Episode 83: Leadership, career progression, and finding growth with Cathy and Stephen Horgan
Release Date: 04/16/2025
Episode 112: From data to intelligence: Why the future belongs to brands that turn signals into smarter experiences with Lindsey Aitken
Retail Sound Bites
How can brands turn consumer signals into smarter, more meaningful experiences? In this episode of Retail Sound Bites, Rachel Dalton and Barry Thomas welcome back Lindsey Aitken, Senior Director of Owned Platforms and Data Integration at Coca-Cola, to explore how brands can move from simply collecting first-party data to creating meaningful consumer intelligence. They discuss the growing importance of owned platforms, the shift from one-off campaigns to continuously learning consumer relationships, and how AI is changing product discovery and recommendations. Lindsey shares why brands...
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Episode 111: Growth is the job: Brands, retail and what wins with Jeff Greenspoon
Retail Sound Bites
As AI becomes increasingly involved in how consumers discover, evaluate, and purchase products, what does that mean for brands and retailers? In this episode of Retail Sound Bites, Jeff Greenspoon, CEO of Kantar North America, joins Rachel Dalton to discuss the evolving role of AI in commerce, why brand equity will be a critical differentiator, and how stronger retailer-brand partnerships can drive growth in a changing marketplace. Jeff also shares his perspective on leadership, innovation, and the opportunities that emerge when organizations stay focused on solving real consumer needs. ...
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Episode 110: GroceryShop Highlights with Leigh O'Donnell
Retail Sound Bites
AI is not simply influencing grocery shopping. It is reshaping the entire journey from inspiration and discovery to purchase and the final in-store experience. In this episode of Kantar Retail Sound Bites, Barry Thomas, Rachel Dalton, and Leigh O’Donnell share their immediate takeaways from GroceryShop and examine what the industry’s rapid shift toward AI means for retailers and brands. The discussion covers personalized baskets, data readiness, Kantar’s 4F framework for AI-enabled shopping, visibility within large language models, and the evolving role of retail media networks. The...
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Episode 109: How Shoppers Define Value with guests Mary Brett Whitfield, Julie Craig, and Erica Smith
Retail Sound Bites
How do shoppers define value in today's retail environment? In this episode of Retail Sound Bites, Kantar experts explore new research on what drives consumer purchasing decisions beyond price. The discussion examines affordability pressures, loyalty programs, prepared foods, health and wellness trends, and how retailers and brands can create meaningful value through convenience, quality, and experience. Tune in for actionable insights on the evolving shopper mindset and what it means for the future of retail. Have a topic you’d like us to cover? Contact us at . Contact...
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Episode 108: Re-Release: 2026 Food and Beverage Trends with Brian Choi of The Food Institute
Retail Sound Bites
In this replay episode of Retail Sound Bites, hosts Barry Thomas and Rachel Dalton revisit their conversation with Brian Choi, CEO of The Food Institute, to explore the key food and beverage trends shaping 2026. The discussion examines the rise of value-driven consumers, the growing influence of Gen Z and Gen Alpha, the momentum behind challenger brands, and how health, wellness, policy changes, and experience-led innovation are reshaping the industry. Listeners will gain practical insights into how retailers and CPG brands can adapt to evolving consumer expectations and competitive market...
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Episode 107: Re-release: The future of convenience and category management with Bala Gurumoorthy
Retail Sound Bites
As part of the Retail Sound Bites summer replay series, Barry Thomas revisits one of the podcast's most impactful conversations, highlighting the evolving role of category management and its growing importance across the retail landscape. Featuring insights from Ferrero's Bala, this episode explores how retailers and CPG manufacturers can use category thinking to drive growth, strengthen shopper engagement, and prepare for the future of commerce. A must-listen for retail leaders, category managers, and FMCG professionals looking to stay ahead of industry change. Have a topic you’d...
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Episode 106: Menu Trends Reshaping Retail and Restaurants with Sunny Khamkar
Retail Sound Bites
In this episode of Retail Sound Bites, hosts Barry Thomas and Rachel Dalton welcome Sunny Khamkar, a leading food and beverage trends expert, to discuss the forces reshaping the future of foodservice, retail, and consumer dining habits. From rising food costs and the impact of GLP-1 medications to the growing demand for protein-rich options, global flavors, functional beverages, and personalized meal experiences, Sunny shares the trends transforming menus across restaurants, grocery retailers, and convenience stores. The conversation also explores the rise of prepared meals, the power...
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Episode 105: Challenger brands, changing rules - The race to real scale in beverage with Danny Stepper
Retail Sound Bites
The next billion-dollar brands won't be invented by legacy CPG; they'll be acquired from founders. On the latest episode of Retail Sound Bites, Barry Thomas and Rachel Dalton sit down with Danny Stepper, CEO and co-founder of L.A. Libations, to unpack the realities behind scaling a beverage brand. This conversation dives into what separates brands that break through from those that stall, including the role of retail environments like Costco in elevating challenger brands, and why access to networks, capital, and visibility is becoming just as important as shelf space. Have a topic you’d...
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Episode 104: TikTok's role in commerce with Jordan Kremm and Steve Light of L&R Distributors
Retail Sound Bites
What if TikTok matters to your business more than Amazon? On the latest Retail Sound Bites, we explore why TikTok has become one of the most powerful demand engines retail has ever seen. Featuring Jordan Kremm and Steve Light of L&R Distributors, this episode breaks down how TikTok Shop is reshaping product discovery across generations, why brands are launching on TikTok first, then scaling to retail, how viral moments translate into real, measurable in-store sales, and where most brands are getting TikTok wrong. Have a topic you’d like us to cover? Contact us at . Contact...
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Episode 103: Top trends from NACDS with Leigh O'Donnell
Retail Sound Bites
What did NACDS really reveal this year? In this Retail Sound Bites episode, Rachel Dalton, Leigh O’Donnell, and Barry Thomas share their candid take on the trends, tensions, and leadership moments shaping drug retail right now. In this conversation, Rachel Dalton, Leigh O’Donnell, and Barry Thomas look beyond the conference agenda to unpack what NACDS really revealed about the state of drug retail. From the implications of GLP‑1 to how retailers are approaching AI adoption, the role of food as medicine, and the push toward more personalized treatment and experiences for shoppers, the...
info_outlineAdaptability, collaboration, and authenticity are traits that can get you far as a professional and leader. Hear from Cathy Horgan, foodservice and on-premise lead for OLIPOP, and Stephen Horgan, co-founder of InterContinental Beverage Capital, as they join Kantar’s Barry Thomas and Rachel Dalton on episode 83 of Kantar’s Retail Sound Bites to discuss career progression, leadership, and finding brand growth as CPG veterans.
Have a topic you’d like us to cover? Contact us at Kantar’s Retail Sound Bites Podcast.