Things were hard enough for Pier 1 at the start of 2018. With sales dropping at an alarming rate of 9.2% year on year within the first quarter, the company was in panic mode. They hired Jeffries in to consult on business strategy and were told there were issued needing investment or attention within its sourcing, merchandising, marketing, pricing, ops, e-commerce, store and supply chain. Call us cynical, but that sounds like the whole of the business. And then the President made things worse!
Well over half of Pier 1's goods are manufactured in China. When President Trump levied a 10% trade tariff against China, it hit Pier 1 directly in the pocket; a blow they couldn't really afford to take. In the aftermath of the decision, Pier 1's credit status was downgraded, making it harder for them to refinance existing debt or take on new borrowing. Unless someone comes up with a great idea fast, they might be running out of time.
Over the years, weve seen so many food trends come and go, such as ramen burgers, matcha, and spiked ice-cream. Nowadays, were seeing another trend making waves in the food industry. How many times today have you seen an Instagram photo of a scoop of black ice cream, or a cup of black yogurt, or hamburgers with black buns? Indeed, the charcoal trend has taken the world by storm.
So, what gives your latte that deep black shade? Activated charcoal, or coconut ash, is produced by heating coconut shells to insanely high temperatures until theyre burnt to a crisp. The ashes are then increased in size by steaming at high temperatures. Through this process, the ashes become a strong detoxifier, mostly because they become extra absorbent. This product may be purchased in pill form, and promises to alleviate hangovers, minimize the effects of food poisoning, and fight the visible signs of aging.
Activated charcoal is said to boost ones energy as a result of decreasing toxins in the body. However, no evidence proves that detoxifying can lead to increased energy. Also, while it can help cure a hangover, it doesnt necessarily remove alcohol from your blood. It is also said to aid in debloating your stomach because it cleanses your colon but again, this all anecdotal and isnt supported by scientific evidence as of yet. All we can say for sure is that it is a proven detoxifier.