October 21, 2025

  • Amazon Web Services are back online after a major outage causes global business repercussions thoughout Monday, Oct. 20. The outage is estimated to have potentially caused hundreds of billions of dollars in damages (via CNN Business).
  • Dollar General is seeing an increase in grocery spend, according to Placer.ai data. “Location analytics reveal that Dollar General’s growth has been fueled largely by its dominance in short visits – in-and-out trips lasting less than 10 minutes for essentials like milk, bread, eggs, or snacks,” noted Placer.ai’s content manager Lila Margalit (via Chain Store Age).
  • Coca-Cola beat Wall Street expectations surrounding its Q3 business, with resilient demand for its zero-sugar beverages and smaller pack sizes driving sales strength. Based on the beats, Coca-Cola maintained its annual sales and profit targets, despite a challenging macroeconomic environment (via Reuters).
  • Nike CEO Elliott Hill recently outlined a strategy zeroed in on innovation, sport, and perhaps most importantly, rebuilding trust with consumers. “My first day on the job, my slide said two things: we’re a sport company, and we’re a growth company. When we grow sport, we grow the overall marketplace. And when that happens, I like our chances of growing” Hill told the media (via CNBC).
  • Unilever has delayed the planned spin-off of its famous Magnum Ice Cream unit as a result of the U.S. government shutdown. The SEC is currently unable to declare effective the registration statement required for shares of The Magnum Ice Cream Company to be listed and traded on the NYSE (via Reuters).
  • General Mills celebrated the 60th anniversary of one of its most famous mascots, the Pillsbury Doughboy, via a foray into the metaverse. “Inviting fans to experience the warmth of his home for the first time felt like the perfect way to celebrate this milestone birthday. Through an immersive experience and limited-edition Pillsbury collectibles, we’re giving people new ways to connect with the Doughboy and bring a touch of his delight and charm into their everyday lives,” said Michelle Odland, VP and business unit Director, Pillsbury (via Chain Store Age).