With all the changes wrought by the coronavirus pandemic, only a crazy person would try to predict which of those changes in the grocery industry will stick and which will fall by the wayside. Well ... here I go. In July 1848, Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr, editor of Le Figaro and a novelist (mostly romances), wrote,…
March 31, 2020
Record Sales & Empty Shelves: The Short- and Long-Term Impact of COVID-19 on Supermarkets
Businesses all over the country are shutting down as responses to COVID-19 increase daily. Meanwhile supermarkets are working around the clock. And they are one of the very few remaining places where people can’t avoid coming in close contact with each other. As supermarkets scramble to stay ahead of rapidly…
December 11, 2019
Grocery Shopping in 2031: Are you ready for a whole new world?
How will grocery shopping be different in 2031? Consider that the first iPhone was released just 12 years ago, and it has changed everything we do — from getting directions, booking travel, summoning a car, staying in touch with friends, reading the news, getting recommendations. You know what I am…
April 23, 2019
What Does the Customer Really Value in a Meal Kit?
If there’s one thing we learned about the meal kit business last year, it’s big business! But it’s also a complex and volatile industry. In this space where food and tech converge, intimately understanding the customer is a real challenge. And just when you think you’ve got everything figured out,…
April 9, 2019
4 Changes to Watch in the Grocery Business Right Now
Many years ago, I spent a summer working construction. One day the crew boss told me to pick up all the nails that had been dropped on the site (I was clearly unskilled labor) before quitting time. By 1:30 it was obvious to me there was no way I was…
