Business

Above, the GM Energy PowerBank battery powered energy storage system. (Photo source: GM)

GM debuts a competitor to the Tesla Powerwall

October 10, 2024

General Motors is launching a battery-powered home-energy storage system, called the GM Energy PowerBank—placing the company in direct competition with Tesla, reports Axios.

The GM Energy PowerBank goes on sale on Thursday, October 10, in multiple sizes. The PowerBank comes in 10.6 kilowatt-hour and 17.7 kWh options. Customers can pair two of the larger units to power the average U.S. home for up to 20 hours.

Indeed, stationary power storage can serve as an alternative to home generators and can provide a charge to electric vehicles when the electricity is out.

The company is also launching a kit that enables GM electric vehicle owners to power their homes and a system capable of converting solar power into electricity stored in the PowerBank.

“We believe we have the most comprehensive charging energy solution on the market today,” Wade Sheffer, vice president of GM Energy, tells Axios.

The PowerBank starts at $10,999 for the 10.6 kWh version, including the power inversion system and reverse EV charging. The product will compete directly with the Tesla PowerWall, which has 13.5 kilowatt-hours of storage capacity and sells for $14,858. Both products are generally eligible for tax incentives.

Will GM target industrial or utility use, which has powered much of Tesla’s energy storage business? Sheffer says the company’s initial focus is on residential customers but that the company would explore opportunities to sell to industrial and utility customers.

The announcement comes the same day Tesla is poised to reveal its much-anticipated robotaxi.

Sheffer said GM is making the announcement Thursday because the product—which will be manufactured by a supplier—is ready to hit the market.

Research contact: @axios

Above, the Croc-inspired shoes come in hot pink, cobalt blue, neon orange, and neon green, as well as a sleek black version. (Photo source: Wagwear)

If Ariana Grande rocks Crocs, so can your dog

October 9, 2024

Crocs have gone through one heck of a cultural journey in their relatively short life. Beginning in the early 2000s, the foam clogs faced ridicule for their bulky and cartoonish-looking design. However, early adopters stayed true to their colorful kicks, which went on to become a staple in hospitals, kitchens, and many other professions that involve standing for hours on end, reports Kinship.

In these circles the unconventional shoe blossomed, praised for its cushioned base, which offered the wearer considerable arch, ankle, and back support. For a solid decade, crocs were relegated to the realm of sensible footwear. Then, at some point, known Crocs advocate Ariana Grande and bunch of cool Gen Zers and other celebs made them fashionable.

And now, Crocs are now making their way to dog parks—and not just via the feet of chic pet parents. Wagwear’s WagWellies were originally conceived as Wellington boots for dogs. The rubber slip-ons were acclaimed by dog dads and moms for their comfort, durability, and protection from extreme weather conditions. In fact, the shoes were even selected for Kinship’s 2022 Best in Show!

But, even the best things have room for improvement. Enter the WagWellies Mojave. These Croc-inspired dog shoes are a more ventilated update on Wagwear’s OG boot. By matching the popular clogs’ mildly punctured design, it lets pups’ toes breathe and allows for all-year use. This offers consistent protection against hot pavement in the summer and icy stairs in the winter.

Equally important—they’re super cute. The Mojave come in four vibrant colors: hot pink, cobalt blue, neon orange, and neon green. Plus, there’s a sleek black option for my fellow aging emos planning to take their pups to next year’s When We Were Young Festival on October 20 in Las Vegas.

Any Crocs devotee will tell you that one of the best things about Crocs are Jibbitz, which are little charms people clip onto the shoes’ sporadic holes. (Yes, this sounds made up, but it’s a real thing.) While Wagwear is not, in any way, affiliated with Crocs, pet parents on Instagram have provided evidence that Jibbitz fit into the WagWellies. Just remember that this added décor is definitely for you—and the tiny pieces are not super safe if your pup is a chewer.

Wagwear does warn it may take a second for your dog to get used to wearing the booties. They might also give you a bit of trouble when putting them on for the first time. If this is the case, I recommend using a timeless parenting tactic:Tell ’em all the cool kids are doing it.

Research contact: @kinshipd

Above, the food manufacturer is appealing to a large audience with an abundance of protein, natural ingredients, and no added sugar. (Photo source: Chobani)

Chobani expands high-protein presence with new yogurt

October 8, 2024

Chobani is expanding its presence in high-protein foods with a line of Greek yogurt cups and drinks, as consumers clamor for more products loaded with the popular nutrient, reports Food Dive.

The food and beverage manufacturer’s new Chobani High Protein line includes cups with 20 grams of protein; and drinks with 15, 20—and for the first time, 30 grams of protein—in each serving. Chobani previously offered a drink with 20 grams of protein under its Complete line, but the item is being rebranded as one of the new Chobani High Protein products.

“The desire for high protein, lower sugar offerings has moved beyond the hardcore fitness community and made its way to the mainstream consumer,” Niel Sandfort, Chobani’s Chief Innovation Officer, says. “As consumers seek out more functional foods to meet their goals, Chobani High Protein products deliver an affordable, tasty solution with dynamic flavors and a variety of formats and protein levels.”

Sandfort says existing consumers of high-protein, low-sugar offerings are often “compromising” with a less natural product. He said the taste, naturality, and customization of Chobani High Protein “appeal to a much larger audience, including women and later adopters of high protein.”

In launching its new protein-forward products, the New York-based company cited a pair of studies showing that more than half of consumers want to increase their intake of the nutrient and that they prioritize low sugar and high protein in their diets.

Chobani said its new High Protein line is different from others available because it’s all-natural, has no added sugar; and contains no added protein powders, concentrates, or preservatives. The combination of protein and vitamin B12 is ideal for unlocking energy, quelling hunger and supporting muscle health, the packaged food company notes.

Chobani High Protein is available in several flavors—including Strawberries and Cream, Vanilla, Tropical Punch, and Cookies and Cream—depending on the protein levels and whether it is in a cup or a liquid. The cups are hitting shelves now and will have nationwide distribution later this fall. The drinks will debut in January.

After a few years of mixed results entering categories—such as oat milk, creamers, cold brew coffee, and milk—Chobani has doubled down on its core $1 billion-plus yogurt business.

Last December, the company introduced Chobani Creations, a dessert-inspired Greek yogurt designed to expand its signature product beyond the core breakfast category. A few months earlier, Choban brought its popular Zero Sugar offering into drinkable yogurt, hoping to capture growing consumer interest in more portable options.

Research contact: @FoodDive

Above, The North Face has expanded its secondhand takeback program with resale platform Archive. (Photo source: The North Face)

The North Face expands secondhand program

October 7, 2024

The North Face expanded its Renewed trade-in program on Monday, October 7—enabling customers to return preowned items online and in stores, reports Retail Dive.

The trade-in portion of the program was previously in-store only, per a spokesperson for resale platform Archive, which powers the platform.

The North Face will give customers brand credit for each qualifying used piece that can be resold. The expanded program offers credit tiering of either $10, $30, or $50 to customers for each item they return, based on the item’s condition. Accepted pieces will be inspected, cleaned, and repaired before being offered for resale via the brand’s Renewed online store.

The North Face originally launched its Renewed program in 2018 as an online-only portal for the brand to sell returned, defective, or damaged apparel. In 2022, Archive began powering the program. That same year, The North Face relaunched the Renewed program and debuted 20 circular styles designed to be easily disassembled and recycled.

“Renewed was launched with the goal of enabling returned or damaged items to be repaired, recycled, or resold at scale—ensuring The North Face’s gear receives a second life and avoids contributing to landfill waste,” says Emily Gittins, Archive’s co-founder and CEO.

If an item doesn’t qualify for renewal or resale, The North Face will offer customers the opportunity to have the brand take back any item for donating or recycling.

Archive powers resale initiatives for more than 50 fashion brands, including Dr. Martens and New Balance. The platform offers peer-to-peer, in-store, and mail-in takeback programs for brands, and was launched in 2021.

Research contact: @RetailDive

Above, Jason Kelce dons a robe and lays out in front of a fireplace, sipping soup on a bearskin run, for a new Campbell’s Chunky ad. (Photo source: Campbell Soup Company)

Campbell’s Chunky celebrates beefy hunks like Jason Kelce

October 4, 2024

Next month, the Campbell Soup Company will ask shareholders to approve renaming the 155-year-old business to The Campbell’s Company. But, even if that happens, Campbell’s will likely remain synonymous with soup, and consumers will still know what the Campbell’s Chunky brand has inside the can: big hunks of meat and protein that make it “the soup that eats like a meal,” reports Marketing Dive.

Chunky has toyed with double entendres around those “hunks” by casting two beefy football greats—New York Giants nose tackle Dexter Lawrence and retired Philadelphia Eagles center (and pop culture phenom) Jason Kelce—in its latest campaign. The effort, created with Publicis agency Leo Burnett, kicked off on September 9 and will run across TV and online video, including during football broadcasts on Amazon, NBC, ESPN, CBS and beyond.

In his 15-second spot, Lawrence eats soup at the gym, his biceps tearing through his t-shirt and a “Stay Sexy” decal—a nod to his “Sexy Dexy” nickname—visible on the mirror. For his part, Kelce dons a robe and lays out in front of a fireplace, sipping soup on a bearskin run. The spots speak to Chunky’s emphasis on football and flavor.

The ads support the two pillars of Chunky’s brand identity—beefy and spicy—while continuing to lean into humor and not take the brand too seriously en route to breaking through creatively and bringing more attention the category.

A game won in the trenches

Countless brands rushed to partner with the NFL and its players for campaigns geared to the start of the football season. For Chunky, an NFL partner since 1998 and the sponsor with the second longest tenure, finding the right talent was crucial to the campaign.

“When you think about who our consumers are, there’s the classic advertising archetypes, like the everyman consumer,” Campbell’s Marketing Director Pete Herron said. “It’s someone who isn’t necessarily always celebrated, but is the one that always gets the work done and is always reliable.”

Chunky made the deliberate choice to focus on offensive and defensive linemen—the players who drive the outcomes of games but without the notoriety or glamor of their football-handling teammates.

With Lawrence, Chunky secured a defensive lineman who is not only one of the best players on the field, but also a charismatic and charming character off the field. The brand paired “Sexy Dexy” with popular Chunky variety Chili Mac and played up the asymmetry and humor of someone eating soup at the gym.

Kelce’s partnership with Chunky dates back to a campaign last year that saw him in an ad alongside his brother Travis and mother Donna. The spot, called “Bragging Rights,” followed the brotherly face off at Super Bowl LVII.

Since then, the Kelce brothers have become ubiquitous in media, due largely in part to Travis’ relationship with Taylor Swift and Jason’s post-career, off-field antics (The pair recently signed a reportedly $100 million three-year deal with Amazon’s Wondery for the rights to their podcast, “New Heights.”). But Jason brings more than cultural cache to his Chunky spot.

“It really was this great intersection for us to be able to leverage him as this real, connective tissue to the every man; but also, he has the type of personality to really pull through the humor in a pretty compelling way,” Herron said.

Research contact: @marketingdive

Above2, striking dockworkers on October 1. (Photo source: pix11.com)

U.S. port strike could have huge impact on global supply chain

October 1, 2024

A massive dockworker strike at seaports on the U.S. East and Gulf coasts is expected to wreak havoc on global supply chains and the economy—with American consumers likely to notice shortages of popular products, if the work stoppage lasts for a long time, reports NBC News.

Workers at ports stretching from Maine to Texas went on strike early on Tuesday, October 1, in a dispute over wages and automation. The action, which is likely to have severe consequences on ships carrying billions of dollars of cargo, is the first by the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) union in nearly half a century.

The ILA made good on its threat to strike at 14 major ports after talks broke down with the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) employer group ahead of a September 30 deadline.

“The top line takeaway here is duration amplifies impact,” Lisa DeNight, managing director of National Industrial Research at Newmark, told CNBC’s “The Exchange” on Monday.

“If this strike goes on for a couple of days the implications are, well, rather short-lived, I’d say. If this drags on, it has cascading impacts throughout the global economy—not just the U.S. economy. So, the unpredictability of this issue here is really in play and it has the magnitude to really throw a giant wrench in global supply chains,” she added.

DeNight said that even a minor disruption of just a couple of days could have “really significant implications for certain industries,” including pharmaceuticals, auto and manufacturing.

Ocean supply chains have already been hit hard this year by conflict in the Red Sea, a lengthy drought affecting the Panama Canal, and the Baltimore bridge collapse.

Even so, Peter Sand, chief analyst at ocean freight rate intelligence platform Xeneta, has said that—given that more than 40% of total “containerized goods” enter the U.S. via ports on the East and Gulf Coast—“the stakes could not be higher.”

For American consumers, he said, the strikes could soon result in shortages of perishable or temperature-controlled goods, such as bananas and other fresh fruit.

Indeed, Danish shipping giant Maersk has warned that just a one-week shutdown could take four to six weeks to recover from, “with significant backlogs and delays compounding with each passing day.”

In an update published on Monday, Maersk said the disruption would likely lead to delays in cargo movement, increased costs, and logistical challenges for firms relying on U.S. East Coast and Gulf ports. A lengthy labor dispute, the firm added, may exacerbate these disruptions.

Research contact: @NBCNews

Above, self-gifting is becoming more popular. (Photo source: Canva)

Most holiday shoppers will buy a gift for themselves this year

September 30, 2024

Most holiday shoppers (83%) plan to buy themselves a gift this year—up from 76.2% last year, according to JLL’s holiday shopping report. Among the top items shoppers will purchase for themselves are shoes and clothing (50.8%), electronics (47.5%), accessories (39.3%), toys (23.6%), and games (23.5%), reports Retail Dive.

on gifts, holiday food, decor and experiences this year, up 31.7% from last year, according to the report. Nearly half (46%) of the budget will go to gifts, down from 55% in 2023.

Roughly 71% of shoppers will shop via two or more channels this holiday season. While 71% of shoppers plan to buy their goods online for home delivery; os, and nearly 60% will shop at physical stores at an enclosed mall, the report said.

As shoppers seek out deals this year, many consumers are starting their seasonal shopping early. Most will start by Halloween, with . Younger shoppers, specifically Gen Z, are likely to start during Black Friday weekend, per the report.

With consumers beginning their holiday shopping early, many large retailers are introducing deals ahead of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Amazon is launching its Prime Big Deal Days event in early October, with Target and Walmart conducting their own sales events around that time.

Research contact: @RetailDive

Above, Perfect Moment’s new store in the SoHo neighborhood of New York City. (Photo source: Perfect Moment)

Perfect Moment to open first store in SoHo

September 26, 2024

In business for 40 years, luxury skiwear brand Perfect Moment is set to open its first brick-and-mortar store in the SoHo neighborhood of New York City in October, reports Retail Dive.

As a seasonal brand, Perfect Moment’s New York store will be open from October through April. Part of the decision to open the location came from the brand’s success with its key wholesale partners, which include Net-a-Porter, Harrods, Selfridges, Saks, Bergdorf Goodman, and Neiman Marcus.

Located at 42 Crosby Street, the SoHo store will showcase the brand’s autumn-winter 2024 womenswear collection. The store will also serve as a hub for exclusive events and marketing campaigns.

Perfect Moment’s new SoHo store could lead to additional permanent retail locations, the company said on Friday, September 20.

The SoHo store design will feature the company’s signature bright red, with key furniture pieces that are curved and lacquered in a deep burgundy shade. Metallic surfaces are contrasted with a softer, translucent look.

“Our SoHo store marks a pivotal transition for Perfect Moment, enabling us for the first time to engage directly with our New York community,” Jane Gottschalk, Perfect Moment’s co-founder and creative director, says. “The store will embody our commitment to innovation, blending our iconic heritage with forward-thinking style to create an experience that resonates with the local community. For the store opening in October, we will celebrate the vibrant energy of New York City as we bring our [autumn-winter 2024] collection to life.”

Founded in 1984 in Chamonix, France, by extreme sports filmmaker and professional skier Thierry Donard, Perfect Moment was acquired in 2010 by Max and Jane Gottschalk. The outdoor clothing company went public in February of this year.

Research contact: @RetailDive

Above, Spiced was intended to be the first permanent offering by the brand in more than three years. (Photo source: Coca-Cola)

Coca-Cola to discontinue its Spiced flavor after only seven months; new flavor coming in 2025

September 25, 2024

Coca-Cola is discontinuing production of its Spiced flavor after only seven months on the market, reports Food Dive. The Atlanta-based company said it plans to “phase out Coca-Cola Spiced to introduce an exciting new flavor in 2025.”

No reason has been provided for the decision on Spiced. The company simply notes that Coca-Cola is “always looking at what our customers like and adjusting our range of products.”

Spiced was meant to be the Coca-Cola brand’s first permanent offering in more than three years. The soda, which combined traditional Coke flavor with raspberry and “spiced” flavors, started appearing on shelves in February.

As Coca-Cola looks to maintain and grow consumer interest in soda, new flavor offerings have played a key role in that strategy. Spiced also was an attempt by the beverage manufacturer to respond to growing consumer interest, especially among younger individuals, for spicier foods and beverages. Despite its name, Coca-Cola said the beverage is not spicy but rather bold in flavor.

In ending production of Spiced, Coca-Cola likely decided its resources and shelf space would be better suited to another still unannounced beverage.

Research contact: @FoodDive

Above, A.1., the brand known for its iconic steak sauce, debuts A.1. Steakhouse Butter. (Photo source: A.I.)

A.1. enters the dairy aisle with bold innovation: Steakhouse Butter

September 24, 2024

This fall, A.1., the brand known for its iconic steak sauce, is going beyond the condiment aisle with the debut of A.1. Steakhouse Butter, reports Business Wire.

Marking the brand’s first innovation outside the sauce bottle in more than five years, A.1. Steakhouse Butter provides the perfect combination of delicious authentic steakhouse-inspired flavors and a buttery, creamy texture elevating grill enthusiasts’ favorite meals.

From cowboy butter to garlic butter, millions of food enthusiasts are crafting viral butter-based recipes to give their steaks the five star treatment. Inspired by this growing trend, A.1. Steakhouse Butter meets the growing consumer demand for restaurant-quality flavors at home. Infused with fresh herbs and the signature tang of A.1. Steak Sauce, A.1. Steakhouse Butter offers foodies the bold flavor they crave in a convenient, easy-to-use format—no recipe needed.

“From sauces to butter, we know our fans are constantly seeking new ways to recreate the steakhouse experience at home,” said Holland Robinson, brand manager, A.1. “An iconic accompaniment to red meat since 1824, A.1. knows steak. By blending time-honored tradition with modern culinary trends, the new Steakhouse Butter is the perfect partner to the grill, delivering a bold, buttery and savory complement to any meal.”

Building on the brand’s rich history of developing high quality products, A.1. Steakhouse Butter is the first offering of its kind from a mainstream sauce brand and provides meat lovers a convenient way to enhance the flavor of steak and beyond.

Whether enjoyed on steak, spread on pork chops, or melted over a burger, A.1. Steakhouse Butter adds a rich, tangy burst of flavor with a smooth, buttery texture. Even classic side dishes like mashed potatoes and corn on the cob reach new heights with this new addition.

A.1. Steakhouse Butter is available online and coming soon to retailers nationwide in 3.5oz tubs for $4.99. To learn more about A.1. Steakhouse Butter, crafted in collaboration with Epicurean Butter, visit www.epicureanbutter.com/products/a1-steakhouse-butter.

Research contact: @BusinessWire