For Coke, Challenge Is Staying Relevant; The very idea that the Coke brand may be in trouble is startling, given that Coca-Cola has thrived for 127 years, surviving countless passing health fads

For Coke, Challenge Is Staying Relevant

FEB. 28, 2014

Muhtar Kent, chief executive of Coca-Cola, center, at the opening of a bottling plant in Myanmar last year. CreditLynn Bo Bo/European Pressphoto Agency

JAMES B. STEWART

Can this brand be saved? Read more of this post

Louis Vuitton invests US$25m for 20% in Taiwan’s Dr Wu Skincare

Louis Vuitton invests US$25m in Taiwan’s Dr Wu Skincare

Staff Reporter

2014-03-01

Dr Wu founder Wu Ying-jun, right, and his son CEO Wu Yi-jui. (File photo/China Times)

Louis Vuitton became a shareholder of Taiwan’s Dr Wu Skincare after the company spent US$25 million on 20% of the company’s shares, our sister paper Commercial Times reported on Feb. 27. Read more of this post

Sour Beer Is Suddenly All The Rage

Sour Beer Is Suddenly All The Rage

MELISSA STANGER THE LIFE  MAR. 1, 2014, 4:22 AM

Sour beers may have a long history, but they’re suddenly becoming a hot topic in the beer world.

The brews are often confused with Belgian lambics, which are a type of sour and have a similar flavor profile. But lambics, like champagne, are region-specific, says Alex Wallash, one of the co-founders of The Rare Barrel, a sour-only craft brewery in Berkeley, Calif. Read more of this post

Crew, the American fashion retailer beloved by Michelle Obama and actress Katie Holmes, could be sold to the Japanese clothing giant behind Uniqlo for between $4.5bn and $5bn

Uniqlo owner Fast Retailing moves for J Crew

J Crew, the US fashion retailer beloved by Michelle Obama and actress Katie Holmes, could be sold for $5bn (£3bn)

By Katherine Rushton

11:37PM GMT 28 Feb 2014

J Crew, the American fashion retailer beloved by Michelle Obama and actress Katie Holmes, could be sold to the Japanese clothing giant behind Uniqlo for between $4.5bn and $5bn (£3bn). Read more of this post

Uni-President eats into Master Kong’s instant noodle market share

Uni-President eats into Master Kong’s instant noodle market share

Staff Reporter

2014-02-27

At the end of 2013, the battle between Uni-President China Holdings and its main rival Tingyi Holdings, the largest instant noodle producer in China which sells under the Master Kong brand, began to heat up. Read more of this post

China falls out of love with cash

February 28, 2014 4:22 am

China falls out of love with cash

By Patti Waldmeir and Simon Rabinovitch in Shanghai

China is rapidly ditching the centuries-old habit of paying its bills with trunkloads of cash, and making the shift to virtual forms of payment faster than any other country on earth. Read more of this post

For Some Retailers, Less Red Is New Black

For Some Retailers, Less Red Is New Black

Penney, Sears Reported More Losses Last Year, but Results Weren’t as Bad as Some Feared

DREW FITZGERALD and SUZANNE KAPNER

Feb. 27, 2014 7:19 p.m. ET

For some of the country’s weakest retailers, less red is the new black. Read more of this post

PepsiCo re-enters ‘Magic Kingdom’ with Shanghai Disney deal

PepsiCo re-enters ‘Magic Kingdom’ with Shanghai Disney deal

8:04am EST

By Adam Jourdan

SHANGHAI (Reuters) – PepsiCo Inc (PEP.N: Quote, Profile,Research, Stock Buzz) has signed a deal to supply beverages to Walt Disney Co’s (DIS.N: Quote, Profile,Research, Stock Buzz) first China resort, breaking The Coca-Cola Co’s (KO.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) quarter century monopoly over beverage supply to the U.S. theme park operator. Read more of this post

How America fell out of love with orange juice

How America fell out of love with orange juice

By Roberto A. Ferdman @robferdman an hour ago

America has fallen out of love with orange juice.

Sales dropped almost every year for the last decade. Last year, orange juice sales hit their lowest level in at least 15 years, according to Nielsen. Over the same period, per-capita consumption fell roughly 40%. And this year is looking to be another rough one for big orange. Read more of this post

When P&G let Amazon set up shop in its warehouses, it sparked an angry reaction from Target and set off a spat between the retailer and a key supplier.

P&G’s Pact With Amazon Angers Target

Diapers and Paper Towels at Center of Dispute That Hurt a Business Relationship Close for Decades

SERENA NG and PAUL ZIOBRO

Feb. 25, 2014 7:58 p.m. ET

When word got out that Procter & Gamble Co. PG +0.33% had allowed Amazon.com Inc.AMZN +1.86% to set up shop inside its warehouses, the consumer-goods giant found itself in another retailer’s cross hairs. Read more of this post

Small miners size up mergers, deals may be elusive – Reuters survey

Small miners size up mergers, deals may be elusive – Reuters survey

12:09pm EST

By Allison Martell and Euan Rocha

TORONTO (Reuters) – Many of the small Canadian-listed mineral explorers that supply global major miners with new projects are considering merging with peers, according to a Reuters survey, but for most it may be tough to close deals. Read more of this post

Steel Industry Feeling Stress as Automakers Turn to Aluminum

Steel Industry Feeling Stress as Automakers Turn to Aluminum

By JACLYN TROPFEB. 24, 2014

DEARBORN, Mich. — For nearly a century, Ford’s River Rouge factory and its neighboring steel mill have worked in close harmony to produce some of America’s most popular vehicles, from the Model A to the F-150 pickup truck. Read more of this post

Loss Leaders on the Half Shell; A nationwide binge on oysters is transforming an industry (and restaurants’ economics).

Loss Leaders on the Half Shell

By KAREN STABINERFEB. 22, 2014

Connoisseurs across the country are binging on oysters. The trend is, at least in part, the result of a rapid growth of oyster farms on the East and West Coasts. Read more of this post

Target Push Into Canada Stumbles: Shoppers’ habits and other factors figure into a projected $8 billion to $9 billion loss in the retailer’s first international expansion.

Target Push Into Canada Stumbles

By IAN AUSTENFEB. 24, 2014

Anthony S. Fisher, the president of Target Canada, vowed to change how Canadians shop to get them accustomed to “one-stop shopping.” CreditGeoff Robins/Reuters

OTTAWA — When Canadians crossed the border into the United States on shopping excursions, Target was a prime destination. But when Target crossed the border last year and brought its stores to Canada, the magic somehow vanished. Read more of this post

Investors losing patience with big consumer brands; Big consumer companies cut costs, Wall Street wants bolder steps; The sector is worst performer over the past 6 months

Big consumer companies cut costs, Wall Street wants bolder steps

Investors losing patience with big consumer brands

The sector is worst performer over the past 6 months

Sun, Feb 23 2014

By Lisa Baertlein and Martinne Geller

BOCA RATON, Florida (Reuters) – Investors are growing impatient with the makers of global brands like Cadbury chocolate, Campbell Soup and Tide laundry detergent, as these stalwart consumer products companies try to boost profits through cost cuts and brand makeovers while smaller rivals take risks and grab market share. Read more of this post

Pet food brand looks to collar the market

February 25, 2014 12:22 am

Pet food brand looks to collar the market

By Ed Hammond in New York

Blue Buffalo, the premium dog food business, is grooming itself for an initial public offering, according to people familiar with the matter.

The company, which has a sideline in cat food products, has been talking to possible bookrunners for a stock market listing, these people said, but had not yet selected banks. Read more of this post

Beware of risks in investing in sizzling oil and gas

Updated: Monday February 24, 2014 MYT 6:36:48 AM

Beware of risks in investing in sizzling oil and gas

BY RISEN JAYASEELAN

THE oil and gas (O&G) space is sizzling and there’s no sign of it cooling off any time soon. There are deals aplenty being made. Just this week StarBiz reported that exploration giant Murphy Oil was looking at hiving off stakes in its assets in the country at a whopping price of some US$2bil to US$3bil (RM6.62bil to RM9.93bil). Read more of this post

SCA Builds a Revival on Tissue and Diapers

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2014

SCA Builds a Revival on Tissue and Diapers

By KATHY GORDON | MORE ARTICLES BY AUTHOR

Shares of Sweden’s Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget could rise more than 20% in the next 12 months.

When you think transformation, you don’t usually consider tissue and diapers. But Sweden’s Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget does, and has recently shifted its focus to hygiene—mostly tissue, diapers, and incontinence care—from low-growth paper products. An earnings miss last month created a buying opportunity, with shares possibly rising more than 20% in the next 12 months as trading normalizes in China and Russia, margins improve on tissue and personal-care products, and it uses some leverage for acquisitions or a share buyback. Read more of this post

Gucci is selling too much to the wrong people

Gucci is selling too much to the wrong people

By Jason Karaian @jkaraian February 21, 2014

The numbers: Not so shiny. Profits at Kering, the parent company of Gucci, Balenciaga, Stella McCartney and other luxury labels collapsed in 2013, to €50 million ($68 million) from more than €1 billion ($1.3 billion) the year before. Read more of this post

P&G’s smart toothbrush keeps tabs on tooth care

P&G’s smart toothbrush keeps tabs on tooth care

5:42am EST

By Paul Sandle

LONDON (Reuters) – Procter & Gamble Co is bringing the dentist into the bathroom with the world’s first smartphone-connected toothbrush, a device that gives personalized advice to help people improve their brushing. Read more of this post

Cows are incredible: They might just keep producing more milk forever

Cows are incredible: They might just keep producing more milk forever

BY LYDIA DEPILLIS

February 17 at 2:51 pm

Along with the bright future of soybeans, this year’s long-term projections from the U.S. Department of Agriculture contained this fascinating graph of the future of growing things: Read more of this post

StarKist, Bumble Bee and Chicken of the Sea, the top three canned-tuna brands in the U.S., are foreign-owned, but only StarKist’s tuna qualifies for the school-lunch program. Its rivals are fighting to change that.

Tuna Firms Jostle for Uncle Sam’s Recognition

Bumble Bee, Chicken of the Sea Press for Easing of School-Lunch Program Rules

JAMES R. HAGERTY

Feb. 17, 2014 7:58 p.m. ET

The top three canned-tuna brands in the U.S. are foreign-owned, but that doesn’t stop them from bickering about which is the most American.

At stake is their eligibility to sell tuna to the U.S. Agriculture Department for school lunches and other food programs. For now, only StarKist Co. qualifies because of a rule that any seafood the department buys must be 100% U.S.-produced. Bumble Bee Foods LLC and Chicken of the Sea International want the rules relaxed so they can sell to Uncle Sam too. Read more of this post

‘Peak salmon’ swims into view; Slow supply growth raises ‘peak salmon’ fears

February 17, 2014 1:20 pm

Slow supply growth raises ‘peak salmon’ fears

By Emiko Terazono

Could the world be facing “peak salmon”?

Strong demand and slowing production growth have sent prices to record highs, making life good for salmon farmers.

Export prices from Norway, the world’s largest farmed-salmon producer, hit more than NKr50 ($8) per kg at the end of last year due to supply concerns. Read more of this post

Fashion likes to dress itself up as something more, but it is one of the most hyper-capitalist businesses; It is one of the very few businesses allowed to present itself as not being wholly about commerce, but the facts say otherwise

Fashion likes to dress itself up as something more, but it is one of the most hyper-capitalist businesses

It is one of the very few businesses allowed to present itself as not being wholly about commerce, but the facts say otherwise

Aditya Chakrabortty

The Guardian, Monday 17 February 2014 20.00 GMT

Here are three facts about the fashion industry. It is worth $1.5tn a year. It is one of the most globalised trades of them all, and has been since at least the British empire. It is also one of the very few businesses allowed to present itself as not being wholly about commerce. Read more of this post

Miele prepares for battle over the machines of tomorrow; The electricals giant is thinking of customers’ needs beyond just apps and remote control

Miele prepares for battle over the machines of tomorrow

The electricals giant is thinking of customers’ needs beyond just apps and remote control

Miele, a German business that is still in the private hands of the two families that founded it in 1899, focuses solely on high-end domestic appliances.

By Matt Warman

8:00PM GMT 16 Feb 2014

In Canary Wharf’s cathedral-like East Wintergarden, the man behind the London 2012 Olympics closing ceremony was busy choreographing acrobats and dancers in a new show. But it was not human sporting endeavour that was being celebrated by Kim Gavin. It was the launch of a new washing machine by Miele. Read more of this post

Pernod versus Rémy: battle of the booze-makers

February 11, 2014 7:20 am

Pernod versus Rémy: battle of the booze-makers

By Adam Thomson in Paris

Pernod Ricard and Rémy Cointreau share more than a passing resemblance. Both are French, both make cognac and other spirits and both founding families retain important stakes. They also both have offices in Paris – in Haussmann-era buildings, less than two miles apart. Read more of this post

How Mulberry got squashed in fashion’s squeezed middle; The brand was one of Britain’s success stories – but alienated its core customers by putting up prices without raising quality accordingly

How Mulberry got squashed in fashion’s squeezed middle

The brand was one of Britain’s success stories – but alienated its core customers by putting up prices without raising quality accordingly

Hannah Betts

The Guardian, Friday 31 January 2014 19.20 GMT

One upon a time there was a nice, British leather brand called Mulberry that occupied the middle market where it flourished very happily. Many of its acolytes were women of the same vintage as this Seventies institution, customers who admired good quality at good value prices. Then, the company acquired a fashionable new designer who beguiled their daughters, giving them “it” bags for “it” girls, the various Alexas, Lanas and their ilk. Everyone was terribly proud and its forces went from strength to strength. And then, someone got greedy … Read more of this post

Why Abercrombie Is Losing Its Shirt

2/9/14 at 9:00 PM

Why Abercrombie Is Losing Its Shirt

BY MATTHEW SHAER

The corporate headquarters of Abercrombie & Fitch, one of the largest apparel retailers in the world, spills across 500 acres of dense Ohio woodland, about fifteen miles from downtown Columbus. From the outside, the central office cluster resembles an Adirondack lodge as envisioned by a Brutalist—all hard lines and weather-beaten wood. Meals are served in a barn finished in rusted steel, and in the summer, companywide meetings are held in an exposed-concrete courtyard in front of a large fireplace. Read more of this post

Men ‘feel more confident’ ordering sweet fruity drinks; Men’s increasingly experimental drinks taste is behind SABMiller’s expanded range of beverages

Men ‘feel more confident’ ordering sweet fruity drinks

Men’s increasingly experimental drinks taste is behind SABMiller’s expanded range of beverages

By Olivia Goldhill

6:17PM GMT 11 Feb 2014

Sweeter and fruitier drinks are driving SABMiller sales as men feel increasingly confident ordering alternative beverages.

The world’s second-largest brewer said it was developing its drinks range beyond traditional lagers partly in response to the more experimental tastes of male consumers. Read more of this post