GREG O'NEILL

Great points below from MiO Marketplace partner Connectivity Media Strategy and the rapid pace at which consumer behavior has changed across multiple verticles. Through their partnership with YouConnex - A Digital Media Marketplace and their seat on The Trade Desk they’ve been helping brands all year to build hyper-targeted local campaigns at the on and off premise level. One of their more interesting campaigns was Geo fencing around specific retailers for smaller brands to drive mobile ads in-store and to split test that to potentially supliment an existing retail media network campaign. Strategic scalpel precision is often what’s needed to survive mixed in with potential new types of partnerships like Swish Brand Experiences. Sri Rajagopalan and Peter V.S. Bond what are you seeing from a The CPG Guys perspective? Eric Dopkins, Sean Eckhardt, Jamie Miller, Brandon Cason, Tim Carter what are you seeing? Diana Haussling, Vinny Rinaldi, Adam Stave what do you feel like consumer CPG brands figured out earlier in that consumer shift that other verticles could learn from?

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16 sentences of wisdom from bond trader turned restaurateur, Sean Feeney, that will make you a better person, friend, and leader. 1. The most important ingredient is the one that’s left out. 2. The greatest gift is courage. Give someone the courage to be themselves. 3. Success is doing something every day for the rest of your life, happy to do it. 4. Everyone has genius inside them. 5. Truly showing belief in others will buy them a ticket to someplace they never knew. 6. Hospitality is creativity plus compassion. 7. “That’s just the way it is,” tells you there’s money to be made. 8. It is tempting to have something for everyone but there is preciousness in not filling demand. 9. Create a brand that people chase, don’t chase people with your brand. 10. Make others feel a part of something. 11. You are one of us, whether you work with us or you're dining with us. 12. Treating others well is good for business. 13. Finish the day, asking, “How did I impact someone in a positive way?” 14. Know what works and be honest with what doesn't and don't do that. 15. Block out all the noise and keep it simple. 16. Believe every day is a good day. But don’t think it’ll be easy.

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FI contributing writer Vince Martin makes a notable observation on the future prospects of Kroger on his latest piece for The Food Institute: "The more interesting driver [of growth], however, is what Kroger calls “alternative profit.” This includes the company’s finance arm, but now most notably its retail media business, known as Kroger Precision Media. Alternative profit overall is huge: McMullen said at a 2023 conference that Kroger generated about $1.2 billion in annual earnings outside of grocery. That was nearly 30% of the company’s total operating profit for the year." The importance of "alternative profit" for #food #retail companies cannot be overstated. #RetailMediaNetworks is the future of the industry as margins continue to erode. https://lnkd.in/ePXfQ_UF

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Shrinkflation is a terminology that dates back to the late 1700's. It has reared it's ugly head dating back to the start of the food inflation wars. Even President Biden mentioned it during his state of the Union this year. Mintel wrote a great article titled: "Understanding Shrinkflation and Effective Marketing Strategies for your Brand". As part of their article they revealed: 1. 50% of UK shoppers would rather see their chocolate bar get smaller than the price increase. 2. Over 4 in 10 Canadians open to smaller sizes if it keeps prices under control. The industry as a whole must do a better job in explaining this strategy to consumers as the other 2 choices brands face are far worse: 1. Pass the full cost onto the consumer, or 2. Discontinue the product, and in most cases go bankrupt.

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Statista provides a great "wake up" for foodies in the US, where "local" often appears to be all the rage.....except that it matters more in most other countries! In the U.S. we can get a little myopic about consumer trends and interests, an understandable consequence of living and working in the world's most studied consumer marketplace...which means the most news stories about new studies and findings, and rarely compare the US to other markets https://lnkd.in/gPbf--8Q

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Interesting take on the battle for consumers during months like Sober October and Dry January from Stephanie Cain 👇 Her commentary below with link in comments 🍻🥂🍹 The wine industry has launched an assault on #SoberOctober and non-alcoholic beverages as if the sole existence of the booze-less category is to put a hit against wine. With its new campaign, Come Over October, wine folks are declaring you should grab a glass instead of going sober, because wine brings people together. Instead, #wine should really be looking at their core messaging because that's why wine is declining. At the #ComeOverOctober kick-off party, I had a conversation with a salesperson of a wine distributor. He attempted to be ok with the evolution of wine by explaining that ready-to-drink, single-serve wine brand, BeatBox, marketed to the 21 to 25-year-old set, was crushing the market. He was all for it. While the brand has wacky flavors like blueberry lemonade wine, he felt that every wine consumer “starts somewhere.” It was promising to him because he said they would “continue their wine journey” and start “drinking real wine.” So many problems here but here is the big one: They don’t often continue the wine journey. News flash, wine people! Consumers don’t have time. We don’t desire it. We want to build connections, not spend the evening only discussing what we want to drink. We have jobs and travel and bills to pay and kids and dogs and aging parents and hell, we just want to buy a house. We have no job security. We have been hit with recession after recession. Right now, inflation is making our groceries cost some 40% more. You really think we are jumping at the time-consuming task of learning about wine? Get real. We’ll grab a #Martini. And start ranting. Which is exactly what I'm doing in today's The Mad Ones 👇 Link in comments. #health #wellness #marketing #alcohol #alcoholfree

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U.S. consumers value taste and flavor over other attributes when choosing snack items, according to Kelly Beaton's article for The Food Institute. Beaton noted that retail insights company 84.51˚ released its May Consumer Digest based on a sample of consumers who shopped at Kroger stores within the past three months. U.S. consumers look for the following attributes in snack products: • Taste and flavor (75%) • Craving (55%) • Convenience (46%) • Price (32%) • Quality Product (15%) • Flavor (13%) • Health Benefits (10%)

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Whiskey House of Kentucky continues to transform the contract whiskey industry. We’ve made massive, early investments in the way we capture and use data across our entire manufacturing process. With more than 1200 sensors and a system built entirely in house over more than two years, Whiskey House now collects more data than any other distillery in the world. Thanks to Roger Henley and our entire Engineering and Technology team, including James Oeswein, Patrick Mannion, Micheal Palliparambil, Reed Johnson, and Christopher Summers, we have the technological infrastructure in place to drive continual evolution and innovation.    Why do we collect so much data? First, we use it to fully automate our processes, create greater efficiencies, and drive innovation. Second, we provide it to our customers to enable them to tell deeper, richer stories about their products, improve their business processes, and ensure inventory security. Finally, we intend to help the industry conduct far-reaching experiments. With the use of Artificial Intelligence, we can now analyze thousands of variables in a way that was never before possible. There are many unanswered questions in distillation, and we intend to explore them. Just this past week, we launched our proprietary Customer Portal, which provides our exclusive customers secure access to information about their production and inventory. Customers now have immediate, real-time access to their production reports, which include recipes, mashbills, barrels, proof gallons, wine gallons, and lot numbers. In addition, they can view and download inventory reports that detail barrels, barrel type, and locations.    Gone are the days where inventory reports and highly-confidential information are sent via email. Our customers no longer have to worry that their inventory reports are wrong, contain inaccurate data, or that their most confidential information could accidentally be shared with their competitors or released to the world. It’s happened – and just earlier this year by one of the industry’s largest contract whiskey producers.    In the very near future, our Customer Portal will give our customers production chemistries, sensory data, and will ultimately provide full traceability on every aspect of production just by scanning the QR code printed on every barrel. They will also be able to see their barrel inventory in 3D, seamlessly order samples, and transfer inventory.   We could not be more excited about the future. Whiskey House is leading the way and will continue to make major investments year-over-year into our technological infrastructure.

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Happy National Coffee Day! Are you “Team Hot” or “Team Iced/Frozen”? Personally, I love a cup of hot jo at home in the morning but prefer iced coffee on the go! Want more insight into coffee consumption patterns in the morning? Ask me about Circana’s Future of Morning forecast report!

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The chicken segment is one of the most dynamic and competitive among the large restaurant chains in the U.S. And while Chick-fil-A continues to dominate and Popeyes is taking over the 2nd in the rank, there has been significant movement in the rank among other mid-size leading chains over the last ten years. It goes to show that in the restaurant industry, you can never rest. Leaders are waking up to the realization that if they’re not growing fast they’re dying slowly.  Outgrowing and outsmarting your competitors requires using the power of long-term thinking. #restaurants #chicken #strategy #leadership

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For 42 years, Food Industry News has been the Chicagoland industry's premier local trade magazine and buying guide, delivering essential information through both print and digital formats. Our mission is to help advertisers effectively connect with industry buyers and decision-makers by leveraging our exclusive reach and influence.   Why Choose Food Industry News? Our comprehensive and high-quality subscriber base includes the region’s most successful and influential operators. We excel at shaping buying decisions with informative, educational, and insightful editorial content, particularly pieces that support and highlight our advertisers.   What We Offer: - Monthly Print & Digital Display Ads: Reach key industry players through our widely circulated magazine. - Quarterly Shmoozefest Events: Engage with 200-400 food industry professionals at our networking, tasting, and educational events. Sponsorships start at $250. - Front Page “Post-It-Note Style Ads: Capture attention with prominent placement on our magazine’s front page. - Buyers Directory Listings: Enhance your visibility with tailored listings in our industry vendor directory. - Eblast Packages: Reach our internet subscribers with targeted email campaigns. - Dynamic Advertising Packages: Maximize your impact with our value-focused advertising options. - Monthly Brochure Mailings: Distribute your brochures to new owners and operators in the industry. - Expert Ad Services: Benefit from our professional ad layout, design, photography, and copywriting expertise. - Sticker Ads: Have your ad printed on a sticker and sent to every subscriber. - Printed Mailer Distribution: Get your 8.5”x11” mailer or brochure into the hands of potential clients. - Hot Leads Reports: Access valuable reports on new Chicagoland restaurants opening soon.   Our Reach: We offer a comprehensive local reach while also catering to national chain headquarters among our subscribers. Our monthly print circulation exceeds 18,000, penetrating every channel of the industry. Our internet edition is freely accessible, expanding your potential audience.   About Us: We are a women-owned, family-operated business dedicated to helping high-quality vendors thrive in Chicagoland’s $34 billion food industry.   Ready To Elevate Your Business? Contact us today to discover how we can help you achieve your sales goals and support your business growth.   With gratitude and here to serve, Cary Cary Miller, Vice President [email protected] www.foodindustrynews.com  

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Big food manufacturers target weight-loss drug users You may think that GLP-1 weight loss drugs would be bad for the food industry. After all, it's not unusual for people to literally cut their food intake in HALF. That being said big food manufacturers are pivoting and starting to create nutrient-dense offerings specifically for patients on this new class of weight loss drugs. You can read an interesting article by the Wall Street Journal about it by searching: "Big Food Is Learning to Love Weight-Loss Drugs" #cmo #marketing #foodmarketing #glp-1 #weightloss #nutrientdense #wsj #isntitincrediblethattheusissorichthatmanyofuswouldbebetteroffeatinghalfofwhatwearenow

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𝐁𝐞𝐞𝐟.𝐜𝐨𝐦: 𝐀 𝐑𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐎𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐎𝐰𝐧 𝐚 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐞-𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐞’𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐮𝐦 𝐝𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐁𝐞𝐞𝐟.𝐜𝐨𝐦 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐦𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬. 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐤𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐰𝐞’𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐁𝐞𝐞𝐟.𝐜𝐨𝐦 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞: 1️⃣ 𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧’𝐬 𝐎𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: The backbone of the beef industry. With increasing regulatory pressures and global competition, American #ranchers need a unifying brand. Beef.com could become the flagship for leadership, vision, and growth. 2️⃣ 𝐅𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲: Think of Wendy's legendary “Where’s the Beef?” campaign—a 31% market share boost! A major player could leverage Beef.com to highlight sustainable, hormone-free beef, positioning fast food as a healthier choice. Even a 1-2% market share increase translates to billions in revenue. 3️⃣ 𝐄-𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐬: For brands like Omaha Steaks and Snake River Farms, owning Beef.com could revolutionize online sales, driving #ROI and customer trust like never before. 4️⃣ 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐁𝐞𝐞𝐟 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐬 & 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬: With billions at stake in global beef markets, countries like #Brazil, #Canada, #Australia, #Japan, #China, #Argentina and #India....and major industry giants like JBS USA, Cargill, National Beef Packing Company LLC, Tyson Foods and Smithfield Foods in the mix, owning Beef.com will surely gain a competitive edge and expand market share. 💡 𝐀𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐎𝐈 𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐜𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐞𝐞𝐟.𝐜𝐨𝐦 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐧𝐨-𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐫. We’re thrilled to be connecting with visionaries across these industries and expect exciting news soon. High seven-figure to low eight-figure deals like this take time, but we’re confident the right home for Beef.com is just weeks away. And as you can see by our graphic, we are having fun along the way!!! 📩 𝐈𝐧𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬: 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐝@𝐆𝐞𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚.𝐜𝐨𝐦 Let’s make history. 🚀 #Beef #PremiumDomains #DigitalRealEstate #CattleIndustry #ECommerce #FastFood #GlobalDistribution

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Kicking off the next chapter of my CEO journey with Good Twin—one of the top-selling, fastest-growing non-alcoholic wines in the U.S.! 🍇 Yep, it’s the “good twin” that actually tastes like its alcoholic counterpart. 👬 My non-alc journey started 7+ years ago, from building NA options at ZX Ventures to bringing Corona Cero Sunbrew to life globally at AB InBev. This space pulled me in professionally and personally—weekend trips to Spirited Away and Boisson came routine in my own quest for balance. But let's be real: most NA wines taste like grape or apple juice, or worse—an overly engineered “wine” with mile-long ingredient lists. BAD twins, to put it lightly. Good Twin changes all of that. It’s crafted from the same grapes used in traditional Prosecco, sourced directly from Italy, with only four ingredients and 100% organic. It’s fundamentally different—and it’s actually GOOD. If you're intrigued by the NA space as a consumer, investor, broker, retailer, influencer, marketer or otherwise, let’s talk! The category’s booming, but we’re growing even faster—and we'd love to have you on board for the journey. 🚀 Here’s to a world with healthier options, more choice, and more GOOD! 🥂 Available to on and off-premise through major beverage distributors (RNDC, Union, Opici, etc.) and digitally on Airgoods & Faire. Available to consumers at www.drinkgoodtwin.com, 300+ Whole Foods nationwide, Pavilions CA, Safeway CA and more.

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Regardless of your political bend, it will be interesting (and hopefully good) to see how this initiative plays out - especially for those of us who produce food products. Maybe, just maybe, the public will finally wake up to the illusion of bogus governmental ‘organic’ labels as being the only option (racket) in town. Maybe, just maybe, the door will finally open for grassroots honesty between producers and consumers. Maybe, just maybe, the public will finally be ready for more easily accessible options like www.GoodFaithGrown.com

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Molson Coors Beverage Company takes a majority ownership stake in ZOA Energy, a "better-for-you" energy brand co-founded by celebrity actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson The deal is a natural development after the 2021 distribution deal September 2023 minority stake purchase by MCBC, and a clear sign of Molson doubling down on its transition to a 'total #beverage' company "ZOA’s portfolio features better-for-you energy drinks and pre-workout supplements, all made with high-quality ingredients, according to the company, like electrolytes, B & C vitamins, and zero sugar. It comes in 12-ounce cans with 160 milligrams of caffeine in flavors like Frosted Grape, Tropical Punch, Strawberry Watermelon, and Cherry Limeade." Reportedly, ZOA’s highlights a 50% repeat purchase rates, and 30% of consumers being 'new to category' meaning less dependence on costly MS% fight over the same consumers vs the category incumbents Zoa's omnichannel presence is also a point to highlight: - 25k+ retail locations - 86k+ points of distribution - Significant DTC business - 3P #eCommerce: top 10 energy drink brands on Amazon #food #fmcg #cpg #strategy Frederic Fernandez & Associates

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