Box clever at lunchtime with bento boxes

GAZETTEERGAZETTEER'S mouth is watering. A company selling Japanese lunch boxes is to trial its idea in Glasgow after winning the Most Innovative Idea category in Renfrewshire Council's first Local Legends competition to find Scotland's next generation of young entrepreneurs.

Bento boxes, popular among Japanese businesspeople as a tasty lunchtime meal, are made up of a divided lunchbox containing a range of Japanese delicacies, usually including sushi, rice and pickled vegetables. The young team of Japanese entrepreneurs behind the idea have been hard at work testing the product and are now set to launch their product into the retail and corporate markets. The idea has won them funding packages worth a total of 23,000.

Eyeing its own wilted canteen sandwich mournfully, Gazetteer is hoping Bento Boxes roll out their idea to offices in the east of Scotland very soon.

KILLER QUOTE

I HAVE ruled out doing anything with the RBS group, which says nothing about the group, I just made that decision."

US investor Warren Buffett, confirming that he is not interested in bidding for Royal Bank of Scotland's insurance arm.

FACT OF THE DAY

$29.9bn

THE global biotechnology industry achieved record levels in financing and deal making in 2007, according to an annual report by Ernst & Young, entitled "Beyond Borders: Global Biotechnology Report 2008".

Companies in the Americas and Europe raised some $29.9 billion (15.3bn) during last year. Venture financing reached an all-time high with investment totalling about $7.5bn.

GOOD DAY

Stagecoach

THE Perth-based transport operator will be hoping to carry off some silverware in July having been shortlisted for three top honours at the National Transport Awards. The group's "Where you want to be" telemarketing campaign is up for one of the gongs.

BAD DAY

London's junior stock market

NOT a vintage year for the Alternative Investment Market(Aim) with the publication of figures showing the number of companies floating on Aim has nearly halved. Between 1 January and the end of April, there were 41 initial public offerings, against 76 last year.