Takeaways from Shoptalk 2019

Shoptalk, a retail conference known for championing innovation,
shone a light on grocery transformation during its 2019 event held at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas this week.

As Mark Rabkin, VP of ads and business platform at Facebook put it during a general session interview: If the retail apocalypse is coming, then it continues to be delayed due to the constant stream of innovation and disruption by retailers in an increasingly omnichannel and Amazon-influenced world.

Grocery retailers and CPG executives shared what they've been doing to stay relevant and gain market share during "The Digital Transformation of Traditional Retailers and Brands" session. Here are some takeaways:

1. When associates have an opportunity to create, they're more likely to own. So letting them be a part of the development and the solution is critical. You have to position your culture to accommodate this. – JJ Fleeman, chief e-commerce officer of Ahold Delhaize USA and president of its Peapod Digital Labs division.


2. Ahold Delhaize USA, like many other grocers, is made up of several banners/brands, all of which differ in markets and operations. To ensure success with multiple brands in their respective markets, it's critical to centralize capabilities, not strategy, and execute on a local level. – Ahold's Fleeman.


3. What's happening on the physical shelf is affecting the digital shelf--and what's happening on the digital shelf is affecting the physical shelf. – Doug Straton, chief digital commerce officer, Hershey Co.


4. Different CPG partners think about digital marketing in different ways, and it's critical to work with all of them in the way each one needs. But progressive grocers today know that ultimately, their role with CPGs is to be a true media partner. –Ahold's Fleeman.

 

A version of this article appeared at ProgressiveGrocer.com.