Ahold Delhaize’s Post

📖 I was rereading McKinsey's "Reviving Grocery Retail: Six Imperatives" the other day, and I had the same reaction: Oldies but goldies. 👀✨ It also reminded me of a phrase I recently came across: «"We know how to fill shelves. The real challenge is knowing how to empty them."» That idea perfectly captures what grocery retail is facing today. A few years ago, McKinsey was already talking about: • data-driven decisions, not instinct 📊 • AI embedded into daily operations 🤖 • stores that execute better, not just plan better 🏪 • reducing food waste as a source of profit, not just sustainability ♻️💰 Today, these are no longer "nice to have" capabilities. They are becoming the difference between retailers that lead and those that follow. After several years working with grocery retailers across Europe, I can say these aren't just concepts from a report. They're the conversations I have every week—in stores and with operational teams. That's why I believe in solutions like SmartDetection, SmartDecision, SmartOrder, and SmartTasking. Not because they're new, but because they help retailers transform operational data into better execution—and ultimately, into products leaving the shelf instead of ending up as waste. Curious to hear your thoughts: 💬 How quickly does operational reality reach HQ in your organization? 💬 What's your biggest Ultra Fresh challenge today: forecasting, ordering, execution, freshness, or waste? 💬 If you could accelerate one initiative before the end of this fiscal year, what would it be? Sometimes, the best ideas aren't the newest ones—they're the ones that keep proving themselves year after year. 💡 https://lnkd.in/dR9g7KHv #Retail #GroceryRetail #RetailInnovation #ArtificialIntelligence #FoodWaste #CustomerSuccess #OperationalExcellence #Smartway

Individual pilots are great, but they don’t scale themselves. In this week’s episode of the Circular Economy Show, Lou and Fin explore how to stop building in silos and start building the critical foundations of shared infrastructure, so that everyone can win. Whether it’s launching scalable refill coalitions with Aldi and Ocado, aggregating future demand to bring 90% emission-reducing fuel to ocean transport, or rewriting retail habits at checkout counters across the US, one thing is clear: it’s time to shift the system to move the market. Catherine Conway Ingrid Irigoyen Kate Daly Listen now: https://lnkd.in/dy8x5wAG

What do you do when a supplier lets you down and the delivery fails anyway? It's the question every retail operations team faces eventually, and at The Richmond Retail & eCommerce Directors' Forum, Jessica Farrell ( HelloFresh), Phil Hackney ( Matalan ) and Lee Clark( Screwfix ) had a clear answer: don't waste a crisis. Here's what came out of the session: 1. A crisis can be the thing that finally gets change moving. Used well, disruption pushes through decisions that calmer times never quite force. 2. Small operational fixes add up. Screwfix's automated replenishment tool increased trailer utilisation by 5%, a result built on getting the detail right, not a big sweeping overhaul. 3. Recovery matters as much as prevention. HelloFresh's "recovery box" initiative improved how the business bounced back from failed first deliveries, proof that planning for things going wrong is just as important as trying to stop them. The panel's message was simple, resilience isn't something you build once and forget. It's tested constantly, and the businesses that learn from each test come out stronger. What's the operational fix in your business that's made the biggest difference, even if it felt small at the time? #SupplyChain #RetailResilience #RetailOperations

In this week's episode of the Circular Economy Show, our co-Director, Catherine Conway, joins Ingrid Irigoyen and Kate Daly to explore what it takes to move beyond isolated initiatives and build the shared infrastructure needed to accelerate the circular economy.   From scalable refill collaborations with Aldi and Ocado, to aggregating demand for low-emission fuels in ocean transport, to reshaping consumer habits at checkout counters across the US, the conversation returns to one central idea:   To move the market, we need to shift the system.   A great discussion on collaboration, coalition-building and creating the conditions for circular solutions to scale.   Listen now: https://lnkd.in/dy8x5wAG   #GoUnpackaged #CircularEconomy #Reuse #Refill #Collaboration 

Ocado is facing mounting pressure from investors as doubts grow over whether its grocery technology business can deliver the scale of returns once promised. The online grocer turned automation specialist has spent years trying to reposition itself as a global technology provider, selling its warehouse robotics and software to international supermarket partners #retail #grocery #ecommerce #warehousing #supplychain #automation #ocado https://lnkd.in/eQtSu29e

The best Cannes insights don’t expire when the event ends.   At a Goodway Group-hosted Campaign US roundtable, leaders from Bayer, Nestlé Nespresso SA, and Unilever shared how they are restructuring teams, using data, and aligning partners around today’s shopper.   The signal was clear: connected commerce is becoming an operating model.   A few takeaways worth carrying into the second half of the year.   #ConnectedCommerce | #CommerceMedia | #CannesLions

Most industries digitized years ago. Retail. Travel. Finance. Media. The beverage industry still attempts to coordinate growth across suppliers, distributors, retailers, agencies, field teams, and disconnected technology platforms. The result? • Fragmented execution • Limited visibility • Unclear attribution • Inefficient spending DripX was built to help connect demand creation, activation, measurement, and optimization across the three-tier ecosystem. The future of beverage won't be less regulated. It will be more connected. #DripX #BeverageIndustry #ThreeTierSystem #DigitalCommerce #CPGTechnology

#ThefutureofRetail starts with connected ecosystems. Retail is evolving beyond transactions. The next era of retail will be defined by how businesses connect people, technology, and partnerships to create long-term value across the entire ecosystem. At CP AXTRA, we believe strong ecosystems create stronger businesses. By connecting farmers, SMEs, suppliers, customers, and technology, we aim to build more resilient supply chains, enable sustainable growth, and create shared value for every stakeholder. As retail continues to transform, we remain committed to strengthening the ecosystem that supports communities, empowers businesses, and shapes the future of retail across Southeast Asia. #TheFutureofRetail #RetailEcosystem #Sustainability #CPAXTRA

The future of retail is built through connected ecosystems. By bringing together people, technology, and partnerships, we're creating long-term value for businesses, communities, and society. #TheFutureofRetail #RetailEcosystem #RetailInnovation #DigitalTransformation #Sustainability #CPAXTRA

Ocado Retail co-founder and CEO Tim Steiner is stepping down at the start of the company's 2028 financial year, after a boardroom tussle and a stock that's down more than 90% from its pandemic peak. Is this the end (or just the beginning) of the "warehouse robotics is the future of grocery" thesis? For the full #fastfive episode, sponsored by the Alvarez & Marsal Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Quorso, & Veloq, head here: https://lnkd.in/gaRvzfZb