Episode 91: Unlocking new revenue growth in healthcare with Soda Health
Release Date: 08/29/2025
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...
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Episode 102: Minds on the Machine with Andy Murray
Retail Sound Bites
In this episode of Retail Sound Bites, Barry Thomas and Rachel Dalton welcome back Andy Murray, former Executive Chairman of Saatchi & Saatchi X and CEO of BigQuest Advisory, to discuss the future of AI through the lens of original research titled Minds on the Machine. Based on insights from graduating seniors at the University of Arkansas’ Walton College of Business, the conversation reveals a strong theme of pragmatic optimism. While students recognize AI’s growing role across industries, they are deeply focused on preserving human judgment, creativity, and connection. Andy...
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Episode 101: European buying groups with Paida Mugudubi
Retail Sound Bites
Retail buying groups are reshaping the balance of power in Europe’s grocery landscape. In this episode of Retail Sound Bites, Barry Thomas and Rachel Dalton are joined by Paida Mugudubi to unpack how buying groups work, why they’ve grown so influential across Europe, and what they mean for brands navigating pricing, negotiations, private label, and retail media in a world where “nothing stays local.” Have a topic you’d like us to cover? Contact us at . Contact Barry: | Contact Rachel: |
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Episode 100: The Retail Reset - 100 Sound Bites Later
Retail Sound Bites
Retail Sound Bites marks a major milestone with its 100th episode, celebrating four years of conversations at the intersection of retail, CPG, and commerce transformation. Hosts Barry Thomas and Rachel Dalton kick off the episode by reflecting on the journey so far and spotlighting the top 10 most‑listened‑to episodes from the past four years. The episode also features Ted Riedel, President of Kantar’s North American Retail Practice, and James May, EVP of CPG & Hospitality. In a fast‑paced, candid conversation, they explore: · How modern...
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Episode 99: 2026 Food and Beverage Trends with Brian Choi of The Food Institute
Retail Sound Bites
What will value really mean for food and beverage in 2026? On the latest episode of Retail Sound Bites, Barry Thomas and Rachel Dalton sit down with Brian Choi, CEO of The Food Institute, to unpack the forces reshaping the industry, including deeply value‑obsessed consumer to the rise of challenger brands and experience‑led innovation. 🎙️ Key takeaways from the conversation: Consumer confidence remains historically low, forcing brands to clearly justify price through either affordability or unmistakable quality Gen Z, Gen Alpha, and older shoppers are fragmenting demand, making...
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Episode 98: National Retail Federation 2026: Retail's Big Show
Retail Sound Bites
In this episode of Retail Sound Bites, Barry and Rachel are joined by Amar Singh and David Marcotte for a rapid‑fire download on everything we saw, heard, and learned at NRF 2026: Retail’s Big Show. From global tech innovation to the rise of agentic commerce, frictionless checkout, robotics, synthetic data, and the power of creators, this episode is packed with the signals shaping the next era of retail. 🎧 Highlights include: • Why data is king and trust is the new currency in AI‑powered retail • Emerging global tech players redefining innovation • RFID’s leap into...
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Episode 97: PoweRanking® 2025 - The Relevance Reset
Retail Sound Bites
In this episode of Retail Sound Bites, Jeff Maloy, vice president of retail, sales, and shopper, and Rohan Mazumdar, vice president of retail consulting, at Kantar, join hosts Rachel Dalton and Barry Thomas in a discussion about this year's PoweRanking® findings. Kantar's PoweRanking® report is the industry's leading assessment of best-in-class manufacturers and retailers. In an annual survey, companies are ranked on a range of factors, from strategic metrics to business fundamentals, capturing input from several key industry leaders. This year's report found that in a year defined by market...
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Episode 96: Activating insights for commercial teams with Anna Estlund
Retail Sound Bites
In this episode of Retail Sound Bites, Rachel Dalton and Anna Estlund, VP of strategy, insights, and analytics at Pernod Ricard, discuss five critical steps to turn insights into real-time activation for commercial teams. They also discuss the blurring boundaries between alcohol and non-alcohol categories, the rise of modern health and moderation trends, premiumization despite economic headwinds, and more. Have a topic you’d like us to cover? Contact us at . Contact Barry: | Contact Rachel: |
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Episode 95: The future of convenience and category management with Bala Gurumoorthy
Retail Sound Bites
In this episode, Rachel Dalton and Barry Thomas sit down with Bala Gurumoorthy, VP of Category Management at Ferrero USA, to discuss the evolving landscape of convenience retail and the future of category management. Together, they uncover fantastic insights from the recent NACS event, Ferrero’s approach to omnichannel strategy, and how category management is transforming from a back-office function to a true growth driver. A few of our favorite insights from Bala: “Category management is evolving from back office to growth architect.” “Don’t just report the news—create the...
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Episode 94: The industry scoop from Shoptalk, Groceryshop, and Velocity
Retail Sound Bites
In this special episode of Retail Sound Bites, we unpack the most compelling themes and takeaways from three powerhouse industry events—Shoptalk, Groceryshop, and Velocity. Hosts Barry Thomas and Rachel Dalton are joined by two of Kantar’s leading voices in shopper intelligence: Leigh O'Donnell, Head of Shopper and Category Insights, and Julie Craig, Vice President of Shopper Insights. Together, they explore how the retail landscape is evolving across formats, cultures, and consumer behaviors. From the lasting impact of GLP-1 medications on grocery shopping habits to the reinvention of the...
info_outlinePersonalization, engagement, and “food as medicine” programs are shaping the future of preventive care.
This episode features a conversation with Jared Childs and Julie Fleisher from Soda Health; a company focused on improving access to preventive healthcare through benefits platforms. Barry Thomas and Rachel Dalton sat down with Jarden and Julie to explore how their innovative platform is transforming healthcare access for millions of Medicare Advantage members. Discover how Soda Health connects brands, retailers, and health plans to empower older consumers with easy-to-use benefits cards for OTC products, healthy food, and more.
Tune in to learn how Soda Health is driving collaboration, closed-loop analytics, and meaningful outcomes for consumers and partners alike!
Have a topic you’d like us to cover? Contact us at Kantar’s Retail Sound Bites Podcast.
Contact Barry: Email | LinkedIn
Contact Rachel: Email | LinkedIn
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https://www.modernretail.co/operations/many-target-stores-will-stop-fulfilling-online-orders/
https://fortune.com/2025/08/25/keurig-dr-pepper-peets-coffee-18-billion/