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The world is slowly but surely moving out of one of its biggest crisis that has impacted all spheres of life and business. The year 2020 will go down in the history as the crash year when businesses and economies came to a standstill. The apparel trade was in fact one of the worst hit industries, being considered a lifestyle sector and not a basic necessity though increase in requirements of PPE and other health and well-being related clothing did keep the industry afloat. However, now not only trade is looking up but all markets are moving back to growth rates that were considered ‘normal’ before the pandemic took over!
The EUis the world’s largest importer of apparel and textiles and accounts for nearly 21 per cent of the world’s apparel and textile imports value, according to World Trade Organization (WTO).Like all other markets, the EU market also experienced a serious turbulence in its growth and Eurostat statistics claim that the overall European apparel import market was valued at € 127.4 billion (both Intra-EU and Extra-EU) in 2020 – down from € 129.3 billion in 2016 and € 146.90 billion in 2019. Significantly, the market grew by an average annual rate of 4.70 per cent from 2016 to 2019 but sharply fell by 13.30 per cent between 2019 and 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a weakening of the international trade in 2020.
In terms of number of clothing used, EU imported roughly 23.70 billion units of clothing in 2020, up from 19.20 billion in 2016 and that’s quite surprising seeing values went down in the same period. According to Eurostat, the average growth rate since 2016 is still slightly positive, at 0.8 per cent per year. Before 2020, the market grew by an average annual rate of 4.7 per cent from 2016 to 2019 and experts project that the EU is slowly crawling back to this growth rate despite continuous setbacks by the cycle of Covid that is holding the world at ransom. So what can the industry expect from the EU market as it regains lost ground?
The EU and its 5-Year Import Performance…
Currently, the value of the EU imports is evenly split between apparel originating from inside the EU and apparel originating from outside the EU (values mentioned in Table 1), at 50.80 per cent and 49.20 per cent respectively. In 2020, developing country suppliers contributed 44.9 per cent of all clothing imports into the EU in terms of value (down from 49.8 per cent in 2016) and suppliers from the rest of the world accounted for 4.3 per cent of the value (down from 6.7 per cent in 2016).
Europe’s Extra-EU apparel imports are dominated by Asian countries with China, Bangladesh and Turkey being the top three exporters together accounting for 27.3 per cent of all apparel imports into the EU. China is the single largest apparel exporter to the EU with 12.2 per cent of the EU imports value in 2020, while its share strongly declined from €21.9 billion in 2015 to €15.6 billion in 2020. It is followed by Bangladesh with 9.5 per cent and Turkey with 5.5 per cent.
Other top 10 exporters from outside the EU have import shares between 1-3 per cent of the overall value. Bangladesh, Vietnam, Cambodia, Pakistan and Myanmar each increased their shares in the EU apparel imports between 2015 and 2020. Myanmar has been the fastest grower, with a yearly apparel imports value increase of 39.4 per cent, taking its exports from €349 million in 2015 to €1.8 billion in 2020. This example highlights the potential for other, previously unnoticed developing countries to import to the EU.
Table 1: Top 10 Extra-EU Exporters to EU
(in € billion) in 2020
|5-year average annual
growth rate till 2020
Bangladesh and the United Kingdom have been the only two out of the top 5 Extra-EU exporters to grow in the last 5 years. From 2016 to 2020, China registered an average annual decline of 6.6 per cent and Vietnam, Cambodia and Pakistan grew between 1.3 per cent and 4.0 per cent respectively. Those dynamics show the growing opportunity for other developing countries to increase their apparel exports to the EU, while China is expected to further decrease in market shares.
Why is China declining and is expected to further decline…?The production in China is becoming increasingly expensive due to labour force shortages, and the trade war with the United States. In addition, the Chinese Government has also introduced new environmental legislations following their signature of the Paris Agreement on climate change. The country’s higher environmental standards, especially after its new Environment Protection Law that came into existence in 2015 and cracked down on tens of thousands of non-compliant factories, are predicted to force over 80,000 Chinese factories to shut down. This number is approximately 40 per cent of total factories in China including apparel ones. Additionally, the Chinese apparel market strongly suffered from the COVID-19 pandemic, productions were partly stopped, and imports were cut short.
Which European markets offer most opportunities for apparel exporters?
Pants is the biggest product segment, but the fastest growing and most attractive product category is Dresses and Skirts, whereas Swimwear and Active Sportswear also represent an interesting new apparel segment recently targeted by the buyers.
As per the data, Western European apparel markets are much larger than the Central and Eastern European markets. The top 6 apparel import markets in the EU are Germany, France, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands and Poland. While some Eastern European countries are growing at much higher rates than Western Europe, they are still relatively small in market size. Poland is a market to watch due to its fast growth of imports from the developing countries and an already sizeable market.
Table 2: Top 10 EU Importers of Apparel
|Country||Value (in € billion)
annual growth rate in values
At €30.2 billion value, Germany was the largest apparel importer in the EU in 2020. It is followed by France, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands and Poland. Together, these top six countries account for nearly 72.9 per cent of the entire EU apparel import market. In the last five years, Poland has been the fastest grower within this group. The value of its apparel imports has grown each year on an average by 13.3 per cent. It was followed by Germany with an average growth of 0.9 per cent. Poland itself accounts for 6.8 per cent of all EU imports, making it the 6th largest importer of apparel in the EU.
The fastest growing EU markets include Poland, Romania, Czech Republic, and Hungary with each country growing on an average between 5.6 per cent and 13.3 per cent. Despite the fast growth, these four countries together account for only 10.9 per cent of the EU apparel market.
The primary apparel exporter to the top six EU apparel markets is still China. Its import market share within the top 6 import market ranges from 18.1 per cent for the Netherlands to 9.8 per cent for Poland. Its share has decreased over the last 5 years in the top 6 European import markets.
Table 3: Main markets in EU and percentage share of main exporters…
|Germany||Major Exporters: % share|
|Poland (14.6%), Bangladesh (12.3%), China (11.5%), The Netherlands (8.1%), Turkey (7.4%)|
|France||Major Exporters: % share|
|China (15.2%), Germany (11.5%), Spain (9.7%), Italy (9.2%), Bangladesh (8.5%)|
|Spain||Major Exporters: % share|
|Bangladesh (16.4%), Turkey (14.5%), China (13.0%), Morocco (8.6%), Italy (6.3%)|
|Italy||Major Exporters: % share|
|China (14.2%), Bangladesh (9.6%), Spain (8.8%), France (8.0%), Germany (4.3%)|
|Netherlands||Major Exporters: % share|
|Germany (22.6%), China (16.9%), Bangladesh (10.1%), Turkey (7.0%), Spain (4.3%)|
|Poland||Major Exporters: % share|
|Germany (42.8%), Bangladesh (10.7%), Spain (9.8%), China (9.3%), The Netherlands (3.4%)|
Developing Countries Edge Ahead in Exports to the EU market…
Developing countries contributed significant shares to the import values of all top six apparel markets, ranging from 15.2 per cent in Austria to 70.1 per cent in Spain. Germany, France, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, and Poland account for 80.5 per cent of all apparel imports from developing countries. Germany remains the single largest importer by value of apparel from the developing countries. Poland has shown the strongest growth of 18.1 per cent within the last 5 years.
The overall trends for the top six markets show that the export opportunities for the developing countries are generally growing, but have experienced losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic and related trade restrictions. The strongest growth in imports from the developing countries was observed in Poland (18.1 per cent average yearly growth) and Austria (3.2 per cent).
Unit prices scenario…
The price levels of imported clothing vary considerably across the EU Member States, with the highest prices observed in Scandinavia and the lowest prices observed in parts of South-East Europe. According to Eurostat, the highest prices for apparel were recorded in Latvia (36 per cent higher than the EU on an average), followed by Austria (33 per cent) and Sweden (24 per cent). Malta was the least expensive country for clothing (21 per cent lower than the EU average), followed by Greece (15 per cent) and Bulgaria (12 per cent).
The average unit prices of imported apparel vary between the top markets and are based on the import origin. Apparel imported from other European countries is typically 1.5-2.6 times more expensive on unit basis than apparel imported from outside the EU and that’s where exporters outside EU hold superiority. Latvia has the highest unit prices for extra-EU imports with an average of €9.29 per unit and Greece has the lowest average unit import prices at €1.83 per unit. Latvia, Hungary and Romania have experienced the biggest decline in the average unit prices for developing country imports over the last five years, whereas countries like Bulgaria, Estonia and the Netherlands have experienced the greatest growth in prices.
Table 4: Average unit prices of Extra-EU imports of top 6 EU importers
(Value in €)
|Country||Average Unit Price of Extra-EU imports
|Total 5-year change|
These products from the developing countries have the most potential in the European apparel market…
At €28.60 billion in value, Pants (Trousers) is the largest apparel product category imported into the EU and accounts for 22.50 per cent of all apparel imports, as per Eurostat. It is followed by Shirts and Blouses, Coats and Jackets, Knitwear and Dresses and Skirts. These five categories together account for 78.30 per cent of all apparel imports to the EU. Dresses and Skirts, Swimwear and Active Sportswear, and Coats, Jackets and Blazers are the fastest growing product categories by import value.
In the last five years, the Dresses and Skirts import value has grown on an average by 5.20 per cent each year and the other top 5 categories have each grown by an average of 1.70 per cent each year. The Sportswear category has also grown significantly, by 2.80 per cent, which is driven by its functionality and the EU population’s growing inclination to participate in sports due to rising health consciousness. At the same time, Shirts and Blouses (-2 per cent), Denim (-1 per cent)and Suits and Ensembles (-0.6 per cent) have decreased in share.
Table 5: EU apparel imports by product category
|Product Category||Value||5-yr average annual growth rate|
|Shirts and Blouses||€24.6 billion||-2.0%|
|Coats, Jackets, Blazers||€18.7 billion||+1.7%|
|Dresses and Skirts||€10.7 billion||+5.2%|
|Nightwear and Intimates||€9.0 billion||+0.0%|
|Swimwear and Active Sportswear||€4.0 billion||+2.8%|
|Suits and Ensembles||€4.0 billion||-0.6%|


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Dr Janil Puthucheary, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Communications and Information made a speech yesterday at the Silver Infocomm Roadshow and Tech4Community event at the Toa Payoh HDB Hub Atrium on digital transformation and the digital readiness of the nation.
He began by saying that in order to become a digital ready nation,”We have to ensure that everyone has access to the tools, knowledge and opportunities to benefit from technology. So we need to strengthen our digital readiness, the readiness of our society, and our citizens to take advantage of these opportunities.”
Building a Digitally Ready Society
Last year the Digital Readiness Blueprint was launched setting out what it will take for Singaporeans and Singapore to be a digitally ready society as a result of that the Digital Readiness Council was set up.
Dr Janil Puthucheary said that “We cannot just have a blueprint, we have got to make someone responsible for implementing these ideas, and making sure things happen. So we put together a council and a tripartite partnership representation from the government, industry and community to guide collective efforts to help Singaporeans seize opportunities.”
Government committed to digitally educating senior citizens
The government continues to find out what is it that seniors are interested in going online to do, how are they doing it, and how are they enjoying it through surveys . In 2018, the governments’ usage survey showed that there was a 25 per cent increase in internet usage among seniors aged 60 and above in the past two years. The Minister said that they have to continue to reach these citizens and to encourage them to go online.
“IMDA has its Silver Infocomm Initiatives today, promoting IT awareness and literacy to over 270,000 seniors since its launch in 2007. We have also got from IMDA a Basic Digital Skills Curriculum for seniors to pick up basic digital skills in a structured fashion. What this curriculum will do, is to allow other training providers to start thinking about how they might engage with seniors, and make these types of courses attractive and interesting.” said the Minister
Launch of the Digital Participation Pledge
At the Committee of Supply debate speech last month, the Minister launched the Digital Participation Pledge. It is voluntary online pledge. The idea is to encourage organisations to commit to promote digital participation and inclusion, and pledge their participation to digital readiness. To date, there are over 400 organisations from a wide range of industries.
SG Tech’s commitment towards the Digital Readiness Movement
For SGTech in particular, more than 100 of its members have participated in this pledge. “They are a very important partner in rallying the ground and getting the momentum going.” added Mr Puthucheary.
One of its members, has launched Tech-X, a Corporate Social Responsibility Programme, increasing digital access for the young and old, and importantly, involving volunteers from the company. So it is not just about the company’s products or ideas being digitally ready. It is about getting staff to also volunteer and participate. In this case, they curate and deliver courses in devices, software programming and coding to 300 beneficiaries.
SGTech members are also doing similar things, leveraging on their network and capabilities to bridge the digital divide. The Minister thanked SGTech and all of theircollaborators and partners for your efforts and added he hoped that everybody can have the opportunity to benefit from these programmes offered by SGTech members.
The Minister concluded “I hope more of our trade associations, organisations and companies can follow SGTech’s lead, join the national effort on digital readiness and come onboard for the Digital Participation Pledge.”

domain: news


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IVE has gained a lot of attention since the announcement of their EP, “I’VE MINE” which they already have given glimpses of the EP’s atmosphere to their fans, better known as the DIVE. This time around, they keep teasing the era with the concept photos for “Baddie.”
The girl band has made a heavy promo on their new EP with two title tracks, “Either Way” and “Off the Record.” Each has two sensational music videos and amazing concept photos. The promotion for “I’VE MINE” keeps going and this opportunity “Baddie” concept photos were revealed.
The concept photos transports us into a street fashion concept in blacks and whites. The fantastic photoshoot completely supports their latest teaser which was released on October 8 during the girls’ first-ever world tour, “SHOW WHAT I HAVE.”
Both the trailer and concept photos have given the enigmatic atmosphere that surrounds “Baddie.” The street fashion and the gorgeous visuals are the perfect combo to make this third title track worthy of becoming one of the biggest singles from the group.
The six members of IVE delivered perfection in every shot from “Baddie” as they previously did with “Either Way” and “Off the Record”s concept photos. The DIVE stated they always look beautiful and they cannot wait until the EP is released.
IVE’s EP, “I’VE MINE” is set to be released on October 13 KST, while you wait until this amazing music project is released, you can enjoy, the “Baddie” trailer below:


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Xenoblade Chronicles X will launch as a Wii U exclusive in 2015, Nintendo has announced.
Originally known as Project X, Monolith's role-playing game was initially tipped to launch in 2014.
The announcement was part of Nintendo Direct at E3 2014.
Nintendo showcased new in-game footage, revealing some of the game's characters and locations.
The game revolves around the survivors of an intergalactic war on Earth, which is described as a "beautiful yet hostile environment".
Monolith's previous games include Baten Kaitos and Xenoblade Chronicles. The link with the latter remains unknown.


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By Mahua Venkatesh
Aug 19: The successful completion of a trial run for trans-shipment of cargo movement from Kolkata to the northeast through Mongla port in Bangladesh marks a new era in connectivity for New Delhi and Dhaka. This would mean that goods from Kolkata can reach the land-locked northeastern states through Bangladesh.
The movement of goods from Kolkata port to the northeastern states using the India-Bangladesh Protocol route will reduce both transit cost and time.
However, issues relating to ease of movement which include customs and immigration clearances need to be resolved at the earliest, sources said adding that a large chunk of goods is now being transported through rail and air routes. A detailed study of the trial run will be done to identify the problems.
The distance between Kolkata and Agartala by road is treacherous. The 1650 kilometre route is through Guwahati but through the waterways, it is only 620 km.
Issues including increasing connectivity, boosting economic cooperation, and the inking of free trade agreement between the two countries will be the focus of discussion between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina's during the latter's visit to New Delhi next month. "The importance of boosting connectivity has come to the fore amid the changing global geopolitical dynamics and economic slowdown, this is one area which needs urgent attention," a person with business interest in Bangladesh told India Narrative.
Modi during his visit to Bangladesh last year described the South Asian nation as India's "soho jatri" or co-traveller.
Modi and Hasina have repeatedly underlined the need to enhance connectivity, including people to people contact and economic cooperation between the two neighbours that share a 4,096-km long border - the fifth longest in the world.
The interborder trans-shipment exercise is a result of a bilateral agreement signed between the two neighbours in 2018 agreeing to facilitate transhipment and use of Mongla and Chittagong ports.
"This is very encouraging development showing that we are on track as far as connectivity is concerned," Ishfaq Ilahi Choudhury, Bangladesh war veteran and a commentator of South Asia told India Narrative.
Access to Chittagong and Mongla ports has been a phenomenal step as it will not only help the region to be relieved of its land-locked status of the northeast but it will also add an alternative connectivity route, an Observer Research Foundation report said, adding that the move will boost trade as the usage of these Bangladeshi ports will reduce time and distance substantially, making its more viable.
The recent opening of the Padma Multipurpose Bridge or simply the Padma Bridge, which is the longest bridge on the Padma river will also boost trade and commerce for the country and provide further thrust to the Mongla Port - the second largest seaport in Bangladesh. The bridge connects India directly to Dhaka by road, rail, and ports.
Cecile Fruman, World Bank Director for Regional Integration and Engagement in the South Asia Region (SAR) told India Narrative that for seamless connectivity, the countries need integrated multimodal transport systems, which include roads, rails, inland waterways, along with well-designed land, river, and seaports. "It is also important that these multimodal corridors are connected to local and rural markets and logistics, so that the wider benefits trickle down to local communities and businesses," she said.
In this complex sub-regional geopolitics, India and Bangladesh provide a unique model of "good-neighbourly" relationship, anchored in the vision of peaceful co-existence and sharing a prosperous neighbourhood by growing together hand-in-hand, the ORF study pointed out.


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The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has placed 7,552 Bank Verification Numbers (BVN) on its watchlist for fraudulent transactions, even as the Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) known as eNaira, has recorded 1.4 million transactions to date, translating to 100 per cent increase compared to 700,000 transactions in November 2022.
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Similarly, Nigeria is moving towards cardless and other contactless payment options, including QR Codes, NFC, among others for seamless financial transactions in the country.
Speaking at the 34th Finance Correspondents and Business Editors seminar in Calabar, Cross River State yesterday, themed “Implementing a Robust Payment Architecture Prospects, Opportunities and Challenges”, the governor of the CBN, Godwin Emefiele said, the Nigeria payment system landscape has particularly continued to record significant changes and development.
Represented by the director of Monetary Policy, Dr Hassan Mahmud, Emefiele stated that, since its launch, the apex bank has continued to modify the features of eNaira to make it more accessible to a wide range of users.
“Today, one does not need a smartphone to use the eNaira as it has become compatible with all generations of mobile devices (old and new). Till date, over 1.4 million transactions have passed through the eNaira platform,” he added.


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On Thursday, Walmart said it will expand the assortment of toys it has at all its brick and mortar locations by 30% during the 2018 holiday shopping season. The retailer will offer 40% more toys on its e-commerce site Walmart.com.
At certain locations, the space inside the store dedicated to toys will also be larger, said officials at the chain during a briefing with New York media. Walmart, for those locations, will shift allotted space for seasonal goods, such as merchandise for back to school, to space for toys.
The goal of Walmart is to show its customers the best place for toy shopping is Walmart, said the vice president of the Walmart U.S. toy business Anne Marie Kehoe.
This aggressive push takes place after Toys R Us shuttered hundreds of stores earlier in the year, leaving a window of opportunity for retailers to move in and take additional market share. Last year, sales of toys increased 1% to over $20.7 billion as compared to 2016.
Sales during the first six months of 2018 were up 7% to more than $7.9 billion.
Many businesses, including Walmart, already have laid out their strategies to increase toys sales, and that includes companies that are not known typically for selling toys. Party City will open 50 Toy City locations even though it is not a retailer that traditionally sells toys.
J.C. Penney, Kohl’s and Five Below are only a few of the other businesses that already have said they are planning to have more toys for sale during the holiday season of 2018.
One industry analyst said that the taker of the largest share of toy sales since Toys R Us closed is Amazon. The giant in e-commerce owned a market share in 2017 for U.S. toy sales of the upper teens percentage.
Amazon has jumped in already with the release of its top toy list, which came out 10 days earlier than last year. The e-commerce giant is expected to also start handing its holiday toy catalogs out soon, at its Whole Foods stores and send them to members of Prime.
Toys R Us accounted for between 15% and 20% of the entire toy sales in the U.S. in 2017.
Target said it would push more toys this season as well. It had been predicted by some analysts that Target would be the big winner following the demise of Toy R Us, considering many Toys R Us locations were near Target locations.


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Samsung launches new Galaxy S20 handset
Samsung Electronics unveiled its new flagship phone, the Galaxy Z Flip, on Tuesday, February 6, at the launch of its flagship Galaxy S20.
The handset has three cameras (two 2-megapixel cameras and one 2-megapixel camera) that feature Optical Shake.
The Galaxy S20 also has a 5G high-speed Internet connection. However, this feature will only be available in countries with network infrastructure appropriate to it.
The Galaxy S20 family includes the other two variants of the Galaxy S20 Plus and the Galaxy S20 Ultra. While the Galaxy S20 as the smallest handset in the series comes with a 5.5-inch screen, the Galaxy S20 Plus comes with a 4.3-inch display and a 5.5-inch Ultra model.
Included in the Galaxy S20 is a feature called the Space Zoom, which allows the user to digitally zoom up to 4x with the camera. Zoom in on the Galaxy S20 Ultra is up to 5x.
Samsung has announced that the price of the Galaxy S20 will start at $ 4, a price that will vary with the amount of RAM and internal storage. While the Plus model is priced at $ 5 and the Ultra model is priced at $ 6.
Samsung is the largest mobile phone manufacturer in the world, accounting for about one-fifth of the global market.


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"Revolution" Ends, "TMNT/Batman:TAS" Begins in IDW's November 2016 Solicitations
Showing results 1-7 of 7
Gary Groth, Eric Reynolds and Kristy Valenti of Fantagraphics Books talk about the future of the legendary publisher with "The Stranger’s" Paul Constant.
Indie comics publisher Fantagraphics Books commemorated 35 years in the business with two major archival reprint announcements at Comic-Con.
CBR News spoke in depth with Gary Groth, the co-founder and publisher of Fantagraphics, about digital releases, changes at "The Comic Journal," producing comic strip archives and much more.
Three pieces of news from last week help push comics down the digital distribution road - Augie shares his thoughts on the trio of moves. Plus, Bruce Timm played Comics Critic all the way back in 1982, and we have the art to prove it.
In light of news that the acclaimed source of comics news & criticism will be shifting format to a web-heavy business model, CBR speaks with the magazine's editorial to find out why now is the time for a new TCJ.
The strange life and mock death of The Comics Journal; who wants Internet Freedom, and what kind; letters on APE, motion comics, Ireland, Apple and more; plus eBay news, book wars, DVD wars, the end of the world, and lots of other notes!


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Entrepreneurs missioned to build digital centres
Posted Wednesday, July 11 2012 at 19:32
Efforts to bridge the digital gap between the urban and rural areas got a boost yesterday after the government awarded Sh27.9 million to 26 entrepreneurs as a start-up capital for digital centres.
The entrepreneurs were among 10,000 that applied for the government’s revolving fund. Each will get Sh1 million loan.
The loans would be disbursed through Family Bank payable in three years attracting an interest of 10.5 per cent per annum.
The entrepreneurs are expected to provide a suit of services such as e-mails, government services such as applying for PIN and online tax returns at a fee.
Information permanent secretary Bitange Ndemo said yesterday the government was keen on empowering entrepreneurs to provide a missing link in provision of online services. “Electronic voting and access to government services through the web is only possible if digital villages are near the people,” Dr Ndemo said.
“That’s why we are serious about improving Internet connectivity, building local digital content and creating awareness about ICT products and services in rural Kenya.”
Statistics from Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK) show there are 6.4 million Internet subscribers with mobile Internet accounting for 98.8 per cent.
This means most users can only access content that don’t require heavy bandwidth, limiting their ability to fully use available broadband. The number of broadband subscribers stands at 651,738.
The revolving fund run by the Kenya ICT Board Digital Villages Project (DVP), started disbursing funds in 2011. Sh47.9 million was approved for disbursement in April that year.
So far, Sh34,389,740 has been disbursed through Family Bank which is the administering institution for the fund. The first round saw 37 entrepreneurs benefit from the awards.
The project is linked to Vision 2030 which recognises that ICT is a key element in social development.
The digital village project is part of the public private partnership for taking ICTs to rural folk.
The board is collaborating with Cisco and Intel and is now in talks with Digital Opportunity Trust (DOT) to promote technology through advocacy in rural areas.


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As one of Australia’s most popular SUVs, the Honda CR-V is no stranger to how unpredictable family life can be.
A new campaign has been created by Leo Burnett Melbourne for Honda Australia to show that no matter where the road leads, the CR-V Series II is the SUV that’s made to ‘go with it’.
Honda Australia director, Stephen Collins said the CR-V nameplate has a long, proud history in Australia and set the benchmark for SUVs when it was first launched back in 1997. “The CR-V is a core model for Honda both globally and locally. With such significant upgrades made recently on the Series II range, we wanted to support this important model with a new campaign that taps into the fun and energy of the CR-V.”
The campaign is led by a 60 second TVC directed by Goodoil’s Hamish Rothwell. It tells the story of a young girl determined to replace her broken pink toy horse. Her father plays along with her solution to the problem, only to discover it is more spectacular than he could have imagined. Featuring the song ‘Howlin’ For You’ by The Black Keys, the TVC includes a special horse ranch and muster of a herd of horses with a difference.
Airing from Sunday 19 July, the TVC is being supported with an integrated campaign that includes cinema, outdoor, online, social and dealer communications.
Leo Burnett Melbourne executive creative director Jason Williams said: “The idea came from the insight that having children is its own adventure and sometimes you have to go on a bit of a wild goose chase to appease the imagination of a young child.”
Agency: Leo Burnett Melbourne
ECD: Jason Williams
Creatives: Joe Hill / Garret Fitzgerald
Senior Agency Producer: Cinnamon Darvall
Group Account Director: Chris Ivanov
Senior Account Director: Jaime Morgan
Director of Integrated Strategy: Ilona Janashvili
Production: Goodoil Films
Director: Hamish Rothwell
Executive Producer: Sam Long
DOP: Crighton Bone
Production Designer: Guy Treadgold
Casting: Catch Casting NZ / Mullinar’s Sydney
Editor: Peter Sciberras Method Studios
VFX & Supervisor: Colin Renshaw (ALT VFX)
Sound Engineer: Sam Hopgood – SoundLounge
Sound Producer: Lizzie Haussegger – SoundLounge
Client: Honda Australia
Brand Comms Manager: Melissa Altarelli
Brand Comms Specialist: Sarah Tolliday
Brand Comms Coordinator: Megan McDermott
Aussie retail payments platform Afterpay has launched a new global look, feel and positioning with a fresh brand identity. Founded out of Bondi, Sydney, Australia five years ago, Afterpay has skyrocketed to infinite heights, with almost 10 million customers and 55,000-plus merchants now using the platform globally across Australia, US, UK (where it is called […]
How Communications’ China marketing director, Doris Li, believes ad-land professionals must be courageous enough “to be abnormal”, and listen to their hearts, to be fearless in times of change. During this year’s B&T Women in Media Awards, presented by Bauer Media, we’ll be recognising exceptional people who have achieved success in their professional arenas, celebrating […]
The holding companies might be losing as much as 23 per cent of their revenue year-on-year, but new business has remained relatively resilient through 2020, the lastest research from R3 has revealed. In the first half of 2020 total new business revenue decreased 10 per cent globally – but creative agencies are having to find […]
Independent communications consultancy The Mint Partners has bolstered its integrated client roster and signed a number of premium lifestyle brands to kick start the new financial year. With an array of new products, services, and a focus on insight-led and creative integrated communications, MINT has enjoyed recent success with an expanded portfolio across new categories including fintech, […]
A feature length documentary on the extraordinary racing career of Australia’s first Formula 1 champion, Sir Jack Brabham, co-produced by design, animation and visual effects house Heckler, will be available on Stan exclusively from this Friday – 7 August. Directed by Ákos Armont (Aurora Films) in association with Heckler, whose co-founder Will Alexander served as […]
In a first for the Australian insurance market, Club Marine, Australia’s largest provider of boat and pleasure-craft insurance, has released a new series of videos to help explain insurance cover. With a few familiar Aussie personalities to help out, Club Marine is helping its members, as well as the broader boating community, to understand the […]


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Just got sent a press release – friends and family of the arts community are invited to get 50% off tickets to Xanadu at the Paramount, January 19-24. Tickets are only available at a discount for the Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday performances and only at the $40/$60 price levels (meaning you would be paying $20/$30.) There is also limited seating available ON STAGE for $25 which would probably be the highlight of 2010 for me, I’m calling it right now.
Tickets at www.STGPresents.org. Use the code “ARTS” to take advantage of the 50% discount.


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The development of neobanks and the adoption of open banking are all driving the fintech industry’s exciting phase of expansion.
This is an exciting time for fintech due to the rise of neobanks, rising client demands, and open banking. Peter-Jan Van de Venn, vice president of digital banking at Mobiquity, said. According to Van de Venn, Mobiquity mostly works with retail and SME banks, which makes sense. Because you need scale to automate, retail was where digitization first appeared. The next step is SME banking after that. According to Van de Venn, demand for wealth management is rising. Corporate banking lags behind retail, although it is making more ground.
Your example shouldn’t be another bank
Smart banks don’t base their digital strategy decisions on their competitors since that isn’t where the market is going, according to Van de Venn. They are focusing on Apple and Uber, which are far in advance.
According to Van de Venn, this is due to “experience relativity,” in which people’s best experiences across all industries become the standard for everyone else. Why can’t your bank provide a more user-friendly experience if your Uber app can warn you to be careful while opening your door since you’re in a bike lane?
Van de Venn stated, “Banks have to understand that they compete with other banks on more than just a product basis. They compete with these kinds of businesses on the basis of experience. Consumers anticipate the same digital experience from banks that they have come to know and love. Everybody’s life is so heavily influenced by digital.
In areas where neobanks have failed
Neobanks put banks in danger. Neobanks are less expensive because they aren’t constrained by outdated technology (and the same amount of regulation). This much is accurate.
But over the past ten years, something odd has happened. The idea of replacing the banks was discussed in 2015. That hasn’t occurred; in fact, the opposite has occurred.
Van de Venn remarked that “everyone said banks would be extinct in ten years.” “As we can see, banks are becoming more numerous. Many clients continue to use their bank.
At a recent conference, a speaker asked the audience if they had cancelled any bank accounts. Van de Venn was there. Few people did. How many people started Neobank accounts? Many raised their hands.
People frequently open one or more neobank accounts, but many do so for particular reasons. its long-standing bank continues to serve its primary business. When he doesn’t trust a retailer’s payment mechanism, Van de Venn utilizes virtual cards from Revolut. He finds it convenient, but the neobank does not.
Van de Venn believes that this casts a foreboding shadow over the neobanking sector. However, just 5% of the businesses using their model are profitable. Investors are beginning to wonder what will happen next.
How Apple excels at it and how neobanks may (perhaps) keep up
He advised looking to Apple, which is entering the finance industry but doing so differently than neobanks. Liability management, distributed access to customer services, and a bank’s technology stack are its three main pillars. Apple supplies the distribution, while Goldman Sachs handles the rest (for the time being).
Van de Venn said, “By combining the strengths of two firms, this is more promising. “Apple has a strong distribution network and a strong consumer base. Nowadays, it is simple to give a buy now, pay later option.
“Restaurants don’t need to do anything in order to accept Apple Pay. Automatic means. Therefore, Goldman Sachs is using its extraordinary distribution power here, which is the ideal combo.
Neobanks have a distinct edge over incumbents in that they can innovate more quickly. These people use legacy technology, and some of them also think in terms of legacy. Only when there is a strong economic justification should they imitate Revolut, and they should steer clear of alluring features that don’t generate income.
“There should be a business case, and you optimize between desirability, feasibility, and viability,” Van de Venn said. “In this way, a longer-term road map is created.
“I think some of those neobanks have been focusing on the desirability part too much, which is a greeting for consumers but for the bank itself and the business case, not for the longer term.”
Neobanks have to depart from their original model, he continued. Reduced subscription costs have increased. Withdrawing cash now has a cost. More lucrative lending and investment opportunities have joined those early, low-yield transaction-based products. Market shares of established players have hardly changed during this time.
Advancing open banking
Van de Venn is based in Europe and has firsthand knowledge with open banking. Good use cases include making payments on behalf of customers to third parties, having permissioned access to bank accounts so banks can share data with third parties, and combining data from many banks into a comprehensive picture of a customer’s financial situation.
Credit checks, according to Van de Venn, are an excellent application for granting access to outside parties. Transactional data access offers a deeper understanding of consumer behavior than credit checks.
Investing is another. The surplus invested tops up transaction quantities through Rabobank’s Peaks.
But open banking and data sharing continue to be viewed with a reasonable degree of skepticism. The main reason, according to Van de Venn, is that the option is all-or-nothing.
He said, “I would love to do that, but there is no granular access to data now. “That option is not yet available. Thus, that needs to develop.
Has open banking encouraged more rivalry? Van de Venn is hesitant. More value-added services have been provided, and more could be.
What will persuade more individuals to accept open banking? Does it involve additional education? There will be more, according to Van de Venn, but the main mover is simpler. Show them the benefits while recognizing the challenges, such as logging onto their accounts and reaffirming consent every three months.
Maybe in exchange for access to those accounts, a mortgage provider offers a lower rate. The borrower saves money, while the lender makes wiser decisions.
“Or if I use that payment initiation, for instance, to make a payment and I don’t have to pay transaction costs to buy something, then it would also benefit me,” Van de Venn said. But that’s not the situation right now.


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MiXTRA SHOE SHOP (SAMPLE) Show By Michael Lau
Designer art toy pioneer, Michael Lau is preparing for his solo exhibition, MiXTRA SHOE SHOP (SAMPLE) Show on July 16 in Hong Kong. Taking place at MiXTRA.SHOE SHOP which is a large sneaker store in the art mall, K11, Michael Lau will be displaying a ton of Mr. Shoe toy samples. The exhibition will last for a brief time this summer, from July 16 to August 1.
G36, K11 Art Mall
18 Hanoi Road
Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon


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Loveland craft distillery expands to Florida
"We believe that American craft distilled spirits will follow a similar path of success to other categories such as beer, coffee and soda," Spirit44 CEO Jeff Lindauer said in a statement.
Lindauer added that he hoped to gain some of the market share largely held by imported brands.
More breaking news...
Longmont, Fort Collins, Boulder to host National Electric Drive Week
The state Department of Regulatory Agencies is
Vestas posts $125 million profit in Q2
The events give community members a chance to learn about the benefits of electric vehicles and even test
Region’s jobless rate low again in July


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How outside tech firms helped Gadhafi crack down in Libya (Video)
IN BED WITH Gadhafi
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- Greg Lamm
- Staff Writer
To maintain his control over Libyan citizens, Moammar Gadhafi used tech tools supplied by outside companies to monitor online calls made through Skype, to sensor YouTube videos and do prevent Libyans from hiding their online activities.
The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) takes readers inside the room on a government building in Tripoli where Gadhafi agents spied on emails and chat messages in an internet crackdown aided by Western companies, such as Amesys, a subsidiary of the French technology firm Bull SA.
The report takes a look at the dark side of how oppressive rulers are using tech tools -- and relying on eager outside companies to supply them -- to block information and spy on citizens.
The WSJ said Gadhafi’s regime stepped up the internet surveillance after the Arab Spring uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt.
According to the report, “Amesys in 2009 equipped the Tripoli monitoring center with ‘deep packet inspection’ technology, one of the most intrusive techniques for snooping on people’s online activities.”
Other Libyan partners included the Chinese telecom company ZTE Corp. and VASTech SA Pty Ltd, a small South African firm, according to the WSJ.
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Have More People Heard of Zoopla or Rightmove?
New research suggests that more people have heard of Zoopla than Rightmove.
The study was undertaken by Harris Interactive on behalf of ZPG, and reveals that Zoopla is the most popular UK property portal with the highest level of national consumer brand awareness.
The survey was conducted between 29th June and 3rd July this year, and questioned thousands of consumers around the country. It shows that Zoopla’s national spontaneous brand awareness amongst adults is at 38% compared to Rightmove’s 34% and OnTheMarket’s 2%.
It is also believed that the second half of this year could see increased vendor activity, with 7% of respondents planning to sell in the next 12 months, up from 5% in February.
Zoopla’s Lawrence Hall says: “This research reinforces how the Zoopla brand remains front of mind with consumers when thinking of property search and research.
“This is a difficult market in which to establish brand loyalty, which we have done through constant innovation and differentiation.
“And our high levels of brand awareness and usage are helping us to deliver record levels of instruction leads for our members to take advantage of.”1


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How Urbanization is Bringing Opportunities for Franchise Business
The 2018 Revision of World Urbanization Prospects produced by the Population Division of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) and said that 68 per cent of the world population is projected to live in urban areas by 2050, which currently is at 55 per cent.
Earlier this year, Amazon claimed that it saw a 235% annual growth in tier II and tier III cities for a four-day promotion it ran.
A huge population is moving out of rural area and many rural areas are urbanized due to the growing demands of needs, business and most importantly for creating opportunities.
Here are some of the points which show that urbanization and franchise business are directly proportional to each other:
New Business Opportunities:
The big brands and big companies have identified that tier-II and tier-III are the potential areas to expand, which can only be done via franchising.
In order to expand their brand name, to every corner of the country, these brands offer huge number of business opportunities for the local people.
Create Job opportunities:
A huge chunk of the rural population moves to the cities, in need of a job. If franchisors are ready to expand in rural areas, the population does not have to leave their houses and roots; they can get enormous job opportunities in their locality.
A franchisee cannot be run single-handedly and one cannot afford to invest alone in running it, this is where job opportunities and mutual benefits come into play.
The rural population is seen to be dislocating from their houses to provide better education to their children. So now the education franchisees have identified their demands rising in the tier-II and tier-III cities.
A lot of preschool franchises, skill development franchise are keen to open their franchisees in these places for their growing demand and cheap real estate.


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From August 2nd-14th Global Vision and Junior Team Canada will be present in the People's Republic of China, to underscore the increasingly close ties between Canada and China. Further, this trade mission will be used as a spring board for even greater youth exchange between Canada and China.
The Global Vision Trade Mission will visit a plethora of cities; Beijing, Kunming, Chongqing, Chengdu, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Hong Kong. The full team arrives in Beijing for the opening days of the trade mission. After this, they will fan out across the country to build ties in a variety of different regions. Partners All China Youth Federation and the Chinese Embassy in Ottawa are working hard with Global Vision to ensure a top of the line program.
Global Vision has just returned from hosting the G8 and G20 Youth Summits. 150 youth from around the world came to take part in the event, which Global Vision was asked to host by Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Among the major highlights for the Global Vision team was meeting The President of the People's Republic of China, Hu Jintao.


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As sparkling wine’s year-round popularity continues to increase, producers are taking notice and promoting their bubblies for the summer months.
Special bottles. Recipes for summer cocktails featuring their products. Partnerships with summer events. All reinforcing the notion that Champagne, Prosecco and other sparkling wines are bright and refreshing, the perfect beverage for warmer months.
Nielsen figures show a modest increase recently in sparkling wine sales from Memorial Day to Labor Day. In 2018, that period accounted for 28.9% of the year’s sparkling wine sales in dollars, versus 26.7% in 2015.
In its “Wine Handbook 2018,” the Beverage Information and Insights Group found that yearly bubbly sales were up 56% in 10 years and nearly 6% in 2017. The group called Champagne and sparkling wine consumption a “key driver of growth in the overall wine category.” The same report found that although sparkling consumption spikes in December, it’s spread fairly evenly through the rest of the year, with consumption in May, June, July and August each roughly equal to, say, February, when bubbly is popular for Valentine’s Day.
A number of the producers contacted says they had seen at least modest growth in summer, although they didn’t provide specific sales figures. Renaud Butel, vice president for Moët & Chandon USA, says the Champagne-maker has seen double-digit growth in summer. “The style of our wine is very summery,” Butel says, because of its “dry fruitiness” and vibrancy. It also helps that the Moët portfolio includes styles and products that are well-suited to summer, from four rosé bottlings to a cuvée made to be served over ice to single-serving bottles.
Like Butel, other producers sing the praises of bubbly’s refreshing qualities for summer consumption.
“Prosecco is perfect for the summer,” says Stefano Zanette, president of the Prosecco DOC Consortium, which represents many Prosecco producers. “It is refreshing, light, very easy to drink and pair with multiple types of food.”
“La Marca Prosecco is bright, accessible and food-friendly,” says Joyce Chen, marketing director for La Marca, the top-selling brand of imported sparkling wine. She touted the wine’s “bright, refreshing taste profile,” and added, “In the summer months, we see La Marca being enjoyed poolside, used in cocktails or at picnics and backyard barbecues.”
One promotional approach is to release special bottlings for summer. That’s a strategy that Korbel, the best-selling domestic traditional-method sparkling wine and No. 3 U.S. bubbly brand overall, uses throughout the year. This summer, the Sonoma County winery is releasing a limited-edition “Aloha” version of its extra dry, which is scheduled to hit retail locations in June.
This is the eighth year that Domaine Chandon in the Napa Valley will release its special “American Summer” bottles for both the Chandon brut and rosé. The wines will be available from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
The Prosecco producers promote their category with a National Prosecco Week, Zanette says. In its second year, the event will take place June 3-9 in multiple cities and includes master classes for trade and media, as well as consumer parties.
Barefoot, a brand in the E. & J. Gallo portfolio that produces sparkling and still wines as well as spritzers, is a participant in Pride events across the country. “One of the annual highlights of our Barefoot summer promotions is our holistic Pride campaign focused on local, regional and national events, creative content production and LGBTQ-focused engagement platforms,” says Barefoot winemaker Jennifer Wall. “In 2019, we plan to March Onward with a custom Rainbow Route onsite experience at Pride events across the country, including WorldPride 2019 in New York City in June.”
Korbel is a sponsor of the American Century Celebrity Golf Championship Tournament in July at South Lake Tahoe, California. That gives the brand exposure on national TV, and Korbel also uses the event in its sales displays in Northern California retailers. Moët & Chandon partners with a number of tennis tournaments.
Zonin USA, whose Italian parent company produces Zonin Prosecco, is planning an experiential campaign with summer promotions aimed at millennials, according to a company press release. Events will include a partnership with Citi Taste of Tennis, with Zonin Prosecco as the exclusive sparkling wine for the multi-city event. A National Brunch Day campaign is also planned.
In some cases, the events are closer to home. Domaine Ste. Michelle, the sparkling wine brand of Chateau Ste. Michelle in Washington state, sees booming sales during the chateau’s summer concert series. The winery reports that more sparkling wine is sold in the tasting room in May through August than during the holidays (although November-December are still bigger in the broader market). Ste. Michelle also has a pop-up mimosa bar in the summer, and the facility is a popular spot for weddings and bachelorette parties – which, of course, include bubbles.
In California, both Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards in Sonoma County and Domaine Chandon offer special activities in summer. Gloria Ferrer offers food-and-wine pairings year-round, with seasonal “bites,” but the program is particularly popular during the busy summer season, says assistant brand manager Lauren Vigil. Domaine Chandon also has pairings, and starting in May will offer a summercocktail class and “Sunday brunch and bubbles.”
Breakfast or Lunch? Why not Both?
Brunch comes up frequently in conversations with sparkling wine producers, who see it as a good occasion for drinking bubbles. Korbel has perhaps embraced it most enthusiastically, trademarking the title of “Official Sponsor of Brunch.” La Marca’s Chen says that, starting in May, the Prosecco brand will be promoted as “the ideal accompaniment for brunching.”
If brunch is an occasion for sparkling wine, it’s also a venue for cocktails. Although some more traditional producers prefer to promote drinking their products as is, there are many companies that have eagerly embraced the idea of mixing their wines into cocktails.
Champagne producers, for example, can be a little prickly about the idea of diluting their wines with other ingredients. But Moët hasn’t shied away from the cocktail craze. The company has been working with professional bartenders, Butel says, to create cocktails using Moët & Chandon Imperial Brut as well as Ice Imperial, which is made to be served over ice. As part of its involvement in tennis tournaments, the company rolls out special cocktails, like the Moët & Chandon Tennis Paradise, which combines Imperial Brut, Volcan Blanco tequila (another product from parent company Moët Hennessy), lime juice and honey syrup.
Korbel sees brunch as “an opportunity to target seasonal or specialty cocktails,” says Margie Healy, vice president of communications for Korbel. Rather than try to compete with cocktails, she says, “we are the fruity cocktail.”
Prosecco, of course, is well known as an ingredient in cocktails, most notably in the Bellini, where it’s mixed with peach puree. Zanette calls Prosecco “a wonderful addition to cocktails because of its versatility to pair with multiple flavors and essences, moderate alcoholic strength and acidity.”
More than Glass Bottles
Summer sales are also helped along by alternative packaging, like cans and single-serving bottles, as well as innovative products.
Cans, for example, go to venues where glass isn’t allowed. Wall says that Barefoot Spritzers, packaged in cans, “appeal to current and new wine fans for a myriad of social occasions, especially during the summer months. They can go places that glass bottles typically cannot, like pools and beaches, and are easily portable in coolers.” Chandon is packaging its rosé in single-serving aluminum bottles for summer.
And single-serving bottles continue to grow in popularity. For Prosecco, “the single-serve format bottles fare extremely well in the summer, as they are convenient to carry and enjoy,” Zanette says.
As for Champagne, Moët & Chandon has also found success with its “minis.” “The minis are doing extremely well in summer,” Butel says, especially among millennials. It’s what he calls “Moët & Chandon on the go,” with a group sharing a bucket of the small bottles.
Moët has also promoted its Ice Imperial, made to be poured over ice, for summer. The product was conceived after Moët’s head winemaker saw people adding ice to their Champagne in Saint Tropez, on the French Riviera. He went on to create a cuvée that’s sweeter and more condensed and made to be poured over ice. Butel says the product was rolled out in resort areas like Miami, Las Vegas and the Hamptons and is now popular throughout the year. “When you try it, you just fall in love,” Butel says. “It’s very fresh, it’s very fruity, it’s very summery.” Two years ago, a rosé version was introduced.
Of course, anything rosé is popular for summer, and that includes sparkling wine. Butel says his portfolio’s four rosés have been a “big success” in summer.
At Chateau Ste. Michelle, Domaine Ste. Michelle rosé overtook the brut in summertime tasting room sales last year. Even in the broader market, where brut is still the undisputed leader, rosé last year accounted for 13 percent of volume in summer, up from just 2 percent in 2017.
As Gloria Ferrer’s Vigil put it, rosé in summer “just makes sense.”
A Northern California resident, Laurie Daniel has written about wine for more than 20 years. Her wine column appears in several California newspapers, and her articles have appeared in magazines such as Wines & Vines, Food & Wine, Wine Country Living, Drinks and the Wine Enthusiast.


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Artificial Intelligence: The Growth Factor for Budding Entrepreneurs in Home Automation Industry The principal of building an automation framework for an office or home is expanding day by day and has opened a great avenue for aspiring entrepreneurs to venture into and capitalize their innovative ideas
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.
The entrance of the world into the digital age has overhauled almost all the aspects of life, out of which one of the most noticeable evolution is – "the Smart Homes of New Age'. Automation, which is termed as a method, technique, or arrangement of operating or controlling a procedure by electronic gadgets and reducing human interference to a minimum, has risen as a new industry vertical in the last two decades. Gone are the days when someone has to check the house twice before leaving so that no lights, fans, or appliances are left switched on. It's the age of automation, where relay modules, sensors, and automated systems will take care of the optimal usage of electricity and all devices. Moreover, the past years have witnessed AI evolving as a technology for developing automatic systems and making decisions using case-based reasoning. This leap has opened a great avenue for aspiring entrepreneurs to venture into and capitalize their innovative ideas.
The principal of building an automation framework for an office or home is expanding day by day with various advantages. Industrialist and scientists are attempting to work for proficient and affordability automatic systems to monitor and control diverse electronics like lights, fans, AC dependent on the prerequisite. The measurement displayed by Statista demonstrates a development conjecture for the worldwide home automation advertise in 2020 and demonstrates the real anticipated market estimation of the home automation showcase in 2013. For 2020, the worldwide brilliant home automation industry is projected to reach 21 billion U.S. dollars. The predicted CAGR between 2013 and 2020 is estimated to be 26.3 %. Today, when tech giants are also entering this domain, it also poses great potential for entrepreneurs in start-ups and MSMEs.
Automation makes an effective as well as a practical utilization of the power and diminishes a great part of the wastage. Homes of the 21st century will turn out to be increasingly more self-controlled and automated because of the solace it gives. The consistent evolution of Home automation has also encompassed the control and automation of lighting, warming, machines, and security. The home automation market is required to achieve INR 30,000 Cr by 2023.
With the development of innovation and Wi-Fi-based gadgets, home automation is consistently being acknowledged across segments in India. Moreover, the diverse application of home automation in segments of Lighting, Security, Heating, Ventilating & Air Conditioning (HVAC), and Entertainment has given this industry the required boost. As per a study, the penetration of home automation in Indian homes is going to increase from 2per cent in 2018 to 15per cent in 2023. Majorly, this is attributed to the growth of IT hubs and HNWI's (high net worth individuals) across India, especially with the rise of earning millennials.
Home automation gadgets like motion sensors and remote appliance control units have seen improved interest over the recent years. These gadgets additionally incorporated with voice-based or action-based Artificial Intelligence (AI) gadgets like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, or others do not just improve the functionality but also take automation several notches higher. With such great potential, AI has become the new enhanced feature in home automation, giving an advantage to entrepreneurs to have a breakthrough in this growing sector. The combination of AI has reclassified the role of home automation and a few of the essential highlights that new age home automation items give is:
Appliance control and setting
From the accessibility of remote access and control of essential gadgets like fans, lights, TVs, forced air systems among others on your smartphone, new home mechanization products can be utilized to customization gadget settings dependent on a state of mind, time and use. AI enabled homes automation learns from the user activity and improvises on the same. This concept has gained momentum in this growing industry for entrepreneurs to introduce their creative products and services.
Integration with Voice controlled innovation
One of the primary highlights in recent time is the simple incorporation of these home automation products without the need for numerous control boards. Existing home automation gadgets can be effectively connected with voice-based gadgets like Google Home, Google Assistant, and Amazon Alexa to pick up voice access to various gadgets. This is just the beginning, and the competitiveness gets fierce with the entrance of both industry giants and innovative entrepreneurs in this segment.
Energy and monetary savings with home automation
Gone are the days of wasting electricity, resources, and money. The inclusion of AI in home automation has realized the concept of smart devices, which helps in saving energy and expenditure for the users. This functionality of AI in home automation also helps users to comprehend vitality utilization and point of confinement vitality wastage. Entrepreneurs can leverage this implication of AI and offer a more comprehensive solution in the Indian market.
Safety and Security with Home Automation
Lighting and security take up nearly 80% of the Indian home automation market, as per Renub Research. This itself rises as a great opportunity for young entrepreneurs and innovators to delve into and propose AI-enables smart products to modern Indian Home Makers. Interruption alert dependent on facial acknowledgement, remote access to constant video benefits from your smartphone, or microwave-based movement sensors that can distinguish irregular development and alert homeowners are a few of the modern security solutions proposed by AI-powered home automation entrepreneurs. Home Automation System is an emerging technology. Furthermore, the smart homes of the future will be facilitated with AI. The main objectives of home automation are controlling, management and coordination of home appliances in a comfortable, effective and AI are supplementing home automation as a technology for developing automatic systems that can perceive & learn from the environment, and can make a decision using case-based reasoning. With the introduction of AI to home Automation, the living space of the user can be controlled without the touch of a button. AI is undoubtedly becoming an integral part of the home automation industry in India and opens a new horizon for rising entrepreneurs to venture in and create new milestones.


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Andy Rubin's Essential Cancels Second Gen Smartphone And Considers Sale
Andy Rubin is the father of the Android operating system that powers hundreds of millions of smartphones around the globe. Rubin broke away from Google and eventually wound up at a new company called Essential Products Inc. The company's first smartphone was the Essential Phone and it flopped massively. Reports indicate that the Essential Phone sold fewer than 90,000 units in all of 2017. A person claiming to be familiar with sales claims that Essential has sold about 150,000 units to date.
Reports have surfaced that things are bad enough over at Essential that the company has stopped development work on its next smartphones. The sources also claim that Essential has hired Credit Suisse Group AG to advise on a potential sale, and at least one potential buyer is reportedly circling.
Bloomberg reports that the startup portion of Rubin's company, Playground Global, has raised about $300 million from investors that include Amazon.com Inc., Tencent Holdings Ltd., and Redpoint Ventures. About a year ago, Playground Global was valued at as much as $1 billion. About a third of the cash that was raised was spent to develop Essential's first products, including the Essential Phone.
The sale discussions are focused on selling the entire company, including its patent portfolio, hardware products, and upcoming devices including a smart home device and a camera attachment for the original phone according to the sources. The engineering talent that Essential has on staff, including former Apple and Alphabet talent is reportedly part of the deal.
Rubin tweeted, "We always have multiple products in development at the same time and we embrace canceling some in favor of the ones we think will be bigger hits. We are putting all of our efforts towards our future, game-changing products, which include mobile and home products." The development of the next smartphone was canceled and the engineers on that device were shifted to a coming smart-home product that is on track to launch next year. With Essential now up for sale, the fate of that product is unknown. The Essential Phone is still available and its latest price is down to $399.


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These cars are already on the road. Honda has been leasing (albeit a limited number) of FCX Clarity FCVs since 2007. Hyundai will lease FCVs this year -- the same production model it is already selling in Europe. Bush's goal indeed can be met...once that child born in 2003 gets his drivers license!
The negative slant in this article is unwarranted, especially the "safety concerns" that are linked to a ProPublica article that is misinformed at best. Yes, hydrogen burns, but it does not explode like oil or gasoline. For a comparison, see the following article in EV World: http://evworld.com/article.cfm?storyid=482. Which car would your rather be in?
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After 20 years, DomainTools takes its first VC dough
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Microsoft's new Bing search engine isn't doing too badly in terms of market share, perhaps thanks to Steven Ballmer's masterful attempts to make the trademark catchy. Believe it or not, Bing might soon get some help growing from a little company called Apple.
Quoting "two people familiar with the matter," BusinessWeek reports that Apple and Microsoft have been in talks for "weeks" to change the iPhone's default search engine from Google to Bing. One of the sources told the weekly, "Apple and Google know the other is their primary enemy . . . Microsoft is now a pawn in that battle."
As you might recall, Google CEO Eric Schmidt stepped down from Apple's board of directors last August due to "potential conflicts of interest." Five months later, we saw the launch of the Nexus One, a Google-branded smart phone that's every bit an iPhone rival. Google is also pushing its Android mobile operating system, of course, which is gaining a strengthening foothold in the market thanks to devices like the Motorola Droid.
Web search may not be the only iPhone feature Apple strips of its Google-ness, either. News broke last October that Apple had quietly purchased a mapping software firm, a hint that the Google Maps iPhone app could be on its way out—from the default software bundle, at least.
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Animal lover organization Animal Defenders Indonesia reported that Solo is the biggest city consuming dog meat in Indonesia.
"The name is Bandaraya factory, which is planned to be operational next year," said Nestle Indonesia Corporate Affairs Director Sufintri Rahayu
The accommodation in Dieng Kulon Village, Banjarnegara Regency, Central Java, has been fully booked by tourists ahead of the XIII Dieng Culture Festival (DCF)
Central Java Governor Asks Citizens Not to Eat Dog Meat
TheIndonesia.id - Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo asked residents not to eat food made from dog meat as a form of support for the dog meat-free campaign in Central Java Province. Several districts and cities in Central Java have issued regulations against the consumption of dog meat.
"Stop eating dog meat. We encourage dogs to perform functions that can be done, such as K9 (police tracking dogs), then they can be funny guarding the garden, guarding the house. That, in my opinion, is much more important," said Ganjar after receiving an award from the Dog Meat-Free Indonesia Coalition (DMFI) in Semarang, Thursday, March 17, 2022.
Ganjar said the DMFI award was proof of the local government, police, and activists' seriousness to make Central Java an area free from the trade and consumption of dog meat. "For example, Sukoharjo has acted and (the case) has gone to court. Then several regencies/ cities such as Brebes have made rules or regulations to prohibit trading or eating dog meat," he said.
He explained that dog meat consumption is prohibited because of the risk of causing animal disease transmission to humans. "From the Ministry of Agriculture, the Director of Veterinary Public Health said that the regulations are indeed prohibited and the potential for disease is high because dog meat is not for consumption," he said.
The governor stressed the importance of continuous education to stop the trade and consumption of dog meat. He stated that he was ready to help dog meat traders to switch to trading other meat commodities such as chicken, goat, or beef.
"I ask all the people of Central Java, let's stop eating dog meat. Those who sell dog meat, sengsu (a soup made of dog meat), herbal medicine, or whatever the term is please stop. Replace it with other meat later, we are ready to help to transform it, so I ask for the pattern not only to increase punishment but let's educate together," said Ganjar.
Several regions in Indonesia have a tradition of consuming dog meat such as North Sulawesi, Central Java, North Sumatra, Jakarta, and Bali. According to Animal Defenders Indonesia, the city of Solo in Central Java is the highest consumer of dog meat in Indonesia, followed by Medan (North Sumatra) and Jakarta.


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The Beachbody Company Group LLC, a digital fitness streaming and nutrition solutions company, will become a public company by entering into a definitive three-way merger agreement with Forest Road Acquisition Corporation, a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company, and Myx Fitness Holdings LLC an at-home connected fitness platform featuring an industry leading bike and home studio.
Beachbody will continue to be led by Carl Daikeler, Beachbody’s co-founder, chairman and chief executive officer and Jon Congdon, co-founder of Beachbody and CEO of Openfit. Forest Road’s strategic advisor Kevin Mayer will join the combined company’s Board of Directors.
Mr. Daikeler stated, “We have seen incredible digital growth in recent years, which was further fueled in 2020 by a structural and lasting shift in how people embrace health and fitness. With the acquisition of Myx, cutting edge technology meets best-in-class streaming content — and we will continue to redefine the at-home fitness experience as we pair the integrated hardware, science-based heart rate coaching and personalized smart recommendations behind Myx with Beachbody and Openfit’s best-in-class content libraries, track record of content innovation and vast network.”


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All search engines consist of three main parts: a robot that gathers information as it crawls the World Wide Web, a database that stores information that the robot gathers, and a search tool that enables users to find information.
An orange manufacturing robot works quickly and efficiently at a manufacturing plant. While the machine requires regular maintenance, it does not require lunch breaks or vacation, and never calls in sick.
Engineers have developed a robot designed to extend a chain-like appendage flexible enough to twist and turn in any necessary configuration, yet rigid enough to support heavy loads or apply torque to assemble parts in tight spaces. ...
Science Daily. Thu, 07 Nov 2019 15:59:59 EST.
OpenAI, which is backed by Elon Musk, detailed its system, called GPT-2, in February, but stopped short of releasing it over concerns that it might be used to proliferate spam and fake news.
Daily Mail. Thu, 07 Nov 2019 17:17:04 GMT.


text: After HTC opened up their Zoe photo/video editing application to devices outside their own earlier this year, they’ve now announced that it is finally out of beta, with Zoe version 1.0 arriving on the Play Store later today. The craziest part? Android devices are only beginning. HTC mentioned that an iOS version of Zoe will be arriving for the iPhone later this year. (Gasp).


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Joseph Muscat is welcomed by Ganapati
Prime Minister to attend blockchain launch
The co-CEOS of GanaEight Coin Limited, invited the Prime Minister of the Republic of Malta, Joseph Muscat to their G8C launch. GanaEight Coin Limited is a successful subsidiary holding of renowned industry lead Ganapati group.
The co-CEOs personally requested the Prime Minister’s presence at the launch to introduce him to their share further information about their progress.
Following a successful first meeting in Japan in July, Mr Hayato Terai and Dr Kristina C. Deguar, the two CEOs of the G8C issuing company, sat down with the Prime Minister, this time in Malta, to hand him a personal invitation to their upcoming launch.
The G8C Token Launch Party is to be held on the 30th of October at the exclusive Naxxar venue Palazzo Parisio. Similiarly to other blockchain events, this launch is expected to gain significant attention across the island and elsewhere.
Terai and Deguara also updated the Prime Minister on the latest developments of their ICO on the run-up to its launch.
One of the more noteworthy feature’s of the GanaEight Coin Ltd token is that it can be used on its own blockchain to bet and play. It is transmission fee and it’s not necessary to exchange tokens for chips.
Recently, during the company’s talks in Japan, The Prime Minister’s established his full support for the upcoming project. Joseph Muscat welcomed G8C to Malta which is prominent in the industry as the iGaming and blockchain hotspot. Muscat reinforced this viewpoint by articulating his excitement that the country is quickly becoming the Blockchain Island.
On November 1, Joseph Muscat will feature at the Malta Blockchain Summit as a keynote speaker.
Ganapati PLC and GanaEight Coin Ltd are developing an online casino platform based on proprietary blockchains that seamlessly combine unique IT technology, finance knowledge, Japanese content, casino experience and knowledge in the online casino industry.
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It could be recalled that the couple, Kim K & Kanye West who got married back in 2014 with an exclusive and luxurious event had recently launched a new clothing brand for only children wears. It’s a Starbucks surprise with how they have really made it to the third year because initially when they started, a lot of rumours has filled the internet that the duo will be split up very soon but, no joy for haters, the couple are happy together.
Kim Kardashian West wrote on her website:
- “Happy three-year anniversary babe! Thank you for being the best husband and father. I love you so much”.
- “I can’t believe it’s been 3 years! For our wedding anniversary, I wanted to share some BTS pics of my dress fitting with Riccardo Tisci.”
Well, Kanye West have not been able to share the joy on the social media since he deleted his social media account some weeks ago.
ALSO READ: Jay Z and Beyoncé Is Ranked World Richest Couple In The World By Forbes
Kanye West and Kim Kardashian have Planned to spend their third wedding anniversary together as reported by E! News because:
- “They have been really working on their marriage and their overall daily lifestyle with incorporating each other in it during crazy and busy times. Their kids have been the stick that has kept them together in hard times. Kanye and Kim both been through a lot but they have both got help and counseling on their own and with each other.


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Following within the footsteps of main international manufacturers resembling Paypal and Xbox, homegrown decor model, The Rug Republic, has began accepting all main cryptocurrencies for his or her orders inside India.
The Rug Republic, a sustainable ground vogue with a presence in over 90 international locations, will solely settle for the highest 20 cryptocurrencies when it comes to market capitalization as funds for its handmade Indian rugs, poufs and equipment.
While Indian professionals resembling software program builders and content material creators have been accepting cryptocurrencies as a medium of fee for his or her work from international corporations for a while, The Rug Republic’s transfer is uncommon for an Indian firm.
Buyers trying to make funds in crypto on The Rug Republic must contact the corporate via a hyperlink offered on its web site. For now, The Rug Republic is utilizing WazirX and Binance platforms for peer-to-peer switch of crypto. However, it plans to develop an in-house fee system particularly for cryptocurrencies.
To hold a correct path of those gross sales, the corporate’s invoices would point out mode of fee, just like the identify of the cryptocurrency, the date and the value.
Driven by the breakneck rise in costs of cryptocurrencies, India has grow to be one of many prime gamers globally within the crypto market with over one crore customers and greater than $1 billion invested in these digital property.
On the announcement, Raghav Gupta, director, The Rug Republic, mentioned: “The blockchain is a superb piece of expertise that can undoubtedly change the face of transactions as we all know them. A brand new age the place middlemen might be minimize out and advantages might be reaped by all as a substitute of a choose few. I consider as entrepreneurs it isn’t solely in our greatest curiosity but additionally our responsibility to undertake new tech that may remedy very key points in our present methods.”
Gupta, who himself is a crypto fanatic, purchased his first cryptocurrency –ether — in 2016. He has additionally invested in tokens of India’s crypto start-up Polygon, which trades with a ticker image of MATIC.
According to Gupta, he doesn’t intend to transform the crypto acquired as fee to a fiat foreign money, although, he may have a look at some strategic sale as and when costs see a giant soar.
“Cryptocurrencies are a extra sustainable and advantageous future than fiat cash may even dream of being,” he mentioned.
Despite the uncertainties encircling cryptos, many corporates and startups in India have been embracing this new asset class for transactions. Notably, El- Salvador has grow to be the primary nation to legalize the acceptance of cryptocurrencies.
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All the news and tips you need to get the most out of the services, apps and software you use every day.
Waiting a week to download Apple's new iOS 15 operating system might save you some headaches. Here's why.
Don't want to subscribe to Microsoft 365? Don't worry: Consumers and small businesses will be able to buy Office 2021 as a one-time purchase this fall, the same time Windows 11 launches. Here's what to know.
The latest software from Apple will be released after the weekend. Here's everything you need to know about getting the updates on your iPhone and iPad.
The tech giant releases critical security updates for the iPhone, the iPad, the Apple Watch and Mac computers.
Apple's newest iOS update is just around the corner. Here's what you should do to get your phone ready.


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So Apple has the new Magic keyboard available for the 2018 or 2020 iPad Pro and it’s pretty awesome. But with this article you will discover how it’s even more awesome than you may have realized, because we’re about to share some of the top tricks for what you can do with the iPad Pro Magic keyboard.
Ever heard the saying, “Happy wife, happy life”? Let’s change it to “Healthy battery, happy MacBook Pro.” This article will give you some tips on how to keep your MacBook Pro’s battery healthy for years to come. Of course, it won’t last forever, but there are some things you can do to keep the battery of your MacBook Pro healthier for longer. And that means keeping more money in your pocket instead of having to replace a battery once a year.
In the time in which we're living, working from home has become a huge push. This is because of the Coronavirus pandemic. Everyone has the shared goal of staying as healthy as possible and preventing the spread of the Coronavirus by flattening the curve. To that end, millions of people are working from home to limit their exposure two others.


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Media releases about travel and tourism.
12 October 2020
AA Traveller is encouraging Kiwis to take the road less travelled this summer with the unveiling of a new list of Kiwi Gems. AA Travel and Tourism General Manager Greig Leighton says the new campaign celebrates fresh ideas and lesser-known spots that make our country really special, as well as new ways of approaching travel to familiar places. Kiwis can also test their knowledge of New Zealand and be into win one of 48 individual travel prizes, and three prize packs*, by taking part in a Kiwi Gems Quiz at aatraveller.co.nz. “We’ve called the campaign - We Love You New Zealand! - as we hope to inspire Kiwis to fall even more in love with this great place we call home,” Greig says. “From helping deliver mail in Pelorus Sound or finding archaeological relics at Rotorua’s Buried Village, to swimming at the St Clair Hot Salt Water Pool in Dunedin or trying cable wakeboarding in Central Hawke’s Bay, our country has so many unique and interesting experiences to offer.” Greig says AA Traveller worked closely with Tourism New Zealand, as well as Regional Tourism Organisations and local operators to pinpoint Kiwi Gems throughout the country.
28 July 2020
AA Traveller and Tourism New Zealand are excited to launch a major new partnership aimed at getting Kiwis out and about to explore their own backyard. The new three-year partnership will see AA Traveller, which has been providing New Zealand travel inspiration for more than 90 years, and world class Tourism New Zealand, join forces to support domestic tourism and local operators.AA Travel and Tourism General Manager Greig Leighton says it’s an exciting opportunity. “84% of AA Members’ domestic trips are by car, and self-drive tourism has never been more relevant in New Zealand. While we’re all looking for ways to buy and support local, we know that our Members also want to take the opportunity to get into some of those less well-known attractions in surrounding regions. “We’re determined to help Kiwis out by providing our expert local advice on great things to see and do throughout New Zealand.”Greig says AA Traveller works closely with the country’s Regional Tourism Organisations and local operators to pinpoint the coolest experiences people can do in each area. “Every time we publish lists like our 101-Must Do’s we always get loads of people, including the locals in a lot of instances, saying ‘wow,...
30 October 2018
AA Traveller and the Department of Conservation have released a first-of-its-kind joint walking guide packed full of information on Short Walks, Day Hikes and Great Walks from the top to bottom of New Zealand. While some Kiwi favourites are covered, Walking in New Zealand - from 30 minutes to multi-day also highlights beautiful less-frequented walks, as well as Landmarks Whenua Tohunga walks which showcase Aoteroa’s rich cultural heritage. Safety is a key component of the guide, with details such as terrain, fitness level required and best times to walk covered. The guide features maps, track overviews, local tips and highlights, and information on places to stay. AA Traveller Managing Editor Kath Webster says the guide has something for everyone from gentle strolls the whole family can do through to more challenging treks across valleys and through beech forests, following streams and climbing ridges. “We’re expecting Walking in New Zealand to be hugely popular with both Kiwis and overseas visitors,” Ms Webster says.“Through our partnership with DOC we’ve been able to produce a top quality guide with all the information people need before they put their walking shoes on and venture into our stunning natural environment.” Department of Conservation Customer Engagement...
25 July 2018
AA Travel and Tourism General Manager Greig Leighton has tonight presented Himatangi Beach Holiday Park in the Manawatu the supreme award of New Zealand’s Best Holiday Park.
29 May 2017
More than half of us think of ourselves as home-bodies over winter, according to a new AA Traveller survey, but we’re a lot more active than we give ourselves credit for.
23 January 2017
Packing the car full of kids, stuff and maybe the dog can be an ordeal, but the hardest part is finding somewhere everyone actually wants to go.
13 January 2017
Convenience and character – turns out that’s what we look for in a public loo.
19 December 2016
The AA welcomes the Government’s commitment to reinstating the coastal route to Kaikoura.
19 December 2016
Just in time for summer, AA Traveller has presented a freshly collated, vibrant collection of absolute Must-Do’s for Kiwi holidaymakers.
5 December 2016
The AA supports a proposal to create a national fund dedicated to tackling the infrastructure challenges impacting tourism in our regions.


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Armando Martin’s book entitled “Industry 4.0, challenges and opportunities for Made in Italy“, was selected for the final of the italian award “Premio Nazionale di Divulgazione Scientifica”, which will be held at the CNR headquarters in Rome on December 13th.
The theme of Industry 4.0 is a very current topic because it represents an opportunity for growth and modernization of our country, but it is above all an opportunity to underline that Italy is a great industrial and technological country.
Without forgetting that one of the leading sectors of the Italian manufacturing industry, that of the manufacturers of high technology automatic machines, is steadily between the third and fourth place in the world, both among producers and exporters.
Certainly sectors such as food and wine, art and tourism are the first to be “perceived” as identifying the well-being and progress of a country of 60 million inhabitants, but this assumption, according to the author, is part of a series of “cognitive bias”, ie judgments not necessarily corresponding to the evidence.
The second “altered perception” is that of the factory environment by many considered unattractive to young people. In reality today “modern factories are safe and controlled environments, where it is possible to live in close contact with the most stimulating innovations that are changing the world“, says Martin.
Even the digital transformation under way, contrary to what is perceived, is not a factor that produces technological unemployment. In contrast, the countries that are investing more in technology and training (Germany, South Korea, Japan) have very low unemployment rates and high quality employment. In Italy itself, in the last few years, the number of employees has remained almost constant with a substantial number of inhabitants.
Industry 4.0 is therefore a unique opportunity for growth and modernization of our country, to increase the size of companies, bring out a new entrepreneurial class, to grow new investments and new skills.


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Swiss researchers have unveiled a two-factor authentication mechanism dubbed ‘Sound-Proof’ that uses the noise recorded by a user’s phone and the device he or she wants to log into to verify identity. “The proximity of the two devices is verified by comparing the ambient noise recorded by their microphones,” the team from the Institute of Information Security at ETH Zurich explains in a paper describing the system.
- Rambus explores five key reasons retailers should have a mobile wallet
- TSB to roll out iris scanning tech
- Wells Fargo wants its ‘Control Tower’ to manage your digital financial life
- Mastercard expands QR payments choice
- Amazon Pay Places lets you pay for real-world shopping using your Amazon info


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Activision Blizzard announces massive layoffs
The company is preparing to cut “hundreds” of jobs
Activision Blizzard is having a difficult time keeping up with competitors such as Take-Two Interactive and Electronic Arts and weaker sales are beginning to take their toll. The company has announced that it will be cutting its staff, stating that the layoffs could reach into “the hundreds.”
The news came just a few days after the company reported its earnings results, which revealed that the video market industry has lost some of its shine. Last week, ahead of the announcement, Activision’s stock dropped 10% and the company is now scrambling to cut costs wherever it can.
It’s a surprise move from the publisher of monster video game franchises such as Warcraft, Call of Duty and Diablo. The exact details of its restructuring plan, including layoffs and other changes, are expected to be revealed tomorrow.
Last month, the company’s stock price dropped 7% when it announced that it was splitting from the Bungie game studio. That previous marriage brought the Destiny game franchise, but, when things went downhill, Activision was forced to make a number of changes.
In the past four months, Activision’s stock has fallen about 48%. It reached a 52-week high of $84.68 last October and has now dropped below $43.41.
The video game market has become tougher in recent years. The industry has gained in popularity, but there are a lot of battles that make maintaining a lead more difficult. Just last week, it was reported announced that large video game retailer GameSpot would most likely be forced to shut down permanently in the near future.


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Analysis of beer market in China (on Russian)
Beer market of Ukraine: big three losing weightIn 2016, fast increase of excises and resulting price spike stood in the way of the beer market stabilization. Most of competition (as well as mass sorts) moved to the economy segment of the market. The biggest losses were incurred by the leading three, especially Obolon, which again experienced pressure after reallocation of Efes market share. However, one should already speak of TOP-4. Group Oasis CIS (PPB) became a strong player and competitor to transnational companies. Besides the net sales of many regional medium breweries look rather good and 16-fold cost reduction wholesale trade license for craft brewers opens up a possibility of rapid growth in 2017.
Analysis of beer market in China
China’s transition to a “new normal” reality backfired on the brewing industry unexpectedly. Stagnation and subsequent market decline resulted from dynamic social and economic changes. There has emerged a “two speed” market where the medium class significance is growing, yet the share of main beer consumers, “blue collar” is decreasing. Also the inflow of consumers is shrinking, as demographics stopped being a growth driver. Finally, beer is giving way to other alcohol drinks....
India. Confusion over what happens to ‘Kingfisher’ trademark persists
Yesterday, SBICAP had seized Kingfisher Airline brand as part of loan recovery. However, the UBL management has made it clear that the company has sole right to the trademark.
Vijay Mallya directly or indirectly holds 32.8 percent stake in UBL, which is valued at over Rs 6500 crore. He is also the chairman of UBL. However, most of his shares are pledged to banks and some are even offered as security to Diageo.
The shares pledged as security to Diageo are part of loan guarantees extended to F1 team Force India.
Heineken, which holds around 42 percent stake in UBL wants to know what will be strategy for the company going forward – on whether Mallya remains Chairman? Of he has to forgo his stake?
11 Mar. 2016


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Costco Wholesale is planning to open its fourth business centre in West Edmonton, Alta. It will be the province’s first business centre and the fourth in Canada.
The opening has been postponed until April.
The store will have unique product offerings including larger quantities for businesses but is open to all Costco members.
Grocery Business will have more information on the new store in an upcoming newsletter.