The Retail Exchange podcast

In this latest episode of The Retail Exchange podcast, Karl McKeever and Mark Faithfull host a special edition, reporting from World Retail Congress 2022 in Rome.

In case the World Retail Congress is not on your radar, there are few more significant gatherings of the industry.

The flagship retail event returned after an enforced two-year break, due to the pandemic – a time of unprecedented turbulence that have delivered a profound, powerful change in retail.

At this year’s event, retail leaders, advisors and influencers from every continent presented and debated the key factors that will impact the new future for retail. We sit down with some of those innovators, originators and creators speaking and attending this three-day retail event to explore what retailers must do to meet the upcoming challenges, and stay ahead.

In this episode, host Mark Faithfull talks wellbeing, a subject that has come increasingly to the forefront of society and retail is consciousness following events of the last two years.

Employee's personal health and well being issues do not stop at the store office entrance. So what can retailers do to be well placed to deliver on the need for greater employee wellbeing?

We sit down with Claire Kershaw, Wellbeing Officer for retailer Next, and Terry Streather, Managing Director of Oakwood Training to examine the factors that contribute to our wellbeing in the workplace.

We discuss the importance of achieving buy-in at a senior level to cement wellbeing’s place on the corporate agenda, why the narrative needs to switch from reactive to one that’s proactive, how to empower managers to spot the warning, and what wellbeing will look like in the future.

Recorded at Spring Fair 2022.

In the second of our two-part special exploring innovation in digital signage technology, we come from the amazing space that is Samsung KX, in Coal Drops Yard London, to talk to senior retail industry professionals who know a thing or two about what it takes to create a blueprint for digital signage success, for anyone wanting to think big and do better.

We’re joined by a stellar panel of guests to explore the now and the next in digital signage solutions – the trends, the technology, and the challenges for businesses as they seek to make informed strategic decisions that will shape their customer experience and engagement in 2022, and beyond.

Presented by Trust Systems

In the first of a two-part special, we bring you insight and opinion from senior retail industry professionals on how technology is shaping retail’s future.

The way we shop and digest information may have changed during the last two years, thanks to the pandemic, but as consumers continue to return to physical spaces, it’s never been more important for businesses to navigate strategies and decisions around investment in digital technology successfully, to deliver an engaging customer experience.

In this episode exploring innovation in digital signage technology, guest host Jason Bradbury joined by three companies who know a thing or two about what it takes to create a blueprint for success, for anyone wanting to think big and do better.

Rising demand for ethical products is also seeing a rise in innovative entrepreneurs and businesses who are going above and beyond to balance purpose and profit.

Host Karl McKeever sits down with three such companies about how to design and source more sustainably, and explore how creating sustainable products has been integral to their own journey from seed to full bloom. Featuring FYG founder Demi Pendakis, Annie Oak jewellery co-founder Kerry-Ann Schacter, and Eco Chic sales manager, Austin King.

Recorded at Spring Fair 2022 and supporting its ‘Power of One’ campaign, that aims to energise retailers and consumers to take small steps to change the world.

In this episode of The Interview series, host Karl McKeever sits down with Little Moons CEO and co-founder Vivien Wong.

Vivien Wong and her brother Howard can thank a random TikTok video for delivering a huge boost in demand for Little Moons, their brand of frozen mochi balls.

As children growing up in their parents’ bakery in London, Vivien (and her brother Howard), were surrounded by a passion for creating amazing food and learnt how the little things combine to make a big different. From finding the best ingredients to always innovating with techniques and flavours.

In 2010, they set up Little Moons; making a Japanese-inspired dessert called "mochi”. After enjoying steady growth, the company set up a Little Moons TikTok account and began posting videos… and then things began to get really interesting. Soon they had over 500 million views, sales skyrocketed by 2,000%, and the London-based business hit £36m in retail sales in the year to July last year.

Discover the success story of this TikTok (and taste) sensation, as we speak to its CEO and co-founder Vivien Wong.

In this episode of The Interview series, recorded at Spring Fair 2022, host Mark Faithfull sits down with Paul Sopher, co-founder of gourmet popcorn brand Joe & Seph's. He shares the intriguing story of how a trip to the US led to the transformation of the UK popcorn category, his experience of life in a fast-growing family business, and advice for wannabe entrepreneurs.

From humble beginnings is an entrepreneurial family startup in the founders’ kitchen. gourmet pop up brand Joe and Seph’s is now available around the world and enjoys a loyal and growing following for his meticulously produced popcorn.

Despite the company's success and expanding range of product lines, it remains singularly committed to one thing: creating the best tasting popcorn possible. That focus has helped to reinvent a category, taking the word of popcorn far beyond simply being a moorish movie treat.

So grab a bag of popcorn (Joe & Seph’s, of course), sit back and enjoy this episode.

In this episode of The Interview series, recorded at Spring Fair 2022, host Karl McKeever is joined by British Independent Retailers Association CEO Andrew Goodacre and Jayne Weldon, ECommerce Manager of new BIRA-backed online trading platform Neartoo - launching this month, exclusively for indies. While The Retail Exchange’s Mark Faithfull talks to Claire Leigh, founder of award-winning independent retailer, Two Ducks.

During the pandemic, customers were increasingly keen to support smaller, independent and community retailers. But will bricks-and-mortar independent retail still be popular and relevant as we move forward?

BIRA CEO Andrew Goodacre believes so. The noises coming out of the sector suggests that shops are rising to the challenge. And now it’s time to support them, in person or through sensible online marketplaces.

This is, very much, the time for independent shops, run by owners with passion and commitment, to seize the moment. 

In this episode of The Interview series, host Karl McKeever is joined by Green & Black’s co-founder Jo Fairley as she shares her experience of founding a business during a recession and discusses the importance of staying true to her core belief that doing good for your people and the planet simply makes good business sense.

In this special episode, The Retail Exchange reports from Spring Fair at the NEC Birmingham, to bring you a review of the flagship four-day wholesale retail event.

For those who have an eye on wholesale retail, Spring Fair has traditionally had a strong spot on their roster. Its physical presence may well have been on pause since 2020 but this year it's back, to claim the mantle of being Europe's biggest post-pandemic industry event to date. And with a distinct era of hope and optimism as well.

On this episode, we bring you a choice selection of interviews and discussion from the UK’s leading wholesale retail event. We showcase a strong showing from some of the standout exhibitors at the show. Hear the views of panellists about how pop-ups can help rejuvenate our high streets. And we speak to the man who helped Selfridges Fenwick, Primark and Harrods to grow their physical store sales, as he tell us how retailers can cope with change the lens of a customer-centered culture. All that's coming up on this episode of the retail exchange podcast in partnership with Spring Fair 2022.