Licensed foods have become an everyday sight in supermarket aisles around the world. A number of deals announced in the past 12 months show the growing importance of supermarkets as partners for exclusive licensed collaborations in non-foods categories as well, especially home goods, gift/stationery, and décor: Aldi paired with Disney last month to introduce a […]
Tag Archives | Kroger
Meal Kits: Reprieve or Turnaround?
Meal kits represent one consumer product segment that has benefitted from the stay-at-home orders in place during the last two months in the U.S. (and longer in some other regions) to stop the spread of COVID-19. Research has shown that this sector appeals to consumers, especially younger adults, at least in theory. Prior to the […]
Where’s the Beef?
Plant-based meat alternatives that serve as substitutes for hamburgers or chicken have hit the mainstream in a big way in the last month or two, with the Impossible and Beyond brands being at the forefront. These are plant-based alternatives to meat, which emulate the taste and feel of the real thing, as opposed to the […]
A Tumultuous Month for Meal Kits
A lot has happened in the constantly changing meal kit space in the last month or so, with some developments positive and some challenging. Taken together, these recent news items provide a snapshot of the current status of the meal kit business. This remains a category of interest to many licensors, especially in the celebrity, […]
Building a Case for Blockchain
Blockchain is a decentralized ledger—essentially a database—for securely tracking and storing a string of sequential information. It offers the ability to create a transparent, tamper-proof, and trustworthy record of ownership, value, chain of custody, authenticity, and other attributes of an individual product over time, from raw materials through sale and resale. Pilots based on blockchain […]
Private Property
Retailers’ focus on in-house developed private labels has been on the upswing of late, creating more competition for manufacturers and property owners seeking shelf space for their licensed products. These recent examples illustrate the trend: Target introduced three new private labels this summer. They include Heyday for electronics, which debuted in June; Wild Fable for […]
Grocers Have a Taste for Meal Kits
The meal kit business has experienced some potentially profound changes of late, with grocery store operators increasing their presence in the segment. They are entering in a number of ways: Purchasing existing meal kit companies. Kroger acquired Home Chef for $200 million (plus $500 million more if the program meets online and in-store sales goals) […]
Shopping for New Retail Strategies
Retail chains continue to experiment with different business models as they deal with ongoing challenges. Some recent ventures illustrate the variety of strategies being tested: Partnerships with etailers. Lord & Taylor is launching a presence on Walmart’s website starting in spring 2018, referring to the initiative as its online flagship store. The deal brings the […]