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Blog Post

Heads Up: 5 key changes in how Aldi does business

When it comes to Aldi, it’s time to “mind the gap.” Why?  Aldi has transformed itself from a limited assortment retailer into a promotional merchant with a strong price reputation. The net result is an extremely disruptive force in an increasingly competitive grocery landscape. Fellow retail veteran Bill Bolton and I recently sat down for an in-depth discussion about Aldi's transformation. Here are five changes that up the ante in the competition for grocery dollars.
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Blog Post

Where suppliers can unlock growth opportunities in the changing retail landscape

The entire retail landscape is changing. This is challenging all types of suppliers, but it can also present growth opportunities when looked at from a new perspective. The key is to identify growth opportunities in places where growth is already happening. Here you will learn how the changing shopper, the evolving mix of stores, and value chain realignment are creating those opportunities.

Blog Post

What if a hard discounter like Aldi enters online grocery in the US?

It’s clear that the growing number of online grocery options available to US consumers will only further fragment the market for grocery spending, but will the growth of online shopping also accelerate fundamental changes in the competitive marketplace? What if small, high productivity hard-discount retailers like Aldi could use online grocery in the US to generate additional growth?
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Lookout

Good Eggs re-launch illustrates three reality checks for grocery startups

Good Eggs re-launch illustrates three reality checks for grocery startups When the team at Good Eggs realized there was a gap between who they originally thought would use the service and those who are their regular customers, they pulled back to a single market to realign their business model. It’s an unusual move that was covered nicely by Joe Fassler in a recent blog. To us, it highlights several of the challenges that face new grocery services – be they online or offline.

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Blog Post

Digital out of stocks: What they are and how to fix them

The good news – you’ve expanded from traditional grocery to include online shopping services and listed all of the products you sell along with some basic attributes on your website. The bad news – you’re not finished yet. John Hennessy has identified an interesting problem he calls “digital out of stocks” that can result not only in missed sales, but lost customers as well. Here, he talks with us about what digital out of stocks are and how to fix them.
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Blog Post

Realigning with digitally influenced grocery trip missions

If retailers want to win more sales in today’s competitive market, it’s time to take another look at shopping trips and the needs that drive them. Understanding the needs that drive “trip missions” is a proven way to quickly connect with shoppers and earn more business – but today those needs are being influenced – and facilitated – by digital tools and online options. Here, we update the view of six trip missions to take the new digital influences into account. Use them as a compass to align marketing and merchandising with the evolving priorities of your core shoppers.
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Lookout

A new core grocery business strategy in action: Health and wellness

A new core grocery business strategy in action: Health and wellness IGA's new Better Choices program is yet another signal that health and wellness is now being seen as a mainstream issue for food retailers – by independents as well as chain grocers. “As businesses, we’re challenged to reconcile all the ways people define health and wellness because it impacts their purchasing decisions,” says Kim Kircherr, RD. who helped guide the development of the Better Choices program, which offers advice and support to both IGA customers and retailers about making healthier food choices.

Blog Post

Blog Post

Growth comes from being on trend, and meal kits are a hot one

Meal kits are certainly not for every consumer, but every grocer should be paying attention to them today. The new flood of ad-hoc and subscription meal services isn’t just another set of competition to manage around - their very existence signals that important market forces are at work. These solutions are on trend today and if you unpack their layers, they have alot going on below the surface. Here’s a my take on how to better understand the opportunity and catch the wave.

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Lookout

How Aldi is growing gross profit faster than sales

How Aldi is growing gross profit faster than sales Aldi has shifted its focus from operating efficiency to marketing/merchandising effectiveness over the past few years. This pivot has enabled it to grow a lot faster than the market ­– and without having to cut margins. In a slow-growth environment, that’s an amazing and significant accomplishment that merits a closer look and a little discussion.

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Lookout

Online ordering apps leverage grocery's penetration, frequency and scale

Online ordering apps leverage grocery's penetration, frequency and scale It looks like many smaller markets in the US will help lead the way in the growth of online grocery shopping – especially with the assistance of entrepreneurs who are creating online ordering and delivery apps/services that regional and independent retailers can plug into their offering. What can we learn from these delivery apps and the retailers who partner with them?

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Lookout

Subscription shopping's ripple effect on retailers and CPGs

Subscription shopping's ripple effect on retailers and CPGs Customers who sign up for subscription shopping are looking to satisfy an unmet need: to always have a product on hand, without having to think about it or work too hard. This shopping shift impacts both traditional grocery retailers who now have one more source of new competition (unless, of course, they’re offering it) and CPG’s who need to adapt their go-to-market strategies to accommodate the fragmentation.