March 23, 2023: Starbucks CEO Laxman Narasimhan has pledged to work half a day each month at one of the company’s coffee shops to stay close to the culture, customers, and challenges facing the firm. Narasimhan joined the company in October 2021, taking the helm on Monday and leading its shareholder meeting on Thursday. He underwent barista training, including 40 hours of work, and wore the iconic green apron. Narasimhan stated in a letter to staff that he expected each member of the leadership team to stay connected to the realities of the company’s stores to discuss and improve them.

March 21, 2023: Panera Bread is partnering with Amazon to pilot its Amazon One palm-scanning technology in two restaurants in St. Louis. The technology offers a faster way for customers to connect to their loyalty program and pay for their purchases. Amazon One has already been implemented in several Amazon-owned Whole Foods locations, Amazon Go stores, and some stadiums and arenas. Panera’s loyalty program has over 52 million members, providing a significant expansion opportunity for Amazon One, which is designed to be both contactless and secure.

March 21, 2023: The National Hockey League (NHL) announced on Tuesday that it has signed a 10-year deal with Fanatics, making the company the official uniform supplier for the league, starting with the 2024-2025 season. This marks the first time that Fanatics branding will appear on official player uniforms in professional sports. The terms of the deal have not been disclosed.

March 21, 2023: Manna Aero, a drone delivery company that has already completed over 100,000 deliveries in Ireland, plans to expand to mainland Europe and the US in 2023. The company is currently achieving up to 1,000 deliveries per day in dense urban markets and has demonstrated the ability to do 2,000 to 3,000 flights per day across its multiple locations.

March 16, 2023: John Lewis Partnership, the owner of John Lewis department stores and Waitrose, is facing a decline in results, with the company expected to report its second full-year loss in March. The cost of living crisis has hit even Waitrose’s affluent customers, and strategic missteps, such as the late advertising of its Essentials range and the introduction of small stores, have also contributed to the decline. As a result, the company is shaking up its management team and bringing in Nish Kankiwala, a former executive of Hovis and Burger King, as its first group CEO. Kankiwala, who has little retail pedigree but extensive brand experience, will replace the previous CEO, Pippa Wicks, who unexpectedly left last month.