Viewpoints

I’ve seen two main reactions when the subject of Millennials comes up among retailers and manufacturers, as it often does these days. One reaction is denial. This shows itself in snarky comments about the industry’s focus on this generation of...

The makeup of U.S. Millennials is as varied as any other large demographic group, and their attitudes, behaviors, and values are shaped not only by the years during which they were born, but also by age, environment, ethnicity, life stage, and ot...

Having the right item on the right shelf at the right time is the perennial supermarket challenge. If merchandise is managed correctly, the store will improve customer satisfaction, increase sales and margin, while also improving customer loyalty...

Millennials have been, arguably, the most scrutinized generation to date (watch out Gen Z, we have our eyes on you now). They have proved to be a most curious and confounding generation. I’m not sure that companies and brands have yet figured out...

Long before gluten-free, paleo or non-GMO grabbed headlines, what was the biggest natural merchandising topic among food retailers? It was this question: Should you integrate or segregate natural and organic products in the supermarket? Tha...

“Keep the food simple, to keep the customer safe.” That’s an important mantra for allergen-friendly businesses and one that 30-year foodservice expert, Joel J. Schaefer, lives by. Schaefer CCC, CHT, is an author, chef, and educator specializin...

Despite predictions of growth and promises of investment, the question has to be asked — are U.S. supermarkets really interested in the ecommerce channel? In public statements most major grocery chains have talked up the online angle, and why ...

You could say the grocery business is in my family’s DNA. In addition to my father’s parents running a local grocery store in Washington, D.C. for 27 years, my mother’s father, David Furman, cofounded the Farm Fresh chain of grocery stores in ...

Hailed as “America’s Most Promising Company” in 2015 by Forbes, Instacart is an interesting take on online grocery delivery. Instacart uses the sharing economy-based business model to connect personal shoppers with customers, and its relatively...

We all get attached to things. In my case it was a smartphone calendar app that is far better than my phone's native calendar. That's why I was upset when it stopped working correctly late last year. I felt the need to email the app's support tea...