该公司周二宣布完成由Anthemis FIL和Westbound领投的250万美元种子轮融资。 Corina Marshall在零售数字营销领域工作了11年，她发现这个行业在技术应用方面相当落后。 具体而言，帮助零售品牌销售未售出或过剩产品（非主渠道库存）的技术并没有达到应有的先进水平。品牌通常在Nordstrom Rack等折扣零售商 处销售过剩库存，但往往亏损，因为管理未售出库存非常困难。产品分散在各个仓库中，团队只能猜测商品的价值以及最佳销售时机。 "非主渠道库存流程的每个步骤之间间隔时间过长，使得将产品转移到对品牌和零售商最有利的目的地变得困难，"Marshall告诉TechCrunch。 她决定为非主渠道市场提供技术升级。2024年，她创立了Another公司，这是一个帮助企业管理未售出或过剩产品的软件系统。销售这些商品的二 级市场通常在紧张的时间限制下运营，由于需求波动，可能出现高度动态的定价。零售商要在Nordstrom Rack等平台上取得成功，需要快速获取 实时数据和协调配合，以便服装能够高效地从零售商转移到仓库再到店铺。 Another与企业现有的软件系统（如管理客户退货的系统）连接，更好 ...

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Core Viewpoint - The article analyzes the competitive landscape of the energy drink market in the U.S., focusing on Monster Beverage's declining market share and the rise of emerging brands like Celsius, Ghost, and Alani Nu, which are capitalizing on health trends and targeted marketing strategies [1][2][12]. Group 1: Market Dynamics - Since 2019, Monster's market share in the U.S. has decreased from 43.6% to 29.2% by the end of 2024, while its revenue growth for 2024 was only 4.9%, lagging behind the industry growth rate of 7% [2][12]. - The combined market share of Monster and Red Bull has dropped from 76% to 66%, indicating a significant decline in market concentration due to the emergence of smaller brands [2][12]. - Emerging brands have captured approximately 15% of the market share, up from less than 5% in 2015, highlighting a shift in consumer preferences towards healthier options [2][12]. Group 2: Competitive Analysis - New brands are leveraging health trends by offering zero-sugar and natural caffeine products, which resonate with the growing health consciousness among consumers [7][12]. - Monster's traditional high-sugar and high-caffeine products have not adapted quickly enough to these trends, leading to a loss of market share [8][12]. - The marketing strategies of emerging brands focus heavily on social media and KOL (Key Opinion Leader) engagement, with over 80% of their marketing budgets allocated to these channels, compared to less than 30% for Monster [10][12]. Group 3: Future Growth Potential - The North American energy drink market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7%-8% from 2025 to 2029, but Monster's growth is projected to lag behind this rate due to its current market challenges [13][12]. - International markets present a significant growth opportunity for Monster, particularly in emerging markets where demand for energy drinks is more robust [16][12]. - Monster's international market share is expected to increase from 40% to 51% over the next five years, with a projected CAGR of 16% for international sales [17][12]. Group 4: Investment Considerations - Monster's current valuation appears high, with a historical average PE ratio of 38x, while its growth rate is slowing, suggesting potential overvaluation [25][12]. - The company's PEG ratio exceeds 2, indicating strong expectations for future growth, but the competitive landscape is becoming increasingly challenging [27][12]. - Despite the high valuation, Monster's position as a staple energy drink brand may provide some resilience against rapid valuation declines, especially compared to other brands facing similar market pressures [33][12].

Substack rival Ghost connects to the open social web with its latest public release | TechCrunch https://t.co/knVBW4IX9e ...

Core Insights - The article discusses the success of the app studio Monkey Taps, particularly its product Motivation, which has achieved over 1 million ratings on the US App Store and an annual recurring revenue (ARR) of approximately 4 million USD [1] - The studio has a total of 6 products with over 50 million downloads, focusing on self-care, self-love, and self-growth, leading to an overall ARR exceeding 10 million USD [2] - The company operates remotely without an office, providing employees with benefits that promote work-life balance, including full salary during parental leave and free English classes for non-native speakers [2] - Another app studio, Ghost, has generated 100 million USD in revenue for independent publishers since its launch on Kickstarter 12 years ago, with its ARR growing from 6 million USD to over 8 million USD in recent years [3] - A new AI-focused app studio has emerged, building over 40 products with a global download count exceeding 50 million and an ARR surpassing 40 million USD [4] Summary by Sections Monkey Taps and Motivation App - Motivation app, developed by Monkey Taps, has a simple design aimed at promoting positive thinking and personal growth, generating an ARR of around 4 million USD [1] - The app's revenue model is based on selling beautifully designed background images, and it is a rebranded version of another product, I am, which has an ARR of 5 million USD, totaling 9 million USD for both products [1] Company Structure and Culture - Monkey Taps operates with a fully remote team, primarily located in Spain and the US East Coast, using Notion and Slack for communication [2] - The company offers generous benefits, including full pay during parental leave and free English lessons for employees from non-English speaking countries [2] Ghost App Studio - Ghost has been a significant player in the independent publishing space, generating 100 million USD in revenue for its users and experiencing steady growth in its ARR from 6 million USD to over 8 million USD [3] New AI-Focused App Studio - A newly established app studio has rapidly developed over 40 products, achieving over 50 million downloads and an ARR exceeding 40 million USD, focusing on AI-related applications [4]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Constant currency net sales grew by 3.1% in Q3 2024, with operating income increasing in the high single digits and EPS growing by 6% [11][37][40] - Consolidated volume mix improved by 3.5%, with gross margin expanding by 20 basis points year-over-year [11][39][40] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - U.S. Refreshment Beverages net sales increased by 5.3%, driven by a 4% growth in volume mix and a 1.3% contribution from pricing [21][41] - U.S. Coffee segment experienced a decline in net revenue and operating income by 3.6% and 7.2% respectively, despite a 2.7% growth in volume mix [27][43][44] - International segment saw constant currency net sales growth of 6.5%, with volume mix increasing by 3.1% and net price realization adding 3.4% [33][47] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The energy drink category is valued at $23 billion and is one of the fastest-growing segments in beverages, appealing to a wide demographic including Gen Z [8][9] - In Mexico, market share grew in almost every category, with notable performance from the Penafiel and Squirt brands [34] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on enhancing its portfolio through strategic acquisitions, such as the majority stake in Ghost, to strengthen its position in the energy drink category [6][10] - The strategy includes a portfolio approach to address distinct consumer needs and occasions, leveraging existing brands like C4 and Black Rifle [60][62] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about the long-term prospects of the coffee category despite current sluggishness, emphasizing a focus on controllable factors [73][74] - The company anticipates a strong finish to 2024 and is preparing for continued growth in 2025, with a balanced view of opportunities and risks [55][56] Other Important Information - The company announced a 7% dividend increase, marking its fourth consecutive year of dividend growth [50][51] - The transition of Ghost's distribution from Anheuser Busch to KDP is expected to begin in mid-2025 [98] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you discuss how the portfolio works together in Energy? - Management highlighted the complementary nature of brands like C4 and Ghost, addressing different consumer needs and occasions while generating scale [60][62] Question: What does KDP bring to Ghost that can enhance its market position? - KDP's strengths include increased distribution points, marketing capabilities, and operational efficiencies, which have previously doubled the business for C4 [66][68] Question: How durable are the current industry headwinds in the coffee segment? - Management remains bullish on coffee's long-term prospects, focusing on market share gains and strategic pricing to offset current challenges [73][74] Question: Were there any impacts from storms on shipments during the quarter? - Management acknowledged that hurricanes affected operations at the end of the quarter, particularly impacting coffee segment performance [84] Question: How is the company prepared to handle increased complexity from new acquisitions? - Management expressed confidence in their infrastructure and past investments, indicating readiness to integrate new brands like Ghost [92][96]