Modern Retail

Hilma is entering Walmart as part of the retailer’s new focus on gut health. As interest in gut and digestive health grows, Walmart is bringing in a number of buzzy startup brands to refresh this side of the supplements aisle. The latest of these is Hilma, which launched in January 2020 and specializes in natural digestive supplements like its bestselling gas and bloat relief. In November of 2022, Hilma was acquired by French pharmaceutical company the Biocodex Group and, since then, getting into Walmart has been a top priority. Read more: https://buff.ly/4aL7ONE

The European homewares and garden retailer Kingfisher plc said in-house AI pilots have been successful. Here's how it's approached it so far. In this piece by Sam Bradley, we speak to Tom Betts, Mohsen Ghasempour, Ph.D., and Debbie Ellison of VML.

This week on the Modern Retail Podcast, ThredUp CEO and co-founder James Reinhart spoke about rising demand for resale and how the platform has expanded its offerings.

As brands look to capitalize on artificial intelligence and new data tools, transparency with employees is key to successful implementation. Here's how retailers and brands are setting up new technology programs. In this piece by Melissa Daniels, we also speak to Robyn Martin of Mattress Firm, Eric Bergstrom of Burton Snowboards, Phil Amandola of Reformation, and Lindsay Schofield of Filson.

Hemp-derived products have exploded since the 2018 Farm Bill made them federally legal. A new amendment proposal could derail the industry. In this piece by Gabriela Barkho, we speak to Jonathan Miller, and Rachael Anderson Dillon of Mary & Jane.

On and Under Armour’s earnings highlight diverging fortunes in the athletic space. Under Armour’s revenue for the quarter that ended March 31 was down 5% to $1.3 billion. During the same period, On Holding’s net sales rose by 20.9% to 508.2 million Swiss francs (over $561 million). Under Armour plans to cut down its inventory levels as part of its restructuring plans, while On plans to roll out new products in the coming months. Read more: https://buff.ly/3X8n0kC

Michael LaVitola, who spent eight years building Foxtrot from a tiny corner store in Chicago into a multi-state convenience store chain and a coveted partner for young #CPG brands, said that he found out about Foxtrot’s closure on the same day as employees and the general public did. Now, he is trying to bring it back from the dead. Story by Anna Hensel

The state of direct-to-consumer startups is a mixed bag. Executives report seeing sales up in some categories, but down in others, and it can be difficult to see where the thruline is. Now, heading into summer, #DTC startups are adjusting. In this piece by Anna Hensel, we speak to Aaron Luo of CARAA, Avi Arora of Italic, Maria Costa of M.M.LaFleur, and Cory M. Baker of Consortium Brand Partners.

Scaling a #retail footprint is a growth strategy for many brands, but it requires careful research and planning. Here's how companies like SWAROVSKI and Fleet Feet approach their physical expansions. In this piece by Melissa Daniels, we speak to Matt Werder, Courtney Hawkins of Mejuri, Chad Lundeen of Saatva, Stephen Hekman of Kingsmen Projects US, and Jochen Schmidt.

Little Spoon is leaning on partnerships with other food brands to keep parents engaged with the #DTC meal delivery service. Recent collabs include buzzy brands like Oatly and Graza. In this piece by Gabriela Barkho, we speak to Caryn Wasser, Angela Vranich, and Nate Rosen.