Legendary Italian designer Giorgio Armani dies

 

Legendary Italian designer Giorgio Armani, who passed away at the age of 91, leaves behind a legacy not only of timeless fashion but also of remarkable entrepreneurial achievement. Armani began his career in fashion as a window dresser and sales assistant before launching his own brand in 1975 with business partner Sergio Galeotti. His entrepreneurial spirit was evident in his ability to identify market gaps—introducing relaxed tailoring for men and empowering professional women with elegant, functional suits. Armani maintained full control of his brand empire, which expanded into perfumes, hotels, restaurants, and home furnishings, generating billions in revenue. He was known for his hands-on leadership, even personally arranging boutique displays well into his 80s. Armani’s success was built on a clear vision, independence of thought, and a relentless work ethic, making him a powerful example of how creativity and business acumen can combine to build a global brand.

What entrepreneurial qualities did Giorgio Armani demonstrate throughout his career, and how did these contribute to the global success of his brand?

Giorgio Armani

Tesco Trials Avocado Scanner

 

Tesco has launched a trial of infrared avocado ripeness scanners in five UK stores, aiming to revolutionize how customers shop for fresh produce while tackling food waste. Developed by Dutch agritech firm OneThird, the scanners use light-based technology to assess the internal ripeness of avocados in seconds—eliminating the need for squeezing, which often damages the fruit. This innovation is part of Tesco’s broader sustainability strategy, which includes removing plastic labels and packaging from avocado products, saving over 20 million pieces of plastic annually. With avocado sales surging—15 million more sold this year compared to last—the scanner helps shoppers choose fruit suited to their needs, whether for immediate use or later consumption. By improving customer experience and reducing waste, Tesco demonstrates how technology can be leveraged to solve everyday retail challenges and support environmental goals.

BBQ - How can technological innovation like Tesco’s avocado ripeness scanner improve operational efficiency and customer satisfaction in retail?

Avocado Scanner

Lululemon Squeezed by Tariffs

   

Lululemon Athletica, the Canadian athleisure giant, is facing mounting pressure as a combination of U.S. tariffs and weakening domestic sales disrupt its growth trajectory. The recent removal of the "de minimis" exemption, which had allowed duty-free shipments under $800, is expected to cost the company around $240 million in gross margin this year. This change, coupled with escalating tariffs, has forced Lululemon to revise its full-year revenue forecast downward, triggering a 15% drop in its share price. CEO Calvin McDonald acknowledged that the brand had become "too predictable," with stale product cycles failing to excite consumers in a cooling U.S. market. While international markets like China continue to show strong growth, the company is now focused on refreshing its product lineup and adjusting its supply chain to mitigate rising costs. The situation highlights the vulnerability of global retailers to policy shifts and changing consumer behavior, even for well-established brands. Adidas warned that the tariffs will cost it €200m (£173m; $233m) and raised prices for American customers. Nearly half of the company's products are made in Asia.

BBQ - How might changes in international trade policy, such as tariffs and the removal of duty exemptions, affect a company’s pricing strategy and profitability? 

Lululemon Tariff

No Longer White Chocolate

 

If you look closely at certain packets of McVities Digestives and Nestlé KitKats in the UK, you might notice something rather surprising. They are no longer being described as ‘white chocolate’ biscuits.  Instead, you’ll find that it just says the word ‘white’ rather than ‘white chocolate’ on the front of the packs. The product descriptions have also been tweaked to say the biscuits have a ‘white coating’ or a ‘white chocolate flavour’. It can’t be helped though, as the sweet treats no longer contain the required level of cocoa butter needed to legally be described as chocolate. In order to be classified as white chocolate a product needs to contain a minimum of 20% cocoa butter. However, the amount in White KitKats (including the Chunky version) no longer meets this requirement. Interestingly, McVities has removed cocoa butter from its White Digestive recipe altogether. Instead, both brands now use a mixture of palm and shea fats to make their white coatings.  As such, Nestlé quietly removed the word ‘chocolate’ from the front of its White KitKat packets earlier in 2025, while McVities made a similar change to the White Digestive packaging recently. ‘Recently, due to a business continuity issue with our coating supplier, we have carefully crafted a new recipe for White Digestives. Sensory testing with consumers showed the new recipe delivers the same great taste and texture as the original they know and love.’

BBQ - Would this impact your decision to purchase these products?

Not White Chocolate

Ferrero in Talks to Takeover Kelloggs

 

Shares in the US maker of Kellogg's Corn Flakes have soared after reports that chocolate giant Ferrero is close to buying the firm for about $3bn (£2.2bn). A takeover deal for WK Kellogg, which makes the Froot Loops and Rice Krispies breakfast cereals for the North American market, could come as soon as this week, the Wall Street Journal and Financial Times reported. The Italian owner of the Ferrero Rocher, Kinder and TicTac brands has been expanding in recent years, buying Nestle's confectionery business and several other food firms. WK Kellogg's shares surged by more than 56% in extended trading in New York on Wednesday after the reports. The deal could be worth double the firm's $1.5bn stock market value when ordinary trading ended. It would see Ferrero taking a dominant position in the US breakfast cereal market. Founded in 1946, the Italian firm is one of the biggest players in the chocolate market, with more than 30 brands sold globally. WK Kellogg has been struggling financially in recent years and has more than $500m of debt. In 2023, the US breakfast cereals operation was split off from its former parent company's international and snacks business, which was renamed Kellanova.

BBQ - What issues might occur following the takeover?

Kelloggs Takeover

£13 Super Salad

 

Pret a Manger has unveiled a new range of 'premium' lunch offerings targeted at hybrid workers looking to treat themselves on office days - including a salmon salad that starts from £12.95.  The coffee shop chain, which has almost 500 stores across the UK, says its new range of salmon, chicken and butternut squash dishes have been concocted with its in-house nutritionist to meet growing demand for bigger, healthy lunches. Some of the dishes contain nearly 50 grams of protein and are, according to Pret, nearly 60 per cent bigger than its existing range of salads. Reaction to the new dishes has been mixed - with much opinion directed at the near-£13 price point and the ingredients, which include chargrilled chickpeas, quinoa and 'hand-massaged kale'. Existing salads retail for around £8. The premium dishes will be available at 250 of Pret's stores across the UK, including major train stations and airports. But the chain may have its work cut out convincing some diners that the 'super salads' are for them, judging by reaction on social media. A spokesperson added that the price point matched the time it took for workers to put them together, claiming they take longer to prepare than other salads and baguettes.Pret is not the only chain to look into the trend of people seeking bigger lunches. A poll of 2,000 adults conducted for McDonalds by OnePoll last month found that one in four Brits skip breakfast on a regular basis. Of those, 13 per cent wait to break their fast do so because they want a bigger lunch.

BBQ - Have Pret got their marketing mix right?

£13 Super Salad

Ribena's New Look

Suntory Beverage has backed Ribena with a relaunch that includes a £7m TV advert. The blackcurrant-based drink has revealed a new look in a bid to “drive more shoppers to rediscover their favourite childhood drink”. The new design aims to drive shelf stand out with more vibrant colouring, said Ribena. In consumer testing, the refreshed pack “improved purchasing, unaided recall, taste and overall appeal”, added the brand. Central to the new TV advert ‘No Taste Like Home’ is two films that follow a pair of siblings sharing a glass of Ribena. As they sit back, the unique taste of the drink triggers a powerful memory. Their living room transforms into a rainy British summer, where they relive a happy childhood moment splashing in puddles as their mum calls them in. Ribena has invested £7m across TV, VoD, YouTube and 60,000 points of disruption in store to bring the films to life. The activity will run nationwide until September.

BBQ - How will they judge if this money well spent for Ribena?

Watch - New Ribena Advert