Jennifer Carr-Smith

Beginning in 2027, Whole Foods Market will be the first grocer to deploy Mill Commercial—technology that processes fruit and vegetable scraps in our stores and turns them into a feed ingredient intended for our private-label egg suppliers. We are excited to collaborate with Mill on its innovative commercial scale technology that will help us reduce food waste and operate more efficiently. This first-of-its kind collaboration enables us to minimize waste while building a more circular supply chain that benefits our customers, communities, and environment.   This collaboration with Mill, backed by Amazon's Climate Pledge Fund, is about more than waste reduction. It’s about rethinking how we operate, how we support our supplier partners, and how we scale circular solutions that benefit people and the planet. https://lnkd.in/g483MrGA

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Sprouts Farmers Market Extends KeHE Distribution Partnership for 10 Years Key Points • Sprouts Farmers Market and KeHE Distributors have signed a new 10-year agreement extending their long-term distribution partnership. • KeHE has supported Sprouts’ market expansion and ability to offer fresh, healthy, and innovative products across deli, bulk, and bakery through its Fresh Marketplace brand. • Sprouts leaders emphasized the role of KeHE in fueling growth by helping the retailer bring emerging brands to shelves within months of launch. • Both companies highlighted plans to advance innovation, strengthen supplier partnerships, and elevate the customer experience through the extended agreement. • KeHE currently serves 31,000+ retailers across North America, while Sprouts operates 450+ stores in 24 states with about 35,000 employees. What It Means ✅ Long-Term Stability: A 10-year contract signals confidence in the strength of the Sprouts-KeHE partnership and sets the stage for consistent supply chain execution. ✅ Growth Through Innovation: KeHE’s ability to quickly bring new brands to market aligns with Sprouts’ positioning as a leader in natural and organic innovation. ✅ Customer-Centric Focus: The extended agreement supports Sprouts’ mission to provide fresh, high-quality products, while also enhancing differentiation in competitive grocery markets. ✅ Supply Chain Advantage: With KeHE’s scale and experience, Sprouts can continue expanding into new markets while maintaining efficiency and product variety. Progressive Grocer | https://lnkd.in/gAQXqvYG #Retail #Supermarkets #SproutsFarmersMarket #KeHE #NaturalFoods #Grocery #Stores

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Commodity Boards are a totally different ballgame in retail media. Pork, dairy, produce, beef… they all have unique funding structures, more complex stakeholder groups, and they need every dollar to deliver real, measurable impact. And when you take that into the club retail world with Sam’s Club or Costco, things get even more interesting. Sam’s Club MAP is firing on all cylinders right now. It has scale, strong member data, self-serve tools, and measurable results. It is ready for Boards who want speed, reach, and efficiency. Costco is still in the earlier stages of its media journey. It has incredible loyalty data and long-term potential, but the process is slower and more manual, which makes it better for brand equity plays and longer-term strategies. We have helped Boards navigate both. It comes down to matching the right retailer to your goals, timelines, and funding windows. And yes, sometimes that means sticking with the most mature RMNs like Sam’s Club MAP, Walmart Connect, Roundel, or Kroger Precision Marketing to hit the numbers. Other times it means testing an emerging player like Costco for the right strategic opportunity. If you are on a Board team trying to figure out how to make club retail media work, check out my full breakdown here. We cover how the platforms differ, when to invest, and how DIGITS makes it easier to win in these environments. https://lnkd.in/g7gDKRxc

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This new edition of the RPI focused on QSRs and c-stores is very insightful and sheds light on the competitive dynamics that are driving a clash between these two sectors. Customers are responding to the ones that offer quality meals and overall experience.

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Walmart is creating a more resilient, transparent and efficient supply chain for Angus beef with the opening of its first-ever owned and operated, case-ready beef facility in Kansas. Located in the city of Olathe, the facility will create more than 600 jobs for the local community. #groceryretail #supplychain

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Amazon's Big Move: Unifying with Whole Foods and What It Means for the Grocery World A recent article from Grocery Dive has detailed Amazon's significant move to deepen its integration with Whole Foods Market. Amazon is restructuring its grocery leadership to more deeply fuse Whole Foods Market into its vast ecosystem. This includes unifying top executives and migrating Whole Foods' corporate employees to Amazon's internal systems. This major realignment is designed to break down silos, boost collaboration, and fast-track innovation across technology, supply chain, and private brands. This follows earlier steps to create a unified online cart across Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods, and Amazon.com, backed by diversified fulfillment and in-store automation. The Risk: While the operational and synergistic benefits are clear, this deep integration carries a significant risk: the dilution of the Whole Foods brand identity. For years, Whole Foods cultivated a loyal customer base built on a specific ethos of high-quality, organic, and ethically sourced products, coupled with a premium, customer-centric in-store experience. The challenge lies in merging Whole Foods curated identity with Amazon's brand, which is built on mass-market appeal, efficiency, and value. The very efficiencies that make Amazon a powerhouse could strip away the unique culture and personalized touch that made Whole Foods a beloved, trusted name in the first place. Insights for Amazon: * Create a Seamless Experience: A unified structure should make shopping more convenient across all platforms. * Leverage Data and Tech: Combining data pools offers unparalleled insight into consumer behavior for personalization and supply chain optimization. * Drive Innovation: A single team can accelerate advancements in automation, private label, and in-store tech to widen its competitive moat. Insights for Food Retailers: * Omnichannel is Non-Negotiable: The line between digital and physical is gone. A seamless experience is now table stakes. * Data is Your Greatest Asset: Leverage technology to personalize offers, recommendations, and create a frictionless shopping journey. * Efficiency is Paramount: Amazon's relentless focus on operational efficiency is a clear threat. Retailers must invest in automation and smart fulfillment to stay competitive. Insights for Food Manufacturers: * New Partnership Opportunities: A unified Amazon grocery division could offer more streamlined collaboration on promotions and product development. * The Rise of Private Label: As Amazon expands its own brands, manufacturers must innovate to prove their value and differentiate their products. * Data-Driven Relationships: Be prepared to provide robust data on product performance and consumer insights to secure and maintain your digital and physical shelf space. #GroceryIndustry #Amazon #WholeFoods #Retail #FoodManufacturing #Grocery #Ecommerce #SupplyChain #FoodIndustry #BrandIdentity #Food

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Walmart launches regenerative rice farming effort in home state🧑‍🌾 The retailer is partnering with Kellanova and Indigo Ag to advance farmer prosperity in Arkansas. Full story: https://lnkd.in/gRwi-YPw #walmart #foodretail #Regenerative

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Understanding evolving consumer behavior in fresh produce is now a strategic imperative for retailers. Ibotta CEO Bryan Leach discusses key digital innovations and their impact on sales. What data points are most critical for informing your fresh produce strategy? https://lnkd.in/gVrh59Pq

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𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻 Take Twin Birch Dairy in New York. Despite adopting sustainable practices, farmer Jeremy Brown refuses organic certification. Why? Because it costs tens of thousands upfront, increases labor demands, and forces him to abandon modern tech that keeps his dairy affordable. He's not alone. Across the U.S., certified organic acreage dropped 11% between 2019 and 2021. Outdated standards, stricter inspections, and inflexible frameworks are pushing even well-meaning businesses away from sustainability labels. Small and mid-sized enterprises (SMEs) are at a breaking point—grappling with rising ESG compliance costs and limited support. The financial barriers are real: 1/ High reporting & compliance setup costs SMEs must invest in strategy consultants, GHG tracking systems, and third-party audits—often ranging from $15,000 to $200,000 annually. For Fortune 500 firms, that's a line item. For SMEs, it's a significant chunk of revenue. 2/ Operational overhaul Genuine sustainability isn’t just reporting. It requires new tech, reengineered processes, ESG-aligned strategies, and talent capable of delivering it. 3/Limited access to green finance Unlike larger firms, SMEs often struggle to secure low-interest green loans or incentives—making it harder to fund the transition. Even committed SMEs find that the cost of becoming and proving they’re “green” outweighs short-term benefits. Meanwhile, large corporations push ESG requirements downstream, leaving SMEs overwhelmed by overlapping and conflicting questionnaires. One misstep? Risk losing key contracts. In today’s environment—where ESG is facing increasing scrutiny—businesses must evolve from compliance-driven to value-driven sustainability. To truly enable SME participation, we must address four critical challenges: 1/ Shift from compliance to value creation  Help SMEs shift from compliance to value creation. Pinpoint ESG initiatives that improve efficiency, reduce costs, and build resilience—not just tick boxes. 2/ Simplify and digitize reporting  Advocate for streamlined, tech-driven, modular ESG systems that reduce admin burdens without sacrificing transparency. 3/ Standardize supplier expectations  Multiple conflicting questionnaires waste resources and create barriers. Leverage industry partnerships to establish common frameworks that replace duplicative ESG forms with unified, meaningful requirements. 4/ Quantify both risks and opportunities There is a cost to business when suppliers exit. On the flip side, what efficiency gains can offset their compliance costs? We must shift from asking, “How do we ensure ESG compliance?” To asking, “How do we empower sustainable growth for all?” We are at a crossroads. We can build walls that keep SMEs out of the green economy—or build bridges that bring them along. The choice will shape whether our sustainable future includes everyone—or just a privileged few. #Sustainability #ESG #SMEs

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🌾 How do we create a food system that’s good for people, planet and business? I had the chance to dig into this at the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) #CSOForum, exploring where the sector needs to move faster, and how we can scale solutions that make healthy, sustainable food the easy choice. From regenerative farming to supply chains, finance to policy, change only happens when we connect the dots across the system. 🎥 Watch the conversation here: https://ow.ly/nE1150WVH2V Learn more about CISL’s work: https://ow.ly/JEW250WVH2W #SustainableFood #TransformingSystemsSectorsPlaces #RenewableFood

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