Posts by theo.foukkare@bigpond.com
HOW THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY CAN ADDRESS SUSTAINABILITY AND REDUCE EMISSIONS
With urban environments accounting for nearly 40% of the world’s gross annual carbon emissions, it’s evident that the construction industry can play a key role in decarbonisation. But what strategies can be employed to meet those goals? The construction industry is a crucial player in the worldwide push to meet the target of net-zero emissions by 2050 as set out in the Paris Agreement. With urban environments accounting for 39% of the world’s gross annual carbon emissions, construction companies are on a journey to decarbonise their operations and the buildings they construct. To help make this happen, there has been a significant increase in investing in solutions that boost energy efficiency thereby reducing carbon emissions. In 2021 these investments increased by 16% to $237 billion, underscoring the importance of sustainability in the industry. As more and more construction happens, the industry will need to make sure they’re keeping up with…
Read MoreOPINION: WILL THE GOVERNMENT’S DOUBLE BAN ON VAPING WORK?
Theo Foukkare, CEO, Australian Association of Convenience Stores (AACS), gives his opinion on the new vaping laws and whether they will stifle or fuel the black market. Vaping in Australia has been a topic of discussion for several years now. For the last two years, the Australian Federal Government has adopted a world first prescription only approach to accessing nicotine vaping products. The intent of this approach was sound; however, the real-world experience is very different. Unfortunately, this approach has been rejected by doctors, pharmacists, and adult consumers. The direct result of this has seen the development of a black market that is selling dangerous unregulated products to more than 1.6 million adults and unfortunately providing open access to children. The black market supply is estimated to now be worth more than $3 billion per annum in retail sales, almost exclusively being supplied by a very sophisticated black market model.…
Read MoreRETAILERS’ PLEAS FOR ACTION OVER ILLICIT TOBACCO TRADE FINALLY HEARD
The Australian Association of Convenience Stores (AACS) has welcomed a move the by Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers to boost funding aimed at targeting Australia’s multi-billion dollar illicit tobacco black market – however it warns there is still a long way to go when it comes to tackling the out-of-control problem gripping Australia. AACS Theo Foukkare said the $188.5 million program – announced today – is a crucial step toward fighting what he describes as “one of the biggest public health, community safety and economic threats to this nation” in recent decades. “After years of advocacy by AACS, we are finally seeing the Federal Government invest a solid amount of money to help protect all Australians from the sinister illicit tobacco black market, including our retailers – who have been desperately calling for proper action,” Mr Foukkare said. According to media reports, the Federal Government will target black market tobacco dealers…
Read MoreTRENDS THAT WILL SHAPE THE C-STORE INDUSTRY IN 2024
As convenience retailers consider new layouts, flavors and technology, the ability to be efficient with operations will be key, experts say. From a flurry of M&A activity to the downfall of Mountain Express, 2023 was packed with storylines for the c-store industry. Will 2024 reach those same heights? It’s hard to say for certain in such a complex, competitive and rapidly changing industry. But in speaking with experts over the past few weeks, we feel like we have a pretty good idea of some of the key themes that will emerge over the next 12 months. Change is a word that has increasingly come to define the industry as it continues to push beyond the smokes-and-Cokes operating model. And that evolution will continue to build momentum in 2024, experts say. Store innovation, company consolidation and the elevation of foodservice to compete with, and even supersede, restaurant fare, promise to be dominant trends. As companies deal…
Read MoreSLICE OF SUCCESS: GOPIZZA’S AI-INFUSED STRATEGY DOMINATES F&B SCENE
In the competitive landscape of Singapore’s Food and Beverage (F&B) industry, one name has rapidly emerged as a force to be reckoned with – Gopizza. Touted as Korea’s leading AI-powered pizza brand, Gopizza has not only captured the taste buds of locals but has also left an indelible mark on the market in just three years since its launch. Recently, we had the opportunity to delve into the intriguing story behind its meteoric rise and its ambitious regional expansion plans, courtesy of an exclusive interview with Kelvin Sia, the regional CEO of Gopizza. Under Sia’s leadership, the company’s presence in Singapore has grown to an impressive 27 stores since its inception in 2020. It also recently opened a new store at Changi Airport Terminal 2 in Singapore. Focusing on innovation “The integration of cutting-edge AI technology throughout our pizza-making process has revolutionised our operations, allowing us to deliver consistent quality and speed,…
Read MoreNEW ZEALAND WELL ON TRACK TO BE SMOKEFREE NEXT YEAR
NEW ZEALAND’S DECLINE IN SMOKING in the past four years is extraordinary – equivalent to what took two decades to achieve. New Zealand has recently had some of the most dramatic decreases in smoking in the world, including for Māori and highly deprived groups. Almost a quarter of a million fewer Kiwis are now smoking daily, and it puts us in a tiny club of countries that have smoking rates under 7 per cent. What we have in common with these successful countries is people switching from smoked tobacco to less harmful alternatives. To reach the smoking goal of 5 per cent or less (that is, 95 per cent or more of all adults being “smokefree”), around 100,000 smokers need to quit over the next two years. Our decline in smoking in the last four years is extraordinary – equivalent to what took two decades to achieve. The unprecedented progress shown in the…
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