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Coffee wars, sometimes referred to as caffeine wars, involve a variety of sales and marketing tactics by coffeehouse chains and espresso machine manufacturers to increase brand and consumer market share. In North America belligerents in these wars typically include large coffeehouses, such as Starbucks, Dunkin', McDonald's, and Tim Hortons. According to The Economist, the largest coffee war of the late 2000s was between Starbucks and McDonalds in the United States. The U.S. market has, since the early 2010s, been primarily contested by its two largest players, Starbucks and Dunkin'. Since 2020, competition over the Chinese coffee market has intensified between Starbucks and Luckin Coffee.

Periods of low economic activity and business recessions––which contribute to diminished consumer demand––have been linked to an increase in coffee wars. Major innovations in the coffee industry, particularly the advent of single-serve espresso pods, have lowered the market's barrier to entry. Although store count has been traditionally seen as gauging market share, both firms and analysts have incorporated revenue, balance sheets, organic growth, operating margin, and stock market performance as comparable indicators.

Zuidas in Amsterdam

The economy of the Netherlands is a highly developed market economy focused on trade and logistics, manufacturing, services, innovation and technology and sustainable and renewable energy. It is the world's 18th largest economy by nominal GDP and the 28th largest by purchasing power parity (PPP) and is the fifth largest economy in European Union by nominal GDP. It has the world's 11th highest per capita GDP (nominal) and the 13th highest per capita GDP (PPP) as of 2023 making it one of the highest earning nations in the world. Many of the world's largest tech companies are based in its capital Amsterdam or have established their European headquarters in the city, such as IBM, Microsoft, Google, Oracle, Cisco, Uber, Netflix and Tesla. Its second largest city Rotterdam is a major trade, logistics and economic center of the world and is Europe's largest seaport. Netherlands is ranked fifth on global innovation index and fourth on the Global Competitiveness Report. Among OECD nations, Netherlands has a highly efficient and strong social security system; social expenditure stood at roughly 25.3% of GDP.

The Netherlands has a prosperous and open economy, which depends heavily on foreign trade. The economy is noted for stable industrial relations, fairly low unemployment and inflation, a sizable current account surplus (which, compared to the size of the country, is even more than Germany) and an important role as a European transportation hub; Rotterdam is the biggest port in Europe; and Amsterdam has one of the biggest airports in the world. Industrial activity is predominantly in food processing, chemicals, petroleum refining, high-tech, financial services, the creative sector and electrical machinery. Its highly mechanized agricultural sector employs no more than 2% of the labor force but provides large surpluses for the food-processing industry and for exports. The Netherlands, along with 11 of its EU partners, began circulating the euro currency on 1 January 2002. (Full article...)

"You may think, perhaps, that a little tea, or a little punch now and then, diet a little more costly, clothes a little finer, and a little more entertainment now and then can be no great matter but remember what Poor Richard says "Many a little makes a mickle; beware of little expense for a small leak will sink a great ship"."

—Benjamin Franklin, Poor Richard's Almanack, 1732-1758

• ... that Eliane Capobianco's election to the Bolivian Constituent Assembly reflected the propensity of the country's agribusiness elites to occupy positions that granted them influence over land reform policy?
• ... that "gig" in "gig economy" comes from the slang term for individual appearances by performing artists?
• ... that while his brother carried on the family photography business, Thomas Holroyd went into painting and later created The Dyeworks?
• ... that the economy of Sarawak is strongly dependent on natural resource exports such as timber, oil, and gas?
• ... that only months after going out of business, Milkrun relaunched?
• ... that railroad transportation executive William Phillips Hall was known as the "business millionaire evangelist"?

May 29:

• 1927 - Jean Coutu, a Canadian pharmacist and businessman, founder of the Jean Coutu Group, was born on this day.

• ... that the spread of Limicolaria flammea (pictured) is potentially damaging to the multi‐billion dollar horticultural industry in Singapore?

• ... that at the time of her completion in 1918, American cargo ship West Lianga held the distinction of being both the fastest-launched and the fastest-constructed ocean-going ship in the world?

• ... that American Student Assistance is the oldest guarantor of student loans in the United States?

• ... that the Newfoundland Butter Company of Newfoundland manufactured only margarine, and was the first margarine manufacturing plant allowed in Canada?

• ... that The New York Times moved in 1858 to a building at 41 Park Row, making it the first newspaper in New York City housed in a building built specifically for its use?

• ... that all U.S. Presidents from Dwight D. Eisenhower through Ronald Reagan ordered glassware from Fostoria Glass Company of Moundsville, West Virginia?

• ... that the Adriatic LNG terminal is the world's first offshore liquid natural gas terminal?F

Wikinews Economy and business portal

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• April 17: People protest in Berlin against German Court overturning five-year rent cap
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• February 10: Disney to shut down Blue Sky Studios, animation studio behind 'Ice Age'
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