FMCG Weekly

Episode

• How to win the World Cup? 18.06.2026 9mnt

  This week on FMCG Weekly: how to win the World Cup. The tournament grows the battleground categories substantially, but the growth comes from base demand, not your promotion, and because everyone discounts at once, the deals largely cancel. You promote not to win, but to avoid the decremental loss of sitting out. The real opportunity is the open goal: adjacent categories like dips, mixers and ice that ride the same occasion uncontested. Capture demand before it perishes, load the pantry befor...
• The Rise of Personalised Pricing in Grocery 03.06.2026 9mnt

  This week examines the rise of personalised pricing across FMCG and grocery, and the regulatory and trust pressures now constraining it. We separate rules-based, dynamic and personalised pricing, and explain why retailers route personalisation covertly through loyalty schemes rather than visible shelf surges. We cover the United Kingdom's dual-pricing model and the competition authority's verdict, then contrast approaches at Albert Heijn, REWE and Carrefour, and the supplier response from Nes...
• What We Learned Reading Every Major FMCG Q1 2026 Report 21.05.2026 15mnt

  Q1 2026 marked a turning point for global FMCG. Across twenty-one of the largest players — from Nestlé and Unilever to AB InBev, PepsiCo and Reckitt — pricing has decelerated and volume is back as the principal growth engine. The new RGM frontier is mix: premium brands, pack architecture, energy and zero-sugar variants, and channel shifts to out-of-home. PepsiCo's Frito-Lay cut US snack prices for the first time in years. Mondelēz exposed the ceiling on chocolate pricing. Emerging markets are...
• AB Inbev, Amazon, McDonald’s and the Battle for the "Shaky Consumer" 07.05.2026 11mnt

  AB InBev has broken an 11-quarter volume slide by pivoting from brewery acquisitions to an "organic growth algorithm," concentrating 70% of its marketing on a few "megabrands." In Europe, retail sales have dipped 0.1% as energy shocks from the Iran conflict suppress consumer confidence. Meanwhile, Amazon has launched a massive price offensive in the UK, undercutting the "Big Four" on 65% of comparable grocery SKUs. Finally, McDonald’s and Burger King are leveraging value-based menu strategies...
• Coca-Cola’s Post-Inflation Growth Playbook 29.04.2026 14mnt

  Coca-Cola’s first-quarter results show a shift from price-led growth toward architecture-led growth. Organic revenue rose 10 percent, volume grew 3 percent, and EPS guidance improved, but the strategic signal is in pack design, affordability, cold availability, and occasion-based innovation. The 1.25-liter bottle and mini cans show how Coca-Cola is addressing pressured consumers without relying mainly on discounting. For FMCG leaders, the key question is whether growth is truly incremental or...
• From Clubcard to Discounters: Who Owns Value Now? 18.04.2026 18mnt

  Tesco’s strong results, affluent shoppers moving into discounters, and the decline of traditional budget ranges. Tesco shows how modern retail advantage now comes from an integrated system of price, loyalty, media, digital fulfilment, AI, and premium own label. At the same time, higher-income consumers are becoming selectively frugal, saving on low-joy essentials while still spending on experiences and chosen indulgences. Meanwhile, explicit value tiers are shrinking because retailers increas...
• Inside the McCormick-Unilever Mega-Merger 31.03.2026 14mnt

  This week’s podcast examines the landmark $66 billion merger between Unilever’s food business and McCormick, a deal creating a $20 billion revenue "flavor powerhouse." Structured as a reverse Morris trust, the agreement sees Unilever pivoting toward beauty and personal care after a century in food, while McCormick significantly scales its global footprint. We also analyze Nestlé’s response to a 12-ton KitKat heist in Italy. By utilizing humor and viral engagement, Nestlé turned a supply chain...
• Can a Focused Unilever Match P&G and L'Oréal? 23.03.2026 15mnt

  This episode analyzes Unilever’s potential divestiture of its food division, valued at over €30 billion, to McCormick & Company. This move would be a fundamental shift toward a pure-play beauty and personal care model, aimed at eliminating the "conglomerate discount" and matching the valuation multiples of peers like P&G. While the food division remains profitable with a 22.6% operating margin, its 2.5% growth lags behind the 4.7% seen in Personal Care. We benchmark Unilever’s RGM cap...
• From Punk to Pennies on the Dollar. BrewDog, Tilray, and the "Great Narrowing" 04.03.2026 13mnt

  BrewDog, once valued at $2.7 billion, sold out of administration for £33 million. This week, we examine what Tilray's acquisition of the brand tells us about a deeper structural shift in FMCG. The industry's biggest players, such as Unilever, Nestlé, and Keurig Dr Pepper, are shedding categories, demerging divisions, and concentrating on a handful of power brands. Meanwhile, a new type of lifestyle conglomerate is doing the opposite, buying distressed assets to build cross-category platforms....
• Amazon bigger than Walmart, Carrefour's strategy and Nestle divestures 20.02.2026 10mnt

  This week’s episode analyzes a major structural realignment in the FMCG and retail sectors. Nestlé is divesting its ice-cream and water businesses to focus on coffee, petcare, and nutrition under CEO Philipp Navratil, amid an infant-formula recall crisis. Carrefour is implementing a 2030 strategy focused on France, Spain, and Brazil, exiting underperforming European markets. Most significantly, Amazon has officially surpassed Walmart in annual revenue ($716.9B vs $713.2B), marking a historic ...
• The End of Price-Led Growth 12.02.2026 7mnt

  This episode of FMCG Weekly examines the structural shift from price-led growth to Real Internal Growth (RIG) in 2026. With global volume growth stalling at 0.9% and private label penetration hitting 40%, the "pricing ceiling" has been reached. We analyze how leaders like PepsiCo, Nestlé, and Coca-Cola are utilizing "right-sizing" and occasion-based Price Pack Architecture (PPA) to drive volume. A key focus is the shift from gross promotional lift to "Source of Business" logic—decomposing vol...
• How to Survive Price Negotiations in 2026 30.01.2026 17mnt

  This episode of FMCG Weekly examines the evolution of price negotiations in 2026, focusing on the shift from cost-plus models to data-driven, category-focused strategies. Matilda, the A.I. host, provides a detailed analysis of best practices for senior executives, emphasizing the importance of quantifying shopper resilience and using switching models to project category growth. Through case studies involving Mars, Nestlé, and PepsiCo, the podcast illustrates the risks of protracted delistings...
• Davos 2026 for FMCG: AI, Tariffs, and the New Consumer 23.01.2026 11mnt

  This week’s episode analyzes four critical themes from the World Economic Forum in Davos (Jan 19–23, 2026) and their implications for Revenue Growth Management. First, we examine the "AI Profitability Gap," emphasizing the need to move from operational efficiency to predictive pricing models. Second, we explore the "Fractured Economy," where declining brand loyalty necessitates a rigorous analysis of volume sources to avoid cannibalization. Third, we discuss the "Time over Price" shift, where...
• Lidl, Hershey and Lindt’s 19% Price Hike 16.01.2026 13mnt

  This week’s episode analyzes three distinct strategies in the FMCG sector amidst high cocoa prices and inflation. We examine Lindt & Sprüngli’s robust financial results, where a 19% price increase drove 12.4% organic growth despite a significant drop in volume, highlighting the risks of premium pricing power. We contrast this with Hershey’s aggressive 20% marketing budget increase aimed at revitalizing its flagship brand and reducing reliance on seasonal sales. Finally, we discuss Lidl Fr...
• The Victoria's Secret Trap: Why the Grocery Aisle Needs a Promo Reset 05.12.2025 16mnt

  Victoria’s Secret’s announced today a successful pivot to fewer discounts (+9% sales, improved margins). At the same time the grocery sector in the UK descended into a promotional price war to combat inflation. We analyze the "Post-Promotional Paradox" facing FMCG executives: as the post-COVID pricing power fades, the traditional reflex to buy volume with trade spend is losing steam. Citing data from Accuris and Circana, we explore how 94% of promotions fail to grow category value, often resu...
• Retail Media Update: News, Trends, and Measurement Challenges 29.11.2025 14mnt

  The retail media landscape is facing a reality check, with optimism dropping due to difficulties in proving incremental sales. While retailers from Morrisons to Walmart rush to implement digital screens and AI-driven ad formats to boost commercial income, fatigue is setting in. In contrast, Costco succeeds by ignoring the hype, prioritizing membership value over monetization, and integrating media directly with merchandising. Meanwhile, FMCG manufacturers face a "jungle" of inconsistent metri...
• Decision Framework for Christmas and End-of-Year Promotions 18.11.2025 19mnt

  In this special episode of FMCG Weekly, we unpack a structured decision‑framework for Christmas and end‑of‑year promotions tailored to FMCG senior executives. We cover twelve critical questions—from category expandability and market position to visibility, discount depth and supply‑chain readiness—to guide promotional strategy away from mere volume toward margin‑generating growth. By aligning mechanics with gifting and consumption missions, securing visibility, and using analytics (including ...
• Walmart’s CEO is Stepping Down. Here’s What Many Get Wrong About Its RGM Strategy 14.11.2025 22mnt

  With CEO Doug McMillon stepping down, we analyze the sophisticated RGM machine he built at Walmart. The "people-led, tech-powered" model, funded by its ad business, uses an EDLP strategy to build trust and create demand stability. This structurally avoids the "hidden costs" of "Subsidised Base" and "Stockpiling" that plague "Hi-Lo" rivals. Walmart's tiered private label portfolio—from "Great Value" to "Bettergoods"—is a masterclass in managing "Downgrading" and driving "Upgrading." New CEO Jo...
• 9.4% Promo Spike in the UK, Red Bull's Antitrust Probe; The Italian Pasta War 13.11.2025 17mnt

  This week, UK grocery promotions surged 9.4% , a desperate move in a market where 94% of promos fail to add category value. This masks a "hidden cost" , as retailers like Asda see sales collapse 3.9% while shoppers flock to premium own-label. We also cover the EU antitrust probe into Red Bull, alleging it "misused its role as a category manager" to block rivals. Finally, we analyse the 107% "trade-killing" tariff on Italian pasta , and the explosive allegation that a competitor with Italian t...
• Kimberly-Clark’s acquires Kenvue: a Revenue Management Move 03.11.2025 13mnt

  Today, Kimberly-Clark announced it buys Kenvue. It is actually investing in a Revenue Management transformation. In this week’s episode, we unpack why this $48.7 billion deal isn’t about scale, but about injecting a disciplined Revenue Growth Management (RGM) engine into a very different commercial DNA. From pricing architecture and promotion ROI to pharmacy expansion and digital bundling, the stakes are high. Can Kimberly-Clark’s data-driven machine unlock more value from Tylenol, Listerine,...