Omni Talk Retail

Epizódy

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  Retail Daily Minute | Carter's Rebrands for a New Generation, Costco Supersizes Uber Eats & JCPenney Downsizes Out of a Dying Mall 17.09.2026 5min

  Welcome to Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, sponsored by R&S Logistics, ZenlineAI, and Mirakl.In today's Retail Daily Minute, Omni Talk's Chris Walton discusses:Carter's unveils a rebrand and new logo aimed at Gen Z parents, even as tariff refunds help prop up its bottom line.Costco expands its Uber Eats delivery partnership to 47 states and nearly 600 warehouses nationwide.JCPenney trades its 180,000-square-foot Ford City Mall store for a 39,000-square-foot location nearby as the mall itself crumbles.The Retail Daily Minute has been rocketing up the Feedspot charts, so stay informed with Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, your source for the latest and most important retail insights.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy
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  A Macy's Comeback, A Kroger Reset & Better Pizza, Better Delivery At Walmart | Fast Five 16.09.2026 51min

  In this week’s Omni Talk Retail Fast Five, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Quorso, Veloq, and R&S Logistics, Chris Walton is joined by J Recruiting’s Josh Hahn for another round of Fast Five fun, recorded from Chris’s very tiny Paris hotel room across the street from NRF Europe. This week’s episode can best be summed up as . . . better ingredients, better pizza, better delivery via Walmart.Chris and Josh dig into five of the biggest stories in retail this week, including:• Walmart adding Papa Johns to Walmart Express Delivery and whether Walmart is quietly building a challenger to DoorDash and Uber Eats. (Source)• Macy’s posting its fifth straight quarter of comparable-sales growth and raising guidance as CEO Tony Spring’s turnaround begins to take hold. (Source)• Amazon expanding “Shop the Show” from 1,300 titles to more than 8,000 and whether shoppable TV is finally reaching scale. (Source)• SKIMS partnering with DoorDash for on-demand delivery and whether instant delivery fits a brand built around exclusivity and hype. (Source)• Kroger cutting its full-year sales outlook even as ecommerce and retail media continue to grow, raising questions about the future of traditional grocery. (Source)The episode wraps with a lightning round covering Josh’s 20 years between Sports Authority and Meijer, the daily chore Chris wishes AI would handle for him, which QSR Josh would like to see added to Walmart’s restaurant tab, and Chris’s two non-negotiable rules for airport etiquette.Plus, this month’s OmniStar is Meredith Klausner, SVP of Retail & Services at Best Buy, recognized for the impact she continues to make across the retail industry.P.S. Be sure to check out all our other podcasts from the past week here, too: https://omnitalk.blog/category/podcast/P.P.S. Also be sure to check out our podcast rankings on Feedspot.Music by hooksounds.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy
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  REMA 1000's Øistein Burøy Olsen on Hyper-Personalization, Scan & Go & AI | Live from Paris 16.09.2026 16min

  Live from the Vusion podcast studio at NRF Retail's Big Show Europe in Paris, Chris Walton sits down with Øistein Burøy Olsen, Head of Digital Customer Experience at REMA 1000 in Norway, to explore how the soft discounter is using digital to build a more connected in-store customer experience.Øistein explains how REMA 1000 has evolved its app from personalized discounts into a broader relationship with customers, why the company is focused on hyper-personalization that genuinely helps shoppers, and how its Scan & Go experience lets customers scan, bag and pay in the app before leaving through a dedicated fast-track gate. He also looks at how REMA 1000 is using AI to prototype faster and build toward a more personalized shopping experience, including helping customers figure out what to make for dinner and remember what they need to restock.In this episode:• How REMA 1000 is approaching hyper-personalization• Evolving from a discount app into a digital relationship with customers• How REMA 1000's Scan & Go experience works• Why a controlled exit is key to the Scan & Go experience• Connecting the digital app experience to the physical store• Using AI to prototype and test new customer experiences• How AI could help shoppers plan meals and build shopping lists• The future of digital customer experience at REMA 1000🎧 Subscribe to Omni Talk Retail for more conversations with the leaders shaping retail.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy
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  Continente’s Guilherme Cardoso on Profitable E-Commerce, Quick Commerce & AI | Live from Paris 16.09.2026 14min

  Live from the Vusion podcast studio at NRF Retail's Big Show Europe in Paris, Ben Miller sits down with Guilherme Cardoso, Head of E-Commerce at Continente, Portugal's largest grocery retailer and the food retail division of Sonae MC, to unpack the state of online grocery in Portugal and what it takes to build an e-commerce business that balances growth, profitability and customer experience.Guilherme explains how Continente is balancing e-commerce growth, quick commerce and profitability while adapting to changing consumer expectations around delivery. He also looks at what's next, from AI and personalization to the lessons Continente has learned from operating its autonomous grocery store.In this episode:• Inside Continente & Sonae MC, Portugal's largest grocery retailer• Balancing e-commerce growth, profitability and customer experience• Why quick commerce is moving away from 15-minute delivery expectations• What Portuguese consumers want from fast grocery delivery• How Continente uses stores, warehouses and a Lisbon dark store for fulfillment• The role of AI agents and personalization in Continente's e-commerce strategy• Lessons from Continente's autonomous grocery store• Why the autonomous store has evolved into a hybrid model🎧 Subscribe to Omni Talk Retail for more conversations with the leaders shaping retail.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy
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  Retail Daily Minute | DoorDash Buys Into Wonder's Grubhub Campus Business, Meta Lab Doubles Its Store Count & Target Hires a New CMO 16.09.2026 4min

  Welcome to Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, sponsored by R&S Logistics, ZenlineAI, and Mirakl.In today's Retail Daily Minute, Omni Talk's Chris Walton discusses:DoorDash acquires Wonder's Grubhub Campus Dining business as part of a $125 million investment in Wonder's Series D funding round.Meta Lab plans six new AI glasses stores in the coming months, nearly doubling its retail footprint.Target names former Hilton CMO Mark Weinstein as its new chief marketing and guest experience officer.The Retail Daily Minute has been rocketing up the Feedspot charts, so stay informed with Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, your source for the latest and most important retail insights.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy
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  Unlimitail's Alexis Marcombe on Cracking In-Store Measurement, aka Retail Media's Next Frontier | Live from Paris 15.09.2026 13min

  Live from the Vusion podcast studio at NRF Retail's Big Show Europe in Paris, Ben Miller sits down with Alexis Marcombe, CEO of Unlimitail, the retail media joint venture between Carrefour and Publicis.Alexis explains how Unlimitail built an open, cross-border retail media alliance now spanning 40+ retailers and 21 countries, why in-store measurement remains the industry's biggest unsolved problem despite 70-98% of European sales still happening in physical stores, and why Unlimitail plugs into partners' existing tech stacks rather than forcing its own. He closes with a bold prediction for 2027: a massive RFP that could reshape in-store retail media across Europe.In this episode:Inside Unlimitail: an open retail media alliance spanning 40+ retailers and 21 countriesHow CPG brands work with Unlimitail to solve specific sales problemsWhy in-store measurement is retail media's biggest unsolved challengeBalancing advertiser demand for performance with the case for brand-buildingA 2027 prediction: the massive RFP that could reshape in-store retail media in Europe🎧 Subscribe to Omni Talk Retail for more conversations with the leaders shaping retail.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy
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  NRF's Matthew Shay on Global Retail Growth, Consumer Confidence & 2026's Holiday Outlook | Live from Paris 15.09.2026 8min

  Live from the Vusion Podcast Studio at NRF Retail's Big Show Europe in Paris, Omni Talk's Chris Walton sits down with Matthew Shay, President and CEO of the National Retail Federation, for a candid look at where retail stands heading into the holidays.Matt shares how NRF Europe is evolving alongside the flagship New York show and the fast-growing Asia-Pacific event in Singapore, why retail has become a truly global business, and what a resilient U.S. consumer means for the rest of 2026. He also previews NRF's holiday sales forecast, coming October 15.In this episode:Building NRF Europe while preserving Paris's local characterThree years of growth for NRF's Singapore showWhy retail is now a global business, trade friction and allA state-of-the-industry read on U.S. consumer confidenceNRF's outlook for the 2026 holiday season🎧 Subscribe to Omni Talk Retail for more conversations with the leaders shaping retail.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy
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  Al-Futtaim's Eric Meulien on Building the Data Foundation Behind Agentic Commerce | Live from Paris 15.09.2026 11min

  Live from the Vusion podcast studio at NRF Retail's Big Show Europe in Paris, Ben Miller sits down with Eric Meulien, General Manager of Digital Retail at Al-Futtaim Group, to talk agentic commerce and what it actually takes to support it.Eric explains why AI shopping assistants demand much richer product data than color and size ever captured, walks through the internal Gen AI tool his team built to find and close those content gaps, and shares how Al-Futtaim keeps 200+ brands across 20 countries consistent with a centralized "Atomic Design" system. He also details Blue, the region's loyalty program powering personalization across every division.In this episode:Inside Al-Futtaim: 200+ brands across 20 countries, including IKEA, M&S, and Toys R UsWhy agentic commerce demands richer product dataThe internal Gen AI tool built to close product content gapsKeeping brand identity consistent with a centralized "Atomic Design" systemInside Blue, Al-Futtaim's loyalty program and single customer view🎧 Subscribe to Omni Talk Retail for more conversations with the leaders shaping retail.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy
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  Bolt Food's Audrey Ceuppens on Quick Commerce, Reliability & What's Next in Grocery Delivery | Live from Paris 15.09.2026 14min

  Live from the Vusion podcast studio at NRF Retail's Big Show Europe in Paris, Ben Miller is joined by Audrey Ceuppens, Global Head of Grocery and Retail at Bolt Food, to unpack how quick commerce is evolving.Audrey walks through Bolt’s path from mobility to food delivery to grocery and retail across 50 global markets. She explains why speed has become table stakes while reliability is the new differentiator, and how Bolt balances a global playbook with local nuance, from cash payments in Africa to sustaining grocery partnerships in Ukraine. She also shares what’s next, including Bolt’s newly launched in-app replacement feature.In this episode:Bolt's evolution from mobility to food delivery to grocery and retailWhy speed is now the baseline and reliability is the new differentiatorBalancing a global operating model with local nuanceThe value delivery marketplaces bring retail partnersWhat's next: Bolt's new in-app replacement feature and widening shopping missions🎧 Subscribe to Omni Talk Retail for more conversations with the leaders shaping retail.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy
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  Desigual's Aleksandra Olszewska on Reinventing a Brand, Bridging Digital and Store & What's Next With AI | Live from Paris 15.09.2026 15min

  Live from the Vusion Podcast Studio at NRF's Big Show Europe in Paris, Omni Talk's Chris Walton sits down with Aleksandra Olszewska, Global Commercial and Digital Director at Desigual, for a candid conversation on brand reinvention and where digital and store leadership meet.Aleksandra traces her path from studying literature to leading digital, CRM, and now commercial strategy at Desigual, explains why a digital-first background makes the move into store easier, and walks through Desigual's five-year brand reinvention — including the "diet phase" that came before the brand's bold return. She closes with what's next: balancing growth and profitability, and putting AI to real use.In this episode:From studying literature to leading digital, CRM, and commercial strategyWhy it's easier to move from digital into store than the reverseInside Desigual's five-year brand reinvention and its return to boldnessThe results: double-digit sales growth and a younger customer baseWhat's next: growth vs. profitability, and putting AI to work🎧 Subscribe to Omni Talk Retail for more conversations with the leaders shaping retail.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy
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  Lush's Ruth Andrade on Ethics, Employee Ownership & Walking Away from Social Media | Live from Paris 15.09.2026 12min

  Live from the Vusion podcast studio at NRF Retail's Big Show Europe in Paris, Ben Miller sits down with Ruth Andrade, environmental partner at Lush, for a conversation that trades the show's usual AI talk for something different.Ruth shares the origin story of Lush's Earth Care team, which she's led since becoming the company's first environmental officer in 2004, and explains how employee ownership and an ethical charter shape decisions across the business — including Lush's decision to leave social media entirely after Meta whistleblower revelations. She closes with practical advice for building an ethical culture without a founder-backed mandate.In this episode:Inside Lush: unpackaged, handmade, fresh cosmetics in 51 countries and 900+ storesHow the sales mix has shifted from bath bombs to fragranceThe origin story of Lush's Earth Care teamWhy employee ownership and an ethical charter shape Lush's decisionsThe decision to leave social media, and why Ruth calls it "no regrets"Advice for driving change without a founder-backed mandate🎧 Subscribe to Omni Talk Retail for more conversations with the leaders shaping retail.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy
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  Pets at Home's Mariusz Kwiatkowski on Modernizing Supply Chain, AI Hype vs. Reality & Breaking Down Silos | Live from Paris 15.09.2026 10min

  Live from the Vusion podcast studio at NRF Retail's Big Show Europe in Paris, Ben Miller sits down with Mariusz Kwiatkowski, Head of Supply Chain Transformation at Pets at Home, for a candid conversation on modernizing retail's supply chain.Mariusz walks through the two big investments behind Pets at Home's recent transformation — a purpose-built automated distribution center in Stafford and a rebuilt planning and execution stack powered by proven "quantitative AI" — and draws a clear line between that track record and the hype around agentic and generative AI, which he sees as still stuck in pilot mode. He also shares why supply chain jobs are evolving rather than disappearing, and his "magic wand" fix for retail's biggest structural blind spot.In this episode:Inside Pets at Home: 460 stores, omnichannel, and the one-stop-shop visionThe two big investments behind its supply chain modernizationSeparating proven "quantitative AI" from the hype around agentic and generative AIWhy supply chain jobs are evolving, not disappearingMariusz's fix for retail: breaking down silos between supply chain, commercial, finance, and logistics🎧 Subscribe to Omni Talk Retail for more conversations with the leaders shaping retail.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy
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  Vitamin Shoppe's Andy Laudato on AI-Powered Shopping, GLP-1s & "Stop Starting, Start Finishing" | Live from Paris 15.09.2026 10min

  Live from the Vusion Podcast Studio at NRF Retail's Big Show Europe in Paris, Omni Talk's Chris Walton sits down with Andy Laudato, EVP and COO of The Vitamin Shoppe, for a deep dive into AI, assortment, and operating discipline.Andy walks through Shop Advisor, The Vitamin Shoppe's new AI-powered discovery tool built on the company's own proprietary product data, and shares his read on where AI is really working across retail right now as co-founder and chair of the Retail AI Council. He also breaks down how GLP-1 medications are reshaping assortment and education, and the prioritization rules that keep his team focused.In this episode:Inside Shop Advisor and The Vitamin Shoppe's AI innovation storeWhy "human in the middle" AI applications are winning right nowThe mission behind the Retail AI CouncilHow GLP-1s are reshaping assortment and customer educationAndy's rule: cut every list by 15% and "stop starting, start finishing"🎧 Subscribe to Omni Talk Retail for more conversations with the leaders shaping retail.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy
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  Kroger’s Q2 Reality Check, AI Shopping Assistants & The Changing Grocery Landscape | GrocerTalk 15.09.2026 45min

  In this episode, sponsored by Instacart Enterprise, Portager, Vusion, and Sifter Solutions, Ben Miller is joined by Chris Walton, President and CEO of Omni Talk, live from NRF Retail’s Big Show Europe in Paris, to unpack the latest grocery news and trends shaping the global grocery and CPG industry.This week, they discuss:• Kroger’s stalled performance and lowered 2026 sales outlook, examining whether the challenges facing the supermarket giant are specific to Kroger, the broader supermarket format, or consumer confidence. (Source)• Instacart and Shipt launching AI-powered shopping assistants, and what the latest developments in AI-powered grocery shopping mean for the customer experience retailers should be working toward. (Source)• Walgreens partnering with Looma to deploy in-store advertising screens, and whether working with a partner that provides hardware, content production, and measurement is the right approach to in-store digitization. (Source)• Albertsons expanding its board and naming Meg Whitman as its first Executive Chair, examining what the appointment could signal for the company and the wider grocery industry. (Source)Plus, Kim Schneider of Vestcom joins us for Five Insightful Minutes to explore how grocers can maximize their investment in shelf-edge technologies.A few things worth checking out from this week’s episode:Don’t miss our exclusive interviews from NRF Retail’s Big Show Europe in Paris, featuring the retail leaders and innovators shaping the future of grocery and retail. Catch them on the Omni Talk LinkedIn page, podcast channels and YouTube.Register for Omni Talk’s Fall Conference Season “Must-See” Tech Preview: https://www.linkedin.com/events/omnitalk-sfallconferenceseason-7486477216600518656/theater/Episode 005. Welcome to GrocerTalk.P.S. Be sure to check out all our other podcasts from the past week here, too: https://omnitalk.blog/category/podcast/Music by hooksounds.com.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy
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  Retail Daily Minute | Kohl's Doubles Down on Babies R Us as Sephora Falters, Walmart+ Adds CITGO & Harps Names First AI Director 15.09.2026 6min

  Welcome to Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, sponsored by R&S Logistics, ZenlineAI, and Mirakl.In today's Retail Daily Minute, Omni Talk's Chris Walton discusses:Kohl's expands its Babies R Us shop-in-shops to 56 more stores and adds an exclusive collection, even as Sephora at Kohl's sales decline for a second straight quarter.Walmart+ adds CITGO to its Gas Savings benefit, growing the network from 13,000 to more than 17,000 stations without raising the membership price.Harps Food Stores names Will McDoniel its first-ever director of AI strategy and innovation as the grocer looks to modernize beyond store growth.The Retail Daily Minute has been rocketing up the Feedspot charts, so stay informed with Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, your source for the latest and most important retail insights.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy
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  Retail Daily Minute | Kroger Cuts Its Sales Outlook, Amazon Makes Prime Video Shoppable & Planalytics Flags an Early Fall Chill 14.09.2026 4min

  Welcome to Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, sponsored by R&S Logistics, ZenlineAI, and Mirakl.In today's Retail Daily Minute, Omni Talk's Chris Walton discusses:Kroger trims its full-year same-store sales outlook as IRA pharmacy pricing and a lettuce-linked outbreak weigh on results.Amazon expands Shop the Show and Shop the Scene to more than 8,000 Prime Video titles, pushing further into shoppable streaming.Planalytics forecasts an early fall chill that could shift consumer demand toward seasonal categories fast.The Retail Daily Minute has been rocketing up the Feedspot charts, so stay informed with Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, your source for the latest and most important retail insights.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy
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  Lightning Round: Super Bowl Picks, Genie vs. Samantha & Adam Sandler | Fast Five Shorts 12.09.2026 3min

  It’s lightning round time, and Chris Walton and Shelley Huff are making some very important decisions, from their Super Bowl picks to choosing between Genie and Samantha and naming the Adam Sandler movie they’d keep forever.Plus, one very specific wish involving a dog that may or may not be possible.▶️ Watch the full Fast Five episode here: https://youtu.be/x4hGqvRTilYThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy
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  What Should Be on Sprouts’ New CEO Nick Konat’s Agenda? | Fast Five Shorts 12.09.2026 5min

  Sprouts has named Nick Konat as its next CEO, with the leadership transition set to take effect in January 2027.Chris Walton and Shelley Huff discuss what Konat should focus on as he takes the reins, from staying disciplined on the retailer’s existing strategy to executing the roadmap already in motion.The big question: Does Sprouts need a new strategy, or simply a new leader to execute the one it already has?▶️ Watch the full Fast Five episode here: https://youtu.be/x4hGqvRTilY This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy
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  Sephora’s Making Monthly Drops on TikTok Shop | Fast Five Shorts 12.09.2026 5min

  Sephora is testing monthly exclusive product drops on TikTok Shop, giving the beauty retailer another way to create demand and build community around new products.Chris Walton and Shelley Huff discuss how TikTok Shop differs from Amazon, and why the platform may be more valuable for creating demand than simply capturing it.The big question: Can TikTok Shop turn product drops into a repeatable retail habit?▶️ Watch the full Fast Five episode here: https://youtu.be/x4hGqvRTilYThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy
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  Costco Quietly Kills Costco Next Marketplace | Fast Five Shorts 12.09.2026 5min

  Costco has quietly shut down Costco Next, its member-only online marketplace that connected shoppers with products from outside brands.Chris Walton and Shelley Huff discuss why Costco’s club model may not translate neatly to a marketplace business, and what the move says about where Costco wants to focus its digital strategy.The big question: Does Costco really need a marketplace when its core model is already working?▶️ Watch the full Fast Five episode here: https://youtu.be/x4hGqvRTilYThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy