Marketing: Trade

  1. Data & Insights

Gamified Dining Wins: How Kura Sushi Turns Play into Profits with Participatory Food Marketing

  The restaurant industry is moving beyond transactions and into interactive, participatory food experiences, and Kura Sushi USA is demonstrating how that shift can drive measurable financial performance. This is not simply about sushi. It is about behavioral economics, menu engineering, and consumer engagement strategies that increase frequency, check average, and throughput simultaneously.   The […]
5 min read
0
  1. Data & Insights

From Points to Precision: Why AI-Powered Loyalty Is Rewiring the Grocerant Economy in 2026

  The loyalty landscape in foodservice and convenience retail is undergoing a structural reset—and the data is no longer subtle. According to the 2026 Paytronix Loyalty Report, operators that once relied on static, points-based systems are now pivoting toward AI-driven personalization fueled by first-party data. The result? A measurable lift in visit frequency, ticket size, […]
5 min read
0
  1. Merchandising

Emerging Brands Can Win Shelf Space Without Sacrificing Margins – Here’s How

For many small manufacturers, shelf space is treated as the ultimate objective. Placement becomes the milestone. Distribution becomes an achievement. Yet too often, the cost of that placement is not fully understood until long after the contracts are signed and the invoices begin to arrive. Winning shelf space should never mean surrendering sustainability. National retail […]
3 min read
0
  1. Data & Insights

Drive-Thru Under Pressure: Why Fast Food’s Core Profit Engine Is Stalling

  The drive-thru remains the dominant revenue engine for quick-service restaurants (QSRs), generating 60%–75% of total sales at many brands. Yet today, operators are confronting a convergence of pressures: elevated labor costs, persistent food inflation, declining traffic, and slower service times according to Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® this is […]
5 min read
0
  1. Channel: Ecommerce & Digital

Snappy Technologies launches Order Aggregation Service with retail partners

Snappy Technologies has announced the enterprise launch of its next-generation Order Aggregation (OA) solution, designed to help retailers manage orders, menus, promotions, and inventory across multiple online delivery marketplaces, and control product and pricing centrally. Developed in close collaboration with retail partners Southern Co-op, and… This story continues at Snappy Technologies launches Order Aggregation Service […]
< 1 min read
0
  1. Data & Insights

Reoccurring Customer Visits Drive Incremental Revenue Faster

  The growth algorithm across all sectors of food retail—restaurants, convenience stores, and grocery service delis—has converged on one immutable truth according to Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®:  frequency of visits is the most reliable driver of incremental revenue and long-term profitability. What was once a convenience-store insight is now […]
5 min read
0
  1. Trends & External Forces

Two Examples Of Effective Customer Communications

As frequently mentioned here on MNB, I have a weakness for effective customer communications – I love it when retailers go beyond the simple communication of prices and product. Last week there were two great examples of this, from two of my favorite retailers. First up, on social media Jennifer Mayne, e-commerce director at Dorothy […]
2 min read
0
  1. Department: Beverage

Beer, Basket Building: How 7-Eleven and Budweiser Turn a Holiday into High-Margin Momentum

  Let’s get straight to it: beer isn’t just a beverage—it’s a traffic driver, a margin enhancer, and when merchandised correctly, a meal solution multiplier according to Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®. The latest limited-time promotion from 7-Eleven proves exactly that, leveraging National Beer Day (April 7) as a strategic […]
4 min read
0
  1. Holiday & Events

Easter Joy Is Not Optional — It’s Profitable (Especially with Adults)

  Easter is no longer a kids-only holiday—it’s a full-scale adult participation event, and more importantly, a high-margin, multi-day consumption cycle that food retailers and foodservice operators can no longer afford to misunderstand according to Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA Based Foodservice Solutions®. What began as “Adultoween” has now evolved into a broader […]
4 min read
0
  1. Data & Insights

Intuit Mailchimp’s Sarah Logan: retailers need clarity, not more campaigns, to drive profitable growth

By Sarah Logan, Head of Agency Partnerships, EMEA, Intuit Mailchimp Despite having more ways of reaching consumers than ever before, retail marketers are finding it harder to convert customers. However, it’s not due to the lack of campaigns, but the lack of clarity: With so many touchpoints at play, it’s difficult to clearly see which […]
4 min read
0
  1. Technology & Innovation

The Future of Grocery: Introducing GroceryLab with FMI’s Doug Baker

The CPG Guys are joined in this episode by Doug Baker, VP of Industry Relations at the Food Marketing Institute. As the food industry association, FMI works with and on behalf of the entire industry to advance a safer, healthier and more efficient consumer food supply. FMI is a champion for the food industry and […]
2 min read
0
  1. Data & Insights

Smartwatch and Wearable Trends at Target: Brand Share, Promotions, and Shopper Demographics

Download our latest report to understand how smartwatch and wearable demand, brand share, and shopper behavior are evolving at Target. Smartwatch and wearable dynamics at Target are shifting as new entrants reshape competitive positioning and pricing strategies. Using transaction-level data across Target’s B&M and online channels, YipitData analyzes how brands are gaining and losing share, […]
< 1 min read
0
  1. Channel: Ecommerce & Digital

Behind Amazon’s Rural Delivery Infrastructure Focus

From Bloomberg: “Small business owners craving extra cash are on the front lines of an ambitious Amazon.com Inc. initiative: bringing the quick delivery popularized in cities and suburbs to America’s remote outposts. Many rural online shoppers are used to waiting half a week or longer for purchases to arrive. Amazon, which disclosed its $4 billion […]
3 min read
0
  1. Shopper & Customer

Easter 2026: A $25 Billion “Grocerant” Moment — What Restaurants, C-Stores, and Grocery Must Do To Win

  Easter is no longer just a holiday—it’s a high-velocity, cross-channel food commerce event. With consumers projected to spend nearly $25 billion this year, Easter 2026 represents a record-setting opportunity to capture incremental visits, increase basket size, and reinforce brand relevance across restaurant, convenience store, and grocery channels. Data released by the National Retail Federation […]
4 min read
0
  1. Technology & Innovation

Your Views:  A Surge In Dynamic Opinions

Got a lot of responses to our coverage of the national backlash against electronic shelf labels, and concerns about dynamic/surge pricing. MNB reader Rudy Dory wrote: We have had ESLs for over twenty years. We have never had a complaint about surge pricing. Wanting to ban ESLs in smaller units like ours would penalize people […]
9 min read
0
  1. Trends & External Forces

NOW AVAILABLE: The 2026 Economic Report on U.S. Pharmacies and Pharmacy Benefit Managers

I am pleased to announce Drug Channels Institute’s new 2026 Economic Report on U.S. Pharmacies and Pharmacy Benefit Managers, now available for purchase and immediate download. Download a free 32-page report overview–including Key Industry Trends, What’s New in this edition, the Table of Contents, and a List of Exhibits. Review pricing and license options and […]
4 min read
0
  1. Channel: Restaurants

Darden Restaurants: From Dining Rooms to Doorsteps—The Strategic Evolution of Takeout, Delivery, and Bundled Meals

  Few companies illustrate the transformation of American dining habits better than Darden Restaurants. Known for powerhouse brands like Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse, Darden has steadily repositioned itself from a dine-in dominant operator to a multi-channel foodservice leader where off-premise occasions drive incremental growth. The Historical Shift: From Dine-In to Off-Premise Dominance Historically, Darden’s […]
5 min read
0
  1. Channel: Restaurants

Darden Restaurants: From Dining Rooms to Doorsteps—The Strategic Evolution of Takeout, Delivery, and Bundled Meals

  Few companies illustrate the transformation of American dining habits better than Darden Restaurants. Known for powerhouse brands like Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse, Darden has steadily repositioned itself from a dine-in dominant operator to a multi-channel foodservice leader where off-premise occasions drive incremental growth. The Historical Shift: From Dine-In to Off-Premise Dominance Historically, Darden’s […]
5 min read
0
  1. Technology & Innovation

Many Brits would stump up more for a seamless shopping experience, Visualsoft research

New research from Visualsoft, surveying 2,000 UK consumers, shows that 33% would pay a premium for a seamless shopping journey. Among younger consumers aged 18–34, that figure rises to more than 60%. Frictionless shopping is key for younger demographics, and that includes everything from knowing what’s in-store before setting out, simple payments, earning loyalty points […]
4 min read
0
  1. Department & Category

RoFo Sauce, Tender Fest, and the Playbook of Food Identity: Why Royal Farms Is Quietly Learning from Fast Food Giants

  In today’s hyper-competitive food retail ecosystem, success rarely comes from simply selling food. It comes from creating menu item identity, delivering portable value, and building loyalty ecosystems that keep customers returning day after day. That’s exactly what Baltimore-based convenience retailer Royal Farms is doing with the debut of its proprietary RoFo Sauce as the […]
5 min read
0
  1. CPG: Beverage

Diet Coke partners with The Devil Wears Prada 2

Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) is joining The Devil Wears Prada 2, in cinemas May 1st, as an integrated beverage brand. “In The Devil Wears Prada 2, taste is everything,” said Lylle Breier, EVP, partnerships, promotions, synergy & events at Disney. “We are delighted to extend… This story continues at Diet Coke partners with The Devil […]
< 1 min read
0
  1. Stores & Formats

Moves To Drive Food Industry Back To The Past Gain New Momentum

The New York State Attorney General has come out in favor of a bill that would ban electronic shelf labels, calling them an “exploitive practice” resulting in higher prices. From The Gothamist: “New York Attorney General Letitia James is throwing her support behind state legislation to curtail retailers and grocers from setting prices using algorithms […]
3 min read
0
  1. Merchandising

4 Critical Mistakes Emerging CPG Brands Must Avoid When Pitching a Retail Buyer

For emerging CPG brands, the journey from a home kitchen or a small-batch facility to the shelves of a national retailer is fraught with challenges. While many founders focus entirely on the quality of their product, the reality of the retail industry is that a great product is only half the battle. Success depends on […]
5 min read
0
  1. Media & Marketing

Best Buy Presidents Day Sale 2026: TV Share &  Promotion Trends

Download our latest retail report for a data driven view of television brand share, promotional coverage, and discounting trends during the 2026 Best Buy Presidents Day Sale. Major retail events such as the Presidents Day Sale provide insight into how television brands compete through pricing and promotions. Changes in brand share, promotional coverage, and discount […]
< 1 min read
0
  1. Operations & Supply Chain

“Good Bookstores Selling Good Books” Our Interview with Barnes & Noble CEO James Daunt

This week on the Remarkable Retail podcast, Michael LeBlanc and Steve Dennis unpack the retail news shaping the global economy—from the Iran war’s impact on oil, freight and food prices to Kohl’s disappointing earnings, Dick’s Sporting Goods’ continued growth, and another wave of store closings at Saks Global. The episode opens with the week’s major […]
2 min read
0
  1. Data & Insights

Predictive Consumer Gifting Behaviour and Seasonal Retail Trends in 2026

Christmas remains pivotal in the UK seasonal retail calendar, but evolving consumer gifting behaviour is reshaping how and when shoppers buy. While overall spending has remained stable, trends in Christmas gift buying tracked by Mintel highlight a shift towards later purchasing, demand for more distinctive gifts, and growing interest in curated and personalised shopping experiences. […]
6 min read
0

Trending Topics

Editor’s Choice

  1. Trends & External Forces
  2. Shopper & Customer
  3. Technology & Innovation
  4. Trends & External Forces
  5. Associates & Employees
  6. Merchandising
  7. Stores & Formats

Walmart to Expand Digital Shelf Labels Chainwide

Walmart will deploy digital shelf labels (DSLs) chainwide this year, doubling the approximately 2,300 U.S. locations currently using the technology (Walmart U.S. operates more than 4,600 stores). With more than 120,000 items in a typical Walmart store, managing price changes manually requires significant associate hours. Additionally, these DSLs are equipped with LED lights that make […]
Written by

Trending