January 26, 2024

France is known the world over for its outstanding culinary traditions, from sidewalk cafes and refined bistros to lavish bakeries brimming with croissants and macarons. But in recent years, these institutions have faced increasing competition from American fast food chains that are especially popular among young consumers. For example, last month more than 500 hungry Parisians lined up before the doors opened at the city’s first Krispy Kreme location. “The French love American products, and there’s a hype around American Continue reading

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January 19, 2024

The German company Aldi is the fastest growing grocery chain in the U.S., expanding at a rate of about 100 stores a year. The following video explains how Aldi keeps prices low by stocking a limited number of products and designing stores for maximum efficiency. 

Questions:

  1. How do Aldi’s store layouts help the company keep expenses low?
  2. Why does Aldi stock significantly fewer products than most supermarkets?
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January 17, 2024

For decades, snack brands like Lay’s chips have emphasized the craveability of their products, declaring “Betcha can’t eat just one” to customers across countless marketing campaigns. But a growing number of Americans are challenging the validity of this classic slogan thanks to appetite-controlling drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro. These pharmaceutical brands are quickly becoming big hits with consumers who want to reduce their compulsive eating habits, especially frequent snacking. According to one user, her grocery bills dropped by 20 percent Continue reading

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January 10, 2024

After enduring years of rising prices, consumers finally began to see some relief at the register as inflation cooled down toward the end of 2023. The recent global increase in prices was due in no small part to supply chain problems that stemmed from the pandemic, causing shipping costs to spike as transport times slowed to a crawl. It also didn’t help when an enormous container ship got stuck in the Suez Canal in 2021, which blocked trade on the Continue reading

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January 3, 2024

According to the consultancy firm McKinsey, most mid-sized businesses have an average lifespan of about 18 years as companies change hands and markets evolve. That makes the achievement of the cymbal maker Zildjian all the more impressive: for more than four centuries, the company has served countless musicians across a wide variety of styles and eras. Along with providing a comprehensive overview of Zildjian’s storied history, the video below also examines the company’s fascinating production process and quality control procedures. Continue reading

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December 13, 2023

In 2022, the cafe chain Panera launched its Charged Lemonade brand, the company’s answer to energy drinks like Red Bull and Monster. The large, 30-ounce version of the beverage contains 124 grams of sugar and 390 milligrams of caffeine, which some customers do not realize when they order the drink at the counter. In fact, a pair of recent lawsuits filed against Panera claim that two people have died as a result of drinking several Charged Lemonades without knowing about Continue reading

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December 6, 2023

A few months ago, we looked at the hardships facing the European olive oil industry as unpredictable weather led to poor harvests and diminishing supplies over the last year. Not only have olive oil prices risen across the globe as a result, but this production crisis has also given fraudsters a golden opportunity to exploit the lack of supply. For instance, this week authorities in Italy and Spain seized more than 68,000 gallons of olive oil that was deemed “unfit Continue reading

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December 1, 2023

The Chinese e-commerce giant Shein (pronounced Shee-In) controls more than 40 percent of the U.S. fast fashion market, with more than $8 billion in sales last year. This video explores how the retailer consistently churns out cheap shirts and dresses, which includes accusations of labor exploitation that has tarnished Shein’s image with some shoppers.

Questions:

  1. How does Shein’s “small batch” production strategy differ from other clothing companies? 
  2. How has Shein tried to recover its reputation with U.S. consumers? Do Continue reading
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November 29, 2023

The annual sales bonanza known as Black Friday now lasts for much longer than 24 hours, beginning in the days before Thanksgiving and continuing on through Cyber Monday. And while a record number of American consumers turned out at stores to check out this year’s bargains, they didn’t exactly spend a lot of money. According to data from the National Retail Federation, an estimated 200.4 million people shopped over the five days after Thanksgiving, amounting to more than 60 percent Continue reading

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November 17, 2023

With nearly 2,000 stores across the U.S., more than 75 percent of Americans live within ten miles of a Target. These brick and mortar locations have become surprisingly valuable assets for the company’s e-commerce business, with more than 95 percent of online orders originating from Target stores. This video goes into detail about the retailer’s logistical operations, including the local sortation centers Target is investing in to keep up with increasing demand. 

Questions:

  1. How does Target utilize nearly 2,000 Continue reading
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