MBS Intelligence
Some reasons for stores
By exploring some of the key attractions that stores possess we can hopefully give some insight into what it is that customers...
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People & Profiles
Q&A: By Terry CEO Marion Assuied on brand values,…
I caught up with Marion Assuied, Chief Executive of the premium Parisian cosmetics brand, By Terry and the daughter of founder Terry de Gunzburg. We discussed brand values, empowered consumers and clean...
Leadership & Talent
Boris, Brexit and Borders
Our newly appointed politicians have a Herculean task ahead of them. Our sectors have very specific needs to avoid potential disaster – and if these requirements aren’t prioritised in the coming months, lasting damage to the UK’s consumer industries...
Concept & Creative Direction
From 501 to 2019: The Levi’s story
Earlier this month, Levi’s filed the paperwork for an initial public offering at the New York Stock Exchange. If the IPO gets away, it will be the second time the 165-year-old behemoth – known the world over for its iconic blue jeans – has gone...
Trends & Emerging Markets
A new retail
Whilst wider macro-economic conditions may be pushing the volume of service-led businesses from a supply-side, demand for these services is, of course, higher than ever...
Tech & Innovation
Artisanal Movements: Luxury watches in the age of ecommerce
Plenty of luxury shoppers have embraced the digital lifestyle, causing retailers to adapt their products by enhancing digital experiences. However, there is still resistance in certain segments – one of those is luxury...
Marketing & Strategy
Why do luxury pop-ups work and who’s doing them…
The cost-effective nature of these temporary spaces means they’ll be around for some time to come - and as luxury becomes more personal, pop-ups will only encourage new and exciting ways to interact with customers....
Events & Thought Leadership
Thought Leadership
Diversity in the Hospitality, Travel & Leisure sectors
The MBS Group has been championing diversity in our sectors for over thirty years, so we were delighted to be asked to join forces with the WiH2020 initiative and PwC on the latest report on diversity in the Hospitality, Travel & Leisure (HTL)...
How the data revolution will change every element of business as we know it
As the global news cycles of recent weeks starkly demonstrate, we are on the precipice of the global data revolution. Companies, organisations, governments, regulators and individuals are starting to understand the value, power and potential of the data...
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MBS News
Retail
The Body Shop opens green store concept Located in central London, the store features a refill station for shower gel and an area encouraging shoppers to join a collective of local environmental campaigners. The site also includes a water station for customers to refill their bottles. Read more on The Guardian
Morrisons introduces new recycling label system To be introduced for 400 lines, some products will carry a ‘Recycle Me In Store’ logo, while others display a ‘Please Recycle Me’ icon - prompting customers to recycle at home. Morrisons will turn the recycled material into carrier bags and bin bags. Read more on The Grocer
Consumer Goods & Services
Mattress company Casper teams up with Plus for CBD gummies Each of the sleeping-aids produced by the two companies will contain 25 milligrams of CBD and one milligram of melatonin. Casper has been working to diversify its offer with products such as sheets, pillows, dog beds and portable lamps. Read more on TechCrunch
Japanese dairy firm forms Meiji Dairies in China The new business come as part of Meiji's overseas expansion strategy and will begin production in 2023. The Japanese company has singled out China as a growth market for dairy products. Read more on FoodBev
Fashion, Lifestyle & Luxury
Uniqlo to produce clothing from reclaimed plastic From next year, the fashion retailer will start selling its sweat-wicking DRY-EX products - which are made from polyester fibres derived from reclaimed PET bottles. Also, Uniqlo will soon collect jackets from customers to extract raw materials. Read more on Retail Gazette
French Connection narrows losses In the six months to 31 July, the fashion retailer saw its operating loss from continuing operations narrow to £3.7m, compared with £5.5m a year earlier. French Conection is on track to meet its full-year expectations. Read more on Retail Gazette
Digital
Apple invests $250m into glass supplier After providing Corning with $200m in 2017, Apple has invested more capital into its display glass supplier to develop technology that is specific to Apple iPhones, Watchs and iPads. The funds will come from Apple's Advanced Manufacturing Fund. Read more on engadget
Holiday rentals search engine secures €40m Holidu's series C funding round was led by Prime Ventures. The Munich-based company was founded in 2014 and uses image recognition technology to compare the prices of over 15 million rental properties across 600 different websites. Read more on TechCrunch
Private Equity
Private equity firm purchases East End Foods Exponent, which previously backed Quorn Foods, has purchased wholesaler East End Foods - a major supermarket supplier. East End's turnover was up 3.2% to £191.3m for the year to 30 April. Exponent also purchased Asian food wholesaler TRS in June. Read more on The Grocer
Rosa’s Thai Cafe attracts private equity investment Connection Capital has acquired a minority stake in the Thai restaurant chain. Rosa’s Thai Cafe, which currently trades from 17 restaurants, has revealed plans to open 45 sites across the U.K. in the next five years. Read more on Propel Hospitality
Travel, Leisure & Hospitality
Duck & Waffle opens first international site The restaurant, which first opened its doors in 2011, has picked Hong Kong for its international debut. Duck & Waffle operated a pop-up in the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Hong Kong in 2016. It has now opened a permanent site at the IFC Mall. Read more on Retail & Leisure International
Plant-based all-day dining concept to opens in Selfridges Ethos has opened its first retail concession in Selfridges. The company also operates a self-service restaurant in West End of London. Products exclusive to Selfridges include tofu summer rolls and spinach dumplings. Read more on The Grocer
