August 16, 2023

Last week, wildfires on the Hawaiian island of Maui caused unprecedented destruction, killing 106 people and leveling thousands of buildings. The worst damage occurred in the resort town of Lahaina, which will cost billions of dollars and several years to rebuild. Like many other Hawaiian communities, Lahaina relies heavily on the tourism industry, drawing 2 million visitors annually. Of course, thousands of tourists and residents have evacuated the town and the western side of Maui in recent weeks as dry Continue reading

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August 11, 2023

More than 60 percent of McDonald’s sales come from outside the U.S., making foreign markets just as important to Mickey D’s bottom line as its domestic operations. This video looks at how the fast food giant develops items for its global customers, who often enjoy flavors that can’t be found under the Golden Arches anywhere else in the world. 

Questions:

  1. Why does McDonald’s develop menu items for specific global markets?
  2. How does “transplanting flavors” from one market to another Continue reading
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August 9, 2023

When Charles Rao first opened a New York City tavern in 1896, there’s no way he could have known his small business would eventually grow into a multi-billion dollar brand. After his family converted the bar into an Italian restaurant, however, Rao’s fame steadily grew throughout the 20th century. In fact, the eatery got so busy during the 1970s that longtime regulars were awarded “table rights” that turned into treasured family heirlooms. For everybody else, though, it became nearly impossible Continue reading

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August 4, 2023

The YouTube star Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast, is the video-sharing platform’s most popular creator, boasting more than 172 million subscribers and counting. Donaldson has parlayed his massive success on YouTube into numerous other businesses, including food brands like the snack line Feastables and MrBeast Burger. He co-founded the latter in 2020 after partnering with Virtual Dining Concepts, a company that specializes in serving food through “ghost kitchens.” These ventures take up residence in the kitchens of established restaurants Continue reading

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August 2, 2023

Experts estimate that as many as 80,000 American retail stores will close over the next five years as companies like Forever 21, JCPenney, and Neiman Marcus struggle to stay afloat. That’s not the case for the British retailer Primark, however, which has 18 locations in the U.S. with plans for a lot more to come. This video looks at how the company became a multibillion dollar brand in Europe by sticking to brick-and-mortar stores stocked with high quality items at Continue reading

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July 28, 2023

Last weekend, the highly anticipated summer movie Barbie opened in theaters to rave reviews and huge ticket sales, earning $162 million in just a few days. Of course, Barbie wasn’t the only film to make a splash at the box office: the 3-hour long drama Oppenheimer also enjoyed a big weekend with domestic receipts totaling $82.5 million. The success of these two films follows months of viral marketing that made light of the stark differences between sunny and bright Barbie Continue reading

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July 26, 2023

Making a $7.95 bottle of soap for Bath & Body Works (BBW) once took three months to accomplish. Parts traveled more than 13,000 miles across multiple countries to end up at the company’s Ohio distribution center, a difficult journey that the beauty brand sought to change in 2008. Years of working with local officials and skeptical suppliers resulted in BBW’s “beauty park” located outside of Columbus, an industrial campus that handles nearly every aspect of production. Featuring 10 manufacturers with Continue reading

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July 19, 2023

At the beginning of May, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) voted to strike against major Hollywood studios, citing poor working conditions and declining pay as the primary causes of the work stoppage. Although the union does not appear to be any closer to signing a new deal than they were months ago, members of the WGA have recently seen their picket lines become stocked with new faces, some of which are quite famous. That’s because last week the Screen Continue reading

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July 14, 2023

Since 1868, Tabasco has produced hot sauce by aging a spicy mash of peppers, vinegar, and salt in oak barrels for five years. The video below shows how the company makes this iconic condiment through a combination of time-tested methods and modern assembly line efficiency. 

Questions:

  1. Why does Tabasco still depend on using old bourbon barrels to create its hot sauce?
  2. Do you think Tabasco should relocate its Avery Island facilities in favor of a place that is more Continue reading
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Retailers have long relied on credit cards and companies like Paypal to provide payment options for customers, but recently these services have faced some new competition. Firms like Affirm, Klarna, and Afterpay offer “buy now, pay later” models that can be an appealing alternative to credit cards. As the video below shows, though, these services could potentially be dangerous to consumers while also failing to maintain steady profits for investors.

Questions:

  1. What are the potential advantages and disadvantages of using Continue reading
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