big-business

Sialkot, Pakistan produces most of the world's footballs, but only a select group of manufacturers hold FIFA licenses. To earn certification, factories must pass a series of demanding performance tests and pay high licensing fees.

The Cheesecake Factory has one of the largest menus in American dining, with over 250 items as varied as pasta, tacos, sushi, and of course, dozens of cheesecakes. And it makes nearly everything fresh daily.

As fears of global conflict grow, tech companies are racing to protect servers by turning nuclear missile silos and abandoned mines into ultra-secure data centers.

Bodegas are one of New York City's oldest and largest neighborhood institutions, with more than 10,000 spread across the city's five boroughs. But this century-old industry is fighting to stay alive under rising rents, cutthroat competition, and Zohran Mamdani's city-run grocery initiative.

Mattel made Barbie a $1 billion-a-year brand and one of the most iconic toys in history. Now Mattel's crown jewel is facing challenges. After years of dominance, boosted by the blockbuster Barbie movie and a wave of nostalgia, sales are sliding.

After all the Academy Awards are passed out, 1,700 of Hollywood's biggest stars flock to the Governors Ball hungry. Wolfgang Puck and his team feed them all. More than 100 chefs are flown in from all over the world to handle the massive scale.

Japan has long harvested a shrub called mitsumata for its money supply. But when mitsumata started dying out, Japan frantically searched for alternatives to make yen.

Most of the shrimp Americans consume comes from India. But in August 2025, the Trump administration announced 50% tariffs on the country. Shrimp farmers in Gujarat, who'd taken US demand and turned poor towns into valuable shrimp hubs, had to pivot.

New York City's infamous jail, Rikers Island, currently houses nearly 7,000 detainees. Chefs, not inmates, do the cooking. But while they're on their shift, the chefs are locked in, too. There are cameras everywhere, monitored from the guard's office. Knives are chained to heavy machinery.