Podcasts about circana

Today we have Kevin. He is 48 years old and lives in Napa Valley, CA. He took his last drink on September 22nd, 2025.   This episode is brought to you by:   Better Help – 10% off of your first month #sponsored Exact Nature – code RE20 saves 20% off your order   71% of Europeans are drinking less alcohol and the future generations are opting out in general, according to a new report for Circana.   [02:59] Thoughts from Paul:   On the last Sober Travel Trip to Peru this past October, Paul was reminded of one of life's greatest teachings: it's the journey that matters, and not the destination.   He tells us about how he and 16 other fellow travelers hiked the Inca Trail to go to Machu Picchu. After over 20 grueling miles, they found out at the gates that their tickets to explore this natural wonder weren't valid for that day.   Everyone was understandably disappointed. Since everyone on the trip is in recovery, they already have been working on concepts such as surrender, embrace life on life's terms and of course, to place more mental energy on the journey than the destination.   Paul says he will never forget how the group responded to receiving the bad news and it was one of the greatest gifts he has received while doing sober travel.   [08:34] Paul introduces Kevin:   Kevin lives in northern Napa Valley, CA but grew up in the Midwest. He and his wife have been together for over 30 years, and they have two teenage children, one dog and two cats. Kevin says he is between careers right now, but previously he worked in wine sales and in the tech industry. For fun, he enjoys playing music and is big into fitness.   Kevin grew up the youngest of three boys in a great community. Alcohol was always present, but he doesn't recall any immediate family having issues with it. His first drinking experience was when he was in seventh grade when he and some friends raided his parents' liquor cabinet. His brother confronted him about the drinking and warned him he shouldn't be doing it.   Throughout high school, Kevin was so involved in sports and academics that he didn't drink more than two times that he can recall. Kevin went to a small college where he met his wife and while he loved it there, he had to change schools for budget reasons. It was at the bigger school where his drinking took off, Kevin says.   Kevin's parents moved to California and soon after Kevin also moved there. He says his drinking wasn't a major issue through this time period until his dad passed away suddenly while in town for a visit. This was a turning point for not only Kevin's drinking, but his brothers' as well (who are now also in recovery).   Kevin was working for a tech company but was interested in getting into the wine industry after his wife started working in Napa Valley. This is where the conflict began for Kevin. He was drinking frequently after work and was around alcohol all the time. After leaving work he would practice with his band which would involve more drinking. He knew deep down that the way he was living wasn't right.   Kevin began to see a therapist and started doing more research about drinking. He discovered Recovery 2.0 and a podcast episode he listened to was saying exactly what Kevin needed to hear, he says.    Kevin feels he had a spiritual awakening and couldn't work in the wine industry anymore. He wants to dig into things that he is passionate about now – health and wellness, psychotherapies, and yoga teaching.   The last 30 days has Kevin feeling great. He is part of the Café RE community, and he says both the community and the podcast have been a great help to his success so far. He says he is working with a sponsor in AA, living sober out loud and says that his spirituality was the missing link in his life. He is passionate about it.   Kevin's parting piece of guidance: if you are struggling, just keep digging inward.   Recovery Elevator It's all about the journey and not so much the destination. I love you guys,   Café RE RE on Instagram Sobriety Tracker iTunes  RE Merch RE YouTube  

Circana expands its coverage of the convenience-store channel, prices on everyday household items rise in October, and online grocery sales climbed to $11.6 billion in October.

Send us a textIn this episode, we sit down with Adam Vine-Hall and Tess Gerrand - a true FMCG power couple whose story blends elite sport, business transformation, and family life.Tess, a former Olympian turned Head of Customer Category & Execution at Kraft Heinz, shares her journey of retiring from sport at just 26 and navigating a new professional identity. From the recommendation of Coca-Cola Amatil's Managing Director to join a cross-functional leadership graduate program, to discovering her passion for sales through hands-on experience across strategy, procurement, and transformation, Tess's story is one of curiosity, resilience, and reinvention. Her husband, Adam, brings his own depth of experience as Director of Operations and Transformation at Circana, having transitioned from nearly a decade in rowing coaching into the world of insights and operational excellence. Together, they discuss how their sporting mindset has shaped their approach to business, leadership, and balance.We explore how Adam and Tess use their networks across sport and industry to open new doors post-athletic career, how they navigate the demands of raising a young family, and what the corporate world can do better to support working parents.This is an inspiring conversation about growth, adaptability, and redefining success - on and off the field.

Peter Barnett and Lacey Garner, Circana, dive into the uncomfortable but essential topic of failure—what it teaches us, how it shapes us, and why it's a necessary part of growth. Whether you're leading a team, improving a process, or navigating personal challenges, failure is often the first step toward excellence.To learn more please visit https://shingo.org.

We're joined by two special guests on this milestone episode. Please welcome Andy Pan (the only person who has previously co-hosted a show with us) and Greg Alderton, Virtual Economy's lead moderator! With 14,000 people laid off, studios shuttered, and projects abandoned, Amazon seems ready to give up on most or all of its gaming dreams. Also: EA earnings ride off into the sunset, Capcom posts a strong quarter, Remedy's in trouble, and Microsoft is inscrutable. Also: Sony responds to Tencent's request to dismiss the Light of Moritram lawsuit, Circana report on U.S. video game spending for September 2025, and Microsoft is a little too cozy with the U.S. government.  You can support Virtual Economy's growth via our Ko-Fi and also purchase Virtual Economy merchandise! TIME STAMPS [00:01:12] - Investment Interlude/Divestment Dinterlude [00:11:01] - Quick Hits [00:24:08] - Labor Report [01:06:11] - FAFO Award SOURCES INVESTMENT INTERLUDE NetEase divests Fantastic Pixel Castle as studio hunts for new publisher to avoid closure | GamesIndustry Neon Doctrine is Closing, Folding into Raw Fury | Iain Garner on LinkedIn Neon Doctrine is Closing, Folding into Raw Fury | Vlad Tsypljak on LinkedIn Warner Bros. Discovery Initiates Review of Potential Alternatives to Maximize Shareholder Value | Warner Bros. Discovery LABOR REPORT Amazon Makes 'Significant' Cuts In Video-Game Division | Bloomberg (Paywall) Ubisoft RedLynx Proposes Strategic Refocus on Small Screens | Redlynx Ubisoft Massive is Restructuring | Massive Open Letter to the Executive Leadership at Build A Rocket Boy | IWDB GameWorkers Grand Theft Auto made him a legend. His latest game was a disaster | BBC Netflix reportedly shutters studio behind Squid Game mobile spinoff | Engadget Rovio is laying off 36 staff, says Angry Birds Dream Blast has 'not been performing as expected' | VGC Testronic shuts down another studio, this time in Bucharest | Game Developer Report: Metroid Dread developer MercurySteamworks accused of retaliation and forced crunch | Game Developer "Si algo hace bien MercurySteam es jugar con el miedo porque no hay otro lugar donde ir": Así se ha degradado el ambiente laboral en uno de los estudios de videojuegos más grandes de España | 3DJuegos Krafton declares transformation into an "AI-first" company, investing over KRW 100 billion. | Kraton Heart Machine making layoffs and ending development on Hyper Light Breaker | Game Developer Outerloop Layoffs | Chandana Ekanayake on Bluesky 'Grand Theft Auto' Studio Accused of Union Busting After Firings | Bloomberg (Paywall) Battle.net Workers Unionize As Microsoft Neutrality Agreement Expires | Aftermath

Can Celsius Holding navigate the hidden energy drinks market risks involving the Alani Nu and PepsiCo DSD distribution swap? Celsius Holdings (NASDAQ: CELH) had quarterly revenue of $725.1 million, which was up 173% YoY. Excluding the Alani Nu acquisition-related financial impact, CELSIUS brand revenue grew 44% YoY. And if you were wondering about Alani Nu, it's second quarter revenue was $332 million…which equates to around 99% YoY growth! According to Circana last 13-week retail sales data, CELSIUS increased by 31% YoY...remaining the third-largest energy drink brand in the category with a dollar share of 11.2%. Alani Nu increased retail sales 114% YoY and is now the dominant fourth player in the U.S. energy drinks market with dollar share of 7.2%. And Rockstar Energy retail sales decreased 9% YoY and is the seventh-largest U.S. energy drink with dollar share of 2.4%. If we look at Celsius Holdings combined brand portfolio, it reached 20.8% of dollar share for the last 13-week period...ranking it third and trailing only Red Bull and the combined Monster Beverage portfolio. Additionally, if you were to consider the last 52-week period ending July 20, 2025…Celsius Holdings retail sales surpassed $5 billion. Celsius Holdings has experienced massive growth in convenience stores, foodservice (e.g. fast food restaurants), mass retailers like Walmart, the club channel in retailers like Costco, and the Amazon marketplace. And international expansion presents significant opportunity for incremental growth over the next three to five years. With the Celsius brand basically at full distribution now…growth will be unlocked through a strategic growth framework that John Fieldly recently branded as “more people,” “more places,” and “more often.” The other major aspect of “Celsius Holdings and PepsiCo strengthening its long-term strategic partnership” comes into play, as Alani Nu will move into the PepsiCo DSD distribution system (officially starting in December). Everyone knew the most obvious decision to optimize for a “short-term reward” was Celsius Holdings transitioning Alani Nu from its piecemealed national (mostly independent) DSD network to the PepsiCo system. However, I can't fault Celsius Holdings for making A LOT of noise by effectively “pulling off the biggest “trade” the U.S. energy drinks market has seen over the past decade.” But it's the question around “timing” that has me fired up! But it's time for Celsius Holdings to prepare…because winter is coming! Firstly, Celsius Holdings efficiently must handle market challenges stemming from swapping Alani Nu distribution rights. Next, Celsius Holdings must successfully catch the Rockstar Energy proverbial falling knife. Then, the shift to zero sugar, functional energy drinks, has essentially fueled one of the fastest-growing segments in beverage…and Celsius Holdings had been unequivocally defining it. Yet, with the addition of Rockstar Energy, Celsius Holdings must now reorient itself top to bottom around being a total energy portfolio…and not a performance-forward and modern energy portfolio that possesses this powerful “challenger mindset.”

We're joined by two special guests on this milestone episode. Please welcome Andy Pan (the only person who has previously co-hosted a show with us) and Greg Alderton, Virtual Economy's lead moderator! With 14,000 people laid off, studios shuttered, and projects abandoned, Amazon seems ready to give up on most or all of its gaming dreams. Also: EA earnings ride off into the sunset, Capcom posts a strong quarter, Remedy's in trouble, and Microsoft is inscrutable. Also: Sony responds to Tencent's request to dismiss the Light of Moritram lawsuit, Circana report on U.S. video game spending for September 2025, and Microsoft is a little too cozy with the U.S. government.  You can support Virtual Economy's growth via our Ko-Fi and also purchase Virtual Economy merchandise! TIME STAMPS [00:05:44] - Remembering Tomonobu Itagaki [00:10:32] - Episode 200 Celebration [00:34:14] - Circana Report on U.S. Video Game Spending for September 2025 [00:56:18] - Sony Responds to Tencent's Request to Dismiss Light of Moritram Lawsuit [01:06:57] - EA Earnings [01:17:51] - Capcom Earnings [01:27:49] - Remedy Earnings [01:43:45] - Microsoft Earnings [02:16:00] - Why Is Microsoft Allowing the U.S. Government to Use the Halo IP? SOURCES "I Told Him I Loved Him, Because I Do" - A Tribute To The Late Dead Or Alive Creator Tomonobu Itagaki | Time Extension SIE Opposition to Motion to Dismiss 4142-0511-3185 v.2 | United States District Court - Northern District of California Electronic Arts Reports Q2 FY2026 | EA EA and Stability AI partner to empower artists, designers, and developers | EA United Videogame Workers-CWA Statement on Proposed Electronic Arts Buyout | UVW-CWA Consolidated Results for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2025 | Capcom Inside information, profit warning: Remedy Entertainment Plc lowers operating profit (EBIT) outlook for 2025 and publishes preliminary Q3 key financial figures | Remedy Change of CEO in Remedy Entertainment Plc | Remedy Business Review - January - September 2025 | Remedy Earnings Release FY26 Q1 | Microsoft

Bars, restaurants and social gathering spaces are beer's "moneyball" opportunity, National Beer Wholesalers Association VP of analytics and chief economist Lester Jones shares during the latest edition of the Brewbound Podcast. Jones is the first of two interviews this week. Adam and Amanda Kroener, the founders of spirits-based cocktail brand Carbliss, also join this week's podcast to share their slow approach to brand building and goal of becoming a national brand. First, Jones explains why the on-premise channel remains the key to unlocking wins for brewers. "We can go looking for home runs all day long, but at some point, you've got to have the base hitters," Jones said. "You gotta have the guys when they step up to the plate, you're gonna move the game forward." While placements in off-premise chains such as Walmart, Kroger, HEB, 7-Eleven and others are analogous to home runs, getting a tap handle is a solid base hit on the way to scoring, and brewers shouldn't lose sight of those singles. Jones also discusses why he believes craft beer's funk is potentially ending, why the ethanol pie was cut too many ways, how beer is competing for dayparts and why beer needs to bring fun and socializing back. Then, the Kroeners discuss their methodical approach to brand building and why it has worked for the family-owned and run Midwestern-based canned cocktail brand. They also dish on Carbliss' entry into warm weather markets such as Florida and being one of the most successful brands that people have never heard of. "The fun part is, when we come out to places like Vegas, if you're not in the industry, you've never heard of us," Adam says. "But at the same time, if you're looking at the Circana or Nielsen data, we're a top three, four, five brand in dollars. So it is a fun, cool thing to be this biggest thing that some people have never heard of." Before the interviews, Justin, Jess and Zoe recap the latest industry news, including Brooklyn Brewery outsourcing sales to U.S. Beverage, BeatBox's forthcoming Chillitas line, Surfside's lawsuit against Anheuser-Busch InBev over Skimmers hard tea and George Clooney joining the non-alcoholic beer game.

Lindsay Maurer is Pricing Intervention Manager at BP. With 14 years of experience in product management and pricing, she reveals how she achieved a 13% profit gain despite a 16% revenue drop, and why she believes “the dumbest guy in the market sets the price.” In this episode, Lindsay and Mark Stiving discuss regional pricing strategies, ethical competitive intelligence, and the power of price signals in the market. They explore what defines a pricing leader versus a follower, why clean data matters more than fancy tools, and why AI can't fix bad pricing fundamentals. Whether you work in pricing, lead a team, or simply want to understand how pricing shapes business strategy, this episode offers practical, real-world insights you can use right away.   Why You Have to Check Out Today's Podcast: Learn how to build regional pricing strategies that adapt to local competition and customer behavior. Discover smart, ethical ways to track competitors using tools like Circana data and web scraping. Understand why clean data and efficient processes matter more than any pricing technology.   "It doesn't matter how much technology you throw at bad data — it's not going to fix your pricing strategy." – Lindsay Maurer   Topics Covered: 02:50 - Getting into Pricing: How Lindsay's career began and what got her hooked on pricing strategy. 06:10 - Inside the Role: What a Pricing Intervention Manager does - from fixing revenue leaks to supporting teams across the Americas. 12:15 - Market Dynamics: Why “the dumbest guy in the market sets the price” and how smart companies protect their margins. 15:08 - Retail Pricing: How retailers test price floors and ceilings, monitor competitors, and manage customer perceptions. 17:31 - Price Leadership: What makes a company a price leader versus a follower, and how market factors like tariffs shape decisions. 20:17 - Competitor Insights: How often to track prices in different industries and how to ethically gather market data. 25:01 - Strengthening Pricing Teams: Why efficient tools, clean data, and solid processes matter more than fancy systems. 28:25 - AI in Pricing: Where AI fits today, what it can and can't do, and how to use it for smarter market insights. 29:57 - Pricing Community: Lindsay's call for collaboration - connecting with other pricing professionals and sharing tools.   Key Takeaways: "The dumbest guy in the market sets the price. If you have someone that has products that they can go and sell for half the price of yours, well, you're also taking out half the price of everyone's margin, but also your own." - Lindsay Maurer "Make sure you've got great information coming in. Make sure that you're doing anything you can do with it as efficiently as possible so that when you do get those quotes and you do get those quick turnaround requests for sales that you can price quickly and you don't lose business due to inefficiency." - Lindsay Maurer   People / Resources Mentioned: Al Beck: Al Beck: Pricing Director at Standard Motor Products https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexanderkbeck/  Circana (formerly NPD): https://www.circana.com Ficstar: https://www.ficstar.com/  Import.io: https://www.import.io/  SVP Recruiting: Organizer of Pricing Week conference https://svpricing.com/pricing-week    Connect with Lindsay Maurer: Website: https://www.bp.com/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsaymaurer/    Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/ Email: mark@impactpricing.com  

Why are so many consumers dining on a deal?This week's episode of the Restaurant Business podcast A Deeper Dive features David Portalatin, SVP and food industry advisor for the data and technology firm Circana.Circana just released a report showing that 29% of consumers are dining on a perceived deal, a historically high percentage. That has also grown over the past couple of years at a rate not seen since the Great Recession.David on the podcast discusses that report and the factors behind consumer budget dining. This is a fascinating conversation. We talk about price increases, the types of deals being run, how that's changed over the past 15 years and how restaurants can adjust to these issues. This is a major issue affecting all restaurant operators today and could continue to impact them over the coming months. 

Jeff Grubb and TurboShawn are here to piece your gaming life back together, including breaking down stories about Remedy's CEO stepping down, the Scarface PS2 game getting a mysterious re-release, and what players are buying as shown by September's Circana report.Support us directly and get new episodes ad-free by signing up for Giant Bomb Premium at https://www.giantbomb.com/join

Its another week, which means its time for more bad Xbox news! First, Target and Walmart were apparently pulling their Xbox stock from retail stores, to which Microsoft has denied. But secondly, Xbox is looking to hire "gaming finance experts" to transform the finances of Xbox video games business urgently, which smells like more layoffs in the not too distant future. Lastly, we go over the latest Circana numbers for video game sales, with NBA and Madden dominating the charts like usual this time of year. #xbox #microsoft #gamepass #videogames #circana #ps5 #switch2 #allyoucangeek

Next-gen console rumors are certainly simmering, as both PlayStation and Xbox have had news emerge regarding their potential console or console-like device, potentially releasing as early as 2027. This may mean we get more compelling real news even in 2026. But is it too early for next-gen? Or does it just seem that way? Do we even need Next-Gen as soon as 2027? Sean and Marc discuss this and more. Compound this with news from Circana about the number of games the majority of gamers buy, and it is yet another telling story about why things may be the way they are for AAA gaming. Does this concern the duo? Or is it just kind of how it's always been, and we just didn't have all these datapoints before? Plus, Marc has more thoughts on Hades 2, Sean's been playing Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles, and Little Nightmares 3. Is Xbox done at Target and Walmart too? Ubisoft's canceled Assassin's Creed Civil War game, Nintendo Switch 2 keeps selling, and much more! You can also watch this episode in video form on the W2M Network Youtube Channel, please give us a like, comment on the episode, and give the channel a subscribe and follow as well: https://youtube.com/live/uYka5nXpc9E

En el segundo programa de la séptima temporada de Gaming Room, hablamos sobre la subida de precios del Game Pass y su cambio de formato, además de relacionarlo con el estudio de Circana, que indica que el 60% de los estadounidenses no compran más de 2 juegos al año. Por otro lado, comentamos la vulnerabilidad […]

Bienvenido a otra de estas sesiones semanales de gordeo auditivo, noticias y discusiones acaloradas. En esta ocasión contamos con la presencia de parte del staff de 3gb.com.mx: Adrián, Eze y Rafa En este medio episodio nos vamos a "El Sillón" para hablar sobre El cierre del estudio The Outsiders El retraso de Mina The Hollower Mark Cerny habla del proyecto Amethyst y el futuro de PlayStation Y harto más... En el "Tema de la Semana" conversamos sobre el más reciente estudio de Circana que muestra los hábitos de compra de videojuegos del publico en Estados Unidos y como se puede extrapolar al resto del mundo.

¡Ni los factores atmosféricos adversos podrán detenernos!¡Porque es lunes y SpreadShotNews Podcast ya llegó! En este episodio: Maxi termina el Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter y nos cuenta sus impresiones finales, acto seguido nos da mínimos detalles y diferencias con Trails in the Sky SC, y nos cuenta sus incipientes aventuras en el mundo digital de la demo de Digimon Story: Time Stranger. Nico por su parte toma la decisión ejecutiva de no rushear Hades II y continúa jugando mucho más relajado. En el Rapid-Fire tenemos noticias un flamante estudio formado de los recientes despidos en Xbox, HALO Studios vuelve a ser noticia por las razones equivocadas, Nintendo se ve enredado en un entredicho político (que después se desenreda rápidamente) y aparentemente Nintendo habría sido nuevamente víctima de un ciberataque. En el Hot Coffee repasamos datos publicados por Mat Piscatella de Circana al respecto de quienes son realmente los que están sosteniendo a toda la industria (sobre todo de juegos pagos). Para finalizar, en el Special Move, Nico nos recomienda un video de youtube del canal Storied que habla sobre la historia de la puntuación. Maxi por su parte nos recomienda un repaso por la EVO Francia 2025 que seguramente va a dejar mucha tela para cortar a nivel competitivo. Por último, recuerden que nos pueden escribir preguntas directamente a través de google forms en el siguiente link: spreadshotnews.com/preguntas

**Use the code NINDADS at checkout to receive 20% plus free shipping at Manscaped.com** On this week's episode of the Nintendo Dads Podcast: News ● Nintendo releases “Close To You” animated short, confusing the Internet ● Metroid Prime 4: Beyond will have two modes if you have supported displays on Nintendo Switch 2 ● Circana says Nintendo Switch 2 sales are trending 77% ahead of aligned sales for Nintendo Switch ● Game Releases/Updates Let's Discuss ● Blind Rank 5 Random “Best NES Black Box Games” - Part 1 Games we've been playing ● Fire Emblem Shadows ● Star Wars Outlaws ● Armada ● Super Mario Galaxy ● Super Mario Galaxy 2 ● Mario & Wario ● Fortnitemares Fortnight ● LEGO Party! Community Spotlight Check out our website at http://nintendodads.org for our latest videos, episodes, tweets, and social media links. Apple Podcasts feed: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nintendo-dads-podcast/id950582320?mt=2 YouTube Music feed: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyID_QWdPfjM17EE3cg8Pin30jHkLqWKr Become a patron and help us improve the show! https://www.patreon.com/NintendoDads Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a catch-up week around here as Brad and Vinny barrel toward the end of Death Stranding 2, Alex breaks the seal on Megabonk, and we all come to terms with what Baby Steps is asking of us. In the news, more goings on with Game Pass, Circana's latest stats on how many people are (or aren't) buying games, Nintendo's possible Pikmin movie/show/something, and more. Plus, David Lynch's house for sale, furniture made out of video game characters, and more of your emails! CHAPTERS (00:00:00) NOTE: Some timecodes may be inaccurate for versions other than the ad-free Patreon version due to dynamic ad insertions. Please use caution if skipping around to avoid spoilers. Thanks for listening. (00:00:10) Intro (00:04:07) The spider showdown! (00:09:03) Baby Steps  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5]  |  Sep 23, 2025 (00:27:59) Pocket Boss  |  [Linux, Mac, PC (Microsoft Windows)]  |  Oct 08, 2025 (00:31:14) First Break (00:33:53) [SPOILERS] Death Stranding 2 stuff, nothing big but general warning (00:34:26) Death Stranding 2: On The Beach  |  [PlayStation 5]  |  Jun 26, 2025 (00:58:10) Jump Space (Early Access) |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox Series X|S]  |  Sep 19, 2025 (01:01:59) Megabonk  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), Linux]  |  Sep 18, 2025 (01:09:04) Second Break (01:09:09) It's official, there's never been a better time to play games... especially for 14 percent of us. (01:26:00) Some updates on Microsoft's Game Pass changes (01:30:17) Red Dead Redemption 2 may still be coming to this generation! (01:33:09) What is Nintendo's new Pikmin thing? (01:37:58) Of course Fortnite has KPop Demon Hunters in it (01:44:44) Emails (02:03:21) Wrapping up and thanks (02:05:35) Mysterious Benefactor Shoutouts (02:07:28) Nextlander Content Updates (02:09:53) See ya!

Jeff Grubb is joined by Mat Piscatella to chat about the August 2025 Circana report and US gaming trends, the mysterious Nintendo short, Clair Obscur hits 5 million in sales, skin prices in 2XKO, and more!

On this week's Extra Serving, NRN editor in chief Sam Oches and executive editor Alicia Kelso discuss the latest restaurant industry news, including innovations in loyalty programs, new value deal launches, and how non-chicken brands are crashing the chicken party. First up is news around loyalty programs; McDonald's is connecting its famed Monopoly game to its loyalty program, while Krystal is launching its first loyalty effort in nearly a century of existence. Sam and Alicia discuss the latest advancements in loyalty and how it's helping to support value messaging in this difficult economy. Speaking of value, they also tackle the recent Circana report that showed demand for value at a 50-year high. How can restaurants meet that demand without falling into a discounting pit they can't climb out of? Finally, they discuss recent data that showed non-chicken brands using chicken innovation to steal market share from chicken chains. What does this suggest about the state of chicken in the industry — and chains' innovation efforts more broadly? For more on these stories: McDonald's adds digital aspect to MonopolyRestaurant customers are seeking deals at the highest rate in 50 yearsChicken spending jumps 2 points in the QSR category

Send us a textThe enterprise software ecosystem continues to evolve rapidly as vendors double down on AI, automation, and data-driven orchestration across business functions. Nintex unveiled new generative AI capabilities to enhance business automation, while Circana introduced its Liquid Supply Chain solution to drive agility and responsiveness in complex networks. CloudBolt extended its optimization capabilities to Kubernetes through the acquisition of StormForge, signaling a stronger focus on cloud efficiency. Kinaxis partnered with Databricks to accelerate AI-powered supply chain orchestration and also announced a collaboration with Infor, further expanding its ecosystem reach. Rootstock's Spring '25 release reimagined the modern ERP experience for manufacturers, and Tempo launched a Strategic Portfolio Management platform to strengthen business alignment. Meanwhile, Tricentis rolled out new testing innovations in its spring update, Velixo secured Series A funding from Elephant to fuel growth, and FloQast introduced auditable AI agents to help finance teams bridge the growing talent gap—illustrating how innovation is reshaping every layer of the enterprise stack.In today's episode, we invited a panel of industry analysts for a live discussion on LinkedIn to analyze current enterprise software stories. We covered many grounds including the direction and roadmaps of each enterprise software vendors. Finally, we analyzed future trends and how they might shape the enterprise software industry.Background Soundtrack: Away From You – Mauro SommFor more information on growth strategies for SMBs using ERP and digital transformation, visit our community at wbs. rocks or elevatiq.com. To ensure that you never miss an episode of the WBS podcast, subscribe on your favorite podcasting platform. 

Alors que l'été se termine, le dynamique secteur des jeux et du jouet prépare les fêtes de fin d'année. Pour « La Story », le podcast d'actualité des « Echos », Pierrick Fay nous emmène en reportage dans les allées du salon, à Paris, où les professionnels se sont réunis pour exposer les tendances.Retrouvez l'essentiel de l'actualité économique grâce à notre offre d'abonnement Access : abonnement.lesechos.fr/lastory« La Story » est un podcast des « Echos » présenté par Pierrick Fay. Cet épisode a été enregistré en septembre 2025. Rédaction en chef : Clémence Lemaistre. Invités : Franck Mathais (porte-parole de Joué Club), Frédérique Tutt (spécialiste de l'industrie des jouets chez Circana), Clara Marre (cheffe de produit dans le secteur du jouet). Réalisation : Willy Ganne. Chargée de production et d'édition : Michèle Warnet. Musique : Théo Boulenger. Identité graphique : Upian. Photo : Syspeo/SIPA. Sons : Les Echos, « Le père Noël est une ordure » (1982), Tonies, Disney, « Gremlins » (1984). Hébergé par Acast. Visitez acast.com/privacy pour plus d'informations.

Send us a textThe enterprise software landscape is undergoing rapid transformation as vendors double down on AI, automation, and data intelligence. ActiveCampaign's acquisition of Hilos strengthens its conversational marketing stack by expanding WhatsApp capabilities, while HG Insights is redefining data intelligence to refine go-to-market execution. HubSpot's planned acquisition of Dashworks signals a deeper integration of AI knowledge management, and Sitecore's launch of the Martech industry's first AI Innovation Lab underscores the growing urgency for marketers to accelerate their AI journeys. StackAdapt continues to advance transparency in connected TV and cross-screen analytics, whereas Accenture and Pipefy are joining forces on over 450 AI agents to scale process automation. Camunda's introduction of agentic orchestration brings a new layer of autonomy to enterprise workflows, and Nintex's generative AI updates further enhance intelligent automation. Meanwhile, Circana's Liquid Supply Chain solution and CloudBolt's acquisition of StormForge to optimize Kubernetes environments highlight a broader trend—AI and automation are now converging across marketing, operations, and infrastructure to drive unified, data-driven execution.In today's episode, we invited a panel of industry analysts for a live discussion on LinkedIn to analyze current enterprise software stories. We covered many grounds including the direction and roadmaps of each enterprise software vendors. Finally, we analyzed future trends and how they might shape the enterprise software industry.Background Soundtrack: Away From You – Mauro SommFor more information on growth strategies for SMBs using ERP and digital transformation, visit our community at wbs. rocks or elevatiq.com. To ensure that you never miss an episode of the WBS podcast, subscribe on your favorite podcasting platform. 

Jeff Grubb and Mike Minotti start your Wednesday off with news about an upcoming Nintendo Direct, Nintendo trying to patent "sub characters", Circana numbers for top selling PlayStation games, all of the Resident Evil games popping onto the Switch 2, and more!

The Boys return from hiatus to discuss the most important news of the entire year in gaming, which is by virtue of clear and democratic unanimous vote the announcement of Stalker 2's imminent release on PlayStation platforms this very fall in the glorious year of 2025. In other, much more unimportant news, Circana reporting for the month of May and June indicate massive success for Elden Ring Nightreign, as well as unusual sales spikes for Star Wars Battlefront 2, Xbox begins age verification checks, video game actor's strike officially ends, Primal Planet has launched, Killing Floor 3 looks delightful, and we're still excited for Dying Light: The Beast. Please be excited.

New leaks from friend-of-the-show MLiD have given us a deeper glimpse into Sony's plans for PlayStation 6, especially when it comes to the rumored handheld iteration, codenamed Canis. It appears this device -- slated as part of a potential trio of PS6 hardware due out in '27 -- will be affordable, powerful, and perhaps most surprisingly dockable. With all first party competitors now occupying space (Nintendo, Valve) or chasing a presence (Sony, Microsoft) in the handheld realm, it seems like things could get very spicy on multiple fronts. Allow us to discuss in minute detail. Plus: Hermen Hulst gives a rare interview, Ken Levine emerges with hot-off-the-presses details about Judas, Sony reveals its first four incubated products in the MENA Hero Project, it'll now be easier to request a refund on PSN, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! Some 14 years after release, what are our thoughts on Catherine? Could a major Xbox announcement be lurking in Sony's reported September showcase? How does Hello Games and No Man's Sky survive by giving so much away for free? Is Where's Waldo nothing more than an unconvincing psy-op? Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. 0:00:00 - Intro0:29:02 - Metal Gear Solid Delta poster0:34:47 - Benji!0:36:27 - Allegheny Hogs0:42:00 - Washing your legs0:54:33 - Waldo0:58:16 - Ghost of Yotei console preorder September 4th1:00:34 - PlayStation 6 Portable leaks1:27:50 - Hermen Hulst interview1:59:33 - New Judas info2:14:26 - New MENA Hero project games2:29:11 - Forza Horizon 6 could be in Japan2:33:12 - New PSN refund system2:39:22 - Skate early access release date2:43:15 - July 2025 Circana data2:49:37 - New PS+ Essential games2:54:35 - What We're Playing3:40:59 - Thoughts on Catherine3:49:24 - Is Intergalactic a soulslike?3:54:12 - Will Xbox announce a game at a Sony event?3:58:41 - Are remakes creatively bankrupt4:08:42 - No Man's Sky keeps going4:16:05 - Do podcasts hosts need to be experts? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jeff Grubb is joined by Mat Piscatella to talk about July's US video game market highlights report from Circana, Kirby's Switch 2 update and expansion getting glowing reviews, and naturally, development troubles across the industry.Today's episode is brought to you by our friends at MSI!For the next month, they'll be offering the Giant Bomb community 10% off regularly priced Intel B860/Z890 motherboards at their US Store: https://us-store.msi.com/ - Just use code "bombcast" at checkout!Big thanks to MSI for their support!

With 2025 more than halfway over, and 2026 looming large on the horizon, Sally Lyons Wyatt, global executive vice president and chief advisor in consumer goods and foodservice insights for Circana, joins the Food For Thought podcast to offer an update on the trends driving consumer choice as summer turns to fall. Where do healthy food choices fit in? How are the prices of food and beverage products changing the ways consumers are shopping today? What impacts have e-commerce had on the marketplace? And what should processors prepare for in the New Year, once the calendar changes to 2026?

Alani Nu is experiencing “scary-level growth,” but that shouldn't be concerning…as Celsius Holdings leadership doesn't get spooked easily! Celsius Holdings (NASDAQ: CELH) had quarterly revenue of $739.3 million, which was up 84% YoY. Excluding the Alani Nu acquisition-related financial impact, CELSIUS brand revenue grew 9% YoY. And if you were wondering about Alani Nu, it's second quarter revenue was $301.5 million…which equates to around 106% YoY growth! According to Circana last 13-week retail sales data, CELSIUS increased by 3% YoY...remaining the third-largest energy drink brand in the category with a dollar share of 11%. Alani Nu increased retail sales 129% YoY and is now the dominant fourth player in the U.S. energy drinks market with dollar share of 6.3%. If we look at Celsius Holdings combined brand portfolio, it reached 17.3% of dollar share for the last 13-week period ending June 29, 2025...ranking it third and trailing only Red Bull and the combined Monster Beverage portfolio. Additionally, if you were to consider the last 52-week period ending July 20, 2025…Celsius Holdings retail sales were over $4 billion, surpassing the combined sales of the next eight energy drink brands. Celsius Holdings has experienced massive growth in convenience stores, foodservice (e.g. fast food restaurants), mass retailers like Walmart, the club channel in retailers like Costco, and the Amazon marketplace. And international expansion presents significant opportunity for incremental growth over the next three to five years. With the Celsius brand basically at full distribution now…growth will be unlocked through a strategic growth framework that John Fieldly recently branded as “more people,” “more places,” and “more often.” And while Alani Nu will obviously be integrated into many aspects of that strategic growth framework...it will currently be done outside of the PepsiCo distribution network. If you remember (in my initial content) after the M&A deal was officially announced, I made the strategic recommendation regarding Alani Nu independent DSD distribution network continuity…as I believed it provided Celsius Holdings the best near-term strategic plan to (1) minimize platform “key customer risk,” (2) strengthen focus on other business integration elements, but (3) lower near-term cannibalization risk significantly. But beyond the distribution strategy difference, Alani Nu is also “leaps and bounds” ahead of the CELSIUS brand in leveraging LTO product innovation. Alani Nu showed extraordinary strength, led by Sherbet Swirl and Cotton Candy. But believe it or not…expectations are even higher heading into the next quarterly reporting period, as Alani Nu customers are going wild across social media about the fan favorite Witch's Brew flavor recently returning to stores (along with a funky new LTO flavor Pumpkin Cream). But or the Celsius Holdings portfolio to meaningfully expand its household penetration beyond the current 43%, it must stay culturally relevant with the next generation of modern energy drinkers by continuing to invest in brand awareness activities that focus on driving trial and loyalty.

Jeff Grubb and Jason Fanelli are here to chat about Circana numbers for June, Forza Horizon 5 blowing up on the PlayStation 5, Outer Worlds 2's price drops, Borderlands 4 running at 30 FPS on Switch 2, and even more!

After a white-knuckle first half of the year, the meat alternatives sector stares down the rest of calendar 2025 from a position of retail weakness. Sales trends that seemed poised to turn positive again at the end of last year, didn't materialize, and dour consumer sentiment could easily drown other, more optimistic economic indicators.Chris DuBois, Circana's executive vice president and Perimeter Practice Leader, once again brings his insights to MeatingPod, discussing what's happened so far this year, what he expects for the rest of 2025, and how alternative meat processors can be position themselves for retail sale now.

Time Stamps:00:00:00 Community Guest Intros00:05:00The Elder Scrolls VI Is In a “Quite Playable”, Could A Trailer Drop THIS Year? Will The Elder Scrolls VI Trailer Release Happen THIS YEAR?00:35:00 Circana's Mat Piscatella says gaming subscriptions have increased in BIG way 3 consecutive months, indicating that gamers are in fact looking to save money! GUESS WHAT. Xbox Game Pass is NOT the "Bad Guy" many in the gaming industry are telling you!01:12:00 Outros and Special Message to the Community

Think you know what defines an “It Bag”? Think again. In this episode of Handbag Designer 101, Beth Goldstein, Executive Director of Footwear & Accessories at Circana, joins Emily Blumenthal to unpack how social media has transformed the handbag market—and why a $299 Trader Joe's tote can now claim the title.From viral hits to lasting brands, Beth explains how today's fragmented market is shifting power away from legacy labels and toward innovative independents. With names like Coach, Veronica Beard, and Clare V evolving fast, the space is more competitive—and more unpredictable—than ever.

Boulder visitDoggy happy hourCoffeeBike ridePFB let me work from their officeUpcoming BRAIN article about scheduling softwareService Appointment Scheduling feature (drop off)WorkstandIQ staff schedulingNBDA State of the Industry webinar reinforces our valueThe recent National Bicycle Dealers Association hosted a webinar with expert guests, with a lot of time spent talking about what successful retail looks like. Turns out our company perfectly matches their recommendations. Speakers were adamant about the need for merchants to have an ecommerce presence.You can find the recording on the NBDA YouTube channel.June Platform Sales ResultsHigh single digit growth in June, but also continues the downward trend from March/April results of over 25% growth.Isolating our “typical dealer”, which removes top performers, June online sales were slightly down. I really want clients to work on getting their website aligned with best practices and engaged with our marketing services like Google Ads. Platform traffic was down significantly in June, but conversion rate, average order value, and revenue per session were up.Only a handful of analog bicycle categories showed growth; gravel, full suspension MTB, and BMX. Electric bikes were up in every categoryHelmets and shoes did very well for the month. Helmets are good signals for overall ridership and shoes signal enthusiast riders needing more performance.April Total IBD Retail Sales ResultsPeopleForBikes released total April sales results showing the total IBD sales (in-store and online reported by Circana) was virtually flat with 2024. The top line sales results were positively impacted by very strong service department sales, +11% for the month. Top bicycle categories continue to be throttle assist electric bikes for transit, leisure, mountain, and cargo. Class 3 electric road bikes are showing solid growth too. Gravel and hardtail mountain bikes showed the best growth in the analog category. BMX bike unit sales were +8% continuing a promising trend largely influenced by younger ridersChildren's bike unit sales were up slightly overallBe sure to email your questions to podcast@workstand.com. We read all emails sent and we look forward to hearing from you.If you're a Workstand client with questions about your subscription, email support@workstand.com or call 303-527-0676 x 1. If you are not currently a Workstand client with questions about how our programs work, email info@workstand.com.Find Us on LinkedInRyan Atkinson, President + Co-OwnerMark Still, Business DevelopmentWe also publish Around the Workstand on our YouTube channel if you'd like to watch while you listen. Here is our Around the Workstand playlist.If you have any questions about the topics discussed in this episode of Around the Workstand or if you have ideas for new topics we can cover, schedule a time to meet with Mark Still here or email mark.s@workstand.com.

There are more stories to share from Circana's New Product Pacesetters, our annual roundup of the top-selling CPG new products. In this special episode, Joan Driggs and Lisa Maas dive into the role social media and influencers have in new CPG product launches. From grandma bands and pickleball tournaments, to merch and in-store engagement, learn what successful connection looks like. Highlights: Marketing Strategies: Learn about effective marketing efforts, including social media campaigns, influencer partnerships, and grassroots initiatives that drove these products to success. Consumer Engagement: Understand how CELSIUS Essentials performance drinks, Liquid Death Iced Tea, and Barebells protein bars are connecting with their target audiences through unique and relatable content. New Product Pacesetters: Read the full report and watch the webinar replay to learn more.

Send us a textIn this episode...--> Microsoft began its fiscal year Wednesday by laying off thousands of employees, expanding one of the largest runs of layoffs in the company's history.--> Video game spending has taken a nose dive among Gen Z, according to data from American research group Circana.--> The AI startup Runway, which recently partnered with AMC Networks, is now trying to break into the gaming industry.--> Nintendo's ability to ban Switch 2 consoles from accessing all online features has come under fire from Brazil's consumer rights watchdog, which has now launched a legal challenge.--> Also: Top 3 New Releases, Nostalgia 101We love our sponsors! Please help us support those who support us!- Check out the Retro Game Club Podcast at linktr.ee/retrogameclub- Connect with CafeBTW at linktr.ee/cafebtw- Get creative with Pixel Pond production company at pixelpondllc.com- Visit Absolutely the Best Podcast: A Work in Progress at linktr.ee/absolutelythebest**Use this link to get a $20 credit when you upgrade to a paid podcast hosting plan on Buzzsprout! buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1884378Hosts: retrogamebrews, wrytersview, donniegretroOpening theme: "Gamers Week Theme" by Akseli TakanenPatron theme: "Chiptune Boss" by donniegretroClosing theme: "Gamers Week Full-Length Theme" by Akseli TakanenSupport the show

Scott returns from Prosper to share some personal updates and Amazon insights. Prime Day is expanding to four days this year — a move that makes sense as Amazon tries to give shoppers and sellers more time to take advantage of the buzz. Scott also talks about the return of Sellers United this October near New York City, a conference built for resellers of all sizes. Plus, he gives a casual rundown of what's new at SmartScout. From tools that help track where your products get mentioned online to ways of better understanding pricing trends. It's a laid-back, behind-the-scenes update with a bit of everything for Amazon sellers. Episode Notes: 00:15 - New developments and Upcoming Announcements 01:14 - Amazon Prime Day – Strategy and Insights 02:30 - Sellers United Conference Announcement 05:57 - New Tools: Traffic Links 09:43 - Pricing Intelligence 14:40 - Content Marketing and Brand Awareness Related Post: Who Competes with Circana? The Top Alternatives for Retail and CPG Data Intelligence   Scott's Links: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/scott-needham-a8b39813 X: @itsScottNeedham Instagram: @smartestseller YouTube: www.youtube.com/@smartestamazonseller2371 Newsletter: https://www.smartscout.com/newsletter-sign-up Blog: https://www.smartscout.com/blog

Walmart brings in the most Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program dollars. BJ's Wholesale Club plans to open a new store in its home state. And Circana has revealed its 2024 New Product Pacesetters.

For the past six years, Circana has collaborated with NYU's Stern Center for Sustainable Business to produce a report on sustainability in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) marketplace. While sustainability-marked products in the U.S. continue to gain share, their research shows that shares of sustainability-marked products are much larger in the UK and Germany. This episode dives into the comparison between the U.S., UK, and Germany, offering insights and inspiration for CPG manufacturers and retailers. Highlights: Many categories with low shares of sustainability-marked products in the U.S. have high shares in EMEA. U.S. manufacturers should revisit claims that matter to shoppers. A market leader moving to sustainability drives the trend for the category. Failing to do so opens the door for challenger brands, which could erode loyalty and share. In Europe, much of the increase in sales of sustainable products is driven by retailers. European retailers are incentivized to adopt sustainable practices, with regulations providing both incentives and penalties. European consumers consider the lack of sustainability to be a barrier to trial.

There are more than 150,000 convenience stores across the U.S., and while multiple chains make up the majority, these typically small-format stores can vary widely from urban to suburban to rural. To some consumers, it might be the store where they purchase auto fuel. For others, it serves as their local grocer or a place to grab morning coffee. Circana's Anthony Dostal, director of retail insights for the convenience channel, talks about the state of the convenience channel, including consumer behavior, competition, and strategies for growth. Highlights: While location and price remain the primary influencers of convenience store selection, the quality of products and services is becoming an increasingly significant factor. Inflation and economic headwinds are affecting discretionary purchases and driving consumers to look for better value. The competitive arena for c-stores is vast, and includes other convenience stores, grocery, dollar, club, and quick service restaurants. Foodservice is a top opportunity for regaining traffic and sales in c-stores, but other opportunities include expanding private label offerings and leveraging loyalty programs. Some retailers are leaning into digital engagement, including ordering and home delivery.

Luke Lohr sits down with Mat Piscatella of Circana. Mat is Circana's video game industry analyst. He regularly advises senior industry leaders, media, and trade associations on the business trends impacting gaming's present and future. Support XEP: https://www.patreon.com/XboxExpansionPass XEP Merch: https://wren-works.myshopify.com/collections/xbox-expansion-pass-merch The Xbox Expansion Pass (XEP) is a podcast dedicated to interpreting the goings on in the world of video games and analyzing how they impact the Xbox ecosystem. Luke Lohr and Captain Logun discuss various topics throughout the industry. The guests on the show are meant to help gamers expand their knowledge of the gaming industry. Blue Sky: @InsipidGhost  Contact: InsipidGhost@gmail.com Blue Sky: @CaptLogun | Threads: @Capt_Logun Keelhauled: A Sea of Thieves Podcast Please consider leaving a review on iTunes or Spotify. It is the best way to support the show. Thank you!

Clair Obscur Expedition 33 sells 3.3 million copies in 33 days, proving reality is stranger than fiction. Dragon Quest 1 & 2 HD-2D gets a release date and confirmation of a Switch 2 release. SAG-AFTRA is suing Epic for Darth Vader's AI voice feature that launched earlier this month. Lastly, Circana reveals that April was yet another bad month for video game sales. #clairobscur #expedition33 #dragonquest #darthvader #starwars #circana #videogames #allyoucangeek #aycg #podcast

The last couple of weeks for Bungie have been nothing short of catastrophic, calling into question whether their upcoming extraction shooter Marathon has any chance at all in finding market success. We've long discussed whether Sony should have bought Bungie at all (they shouldn't have), but now that they're so deeply invested, how do they get the team out of this mess? And what does all of this hullabaloo -- about stolen art, poorly-reviewed gameplay, and lackluster audience reaction -- say about the team's future, full stop? Meanwhile, things aren't much better north of the border, where Quebec-based Haven recently parted ways with founder and once-famous producer Jade Raymond, who has now left three different teams without any sort of release. Is Fairgame$ DOA? Maybe not, but we have lots of new information on the recent closed test of the game under the moniker Project Hearts, and... well... it's not sounding great. Also: MLB: The Show is seemingly getting a mobile release, PlayStation Stars is going away unceremoniously, Stellar Blade 2 is in active development, Xbox's Hellblade II is coming to PS5, Kojima's Physint is at least five more years away, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! Keeping in mind Sony's typical naming conventions, what will PlayStation 6's controller be called? Do we also find delight in Darth Vader's AI voice in Fortnite? Is the PS5 Pro truly worth purchasing before prices likely go up? Has Chris ever seen a ghost?Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.Timestamps:  0:00:00 - Intro00:44:13 - Best man bromance00:46:03 - ghoul-ing01:04:41 - Haven/Jade Raymond reflections01:37:51 - Bungie art theft reflections02:33:15 - MLB: The Show mobile02:38:25 - PlayStation Stars is over02:51:24 - Stellar Blade sequel coming02:56:49 - Kojima's next game is far off03:01:41 - Hellblade 2 is coming to PS503:05:56 - Randy Pitchford on Borderlands 4 pricing03:26:21 - Circana data03:35:21 - New Naughty Dog logo03:37:18 - Doom: The Dark Ages surpasses three million players03:40:44 - What Are We Playing (Doom The Dark Ages, Stardew Valley, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Shovel Knight Dig)04:05:34 - Iconic PlayStation Games04:16:19 - ChatGPT game hints04:19:15 - DualSense 2?4:22:38 - AI Vader in Fortnite04:28:19 - "Editions" releases04:35:04 - Current thoughts on PS5 Pro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Want to win some MSI Swag along with an MSI MPG Z890 Carbon WiFi Motherboard? Here's how: Take a picture of your custom build using an MSI component, and include a handwritten note with your discord username along with “DLC Podcast” in the picture. Then, join the MSI Discord (https://discord.gg/msi) and submit your entry in the #podcast-channel. This week, Jeff and Christian welcome Mike Futter from the Virtual Economy podcast back to the show to discuss the state of the industry based on Circana's April sales report, Fortnite making its triumphant return to iOS, USB mice support for Switch 2, and more! The Playlist: Mike: Blue Prince, Power Rangers: Rita Rewind, TMNT: Tactical Takedown, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Christian: Blades of Fire demo, Star Wars Outlaws - A Pirate's Fortune DLC  Jeff: Demos: Cast n Chill, Artis Impact, Jump the Track, Oscuro Blossom's Glow, Rue Valley, Future Vibe Check Tabletop Time: Mike: Token Terrors Battlegrounds, Re;Act, Apropos of Movies, Overpower CCG Jeff: Dragonkeepers Parting Gifts!

The WNBA kicked off its new season last week with beauty brands lining up to gain access to the league's growing cohort of fans.  In a gold rush that started around 2020, some of the industry's top brands have entered into multi-year sponsorships with the league or its top players. The most recent, Fenty's sponsorship of the New York Liberty, was announced earlier this month and kicked off on Saturday's home game opener with several activations including a "Gloss Bomb glam cam" where fans show off their beauty look.  The NY Liberty, a top team in the league, has also received sponsorships from L'Oréal-owned brands Essie nail polish and NYX color cosmetics. Meanwhile, Amorepacific-owned Laneige became the Phoenix Mercury's official sponsor last year, mass hair-care brand Odele Beauty sponsors the Minnesota Lynx, and Glossier has been a league sponsor since 2020.  What's more, Youth To The People has partnered with the Seattle Storm, and L'Oréal-owned Urban Decay was the official L.A. Sparks sponsor for two seasons. Plus, the Chicago Sky has partnerships with Covergirl, Olay and hair-care band Jamaican Mango and Lime. But perhaps one of the biggest deals is Sephora's sponsorship of the league's newest team, San Francisco's Golden State Valkyries, who will now play at the newly-renamed "Sephora Performance Center" in Oakland. And this is just a snapshot of the WNBA deals Glossy is tracking.  “There was limited broadcast for women's sports [a few years ago], and now we have record-breaking viewership, which has been just absolutely amazing,” said Jacki Gemelos, a former WNBA player and coach turned sports agent. “Major brands rarely built campaigns around female athletes. And now athletes like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Alex Morgan and Simone Biles, just to name a few, are leading campaigns and not just being included.”  As previously reported by Glossy, attention from the beauty industry aligns with a sharp rise in WNBA audience attention. Viewership on ESPN was up 155% last season and, within this, viewership among people aged 18–34 rose by 164% and viewership among women increased by 165% year-over-year.  Glossy welcomed Gemelos to the podcast to discuss this change and provide context and advice for beauty execs looking to join in on the action. She provides context as to different types of deals, including the average costs and what makes a deal authentic. Gemelos is a lifelong basketball player who spent more than a decade playing professionally overseas and in the WNBA for the Chicago Sky and the Connecticut Sun. She was an assistant coach for the NY Liberty before joining Nike as an athlete community coordinator. Today, she's an agent at prestigious boutique firm Disrupt the Game, where she oversees deals for a roster of top talent.  In today's episode, Gemelos discusses everything beauty execs need to know about this cultural shift. But first, hosts Lexy Lebsack and Sara Spruch-Feiner discuss the top headlines of the week. This includes QVC's foray into 24/7 social commerce selling through TikTok Shop, plus a bird's eye view on how the beauty industry did in the first quarter of the year, according to a new report from Circana market research company. 

Jeff Grubb is joined by Jon Martin to chat about how Randy Pitchford feels about a prospective price of the next Borderlands game, the latest Circana reports, Senua's Saga II headed to PS5, DOOM: The Dark Ages reaching 3 million players, and even more!

Household spending has shifted due to high inflation and economic uncertainty. Consumers are prioritizing essential items like groceries while often forgoing discretionary purchases, including games, apparel, and prestige beauty. Circana's Sally Lyons Wyatt, global EVP and chief advisor for consumer goods and foodservice insights, and Adam Mellott, vice president of consumer and shopper insights, provide valuable insights into the current state of household spending, the role of retailers, and the resilience of consumers during challenging times. Highlights: Consumers are carefully weighing their options at the shelf, which doesn't necessarily mean the end of indulgent and premium purchases. Many retailers, notably within the dollar channel, are putting value – including convenience and affordability – front and center, which is proving attractive to a wider audience of shoppers. Urban and rural consumers are reacting to economic uncertainty in different ways, which will impact product assortments, oftentimes within the same retail chain.   While tariffs haven't impacted CPG prices yet, consumers will be tracking prices carefully. Innovation – from product development to assortment – can be critical to locking in consumer loyalty during challenging times.

Just when CELSIUS was beginning to drown…Alani Nu had the ring-shaped flotation device ready to save the energy drink brand. Celsius Holdings (NASDAQ: CELH) had quarterly revenue of $329.3 million, which was down 7% YoY. And while that activity now marks the third straight quarter of falling YoY revenue…the addition of Alani Nu next quarter will guarantee positive YoY growth restarted (albeit mostly from the non-comparable acquisition-related aspect). According to Circana last 13-week data, CELSIUS decreased by 3% YoY...but sustained place as the third-largest energy drink brand in the category with a dollar share of 10.9%. And I don't want gloss over this accomplishment…as CELSIUS became the first brand in over a decade not named Red Bull or Monster Energy that was able to capture more than a 10% share in the U.S. energy drinks market. Celsius energy drinks has seen massive growth in convenience stores, foodservice (e.g. fast food restaurants), mass retailers like Walmart, the club channel in retailers like Costco, and the Amazon marketplace. Additionally, the early international market development groundwork is starting to formalize with CELSIUS with performance continuing to exceed initial expectations in those recently expanded markets. It's my opinion that international expansion presents significant opportunity for incremental growth over the next three to five years. With Celsius at basically full distribution now…the TDP growth will have to come from increased items carried per store. Going forward, Celsius will increase items per store through a combination of product strategies like flavor, format, pack size, and variant expansion. Additionally, CELISUS will continue scaling up the new Essentials lineup that has exceeded the company's expectations. Moreover, they will seek more store placements like leveraging cold display activity in Celsius-branded coolers. If you missed the massive news from February, CELSIUS Holdings announced it had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Alani Nu for a net purchase price of $1.65 billion. And the big news was that CELSIUS announced that, according to Circana last 52-week data for the period ending April 13, 2025…Alani Nu surpassed $1 billion in retail sales. But heading into next quarter, the combined brand platform of CELSIUS Holdings will have just over 16% category share (trailing only the Monster Energy combined brand platform and Red Bull). Also, because of the insane 70%+ YoY growth rate of Alani Nu, the combined brand platform of CELSIUS Holdings would be considered the fastest growing energy drink brand portfolio of the top 10 categorical competitors. But with the Alani Nu acquisition now closed…CELSIUS Holdings becomes an even more dynamically interesting company positioned favorably long-term. Lastly, with a great balance sheet...Celsius Holdings keeps strategic optionality available within (what I believe is) this market volatility fueled opportunistic period.

Microsoft is jacking prices on hardware, software, and peripherals. With costs going up while interest in Microsoft's offerings declining, we have to wonder if Microsoft is applying pressure to push Game Pass. Also: Circana report on U.S. Video Game Spending for March 2025, Apple scores an own-goal and pisses off the Court, the tabletop industry is in freefall, and EA lays off another 300 to 400 people. You can support Virtual Economy's growth via our Ko-Fi and also purchase Virtual Economy merchandise! TIME STAMPS [00:1:31] - GTA 6 Delay [00:12:06] - Circana for March 2025 [00:17:43] - Devolver Digital Investor Presentation  [00:24:36] - Microsoft Q3 FY25 [00:45:36] - Investment Interlude [00:56:59] - Quick Hits [01:06:42] - Labor Report [01:24:58] - FAFO SOURCES Earnings Release FY25 Q3 | Microsoft Investor Presentation - 2024 Results | Devolver Digital Devolver Digital lays off almost half of Reigns studio Nerial | Eurogamer A judge just blew up Apple's control of the App Store | The Verge New Epic Games Store Webshops and Revenue Share Update | Epic Games INVESTMENT INTERLUDE Blue Ocean Games Terms & Conditions | Blue Ocean Games LABOR REPORT Online board game seller Boardlandia shuts down after tariffs add “unsustainable burden” to company's existing challenges | BoardGameWire CMON announces layoffs, will stop ‘all future game development' and crowdfunding efforts | Polygon Report: Meta has laid off over 100 Reality Labs employees | Game Developer Mighty Yell Undergoes Layoffs | Mighty Yell on Bluesky Respawn Layoffs | Respawn on Twitter Electronic Arts Lays Off Hundreds, Cancels ‘Titanfall' Game | Bloomberg (Paywall)

Jeff and Rebecca spend more time than they would like in legal-land before talking about how everybody hates blurbs, recent reading, and other book news. Then, Brenna Connor of Circana joins Jeff to talk about 2024 book sales highlights and lowlights before looking ahead to 2025. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Sign up for the Book Riot Podcast Newsletter and follow the show on Instagram and Bluesky. Get more industry news with our Today in Books daily newsletter. A new year means a new Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons. Sign up at bookriot.com/readharder. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Discussed in this episode: The Book Riot Podcast Patreon First Edition Shout-out to Feedspot for featuring us as #5 in the top 100 book podcasts on the planet Scarlett Pavlovich sues Neil Gaiman and Amanda Palmer for rape & human trafficking and Netflix adaptation of Sandman to end after second season Man accused of attacking Salman Rushdie to go to trial Big 5 and Authors Guild sue Idaho over book banning law Simon & Schuster's flagship imprint won't require blurbs and Rebecca Makkai essay in the NYT Dystopian novels are on the rise again after the inauguration On the Hippie Trail The Loves of My Life Life in Three Dimensions Tilt Bibliophobia by Sarah Chihaya Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices