Joe Scartz

While C&S and SpartanNash are both grocery wholesalers and retailers, they mostly operate in different states — unlike Kroger and Albertsons, whose overlapping operations in many markets served as a lightning rod for critics. C&S and SpartanNash overlap in Texas and Florida, where they both have distribution centers, and Wisconsin, where they operate grocery stores. In addition, neither company has the kind of dominant presence in the grocery industry that is likely to cause the kind of uproar that ultimately squashed the Kroger-Albertsons bid.  In announcing their merger, C&S and SpartanNash said their merger would create a bigger food distribution network that would be better able to compete with what they described as “various extremely large global grocers in the U.S. food-at-home space.” Interestingly, however, both companies have concentrated recently on expanding their retail operations. C&S even disclosed in May that it would close a Florida distribution center, without saying why it elected to do so. SpartanNash’s sales have been tilting away from wholesale SpartanNash’s sales mix has gradually shifted toward its retail operations, although the company is still mostly dependent on its wholesale business. The company’s wholesale segment accounted for just over 67% of its revenue during its latest quarter, down from more than 71% a year ago. In addition, the company’s overall sales barely budged year over year, held back by a decline in its wholesale business.

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Sad day in CPG. Del Monte Foods Files for Bankruptcy After more than a century as a household name, Del Monte Foods has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The filing comes amid mounting financial pressure, including rising operational costs, shifting consumer preferences, and an inability to modernize fast enough to compete in today’s dynamic CPG market. So What happened? Del Monte’s core product categories (canned fruits, vegetables, and processed staples) have lost traction in an era where fresh, organic, and ready-to-eat alternatives dominate grocery shelves. Combine that with inflationary pressures on logistics and commodities, and the brand was already on the back foot. What is the real issue? A lack of agility. While newer brands flooded the market with innovation, bold flavor profiles, and direct-to-consumer strategies, it feels Del Monte struggled to evolve. I assume legacy systems, aging brand perception, and slow go-to-market cycles left them unable to capitalize on the shifts that are now defining modern food consumption. Now What’s next? Del Monte will likely seek to restructure debt and sell off non-core assets. But more importantly, this signals yet another major inflection point in the CPG space: modernize or be left behind. Brands that want to survive in today’s food landscape need to embrace innovation at every level. From product development to brand identity to supply chain to customer experience. Nostalgia won't earn loyalty unless you stay relevant. Would love to hear thoughts from others: What does this say about the future of legacy brands? Is reinvention, innovation or pivoting possible for companies with this much historical weight? ⚡

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Another month, another set of (somewhat) major headlines in CPG 👇🏼 In June's RecorNews update, we cover the surprising (but strategic) C&S Wholesale Grocers + SpartanNash merger, updates from both Kroger and Albertsons Companies, and a few signals for where the industry is headed next: 🛒 C&S to acquire SpartanNash — reshaping scale and efficiency in wholesale, making the combined a much more competitive entity. 📉 Grocery share leakage continues as trade wars loom and value-driven channels win price-conscious consumers. 🧀 Kraft Heinz ditches artificial dyes by 2027 (RIP neon Mac & Cheese 🙏 ). 📈 Albertsons announces leadership changes, expands media network, and accelerates centralization via ‘Category Excellence’ strategy 🔍 Kroger sharpens focus on digital profitability, private label, and strategic store closures — all signs of a more disciplined and ROI-driven approach. For my fellow CPG folks, staying plugged in is critical, especially as the industry continues to shift — and RecorNews is built to do exactly that: keep you up to speed on what’s moving and why it matters. 📬 If you want this straight-to-the-point update in your inbox monthly, shoot me a message or comment below and I’ll get you added to the list. #CPG #RetailNews #Kroger #Albertsons #RecorNews #Leadership #Ecommerce #PrivateLabel #FoodIndustry

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C&S Wholesale Grocers will provide a boost to both SpartanNash’s wholesale and retail operations, said consultant Burt Flickinger of Strategic Retail Group.Keene, N.H.-based C&S on Monday said it had agreed to acquire SpartanNash for about $1.77 billion, expanding its national network of warehouses and retail stores. SpartanNash had recently been struggling to grow its wholesale sales, however, he noted. Last year the company reported a 3% sales decline in its wholesale division, and the trend continued in the first quarter of this year.SpartanNash shareholders have also seen the company’s share price decline in the past few years, and the company needed a boost, Flickinger said. (Flickinger noted that he is a longtime shareholder of SpartanNash, along with all of the publicly traded retailers and wholesalers in the industry.)Before this week’s announcement, SpartanNash’s stock price had fallen by more than 50% from its high of nearly $36 per share in late 2022. Following the acquisition announcement, the price soared by about 33%, to more than $26 per share.Related:The rise of C&S: How the distributor’s brick-and-mortar acquisition spree has launched it into grocery’s top tier“C&S is a proverbial white knight and will bring better procurement power for better prices” to help prevent SpartanNash from losing distribution customers, Flickinger said. https://lnkd.in/eb_yi9q2

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Check out these top 10 CPG brands projected to take over some major market share in 2026. The data shows a clear and massive shift towards "better-for-you" alternatives dominating the market. Key takeaways from the pack leaders: Functional Beverages are king: poppi (+85%), Celcius (+78%), and OLIPOP PBC (+72%) are projected to take the top three spots, proving consumers want more than just hydration from their drinks. Wellness is a priority: From hydration mixes like Liquid I.V. to cleaner snacks like Chomps, products that support a healthy lifestyle are winning big. Values matter: Brands with a clear mission, like the sustainable cleaning company Blueland, are earning major consumer loyalty. The future of CPG is looking functional, healthy, and sustainable. Got any of these brands in your kitchen? I know I do! #CPG #MarketTrends #HealthAndWellness #ConsumerBehavior #Innovation #BusinessGrowth #Retail #2025Forecast

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Kroger Centralizes Retail Media Under 84.51° to Boost Advertiser Value Kroger is consolidating its retail media and data science units to unlock more value for advertisers. The company announced that Kroger Precision Marketing (KPM) will now operate entirely under its 84.51° data science division, bringing media and analytics together under one roof. What’s changing 🔸KPM, previously a standalone entity, is now fully integrated into 84.51° 🔸The move is meant to improve how advertisers access targeting, measurement, and campaign insights 🔸This consolidation aims to strengthen closed-loop performance visibility, a key selling point in retail media 🔸Kroger plans to increase investment in AI-driven audience segmentation and predictive analytics Why this matters for brands 🔹Retail media is getting more sophisticated Brands will benefit from deeper insights, more accurate targeting, and cleaner attribution when advertising on Kroger platforms 🔹Data and ad strategy are no longer separate This integration sets a standard for other retailers to follow as media networks mature and advertiser expectations rise 🔹More pressure on smaller marketplaces As giants like Kroger improve their retail media stack, emerging platforms will need to match targeting precision and measurement capabilities to stay competitive The takeaway: Retail media is moving from test and learn to scaled performance. Kroger’s play to fuse media and data into a single operation signals where the market is heading. For brands, this means better tools, clearer results, and a growing expectation to allocate more budget into retailer ecosystems that offer measurable return. ⬇️ Tap the link to read more about this update! https://lnkd.in/dQsA5s5Q

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AI isn’t just an advantage- it’s a necessity Embrace it or risk obsolescence Today at the Association of National Advertisers #AI and #Technology for Marketers Conference I shared how Newell Brands is leapfrogging competition with its use of AI driving speed to insight. Synthetic personas are a catalyst for unearthing insights in seconds with unlimited on-demand access. Leverage LLMs to enhance the quality and speed of creativity! Co-create claims, shelf sets, products with your synthetic panels. Need a consumer segmentation? Build one with ChatGPT! AI is revolutionizing commerce, communication, actually its changing everything! Start testing, learning and executing today to improve your enterprise and yourself. #ANATechnology

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DTC is no longer optional for alcohol brands...especially during OND! Distributors and retailers are backed up and focused on volume, not discovery. If you’re relying on them to push your brand during the busiest quarter of the year, you’re already behind. Direct-to-consumer changes that. It gives you control over how your story is told, who you sell to, and how fast money hits your account. It also builds something distributors never will: CONNECTION Every order gives you data. Every email builds a relationship. Every repeat buyer becomes an advocate. A few reasons DTC is so critical right now: • Cash flow is faster. No waiting months for payment. • Margins are higher. You keep more of every sale. • Marketing is smarter. You see what customers respond to in real time. • Flexibility is instant. You can launch a holiday bundle tomorrow. OND is when new customers are looking to discover brands. It’s also when existing customers want to feel connected to the ones they already love. If you don’t own that channel, someone else will own your customer. If this is something you're struggling with, it's not too late to capture the holiday frenzy! Shoot me a message and let's see what we can do for you.

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Albertsons is leaning into influencer-led retail media, and they picked a pretty great partner to do it with if you ask me 😜 Here's the skinny... 🤝 Linqia and Albertsons Media Collective teamed up to build a custom creator solution 📲 This allows Albertsons and all of their brand partners to develop retail-specific content that integrates directly into AMC's retail media ecosystems 📈 We are already seeing pretty incredible results, with a recent campaign delivering engagement rates more than four times higher on Facebook and triple on Instagram I don't think anyone is surprised to hear that creator content showing faces and telling stories outperforms typical product focused retail media content And now every brand has a dedicated offering to unleash just that as part of their retail media buys. Here's exactly how it works... 👉 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫-𝐋𝐞𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭: Linqia taps an extensive network of creators, tailored by retailer and category such as food and beverage or household essentials, to create retail-specific content 👉 𝐑𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞��𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Through the partnership with AMC, Linqia runs that creator content natively within Albertsons ad ecosystems 👉 𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝-𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐩 𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭: AMC provides attribution and sales lift data, giving brands a clear picture of ROI Retail media and influencer marketing are possibly the two hottest areas of marketing, and now they are coming together #influencermarketing #socialmedia #creatoreconomy #retailmedia

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I remember when brands and retailers saw retail media as an experiment, a niche tactic for shopper marketing. Back then, many were reluctant to get on board. Now, every type of retailer, from big box giants to regional specialty stores, is racing to become a retail media network. Retail media has transformed from a tactical add-on, to a strategic growth engine, powered by first-party data, direct consumer access, and real-time insights. And it is just getting started. https://lnkd.in/dQq3tF6x

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How traditional retail and distribution fueled MDPH’s rise In my interview with BestMediaInfo.com, I talk about why conventional marketing strategies—rooted in local trust—still hold strong in today’s digital-first world. Our legacy in grassroots retail continues to guide us as we evolve across new consumer touchpoints. Read the full interview here:  https://lnkd.in/d8h6GgG9

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Kroger just made a BILLION-dollar decision to double down on Customer Experience. Kroger just announced the closure of ~60 locations—and simultaneously doubled down on investments in Customer Experience (CX) across digital, in-store, and supply chain operations. They know what smart, growth-focused leaders already understand: CX isn't a department. It's the whole business. From advertising to doorstep delivery… loyalty is earned (or lost) at every step. Business Leaders, ask yourself these 3 questions: - Is your brand delivering a streamlined, trusted, and memorable experience? - Can your team clearly map the moments where customers feel seen, valued, and loyal? - Are there cracks in the system that leave value—and reputation—on the table? Kroger’s pivot is a huge, strategic move - and one that likely will pay dividends for them in the coming years. This isn't just for retailers, but to every business that wants to stay relevant. #CustomerExperience #MarketingStrategy #FractionalCMO #Leadership #CXSells #Kroger #GrowthMarketing

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