Lingfield College Business

American rivals take bite out of McDonald’s meaty menu James Dean , US Business Editor October 23 2019, 12:01am,  The Times United States Economics Food and drink The chain faces increasing competition from its US rivals, which have introduced vegan options and value menus GENE J PUSKAR/AP Competition from rivals in the United States and the absence of a meat-free burger on its menu have given McDonald’s and its investors an unexpected bout of indigestion.  The world’s biggest fast-food restaurant chain missed profit forecasts for the first time in two years yesterday, with third-quarter, like-for-like sales also falling short of Wall Street’s predictions. That, in turn, sent its shares down 5.1 per cent, or $10.62, to close at $199.23 in New York last night.  McDonald’s was founded in California in 1940 and opened its first site in the UK in 1974. Run by Steve Easterbrook, 52, a Briton who formerly was in charge of the group’s U...

For those of you really wanting a high grade, here is a new instalment on the move by Nike we discussed in class. It does not stop here... From a shop in Kentish Town, Nick Mavrides has been kitting out north London’s amateur footballers for 30 years. But now a letter from Nike has left him wondering how long he will be able to continue. In July last year, Nike closed his account because his business, Ace Sports, had fallen €1,550 short of meeting its €10,000 (£8,600) minimum annual-purchase obligation. After three decades, Nike gave Mavrides just two days’ notice. For years, the behemoth of the sporting goods industry had steadily restricted Mavrides’s access to its more desirable products, making sales harder to achieve. By the end, he couldn’t even get his hands on shin pads or goalies’ gloves. “They’re behaving like big bully boys,” the 68-year-old said. “The majority of teams who   visit my store insist on having the Nike brand. If I show them an alternative from anoth...

Think about competition, new markets, organic & inorganic growth, plus innovation and efficiency: Wm Morrison has accelerated its push into online by deepening its ties with Amazon and sealing a tie-up with Deliveroo to launch a hot-food delivery service this month. David Potts, chief executive of Morrisons, told   The Times  in his first interview since he took the job, that its “Morrisons at Amazon” service, which offers one-hour deliveries, was in eight cities and would be in twenty by the end of the year. The Morrisons boss also revealed that the supermarkets group would open a store in Canning Town in east London at the end of the month with a new Market Kitchen service, so that hot food could be delivered to local customers through Deliveroo. He said that the ultra-fast service had proved popular with customers. The arrangement was possible after Morrisons renegotiated its contract with Ocado, in the wake of a fire at its warehouse in Andover, Hampshire, in F...

Despite the challenges and risks associated with exporting, there are numerous benefits not likely to be achieved by remaining solely in the domestic market Ian Tandy Managing Director of Global Trade and Receivables Finance of HSBC UK Exporting is big business for the UK. Total exports reached £637bn at the end of last year, with the number of SMEs trading overseas increasing by 6.6pc and the number of large companies increasing by 6.1pc. But how can you take your business global? Research, for example, is crucial – into suppliers, your target market, local tax and duties, and practical considerations such as local infrastructure. Here are seven of the most common questions UK businesses have about getting started in exporting. What types of business could consider exporting? Any size or type of business has the potential to export. With the growth of e-commerce, the youngest business can start trading with the world almost immediately. International expansio...

If you read this and it makes you think, let me know: From fintech to skincare: Meet Britain's brightest female business leaders under 35   Kate Bassett     Andrew Saunders 23 JUNE 2019 • 7:00AM Follow   “Does your man work here?” 29-year-old Diane Farrell is often asked as she arrives at the Talisker Distillery on the Isle of Skye, one of the most renowned Scotch whisky distilleries in the world. “No,” she replies. “I’m the boss.” F arrell heads up the entire site, which produces around three million litres of alcohol and attracts more than 75,000 visitors each year. Unusual in the male-dominated whisky industry, she also leads an all-female management team. Farrell is used to surprising people. After completing a master’s degree in chemical engineering at the University of Strathclyde then an IBD diploma in distilling, where she was awarded the Simpson’s Malt Award for achieving the highest grade, Farrell joined drin...