Like many in the fireworks industry, Steven Vitale is a family business. He runs his fifth generation company, Pyrotechnico, in Newcastle, Pennsylvania. In October, Kimbal Musk made a surprise partnership with Nova Sky Stories, the drone company he acquired from Intel.
There are an increasing number of cases where drones are used to decorate entertainment shows that fly in the sky. From the 2020 Tokyo Olympics to the coronation of Charles III this spring, swarms of flying robots have created magical illusions everywhere. And the global drone light show market, which was virtually non-existent a decade ago, is valued at nearly $1 billion in 2021. According to Allied Market Research.
Drone Show is, in some ways, a newer, fancier fireworks brand. It’s also quieter, safer and better for the environment.
Fireworks businesses like Vitale will either invest in the expensive equipment and regulatory approvals required to get into the drone business, or believe that demand for fireworks will remain stable even as new types of competition surge. , is forced to make a difficult decision.
Change is coming. Fireworks vendors bring in most of their revenue around Independence Day. And some organizers of these events are moving to drones.places like salt lake city and Boulder, Colorado.will replace fireworks at this year’s Fourth of July celebrations, citing a reduced risk of forest fires and environmental pollution.
However, not everyone is convinced that light shows are a good enough alternative. Galveston, Texas is back to fireworks After using drones in 2022. reddit page On the shortcomings of drone shows, we lament the fact that drones don’t evoke a boom like fireworks.
“Drones are much more sophisticated,” says Chris Hopkins, co-owner of Celebration Fireworks and Star Flight Drone Show. “They don’t have the same instinctive response.”
A pivot is a big investment. Hopkins invested in drones last year, hoping to capitalize on the creative freedom they offer. “Previously, I could have hinted at the Demogorgon,” he told Dealbook, referring to the monster from Netflix’s Stranger Things. “Now you can get the Demogorgon.”
This was a big bet. Drones cost him over $1,500 apiece, and he quickly learned that a good show needed at least $75. Then there was the tedious task of filling out a nearly 200-page application with the Federal Aviation Administration for regulatory approval and investigation. People skilled in operating equipment.
Some companies are particular about fireworks. “I know some companies do that, and I think our philosophy is that we do what we do best,” said Heather of Oregon’s fourth-generation fireworks company, Western Display. Govett told Dealbook.
Mr. Govett, who bought the business from his parents about eight years ago, decided that paying for the expertise, certifications and fees to acquire a drone was prohibitive. Instead, it plans to partner with a company that offers drone shows at the request of customers.
In addition, she has other issues to worry about. The industry grapples with supply chain disruptions, labor shortages, an aging pyrotechnics professional and high compliance costs.
Industry harmony is expected. Drones can be used for advertising in ways that fireworks cannot. For example, displaying a company logo above a busy road. many shows democratic celebration The 2020 presidential election results feature both drones and fireworks.
But increased competition is opening up opportunities, said Rick Boss, who runs Sky Elements, a three-year-old drone show company. While the big traditional pyrotechnics companies are trying to expand their business or enter new areas such as drones, the smaller ones are struggling.
“Some companies are shrinking and others are exiting, so that creates an opportunity,” he said. “It’s a good time to be aggressive.” — Lauren Hirsch
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The Supreme Court enters an important week. The court made a series of important decisions. Disabled affirmative action in college. He supported a company that refused to serve same-sex couples despite state laws prohibiting discrimination against them. It rejected Biden’s proposal to cancel at least some student loans and impose new limits on presidential powers.
Winning the weekend. Consumer spending shifted as people’s schedules changed during the pandemic from weekdays to weekends, according to The Economist. Why: Fewer workers are going to the office or going out after work, and many restaurants, bars and clubs are permanently closed during the lockdown.
Endless Aperol Spritz Summer
For many Americans, a summer weekend means going outdoors with a cold drink. Beer is a typical choice, but volume-based sales are declining. What became more dominant? An Italian cocktail called Aperol Spritz for many.
With its signature bright orange hue and slightly bitter taste, this drink has outlasted countless rivals during summers and pandemic lockdowns for over a decade. Its enduring success is a testament to how clever marketing and deft navigating trends turned the obscure Italian aperitif into a staple for urban millennials.
A guide to Aperol. Born in 1919, the beverage was largely confined to northern Italy until 2003, when the Campari Group acquired Aperol and began an elaborate marketing campaign. The company quickly turned to spritz—a simple cocktail made with an easy-to-remember recipe of 3 sparkling wines, 2 aperols and 1 club soda—as a way to do just that.
These efforts have paid off considerably for Campari. Aperol accounted for 21% of the company’s €2.7 billion ($2.9 billion) sales last year, growing 28% globally and nearly 50% in the US alone.
Experts cite several factors for its successbeyond wall-to-wall marketing:
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The rise of low-alcohol cocktails. After decades of what Spiros Malandrakis of research firm Euromonitor calls “high-energy” outing drinking (or shots), Aperol is a relatively light alcohol at 11 percent by volume.
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Easy to make. “It’s a very forgiving cocktail, even for home bartenders,” says Julie Reiner, co-owner of New York cocktail bars Milady’s and Leyenda.
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Aperol original appeal on social media. “Orange shades look great in your Instagram feed,” Malandrakis said. And its relevance to European attraction is reinforced by things like its prominence. HBO’s “The White Lotus”.
Aperol’s success stands out in the fashion-driven cocktail industry. Remember when hard seltzer like White Claw was all the rage? Or what made Dirty Shirley a must-have last summer? The flavor of these concoctions may have faded, but Aperol’s appeal remains. Campari said sales in the first quarter were up 33% year-over-year.
This led to a surge in sales of bitters more generally. The category sold 487.8 million liters worth last year, up 30% from 2012, according to Euromonitor.
Thanks to the popularity of the Aperol Spritz, cocktails of all kinds (many of which follow the original drink blueprint but have been substituted with other ingredients) have turned into bar staples.
“Spritz is a must on any brunch menu,” Reiner says. “The category is only growing because people like it.” I made two cocktails, an arrangement of Aperol Spritz.
Aperol is likely to have legs for a while. “I don’t think this situation will work out for at least three to five years,” Marandrakis said, but eventually his tastes would change.
Campari continues to have high hopes for its bestsellers. “We are just the beginning of a very long runway for Aperol,” CEO Robert Kunze Kontsewitz told analysts in February.
Which barbecue ingredients are inflated?
Ingredients for Fourth of July cookouts are getting expensive this year. Inflation is down from a high of about 9% in 2022, but prices remain high. Prices for popular grilled dishes are on average about 31% higher than they were four years ago, according to Rabobank’s BBQ Index market report. Research Unit, Lab Research. However, he has one exception. Which of the following items are priced similarly to 2020?
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Ground beef
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burger buns
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lettuce
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Crisps
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Beer
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tomato
Find the answer below.
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Please let us know what you think. Please email your comments and suggestions to dealbook@nytimes.com.
Quiz answers: It’s a tomato. Almuhanad Melhim, a fresh produce analyst at Rabo Research, said the U.S. market has seen a surge in imports of tomatoes, especially those from Mexico. That’s what drove the price down.
Which item has the highest price? Prices of hamburger buns have soared due to soaring wheat prices after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and prices have remained high.
