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Marquee investors tuck into Tre’dish with $10m investment as home-to-home food economy grows

Tre'dish

Home-to-Home food technology platform and community marketplace Tre’dish has today announced a $10m seed funding round as it commercializes and scales operations across the U.S. and Canada. The funding round was led by Tre’dish Founding Team Members; Peter Hwang, Jay Wilgar, Srin Sridharan and lead investor Wes Hall. The group of marquee investors with their past experiences in the round include: Wes Hall – Founder of BlackNorth Initiative, Dragons Den, Kingsdale Advisors, KSS Group of Companies Luis Javier Castro - Founder of Mesoamerica and Alejandria JP Rangaswami - Chief Scientist at Salesforce and British Telecom. Previously Chief Data Officer, Deutsche Bank. Steve Smith – CEO of Recipe Unlimited (Formerly Cara Operations). EVP - Loblaw Andrea DelZotto – Founder of Concrete Cardinal and Director, Tridel Group of Companies Qamar Qureshi – President and CBO - Knowledgehook Tre’dish has created a food tech marketplace platform that focuses on bringing the home-to-home food sharing economy together. Home Chefs have the opportunity to sell to consumers right in their own community, a diverse selection of authentic meals prepared by the person who makes it best. With the home-to-home market growing significantly during the pandemic, home chefs have been selling their meals through social media platforms in an unstructured grey market without proper processes to instil trust for the consumer. Furthermore, other platforms that are coming into the market have simply created a marketplace where Home Chefs meet Consumers, and no support is provided for the Chefs to build a sustainable business. Embedded in the Tre’dish technology is our Chef Education Platform and Chef Portal that allows Home Chefs access to some of the most innovative tools in the hospitality space. Our EdTech platform provides a Home Restauranteur guidance and support to build a business right from their own home kitchen safely and profitably with little to no investment required. The success of the Tre’dish model has been driven by two central trends. Firstly, the hospitality industry for small owner-operated restaurants has been at a breaking point for several years with high overhead running costs (i.e. rent, labour, marketing and delivery) and very low margins making it difficult to sustain a profitable operation. Moreover, to make a living they must sacrifice everything with zero work-life balance. Secondly, the pandemic brought into sharp focus the reality facing 3 million hospitality industry workers in the US and Canada when over 130,000 restaurants were closed disproportionally impacting the BIPOC community. For some, this provided the impetus to take to social media and sell food prepared from their home kitchens. For others, Tre’dish will now provide a new path for opportunity, employment and entrepreneurship. Peter Hwang, CEO and Co-Founder at Tre’dish, commented, "The pandemic was very difficult on small businesses especially owner operated restaurants. Tre’dish was built to level the playing field providing equal access and opportunity for all individuals to once again flourish in the hospitality industry regardless of their cultural background, gender, experience, or financial ability. The only thing anyone requires is an amazing recipe and the desire to share their food with the world” Tre’dish aims to build a global, impact-focused, food tech unicorn by providing equal opportunities for all cultural groups and new immigrants through access to a platform for any food entrepreneur to grow their presence and start a profitable business. Currently, 4 of the 5 largest shareholders represent BIPOC standing as it seeks to elevate a minority owned entrepreneurial movement. Tre’dish has built a bona fide business model, that authentically and organically creates a movement to empower and encourage historically underserved and underprivileged communities to become burgeoning food entrepreneurs and social media food influencers. “Tre’dish is redefining what it means to be a professional chef by taking the hospitality industry beyond its historical confines of bricks and mortar restaurants,” said Wes Hall, Executive Chairman and Founder of KSS Group of Companies Inc. “I am proud to back such an innovative business model not only because of the tremendous future potential this company has but because of the thousands of jobs and opportunity Tre’dish will create for minority and BIPOC community members who have too often been left behind. Tre’dish will connect talented chefs with customers but also provide them with business knowledge and skills that will help them be successful for the long term.” Tre’dish is not only a marketplace for home chefs and consumers but has set out to create a platform which empowers them to create successful businesses and have choice in what they eat respectively. For Home Chefs, Tre’dish is a technology portal that offers: Home restaurant consulting and business optimization technology tools such as, Menu Card Development, SKU Optimization, Consolidated Group Ordering and Geo-Targeted Data Tracking so they can build efficient and profitable businesses from day one. A real time food and safety platform A media content platform and technology training system which teaches home chefs how to become food influencers and content creators. Helping them build user created content and dissemination strategies to maximize engagement and views of their social posts. For Consumers, Tre’dish provides: A marketplace platform allowing individuals to support their local home chefs knowing they are preparing their meals safely with the highest quality restaurant standards that are digitally documented. An amazing culinary experience in your community. The ability to support local chefs and try their authentic, healthy, and home cooked meals delivered conveniently to your door. A technology and data platform that remembers your personalized food preferences to create the best experience possible – dietary, fitness, allergen and personalized meal customization that is geo-targeted in your area. A food content and media platform allowing users to view content from Tre’dish Home Chefs across the globe including Chefs in their own geo-targeted Virtual Food Court. Peter Hwang concluded, “As we launch our commercial operations, we see a massive opportunity to become thought leaders in the growing home-to-home food sharing economy. We are not only creating a disruptive technology, but we are creating a mainstream platform that can positively impact cultural diversity, mass job creation and entrepreneurial growth for generations for the foreseeable future” About Tre’dish Tre’dish is a foodtech marketplace platform that enables and unites home chefs in the home-to-home food sharing economy. It allows individuals the opportunity to monetize their home kitchens and sell home cooked meals to local consumers in their community. Media images can be found here. Contact Details Tre'dish Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 media@tredish.com Company Website https://tredish.com/

November 03, 2021 12:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Quidel Corporation to Sponsor Distinguished Speaker Series Conducted by the Bay Area Lyme Foundation

Quidel Corporation

Quidel Corporation announced today that it will serve as sponsor for the upcoming Distinguished Speaker Series being conducted by the Bay Area Lyme Foundation. Quidel is a California-based diagnostic health care manufacturer known for successfully developing rapid diagnostic health solutions, including the industry-leading Sofia ® 2 Lyme FIA test for Lyme disease. The Distinguished Speaker Series are free community events that provide new information on various Lyme-related topics. Speakers typically feature an esteemed scientific researcher paired with a Lyme survivor sharing their inspirational story in an open-discussion format. The events are designed to create a more informed, connected and inspired public, which, in turn, will lead to stronger families, schools, businesses and communities. “We share the Bay Area Lyme Foundation’s mission to make Lyme disease easy to diagnose and simple to cure,” said Judi Tilghman, Ph.D., vice president of technology assessment at Quidel. “Over the years the Foundation has collaborated with world-class scientists and institutions to accelerate medical breakthroughs for Lyme disease and to build a more informed and engaged public. We are honored to sponsor this important speakers series in support of those efforts.” On Nov. 3, the series will feature a researcher, physician and Lyme patient advocate who will discuss how the immune system “can protect or attack” when it comes to Lyme disease. The discussion will focus on the importance of using a broad and comprehensive diagnostic and treatment approach to Lyme disease. Speakers include Liz Horn, Ph.D., MBI, principal investigator, Lyme Disease Biobank, and principal, LHC Biosolutions; Victoria Blaho, Ph.D., assistant professor, Sanford Burnham Prebys, Immunity and Pathogenesis Program; and David N. Haney, Ph.D., researcher and family caregiver. The Nov. 3 event will be held from 4-7 p.m. in the Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute in San Diego. Reservations are required and can be made at SpeakerSeries@bayarealyme.org or by calling 650-530-2684. Full vaccination is required for this venue. Lyme disease is on the rise to record numbers throughout the country and has the potential to affect as many as 476,000 citizens before the year is out. Leading the way in Lyme disease testing is the innovative Sofia ® 2 Lyme FIA by Quidel. This revolutionary test provides the patient and physician with indicative results within 15 minutes, as opposed to days, which has historically been the norm (and during which time organisms can spread and become systemic). It can be performed in the privacy of a doctor’s office, local clinic or even by a nurse at a children’s summer camp; and it is the only test that can get results from a simple finger prick of blood. About Quidel Corporation Quidel Corporation (Nasdaq: QDEL) is a leading manufacturer of diagnostic solutions at the point of care, delivering a continuum of rapid testing technologies that further improve the quality of health care throughout the globe. An innovator for over 40 years in the medical device industry, Quidel pioneered the first FDA-cleared point-of-care test for influenza in 1999 and was the first to market a rapid SARS-CoV-2 antigen test in the U.S. Under trusted brand names, Sofia®, Solana®, Lyra®, Triage® and QuickVue®, Quidel’s comprehensive product portfolio includes tests for a wide range of infectious diseases, cardiac and autoimmune biomarkers, as well as a host of products to detect COVID-19. With products made in America, Quidel’s mission is to provide patients with immediate and frequent access to highly accurate, affordable testing for the good of our families, our communities and the world. For more information about Quidel, visit quidel.com. Contact Details breakwhitelight JAMES YEAGER Yeager +1 818-264-6812 jim@breakwhitelight.com Company Website http://Quidel.com

November 02, 2021 09:44 AM Pacific Daylight Time

ENEOS AT THE 2021 SEMA SHOW

ENEOS

ENEOS — Japan’s largest oil company, and supplier of motor oil and transmission fluids to the majority of Asian vehicle manufacturers — is returning to the annual SEMA Show in Las Vegas this week to meet and interact with automotive enthusiasts and customers. The lubricant specialist will be located in booth # 21203 at the front of Central Hall. Attendees will be able to explore a reimagined booth, which features a distinctive ENEOS road map aimed at highlighting the company’s core strengths. It includes an area dedicated to the company's crucial OEM relationships, which have allowed ENEOS to share its latest technology with the world’s car makers. The company is the leading expert in synthetic oil formulation, creating some of the thinnest, most efficient lubricants for the very latest gasoline and hybrid engines as well as their transmissions and differentials. As part of its expanding OEM relationships, ENEOS has created a new EV Fluid Line, which is designed to help increase the efficiency and durability of current and future electric vehicle components. And like its conventional motor and transmission oils, which are available to retail customers, the EV Fluid Line will initially be available to car makers as part of its OE Fill Program, with an aftermarket line in development. Full details about the EV Fluid Line are available from the ENEOS SEMA booth or at eneos.us The remaining stops on the ENEOS road map are at Performance and Transmission stations. These focus on the wide range of lubricants dedicated to the majority of current and older vehicles. Of particular interest is the ENEOS Racing Series motor oils, which are designed for use by weekend track day enthusiasts or dedicated racers. The Racing Street Series is engineered to work with emissions equipment and ensures extended high-temperature running, superior protection at initial start-up, and greater performance thanks to significantly reduced friction; benefits that have been proven to improve horsepower when used against its competitors. ENEOS Racing Pro Series oils are designed for dedicated race cars that do not require emissions equipment. The formulation provides the same protection as the Street series but at higher temperatures and for extended track sessions, ensuring maximum protection for the racing community. ENEOS also produces OE-quality lubricants for all transmission types, including automatic and CVT, thanks to its extensive OE partnerships. ENEOS carries two transmission product lines: ENEOS IMPORT SERIES for exact transmission specifications; and ENEOS ECO Series for extremely broad coverage of automatic and CVT transmissions in market today. For more information about the full ENEOS product lines, please visit eneos.us FORMULA DRIFT Thank you, Dai – Hello Fredric! ENEOS has been a sponsoring partner of Formula DRIFT and competing teams for many years. The company currently supports 2011 FD Champion Dai Yoshihara in the PRO Championship, and Rich Whiteman in the PROSPEC class. However, after competing at the highest level for more than 18 years, Dai is retiring from the series to focus on other motorsports activities. While we’re extremely sad to see Dai leave Formula DRIFT, ENEOS is planning to continue supporting Dai as he embarks on new projects. And we can exclusively announce that ENEOS will partner with the newly crowned Formula DRIFT Champion, Fredric Aasbo and Papadakis Racing for the 2022 season. This is extremely exciting for ENEOS because the company works closely with Toyota at the engineering and development level, and its synthetic lubricants will be the perfect addition to Fredric’s Rockstar Energy Toyota GR Supra. "At Papadakis Racing, we're fortunate to work with top tier companies in the automotive industry," said Papadakis Racing team owner Stephan Papadakis. “ We first put ENEOS to the test with our NASCAR-engined Scion tC and already know it’s a great product line. With that knowledge, we’re excited to bring ENEOS on board for our 1000hp Rockstar Energy Toyota GR Supra in Formula DRIFT next year.” ENEOS will work closely with Papadakis Racing over the winter and looks forward to Fredric’s defense of his Championship title throughout the 2022 season of the Formula DRIFT PRO series. HONDA-POWERED BMW Star of the ENEOS SEMA booth # 20213 is a 1985 BMW 318i built by Formula DRIFT PRO driver and owner of DevSpeed Motorsports, Faruk Kugay. To help make the vehicle unique, Faruk undertook an engine swap using the 2.0L four-cylinder engine from the Honda S2000. Codenamed F20C, the potent VTEC engine develops 240hp without requiring forced induction. The purpose of the swap was to provide the BMW with a more powerful yet lightweight engine that compares favorably to even the E30 M3’s 2.3L 16v engine. For this application, DevSpeed resisted the temptation to fit aftermarket tuning equipment, preferring instead to create a CARB-legal conversion that will provide a healthy performance increase without running into emissions problems As such, the engine is equipped with a CARB-legal AEM air intake and Borla Performance stainless steel exhaust system fitted after the BMW’s catalytic converter. Among the other upgrades to accommodate the swap is a custom wiring harness, tucked radiator, aluminum mounts and new installation hardware. The F20C is lubricated by ENEOS Racing Street 0W-50 motor oil to provide the optimum combination of wear protection and performance. Further highlights of the ENEOS BMW 318i F20C include the S2000’s six-speed transmission with a BMW limited-slip differential to aid traction when Faruk utilizes the car for track days and drift events. Both these drivetrain elements are lubricated by ENEOS oils. To improve mechanical grip, DevSpeed chose the Pandem V1.5 widebody kit. Designed and manufactured in Japan, it continues the JDM theme for this DTM classic. The wider Pandem fenders accommodate sticky Toyo Proxes RA1 tires, which are sized 255/40 front and 275/40 ZR17 rear. This is a significant increase over the stock E30. The Toyo Tires are mounted on motorsport-themed 17” Rotiform IGS wheels, which are a generous 9.5” wide at the front and 11” rear. Suspension is controlled by multi-adjustable KW Variant 3 coilovers, and the 36 year-old E30 bodyshell is reinforced with Garagistic components and a custom Devspeed four-point internal roll bar to deal with the increased cornering forces. Braking power has been considerably improved with equipment from the later E36 M3, including its larger front calipers and rotors thanks to specialized adapters. In addition to the widebody fender conversion, the ENEOS BMW 318i F20C also has the distinctive rear window, raised trunk lid and Evo II rear wing of the E30 M3, which helped to both improve airflow and increase downforce. There is also a carbon fiber roof panel, which allowed DevSpeed to delete the stock sunroof and lower the center of gravity. Inside, there are MOMO racing seats, steering wheel and shift knob as well as a motorsport-style dashboard and seat delete panels, adding to the weight reduction measures. As we mentioned, DevSpeed Motorsports will utilize the ENEOS BMW 318i F20C for track days and drift events, and Faruk will be able to drive the car legally on the street in California once it passes inspection after the SEMA Show. TECH SPEC 1985 BMW 318i with Honda S2000 F20C engine swap ENEOS BMW 318i F20C Engine: 2001 Honda S2000 F20C 2.0L four-cylinder 16v VTEC with CARB-legal AEM intake, Borla Performance stainless steel Type S cat-back exhaust, MPC hardware, Ryno Wiring mil-spec harness, ENEOS Racing Street 0W-50 motor oil, Chase Bays tucked radiator, Garagistic aluminum mounts Power: 240hp at 8300rpm / 153 lb-ft at 7500rpm Transmission: Honda S2000 six-speed transmission, Exedy clutch, 3.73:1 BMW limited-slip differential, ENEOS 75W-90 gear oil, custom driveshaft, Garagistic secondary diff mount, diff stud kit, aluminum transmission mounts, and front subframe spacers Suspension/Chassis: KW Variant 3 coilovers with adjustable compression and rebound, E30 M3 front spindles, E36 318Ti rear trailing arms with Garagistic reinforcement, Garagistic chassis and subframe reinforcements, Delrin bushings, power steering delete and camber/castor modification, four-point custom roll bar, E30 325i Convertible front shock tower reinforcement Braking: E36 M3 front brake conversion with custom brake hat adapters, E36 M3 rear brakes with SRS caliper adapters, Chase Bays dual master 6:1 boosterless conversion and stainless steel lines throughout Wheels & Tires: Rotiform IGS 17x9.5” front, 17x11” rear wheels finished in anthracite, 255/40 R17 front, 275/40 R17 rear Toyo Proxes RA1 tires Exterior: 6666 Customs / TRA Kyoto Pandem V1.5 widebody fenders, front spoiler, rear bumper, side skirts, CATuned E30 M3 Evo II rear wing, carbon fiber roof and front grilles, E30Garage Norway M3-style steel C-pillar conversion, E30 M3 trunk lid, Glass-On-The-Go E30 M3 rear glass, Frenchie Smiley headlights, @E30taillights, MPC hardware Interior: MOMO front seats, harnesses, steering wheel and shift knob, custom dashboard with Landmark Grafix 3M anti-glare wrap, rear seat delete panels Thanks / Sponsors: ENEOS, DevSpeed Motorsports, AEM, Borla Performance, CATuned, Chase Bays, Diverse Motorsports, Exedy, Foreign Parts Specialties, Garagistic, GReddy, Hanson Distributing Company, KW Suspension, Landmark Grafix, MOMO, MPC Motorsport, Rotiform, Ryno Wiring Solutions, Toyo Tires, @E30taillights HONDA ACTY Sticking with the JDM theme, ENEOS will also display a very unusual Honda Acty pickup built by Neil Tjin from Tjin Edition. The Kei truck was imported from Japan and has been put into service as a stylish delivery vehicle carrying ENEOS oil products and a distinctive SUPER73-ZX e-bike, which was customized to match the van. The many features and highlights of the Tjin Edition Honda Acty include the following: Mag factory wing, front bumper and fender flares FLP metal rear wing and custom side panels Seafoam green paint 13” Enjoy wheels painted yellow Custom upholstered Status seats and steering wheel Custom LED headlights, Rigid fog lights, reversing lights and third brake light Custom oil pan for mid-mounted three-cylinder 660cc liquid-cooled engine Rear-wheel drive Custom SUPER73-ZX e-bike with matching Seafoam green frame, yellow wheels and seat cover This small, maneuverable, economical Acty pickup is the ideal runaround for busy cities like Tokyo and Los Angeles. Its peppy three-cylinder engine makes light work of city streets and avoids the gas pump for as long as possible. The engine is mid-mounted to provide ample legroom for the occupants. Painted in a distinctive Seafoam green paint with contrasting 13” yellow Enjoy wheels and Status racing seats, the Tjin Edition Honda Acty will put a smile on your face every time you see it. Once the driver arrives at his destination, he's able to unload the custom SUPER73-ZX e-bike from the cargo bed. Painted in the same Seafoam green with yellow highlights to match the Acty's interior, the ZX was launched a few months ago to rave reviews. The e-bike features a lightweight aluminum frame and a removable battery that can provide an estimated 50 miles of range (depending on conditions). The ZX also features four riding modes and can be set to four riding classes to comply with local bylaws, all through the SUPER73 smart phone app. TESLA MODEL 3 PIKES PEAK In addition to sponsoring Dai Yoshihara’s Formula DRIFT season, ENEOS has been a long-time supporter of his Pikes Peak attempts, which culminated in a 2020 Unlimited Class win. For 2021, ENEOS and Dai again partnered with Evasive Motorsports to return to the annual Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (PPIHC). However, the Toyota 86 they had built and prepared for previous years was replaced by a brand new project: the Turn 14 Distribution / Toyo Tires / ENEOS / Evasive Motorsports Tesla Model 3 Pikes Peak race car. With ENEOS announcing its new line of six dedicated EV fluids, the combination of Dai, Evasive, and a new Tesla race car was a tantalizing prospect. However, despite numerous pre-event test sessions, the car suffered an electrical problem as it left the starting line. Undeterred, all parties plan to return to the PPIHC in 2022 to make another attempt to set an EV Production Car track record time in the Exhibition Class. Full details on the car can be found here: eneos.us/blog/eneos-returns-to-pikes-peak-with-dai-yoshihara-evasive-motorsports-and-a-tesla-model-3/ The Turn 14 Distribution / Toyo Tires / ENEOS / Evasive Motorsports Tesla Model 3 Pikes Peak car will be exhibited at SEMA 2021 by Turn 14 Distribution in booth # 21503 in Central Hall. EDITOR’S NOTE High-resolution images of the DevSpeed / ENEOS BMW 318i F20C, Tjin Edition Honda Acty and SUPER73-ZX can be found here for editorial use: dropbox.com/sh/igyyszt4ur61zfi/AABvsPTiRVIIIUTS8F3trQGKa?dl=0 Images of the Turn 14 Distribution / Toyo Tires / ENEOS / Evasive Motorsports Tesla Model 3 Pikes Peak are available here for editorial use: dropbox.com/sh/dkqgsmrz03p6bjo/AACyd_-aCEz7l4P5-2AsUDjna?dl=0 FOLLOW ENEOS USA facebook.com/ENEOSUSA instagram.com/ENEOSUSA twitter.com/ENEOSUSA youtube.com/ENEOSUSA eneos.us MEDIA CONTACT Satomi Yamashita ( media@eneos.us ) Greg Emmerson ( greg@theidagency.com ) ABOUT ENEOS Established in 1888 and headquartered in Tokyo, ENEOS is Japan’s largest oil company, with manufacturing and sales facilities throughout the world. With a unique position in its home market, ENEOS has worked with Asia’s automakers and leading race teams for decades, creating advanced lubricants with their vehicle engineers to provide optimum fuel economy with maximum power and long-term protection. ENEOS also recently announced a new line of products for future electric vehicle applications, helping to ensure the newest EV technology is operating as efficiently as possible. For more information, please visit eneos.us Contact Details Satomi Yamashita media@eneos.us Company Website https://www.eneos.us

November 02, 2021 05:55 AM Pacific Daylight Time

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Recording Artist Guild (RAG) Selects BEASY to Empower and Enable Musicians for the Metaverse

Beasy, LLC

Blockchain Made Easy, LLC (dba BEASY) and Recording Artist Guild (RAG.ORG) announced today that RAG.ORG and Lookhu.com have signed a multi-year enterprise licensing agreement with BEASY to deliver the utility of blockchain to RAG’s more than 20,000 members. “We’ve sought tirelessly to understand and deliver the benefits of blockchain to our members for years and although we succeeded in some ways, we lacked consistency and the ability to scale.” said Byron Booker, Chairman and Founder of RAG. “We’ve been talking with everyone who’s anyone at the intersection of blockchain and entertainment, and while solutions have advanced, BEASY stands out as our winner. BEASY’s solution puts enterprise grade software and the power to legally trade and enforce ownership in the hands of the artist. It’s easy to use, works with all our systems, supports NFT transactions on credit cards and allows us to do so within our brand identity,” he added. “We’re incredibly grateful and excited to be working with RAG. We started building BEASY three years ago for organizations just like RAG to help their communities realize their dreams. And now our dream is coming true as well.” said Bob Kramich, Founder and CEO of BEASY. For RAG creators or sellers, BEASY provides a complete metaverse identity management solution in one simple package through which they can: Mint, rarify and sell their own digital assets on any NFT marketplace, or directly from their web sites. Accept credit cards as a payment method for NFTs. Smarten, manage and control song contracts including fractional ownership splits. Easily onboard friends as fans which expands their serviceable obtainable market and prepares fans to participate in upcoming NFT drops. Establish and manage their official Sovereign Digital Identities including their digital name, official credentials and accomplishments. Manage their Official Partner Network. Maintain the true state of receivables owed and paid across multiple contracts and multiple mediums, no matter how many or how fractional the ownership or micro payment due. Customize, scale and continuously improve using enterprise-grade BaaS software. Rapidly team with a variety of business partners and sell and go to market. For buyers and fans, BEASY makes it possible to participate in the digital asset economy without using cryptocurrencies. As most NFT sites require buyers to use cryptocurrencies, the BEASY Wallet allows RAG fans to buy NFTs using credit cards. The buyer benefits from ease of use and the creator benefits from the expansion of their serviceable obtainable market (SOM). At its highest level, BEASY mainstreams the adoption of blockchain to improve the economic situation of individuals, businesses and communities. “BEASY is not a blockchain game and BEASY is not an NFT marketplace,” explains Kramich. “BEASY is Blockchain-as-a-Service software that is easy to install and use and acts as a combined personal notary and digital asset control center. With BEASY, influencers and creators can participate in multiple blockchain-based games and sell NFTs on any NFT marketplace while preserving the true state of how much is owned and owed across all mediums - no matter how fractional the ownership or how micro the payment. What’s more is that sellers, while operating in main blockchain networks, can do so without forcing themselves or their clients to ever purchase cryptocurrencies. We allow people to use the assets and the networks without forcing them to use the underlying cryptocurrency. Our aim is to do this to any Dapp and any network, to bring crypto-based solutions to the next billion users.” # # # About BEASY Blockchain Made Easy ™️, LLC is a Massachusetts-based technology and professional services company empowering retail and business customers with the ability to deploy customized blockchain-based strategies through easy-to-use blockchain software products. The company’s core product, BEASY Authentication ™️, is a multi-blockchain platform and associated wallet solution allowing users to seamlessly create, sell, and track digital goods in addition to a broad range of other applications such as digital identity management, fractional and whole digital asset ownership, royalties management, contract-to-smart contract management and more. BEASY does this without requiring owning or managing any cryptocurrency on major compatible blockchain networks such as Ethereum, Matic and more. BEASY is committed to making blockchain adoption easy. For more information, go to www.BEASY1.com About RAG.ORG Recording Artists Guild (RAG), a non-profit focused on empowering recording artists since 2009 provides its thousands of members with tools, resources, and technology to help monetize their skills and IP while bringing them exposure and a platform to make their voices heard. About Lookhu Lookhu ( www.lookhu.com ) is a cord-cutter’s dream, delivering unlimited streaming TV channels, exclusive series, and live events worldwide. Lookhu offers influencer driven a la carte channels within specific genres including MMA, Comedy, Spanish, Faith, and more for free, subscription and or on-demand. About Talynt Talynt is an NFT marketplace that focuses on providing a robust marketplace for creators offering Phygital NFTs with live events. Talynt offers exclusive NFT collections from notable celebrities and limited campaigns from TokenOfRespect.com, ApeRockStars.com, CryptoRoadies.com, NFTV.life and more Media Relations Contacts: BEASY, LLC. Contact: David Kaupp SVP, Head of Marketing info@beasy1.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/BeasyInc LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beasy-blockchain-made-easy-llc/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beasy1859/ RAG and Lookhu Contact: Melissa Jones press@lookhu.com Contact: Mellissa Jones press@rag.org Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ragworld/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RAGWORLD/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/RAGWORLD Blockchain Made Easy, LLC is a Massachusetts-based technology and professional services company empowering retail and business customers with the ability to deploy customized blockchain-based strategies through easy-to-use blockchain software products. The company's core product, BEASY Authentication, is a multi-blockchain platform and associated wallet solution allowing users to seamlessly create, sell, and track digital goods in addition to a broad range of other applications such as digital identity management, fractional and whole digital asset ownership, royalties management, contract-to-smart contract management and more. BEASY does this without requiring owning or managing any cryptocurrency on major compatible blockchain networks such as Ethereum, Matic and more. BEASY is committed to making blockchain adoption easy. For more information, go to www.BEASY1.com Contact Details BEASY, LLC David Kaupp +1 978-360-6698 info@beasy1.com RAG and Lookhu Melissa Jones press@rag.org Company Website https://www.beasy1.com

November 01, 2021 04:07 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Beaubble Raises Over $2M To Date With Latest Funding Round

Beaubble

Leading beauty community-driven brand and platform, Beaubble, announces today that they have raised over $2M to date for the company during their latest round of funding with lead investor Bling Capital along with Graph Ventures, Goodwater Capital, Steve Chen (Co-Founder and Former CTO of YouTube), Jung-ju Kim (Founder of Nexon and Partner at Collaborative Fund), and more. Co-founded by Jun Young (Jordan) Lim, Beaubble is the first truly community-driven digital beauty studio that co-launches brands and products with talent (including influencers, celebrities and models, content creators, and more). Talent partners with Beaubble to actively engage her audience in developing new products, encouraging fans to share feedback on formulation and provide input on design via conference calls and conversations on beaubble.com in addition to existing social media channels. With this innovative process, Beaubble is democratizing the product development process and equipping consumers to decide what they want from their beauty brands, not the other way around. Beaubble also utilizes pre-order product drops to more accurately measure demand and bypass retailers to fulfill directly to consumers. By allowing demand to shape supply, Beaubble is able to avoid overproduction and reduce waste in beauty. In March 2020, the platform co-created the luxury skincare line Monday Born alongside beauty influencer Teni Panosian. Bling Capital, a San Francisco Bay Area based venture capital investment firm, led the company’s recent seed financing. Bling Capital primarily invests in consumer tech, internet, mobile, marketplace, data, fintech, SaaS, and automation sectors. Founder Ben Ling served in senior operating roles at Google, Facebook, and YouTube prior to working at Khosla Ventures as General Partner and then launching Bling Capital. He has backed ten+ unicorn startups with early stakes in Airtable, Lyft, Palantir, and Square among others. Ling comments, "The future of beauty will be driven by influencers and community — no longer through department stores and malls. Further, consumers will be deeply involved in product creation and working with influencers for more authentic experiences and products. Beaubble enables influencers to create world-class products with their communities, while abstracting away the complexities of creating and launching new products." Beaubble plans to use the funding to elevate the brand’s platform, increase community outreach and support its rapid growth in influencer launches and collaborations. Including two new lines with model Elsa Hosk and content creator Ellie Thumann that launched October 21st, Beaubble has at least five more partnerships and collaborations that will be announced by early 2022. "The need to displace legacy business models and channels with innovative techniques and approaches is further accentuated now. We believe Beaubble has a place in that new post-crisis world, and we are thrilled to benefit from the advice and experience of seasoned consumer investors and tech luminaries as we help bring about truly inclusive, community-driven beauty." - Jordan Lim, Co-Founder of Beaubble Contact Details OGAKI Malinda Torres mtorres@ogakidigital.com Company Website https://beaubble.com/home

November 01, 2021 09:01 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Greenland’s Prime Minister to Keynote ZESTAs COP26 Burns Supper

Morgan Marketing & Communications

Prime Minister of Greenland, Múte Bourup Egede, will be delivering the keynote address at ZESTAs COP26 Burns Supper on Monday, November 1 st hosted by SHIFT clean energy. The supper will conclude the first day of Ship ZERO hosted by ZESTAs (Zero Emissions Ship Technology Association) in Glasgow as part of the COP26 activities. It is expected that the Prime Minister will be announcing a major Greenland government initiative relating to fossil fuel use. "With the Arctic warming at a rate three times faster than the rest of the world, we are in Greenland experiencing the drastic changes first-hand “stated the Prime Minister. “The science is alarming and our collective actions must be accelerated. That is why the Government of Greenland has announced an immediate halt to all new oil and gas explorations and are putting all efforts into developing our green energy sources. We believe that Greenland can become an important partner for zero-emission shipping. We have huge untapped hydropower resources that exceed our domestic demand multiple times, which can generate cheap renewable electricity for e-fuels, and we have an infrastructure well suited for being early adapters." “Ship ZERO 0 – Charging to True Zero” is a three-day workshop including robust technical presentations from zero-emissions solutions providers, as well as finance, insurance, classification sectors and regulators. Speakers’ panels, audience Q&A, and brainstorming sessions will follow each session to facilitate collaborative solution building, as well as giving stakeholders an opportunity to examine how solutions will fit with their individual business cases. The event takes place well before COP26 transport day, which will give the team of researchers and stakeholders time to summarize the outcomes to be taken in consideration by regulators beforehand. “We are honored that Prime Minister Egede will be making such a pivotal keynote address as part of our event”, stated Madadh MacLaine, Secretary-General of ZESTAs. “His leadership will resonate around the globe as we address a zero emission future.” Highlights of the ShipZERO conference include a keynote by Peter Thomson, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Fiji to the United Nations as well as the UNSG’s Special Envoy for the Ocean on A healthy planet requires a healthy ocean, a healthy ocean requires clean shipping; Why Zero Emissions Needs Better Battery Safety Standards, delivered by Brent Perry, ZESTAs Board Chair and CEO of SHIFT; and How Financiers, Insurers and Cargo owners can enable innovation and accelerate the transition to true zero emissions from Michael Parker, Chairman of Global Shipping, Citibank and Chairman of the Poseidon Principles Association. Registration is still open, and media are welcome. Go to https://zestas.org/ship-zero/ The Zero Emissions Ship Technology Association promotes the rapid and large-scale uptake of Zero Emissions Ship Technology (ZEST). Zero emissions means zero GHG emissions at the point of use on the vessel with minimal upstream impacts. By combining zero emission technologies, it is possible to achieve zero emissions at the shipboard level faster. With today’s technologies, the shipping industry can achieve fully zero emissions now, particularly on smaller return to base vessels, as well as drastically reduce emissions on larger, ocean-going vessels with more complicated operational profiles. Contact Details Morgan Marketing & Communications Carleen Lyden Walker +1 203-260-0480 c.walker@morganmarketcomm.com Company Website https://morganmarketcomm.com/

October 29, 2021 01:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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SHOPPERS MISTAKENLY BELIEVE KOSHER IS BETTER FOR HUMAN AND ANIMAL HEALTH

Jewish Initiative For Animals

More than 40% of all food products found in U.S. supermarket aisles have kosher certification. According to the results of two national surveys released by Farm Forward, 40% of adults agreed that a kosher label guarantees an animal “was treated humanely during its life.” Three out of four Americans purchase kosher out of concern for food safety, thinking there is a higher health standard. The new survey results highlight many misbeliefs consumers have about what a kosher label means. “Virtually all kosher and non-kosher meat, poultry, dairy, and eggs come from animals raised on factory farms, yet the perception of kosher as better persists in kosher shoppers’ minds,” said Melissa Hoffman, Director of Jewish Initiative for Animals (JIFA). “This phenomenon is called kosher humanewashing.” Key Findings Consumer Expectation of Kosher Certification Kosher certifications wield significant humanewashing and healthwashing power among adults. A high percentage of Americans trust kosher to mean that a product is of superior quality, despite the fact that all animal products in grocery stores come from the same factories as conventional. Previous survey work demonstrates 79% of Americans are committed to broad anti-cruelty principles such as ensuring outdoor access. However, kosher-certified animal products often fall short of consumer expectations, including guaranteeing animals have regular access to outdoor pasture. Proof The new data confirms what JIFA has inferred from previous research that shows people think kosher food is inherently better, whether that’s from a perspective of food safety, health, or overall quality. Consumers extend this belief to the way farmed animals are bred and raised. The two identical online surveys, conducted by Survey USA August 4-9, asked people about their purchasing behaviors and understanding of kosher labels on animal products. The general population survey size was 1,500 adults, while the Jewish-specific survey had 500 Jewish adult respondents. Get Involved More than 200 Jewish leaders are responding to this issue by urging communities to adopt better food practices. Join the effort by sharing the leaders’ pledge on JIFA’s website jewishinitiativeforanimals.com/kosher. About JIFA The Jewish Initiative for Animals (JIFA) supports innovative programs to turn the Jewish value of compassion for animals into action while building ethical and sustainable Jewish American communities in the process. JIFA is an initiative of Farm Forward. Contact Details Susan Peters +1 708-759-7175 susan@effectpartners.com

October 29, 2021 07:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Spiceology Lands on Shelves at Ace Hardware, Making Ace The Helpful FLAVOR Place

Spiceology

Spiceology Inc., the fastest growing spice company in America, has announced a partnership with Ace Hardware that enables Ace retailers to carry the leading spice company’s innovative signature blends and collaboration products, further bolstering the nationwide retailer's reputation as a flavor and grilling destination. The entire 23 item Spiceology planogram can now be ordered through the Ace Retail Service Center. In the first 30 days, over 400 franchises stocked their shelves with Spiceology. In the last five years, Ace has seen a 36% growth in BBQ, and expects to see this trend continue. The addition of Spiceology is another step toward being a trusted resource for every type of griller and home cook. “At Ace, we consider ourselves an important part of each of our local communities, and we want to provide our customers with everything they need to make their homes a better place,” said Paige Roszkowski, BBQ Fuel & Accessories Associate Merchant. “We are not just a hardware store anymore, and we’ve reworked our focus internally to give growing sections of the business the deserved attention, including our grilling sections. We’ve seen immense growth in the BBQ space, and we’re excited to have Spiceology on our shelves, showing that premium quality blends should be a staple in everyone’s household.” According to Ace CMO Kim Lefko, in 2020, Ace attracted younger shoppers, more new home buyers, and more women than ever before. And while Ace carries other grilling spice blends, the addition of Spiceology’s diverse and easy-to-use blends highlights the company’s expansion from the grill to the kitchen. As a premium spice and flavor company, Spiceology’s products are made with Grade A ingredients and are ultra-versatile for whatever you are grilling, cooking or creating. Spiceology’s flavor experts develop innovative and easy-to-use blends and recipes, empowering Ace customers to go from home cook to home chef with just a few tablespoons. “We’re changing the way people eat and experience flavor,” said Maria Emmer-Aanes, Vice President of Retail and Grocery at Spiceology. “We admire Ace’s connection to the community, and we are excited to have our products available for their customers, showing just how important it is to have high-quality ingredients in your home to experiment with flavor. Just as Ace stores are a one-stop shop for a growing and more diverse clientele, our ultra-versatile spice blends can be the new go-tos customers reach for in the kitchen and around the grill.” Spiceology - AceNet Direct (Vendor #56309). ABOUT SPICEOLOGY Founded in 2013, Spiceology is the fastest-growing spice company in America and is on a mission to bring the magic back to spices, the world’s first currency. The chef-owned and operated, one-stop spice shop develops innovative blends and offers over 400 ingredients that are ground fresh in small-batches and shipped fresh to consumers and chefs. Spiceology’s “experiment with flavor” ethos is not only embraced through excellent ingredients and unique combinations, but also through responsible business practices designed to create a better world with diversity, equity and inclusion at the heart of the workforce. Spiceology products can be found on spiceology.com, in specialty retailers and grocers, in restaurants around the US, and as far away as Australia and Dubai. Visit spiceology.com for more information or to place an order, or follow Spiceology on Facebook and Instagram. For recipe inspiration, visit here. ABOUT ACE HARDWARE Ace Hardware is the largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative in the world with more than 5,200 locally owned and operated hardware stores in approximately 70 countries. Headquartered in Oak Brook, Ill., Ace and its subsidiaries operate an expansive network of distribution centers in the U.S. and have distribution capabilities in Ningbo, China; Colon, Panama; and Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Since 1924, Ace has become a part of local communities around the world and known as the place with the helpful hardware folks. For more information, visit acehardware.com or newsroom.acehardware.com. Contact Details Cassidy Levine +1 908-770-7880 cassidy@spiceology.com Company Website https://spiceology.com/

October 28, 2021 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Love, Bonito raises US$50MILLION in Series C funding to fuel category and international expansion

Love, Bonito

Southeast Asia’s largest omnichannel womenswear brand has its eyes set on evolving into a purpose-driven female ecosystem that supports Asian women around the world at every life stage Fundraising round led by Primavera Capital Group with participation from Adastria and Ondine Capital The funds will be used to bolster efforts in existing omnichannel markets and accelerate high growth international markets including Hong Kong, Japan, Philippines and the United States (US) SINGAPORE - Media OutReach - 27 October 2021 - Love, Bonito today announced the close of its Series C funding round, raising a total of US$50Million. The round was led by Primavera Capital Group, a global investment firm whose previous investments include Alibaba, ByteDance, Yum China and Mead Johnson China. Adastria and Ondine Capital participated in the round too. Love, Bonito’s current investors include Openspace Ventures and Kakaku.com. Proceeds from the fundraising will enable the brand to bolster efforts in existing omnichannel markets and supercharge international expansion in markets that collectively are experiencing triple digits year-on-year (YoY) growth. These key markets include Hong Kong, Japan, Philippines and the US. Furthermore, the company is exploring categories outside of fashion as part of its plan to create a female ecosystem. (Above: Love, Bonito Senior Leadership Team) Supercharging International Expansion Since its launch in 2010, Love, Bonito has achieved impressive growth, expanding into 10 key markets which include those in Southeast Asia, namely Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Cambodia, and East Asia markets, namely Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan as well as Australia and the US. To date, Love, Bonito has achieved overall growth of over 120 per cent YoY in international markets, and overall growth of 208 per cent for its online sales. The company believes the Asian diaspora communities have extremely high potential, especially in the US, where online revenue growth exceeded 1,200 per cent YoY as of September 2021. With the latest funding, the brand will double down efforts within markets such as Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia that have omni-channel presence, while other markets such as Hong Kong, Japan, Philippines and the US will see an expansion in omni-channels, new business verticals, strengthening of local community engagement and key collaborations, as well as the continuous optimisation of user experiences. “I am more excited than ever for what is to come in the next decade,” said Rachel Lim, Co-Founder of Love, Bonito. “The growth we see today would not have happened without #TeamLB and our #LBCommunity who consistently strive to support women in the different seasons of their lives. Being in the business of women has been our mission since day one, and we are finally venturing outside of fashion to bolster our offerings.” Business of Women vs Business of Fashion In line with the brand’s mission to empower the everyday Asian woman, plans are in place to increase offerings within the fashion line to include active apparel and accessories. The brand is also looking to venture into a content platform (LiBrary) as well as exploration into new categories (LaB) which will include wellness. The category and product expansion strategy is informed and driven by data and community feedback garnered from several platforms, including the brand’s soon-to-be-launched artificial intelligence that delivers personalisation at scale for women globally, through data and machine-learning models. Other existing platforms that contribute to the insights and knowledge gathering include: LBCommunity+: Love, Bonito’s loyalty programme that provides customers an all-access community and rewards experience LBCreate: Love, Bonito’s social impact programme with the mission to bring women’s issues to the forefront and create actionable steps for the future "We have built a strong foundation in understanding the everyday Asian woman in order to be pre-emptive in catering to her needs,” said Dione Song, CEO of Love, Bonito. “We are primed to become a true life partner for our community of women, in and beyond fashion. We have yet to see a womenswear brand from the region stand proud on the world stage amongst industry heavyweights and we want to be the first brand to achieve that, by being purpose-driven, community-focused and innovative. “We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to our existing and new investors who bring deep consumer investment experience and recognise the potential of the Asian consumer, both within and outside of the region,” added Dione. Lead investor Primavera provided a statement: “Love, Bonito has proven itself to be a one-of-a-kind, purpose-driven brand for women across all life-stages. Consumers are drawn by what the brand stands for and its mission to empower women around the world. Primavera is deeply impressed by how much the team has achieved over the last decade and looks forward to tapping into our understanding and experience in the global consumer sector to help elevate Love, Bonito to the next level. We are thrilled to join Dione and the rest of the team on this path-breaking journey.” Love, Bonito’s first external institutional investor, Openspace said: “From day one, we believed in what the brand could achieve as a business led by women, for women. We are thrilled to now work alongside esteemed investors like Primavera to help write the brand’s next chapter.” Series B lead investor Kakaku.com added: “We are delighted to be on the global stage with Love, Bonito, and will continue to support the brand’s data and tech strategies, especially on their entry into the Japanese market.” In the next phase of its growth, Love, Bonito aims to shake up the fashion industry by creating a more meaningful impact on its community across all life stages. The brand is setting its sights on creating a thoughtful and well-rounded female ecosystem, supporting different facets of women’s needs within Asian countries and reaching further into the Asian diaspora communities across the globe. About Love, Bonito Designing for the key moments and milestones of a woman’s life, Love, Bonito’s comprehensive assortment features stylish and comfortable pieces for the modern Asian woman at home, work and play. Love, Bonito is the largest vertically integrated, omni-channel women’s fashion brand in the region today. We remain committed to relationship building and nurturance, imbuing soul into innovation with thoughtful design and dedicated community outreach. For more information, please visit https://www.lovebonito.com/sg/about-us Contact Details Ogilvy Ada Tong +65 9297 0748 ada.tong@ogilvy.com Love, Bonito Jacqueline Lui +65 9068 4123 jacqueline.lui@lovebonito.com

October 27, 2021 07:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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