It Never Raintons, But It Pours |
As we all know, Rainton is a semi-hard, Alpine-style cheese made from raw cow's milk using vegetarian rennet. Named after Rainton Farm near the Galloway hills in Scotland, the cheese boasts a creamy texture and a pleasant combination of sweet, nutty, and grassy flavors. Just like this newsletter. It's also an appropriate cheese for today's fromage-related wordplay because last week was the worst on the stock market in 18 months. The S&P was down 3.5% for the week on Friday after jobs numbers gave further cause for economic concern. That's a lot of percents. Although it's still up 21% over the last 12 months, even with all this nonsense. We're now fully expecting the Federal Reserve's rate cuts on September 17–18. Let's hope they're not too little, too late to avoid a recession, eh? Ze cheddlines: Take it cheesy! —Matt Davis, N2K Chedditor P.S. We've got cool video of a volume-saving packaging robot on our 'gram. |
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"Young people are drinking less alcohol, but that does not mean that they don't want to participate socially or engage with world class brands." — Johnny Cahill |
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1. U.S. Investigates Major Airlines' Loyalty Programs |
I tried to refund a flight to Venice this summer on British Airways. They offered me £40 on a flight that cost £900. I responded appropriately and let the matter pass. Then United charged me three grand to move a flight by a week to accommodate the tragic passing of a close relative. Airlines clearly have humanity close to their hearts.
Meanwhile the U.S. Transportation Department, spearheaded by none other than our tireless watchdog Pete Buttigieg, has launched an inquiry into the frequent flier programs of United, Delta, American, and Southwest. The department thinks the programs might be playing games with travelers' hard-earned rewards. Devaluation of points? Hidden fees? Less competition? Ooooooh.
The carriers must now prove that their loyalty programs aren't just glorified bait-and-switch schemes. Could it be that their sweet deals were just a façade to trounce the competition? Or is the competition just as bad, and is it more a case of every airline for themselves? Meanwhile, could it be that Buttigieg is more interested in being seen to be the consumer's champion than in championing the consumer? I'm going to say possibly. On all fronts. Read More |
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2. Selena Gomez Becomes a Billionaire, Proving You Made All the Wrong Life Decisions |
From Disney darling to financial powerhouse, Selena Gomez has amassed a $1.3 billion fortune, according to Forbes. Her Rare Beauty line, acting gigs, and real estate portfolio, combined with 424 million Instagram followers to raise her to music's billionaire circle alongside Taylor Swift, Rihanna, Jay-Z, Ye, and Bruce Springsteen, who once asked, in a song, "how can a poor man stand such times and live?"
Beginning her career as a child actor on "Barney and Friends," the "Only Murders in the Building" star has also advocated for mental health, gender, racial and LGBTQ justice, and has been a UNICEF goodwill ambassador since 2009. But is she happy? At 32, I was having my first serious nervous breakdown. And it didn't do me any harm. Kids these days. Read More |
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| Sparck Technologies is leading the way in automated packaging with its advanced 3D systems.
The company's latest innovations cater to high-volume e-commerce needs, featuring a high-speed print-on-box facility and the capability to produce ultra-slim boxes as narrow as 28mm.
Installed in over 15 countries, Sparck's automated systems are revolutionizing e-commerce packaging by reducing freight volume and costs, minimizing labor, and cutting down on packaging material and waste. |
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3. 7-Eleven: We Won't Be Bought for a Mere $38.5 Billion |
Just as you can't buy my integrity for $19,999 (that's called "ad sales," people...), Japan's retail titan Seven & i Holdings has put its foot down and said "no thank you" to a whopping $38.5 billion cash offer from Canada's Alimentation Couche-Tard, a name about which we will make no jokes.
Seven & i says the takeover probably wouldn't get past U.S. antitrust regulators without hitting the skids. Still, Couche-Tard seems optimistic, hinting that their wallet remains open and their spirits high, which might mean more bids in the future. Analysts agree that the $38.5 billion figure might just be an opening salvo. Meanwhile, the Japanese firm's stock took a slight dip on the news, even though they claim they are totally worth more than they're being offered. Maybe they'll get it now? Read More |
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You Need 2 Know About This Box!
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Meet the Sunset Box, a quarterly subscription service sending home, wellness, and travel goodies straight to your doorstep, curated by editors at mag Sunset, the Western-lifestyle magazine that just so happens to be a sister company of ours. Since you clearly have good taste (you're an N2K subscriber, after all), we think you'll love this box. Use code CHEDDAR15 for 15% off your subscription. |
Note: Sadly does not contain any cheese. |
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4. Heineken Taps Tennis Star to Bring Alcohol-Free Beer Center Court |
Did you enjoy the tennis over the weekend? Well, whether you did or not, Heineken has been sponsoring the U.S. Open for 30 years, and we spoke with CMO Johnny Cahill. The firm is seeing some shrinkage in beer sales, he said, but huge growth in its nonalcoholic line.
"Nonalcoholic Heineken Zero is a leader," he said. "We're really seeing such substantial sustained growth there, as that moderation trend translates into volume and revenue, not only for us but for all the players in the category. For us this is a super important player. It's an amazing thing because what we're doing here is opening the franchise out to people and moments when they would love a beer, but they don't necessarily want the alcohol. That's particularly resonating with a young audience, where moderation is an everyday fact of life. They are drinking less alcohol, but that does not mean that they don't want to participate socially or engage with world class brands."
The firm has also partnered with American player Taylor Fritz—currently ranked no. 12 in the world—to promote the drink.
"He represents a lot of what we see in this category: young people who are living a balanced lifestyle but still able to have fun, very social," he said. "Really, in this kind of category, you look for fit, and he represents a lot of what's good about this. It's the right kind of life. He's fun, he's energetic, he's young, he's American."
American-ness IS the perfect fit for a Dutch beer brand, Johnny. Cheers! Read More |
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5. Teen Vaping: Thank You for Not Nearly Smoking |
I had my first cigarette when I was 13 and was smoking regularly and drinking beer in South London pubs by the time I was 14. Yes, I now have a heart condition and am a recovering alcoholic. But did it really do me any serious harm?
The main reason I smoked was it looked good in films and felt a little self-destructive. For a teenager in the 1990s, those were good reasons to do most things. Now I do still crave the blighters every day, and if I got a terminal diagnosis the first thing I'd do would be to hop down to the shops for a carton of Marlboro. I see cigarettes as so addictive it's a miracle they're legal. One of my friends died of lung cancer. I remember going to see him in the hospital and heading outside to join the other smokers in between their rounds of chemo.
Vaping, meanwhile, seems ridiculous. If you're going to smoke, have a proper one. And clearly, teens partially agree with me. The Center for Disease Control says high school vaping is at its lowest level in a decade with fewer than 8% of high school teens e-puffing on e-cigarettes in the last e-month—that's way down from the dizzying heights of 35% in 2019.
Crackdowns on flavored vape products and schools installing vaping detectors are doing the trick. I'm glad it's being tackled as a public health issue. Meanwhile, see you all under the bleachers and bring a lighter. We're going to smoke good, old-fashioned cigarettes and marijuana, like civilized teenagers. Read More |
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| So, What Do You Think of Cheddar?
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We want to hear from you! From shows to site to this very newsletter, we'd love some feedback. |
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