Retail Remix

This episode is brought to you by KWI.

Shoppers are walking into stores armed with more than a shopping list. AI is helping them research products, compare prices and evaluate brands before they ever arrive, creating a new challenge for associates who need to answer increasingly specific questions while keeping the in-store experience moving. The opportunity for retailers isn’t simply adding more AI. It’s giving associates accurate information at exactly the moment they need it.

In this special Retail Remix Deep Dive, sponsored by KWI, host Kate Robertson sits down with Josh Goodelman, Chief Revenue Officer at KWI, to explore how retailers can equip store teams for this new generation of informed shoppers. They discuss where AI is delivering tangible value in stores, why strong product, inventory and customer data must come first, and how practical tools like image search can help associates work faster and deliver better experiences during the critical holiday season.

Key Takeaways

• Why AI-powered shoppers are entering stores with greater confidence in the product, pricing and availability information they’ve already gathered
• How retailers can give associates fast access to the information they need without adding more complexity to the customer interaction
• Why practical AI applications like image search, product discovery and task automation can create more value than forcing conversational AI into stores
• How focusing on specific workflows and measurable business outcomes can help retailers move AI initiatives beyond the pilot stage
• Why accurate product, inventory and customer data must come before AI when building a more connected store experience

Related Links

• Explore KWI’s unified commerce platform
• Get more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPoints
• Subscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail Remix

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KWI is the best-kept secret in retail. Find out what the secret is at kwi.com/RTP.

AI, creators and commerce media are transforming how retailers reach consumers, but figuring out where to invest is getting more complicated. As discovery shifts beyond traditional search and shoppers become increasingly value-conscious, marketers need to understand not only where consumers are spending their time, but what actually earns their attention.

Ruth Mortimer, Global President of Advertising Week, has a front-row seat to the trends shaping the industry. Ahead of Advertising Week New York, she joins host Kate Robertson to explore how creators are becoming a critical part of commerce strategies, where AI can make marketing more personal without making it generic, and how economic pressure is changing the way consumers search for value. She also offers a preview of the conversations and trends that will take center stage at Advertising Week New York this October.

Key Takeaways

• How creators and commerce media are converging to help retailers reach targeted audiences and influence purchasing decisions
• Why marketers need to understand where AI can enhance creativity and personalization, and where it risks making brands less distinctive
• How AI is helping retailers move beyond traditional customer segments to understand individual needs and shopping intent
• Why agentic shopping and automated price tracking could transform how value-conscious consumers search for deals and promotions
• What retail marketers can expect from Advertising Week New York as creators, commerce media, AI and cross-industry collaboration take center stage

Related Links

• ⁠Learn more about Advertising Week
• ⁠Explore Advertising Week New York 2026
• ⁠View the Advertising Week New York 2026 agenda
• ⁠Learn more about Ruth Mortimer
• Get more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPoints
• Subscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail Remix

Sizing may not get the same attention as assortment planning, allocation or inventory optimization, but getting it wrong can have a significant impact on retail margins. When core sizes sell out while others linger on clearance racks, retailers face lost sales, excess inventory and frustrated customers. 

In this special Retail Remix Deep Dive, host Kate Robertson sits down with James Theuerkauf, VP of Product at Anaplan and Co-founder of Syrup Tech, which Anaplan acquired in 2025. 

They explore whether sizing has become more challenging — and not because of the high uptake of GLP-1 weight loss drugs — as well as how advances in data and AI are helping retailers make more granular decisions and why better sizing can improve everything from full-price sell-through and customer loyalty to sustainability.

Key Takeaways

• Why apparel sizing remains an overlooked source of margin erosion despite its impact on stockouts, overstocks and customer loyalty
• How rapidly changing trends, increasingly complex assortments and shifting consumer preferences are making historical size curves less reliable
• Why retailers should be cautious about blaming GLP-1 adoption for broad shifts in sizing demand and instead focus on their own customer and product data
• How advances in AI and granular data are helping planners build smarter size curves while keeping human expertise at the center of decision making
• Why more accurate size planning can reduce overproduction, markdowns and excess inventory while creating a more sustainable apparel supply chain

Related Links

• ⁠Learn more about Anaplan
• Get more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPoints
• Subscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail Remix
• Read: Torrid, Circana and PwC Executives Discuss How GLP-1s Are Impacting Retail

This episode is brought to you by Lightspeed.

The baking aisle has been dominated by the same legacy brands for decades. But Lindsay Hancock, Founder of My Better Batch, saw an opportunity hiding between value-focused mixes and highly specialized products: a premium shortcut that could deliver the taste and experience of homemade without the work of baking from scratch.

After helping to build Creative Snacks and eventually selling the company to KIND, Lindsay took what she learned about retail-first strategy and applied it to a new venture. In just a year, My Better Batch has grown from roughly 75 stores to more than 3,500 retail locations and 6,000+ points of distribution. 

In this episode of Retail Remix, Lindsay joins host and Retail TouchPoints Editor-in-Chief Kate Robertson to share what it takes to break into a crowded category, earn retailer support and, most importantly, turn shelf space into sustainable growth.

Key Takeaways

• How Lindsay Hancock identified untapped white space in the baking aisle and built My Better Batch around a new definition of premium
• Why Lindsay chose a retail-first growth strategy and scaled from roughly 75 stores to more than 3,500 locations in just one year
• How distinctive packaging and shelf presence can help emerging brands compete for attention alongside dominant legacy players
• Why relationships, persistence and creative outreach have been critical to My Better Batch’s rapid retail expansion
• How My Better Batch is turning distribution into long-term growth by investing in brand awareness, trial and sustained shelf velocity

Related Links

• Learn more about My Better Batch
• Connect with Lindsay Hancock
• Get more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPoints
• Subscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail Remix

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Ready to make smarter inventory, merchandising and buying decisions? Discover how Lightspeed helps retailers streamline operations, manage inventory and stay ahead of changing customer demand at lightspeedhq.com/pos/retail 

This episode is brought to you by Lightspeed.

Parents are paying closer attention than ever to what goes into their children’s food, but making healthier options accessible at scale remains one of the industry’s biggest challenges.

In this episode of Retail Remix, Kate Robertson sits down with Katie Marston, Chief Marketing Officer of Once Upon a Farm, to discuss the company’s recent IPO, its mission to transform children’s nutrition and how it’s balancing purpose with growth. Katie shares how the brand is making fresh, organic kids’ food more accessible through retail innovation, why refrigerated merchandising has become a competitive advantage and what she’s learned about storytelling, leadership and purpose from co-founder and actor Jennifer Garner. 

Key Takeaways

• How Once Upon a Farm is using its recent IPO to scale its mission of making nutritious children’s food more accessible 
• Why the brand’s refrigerated merchandising strategy is helping transform the baby food aisle and drive new customer acquisition 
• How Once Upon a Farm is navigating inflation through broader retail distribution, value-focused packaging and programs like WIC 
• Why creating systemic change in children’s nutrition requires long-term investment in accessibility, clean ingredients and trusted partnerships 
• What Jennifer Garner’s leadership has taught Katie about authentic storytelling, mission-driven marketing and building a values-first brand

Related Links

• Explore Once Upon a Farm’s fresh, organic snacks and meals for kids
• Get more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPoints
• Subscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail Remix

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Ready to make smarter inventory, merchandising and buying decisions? Discover how Lightspeed helps retailers streamline operations, manage inventory and stay ahead of changing customer demand at lightspeedhq.com/pos/retail 

This episode is brought to you by Lightspeed.

From fiber maxxing and liver health to GLP-1 support and protein-packed everything, wellness trends are evolving faster than ever. For retailers, the challenge isn’t just keeping up, it’s helping customers separate hype from lasting habits.

In this episode of Retail Remix, Kate Robertson sits down with Sharon Leite, CEO of The Vitamin Shoppe, to discuss the findings from the company’s 2026 Health & Wellness Trend Report. 

Sharon shares how The Vitamin Shoppe is identifying emerging trends through social media, supporting customers with trusted education and curated product assortments and using AI to empower associates with science-backed insights. The conversation also explores how wellness priorities differ across generations and why credibility has become one of retail’s most valuable assets. 

Key Takeaways

• How trends like fiber maxxing, liver health and GLP-1 support are reshaping the health and wellness category 
• Why trust, product quality and science-backed education have become critical differentiators in wellness retail 
• How The Vitamin Shoppe is using AI to equip store associates with better research and customer guidance 
• Why Gen Z and Boomers approach wellness differently — from health FOMO to healthy aging 
• How curated assortments, knowledgeable associates and nearly 50 years of credibility set The Vitamin Shoppe apart in an increasingly crowded market 

Related Links

• Learn more about Lightspeed’s commerce platform for retailers
• Explore The Vitamin Shoppe’s wellness products, health resources and trend insights
• Check out The Vitamin Shoppe Health & Wellness Trend Report 2026
• Read: Torrid, Circana and PwC Executives Discuss How GLP-1s Are Impacting Retail
• Get more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPoints
• Subscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail Remix

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Ready to make smarter inventory, merchandising and buying decisions? Discover how Lightspeed helps retailers streamline operations, manage inventory and stay ahead of changing customer demand at lightspeedhq.com/pos/retail 

Subscription acquisition may be slowing, but that doesn’t mean consumers are falling out of love with subscriptions. Instead, they’re becoming far more selective about which services earn a permanent place in their monthly budgets.

In this episode of Retail Remix, Kate Robertson sits down with Rachel Sheriff, Chief Customer Officer at Recurly, to unpack the findings from the company’s 2026 State of Subscriptions report. Rachel explains why retention has become the industry’s biggest challenge, how flexible features like subscription pauses are helping brands reduce churn and why fashion rental services like Nuuly are thriving by delivering affordability, convenience and personalization. The conversation also explores what traditional retailers can learn from subscription-first businesses as they look to deepen customer loyalty and create more predictable revenue streams.

Key Takeaways

• Why subscription businesses are shifting their focus from acquisition to retention as consumers become more intentional about recurring purchases 
• How flexible features like subscription pauses help brands reduce churn while keeping customers engaged over the long term 
• Why fashion rental platforms like Nuuly are succeeding through affordability, flexibility and sustainable wardrobe options 
• How traditional retailers are experimenting with subscription models that combine physical products, digital services and exclusive member experiences 
• Why delivering ongoing value, transparency and a strong customer experience has become the key to earning lasting subscriber loyalty 

Related Links

• Explore Recurly’s subscription management platform and the latest subscription commerce insights
• Get more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPoints
• Subscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail Remix
  
  

This episode is brought to you by KWI.

As AI reshapes the grocery industry, independent retailers face a critical question: will the technology help them compete, or widen the gap between them and national chains?

In this episode of Retail Remix, Kate Robertson sits down with Tal Zlotnitsky, Founder and CEO of Breez AI, to discuss why he believes AI represents both the biggest threat and the greatest opportunity for regional and independent grocers. 

Tal explains why owning the AI that interacts with shoppers will become increasingly important, how Breez AI is helping grocers create more personalized shopping experiences and why the future of grocery shopping will revolve less around shopping lists and more around planning meals, occasions and everyday life.

This episode is brought to you by KWI. KWI is the best-kept secret in retail. Find out what the secret is at kwi.com/RTP. 

Key Takeaways

• Why independent grocers need to “own” the AI relationship with shoppers to preserve customer loyalty and valuable first-party data 
• How Breez AI is shifting grocery shopping from product-based searches to AI-powered meal and occasion planning 
• Why personalized AI experiences — not generic loyalty programs — will define the next generation of grocery customer engagement 
• How AI can help shoppers save time, reduce food waste and stay within budget without sacrificing control over their shopping decisions 
• Why Tal believes AI should strengthen independent grocers — not replace the community relationships that make them unique

Related Links

• Learn more about Breez AI and its AI platform for independent grocers
• Get more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPoints
• Subscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail Remix

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KWI is the best-kept secret in retail. Find out what the secret is at kwi.com/RTP.

This episode is brought to you by KWI.

Instacart recently crossed $1 billion in quarterly revenue, and alongside its impressive marketplace growth, it’s also evolving into a powerful technology partner for retailers while continuing to redefine the digital grocery experience.

In this episode of Retail Remix, Kate Robertson speaks with Ryan Hamburger, Chief Commercial Officer at Instacart, about the company’s expanding role across marketplace services, enterprise technology, retail media and AI. Ryan explains why trust has become the foundation of digital grocery, how Instacart is helping retailers modernize their digital infrastructure and why the future of grocery depends on connecting online and in-store experiences—not choosing between them.  

Key Takeaways

• How Instacart’s marketplace, enterprise technology, retail media and AI businesses work together to fuel long-term growth  
• Why trust—from accurate substitutions to reliable fulfillment—is the biggest driver of customer loyalty in digital grocery  
• How AI is improving both the customer experience through shopping assistants and store operations through computer vision and shelf monitoring  
• Why retailers should focus on building connected omnichannel experiences instead of treating digital and physical stores as separate businesses  
• Why Instacart believes enterprise technology represents one of grocery retail’s biggest opportunities over the next several years 

Related Links

• Learn more about Instacart’s platform and enterprise technology solutions for retailers
• Don’t miss RTP’s latest reports on Instacart: CEO Chris Rogers Shares AI and Ad Strategy as Instacart Revenues Reach $1 Billion in Q1; Instacart Acquires Arpalus Shelf-Scanning Technology
• Get more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPoints
• Subscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail Remix

KWI is the best-kept secret in retail. Find out what the secret is at kwi.com/RTP.

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KWI is the best-kept secret in retail. Find out what the secret is at kwi.com/RTP.

This episode is brought to you by Lightspeed.

Summer can be one of the trickiest seasons for retailers. Inventory needs to move before fall arrives, demand can shift with changing weather patterns and teams are already looking ahead to the next major buying cycle.

In this special bonus episode of Retail Remix, Kate Robertson sits down with Marie Baldauf-Lenschen, Director of Supplier Network Partnerships at Lightspeed, to discuss how retailers can make smarter inventory, merchandising and purchasing decisions during the critical mid-summer period. 

From identifying the metrics that matter most to leveraging AI, storytelling and wholesale data more effectively, Marie shares practical strategies retailers can use to improve sell-through, protect margins and prepare for the busy seasons ahead.

Key Takeaways

• Why retailers should focus on a handful of key metrics (including inventory levels, sales trends and supplier lead times) to make faster, smarter decisions  
• How AI can help reduce manual work and surface actionable insights without replacing human decision-making  
• Why merchandising, storytelling and knowledgeable store associates can improve sell-through without relying on markdowns  
• How tighter connections between wholesale purchasing, inventory management and POS systems can help retailers react faster to demand shifts  
• Why bundling, urgency-based messaging and personalized service often outperform aggressive discounting when inventory starts to slow  

Related Links

• Learn more about Lightspeed’s commerce platform for retailers
• Get more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPoints
• Subscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail Remix

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Ready to make smarter inventory, merchandising and buying decisions? Discover how Lightspeed helps retailers streamline operations, manage inventory and stay ahead of changing customer demand at lightspeedhq.com/pos/retail