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Today on the Logistics Matters podcast: Designing logistics facilities to maintain supply chain continuity.

Walmart: Shining a Light on Supply Chains Walmart, the retail behemoth, isn't just about low prices and big smiles—it's also about cutting-edge logistics. Here's how they're lighting up the supply chain game: - With tracking tech that's sharper than your grandma's reading glasses, Walmart gets real-time insights into what's where. - No more out-of-stock blues—Walmart's enhanced visibility means shelves are always stocked and ready for action. - Investing in technology isn't just for Silicon Valley startups—it's Walmart's secret sauce for staying ahead in the retail rat race. So next time you're strolling down Walmart's aisles, remember: behind those shiny products lies a logistics wizardry that keeps the wheels turning and the shelves full. #supplychain #retail #logistics #ThatShippingGuy #wallmart

Speaking at the Evercore ISI Consumer and Retail Conference on Wednesday, Walmart CFO John David Rainey revealed an utterly bonkers statistic for when one of these facilities is fully dialed up. "When we automate one of these DCs, we see roughly twice the throughput with half the head count," he said. "And so the math on this is very, very compelling." Considering automation for your company? Feel free to direct message me or schedule a demo on our website to explore how we can assist you. #warehouseautomation

Here are some interesting stories from the world of retail for Sunday, January 21: 🤖 Amazon's takeover of vacuum cleaner maker iRobot is set to be blocked by the European Union's competition watchdog. Amazon moved to buy iRobot, maker of the Roomba cleaner, in August 2022 in a takeover deal set to cost $1.7bn. 👩🏻⚖️ Abercrombie & Fitch Co., its ex-CEO Mike Jeffries, and his partner Matthew Smith have asked a court to dismiss a sex trafficking lawsuit. Mr Jeffries says that the claims fall outside the statute of limitations, and are "meritless". 💋 Burt's Bees and Hidden Valley Ranch released a limited edition set of lip balms on Wednesday. It reportedly took less than 24 hours for the 4-pack kit to sell out online. 🛋 IKEA is set to expand plan-and-order stores. The locations, which also serve as pick-up points for online orders, come as the retailer invests billions into its physical store fleet. 🚚 DoorDash adds Hispanic grocer to roster. The e-commerce company is offering delivery from nearly 200 La Michoacana stores across Texas and Oklahoma. 🥕 The UK's Sainsbury's is facing a challenge as budget chains Aldi and Lidl move upmarket, attracting more affluent customers. CEO, Simon Roberts says he aims to reverse the perception of the store as posh and pricey. 🥤 The Coca-Cola Company CEO James Quincey says the company’s range of products will protect its business if weight loss and appetite suppression drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy precipitate changes in consumption habits. 🍖 Federal health officials are expanding a warning about salmonella poisoning tied to charcuterie meat snack trays sold at Sam's Club and Costco Wholesale. At least 47 people in 22 states have been sickened. 🎌 Amazon Web Services (AWS) is to accelerate its investment in Japan in anticipation of a big increase in demand for cloud computing services due to the spread of generative AI. 🛠 Malaysia’s Mr. D.I.Y. plans to raise up to $300m by listing its Thai unit, which operates over 600 stores nationwide, according to people familiar with the matter. 🇩🇪 Buyers are interested in Germany’s GALERIA Karstadt Kaufhof GmbH department store chain as they seek assets hit by the insolvency of Rene Benko’s Signa empire. #retail #retailnews #economy 

Technology in retail is an incumbent giant strength. It is going to be very hard to displace Amazon, Walmart, and a few others. Although... someone once said their margin is our opportunity... so maybe disruptors to come. What's happening - well Sobeys is the latest retailer to slow down their rollout of Ocado powered warehouse. That's after Kroger did the same. Kroger has the financial capability of pivoting, abandoning, doing whatever they want. Ocado market cap keeps sinking, making access to $ harder. They don't look to be in terrible shape, but, what happens if they crumble? How does a retailer Sobeys size (big, but not with billions in free cash flow) adapt and adjust? Placing good bets on winners, and/or small scale bets is the game for everyone but the 10(?) biggest retailers in the world. Some of them will get it right. But the risks are bigger. Action for sales teams: no change. E-com continues to be the individual most important store for all retailers that have a web presence. Lean in.

A sneak peek before our fast paced conversation with Chloe Riley from Supermarket News, Dagoberto Goncalves from T-Mobile and Andrew Cron from 84.51˚ as we discuss what’s around th corner for the grocery industry. With all eyes (and ears) on the outcome of the Kroger and Albertsons merger, we are seeing a focus on impactful technologies with measurable #KPIs and #ROI targets. #RMNs, #robotics, and the realization that Instacart owns digital in many grocers is leading to strategic changes at many companies this year. #1) Our prediction? Greater profitability and operational expertise by the end of 2024. #2) Our hope? Expanded multiples for one of the most difficult industries as these retailers monetize their data and build offline ad networks. This industry driven by frequency of shop, price elasticity, and regulation never ceases to amaze me. Truly textbook in how they operate and this year provides the opportunity to write a new chapter. Please dial in to hear us discuss: http://ow.ly/El6W50R3kCY Coresight Research #grocerytech #supermarkets

Walmart's $1.85 Billion Lesson! Ever heard about Walmart's big oopsie? Swipe left to uncover how a single survey question led to a massive misstep and what we can learn from it. Hint: It's all about asking the RIGHT questions! 🤔💡 Join us on this retail rollercoaster and find out how even giants can trip but get back up stronger! #WalmartWisdom #BusinessBlunders #MilktreeApproach #MilktreeAgency #LearnFromTheBest #MarketingCampaign #Survey

In the high-stakes race for grocery delivery supremacy, who's leading the pack—Amazon or Walmart? 🛒🏁 Our latest analysis dives deep into the strategies that have put Walmart ahead and how Amazon is pivoting to up its game. Subscribe to our daily newsletter and insights @ https://lnkd.in/g4qHBTiz #GroceryDelivery #EcommerceStrategy #RetailInnovation #Finance #Retail #Strategy

There is a significant shift that is taking place in the grocery industry. Stop & Shop, a regional chain of supermarkets announced it will be closing 32 underperforming stores in the Northeast U.S. by the end of the year. This includes 10 stores in New Jersey, 8 in Massachusetts, 7 in New York, 5 in Connecticut, and 2 in Rhode Island. In an interview, Stop & Shop President Gordon Reid emphasized that these closures, though difficult, are necessary to stabilize the business and allow the company to focus on profitable areas. The company plans to continue building new stores, remodeling existing ones, and investing in lower prices and promotions. But why did Stop & Shop see so many store closures? That's exactly what Burt Flickinger, a retail consultant, pointed out that some of Stop & Shop's struggles are due to self-inflicted issues and intense competition from retail giants like Walmart, Costco, and discount chains like Aldi and Lidl. This development highlights the critical need for businesses to continuously adapt and optimize their operations. As someone passionate about AI-driven pricing strategies, I see this as a reminder of the importance of data-driven decision-making in retail. It also made me think about the broader implications for the industry. What if more companies leveraged AI and advanced analytics to predict underperformance and make proactive changes? Let's connect and discuss the future of retail, the role of AI in pricing strategies, and how businesses can navigate such challenging times. #RetailNews #GroceryIndustry #BusinessStrategy #AIPricing #MarketTrends #DataDrivenDecisionMaking

Ocado posts revenue bump as tech investments pay off Ocado posted a slight revenue bump and reduction in losses as the London-listed firm holds steady on its tech investments. The grocery delivery firm posted £2.8bn in revenue for 2023 across the group, a 10% increase from the year prior, while pre-tax losses fell from £471m to £418m. The group’s technology solutions, which have received considerable investment from the firm, generated 40% greater revenue compared with 2022, jumping from £291.4m to £420.5m. Its retail business returned to a positive adjusted EBITDA of £10.4m. Last year, Ocado opened three robotic fulfilment centres – in Luton, Japan and Canada – after raising £578m from investors to drive R&D of its automated tech. “Our technology is transforming the way people shop for food as we help some of the world’s best and most innovative retailers set the bar for excellence in grocery ecommerce worldwide,” said Ocado Group CEO Tim Steiner. “Future success will be driven by the characteristics that have always set Ocado apart: our ability to solve some of the most difficult engineering challenges in the market, our capacity to innovate at pace, and our discipline to turn vision into reality.” Shares in Ocado were up around 6% when trading opened on Thursday. The company’s full-year results included £187m from a patent dispute it won against Norweigian robotics company AutoStore, which had accused the company of infringing on its existing patents for robotic warehouse workers. #news #technews #dailynews #dailynewsupdate #latestnews #dailynewsupdate