The approaching one year anniversary of the war in Ukraine presents an opportunity to take stock of the many ways the war has impacted the world.  Beyond its clear political and tragic humanitarian consequences, the war has also underscored Ukraine’s importance in global food and agriculture. Disruptions caused by the war have reverberated through global […]

With customers continuing to seek lower-priced options due to inflation, the major players in value retailing are already far outpacing others in opening new stores in 2022 and appear to be riding mighty tailwinds heading into 2023. For the fiscal year in January, Dollar General and Dollar Tree are on track to open 1,300 new […]

As the end of 2022 approaches, it is an appropriate time to wonder how the year will be remembered.  However, 2022 has been such a volatile year, it will be hard to define.  Was 2022 the year that crypto currencies gained legitimacy and entered the mainstream? Or was it the year that the face of […]

This past September, my colleague Paul Alexander wrote about the rise of ready to drink (RTD) cocktails in this space. He detailed several key developments, including Coca-Cola’s partnership with both Brown-Forman and Constellation brands to launch alcoholic beverages. It seems that partnership was just the beginning for Coca-Cola’s foray into alcoholic beverages. In late September, […]

Small brands and major retailers alike have been bracing for a muted holiday shopping season this year due to concerns about a weakening economy, high inflation, excess inventory, and softening consumer demand. Anxiety built further when major fall seasonal sales, including Amazon’s second Prime Day of 2022 (the first time the company has ever had […]