The Best One Yet - 👭 “Mary Kate & Ashley mystery” — The Row’s logo-less fashion. Chipotle’s burrito robots. Millennials’ DINK cruises. Description:

Episode Date: September 17, 2024

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen’s 18-year-old fashion brand hit $1B… without any logo.Chipotle just unveiled a burrito bowl making robot… to solve the 3 Cs of restaurants.Millennials are now 50% of cruise ship passengers… So prepare for DINK cruises (not “drink”).$EAT $RCL $NCLH $CCL—-----------------------------------------------------GET ON THE POD: Submit a shoutout or fact: https://tboypod.com/shoutouts FOR MORE NICK & JACK: Newsletter: https://tboypod.com/newsletter Connect with Nick: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolas-martell/ Connect with Jack: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-crivici-kramer/ SOCIALS:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tboypod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tboypodYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tboypod Anything else: https://tboypod.com/  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Nick. This is Jack. It's Tuesday, Teatboy. Tuesday, September 17th. And today's pod, this is just the best one yet. This is a T-boy. The top three pop business news stories you need to know today. I mean, Jack, stocks are at an all-time high. Love the mix of stories today. Should we jump right into it, man? For our first story, it's the Olson Twins. They have a fashion brand, the row that just hit a $1 billion valuation. And the Olson Twins did it without ever having a logo. For our Second story, it's Chipotle. Chipotle just unveiled a robot that specializes in one thing. Yeah. Building burrito balls. That's right. Chipotle's response to portion sizes is robots.

It's robots. It's robots. And our third and final story. Millennials are saving the cruise industry. Hat of American cruise ship passengers are now under 44 years old. So Jack and I will tell you how cruise lines got millennials to travel like their boomer parents. I'm never doing it, Mom. I'm never going to do it.

But Yetis, before we hit that, wonderful nexus stories. Fantastic mix. Love the mix, Jack. Just as you return to the quad, we just got the official college rankings list. That's right. The Wall Street Journal did a classic top college ranking. Jack, top five. Who've we got?

Princeton, Babson, Stanford, Yale, and Claremont McKenna. Those, according to the Wall Street Journal, are the top five overall universities in America. But then the Wall Street Journal went full clickbait. Jack, what's the other list of the? They whipped up. They also published top colleges to make you rich. Yes, MIT, Stanford, Princeton, Georgia Tech, and the University of Pennsylvania are most likely to make you a millionaire.

But then, the Wall Street Journal went further. Yeah. By publishing a list that was not safe for work, clickbait. The Wall Street Journal ranked the top party schools in America, top five, who we got, Jack. It's based on three criteria, which is all based on surveys of current students. How easy is it to find a party? How much do you view your school as a party school? And how satisfied are you with your school's party punch?

I mean, seen. What were the rowdiest five, Dick? Well, Jack, the rowdyest five schools in America are Tulane, Dayton, FSU, Michigan State, and Alabama. Wow, a lot of football schools in there. Oh, get this. 40% of Tulane students say they can easily find a party seven nights a week. At Middlebury? Three nights a week tops.

I mean, the green wave at Tulane is the vomit at Tulane. Now, Nick and I think this party ranking, it misses the whole point. Because if you haven't been to an a cappella concert in MIT, then have you really party, Jack? Yeah, what does Neskak even stand for again? Neskak stands for notorious for epic social celebrations and chaos. And you know why they call it the Ivy League? Because after you party at Princeton, you're going to need an IV. We know from experience.

Just kidding. I've never been to Princeton. Hey, Wall Street Journal, you may need to rerun the numbers. Jack, let's sit at our three stories. years before this song. Two boys from the northeast met in the dawn. They had an idea that caused a cultural storm. It's the best one yet, but the best is an norm. 50% that's a fat tip. Tea boy city on your at list. If you know, you know, because we're ready to go. We can't wait no more. So just start the show. Start the show. First, a quick word from our sponsor.

For our first story, the newest fashion unicorn was founded by the Olson twins. It's called The Row. and it's the only fashion brand we know that doesn't have a logo. Shirley Temple, McCulley Culkin, Lindsay Lohan, Jack. I think the kid from Jerry McGuire deserves to be on this list. He was a one-hit wonder, but the cutest kid you've ever seen in your life. He's adorable, but the greatest of child actors, we would think, is the Olson twins. Why? Because there's two of them. I mean, who didn't go on a play date just to watch a full-house rerun session?

Uncle Joey approved. And fun fact, the Olson twins, they actually had a huge financial advantage over other child actors. Yeah, because child labor laws limit the number of hours that a kid can be on set. So, since there were two of them, Full House got double. It's acting arbitrage, baby. Mary Kate did the morning shift, Ashley did the afternoon shift. Satisfied the regulators? Satisfied the wealth managers too, Jack.

And the viewers, apparently. But once they became teens, Mary Kate and Ashley Olson pivoted from Hollywood to fashion. And in 2006, those twins founded The Row. The Row. A New York-based fashion brand that has understated $7,000 handbags and clothing for men and women. Jack, I'm looking at the men's trench coat right now for a cool $10,500. It's made of cashmere. Why would a jacket be made of cashmere?

I don't know, Jack. You know, boxers made a cashmere. I'm on board with that right now. You're going to get rained on with this thing. You don't want to cashmere getting rained on? I think it's a write-off, Jack. I think we get two of them and it's a right-off. Anyway, 18 years after founding the row,

it's finally become a unicorn. $1 billion. That's the valuation of Mary Caden Ashley's The Row, thanks to an investment from the L'Oreal family and the Chanel family. Now, Yetis,

you may have heard of Quiet Luxury. It was a big element of Succession, season three. Kendall Roy is wearing the $3,000-dollar Loro Piano hat. Not too shabby. Quiet luxury is when you wear

expensive fashion labels that are so subtle, people can't even tell. But here's the funny thing. The Rowe isn't quiet luxury. The Roe is silent luxury. This is the most subtle and secretive brand in history. Because get this, besties, the Roe doesn't hide its logo like other quiet luxury brands.

The Roe doesn't even have a logo. According to interviews, the Olsen Twins believe that the shape, the feel, and the style, that's their brand. Not some emblem or insignia. They don't even have, like, if you want to find out that the Roe made the jacket, you have to like take it off the person, find the little dry cleaning, label. You have to bring it to a forensic expert. You need a magnifying glass and need a private investigator. That's exactly what you need. This brand is actually so hush-hush that after 20 years, there's only four retail locations. They're basically hiding the company. Oh, in fact,

Jack and I discovered they are so secretive that last week at New York Fashion Week, what did the Roe do exactly, Jack? They banned the use of phones at the runway shop, which is wild. To sprinkle on some context, every fashion company wants you posting photos online at their fashion shows so you promote them. But the row forbid photography. I mean, that's not even quiet luxury. That is silent luxury. The row is like the Skull and Bone Society at Yale. If you're a member, you can spot other members, but otherwise. I mean, Jack, when you and I get these trench coats, we're going to have a little secret handshake kind of a thing going on. This is the CIA of Sheik is what we're saying, Yeti. So Jack, what's the takeaway for our buddies with the $10,000

logoless trench coats at the row? Where there's mystery, there's margin. Yeties, Mary Kay and Ashley Olson are selling the highest of luxury products with the row. No joke, we found a t-shirt there for $1,200. You can buy millions Haynes T-shirts for that same amount. And that's a numerically accurate fact that Jack just said. But it's not just about being expensively exclusive. When brands are mysterious, they can price much higher. For example, De Beers' diamonds are so profitable because the diamond market is a mystery.

You've no idea what costs go into it. And a bottle of wine can be so expensive because you have no idea how they made that thing. You don't even know if it tastes good, frankly. Similarly, the row is selling the most expensive products in fashion without a logo. And we bet it's pretty profitable. Because where there's mystery, there's margin. And Becky approves of that one. For our second story, Chipotle just unveiled a wild new robot that could assemble your entire next.

burrito bowl. How was Chipotle responding to their portion-sized controversy? Are they doing it, Jack? With robots. Yeah, it is funny timing. Yesterday, Jack and I told you about the biggest avocado supplier to Chipotle. Mission Produce. They harvest and sell a lot of avocados. They had a record quarter last summer. But today, it is Chipotle by chance that is in the news. And it's not because they're giving away free guac. No, in fact, the guac is still extra. Chipotle just created a new word, though. And that new word is co-bot. A co-bot, a collaborative robot. The kind of term you come up with when you don't want to freak out all your employees, Jack. They say that these are robots who will

assist their human workers, not replace them. That's right. So Chipotle unveiled two of these co-bot robots yesterday, which are made by startups that Chipotle has actually invested in. The first one, I'm pretty sure we've heard it before. It's an avocado processing robot called Autocato. Yeah, we did a story in this. This autocato, it takes 26 seconds to peel, cut, and core an avocado, not too shabby. And then a human worker takes that avow meat and whips it up into guac with some cilantro recipe. Secret. But the second robot is the more exciting robot because that robot is a food assembly line robot. It's a burrito bowl co-bot. Yeah, it's a brito bowl bot. It's a triple B jack. Now, both of these Chipotle robots, they announced

yesterday, they will debut this week in locations in California. So sit down, stand up, and pass a napkin because we repeat, burrito-making bots are making burrito bowls right now at Chipotle's Corona Del Mar location. Our first thought? This is how Chipotle solves the big drama of the summer. The portion-sized controversy. Yeah, we did a whole story about how they were studying different Chipotle locations. We're doing different sizes. Well, people were getting angry because they felt they were getting skimped on with their barbico bowl. Well, now robots will decide how much barbecough you get, not Rebecca.

Don't try winking at the robot. You're getting four ounces in that bowl, buddy. I mean, Jack, I've tried flirting my way through a Chipotle line. Doesn't end up with more sofidus, let me tell you. So, Nick, what's this robot actually look like? Well, this robot, sorry, co-bot, it looks like a huge metal kitchen island, and it's basically an entire kitchen in a bot. On top is a bunch of balls, and underneath is a conveyor belt. So human workers fill bowls on top with raw ingredients, like your rice, your meat, your cheese, et cetera, protein carb protein.

And then underneath, the robert. A robot pours the exact amount of ingredients into bowls that are moving across that conveyor belt. Now, Jack, let's jump into the numbers here. Why is this such a big business deal? Two-thirds of Chipotle's digital orders are bulls or salads that these robots are going to make in the future. So, Chipotle stock jumped 3% on this big bot news. On news that robots could solve one of their biggest weaknesses. Although we should point out a problem with these bots, Jack. with human workers, you get a hair in your food.

But with a robot worker, you get a screw in your food. Okay. Yeah, like, you're like, I have oil in my food, and it's not all of oil, Jack. It's petroleum oil. Don't choke on a screw out there, Yeti. So, Jack, what's the takeaway for our buddies over at Chipotle? Robots solve the three Cs of restaurants. Control, cost, and consistency.

Yeties, get this. One out of three restaurants don't survive past the first year. In fact, more than 50% of restaurants close before their five-year anniversary. That's according to Toast Restaurant Tech Company. Because it is very tough for restaurants to control costs and consistency. But these robots, sorry, co-bots, co-bots, they offer a solution to all three of thoseies. And it's already working at Sweet Green. Yeah, we have seen precedent here with Sweet Green and their infinite kitchens that came out one year ago.

Sweet Green has the infinite kitchen, which is an automated sweet green. Green Restaurant, and it has been, according to management, a smashing success. In fact, Sweet Green stock has tripled in the past year, mainly because Sweet Green is now scaling these robot kitchen concepts. Now, Chipotle's Burrito Bowl Building Bot, it's in just one location in California, so this is just a test at this point. But if this Burrito Bowl Building Bot works, then it could solve the three Cs that are choking restaurants. Controlling costs and consistency. Oh! Are you got it? Is that a screw?

It's a screw. Now a quick word from our sponsor. For our third and final story, get this. Millennials and Gen Z now make up half of Royal Caribbean Cruise passengers. You got to reimagine what you're picturing with a modern cruiser. The cruise industry just got saved by Zendaya. What? All right, but Jack, before we kick off this story, can you share a little secret with the besties?

Can you share with them your worst investment ever? I know what it is. Carnival Cruises. Yeah, it's Carnival Cruises, isn't it? I bought stock after the pandemic. I thought I was buying a lot. The return was pretty good, but honestly, it felt like an ethical compromise. Was the return that good, Jack?

It wasn't worth the dude. But Yeties, cruises in general, not just Carnival, are having a wild financial comeback. Royal Caribbean's revenues are now 50% higher than they were before the pandemic. That's wild. Hey, shareholders, there's a party on the poop deck and you're invited. The pandemic basically started on cruise ship, remember? But now the global cruise industry is bigger than ever. But yet he's here.

What Jack and I found fascinating about this story. It's not retired boomers live in their empty nest fantasies at sea that is driving the cruise industry. It's millennials. At Royal Caribbean, 50% of passengers are under the age of 44. That's right. Half of their customers are millennials and Gen Z on cruises. We were surprised because we thought Millie traveled differently than her dad, Boomer Bob did. So we got curious and Jack and I jumped in T-boy style to find out what's going on with the cruise ships.

According to Wall Street Journal reporting, Royal Caribbean repositioned itself after the pandemic to capture young people. The way Jack and I put it, the cruise industry tried to become a dink cruise line. They offered adult-only cruises you can't take your kids on. Yeah, they added fast Wi-Fi so you can zoom into that all-hands meeting on a Friday. while you're bleasuring on that, poop deck. Royal and Carnival actually spent $250 million combined on private islands that they could sail to for adult-only part of it. I mean, if you're 28 years old, what's better than a private island unfire-fested

that you can enjoy from the cruise ship? And you don't have to worry about planning an itinerary. It's all planned for you. So the cruise industry basically kept the same fundamental product. They just added new features to cater to zillennial taste. But the biggest change was scheduling. And that scheduling change may have had the largest impact of all. The cruise lines are now offering more three or four-day cruises instead of a seven-day plus cruise.

So, Jack, like, typically you'd have to make some epic seven-day commitment at sea if you were going to do a cruise. Huge commitment. But now you can do a long weekend cruise that basically fits into your typical weekend schedule. Yeah, I'm free that weekend in October. I can do a cruise. So they gave Gen Z an all. on-ramp to try out a cruise vacation that didn't mean using up your vacation days along the way. And that strategy is working.

You have to stop picturing old folks pushing around some shuffleboard and botchy boards. Instead, you got to start picturing Timothy, Salomey and Zendaya at the self-serve ice cream machine because that's who's taking the cruises. That's the modern cruise passenger, Zendaya and Timothy. Hey, Chaparone! We'll see ya. On the shuffleboard court. So, Jack, what's the takeaway for our buddies?

in the cruise industry. Generations are meaningless. Age is the better indicator. I love how you said that, Jack. Yeah, it is for decades, cruises have been the affordable option for young families. The average cruise vacation is 30% cheaper than a land-based vacation.

Yeah, the way we see it, cruises are the value meal of vacations. And you know what? That concept still has appealed today. 30 years ago, boomers were the young families taking cruises. Today, millennials are the young families taking cruises. So all cruises had to do was make those tweaks to their features to meet the expectations of young families today. Young families today, they need Wi-Fi because they're expected to be logged in 24-7. Young families today, they prefer a weekend cruise because they might not have five weeks of paid vacation like their boomer parents did.

Young families today, they want a private island with adult-only activities. So why are millennials and Gen Z the top cruisers of the world right now? Because we've grown up. That's it. We've grown up. Generations are meaningless. age is a better indicator. Jack, could you whip up the takeaways for us for Tea Boy Tuesday?

The Row by the Olson Twins is a fashion brand with no logo, and it's now worth a billion dollars. Because where there's mystery, there's margin. For our second story, Chipotle, they unveiled a burrito bowl bot yesterday. That sent the stock 3% higher. And this could solve the three seas of restaurants, controlling costs and consistency. And our third and final story is Royal Caribbean. It's really royal millennial now because half of cruise passengers are millennial or Gen Z. Generations are meaningless.

Age is the better indicator. But Yeties, this pod's not over yet. Here's what else you need to know today. First, on Sunday, Disney's Shogun won a record 18 Emmy Awards the most ever for a single show. HBO won just 14 Emmys, which was a distant third to both Disney and Netflix. Second, TikTok is in court. Starting yesterday, they're arguing to a federal appeals judge that the bill to ban TikTok is unconstitutional. Reminder, Congress passed the bill overwhelmingly saying that China can't control Americans' main app for news and information, TikTok.

So they said TikTok's got to sell away from China, or it's going to get banned. TikTok says the ban violates our free speech rights, but we'll let you know when a decision is reached. And finally, Logan Paul, KSI, and Mr. Beast teamed up in an influencer, YouTuber, brand. They launch Lunchley, which is a luncheables competitor. Yeah, Craft Heinz has been using old school marketing techniques to sell their lunchebles

for years. But these YouTubers will use their YouTube videos to sell luncheley. We'll jump in T-Boy style and let you know if it's the same salami in the luncheables versus the lunchly. But the real innovation? Turning lunch into an adverb. Not easy. Not easy, Jack. Good point.

Now time for the best fact yet. This one sent in by Kelsey Black from lovely Austin, Texas. Today is September 17th, which is when our central bankers convened for a two-day policy meeting to decide whether to cut interest rates or not. Like we told you last month, circle your calendars. Remember the 17th of September. Today is also a super moon, which is when the full moon coincides with the moon being closest to the earth in its orbit. So what Jack and I are saying is that the Fed may be cutting interest rates when the moon is closest to the earth. The full moon is closest to the earth.

Which is a rare occurrence, which basically means that if interest rates come down, it's because of the zodiac. Get outside and charge your crystals tonight because rates are coming down tomorrow. If you get a good mortgage rate next week, you can thank a Virgo. Yeties, you look fantastic for T-Boy Tuesday. And if you think your school got left off the top college, the top party school, or the top make you a millionaire list, we want to hear it. We're here for you. Does Wednesday night Beirut count as a party? You know, Jack, I think if you have to ask if it was a party, it doesn't count as a party.

It wasn't a party. But Eddie's always round up, and Jack and I will see you tomorrow. It was a party. And before we go, a shout out to Neil, a Yeti at the motoring club in San Francisco. Ran into him the other day, Jack. He was looking fantastic, hosting a buddy, great bestie on the pot. And happy birthday to Jackson S, who's turning nine in Thornton, Colorado. And Yi Wan Fang is turning 26 years old in Geneva, Switzerland, the crazy.

craziest mountain woman on all the mountains. And happy birthday to Adriel Condi in Puerto Rico, who's working at J.P. Morgan Chase in Chicago. Adriel. And to anyone else who's celebrating something today, make it a T-boy. Celebrate the wins. Watch out for that screw. This is Jack. I own stock of Disney and Netflix, and Nick and I both own stock of Tripoli.

Charge your crystals.