A few different topics this time, from bodegas to specialty coffee to social class. Trying to give more thought or perspective as I read about these topics, what they mean or how they come to their opinions, trying to give more thought about others’ perspective. Awareness.
  
  
This topic initially got my attention just because it was the new vending machine and I tagged it as something I would come back later in the day to read. As the day went on I saw more and more mentions about it, so I wondered what was the big deal? All the attention really wasn’t about the tech involved, but the reactions to the concept based on the name and how the original post title was saying they wanted to put people (mom and pop bodegas) out of business. By mid-morning the internet just blew up over this and by the next morning the company founders had to post a response to the backlash. Well, if they wanted to get their name out there, this sure helped that.
(link to Fast Company: Two Ex-Googlers Want To Make Bodegas And Mom-And-Pop Corner Stores Obsolete)
(link to Mashable: Bodega backlash shows how fed up people are with Silicon Valley’s hype machine)
(link to Fast Company: Bodega’s CEO defends the name of his business after a day of backlash)
(link to NPR the Salt: Nobody Takes The Bodega Out Of The Corner. Not Even A Startup)
  
  
I think alternative sources of protein are really important now and into the future. How we think about food is formed early and it’s good to see how they are introducing alternatives like insects to kids in a way that’s not negative.
(link to NPR the Salt: At Bug-Eating Festival, Kids Crunch Down On The Food Of The Future)
  
  
Since I am into coffee and I am semi-involved in the coffee community, of course the news that Blue Bottle getting a majority stakeholder, Nestlé, definitely got my attention.
(link to NYTimes: Nestlé Targets High-End Coffee by Taking Majority Stake in Blue Bottle)
(link to Mashable: Bono, Jared Leto, and other celebs are gonna get PAID from the Blue Bottle deal)
(link to video commentary by C.Baca: Nestlé Acquires Majority Share in Blue Bottle Coffee)
  
  
This is an interesting view about society and class, how our culture is defining people. Here they bring up some perspective on the Amazon/WFM thing and that made me think, think about it in a different way. And I understand what they are saying.
(link to Quartz: Amazon’s takeover of Whole Foods is a fascinating experiment in class identity)
  
The article above made me wonder about how they really defined aspirational class and I found this article.
(link to Market Watch: 5 ways to tell if you belong among the new elites — the ‘aspirational class’)
  
  
More on Halo Top, background on how it started and also about how they don’t have office space but use co-working space. (h/t to David for sending me this)
(link to LA Times: How L.A.’s Halo Top became America’s bestselling ice cream pint)
  
  
Jolt Cola is making a come back. I remember Jolt, as it originated in Rochester, NY in the mid-80’s when I was going to school there. The highly caffeinated beverage helped many students pull all nighters.
(link to AdAge: Wake Up America: Jolt Cola Is Coming Back)