Timely and concise analysis at the intersection of technology, retail, and policy. I’ve organized the relevant posts by category.

Consumer Products

Insight into the tactics and strategies consumer products companies use to navigate the ever changing world.

• Conagra Brands invested in innovation and it’s working. Will it last?January 14, 2021
  Conagra Brands had a successful Q2 2021 driven largely by their innovation efforts. Will the success last? A Porter’s model reveals it may be short-lived.
• Constellation Brands looks to e-commerce and DTCJanuary 10, 2021
  The Q3 2021 earnings call gave insight into how Constellation Brands is building out an e-commerce juggernaut and revealed a monopoly hidden in plain sight.
• LaCroix was a category leader and then National Beverage changed the sales strategyJanuary 9, 2021
  National Beverage used smart marketing to create a sparkling beverage revolution with LaCroix. Then the company decided to play hardball with retailers.
• Proctor and Gamble 2021 Q1 Earnings Call – E-commerce and the battle for shavingOctober 21, 2020
  The Q1 2021 earnings call for Proctor and Gamble gave insight into how the leading household goods company views e-commerce and the coronavirus.
• How King Arthur turned flour from a commodity CPG to a branded CPGAugust 9, 2020
  How one small company built a leading brand in the a commoditization market.
• The business impact of COVID-19 on 4 major CPG companiesJuly 22, 2020
  The business impacts of COVID-19 are far and wide. Here is how four major CPG firms have adjusted their strategy and operations and manage the crisis.
• Brand Licensing – Incremental or transformational growth?June 21, 2020
  A holy grail of consumer goods companies is brand licensing revenue. Kraft-Heinz recently announced it was entering the fray. Success isn’t always easy as it may seem.
• Unilever, an Agile Supply Chain, and the decline of Scenario PlanningMay 30, 2020
  Unilever CEO Alan Jope outlined a vision for an agile supply chain–one that replaces centralized scenario planning with on-the-ground insights. Here’s what that means.
• General Mills: From foodservice to retail, the impact of coronavirusMarch 28, 2020
  How General Mills mitigated the impact of COVID-19 by transitioning away from foodservice.
• The Campbell Soup Company — Processed food growth in a fresh worldMarch 8, 2020
  Sales are up at Campbell Soup, but the fresh dilemma remains.
• Kraft Heinz Is Dying a Death by a Thousand Cost CutsFebruary 27, 2020
  How the private equity model drove one of the world’s largest food and beverage companies into a corner.
• When negative externalities threaten Dart Container, it threatens backFebruary 16, 2020
  Dart Container’s core product is potentially damaging to the world. Management’s response? Fight.
• Reading the tea leaves; Unilever looks to move LiptonFebruary 9, 2020
  Unilever, the world’s largest tea producer, is looking to get out of the tea business.
• Revenue Growth Management: Coca-Cola profit rises investment pays offFebruary 3, 2020
  Coca-Cola credited Revenue Growth Management with major growth. Learn what RGM is and how it is used.
• Why did Dean Foods go Bankrupt? A Porter Model Analysis reveals the truth.January 31, 2020
  Dean Foods went from an industry leader to bankrupt in a few years. A Porter Analysis reveals that industry structure had a much larger impact than previously imagined.
• P&G to buy Billie. It may work, but not for the reason you thinkJanuary 26, 2020
  P&G acquired Billie. Initial analysis framed it in terms of a direct-to-consumer play, but a closer analysis reveals a more traditional brand acquisition.
• CPG Innovation: Why New Benefits Aren’t Going to Save GumDecember 12, 2019
  How to manage a dying category.

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Retail

Insight into the tactics and strategies retailers use to navigate the ever-changing world. A special eye towards competition policy and the goliath in the room–Amazon.

• Dollar General looks to move up the wheel of retail with Popshelf.October 9, 2020
  Learn about the wheel of retail theory and how Dollar General is attempting to move up it with popshelf.
• What is Walmart looking to acquire with TikTok?August 30, 2020
  A TikTok acquisition would mean spending $30 billion on an app, with a business model that Walmart has no core competencies in.
• Walmart proves that omnichannel can compete with Amazon after COVID-19, but can others?May 26, 2020
  Walmart’s deep pockets and omnichannel investments have the company well positioned in a post COVID-19 world. What does it mean for the rest of retail?
• Retailer Shelf Space: Another potential loss for CPG ManufacturersFebruary 23, 2020
  Retailers are using technology to replace Category Captains.
• Counterfeit products on Amazon is harming CPG innovationJanuary 18, 2020
  Counterfeit products on Amazon is one of the most significant issues facing brands today.
• Consumer Packaged Goods and Quality Issues on AmazonDecember 19, 2019
  Quality control is becoming an increasing problem for Consumer Goods manufacturers selling on Amazon.

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