Latest news with #Mintel


NBC News
3 days ago
- Business
- NBC News
Trump's tariffs on Brazil could make your coffee even more expensive
President Donald Trump 's proposed 50% tariff on Brazilian imports is bad news for coffee drinkers. Brazil, the largest U.S. supplier of green coffee beans, accounts for about a third of the country's total supply, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Coffee beans need to grow in a warm, tropical climate, making Hawaii and Puerto Rico the only suitable places in the United States to farm the crop. But, as the world's top consumer of coffee, the U.S. requires a massive supply to stay caffeinated. Mintel estimates that the U.S. coffee market reached $19.75 billion last year. The increase in trade duties could leave consumers with even higher costs after several years of soaring coffee prices. Inflation-weary consumers have seen prices for lattes and cold brew climb as droughts and frost hit the global coffee supply, particularly in Brazil. Earlier this year, coffee bean futures hit all-time highs. They rose 1% on Thursday, although still well below the record set in February. To be sure, there's still time for Brazil to strike a deal with the White House before the tariffs go into effect on Aug. 1. Plus, food and beverage makers are hoping that the Trump administration will grant exemptions for key commodities. U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said in an interview in late June that the White House is considering exemptions for produce that can't be grown in the U.S. — including coffee. But if that doesn't happen, coffee companies like Folgers owner J.M. Smucker, Keurig Dr Pepper, Starbucks and Dutch Bros will face much higher costs for the commodity. Giuseppe Lavazza, chair of Italian roaster Lavazza, said on Bloomberg TV on Thursday morning that the latest tariff could mean 'a lot of inflation' for the coffee industry. Roasters will try to mitigate the impact of the higher tariff, but it won't be easy. 'Every company is always trying to eke out the next efficiency, to dial into their operations or find the way to minimize inflationary pressures, but a 50% tariff on a commodity that fundamentally is not available in the U.S. — you can't really do much with that,' Tom Madrecki, vice president of supply chain and logistics for the Consumer Brands Association, a trade group that represents the consumer packaged goods industry. One mitigation tactic could be to import beans from countries other than Brazil, but companies will likely still be paying more for the commodity. 'A characteristic of tariffs, especially when you have tariffs on multiple countries at once, is that not just the inbound cost rises. It allows the pricing floor to also rise,' Madrecki said. 'If you have cheaper coffee in a country different than Brazil, you're not inclined to sell it at a 30% lower cost. You're going to try to bump your coffee up a bit more, too.' At-home coffee brands, like JM Smucker's Dunkin' and Kraft Heinz's Maxwell House, have already been hiking their prices this year in response to spiking commodity costs. More price increases could be on the way for consumers, although retailers may push back. Keurig Dr Pepper would consider additional price hikes in the latter half of the year to mitigate the impact of tariffs, CEO Tim Cofer said in late April, after Trump introduced his initial round of so-called reciprocal duties. And Smuckers warned investors on its quarterly conference call in early June that tariffs on coffee were weighing on its profits. Coffee accounts for roughly a third of the company's revenue. 'Green coffee is an unavailable natural resource that cannot be grown in the continental United States due to its reliance on a tropical climate,' Smuckers CEO Mark Smucker said. 'We currently purchase approximately 500 million pounds of green coffee annually, with the majority coming from Brazil and Vietnam, the two largest coffee-producing countries.' Vietnam, which announced a tentative trade deal with the White House earlier this month, supplies about 8% of the U.S.'s green coffee beans. Under the agreement, the U.S. will impose a 20% duty on Vietnamese imports. Consumers who prefer a caramel macchiato from Starbucks for their caffeine hit will likely see a more muted impact on their wallets. After several quarters of sluggish U.S. sales, Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol said in late 2024 that the company wouldn't raise prices in 2025, in the hopes of winning back customers who had complained about how expensive its drinks had gotten. While it waits for its turnaround to take hold, Starbucks might choose to swallow the higher coffee costs. The coffee giant also benefits from its diversity — both in suppliers and the breadth of its menu, which now includes the popular Refreshers line. Starbucks imports its coffee from 30 different countries, and roughly 10% of its cost of goods sold in North America comes from coffee. The new trade duty could mean a 0.5% increase in Starbucks' North American cost of goods sold, assuming about 22% of its beans come from Brazil, TD Cowen analyst Andrew Charles wrote in a note to clients on Thursday. Starbucks' packaged drinks, which are distributed by Nestle, could see their cost of goods sold increase 3.5%. Altogether, that represents a 5-cent drag on annual earnings per share, according to Charles. For rival Dutch Bros, higher coffee costs also wouldn't hurt its bottom line much. Coffee accounts for less than a tenth of the drive-thru coffee chain's cost of goods sold. Assuming that Dutch Bros sources more than half of its coffee from Brazil, its cost of goods sold would rise just 1.3%, according to Charles' estimates.


CNBC
3 days ago
- Business
- CNBC
Trump's tariffs on Brazil could make your coffee even more expensive
President Donald Trump's proposed 50% tariff on Brazilian imports is bad news for coffee drinkers. Brazil, the largest U.S. supplier of green coffee beans, accounts for about a third of the country's total supply, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Coffee beans need to grow in a warm, tropical climate, making Hawaii and Puerto Rico the only suitable places in the United States to farm the crop. But, as the world's top consumer of coffee, the U.S. requires a massive supply to stay caffeinated. Mintel estimates that the U.S. coffee market reached $19.75 billion last year. The increase in trade duties could leave consumers with even higher costs after several years of soaring coffee prices. Inflation-weary consumers have seen prices for lattes and cold brew climb as droughts and frost hit the global coffee supply, particularly in Brazil. Earlier this year, coffee bean futures hit all-time highs. They rose 1% on Thursday, although still well below the record set in February. To be sure, there's still time for Brazil to strike a deal with the White House before the tariffs go into effect on Aug. 1. Plus, food and beverage makers are hoping that the Trump administration will grant exemptions for key commodities. U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said in an interview in late June that the White House is considering exemptions for produce that can't be grown in the U.S. — including coffee. But if that doesn't happen, coffee companies like Folgers owner J.M. Smucker, Keurig Dr Pepper, Starbucks and Dutch Bros will face much higher costs for the commodity. Giuseppe Lavazza, chair of Italian roaster Lavazza, said on Bloomberg TV on Thursday morning that the latest tariff could mean "a lot of inflation" for the coffee industry. Roasters will try to mitigate the impact of the higher tariff, but it won't be easy. "Every company is always trying to eke out the next efficiency, to dial into their operations or find the way to minimize inflationary pressures, but a 50% tariff on a commodity that fundamentally is not available in the U.S. — you can't really do much with that," Tom Madrecki, vice president of supply chain and logistics for the Consumer Brands Association, a trade group that represents the consumer packaged goods industry. One mitigation tactic could be to import beans from countries other than Brazil, but companies will likely still be paying more for the commodity. "A characteristic of tariffs, especially when you have tariffs on multiple countries at once, is that not just the inbound cost rises. It allows the pricing floor to also rise," Madrecki said. "If you have cheaper coffee in a country different than Brazil, you're not inclined to sell it at a 30% lower cost. You're going to try to bump your coffee up a bit more, too." At-home coffee brands, like JM Smucker's Dunkin' and Kraft Heinz's Maxwell House, have already been hiking their prices this year in response to spiking commodity costs. More price increases could be on the way for consumers, although retailers may push back. Keurig Dr Pepper would consider additional price hikes in the latter half of the year to mitigate the impact of tariffs, CEO Tim Cofer said in late April, after Trump introduced his initial round of so-called reciprocal duties. And Smuckers warned investors on its quarterly conference call in early June that tariffs on coffee were weighing on its profits. Coffee accounts for roughly a third of the company's revenue. "Green coffee is an unavailable natural resource that cannot be grown in the continental United States due to its reliance on a tropical climate," Smuckers CEO Mark Smucker said. "We currently purchase approximately 500 million pounds of green coffee annually, with the majority coming from Brazil and Vietnam, the two largest coffee-producing countries." Vietnam, which announced a tentative trade deal with the White House earlier this month, supplies about 8% of the U.S.'s green coffee beans. Under the agreement, the U.S. will impose a 20% duty on Vietnamese imports. Consumers who prefer a caramel macchiato from Starbucks for their caffeine hit will likely see a more muted impact on their wallets. After several quarters of sluggish U.S. sales, Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol said in late 2024 that the company wouldn't raise prices in 2025, in the hopes of winning back customers who had complained about how expensive its drinks had gotten. While it waits for its turnaround to take hold, Starbucks might choose to swallow the higher coffee costs. The coffee giant also benefits from its diversity — both in suppliers and the breadth of its menu, which now includes the popular Refreshers line. Starbucks imports its coffee from 30 different countries, and roughly 10% of its cost of goods sold in North America comes from coffee. The new trade duty could mean a 0.5% increase in Starbucks' North American cost of goods sold, assuming about 22% of its beans come from Brazil, TD Cowen analyst Andrew Charles wrote in a note to clients on Thursday. Starbucks' packaged drinks, which are distributed by Nestle, could see their cost of goods sold increase 3.5%. Altogether, that represents a 5-cent drag on annual earnings per share, according to Charles. For rival Dutch Bros, higher coffee costs also wouldn't hurt its bottom line much. Coffee accounts for less than a tenth of the drive-thru coffee chain's cost of goods sold. Assuming that Dutch Bros sources more than half of its coffee from Brazil, its cost of goods sold would rise just 1.3%, according to Charles' estimates.


India Today
3 days ago
- Health
- India Today
The bitter truth about sugar-free
(NOTE: This article was originally published in the India Today issue dated July 14, 2025)Sugar-free sweets came as a godsend for Shanta Bose, a 51-year-old homemaker in Gurugram, who was diagnosed as diabetic when she was 47. 'Everywhere I went, there were desserts I could not eat,' says Bose. Then, she discovered the sugar-free shelf in her local department store, laden with cookies, cakes, candy, soft drinks and ice cream. She also read up on the low glycaemic index (GI)—a scale that ranks foods based on how quickly they raise blood sugar (glucose) levels post ingestion and where foods like fruits, millets, leafy vegetables and beans, which are digested slowly and therefore cause glucose levels to rise gradually, are considered good for diabetics. This prompted Bose to buy brown rice, millets, whole wheat and natural sweeteners like syrups from agave, tapioca, dates, yacon, coconut and monk fruit. For three months, she ended her meals with these, until one day she woke up with blurry vision. Tests showed her blood sugar to be abnormally high. It is a rude shock that greets many in The vilification of sugar as the source of all ill health has seen a surge in demand for sugar-free products, with companies rising to the occasion with gusto. In 2019, a study by market research firm Mintel discovered that almost three in five Indians wish to consume less sugar for a healthier lifestyle, and a 2025 survey found a third of Indian parents seeking less sugar candy for kids. The fears associated with sugar are not unfounded. India is the diabetes capital of the world. A study published in Lancet in 2023 found over 100 million Indians to be diabetic and another 136 million as pre-diabetic. Today, sugar is associated with disorders of practically every part of the body: be it the feet or the eyes, the brain or one's bones. 'Clamping down on sugar has become a known narrative. Every obese, pre-diabetic, diabetic and non-diabetic/ non-obese person wants sugar-free products,' says nutritionist Ishi global trends, the Indian food industry is investing heavily in low calorie, low GI products. From mithai, ice cream, jams, sauces, bread, to alternative sweeteners like stevia, erythritol and xylitol, all come in 'sugar-free' avatars. According to market analysis by the IMARC Group, the Indian sugar-free market, comprising sugar-free and diabetic-friendly foods and beverages, was worth Rs 9,586 crore in 2024, and is projected to reach Rs 22,082 crore by 2033. But just as the fat-free health fad of the 1990s, when despite painting fat as the villain, obesity rates continued to soar, the obsession with sugar-free foods can have an unexpected effect, experts warn. 'The only things without sugar are air and water,' says Dr Jasjeet Wasir, head of endocrinology and diabetology at Medanta Gurugram. 'Good health requires balance; you can't focus on one aspect of nutrition.' SUGAR AND DIABETESEverything we consume contains some or the other chemical form of sugar (whose structure comprises a molecule each of fructose and glucose), which is broken down into its components in the body. To function normally, humans need glucose. When the intestines extract glucose from food and release it in the blood, it is known as blood sugar. If what one eats is broken down quickly, it spikes blood sugar, which puts pressure on the beta cells of the pancreas that create insulin—the hormone that moves glucose into cells to create life-giving energy. Such pressure eventually results in the cells in the muscles, fats and liver not responding to insulin, with the extra glucose staying in the bloodstream, leading to the pivot to sugar-free products. But just because something is labelled 'sugar free' does not mean it won't be broken down into sugar. 'All food gets broken down into blood glucose,' says Dr Wasir. A sugar-free cake may lack refined sugar, but the wholewheat flour, eggs, chocolate and butter get converted into lactose and glucose during digestion. That is why experts recommend looking beyond the 'added sugar' figure on a label and check the 'total sugar' and 'calorie' numbers too. Calories represent the energy content in food and consuming more than needed leads to weight gain. 'Some sugar-free products can be very caloric, leading to weight gain, which is also a risk factor for diabetes and other diseases,' adds Dr substitutes, and even natural sweeteners like honey, jaggery, dates, monkfruit and agave nectar should be counted as part of our daily glucose intake despite the low calories. 'They are better than pure sugar, of course, but it is not a ticket to consuming them in vast quantities,' says Khosla. Natural sweeteners may also increase the craving for calorie-dense and sweet foods. As for artificial sugars, the zero GI may seem like a panacea, but they, too, can cause sugar cravings, as a 2010 study in the Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine showed. Many sugar alcohols have been linked to cancer. There is also strong medical belief that excessive use of artificial sweeteners can ruin gut and, eventually, metabolic health. 'Chemical sweeteners worsen insulin resistance and are very damaging for your gut health, which is linked to our overall wellbeing,' says RULESDiabetics can eat low calorie desserts but ought to mind the following, says Ritika Samaddar, regional head, nutrition and dietetics, Max Healthcare, Delhi 'SUGAR-FREE' BIASadvertisementMany endocrinologists and nutritionists worry about the overconsumption of sugar-free products, which contain high fat and calories, chemical sweeteners and/or natural sugar substitutes. 'When did an ice cream become okay for a diabetic to eat daily because it is high protein and low sugar? The marketing of products that should be eaten sporadically has eclipsed common sense,' says Pune-based dietitian Rupal a 2016 study in the journal Nutrients has shown that a health claim may lead a consumer to have positive attitudes towards a food regardless of its actual health benefit. This is known as the 'halo effect'. There is also 'positivity bias', where specific nutrient information makes the consumer assume the product has other attributes (a low sugar product must also be low in fat, for example). Gorging on food marketed as 'sugar-free', therefore, is not really an option for diabetics—moderation is important, and they have to be as watchful with these as with other foods.A small sample size study in 2023 published in Measurement: Food journal examined the presence of such claims and the extent of compliance with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) guidelines on 230 food packages marketed in India. These included baked goods, confectionery, cereals, dairy, soup, salad and protein products. It found that a large number of claims printed could not be verified due to the lack of clear FSSAI Many businesses, however, have begun to invest in 'clean labels' instead of ambiguous claims. For example, Brooklyn Creamery, which claims to have only 4.5 per cent fat in its ice creams and 0-2 calories per gram without added sugar, is clear that it uses sweeteners, but safe ones. Similarly, products of The Cinnamon Kitchen, which sells 'refined sugar free' snacks, come with simple, clean labels. 'We select each ingredient that goes into our products and there are no hidden ingredients,' says founder Priyasha even if a product is transparent, restraint must be exercised, say experts. 'Glucose from a no-sugar oatmeal cookie may take longer to be released into blood versus a spoon of pure sugar. But something is used to make that cookie taste sweet, and all cookies contain some form of fat,' says Dr Ritika Samaddar, nutritionist and head of dietics at Max Healthcare, trick, then, is to not just focus on one aspect of nutrition. Even a low fat, low sugar, low calorie cookie can lead to increased sugar cravings. One must aim for an overall balance of nutrients, control portions and have correct information. Then, the occasional cookie won't hurt to India Today Magazine- Ends


The Hindu
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
We took Samantha Ruth Prabhu's new perfumes for a test run. Here's what you can expect
There is a subtle shift happening in India's fragrance culture. Clean perfumes, formulated without phthalates, parabens, synthetic dyes, or chemical fixatives, are becoming increasingly popular among conscious consumers who are just as invested in what goes into their fragrance as they are in how it smells. According to a 2023 Mintel report, more than 60% of Indian consumers now actively check ingredient labels when purchasing personal care products. Enter Secret Alchemist, a holistic wellness brand with over three decades of credibility behind it. Founded by Sumi Thadani, the brand has long created essential oil-led remedies and rituals that blend healing with heritage. In 2024, actor and wellness advocate Samantha Ruth Prabhu joined the brand as co-founder, bringing her personal ethos into the fold. Together with Ankita Thadani, Sumi's daughter and now the business's driving force, they launched clean perfumes — a category that balances botanical depth with skin-conscious formulation. 'For me, fragrance has always been part of my personal ritual,' says Samantha. 'A certain scent can ground me before a shoot or help me reset after a long day. That's self-care. But when a scent feels aligned with who I am — that's personal power. It becomes your invisible signature.' As she became more conscious of what she was putting on her skin daily, her relationship with fragrance evolved. 'With Secret Alchemist, it was about crafting something beautiful, but also clean, honest, and safe, perfume that makes you feel as good as you smell.' Ankita echoes this ethos: 'Our formulations are rooted in the belief that well-being isn't a luxury; it's a daily ritual. Each product is a sensorial journey, crafted to align with modern lifestyles while honouring the age-old wisdom of my mother and her 35 years of research and love. I'd like to say we're modern-day alchemists, using Nature's most potent ingredients to help you feel more balanced and alive.' Secret Alchemist's Clean Perfumes are made with therapeutic-grade essential oils, balanced with nature-identical aroma compounds only when required. These compounds are carefully vetted under IFRA safety guidelines, ensuring the result is kind to both skin and senses. Clean perfumes do not rely on heavy musks or synthetic fixatives. Instead, they are meant to evolve gently on the skin, changing with your body's chemistry, temperature, and even mood. But do they hold up in India's heat, humidity, and real-life conditions? Test drive To answer that, we put two of the three perfumes across two days through a real-world test in Mumbai. We gave Rose Oud (₹999 for 100 ml) a real-world test — think humid afternoon errands, a packed Mumbai local, and getting caught in the rain without an umbrella. The scent itself has a bold opening of pink pepper and Turkish rose, grounded by smoky oud. The top and heart notes stayed for two hours before drying down into something softer and more resinous. While the drydown felt a little quicker than expected, especially for a scent built around oud, it never turned sharp or sour, which is impressive for a clean perfume navigating Mumbai monsoon. Madurai Jasmine (₹999 for 100 ml) was saved for a sticky evening dinner out. It is a quieter scent — a creamy blend of orange blossom, Indian jasmine, and a hint of vanilla. This one sat closer to the skin but did not disappear entirely. If anything, the humidity helped the jasmine bloom in a lovely way. It did not project across the table, but leaned in gently every now and then, especially when you moved. Even hours later in the cab, it was still lingering. Both scents hold up surprisingly well in heat and humidity. They feel fresh, do not clash with your natural scent, and will not turn cloying or chemical. That said, if you are someone who likes a fragrance that announces your arrival, these might feel a bit too subtle. They are not here to overpower. Note: Indian skin, on average, tends to be oilier, particularly in tropical and coastal regions like Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata, due to higher sebaceous activity triggered by warm, humid climates. According to a study published in Skin Research and Technology, heat and humidity significantly increase sebum production, especially on the face and upper body. This effect is further amplified in men, who produce more sebum than women due to higher levels of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT), as noted in dermatological research from Dermato-Endocrinology. This excess oil can dilute the top notes of perfumes more quickly, especially in clean formulations that avoid synthetic fixatives and rely instead on volatile essential oils.


The Star
03-07-2025
- General
- The Star
'Solo economy': Being alone, not lonely
What's weird about dining in a nice restaurant with only you? By yourself, solo, uno, unaccompanied, solitary — or the dreaded — lone which morphs into lonely. In The Lonely Guy, Steve Martin enters a busy restaurant. When he's asked by the maître d' restaurant, "how many?", he replies, "one." All the diners stop talking and stare at him as the spotlight follows his walk from the door to a table. Welcome to the millennial/Gen Z "me" world. More and more people are now eating alone, travelling alone and living alone, not because society is broken, but because they have discovered something truly magical: being with other people can be tiring. Maybe people nowadays prefer dining with a person who never asks offbeat questions or competes with your real loyal friend: your smartphone. In reality after an exhausting day at work conciliating and collaborating, some people prefer dining alone. It's relaxing. You are waited on — no stress, no cooking, no clean up at home. You feel like royalty. Yes, millennials and Gen Z are driving the growth of solo dining, according to surveys, restaurant owners and industry observers. Social media is an easy source for people to find restaurants perfect for that solo experience, and demographics have bolstered the trend. It's not much of a stretch to have a nice dinner out for one. We love to go to a fast casual restaurant for a workday lunch by ourselves and for an easy dinner. A toe-in-the-water step could be sitting down at a communal table or bar for lunch or dinner. Dining trends reflect bigger shifts in how people live and what they need. Solo dining isn't about rejecting company; it's about having the flexibility to enjoy time alone when you want it. Surveys show that consumers' attitude toward dining alone have changed. According to a survey of 1,200 consumers by market research firm Mintel, about 60 percent of the respondents said they felt comfortable eating alone at a casual dining restaurant. An Open-Table survey showed "me time" as the top reason people dined solo. Grandma's terrific lemon chicken would be even better without grandma hovering nearby. Savvy restaurants are catering to this changing scene. Restaurants have become aware that the most perishable thing in the business is the seat. If you don't sell it at that mealtime, it'll go bad. Seats are packaged as tables. Some places like the Smith restaurants in New York City, Chicago and Washington have an abundance of seats at communal tables, bars and sit-down bar rails. Restaurants may offer special menus at bars or communal seating. Some studies indicate that solo diners may spend more per person than diners in groups, making them a valuable customer segment. Then there's traveling solo. Historically, this was the realm of weird alien backpackers wearing torn Beatles T-shirts, and mind-bending seekers on retreats in Fiji. Today, it's common. People travel solo because they have finally realised travelers never agree on what to do and when. Do we really need to spend an entire day driving four hours to follow penguins as they mate? It's something viral from an Instagram reel. And, traveling alone is not waiting to get into the bathroom. If you wake up nauseous from last night's spicy shrimp sushi, you can blame nobody but yourself, which is really refreshing. Travel operators are seeing an increasing number of single travelers, especially women. Hence, they're offering special tour and cruise packages. Last year, an estimated 50 percent of Americans planned to travel solo, 84 percent of them being women. About 72 percent of women in the United States have gone on a solo vacation. Solo travel has also seen a tenfold increase in the last three years. Interestingly many of the single travelers are married but want to take a vacation alone. And let's not forget the big one — living alone. Once seen as sad, rebellious or odd, it's now a luxury. Living alone means total control over your world. No roommates who think a clean kitchen is only for Gordon Ramsay fans. Of course, there are downsides. Alexa and Siri are not dateable. Breakfast cereal is only for one meal a day at most. But you're happy. Mostly. What's going on here? Relationships and dating are complicated and expensive. The world is expensive, and inflation hasn't helped. Dates are swipes with more options than streaming TV, commitments competing with websites and virtual relationships. Technology has become the fabric of social life. You can video call friends, order food and binge-watch 12 hours of old TV comedies without leaving your sofa. Who needs friends? It's that "me" culture. Are your married friends really all that happy? Yikes! Look at your parents' marriage! Ok, maybe they are happy in a distinct way. The rise in solo living isn't just about avoiding; it's being ourselves. It's about knowing that a Friday night alone isn't sad. That eating alone doesn't mean being lonely. In short, being alone today doesn't mean you've been left behind. It means you've arrived… to your one-bedroom apartment with perfect lighting and zero unsolicited small talk. Honestly, that's living the dream. It's about knowing that sometimes you can treat yourself to a moment of calm, free from small talk. And whether it's solo or with others, that's something worth celebrating. The author is an adjunct assistant professor of Business at the Management Division, Columbia Business School. The views don't necessarily reflect those of China Daily. - China Daily/ANN