Demi Lovato Fabletics Fashion Line

Fabletics is a major player in the online retail market, offering affordable and fashionable activewear to people of all sizes and fitness levels. Now, singer Demi Lovato has joined forces with the company once again to offer her own collection of activewear, Demi Lovato for Fabletics.

Lovato created a capsule collection for Fabletics in May of this year, where she offered a limited edition of clothing to inspire women to engage in fitness and a healthy lifestyle. Now, her collection includes a performance line of twelve exclusive outfits.

Lovato is passionate about female empowerment and body positivity, a mission of Fabletics as well. Her designs offer body-flattering and unique features, such as contouring waist straps, paint splatter camo and vibrant heather prints.

AncestryDNA Database now at 5 Million

The at-home DNA test kit market is booming, and Ancestry offered more proof today. In a statement, the company noted that its DNA database had surpassed 5 million people.

Thanks to the ease, relatively low cost and accessibility of DNA testing, companies like Ancestry and 23andMe have seen dramatic increases in revenues. People are intrigued to find out their true heritage, to solve family mysteries, and to note the migration patterns of some of their ancestors. Ancestry customers can trace their ethnicity across 26 different regions around the world, and have the opportunity to find how their family stories connect to any of 334 genetic communities, such as “Ulster Irish” or “Early Settlers of New York.”

Over 5 million people have taken a DNA test with Ancestry, and millions more have used competitors like 23andMe. An interesting benefit to users is that as the database grows, the links to distant cousins and other family members increase. The company says more than 37 million third cousin or closer relative matches have been provided across the network. According to Ancestry, demand has grown quickly. In the last three months, the company database went from 4 million to 5 million users.

Amazon Meal Kit

The growth of competitors in the meal kit industry continues with Amazon’s latest (and not unexpected) announcement that it will be launching its own meal kit delivery service. As of the end of July, the company is testing its new service in limited markets for AmazonFresh customers, including Seattle.

Amazon is offering approximately 17 different meals for these select customers to choose from, and they range in price from $14.99 to $18.99 for a two-person meal. Amazon doesn’t require customers to subscribe for weekly meal kits, something that companies like Hello Fresh and Blue Apron have continued, but instead offer one-time purchase options. Plus with Amazon, you can select the meal you want to prepare, instead of waiting and seeing what meals are delivered.

Amazon shook up the industries of both big grocery and meal kit delivery services with its recent acquisition of Whole Foods Markets, a popular upscale grocery store catering to health-conscious individuals who prefer natural and organic offerings. It seemed a natural fit that the online giant would try to launch its own meal kit service.

Blue Apron Management

Blue Apron, the hugely popular meal kit startup, has had a rough couple of months. The company went public this summer in what was (in hindsight) incredibly bad timing, and since has struggled to keep its stock prices from falling.

Now, in an effort to appease frustrated investors, the company has shaken up its management team, announcing that co-founder Matt Wadiak will be stepping down from his role as C.O.O. to be a senior adviser at the company. Blue Apron’s V.P. of supply chain Tim Smith will also be promoted to S.V.P. of consumer products, reporting directly to C.E.O. Matt Salzberg.

Just before Blue Apron made its Wall Street offering, Amazon announced its plans to buy food giant Whole Foods grocery, sending shock waves and speculation among investors. The meal kit industry as a whole could see increased competition and price-cutting as Amazon paves the way for launching its own meal kit delivery service, capitalizing on its existing infrastructure and delivery system coupled with the reach and popularity of Whole Foods.

In June Weight Watchers stock sees a huge increase.

Hiring Oprah as a spokesperson seems to have long-lasting positive effects for Weight Watchers’ bottom line. The company saw an increase in subscribers since she signed on, and now, six months after the ad campaign to promote her Weight Watchers journey launched, we’re also seeing company stock soar.

In Q1 of 2017, the weight loss giant’s subscriber base rose 16% year over year to 3.6 million, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence. The company also saw revenue rise to $329 million during the same quarter.

Now in June, Weight Watchers stock rose 29%. The company’s stock closed in May at $25.95 per share, and when June ended shares had risen to $33.42.

GymGO

As more and more people leave their gym memberships for the convenience of an online fitness program, there is a growing interest among customers to feel accountable. One of the ways to keep customers engaged in an online fitness program is to personalize it. GymGO has addressed this need with an intriguing new offering – real-time online personal trainers.

Employing personal trainers have been a popular way for people to get started with a fitness routine, or to train for a specific goal. Trainers are also an effective way to keep people engaged as they progress, because they can measure results, adjust routines, and hold people accountable.

As more trainers enter the fray, they are looking for ways to expand their customer base, which includes offering their services to online clientele. This is especially helpful to trainers in that it reduces travel time to get to clients, offering them more opportunity to reach a larger audience.