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Plant-based milk is looking for fresher soil. While oat milk lattes and almond milk creamers have become a mainstay at most coffeeshops, retail sales for plant-based dairy have declined in the last year. Non-dairy sales have declined faster than dairy milk in the past year. Plant-based milk sales were $2.5 billion in the 52-week period ending October 6, a 5.2% year-over-year decline, according to Circana MULO+C data tracking. Unit sales in the period also dropped 5%. The percentage of households buying plant-based dairy was down 2.1%, to 49%, while repeat buying households were also down 2.2%, to around 38% Almond milk, the long time leader in plant-based dairy, happens to also be leading the decline. In comparison to the other three major plant milk bases (oat, soy and coconut), almonds showed the most contraction. Dollar sales for almond milk were down 8.9% and unit sales also declined 8.6%. Is there a single overriding reason that plant milks are in decline? It’s hard to say. Inflation hit grocery shoppers in the past two years, but the price difference isn’t huge when it comes to the different milk types: according to Circana 52-week sales data, the average price-per-unit of plant-based milk was about $4 while dairy milk was around $3.50. And even if price is a concern, it doesn’t seem to be one with regard to at least one area originally thought to be an advantage for plant-based milks. Lactose-free consumers aren’t moving away from dairy, according to NielsenIQ, even though Lactose-free dairy is more expensive than its plant-based competition, which is naturally free of that dairy protein, according to the report. Danone’s decision to discontinue its Silk Nextmilk and So Delicious Wondermilk just over a year after launching reflects a miscalculation of alt-dairy consumer demands. The two products were formulated to replicate dairy milk and were marketed as the “future of plant-based beverages.” So what went wrong? At least one analyst seems to think that plant-based products are an imperfect substitute in a big consumer category. Products claiming to be direct stand-ins for dairy need to deliver on that promise, said Mintel Food & Drink analyst Julia Mills, because “if it’s not quite milk, when it comes to the taste and texture, it doesn’t really appeal to consumers.” Another issue is environmental impact. Shortly after almond milk took off, there was a backlash against its taxing production process, even if it offered a less damaging water usage and methane emission footprint than dairy milk. Finally, there was a tactical miscalculation: while alt-milks are being introduced through coffee shops, those high-froth “barista blends” aren’t necessarily what consumers want for other use cases. So knowing that things are moving, at best, sideways, due to taste and cost factors, what are brands to do? MALK is one of the fastest growing brands in the plant-based category. Though still significantly trailing category leaders in total dollar sales, MALK’s percentage growth outpaced bigger brands by wide margins, up 92.8% in refrigerated almond milk and 65% in oat, according to Circana tracking. The plant milk brand is one of the more expensive options in the cold case but the company sees that as more of a strength than a weakness. “Premium is who MALK is,” Bronstad said. “We don’t have the ability to drastically reduce our cost of goods by adding oil into oats or gums and fillers into almonds and we don’t want to. It’s not what we would serve our families.” Premiumization hasn’t stymied the brand’s growth in conventional stores either. The company is available at over 10,000 stores with partnerships outside of the natural channel in chains like Albertson’s, Stop N Shop, Publix, various Kroger banners and select Target locations. Malk’s emphasis on simplicity is echoed by analysts and competitors alike. “Over 25% of consumers who choose to buy plant-based milks, say they prefer simple ingredients or ingredients they can understand,” Mills said. Launched first in Austin, Texas, MALK has always stressed its simple, clean label – even as the overall category has slowed. “At one point, there were pundits that said it was going to be hockey stick growth and plant-based milk would be $10 billion by 2030,” MALK CEO Jason Bronstad told BevNET Magazine. “The reality is it hasn’t and that’s okay too.” Bronstad said that the target plant-based milk consumers are the same people who look at ingredient labels closely and make purchasing decisions on what they put in their bodies. “As consumers become more educated and ask more questions, they look at our label and see unsweetened almonds, water and organic, pink Himalayan salt,” he said. “They think: ‘Got it. I understand what I’m consuming.’” Other brands are seeing the advantages of taking a minimalist approach to formulation as well. In January, category giant Oatly released Super Basic, free from emulsifiers and stabilizers and containing just water, oats, sea salt and citrus fiber. Macadamia nut alt dairy maker Milkadamia also cut out additives in its Organic Artisan line released this year. The plant milk uses five ingredients: water, macadamia nuts, agave nectar, citrus fiber and sea salt. Mooala launched in 2016 with a nut- and soy-free, banana-based milk. Come 2023, however, it launched its Simple line in almond and oat that proclaimed it contained just water, salt, and oats or almonds. Simple speaks to a consumer “that values a homemade ingredient profile over added nutritional benefits,” said founder and CEO Jeff Richards. “If a product has just three or four ingredients that you would find in your kitchen, it doesn’t have to be explained. It just is what it is, and it’s real.” So how did plant-based milks get into a paradigm where something that can be made with three to five ingredients is all of a sudden a confusing “Frankenfood”? One issue comes from the very channel where oat, almond and soy have found their biggest opportunity: foodservice partnerships in coffee chains. In order to create alternative milk that can steam and froth like dairy, a fat, stabilizer, and/or emulsifier is needed to provide body to the liquid. “The market demands customization and performance,” noted Mooala’s Richards, who said that the need to capitalize on the opportunity in coffeeshops led to the release of a Barista Blend Oatmilk this summer in both conventional and organic varieties. Yet coffeeshop-positioned products don’t necessarily translate to retail easily, Mills said. “Consumers really appreciate versatility,” she said. “Consumers may not buy barista-style alt-milks because they think there is just one use. While it can meet specific needs and a niche, it doesn’t necessarily have mass appeal.” “Plant-based beverages appeal to millennials, who are today’s generation of parents,” said Danone SVP of plant-based beverages Kallie Goodwin. “Nearly three in four parents who purchase plant-based beverages are interested in purchasing plant-based options specifically for their kids, but finding a plant-based milk with a taste kids love, and nutrition parents want continues to be a challenge.” Boosting nutritionals has become a successful strategy for plant milks to establish lasting value for shoppers, especially those with children, Mills said. “It appears that these products are doing very well, based off sales data,” she said. “I think leaning into specific occasions, whether it be for children or snacking with smaller packaging sizes, offers a lot of room for opportunity.” Fortification, usually with vitamins A and D, has been an approach implemented for years by the dairy industry that has been adopted within the plant-based set. In February, Califia Farms launched its Complete product that claimed it had the same amount or more of the essential nine nutrients (Protein, Calcium, Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, and Riboflavin) found in dairy milk. The brand doubled down on that with the addition of Complete Kids Plantmilk in June. Seizing on an opportunity among a demographic who still drinks milk by the glass, Danone launched Silk Kids fortified with 8 grams of protein, DHA omega-3s, choline, prebiotics, and vitamins and minerals tailored to children’s health needs. It’s not just kid-positioned alt-milk either. Goodwin said Silk’s launch of Almond Protein (with 8g protein) is showing traction among consumers. Bucking the trend of simplification, there are brands taking fortification even further by using food technology to bring functionality to the mix. Strive Freemilk uses precision fermentation in its alt-milk production and is preparing to release a lactoferrin-fortified product positioned towards older adults needing a supplement boost. Marketing on functionality and nutritionals might be a value-add for plant-based but it does return the conversation to a core tenant of the plant-based category’s marketing strategy: environmental sustainability. Food tech companies often claim to reduce land and water use providing a more environmentally friendly option but consumers remain skeptical. As consumers still determine how they feel about food tech solutions, the unsustainability of almond trees for alt-dairy production is a common refrain. Insurgent plant milk brands offer a different option, a new nut. Pistachio-based Táche has grown its base out of the New York City area on the back of its flavor, its environmentally sustainable attributes and its cachet among coffee drinkers. The brand’s success in the foodservice channel led it to launch a RTD latte earlier in the year. PKN pecan milk is another plant-based alternative “benefitting” from consumer concerns over the longterm sustainability of almond production. PKN founder and CEO Laura Shenkar launched the brand after working in freshwater ecosystems and groundwater preservation. She saw an untapped potential for pecan-based alt milk because the nuts come from one of the few drought tolerant trees indigenous to the U.S. The opportunity in pecan milk lies in marrying the environmental concern that fuels some consumers’ choices with the nostalgic flavor of a culturally significant crop. “Texans are convinced that their pecans are the best, but the people of Mississippi, Alabama or Georgia also consider their pecans the best,” she said. “Pecans are an American mainstay. They’re very specific to America, and they’re very specific to family.” Tapping that nostalgic nerve and familiarity of flavor resonates with consumers who are looking for an emotional attachment when making purchasing decisions. The brand has invested in new products that play into plant-based trends: JOY Barista and ZERO which contains only pecans, water, vanilla extract and salt. “What I keep thinking about personally is my diet keeps getting smaller and smaller and smaller. You can’t eat this and you can’t eat that, and now you can’t do this and you can’t do that. What do we have left?” she said. “Let’s make the most out of what we have left.” Receive your free magazine! Join thousands of other food and beverage professionals who utilize BevNET Magazine to stay up-to-date on current trends and news within the food and beverage world. 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Brazilian police formally accused Bolsonaro of an attempted coup. What comes next?Are you a manager? If so, you will appreciate the importance of keeping your workers motivated and reasonably content within the dynamics of the employment relationship (which is naturally conflictual at its heart). One part of the welfare at work model is being able to detect when employees are unhappy or professing grievances. What is the extent of employee disgruntlement? Looking into the U.S. economy, one poll finds that employees are more unhappy at work than they have been in years, and currently more than a quarter of U.S. citizens are looking to change roles. This is the highest in a decade. To aid new business owners boost employee satisfaction , the firm Wix.com has provided to Digital Journal with signs to spot that will inform the employer that the employee is starting to slip. How to spot when employees are losing morale? Decreased productivity and poor performance This may be evident when employees aren’t getting as much done as they used to. They may miss deadlines or demonstrate a reduced quality of work. Increased absenteeism, lateness and time off When your staff are disengaged, stressed or burnt out, they may begin to call in sick more often, show up late, and leave early. High employee turnover If employees are leaving in droves, it can be due to lost morale and general disengagement from the workplace. However, this also creates a vicious cycle whereby employees that remain at the company become equally low in morale and sceptical of management and the organization as a whole. Lack of enthusiasm and innovation When staff begin to feel as though their work is boring and meaningless, you’ll find that they are uninspired, perhaps less creative and less likely to take initiative. Lack of teamwork and camaraderie If you’ve noticed a team member being less active in team activities or conversations, whether remote or in the office, they’re likely suffering from low morale. Doing the bare minimum Staff may meet deadlines and quality standards but won’t go above and beyond, they’ll complete the minimum of what is expected of them and nothing further. This can also be seen as ‘quiet-quitting’, that is not doing so little that it’s brought to management’s attention but also not going above and beyond. Avolition If an employee struggles to start or finish a task without constant supervision, they may feel disengaged from work. It’s important to determine the root cause of this and provide appropriate support. Dr. Tim Sandle is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for science news.Tim specializes in science, technology, environmental, business, and health journalism. He is additionally a practising microbiologist; and an author. He is also interested in history, politics and current affairs.BEIJING, Dec 30 (Reuters) - Huawei (HWT.UL) cut the prices of a variety of high-end devices, including mobile phones, by up to 3,000 yuan ($411) over the weekend on one of China's leading e-commerce platforms, it said in a post on its official Weibo social media account on Sunday. In a JD.com "Super Brand Day" promotion running from Saturday evening through to midnight on Sunday, Huawei offered discounts on its smartphones, headphones, watches and tablets, the post showed. ($1 = 7.2980 Chinese yuan renminbi) Sign up here. Reporting by Joe Cash; Editing by Kim Coghill Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab

Oncternal Therapeutics (NASDAQ:ONCT) Research Coverage Started at StockNews.comShe told People: "With this being child number four, I already have learned all the tricks to make my body feel well physically and mentally. I am sleeping and exercising and sticking to my healthy diet and lifestyle, as always." The 'Transformers' star previously revealed that all of her children are "super excited" to have a new sibling and that she will have the support of her family throughout. She said: The kids are all super excited for another addition to the family and have promised to help out and pitch in." MGK also has 15-year-old daughter Casie from his time with ex Emma Cannon. Last month, Megan confirmed via social media that she and the 'Bloody Valentine' hitmaker are having a baby together. Alongside a photo of her naked body covered in black paint to reveal her blossoming baby bump and a snap of her positive pregnancy test, Megan wrote on Instagram: "nothing is ever really lost. welcome back [baby and heart emojis] (sic)" The 'Jennifer's Body' actress previously opened up about her experience of suffering a miscarriage, admitting that she didn't know how to cope with the tragedy. During an appearance on 'Good Morning America', she explained: "I've never been through anything like that in my life. "I have three kids, so it was very difficult for both of us and it sent us on a very wild journey together and separately ... trying to navigate, 'What does this mean?' and 'Why did this happen?'"

SAN DIEGO , Dec. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Sempra (NYSE: SRE) (BMV: SRE) today announced it has been recognized by Newsweek as one of "America's Most Responsible Companies" for 2025, earning this distinction for the sixth consecutive year. The annual list ranks companies based on their commitment to corporate responsibility in the areas of corporate governance and responsible social and environmental practices. Sempra has been included since the list's inception. "At Sempra, we believe our responsible business practices improve the value of our franchise. By strengthening governance and risk management and improving the safety and resiliency of our business operations, it allows us to better meet the needs and expectations of our customers, while also adding scale to our business," said Lisa Larroque Alexander , senior vice president of corporate affairs and chief sustainability officer for Sempra. "We will continue to approach global energy challenges with an entrepreneurial mindset, steadfast optimism and confidence in our vision of delivering energy with purpose." Newsweek's recognition of Sempra as one of "America's Most Responsible Companies" is based on publicly available key performance indicators derived from the company's Corporate Sustainability Report and an independent survey that asked U.S. citizens about their perception of Sempra's commitment to corporate social responsibility. Details of Sempra's approach to responsible stakeholder engagement and corporate governance can be found in the company's most recent Corporate Sustainability Report, which is available here . In addition to being recognized on Newsweek's America's Most Responsible Companies list, Sempra is included in the FTSE4Good Index and JUST 100 list, has been named one of TIME Magazine's World's Best Companies and one of Fortune Magazine's World's Most Admired Companies , and earned a perfect score on the CPA-Zicklin Index of Corporate Political Disclosure and Accountability , among other accolades. About Sempra Sempra (NYSE: SRE ) is a leading North American energy infrastructure company focused on delivering energy to nearly 40 million consumers. As owner of one of the largest energy networks on the continent, Sempra is electrifying and improving the energy resilience of some of the world's most significant economic markets, including California , Texas , Mexico and global energy markets. The company is recognized as a leader in sustainable business practices and for its high-performance culture focused on safety and operational excellence, as demonstrated by Sempra's inclusion in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index North America and in The Wall Street Journal's Best Managed Companies. More information about Sempra is available at sempra.com and on social media @Sempra . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sempra-named-among-newsweeks-most-responsible-companies-302324298.html SOURCE Sempra

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Tottenham joins list of top Premier League teams to lose at Bournemouth as fans jeer Postecoglou Manchester City, Arsenal, and now Tottenham. The list of top Premier League teams beaten at Bournemouth this season is growing. Steve Douglas, The Associated Press Dec 5, 2024 3:20 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Bournemouth's Dean Huijsen celebrates scoring the opening goal during the English Premier League soccer match between AFC Bournemouth and Tottenham Hotspur in Bournemouth, England, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. (Adam Davy/PA via AP) Manchester City, Arsenal, and now Tottenham. The list of top Premier League teams beaten at Bournemouth this season is growing. Dean Huijsen took advantage of Tottenham’s weakness at set pieces to head home a 17th-minute winner in Bournemouth’s 1-0 victory on Thursday. After the game, some Spurs fans appeared to vent their frustration at manager Ange Postecoglou when he went over to the away contingent following his team's insipid display. “They are pretty disappointed, rightly so, and I got some pretty direct feedback as to how we are going,” the Australian coach said, “and that's fair enough.” Bournemouth climbed to ninth — a point and a place above Tottenham in the standings — and underlined its penchant for surprising high-profile visitors to Vitality Stadium. Man City’s remarkable four-game losing run in the Premier League started with a 2-1 defeat at Bournemouth, while fellow title contender Arsenal’s first loss of the season also came at the Vitality, 2-0 on Oct. 19. This was Spurs' sixth defeat of the campaign. They now have as many wins as losses, highlighting the inconsistency blighting their season, and their seven away results so far make remarkable reading: aside from a 3-0 win at Manchester United and a 4-0 thrashing of Man City, Tottenham has lost four and drawn the other at relegation candidate Leicester. “We've got to get out of this space we're in at the moment where we're just not able to get a real grip on our season,” Postecoglou said. An inability to defend set plays continues to hurt Postecoglou’s team. A week after Roma scored twice from them in a 2-2 draw in the Europa League, Huijsen roamed free in the area at a corner and headed home unmarked. Postecoglou said in May said he “wasn’t interested” about his side’s fallibility while defending set pieces, and said after losing 1-0 to Arsenal in September — after a goal from Gabriel at a corner — that “it’s my burden to carry and I’m happy to do that.” “We started well and conceded a really poor goal," Postecoglou said after the Bournemouth game. “It’s a difficult place to come when giving the opposition the opportunity to play in the manner they want.” IWOBI DOUBLE Alex Iwobi scored goals early and late in the game to lead Fulham to a 3-1 win over Brighton. The Nigeria winger intercepted a stray pass out from the back by Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen and slotted into an unguarded net for the opener in the fourth minute and curled home Fulham’s clinching goal in the 87th. Carlos Baleba equalized for Brighton in the 56th before Brighton midfielder Matt O’Riley – a former Fulham academy player – deflected the ball into his own net from a corner to put the home side back in front. Fulham climbed to sixth in the standings, a point and a place behind Brighton. ___ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer Steve Douglas, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Soccer Napoli out of Italian Cup as Tijjani Noslin scores hat trick in 3-1 win for Lazio Dec 5, 2024 2:40 PM Messi and Inter Miami to open Club World Cup against Egyptian club Al Ahly Dec 5, 2024 12:41 PM Trump addresses Club World Cup draw through prerecorded video Dec 5, 2024 11:32 AM

vzphotos Investment Thesis Micron Technology, Inc. ( NASDAQ: MU ) reported a solid Q1 2025 , with revenue and profits hitting record levels in the three months ended November 2024. However, disappointing Q2 2024 guidance weighed down on shares. Two Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

When Kimia Ravangar started streaming herself playing video games in her native Persian tongue nearly eight years ago, there was no promise that her content would ever be a meaningful source of income, let alone a career. Now, she’s a full-time YouTuber with more than 630,000 subscribers on her channel, which has racked up around 340 million total views. And things are only going up. Ravangar, along with her creator teammates Kourosh Zarandooz and Iman Dastpak, have launched a new custom studio in North Vancouver, where their empire of lifestyle and food videos, podcasting and music making is growing by the second. Ravangar’s “Mia Plays” channel, as well as Zarandooz and Dastpak’s “Kouman” account, are not merely one-hit wonders of the internet age of virality. With the eyes of their dedicated audience, each new video draws in hundreds of thousands of views immediately following release. For example, a trivia-style video titled میا باهوش‌تره یا ما؟؟ (translation: Is Mia smarter or us?) has more than a million views after going live on Dec. 13. That post, where the three friends face off in a quiz competition to win the Kouman championship belt, has also generated 39,000 likes and 8,164 comments since release. When you put up numbers like that, YouTube partners Ravangar, Zarandooz and Dastpak can put numbers in their bank accounts. According to research from Oxford Economics, YouTube’s creative ecosystem contributed more than $2 billion to Canada’s GDP in 2023, and supported more than 35,000 full-time-equivalent jobs. At their studio in late November, the trio hosted a mixer with other well-known Canadian YouTubers including food vlogger Tim Lee, van-life expert and builder Morley Kert, and West Van DIY home renovator Jenna Phipps. What does it take to make it in the YouTube biz? One of the most important ingredients is consistency, Zarandooz said. “We always try to upload on a certain day at a certain time, and we haven’t missed it for years now,” he said. Another key to success is always trying to level up their content. “We see what people like, what our audience likes, and we try to do it better and better each time. So we never say, ‘OK, it’s good enough,’” Zarandooz said. “We always try to upgrade, from our equipment to our videos to ourselves.” The crew didn’t arrive at their current style of content creation overnight. While her career started with online multiplayer video games like Overwatch, now most of her videos tackle day-to-day topics like what she normally eats in a week, or trying novel activities like doing yoga with goats. Much of the content on the Kouman channel is related to food, by way of either food-related challenges or review content. A lot of what they choose to feature are cultural items related to their Iranian heritage. “We have a rough formula for what content we like and what we don’t, but it’s not super narrow,” Zarandooz said. “It just has to be entertaining.” But often it’s the characters, not the content, that viewers tune in for, Dastpak said. “Sometimes they want to know what Kourosh thinks about this food, or what Mia thinks about a challenge that we doing,” he said. Unlike traditional media like television, YouTube allows the crew to film in North Van and immediately reach a worldwide audience. Most members of their audience are Persian speakers living internationally and in their native Iran. But the global nature of YouTube content isn’t unique to them. More than 90 per cent of watch time for content made by Canadian creators comes from outside the country, according to the platform. Ravangar, who would be prohibited from making most of her content if she still lived in her hometown of Tehran, said she has some mixed feelings about her current home and career. “I feel very fortunate to be here and to be able to do what I do, which is something that I could not have done freely back in Iran,” she said. “But at the same time, you feel really close to home at the end of the day.” While living in Canada, they’re separated from friends and family back in Iran, but their channel allows them to connect with Persian speakers around the globe. “We try to engage with the people back in [Iran] as well with polls ... like, what do we want to test?” Zarandooz said. “We get snacks and food shipped from there, so we can try them – stuff that right now people are eating in Iran, so it’s more relatable.” As their online content business grows larger, more opportunities are opening up for Ravangar, Zarandooz and Dastpak. Andrew Peterson, head of Canada at YouTube, said the trio are at the top of their game in what he calls “the new Hollywood.” “They’ve grown to a scale where they have a partner manager at YouTube, which helps them to evolve their channel strategy to build a thriving business,” he said. Having their North Vancouver studio gives them more flexibility to film a range of content with high-quality production value. “Here we have the opportunity to do whatever you want,” Zarandooz said. “Being here has been a big opportunity for us, and we’re really grateful for it. “The beauty of the North Shore, North Vancouver and Canada – it’s so nice that every time we just take a camera and whichever way you would point the camera, it’s so beautiful,” he said. “We can make the nicest blogs here and nicest content here, so it’s amazing.” [email protected] twitter.com/nick_laba @nicklaba.bsky.social‬