Brands/Products
Smartcool Thrills Residential Air Conditioning Market with ECOhome
By Dipo Olowookere
Canadian firm, Smartcool Systems, has announced the release of a new product, the ECOhome, which will focus on the lucrative residential air conditioning market.
Smartcool’s proprietary control algorithm technology has delivered proven energy efficiencies and savings to some of the world’s best known brands over many years including McDonalds, Burger King, Dell Computers, Tesco, General Electric, Hilton, Radisson, Mercedes Benz, Jaguar Motorcars, United Utilities, Telefonica, Emcor, and SSE.
Commenting on the new product, CEO of Smartcool, Mr Ted Konyi, disclosed that, “The company has built a pedigree of delivering meaningful energy savings at over 30,000 installations around the world, in some of the most challenging environmental conditions, to large commercial and industrial clients.
“We now feel the time is right to continue to expand our mission of bringing energy savings, environmental responsibility and carbon emission reductions to our planet by entering the largest and most exciting sector – the residential market.”
“The residential market in the U.S. alone is massive, with about 100 million residences with A/C and heat pump systems,” Mr Konyi continued.
Meanwhile, Mr Don Iannucci has been appointed VP Business Development – Residential, and will lead the division that will introduce our new ECOhome product to the residential market.
Mr Iannucci’s career encompasses being a founder and senior executive of companies involved in data mining and information management software, telephony, Internet, cable, on- demand television, investment banking, and the consolidation of companies involved in providing heavy civil construction and oilfield services.
Don’s marketing experience includes his co-founding of Novus Communications which built a fibre optic network of over 40,000 route miles — providing carrier transport, video and high-speed Internet services and marketing those services to business and residential customers.
Don was central to the company’s marketing and acquisition activities and to several rounds of private equity and debt financing. Don has worked for some of the largest marketing and communications companies in Canada (Baker Lovick/BBDO, Cossette & BCP) where he was responsible for overseeing the development of strategic marketing campaigns for some of Canada’s largest advertisers and marketers.
“This is a marketing guy’s dream – the time has never been better to market a product like the ECOhome.
With electricity costs on the rise, green initiatives on everyone’s minds, and ever warming temperatures, the residential homeowner will welcome the ability to save up to 40% on their air conditioning costs,” the appointee said.
Don continues, “I expect our campaigns – initially targeting homeowners in the Sunbelt States such as Florida, Texas, California, Nevada, Arizona, etc., (approximately 37 million homes with A/C) to be very well received.
“We plan to focus on the residential market with a direct-to- consumer approach using digital and television media to target our message of significantly saving money and reducing carbon emissions.”
No matter which type of air conditioner you have, if your air conditioner is not cooling air, you may have a problem with your compressor or refrigerant and will need to contact a service provider with a lot of knowledge and the ability to operate with various HVAC systems for emergency AC repair Las Vegas, preventive maintenance, and heating and cooling system installation.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The chief executive of Canal+ Africa, Mr David Mignot, has disclosed that MultiChoice is now fully integrated into the media group.
Mr Mignot disclosed this via a statement issued on Thursday, noting that this development marks a new phase in the evolution of one of Africa’s leading pay television operators.
He noted that the integration positions MultiChoice within a global media organisation with an extensive international footprint.
“MultiChoice is now a full subsidiary of a truly international media group operating in 70 countries. The group was founded in France, is listed in London and Johannesburg, and has a strong African presence with operations in more than 45 countries,” Mr Mignot said.
The statement underscores the scale of the combined business, highlighting Canal+’s global reach alongside its significant investments across Africa.
The completion of the transaction is expected to strengthen MultiChoice’s position in the African media and entertainment market by giving it access to the broader resources, expertise and international capabilities of the Canal+ Group, while reinforcing the group’s commitment to the continent.
MultiChoice operates across sub-Saharan Africa through platforms including DStv and GOtv, serving millions of subscribers with entertainment, sports and news content.
By Adedapo Adesanya
FoodCourt, a Nigerian cloud kitchen startup backed by Y Combinator, has suspended operations after months of unpaid salaries and mounting debts to vendors triggered a staff strike and forced the company to halt customer orders, according to a report by TechCabal.
The publication reported that customers first noticed on March 4 that they could no longer place orders through the FoodCourt app after the company disabled ordering as kitchen workers, delivery personnel and branch staff embarked on strike over unpaid wages. The company also owed outstanding payments to vendors.
By April 19, FoodCourt had temporarily shut its last operating branch after suspending activities across its Lagos and Abuja locations while seeking fresh funding and restructuring the business, according to the report.
The company’s chief executive, Mr Henry Nneji, said the decision to pause operations was not caused by a single issue but by a combination of operational, organisational and working-capital challenges.
“It’s important to clarify that the decision to pause operations wasn’t driven by one single issue. We reached a point where it became clear that continuing to patch those issues while operating wasn’t the right long-term decision,” he said.
“The objective is to build a stronger business than the one that existed before the suspension. We fully intend to bring FoodCourt back,” he added in an emailed response.
The company acknowledged outstanding obligations to employees, vendors, riders and service providers, but declined to disclose the number of affected workers or the total amount owed. It said efforts were underway to resolve the liabilities as part of its restructuring process.
It was also reported that the startup’s financial difficulties worsened after expansion into additional locations increased operating costs, while its cloud kitchen model came under pressure from rising labour, logistics, food and marketing expenses.
Despite the shutdown, Mr Nneji said FoodCourt intends to relaunch after completing its restructuring, adding that the company believes demand for its products remains strong.
Founded in 2021 by Henry Nneji and Paul Adokiye Iruene, FoodCourt operates cloud kitchens under multiple virtual restaurant brands through its consumer app. According to TechCabal, the startup had previously disclosed raising $1.7 million, delivering more than one million meals and reaching $4.3 million in annual recurring revenue by the end of 2024.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
To further reinforce its commitment to continuous enhancement of customer experience through menu innovation and quality improvements, Chicken Republic, Nigeria’s leading quick-service restaurant brand and a flagship brand of Food Concepts Plc, has improved its Smokey Jollof recipe across restaurants nationwide.
As a customer-centric brand, Chicken Republic regularly evaluates consumer feedback, dining trends, and product performance to ensure its menu continues to deliver the quality and value to which customers have become accustomed.
The updated Smokey Jollof is part of this ongoing commitment to continuous improvement.
The refreshed recipe represents the latest evolution of one of the brand’s most popular offerings.
Developed with a focus on richer flavour, greater consistency and an even more satisfying eating experience, the improved Smokey Jollof reflects Chicken Republic’s dedication to meeting the evolving tastes and expectations of its customers.
“At Chicken Republic, our customers are at the heart of every decision we make. We are constantly listening, learning and looking for ways to improve the experience we deliver.
“The improved Smokey Jollof is a reflection of that commitment. We’ve refined the recipe to deliver an even richer, more enjoyable taste experience while maintaining the flavour profile our customers know and love,” the Managing Director of Food Concept, Mr Olumide Aniyikaiye, stated.
“Great brands evolve with their consumers. This update is not about changing what people love, but about making it even better.
“We are confident that customers will enjoy the improved recipe and appreciate the attention we continue to invest in delivering quality meals every day,” Mr Aniyokaiye added.
The improved Smokey Jollof is now available at Chicken Republic outlets nationwide, allowing customers to experience a more flavourful and consistent version of a fan-favourite menu item.
This latest enhancement underscores Chicken Republic’s broader commitment to innovation, quality and creating memorable meal experiences for customers across Nigeria.
