FI Fast Break audio news: Nov. 19, 2025
The latest FI Fast Break news podcast touches on the growing list of restaurant chains and operating groups that have filed for bankruptcy.
Tag: Target
FI Fast Break audio news: Nov. 12, 2025
The latest FI Fast Break news podcast touches on restaurants’ growing popularity with consumers on Thanksgiving day.
Target Slashes Prices on 3,000 SKUs, Including Grocery Price Cuts
Target is slashing prices on 3,000 grocery and essentials SKUs ahead of a shaky holiday season, reigniting retail’s value wars. As inflation-weary consumers hunt for deals, global grocers are racing to stay in their baskets.
Gen Z Magnetism Report: Authenticity Often Beats Advertising
Gen Z’s brand loyalty hinges on authentic user-generated content, not legacy clout. Food giants like Oreo and McDonald’s are losing steam – while Disney thrives by treating fans like community, not consumers.
Even Employees Know Target is on the Brink
Target’s internal doubts mirror its external struggles, as the retailer loses ground to rivals in pricing, e-commerce, and brand clarity. With leadership in flux, even employees question whether a comeback is possible.
Meat-ish, Dairy-ish: Is There a Market for Hybrid Plant-Based?
Recently, the F&B industry has seen an uptick in hybrid plant-based products, which blend standard meat and dairy with meatless and dairy-free versions. But will consumers embrace them?
It’s Getting Difficult to Keep Pace with Walmart
Walmart is dominating the grocery sector with unmatched pricing, delivery speed, and scale – and its lead is widening. As rivals chase value-conscious consumers, Walmart is already monetizing convenience.
Economic Strain: Food Bill Gets Unruly
Despite wage gains, food inflation continues to outpace earnings, leaving consumers increasingly anxious about grocery costs. Meanwhile, new tariffs threaten to disrupt the food industry, with stakeholders bracing for volatile pricing and potential shifts in shopper loyalty.
Spread the Pain: Walmart, Competitors Consider Global Price Hikes
Amid the latest round of tariffs, global retailers like Walmart are weighing controversial price hikes beyond the U.S., a move that could shake consumer trust. Experts warn that spreading costs globally may backfire, leading to unintended economic fallout.
FI Fast Break audio news: May 28, 2025
The latest FI Fast Break news podcast touches on a new study suggesting that many GLP-1 drug users have reduced their beef intake.
Target Has Fallen Behind Retail Rivals – Again
Target has struggled to define a unique place in its market, watching rivals like Walmart and Costco capitalize on growth opportunities while its own stock and sales falter. Target’s leadership now faces a critical moment to convince investors that it can once again turn challenges into triumphs.
CPG Brands Eye Success by Connecting Data Sets
Consumer price sensitivities, plus tariff uncertainty, have added up to tumult for CPG brands in 2025. “Whether it’s tariffs or the tightening of consumer wallets, CPG brands are trying to figure out how to get …
‘Status Quo’ Wont Cut It: Private Label Market Share Threatened
The battle between private label and name brands has taken a new form as analysts portend a stagnating global own brand market. The path ahead relies on innovation and retail portfolio synergy, NIQ noted.
The Billion (Family) Dollar Question: What Happened to Dollar Stores?
After purchasing discount retailer Family Dollar for roughly $9 billion in 2015, Dollar Tree admitted defeat in a recent sale earlier this month that valued the banner at only $1 billion. Is this a signal …
It’s Private Label’s World — On the ‘Cusp of a Super Cycle’
Private label continues to maintain dominance over the CPG sector: in 2024, it grew $9 billion from the year before. As a result, opportunities and innovation abound.
On Target: The Secrets Behind Target’s Modern Retail Success
At the recent National Retail Federation’s 2025 Big Show, Target’s Chief Commercial Officer highlighted how the retailer’s agile strategies, inclusive branding, and innovative partnerships keep it ahead in a competitive landscape.
Black Friday 2024 Beneficiaries: Target, Apple, and Shopping Malls
Black Friday 2024 showcased omnichannel’s growing dominance, with online sales surging nearly 15%. Experts noted that while Black Friday has evolved into a season-long event, its role remains pivotal, sparking optimism for a strong holiday shopping season.
FI Fast Break audio news: Nov. 20, 2024
The latest Food Institute Fast Break news podcast touches on restaurant operators’ outlook on labor for 2025.
Behold, the Pharmacy of the Future
Brick-and-mortar pharmacies face increasing competition from online retail options, leaving their outlook murky. Industry experts feel pharmacies need to focus on being tech-driven – and fast.
What Killed Kmart? Key Retail Missteps Led to Demise
Kmart’s downfall, accelerated by poor management and failure to adapt to modern retail trends, ended with the recent closure of its last full-size U.S. store. Experts say there are lessons to be learned from Kmart’s demise.
News Roundup (October 25, 2024): Why Are So Many Restaurants Going Bankrupt?
From Urban Markets to Suburban Sprawl: Grocers Testing New Territories
Across the U.S., national retailers are expanding both in their communities and testing new markets. Trader Joe’s alone expects 22 additional locations to open by year’s end.
FI Fast Break audio news: July 17, 2024
The latest Food Institute news podcast touches on the unlikely comeback bid of a once-bankrupt steak chain.
Prime Numbers: Amazon and Competitors Heat Up Summer Sales
Amazon’s Prime Day sales, which began Tuesday, were expected to rake in $14 billion, up 10.5% from last year, Adobe Analytics projected. Such statistics have inspired competitors to join the July sales fray.
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Private Label Growth Pockets in Frozen Food
As consumers continue to stockpile frozen foods, retail operators are leveraging private labels to tap into that demand. Which frozen products are experiencing the most store brand sales growth? FI investigates.
Missing the Mark – Private Label is Failing at Target
Everything is cyclical. There’s a pendulum at play for any brand investing heavily in the private-label game – as more house brands populate shelves with similar names and cheaper prices than their national brand counterparts, public perception of the parent company may swing along with the pendulum; in other words, some consumers may begin to question what they’re compromising when their carts are full of private-label goods instead of the national brands they may have been buying last week, last quarter, or last year. So swings the pendulum as a blade of commerce.
Going Electric: Walmart Commits to Digital Signage
“The digital element presents an expanded shopper/marketer revenue stream for the company,” Zakowicz said.
Survey Shows In-Store Shopping Still Very Much Matters
While e-commerce continues to gain ground, most consumers still appreciate the in-store shopping experience, according to a new survey.
Survey Shows Retail Workers Prefer Practical Tools over AI
Today’s retail workers are most eager to be equipped with tools that help them tackle inefficient tasks, particularly when interacting with customers.
Dollar Stores Have Reached An Inflection Point
The performance of dollar store stocks suggested investors believed Walmart’s best days were behind it. They were wrong.
Private Label Drives Summer Growth
For many major retailers, the latest quarterly results tell a familiar tale: consumers are fed up with high prices, spending less, and commodifying their loyalty by taking the best deal right now, regardless of whose logo adorns their grocery bag or shopping cart.
Fast-Food Chains Racing to the Bottom to Attract Inflation-Weary Consumers
All of a sudden, $5 value meals are everywhere, from fast-food chains to major retailers. Industry insiders say the deals are simply a short-term solution, however.
Falling Stars: Inflation Cuts Into Retailers’ Ratings
The most recent rising trend in retail is lowering one’s expectations of retail. This year, clothing companies tended to fall the worst, followed closely by QSRs, big box stores, and grocers, in that order.
Consumers Have Forced the Value Wars
Food prices are up; consumer confidence is down. Many QSRs and retail outlets reported losses in the last quarter. The Value Wars are here.
Key Takeaways from The NGA Show 2024: Improving Shopper Experience
Shopper experience in the physical store is often what truly differentiates the independent grocer from brick-and-mortar chain stores and online e-commerce competitors like Amazon. The right mix of products, priced right, offered in the right place, and services delivered by welcoming staff in a pleasant environment are essential to building sales and customer loyalty.
In Today’s Market, What Defines Value?
Many consumers feel they can’t win on cost alone – they also need an experience, or at least a decent reason to visit a brick-and-mortar store.