Why Starbucks won't feel the heat of higher coffee prices | Harrods puts final touches on its beauty makeover | Danone's Waters unit drives 6.6% Q2 growth
Starbucks' purchasing strategy means it won't have to raise menu prices despite a surge in commodity coffee prices related to bad weather in the growing regions of Brazil, CEO Kevin Johnson said. "It gives us a significant advantage relative to our competitors who, if they don't buy this far in advance, will certainly not have that cost structure that we put in place," Johnson said.
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Harrods has unveiled a revamped Hair & Beauty Salon at its flagship in the Knightsbridge section of London, with stylists on staff to provide hair and nail services. The debut is the last phase in the luxury department store's beauty transformation that started last year with the makeover and expansion of its beauty halls.
Danone's second-quarter net sales surpassed analyst expectations by increasing 6.6% compared to the same period in 2019, marking a return to profitability. Danone's Waters unit returned to positive territory with 19.5% sales growth.
Flipkart has opened a new delivery hub in Delhi that will be run by 50 employees with disabilities, as part of the Walmart-owned company's push to foster diversity and inclusion. The India-based platform debuted its Ekartians with Disabilities programme four years ago to create more opportunities for employees with disabilities.
Coca-Cola's first campaign involving nonfungible tokens for International Friendship Day involves auctioning off the Coca-Cola Friendship Box containing NFT versions of Coca-Cola collectibles to support the Special Olympics. NFTs are one way to explore the growing artificial reality-enabled "metaverse," which "creates opportunities to connect with others like never before," said Josh Schwarber, Coca-Cola's global digital design senior director.
Fast-casual chain Pret A Manger has registered trademarks for "Pret Express" and "Pret Perks" in the UK as part of a plan to roll out self-serve coffee machines and a new customer loyalty programme. The shift to work from home due to the pandemic last year led to the closure of 74 UK Pret locations, so putting vending machines could be a cost-effective way to move forward, said Jeffrey Young of Allegra World Coffee Portal.
Italian luxury fashion brand Prada reported a 66% increase in revenue in the first half of the year, beating analysts' estimates and topping pre-pandemic spending levels. Designer and co-CEO Miuccia Prada and co-creative director Raf Simons will continue to collaborate on new collections forecast to further grow the ready-to-wear fashions and handbags sectors, according to Citigroup analyst Thomas Chauvet.
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