Sharon Mui's Blog

The Twitter community has been buzzing about the much-loved american snack, Twinkies, since Hostess Brands, the snack’s producer, announced that it was closing for business. The hastag “TwinkieMovieMoments” was started by Empire Magazine and featured favorite cameos of the little white and yellow treat. Some tweets include, “Tallahassee’s quest for Twinkies ends well when he stumbles upon a pile of them in Zombieland” 

Speculations have been raised about Obamacare and its involvement in Hostess’s termination. But one analyst says the company’s downfall was caused by the immense debt accumulated through multiple mergers, and two claims of bankruptcy dating back to the 1980s.  In addition, Hostess Brands’ products, though signature to the American lifestyle, are old and lack-luster.

I believe Hostess Brand’s failure was caused by a dependency on its customer loyalty. Its lack of new inventive products were unable to meet up with the markets demand for gourmet high-end specialty baked goods. Still, even though I dislike the cream-filled cake, the news of the potential end of Twinkies spurs me to go out and buy a box of my own, just to savour the memory.

Information from:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/helaineolen/2012/11/16/who-killed-hostess-brands-and-twinkies/?utm_campaign=forbestwittersf&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social

http://www.forbes.com/sites/panosmourdoukoutas/2012/11/17/twinkies-another-casualty-of-obamacare/

After reading a report made by Ernst & Young, and the Kauffman Foundation, Eric T. Wagner writes about eight snidbits of advice he found critical to be a successful entrepreneur. Typically, I would quickly skim over an article such as this, since it didn’t provide any information for my immediate concerns and interests. But recently, an entrepreneurial opportunity was presented in front of me.

An old friend of mine contacted me last week wanting to catch up. I was a little taken aback since we had barely spoken to each other during the time we met. Still, it was good to hear that he was doing well. After a few disjointed conversations through Facebook  he brought up his involvement in a business venture and a chance for me to get in on the action. Intrigued, I started asking questions and wondered about my role in his plan (strategy no. 5 in the article).

He tells me that is currently working with some business developers in the Vancouver area to build some sort of web based project. Remembering the Forbe’s article and its talk of balance betweeen embracing innovation and preserving current systems, I thought the venture was promising, seeing as it will be similar to model of the popular website Amazon.com. Not much else has been said so far, but I’m hoping I find out more information when we meet up for coffee later this month.

Located just on the outskirts of Vancouver’s mostimpoverished communities is Save on Meats. This half diner, half butcher shop was salvaged by Mark Brand and has been an iconic corner stone of the downtown east side. Each day the establishment dishes out delicious and affordable food for locals and tourists alike, while also providing social benefits for its community.

The success of Save on Meats isn’t strictly dependent on its scrumptious meals; it’s also because of owner Brand’s philanthropic activity. His latest endeavour: being homeless. Covenant House’s Sleep Out: Executive Edition fundraiser asks well-known community leaders to sleep on the streets of Vancouver for a single night to raise awareness of the harsh and cruel conditions that many of Vancouver’s homeless suffer.

Being a loyal customer, I’m very proud that Save on Meats has flourished so much and become one of the city’s must-visit locations. Unfortunately by being involved in so many social activities, Save on Meats is as a CBC press release states “buried in debt”  but that shouldn’t be a concern considering their mass amount of media attention. I hope to see big things from Save on Meats. Television media has really put the restaurant on the map. with appearances on reality shows like The Big Decision, Gastown Gamble, The Million Dollar Neighbourhood, Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, and many more.

Information from:

http://vancouverisawesome.com/2012/11/14/mark-brand-is-homeless-chsleepout/

http://www.gifttool.com/athon/MyFundraisingPage?ID=1762&AID=2159&PID=325970

http://www.vancouversun.com/life/food/Save+Meats+looks+communications+guru+help/7527327/story.html

Target’s arrival will certainly raise a much attention, and I have no doubt that stores will successful. I also agree with Sam Dunner’s comment in his blog post that other retailers in Canada will not suffer a loss of demand but and benefit from the extra traffic caused by the new Target locations. A Canadian Business article states that Jeremy Reitman of Reitman’s Women’s clothing was able to gain success when the first arrival of Walmart to Canada occurred and he believes that “Target could single-handedly save hundreds of malls and plazas that would otherwise slowly die.” Even unemployed workers of Canada will be able to reap rewards with Target providing over 30 000 new workers. As you can see in the video at the opening of Target Canada’s headquarters, people are excited to join and work within the Target family.

 My concern, however, stems from my status as a consumer. Although I believe that Target’s prices will be lower than most competitors in Canada, I wonder if the prices will be low enough to deter my family from taking short trips south of the border to the United States (US) for our shopping needs. In international stores like Hollister Clothing company, I notice that the same item of clothing has a noticeably higher price in Canada as compared to the US, and this is all before BC’s harmony tax.  Will this situation happen with Target? Or is the company able to sustain low and affordable goods for all of North America?

Bike Sampa has created a system of rental bikes all around the city of São Paulo, Brazil. This project was initiated in hopes of solving the city’s problem with congested traffic. There is simply a one time fee of 10 reais, which is equivalent to approximately $5 cad. The price of a bus ride is typically around 1 or 2 reais, so simply using the bike service a minimum of three times then automatically makes it a more affordable option to public transit. With strategic bike  garages located around the city, Bike Sampa hopes that this new alternative to transportation will be sustainable.

This is a great and eco-friendly solution to one of São Paulo city’s issues. The citizens are able to benefit from this project by having another mode of transportation as well as a means to escape traffic. In addition, the city is able to reduce its carbon footprint.  And with conveniently located maps, android and iphone accessible apps, as well as a running website with additional information, I believe that Bike Sampa has created a successful project. Though rental bike stations may not be new to the world – some rental systems are already established in Boston, Rio and other American and European cities – São Paulo’s step towards sustainability might prompt other projects to begin flourish in the near future.

Information from:

http://www.lostateminor.com/2012/11/01/bike-sampa-a-sustainable-transport-project-in-sao-paulo-city/

As a customer service associate at Jacob Clothing Boutique, Zara poses as one of my company’s leading competitor. Both stores are located within the same mall and on my way to work, I see lots of women entering the store and leaving with large bags filled with their purchases. I assume that my own store will be just as successful, but more often than not, I am disappointed by what I see. So why is there such a large difference in in-store traffic?  Let’s do a few comparisons shall we?

First I assumed an age gap. Zara may have possibly established their business for a longer period of time and consequently gained more loyal customers. But, founded in 1975, Zara is merely two years older than Jacob.

Next I look at each company’s clothing line and lookbooks. Zara’s products have a more youthful style, providing interesting graphic shirts, and heavily patterned prints, whereas Jacob provides closet basics, with solid colours and signature stripes.

Following Zara’s vertical supply chain Jacob recently introduced that new clothing pieces arrive every two weeks. This method, in theory, should keep customers frequently checking store locations to catch new designs before they’re gone. In addition, Jacob almost constantly has big sales, offering an average of 30 -40% off both regular and on-sale clothing.

I agree with Janice Chan’s blog that Dasani Drops has the potential for a very promising future. Personally, I side with the brand Coca-Cola, and subsequently Dasani, more than its competitors, but Dasani’s late arrival to the flavour enhancer market poses serious threats.

Kraft Food Inc’s MiO was the first to make the scene and therefore has the upper advantage in the mind of many consumers. Knowing that Coca-Cola and Kraft Food are both highly regarded companies, it will be more difficult to rely on just brand power. I am interested in seeing Coca-cola’s repositioning strategy. Most commercials from Coca-Cola consist of emphasizing the “classic taste” of its products rather than its rivalry with competitors like PepsiCo. In addition, a recent article mentions that John Roddey, vice president of Coca-Cola’s water, tea, and coffee business in North America, “according to AP, says tea is the next big potential for liquid flavor drops.” (The Digital Jounal) According to The Economic Times, Coca-Cola is planning on using Fuze to launch its new tea products. Already established companies like Lipton will most likely be the greatest threat in this situation of expansion, especially since Fuze has less than 0.1% of the tea market . I am intrigued to put further investigation into Coca-Cola’s endeavours and will most likely follow up on this topic later in the year.

Information from:
http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/332444
http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2012-08-29/news/33476111_1_coca-cola-nestea-beverage-digest

After attending a Me Inc. conference, I was interested in learning more about the guest speakers, Devon Brooks and Val Litwin, and the company they co-founded (along with Judy Brooks) Blo blow-dry bar. Blo began in 2007, when Devon Brooks realized that many women were paying high prices to get their hair washed, styled and blown out at salons. So, she wanted to create a company that focused on giving “blow outs” at a price lower than competitors. Instead of also providing cuts and dyes, Blo would offer just one service. It was as simple as “WASH BLO GO”. Ari Yakobson, current owner of Blo, says, “It’s an affordable luxury, something that makes a person feel great without spending an absolute fortune.” (Globe and Mail)

Part of Blo’s success comes from their variety-based positioning. Hair salons are abundant and a customer can choose between dozens within their city area. By specializing in only one aspect of hair-care and service Blo can create a smaller market that has fewer competitors. Even though, Blo was not the pioneer of its concept, they have positioned themselves as “North America’s original blow-dry bar, scaring off any “copy cats” that may arise in the future.

Information from:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/small-business/sb-growth/success-stories/blow-dry-bar-concept-heats-up/article4180474/
www.blowmedry.com

Link to episode: http://www.vidbux.com/ellid2qms6io

Welcome to Denny’s! A place “where smiling employees enjoy flexible hours, benefit programs, competitive wages, a fun-filled atmosphere and opportunities to grow.”

At least 50 Filipino workers disagree with the statement above, which was directly quoted from the Denny’s Canada website. The cheery persona of this family-friendly restaurant was shattered when a $10 million law suit was filed against its owner, Northland Properties Corporation.

This story began with our Filipino foreigners given a promise of a better working environment in the holy grail of multiculturalism, Canada. Unfortunately, the (North) American dream quickly turned into a nightmare when the migrant workers were required to pay $6000 each to the agency responsible for recruiting Denny’s employees. Allegedly, the 50 cooks and servers did not receive the “hours of work, overtime pay and travel expenses” offered by the Temporary Foreign Workers program (TFW). Finally, Herminia Vergara Dominguez stepped forward to work with Migrante B.C. to take a stand for these migrant workers and their legal rights.

Denny’s wishes to be “the best family restaurant chain in the world”; to do so, this franchise needs to end the exploitation of their stakeholders, specifically vulnerable migrant employees. Employment contracts must be followed through. Now, “was this situation a breach of business ethics” – undoubtedly so.

Information provided by:

The Georgia Straight                                                                                                               and                                                                                                                                 UFCW Canada