Vivos, a network of underground shelters built to survive catastrophes, has seen year-over-year inquiries into its bunkers increase by 2,000 percent and sales jump 500 percent amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to CEO Robert Vicino.
"We've noticed a lot of people are jumping, not out of windows, but off the fence, and they're realizing we live in vulnerable times, dangerous times," Vicino said about the surge.
The list of catastrophes Vivos claims to be prepared for includes killer asteroids, nuclear war, and, of course, global pandemic.
The Vivos system of shelters, with locations in Indiana, South Dakota, and Germany, accommodates either private bunker ownership and leasing as well as memberships into communities of like-minded survivalists, according to its website.
It's not for everyone, though; there are some prerequisites for members, according to Vicino.
"One of the things we look for is people that have an open heart, that are tolerant, that can get along with other people, and we also look for them to be able to bring some skillsets to the table, or to the community," he said.
While the bunkers can range from luxurious to relatively modest, Vicino noted that community members are mostly middle-class and come from skilled professions and trades like doctors, lawyers, military personnel, plumbers, and electricians.
"That's the way we try to populate each shelter so that if the toilet breaks, and we only had doctors, we'd have a real disaster," he explained.
The wide cross-section of people populating the Vivos xPoint location in South Dakota, which looks to house 5,000 to 10,000 people in 575 bunkers, might serve another purpose beyond survival — entertainment.
"We have a television show in the works, and it's going to be an ongoing reality show following the growth of this community, the building of the world's largest survival community on Earth," Vicino said.
While he didn't go into details about production, the doomsday bunker CEO said the show will track individuals in their day-to-day, interacting with families and fellow community members.
Nestlé has dismissed its CEO Laurent Freixe after an investigation into an undisclosed relationship with a direct subordinate. The company announced on Monday that the dismissal was effective immediately. An investigation found that Freixe violated Nestlé’s code of conduct. He had been CEO for a year. Philipp Navratil, a longtime Nestlé executive, will replace him. Chairman Paul Bulcke stated that the decision was necessary to uphold the company’s values and governance. Navratil began his career with Nestlé in 2001 and has held various roles, including CEO of Nestlé's Nespresso division since 2024.
Kraft Heinz is splitting into two companies a decade after they joined in a massive merger that created one of the biggest food companies on the planet. One of the companies will include brands such as Heinz, Philadelphia cream cheese and Kraft Mac & Cheese. The other will include brands like Oscar Mayer, Kraft Singles and Lunchables. When the company formed in 2015 it wanted to capitalize on its massive scale, but shifting tastes complicated those plans, with households seeking to introduce healthier options at the table. Kraft Heinz's net revenue has fallen every year since 2020.
About 780,000 pressure washers sold at retailers like Home Depot are being recalled across the U.S. and Canada, due to a projectile hazard that has resulted in fractures and other injuries among some consumers.
