Ashley Bid to Takeover Boss

Businessman Mike Ashley's Frasers Group has made a takeover offer for German fashion brand Hugo Boss. The retail group already owns just over a quarter of Hugo Boss, having steadily built up the stake since 2020, but said on Wednesday it wanted to buy the rest of it for €1.98bn (£1.73bn). Hugo Boss said it would "thoroughly examine the offer and issue a reasoned statement". Frasers, formerly known as Sports Direct, owns House of Fraser, Game, Jack Wills, Evans Cycles and many other brands. It is also the largest shareholder in Boohoo but has had a frosty relationship with the firm. Because it has grown its shareholding so much, Frasers is now close to the 30% ownership level that German law requires it to make an offer for the whole company. The deal would value Hugo Boss at €38 a share, higher than the €36.5 it closed at on Wednesday.

BBQ - Why do you think Mike Ashley wants to complete this takeover?

Hugo Boss Takeover

SpaceX Goes Public

 

Last Friday for the first time investors will be able to buy and sell shares in Elon Musk's Texas-based SpaceX, a company that is planning to colonise Mars and put artificial intelligence (AI) data centres in space. It is set to be the biggest ever public sale of shares and will make SpaceX one of the US's top 10 largest listed firms. A higher-than-usual proportion of those shares is being made available to individual investors, but its sheer size means many investment funds will end up with a stake in SpaceX too. SpaceX is currently owned by Musk and other private investors, but they are launching what is known as an initial public offering, or IPO. On Friday, millions of new shares in the company will start trading on the stock market. The IPO has raised at least $75bn and gives investors the chance to buy into a business whose activities range from space exploration and satellite communication to the social media site X and the controversial AI platform Grok. SpaceX is separate from Musk's most well-known company, the electric car maker Tesla, although it is thought the two may end up merging next year. There are more than 550 million shares available, which will start trading at $135 (£100) each. Investors must decide if they think the shares are worth that much. And once they start trading their value could quickly rise or fall depending on whether the wider market thinks that initial price was too low or too high.

BBQ - Would you buy a share in SpaceX?

SpaceX Shares

Metrocentre for Sale

 

One of the country's biggest shopping centres has been put up for sale, ahead of a major redevelopment. The owners of the Metrocentre in Gateshead have confirmed the centre has been put on the market to "support the next phase of its development", which includes plans to build thousands of homes around the site. Reports suggest Frasers Group - owned by former Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley - is in talks to buy the shopping centre, but the company has declined to comment on any potential interest. The company said it had invested £60m in the centre since 2020, which had helped increase footfall to 16 million for the first time since the pandemic. A target sale price has not been made public, but the centre is expected to fetch upwards of £500m. The Metrocentre and its surrounding brownfield land has been earmarked to become a major new neighbourhood known as Metro Riverside. The plans are a collaboration between the Metrocentre Partnership and Gateshead Council and would see thousands of homes built on land near the River Tyne. It is not known how the sale of the Metrocentre will affect the MetroRiverside development. However, the development is still at an early stage and no plans have yet to be formally approved.

BBQ - What is the future of shopping centres?

Metrocentre

Cod Prices Increase

 

Fishing quotas in the Atlantic and conflicts around the world have pushed the price of cod higher than ever before, meaning chippies are having to diversify. More and more takeaways are now offering alternative fish species, such as hake, pollock, and monkfish, as lower-priced options. But even with changing menus, there has still been a deluge of chippies closing. At its peak around a century ago, there were approximately 35,000 fish and chip shops across the UK. There are now about 10,000, and industry leaders are concerned more could disappear as prices rise.Margins are tight, and businesses are having to think of new ways to balance the books. It is also difficult to convince the paying public to change their habits, even when a portion of hake is priced at £6.50 compared to £8.20 for cod. As well as diversifying by adding different species of fish to menus, some restaurants believe concentrating on customer service and retaining loyal diners is the key.

BBQ - What price would be too much for fish and chips or is it already too high?

Cod Prices

Hot Sauce Shortages

 

Hot pepper sauce in Caribbean cuisine is as pervasive as ketchup in the US. The fiery flavouring is a staple of dining tables regionwide, the obligatory accompaniment for everything from rice and peas, to curries and stews. And as international palates continue to heat up to the potent taste, a growing number of brands are exported to North America, Europe and Australia, appearing on the shelves of major supermarket chains, from the US's Walmart, to the UK's Tesco, and Woolworths in Australia. But a shortage of the particular chilli pepper used to create the quintessential Caribbean condiment is threatening to stifle supply, while sending costs for the region's producers soaring.A confluence of extreme weather, disease and pests is making core ingredient Scotch bonnet peppers particularly hard to source. The temperamental little, yellow fruit with its susceptibility to heavy rain and viruses can be tough to grow, while devastating hurricanes in Jamaica, a prime producer of Scotch bonnets, delivered a further blow. The Jamaican government has been working to help farmers get back on their feet. That included supplying Scotch bonnet seeds to 650 growers. As the warmer months are now arriving - peak season for both Scotch bonnets and storms - hot sauce manufacturers are keeping their eyes on the weather as well as their profit margins.

BBQ - What would you do if there was a shortage of chili peppers?

Hot Sauce Shortage

World Cup Crisps

 

Ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026, Walkers, Doritos and Wotsits are set to launch a major on-pack promotion, alongside football legend-themed Walkers packaging and new flavours. Selected promotional packs of Walkers, Doritos and Wotsits will feature a QR code giving shoppers the chance to win instant prizes. These include FIFA World Cup 2026 merchandise, home viewing bundles and food delivery vouchers, as well as entry into a high-value grand prize draw of 2 x £10,000 (or € equivalent). To further celebrate the partnership, a line-up of new, globally inspired flavours is launching across Walkers, Doritos and Wotsits. The range includes three new, limited-edition Walkers flavours: Walkers English Bangers & Mash, Walkers Wavy Spanish Queso and Walkers Max Portuguese Chorizo & Onion. A new Doritos flavour – Mexican Beef Taco – will also be unveiled, which will remain as a permanent addition to the Doritos range following the tournament. Also, Wotsits Golden Balls will launch a limited-edition, Smokin’ Cheese flavour snack.

BBQ - Do these promotions help drive your interest in trying and buying more products?

World Cup Crisps

Playstation Plus Price Rise

 

PlayStation Plus subscribers will be hit with price rises in some regions, the gaming company has said, citing "market conditions". A basic monthly subscription to the gaming service will rise by £1, $1 (75p), and €1 (87p) to £7.99, $10.99, and €9.99 respectively. Meanwhile, a basic three-month subscription will go up by £3, $3, and €3 to £21.99, $27.99, and €27.99 respectively. PlayStation did not specify where the rises would apply, but said they do not apply to current subscribers, except in Turkey or India, unless the existing subscription changes or lapses. The video game industry has been hit with supply problems due to the US-Israel war with Iran and the price of memory chips has skyrocketed because of the artificial intelligence (AI) boom. In March, PlayStation, which is owned by Sony, the PlayStation 5's price would rise by £90 in the UK and by $100 in the US due to "continued pressures in the global economic landscape" PlayStation's rival Nintendo also announced this month that it will hike the price of its Switch 2 console $449.99 to $499.99 in the US, and €469.99 to €499.99 in most European countries. For the year to March 2027, the game division is expected to enjoy higher profits despite falling sales, Sony said in its results.

BBQ - Will a price rise cause Playstation to lose any customers?

Playstation Plus