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

Record Growth of Chinese Cars

One in 10 cars sold in the UK in June were made in China, according to the latest industry figures. New Chinese brands such as BYD, Jaecoo and Omoda are growing rapidly in the UK. There has been a particular surge over the past few months, at a time when most other G7 countries have levied significant extra tariffs against their imports. Around 18,944 cars made by Chinese-owned brands, including MG and Polestar, were sold in June, which is 10% of overall UK sales, according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). That is up from 6% in the same month a year ago. Across the first half of this year, more than 8% - or 1 in 12 - cars sold were Chinese, up from 5% in 2023 and 2024. This was mainly but not exclusively electric vehicles. Chinese firms and their franchises have been buying up car showrooms. "Chinese manufacturers are producing cars which are better, cheaper and more innovative in every sector of the market," said John Neill, former SMMT President and ex-chief executive of Unipart.

BBQ - Will this soon lead to these brands looking to make their cars in the UK? Why?

Cars Made In China

Bank Note Redesign

Banknotes issued by the Bank of England are about to get their first major redesign in more than 50 years. Notable historical figures, such as Sir Winston Churchill on the current fiver, have featured on these banknotes since 1970 but could be on the way out. The public are being asked for their views on new themes, such as nature, innovation, or key events in history. It raises the possibility of British birds, bridges, or bangers and mash featuring on the next series of £5, £10, £20 and £50 notes. Banknotes issued in Scotland and Northern Ireland already carry images of landmarks and animals such as otters. Euro banknotes feature architectural styles. This public consultation relates to the Bank's next series, which will also continue to include an image of the monarch. People can submit their view via an online form on the Bank's website, or by post, by the end of July. The final decision on what exactly features on a banknote lies with the Bank's governor. More than 4.7 billion Bank of England notes are in circulation, collectively worth around £86bn. Cash use has fallen to 12% of transactions as payments technology evolves, but the Bank has said it is committed to providing cash for those who wish to use it.

BBQ - What would you like to see on the new bank notes?

Bank of England

River Island Retrenchment

River Island has named the 33 shops it plans to close in the UK as part of a plan that puts hundreds of jobs at risk. The clothing retailer said last week that more people shopping online and higher costs to run stores were behind its proposals to creditors. It also wants its landlords to cut rents at a further 71 stores which are at risk. The family-owned retailer currently has 230 shops and employs about 5,500 people, but has suffered heavy financial losses. Ben Lewis, chief executive of River Island, said last week that although River Island is "a much-loved" British retailer, more online shopping means it has "a large portfolio of stores that is no longer aligned to our customers' needs". He added that a "sharp rise in the cost of doing business over the last few years has only added to the financial burden". He said a turnaround plan was in place, but restructuring was also necessary. "We regret any job losses as a result of store closures, and we will try to keep these to a minimum," he added. River Island made a £33.2m loss in 2023 after sales fell 19%, according to its most recent set of accounts. The chain said it will consult employees over possible job losses and will redeploy staff where possible. No head office workers will be directly affected by the proposed closures, a source said. Creditors will start to vote on the plan on 4 August, and a court will decide whether to approve the plan on 7 August. River Island was founded in 1948 under the Lewis and Chelsea Girl brand before being renamed in the 1980s. There is intense competition in fashion retail, not only from the likes of Boohoo, but also from Chinese giants such as Shein and Temu. Retail sales and consumer confidence in general have been down as households cut back to try to deal with inflation, she said, which all adds up to a difficult situation for River Island and its employees.

BBQ - Can the high street continue to compete against e-commerce?

River Island

New Nissan Leaf to be Made in UK

 

Car manufacturer Nissan has unveiled details of its new Leaf electric vehicle, which is set to be built at its UK factory. The third-generation model will be built at its Sunderland plant by its 6,000-strong team, the Japanese carmaker said. The new Leaf will be able to travel up to 375 miles (604km) on a single charge and will be available for customers to order later this year, Nissan said. It will be powered by batteries from AESC UK, Nissan's battery partner, which is based next to the Wearside factory. The site already also builds the carmaker's Juke and Qashqai models. Alan Johnson, senior vice president of manufacturing and supply chain management at Nissan Motor Manufacturing, said: "It's with immense pride that we unveil the third generation of our pioneering electric Leaf, 12 years after we brought EV and battery manufacturing to the UK. "It's a testament to the skill of our world-class team that we can bring into mass production a vehicle with such advanced technology and aerodynamic design." James Taylor, managing director of Nissan GB, said: "Leaf is a pioneering electric vehicle that has encouraged thousands to make the switch to electric motoring - and best of all, it's built here in Britain." It is the first model to be launched under the company's blueprint for electric vehicle production, Nissan's EV36Zero project, which aims for sustainability.

BBQ - Why is it good news that the car will be built in the UK?

Nissan Leaf

Trump Phone to be made in USA

 

Experts have cast doubt on the Trump Organization's claim that its proposed smartphone can be entirely manufactured in the US. Questions have also been raised about the ethics of what is the latest in a series of attempts to cash in on President Donald Trump's name. The phone which will retail at $499 (£367.50) will also come alongside a mobile phone service with a monthly fee of $47.45. The figure is a reference to Trump serving as the country's 47th and 45th president. Trump has said he has put his business interests in a trust, which is managed by his children. The White House has maintained he acts in the interests of all Americans. The Trump family has not said which company would manufacture its phone in the United States. Technology experts have questioned what the Trump Organization's "built in the United States" claim about its handsets means and argued it is probably not currently possible to manufacture smartphones from scratch in the US.The decision comes as Trump tries to pressure Apple chief executive Tim Cook to manufacture iPhones sold to American buyers in the US. The deal is an extension of a business strategy that Trump embraced long before his presidency, striking deals to sell his name to hoteliers and golf course operators in exchange for fees and royalties. The idea of a Trump-related smartphone has received mixed reaction online with some people ready to buy it and others mocking the concept.

BBQ - Why is it not possible for the phone to be manufactured in the USA?

Trump Phone

CEO Pay Inequality

 

The chief executive of a FTSE 350 company is paid 52 times as much as a typical worker, according to the latest measure of inequality between bosses and their employees. Median pay for FTSE 350 chief executives was £2.5m last year, which works out at 52 times a median worker’s pay, according to a new report from the High Pay Centre campaign group. The widest gap was found at the cleaning, security and waste management group Mitie, whose chief executive, Phil Bentley, was paid £14.7m, 575 times more than a middle-earner in the 2023-24 financial year. Tesco ranked the second highest for the same period among FTSE 350 companies legally obliged to report the figure. With a package worth nearly £10m, the supermarket’s chief executive, Ken Murphy, was paid 431 times more than a typical Tesco worker that year. The most recent ratio, for the company’s 2024-25 financial year, was lower, at a multiple of 373 as Murphy’s pay fell to £9.2m. Luke Hildyard, the director of the High Pay Centre, said a maximum pay ratio between chief executives and workers could help ensure that all workers received “a fair reward for their contribution to business success”. The High Pay Centre suggested all companies should be required to publish their CEO-to-worker pay gaps in their annual reports, and include pay figures for outsourced workers in their calculations.

BBQ - Do you think this gap is too big? Should there be a limit?

CEO Pay

Pink Digestives

Pladis is introducing a new limited-edition flavour to its McVitie’s Digestives range: Raspberry & Cream Pink Digestives. The product features golden-baked Digestive biscuits topped with a raspberry and cream-flavoured coating. It forms part of McVitie’s ongoing centenary celebrations for its Chocolate Digestives brand. Benazir Barlet-Batada, marketing director for Pladis UK&I, said: “As we continue to celebrate 100 years of McVitie’s Chocolate Digestives, we wanted to mark the next chapter in our history by reinventing the nation’s favourite". “We know consumers are currently enjoying nostalgic flavours across a wide range of food and drink products, and that nostalgia in food isn’t just about recreating the past, it’s about rediscovering it in a way that feels new and exciting. Meanwhile pink is also still trending as a popular colour across food and drink." “Our new Pink Digestives are fun, fresh and packed with fruity flavour, designed to delight loyal Digestives fans and foodies alike.” The new flavour will be available in Sainsbury’s from 16 June, with a broader rollout to other major retailers, convenience stores and wholesalers planned for July.

BBQ - Do you think this new flavour will be popular with customers? What flavour would you like to see?

Pink Digestives 

Poundland Sold for £1

Struggling budget chain Poundland has been sold for £1 and now faces a shake-up which could see up to 100 stores close. Its owner Polish firm Pepco confirmed it had sold the brand for a "nominal" sum to US investment firm Gordon Brothers. Poundland has 825 UK stores and around 16,000 staff and was struggling to compete with other discount stores, with sales down this January and February.It comes after Pepco warned that increased employer National Insurance contributions which kicked in in April would put added pressure on the chain. Pepco Group has owned Poundland since 2016, but the firm had to auction the brand off after sales slumped over the past year. Pepco said it was effectively offloading an unprofitable part of the business and Poundland remained a well-loved brand with millions of customers annually. But retail analyst Sofie Willmott from GlobalData said Poundland's appeal has been waning as UK consumers sought better quality and value for money elsewhere. "Those who favoured Poundland for low price groceries have been tempted away by the supermarkets who have been aggressively competing on price, and the failure of its clothing range has been a distraction for the retailer", she said. Brands such as Temu and Shein have "fundamentally changed consumer expectations around price, speed and convenience"

BBQ - What do Poundland need to do to win back more customers?

Poundland

Ruly Energy Candy

 

‘Energy candy’ startup Ruly has secured a £500k investment to accelerate its rollout across UK retail. The funds, raised from angel investors – will support efforts to raise brand awareness and develop a “robust” NPD pipeline. Ruly’s first two flavours – Tropical and Red Berry – are currently being trialled in forecourts and independent retailers ahead of a wider trade rollout. Ruly was founded in 2024 by restaurant founder-turned-management consultant Sophie Murray and finance director Lydia Franks. The duo came up with the idea for a caffeinated gummy-style sweet to “power through the afternoon slumps” as an alternative to “the office birthday cake, sickly energy drinks, or a bit-too-late-in-the-day cup of coffee”. Each 42g pack of Ruly sweets contains 80mg of caffeine, alongside guarana and B vitamins. The gummies were designed for “micro-boosting” to “control your energy boost and not experience the crash that sugary energy drinks can cause”, according to the brand. With the sports and energy drinks category accounting for 34% of the £9.2bn carbonated soft drinks market in 2023, a similar share of the £1.9bn confectionery category would make ‘energy candy’ worth £640m in the UK, Ruly’s founders predicted.

BBQ - Is there a gap in the market for this type of product?

Ruly

Disney Cuts Costs

 

Disney says it is laying off several hundred more people around the world, with workers in its film, television and finance departments impacted. The entertainment giant has been under pressure as viewers move away from cable TV subscriptions in favour of streaming platforms. The latest job cuts follow major layoffs announced in 2023, when around 7,000 workers were let go as part of a drive by chief executive Bob Iger to save $5.5bn (£4.1bn). The cuts will impact multiple teams including marketing departments for its film and television units. Workers in Disney's casting and development and corporate finance departments will also be affected. "We have been surgical in our approach to minimise the number of impacted employees," said a spokesperson. The company also said that no teams will be closed down entirely. The California-based firm employs 233,000 workers, with just over 60,000 of those based outside the US. Disney owns a host of companies across the entertainment industry including Marvel, Hulu and ESPN. The firm reported stronger than expected earnings in May, with overall revenue of $23.6bn for the first three months of the year. That was a 7% increase from the same period in 2024. It said the growth was fuelled by new subscribers to its Disney+ streaming service.

BBQ - What could the impact be of the cost cutting done by Disney?

Disney Cut Costs

Dr Martens Profit Down

 

The maker of an iconic brand of footwear have seen its profits fall by more than 90% in the last year. Dr Martens, based in Wollaston, Northamptonshire, posted pre-tax profits. The figure for the previous year was £93m. The company said UK revenues had been hit by "a challenging market". The Dr Martens design originated in Germany in the 1940s and production started in the UK in 1959, when the Northamptonshire-based Griggs Group bought the patent rights. The familiar yellow-stitched boots, made at the factory in Cobbs Lane, Wollaston, have been bought by famous names from the Sex Pistols to the Dalai Lama. The company has been in the doldrums in recent years, with declining revenues exacerbated by the cost-of-living crisis. Underlying profits in the year to March, which do not include anything exceptional or non-recurring, have dropped from £97.2m to £34.1m. The group said sales to consumers in the US started to grow in the second half of the year and had continued to increase, but UK revenues had remained lower since the year-end "due to a challenging market". It flagged uncertainty over the impact of higher tariffs, including those imposed by the USA, but said it was holding off from price hikes for the the remainder of 2025. The group added: "We do recognise that there is continued macroeconomic uncertainty and the full outcome of tariffs is still unknown, and we will monitor this closely through the year and take action as appropriate."

BBQ - What strategies could Dr Martens use to improve their profitability?

Dr Martens

, external for the year to March of £8.8m.The figure for the previous year was £93m.

Aldi Cookie Copyright

The corporation behind Oreo has filed a lawsuit in the US against the budget supermarket Aldi, accusing it of "blatantly" copying the packaging of its famous snacks. Court documents showed that Mondelēz International said Aldi uses similar packaging likely to "deceive" consumers and "ride the coattails" of the company's "attraction, fame and prestige". The snack giant also is behind Wheat Thins, Nutter Butter, Chips Ahoy!, and Ritz - all products the company accuses Aldi of copying with its "discount" versions. Although Aldi did discontinue or alter the packaging of some products, the supermarket has continued making "unacceptable copies", the lawsuit stated. The company claimed that if Aldi is allowed to continued with its product lines, it will "irreparably harm" the Mondelēz brand. In the lawsuit, Aldi is accused of trademark infringement, unfair competition and unjust enrichment. Mondelēz said it is seeking damages. Mondelēz described Aldi's business model as hinging on "low-priced private label products that resemble the look and feel of well-known brands". Aldi, which has its headquarters in Germany, is known as a discount supermarket offering affordable alternatives to well-known brands. There are over 2,500 Aldi shops in the US however they are under the same ownership as the UK Aldi they operate as completely separate businesses

BBQ - Why is copyright important for Businesses?

Oreo Copyright

KFC Growth Plans

KFC has announced plans to create 7,000 new jobs across the UK and Ireland as rival fast food chicken chains such as Wingstop threaten to take a bigger bite of the market. The fried chicken firm is investing nearly £1.5bn over five years, part of which will be spent on new restaurants in "key locations" such as Ireland and north west England, where it opened its first-ever British restaurant 60 years ago in Preston. Consumers in the UK and Ireland spend billions of pounds in fried chicken chains every year. KFC revealed its plan as competitors expand in Britain and Ireland, including Popeyes, famed for catering singer Beyoncé and rapper Jay-Z's wedding in 2009. It said it will plough nearly £500m into 500 new sites as well as upgrading existing shops. It currently has more than 1,000 restaurants across the UK and Ireland, the majority of which are operated by franchisees. The fast-food chain said the 7,000 new jobs it expects to create in the UK and Ireland will include servers, kitchen-based roles and managers. KFC is by far the largest fried chicken chain in Britain. But in recent years, smaller competitors have been growing including America's Wingstop which, in December last year, sold its UK arm to US private equity firm Sixth Street for £400m. Wingstop currently has around 57 franchised sites in the UK and plans to open another 20. Meanwhile, Popeyes UK has 65 restaurants across the UK and Ireland after a big expansion last year when it opened 33 shops. According to market research firm Kantar, Britons spent about £2.4bn on fried chicken from fast food shops in the year to 20 April.

BBQ - Will increasing the number of stores be the best way to deal with increased competition for KFC?

KFC Growth

Labubu Craze

 

Fans of viral Labubu dolls have reacted angrily online after its maker pulled the toys from all UK stores following reports of customers fighting over them. The soft toys became a TikTok trend after being worn by celebrities like Rihanna and Dua Lipa. Now some retail experts are warning the stop on stock will only heighten demand. Labubu is a quirky monster character created by Hong Kong-born artist Kasing Lung, and popularised through a collaboration with toy store Pop Mart. Since gaining celebrity status they've gone viral as a fashion accessory. In the UK, prices can range from £13.50 to £50, with rare editions going for hundreds of pounds on resale sites such as Vinted and eBay. Pop Mart said it was working on a fairer system for when the toys return to its shelves. But fans on social media were not happy at the decision to pull the dolls. Collectible brands like Labubu use scarcity as "a powerful tool". Labubu will return to physical stores in June, and they are currently working on a new release mechanism that is better structured and more equitable for everyone involved.

BBQ - How should Labubu better handle the distribution of the dolls?

Labubu Craze

Delivery Merger

 

Evri will merge with DHL's UK parcel delivery business to create a combined courier firm handling more than a billion parcels and a billion letters a year.  DHL focuses on faster, secure higher-value deliveries of items such as computers or phones, whereas Evri handles much larger volumes of lower-value goods such as clothing. Evri's deliveries are handled by self-employed couriers using their own vehicles, while DHL's parcels are delivered by a combination of couriers and the company's own fleet of vehicles. The companies hope that combining the two operations will offer "greater choice" and "cost-competitive solutions" in the UK. Evri said the deal will also expand its international delivery capacity by giving it access to DHL's global network. DHL's e-commerce business will be renamed "Evri Premium – a network of DHL eCommerce". DHL delivers a billion letters a year in the UK, mainly for businesses sending out bulk mail to clients – and the merger will see Evri offer a letter service for the first time. It hopes to use this service to handle deliveries of smaller items as well as letters. The group said its combined operation will have access to a network of 15,000 out-of-home delivery points in shops and lockers. With about a billion parcels a year, the merged business would get closer to Royal Mail's parcel volumes. It delivered 1.3 billion parcels and 6.7 billion letters last year, according to its annual report. DHL's other services in the UK, such as the DHL Express international delivery service are not included in the deal. The merger is still subject to approval from the Competition and Markets Authority.

BBQ - What are the benefits and drawbacks of the merger? Why might it not get approval from the CMA?

Delivery Merger

Burberry Cut Jobs

 

Luxury fashion firm Burberry has said it could cut some 1,700 jobs as part of plans to reduce costs by 2027. The British designer brand - famed for its distinctive camel, red and black check pattern - announced the proposed savings on Wednesday as it reported a £66m loss in the last financial year. The proposed job cuts would reduce its global workforce by almost a fifth and include potential redundancies at its Castleford factory in West Yorkshire. Burberry chief executive Joshua Schulman said most job losses would come from its head office teams around the world, but said the cuts would "naturally" be focused in the UK, where most of its staff are based. He confirmed staff rotas would be reorganised and that night shifts at its factory in Castleford, which makes trench coats priced from £1,000 to £10,000 each, would be scrapped. "For a long time we have had overcapacity at that facility, and that is simply not sustainable," Mr Schulman said. Burberry said it would align "schedules with peak store traffic" in its shops, which would result in the reduction of some jobs. It added savings would also come from "operating expenses, with increased efficiency of spend in procurement and real estate". The company said the cuts were "subject to consultation where applicable". Burberry was founded in 1856 and has been making its famous raincoats in Yorkshire since 1972. The designer brand previously announced £40m cost-savings programme in November, meaning it now plans to create the combined annualised savings of £100m by Spring 2027. Burberry's sales have been struggling amid weaker demand for luxury goods in general, with trading in China and the Americas seeing some of the biggest falls last year.

BBQ - What impact will these cuts have on staff motivation? Would there have been a better way to deal with the under capacity seen at Burberry?

Burberry

Shades Sweet Release

YouTuber Niko Omilana has launched a confectionery brand positioned to appeal to “the next generation of sweet lovers”. Called Shades, the brand will debut with three vegan and halal-certified variants (rsp: £1.70/150g): Straight Up Strawberry, Tropical Blast and The Originals. All packs feature gummies in the shape of sunglasses, in a nod to Omilana’s 2021 high-profile campaign to run for London mayor, during which he wore a pair of children’s sunglasses. The sweets will hit supermarkets and convenience stores nationwide on 21 May, rolling into Sainsbury’s, Co-op, WH Smith Travel and Booker. Omilana teased the launch in a three-minute video posted across his and Shades’ social media channels on Friday, in which he vowed to take down a bear called ‘Harry Bowe’, who didn’t make sweets suitable for him. By the time of writing, the video had been watched 969k times on YouTube alone. Shades is the latest project from Tuckshop London, an investment fund which supports creator-fronted fmcg brands. Tuckshop London was founded by Candy Kittens co-founders Jamie Laing and Ed Williams, along with Katjes managing shareholder Bastian Fassin, in 2021.

BBQ - Is there a gap in the market for this product? Can social media backed brands become long term successes or are they only ever short term?

Shades

Race for Humanoid Robot

The race is on to build a humanoid robot. At a recent industrial trade fair the G1 humanoid robot built by Chinese firm, Unitree was standing at about 4'3" (130cm) greeting passers by. The G1 is smaller and more affordable than other humanoid robots on the market, and has such a highly fluid range of motion and dexterity that videos of it performing dance numbers and martial arts have gone viral. Unitree is just one of dozens of companies around the world developing robots that have a human form. The potential is huge - for business it promises a workforce that doesn't need holidays or pay rises. It could also be the ultimate domestic appliance. After all, who wouldn't want a machine that could do the laundry and stack the dishwasher. But the technology is still some way off. While robotic arms and mobile robots have been common in factories and warehouses for decades, conditions in those workplaces can be controlled and workers can be kept safe. Introducing a humanoid robot to a less predictable environment, like a restaurant or a home, is a much more difficult problem. To be useful humanoid robots would have to be strong, but that also makes them potentially dangerous - simply falling over at the wrong time could be hazardous. So much work needs to be done on the artificial intelligence that would control such a machine."The AI simply has not yet reached a breakthrough moment". Unitree underlines that advantage - its G1 is cheap (for a robot) with an advertised price of $16,000 (£12,500).

BBQ - What year do you think we will see a humanoid robot as part of the workforce?

Humanoid Robot

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