Are you interested in getting a bit more in-depth about the policy choices and technologies that are changing our world? Unlike blogs, which focus primarily on specific companies and tactics, essays focus on historical trends and the policies that drive them.

• CPG and E-Commerce. What company is winning?February 5, 2021
  For nearly a decade, CPG and e-commerce was an unknown. Post-COVID, it’s reality and we have the data to understand who is excelling and who is getting left behind.
• Are e-commerce buying groups the future of grocery delivery?January 6, 2021
  Despite their COVID-19 success, Instacart and Postmates face tough economics. Could e-commerce buying groups be the future of grocery delivery?
• What is e-commerce? The structural differences between online and traditional retail.October 17, 2020
  This article defines e-commerce, its major players, with an eye towards the business structure of the industry.
• Wheel of retailing: What it is and why Dollar General may not move upJuly 5, 2020
  Since its formulation, the wheel of retail has helped explain the evolution of retailers. Here’s why Dollar General may be different.
• Retail Pricing, Fair Trade Laws, and the Rise of WalmartJune 30, 2020
  Retailers not manufacturers control retail pricing. This wasn’t always the case. Learn how politics informed commerce and ultimately enabled Walmart.
• Why Influencer Marketing may be more Dollar Store than QVCJune 28, 2020
  People often compare influencer marketing and livestreaming to QVC and the Home Shopping Network. Here’s why the better comparison is Dollar General.
• 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.
• The Coca-Cola Bottler Strategy and Eat Just Inc.June 15, 2020
  Just Egg Inc. announced that it is adopting the Coca-Cola bottler strategy in China. That begs the question, what is the Coca-Cola bottler strategy?
• G.E. exits consumer light bulbs and the definition of a conglomerateJune 12, 2020
  G.E. was the definition of a conglomerate–and now it’s not. Learn what the corporate structure is, its’ strengths and weaknesses through a G.E. case study.
• 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?
• Marc Andreessen misses the point with It’s time to buildMay 17, 2020
  Marc Andreesen’s “It’s time to build” is a prime example of the failed ethos of tech primacy.
• Conornavirus and a fragile food systemApril 20, 2020
  The uncomfortable reality is that from an operational standpoint, the last forty years created a meat production system almost uniquely positioned to spread the coronavirus and exaggerate its impact.
• Information lag. Coronavirus and the CPG supply chainMarch 22, 2020
  COVID-19 revealed the great outsourcing of America’s supply chains.
• What is a CPG company? It’s more than just a brand.March 18, 2020
  What exactly is a consumer packaged goods (CPG) company? I answer that question and outline their two main business strategies.
• 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.
• Retailer Shelf Space: Another potential loss for CPG ManufacturersFebruary 23, 2020
  Retailers are using technology to replace Category Captains.
• Fair Trade: The arcane reason small retailers can’t compete with chainsJanuary 8, 2020
  Fair Trade agreements allowed small retailers to compete with big. Now they’re gone.
• Consumer Packaged Goods and Quality Issues on AmazonDecember 19, 2019
  Quality control is becoming an increasing problem for Consumer Goods manufacturers selling on Amazon.