SANTA ROSA, CALIF. — Amy’s Kitchen, a manufacturer of convenient and frozen foods, is planning to close its Santa Rosa facility in phases.

Plans call for production to shift to the company’s facilities in Medford, Ore., and Pocatello, Idaho.

Approximately 260 roles will be eliminated as part of the transition, with 207 roles set to be cut at the Santa Rosa facility and about 51 roles eliminated in the Pocatello’s facility’s canning area.

Amy’s Kitchen said canning will be moved to the company’s Medford facility, which also will manufacture pizza, soup and burritos. The Pocatello facility will be the company’s designated entree facility.

The facility closing comes as the company said it is making changes to its manufacturing network so each facility can focus on the product categories where it is strongest.

“We looked at every alternative before landing here,” said Paul Schiefer, who was hired as chief executive officer of Amy’s Kitchen in April. “We have a loyal workforce in Santa Rosa, and we’re incredibly grateful for everything they’ve contributed.

“We know this decision has a very real impact on people we value. As we’ve grown, our manufacturing network has become more complex than our business needs today. Aligning our network around what each facility is best positioned to do is what keeps Amy’s operating efficiently for the long run, for our employees, our retailers, and the families who count on our food.” 

TOWNSVILLE, Australia — The Socceroos played their first match since the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Friday, and for long stretches at Queensland Country Bank Stadium, it looked as though Australia might produce one of the most memorable results in the program’s history, before Brazil salvaged a stoppage-time equalizer to leave the international friendly level at 1-1.

Nestory Irankunda’s stunning free kick in the 68th minute had Australian supporters dreaming of a famous victory over one of world football’s most storied national teams, only for Brazilian substitute Rayan to head home a last-minute equalizer that ensured the spoils were shared between the two sides. The result marked Australia’s return to competitive international action following the conclusion of the World Cup earlier this year, giving fans their first look at the Socceroos since the tournament wrapped.

Irankunda’s goal itself has drawn widespread praise since the final whistle, with the strike, curled from roughly 20 yards over the defensive wall and into the top corner past Brazilian goalkeeper Hugo Souza, standing as just the second goal Australia has ever scored against Brazil across the two nations’ history of matches. That rarity underscored both the difficulty of the achievement and the scale of what Australia came close to accomplishing on home soil in Townsville, before Rayan’s header in the closing moments denied the Socceroos what would have been an even more historic outcome.

Friday’s friendly carried added significance as Australia’s first match of the new international cycle following the World Cup, giving fans and analysts an early opportunity to assess the state of the Socceroos program heading into the next stage of its development. The match took place as part of a broader slate of international football fixtures played during the same window, with UEFA Nations League matches also being contested across Europe, including results in groups featuring the Netherlands, Germany, Portugal, Wales, Kosovo, Ireland, Norway, Denmark, Austria and Israel.

The broader football news cycle surrounding Friday’s match extended well beyond the result itself. In Norway, Erling Haaland continued his prolific scoring form in a win over Denmark, extending a run of form that has drawn continued global attention. Elsewhere, Barcelona denied reported interest in teenage Manchester United prospect JJ Gabriel, a story that has drawn significant coverage in recent days following reports that Gabriel had asked to leave United’s academy. In Israel, a forward was shown a red card for his goal celebration during a separate international match, while Argentina’s Lionel Scaloni addressed the timing of Lionel Messi’s approaching farewell from the national team, and former Germany manager Jürgen Klopp said Kai Havertz and Jamal Musiala were “probably out” pending further medical scans, ahead of Germany’s own Nations League fixture against the Netherlands, which finished level at 1-1.

For Australia specifically, Friday’s result offered a mixed but broadly encouraging signal about where the program stands as it enters this next phase. Producing a goal of the quality Irankunda scored against a Brazilian side that included Vinicius Junior, Endrick, Raphinha and Bruno Guimarães, and holding that lead deep into stoppage time, pointed to genuine progress and quality within the current Socceroos squad under manager Tony Popovic, even as the manner of conceding the equalizer so late in the match will likely prompt some reflection on how the team manages narrow leads against elite opposition in the closing stages of matches.

ESPN’s live coverage of the match, tracked in real time by fans and reporters throughout the evening, captured the shifting emotions of the contest, from the excitement generated by Irankunda’s opener through to the disappointment of conceding in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time. Fan reaction polls following the match reflected a split verdict on how to interpret the result, with some focusing on the achievement of matching one of the sport’s traditional powers on the scoreboard for so long, and others lamenting the missed opportunity for an outright victory that had appeared within reach for much of the second half.

Brazil, managed by Carlo Ancelotti, used the match as part of its own broader squad assessment during the international break, rotating personnel throughout the second half as the Brazilian coaching staff continued evaluating options across multiple positions. The draw extended Brazil’s unbeaten record in the fixture against Australia, even as the manner of the result, requiring a stoppage-time goal to avoid defeat, offered a reminder that Australia’s rising generation of players is capable of testing even the most decorated national teams on their day.

With the Socceroos now having opened their post-World Cup cycle with a performance that produced both a moment of genuine history in Irankunda’s goal and a familiar pattern of narrowly missing out on victory against top-tier opposition, attention will now turn to how Popovic’s side builds on Friday’s result as it continues preparing for its next set of international fixtures in the months ahead.

LAS VEGAS — As consumers remain under financial pressure, they are no longer hunting for a deal; they’re assembling one, said Nicole Collida, managing director of US Retail & Sales Agencies at NielsenIQ (NIQ).

Speaking at Groceryshop on Sept. 22, Collida said shoppers are combining strategies, such as switching to lower-price brands (39%), shopping more often at discount or value retailers (34%), buying more private label (32%) and stocking up when preferred items are on sale (32%).

“It’s a durable shift in how consumers are curating a deal,” she said. “Promotion is still important, but promotion has to do things different than it’s done before. It has to drive value for the consumer in the way that the consumer is defining it.”

Some categories are faring better than others as food cost concerns persist. Looking ahead to next year, consumers intend to spend more money on fresh produce, about the same on fresh meat and less on instore prepared foods, according to NIQ’s 2027 Consumer Outlook Study. Notably, every purchase decision will be guided by justification rather than habit.

“An important note here is that consumers aren’t necessarily cutting spending,” Collida said. “We see them concentrating spending on the things that matter most to them and their family. And this is an important nuance because consumers will make decisions based on how they’re defining value and put those items in the basket, so that definition of value becomes critically important.”

The club channel has emerged as a clear winner against this backdrop, growing 9% over the past year while traditional grocery has remained flat. Yet only 11% of club sales are driven by promotion, versus more than 20% in other channels.

The club channel has emerged as a clear winner during the current economic environment, growing 9% over the past year, according to NielsenIQ.

| Photo: ©WOLTERKE – STOCK.ADOBE.COM

“Club is the clearest, most consistent proof point of structural value in our industry,” Collida said, pointing to membership, bulk economics, stock-up occasions and discovery as channel advantages. “Club will continue to win, and I think they’re making that value equation really obvious for consumers.”

The number of trips per shopper has increased at club and mass retailers while declining at grocery and dollar stores over the past three years, according to NIQ.  

“Grocery really does have to redefine itself and show up with a different value proposition because scale won’t be enough,” she said.

But scale doesn’t necessarily mean having a national footprint, she argued. “It can also mean availability of and the bandwidth to act on data.”

Rather than copy larger competitors, smaller and regional retailers should lean harder into unique advantages such as local sourcing and fresh assortment, she added.

“The lesson for all brands and retailers is to ensure that you’re defining the value proposition for consumers before they set foot in the store,” Collida said. “Don’t rent their attention with a promotion. Rather, really focus on bringing them into the store by delivering value for the occasion or the need state they’re looking to address.” 

That idea sits at the heart of INEZ.

Founded in New York City in 2018 by Hannah Spinelli and Tony Musso, INEZ was created around a desire to approach women’s footwear differently. Rather than choosing between a beautiful design and a more thoughtful wearing experience, the brand set out to bring both together.

Today, INEZ remains focused on designer heels that combine feminine silhouettes, fine materials, Spanish craftsmanship, and its Comfort Architecture.

A New York Beginning

INEZ was born in New York, a city where fashion is part of everyday life.

The brand’s identity reflects that environment. Its heels are designed to feel polished enough for a special occasion while still fitting naturally into a modern woman’s wardrobe.

From the beginning, Spinelli and Musso built INEZ around a focused vision rather than trying to create every kind of shoe. The brand chose to concentrate on heels and spend its attention on getting the details right.

Spinelli serves as Creative Director, shaping the creative direction of the brand, while Musso serves as CEO. Nora Burrows, Art Director and Head of Marketing, brings the visual world of INEZ to life and connects that aesthetic with the women who wear it.

Each role contributes to the same larger idea: a beautiful shoe should feel just as considered as it looks.

The Art of the Heel

A heel can be deceptively simple.

From across a room, you might notice the curve of the silhouette, the color of the leather, or the shape of the toe. Up close, however, there is much more to appreciate.

There is the way the leather is cut and finished. The way the shoe is balanced. The precision of the seams. The details that you may never consciously notice but that contribute to the way the finished shoe feels.

This is where the craftsmanship behind INEZ becomes part of the story.

The brand works with experienced Spanish artisans who bring decades of shoemaking knowledge to each pair. Their hands and expertise are part of a process that values precision, quality, and the natural character of the materials.

For a luxury shoe, those details matter.

Made With a Woman in Mind

INEZ approaches each heel from the perspective of the woman who will eventually wear it.

That means thinking beyond the first impression.

A shoe may look beautiful in a photograph, but a woman experiences it differently when she slips it on, walks across a room, spends an evening in it, or pairs it with something already hanging in her closet.

That perspective influences the way INEZ approaches its designs.

The brand’s proprietary Comfort Architecture is integrated into the construction of its heels, while the exterior remains focused on feminine design and refined style. Supportive elements, cushioning, and carefully selected materials are incorporated into the shoe without becoming the visual focus.

The result is intentional rather than complicated. What is happening inside the shoe is designed to complement what a woman sees on the outside.

Where Modern Design Meets Traditional Craft

One of the most distinctive parts of the INEZ approach is the relationship between modern thinking and traditional shoemaking.

The brand draws on contemporary biomechanics and engineering principles when developing the internal structure of its heels. At the same time, experienced Spanish artisans bring traditional knowledge to the materials and construction.

It is a meeting of two worlds.

One is rooted in research, structure, and how the foot moves. The other is rooted in years of working with leather, shaping shoes, and understanding the subtle details that come from experience.

Neither exists separately. They come together inside the finished heel.

That balance allows INEZ to explore new ideas while preserving the beauty and character associated with traditional craftsmanship.

The Details You Feel Before You See

Luxury is often found in the details.

INEZ uses materials such as Nappa leather and supple kidskin leather, selected for their softness, finish, and overall character. Inside the shoe, layers of carefully developed materials contribute to the brand’s approach to support and cushioning.

But the experience is not only about what is inside.

The feel of the leather against the foot, the way the shoe follows the shape of the foot, the finish of the seams, and the overall balance of the heel all contribute to how a pair feels when worn.

These are the details that can make a shoe feel special.

They are also the details that can be easy to overlook when shopping for footwear because they are not always immediately visible.

More Than a Beautiful Shoe

For INEZ, design is not simply about creating something beautiful to look at.

It is about creating something a woman can imagine wearing.

That might mean styling a pair with a favorite dress for an evening out, pairing them with tailored trousers for a polished look, or reaching for them when an outfit needs that final touch.

The goal is not to dictate how a woman should wear her heels. It is to create shoes that become part of her own style.

That is reflected in the brand’s approach to enduring design. Instead of chasing every passing trend, INEZ focuses on creating refined silhouettes and craftsmanship that can remain relevant season after season.

A Different Perspective on Luxury Footwear

INEZ’s story ultimately comes down to the relationship between design and the woman wearing it.

The brand began in New York with a clear point of view and developed that vision through Spanish craftsmanship, contemporary engineering, carefully selected materials, and a distinctly feminine approach to footwear.

The result is not simply a heel designed to look beautiful.

It is a heel designed with the entire experience in mind.

Because when a woman puts on a pair of heels, she should not have to think about everything that went into making them. She should simply feel beautiful, confident, and ready to walk out the door.

That is the kind of experience INEZ continues to build toward, one pair at a time.

Mark Pownall is joined by Gary Adshead, Claire Tyrrell and Isabel Vieira to talk about the big events of the week in WA business and politics. In this edition they look at the Perth city council, biggest builders in WA, Satterley management changes, Equus ownership, Oxford Hotel, Innovaero, state funds Cliff Head and, of course, a brief word about the Dockers.

Puzzle number 1,202 of The New York Times’ Connections game challenged solvers Friday with a grid blending words for luxury, mechanical clock parts, a lineup of famous men named Dan, and a wordplay category built around altered scientific terms.

Connections presents players with 16 words that must be sorted into four hidden groups of four, with each group sharing a common category. The puzzle rates each group’s difficulty using a color system: yellow for the most straightforward connection, green for slightly trickier, blue for more difficult, and purple, typically the most wordplay-heavy or misleading group, as the hardest.

For those still working through Friday’s puzzle, here are hints for each category, organized loosely from easiest to hardest, without giving away the specific words involved.

One category groups together words that all describe something upscale, stylish or expensive, the kind of vocabulary someone might use to describe a lavish hotel or an extravagant outfit. A second category brings together technical components found inside a traditional mechanical clock, the kind of vocabulary a clockmaker or watch enthusiast would recognize immediately, even if it is less familiar to everyday puzzle solvers. A third category groups together the surnames of several well-known men who all share the same first name, spanning entertainment, journalism and advice writing. The fourth and trickiest category takes standard scientific vocabulary learned in a biology classroom and alters each word slightly by adding an extra letter, transforming familiar taxonomic terms into words that look similar but mean something entirely different.

SPOILER WARNING: The full solution to Friday’s Connections puzzle follows below. Stop reading now if you’d rather work through the categories on your own.

Friday’s puzzle resolved into the following four groups. The category Luxe consisted of BOUGIE, FANCY, POSH and SWANK, four words used to describe something stylish, upscale or extravagant. The category Parts of a Mechanical Clock grouped ESCAPEMENT, PENDULUM, RATCHET and SPRING, four technical components found inside traditional clockwork mechanisms. The category Famous Dans brought together AYKROYD, LEVY, RATHER and SAVAGE, referring respectively to actor and Ghostbusters co-creator Dan Aykroyd, Schitt’s Creek co-creator and star Dan Levy, longtime CBS Evening News anchor Dan Rather, and journalist and relationship advice columnist Dan Savage. The final and trickiest category, Taxonomic Ranks Plus a Letter, consisted of BORDER, CLASSY, FOAMILY and GENIUS, wordplay entries formed by adding a single letter to the standard biological classification terms “order,” “class,” “family” and “genus,” respectively.

Puzzle guides covering Friday’s grid noted that the clock-related category required more specialized, technical knowledge than the other groups, since words like “escapement” are unlikely to be part of most solvers’ everyday vocabulary despite being fundamental components of how mechanical clocks actually function. The famous-name category similarly demanded recognition of specific public figures rather than relying on word meaning alone, requiring solvers to correctly identify which surnames paired with the first name Dan. The purple wordplay category, meanwhile, rewarded solvers who inspected the words closely for hidden patterns, such as an unexpected extra letter, rather than searching for a more conventional thematic connection between the four entries.

Connections has grown into one of the Times’ most consistently played daily puzzles since its official launch in 2023, expanding the newspaper’s games portfolio well beyond its traditional crossword offerings. Puzzle guides recommend a general strategy of scanning the full grid first for any words that seem to share an obvious connection, then working through the remaining words methodically to identify less immediately apparent categories, an approach puzzle trackers said worked particularly well for Friday’s grid given how distinctly separate the puzzle’s four categories were from one another in terms of subject matter.

Players attempting Friday’s puzzle are permitted up to four incorrect guesses before the game ends, with each group color-coded upon a correct guess to indicate which of the four difficulty tiers it belongs to. Players looking to track their performance on Friday’s puzzle, or compare notes with friends, can share their results through Connections’ built-in results screen, which uses colored emoji squares to display a player’s guessing sequence without revealing the actual category words, a sharable format that has become a familiar sight across social media in the years since the game’s launch.

With Friday’s puzzle now solved, players will have a fresh set of 16 words and four new hidden categories to work through when Saturday’s edition of Connections goes live at midnight local time, continuing the daily puzzle’s steady run as one of the Times’ most widely shared games alongside Wordle, Strands and the Mini Crossword.

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