Billionaire family fancies coffee and Krispy Kreme doughnuts for a mere $1.3bn


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The investment firm for Austria’s billionaire Reimann family has agreed to buy Krispy Kreme Doughnuts for about US$1.35 billion, adding the doughnut chain to a coffee empire that already includes Keurig Green Mountain and Peet’s Coffee & Tea.

The firm, JAB, will pay Krispy Kreme investors $21 a share in cash, the North Carolina-based company said. That represents a 25 per cent premium over the stock’s closing price on Friday.

The deal brings a sweet edge to JAB’s sprawling coffee enterprise. The closely held JAB has spent more than $30bn in the past four years acquiring coffee companies in the United States and Europe to challenge the global leader Nestlé.

“They’ve been slowly amassing a pretty big umbrella of breakfast and coffee-oriented brands, and so Krispy Kreme slides underneath that umbrella pretty easily,” said Will Slabaugh, an analyst at Stephens.

Krispy Kreme gained fame with its yeast-raised, glazed doughnuts, and only made a major move into java in recent years as its pastries fell out of favour. The chain introduced a new line of coffee blends in 2011, and it gradually added espresso-based drinks to the menu too. That push – which also included promotions and redecorating some of its locations – brought it into more direct competition with Starbucks.

The increased competition from its smaller rival hadn’t made a dent in Starbucks business. The company’s sales climbed about 17 per cent last year, helped by new food offerings and its expanding loyalty programme.

That could change, though, with Krispy Kreme now having a wealthier backer with a cadre of high-end coffee brands at its disposal.

“The biggest opportunity near term would be to put some of their coffee brands they already own – which are world class – into Krispy Kreme stores, and I think it would be a pretty nice sales lift immediately,” Mr Slabaugh said.

JAB is buying Krispy Kreme through its JAB Beech subsidiary, which has BDT Capital Partners as a minority investor. After the transaction closes, Krispy Kreme will be privately owned.

Krispy Kreme shares rose 24 per cent to $20.85 in early trading in New York. The stock already had risen 12 per cent this year through last week.

The deal, which has no financing conditions, is expected to close in the third quarter.

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Chef Nobu's advice for eating sushi

“One mistake people always make is adding extra wasabi. There is no need for this, because it should already be there between the rice and the fish.
“When eating nigiri, you must dip the fish – not the rice – in soy sauce, otherwise the rice will collapse. Also, don’t use too much soy sauce or it will make you thirsty. For sushi rolls, dip a little of the rice-covered roll lightly in soy sauce and eat in one bite.
“Chopsticks are acceptable, but really, I recommend using your fingers for sushi. Do use chopsticks for sashimi, though.
“The ginger should be eaten separately as a palette cleanser and used to clear the mouth when switching between different pieces of fish.”

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Florida: The critical Sunshine State

Though mostly conservative, Florida is usually always “close” in presidential elections. In most elections, the candidate that wins the Sunshine State almost always wins the election, as evidenced in 2016 when Trump took Florida, a state which has not had a democratic governor since 1991. 

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Uefa Champions League, semi-final result:

Liverpool 4-0 Barcelona

Liverpool win 4-3 on aggregate

Champions Legaue final: June 1, Madrid

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The specs
Engine: 2.5-litre, turbocharged 5-cylinder

Transmission: seven-speed auto

Power: 400hp

Torque: 500Nm

Price: Dh300,000 (estimate)

On sale: 2022 

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Global state-owned investor ranking by size

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3.

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4.

Japan

5

Norway

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Canada

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Australia

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Saudi Arabia

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Company name: SimpliFi

Started: August 2021

Founder: Ali Sattar

Based: UAE

Industry: Finance, technology

Investors: 4DX, Rally Cap, Raed, Global Founders, Sukna and individuals

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Drivers in Abu Dhabi spend 10 per cent longer in congested conditions than they would on a free-flowing road

The highest volume of traffic on the roads is found between 7am and 8am on a Sunday.

Travelling before 7am on a Sunday could save up to four hours per year on a 30-minute commute.

The day was the least congestion in Abu Dhabi in 2019 was Tuesday, August 13.

The highest levels of traffic were found on Sunday, November 10.

Drivers in Abu Dhabi lost 41 hours spent in traffic jams in rush hour during 2019

 

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Price, base / as tested Dh274,000 (estimate)

Engine 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder

Gearbox  Nine-speed automatic

Power 245hp @ 4,200rpm

Torque 500Nm @ 1,600rpm

Fuel economy, combined 6.4L / 100km

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Engine 3.0L V6

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Fuel economy, combined 9.1L / 100km

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Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo

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On sale: now

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Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo

Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed

Power: 271 and 409 horsepower

Torque: 385 and 650Nm

Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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We set sail on a giant ferry whose length dwarfs the dinghies migrants use by nearly a 100 times. Despite the windy rain lashing at the portholes, we arrive safely in Dover; grateful but acutely aware of the miserable conditions the people we’ve left behind are in and of the privilege of choice.