Each week, the CPG Guys will riff on the hottest topics in the world of omnichannel commerce.

This week’s topics:

• Costco reports higher fourth-quarter profit on resilient consumer spending
• Grocery inflation is primed to rise
• Kroger details its AI strategy at Groceryshop 2026
• GLP-1 drug use keeps reshaping the grocery basket

CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.com
FMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.com
SheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/
Rhea Raj’s Website: http://rhearaj.com
Lara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/

DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from CPGGUYS, LLC or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by CPGGUYS, LLC. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.

CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.

The CPG Guys are joined in today's episode by Mark Hardy, SVP and head of Data Ventures at Walmart.

Follow Mark on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-a-hardy/

Follow Walmart Data Ventures online at: https://www.walmartdataventures.com/

Mark answers these Questions:

1. We’re back at Inspire for another year. For those who may not be familiar, Mark, what is Inspire — and what’s been different about the event this year?
2. We were here last year, and one of the things that stuck with us was your introduction of the Scintilla Insights Model. Remind us what that is — and how are you thinking about that?
3. Why was Scintilla such a game-changer in helping Kao introduce new life into their 125 year old Jergens brand.
4. Yesterday, you laid out a much bigger vision for where Scintilla is headed — evolving from the insights platform you’ve built into what you’re calling a commerce intelligence platform. What does that mean?
5. Let’s unpack that. Starting with “integrated” — suppliers already have access to an enormous amount of data. What still needs to be connected?
6. You also shared some exciting new AI capabilities yesterday. It sounds like Scintilla is getting a lot smarter in how it helps suppliers make sense of all this information. What does that experience start to look like?
7. Then you get to the third piece: actionable. If Scintilla can tell me what’s happening and help me understand why, how do you get me closer to actually doing something about it?
8. And one of the places where that becomes very tangible is Scintilla In-Store. What changes when you bring this intelligence all the way onto the sales floor?
9. Two years ago the story was "how did I do," last year it was "what should I do." If that arc continues, what' does this look like in 2027?

CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.com
FMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.com
SheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/
Rhea Raj’s Website: http://rhearaj.com
Lara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/

DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from CPGGUYS, LLC or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by CPGGUYS, LLC. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.

CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.

The CPG Guys are joined in today's episode by Sarp Tuncay, a retail media and e-commerce strategy leader in the CPG/Retail industry.

Follow Sarp on LinekdIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarptuncay/

Sarp answers these Questions:

1. You open with a bedtime story about your son Kai — and it perfectly frames the human-AI collaboration dynamic. How did that moment crystallize your thinking about what’s actually changing in retail media?
2. You say the central risk isn’t job loss, it’s that work becomes less important as platforms automate. That’s a more unsettling thesis than “your job disappears.” How are practitioners actually reacting when you frame it that way?
3. You describe AI as already embedded in bidding, budget pacing, targeting, and reporting — not a future state. Which retail media network do you think has gone furthest in automating execution, and what does that mean for the practitioners using it?
4. If automation creates an “illusion of control” — your phrase — what does that actually look like on the ground for a brand team that thinks they’re managing a campaign?
5. You draw a sharp line between Operator and Orchestrator. What’s the hardest part of that identity shift for practitioners who built their career on execution excellence?
6. You argue AI optimizes locally while humans must optimize globally across retailers and business goals. Can you give us a real-world scenario where that distinction made or broke a brand’s retail media outcome?
7. Your framework identifies two practitioner paths — platform specialist versus growth partner. Are brands and agencies hiring and promoting differently based on that split yet?
8. You say success metrics need to shift from ROI charts to business impact — growth, penetration, profitability. Who in the organization needs to change first: the practitioner, their manager, or the client?
9. “The real risk is irrelevance” — being seen as a reporter rather than a decision support partner. How do you help someone audit whether they’ve already drifted into that reporter role without realizing it?
10. You recommend mastering margin calculations, supply constraints, and leadership’s definition of incrementality. How much of that business fluency exists today across the retail media practitioner community, honestly?
11. We’re headed into Cannes Lions, where AI and commerce are dominating the agenda. What’s the conversation you most want to have there that you think isn’t happening loudly enough yet?
12. You close with “Let AI write the draft. You own the story.” How would you advise a brand to apply this philosophy?

CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.com
FMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.com
SheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/
Rhea Raj’s Website: http://rhearaj.com
Lara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/

DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from CPGGUYS, LLC or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by CPGGUYS, LLC. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.

CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.

The CPG Guys are joined in this episode by Kim Lefko, Chief Marketing Officer and Molly Hjelm, Corportae Vice President of Retail Media at Ace Hardware, a co-operative of 5,300+ hardware stores.

This episode was recorded at Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs, during Ace Hardware’s RedVest Media 2027 Upfront.

Follow Kim Lefko on linkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimlefko/

Follow Molly Hjlem on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mollyhjelm/

Follow RedVest media on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/redvest-media/

Follow RedVest Media online at: https://www.redvestmedia.com/

Kim & Molly answer these questions:

1. We are recording at Wrigley Field following RedVest Media’s inaugural Upfront. What does this moment represent for Ace and for the brands that grow with you?
2. We talked to you a year ago around this time, as you were preparing to launch RedVest Media. Why did it feel important to host this event? What were you looking to accomplish?
3. You built a career on the brand side prior to Ace, and you've been at Ace for nearly a decade now. What has stood out to you in this first year? Did anything surprise you about how the organization and vendor community responded?
4. To the extent that an event like today is designed to celebrate partnerships, news and progress, We'd love to know: How do you separate a meaningful opportunity from retail media noise?
5. Okay now let's get down to it and talk about today's announcements!
6. RedVest already had a full funnel portfolio and now you've announced a broad set of new capabilities this morning. Give us the lay of the land on what you announced.
7. Put yourself in the shoes of the audience: everyone here will need to go back and share back these updates with their organization. If you were a CMO at a vendor, which of these announcements will resonate most?
8. Let's start with measurement. Molly you are passionate about measurement and have data as an undercurrent in your career. How are vendors and merchants responding to performance so far and what will these enhancements do for the dialogue?
9. As the person responsible for how customers perceive and engage with the Ace brands; What differentiates the Ace customer from other customers?
10. Give us your perspective on purchase based audiences. Why an audience library now and how does that differ from the way you've targeted to date?
11. Tell us a little about why these felt important to launch to your vendors in Y1
12. What is the role of social within the context of Ace's marketing strategy?
13. Talk about the value of DoorDash to Ace
14. Talk about what you've announced and why it matters

If we are back at Wrigley Field one year from now, what would make each of you most proud?

CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.com
FMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.com
SheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/
Rhea Raj’s Website: http://rhearaj.com
Lara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/

DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from CPGGUYS, LLC or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by CPGGUYS, LLC. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.

CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.

The CPG Guys are joined in this episode by Sam Bevan, Global Director, Mid-Market, SMB & Global Expansion at Spotify, the most popular global audio streaming service with 365m users, including 165m subscribers across 178 markets.

Follow Sam on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuelbevan/

Follow Spotify Ads online at: https://ads.spotify.com/

1. You’ve built SMB and mid-market advertising businesses at Google, Facebook, and Snap before landing at Spotify. What drew you to audio as the next frontier — and why now?
2. Your current remit spans emerging and scaled business, mid-market, SMB, customer success, and market expansion globally. That’s a massive scope. How do you think about prioritization when everything is simultaneously “on”?
3. CPG brands have historically been heavy TV and display spenders. What’s the honest conversation you have with a CMO who still sees audio as a “nice to have” rather than a core channel?
4. Spotify has stated that audio ads on the platform are two times more effective than display ads for both purchase intent and information intent. How does that data land with CPG performance marketers who are laser-focused on ROAS and attribution?
5. Retail media has exploded as a category because of purchase-signal data. Spotify sits outside the transactional data loop — how do you make the case that listening behavior is a proxy for buying behavior?
6. We talk a lot on this show about the “commerce moment” — the point where brand intent converts to purchase. How is Spotify thinking about bridging the gap between audio impression and point of sale?
7. You joined Spotify from Snapchat, where you led SMB sales, having also held SMB-focused roles at Facebook and Google. What’s the universal truth about selling advertising to scaled and emerging businesses — regardless of platform?
8. You described 2025 as a “breakout year” for Spotify’s emerging and scaled business, driven by rapid adoption of Ads Manager and Ad Exchange. For CPG brands that haven’t yet leaned in — what are they leaving on the table?
9. Agentic AI and programmatic buying are reshaping how media gets planned and purchased. What does Spotify’s ad exchange strategy look like in a world where AI agents may soon be making the media buys?
10. We’re here at Cannes Lions, the festival of creativity. Spotify sits at the intersection of culture, creativity, and commerce. How do you think about Spotify’s role in helping CPG brands show up more culturally — not just commercially?
11. What’s one thing CPG brand teams consistently get wrong when they approach audio creative — and how should they fix it?
12. Final question: if you could wave a wand and change one thing about how the advertising industry thinks about audio and Spotify specifically, what would it be?

CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.com
FMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.com
SheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/
Rhea Raj’s Website: http://rhearaj.com
Lara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/

DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from CPGGUYS, LLC or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by CPGGUYS, LLC. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.

CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.

Each week, the CPG Guys will riff on the hottest topics in the world of omnichannel commerce.

This week’s topics:

• Albertsons names Meg Whitman Executive Chair
• Publicist wins global PepsiCo account
• Kroger customer sales outlook
• Amazon partners with Chat GPT

CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.com
FMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.com
SheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/
Rhea Raj’s Website: http://rhearaj.com
Lara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/

DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from CPGGUYS, LLC or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by CPGGUYS, LLC. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.

CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.