We’re diving deep into the world of grocery retail in this special episode, dissecting the latest trends and innovations that are reshaping the sector. Natalie is joined by Mark Thomson, Director of Retail & Hospitality Strategy EMEA at Zebra Technologies. This video episode was recorded in a London studio. You can watch the full episode on YouTube or listen on your usual platforms! Mark and Natalie explore: Self-service: some retailers are doubling down, others are reassessing. Where have we landed and how might AI drive the next wave of adoption? From accepting payments to more targeted promotions, where next for scan & go? Real-time hyper-personalization: why Mark believes the time has finally come. What's fuelling the rise of retail media and how might it evolve to become (even) more personalized in the future? The AI opportunity in food retail: from recipe inspiration to actually doing our grocery shopping for us. E-commerce: why Mark is bullish about growth opportunities for online grocery and why dark stores may be poised for a comeback. This conversation coincides with the launch of Zebra’s latest report, Creating Great Grocery Trips, which Natalie contributed to. Download the full report. More about Zebra: From seamless transactions and inventory visibility to personalised experiences and engaged associates, Zebra provides solutions that empower retailers to thrive. With connected systems and data-driven decisions, retailers are prepared to overcome challenges, delight shoppers, and drive sustainable growth. For more: https://www.zebra.com/gb/en/industry/... More about Mark: Industry speaker and technology evangelist. Mark works with retailers to provide input on how to face the challenge of a new digital landscape with a particular focus on the broad Zebra technologies portfolio from mobile devices to workforce productivity and inventory visibility solutions. Connect with Mark on LinkedIn.
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From Instacart to Highstock - an eBay for Discount Inventory
Camille van Horne is the co-founder & CEO of Highstock, a B2B marketplace that connects big brands with unsold inventory to high quality, global wholesale buyers. The start-up has raised $5.5 million from lead investor Greylock and Instacart co-founder Max Mullen. Camille joins Natalie on the podcast to talk about how Highstock is disrupting the liquidation space for beauty and personal care brands. They also explore AI, international market opportunities, the impact of tariffs, and Camille shares her thoughts on grocery e-commerce. More about Camille: Camille was previously a director of product at Instacart where she led the roadmap of new logistics capabilities for retailers and CPGs. She joined Instacart before the pandemic and over her six-year tenure wore multiple hats including Instacart's investments in fulfillment innovation in robotics and payments. Camille has a 15-year career in consumer and has seen how brands have struggled with inventory management every step of her career. Camille holds a BA from the University of Chicago and an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. 📣 REGISTER -> Join Natalie, Zebra Technologies, and Retail Gazette on July 16 for this webinar on transforming frontline comms. 📣
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London Tech Week: Supply Chain Resilience with Tesco, Unilever, DHL
Recorded live on stage at London Tech Week, Natalie speaks to Kuru Subramaniam, Head of Product at Tesco, Francis Castro, Vice President, Global Customer Operations at Unilever, and Saul Resnick, CEO UK & Ireland at DHL Supply Chain. They discuss: From ‘just-in-time’ to ‘just-in-case’: how supply chains are adapting to disruption. How digital twins and predictive analytics can help businesses simulate scenarios and maintain operational stability. The importance of collaboration and why, as Tesco’s Subramaniam points out, you're only as resilient as your most vulnerable partner. The increasing significance of transparency in sustainability efforts and disruption preparedness. AI and robotics: why DHL’s Resnick is excited about agentic AI and advancing robotics in warehouses. Why Unilever’s Castro believes you need a “try culture” and to be accepting of failure. Today’s episode is brought to you by Transporeon, a leading global logistics platform that connects shippers, carriers, and retailers to enhance transportation management. Transporeon offers a comprehensive suite of digital solutions that improve visibility, efficiency, and collaboration in the supply chain. 📣 REGISTER -> Join Natalie, Zebra Technologies, and Retail Gazette on July 16 for this webinar on transforming frontline comms. 📣
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Whistl: Why Fulfilment is the Backbone of E-commerce Success
Whistl’s James Hayes joins Natalie on the podcast to talk about the critical role of fulfilment in e-commerce success. They discuss: The evolution of online shopping: with e-commerce now accounting for nearly 30% of UK retail sales, how can retailers evolve to meet shifting consumer demands? The delivery experience: what’s the risk of getting it wrong? Returns aren’t going anywhere, so how can retailers manage this as efficiently as possible? Should they charge for returns? What role does a 3PL play? Supporting growth: how does Whistl help businesses scale? Don’t overpromise and underdeliver: tips to prepare for peak season. Understanding the true cost of fulfilment. Whistl is one of the UK’s leading logistics providers, offering scalable and tailored fulfilment solutions for e-commerce retailers and brands. From warehousing to delivery, every solution is built around the needs of their customers to help them scale with confidence. James’ bio: James Hayes is Whistl Fulfilment’s Director of Business Development. Named one of Scurri’s top 50 e-commerce and shipping influencers, he brings extensive experience in logistics and technology. Previously, James founded Parcel Station, exiting in 2018 to drive growth at Whistl. He specialises in helping brands scale through innovative fulfilment strategies and optimising final-mile delivery for a superior customer experience. A frequent speaker at industry events, podcasts, and webinars, James shares expert insights on building 3PL partnerships to fuel business growth and delight customers.
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From Skype to Starship: Ahti Heinla on Autonomous Delivery
Ahti Heinla is the Co-Founder and CEO at Starship Technologies. Previously, he was one of the founders and developers of Skype. He joins Natalie on the podcast to discuss the rise of autonomous delivery and the future of grocery e-commerce. They explore: Skype’s legacy in transforming modern global communications. The future of grocery delivery: drones in the sky and robots on the ground? The economics of autonomous delivery: just how cost-effective is it for retailers to deliver by robot? Are robots the most sustainable form of last-mile delivery? Following on from Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s recent encounter with a Starship robot, what kind of regulatory change would Ahti like to see in the UK? The opportunities for humanoid robots: does Ahti agree with Elon Musk that robots will be babysitting our kids in the future?! 📣 REGISTER -> Join me, Zebra Technologies, and Retail Gazette on July 16 for this webinar on transforming frontline comms. 📣 More on Ahti: In 2013, Ahti Heinla designed a sample retrieval robot to compete in a NASA contest for Mars missions. Armed with that experience, Ahti and his co-founder Janus Friis, realized there was a huge opportunity to disrupt a delivery industry which has yet to be revolutionized by technology. They set to work creating a last-mile robotic delivery solution, which is when Starship Technologies was born. Founded in 2014, Starship now operates in more than 100 service areas worldwide, and its robots have completed more than 8 million deliveries. The company has headquarters in Tallinn, in Ahti’s native Estonia.
Disrupt or be disrupted - that's the choice facing retailers today.
Hosted by retail analyst Natalie Berg, this podcast unpacks the latest trends and innovations impacting the global retail sector. We explore how technology is reshaping the world of commerce, how shopping habits will evolve in the future and what retailers need to do to stay relevant to today's ubiquitously connected consumers. Join us for lively discussions with the industry's brightest minds - retail CEOs, business leaders, disruptive brands, analysts and tech experts.
Topics covered include:
• Retail leadership lessons: how to thrive in a perpetually evolving retail landscape
• How to meet the needs of today's hyper-informed, "on-my-terms" shopper
• Unified commerce: the convergence of physical and digital retail
• How technology can enhance the customer experience
• Store reinvention: how to repurpose bricks & mortar retail
• Future of e-commerce
• How AI and other emerging technologies will revolutionise the retail sector
• Macroeconomic, sociodemographic and ESG trends
• Evolution of customer loyalty
This is a London-based show with a global audience. For more, visit retaildisrupted.com
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