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Chocolate is one of the 10 winners in the recession
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10 winners in the recession(Part one)
6. Public Universities
The recession may be hurting public colleges' budgets, but it's boosting their appeal to students. The Connecticut State University System expects an 11 percent rise in applications this year, while Oregon State University's applications have grown by 12 percent. And in a record-breaking year at the University of Texas, numbers are up 6 percent.
7. Chocolate
Hershey's, the largest North American chocolate manufacturer, increased earnings by 51.4 percent in the fourth quarter.
That's partly because of cost cutting and ad campaigns, but it helped that sales rose 2.6 percent. Overall, sinful sweets seem to be faring well in the recession.
The British Cadbury company, which sells both chocolate and goodies like Trident gum, found its annual profits up 30 percent in 2008. And market research firm Mintel predicts that the chocolate market will keep growing throughout the recession.
Analysts say that, like the oft-quoted "lipstick index," rising chocolate sales show that when Americans are cutting their spending elsewhere, they feel more entitled to small indulgences.
8. McDonald's
Waistlines won't thin along with wallets if sales figures at the nation's biggest fast-food chain are any indication.
McDonald's same-store sales in the United States rose 6.8 percent in February 2009. But not all cheap eats have prospered. Sales at the pricier Arby's dropped by 8.5 percent in the fourth quarter, slamming the Wendy's/Arby's Group with a $393.2 million loss.
Pizza chains also have been hit, with same-store sales falling 3 percent in the fourth quarter at Domino's and 1 percent at Pizza Hut.
9. Career Development Websites
Traffic to job sites increased 20 percent in January 2009 from the year before, according to Nielsen Online. That was driven not only by the unemployed but by people who still had jobs.
People are seeking out information in more old-fashioned ways, too. Borders says its sales of career guides are up from last year.
10. At-Home Coffee Brews
The economy must be bad when even Starbucks, purveyor of $4 lattes, introduces its first value menu. But while the powerhouse's profits fell 69 percent in the fourth quarter of last year, revenue at Vermont's Green Mountain Coffee Roasters climbed 56 percent.
And retailers have been selling Mr. Coffee's coffee makers faster than the company can ship them, says Matt Ragland, vice president of marketing, with sales of coffee makers and accessories rising almost 5 percent from last year.
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(Agencies)
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經濟危機中因禍得福的十大贏家（上）
6、公立大學
經濟危機可能危及到了美國公立大學的預算開支，但卻增加了這些大學對學生的吸引力。康涅狄格州立大學系統今年的申請學生人數預計將增加11%，俄勒岡州立大學的申請人數增加了12%，得克薩斯州立大學的申請人數也創下紀錄，增幅為6%。
7、巧克力
北美最大的巧克力生產商Hershey's去年第四季度的收益增長了51.4%。
這可能跟削減成本和廣告宣傳有關，但其中僅有2.6%的增長源于這兩項。總體而言，被視為“罪過”的甜食在經濟衰退時期似乎光景不錯。
以銷售巧克力及Trident口香糖等甜食為主的英國Cadbury公司去年的利潤增長了30%。據Mintel市場調查公司預測，巧克力市場在經濟衰退時期將持續升溫。
分析人士稱，就像常常提到的“口紅效應”，巧克力銷量的不斷上升表明當人們削減其它開支時，會覺得更有理由小小地奢侈一下。
8、麥當勞
如果美國最大的快餐連鎖店“麥當勞”的銷量增加，那么美國人的腰圍就不會像錢包一樣癟下去。
麥當勞在美國的同店銷售量今年2月增長6.8%。但并不是所有的廉價食品生意都很興隆。價格稍高點的Arby's連鎖店的銷量去年第四季度下降8.5%，給Wendy's/Arby's集團造成3.932億美元的損失。
比薩連鎖店也受到了沖擊，達美樂皮薩去年第四季度的同店銷售量下降3%，必勝客的銷售量下降1%。
9、職業規劃網站
據“尼爾森在線”調查顯示，招聘網站今年1月份的訪問量比去年同期增長了20%。這其中做出貢獻的不僅有失業者，還包括現在有工作的人。
如今人們也在用一些老辦法來獲取信息。Borders圖書連鎖店稱該店職業發展指導手冊的銷量較去年有所增加。
10、家庭自制咖啡
連一杯拿鐵賣4美元的星巴克都推出了超值菜單，經濟不景氣程度可想而知。去年第四季度星巴克的利潤大跌69%，但佛蒙特綠山咖啡烘焙公司的收益卻上漲了56%。
據“咖啡先生”市場銷售副總監馬特?拉格蘭德介紹，該公司咖啡機的銷售速度比上貨速度還快。該公司的咖啡制作工具和其它相關產品的銷量比去年同期增長了近5%。
相關閱讀：
經濟危機中因禍得福的十大贏家（上）
經濟危機 謹防詐騙趁虛而入
經濟危機致韓國避孕套銷量上升
英國：經濟危機致尋求婚姻咨詢的人增多
經濟危機影響男性性激素水平
（英語點津姍姍編輯）
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