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With this edition, we are completing the year 2024 with great hope and confidence towards next year. We have always ensured to highlight the latest and trending news in banking, finance, retail, technology, real estate and other sectors on our website as well as in our Digital Magazine. As you flip the pages, unlike the previous edition, where we sourced through the internet to give valuable information on global brands in pens, watches, handbags and chocolates that provided a valuable source of information to our loyal readers, we have designed this edition entirely from a news perspective.
Our team has selected the content that highlights the latest technological innovations which will prove to be a game changer in their respective industries. There is tough competition in every industry, and the mentioned new technological tools double as time-saving devices. They help speed up the tasks in the process by making employees go through their work in an efficient and productive manner.
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With 2025 right around the corner, we, the entire team at Brands Review Magazine, send our warmest wishes and wish you a New Year full of boundless opportunities, memorable moments and success in every business endeavor. @brm_updates
PCE Automation acquires Olmec-UK
Bauli expands into the U.S. with First Ever Kiosk in New York City
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Picsart, with over 100 million monthly users, has launched an AI-powered Logo Maker tailored to small businesses, solopreneurs, and side hustlers. Designed for everyone from food truck owners to sports leagues, this tool enables users to create a professional logo and expand it into a complete brand kit, featuring colors, fonts, and templates ready for social media, business cards, websites, and more.
With the rise of social media marketing and the number of channels new businesses must create for, a logo is often the first asset a solopreneur needs. Picsart has built an easy-to-use, free, and fun AI Logo Maker accessible via web and mobile encouraging anyone who has an idea to build their brand. It’s as simple as opening the tool, entering your business name and description, selecting preferred colors and styles, and then exporting as a
Picsart launches New Logo Maker enabling anyone to create Standout Logos in Minutes
high-quality JPG or transparent PNG for various use cases such as printing for merchandising.
“Today’s small business owners are true multitaskers—designing, marketing, and managing every aspect of their brands on their own,” says Thibault Imbert, Picsart’s Chief Product Officer. “With our new AI Logo Maker, we’re delivering a gamechanging solution that puts pro-level
creativity at their fingertips. Whether it’s a logo for their social media profile, packaging, merch, or even holiday cards, our Logo Maker and the entire Picsart platform, empowers creators to transform ideas into reality quickly, affordably, and with ease.”
In a recent survey conducted by Picsart, 80% of business owners highlighted that branding is critical to their growth, and 78% of SMBs are already embracing AI tools. In the same survey, 72% revealed that they created their branding themselves.
Picsart’s AI Logo Maker enables anyone to explore or uplevel their branding, experiment with new styles and icons, and build the business they’ve dreamt of, anytime, anywhere.
The new Logo Maker builds on recent enhancements to Picsart’s popular tools like AI Background, Remove Background, and Image Generator, delivering greater quality and customization for creators and business owners. This launch also comes after Picsart’s recent partnerships with Monotype and Getty, as well as the brand’s “Let’s Make It” campaign, a celebration of the small business spirit that emphasizes Picsart’s role as a creative companion for entrepreneurs.
Launched in conjunction with Picsart’s presence at Web Summit, it is also timed to celebrate the company’s 13th Anniversary. Since its founding, Picsart has been installed on nearly 1.5 billion devices, and is home to more than 3,000 editing tools, and dozens of world-class AI features.
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Erewhon releases Exclusive Apparel Collection
Erewhon, the Certified Organic Retailer and B Corp with 10 locations across the greater Los Angeles area, has released an exclusive apparel collection for the holiday season. This drop reflects how the company has built a marquee lifestyle brand out of a market that has been sustaining a new standard in the grocery industry since the 1960s.
The Winter ‘24 Collection features necessities for everyday wear with Erewhon’s signature branding: a Zip Hoodie, Pullover Hoodie, Crewneck, Sweatpant, Sock, Hat, and Bag. The pieces are available in 5 colorways: Tomato, Butterscotch, Plum, Coconut, and Chaga. In alignment with Erewhon’s commitment to quality, the Collection is ethically made with an organic cotton blend.
Starting on 5 December 2024, Erewhon Members enjoyed an exclusive 24hour window to purchase items in the Collection before it opened to the general public. Erewhon brings a wide range of benefits to its two tiers of Membership including exclusive savings, complimentary drinks & smoothies, invitations to wellness events, and more.
The Winter ‘24 Collection represents Erewhon’s foray into markets beyond its brick-and-mortar business in Southern California. All pieces are available for purchase online, and they can be shipped worldwide. Over the past year, Erewhon has been expanding this arm of its business with non-perishable items that appeal to demographics beyond Los Angeles.
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Viking celebrates Fincantieri Partnership with Naming of Newest Ocean Ship
Viking named its newest ocean ship, the Viking Vela, with a traditional ceremony in Trieste, Italy. The naming of the Viking Vela also served as a celebration of Viking’s longtime partnership with Fincantieri, which is one of the world’s largest shipbuilding groups and is based in Trieste. With its rich maritime history, Trieste is considered the endpoint to the maritime Silk Road and is now Italy’s most important commercial port. Serving as ceremonial godmother of the Viking Vela was Ivana Elice, Vice President and Project Manager of the Fincantieri Cruise Business Unit,
who has overseen the design and engineering of Viking’s ocean ships for 12 years.
“We are proud to welcome the Viking Vela to our growing, award-winning fleet. With Fincantieri as our partner, we believe we have built the world’s most elegant fleet of small ocean ships,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman and CEO of Viking. “We thank Ivana Elice for being godmother of the Viking Vela. In her role at Fincantieri, she has cared for our ocean ships during their construction just as a godmother would, and we are very
appreciative of her contributions as a member of the extended Viking family.”
In keeping with the naming tradition, during the ceremony, Ivana was presented with a historic Viking broad axe by Ann Ziff, the esteemed philanthropist, Chairman of the Metropolitan Opera and godmother of the Viking Saturn. The same axe was previously used in the naming of the Viking Saturn in June 2023.
After the axe presentation, Ivana pressed a button that allowed a bottle of Norwegian aquavit to break on
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the ship’s hull. Guests also enjoyed performances by Sissel Kyrkjebø, one of the world’s leading crossover sopranos and godmother of the Viking Jupiter, and acclaimed Italian singer Alessandro Safina, who paid tribute to the cultures of both Norway and Italy in song.
Ivana Elice, Godmother of the Viking Vela
Ivana Elice, Vice President and Project Manager of the Fincantieri Cruise Business Unit, has enjoyed a distinguished career in naval and mechanical engineering, helping
The Viking Vela
The Viking Vela is the newest ship in Viking’s award-winning ocean fleet of sister ships. Classified as a small ship, as are all Viking ocean ships, the Viking Vela has a gross tonnage of 54,300 tons, with 499 staterooms that can host 998 guests; the ships feature all veranda staterooms, elegant Scandinavian design, light-
support the expansion of the Viking ocean fleet for the past 12 years. In 2012, Ms. Elice was appointed by Fincantieri to oversee the build of Viking’s first ocean ship, the Viking Star, and she has continued to serve as valuable support for the expansion of Viking’s fleet of sister ships. She joined Fincantieri in 1985 after graduating from the University of Genoa with a master’s degree in naval architecture and mechanical engineering. Her initial role as a noise and vibration specialist within the company’s Naval Vessel Division involved assisting with the design of surface ships and submarines. Since 1993, she has held several positions within Fincantieri’s Merchant Division in the areas of hydrodynamics, ship construction, production engineering and more.
filled public spaces and abundant al fresco dining options. The Viking Vela will spend her inaugural season sailing itineraries during the “quiet season” in the Mediterranean before continuing to Northern Europe.
Viking is working on a project for a partial hybrid propulsion system for future ocean ships based on liquid hydrogen and fuel cells, which could allow the company to operate at zeroemission in the Norwegian Fjords and other sensitive environments. The Viking Vela has been designed with the future in mind, ensuring she can be retrofitted to incorporate these new technologies as they become available.
The naming of the Viking Vela follows a string of recent accolades for the company. Viking was rated #1 for Oceans, #1 for Rivers and #1 for Expeditions by Condé Nast Traveler in the 2024 Readers’ Choice Awards for the second consecutive year. This achievement marked the first time a travel company won these three categories in back-to-back years. Viking was also named Best Luxury Line, Best Line for Couples and Best Line in the Mediterranean in U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 Best Cruise Lines ranking for the fourth consecutive year. Viking’s ocean ships have been rated and “Recommended” as part of the Forbes Travel Guide 2024 Star Awards, an annual independent evaluation for luxury travel brands. Additionally, Viking received seven awards at the 2023 Cruise Critic Editors’ Picks Awards—more than any other line—across the luxury, river and expedition categories.
Casio to release Re-creation of First-Ever G-SHOCK
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Casio Computer Co., Ltd. announced on 27 Nov 2024, the release of the latest addition to the G-SHOCK family of shock-resistant watches. The new DW-5000R re-creates the very first G-SHOCK released in 1983, DW5000C, with meticulous faithfulness.
The launch of G-SHOCK back in 1983 ushered in an entirely new genre of toughness in wristwatch design, bringing watches into demanding environments such as construction sites and intense sports. Casio has continued to deliver innovative
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products and services, changing people’s lives and making the world a better place.
In honor of the occasion, Casio returned to the origins of G-SHOCK, which created an all-new market category for watches, with the desire to see the G-SHOCK brand once again create a new watch category. The result, the DW-5000R, a more faithful reproduction of DW-5000C than any other limited-edition revival of the past, establishes this re-creation of the very first G-SHOCK as a standard in the Casio lineup.
The band reproduces the original DW5000C design not only in length, but in the unevenness of the area around the band holes and even in the position of the dimples. The top surface, displaying the “PROTECTION” and “G-SHOCK” letterings, features the original bezel’s flat design, and the red, blue, and yellow coloring replicates the original face design. The intense focus on evoking the look of the original extends to the most subtle details, including the stainlesssteel center case and screw-lock case back engraved with the phrase “Shock Resistant.” DW-5000R is even produced at Yamagata Casio — the “mother factory” of G-SHOCK — where the original model was created.
While extremely faithful to the original, this model has also been updated with contemporary features such as a highbrightness LED backlight and a bezel and band made with bio-based resin, a material expected to help reduce environmental impact.
CROSSCALL launches the STELLAR-M6 and STELLAR-M6E: Elegant, Robust and Durable 5G Smartphones For Business And Personal Use
Crosscall, the French manufacturer of ultra-resistant, durable mobile handsets, unveils the STELLAR-M6 and STELLAR-M6E, new devices in its range of smartphones, designed to combine longevity, performance and design. These slim, robust 5G models are for users searching for a reliable, high-performance device for both business and personal use.
A STELLAR range designed for durability
Complementing the CORE range (for security staff and professionals in the field), the STELLAR-M6 and STELLAR-M6E have been designed for a wider market. This range is aimed at users concerned about durability and environmental responsibility, as
well as outdoor leisure enthusiasts –the long-standing target customer of the French brand. These smartphones come with a unique, five-year warranty and demonstrate Crosscall’s commitment to durability, more responsible technology, incorporating recycled materials and an ecodesign created for repair rather than replacement, as well as a repairability index of 9.3/10.
Performance, connectivity and autonomy: uncompromising use
The new STELLAR smartphones feature a 4,500 mAh battery for extended 2-day autonomy, even after years of performance, and are therefore ideally suited to intensive daily use without having
to recharge on a regular basis. To provide a clear acoustic experience in noisy environments (such as a train station, street or open space), Crosscall has incorporated AI noise-reduction technology (-60 dB), which isolates the voice from ambient noise, ensuring smooth, interference-free communication. The STELLAR-M6 also boasts optimum connectivity with Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2, guaranteeing seamless, stable transmissions even in difficult environments such as large warehouses or areas with poor coverage. This optimization is invisible to the user, but vital for professional use, ensuring reliable voice and data exchanges on the move.
Ergonomics and durability: elegant and practical smartphones
The slim, clean lines of STELLAR-M6 and STELLAR-M6E ensure an ergonomic grip, facilitating onehanded operation, even on the go. These smartphones require no additional casing and are designed to resist shocks, drops and scratches (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), with MILSTD-810H and IK05 certification. They are also totally sealed against dust and liquids (including salt and chlorinated water) and can sustain immersion for 30 minutes at depths of up to 2 meters (IP68 certification).
A quality photo and video experience in all conditions
STELLAR-M6 and STELLAR-M6E feature a 50 MP Sony sensor with large pixels (1 x 1 micron), capturing
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more light for sharp, true-to-life photos, even in low light conditions. With a 0.2-second focusing time, the camera is also equipped with a 120° wide-angle lens and HDR and stabilization algorithms, enabling it to capture intense activities, whether underwater or on the move, thus delivering a professional image in all environments.
Versatility and adaptability with X-LINK technology
STELLAR smartphones include X-LINK technology, making them easy to attach to accessories, transfer data or recharge. They can be effortlessly switched from a desktop charging dock to a vehicle or bike mount. With X-SPACE, the STELLAR range even replaces a computer: a connection to a screen and keyboard transforms the STELLAR into a
complete workstation, with a fluid and productive browsing experience, suitable for professionals on the move.
Security and longevity of hardware and software
STELLAR-M6 and STELLARM6E benefit from five years of security updates and three Android version upgrades (AER certified), guaranteeing optimal, long-lasting software performance. Data security is further enhanced by a dedicated area for the protection of sensitive information, compatible with the Google Strongbox system for the secure management of passwords and biometric data.
Vault unveils EthicsChat: AI-Driven Ethical Guidance for Modern Workplaces
Vault Platform, a leader in AI-driven ethics and compliance solutions and category leader in Active Integrity, proudly introduces EthicsChat, an innovative new product designed to make Ethics accessible to employees, streamline compliance queries, and enhance workplace integrity. EthicsChat can even be used inside Vault’s apps for Slack and Microsoft Teams, offering real-time, AI-powered guidance on ethics, reporting, and resolution, right where work happens.
Vault is developing EthicsChat to empower employees and managers to navigate complex ethical issues confidently, offering consistent, accessible answers to questions on workplace ethics based on the company’s policies and Code of Conduct.
Vault’s EthicsChat includes expanding its ability to guide employees in
understanding complex ethical situations, such as identifying potential Conflicts of Interest or determining whether certain behaviors and events should be reported under company policies.
“EthicsChat is designed to transform an organization’s code of conduct into a dynamic, real-time resource, which can be used wherever work happens, in the office or on-the-go” says Neta Meidav, Vault CEO & Co-Founder. “It enables employees to act with
integrity in every situation and equips leadership with the information they need to identify trends and proactively manage risks.”
EthicsChat is part of Vault’s broader Active Integrity product suite including various mobile and AI-powered misconduct reporting channels and the Resolution Hub, collectively supporting both ethical reporting and case resolution workflow. Vault’s suite of AI-driven tools positions the company at the forefront of innovation in the compliance tech space, offering scalable, flexible solutions to meet growing demands for transparency and accountability in the workplace.
As Vault continues to lead in AI innovation for ethics and compliance, EthicsChat represents a significant step forward in enabling companies to meet compliance challenges while building a culture of integrity.
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Lesaffre
strengthens its Research, Development & Innovation with the acquisition of Altar, a company owned by Ginkgo
Bioworks
Lesaffre, a key global player in the field of fermentation and microorganisms, announces the acquisition of Altar, a French start-up specializing in Adaptive Laboratory Evolution (ALE). Created in 2017, Altar will complement Lesaffre’s existing know-how and technologies to boost the Group’s capacity of innovation in fermentation and microorganisms.
Altar is a French biotech company founded in 2017, specialized in Adaptive Laboratory Evolution.
The company developed in the last years a technology enabling the continuous, uninterrupted cultivation of microorganisms’ cultures under controlled conditions to select strains with specific properties, for as long as required. The start-up offers access to its technology, platform and associated know-how through collaborative projects or research services. Thanks to the high maturity of their approach of ALE, Altar has a high degree of precision and control over their technology which is directly
linked to the team’s know-how and the R&D assets they developed.
“At Lesaffre, we are driven by an unwavering belief in the infinite possibilities of fermentation,” says Brice-Audren Riché, CEO of Lesaffre, “Powered by the incredible potential of microorganisms, we see fermentation as a transformative solution to nourish a growing global population in a safer, healthier, and more sustainable way. As a leader in bioengineering and bioprocesses, we
naturally place research, development, and innovation at the heart of our success. Our strong commitment to R&D reflects our mission to better nourish and protect our planet. In recent years, this dedication has only intensified, as evidenced by our strategic investments. First, we established the Lesaffre Campus –a state-of-the-art hub designed to accelerate innovation leveraging the latest architectural and technological advancements. Additionally, we have bolstered our R&D capabilities through the strategic acquisition of three companies specializing in fermentation research over the past three years.”
This deal includes Lesaffre’s integration of Altar’s team, its know-
how and the machines designed and used by the teams daily. This technology, mastered by its users for years now, is a real asset for Lesaffre, complementing its existing range of technologies. The deal has been closed at the end of September 2024.
A state-of-the-art technology that complements Lesaffre’s know-how
This acquisition of skills and knowhow complements the existing technologies of the Lesaffre Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) and is part of its strategy to invest more and more in its RD&I equipment to best meet the needs of the Group’s customers. Thanks to this technology, Lesaffre will be able to offer its clients
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more complex strains and improve the high quality of their products.
“At Lesaffre, we are convinced that today’s RD&I are the products of tomorrow. By investing today in our innovation capabilities, we give our research and development experts the means to develop healthier, more sustainable products that best meet the needs of our customers. We are very pleased to welcome the Altar team to Lesaffre and to be able to join forces to build the solutions of tomorrow together.” Says Christine M’Rini, Chief RD&I Officer at Lesaffre.
Based in Evry (Ile-de-France) within Genopole, the first French Biocluster dedicated to biotechnology, Altar’s
14 employees are integrated within Lesaffre Institute of Science and Technology, the RD&I department of Lesaffre. They constitute a real force for the Group which relies on their knowledge and expertise of this technology to push the boundaries of innovation further.
“Lesaffre’s acquisition of Altar, our French subsidiary, allows Ginkgo to refocus strategically, while enabling Lesaffre to go even further in innovating and responding to the major challenges of tomorrow. We are excited to maintain our access to this powerful technology, developed and scaled by the Altar team on Ginkgo’s platform, which nicely complements Lesaffre’s know-how in the field of microorganisms. We are very grateful to our employees joining Lesaffre and look forward to continuing working with them for long into the future.” says Ena Cratsenburg, Chief Business Officer at Ginkgo Bioworks.
PCE Automation acquires Olmec-UK
Automation solutions provider, PCE Automation Ltd completes its second acquisition in just two years, with north Lincolnshire-based vision inspection and web conversion provider, OlmecUK being the latest addition to its expanding portfolio.
The acquisition was a strategic choice, allowing PCE Automation to strengthen its existing presence within the Life Science sector by bringing
vision inspection and web conversion capabilities into its offering.
PCE plans to diversify into new market segments within the medical device arena, such as Advanced Wound Care, Ostomy and Continence Care, Drug Delivery Systems, and Ocular.
James Cook, CEO of PCE Automation said, “The acquisition of Olmec is a key milestone in delivering on our
strategic business vision and goal of being a one-stop shop for medical clients. It will allow us to offer a full turnkey solution for our customers, helping to reduce complexity, time to market, friction costs, CapEx, and downtime throughout the full value chain.”
The acquisition finalised in November 2024 following an 18-month process and is set to bring a 25% growth in
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sales orders, as well as providing PCE with a sales hub for the north of the UK.
The north Lincolnshire location will be PCE’s fourth site, working alongside the existing sites in Beccles and Lutterworth, and the newly introduced Dublin site, following the acquisition of Adapt Engineering in 2023.
The move also brings benefits to Olmec, from increased resources
to full automation line capabilities. Robert Pounder, Managing Director of Olmec-UK said, “The two companies are very well aligned in terms of culture and delivering an excellent customer experience. In joining PCE Automation, we’re tapping into a wealth of resources and expertise that will help us to provide an enhanced experience for our customers.
“Together with PCE, we look forward to delivering innovative,
cutting-edge solutions that will make a real difference to Life Science manufacturing across PCE’s global automation footprint.”
Bauli expands into the U.S. with First Ever Kiosk in New York City
Bauli, the Italian bakery brand known for its iconic Christmas products, announced its expansion into the United States with a takeover of the Kiosk at Eataly Flatiron, located at the intersection of 5th Avenue and Broadway across from Madison Square Park. This new kiosk, open from November 9th to the end of December, will offer a delightful array of Bauli’s traditional holiday treats, bringing the authentic taste of Italian Christmas to American consumers through a distinctive shopping experience.
Bauli’s beloved holiday products, including the classic Panettone and Pandoro, will be available for purchase at the kiosk. These products will be sold throughout the holiday season, providing a unique opportunity for New Yorkers and visitors to experience the rich flavors and traditions of Italy.
“We are incredibly excited to bring Bauli’s cherished holiday products to the United States for the very first time,” said Stanislao Marrazzo, Bauli Group’s Chief Commercial Officer International. “The Bauli Kiosk at Eataly Flatiron will allow us the opportunity to share our authentic holiday treats with a new audience. We look forward to delighting American consumers with our high-quality, traditional holiday treats and having the opportunity to create new festive memories for families and friends,” Marrazzo added.
Bauli’s Pandoro, a sweet bread from Verona, is the flagship product of the Bauli Group. This star-shaped cake is known for its delicate texture and has become a staple of Italian Christmas celebrations. Panettone, another cherished holiday dessert, is recognized for its distinctive shape and iconic ramekin. This sweet bread is traditionally filled with raisins and candied fruit, but Bauli also offers delightful variations with creams and fillings of different flavors, such as pistachio and limoncello.
In addition to the traditional Panettone and Pandoro, the Bauli Kiosk at Eataly Flatiron will feature a variety of other products, including:
• Pandoro Al Cioccolato: Traditional star-shaped Christmas cake with chocolate.
• Panettone di Verona: Filled with raisins, a sweet, crunchy glaze, and whole almonds.
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• Panettone al Pistacchio: Pistachio cream covered with dark chocolate and caramelized pistachio granules.
• Panettone al Limoncello: Sophisticated limoncello-flavored Panettone.
• Croissants: Available in apricot jam, cherry filling, chocolate cream, and vanilla-flavored cream (12 pack).
• Gelato: Flavors inspired by Panettone, Pandoro, and Croissants, available in small, medium, and large sizes, with an option for a Rainbow Cone.
Bauli invites everyone to visit the Bauli Kiosk at Eataly Flatiron to indulge in the authentic flavors of Italian Christmas. This expansion marks an exciting milestone for Bauli allowing consumers across the world to savor the joy and warmth of festive Italian treats.
Myna Snacks unveils
Myna Snacks, the next-generation snacking company focused on delicious, better-for-you options, is launching three Limited Batch cookie flavors inspired by its community. Known for helping heavy screen users make healthier snacking choices, Myna Snacks developed the flavors Lemon Yuzu, Blueberry Bliss, and Rice Crispy Crunch from crowd-sourced ideas submitted in its Snack Lab on the official website of Myna Snacks. These limited-batch creations will be distributed to Myna Snack Club subscription members for free as part of their membership and their feedback will help decide which flavors are commercialized at scale. The cookies can also be unlocked as a free sample when spending USD 40 or more on the official website of Myna Snacks, while supplies last.
“At Myna Snacks, we prioritize creating snacks that taste great and support healthier habits for snack lovers,” said Darcey Macken, co-founder and CEO of Myna Snacks. “These three new flavors are the direct result of community submissions, and now we’re giving Myna Snacks customers the opportunity to shape what comes next…including the name!”
Once the Myna Snacks community receives their sample packs of all three flavors, they will be asked to provide feedback through a survey. Their input will determine if and how the flavors are refined and made widely available. This collaboration ensures that Myna’s snacks align with what consumers want, all while staying true to the company’s mission of providing positive snacking options.
“We’re giving our community of snack lovers not just a chance to taste, but to influence the future of these products,” Macken added. “Their feedback will guide us in deciding which flavors make it to the next level of production so these cookies are truly ‘for snack lovers, by snack lovers.’”
In addition to the exclusive limited batch flavor samples, Myna Snacks will host pop-up tasting events nationwide, offering more snack lovers the chance to participate in the flavor-testing process.
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SEP announces Strategic Growth Investment in Springtime Technologies
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Scottish Equity Partners (“SEP”), a UK based growth equity investor, on 26 November 2024, announced a strategic growth investment in Springtime Technologies (“Springtime”), a leading accounts payable automation software company based in Vienna, Austria. The significant investment from SEP will accelerate Springtime’s product development and expand its market presence globally.
Springtime’s flagship software product, Invoicetrack, streamlines finance and operations workflows through automated data extraction and
ingestion capabilities, an AI-powered matching engine, and countryspecific processing expertise which has been embedded in the solution. These capabilities enable customers to efficiently process invoices across more than 70 countries.
Accounts payable is often a resource-intensive process for large enterprises, particularly where there are numerous corporate entities operating across different jurisdictions. The problem is particularly acute in process heavy industries, such as manufacturing, life sciences and chemicals, where
multi-line, complex invoices are commonplace.
The core strength of Springtime’s Invoicetrack product is its ability to address complex use cases, with customers typically processing millions of invoices per annum. Its blue-chip customer base includes Boehringer Ingelheim, Essity, Festo, and Evonik. The company has achieved profitable growth since inception, and now employs over 190 people.
The global accounts payable automation market is worth more than
$3 billion annually and is growing at c.20% per year. Trends towards more prescriptive procurement regulation, combined with increasingly fragmented and volatile global supply chains, are expected to further drive demand for modern software in this market.
Markus Hübl, Founder and CEO at Springtime Technologies, said: “Our mission is to transform financial accounting operations by leveraging cutting-edge technology to drive efficiency and accuracy for global enterprises. SEP is a great fit for Springtime because their strategic expertise in high growth software companies and commitment to innovation align perfectly with our goals of expanding our reach and enhancing our product capabilities.”
SEP’s investment was led by Taylor Rampton, Daniel Muranda, and Angus Conroy.
Taylor Rampton, Principal at SEP, said, “Springtime has a differentiated and market-leading product offering for large enterprises, and its new AI-enabled framework is delivering significant performance improvements for its customers. Markus, Stefan, and the broader Springtime team have built an outstanding business, which aligns with our strategy to partner with capital efficient software scaleups, particularly where they are delivering clear productivity benefits within large organisations. We are delighted to support the team in the next phase of their journey.”
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Walker & Dunlop arranges second largest sale in San Diego in 2024
Walker & Dunlop, Inc. announced on December 9, 2024, that it arranged the $185,000,000 sale of Preserve at Melrose, a suburban multifamily community built in 2015 that comprises 410 units in Vista, one of San Diego’s most sought-after north county neighborhoods.
This sale represents the 2nd largest single-asset transaction in San Diego and the fifth largest in California yearto-date in 2024.
The Walker & Dunlop Investment Sales team, led by Hunter Combs, represented the seller, a local San Diego based group, and buyer, Mesirow.
“San Diego remains a top target nationally for investors, making
up 10% of all U.S. multifamily transactions over $150 million and 23% of those in California, year-todate since 2023,” said Hunter Combs, managing director of Investment Sales at Walker & Dunlop. “San Diego’s market strength is propelled by its historically consistent rent growth, strong fundamentals and high barriers to entry. The influx of life science surrounding UCSD and big tech companies establishing their presence here, in addition to the long-standing defense industry underscores San Diego’s exceptional market resilience and attractiveness for investors.”
“We were pleased to collaborate with Walker & Dunlop in the purchase of the Preserve at Melrose,” stated Alasdair Cripps, chief executive officer of Mesirow Institutional Real Estate
Direct Investments. “The Preserve’s expansive amenity set, transitoriented location and proximity to key employment centers make it one of north county San Diego’s most attractive multifamily properties, and we look forward to serving this community.”
Located in the Vista submarket of San Diego, Preserve at Melrose is minutes from downtown Vista and transit oriented being adjacent to the light rail stations. The property is located off State Route 78, providing residents with direct access to major employment hubs along the 78 corridor, including Vista, Oceanside, Carlsbad, San Marcos, and Escondido.
The multifamily community offers one, two-, and three-bedroom apartments with resort-style amenities, all set
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within a serene, low-density gardenstyle setting.
Walker & Dunlop is considered one of the leaders in multifamily property sales, having completed over $51 billion in property sales volume since 2021. The firm is also one of the top providers of capital to the U.S. multifamily market. In 2023, Walker & Dunlop originated over $24 billion in debt financing volume, including lending over $20 billion for multifamily properties. To learn more about their capabilities and financing options, visit their official website.
