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Theresa Burnley, 65, launched protein-bite brand Circ in 2023 while still running her baked-goods manufacturing company, Wiley Road Foods, before leaving that business at the end of 2024 to focus on Circ full-time. The company now sells six flavors and generated roughly $2 million in revenue last year, with distribution across more than 13,000 retail locations including Starbucks and Walmart.
Companies from Starbucks to Cloetta and Dutch Bros are launching products engineered around texture, not just taste, according to market researchers and food scientists. Examples include Starbucks' air-whipped Aerocano, Trolli's chewy frozen gummies, and popping juice balls at Dutch Bros, alongside global trends like stretchy Chinese yogurt and Parisian crookies blending croissant and cookie textures.
A new Japanese book, 'Building a library like a city,' documents how public libraries in Japan are shedding their old reputation as dull spaces and becoming central gathering points for local communities. The trend traces back to 2013, when bookstore chain Tsutaya opened an unconventional public library in Takeo, Kyushu, combining a Starbucks, a retail bookstore, and stationery goods alongside the usual lending services. The redesigned library drew visitors from far beyond the neighborhood and gradually reshaped civic life in the small city.
Cory Edwards, a Starbucks manager who coaches Little League in Henderson, Nevada, gave his team an unscripted pep talk while trailing 11-2 in the World Series final, telling them to hold their heads high and get tougher under pressure. ESPN's clip of the moment spread widely online, and Edwards later told The New York Times the message was really about character, not the scoreboard.
DoorDash consumer trend data indicates pumpkin spice lattes may be past their peak popularity, with pecan orders up 28% year over year. Major chains including Starbucks, Dunkin', McDonald's, Chick-fil-A, Wendy's and Dairy Queen have responded by rolling out fall drinks built around pecan, banana, tiramisu, apple, marshmallow and s'mores flavors, with McDonald's skipping pumpkin entirely this season.
Starbucks has launched its fall 2026 menu, and while the Pumpkin Spice Latte returns as always, the chain is introducing six additional seasonal beverages. Among the new additions are a banana bread-inspired drink and the 'Chaider,' a chai-cider hybrid creation.
Google Play awards points for purchases like apps, in-app purchases, movies, books, and eligible subscriptions, but many users never spend them. Those points can be exchanged for gift cards from retailers including Amazon, Starbucks, Best Buy, DoorDash, Walmart, Target, and Uber, priced at $5 for 750 points, $10 for 1,500, and $20 for 3,000. Unused points expire 12 months after the last account activity, with that window resetting each time points are earned or spent.