Kantar Retail Sound Bites

Retail Sound Bites marks a major milestone with its 100th episode, celebrating four years of conversations at the intersection of retail, CPG, and commerce transformation. Hosts Barry Thomas and Rachel Dalton kick off the episode by reflecting on the journey so far and spotlighting the top 10 most‑listened‑to episodes from the past four years.

The episode also features Ted Riedel, President of Kantar's North American Retail Practice, and James May, EVP of CPG & Hospitality. In a fast‑paced, candid conversation, they explore:

· How modern health, GLP‑1s, and protein‑led innovation are reshaping portfolios

· Why agentic commerce, AI, and algorithmic decision‑making are the next frontier

· The evolving, often fractured but interdependent relationship between brands and retailers

· Which KPIs matter less today and why incrementality, precision, and proprietary data matter more

· What it really takes to future‑proof a CPG organization in 2026 and beyond

Have a topic you'd like us to cover? Contact us at Kantar's Retail Sound Bites Podcast.

Contact Barry: Email | LinkedIn

Contact Rachel: Email | LinkedIn

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What will value really mean for food and beverage in 2026?

On the latest episode of Retail Sound Bites, Barry Thomas and Rachel Dalton sit down with Brian Choi, CEO of The Food Institute, to unpack the forces reshaping the industry, including deeply value‑obsessed consumer to the rise of challenger brands and experience‑led innovation.

🎙️ Key takeaways from the conversation:

• Consumer confidence remains historically low, forcing brands to clearly justify price through either affordability or unmistakable quality
• Gen Z, Gen Alpha, and older shoppers are fragmenting demand, making one‑size‑fits‑all strategies obsolete
• Premiumization isn't disappearing, but it's migrating to value‑oriented retailers like Walmart and Costco
• 2026 is shaping up to be the Year of the Challenger Brand, with speed, authenticity, and flavor‑forward innovation winning
• Health, policy pressure, and global flavors are converging to redefine what "winning" products look like

If you're leading strategy in CPG, retail, or food service, this episode is a must‑listen.

Have a topic you'd like us to cover? Contact us at Kantar's Retail Sound Bites Podcast.

Contact Barry: Email | LinkedIn

Contact Rachel: Email | LinkedIn

In this episode of Retail Sound Bites, Barry and Rachel are joined by Amar Singh and David Marcotte for a rapid‑fire download on everything we saw, heard, and learned at NRF 2026: Retail's Big Show.

From global tech innovation to the rise of agentic commerce, frictionless checkout, robotics, synthetic data, and the power of creators, this episode is packed with the signals shaping the next era of retail.

🎧 Highlights include: • Why data is king and trust is the new currency in AI‑powered retail • Emerging global tech players redefining innovation • RFID's leap into frictionless checkout + storewide intelligence • What Lowe's, Walmart, Google, and Ralph Lauren are doing to accelerate AI adoption • The growing influence of creators, community, and under‑priced attention Listen in for the trends that matter and what they mean for retailers, brands, and the future of commerce.

Have a topic you'd like us to cover? Contact us at Kantar's Retail Sound Bites Podcast.

Contact Barry: Email | LinkedIn

Contact Rachel: Email | LinkedIn

In this episode of Retail Sound Bites, Jeff Maloy, vice president of retail, sales, and shopper, and Rohan Mazumdar, vice president of retail consulting, at Kantar, join hosts Rachel Dalton and Barry Thomas in a discussion about this year's PoweRanking® findings.

Kantar's PoweRanking® report is the industry's leading assessment of best-in-class manufacturers and retailers. In an annual survey, companies are ranked on a range of factors, from strategic metrics to business fundamentals, capturing input from several key industry leaders.

This year's report found that in a year defined by market fluctuation and growth challenges, "relevance" is key to joint retailer and manufacturer growth.

View the executive summary to understand how to win the relevance battle and learn strategic imperatives for 2026 and beyond.

Exclusive | NYC's Meadow Lane gourmet grocery debuts amid affordability crisis | New York Post​

First Walmart-branded store opens in Africa | Chain Store Age​

The AI trifecta transforming CPG and retail​

https://www.retaildive.com/news/winners-losers-black-friday-2025/806610/​

https://news.adobe.com/news/2025/12/adobe-cyber-monday-hits-record​

In this episode of Retail Sound Bites, Rachel Dalton and Anna Estlund, VP of strategy, insights, and analytics at Pernod Ricard, discuss five critical steps to turn insights into real-time activation for commercial teams. They also discuss the blurring boundaries between alcohol and non-alcohol categories, the rise of modern health and moderation trends, premiumization despite economic headwinds, and more.

Have a topic you'd like us to cover? Contact us at Kantar's Retail Sound Bites Podcast.

Contact Barry: Email | LinkedIn

Contact Rachel: Email | LinkedIn

https://kriq.kantarretailiq.com/en/p-iq/insights/blogs/top-10-lessons-from-the-create-2025-restaurant-show

The 2025 Retail Intelligence Report | Progressive Grocer

https://www.grocerydive.com/news/amazon-whole-foods-store-within-store-automated-micro-fulfillment/804749/

https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-shop-exec-ai-is-powerful-tool-for-ecommerce-fraud-2025-11

https://www.modernretail.co/technology/walmart-adds-ai-generated-audio-summaries-to-select-product-pages/

In this episode, Rachel Dalton and Barry Thomas sit down with Bala Gurumoorthy, VP of Category Management at Ferrero USA, to discuss the evolving landscape of convenience retail and the future of category management.

Together, they uncover fantastic insights from the recent NACS event, Ferrero's approach to omnichannel strategy, and how category management is transforming from a back-office function to a true growth driver.

A few of our favorite insights from Bala:

• "Category management is evolving from back office to growth architect."
• "Don't just report the news—create the news."
• "Be bold. Stay current. Stay externally focused."

Have a topic you'd like us to cover? Contact us at Kantar's Retail Sound Bites Podcast.

Contact Barry: Email | LinkedIn

Contact Rachel: Email | LinkedIn

https://www.retaildive.com/news/retail-ai-chatbot-consumers/803573/

Dollar Tree enhances multi-price strategy with AI

Playbook: 5 Shopper Missions Every Category Manager Should Be Watching | Path to Purchase Institute

https://www.retaildive.com/news/retail-ai-chatbot-consumers/803573/

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/10/21/wawa-stealing-customers-from-wendys-burger-king-starbucks.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/26/style/nordstrom-catalog.html

In this special episode of Retail Sound Bites, we unpack the most compelling themes and takeaways from three powerhouse industry events—Shoptalk, Groceryshop, and Velocity. Hosts Barry Thomas and Rachel Dalton are joined by two of Kantar's leading voices in shopper intelligence: Leigh O'Donnell, Head of Shopper and Category Insights, and Julie Craig, Vice President of Shopper Insights.

Together, they explore how the retail landscape is evolving across formats, cultures, and consumer behaviors. From the lasting impact of GLP-1 medications on grocery shopping habits to the reinvention of the in-store experience, this episode dives into the forces reshaping how shoppers engage with brands. The conversation also highlights the rise of omnichannel strategies, the growing influence of Latino consumers, and the importance of cultural relevance in building brand loyalty.

Have a topic you'd like us to cover? Contact us at Kantar's Retail Sound Bites Podcast.

Contact Barry: Email | LinkedIn

Contact Rachel: Email | LinkedIn

"Smaller households mean different product configurations, different product features, different ways of taking them to market… Even the fact of the aging population emphasizes certain categories and new benefits that these older consumers will desire. So, these forces point to new pockets of opportunity."

In this episode of Retail Sound Bites, we welcome Oksana Sobol, consumer insights lead at Clorox, for a timely discussion on the forces shaping consumer demand. Oksana unpacks how economic volatility, shifting demographics, and evolving attitudes are redefining what and how consumers buy. From the rise of single-person households to the priority of time, she shares actionable insights for CPG, retail, and manufacturing leaders navigating today's complex landscape.

Have a topic you'd like us to cover? Contact us at Kantar's Retail Sound Bites Podcast.

Contact Barry: Email | LinkedIn

Contact Rachel: Email | LinkedIn

Amazon_Grocery_Private_Brand_Pantry.jpg (3735×5600)

How Aldi revamped its social media strategy — and why it's working | Grocery Dive

OpenAI takes on Google, Amazon with new agentic shopping system | TechCrunch

https://www.retaildive.com/news/retail-beauty-sephora-product-incentivized-reviews/761081/

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/09/14/amazon-product-reviews-ai-customers-online-shopping.html

https://www.modernretail.co/technology/tiktok-is-talking-to-brands-like-its-a-grocer-now/

What happens when neuroscience meets AI in the world of CPG? We sat down with Dr. Pradeep, CEO of Sensory AI and a pioneer in NeuroAI, to explore how the nonconscious mind and large language models are transforming innovation, marketing, and product development.

🎧 In this episode, you'll hear:

• Why "the action is in the nonconscious"—and how uncovering hidden consumer desires leads to breakthrough innovation.
• How blending neuroscience with GenAI is unlocking new ways to predict, persuade, and create in the CPG space.
• Why LLMs (like ChatGPT) are more like the human brain than you think—and how brands can "seduce and persuade" algorithms for better findability and engagement.
• The future of Desire Labs and what it means for legacy brands and challenger startups alike.

💡 Favorite quote:

"The action is in the nonconscious, in the dark out there, nobody's looking there. That's where innovation lies." — Dr. Pradeep

If you're passionate about the future of retail, CPG, AI, or just love hearing from true innovators, this episode is for you!

Have a topic you'd like us to cover? Contact us at Kantar's Retail Sound Bites Podcast.

Contact Barry: Email | LinkedIn

Contact Rachel: Email | LinkedIn

https://www.retaildive.com/news/best-buy-builds-retail-media-in-store-takeovers-sports-deals/760606/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucejapsen/2025/09/22/as-glp-1-drugs-take-off-walmart-expands-specialty-pharmacy-delivery/

https://www.cnn.com/2025/09/23/business/amazon-fresh-stores-uk-close-intl

https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/financing/where-are-fast-food-customers-going-check-out-grocery-store

https://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Article/2025/09/02/the-future-of-packaging-data-storytelling-engagement/?utm_source=newsletter_daily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=03-Sep-2025&cid=DM1231868&bid=783426202

https://adage.com/brand-marketing/aa-four-ways-brands-handle-value-dilemma/

Personalization, engagement, and "food as medicine" programs are shaping the future of preventive care.

This episode features a conversation with Jared Childs and Julie Fleisher from Soda Health; a company focused on improving access to preventive healthcare through benefits platforms. Barry Thomas and Rachel Dalton sat down with Jarden and Julie to explore how their innovative platform is transforming healthcare access for millions of Medicare Advantage members. Discover how Soda Health connects brands, retailers, and health plans to empower older consumers with easy-to-use benefits cards for OTC products, healthy food, and more.

Tune in to learn how Soda Health is driving collaboration, closed-loop analytics, and meaningful outcomes for consumers and partners alike!

Have a topic you'd like us to cover? Contact us at Kantar's Retail Sound Bites Podcast.

Contact Barry: Email | LinkedIn

Contact Rachel: Email | LinkedIn

Smoothie King launches a food menu nationwide, a first for the brand

As Publishers Face Search Headwinds, Creators Gain Affiliate Spend

The most powerful retail media screen is already in stores

https://www.retaildive.com/news/macys-partners-amazon-retail-ads-holidays/758719/

https://www.modernretail.co/operations/many-target-stores-will-stop-fulfilling-online-orders/

https://fortune.com/2025/08/25/keurig-dr-pepper-peets-coffee-18-billion/