Many years ago, I had the opportunity to interview Scott McClelland, president of H-E-B’s Houston division, on the future of retail. The interview was inspiring and insightful, and one of his comments still resonates with me many years later. He ...
In our industry, we continually strive to optimize every square foot of selling space — believing it’s the most important area. I did too until John Hegarty, founder of Hegarty Advertising, caused me to look at retail differently when he said, “A...
Walmart made huge headlines with the announcement that they will be raising wages for over a half-million associates. Walmart will be taking associate wages to a beginning wage of $9/hour starting in April, and rising to $10/hour in the future.
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Shopper interest in a more direct connection between food production and consumption has fueled the growth of farmers’ markets, and it’s been good to see food retailers reaching out to meet this desire. I’m thinking of Ball’s in Kansas City, Lowe...
Educational infographics are eye catching and the copy is fun to read. It adds to the whole shopping experience.I just returned from a trip to Southern California and one of my favorite things to do is check out the grocery stores to see what is ...
It's hardly news that small, niche brands are growing at the expense of mainstream brands. However, working with a small food market recently, I was surprised to see how many of them were matching or even outselling the mainstream brands, in unit...
The headlines in the foodservice arena of late are interesting and thought-provoking. McDonald’s replaces its CEO as the brand struggles on a global basis to connect to the new generation of customers while upstart Shake Shack has a monster IPO d...
’Tis the season for air travel. Beyond the constant buzz of business travel, winter break is here and spring break is right around the corner. No one wants to be stuck in an airport or an airplane without something wholesome to eat; that is when ...
McDonald's Super Bowl ad this year focused on a new campaign as the chain continues to struggle.I always find the Super Bowl a good time to reflect on the effectiveness of marketing (it is after all the Super Bowl of advertising), and this year w...
It seems like services that help folks simplify their lives are the most compelling growth opportunities. This is why we need to start important conversations about new ways to serve shoppers. Here are two areas I think hold real potential for fo...
