A Subway location in New York. Some Subway franchisees say they lost stores to conflicted managers over petty infractions. Photo / An Rong Xu / New York Times
A Subway location in New York. Some Subway franchisees say they lost stores to conflicted managers over petty infractions. Photo / An Rong Xu / New York Times
The New Zealand Herald is bringing back some of the best stories of 2019 from our premium international syndicators, including The New York Times, Financial Times, The Times of London and Harvard Business Review.
This afternoon we look at the subway franchisees being pushed out, dangerous trash, the real spaghettiwestern, dinners around the world and the man selling his private island.
Subway got too big. Franchisees paid a price
Subway became the world's largest fast food company in part because of entrepreneurial immigrants who opened franchises. Now, many franchisees say the company's supervisors used petty violations — like how they cut their cucumbers or what soap they use — to push them out of profitable stores.
Subway co-founder Fred DeLuca, pictured in 1997, drinks a soda during his visit to an Anaheim Subway. Photo / Getty Images
Electronic marvels turn into dangerous trash in East Africa
Already an environmental concern in wealthier countries, the problem of e-waste is growing in places like East Africa as incomes rise and more people can afford electronic devices.
A garbage heap in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The country in recent years has enjoyed increasing wealth and prosperity, but also an increase of electronic waste. Photo / Jacques Nkinzingabo, NY Times
The real spaghetti western
On the twice-yearly journey to move grazing animals between summer and winter pastures, a writer finds a deep connection to an ancient tradition.
Wasa Khuhaprema, 41, a stay-at-home mom, prepares rice with her 8-year-old son, Chisanu, called Thew, in Bangkok. Photo / Lauren DeCicca, The New York Times
He's spent just one night on his private island. He's had enough
He paid just over $1 million for a private island north of Manhattan. Now he wants to get rid of it. "It's not about me or my wishes or dreams any more. I can dream in a chair."
