Grocery TV’s Post

In a corporate shake-up that’s about as subtle as a BOGO deal on ice cream during a heatwave, Kroger is reshuffling its top brass. Stuart Aitken, the guy behind Kroger's marketing mojo and all things merchandising, is stepping down to "pursue other professional opportunities." Translation? He’s packing his desk, but not before a long holiday send-off, as he’ll stay until December 31. Enter Mary Ellen Adcock, (Adcock, maybe that's the name of my next publication) the new Chief Merchandising and Marketing Officer, who’s been with Kroger since the late '90s. She’s the quintessential insider, having climbed every corporate rung over the past 25 years. Adcock started in the manufacturing division, worked her way into the operational nerve center, and most recently managed all the moving parts for over 2,700 stores, 416,000 associates, and a mind-boggling 11 million customers per day. That’s more people than some countries. She’s not just taking over a department; she’s basically inheriting an empire. CEO Rodney McMullen is laying on the praise thick, calling #Adcock a "respected leader" and highlighting her ability to steer Kroger through the grocery gauntlet of the 2020s. And what a gauntlet it is—think Walmart breathing down Kroger’s neck, Amazon trying to reinvent grocery shopping as some kind of sci-fi utopia, and Costco making everyone question their commitment to weekly milk purchases. For Aitken, it’s a bittersweet farewell. He’s been instrumental in Kroger’s digital evolution, turning data into dollars with innovations like 84.51°—a name that sounds more like a hipster speakeasy than a data analytics powerhouse. Under his watch, Kroger sharpened its focus on customer-centric marketing, leveraging insights that turned your shopping cart into a goldmine of personalized offers. But now, he’s off to greener pastures—or at least a pasture where he’s not responsible for selling avocados in five different ripeness levels. Adcock’s promotion couldn’t come at a more turbulent time. Kroger is already in the hot seat with regulators over its planned $25 billion merger with Albertsons, and the grocery wars are nastier than ever. Walmart’s sheer scale, Amazon’s tech muscle, and Costco’s cult following leave Kroger fighting to stay relevant in an industry that’s no longer just about low prices but who can best predict whether you’ll add Oreos to your cart. Adcock’s background in operations hints at a possible shift in strategy. If Aitken’s era was all about jazzing up the customer experience and mining data gold, Adcock’s reign might focus on efficiency and operational grit—getting groceries on shelves faster, fresher, and cheaper. But will that be enough to keep the wolves at bay?

Do you wish you had a better understanding the middle part of path to purchase? This was an issue that kept cropping up at Groceryshop in Las Vegas last week. Attest's Graham Bodner and Ben Attenborough were there, connecting with brand and category managers and finding out about the challenges they're facing as 2025 fast approaches. Do you agree that getting insight into awareness and consideration is now less of a priority? We'd love to hear your thoughts. #consumerresearch #consumerinsights #brandstrategy #marketingstrategy

Why is Matt Williams giving Walmart a high five? 🖐️ Find out in our latest #ColdTake as we dig into Walmart's Manager Academy. Cold Takes are quick videos on recent topics in the news and what we think it means in the business of branding. Watch more Cold Takes on our website: https://hubs.la/Q02pCjQP0 Would you give Walmart a high five too? Let us know in the comments! -- #walmart #walmartacademy #brand #brandstrategy #brandconsulting

Did you know that print media is still a powerhouse in the marketing world? 📈 Costco's Costco Connection magazine has become the third largest magazine in the US, distributing over 15.4 million copies every month! 🤯 In a digital age, this highlights the enduring power of print as part of a strong marketing mix. It’s an invaluable tool for connecting with audiences in a tangible way. Curious about how your business can harness the power of print? Learn from Costco's success and discover the untapped potential of print media strategies.

In 2023, a number of retailers and grocers including Kroger, Whole Foods Market, and Target aggressively promoted their respective private label offerings direct to consumers in a brand-building effort more common to GPG brands. So what's next? And what steps can retailers and grocers take to further enhance their efforts and continuing raising the profile of private labels. https://lnkd.in/euGbWUHJ #privatelabel #retail #grocery

BrandExtenders Boosts Albertsons’ Flavor Adventure Success with Strategic Promotional Merchandise! Albertsons knows the power of promotional merchandise to elevate marketing campaigns, and their summer “Flavor Adventure” was no exception. This gamified shopping experience aimed to drive digital coupon adoption, incentivize purchases, and boost their private brand awareness. ❓How did BrandExtenders contribute❓ 🌟 🎉Within an incredible six-week timeline and strategic partnerships with overseas factories, we produced and delivered custom swag, including Flavor Adventure t-shirts and playful stress balls. Through seamless execution, we managed the shipping for custom t-shirt sizes to 2,500 Albertson stores' employees. 👉The result? Increased employee morale, customer engagement, and brand awareness, ensuring Flavor Adventure was a memorable experience for all. Read more here: https://zurl.co/DYqW 📈 Promotional merchandise can truly elevate special programs and boost ROI. 🚀 Curious how we can help you boost your programs? 📆 Schedule a swag chat at https://zurl.co/z9kQ or send us a message. #BrandStrategy #Branding #PromotionalMerchandise #RetailMarketing #CustomerEngagement #SwagSuccess #ROI #corporatebranding

Launching a brand into retail distribution takes a lot of time and patience. Here are a list of steps I advise an early stage brand to take: Nail your pricing architecture. Start with the SRP in retail, back out retailer margin and then back out disitrbitor margin to get the wholesale price. The price to UNFI/KEHE will be different then the price to DSD. Start with DO NOT PRICE BASED ON YOUR COGS. Make sure the price you set to consumers in your calculation will allow your product to move! Create a retailer roadmap. Unless you have millions of dollars out of the gate, which most founders don’t, start with a very focused rollout. Nail you first 5 doors. Then 10 doors. Do demos, try light spend on Instacart and start testing the various marketing strategies that can help move your product. Once you have obtained healthy velocity in your first set of doors move to the next. If you can’t sell in 5 dedicated stores well than you most likely won’t be selling well in 5 more unless the doors you initially chose were not where your consumer shops. Go slow, be calculated, be thoughtful. What other strategies to people use when entering a market. #sales #cpgindustry #growsmart Mark A. Samuel Jonathan Becker Tomas Malave Peter Katz Ryan Pintado-Vertner Forbes Fisher

DSG's rumored plan to close the majority of its Public Lands locations is creating significant conversation in the outdoor retail industry. If they actually happen, those store closures would mark the end of an experiment that would have diversified the outdoor retail market, especially in big box stores. These changes, alongside shifts like Backcountry.com's sale and major transformations, the decline in 3P sales on Amazon, and decreasing direct sales, are putting outdoor manufacturers in an increasingly challenging position. For brand leaders, maintaining a balanced income stream portfolio is crucial for long-term growth. However, with the dwindling number of significant accounts, maintaining autonomy becomes increasingly difficult. There will be a lot of pressure for brands to continue to support that one retailer's sales calendar and corporate strategy, but that isn't the only answer. One strategy is for brands to make tough decisions that prioritize and cultivate smaller accounts, rather than being solely reliant on a dominant wholesaler. I know that I am looking forward to hearing those conversations next month at the Grassroots Connect show in Kansas City. We will have to wait to see how individual brands will navigate these changes and make strategic decisions to support their long-term growth and sustainability. #outdoorindustry #vendors #publiclands #specialtyretail

This is a good perspective. Outdoor brands will have to innovate their growth path with new products that actually give the consumer a reason to upgrade from their existing kits. According to a Deloitte study, 86% of profitable growth CPG companies prioritize product innovation. Assuming outdoor retail would see similar metrics.

Walmart Open Call Boot Camp If your brand has been invited to participate in open call, congratulations! You have a merchant interested in learning more about your brand and possibly giving you a shot at the #GoldenTicket. You are part of a select group ... a 1 percent-er, maybe even a 0.1 percent-er. What's next? How do you get your brand ready for what could be the most important retailer meeting you have this year? The Consumer Products Group has created a #Bootcamp to get brands ready for #WalmartOpenCall. Our #bootcamp program will help you learn about the 5 keys to a successful meeting: 1. HOW TO PITCH YOUR BRAND. What is the right approach to pitching your brand and the items within your portfolio. Learn how to do this in a way that is meaningful and makes the most of the time you have with the merchant. 2. HOW TO DESIGN UNIT ECONOMICS. Design unit economics that not only meet Walmart's expectations but also fit your P&L. Most brands entering mass retail for the first time have blinds spots. We'll help you eliminate those. 3. MARKETING SUPPORT. Walmart shelf placement DOES NOT guarantee velocity. Demand Creation is an important part of demonstrating how you intend to drive traffic to your brand. 4. COMPANY CAPABILITIES. Learn the key elements Walmart is looking for to build comfort that your company can be successful in mass retail. 5. ASSORTMENT & STORE SELECTION. Which of your items and in which stores? We have a proven approach to help your team design an assortment and store selection recommendation. The time with the merchant who buys your category is valuable. They will decide whether you get a #GoldenTicket or get invited back for another meeting. Not getting a #GoldenTicket is not a "no", sometimes it just a "not yet". To learn more about our #Bootcamp process, contact us here on LinkedIn or see our website at https://tcpg-nwa.com/