There have been plenty of distressing stories of businesses going to the wall as COVID-19 lockdowns hit most countries around the world. True Respite Brewing Company in the US state of Maryland is the story of one business that saw the writing on the wall in the early...
Posts from: Emerging business models
Supply chains snap
COVID-19 has exposed supply chain shortcomings in the US where the rise in unemployment and sudden shuttering of foodservice caused a spike in demand for US food banks. But of filling the supply gap, US farmers were left with food rotting in the fields. In the first...
Online fail
Working from home and limiting movement has pushed a lot of shopping online in many countries affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns. The question that is starting to rise as economies tentatively open, is...
Short-termism bad for business
Panera Bread is one of the most successful restaurant chains in the US, after its humble beginnings as a stand-alone Boston cookie shop opened in 1981. Founder Ron Shaich saw an opening in the week-day lunch scene for elevated sandwiches and soups offering a quick...
Can Africa milk chocolate?
While Europe has long dominated chocolate, Africa supplies its most vital ingredient - cocoa, producing and exporting more than two-thirds of the world supply. Europe holds a global market share of 70% - the biggest consumer, producer and exporter of the addictive...
Kroger recruits UK firm in online fight
Amazon’s roll-out of online shopping and subscriptions services as well as it’s purchase of Whole Foods has struck fear into many traditional bricks and mortar supermarket chains. US retailers are now scrambling to offer online services to combat the existential...
Brandless is the latest brand
In a loud and noisy world of brands screaming in your face in an attempt to dictate your lives, a new trend of ‘non-branding’ has risen and is gaining traction. One of the front runners, called Brandless has built an innovative approach to selling unbranded grocery...
Long road to meat-free future
Dutch banker Rabobank and US-based CoBank have both released reports examining the future for alternative proteins. While acknowledging that alternative proteins such as the Impossible Burger and Beyond Meat have created a lot of buzz and some high-profile investments...