can work towards a thriving future.
1. “When we really dare to collaborate and break silos and recognise each other as partners in a sustainable food system, there is win for farmers, win for the value chain and win for the consumer.”
This was the closing message from an impassioned keynote by Arianna Giuliodori, Secretary General, World Farmers’ Organisation (WFO).
The WFO represent farmers who like many others, are feeling neglected, silenced, and hidden in the supply chain. Arianna Giuliodori called for a break in tradition and a change from “supply chain” to “value chain” whereby all stakeholders in the chain recognise each other through collaboration and knowledge sharing.
“There cannot be healthy people on a healthy planet without thriving agriculture”.
2. “It’s not ok that big companies make profit on the back of poor farmers.”
Duncan Pollard, Duncan Pollard & Associates explained that a lot of the future of sustainability depended on the tenability of sustainability itself. His argument centred on inequality and sharing value along the value chain and how this can be done by engaging more and giving farmers more of a voice in the creation of sustainability systems.
There is a shared sentiment that it’s often the case that the best price is also the lowest price for the farmer. This issue of levelling up resonated with Hamish Taylor, Advisor on Sustainability, at Symrise who commented that “We won’t deal with sustainable farming until we deal with social inequality.” The reality here is that without financial investment and the necessary support, sustainability becomes untenable.
3. “Having access to food is something we take for granted.”
A direct impact from COVID-19 is that food became the top priority for people. For the first time in over 60-years, certainly in the northern hemisphere, consumers experienced empty shelves and they became more aware of supply chains and started asking more about food production and supply, and in many cases this led to an increased interest in buying locally.
From the farmers’ point of view the disruption was terrible. Having access to food is something we take for granted. However, in developing countries as Arianna Giuliodori called out, “…the ghost of hunger came back, and we will continue to see increasing numbers of people who face ongoing hunger.”
4. “Empowering consumers is a vital part of our business.”
For most farmers, the next generation is vital. Trey Hill, Owner of Harborview Farms, shared his mantra that envisions: Many small people, who in many small places, do many small things that can alter the face of the world.
But what about the next generation of the FMCGs? How do they see a thriving future and where do they see the value in sustainability?
For Shazia Hussenbux, Oatly and Emilie Stephenson, innocent drinks, there is a growing focus to involve consumers in the conversation around sustainability.
At Oatly there is a specific internal team dedicated to engaging with consumers on sustainability and understanding their concerns. Consumer insight reports identify recurring topics to help make operational decisions better and connect the consumer with the work being done up-stream.
innocent drinks have a similar approach also placing a high value on gaining consumer insights. The example of plastics and packaging being one of the biggest areas of concern for consumers as they feel that this is an area where they can have a positive impact and where they can engage as ultimately, the consumer wants to help influence change.
Whether consumer focused or addressing sustainability in a more holistic way, the mood for a change of approach was clear. Andrew Griffiths, Nestlé added an important element concerning the need to step away from a purely impact-based approach that deals only with single issues. Instead, he called for “A genuine systems approach to deliver greater scale and efficiency with multiple outcomes.”
5. “Soil health, water, GHG, biodiversity and livelihoods are not part of a menu, but part of a list.”
With the COP26 now just six months away, inner-reflections are hovering over whether the agri-food business is still tackling sustainability on a single-issue basis while working in silos. Are individual company commitments standing in the way of moving quickly and collaboratively as they pick ‘n’ mix from the menu rather than address the full list together as an industry?
Jan Kees Vis, Unilever, reflected over his career and his own personal insights concluding that:
“When we talk about impacts, we have to look at impacts on soil health, water, climate, greenhouse gases, biodiversity, livelihoods and the circular economy and we have to improve them all.”


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A happy woman talks on her mobile phone. [Getty Images] In July 2010, the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) slashed mobile termination rates (MTR) by half from Sh4.42 to Sh2.21, ushering in the most intense price war in Kenya’s telecommunications sector.
A few weeks later, Kenya’s second mobile operator Airtel announced a new tariff, Jikonnect where subscribers could make on-net voice calls at Sh6 per minute, the lowest in the market at a time operators were charging an average of Sh8 per minute.
Airtel was just coming out of an acquisition deal where Indian telecom Bharti had forked out Sh120 billion for the operations of Zain Africa. READ MORE
Industry stakeholders anticipated that, in a bid to wrest control of the market from Safaricom, Bharti Airtel would implement the same pricing strategy that had seen it secure a sizeable market in India – drive down prices to rock bottom and temporarily sacrifice revenues in exchange for new subscribers.
Airtel Kenya said Jikonnect was a permanent tariff and not a temporary offer, and for several days the firm pitched tent in a marketing van brightly displaying its corporate colours outside Safaricom House, while blasting the song Bendover on loud speakers.
In the following months, mobile operators jostled with each other to announce a raft of promotions that eventually saw on-net voice call costs fall to Sh1 per minute.
So intense were the price wars that in 2012, following lobbying by other operators, President Mwai Kibaki wrote to CA directing that no further cuts to the MTR be made.
On Wednesday this week, the CA announced an 87 per cent cut in the MTR, the first in more than six years. Effective January 1, operators will charge each other Sh0.12 for local voice calls across their networks, down from Sh0.99.
The MTR is crucial in determining the price of voice calls as it sets the ceiling for operators, setting prices for cross-network calls.
If an Airtel subscriber makes a call to a Safaricom subscriber for three minutes, for example, Safaricom charges Sh0.99 per minute under the current MTR regime, a cost Airtel has to factor into the retail price of the call.
This means that in a promotion for cross-network voice calls, operators cannot set prices at less than Sh1, or else they would make a loss.Lowering of the MTR gives operators more margins for pricing their voice calls and makes it possible for them to transfer the costs savings […]


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The Reserves Network acquired Summit Technical Services, a provider of engineering, information technology and professional design staffing. Plans call for Summit to continue operating under its own brand as part of The Reserves Network.
Summit Senior Vice President Jeff Casey will continue to oversee business operations. Summit founder and President Rick Barry will leave after 25 years with the company and 34 years in the staffing industry. All internal sales and recruiting team members will remain with the company.
Summit has four offices: Braintree, Mass.; Warwick, R.I.; Cheshire, Conn.; and Malvern, Penn. It was founded in 1988.
“Summit Technical Services has spent the past 25 years developing a distinguished reputation for providing superior talent to its customers,” said Neil Stallard, CEO of The Reserves Network. “We’re honored to have them as a part of our family. Their business model is a natural complement and significant addition to TRN’s specialty groups.”
Adds Nicholas Stallard, CFO of The Reserves Network: “This acquisition accelerates our growth plans and strategic expansion of services. It’s exciting for us to now be a part of these new markets, which Summit has been proudly serving for so many years.”
Terms of the transaction were not announced.
Summit marks The Reserve Networks’ first acquisition in the New England and Mid-Atlantic states. It is, however, the company’s third acquisition in the last five years.
The Reserves Network is based in Fairview Park, Ohio. It was founded in 1984.


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The stock market has been tumultuous in the first week of December but it has not shaken consumer sentiment.
The University of Michigan on Friday said its consumer-sentiment index in December was unchanged at 97.5. That was slightly better than the notch down forecast by economists.
Consumers grew more optimistic about current conditions, a positive sign for holiday shopping, but their outlook for the future darkened. In the early December survey, consumers did mention hearing much more negative news about future job prospects, according to the University of Michigan.
Unemployment came in at 3.7 percent, according to government data released Friday. That 49-year low has held for three months and is likely bolstering consumer sentiment. Wages were up 3.1 percent compared with a year earlier.
The University of Michigan said the index has averaged 97.5 since January 2017, the first time it has consistently stayed above 90 in this century.


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Bhubaneswar, May 2: The Odisha Government on Sunday declared a 14-day State-wide lockdown from May 5 to contain the spread of COVID-19, an official order said.
Barring weekends, essential commodities would be available on all other days during the two-week-long lockdown ending May 19, the order issued by Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mohapatra said.
“There shall be lockdown throughout the State with effect from May 5, 2021 (Wednesday) till 5 AM of May 19, 2021 (Wednesday),” the order stated.
The official order further stated that, “People will be allowed to purchase essential items within 500 metre radius of their residences between 6 AM and 12 PM.”
However, during weekends – Saturday & Sunday, people will only be able to avail medical services, it added.
The lockdown and the weekend shutdown will not be applicable to any poll-related work, such as movement of personnel engaged in facilitating by-election to Pipili Assembly constituency, the order stated.
Polling in Pipili is scheduled to be held on May 16.
However, no restriction has been imposed on goods carriers, the order said.


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Kiss‘s Gene Simmons has revealed that the band are in talks with the team behind the computer game Angry Birds about starring in their own spin-off.
In an interview with Industry Gamers, Simmons said he was confident that the mooted-project “will become a deal” and also claimed that the rockers were in discussions with Sony Games.
“We’re talking with Sony Games now,” he said. “We are really trying to take it in areas that haven’t been done before and have stayed out of the marketplace because the ideas simply weren’t exciting enough. So while the gaming world is waiting for the Kiss games that are going to explode, we’re busy taking the brand to places where no brand has gone before.”
He went on to add: “We’re talking with Angry Birds, Kiss and Angry Birds, which will become a deal.”
Simmons also said that the gaming industry had had a big impact on the music business, adding: “Technology has impacted the music industry in more ways than even it understands. People think it’s about the internet, but it’s usually a cold experience. You’re just watching it.
“The more you get involved, the more it connects with you and the more you’re doing it and the more you control the music and the visuals, the more it becomes important.”


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Damascus- Umm Mulhim, 47, who has relocated to the villages of Damascus, is experiencing a dual feeling with the arrival of the blessed month of Ramadan. Mulham (9 years old) and Ahmed (7 years old) mean this month and its value under the harsh living conditions the family experiences.
In addition to Umm Mulham, large segments of Syrians in regime-controlled areas fear their inability to provide basic food for their breakfast tables in light of the steady and unprecedented rise in food and consumer prices, which coincides with the high exchange rate of the dollar against the lira and the devaluation of the wages of Syrian workers and employees in the public and private sectors.
According to the World Food Program statement, about 12.4 million Syrians (approximately 60% of the population) suffer from food insecurity and do not know where their next meal will come from, while the poverty rate has passed 90%.
The prices of most food products in the Syrian markets have witnessed a significant increase since the beginning of 2022 and the growth reached its peak during the last week, recording record rates that exceeded 150% for some basic materials.
The price of a kilogram of tomatoes on the first day of Ramadan rose to 4,500 Syrian pounds ($ 1.1), as at the beginning of the year it was 1,200 pounds ($ 0.3), while the price of a kilogram of potatoes reached 4,000. pounds (about a dollar), as it was 1500 pounds ($ 0.4) And the price of a kilogram of green beans reached 18,000 pounds ($ 4.5), compared to 5,000 pounds ($ 1.3).
Meat prices also witnessed a significant increase, as the price of a kilogram of beef reached 32,000 pounds ($ 8.2), and a kilogram of chicken reached 10,000 pounds ($ 2.5).
This applies to the prices of cereals such as lentils, bulgur wheat and rice, which increased by almost double compared to their prices at the beginning of the year, while for a liter of vegetable oil, its price was 18,000 ($ 4.5) , as it was 8500 Syrian pounds ($ 2.1).
As for the traditional Syrian food in the month of Ramadan, these figures were recorded in imaginary figures, and the price of a 20-piece Qamar al-Din carton reached 40,000 Syrian pounds (approximately $ 10), and two pieces each. were sold for mijë 4,000, while the price of a kilogram of tamarind recorded .000 13,000 ($ 3.3).
Regarding the impact of the high cost of living for Syrians during Ramadan, Munther, 51, an employee of an internal transport company in Damascus, told Al Jazeera Net, “If I assume that I and my family of 5 will be satisfied with chips.and lentil soup as breakfast then I will need 3 kilograms of potatoes.A pound and a half of lentils and a liter of vegetable oil to prepare the meal and the total price of these ingredients is as much as half my salary, in fact not figuratively.
On the other hand, the Director of Consumer Protection at the Ministry of Internal Trade, Hossam Al-Nasrallah, attributes the daily increase in prices to Russia’s war against Ukraine, noting that there is an increase in tariffs for the transport of imported materials to Siri. in addition to the presence of some obstacles in the import of materials and high transport tariffs by source and country from which they are transported, given that all these factors have led to an increase in the prices of imported materials.
Al-Nasrallah attributed the reason for the high prices of vegetables and fruits to the storms and rains that fell during the recent period and led to preventing farmers from harvesting crops properly.
For his part, Louay Khayyat, an economic expert from Damascus, tells Al Jazeera Net that the main reason for the price increase is the inability of the regime government to tighten control over the dollar exchange rate, which is still rising in black market. which at the end of March reached 4000 pounds for the dollar, which pays Thousands of traders had to save the materials and not sell them with the bulletins set by the Ministry of Consumer Protection, according to the official dollar exchange rate at the Central Bank of 2500 pounds . .
Khayyat added, “The government also suffers from a severe shortage of fuel, which pushes business owners to buy fuel on the black market at very high prices.”
He points out that Syrian families need between 700,000 and 1 million pounds ($ 180-260) a month to cover their basic needs, while the average salary of Syrians in the public and private sector ranges from 100,000 to 250,000 (25, 6-64.5 dollars).
The challenges and difficulties faced by the Syrians during the month of Ramadan are not limited to the high prices of basic goods and the difficulty of securing them, but also extend to the various sources of cooking fire (gas, electricity) in their homes, which. will make it difficult for families to cook their own food during the holy month.
And for that, Umm Mulham tells Al-Jazeera Net, “I haven’t had a gas canister in 65 days, and when the power comes on, I can barely finish cooking a cup of rice until it stops, so what can I do? “cook in an electric pot for 3 quarters of an hour when electricity comes in every 6 hours?” .
In this way, Umm Mulham is forced to prepare her stew in stages, so she cooks as much stew in the first period of electric feeding early in the morning and finishes it in the second period of feeding by evening.
The country has witnessed a stifling fuel crisis for years, which has worsened in recent months, particularly liquefied natural gas, despite the removal of subsidies from the regime for large segments of Syrians and rising subsidized fuel prices in the beginning. of this year, he is still not able to provide the necessary quantities of gas through the Smart Card (card through which Syrians receive food and fuel in the form of monthly payments and in limited quantities).
A report in the regime’s Al-Watan newspaper found that Syrians now wait 70 to 90 days to get a 25-pound gas canister, barely enough for a family for a month.
In another report, the newspaper shows that the price of a gas cylinder reached 150,000 pounds ($ 38.5) on the black market.
Syrians in regime-controlled areas also suffer from unfair rationing (interruptions) of electricity that in some provinces amounts to 18 and 20 hours per day, which means that residents of those provinces are unable to rely on electricity for cook their own food.
Generating domestic electricity through generators does not seem to be an option for most Syrians, as the price of a liter of free gasoline on the black market has reached 4000 pounds ($ 0.9), while the price of a liter of diesel in some areas amounted to l 5,000 ($ 1.2) in light of the inability of the regime government to provide the two materials as required by the smart card.
Electricity rationing is one of the most important factors in the high cost of goods and services needed, as food producers, including industrialists, craftsmen and professionals, are forced to generate electricity by relying on gasoline or diesel generators. , which means an increase in cost. of production and consequently in the price of the good or service offered.
Market stagnation and government deficit
On the other hand, the situation of sellers and shop owners in the Syrian market does not look better than that of the customer, as the owners of these shops constantly seek to hand them over or close due to the low level of sales.
A number of shopkeepers in Damascus told Al-Jazeera Net that even with Syrians buying goods from their stores, the retail price of the product on the day of sale will be lower than the wholesale purchase price of the product from traders that day. after the day of the sale, as a result of the high exchange rate of the dollar against the Syrian pound on a daily basis.
Saleh – who owns a bakery in Damascus – told Al Jazeera Net, “The goods in the shop have been piled up. Citrus fruits have become the last luxury that can come to the Syrian mind in these difficult times that families are going through. through, and I have set up a store delivery chart for the last 8 months without being delivered. ” “Someone is calling me.”
Despite steps taken by the regime government at the start of Russia’s war against Ukraine over what it called an “emergency response to global economic developments,” it has so far been unable to provide basic goods at affordable prices. , as explained by its officials’ statements in early March.
The head of the Al-Buzuriya market committee in Al-Zablatani, Muhammad Hassan, said in a statement to the Al-Watan newspaper, which is close to the regime, that the percentage of demand for food from the market does not exceed 5%. compared to the previous week of the last month of Ramadan.
Hasani added that with the continuation of the commercial movement in this way, Eid will be worse than the beginning of Ramadan and the impact of this will be great on the consumer, because meeting the consumer needs for food at reasonable prices is a need. necessary. like water and air, unlike the merchant who may be able to arrange his affairs in one way or another.
Hassan explained that tamarind is not found in the Syrian market and if it is available, it is in small quantities, knowing that it is usually found before Ramadan in every store because it is a basic item for fasting people.
For his part, the Minister of Industry in the regime government, Zabad Sabbagh, stated that there will be no price reduction in the holy month of Ramadan, “because the issue of high and low prices is related to the cost factors of raw materials included. in the production process ”.


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Cross-border e-commerce sales are growing quickly. Cross-border sales will account for one-fifth of e-commerce sales by 2022, according to a 2017 Forrester Research Inc. report. And the number of online shoppers jumped 9% last year, according to GlobalWebIndex, a data analytics firm.
All of this is good news for online retailers that sell internationally. Merchants that extend product offerings to international customers can boost sales by as much as 15%, technology company BigCommerce recently reported. According to that same report, this type of cross-border e-commerce is projected to grow 25% annually through 2020, roughly twice the pace of domestic e-commerce.
“There are multiple benefits to selling goods internationally including a bigger customer base and higher margins,” says Carl Asmus, president and CEO of FedEx Cross Border, an international e-commerce technology and logistics provider. “By offering products to consumers located in other countries, retailers greatly increase their scope to make more sales. And because not all countries have access to a large selection of consumer goods, selling to foreign buyers can mean that retailers get better prices for goods than they would from a domestic shopper.”
Cross-border selling also allows retailers to capitalize on peak seasons in other countries. “Whether it is Singles’ Day in China or Thanksgiving Day in Canada, there are all sorts of special occasions that spur people to shop that we don’t have in the U.S.,” Asmus says. “Selling internationally means you can take advantage of worldwide online shopping trends and increase sales.”
While cross-border may be the fastest growing e-commerce segment, some retailers struggle to implement cross-border selling strategies to take advantage of their benefits. “Merchants want their cross-border shopping experience to be as simple as their domestic experience, and they want to offer their shoppers an omnichannel experience from pre-click to post-click,” he says. “At the same time, shoppers want greater visibility and flexibility for their orders.”
Merchants need two-way communication between the shopper and the delivery provider to offer easy and cost-effective fast shipping, Asmus says. They should also offer easy and affordable returns, and have fulfillment facilities located closer to international shoppers to ensure they can offer relatively quick delivery times.
Bolster merchant efforts
Technology can bolster merchants’ efforts, he says. “They should consider using analytics capabilities to drive inventory forecast and demand, allowing for simplification of the global supply chain,” he adds.
Technology enablement tools that are integrated into a retailer’s e-commerce platform—such as those offered by FedEx Cross Border—allow that retailer to provide a more seamless shopping experience to the international consumer, Asmus says.
“These solutions manage payment fraud protection, provide a more localized experience for the shopper and offer export compliance assistance for that particular country,” he adds. “Our technology also offers end-to-end visibility tools that include two-way communication, artificial intelligence-enabled solutions for customer service and a portfolio of delivery options ranging from premium to postal that offers the right transportation based upon merchant and shopper needs.”
It would be beneficial for retailers to understand the importance of cross-border e-commerce and start implementing strategies to stay ahead of the competition, Asmus says. “Cross-border e-commerce is the way of the future,” he says. “Retailers should be looking for the right cross-border technology partner now, before it’s too late.”Favorite


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The Beaumont Botanical Gardens is getting ready to transition the grounds from autumn décor to winter holiday themes, and they need the public’s help to make sure they dispose of their many pumpkins in an eco-friendly manner.
That means keeping them out of the landfill.
“The lack of oxygen in landfills means that organic matter, in this case pumpkins, produce methane gas, which is harmful for the climate,” according to a news release.
Starting Nov. 30 and continuing through Dec. 4, the gardens will have all their pumpkins available for free.
There are multiple ways pumpkins can be used once Halloween and Thanksgiving have passed, per the release.
RELATED: Fall pumpkin recipes: Scones, whoopie pies, trifles, soup and more
The gardens suggest baking a pumpkin puree, roasting seeds for snacks or setting them out for animal feed, or to donate them to local farms.
Composting them can enrich your garden soil, and might even lead to a home pumpkin patch come next fall.
If you’re one who prefers to play with your food, invite friends and family over for a pumpkin smashing fest.
Pumpkins can even be re-purposed for Christmas-themed decorations. Try stacking them biggest to smallest, then paint them to create snowman figures.
Wherever your creative mind takes you, the botanical gardens has got your gourd.
“Take as many pumpkins as you can use,” the release said. “You will be doing us a favor and the environment.”


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A Tribute to Integrity in a Time of Decline
United Daily News editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China)
November 19, 2013
Summary: During a food crisis the public panics. But some companies within the industry are still quietly maintaining quality control. They still have consciences. They have earned our trust. Some government officials at the grassroots level are still conscientious. They are heroes whose efforts uncovered the truth. President Ma recently awarded King Star a medal. Let us not forget the unsung heroes in Changhua who contributed to our food safety.
Full text below:
The adulterated cooking oil scandal has raged for over a month. It has touched off a series of food safety crises that have yet to end. These crises have left the public with the feeling that they are living in a time of decline. Business ethics are in decline. Government efficiency is in decline. Consumer vigilance is in decline. Laws and regulations are in decline. Lawbreakers have nothing to fear. Amidst these concerns, consumers can rely only on themselves.
During this time of decline, the outrageous behavior of some companies has left people in shock. The companies include Chang Chi, Wei Chuan, Formosa Oilseed, Taisun, and Flavor Full. All of these manufacturing companies are well-known. Yet they engaged in deceit as long as they could get away with it. They lied through their teeth as long as could get away with it. Only when cornered, did they reluctantly apologize. They did not value the brands they built. They did not respect the consumers who trusted their products. They experienced no guilt over their lapse in business ethics. They have even refused to pay the fines the government imposed. How can companies such as this expect the public to forgive and forget?
Wei Chuan recently placed a large number of ads in the newspapers. It insisted that "It did not adulterate its products. It did not add adulterated oils. It too was a victim." It asked the court to make clear that Wei Chuan and Ting Hsin were "innocent victims." Its approach will only worsen the public backlash. True. Wei Chuan is not Chang Chi, the chief culprit, which did everything in its power to deceive. Wei Chuan did not intentionally adulterate its products. But to save on costs, it used Chang Chi as an OEM provider. Without careful quality control it affixed its own labels to the final products. Therefore how can it characterize itself as a victim?
Leave aside the question of whether Wei Chuan knowingly used adulterated ingredients. The Wei Chuan brand is sixty years old. It must introduce new products for a new era. It must meticulously control production for every one of them. Only that can ensure that a single mistep does not overturn the entire applecart. Only that can ensure that its products are not discredited along with those of its suppliers. Over 90% of Chang Chi's products were adulterated. Its name is mud. That is no big loss. A handful of Wei Chuan products have tarnished the image of the entire company. Was it worth it? Should consumers forgive Wei Chuan? That is not up to the pundits. But Wei Chuan has failed to offer a sincere apology and reassuring remedy. It persists in characterizing itself as a victim. This is truly unwise.
A company makes a rare misstep and suffers a corporate calamity. But look at the calamity from a different angle. Wave upon wave of scandals have struck, involving plasticizing agents, toxic starches, clenbuterol, adulterated cooking oils, and copper chlorophyllin. The real heroes are the companies that struggled long and hard to maintain the integrity of their brands. These companies must attend to every detail during procurement, quality control, research and development, and inspection. They must resist the temptation to rely on cheap, low-quality suppliers. They must constantly challenge themselves, sampling their own products, ensuring that they are 100% safe. Only by doing so can they survive wave upon wave of food safety crises.
Many companies on Taiwan boast about their integrity. But the food safety crisis has shown us the importance of meticulousness. Some manufacturers have cried foul. They have characterized themselves as victims. But if they had been meticulous, they would not have incorporated adulterated Chang Chi oil into their own products, merely to save on costs. They would have checked to see if the raw materials passed muster. That would have protected them from accusations of collusion. If they fail to provide quality products to consumers, how can they claim to be victims?
By the same token, government regulatory agencies were supposed to be the gatekeepers for food safety. But they were negligent. Serious lapses in food safety occurred. Four years ago, Spanish olive oil imports to Taiwan included other forms of oil. The Department of Health swept the matter under the rug. Two years ago, a National Science Council found that sesame oil sold on the market included soybean oil. People reported this. But the DOH had no intention of conducting a serious investigation. This is true also of the recently discovered adulterated oil. The Ministry of Health and Welfare charged the manufacturers with "false labeling" and imposed light fines. This was perhaps not a deliberate whitewash. But civil servants refused to investigate what they should have investigated. The administration is at the very least guilty of misconduct or negligence.
Fortunately the central government's failure to conduct proper food safety inspections was exposed by local government officials. The adulterated cooking oil scandal was exposed by the Changhua Health Bureau Food Safety Division and the Changhua District Prosecutors Office. They spent an entire year investigating the matter. Without this dozen or so people, consumers on Taiwan would still be ingesting adulterated cooking oil, artificially colored spinach noodles, and artificially colored green tea products. Cheng Chi-wen and Yeh Chien-cheng of the Changhua District Prosecutors Office prosecuted the clenbuterol and plasticizer cases years ago. These meticulous civil servants at the grassroots level worked hand in glove to plug food safety loopholes. They exposed companies that adulterated foods for profit. Their accomplishments put senior officials of the Ministry of Health and Welfare to shame.
During a food crisis the public panics. But some companies within the industry are still quietly maintaining quality control. They still have consciences. They have earned our trust. Some government officials at the grassroots level are still conscientious. They are heroes whose efforts uncovered the truth. President Ma recently awarded King Star a medal. Let us not forget the unsung heroes in Changhua who contributed to our food safety.
2013.11.20 03:20 am


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Eircom’s share of the broadband market in Ireland has fallen below 50pc for the first time, new figures from the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) show.
The data comes from the telecoms regulator’s quarterly report for the three months from July to September of this year. It found that 49pc of broadband subscribers use a DSL connection from Eircom for their broadband. Competing technologies such as cable, fixed wireless, satellite and fibre optic links increased their share of the broadband market and now comprise 27pc of the total.
Eircom’s overall market share of the fixed-line market also fell in the third quarter, ComReg found. It dropped a further 2pc to 72pc in market share by revenue, the regulator said. Overall, revenue for the combined telecoms sector — including fixed-line, mobile and cable broadcasting — was €1.1bn in the quarter.
Interestingly, according to data released by BT Ireland yesterday ahead of the ComReg figures, BT now has close to 53,000 residential customers connected its broadband service. The company claimed that its bundled broadband and talk package launch in July had boosted its share of the home broadband market, with around 1,000 new customers signing up each week and reportedly winning one third of all new broadband subscribers in Ireland.
The figures from ComReg show 436,000 broadband subscribers at the end of September, equivalent to a 10.3pc penetration rate of the total population.
In all, 44pc of all internet users in the country use broadband, the statistics show. In a totally unsurprising development, broadband subscribers were found to get more from the services they use, compared with those on dial-up. Although searching is still the number one online activity for both camps, with 72pc and 65pc respectively, broadband users are far more likely to download content, play games or use low-cost phone services.
Telecoms lobby group IrelandOffline spokesperson Damien Mulley commented: “The latest ComReg figures confirm that Ireland is not improving when it comes to broadband penetration when 14 other countries who were already head of us in the OECD have moved even further ahead of us. 2006 was one of the worst years in Ireland when it came to international comparisons and judging by the ComReg growth patterns 2007 could even be worse. Irish consumers deserve a better Christmas present from ComReg.”
In addition, there are now close to 4.5 million active mobile subscriptions in the country, according to ComReg. Its findings show a mobile phone penetration rate of 106pc, meaning there are more handsets than there are people in the Republic. The total amount of talk-time during the quarter was close to 1,800 million minutes and 1,400 million text messages were sent during the same period.
More than 75,000 mobile subscribers switched service provider during the third quarter, bringing their old number with them. All told, close to 700,000 numbers have been ported between mobile networks since this facility was introduced in June 2003.
Around a million households now subscribe to some form of pay TV service in Ireland, equivalent to 71pc of households with a TV, ComReg found. Digital TV subscriptions — either by satellite or cable — accounted for 70pc of the total. This equates to almost 50pc of all TV households in Ireland, in the year when the Government finally launched its own pilot for free-to-air digital TV.
By Gordon Smith


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Google gives non-profits a free ride to donors, needy
By Jefferson Graham, USA TODAY
LOS ANGELES Two years ago, non-profit director Ray Rickman decided to put up a website to attract donors for his cause: raising money to pay doctors to treat people in Africa and Asia.
His Providence-based AdoptADoctor.org attracted just two visitors a day, and one donation per week — before Google.
In February, Rickman signed up for the Internet search giant's Google Grants — offering free advertising for non-profit groups — and everything changed.
Now, he's getting 300 visitors per day, and 25 donations weekly "from all over the world," he says. "Substantial money, like $5,000 or $8,000 a pop, from people who just found us on the Internet, thanks to Google (GOOG). It's amazing."
That many small businesses have grown tremendously thanks to Google's pay-per-click advertising is well known. The low cost of entry and the fact that advertisers only have to pay if an ad is clicked has brought hundreds of thousands to the new medium, with amazing success stories.
Less well-known is that many non-profits are also benefiting from search advertising. They are attracting more donors, and more people in need. And best of all, for them — it's free. Google provides the advertising space at no cost.
Google has given away $33 million in free advertising to 850 non-profits in the last two years, says Sheryl Sandberg, Google's vice president of global online sales. "We don't see any limit to this. We want it to continue growing."
How it works
Google has reaped revenue of $4.2 billion for the first nine months of the year, mostly from sales of those little text-based ads that appear near search results. The Google Grants program is like Google's pay-per-click AdWords program without paying for the clicks. Like businesses that are discovered in keyword searches ("Britney Spears T-shirts" or "San Francisco pizza"), the grantees are found the same way.
Doug Meckelson, who runs the California-based Elder Wisdom Circle, a group of seniors who offer advice to anyone seeking it, attracts visitors to his site when people search on Google for "free advice." The Los Angeles My Friend's Place homeless shelter opts for "depression," "fear" and "suicide."
Ann-Elizabeth Nash, director of the Colorado Reptile Humane Society, uses such terms as "adopt a turtle" and "buy a reptile," to attract folks interested in getting a rare Colorado reptile as a pet. Before she joined the Google Grants program at the beginning of the year, she handled two to three adoptions a month; now, she's doing as many as a dozen.
"Google has really opened up potential adoptions to a wider group," she says.
Google offers free ads to non-profits in 10 countries, and additional countries will be added to the program next year, Sandberg says. Google so far is alone in offering free search ads to non-profits, though Yahoo is testing a similar concept with 12 non-profit groups.
Online donations to charities have surged in recent years. Yahoo, Google, MSN and many other websites offered links to the American Red Cross and other charities for Hurricane Katrina relief and other major natural disasters.
To apply for Google Grants, groups must have a website and official non-profit status. A short application at http://services.google.com/googlegrants/application asks how Grants can help. Non-profits must compose a sample ad and address any affiliation with political advocacy groups.
That's a deal-breaker for many non-profits. Google will give free ad space only to non-religious and non-political groups, Sandberg says, because, "We want to be fair and unbiased in everything we do."
Google's stance means that groups such as Amnesty International, the Sierra Club, Greenpeace and Catholic Relief Services don't qualify. "It's not fair," says Paul Tillman, director of marketing for the Catholic Relief Services. "We help on the basis of need, not creed. That's a broad brush they're painting us with."
The decision on who gets in or out is made by 250 staffers at Google who volunteer to work on the project.
"We look at the mission of the group and whether that's something we want to support," Sandberg says. Groups that do a good job of articulating how the ads could help are the ones that tend to be successful. "Very few organizations are turned down," she says.
Effective way to reach donors
Google's list of grantees is a mixed bag primarily focused on medical groups (AIDS, Alzheimer's, cancer), community organizations and arts-related organizations.
For a long-established non-profit such as Make-A-Wish Foundation, which attempts to grant wishes to the terminally ill, direct mail is still the No. 1 way to reach out to potential donors.
Make-A-Wish raised $14 million last year from direct mail, but Make-A-Wish direct response manager Zachary Stahmer says Google is more effective. Direct mail gets a 2% to 3% response rate, he says, compared with 6% online.
Make-A-Wish has received $85,000 in donations from people who clicked through via Google Grants, but, he says, "Within the next few years, we expect it to grow substantially."
The biggest plus for working with Google's online advertising, he says, is that donors can feel better about donations, knowing no marketing costs were associated with the program and the money is going directly to the cause.
"This helps us reduce our overhead costs and lets us allocate more money to the program itself," Stahmer says.
Not all non-profits use their ads to raise funds. David Brinkman, executive director of My Friend's Place, a Los Angeles shelter for abused and homeless teens, wants kids to find his site and reach out when they're at their lowest ebb.
"When you have a kid contemplating whether they're going to continue to live on, and they're on the Internet, trying to find a connection, and they can find our number, well, that's very moving," he says.
Before Google Grants, Rickman read three morning newspapers, looking for mentions of people who were concerned about poverty in Africa. Then he would cold-call them and ask for donations for his Adopt A Doctor, which has two volunteers and one paid employee.
He stills does that, but Google is doing much of the heavy lifting for him. Concerned folks are finding his organization through Internet searches. "They've done wonders for us," he says.


text: AO, formerly known as Appliances Online, is an online-only retailer operating in the UK and Germany. Operations for its Dutch arm ended in 2019. The company was founded in 2000 by John Roberts and the UK head office is located in Bolton, Greater Manchester. It specialises in household appliances and electricals, but has expanded its offer to include small appliances, TVs, computing, smartphones and even gardening products. It acquired Mobile Phones Direct in December 2018 to access the contract and SIM-only markets and launched its own AO Mobile operation in August 2019. AO’s new strategy is to develop an ecosystem of products and services, which will eventually include product rentals, mobile phone contracts, account-based finance, recycling, B2B and third-party logistics alongside its core retail operation. On Black Friday 2019, AO unveiled its plastic plant, announcing its ambition to use its recycling capabilities to recycle materials from old fridges to make new ones.


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Carphone Warehouse has stepped up its strategic move into wireless technology with the appointment of Andrew Brem as new business director.
Brem takes up a crucial new role as Carphone seeks to transfer the principles that made it so successful in mobile phones, into broadband, laptops and other wireless devices.
Oxford University and MBA graduate Brem will manage the customer experience of Carphone’s Wi-Fi vision, the in-store environment and new product development.
He will take a seat on the UK board and will report into UK CEO Andrew Harrison.
‘We are delighted to have appointed Andrew as new business director,’ said Harrison.
‘His experience of developing new technology products and services in emerging markets outside of mobile will prove invaluable to us, especially as we move further into the world of wireless technology and services.’
Brem brings with him a wealth of experience having previously held retail management consultancy roles at McKinsey and more recently ASDA Wal-Mart, where he was instrumental in successfully launching ASDA.com.
Brem said: ‘The Carphone Warehouse has a tremendous heritage in making mobile phones simple and available to all, customers are crying out for someone to do the same with wireless.’


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Sure, your cup of coffee might be the only thing that gets you through those early wake-up calls, but it’s also the reason you can’t kick your sugar habit. Researchers from Cornell University recently discovered that when people drink ca? eine, their ability to taste sweetness decreases, which makes them crave it more. Always munch a munch with your latte? You don’t have to break up with your barista – instead, try one of these easy sugar-busting tweaks:
Sweet Mistake No More Photo Gallery
WALK IT OFF: Researcher from the University of Exeter say that a 15-minute stroll is all it takes to curb your sweet tooth.
POWER UP: Munching on protein-rich foods (such as salmon, lean meat or legumes) will help stabilise your blood sugar levels and keep those pesky cravings at bay.
GET SOME SHUT-EYE: US scientists found that poor sleep can up your urge to eat junk food (like doughnuts), so hit the pillow early tonight.


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This week is going to be an interesting week for Singapore Tech Scene. A lot of tech news and announcements are going to happen in Singapore.
For a Start, it’s CommunicAsia 2011.
Nokia will be returning to CommunicAsia after missing for 11 years. And they will be returning to CommunicAsia with a big bang. Nokia CEO Stephen Elop, EVP Mobile Phones Mary T. McDowell and Senior VP, Developer & Marketplace Nokia Marco Argenti will be in town for Nokia Connection 2011. Expect Nokia to announce new products at Nokia Connection like they have been doing for the past few years in Singapore. I’m guessing we will be seeing Nokia’s new Windows Phone 7 and MeeGo phone. (or at least one of them)
Social gaming company Zynga will be at CommunicAsia for the first time. Zynga will be demonstrating their games including Hanging With Friends which was launched recently.
Research in Motion, the Canadian company that makes BlackBerry, will also be at CommunicAsia 2011. Expect to see the PlayBook and also the upcoming BlackBerry Bold 9900 with OS 7.
Huawei will be showing their LTE technology at CommunicAsia. Perhaps we will also see their new MediaPad on the show floor.
This is the first year that CommunicAsia is going to be held at Marina Bay Sands. Broadcast-Asia will be held at Suntec City.
Although Sony Ericsson is not taking part in CommunicAsia 2011, they will be having a Global Media Launch event here in Singapore on Wednesday. Not sure what phone they are launching yet. Maybe the Xperia X10 Mini Pro 2 or the Xperia Duo that have been circulating rumor mills lately.
Besides CommunicAsia and the product launches, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) will be having the Second Public Meeting of the year this week. Many crucial issues that would be discussed by ICANN during the week long meeting in Singapore. Perhaps one of the most widely anticipated is the ICANN’s Board of Directors voting on whether to finalize the Applicant Guidebook for Generic Top Level Domain (gTLD). If the Board approves the Guidebook as final, it will path the way for gTLD and we should expect to see hundreds of gTLD by 2013. Wait a minute…. I thought ICANN has already approved gTLD long time ago. Hmmmmm…..
Anyway, it’s going to be a very interesting week for Singapore Tech scene. I’ll be attending Nokia Connection and Sony Ericsson launch this week. So keep a lookout for my twitter updates for the latest news.


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Lisa Jennings | Restaurant Hospitality | October 10, 2017
The already heated competition for butts in seats in the independent restaurant industry is about to get hotter. But the biggest threat to market share comes not from the restaurant down the street, but from outside the industry.
Restaurant operators may soon see themselves losing guests to the local grocery store offering cooked-to-order meals and table-service, along with a full bar.
At the same time, the young-but-full-of-potential meal-kit industry is also out to steal diners from restaurants, offering quality and unique ready-to-cook-dishes — often at a lower price — directly to consumers where they live.
And there’s potential cross over between the two. Grocery stores are also beginning to offer meal kits to appeal to the growing number of consumers who don’t know how to cook, or don’t want to.
This year e-commerce giant Amazon bought the specialty grocery chain Whole Foods Market, a move that has sparked a wave of speculation about how Americans will be enjoying the home delivery of all manner of fresh ingredients and pre-prepped meals in future.
Behind both of these trends is a common theme: Time-starved diners across the country are looking for convenience.
Consumers want to eat well, but the pull of the couch at home is strong. The one-stop shopping of the “grocerant,” and the home-delivered ready-to-cook meal kit give diners two more reasons to skip the neighborhood bistro.
In the spirit of knowing one’s enemy, here’s a look at the growing threat from grocery stores and meal kits.
Grocery stores get into the restaurant business
For years, restaurants have had to compete with grocery stores, with their in-store delis, rotisserie chickens and salad bars.
Last year, however, eating meals outside the home surpassed those eaten at home, and the grocery industry felt the jolt of a shift in consumer behavior.
In May, grocery spending grew just 2.6 percent year-over-year, compared with a 4.8 percent increase at restaurants, according to credit card company Visa’s Retail Spending Monitor.
Seeing that shift, grocery stores are looking for ways to increase foot traffic and win that spending back.


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You’re invited to the upcoming Halloween Hype Bash on Friday, October 21 (4-6:00 p.m.) hosted by Yark Automotive Group and the Glass City Crawlers. We’re celebrating the 2022 Toledo Jeep Fest and getting ready for our next Toledo Jeep Fest, which will be Aug. 4-6, 2023. Yark Automotive is located at 6019 W. Central Ave., Toledo, OH, 43615. This Toledo … Read More
2023 Event Date Announced: August 4th Weekend; Plan Your Trek!
Toledo, Ohio – The 2022 Toledo Jeep Fest, presented by Dana Incorporated and ProMedica, posted another record crowd this weekend. Estimates show that more than 70,000 people visited from 39 states, along with the District of Columbia, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the Netherlands. “On the heels of a record-breaking 5th annual event, we’re thrilled to announce our 2023 date,” … Read More
Vendor Midway FAQ
Q: What is a Jeep-Related Vendor? A: This event is meant to celebrate the Jeep brand and the Jeep lifestyle; therefore, we’re looking for vendors that support the theme with automotive-related products and services. Vendor applications are subject to approval and should be related to the Jeep brand and lifestyle. We’re looking for good fits for the event and for … Read More


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Shopping.io has announced its partnership with DINO LFG. DINO holders can now use their $DINO token for online purchases at major retailers such as Amazon, eBay, Etsy and Walmart.
Shopping.io is known for allowing holders to effortlessly spend their crypto on global eCommerce websites and offering international shipping to over 60 countries. In addition, by joining Shopping.io’s membership programs, shoppers can enjoy cashback rewards (in the form of Shopping.io’s native token $SHOP) of up to 20% on purchases from major e-commerce hubs such as Amazon, Walmart, and Home Depot .
On Shopping.io, shoppers can choose from over 150 cryptocurrencies, starting today, Thursday 24 November, they can also pay with $ DINO token which will be officially available for use through Shopping Pay, the payment processor.
Shopping.io is the first functioning bridge between cryptocurrency and e-commerce in a fast-paced, tech-centric world.
To celebrate the integration that Shopping.io will offer 20% shop back on any purchase made with $DINO and free international shipping for 7 days (from the day of the announcement).
“We are so excited to give DINO holders the opportunity to shop with us! Giving the ability to shop with cryptocurrency and enabling the recently launched $DINO token goes without saying that we are changing the future of e-commerce.” Arbel Arif, CEO and owner of Shopping.io
About DINO LFG:
DINO LFG is a meme coin with very strong utility. DINO’s main goal is to bring real use cases and utilities to $DINO’s holders, and with that integration, they take the next step with that statement.
DINO has a strong loyal community, which organizes many activities and games. In addition, Dino’s community moderators are here to educate and provide crypto tips to anyone who wants to join.
Both teams are very excited about integrating DINO onto our main platform as a form of payment and allowing this exclusive use case to more holders.
How does this work?
Filling your shopping bags with Shopping.io is as easy as it gets. Sign up for your account, browse Shopping.io’s catalog of products from major retailers, add the desired items to your cart, checkout and pay with DINO.
Now users are entitled to 20% $SHOP back in their wallets.
Shopping.io also has community representatives and a 24/7 live chat on its website ready to answer any questions you may have. Shopping.io believes in the power of absolute freedom when it comes to e-commerce and to change the industry forever for the better. One purchase at a time.
For more information visit DINO LFG Twitter: https://twitter.com/dinolfg
Disclaimer: This is a paid post and should not be treated as news/advice.


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THE FOOTWEAR-to-protein shake conglomerate The Hut Group yesterday reported a spike in net revenues for the six months ending June this year.
The company, which added 250 new jobs over the last 12 months to take its headcount to 750 employees, reported a thirty per cent jump in revenues from £59.1m a year ago to £77.1m.
Hut owns a variety of ventures including supplement provider myprotein.com, clothes retailer thehut.com and DVD seller zavvi.com.
“2013 has witnessed another step-change in the group’s data driven retailing capabilities,” chief executive Matthew Moulding said.
“Our continued investment in both people and technology is a key driver behind the continued high levels of growth in sales, profitability and cashflow across the group.”
Over the six month period ending June the company also renegotiated a £24m facility with Barclays on improved terms.


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United States Trade Representative Robert LighthizerBob LighthizerBiden moves to undo Trump trade legacy with EU deal Whiskey, workers and friends caught in the trade dispute crossfire GOP senator warns quick vote on new NAFTA would be 'huge mistake' MORE launched a full-fledged investigation into China's alleged intellectual property theft on Friday, marking the Trump administration's firmest actions yet against China's trade practices.
"After consulting with stakeholders and other government agencies, I have determined that these critical issues merit a thorough investigation," Lighthizer said in a statement.
The announcement came four days after President Trump signed an executive memo authorizing the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative to determine whether an investigation into China's trade practices is necessary.
China's alleged theft of U.S. technology, music, films and other intellectual property has long been a concern among lawmakers in Washington.
As a presidential candidate, Trump railed against China's trade practices, frequently claiming that they put the U.S. at an unfair disadvantage.
The investigation also comes amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and North Korea, and Trump's efforts to pressure China to take a harder line against Pyongyang's development of intercontinental ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons.


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April is the time of the year when farmers prepare to sow their land with the coming of spring. This year, that farming cycle is being upended by the COVID-19 pandemic, a disruption that has far-reaching ramifications for the complex web of farmers, distributors, truckers and consumers that make up the global “just-in-time” food supply chain.
The concept of “just in time” was first developed in Japan in the 1970s to streamline manufacturing processes by supplying parts only as and when required. Today, its application to the global food supply chain is under scrutiny as the pandemic forces countries to close borders, restrict the movement of goods and quarantine entire cities.
“Consumers have come to expect constant flows of food, without hiccups or gaps,” wrote Tim Lang, a professor of food policy at the University of London, for theconversation.com, raising concerns about the UK’s dependency on imports of fruits and vegetables.
“New industries have emerged, notably logistics and satellites which track this all from farm to shop. We are trucker-dependent now,” said Lang, who has advocated for rationing in the UK.
Logistics challenges are already visible in the movement of food and reduced access to animal feed and slaughterhouses, noted the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and this could translate to future price spikes for high-value commodities, such as meat.
The rising number of countries restricting exports of food supplies have also raised concerns of a rising tide of “food nationalism”.
In Asia, there are mixed signals from leaders and experts about any upcoming food shortages should the “just-in-time” supply chain break due to the pandemic. Vietnam, the world’s third largest rice exporter, has stopped exports of the grain. Kazakhstan, one of the world’s largest exporters of wheat flour, has imposed an export ban on wheat flour, buckwheat, sugar and sunflower oil. Thailand, too, issued a ban on egg exports temporarily for fear of domestic shortages caused by panic buying.
For now, there are no major signs of food shortages or price hikes and there are sufficient global reserves of nonperishable grains, such as wheat and rice, to meet demand, say researchers at the U.S.-based International Food Policy Research Institute.
However, food distribution channels could face some disruption because of transport glitches and quarantine measures.
In China, where the coronavirus outbreak was first reported, rural communities were affected by the closure of wholesale markets, their usual channel for distribution of agricultural produce. E-commerce platforms like PDD stepped in to help bridge the gap by connecting these farmers directly with consumers through livestreaming and online sales.
But China’s example may not be replicable in full in other countries given its advanced e-commerce and logistics industries.
Chinese consumers are also savvy online shoppers and used to buying products and services online, making it easier for them to embrace buying perishables like vegetables and fruits over the internet. Even then, logistics was initially an issue because the quarantine measures had coincided with China’s most important holiday, when many of its migrant workers return to their hometowns and businesses shut down for the weeklong break. The supply bottleneck eased only after warehouse workers and truck drivers returned to work.
In equally populous India, e-commerce platforms ran out of stock on the first day of a 21-day lockdown announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 25. Food supply could tighten if the stay-at-home order extends beyond a month, according to a report by R. Ramakumar, the chair professor at National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development in Mumbai, India. Already, the lockdown is hitting daily-rated farmworkers hard.
Meanwhile in Singapore, leaders had to reassure the city-state’s population of 5.7 million that there were ample stockpiles after neighboring Malaysia closed its borders, sparking panic buying of food and toilet paper.
While Singapore imports 90% of its food from more than 170 countries, Malaysia is a major supplier of its eggs (72%), fruits and vegetables (40%), chicken (37%) and fish (15%), according to figures from the Singapore Food Agency, a government body. “We are now enhancing our cooperation with many other countries around the world to look at food security, food safety, and to improve the supply chain,” Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat told reporters on April 1.
“So even when supply chains are disrupted, in moments like this, we can still have better security of supply.”


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The Saint Francis FastCare in-store health clinic has opened inside Super Stop & Shop supermarket in Simsbury, marking the first in-store primary care clinic of its kind in a supermarket in Central Connecticut.
The signs for the retail clinic industry remain positive and conservative but steady growth in the number of clinics is expected to continue as drug stores play an essential role in the segment, according to new research from healthcare market researcher Kalorama Information.
MinuteClinic, the retail medical clinic of CVS Health, opened its first location in Rhode Island on Wednesday inside the CVS/pharmacy store in Woonsocket. Two more walk-in clinics will begin seeing patients Thursday in CVS/pharmacy locations in Cranston and Wakefield.
Regional player Bartell Drugs and CareClinic will host “Fall Wellness Day” on Nov. 15 at Bartell Drugs’ Crossroads store in Bellevue, Wash. Bartell pharmacists will provide health services free of charge.


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The Latest for Bohemian Society’s Victor Wilde: An Art Show
A fashion designer’s toolbox typically includes scissors and sewing machines, but if you are Victor Wilde of The Bohemian Society; shotguns and blowtorches are also in use.
Of course shock value was intended with this mad scientist toolbox. But it also creates an aesthetic of an outsider’s fashion. Still, Bohemian Society have been part of a wider fashion conversation; celebrities such as Alan Cumming have been seen in Bohemian Society. The label has taken the runway at past Los Angeles Fashion Weeks with dresses made out of Vietnam War-era parachutes, distressed leather jackets and Marine Corps dress uniforms.
Wilde’s latest stop is Mercury, his solo art show at the Contemporary Gallery in downtown Los Angeles. A reception for the Mercury show was held Dec. 15. Checking out the show was Peter Frank of arts journal Fabrik and Shana Nys Dambrot, an art critic. Dambrot said the mixed media art will be familiar to those following Wilde
“He’s not doing anything different from his fashion,” Dambrot said of the gallery pieces which included teddy bears, paintings and found object assemblage art. “He uses recycled and found materials in both, and uses destruction as a force of creation.”
Contemporary Gallery is located at 548 S. Spring St. The show is scheduled to run through mid-February.


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Nestle sells bottled water brands for $4.3bnEuropost
The Swiss-based beverage giant Nestle is aiming to sell its North American bottled brands for a total of 4.3 billion dollars, AP reported. The brands include Poland Spring, Deer Park, Arrowhead and Pure Life. They are intended to be sold to a subsidiary of One Rock Capital Partners in partnership with Metropoulos & Co.
Nestle said it intends to sharpen its focus on its international premium water brands, including Perrier, S. Pellegrino and Acqua Panna, which were not part of the deal. The new owners, meanwhile, hope to boost the bottled-water brands, which have seen slower sales growth in recent years. US bottled-water sales have grown every year since the 2009 recession, as health-conscious consumers have switched away from sugary soft drinks. Bottled water outsold soft drinks for the fourth year in a row in 2019, according to the International Bottled Water Association.
But that growth has been slowing amid criticism from environmental activists about waste from single-use plastic bottles. Consumers have also been switching to flavored and sparkling waters, like LaCroix or Coca-Cola’s smartwater brand. Lower-cost store brand bottled waters have further cut into sales. Nestle’s North American water business has 27 production facilities and more than 7,000 employees. It sources water from 38 active springs throughout the US.


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Joshi further alleged that some ministers might have been beneficiary of pay-off.
“They (Walmart) have mentioned in their public documents that they have spent 53 million dollars in India to get access to the Indian market. They should name the ministers they paid money to,” Joshi said at a public rally here.
The Centre formally opened its supermarket sector to foreign chains and eased foreign investment rules in airlines and broadcasters, implementing a spate of reforms, aimed at reviving growth and staving off a credit rating downgrade.
Kareena Kapoor Khan snapped with baby Taimur at mom Babita's house
Photos: Amruta Fadnavis at a fashion and lifestyle exhibition
Photos: Sushmita Sen stuns in a black dress with thigh-high slit
Photos: Bhumi Pednekar, Saiyami Kher at a film screening in Mumbai
Dreaded dons! Meet Bollywood's gangster brigade


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Main Street Russellville is hosting a special event tonight to welcome Arkansas Tech students to Downtown Russellville.
During the event, there will be food and drinks from Stoby’s and Big Star Marketplace beginning at 5 p.m.
Additionally, students will also receive goodie bags with items from many of the downtown area businesses.
From 5-8 p.m. Destination Downtown will feature live music from Affectus and Some Guy Named Robb, and there will be a street dance on the stage at Depot Park from 8-10 p.m.
A fashion show presented by III’s Company will take place at 7:30 p.m. inside the Depot.
Students will also be able to take place in a scavenger hunt from 5-8 p.m.. The scavenger hunt will take students to area businesses, and participants will have the opportunity to win Downtown Dollars by taking part in the hunt. Downtown Dollars may be used at area businesses in downtown to purchase items.
Betsey McGuire, executive director of Main Street Russellville, said, “This is our way of introducing to Tech students what local businesses have to offer. We are in such close proximity to Arkansas Tech, and we want students to see for themselves the shopping and dining opportunities available in Russellville.”
Main Street Russellville will also provide transportation to and from downtown for Arkansas Tech students who wish to participate. This begins at 4:30 p.m. at Doc Bryan.
Visit the Main Street Russellville Facebook page for more information.]]>


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It looks like Nintendo might be releasing another miniature retro console.
According to Eurogamer‘s Tom Phillips,
“Nintendo will follow up its smash hit NES microconsole with a mini version of the SNES.”
Additionally, Phillips states that production on the product has already begun, and that it’s planned for a holiday 2017 release.
This rumor comes only days after the company announced that the NES Classic Mini has been discontinued.
If true, this is great news. Along with Nintendo’s modern consoles, it’s a smart business move to release a cheaper, retro console that will attract gamers who grew up in the 1980s and 1990s.
Do you buy into this rumor? If so, do you plan to pick up an SNES Mini? Sound off in the comments section below.


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NetHunt CRM say brands can now close deals by utilizing automated workflows directly out of their Gmail inbox.
The firm’s new service, Workflows, utilizes rule-based logic to automate manual work.
It automates data entry and other tasks manually performed by salespeople, improving efficiency and sales results, NetHunt says.
NetHunt's latest feature release includes webforms for capturing data, including emails, names, landing pages and referrers.
Also featured are Drip campaigns for lead nurturing, sales pipeline automation and linking of email conversations and chat messages to client profiles.
“The concept of automation is tied to complex solutions and long-winded set-up processes,” states NetHunt CEO Andrei Petrik.
Petrik adds that NetHunt’s goal is to “break down this misconception and put out a bitesize, user-friendly feature.”


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Adam&eve/DDB has launched a range of budget products for Harvey Nichols aimed at Christmas shoppers who’d rather treat themselves than their loved ones.
The ‘Sorry I Spent It On Myself’ range, available in stores and online from Wednesday, includes a series of low value gifts in minimal red and white packaging.
Shoppers can purchase a packet of ‘authentic Lincolnshire gravel’ for £1.61:
A ‘genuine’ wire sponge for 96 pence:
‘Real wood’ toothpicks for 47 pence:
A ‘multi-bristled’ toothbrush for 95 pence:
And Christmas lunch in a tin ‘with most of the trimmings’ for £1.89.
A free Christmas e-card will also be available to download for those who’d rather not spend a penny.
The range was created by Richard Brim and Daniel Fisher, creative directors at Adam&eve/DDB. “Harvey Nichols is all about indulgence, so we thought it was only natural to introduce a product range that played right into that,” they said.
An accompanying video, directed by James Day, pokes fun at ads promoting Christmas as a season of goodwill and a time to splurge on others. Set to an instrumental version of Silent Night, it features a sultry voiceover and products shot on white podiums.
It’s the latest in a series of great campaigns for Harvey Nichols by Adam&eve/DDB that eschew festive schmaltz in favour of self-indulgence. Last year, the retailer’s Christmas spot targeted partygoers looking to avoid a ‘same dress disaster’:
And in 2011, it launched an ad highlighting the dangers of the post-Christmas party ‘walk of shame’, encouraging women to shop at Harvey Nichols and turn their morning-after stroll into a stride of pride. The spot received a silver lion at last year’s Cannes Lions festival.
Director: James Day
Art Director: Richard Brim
Copywriter: Daniel Fisher
Design/Product Design: Alex Fairman
Producer: Daniel Moorey
Production: Siobhan Squire
Post production: MPC
Composer: Stuart Hancock
Music: SIREN@Factory Ltd


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The year 2020 was marred by a pandemic that most of us were not prepared for nor equipped to deal with. The fallout of the effects were quickly felt across the globe, and 2020 will forever be known as the year that tested every operator in every single market. The F&B industry was no exception, and those who weathered the storm are now looking forward to the coming year with guarded optimism.
While evaluating the current climate and forecasting 2021, it is important to note that there are a variety of factors at play, which include brand strength and unique market response. For example, several well established brands experienced a strong pick up in 2020 and are projected to continue on this upward trend over the coming year. Furthermore, high-end licensed operators in Dubai seem to be performing extremely well despite the external factors.
When it comes to hotel occupancy, the figures look promising. Occupancy has picked up despite less stock, due to a number of hotels remaining closed. There have been indications that some hotels are back to high occupancy rates exceeding 80 percent, although it should be noted that the revenue per available room (revPAR) rate is down. In markets such as KSA, the numbers are currently on par if not higher than what they were pre Covid-19.
In terms of forecasts for 2021, I believe we will continue to see a lot of the weaker brands and operators suffer due to a factors including competition, challenges presented via Covid-19 and a general shortage of cash. Whereas established brands seem to be able to ride the tide, the weaker brands appear to be bearing the brunt of the setbacks as a direct result of the aforementioned points.
It will take more time for concepts in business districts to get back on their feet. Delivery businesses have done marginally well and will continue growing in the coming year. In addition, the dark kitchen trend — if coupled with massive investment — will grow with regards to new players. When analyzing consumer market trends, healthy eating will almost certainly be at the forefront of all new concepts. Consumers are more health conscious than ever before and with government initiatives in place, such as the mandatory posting of calories on menus, there is no doubt that tapping into this segment will be imperative.
On a final note, health and safety measures have never been as critical as they are today. While restaurant health and safety has always been of utmost importance, the additional measures customers now expect have created a new norm for dining out. Operators must take protocols seriously to guarantee that their outlets are functioning at the highest level when it comes to hygiene.
In terms of New Year’s resolutions, we have to assess innovative methods that will allow us to approach things with fresh eyes. Those of us who have endured the worst of it now have a year of veteran-like experience. Many of us were impacted either directly or indirectly by the ripple effects of the pandemic and have had to make adjustments accordingly. Several people across the spectrum have lost their income and/or their livelihood and that will take some time to recover from. The name of the game for the upcoming period will be adaptation, and F&B operators should explore new/alternative opportunities around the F&B sector regionally.
Abdul Kader Saadi,
Managing Director and owner
Glee Hospitality Solutions


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Customer insights firm Vision Critical has changed its name to Alida, and aims to disrupt the global customer experience (CX) industry, taking on the likes of Qualtrics and Medallia.
Headquartered in Toronto, Canada and formed two decades ago, Vision Critical began the year with a new executive team of veterans from SAP, Cisco and Adobe, and in July received US$20m in debt investment to fund the current refocus and aggressive expansion plan. In the Spring, it added a patient experience (PX) package to its flagship Sparq digital insights platform.
The firm says its new brand name and visual identity 'showcase its ongoing dedication to helping brands create meaningful customer relationships'; with the name itself meaning 'verity, truth, reality and actuality' and evoking 'a sense of strength, humanity and empathy'.
The newly named / prefixed brands in the company's portfolio are Alida Touchpoint, Alida Surveys and Alida Sparq.
Wainwright, who was previously SAP's Chief Client Officer and EVP of S/4HANA Cloud, says of the changes: 'The CXM space today is crowded with vendors that offer transactional functions that don't lead to real business value, It's not just about driving products and services, it's about creating an actionable experience for customers, employees, and partners that drives loyalty. Our new brand stays true to our company values while personifying where we believe the future to be'. He adds: 'With a recent $US20 million investment from Vistara Capital Partners we expedited our ambitious growth strategy and are poised to achieve our mission of helping businesses make decisions with their customers, not for them'.
Web site: www.alida.com .
All articles 2006-22 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas unless otherwise stated.