Welltodo Today: Dairy’s £700m Potential, High Street Athleisure, Unilever To Acquire Honest Co?

Today’s key global wellness news articles from around the world, impacting the industry and influencing the business of wellness.

Müller highlights £700m dairy category growth potential

Dairy has the potential to have a £700m category growth according to Müller.

Lululemon founder Chip Wilson: Why speed is critical for entrepreneurs

Spot a woman walking around town in Lululemon pants, and there’s at least a decent chance she isn’t coming from or going to a workout. That is the impact that Lululemon founder Chip Wilson has had on women’s fashion.

The rise of athleisure: how the high street is cashing in on office-to-gym wear

Rather than sportswear being a marque of a working-class background, the number of luxury players churning out expensive trainers and athleticwear has meant the market is entirely aspirational. “The sneaker industry is bigger than it ever has been,” says Kish Kash, a self-styled “sneaker connoisseur” and footwear buyer for Sole Heaven.

Americans are ditching giant restaurant chains

Americans are downsizing their meal (location) choices. Lagging sales at major restaurant chains have recently set off worries for the industry and the economy at large. According to Michelle Meyer, a US economist at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, it may be less about personal economic situations or the election and more about consumers’ taste preferences.

Unilever Is in Talks to Acquire Jessica Alba’s Honest Co.

Unilever PLC is in talks to acquire Honest Co., the consumer-products retailer co-founded by actress Jessica Alba, according to people familiar with the matter. Unilever, maker of Dove soaps and Axe body sprays, is discussing a deal valued at over $1 billion but significantly less than the $1.7 billion valuation that was placed on Honest in a fundraising round last year, the people said.

Procter & Gamble says it’s hungry for more external hires

It is renowned for promoting from within, but P&G says it is increasingly looking to make external hires to ensure it has the right mix of talent. The strategic shift – first outlined by CEO David Taylor earlier this year – was reiterated last week by the global fmcg giant’s CFO, Jon Moeller, at the Barclays Back-To-School Consumer Conference.

JD Sports shows a clean pair of heels to stumbling Sports Direct

Sports Direct boss Mike Ashley once promised to finish off JD Sports, but now finds himself being trounced by his rival. JD Sports, the self-styled King of Trainers, is not only valued at a cool £1.1bn more than the Newcastle United owner’s chain, but last week revealed its sales and profits growth were a well-shod leap ahead of the rest of the UK fashion market.