This Lightning Round segment of the Omni Talk Retail Fast Five, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, Quorso, and Veloq, closes out the show with rapid-fire takes on culture, fashion, and the lighter side of retail.

From retro love letters and typewriter nostalgia to celebrity wedding drama, fashion legacy, and Broadway’s Magic Mike Live, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga keep things fast, fun, and unpredictable.

⏩ Tune in for the full episode here.

#LightningRound #RetailCulture #PopCulture #OmniTalk #FMI2026

This Omni Talk Retail Fast Five segment, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, Quorso, and Veloq, breaks down Simbe’s launch of Tally 4.0, the most advanced generation of its autonomous shelf-scanning robot.

Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga discuss why expanded coverage across produce, freezers, and top stock is a game-changer, how real-time shelf data becomes the foundation for the connected store, and why in-store robotics may offer one of the clearest ROIs in retail heading into 2026.

⏩ Tune in for the full episode here.

#Simbe #Tally40 #RetailRobotics #ConnectedStore #RetailTech #GroceryRetail #RetailFastFive #OmniTalk

This Omni Talk Retail Fast Five segment, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, Quorso, and Veloq, breaks down why entertainment has become retail’s latest buzzword... from Fanatics launching Fanatics Studios to Gap appointing its first-ever Chief Entertainment Officer.

Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga debate whether retail entertainment is a true growth engine or just modern marketing, why Fanatics’ sports flywheel gives it a massive edge, and whether Gap’s LA-based “fashiontainment” strategy will drive ROI or simply add cost.

⏩ Tune in for the full episode here.

#Fanatics #Gap #RetailEntertainment #Retailtainment #BrandMarketing #RetailStrategy #RetailFastFive #OmniTalk

This Omni Talk Retail Fast Five segment, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, Quorso, and Veloq, breaks down Walmart’s push into trendier, more upscale home goods as it looks to attract higher-income shoppers and take share from Amazon.

Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga discuss why home is ultimately a price-and-search-driven category, how Walmart’s scale, returns, and Walmart+ advantages change the game, and why selling high-end items may be far less risky than it appears.

⏩ Tune in for the full episode here.

#Walmart #HomeGoods #RetailStrategy #Ecommerce #RetailTrends #RetailFastFive #OmniTalk

This Omni Talk Retail Fast Five segment, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, Quorso, and Veloq, breaks down Kroger’s nationwide rollout of grocery delivery through Uber Eats, Uber, and Postmates... putting nearly 2,700 stores on yet another major platform.

Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga discuss why Kroger is embracing every delivery channel, how this strategy compares to Walmart and Amazon’s owned networks, and whether expanding third-party delivery is a smart hedge in a post-Ocado world or a long-term road to being squeezed.

⏩ Tune in for the full episode here.

#Kroger #UberEats #GroceryDelivery #RetailStrategy #OmniChannel #RetailTech #RetailFastFive #OmniTalk

This Omni Talk Retail Fast Five segment, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, Quorso, and Veloq, breaks down OpenAI’s move to begin testing ads on ChatGPT... a major shift in how AI-powered search may monetize.

Live from FMI, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga debate whether users will care about ads at all, why UI and buying friction matter more than privacy fears, and what this signals about the escalating battle between OpenAI and Google. They also explore how brands may respond as AI-driven searches continue to convert at higher rates.

⏩ Tune in for the full episode here.

#ChatGPT #AIAdvertising #RetailMedia #SearchWars #AgenticCommerce #OmniTalk #FMI2026

Recorded live at FMI 2026, Omni Talk Retail hosts Anne Mezzenga and Chris Walton wrap up their conference coverage with Benjamin Bond, SVP, Strategy & Client Success at Simbe, from the Simbe booth.

In this final interview of the conference, Ben shares how Simbe thinks about long term strategy while working day to day with retailers to ensure value realization at scale. He explains why shelf intelligence succeeds when entire organizations align around the store associate, and how Simbe’s technology helps teams prioritize, act in real time, and run better stores.

The conversation goes beyond the robot demo to explore how retailers move from pilot programs to full chain deployments, how CFOs evaluate emerging technology investments, and why shelf data is becoming one of the most foundational datasets in retail. Ben also looks ahead to how Simbe’s platform, AI, and computer vision continue to evolve across grocery and other retail verticals.

Key Topics Covered

1. Ben Bond’s role spanning strategy and client success at Simbe
2. Empowering store associates with real time shelf intelligence
3. Moving from pilot programs to large scale deployments
4. Building the business case and ROI for retail robotics
5. Operating models that drive long term retailer success
6. The future of computer vision, AI, and multimodal platforms
7. Expanding beyond grocery into additional retail sectors

This conversation closes out Omni Talk Retail’s live coverage from FMI 2026, recorded at the Simbe booth.

#FMI2026 #OmniTalkRetail #Simbe #RetailTechnology #ShelfIntelligence #RetailOperations #StoreExecution #RetailRobotics

Recorded live at FMI 2026, Omni Talk Retail hosts Anne Mezzenga and Chris Walton sit down with Justin Weinstein, EVP, Chief Merchandising & Marketing Officer at Giant Eagle, Inc., from the Simbe booth.

Justin shares an update on Giant Eagle’s progress since their last conversation, including how the company is reinvesting in stores, sharpening value, and doubling down on fresh and quality across the business. He discusses how Giant Eagle is thinking about store prototypes, department level differentiation, and how trends like GLP 1s are influencing merchandising, space allocation, and customer engagement.

The conversation also explores agentic AI in grocery, where the hype is real but still evolving, and why operational rigor, real time insight, and strong partnerships are critical to serving customers when it matters most.

Key Topics Covered

1. Progress on Giant Eagle’s growth and reinvestment strategy
2. Store of the future thinking and department differentiation
3. Value, pricing, and promotional focus
4. Fresh, protein, and nutrient dense foods
5. GLP 1s and implications for merchandising and space planning
6. Agentic AI and its role in grocery commerce
7. Operational execution and real time visibility through technology partners

For more insights from grocery and retail leaders, continue following Omni Talk Retail’s live coverage from FMI 2026, recorded at the Simbe booth.

#FMI2026 #OmniTalkRetail #GroceryRetail #GiantEagle #Merchandising #RetailMarketing #FoodRetail #RetailTechnology #Simbe

Recorded live at FMI 2026, Omni Talk Retail hosts Anne Mezzenga and Chris Walton sit down with Alyssa Vescio, Chief Merchandising Officer at The Fresh Market, from the Simbe booth.

In this conversation, Alyssa shares her career journey from Target to Whole Foods Market and now The Fresh Market, and how each chapter shaped her approach to merchandising, leadership, and purpose. She discusses why healthy discontent has fueled her career, how purpose driven retail can scale responsibly, and what excites her most about The Fresh Market’s brand, people, and potential as she looks ahead to 2026.

The discussion explores how merchandising sits at the center of guest experience, supplier relationships, and long term business impact, especially in food retail where quality, freshness, and human connection matter most.

Key Topics Covered

1. Alyssa Vescio’s path from Target and Whole Foods to The Fresh Market
2. Building strong merchandising foundations across disciplines
3. Purpose driven retail and the stakeholder model
4. Why food is a powerful human connector
5. Approaching the first 90 days in a new leadership role
6. Unlocking brand love, discovery, and differentiation
7. Accessibility and expanding access to high quality food

For more conversations from grocery and retail leaders, continue following Omni Talk Retail’s live coverage from FMI 2026, recorded at the Simbe booth.

#FMI2026 #OmniTalkRetail #GroceryRetail #Merchandising #FoodRetail #RetailLeadership #TheFreshMarket #Simbe

Recorded live at FMI 2026 from the Simbe booth, Omni Talk Retail interviewed with Lei Duran, SVP at Lowes Foods, to discuss how a regional grocer is redefining what it means to compete through experience, culture, and guest centricity.

In this conversation, Lei shares her career journey across Walmart, agencies, and retail strategy roles, and why she ultimately chose grocery as the most powerful place to build lasting brand preference. She explains how Lowes Foods is blending food, entertainment, and community to create destinations customers are willing to drive past competitors for.

The discussion also explores how marketing at Lowes Foods goes beyond campaigns, evolving into a true business transformation strategy that connects data, personalization, in store experience, and long term growth.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Creating grocery experiences rooted in culture, community, and entertainment
2. How Lowes Foods differentiates through in store moments and human connection
3. Using guest data and personalization to inform go to market strategy
4. Balancing creativity, speed, and authenticity in a regional grocery environment
5. Measuring success through preference, market share, and customer behavior

Stay tuned for more live interviews and insights from Omni Talk Retail at FMI 2026, recorded from the Simbe booth. Stop by booth 118 to say hello and catch the conversations in person.

#FMI2026 #OmniTalkRetail #GroceryRetail #FoodRetail #RetailMarketing #CustomerExperience #RetailLeadership #Simbe