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PODCAST

Retail Fast Five

Omni Talk Retail

The Omni Talk Retail Fast Five podcast is your weekly dose of retail industry insights and trends in a quick and digestible format. Hosted by industry experts, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga, this podcast delivers the top five news stories each week that are shaping the digital and physical retail landscape. Each episode breaks down the most important developments in retail, from the latest innovations in technology to consumer behavior shifts, emerging market trends, and beyond. Whether you"re a

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All Episodes

03:10

Lightning Round: Chat GPT Coaching, Sexiest Man Alive...

Retail Fast Five ·

2025/11/10

The Lightning Round gets wild this week! From a soccer coach using Chat GPT to devise winning defensive strategies, to Jonathan Bailey's Sexiest Man Alive title, to John Lewis offering hand massages for loyalty members, and Carly Rae Jepsen's baby naming dilemma... Chris and Anne tackle the most entertaining retail and culture moments.Plus, hear their personal Chat GPT success stories and debate whether hand massages at a department store would actually drive traffic. It's retail meets pop culture

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03:17

GrubHub Partners with Instacart | Fast Five Shorts

Retail Fast Five ·

2025/11/10

In a surprising move, GrubHub (owned by Mark Lore's Wonder super app) is partnering with Instacart to enable grocery delivery directly through the GrubHub platform. But this partnership raises major strategic questions: Why would Instacart help a potential future competitor?Chris breaks down the "Greeks bearing gifts" dynamics at play and questions whether this is Mark Lore's chess move toward building the ultimate meal-time super app. Is Instacart making a strategic mistake, or is there a bigger

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04:58

Kroger & Uber Eats Restaurant Integration | Fast Five...

Retail Fast Five ·

2025/11/10

Kroger is making history as the first retailer to integrate restaurant delivery directly into their grocery app through an expanded partnership with Uber Eats. Now customers can order their weekly groceries AND dinner from local restaurants in one seamless experience, with special benefits for Kroger Boost members.Chris and Anne discuss why this integration is brilliant for the subscription wars and predict when Walmart will respond with a similar Door Dash partnership. Is this the future of grocery

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04:43

Mondelēz's $40M AI Advertising Bet | Fast Five Shorts

Retail Fast Five ·

2025/11/10

Mondelēz (maker of Oreo and Chips Ahoy) is investing over $40 million in a custom generative AI tool to slash marketing costs by 30-50% and create TV-ready ads for the 2027 Super Bowl. But is building proprietary AI technology the right move, or should CPG brands partner with specialized providers?Chris and Anne debate whether this massive investment will pay off or become a costly sunk cost trap as AI technology rapidly evolves. Anne shares insights from cutting-edge AI advertising demos that are

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04:11

Starbucks' Billion-Dollar Delivery Business | Fast...

Retail Fast Five ·

2025/11/10

Starbucks just revealed that delivery has become a $1 billion annual business, growing 30% year-over-year—and it's changing everything about how we think about coffee shops. With 40% of delivery orders including food, this massive revenue stream raises critical questions about Brian Nichol's turnaround strategy.Should Starbucks double down on automation and dark cafes, or invest in improving the in-store experience? Chris and Anne debate the future of Starbucks as delivery continues to

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06:15

The Amazonification of Whole Foods | Fast Five Shorts

Retail Fast Five ·

2025/11/10

Amazon is shaking up Whole Foods with a controversial transformation that has retail experts divided. From robot-powered "ShopBots" in the back room fetching Tide Pods and Pepsi, to a massive 3,800 square foot Amazon Grocery kiosk replacing the coffee shop in Chicago's flagship location, Amazon is testing whether Whole Foods shoppers want mainstream brands alongside their organic kale.Chris and Anne debate whether this move will destroy Whole Foods' brand identity or unlock new value for Amazon's

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39:53

Starbucks $1B Delivery Secret, Oreos In AI & Amazon's...

Retail Fast Five ·

2025/11/05

In this week's Omni Talk Retail Fast Five, sponsored by theA&M Consumer and Retail Group,Mirakl,Ocampo Capital,Infios, andQuorso, Chris and Anne discussed:Amazon's push to add mainstream brands like Pepsi and Doritos to Whole Foods through ShopBots and Amazon Grocery kiosks (Source: Wall Street Journal)Starbucks crossing the $1 billion milestone in annual delivery sales with 30% quarterly growth (Source: CNBC)Mondelez investing $40 million in a generative AI tool to slash marketing costs by

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04:14

Lightning Round: Netflix In Theaters, Hot Santa, NFL...

Retail Fast Five ·

2025/11/03

Chris and Anne tackle the week's quirkiest retail stories: Netflix bringing Stranger Things' finale to theaters, Target's Weirdly Hot Santa returns for year two, Lululemon's NFL licensing sparks more debate, and Red Bull drops a $50 advent calendar. Fast takes, sharp opinions, and laughs from retail's most entertaining podcast duo.Sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso.🔔 Follow for weekly lightning rounds!For the full episode head

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04:48

Amazon's Vision Quest - AI Glasses for Drivers | Fast...

Retail Fast Five ·

2025/11/03

Amazon unveils AI-powered smart glasses designed to help delivery drivers scan packages, navigate, and capture proof of delivery hands-free. Anne sees potential to reduce device overload for field workers, while Chris worries about long-term health implications and potential lawsuits. Is this the future of last-mile delivery or a Hot Shots-style disaster waiting to happen? Learn about the AR overlay technology, current trials, and what questions retailers should be asking.Sponsored by the A&M

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05:23

Will Lululemon’s NFL Partnership Hurt Its Brand In...

Retail Fast Five ·

2025/11/03

Lululemon announces its first-ever licensing deal, partnering with all 32 NFL teams to release officially branded apparel. Anne sees opportunity in solving the women's fan gear problem, while Chris warns it cheapens the brand and signals an identity crisis. Who's right? Plus, debate whether this should have been a college athletics play instead, and whether you'll ever see Viking yoga pants in a Lululemon store near you.Sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital,

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05:13

Walmart Cracks The Code - RFID Fresh Food Revolution...

Retail Fast Five ·

2025/11/03

Walmart and Avery Dennison achieve what was long considered impossible: RFID sensors that work in high-moisture, cold environments for meat, deli, and bakery departments. Chris and Anne explain why this breakthrough represents a domino effect for the smart store of the future, how it tackles food waste and spoilage, and why it will transform online grocery fulfillment. Plus, learn about the FSMA legislation driving this innovation forward.Sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl,

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04:05

DoorDash Launches Emergency Food Response Program | ...

Retail Fast Five ·

2025/11/03

DoorDash launches a game-changing emergency food response program, offering free delivery for food banks and waiving fees for 300,000 SNAP recipient orders amid the government shutdown crisis. Anne and Chris break down why this move demonstrates the power of third-party logistics platforms, signals improving retailer partnerships, and builds customer loyalty that will last for years. Learn how reactive merchandising and doing good creates a competitive advantage.Sponsored by the A&M Consumer and

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06:06

Retail's Darkest Day - Amazon & Target Layoffs | Fast...

Retail Fast Five ·

2025/11/03

Amazon eliminates 14,000 corporate roles while Target cuts 1,800 positions in what marks one of the darkest days in recent retail history. Chris and Anne share personal insights from their own experiences, discuss the cultural implications of these moves, and offer advice for affected workers. Is this the beginning of an industry-wide trend driven by AI automation? Plus, learn why Target's CEO messaging raises serious questions about accountability and cultural recovery.Sponsored by the A&M

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42:14

The We May Not Be Ready For It New Normal Of Layoffs,...

Retail Fast Five ·

2025/10/29

In this week’s Omni Talk Retail Fast Five, sponsored by theA&M Consumer and Retail Group,Mirakl,Ocampo Capital,Infios, andQuorso,Chris and Anne discussed:Amazon and Target’s major layoffs affecting thousands of corporate employees (Source)DoorDash launching an Emergency Food Response program for SNAP recipients (Source)Walmart and Avery Dennison partnering to track fresh food with breakthrough RFID technology (Source)Lululemon venturing into its first licensing deal with the NFL (Source)Amazon

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02:59

Lightning Round: Apple Upgrades, Classic Cars, AI...

Retail Fast Five ·

2025/10/27

In this week's Lightning Round, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso, hosts Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga are joined by Alvarez & Marsal's Lisa Collier and Manola Soler to tackle Apple's iPhone 17 surge (Lisa's learned to wait out the upgrades!), debate Mr. Bean's comedy versus his impeccable taste in classic Jaguars, worry about OpenAI's Sora creating AI models instead of cat videos, and reveal Manola's meteor shower stargazing plans

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05:53

DoorDash Teams Up with Waymo - Are Autonomous...

Retail Fast Five ·

2025/10/27

DoorDash is piloting autonomous deliveries with Waymo in Metro Phoenix—but will consumers actually embrace robot deliveries? Sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso.Lisa Collier is skeptical: "If I'm paying for delivery, I want it handed to me." Manola Soler shares hilarious experiences with delivery robots in Jersey City that couldn't navigate stairs and blocked sidewalks. The panel debates whether this works better in suburban vs. urban

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09:00

Wayfair's Perigold Goes Big - 30K Square Feet of...

Retail Fast Five ·

2025/10/27

Wayfair's luxury brand Perigold opens a massive 30,000-square-foot, two-level store in West Palm Beach! Sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso.The new location features 150+ luxury home brands, a dedicated sleep center, and expanded kitchen appliances—with many products available to take home or ship within a week (remarkable for furniture!). But is this Restoration Hardware-esque flagship profitable?Manola Soler initially questions the

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09:00

Gen Z's Vision - Britain's High Streets Become Social...

Retail Fast Five ·

2025/10/27

New research reveals Gen Z will transform Britain's high streets into social, tech-driven hubs by 2050! Sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso.According to American Express research, 65% of Gen Z says each trip should deliver something they can't get online, while 79% want future retail destinations to blend shopping with dining, drinking, and leisure. Three-quarters believe retailers should use AI for immersive in-store experiences.Lisa

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08:28

Ulta Beauty's Marketplace Launch - Curation vs. Scale...

Retail Fast Five ·

2025/10/27

Ulta Beauty officially launches its marketplace powered by Mirakl! Sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso.The beauty retailer is taking a curated, invitation-only approach to third-party sellers, integrating marketplace listings with unified search, shopping carts, and checkout. Customers can earn Ulta Beauty rewards points on marketplace purchases but can't redeem them on marketplace items... a interesting twist that sparked debate among our

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07:16

Walmart Attacks Amazon with ChatGPT Shopping...

Retail Fast Five ·

2025/10/27

Walmart makes a bold move partnering with OpenAI to bring shopping directly to ChatGPT! Sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso.In this segment, we discuss how users will shop Walmart's massive assortment... including apparel, entertainment, and packaged foods right from ChatGPT with a simple buy button. Fresh food is notably excluded for now, but this strategic decision shows Walmart's thoughtful approach to leveraging its omnichannel

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