posted: 8 March, 2019

Welcome to the second edition of Dispatches, our hand-picked round-up of the most interesting ideas, innovations, and insight from the global retail, fashion, and tech industry news over the past week (or so).

This week we have some cracking articles on how Aldi transformed the way Britain shops, the intriguing story behind Chinese telecoms giant, Huawei, Calvin Klein calling time on designer fashion, and lots of other great stuff too.

• The Aldi effect: how one discount supermarket transformed the way Britain shops
  When Aldi arrived in Britain, Tesco and Sainsbury’s were sure they had nothing to worry about. Three decades later, they know better.
  [Guardian]

• Calvin Klein says designer fashion is over
  The brand is closing its high-end line, in a move that could have ripple effects across the American fashion industry.
  [NY Times]

• The revenge of the bourgeoisie
  [NY Times]

• Saks takes back Fifth Avenue
  A $250M renovation of its Manhattan flagship is the tip of the spear.
  [Fortune]

• How eco startup Allbirds took on adidas and Nike’s big shoe duopoly
  Startups with sky-high valuations are changing how shoes are sold and made – shaking up an industry dominated by legacy brands.
  [Wired]

• Afrimarket: defying the doubters to serve Africa’s online consumers
  Entrepreneur Rania Belkahia on backers, ambitious growth – and when your customers have no postal address.
  [Financial Times]

• Interview: Steiner delivers the last laugh at Ocado
  The online grocer’s tech triumph is an ’18-year overnight success’, says the boss of Ocado.
  [Times]

• Amazon’s hard bargain extends far beyond New York
  [NY Times]

• Huawei: The story of a controversial company
  Soon 5G mobile internet will be everywhere. Huawei is a pioneer but is accused of being a gateway for China to spy on Western nations. Is the firm guilty? Or the victim of unfair rumours?
  [BBC]

• San Francisco cost of living: A cookie factory’s story
  The last remaining fortune cookie factory in San Francisco is on the verge of closure, thanks to sky-high rents and new technology, but its owner says he will never give up the family business.
  [BBC]

• All hail ride-hail. Lyft-off or crash-land?
  As it prepares to go public, Lyft reveals booming revenue, monster losses and a big bet on the future of transportation.
  [Economist]

We know you’ve no time to waste, so Dispatches only brings you the best of the best – all killer, no filler.

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See you there!