MBS News
Friday
August 20, 2010
Moira’s Friday Column
The great US entrepreneurial spirit has always reigned in New York. And never more so than at the most incredible site on 53rd and 6th! On three corners of this busy junction are three carts with a veritable troop selling halal beef and chicken, with rice and a vegetable sauce for only $6,00!
You can smell the aroma from afar, and the food is delicious! It opens at 7 a.m. and closes at 4 a.m. The most amazing sight is the queue, literally snaking around the block, most of the day and night. 
To bring you up to speed, Chicken and Rice has its own sweatshirts and bags. The sweatshirts are bright yellow with two, concentric red circles in the middle, with words between the circles that read: "The Best Halal. Delicious. 53rd and 6th. Chicken and Gyro."
In 2005, Chicken and Rice was one of four finalists for the "Vendy Award", presented by a New York City street vendor advocacy group, known as the Street Vendor Project. The stand is famous for its secret white sauce recipe, which originally catered to the late-night taxi driver. However, through the immense popularity of the nightlife crowd, the queue has swelled to a two-hour wait. Occasionally, on weekend nights, a police checkpoint is even set up on 53rd street, between 6th and 7th avenue, to keep the 50 or more customers in order!
Inspiring? You bet! Let me know if there's anything in the US that has inspired you recently. Have a great weekend. moira@thembsgroup.co.uk .
Retail
MFI Brand Back From The Dead Following £250k Deal
Furniture business MFI is being resurrected two years after its collapse by a family-run plumbing business, Walker Group, which bought the rights to the brand for £250,000 earlier this month.
Read more on www.retail-week.com »
Waitrose Weighs Up Convenience Store Sub-Brand
Waitrose is considering creating a new fascia for its convenience stores as it gears up for expansion. The grocer aims to build a 300-strong convenience store estate over the next five years.
Read more on www.retail-week.com »
Card Retailer Thoughts In Pre-Pack Deal
Greetings cards retailer Thoughts has been bought in a pre-pack administration deal after it collapsed due to an absence of banking facilities.
Read more on www.retail-week.com »
Consumer Goods
Premier Foods To Launch Cup-a-Pasta Range
As part of its plans to revamp its snack offering, Premier Foods has launched a new cup-a-pasta range under its Batchelors brand, which will be available from next month.
Read more on www.marketingmagazine.co.uk »
Huggies Launches Stand-Up Comedy Branded Content
Kimberly Clark brand Huggies is launching a comedy-themed digital campaign, aimed at helping consumers look at the lighter side of parenting. Comedians were filmed at a one-off event, entitled ‘Little Bundle of Laughs’.
Read more on www.marketingmagazine.co.uk »
Digital And Online
Firebox Extends Offer With Same Day Delivery
Firebox.com has become the latest company to extend its delivery options by offering same day delivery within the M25. The gift etailer tested the service over the busy Christmas period last year and has now decided to offer it all year round.
Read more on www.retail-week.com »
Fashion, Lifestyle And Luxury
Hed Kandi Opening
Iconic lifestyle and music brand, Hed Kandi, opened its first store at Bluewater yesterday, offering a fashion range covering casual glam and ultimate partywear.
Read more on www.hedkandi.com »
Desigual Pays Record Rent For Top Oxford Street Pitch
Desigual has signed for a store on Oxford Street in a record-breaking deal that will see the Spanish fashion retailer paying about £710 in Zone A, compared with the average £550 for a prime pitch.
Read more on www.retail-week.com »
H&M Launches iPhone App
Swedish young fashion chain H&M has launched its first iPhone application today ahead of the planned launch of its transactional website next month.
Read more on www.retail-week.com »
Selfridges Parts With D&G In 'Giant Row’
Department store chain Selfridges will no longer stock Dolce & Gabbana in any of its stores from Spring 11 following an alleged fall-out with the designer brand. The disagreement reportedly arose after Selfridges proposed a change to the in-store positions of designer brand Dolce & Gabbana and its diffusion brand D&G.
Read more on www.drapersonline.com »
Travel And Leisure
M&B Raises £373m From Pubs Sale
Mitchells & Butlers is selling 333 of its managed pubs to private equity firm TDR Capital for £373m in cash.
Accor Plans Strong Expansion In Asia
French hotels and services group, Accor, hopes to almost double the number of hotels in its global portfolio to 7,000 over the next seven years. This includes plans to open a new hotel every week in Asia over two years.
On The Move
Marmite Man Moves To Head Up Skincare
Marmite marketing boss Matt Burgess is changing roles within Unilever and will now be responsible for its UK skincare division. He has been with the FMCG giant for about 20 years.
Read more on www.marketingmagazine.co.uk »
Former GroupM Thailand CEO Bell To Lead Media At L'Oreal
Stephanie Bell, former CEO of GroupM Thailand, has reportedly joined L'Oreal in a regional media head role.
Read more on www.brandrepublic.com »
The Weatherman Says...
Muggy in the east, gonna rain in the west. I'm heading west tonight into the rain, and then it's going to pass to the east. Heavy duty wind in the north...blowing to 70mph tonight. Road trip....wahoo!