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Glory Star expected to further increase profitability

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Glory Star New Media Group, a Nasdaq-listed digital media platform and content-driven e-commerce company in China, is expected to be able to further increase its profitability with its growing market share and economy of scale.

The company reported a 15.8% growth in its Non-GAAP net income to US$16.9 million for the six-months ended June 30 from US$14.6 million in the same period of last year.

During the first half of this year, the company’s total revenues grew 144.6% to US$71.9 million from US$29.4 million, thanks to the increase in advertising revenues and Cheers e-Mall marketplace service revenue, primarily attributable to the development and promotion of its mobile and online businesses.

Income from operations surged 40.9% to US$16.2 million from US$11.5 million.

During the first half year of 2021, the company successfully grew its top and bottom lines as it allocated more resources to sales and marketing to augment its brand equity and fuel its long-term growth engine.

The company’s rising economy of scale will allow it to gradually reduce operating expenses and capitalize on the rising popularity of video content and deliver lasting shareholder value.

At the end of June 30, the number of downloads of the company’s Cheers App reached 215.6 million, up from 121 million a year earlier. The increase in the number, a key indicator of the attractiveness and usability of its Cheers App and its e-Mall platform traffic, showed that it had successfully converted viewers of its content to its Cheers App.

Average daily active users (DAUs) of the app grew to 7.1 million from 4.5 million for the same period. Stock Keeping Units (SKUs) on its Cheers e-Mall platform jumped to 231,630 from 19,984.

Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) of the Cheers App reached US$181.2 million in the first six months of this year, compared with US$20 million in the same period of 2020. The increase in GMV was driven significantly by its ability to attract and retain users to its Cheers App through its professionally produced content and its ability to further enhance its product offerings.

The company has a strong commitment to its corporate mission, meticulous execution of growth strategies, methodical expansion in both overseas and domestic markets, proactive engagement of Generation Z users through innovative products, and prudent investment in sales and marketing initiatives. It plans to refine its competitive edge in content-driven e-commerce of premium lifestyle, deepen our expertise in integrating quality content with lifestyle commerce, and expand our brand influence among Generation Z consumers on a global basis.

During the first half year, the resurgence of Covid-19 and its Delta variant caused the Chinese government to impose travel restrictions within mainland China, particularly in the southern regions of the country.

The company temporarily suspended the production of its traditional “Cheers Series” TV programs, thus resulting in a decline in its cost of revenues during the first six month of 2021. Once the travel restrictions are eased, the company will resume its content production activities in the second half of this year.

As of June 30, 2021, the company had cash and cash equivalents of US$20.3 million, compared with US$17.7 million at the end of last year.

Blockchain and AI technologies

Since its establishment in 2016, Glory Star has pioneered a unique, new business model integrating e-commerce services with premium video content. With the use of blockchain and AI technologies in its systems, the company has become a leading online digital media and entertainment company in China, with a strong track record both in terms of viewership and production capabilities. The company launched its Cheers App in 2018 to integrate e-commerce services with professionally generated content (PGC).

During the first half, the company produced many more live streaming shows and started to provide title sponsor advertising services at a higher price point. It also spent substantially on the development of the Cheers Chat and Cheers Car.

The company plans to provide more user-generated content (UGC) by forming partnerships with other platforms. It will allow global users to upload their content to its video platforms in the fourth quarter of this year while users will receive advertising revenue or get rewards from viewers directly.

The company will also allow content providers to use its software-as-a-service (SaaS) supply chain system with the blockchain technology that will help them match with relevant merchandisers. Content providers will be able to share the revenue from the sales of products on their video accounts.

The company’s ability to integrate premium lifestyle content, including short videos, online variety shows, online dramas, live streaming, its Cheers lifestyle video series, e-Mall, and mobile app, along with innovative e-commerce offerings on its platform enables it to pursue its mission of enriching people’s lives.

Its large and active user base has created valuable engagement opportunities with consumers and enhanced platform stickiness with thousands of domestic and international brands.

Non-fungible token

Glory Star’s Naschain platform offers one-stop solutions, which include smart contract, multichain universe and cross-chain consensus mechanisms, to users with its blockchain technology. It can help e-shoppers trace the origins of the products, avoid buying counterfeit goods, lower their logistics costs and protect their privacy.

The company has signed an agreement with the Beijing Minsheng Art Museum to use the company’s non-fungible token (NFT) technology, which can be used in copy-rights’ registration, verification, transaction and valuation, to protect the intellectual property of the museum’s artworks. The company will be able to boost its market share by acquiring some NFT service providers.

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Disclaimer: The views, suggestions, and opinions expressed here are the sole responsibility of the experts. No Digi Observer journalist was involved in the writing and production of this article.

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Former Marine Engineer Turned Supply Chain Executive Releases “From Engines to Algorithms,” Charting a New Framework for Operational Constraints

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Los Angeles, California, 22nd July 2026 — Niraj Jha, Senior Director of Logistics at Niagara Bottling LLC, the largest privately held beverage company in the United States, has released From Engines to Algorithms, a book drawing on his uncommon path from licensed marine engineer to supply chain leader to explain why technology does not make operational bottlenecks disappear, they just relocate them.

Jha spent four years at sea as a marine engineer before moving into logistics and manufacturing operations, a transition that forms the spine of the book. The title itself signals the arc: from the mechanical world of ship engines, where a single failed component can strand a vessel, to the algorithmic systems now running modern supply chains, where the failure points are just as real but far less visible.

At the center of the book is Jha’s “Law of Constraint Migration,” a framework he has developed over years of running manufacturing and logistics operations across dozens of plants and thousands of weekly truckloads. The core argument: every time an organization fixes its most visible bottleneck with technology , the constraint does not vanish, it migrates to the next weakest point in the system. Leaders who treat constraint-fixing as a one-time project, rather than a permanent discipline, end up chasing the same problem in a different disguise year after year.

“Systemic failure does not happen because of one big catastrophic event,” Jha said. “It starts with leaders having a static approach to problem solving , where this fix one constraint using technology and then move on without understanding where the constraint has moved.”

That principle was shaped in part by direct experience. Jha’s early engineering career included firsthand exposure to the operational and mechanical failure chains that can escalate quietly before becoming visible incidents, lessons he has carried directly into how he now evaluates risk in logistics networks spanning multiple plants, carriers, and third-party providers.

Since moving into supply chain leadership, Jha has held roles from plant director to his current position overseeing logistics strategy across a multi-state region, and is now deeply involved in Niagara Bottling’s AI strategy for manufacturing and supply chain operations. He holds several patents in manufacturing and supply chain technology, including three granted US patents around direct to store shipments, and has deployed AI-driven systems for automated palletizing, dynamic shipping, and operational incident handling.

From Engines to Algorithms is written for operators, not theorists. Jha’s stated approach throughout is practitioner credibility over metaphor: fewer abstractions, more direct account of what breaks in real operations and why. The book avoids the hedge-everything tone common in management literature in favor of decision-oriented conclusions.

Jha is a member of CSCMP’s Executive Inner Circle, an invitation-only group of senior supply chain executives, as well as the member of the World Economic Forum  and the Fast Company Executive Board. He has been featured as a keynote speaker in multiple industry forums and his writing has appeared in Beverage digest, supply chain management review, SupplyChainBrain, Fast Company, and other trade publications, and he continues to publish ongoing analysis on constraint migration, AI economics, and supply chain strategy through his Substack and LinkedIn.

From Engines to Algorithms is available now. Readers can learn more and find purchasing details at enginestoalgorithms.com.

About the Author

Niraj Jha is Senior Director of Logistics at Niagara Bottling LLC, where he is deeply involved in the company’s AI strategy for manufacturing and supply chain operations. A licensed marine engineer by training, he spent four years in deep-sea service before transitioning into supply chain and operations leadership, where he has spent sixteen years in various leadership roles. He holds several patents in manufacturing and supply chain technology and developed and conceptualized the Law of Constraint Migration.

Media Contact Visit enginestoalgorithms.com for more information.

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Said Abulafia on What a Bakery Founded in 1879 Can Teach Modern Businesses

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Tel Aviv–Jaffa business leader Said Abulafia shares lessons from a historic Arab family-owned bakery that has served customers for nearly 150 years.

Tel Aviv–jaffa, Israel, 22nd July 2026, ZEX PR WIRE Most businesses do not make it to ten years. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 34.7% of private-sector establishments born in 2013 were still operating in 2023. Family businesses face another challenge: only about 30% transition to the second generation, and roughly 12% remain viable into the third.

That makes Abulafia Bakery’s history unusual. Founded in Jaffa in 1879, the historic Arab family-owned bakery has operated for nearly 150 years through political change, economic pressure, shifting customer habits, and several generations of family leadership.

Said Abulafia believes the bakery’s long history offers practical lessons for modern businesses trying to survive.

“When people hear that the bakery started in 1879, they think about history,” says Abulafia. “I think about responsibility. Every generation had to make decisions that kept the business alive. That is the real lesson.”

Longevity Starts With Trust

For Abulafia, the bakery’s staying power begins with customer trust. Customers return because they know what to expect. They recognize the product, the place, and the experience.

Modern businesses often focus on attention. Abulafia believes trust matters more.

“A customer who comes once is important,” he says. “A customer who comes back with their children or grandchildren tells you something much deeper. It means the business became part of their routine.”

That kind of loyalty is not built by a single strong campaign. It is built through years of consistency.

Consistency Is Not Old-Fashioned

In a fast-moving business environment, consistency can sound plain. Abulafia sees it differently.

For a bakery, consistency is operational. Ingredients must be reliable. Production has to stay controlled. Service has to feel familiar. Small changes are noticed quickly.

“If something changes in the product, regular customers know,” he says. “They may not explain it in technical terms, but they feel it. That is why consistency is not just a nice idea. It is part of the business model.”

Adaptation Without Losing Identity

Abulafia says one of the biggest challenges for heritage businesses is knowing what to change and what to protect.

A business founded in 1879 cannot operate exactly as it did in earlier generations. Costs change. Customer behavior changes. Competition changes. Operations must improve.

At the same time, moving too far from the core identity can weaken what has kept the business going.

“You have to modernize carefully,” says Abulafia. “If you change everything, you lose the reason people trusted you. If you change nothing, you fall behind. The work is finding the line between the two.”

What Modern Businesses Can Learn

Abulafia believes the bakery’s history offers several lessons that extend beyond hospitality.

First, businesses need a clear core. They should understand what customers return for and protect it.

Second, growth should not come before stability. A weak system becomes harder to manage as it expands.

Third, businesses should listen to repeat customers. Long-term customers often notice operational problems before leadership does.

“People talk a lot about innovation,” he says. “But sometimes the best information comes from a customer who has been coming to you for 20 years and notices when something feels different.”

Pressure Reveals Weakness

The bakery has faced many periods of uncertainty, including the COVID-19 pandemic, supply disruptions, rising costs, and fluctuating demand. Abulafia says those periods forced the business to simplify and strengthen its systems.

“When conditions are easy, you can ignore problems,” he says. “When pressure comes, every weakness becomes visible. That is when you either fix the system or keep repeating the same mistakes.”

For Abulafia, pressure is not only a challenge. It is a test of how well a business is built.

A Call to Study Businesses That Last

Abulafia encourages entrepreneurs, operators, and family business owners to study long-running businesses, not only fast-growing ones.

Many modern business stories focus on rapid scale. Abulafia believes there is equal value in studying enduring companies.

“A business that lasts for generations has already answered questions many newer businesses are still trying to solve,” he says. “How do you keep trust? How do you adapt? How do you stay useful to people over time?”

Call to Action

Abulafia encourages business owners to take practical steps:

  • Identify what customers truly return for

  • Protect the parts of the business that create trust

  • Make changes gradually and measure the impact

  • Listen closely to long-term customers

  • Build operations that can survive difficult periods

“Longevity is not one big decision,” he says. “It is many small decisions made well over time.”

About Said Abulafia

Said Abulafia is a Tel Aviv–Jaffa-based business leader involved with Abulafia Bakery, a historic Arab family-owned bakery established in Jaffa in 1879. His work focuses on preserving the bakery’s legacy while adapting operations for modern customers, changing markets, and long-term continuity.

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Press Release

Knot Expands into Canada, Partnering with RBC, the Country’s Largest Bank

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New York City, NY, USA, July 22nd, 2026, FinanceWire

Knot, the leading merchant connectivity platform, has announced its partnership with RBC, Canada’s largest bank, to make RBC cards the default payment method for millions of cardholders wherever they spend. Using Knot’s CardSwitcher, RBC cardholders can set their RBC card as the saved payment method at their favorite merchants directly from the RBC mobile app, without manually entering card details. The partnership marks Knot’s first expansion beyond the United States.

Keeping RBC Top of Wallet

One of the hardest moments in payments is the first one. When a cardholder gets a new RBC card, putting it to use means hunting down every merchant where a card is already saved and updating each one by hand, so a new card often sits idle for weeks before it sees real spend. The partnership removes that friction. From the RBC app, cardholders add their RBC card to their preferred merchants in a few taps and set it as the saved payment method at the places they already spend, from the day the card is in hand.

For RBC, that means a card that goes to work immediately instead of waiting to be activated across a cardholder’s everyday spend. Placing the card as the default at the merchants cardholders use most keeps it top of wallet, turning a new RBC card from an occasional choice into a go-to payment method from the start and driving repeat spend and deeper loyalty to RBC.

Expanding into Canada with the Country’s Largest Bank

For years, Knot has built the merchant connectivity layer across the United States, linking the people, financial institutions, and merchants behind everyday spend. RBC is where that infrastructure goes international for the first time. Canada is Knot’s first market beyond the U.S., and launching it with the country’s largest bank sets the standard for every market that follows.

RBC did not become Canada’s largest bank by standing still. They move early, they invest in their clients, and they push the industry forward. That is exactly the kind of partner Knot wants to build alongside, and the reason RBC is the right first step into a new market. Bringing CardSwitcher to Canadian cardholders is the start of a longer roadmap, both for what Knot and RBC build together and for where Knot goes next.

About RBC

Royal Bank of Canada is a global financial institution with a purpose-driven, principles-led approach to delivering leading performance. Its success comes from the 101,000+ employees who leverage their imaginations and insights to bring the company’s vision, values, and strategy to life so it can help its clients thrive and communities prosper. As Canada’s biggest bank, and one of the largest in the world based on market capitalization, RBC has a diversified business model with a focus on innovation and providing exceptional experiences to its more than 19 million clients in Canada, the U.S., and 27 other countries. Learn more at rbc.com.

About Knot

Knot is the leading merchant connectivity platform, simplifying how consumers, merchants, and financial institutions interact. CardSwitcher is the foundation of Knot’s product suite, letting users update and manage card-on-file payments across hundreds of merchants. Building on the same connectivity infrastructure, TransactionLink delivers SKU-level transaction data, and SubManager gives users a single place to view and manage their subscriptions. By removing friction at every step, Knot helps financial institutions grow engagement, loyalty, and spend.

Users can learn more at KnotAPI.com and connect with Knot on X (@KnotAPIs) and LinkedIn (LinkedIn.com/company/KnotAPI).

Contact

Head of Growth
Jose Del Real
Knot
press@knotapi.com

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Disclaimer: The views, suggestions, and opinions expressed here are the sole responsibility of the experts. No Digi Observer journalist was involved in the writing and production of this article.

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