Podcast appearances and mentions of Chris Walton

In this episode of Confessions of Supply Chain Executives, host Chris Walton sits down with Richard McKenzie, CEO at Veloq, to tackle one of retail's most persistent questions: When does online grocery finally become profitable? For years, grocers have chased digital growth, but profitability has remained elusive. High picking costs, last mile complexity, thin margins, and legacy infrastructure continue to weigh down performance. Richard breaks down where the real friction points are, why many retailers are still structuring e-commerce as a cost center instead of an operating model, and what has to change for online grocery to truly scale sustainably. This episode explores the operational realities behind digital grocery, from fulfillment models and automation strategies to the role of data orchestration across the enterprise. Richard explains why profitability is less about volume and more about precision, and how retailers that rethink their tech stack, store operations, and network design may finally turn the corner. Key Topics covered: • Why online grocery margins remain under pressure • The true cost of store pick vs. micro fulfillment • Where last mile economics break down • How legacy systems quietly erode profitability • The operational tradeoffs between speed, convenience, and cost • Why data orchestration is becoming a competitive advantage • What scalable automation actually looks like in grocery • The tipping point that could finally make online grocery profitable

Welcome to Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, sponsored by Grocery Dealz and Mirakl.In today's Retail Daily Minute, Omni Talk's Chris Walton discusses:Lowe's beats Q4 earnings expectations with $20.58 billion in revenue and 1.3% comparable sales growth, but shares fall more than 4% as the housing market's "lock-in effect" and conservative full-year guidance weigh on investor sentiment.MAC Cosmetics enters Sephora's U.S. stores and Sephora at Kohl's beginning March 2nd.Wonder announces plans to open more than 100 Texas locations by end of 2027.The Retail Daily Minute has been rocketing up the Feedspot charts, so stay informed with Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, your source for the latest and most important retail insights.Be careful out there!

Welcome to Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, sponsored by Grocery Dealz and Mirakl.In today's Retail Daily Minute, Omni Talk's Chris Walton discusses:IKEA's parent company Ingka Group announces that sports retailer Decathlon will open a store inside its Croydon, UK location this spring.New York State releases draft regulations for buy now, pay later lenders, establishing licensing requirements, fee restrictions, and consumer dispute protections in what the state calls a "nation-leading" template.The European Union puts its framework trade deal with the United States on hold following a Supreme Court ruling that struck down many of Trump's IEEPA tariffs, creating fresh uncertainty for retailers navigating transatlantic sourcing and supply chain strategies.The Retail Daily Minute has been rocketing up the Feedspot charts, so stay informed with Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, your source for the latest and most important retail insights.Be careful out there!

In this Retail Technology Spotlight Series episode from Omni Talk Retail, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga welcome back Grocery Dealz co-CEOs Matt Goynes and Micheal Waldroup to unpack the rapid national expansion of their real-time grocery price comparison app. Now live in 40 states, Grocery Dealz enables consumers to compare grocery prices across retailers in real time before they shop and even push their lists directly into Instacart for delivery. The conversation dives into how the platform works, how pricing data is sourced, why retailers are paying attention, and what price transparency means for the future of grocery. From over-the-counter medicine and alcohol price swings to retail media monetization and API partnerships, this episode explores how comparison shopping could reshape consumer behavior... just as it did in travel and gas. With grocery bills rivaling plane tickets in weekly spend, is price transparency the next major retail disruption? Key Topics Covered: •What Grocery Dealz is and why it exists •The 3-step user experience: search, substitute, compare •Categories covered beyond center store (including OTC meds & alcohol) •How real-time grocery pricing data is sourced •Retailers' response to price transparency •The Instacart integration and delivery convenience factor •How Grocery Dealz makes money (affiliate + retail media model) •Consumer adoption metrics and time spent in app •What's coming next: live coupons and national growth •Can price comparison truly change grocery shopping behavior? Connect with the Guests: Matt Goynes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-goynes-65921368/ Micheal Waldroup: https://www.linkedin.com/in/micheal-waldroup-3a74b82b7/ #retailtech #grocerytech #pricetransparency #retailmedia #ecommerce #omnichannel #retailinnovation #retailpodcast #OmniTalkRetail

Welcome to Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, sponsored by Grocery Dealz and Mirakl.In today's Retail Daily Minute, Omni Talk's Chris Walton discusses:Target is bringing Levi's denim to 150 additional stores by the end of 2026, pushing the partnership past 1,000 total locations.Walmart introduces Scintilla In-Store, a new app that arms supplier field representatives with real-time store-level data to reduce out-of-stocks.Bath & Body Works launches its first official U.S. Amazon storefront, reclaiming control of a channel where gray market sales were already generating an estimated $60 to $80 million annually.The Retail Daily Minute has been rocketing up the Feedspot charts, so stay informed with Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, your source for the latest and most important retail insights.Be careful out there!

In this episode of Confessions of Supply Chain Executives, host Chris Walton sits down with Amir Khoshniyati, Vice President at Wiliot, to break down the five supply chain trends that will actually matter in 2026. Every January, supply chain executives make bold predictions. AI will transform everything. Automation will solve labor shortages. Real-time visibility will finally arrive. And by December, most of those predictions turn out to be wildly optimistic or completely off-target. But 2026 may be different. Retail is approaching a true convergence point where Physical AI, real-time item location, generative and agentic AI, grocery e-commerce acceleration, and mounting regulatory pressure are all colliding at the same time. The result is a potential restructuring of how supply chains operate. Drawing from his work with some of the world's largest retailers, including Walmart, Amir shares what is actually being deployed versus what is still sitting in PowerPoint decks, and why the real driver of change is not hype. It is quantified pain. This episode examines whether we are at a true inflection point and what executives must prioritize right now to avoid falling behind. Key Topics Covered: • Why 2026 could be a true supply chain inflection point • What “Physical AI” really means and how it differs from traditional IoT • Where adoption stands today, pilot purgatory or scaled deployment • The BLE vs. RFID debate and why it may not be either or • Why real-time item location is moving from nice to have to mission critical • How generative and agentic AI intersect with physical supply chain data • When AI agents may begin making autonomous inventory and fulfillment decisions • Why grocery e-commerce is a forcing function for real-time visibility • How perishability, waste, and margin pressure are reshaping tracking needs • The impact of FSMA and growing traceability mandates • Whether compliance will become a competitive advantage • The uncomfortable truth retailers may not want to hear about these trends If you are a supply chain executive with limited budget and bandwidth, this episode delivers a clear message. Start with your pain, quantify it, and build your visibility foundation first.

Welcome to Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, sponsored by Grocery Dealz and Mirakl.In today's Retail Daily Minute, Omni Talk's Chris Walton discusses:Walmart posts $190.7 billion in Q4 revenue, declares e-commerce profitable for the first time, and sees U.S. digital sales surge 27% — its 15th straight quarter of double-digit growth.Wayfair beats earnings expectations with $3.34 billion in Q4 revenue and adjusted EPS of 85 cents, but shares fall nearly 10% amid cautious guidance and macro headwinds in the home goods category.Carrefour and Vusion ink a sweeping smart store partnership to digitalize all of Carrefour's French hypermarkets and supermarkets by 2030 with electronic shelf labels, AI cameras, and smart rails.The Retail Daily Minute has been rocketing up the Feedspot charts, so stay informed with Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, your source for the latest and most important retail insights.Be careful out there!

This Lightning Round segment of the Omni Talk Retail Fast Five, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, Quorso, and Veloq, closes out the show with rapid-fire takes on Fashion Week trends, 2016 nostalgia, Robert Duvall's Mount Rushmore, and unexpected Olympic curling drama. From the cultural ripple effects of Fashion Week to the one thing our hosts would bring back from 2016, plus strong opinions on Robert Duvall and the intensity of Olympic curling, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga, joined by Jenn Hahn, keep things moving with quick hits and sharp debate. ⏩ Tune in for the full episode here: https://youtu.be/adBITqt-5Ho #RetailLightningRound #RetailCulture #FashionWeek #WinterOlympics #RobertDuvall #RetailNews #OmniTalk #ConsumerTrends

This Omni Talk Retail Fast Five segment, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, Quorso, and Veloq, examines Converse employees being instructed to work from home ahead of anticipated layoffs as Nike continues its broader restructuring efforts. Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga, joined by Jenn Hahn of J Recruiting Services, unpack what this signals about Nike's long-term brand strategy, workforce management, and competitive positioning. ⏩ Tune in for the full episode here: https://youtu.be/adBITqt-5Ho #Nike #Converse #RetailLayoffs #RetailWorkforce #RetailStrategy #OmniTalk

This Omni Talk Retail Fast Five segment, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, Quorso, and Veloq, dives into Target and Albertsons testing conversational advertising inside ChatGPT. Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga, joined by Jenn Hahn, debate whether AI-driven conversations could become a scalable retail media platform or remain an experimental marketing play. ⏩ Tune in for the full episode here: https://youtu.be/adBITqt-5Ho #Target #Albertsons #ChatGPTAds #ConversationalCommerce #RetailMedia #OmniTalk

This Omni Talk Retail Fast Five segment, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, Quorso, and Veloq, looks at independent convenience stores deploying AI-powered voice insights across 5,200 locations. Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga, joined by Jenn Hahn, break down how real-time AI analytics are transforming store operations, workforce monitoring, and frontline decision-making. ⏩ Tune in for the full episode here: https://youtu.be/adBITqt-5Ho #ConvenienceStore #RetailAI #VoiceAnalytics #StoreOperations #RetailInnovation #OmniTalk

This Omni Talk Retail Fast Five segment, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, Quorso, and Veloq, examines American Eagle building its largest creator community yet through a rewards-based micro-influencer program. Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga, alongside Jenn Hahn, discuss how this move reflects shifting influencer economics and why smaller creators may deliver outsized engagement. ⏩ Tune in for the full episode here: https://youtu.be/adBITqt-5Ho #AmericanEagle #MicroInfluencer #CreatorEconomy #RetailMarketing #InfluencerStrategy #OmniTalk

This Omni Talk Retail Fast Five segment, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, Quorso, and Veloq, explores Co-op launching a gender pay gap toolkit ahead of new UK regulations. Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga, alongside Jenn Hahn, discuss whether proactive compliance can become a competitive advantage and how transparency may reshape retail leadership strategy. ⏩ Tune in for the full episode here: https://youtu.be/adBITqt-5Ho #GenderPayGap #RetailLeadership #Coop #RetailHR #WorkforceStrategy #OmniTalk

Retail's future winners aren't defined by hype. They are defined by where consumers actually go. In this Omni Talk Ask An Expert episode, hosts Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga sit down with Ethan Chernofsky, Chief Marketing Officer at Placer.ai, to break down the retailers, sectors, and strategies poised to shape 2026. Drawing from real-world foot traffic data and consumer behavior insights, Ethan shares which brands are gaining momentum, which are in turnaround mode, and how shifting expectations around health, value, and experience are redefining retail success. From fitness to grocery to coffee to digitally native retail, this conversation uncovers where physical retail is headed next. Key Topics Covered: • Why the fitness sector, including brands like EōS Fitness, is benefiting from long-term health and wellness shifts • How grocers like H-E-B are winning through localization and innovation • The competitive momentum behind specialty retailers like Michaels • The “bounce-back” potential of Starbucks and its third-place strategy revival • Where Home Depot and Target stand on the recovery spectrum • Grocery's evolving battleground: quality vs. value vs. unique differentiation • How retailers like Kroger are experimenting to stay competitive • The future of digitally native brands and physical retail after pullbacks from players like Allbirds • Why partnerships with retailers such as Nordstrom may reshape DTC expansion • The industry debate around “value” and why it may be retail's most misunderstood concept Whether you're building your 2026 retail strategy, evaluating growth sectors, or tracking competitive momentum, this conversation delivers data-backed insights to help you understand where consumers are spending their time and why. Connect with Ethan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ethan-chernofsky-16ab4519/ Visit Placer.ai: https://www.placer.ai #RetailTrends #RetailersToWatch #RetailAnalytics #FootTrafficData #RetailStrategy #FitnessIndustry #GroceryRetail #Starbucks #DTCBrands #ConsumerBehavior #OmniTalk #RetailInsights

Welcome to Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, sponsored by Grocery Dealz and Mirakl.In today's Retail Daily Minute, Omni Talk's Chris Walton discusses:Walmart's grocery penetration hits a record-breaking 72%, as Dunnhumby data reveals mass retailers have now matched traditional supermarket reach for the first time ever.The pricing truce is over, as companies from Levi Strauss to McCormick to Columbia Sportswear roll out new high-single-digit price increases driven by tariffs, rising wages, and surging health insurance costs.Burger King president Tom Curtis takes the customer feedback playbook to a new level, personally fielding unfiltered calls and texts from guests for four hours a day over two weeks.The Retail Daily Minute has been rocketing up the Feedspot charts, so stay informed with Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, your source for the latest and most important retail insights.Be careful out there!

Welcome to Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, sponsored by Grocery Dealz and Mirakl.In today's Retail Daily Minute, Omni Talk's Chris Walton discusses:Kohl's rolls out its new front-of-store "Deal Bar" (a collection of items priced under $10) chainwide, as the struggling department store tries to re-engage value-conscious shoppers.Wakefern Food Corp., the largest retailer-owned supermarket cooperative in the U.S., partners with AI-powered loyalty platform Eagle Eye to completely overhaul its legacy point-of-sale system.IKEA announces 10 new U.S. store openings for 2026, including Los Angeles' first city-center location and Oklahoma's first store.The Retail Daily Minute has been rocketing up the Feedspot charts, so stay informed with Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, your source for the latest and most important retail insights.Be careful out there!

Welcome to Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, sponsored by Grocery Dealz and Mirakl.In today's Retail Daily Minute, Omni Talk's Chris Walton discusses:Target becomes one of the first advertisers to pilot contextual ads in ChatGPT.Amazon reportedly plans to launch a marketplace where media publishers can license content directly to AI companies.The Strategic Alliance for Affiliated Store Owners of America deploys InStore.ai's voice analytics technology across 5,200 independent convenience stores to monitor cashier-customer interactions and boost operational efficiency.The Retail Daily Minute has been rocketing up the Feedspot charts, so stay informed with Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, your source for the latest and most important retail insights.Be careful out there!

This Lightning Round segment of the OmniTalk Retail Fast Five, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, Quorso, and Veloq, closes out the show with rapid-fire takes on luxury travel, Valentine's Day spending, and one very unexpected McNugget caviar moment. From the continued boom in luxury hotels to billions in Valentine's retail projections and the internet's obsession with fast food meets fine dining, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga, joined by Shoptalk's Joe Laszlo, keep things moving with quick hits and strong opinions. ⏩ Tune in for the full episode here: https://youtu.be/mvfY4BAy_2c #RetailLightningRound #RetailCulture #LuxuryTravel #ValentinesDay #McNuggetCaviar #ConsumerTrends #RetailNews #OmniTalk

This OmniTalk Retail Fast Five segment, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, Quorso, and Veloq, explores Spotify's partnership with Bookshop.org to sell physical books. Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga, alongside Shoptalk's Joe Laszlo, unpack why this move feels like a natural extension of Spotify's ecosystem and what it means for omnichannel reading behavior. ⏩ Tune in for the full episode here: https://youtu.be/mvfY4BAy_2c #Spotify #BookshopOrg #RetailStrategy #Omnichannel #RetailPodcast #OmniTalk

This OmniTalk Retail Fast Five segment, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, Quorso, and Veloq, breaks down Albertsons' expansion of cart tracking technology to measure retail media effectiveness. Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga, alongside Shoptalk's Joe Laszlo, discuss whether dwell time truly correlates with incremental sales and what this signals for the evolution of in-store retail media. ⏩ Tune in for the full episode here: https://youtu.be/mvfY4BAy_2c #Albertsons #RetailMedia #InStoreTech #GroceryRetail #OmniTalk

This OmniTalk Retail Fast Five segment, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, Quorso, and Veloq, explores Anthropic's Super Bowl campaign pledging that Claude AI will remain ad-free. Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga, alongside Shoptalk's Joe Laszlo, debate whether ad-free AI is sustainable, what it means for monetization models, and how AI platforms may shape retail and commerce. ⏩ Tune in for the full episode here: https://youtu.be/mvfY4BAy_2c #Anthropic #ClaudeAI #OpenAI #AIAdvertising #RetailTech #OmniTalk

This OmniTalk Retail Fast Five segment, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, Quorso, and Veloq, examines Target's decision to cut 500 roles while increasing investment in frontline store staffing. Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga, alongside Shoptalk's Joe Laszlo, break down the labor math behind the move and debate whether this represents meaningful operational change or a strategic reset. ⏩ Tune in for the full episode here: https://youtu.be/mvfY4BAy_2c #Target #RetailLabor #StoreOperations #RetailStrategy #OmniTalk

This OmniTalk Retail Fast Five segment, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, Quorso, and Veloq, explores Kroger's appointment of former Walmart executive Greg Foran as CEO. Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga, alongside Shoptalk's Joe Laszlo, unpack what this leadership change signals for Kroger's competitive positioning, ecommerce ambitions, and long-term strategy against Walmart. ⏩ Tune in for the full episode here: https://youtu.be/mvfY4BAy_2c #Kroger #GregForan #GroceryIndustry #RetailLeadership #RetailStrategy #OmniTalk

Three food delivery services. Two AI giants throwing punches. Multiple website builders promising instant entrepreneurship. One Super Bowl. And a clear message: the competition for your wallet is about to get brutal.Hosted by Chris Walton, former Target executive and co-host of the Omnii Talk Retail Fast Five Podcast. New episodes of Walton's Weekly Wramblings drop every Friday.Brought to you with the help and support of Grocery Dealz and MiraklSubscribe now and be careful out there - the retail landscape is changing faster than ever.

Welcome to Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, sponsored by Grocery Dealz and Mirakl.In today's Retail Daily Minute, Omni Talk's Chris Walton discusses:Uber launches Cart Assistant, an AI-powered personal shopper feature on Uber Eats that builds complete grocery baskets from text or image prompts, available now with Albertsons, Kroger, Wegmans, and dozens of other grocers.Amazon Pharmacy expands same-day prescription delivery to 4,500 cities and towns by end of 2026, adding nearly 2,000 new communities.Kraft Heinz halts its planned business split under new CEO Steve Cahillane, who says the company's challenges are "fixable" and announces a $600 million investment in marketing, R&D, and product improvement.The Retail Daily Minute has been rocketing up the Feedspot charts, so stay informed with Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, your source for the latest and most important retail insights.Be careful out there!

Welcome to Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, sponsored by Grocery Dealz and Mirakl.In today's Retail Daily Minute, Omni Talk's Chris Walton discusses:Nike instructs Converse employees to work from home ahead of layoffs as revenue plunges 30% and sales head toward a 15-year low.Amazon Prime Air delivery drone crashes into a Texas apartment building, raising questions about autonomous delivery technology readiness.Target eliminates 500 roles while investing in frontline store staffing as new CEO Michael Fiddelke prioritizes customer experience improvements.The Retail Daily Minute has been rocketing up the Feedspot charts, so stay informed with Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, your source for the latest and most important retail insights.Be careful out there!

Welcome to Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, sponsored by Grocery Dealz and Mirakl.In today's Retail Daily Minute, Omni Talk's Chris Walton discusses:Kroger appoints former Walmart U.S. CEO Greg Foran as its new chief executive.Albertsons deploys beacon technology on shopping carts to measure customer dwell time at in-store retail media displays.Instacart launches its first nationwide floral partnership with 1-800-Flowers.com, just in time for Valentine's Day.The Retail Daily Minute has been rocketing up the Feedspot charts, so stay informed with Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, your source for the latest and most important retail insights.Be careful out there!

In this Retail Technology Spotlight Series episode, Chris Walton sits down with Experion Technologies' Mahesh Vijayaraghavan (VP of Retail & Consumer Goods) and Siraj Alimohamed (Global Head of Data & AI) to cut through the AI hype. From platform-first strategies to the pilot fatigue epidemic, Mahesh and Siraj break down why AI is overhyped at the dashboard level but underappreciated where it matters most, i.e. in 6 a.m. inventory decisions and real-time store operations. Learn why building AI like a muscle beats treating it like a project, how to escape automation chaos, and why your digital experience is about to become your biggest competitive advantage.

Welcome to Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, sponsored by Grocery Dealz and Mirakl.In today's Retail Daily Minute, Omni Talk's Chris Walton discusses:Spotify partners with bookshop.org to sell physical books through its app.Tractor Supply accelerates its final-mile delivery initiative, adding 150+ new hub locations to cover over 1,200 stores while targeting $10 million in annual freight savings.Costco delivers impressive January results with 9.3% net sales growth and explosive 34.4% digitally-enabled comparable sales growth despite calendar headwinds.The Retail Daily Minute has been rocketing up the Feedspot charts, so stay informed with Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, your source for the latest and most important retail insights.Be careful out there!

This OmniTalk Retail Fast Five segment, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, Quorso, and Veloq, examines eBay's decision to ban AI-powered shopping bots. Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga, alongside A&M's Ken Cochran and Jon Malankar, debate the risks and rewards of agentic commerce, why collectibles marketplaces may need tighter controls, and whether other retailers will follow eBay's lead. ⏩ Tune in for the full episode here: https://youtu.be/zqyHBYoL9N4 #eBay #RetailAI #AgenticCommerce #EcommerceAutomation #MarketplaceTrust #RetailPolicy #AIinRetail #RetailInnovation #OmniTalk

This OmniTalk Retail Fast Five segment, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, Quorso, and Veloq, looks at BJ's Wholesale Club's experiment with smaller-format stores. Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga, joined by A&M's Ken Cochran and Jon Malankar, discuss whether clubs can win quick-trip shopping missions, who should be most concerned, and how this move could reshape regional grocery competition. ⏩ Tune in for the full episode here: https://youtu.be/zqyHBYoL9N4 #BJsWholesale #ClubStores #RetailFormats #GroceryRetail #ConvenienceRetail #RetailStrategy #RegionalGrocers #RetailTrends #OmniTalk

This OmniTalk Retail Fast Five segment, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, Quorso, and Veloq, breaks down Walmart's launch of cross-border marketplace shipping. Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga, joined by A&M's Ken Cochran and Jon Malankar, explain why this move strengthens Walmart's marketplace flywheel, expands retail media opportunities, and positions Walmart as a true competitor to Amazon's FBA ecosystem. ⏩ Tune in for the full episode here: https://youtu.be/zqyHBYoL9N4 #Walmart #Marketplace #CrossBorderEcommerce #RetailMedia #EcommerceStrategy #AmazonFBA #GlobalRetail #RetailNews #OmniTalk

This OmniTalk Retail Fast Five segment, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, Quorso, and Veloq, breaks down Amazon's decision to shut down its palm payment technology and close select Amazon Fresh stores. Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga, joined by A&M's Ken Cochran and Jon Malankar, debate why biometric payments failed to gain traction, whether consumers were ever ready for palm-based checkout, and what Amazon's renewed focus on Whole Foods signals about the future of grocery retail. ⏩ Tune in for the full episode here: https://youtu.be/zqyHBYoL9N4 #Amazon #RetailTech #BiometricPayments #AmazonFresh #WholeFoods #CheckoutTechnology #RetailInnovation #RetailStrategy #GroceryRetail #OmniTalk

This Lightning Round segment of the OmniTalk Retail Fast Five, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, Quorso, and Veloq, closes out the show with rapid-fire takes on culture, fashion, and the lighter side of retail. From Ralph Lauren's Olympic uniforms and Cracker Barrel's employee dining rules to winter travel escapes and Kelly Clarkson nostalgia, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga, joined by A&M's Ken Cochran and Jon Malankar, keep things moving with quick hits and strong opinions. ⏩ Tune in for the full episode here: https://youtu.be/zqyHBYoL9N4 #RetailLightningRound #RetailCulture #FashionRetail #PopCulture #RetailNews #OlympicsFashion #CrackerBarrel #OmniTalk

This OmniTalk Retail Fast Five segment, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, Quorso, and Veloq, explores why grocery ecommerce has quietly reached 19% penetration. Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga, alongside A&M's Ken Cochran and Jon Malankar, unpack what this milestone means for regional grocers, curbside economics, and whether grocery leaders are underestimating how fast digital adoption is accelerating. ⏩ Tune in for the full episode here: https://youtu.be/zqyHBYoL9N4 #GroceryEcommerce #OnlineGrocery #CurbsidePickup #RetailTrends #DigitalRetail #GroceryIndustry #RetailStrategy #OmniChannel #OmniTalk

Everyone is chasing AI transformation, but where should your AI dollars really go? Chris Walton gives his unbridled answer to that question.Hosted by Chris Walton, former Target executive and co-host of the Omnii Talk Retail Fast Five Podcast. New episodes of Walton's Weekly Wramblings drop every Friday.Brought to you with the help and support of Grocery Dealz and MiraklSubscribe now and be careful out there - the retail landscape is changing faster than ever.

Welcome to Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, sponsored by Grocery Dealz and Mirakl.In today's Retail Daily Minute, Omni Talk's Chris Walton discusses:PepsiCo cuts prices on Doritos, Cheetos, and Lay's by up to 15% after testing showed deeper discounts improved purchase frequency among inflation-weary consumers who had been trading down to private label.Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. acquires Tokens.com to build a blockchain-based tokenized investment platform.Anthropic launches a multi-million dollar Super Bowl campaign promising Claude will remain ad-free.The Retail Daily Minute has been rocketing up the Feedspot charts, so stay informed with Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, your source for the latest and most important retail insights.Be careful out there!

Welcome to Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, sponsored by Grocery Dealz and Mirakl.In today's Retail Daily Minute, Omni Talk's Chris Walton discusses:Walmart crosses the $1 trillion market cap threshold.Kroger doubles down on large-format Marketplace stores, investing heavily in 99,000+ square foot locations across Indiana, Texas, and West Virginia.Peloton lays off 11% of its workforce as part of a $100 million cost-cutting.The Retail Daily Minute has been rocketing up the Feedspot charts, so stay informed with Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, your source for the latest and most important retail insights.Be careful out there!

Welcome to Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, sponsored by Grocery Dealz and Mirakl.In today's Retail Daily Minute, Omni Talk's Chris Walton discusses:Starbucks announces plans to open 150-175 U.S. stores in 2026 and identifies up to 5,000 new coffeehouse opportunities domestically as part of its long-term growth strategy.Walmart prepares to launch Walmart Exports, enabling third-party sellers to ship eligible products from the U.S. to customers in Mexico and Canada through its fulfillment services.Costco's limited-edition Kirkland Signature Nike SB Dunk Low collaboration sells out at $135, with pairs immediately reselling for up to $5,000 on third-party platforms.The Retail Daily Minute has been rocketing up the Feedspot charts, so stay informed with Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, your source for the latest and most important retail insights.Be careful out there!

Welcome to Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, sponsored by Grocery Dealz and Mirakl.In today's Retail Daily Minute, Omni Talk's Chris Walton discusses:Sprouts Farmers Market opens its first New York location in Centereach on Long Island.Costco and Instacart expand their partnership into Europe, launching same-day delivery websites in France and Spain powered by Instacart's Storefront Pro technology.Amazon CEO Andy Jassy leads negotiations to invest up to $50 billion in OpenAI.The Retail Daily Minute has been rocketing up the Feedspot charts, so stay informed with Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, your source for the latest and most important retail insights.Be careful out there!

This Omni Talk Retail Fast Five segment, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, Quorso, and Veloq, looks at why grocery stores are increasingly winning lunchtime trips from quick-service restaurants. Chris Walton and guest host Jenn Hahn discuss how ready-to-eat meals, pricing pressure, and changing consumer routines are driving this shift and why lunch may be grocery's most underrated growth opportunity. ⏩ Tune in for the full episode here: https://youtu.be/2z-nIHsIgfQ #Grocery #Foodservice #RetailTrends #LunchRush #RetailStrategy #OmniTalk #RetailFastFive

This Omni Talk Retail Fast Five segment, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, Quorso, and Veloq, examines Dollar General's rapid expansion of same-day delivery and why rural America may be its biggest competitive advantage over Amazon. Chris Walton and guest host Jenn Hahn discuss how physical proximity, store density, and cost structure give Dollar General an edge — and why convenience doesn't always require cutting-edge tech. ⏩ Tune in for the full episode here: https://youtu.be/2z-nIHsIgfQ #DollarGeneral #Amazon #LastMileDelivery #RuralRetail #RetailStrategy #OmniTalk #RetailFastFive

This Lightning Round segment of the Omni Talk Retail Fast Five, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, Quorso, and Veloq, closes out the show with rapid-fire takes on pop culture, consumer trends, and the lighter side of retail. From Netflix's AI predictions and rotisserie chicken subscriptions to mushroom coffee and internet-fueled food trends, Chris Walton and guest host Jenn Hahn keep things fast, fun, and unpredictable. ⏩ Tune in for the full episode here: https://youtu.be/2z-nIHsIgfQ #LightningRound #RetailCulture #ConsumerTrends #OmniTalk #RetailFastFive

This Omni Talk Retail Fast Five segment, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, Quorso, and Veloq, breaks down Walmart's sweeping leadership reorganization as the retailer reshapes its structure to accelerate AI-driven growth. Chris Walton and guest host Jenn Hahn discuss why Walmart elevated the Chief Growth Officer role, how centralized platforms change accountability, and what this shift signals about the future of retail leadership and execution. ⏩ Tune in for the full episode here: https://youtu.be/2z-nIHsIgfQ #Walmart #RetailLeadership #RetailAI #RetailStrategy #OmniTalk #RetailFastFive

This Omni Talk Retail Fast Five segment, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, Quorso, and Veloq, breaks down American Eagle's decision to shut down Quiet Logistics after acquiring the company for $360 million. Chris Walton and guest host Jenn Hahn discuss why selling logistics tech proved harder than expected, when retailers should avoid becoming software companies, and what this means for future retail tech bets. ⏩ Tune in for the full episode here: https://youtu.be/2z-nIHsIgfQ #AmericanEagle #RetailLogistics #RetailTech #Omnichannel #RetailStrategy #OmniTalk #RetailFastFive

This Omni Talk Retail Fast Five segment, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, Quorso, and Veloq, unpacks Amazon's plan to eliminate 30,000 corporate roles as CEO Andy Jassy targets bureaucracy and organizational bloat. Chris Walton and guest host Jenn Hahn explore why this move is about structure... not just AI... and what retail leaders can learn about talent, layers, and operational discipline. ⏩ Tune in for the full episode here: https://youtu.be/2z-nIHsIgfQ #Amazon #RetailLayoffs #RetailLeadership #AIinRetail #RetailStrategy #OmniTalk #RetailFastFive

Recorded live at FMI 2026, Omni Talk Retail hosts Anne Mezzenga and Chris Walton wrap up their conference coverage with Benjamin Bond, SVP, Strategy & Client Success at Simbe, from the Simbe booth. In this final interview of the conference, Ben shares how Simbe thinks about long term strategy while working day to day with retailers to ensure value realization at scale. He explains why shelf intelligence succeeds when entire organizations align around the store associate, and how Simbe's technology helps teams prioritize, act in real time, and run better stores. The conversation goes beyond the robot demo to explore how retailers move from pilot programs to full chain deployments, how CFOs evaluate emerging technology investments, and why shelf data is becoming one of the most foundational datasets in retail. Ben also looks ahead to how Simbe's platform, AI, and computer vision continue to evolve across grocery and other retail verticals. Key Topics Covered - Ben Bond's role spanning strategy and client success at Simbe - Empowering store associates with real time shelf intelligence - Moving from pilot programs to large scale deployments - Building the business case and ROI for retail robotics - Operating models that drive long term retailer success - The future of computer vision, AI, and multimodal platforms - Expanding beyond grocery into additional retail sectors This conversation closes out Omni Talk Retail's live coverage from FMI 2026, recorded at the Simbe booth. #FMI2026 #OmniTalkRetail #Simbe #RetailTechnology #ShelfIntelligence #RetailOperations #StoreExecution #RetailRobotics

Recorded live at FMI 2026, Omni Talk Retail hosts Anne Mezzenga and Chris Walton sit down with Justin Weinstein, EVP, Chief Merchandising & Marketing Officer at Giant Eagle, Inc., from the Simbe booth. Justin shares an update on Giant Eagle's progress since their last conversation, including how the company is reinvesting in stores, sharpening value, and doubling down on fresh and quality across the business. He discusses how Giant Eagle is thinking about store prototypes, department level differentiation, and how trends like GLP 1s are influencing merchandising, space allocation, and customer engagement. The conversation also explores agentic AI in grocery, where the hype is real but still evolving, and why operational rigor, real time insight, and strong partnerships are critical to serving customers when it matters most. Key Topics Covered: - Progress on Giant Eagle's growth and reinvestment strategy - Store of the future thinking and department differentiation - Value, pricing, and promotional focus - Fresh, protein, and nutrient dense foods - GLP 1s and implications for merchandising and space planning - Agentic AI and its role in grocery commerce - Operational execution and real time visibility through technology partners For more insights from grocery and retail leaders, continue following Omni Talk Retail's live coverage from FMI 2026, recorded at the Simbe booth. #FMI2026 #OmniTalkRetail #GroceryRetail #GiantEagle #Merchandising #RetailMarketing #FoodRetail #RetailTechnology #Simbe

This Omni Talk Retail Fast Five segment, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, Quorso, and Veloq, breaks down Simbe's launch of Tally 4.0, the most advanced generation of its autonomous shelf-scanning robot. Live from FMI, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga discuss why expanded coverage across produce, freezers, and top stock is a game-changer, how real-time shelf data becomes the foundation for the connected store, and why in-store robotics may offer one of the clearest ROIs in retail heading into 2026. ⏩ Tune in for the full episode here: https://youtu.be/jVDymvwAUXg #Simbe #Tally40 #RetailRobotics #ConnectedStore #RetailTech #GroceryRetail #RetailFastFive #OmniTalk

Live from FMI 2026 in San Diego, Omni Talk Retail's Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga sit down with Thom Blischok, Chairman and CEO of The DiaLogic Group, at the Simbe booth to discuss why 2026 will be the year retail robotics finally move from pilots to scale. Thom breaks down what's driving broader adoption of in store robotics, including rising cost to serve, labor productivity pressures, and the growing need to improve shelf execution and shopper experience. He also shares why change management is often the missing piece in successful deployments and what independent grocers must get right to compete with larger retailers. Key topics covered: - Why 2026 is the year retail robotics scale - Moving from pilot programs to enterprise deployment - Cost to serve, labor productivity, and shelf efficiency - Change management as a critical success factor - Robotics, shelf intelligence, and the connected store - How independent grocers can compete using technology - Lessons from Schnucks and other early adopters Stay tuned to Omni Talk Retail for continued coverage from FMI 2026, recorded live from the Simbe booth in the FMI Tech section. #FMI2026 #GroceryRetail #RetailTechnology #RetailRobotics #InStoreInnovation #ShelfIntelligence #FutureOfRetail #OmniTalkRetail