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AI deployed into fragmentation does not create intelligence; it amplifies complexity. Recorded at Manhattan Exchange in Milan, this episode features regular guest Ben Sillitoe to break down what retail leaders shared on the ground about moving beyond AI pilots. Exchange is Manhattan Associates' flagship European event. Last year, the emphasis was on "unleashing the agents". 12 months on, what have we learned? The focus in Milan was on AI agents inside existing workflows: transportation planning agents. Omnichannel specialist agents. Shipment tracking agents. Tools that identify problems and proactively resolve them. But an AI agent is only as useful as the information and rules available to work with. Solid foundations are everything. For example, pulling inventory from one system, customer details from another, fulfilment from a third and carrier data from a fourth creates multiple versions of the truth — and an agent that can confidently give the wrong answer, fast.  The takeaway from Milan: the aim is not to create smarter machines, but smarter organizations — powered by people, unified by technology, accelerated by AI, and unburdened by complexity.  Featuring examples from JD Sports, Asda, L'Oreal, Co-op, Bauhaus, Foot Locker, CIA Conad, and more.  📺 Watch on YouTube https://youtu.be/c08ExOWFl90  For more, visit https://www.manh.com  ABOUT THE PODCAST 🎙️ Retail Disrupted is an award-winning Top 5% Global Podcast. Every week, retail analyst Natalie Berg speaks with the leaders and disruptors shaping the future of retail.   👉 Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@retaildisrupted 👉 Subscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/retail-disrupted/id1676107321 👉 Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5H0TALn63ov2VAIJPNi3FM 👉 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/retail-disrupted/ 👉 Subscribe to our newsletter: https://retaildisrupted.substack.com

Your store is no longer just a place for transactions – it's your best marketing channel. Jack Stratten, Director of Insider Trends, sits down with Natalie Berg to explore how to repurpose stores for a digital era. Jack shares what he is seeing on the ground, from Gentle Monster building stores where marketing is a main KPI to brand takeovers in Sephora Barcelona where, alongside traditional sales metrics, the retailer is also assessing dwell time, traffic and conversion.  You'll learn why Sostrene Grene is among Europe's fastest growing physical retailers and how winning retailers design their stores for content creation, build treasure-hunt discovery, and connect store and digital teams to drive engagement that online alone cannot deliver. Connect with Jack on LinkedIn. ABOUT THE PODCAST 🎙️ Retail Disrupted is an award-winning Top 5% Global Podcast. Every week, retail analyst Natalie Berg speaks with the leaders and disruptors shaping the future of retail.   👉 Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@retaildisrupted 👉 Subscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/retail-disrupted/id1676107321 👉 Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5H0TALn63ov2VAIJPNi3FM   👉 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/retail-disrupted/ 👉 Subscribe to our newsletter: https://retaildisrupted.substack.com

The Body Shop is in transformation mode. Two years after its rescue from administration, the globally renowned ethical beauty business is moving from stabilization to its next phase of growth under Mike Jatania - Co-Founder of Aurea Group and CEO & Chairman of The Body Shop. Mike joins Natalie Berg to discuss what it takes to revive one of the world's most recognizable and purpose-driven brands.  📺 You can also watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRM5IbolyHw&t=1s  Retail leaders will learn: Why loyal customers were never the problem and how to win new customers in a disrupted market. The 5-pillar turnaround: brand positioning, meeting shoppers where they are, data-led decisions, speed to market, and operational focus. Why stores still matter: creating relaxed, personalized, experience-led spaces and a seamless online to in-store journey. The digital growth plan: growing D2C e-commerce from 15% to 40% of sales within the next 3 years - and getting the assortment right for marketplaces and quick commerce.. How The Body Shop returned to the US exclusively through e-commerce and Mike's plans to selectively return to bricks & mortar in the future. The opportunity in wholesale and travel retail. One of The Body Shop's best performing stores in Germany? A railway station in Cologne. How The Body Shop is using AI across marketing, supply chain, demand planning, legal, and more. What Gen Z really wants: purpose plus performance, backed by clinical proof. ABOUT OUR GUEST Mike is CEO & Chairman of The Body Shop and Co-Founder of Aurea Group, a specialist private equity firm focused on beauty, wellness and longevity. A seasoned entrepreneur and a visionary leader in the beauty and personal care industry, Mike previously served as CEO of the Lornamead Group where he played a pivotal role in transforming the company into a global powerhouse, managing a portfolio of more than 30 personal care brands distributed across 50 countries. In 2021, Mike Jatania co-founded Aurea Group with former UBS Vice Chairman, Paul Raphael. In September 2024, through Auréa, Mike led a consortium of investors to acquire The Body Shop, where he now serves as Executive Chairman and CEO. Mike aims to usher in a new chapter for The Body Shop, driving growth and enhancing its global presence while preserving its core values and ethos. ABOUT THE PODCAST 🎙️ Retail Disrupted is an award-winning Top 5% Global Podcast. Every week, retail analyst Natalie Berg speaks with the leaders and disruptors shaping the future of retail.   👉 Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@retaildisrupted  👉 Subscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/retail-disrupted/id1676107321   👉 Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5H0TALn63ov2VAIJPNi3FM   👉 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/retail-disrupted/  👉 Subscribe to our newsletter: https://retaildisrupted.substack.com

How did a third-generation butcher from Wolverhampton use TikTok to become one of the UK's most recognisable halal brands?  Manny Malik from Malik Butchers joins Natalie Berg at TikTok's live shopping event in Covent Garden. Manny explains the Halal Family Series that hit up to 9 million views, how they ship fresh meat across the UK via TikTok Shop, and why TikTok Shop buyers became inbound wholesale leads.  He also shares how customers now travel from as far as the US and Australia, just to visit their counter. For retail leaders, this is a practical look at content to commerce, TikTok Shop as an extra revenue stream, and how social can build national distribution from one store. ABOUT THE PODCAST 🎙️ Retail Disrupted is an award-winning Top 5% Global Podcast. Every week, retail analyst Natalie Berg speaks with the leaders and disruptors shaping the future of retail.   👉 Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@retaildisrupted 👉 Subscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/retail-disrupted/id1676107321  👉 Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5H0TALn63ov2VAIJPNi3FM  👉 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/retail-disrupted/ 👉 Subscribe to our newsletter: https://retaildisrupted.substack.com

Live every day for 18 months: how Cheeky Wipes turns awkward questions into sales on TikTok. In this mini episode, Helen Rankin, founder of Cheeky Wipes and Cheeky Pants, shares how daily TikTok Lives build community and remove barriers to buy. She speaks to Natalie Berg at TikTok's live shopping event in Covent Garden. Cheeky Wipes and Cheeky Pants is a reusable hygiene brand founded by Helen Rankin in 2008 after she struggled to find baby wipes suitable for eczema-prone skin. What started as Helen packing boxes in her garage has grown into a team of 20. The company sells reusable wipes, period products, cloth nappies and incontinence solutions, helping consumers reduce waste and save money. On TikTok, the brand has built a loyal community through educational livestreams, sustainability content, and product demonstrations. The focus is on educational and relatable content, demystifying sensitive topics and creating a space where customers feel comfortable asking the awkward questions they might not ask elsewhere. For retail leaders, Helen explains why consistency beats virality, how live Q&A helps shoppers try education-heavy products, and how TikTok and cheekywipes.com work together. Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBKrO5D-mk8  🎙️ Retail Disrupted is an award-winning Top 5% Global Podcast. Every week, retail analyst Natalie Berg speaks with the leaders and disruptors shaping the future of retail.   👉 Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@retaildisrupted  👉 Subscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/retail-disrupted/id1676107321   👉 Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5H0TALn63ov2VAIJPNi3FM   👉 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/retail-disrupted/  👉 Subscribe to our newsletter: https://retaildisrupted.substack.com

TikTok is sending shoppers back to stores, not away from them. Hosted by retail analyst Natalie Berg, this episode features Paul Mears, Group Vertical Director of Retail and E-Commerce at TikTok, on why discovery on TikTok is driving footfall and sales to independent shops, cafes, and restaurants. We open with analyst reaction to the Primark news: Primark plans to launch home delivery in the UK after years of resisting online. Read Natalie's comments on the BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c89jdl0j5x4o  Paul then shares new data on TikTok's £10 billion contribution to the UK economy, why TikTok live shopping doesn't need to be overly produced - just authentic - and what retailers can learn from sellers winning beyond beauty and fashion. Even butchers and veg box suppliers are finding success on the platform. Listen to the end to hear how TikTok plans to use AI to enhance the customer experience.  You can also watch this discussion on YouTube  Mentioned in this episode: 📄 Transporeon Whitepaper: Retail Logistics Trends & Transportation Solutions 📺 Webinar with Tesco: Managing Retail Logistics in the Era of Uncertainty

How does Kraft Heinz decide what shoppers actually want next — from a viral vodka pasta to zero sugar, zero salt ketchup? Karen Owen, Chief Growth Officer, Europe & Pacific Developed Markets, at Kraft Heinz, joins Natalie Berg to discuss how to turn consumer obsession into commercial growth — from spotting viral trends and building true brand partnerships to testing flavour and creative with AI as one tool in a bigger innovation engine. A playbook for commerce leaders on reading shoppers and scaling what works. 📺 Watch on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXchNfFHWyU  WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: • How Kraft Heinz reads consumer signals — Gen Z, singletons and QSR inspiration — before committing to launch • Inside the Ocado test-and-learn partnership: joint consumer data, co-developed ranges, and Ocado's role testing pack, range and on-shelf execution • From viral to bestseller: How Gigi Hadid's vodka pasta led to the creation of Heinz x Absolut tomato vodka pasta sauce — #3 in UK supermarkets at launch and Kraft Heinz's best-selling limited edition — and why Heinz Tomato Ketchup Zero is now +26% YoY • Where AI saves hundreds of hours (flavour profiling, creative pre-testing) and where human insight still leads, plus early signals on agentic commerce ABOUT OUR GUEST Karen Owen oversees innovation, marketing and brand strategy for Kraft Heinz' European and Pacific Developed Markets, united by the company's crown jewel, Heinz - a global brand icon with roots in Karen's hometown of Wigan, where her love for the billion-dollar brand began. A seasoned CPG executive with a passion for building high performing teams, Karen has a track record of spearheading innovation and creativity to drive top and bottom-line growth for global brands like LIPTON Teas and Infusions, where she served as Chief Marketing Officer prior to joining Kraft Heinz. Karen has also held leadership roles at Diageo, Coty Beauty and P&G. ABOUT THE PODCAST 🎙️ Retail Disrupted is a Top 5% Global Podcast. Every week, retail analyst Natalie Berg speaks with the leaders and disruptors shaping the future of retail.   👉 Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@retaildisrupted  👉 Subscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/retail-disrupted/id1676107321   👉 Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5H0TALn63ov2VAIJPNi3FM   👉 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/retail-disrupted/  👉 Subscribe to our newsletter: https://retaildisrupted.substack.com

70% of whiskey shoppers in Germany start on Amazon — even if they don't buy there.  It's a powerful reminder that digital commerce is about more than the transaction; it's about discovery, inspiration and brand-building - important for a category like alcohol where just 6-7% of sales take place online. In this episode of Retail Disrupted, Natalie Berg sits down with Danson Huang, Global Vice President of Connected Commerce at Diageo, to explore how AI, quick commerce, retail media and digital discovery are reshaping the consumer journey. 📺 Watch this episode on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TS1z5pMKVAg&t=239s  Danson and Natalie discuss: • Why consumers are prioritizing occasion-led thinking over product-led search • How brands should optimize for recommendations from LLMs and shopping agents • Why agentic commerce may make sense for some purchases (the weekly Guinness order) but not others (the single malt whiskey gift) • How quick commerce can turn live moments — from football wins to Eurovision — into real-time, relevant shopping occasions • The role of retail media in quick commerce and why brands needs to improve relevance here • The foundational data and organizational challenges holding AI projects back and why businesses should focus on outcomes — not "AI for AI's sake" 💡One of the key takeaways from Danson: "Consumers don't live in their CHANNELS. They live with their NEEDS." 🤝 This episode is part of our Shoptalk series, sponsored by Manhattan Associates. https://www.manh.com/   ABOUT OUR GUEST Danson Huang leads Diageo's global B2C digital transformation across pure-play, e-grocery, quick-commerce, D2C platforms, and brand ecosystems. With over 20 years of experience spanning China, Singapore, the US, France, and the UK, he has built and scaled digital commerce, innovation, and omnichannel growth capabilities across global consumer brands. Danson is recognized for his work in connected commerce, MACH-enabled transformation, and the integration of technology, data, and consumer experience to drive sustainable growth. ABOUT THE PODCAST 🎙️ Retail Disrupted is a Top 5% Global Podcast. Every week, retail analyst Natalie Berg speaks with the leaders and disruptors shaping the future of retail.    👉 Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@retaildisrupted 👉 Subscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/retail-disrupted/id1676107321 👉 Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5H0TALn63ov2VAIJPNi3FM 👉 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/retail-disrupted/ 👉 Subscribe to our newsletter: https://retaildisrupted.substack.com

AI is a bigger wave of disruption than e-commerce or mobile because it isn't just changing how consumers behave; it's fundamentally changing how businesses operate. Romain Roulleau, Group Digital & E-Commerce Director, Kingfisher, joins Natalie Berg to unpack how Kingfisher — the £13 billion home improvement giant behind B&Q, Screwfix, Castorama, and Brico Depot — is at the forefront of this next retail transformation.  In this episode, Romain reveals how Kingfisher's marketplace now drives 50% of e-commerce GMV, why they're betting on AI-powered conversational commerce with Google Cloud's Vertex AI, and what "agentic commerce" means for the future of retail. Romain also unpacks the store-centric marketplace model that's become a differentiator against pure players — including click-and-collect and in-store returns for third-party products — and explains why 78% of Kingfisher's business still happens in physical stores, making expert advice the next frontier for AI. If you're a retail leader navigating the shift from omnichannel to AI-powered commerce, this is your briefing. 🤝 This episode is brought to you by Manhattan Associates and was recorded in Barcelona at Shoptalk Europe. https://www.manh.com/  ABOUT OUR GUEST As Group Digital & E-Commerce Director at Kingfisher, Romain is responsible for leading all marketplace, retail media, e-commerce and innovation activity within the Group and its banner brands. Prior to his current role, Romain spent five years as Chief Marketing, Digital & Customer Officer at Castorama, one of the leading home improvement retailers in France, driving the brand's digital strategy and e-commerce growth. He has also previously held a number of senior digital and e-commerce roles within the travel industry globally, over the course of more than a decade, including as SVP, Digital & E-Commerce at AccorHotels, one of the world's largest hotel groups. ABOUT THE PODCAST 🎙️ Retail Disrupted is a Top 5% Global Podcast with the leaders and disruptors shaping the future of retail. Hosted by retail analyst Natalie Berg.   👉 Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@retaildisrupted  👉 Subscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/retail-disrupted/id1676107321   👉 Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5H0TALn63ov2VAIJPNi3FM   👉 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/retail-disrupted/  👉 Subscribe to our newsletter: https://retaildisrupted.substack.com

Your brand believes it's trusted. Your customers disagree. Dr Amna Khan is a renowned retail and consumer behaviour expert with a PhD in trust development from Alliance Manchester Business School. She's observed the trust contract between businesses and consumers unravel in real time. She joins Natalie Berg to unpack what this means for retailers and brands. 📺 Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g02sjV7Kako&t=1827s  What you'll learn:  Why emotional trust builds resilience.  Why founder-led brands like P. Louise are flourishing and how transparency strengthens trust when things go wrong. How Gen Z discover products through creators, not advertising — and how that permanently rewires the path to purchase. The imperfection advantage. AI-generated content is flooding every channel. Human flaws — typos, rough edges, unscripted moments — are becoming the new trust signals. Where AI helps vs where it hurts. Holland & Barrett uses AI to free up staff for personalised advice. But when AI generates flawless, homogenous content, consumers trust it less — not more. What AI agents will do to your brand if you haven't built trust by 2027. CONNECT WITH DR AMNA KHAN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dramnakhan/  ABOUT THE PODCAST 🎙️ Retail Disrupted is a Top 5% Global Podcast with the leaders and disruptors shaping the future of retail. Hosted by retail analyst Natalie Berg.  👉 Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@retaildisrupted 👉 Subscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/retail-disrupted/id1676107321 👉 Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5H0TALn63ov2VAIJPNi3FM 👉 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/retail-disrupted/ 👉 Subscribe to our newsletter: https://retaildisrupted.substack.com

Modern retail is globally efficient but emotionally bankrupt. Marc-Antoine Barrois, founder of the luxury fragrance house MARC-ANTOINE BARROIS, and architect Antoine Bouillot join Natalie Berg to discuss their shared belief: a store should prioritize emotion over the transaction. In this episode, they reveal how they design flagship spaces in London, Paris, and New York that deliberately increase dwell time, why sales associates are trained to tell customers to leave without buying, and how they were inspired to create the "IRL is Better" campaign. 📺 Watch on YouTube to see inside Marc-Antoine Barrois stores: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pub_PiUReKA  We discuss: ▶ Why efficiency has stripped retail of emotion — and how to put it back ▶ The architectural toolkit for deceleration: treasure-hunt layouts, suspended furniture, and materials built to last ▶ Sales advisors, not salespeople: training staff to prioritize connection over conversion ▶ "IRL is Better" — inside the anti-social media campaign that doubled down on real-world intimacy ▶ How handwritten notes and personal emails extend the flagship experience online ABOUT THE PODCAST 🎙️ Retail Disrupted is a Top 5% Global Podcast with the leaders and disruptors shaping the future of retail. Hosted by retail analyst Natalie Berg.  👉 Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@retaildisrupted 👉 Subscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/retail-disrupted/id1676107321 👉 Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5H0TALn63ov2VAIJPNi3FM 👉 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/retail-disrupted/ 👉 Subscribe to our newsletter: https://retaildisrupted.substack.com

In 1985, two federal prosecutors walked away from their careers and mortgaged their homes to open a pizza restaurant in Beverly Hills. They wound up inventing an entirely new dining category. Rick Rosenfield, co-founder of California Pizza Kitchen, joins Natalie Berg on Retail Disrupted to share the unfiltered story: the one menu hit that redefined casual dining, the culture that made CPK somewhere people genuinely wanted to work, how it beat the odds to survive bankruptcy and the reinvention chapter that followed. Rick shares lessons from his new book: The California Pizza Kitchen Story: How Two Federal Prosecutors Changed the Way America Eats Pizza. https://amplifypublishinggroup.com/product/nonfiction/business-and-finance/leadership-and-management/the-california-pizza-kitchen-story/  This is a masterclass in innovation, differentiation, and ethical leadership for anyone building a brand, scaling multi-site retail, or navigating private equity-backed growth. What retail leaders take away: How two lawyers created upscale casual dining at shopping centers with zero restaurant experience How BBQ chicken pizza became the brand's defining product Why CPK became the first national chain to go non-smoking — and what it reveals about culture-led decisions The private equity warning: what founders lose when new owners sideline the vision How CPK is diversifying into packaged goods and airport retail to future-proof the brand Watch this episode on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8WT_w571no&t=790s  ABOUT OUR GUEST Rick Rosenfield is a former federal prosecutor and defense attorney. He is the co-founder of California Pizza Kitchen, the restaurant brand that helped redefine how America eats pizza and reshaped modern casual dining. Before entering the restaurant business, Rosenfield began his legal career at the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, DC, where he worked on cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and the U.S. Courts of Appeals.  In the mid-eighties, Rosenfield and his partner, Larry Flax, made the unconventional decision to leave the law field and open the first California Pizza Kitchen in Beverly Hills. What began as a single restaurant grew into a global brand while maintaining a distinctive culinary vision and culture. ABOUT THE PODCAST  🎙️ Retail Disrupted is a Top 5% Global Podcast with the leaders and disruptors shaping the future of retail. Hosted by retail analyst Natalie Berg.   👉 Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@retaildisrupted  👉 Subscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/retail-disrupted/id1676107321   👉 Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5H0TALn63ov2VAIJPNi3FM   👉 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/retail-disrupted/  👉 Subscribe to our newsletter: https://retaildisrupted.substack.com   #CaliforniaPizzaKitchen #CPK #RestaurantStrategy #BrandBuilding #RetailDisrupted #RetailPodcast #FoodBrand #FounderStory

The UK's third biggest fashion retailer doesn't own a single store, design a single garment, or hold a single unit of inventory. Natalie Berg sits down with Olivia May, Partner at OC&C Strategy Consultants, to deliver the strategy briefing retail leaders need on the resale revolution. In this episode: ▶ Why Vinted overtook established names to become the UK's #3 fashion retailer ▶ The data advantage first-hand brands hold over pure-play resale platforms ▶ Why luxury resale is harder to scale than it looks — from retail theft to $78 item processing costs  ▶ Vinted vs Depop: what separates a platform winner from a challenger ▶ The "say-do gap": why the same customer shopping resale is also buying Shein For retail leaders evaluating their own resale channel — or trying to understand where their margin is going — this episode is for you. 🤝 This episode is sponsored by OC&C Strategy Consultants. https://www.occstrategy.com   📺 Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VN3rfoutHxc  ABOUT OUR GUEST Olivia May is a Partner in the Global Retail Practice at OC&C with a particular focus on developing winning strategies and game-changing customer propositions for apparel businesses, marketplaces and digital native brands. Olivia has over 14 years of experience working closely and collaboratively with retailers and brands to both develop customer-centric strategies and help put them into action in a way that transforms and future-proofs client businesses. In particular, she works closely with platforms, brands and investors looking to participate and win in recommerce markets. ABOUT RETAIL DISRUPTED Retail Disrupted is a Top 5% Global Podcast with the leaders and disruptors shaping the future of retail. Hosted by retail analyst Natalie Berg. 👉 Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@retaildisrupted 👉 Subscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/retail-disrupted/id1676107321 👉 Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5H0TALn63ov2VAIJPNi3FM 👉 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/retail-disrupted/ 👉 Subscribe to our newsletter: https://retaildisrupted.substack.com

Gregor Ulitzka (President, Europe at Ocado Group) makes the case that online grocery isn't a sprint — it's a decathlon. The path to profitability requires retailers to master logistics, availability, pricing, last-mile, customer experience - the works! From Ocado's origins as the UK's first pure-play online grocer to a technology platform and solutions business powering e-commerce for some of the world's biggest grocers — this is a masterclass in what it actually takes to make online grocery work. Gregor and Natalie discuss: The "detail, detail, detail" principle behind sustainable online grocery profitability Shifting consumer habits & the 2-hour delivery myth Global partnerships: from Alcampo to Asda (hot off the press) In-store solutions vs CFCs: the infrastructure decisions Where AI genuinely adds value in grocery (and where human beats algorithm every time) Retail 2036: will AI agents be doing all the grocery shopping for us? 🤝 Today's episode is brought to you by Manhattan Associates https://www.manh.com/  ABOUT OUR GUEST Gregor is president of Europe at the Ocado Group. As the first person to hold this role, he is responsible for the growth and operations of Ocado Solutions across the region. Prior to joining in 2023, Gregor built and scaled the vendor-facing supply chain at Amazon for over 10 years, with his most recent role for the business being director of supply chain and inventory management for Europe. ABOUT THE PODCAST 🎙️ Retail Disrupted is a Top 5% Global Podcast with the leaders and disruptors shaping the future of retail. Hosted by retail analyst Natalie Berg. Subscribe: 👉 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@retaildisrupted  👉 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/retail-disrupted/id1676107321   👉 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5H0TALn63ov2VAIJPNi3FM   👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/retail-disrupted/  👉 Newsletter: https://retaildisrupted.substack.com

Most DTC brands struggle to make the leap from online-only to physical retail. Vuori didn't just make the transition -they're now scaling stores across Europe, Asia, and beyond. Recorded live at Shoptalk Europe, Global President Ashley Kechter shares the playbook behind the California athleisure brand's retail expansion, international growth, and what's required to scale a modern consumer brand. Ashley explains why Vuori's stores function as community hubs and customer acquisition engines — not just sales floors — and how international markets act as early-warning systems for product trends before they hit the US. Key topics covered: Vuori's brand DNA: how does it stand out in a crowded market? The "density within markets" approach: clustering stores before diversifying geographically How e-commerce data in 30 countries pinpoints the next store location Why international markets are Vuori's trend-forecasting advantage Balancing global brand consistency with hyper-local community activations The role of stores in acquiring omnichannel customers who still value the opportunity to "touch and feel" the product 🤝 This episode is sponsored by Manhattan Associates - the unified foundation for global supply chains and commerce. ABOUT OUR GUEST As Vuori's Global President, Ashley Kechter is responsible for overseeing the brand's global business strategy, driving the financial process, and overseeing retail, eCommerce, planning and wholesale internationally and domestically. Prior to joining Vuori, Kechter served as global president of eComm, retail, wholesale and International for Fabletics, and previous roles include Chief Business Officer and GM for Banana Republic, and Chief Merchandising Officer and GM of Merch, Planning, eCommerce, Sourcing, Inventory Management, and Product Development at Restoration Hardware.  ABOUT THE PODCAST 🎙️ Retail Disrupted is a Top 5% Global Podcast with the leaders and disruptors shaping the future of retail. Hosted by retail analyst Natalie Berg.  👉 Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@retaildisrupted 👉 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/retail-disrupted/ 👉 Subscribe to our newsletter: https://retaildisrupted.substack.com