By Ian Sherr

This year’s All Things Organic conference and expo showcased necessity as the mother of invention. Slumping sales and a weak economy have forced the industry to innovate just to hold onto customers.

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By Ian Sherr

CHICAGO (Reuters) – U.S. hotel occupancy rates likely fell for a 19th straight month in May, industry data suggests, a sign that hotels are struggling amid the economic recession.

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By Ian Sherr

There’s a point in every Star Wars film when the good guy inevitably turns to his buddies and says, “I’ve got a bad feeling about this,” right before all the big explosions begin.

One can only imagine that is what Nescafe was thinking when they saw Starbucks’ VIA instant coffee mix arrive in Chicago, Seattle and London. After all, Nescafe is nearly synonymous with instant coffee.

So, what is Starbucks thinking?

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By Ian Sherr

CHICAGO, June 2 (Reuters) – A U.S. bankruptcy judge has granted approval on Tuesday for Hartmarx Corp (HTMXQ.PK) to sell itself to private equity firm Emerisque and SKNL North America, paving the way for the sale of the apparel retailer.

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By Ian Sherr

A new survey by the National Retail Federation found that consumers are planning to spend significantly less on Father’s Day than they did last year.

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