Podcasts about circana

Linktree: ⁠https://linktr.ee/Analytic⁠Join The Normandy For Additional Bonus Audio And Visual Content For All Things Nme+! Join Here: ⁠https://ow.ly/msoH50WCu0K⁠Join Analytic Dreamz on the Notorious Mass Effect podcast for an in-depth breakdown of 2025's top 10 best-selling video games, based on exclusive Circana data. Each segment dives into sales trends, game performance, and industry insights, offering listeners a detailed look at what's driving the gaming market. Analytic Dreamz delivers expert analysis, connecting the dots between data and gaming culture. Perfect for gamers, industry enthusiasts, and anyone curious about the biggest titles of the year. Tune in for a fresh perspective on the gaming landscape with Analytic Dreamz.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/analytic-dreamz-notorious-mass-effect/donationsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Restaurant sales and traffic challenges were a huge story in 2025.This week's episode of the Restaurant Business podcast A Deeper Dive takes a look at the most popular episodes of the year.Perhaps unsurprisingly, each of them dealt with the challenged industry environment. We spoke with Circana's David Portalatin about consumers buying on a deal. We spoke multiple times with Technomic's Rich Shank about the state of the restaurant industry.We also spoke with National Restaurant Association Chief Economist Chad Moutray about the impact this is having on profitability.And we wrap it up with Savory Fund Cofounder Andrew Smith on what private equity thinks of all this, specifically why this can be a good time to find high-quality chains.

2025 has continued the trend of layoffs, consolidation, and privatization. The gulf between AAA and everyone else is widening, as the AI bubble strains before an inevitable burst. With November's Circana report coming in bleak after months of stronger performance, 2026 will continue to challenge us all. BUT... there is reason to hope. Unions are growing in number and reach and studios doomed by AAA mega-corps are finding a way to survive. We need to stick together to not only survive, but thrive. You can support Virtual Economy's growth via our Ko-Fi and also purchase Virtual Economy merchandise! TIME STAMPS [00:07:28] - Circana Report on U.S. Video Game Spending for November 2025 [00:27:31] - Sony and Tencent Settle Light of Moritram Lawsuit [00:28:43] - Investment Interlude [00:37:27] - Quick Hits [00:43:53] - Labor Report  SOURCES Sony and Tencent settle lawsuit over "slavish clone" of Horizon: Zero Dawn | GamesIndustry INVESTMENT INTERLUDE Tencent makes minority investment in France's Drama Studios | GamesIndustry Disney to Invest $1 Billion in OpenAI in Major Deal That Boosts Sora in Hollywood | The Hollywood Reporter Bandai Namco sells Limbic Entertainment to "private investor" | GamesIndustry LABOR REPORT Naughty Dog Studio Orders Employee Overtime for 'Intergalactic' | Bloomberg (Paywall) Days after launching their first indie game, everyone responsible for publishing it was laid off: 'We had a Slack channel with everyone in it, and then you see them leaving one by one' | PC Gamer We are crowd funding Wreckreation | Three Fields Funcom may have closed down Metal: Hellsinger studio The Outsiders, but its co-founder and Battlefield vet David Goldfarb says it's not over yet | PC Gamer The Studio Behind Doom Just Unionized | Kotaku

Reminder to fill out the TDP Community GotY survey! Sean is travelling back home for the holidays and is playing Absolum and Öoo while Paul finished off Shinobi: Art of Vengeance and jumped into the demos for Super Meat Boy 3D and Pragmata. For news, a bunch of stuff was announced at the Game Awards so we go over the ones we resonated with, Marathon gets a release date and price and Circana gives some bitter news on the financial reality of hardware sales. TDP is listener funded. Like what you hear? Want to support the show and get ad-free episodes? Head over to https://www.patreon.com/topdownperspective

In today's Daily Fix:Things aren't looking good for Xbox on the hardware front. The latest sales data from Circana shows a massive 70% drop in Xbox hardware sales year-over-year in the U.S. To be fair, hardware sales for the PlayStation 5 and the Nintendo Switch 1 and 2 were also down from November of 2024, but these numbers are especially damaging to Xbox. This year alone saw two significant price hikes on Xbox hardware. In other news, Sony and Tencent have agreed to a 'confidential settlement' with the Light of Motiram lawsuit. The game has now seemingly been pulled from Steam and the Epic Game Store. No cancellation has been announced. And finally, FIFA is back as the organization has announced a new game in partnership with...Netflix?

In today's Daily Fix:Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 may have been the best-selling game of November, but Battlefield 6 is on track to win the year. The latest sales data from Circana is positioning Battlefield to top Call of Duty for the first time in the two franchises' rivalry. In other news, Terminator: Survivors has been delayed indefinitely. The sci-fi survival game was announced a couple of years ago, and we haven't really seen much from it. And in related news, James Cameron is returning to the Terminator franchise once he's done with the upcoming Avatar: Fire and Ash. Cameron also stated that it's time for new characters in the series, so don't expect mainstay Arnold Schwarzenegger to return.

From Stitches to witches to a robot device that can "control" parents, the top 15 toys predicted to be most in demand in the U.K. this Christmas have finally been revealed. Controlling the mind of humans is often considered sinister rather than celebratory, but this game is set to be a real stocking-filler this Christmas for UK toy lovers. Human Controller by Tomy Toys is a simple concept of control by a digital pad using arrows. Commands are sent to the special helmet, which lights up and vibrates, effectively telling the wearer where to move. The game offers kids a fun opportunity to "control" their parents. Benjamin Croucher-Phillips, Senior Brand Manager (Games) at Tomy Toys, gives the lowdown: “When you've lined them up perfectly and the chair is behind, you'll hit the central button, which will vibrate all three of the sensors. And that's when the human will know to sit. And they have to blindly trust that that chair is going to be there behind them and catch them.” This is just one of the fifteen feted toys, games, and gadgets that are set to take the UK toy market by storm this festive season. Industry data tracking expert Circana says the UK toy industry is worth 3.9 billion pounds, with Christmas expected to account for 0.9 billion pounds of sales (or 23% of the total sales for the year). In its 75th anniversary year, Formula 1 is unsurprisingly part of the festivities. Mattel's Hot Wheels Racing F1 Grand Prix Circuit will no doubt be the centerpiece of many people's celebration once the checkered flag of Christmas waves itself into our homes. As Melissa Symonds, Executive Director of UK Toys at Circana, outlines, “One of the biggest trends we've seen in the toy market in the U.K. this year has been licensed toys. So this is coming from a number of areas. So we've had some massive movies this year, like Lilo and Stitch and Minecraft. All of this is driving the fact that a third of the total UK toy market is now licensed.” This article was provided by The Associated Press.

From shifting grocery habits to new product opportunities, Circana's insights reveal how brands and retailers can adapt to the rise of GLP-1 users

Warner Bros. is selling itself like a $1.50 hot dog at Costco, and everyone wants a bite. Before the weekend, Netflix looked like it had a clear path to regulatory review. But now, New Paramount is taking a swing with a hostile takeover. Things are about to get ugly. Regardless of who wins, though, we lose. Consolidation continues and consumers pay the price. Also: Nintendo, Square Enix, Take-Two, Embracer Group, and Sony earnings; Circana's report on U.S. video game spending for October 2025; and another grim labor report. You can support Virtual Economy's growth via our Ko-Fi and also purchase Virtual Economy merchandise! TIME STAMPS [00:06:02] - PAX Unplugged Roundup [00:23:44] - Circana Report on U.S Video Game Spending for October 2025 [00:31:49] - Sony Earnings for Q2 FY26 [00:36:49] - Nintendo Earnings for H1 FY26 [00:48:15] - Square Enix Earnings for H1 FY26 [00:54:31] - Take-Two Earnings for Q2 FY26 [00:55:39] - Embracer Group Earnings for Q2 FY26 [00:59:48] - iam8bit is Suing Skybound [01:02:40] - Tencent Pauses Light of Moritram Promotion During Sony Lawsuit [01:03:35] - Krafton CEO Accused of Using ChatGPT to Get Out of Unknown Worlds Earnout [01:06:43] - Investment Interlude [01:24:37] - Quick Hits [01:29:47] - Labor Report [01:38:13] - FAFO SOURCES Q2 FY2025 Consolidated Financial Results | Sony Nintendo Earnings for H1 FY2026 | Nintendo HUGE blow to Nintendo: head of U.S. patent office takes RARE step to order reexamination of "summon subcharacter and let it fight in 1 of 2 modes" patent | Games Fray Financial Results Briefing Session Six-Month Period Ended September 30, 2025 | Square Enix Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. Reports Results for Fiscal Second Quarter 2026 | Take-Two Grand Theft Auto VI is Now Set to Launch November 19, 2026 | Rockstar Embracer Group publishes Interim Report Q2, July–September 2025 | Embracer Group Embracer Group divests Arc Games and Cryptic Studios | Embracer Group Arc Games Is Now an Independent Publisher | Arc Games iam8bit is suing Skybound Game Studios alleging fraud and theft of designs | Engadget Tencent agrees to stop promoting its Horizon ripoff during Sony lawsuit | Engadget Krafton CEO accused of forming secret task force 'Project X' to seize control of Unknown Worlds | Game Developer Remember Postal? | PC Gamer INVESTMENT INTERLUDE Digiphile - About Us | Digiphile Saudi Fund to Own Almost All of Electronic Arts After Buyout | WSJ via MSN Netflix to Acquire Warner Bros. Following the Separation of Discovery Global for a Total Enterprise Value of $82.7 Billion (Equity Value of $72.0 Billion) | Netflix Netflix Sells Spry Fox Back to Founders | GameFile ‍Paramount launches all-cash tender offer to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery | Paramount LABOR REPORT The Rockstar Workers Fired Before They Could Finish GTA 6 | People Make Games The Messages Rockstar Saw Before Firing 34 Union Members | People Make Games NetEase racks up its third studio casualty in one week, kneecapping dev working on a Warhammer MMO | PC Gamer Splash Damage places entire studio into consultation ahead of redundancies | GamesIndustry Three Fields Entertainment puts entire studio in consultation | Fiona Sperry on LinkedIn Coatsink to lay off half its staff due to "challenging co-development market" | GamesIndustry UK publisher Outright Games confirms layoffs | Game Developer Atomhawk is Closing its Canadian Studio | Atomhawk on LinkedIn Layoffs at Gorilla Tag dev Another Axiom | Jonathan Dearborn on LinkedIn

Modern soda isn't a trend — it's one of the fastest-growing segments in beverage. Now a $1.8B U.S. category, up 83% YOY, according to Circana, modern soda is redefining the carbonated space with functional benefits, low sugar, and health-forward positioning.Two brands were instrumental in creating this market: OLIPOP and Poppi. Together, they introduced consumers to gut-health sodas long before the category had a name — and they helped transform what was once a stagnant soft drink landscape into one of the hottest growth stories in CPG.Today, OLIPOP stands as the category's largest independent player, following Poppi's 2025 acquisition by PepsiCo for roughly $1.95B. OLIPOP is now sold in 50,000+ doors, staffed with 200+ employees, and approaching a $2B valuation. In this episode, OLIPOP Co-Founder, CEO and Formulator Ben Goodwin breaks down how OLIPOP carved out its own lane with a deeper scientific foundation and a product-first ethos that helped propel the entire modern soda movement.

In this week's food industry news in 2 minutes, we touch on Circana's revised 2026 outlook for the F&B sector, which projects continued volume tightness.

Short on time but still need the latest anime news updates? Here's your rapid-fire In Bloom update

The Golden Joystick Awards took place over the weekend and Clair Obscur Expedition 33 swept with a whopping seven awards, including the game of the year award as well as performances for two of its characters. Another Xbox price hike is looming according to one leaker while a Skill Up interview reveals the Steam Machine will be priced at an equivalent PC. Lastly we go over the latest sales numbers from Circana.  #goldenjoystick #expedition33 #xbox #steammachine #circana #videogames #allyoucangeek #aycg #podcast 

Les kidultes représentent désormais 31 % du marché du jouet. Ce phénomène dynamise les ventes de produits comme les LEGO ou les figurines. Une aubaine pour le secteur. Dans « La Story », le podcast d'actualité des « Echos », Pierrick Fay et ses invités décryptent en deux épisodes le phénomène des kidultes avant Noël.« La Story » est un podcast des « Echos » présenté par Pierrick Fay. Cet épisode a été enregistré en novembre 2025. Rédaction en chef : Clémence Lemaistre. Invités : Frédérique Tütt (spécialiste du jouet chez Circana), Laure Lam (responsable marketing MGA Entertainement), Ines Daviaud (chef de produit Silverlit), Jonathan Algaze (fondateur de TOPI Games) et Agnès Beuchet (fondatrice de Mako Créations/Mako Moulage). Réalisation : Willy Ganne. Musique : Théo Boulenger. Identité graphique : Upian. Photo : Lego. Sons : Carrera, extrait « l'homme qui aimait les femmes », TikTok Braindegeek, extrait « Small soldiers » 1998, Mako Moulage, France 3 Pays de Loire.Retrouvez l'essentiel de l'actualité économique grâce à notre offre d'abonnement Access : abonnement.lesechos.fr/lastory Hébergé par Acast. Visitez acast.com/privacy pour plus d'informations.

Nick and Connor discuss the price of the Steam Machine, Black Flag Remake, and Battlefield 6's dominate first month on Circana's sales chart.Link To The Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/CoOp64Link to Discord, Merch AND MORE: https://linktr.ee/co_op64Intro Music By Jamie Vere0:00 Intro6:08 Housekeeping12:53 Steam Machine Price Won't Follow A Console Pricing Model29:34 AC Black Flag Remake Is Rumored To Launch Before March 31st37:15 November Xbox Partner Preview Round-Up49:33 Battlefield 6's Sales Dominate October 202556:59 Zelda Movie Photos Have Been Revealed

In this episode, Cameron sits down with Brett Bruggeman, Executive Vice President and COO of Land O'Lakes, a 104-year-old, $16B cooperative spanning dairy foods, animal nutrition, and crop inputs. Brett shares how Land O'Lakes manages scale across 20 business units, supports more than 4,000 cooperative owners, and touches half of America's farmland.He and Cameron dig into the cooperative model, growth challenges in shrinking markets, how the company is driving new productivity for farmers, and their bold new initiative that partners with retail owners to invest in late-stage ag-tech. Brett also talks about outside-in thinking, the power of data, how to stay ahead of the customer, and why the future of agriculture requires both AI and human EQ.If you're a COO navigating large-team complexity, shifting markets, or innovation inside a legacy organization, this conversation is a masterclass in clarity, discipline, and strategic focus.Timestamped Highlights00:00 Brett and Cameron kick off the conversation (with a quick cameo from Brett's comms lead, John).01:03 How Brett discovered the podcast and the purpose of “the COO story.”03:30 Land O'Lakes overview: 104-year history, cooperative structure, and national footprint.07:14 The company's roots: dairy farmers searching for a market for cream.08:26 How Land O'Lakes evolved into dairy, animal nutrition, and crop inputs.10:24 Purina brand clarification: Land O'Lakes vs. Nestlé internationally.10:44 Revenue breakdown across business units.12:00 How Brett avoids getting pulled into every detail while leading a massive enterprise.14:10 How outside-in thinking reshaped corporate strategy.15:17 The “vital few” → the three-or-four priorities that guide the entire company.16:49 The six transformation “big bets.”18:46 Becoming a data-first company: insights, segmentation, and new markets.20:29 The strategic questions Land O'Lakes uses to break stagnation.22:45 Their stance on hybrid work and why face-to-face still matters.25:05 Growth challenges: farmers under pressure, shrinking markets, and opportunities.26:05 Introducing AgRogue: the new retail growth fund (70–100M) to invest in late-stage ag-tech.27:39 Why partnering with retail owners creates stronger market access.28:17 What a cooperative actually is and how it differs from other business models.31:39 How 4,000 owners create loyalty, but not complacency.33:31 Why aligning retail owners with Land O'Lakes creates predictable innovation adoption.36:51 How AI and predictive models are transforming supply chain, waste, and productivity.38:37 Three AI goals: target growth, eliminate waste, improve customer experience.40:55 How Land O'Lakes approaches AI responsibly (and without getting “over their skis”).42:37 What Brett is working on personally as a leader: presence, change management, results.47:28 Advice to his younger self: ask better questions, seek mentors, take international roles.Resources & MentionsPurina (livestock feed brand)WinField (crop inputs brand)Microsoft (AI and data initiatives)AgRogue (Land O'Lakes + retail owner growth fund)Radicle (ag-tech investment partner)Circana (retail data source, referenced as...

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

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.

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

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

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!