A major retailer has clarified how much Kona coffee is in a line of California-made, cold-brew coffee beverages that drew a complaint from a Kona coffee farmer association last month.
Costco has indicated on price tags that the drinks made by KonaRed Corp. contain 10 percent Kona coffee.
The Kona Coffee Farmers Association complained to the state Department of Agriculture that KonaRed product labeling suggests that at least half the coffee in its “Kona blend” drinks is from Kona.
A KonaRed official previously responded that the company was adjusting its labels but would not say how much Kona coffee was in the product.
GE to shrink business, cuts dividened
NEW YORK >> General Electric slashed its dividend in half and will attempt to vastly narrow its focus to three key sectors — aviation, health care and energy — as the conglomerate with early ties to Thomas Edison considers shedding even its historic lighting business. The company also pulled back on profit expectations Monday, and its shares slumped 7.2 percent, their biggest one-day loss since the financial crisis was roiling the stock market in early 2009.
Venezuela’s financial recovery uncertain
CARACAS, Venezuela >> Cash-strapped Venezuela is launching into a discussion Monday with foreign investors about rescuing itself from crushing debt incurred during better times for the oil-rich country. Investors eager to be paid back, however, worry that confusion clouds the meeting. It’s nearly impossible for Americans to enter Venezuela on short notice, the government has provided them with no blueprint as a starting point and officials heading the talks have been sanctioned by the Trump administration.
Puerto Rico seeks $94B in federal aid
WASHINGTON >> Puerto Rico’s governor is asking the federal government for $94.4 billion as the island struggles to recover from the damage inflicted by Hurricane Maria, with much of the island without power and thousands of U.S. citizens still homeless. Ricardo Rossello also urged Congress on Monday to adopt a tax overhaul plan that addresses the territory’s specific needs to avoid an exodus of the companies that currently generate 42 percent of the island’s gross domestic product.
China’s industrial output slows to 6.2%
China’s economic expansion dialed back a notch as factory output, investment and retail sales all decelerated.
Industrial output rose 6.2 percent from a year earlier in October, versus a median projection of 6.3 percent and September’s 6.6 percent
Retail sales expanded 10 percent from a year earlier, versus an estimated 10.5 percent and 10.3 percent the prior month.
Fixed-asset investment excluding rural households rose 7.3 percent in the first 10 months of the year over the same period in 2016, matching economists’ forecasts.
China has signaled increasing focus on the quality of economic expansion rather than the pace of it at the twice-a-decade Party Congress last month, which means further stimulus is unlikely. Stringent air pollution curbs have also hit factory production, and a slowdown in credit could weigh on the economy in the fourth quarter. Still, the world’s second-largest economy is on track for its first full-year acceleration in seven years.
ON THE MOVE
‘Ekahi Health, a member of the ‘ike family of companies, has hired the following new team members:
>> Marymay Hardy is its new group support facilitator. Prior to joining ‘Ekahi Health, she served as director of quality assurance and training at Hawaii Behavior Health. Hardy also has extensive experience in counseling parents, children and families.
>> Melissa Guzman is its new registered dietitian. Guzman previously served as a registered dietitian for the National Kidney Foundation of Hawaii.
