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Midweek greetings to all, as we unveil the 249th chapter of Weekly Olio—a delightful concoction of laughter, insight, and a sprinkle of mystery. Within these pages, you'll discover a handpicked selection of fascinating finds from the vast realms of the internet.
Keep your eyes peeled for this week’s Publisher’s Parmesan, arriving this Sunday!
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The Quote 💭
“It is not the young man who misses the days he does not know. It is the living who bear the pain of those missed days.”
The Tweet 🐦
Did you know that more than 50% of the US backpack market has cornered by one company: VF Corporation? What followed is the inevitable decline in product quality and customer satisfaction over time. Interesting thread!
The Infographic 💹
China’s leadership mapped out - the leadership structure radiates outwards from Xi Jinping - who assumes the role of the ‘Core Leader’.
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The Short Read 📝
Leaf to life - by The Telegraph
This pieces traces the journey of tea from an ancient medicinal herb to a global commodity that has shaped empires, fuelled revolutions, and pioneered modern corporate structures. Despite its universal appeal as a daily habit, the traditional tea industry is surprisingly, broken, plagued by stagnant prices, rising costs, and climate volatility.
To survive, the industry must evolve beyond the rigid colonial estate model. The author suggests blending tea with Ayurvedic botanicals to meet modern wellness demands, transforming it into an accessible health elixir. Furthermore, estates should transition into multi-use landscapes—adopting revenue-sharing models with smallholders, engaging in commercial forestry, and supporting eco-tourism. By reimagining tea estates as ecological infrastructure rather than monocrop factories, the industry can secure a sustainable, resilient future. Read more…
The Long Read 📜
China shock 2.0: the flood of high-tech goods that will change the world - by Financial Times
The article explores the "China shock 2.0," a phenomenon where China’s relentless domestic competition, immense scale, and heavy state subsidies are driving a surge of high-end, low-cost exports. This intense domestic rivalry—termed neijuan (involution)—forces companies to continuously slash prices and automate to survive, virtually eliminating profit margins.
While this dynamic produces globally dominant champions in sectors like electric vehicles, solar panels, and robotics, it also creates massive overcapacity. To survive, these companies flood international markets with cheap goods, threatening advanced manufacturing in Europe and elsewhere. Aided by an undervalued currency and local government incentives prioritizing production over profitability, this structural imbalance shows no signs of abating. Consequently, foreign competitors are forced to adapt to China's ruthless pricing or risk being decimated by the unstoppable export wave. In addition to this article, FT has a series of a 4 articles dissecting the impact of China’s trade surplus on the world. Worth reading all. Read more…
How Intrepid hit record profits without dropping its principles
29% revenue growth. Record profits. And a company willing to say what didn't go to plan. Intrepid's 2025 Integrated Annual Report shows how purpose and profitability scaled together, and what it's targeting next on the path to $1bn.
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We’ll be back in your inbox 2 PM IST next Wednesday. Till then, have a productive week!
Disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to the author's employer, organization, committee or other group or individual.