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Lidl revolutionises the mobile phone market with discounted tariff plans


The chain intends to expand beyond Germany, Austria and Switzerland, offering a service that could be available in up to 30 countries... The chain told the Financial Times it plans to expand beyond Germany, Austria and Switzerland with a mobile service that could be available in up to 30 countries in the future, including the UK, US, France and Spain. Lidl did not specify which markets it intends to target first... As part of the deal, Schwarz Group will also acquire a 9.9% stake in 1GLOBAL, a company that holds telecommunications licences and partnerships in 12 countries. The mobile initiative is a further step in Schwarz's efforts to build a broader digital ecosystem alongside its 14,000 Lidl and Kaufland shops. Through its Schwarz Digits division, thegroup has already become a fast-growing European provider of cloud computing and cybersecurity services , as well as an investor in artificial intelligence startups... Financial Times Lidl continues on its path to becoming a brand (and in Italy focuses on non-food fruit and vegetables and technology)

AIFruit and vegetablesLidlNon-food
 

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Green Pea in Turin, after Fico another flop for Oscar Farinetti


Green Pea, the eco-dream in the Lingotto area of Turin opened in 2020 by Oscar Farinetti as a manifesto of an ethical capitalism inspired by the new environmentalist movements, 15 thousand square metres with a swimming pool on the roof, no longer has a shop open and is being converted for use as offices and events. After Fico Eataly World, which in six years had accumulated about 28 million in losses, another experiment decidedly gone wrong for Oscar Farinetti: Green Pea' s balance sheet was immediately in the red, without ever reaching profitability, a script already seen. Even Eataly, a global brand with prices that were anything but cheap, had lost around EUR 100 million between 2020 and 2022, so much so that new capital had to be brought in and the majority stake sold to Bonomi's Ivestindustrial.... Source

Eataly
 

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The Plant Based sector in Europe is worth EUR 16.3 billion, growing at an annual rate of 5.1% between 2024 and 2025


Despite this, the segment still only accounts for 2.4% of total sales, signalling a gap between consumer interest and real market impact. Driving the sector are mainly nuts and seeds, which account for 45% of sales, followed by dairy alternatives (21%) and ready meals (15%). More contained is the weight of alternatives to meat and fish, standing at 4%.

FishFruit and vegetablesMeat
 

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Unilever acquires the vitamin gummy candy brand Grüns


The group expands its wellness division in the wake of the supplement boom after agreeing the sale of the food division... Grüns is the latest brand to join Unilever's wellness division, which has been growing rapidly thanks to a surge in demand for vitamins and supplements since the Covid-19 pandemic. Over the past decade, soap manufacturer Dove has embarked on a series of acquisitions in the wellness sector. It has taken over brands such as the moisturising sachets Liquid IV, the hair growth supplement Nutrafol and the vitamin manufacturers Olly and SmartyPants. In 2025, sales of the wellness division, which now includes eight brands, grew by double digits, driven by Nutrafol and Liquid IV. Since Unilever acquired these brands, Liquid IV sales have increased sevenfold and Nutrafol sales threefold... After the food deal, the beauty, wellness and personal care sectors, including brands such as Dove and Vaseline, will account for 67% of the group's sales, up from 51% in 2025. Founded in 2023, Grüns produces vegetable-based gummy candies containing fruit and vegetable powder, vitamins and fibre, designed to be consumed daily to increase nutrient intake. The company said last year that it generated $300 million in annual recurring revenues within two years of its founding, growth that will now accelerate thanks to Unilever's global distribution network. Among Grüns' major distributors, besides its own site, are Amazon, Target, Walmart, Costco, Sam's Club, and Sprouts.

AmazonUnileverWalmart
 

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Amazon’s artificial intelligence services in its cloud computing unit are generating annual sales of more than $15 billion


This figure, based on first quarter results, represents about 10% of Amazon Web Services' annual revenue of $142 billion, and comes after years of anticipation from investors and analysts... Like its competitors, Amazon is under pressure to prove that its spending on artificial intelligence will pay off. The company has forecast $200 billion in capital expenditures this year, mainly for AI, a figure that has spooked investors and fuelled fears of a speculative bubble in the sector.

AIAmazon
 

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Why Unilever sold its food business


Unilever had already sold Algida ice creams. Now it has sold the rest of the food business for EUR 13.6 billion. It did this not so much because of the margins, which - in 2025 - are on a par with those of the personal care sector, but because the food sector is the least growing within the company's portfolio

Unilever