🧁 “Frosted Freaks” — Kellogg’s Nutella deal. Netflix’s Anime AI. The Pentagon’s rare earth stock.

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Best One Yet Hosted by Jack Crivici-Kramer & Nick Martell Release Date: July 11, 2025

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Introduction

In this episode of The Best One Yet, hosts Jack Crivici-Kramer and Nick Martell delve into three compelling business stories that are shaping the current landscape. From the soaring popularity of anime on Netflix to the Pentagon's strategic investments in rare earth metals, and Ferrero's surprising acquisition of Kellogg's cereal brands, Nick and Jack provide insightful analysis and engaging commentary on each topic.

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1. Netflix's Anime Surge and the Future of AI Dubbing

Key Points:

• Anime Dominance on Netflix: Netflix has revealed that over 50% of its subscribers are now watching anime, making it the platform’s most popular content genre (06:07). This surge is attributed to the diverse range of genres within anime, from action and sci-fi to romance and fantasy.

• Global Reach Through Dubbing: The tripling of anime viewership in the past five years is largely due to Netflix's investment in dubbing anime into multiple languages. The most popular anime, Sakamoto Days, achieved top 10 status in 54 countries by being dubbed into 33 languages (07:43).

• AI Integration in Dubbing: Looking ahead, Netflix is exploring the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to further streamline the dubbing process. Job postings for AI researchers focused on language and voice technology indicate a move towards AI-generated dubs, potentially reducing costs and accelerating localization (08:35).

Notable Quotes:

• Nick: "If you're not watching anime on Netflix these days, you are in the minority." (06:43)
• Jack: "AI translation is a threat to voice actors, but an opportunity for others." (09:22)

Implications: The integration of AI in dubbing could revolutionize content localization, making it faster and more cost-effective. However, it also raises concerns about the future of voice actors and the quality of AI-generated performances.

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2. Pentagon's $400 Million Investment in Rare Earth Metals

Key Points:

• Strategic Investment: The Pentagon has become the largest shareholder in MP Materials, America's only active rare earth mining company, by investing $400 million (10:46). Additionally, the Department of Defense (DoD) is providing a $150 million loan for developing a second mine, securing a 10-year first claim on all minerals produced (12:58).

• National Security Concerns: Rare earth metals are critical for various technologies, including electric vehicles, smartphones, and military equipment. Currently, China controls 90% of the global market for these resources, posing a significant vulnerability for the U.S. (11:07).

• Strategic Socialism Debate: The move has sparked a debate on whether this intervention constitutes strategic socialism. While some view it as necessary for national defense and addressing market failures, others argue it blurs the lines between government and private enterprise (14:14).

Notable Quotes:

• Nick: "There is no rock more valuable than the rare earth metal." (10:46)
• Jack: "It is both strategic socialism and we're all for it." (14:14)

Implications: The Pentagon's investment underscores the strategic importance of securing domestic sources of rare earth metals. This move not only aims to reduce dependency on China but also stimulates the U.S. economy by fostering growth in a critical industry.

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3. Ferrero Acquires Kellogg’s Cereal Brands for $3 Billion

Key Points:

• Acquisition Details: Ferrero, the renowned Italian candy company known for Nutella, has acquired Kellogg’s sugary cereal brands for $3 billion (16:23). This includes iconic mascots like Tony the Tiger, Toucan Sam, and Snap, Crackle, and Pop.

• Strategic Intent: Contrary to initial assumptions, Ferrero's acquisition isn't primarily about expanding their cereal portfolio. Instead, it's a strategic move to leverage Kellogg’s beloved mascots for broader marketing and product diversification beyond just cereals (18:27).

• Market Trends and Contrasts: While other food giants like Hershey’s and PepsiCo are shifting towards healthier options, Ferrero is doubling down on sugary products, reinforcing their position in the confectionery market. This contrast highlights differing strategies within the food industry (19:06).

Notable Quotes:

• Jack: "This deal isn't really about cereal. It's about mascots." (20:07)
• Nick: "Frosted Flakes and Frosted Mini Weeks have been candy this whole time." (19:40)

Implications: Ferrero's acquisition signals a commitment to strengthening their brand portfolio through iconic characters, potentially leading to innovative product lines and expanded market reach. This move also emphasizes the enduring value of brand mascots in consumer loyalty and marketing.

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Additional Highlights

While the podcast primarily focused on the three main stories, Jack and Nick briefly touched upon other notable business updates:

• Andreessen Horowitz Moves to Nevada: The renowned venture capital firm has relocated its legal domicile from Delaware to Nevada, challenging Delaware's long-held reputation as the hub for corporate incorporation (21:05).

• McDonald's New Spicy Egg McMuffin: McDonald's introduced a spicy Egg McMuffin, aiming to offer more value-driven items without overtly labeling them as "value" products. This strategy aligns with their efforts to enhance the menu's appeal and price perception (22:26).

• Tesla's AI Chatbot Integration: Elon Musk announced the integration of an AI chatbot, Grok, into Tesla vehicles, enabling interactive features while driving. Additionally, Musk hinted at the upcoming Robo Taxi Service pending regulatory approval (22:55).

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Conclusion

In this episode, Jack and Nick provided a thorough exploration of significant business developments affecting the entertainment, defense, and consumer goods sectors. Their insightful analysis offers listeners a deeper understanding of how these stories influence broader market trends and strategic decisions.

Notable Final Quotes:

• Nick: "Strategic socialism in the name of national defense." (21:23)
• Jack: "I'd watch that." referring to potential TV shows featuring Kellogg’s mascots. (21:47)

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Timestamp References:

1. 06:07 - Introduction to Netflix's anime popularity
2. 07:43 - Global reach through dubbing
3. 08:35 - AI integration in dubbing
4. 06:43 - Quote on anime popularity
5. 09:22 - AI as a threat and opportunity
6. 10:46 - Pentagon's investment overview
7. 12:58 - Details on the second mine loan
8. 11:07 - China's monopoly on rare earth metals
9. 14:14 - Debate on strategic socialism
10. 10:46 - Rare earth metals value
11. 14:14 - Hosts' stance on strategic socialism
12. 16:23 - Ferrero's acquisition details
13. 18:27 - Ferrero's strategic intent
14. 19:06 - Contrasting market strategies
15. 20:07 - Ferrero's focus on mascots
16. 19:40 - Cereal brands as candy
17. 21:05 - Andreessen Horowitz's relocation
18. 22:26 - McDonald's new menu item
19. 22:55 - Tesla's AI chatbot and Robo Taxi
20. 21:23 - Characterizing Pentagon's investment
21. 21:47 - Potential TV shows for mascots

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For more insights and detailed discussions, tune into The Best One Yet

Transcript

[Nick]

This is Nick.

[Jack]

This is Jack.

[Nick]

It's Friday, the real Friday, June 11th. And today's pod is the best one yet. This is a T Boy, the top.

[Jack]

Three pop business news stories you need to know today.

[Nick]

Oh, almost got the wrong month there. Happy July 11 day to all those who celebrate. Sorry, 7 11th day to all those who celebrate.

[Jack]

There's probably a 711 near you that's giving out free Slurpees today.

[Nick]

Actually, July 11 is also 7 11, the convenience store's 98th birthday.

[Jack]

So we should buy 711 a Slurpee.

[Nick]

Big Gulp. You never looked younger, Jack. Three stories for today's T Boy. What do we got on the pod?

[Jack]

For our first story, Netflix's most popular content, viewed by more than half of subscribers, is anime.

[Nick]

But plot twist, Japanese anime shows the first way that AI could be used by Hollywood.

[Jack]

For our second story, the Pentagon just opened up its Robinhood account to buy $400 million of stock in a rare earth metals company.

[Nick]

Never have said those words before. J.

[Jack]

So when the government buys a private company, is that strategic or is that socialism?

[Nick]

We'll answer it.

[Jack]

And our third and final story. Kellogg's sugary cereal brands were just acquired by the Italian candy company that owns Nutella.

[Nick]

But this deal ain't about Frosted Flakes. Yetis. This deal is about tigers, toucans, and frogs.

[Jack]

But Yetis, before we hit that wonderful mix of stories. Whoa.

[Nick]

What a mix of stories to go into the weekend with. Love the mix.

[Jack]

Jack, we have a great idea for what you should do this weekend.

[Nick]

Buy Fyre Fest.

[Jack]

Buy Fyre Fest. Because Fyre Fest, the infamous music festival.

[Nick]

Is on sale on ebay.

[Jack]

Fyre fest, the 2017 Caribbean music concert.

[Nick]

That wasn't founder Billy McFarlane promised Instagram models, yachts and Blink 182s.

[Jack]

But instead, you got one cheese sandwich on white bread.

[Nick]

That's it.

[Jack]

And a Red Cross emergency cot to sleep on.

[Nick]

Now, because of that, Billy went to jail for fraud, and Hulu made a couple documentaries.

[Jack]

Well, Billy's out of prison now, and he actually flirted with the idea of doing a second Fyre Fest.

[Nick]

But instead, maybe because he owes a lot of people money, he's going to sell it.

[Jack]

The Fyre Fest brand, the ip, the trademark, and the social media handles, they're all on sale.

[Nick]

You can buy it all right now today on ebay.

[Jack]

Nick and I are looking at the ebay page right now.

[Nick]

I got it up, Jack.

[Jack]

You can make a bid to acquire the biggest brand flop in history.

[Nick]

Okay? And so far, fyre fest has 27,000 views on eBay and 114 bids.

[Jack]

And the the latest bid is $205,000 and $500.

[Nick]

Jack, are you saying 205 grand for the best known concert in history? That didn't even happen. Yep.

[Jack]

And if you own this ip, you could legally launch and produce another Fyre Festival.

[Nick]

Or, Jack, you could sell Fyre Fest merch.

[Jack]

Or you could sell Fyre Fest branded cheese sandwiches on white bread.

[Nick]

Or maybe a Blink 182 CD case with no CD inside of it.

[Jack]

That would sound just right.

[Nick]

And we would sell it. Now, besties, we should point out that Billy is gu of defrauding investors for $27 million.

[Jack]

So there's a slight chance somehow this whole thing doesn't work out, but.

[Nick]

Hey, Jack, Ja Rule says this thing is only going up. He does? Yeah.

[Jack]

Maybe we should place a bid.

[Nick]

He said it's impossible to lose money. You place the bid.

[Jack]

What are three stories?

[Eddie]

Fifteen years before this song, two boys from the Northeast met in the dorm. They had an idea to cause a cultural storm. It's the best one yet, but the best is a norm. Jack. Nick, that's it. I don't even think they need to practice. 50%. That's a fat tip. T Boy City on your @ Liz, if you know, you know. Cause we read to go. We can't wait no more.

[Nick]

So just start the show.

[Eddie]

Start the show.

[Nick]

First, a quick word from our sponsor.

[Jack]

Airbnb.

[Nick]

Yetis, there is nothing more powerful in life or in business than the Double Dip.

[Jack]

Dip that chip twice and don't end.

[Nick]

It with the ultimate money Double Dip Hosting on Airbnb. Jack's talked so much about being a host, his friends are asking him about it. I'm getting asked about it all the time.

[Jack]

One buddy is about to get married. He has no kids yet. He wants to travel the country dink style with his new wife. How is he gonna pay for it? He's going to list his house on Airbnb.

[Nick]

So, Basties, if you're going on vacation this summer, join the millions who host on Airbnb.

[Jack]

Host your whole space. Host your extra space. Host any space.

[Nick]

The income from putting your home on Airbnb could pay for your whole vacay.

[Jack]

I've been doing it for three different.

[Nick]

Properties now, and it's easy to set booking availability. And then when the booking comes in, Jack, you always say it just shows up in your Google calendar.

[Jack]

And if you're not sure what to price your place at, check Airbnb and look at Similar listings. It's very easy.

[Nick]

You can double dip that chip.

[Jack]

Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how [e-mail] host now a quick break. Switching topics to one of our favorite sponsors, vital Proteins.

[Nick]

All right, Eddie. So Jack has become an extreme collagen user. This guy's adding vital proteins collagen to each morning coffee. And Jack drinks a lot of morning coffee, I should point out.

[Jack]

Yeah, I have three cups a day. I have a tub of mocha and a tub of chocolate. Both make my coffee taste chocolatey.

[Nick]

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[Jack]

That is how my face got dewier than a donut.

[Nick]

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[Jack]

By taking collagen peptides daily, you can support your hair, skin, nail, bone, and joint health.

[Nick]

Get 20% off by going to vitalproteins.com and entering promo code T Boy at checkout.

[Jack]

That's vitalproteins.com promo code T Boy for 20% off.

[Nick]

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. For our first story, Netflix has a secret content type that is more popular than any other. Get this. It's anime.

[Jack]

Half of the Netflix watching world watches anime half. And that holds a lesson for all content creators.

[Nick]

You know what, Jack? Let's just kick things off with that hero stat again because it was so wild. Why don't you repeat it for us?

[Jack]

Netflix shared last weekend that anime is watched by more than half of all Netflix members.

[Nick]

Okay, let's sprinkle some numbers on here. Yetis, that is 150 million households. We're talking 300 million people watching anime.

[Jack]

They're watching anime on Netflix. Anime, the Japanese style of cartoons.

[Nick]

Basically, if you're not watching anime on Netflix these days, you are in the minority.

[Jack]

And yes, Dragon Ball Z counts as.

[Nick]

Anime, but hey, Pikachu, we're not just talking Pokemon and Yu Gi oh over here, are we, Jack?

[Jack]

I'm not sure if it's Yu Gi oh or Yu Gi oh.

[Nick]

Interestingly, recent anime hits have spanned genres.

[Jack]

There's action shows that are anime. There's sci fi anime. There's fantasy anime, of course, but there's even romance.

[Nick]

Anime and animation has become the big trend in broader Asian film in general.

[Jack]

China got its first ever $1 billion box office movie this year, and it's Animated.

[Nick]

But it is Japan's anime that has some very unique economics.

[Jack]

Hollywood actors are pricey, but animation is just as popular for viewers, but. But at a much lower cost.

[Nick]

And that anime viewing on Netflix has tripled in the last five years. But Jack, what is the reason for this tripling?

[Jack]

It's dubbing. That's the reason for the tripling.

[Nick]

Yetis, the magic of anime is that it is originally made in Japanese, but it is now being dubbed into every other language.

[Jack]

The most popular anime show on Netflix right now is called Sakamoto Days, about a hitman turned family man.

[Nick]

And now get this. The first season of that show hit Netflix's top 10 chart and in 54 different countries again.

[Jack]

It was originally done in Japanese, but then dubbed into 33 other languages.

[Nick]

I mean, Jack, sure, of course it was a top 10 in Japan, but it was a top 10 in Korea, in France, all the way over in.

[Jack]

Argentina, and 51 other countries. Nick.

[Nick]

Yeah. Now one reason for this is creative.

[Jack]

The themes in this show are universal love, hate, friendship, family. Those are themes that the whole world enjoys. They cross borders.

[Nick]

But the other reason is practical.

[Jack]

Anime is cartoons. And cartoon mouths can have any language coming out and it doesn't affect like the visual audio experience.

[Nick]

Call up Carmen Sandiego and she'll write different languages into all those mouths.

[Jack]

So currently we should point out Netflix is dubbing these anime shows into English using English speaking human voice actors.

[Nick]

Uh, but Jack, pause the pod. You know that Netflix wants to replace those human voice actors with artificial intelligence.

[Jack]

Netflix is a tech company.

[Nick]

Well, what did we notice on the Netflix job board the other day, Jack?

[Jack]

Right now Netflix has job postings for AI researchers focused on language and voice technology.

[Nick]

And the pay up to 700,000 bucks a year for these AI dubbing jobs.

[Jack]

You can get paid up to 700 grand a year to help Netflix make the ninja Naruto speak Croatian. Look, AI translation is a threat to voice actors, but an opportunity for others.

[Nick]

So Jack, what's the takeaway for our buddies over at Netflix?

[Jack]

AI is fluent in every language and that is a huge scale hack.

[Nick]

Yetis, last year we covered Reddit's best day ever on the stock market. What happened, Jack?

[Jack]

The stock jumped 40% on one day on news that Reddit is using AI to translate all of their written content to all of the languages on earth.

[Nick]

Almost instantly, Reddit's opus of online content multiplied its market exponentially with AI.

[Jack]

Now, we should point out in Nick's and my 2022 predictions pod, we said that Netflix would multiply all their local country content to all languages using technology.

[Nick]

Jack. So, like, it looks like our prediction was just a couple years short, but it was, right? There we go.

[Jack]

But it's not just Reddit and Netflix. Every content creator is eventually going to use this AI translation, Especially for content that has universal themes.

[Nick]

Yeah, so I don't know if, like, translation of this T Boy podcast is gonna work in every language. You know, like, I'm not sure how Japan's gonna feel about this, but.

[Jack]

Yeah, how is Kaoki Crip gonna translate into, like, Dutch?

[Nick]

But no matter what, Yeti's AI's language fluency is what multiplies content at no cost.

[Jack]

And that is a huge scale hack.

[Nick]

For our second story, The Pentagon just bought $400 million of America's only rare earth metals company.

[Jack]

It's a wild story.

[Nick]

It is.

[Jack]

We've never seen the military make a stock market purchase before. But is this strategic or is this socialism?

[Nick]

Yetis, there is no rock more valuable than the rare earth metal. If you're getting engaged, don't get her a diamond ring. Put some scandium on that finger, baby.

[Jack]

We've described this using a mar Marvel superheroes reference. These are the infinity Stones of the real world.

[Nick]

Terbium, lanthium, diprosium. Those are the key ingredients in your electric vehicle, your laptop, your iPhone, your air conditioner, and even your PlayStation.

[Jack]

But also our fighter jets.

[Nick]

Good point, Jack.

[Jack]

Which makes this next sentence a huge problem. China controls 90% of the market for rare earth minerals and rare earth magnets.

[Nick]

Wow, a 90% monopoly.

[Jack]

Yeah, during the trade war, China's lock on rare earth matters is their literal trump card.

[Nick]

That's why in April, Jack and I said that the US Must reach a deal with China in the short term, because our economy is screwed without these rare earth metals.

[Jack]

But we also said that in the long term, we need to invest in our own rare earth metals. We have them. They're just underground, and they take years to extract.

[Nick]

Well, Jack, perfect timing. Here's the news. The U.S. department of Defense just bought $400 million of stock in an American rare earth mining business. I'm sorry, the only American rare earth mining business.

[Jack]

The Pentagon is now the biggest shareholder in this company.

[Nick]

And you know what, besties Wall street noticed, too. Shares of MP Materials surged 47% on their surprise new investor, the Pentagon.

[Jack]

Nick and I have never seen a deal like this in our lifetimes. Except maybe the bailouts during the 08 financial crisis.

[Nick]

So, besties, here's the dirt on the deal Literally. It's a dirt deal.

[Jack]

NP Materials owns America's only active rare earth mine.

[Nick]

Like we said, it's located in Mountain Pass, California, which just outside Las Vegas.

[Jack]

And they produce metals and magnets for electric cars and fridges, but also for drones, military submarines and F35s.

[Nick]

Now here's the interesting part of the deal. The Pentagon is also giving this company a $150 million loan to develop a second rare earth metal mine.

[Jack]

And for 10 years, the DOD gets first claim on 100% of the magnets and minerals that come from that second mine.

[Nick]

So if the Pentagon needs some scandium, they will call up this mine and they get it.

[Jack]

One more kicker. The Pentagon is going to guarantee a minimum price of $50 per pound of minerals, which makes the investment less risky for this mining company.

[Nick]

So, Jack, I'm just going to add all this up for a sec. Our Pentagon is now the biggest shareholder and lender and customer and price guarantor of this rare earth metal company.

[Jack]

That's how serious this issue is. Yeah, but it also leads to a question.

[Nick]

So Jack, what's the takeaway? That's a question for our buddies over at the Pentagon.

[Jack]

Is this strategic or is this socialism now?

[Nick]

Yeah.

[Jack]

It is.

[Nick]

The US Government taking partial control of and dictating the terms of what a private company can do.

[Jack]

That sounds like the definition of socialism.

[Nick]

Literally.

[Jack]

And of course, the US has many socialist elements. Our schools, our fire and police departments, our post office, it's all socialism.

[Nick]

But on the other hand, this is also the kind of thing that America does and we've done before in war for national security.

[Jack]

So we'd probably call this, this strategic socialism.

[Nick]

Yeah. To answer our own question, it is neither socialism nor strategic.

[Jack]

It is both strategic socialism and we're all for it. Because the status quo situation with rare earth metals, it's a market failure. The government must intervene. It's just too important.

[Nick]

So, besties, the Pentagon is buying stock in a mining business that is wild news.

[Jack]

We call this strategic socialism in the name of national defense.

[Nick]

Now a quick word from our sponsor.

[Jack]

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[Nick]

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[Jack]

I mean, Nick, you can get a fast food hamburger, but we hope you like it well done.

[Nick]

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[Jack]

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[Nick]

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[Jack]

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[Nick]

Yes, it is. Audible T Boy Trivia. Here we go. Yetis, what is the biggest thing you can pack for vacation but not have to check your luggage?

[Jack]

I think it's a leading question based on my Audible. I just said a second ago.

[Nick]

Yeah, yeah. The answer's the Audible app. It's the Audible app.

[Jack]

Audible has the deepest selection of audiobooks, podcasts and Audible originals all in one app.

[Nick]

You gotta stick all your clothes in a suitcase, but you get thousands of audio titles in your pocket.

[Jack]

Right now, I'm on a World War II kick. I'm listening to Doris Kearns Goodwin on FDR and Eleanor Roosevelt and how we.

[Nick]

Created the arsenal of democracy. It is Jack's Roman Empire right now.

[Jack]

Now, when we're packing for our summer vacation, we don't forget our toothbrush and we don't forget our Audible.

[Nick]

There's more to imagine when you listen.

[Jack]

Sign up for a free 30 day Audible trial and your first audiobook is free.

[Nick]

Visit audible.comt Boy, that's audible.comtboy for our third and final story, Kellogg is getting acquired by the owner of Nutella for 3 billion bucks.

[Jack]

But the Italians aren't buying American cereal for the cereal. No, they're buying it for the mascots. Jack.

[Nick]

1894 Breakfast changed forever.

[Jack]

That's the year that Dr. John Harvey Kellogg left some dough out overnight by accident up in Michigan.

[Nick]

And the next morning, he and his brother William Kellogg tasted. And you know what? Yeah, this is pretty good.

[Jack]

That's how Corn Flakes were born. By accident.

[Nick]

It's an accidental invention. Then they sprinkled some sugar on them and turned it into a $1 billion business.

[Jack]

Kellogg would go on to create Rice Krispies, Froot Loops and Frosted Mini Wheats.

[Nick]

Ah, the greatest hits. The Kellogg cereal company is the best thing to happen to the American dental industry.

[Jack]

By the way, my latest appointment. Talk me Jack they told me I had something that was looking like a cavity.

[Nick]

I've never had one, so I don't even know Jack.

[Jack]

It's completely unfair.

[Nick]

I'm sorry. You're almost at the dozen mark. Congratulations.

[Jack]

I floss, like, every other night.

[Nick]

You're blaming the toothbrush over here, Jack? I'm not sure you're supposed to do that, but. Besties.

[Jack]

In 2023, Kellogg's split off its cereal.

[Nick]

Division because snack sales were surging, but.

[Jack]

Cereal sales were slumping. And one benefit of splitting up your company, it makes the smaller pieces more acquirable.

[Nick]

Well, here's the news. Ferrero, the Italian candy company, is now buying Kellogg's cereal.

[Jack]

The stock surged on rumors of the news on Wednesday, which was made official on Thursday.

[Nick]

That's right. The owner of Nutella is adding Tony the Tiger and Snap and Crackle and Pop to their cabinet.

[Jack]

Are those things elves?

[Nick]

It isn't clear, Jack, but either way. Hey, Italy, enjoy the carbonara a la Raisin Bran. But besties, this is what Jack and I got fascinated with. Like, what does this Italian candy company want in an American cereal business that's been shrinking?

[Jack]

Ferrero is the the third largest confectionary company on Earth, which just means everything they make has sugar in it.

[Nick]

They own Tic Tac, Kinder, Nutella. They're a pure play cavity company.

[Jack]

And Ferrero is most famous for creating Nutella, Italy's greatest invention back in the 1940s.

[Nick]

Greatest invention since the Renaissance, Jack. In fact, Ferrera buys 25% of all hazelnuts on Earth to put into Nutella.

[Jack]

But that wasn't enough. Last year, Ferrero bought all of Nestle's candies, Baby Ruth, Butterfinger, Crunchbar, Keebler, elves.

[Nick]

Now, here's the interesting part. Besties, millennial moms, hate sugar. And yet Ferrero is doubling down on sugar right now.

[Jack]

They now have 35 separate candy brands.

[Nick]

But you know what? It's working.

[Jack]

Sales rose for Ferrero by 9% last year to $22 billion. Their valuation is at a sugar high now.

[Nick]

Yet these other food giants out there, they've been diversifying into health. Like Hershey's just acquired that healthy popcorn.

[Jack]

Brand that you love, Jackie Lesser Evil.

[Nick]

Right? Pepsi bought Siete Foods and poppy, healthier versions of their unhealthy options.

[Jack]

But this Ferrero deal of Kellogg is the opposite. And it kind of confirms once and for all that Frosted Flakes and Frosted Mini Weeks have been candy this whole time.

[Nick]

I don't know how we missed it.

[Jack]

With the Frosted adjective, Jeff. Dentists have been saying this for years and now Wall street confirmed it.

[Nick]

So Ferrero isn't diversifying like everyone else. They're going back for seconds of sugar.

[Jack]

Which I can't do. Cause my damn cavities. They say I have groovy teeth.

[Nick]

Like, funky teeth?

[Jack]

No, like there's like holes that just like, are impossible to properly brush. I think those are called cavities. Nevermind.

[Nick]

We may need to see a second opinion on this one. Jack. So, Jack, what's the takeaway for our buddies over at Kellogg?

[Jack]

This deal isn't really about cereal. It's about mascots. Yetis.

[Nick]

For over a century, Kellogg has created some of the greatest IP intellectual property in food history, knowing that kids were.

[Jack]

The target all along. The cereal company got into the cartoon business with Tony the Tiger Smacks the Frog, Toucan Sam and I think a bunch of others.

[Nick]

But we think Ferrero's real goal with this deal is to take those characters and explode them.

[Jack]

Beyond cereal, the tiger mascot Tony is so well known, why not make Frosted Flakes protein bars?

[Nick]

Or Jack, we all grew up with Rice Krispie treats as millennials. Why not a Rice Crispy bottled milkshake?

[Jack]

The growth potential isn't in the cereals. It's in the MA. That's what this $3 billion cereal deal is all about.

[Nick]

Jack, could you whip up the takeaways for us for the Real Friday?

[Jack]

Netflix's secret most popular content type is anime, viewed by more than half of subscribers.

[Nick]

Soon dubbing will happen with AI and that is a huge scale hack.

[Jack]

For our second story, the US military bought $400 million of stock in MP materials, and they get first dibs on their rare earth metals.

[Nick]

This is strategic socialism in the name of national defense.

[Jack]

And our third and final story. Michigan's Kellogg cereal business is getting bought by Italy's Ferrero.

[Nick]

This deal ain't about this cereal. This deal is about the mascots. Because they are great, by the way. Hot. Take those Krispy Kreme elves or, I'm sorry, the Rice Krispies elves. They're getting a TV show. What do you think?

[Jack]

I'd watch that.

[Nick]

I'd watch that dubbed, dubbed, dubbed.

[Jack]

But yetis, this pod's not over yet. Here's what else you need to know today.

[Nick]

First, Andreessen Horowitz, the most famous VC in the world, has moved their legal dominion from Delaware to Nevada.

[Jack]

It's another blow to Delaware, which used to enjoy the quote unquote, Delaware default for incorporations.

[Nick]

Delaware's reputation for Corporate friendliness has waned, especially after a Delaware judge blocked Elon's huge pay package.

[Jack]

And now Andreessen Horowitz is probably going to recommend to all their startups to move out of Delaware.

[Nick]

And second, yesterday, McDonald's added a spicy egg McMuffin to the menu. But there's a strategy here.

[Jack]

Well, I think the strategy is prevent me from having to ask for hot sauce when I order a egg McMuffin. It's already built in now.

[Nick]

Yeah. McDonald's is also trying to show America that it's not too expensive by bringing more value items without calling them value.

[Jack]

Items, like the popular snack wrap. But at $3, the new snack wrap is more than double what it used to cost.

[Nick]

Yeah, we're gonna be in Chicago soon. McDonald's, we should talk. And finally, starting next X's very unwoke AI Chatbot is going to be riding shotgun in your Tesla.

[Jack]

That's right. Elon announced it on Thursday on Twitter. You can ask Grok questions while driving your Tesla.

[Nick]

Now, this comes in the wake of Grok's algorithm tweaks that did result in it praising Hitler.

[Jack]

One other note from Elon, Robo Taxi Service could be coming to the Bay Area in the next month or two. They're just waiting for regulatory approval.

[Nick]

Now, time for the best fact yet. This one sent in by Lykan Mangosta from Puerto Rico and Jeremy Daniel from the Dominican Republic.

[Jack]

This is a correction fact, because, besties.

[Nick]

Earlier this week, we said that Samuel L. Jackson was the only actor to be in both a Marvel superhero movie and a Star wars movie.

[Jack]

Turns out there's a few others that have appeared in both franchises, although not nearly as much as Samuel L. Jackson did.

[Nick]

Natalie Portman was Queen Amidala in Star Wars.

[Jack]

Of course, she was also Thor's girlfriend in Marvel. Full disclosure, I've never seen any of the Thor movies.

[Nick]

There also were three other actors who appeared in both, including Paul Bedney, Mads Mikkelsen, and La PETA Nyong.

[Jack]

Although those last three were basically just cameos.

[Nick]

So congratulations to them and their agents on a couple of really big paydays.

[Jack]

And sorry for sounding defensive. I just.

[Nick]

You have a cavity, Jack, so you're upset. You got a cavity, dude.

[Jack]

I don't even believe my dentist. I'm like, there's no way I have a cavity.

[Nick]

Honestly. He may be testing your willingness to pay right now, Jack. Yetis, you looked fantastic this week. Celebrate some wins this weekend, like checking out at our latest the Best Idea yet episode on the Frisbee.

[Jack]

We got that link in the episode description. Have a phenomenal weekend. Nick and I will see you Monday.

[Nick]

And remember, if you are in the Midwest, grab some tickets to our live show in Chicago. We'd love to see you there in just two weeks.

[Jack]

Kids are allowed.

[Nick]

And before we go, a happy 20th birthday to Yeti Kai Anna say from Lovely Love, Lake Worth, Florida.

[Jack]

And happy birthday to Karen Silvers Brady in Orlando, Florida.

[Nick]

And a happy birthday to Zach Ehrman from San Francisco who's got so many fun facts you gotta send us one a week.

[Jack]

Zach and Felipe, your manager says Hyh.

[Nick]

Tboi and Elaine Dalken from West Palm Beach, Florida is learning to finally swim this summer. Fantastic goal for a birthday.

[Jack]

Happy birthday to Rebecca Reed from San Jose, a loyal Gonzaga alum and Metallica fan.

[Nick]

And Henry Parko, happy 5th birthday down in Phoenix. Enjoy that pool party, buddy.

[Jack]

Henry, don't drink the water. I know the water looks clean, but it's not.

[Nick]

And a shout out to Andrew Zucker who interviewed us for his awesome newsletter called Zucker. Check it out. It's got business, media and tech perspective, baby.

[Jack]

Congratulations to Jeff Haugen in Chicago, Illinois for getting a new job with a 55% pay raise. Get this Nick. He's feeling so good right now, he's opening up a bar tab after our live show. He says drinks are on him.

[Nick]

In that case, make it a Johnnie Walker Blue Label. Celebrate the Wins.

[Jack]

This is Jack. I own stock of Netflix and Reddit and Nick and I both own stock of Robinhood. If you like the best one yet, you can listen ad free right now by joining Wondery and the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts.

[Nick]

Prime members can listen ad free on Amazon Music.

[Jack]

And before you go, tell us a little bit about yourself by filling out a short [e-mail] survey.

[Nick]

We want to get to know you.

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