The Modern Retail Podcast

On this week’s Modern Retail Podcast, senior reporters Melissa Daniels and Gabriela Barkho kick things off with a look at the record-setting use of buy now, pay later payments over Black Friday weekend. The duo also gets into the holiday spirit by talking about the widespread impact of seasonal flavors. This year’s big trend? All things cranberry. Later on in the episode, Barkho sits down with Kelly Landrieu, principal planner of local & emerging brands at Whole Foods Market, who heads up its Local & Emerging Accelerator Program. In the conversation, Landrieu outlines the program’s role in bringing the buzziest young brands to Whole Foods’ shelves, which in the past has included brands like Poppi and Little Sesame. They also discuss: The dos and don’ts of startups successfully getting into Whole Foods Market.  Common mistakes smaller brands make when trying to grow in a national chain.  When to consider hot trends, like better-for-you soda and high-protein snacks versus a product’s potential longevity.

Cyber Week is here and the Modern Retail Podcast is breaking down the biggest shopping and trends to watch during this all-important shopping period. This week, Modern Retail senior reporter Gabriela Barkho is joined by staff from our sister site, Glossy, including senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi and Glossy West Coast correspondent Lexy Lebsack. Now that the sales week has officially begun, the trio discusses a number of brand strategies and shopper behavior they have spotted this season, including the first big test for AI chatbots assisting with gift search. On this week’s show, the staff’s roundtable covers topics such as: The modern gift guides and where shoppers are looking for holiday gift ideas, from brands’ own gift guides to ChatGPT suggestions.  The non-discounting marketing strategies, in which brands are instead offering shoppers perks like exclusive access to products and in-person pop-ups.  Other ways brands are standing out beyond traditional marketing sales, including limited-edition collaborations and even advent calendars.

This week on the Modern Retail Podcast, co-hosts Gabriela Barkho and Melissa Daniels dive into all the brand moments Barkho saw on a recent trip to BravoCon in Las Vegas. The event had a record number of shoppable activations, ranging from Wayfair studios to special-edition Reebok sneakers. Then they analyze the latest earnings from TJX, which showed net sales of $15.1 billion. That marked a 7% increase from a year ago, boosted by more foot traffic and value-driven shoppers. Then, in this week's featured segment, Daniels sits down with CharCharms founder and CEO Charlotte Trecartin to discuss the art of publicly building brands as a Gen-Z entrepreneur. While founders have been "building brands in public" for years, the strategy is becoming paramount for digital-native business owners who are sharing their wins and fails on TikTok, Instagram and Substack. Their discussion gets into: Why virality can help drive sales but doesn't indicate long-term viability Understanding what to share and what not to share when building your business Future-proofing ideas and concepts with legal and intellectual property safeguards

This week on the Modern Retail Podcast, co-hosts Gabriela Barkho and Julia Waldow kicked things off by discussing Amazon’s plan for a new Whole Foods store concept. The new layout, currently being tested in select locations, will allow shoppers to purchase more mainstream brands like Pepsi and Chips Ahoy while they do their Whole Foods shopping. The team also broke down the growing popularity of Advent calendars and why every brand from Dior to Kraft Mac & Cheese is releasing them. And in this week's featured segment, Modern Retail’s Melissa Daniels sat down with Reba Hatcher, the chief revenue officer at subscription brand Butcher Box, where the two spoke about the company’s growing loyalty program. Their discussion covers: The company’s decision to segment its subscriber base to personalize offerings to different customers.  Building a two-tiered loyalty program that rewards customers for the amount of dollars they spend and how often they order.  How features like add-on products are helping grow cart sizes

This week on the Modern Retail Podcast, co-hosts Gabriela Barkho and Melissa Daniels unpack the news that Amazon is laying off about 14,000 people from its corporate workforce. They discuss what this says about how corporate America is responding to economic circumstances as well as the role of AI in reshaping workflows. Next, they talk through Lululemon's NFL collaboration and what it reveals about the athleisure giant's attempts to win over new audiences. From there (15:40), Barkho and Daniels sit down with Lawrence Berger, the co-founder of private equity firm Ames Watson that recently acquired Claire's following its Chapter 11 filing. Berger explains how the company's experiences reviving Lids, another legacy mall brand, are helping inform its Claire's playbook as it looks to update the stores and brand for a new era. Their discussion covers: The challenges Claire's faces with outdated merchandising and inefficient corporate practices  The behind-the-scenes fixes, like merchandising and store refreshes, that Ames Watson is planning  Why Ames Watson sees itself as an “atypical” private equity firm that aims for long-term brand revival rather than quick flips

On this week's episode, co-hosts Gabriela Barkho and Melissa Daniels get into the news of Quince dodging claims from Ugg's parent Deckers Brand that it unlawfully copied two of its best-selling styles. Next, they discuss the announcement from cosmetics company E.l.f that it will be offering live shopping on streaming service Twitch, and what that says about the potential resurgence of streaming in social commerce. Then during the featured segment (12:50), Daniels is joined by Kim Chappell, the chief brand officer at infant formula company Bobbie, to go behind-the-scenes of its latest campaign with Cardi B (Bobbie named her as its "chief confidence officer") and how the company infuses brand across all parts of their business. Chappell discusses: Why having a strong brand has helped grow Bobbie and gain customer trust  The combination of gut instinct, humor and parenting realities that goes into crafting big campaigns  How to know when and whether to weigh in on social or political issues

On this week's episode of The Modern Retail Podcast, co-hosts Gabriela Barkho and Melissa Daniels discuss Mammoth Brands' acquisition of Coterie, a luxury diaper brand that's had a fast-growing subscription business since 2021. While the terms of the deal are undisclosed, it's a big move for Mammoth whose portfolio up until now has included adult body care and grooming brands like Harry's, Flamingo and Lume. Then they unpack the news that Unilever is offloading luxury skincare brand Kate Somerville 10 years after its acquisition. It's now owned by Rare Beauty Brands, which also skincare brands Patchology and Dot Dot Dash. But it's another sign that Unilever is looking to simply its portfolio and get out of the luxury category, as Unilever also shuttered another brand in the category, Ren Clean Skincare, in July. This week's featured segment is an interview with James Lang, the vp of marketplace at Ulta Beauty (21:22). The company in October announced its first-ever third-party marketplace that's integrated into its website. The move is an attempt to grow e-commerce business without being saddled with inventory, but Lang explains how the company worked quickly and efficiently to stand up the operation within six months after announcing it in March. They discussed: How Ulta learned from other retailers' mistakes when building its marketplace.  How it plans to use third-party sellers as a way to jump on trend  The challenges and benefits of selling unowned inventory as a trusted legacy brand.

This week on The Modern Retail Podcast, co-hosts Gabriela Barkho and Melissa Daniels unpack how Amazon’s latest Prime Day reflected shifting shopper priorities, and what the end of Rite Aid indicates about the pharmacy industry’s future. Then (20:50), they’re joined by Bacardi’s Alex Tomlin and Southern Glazer’s Zach Poelma to explore how Gen Z’s health- and budget-conscious habits are transforming the alcohol category — from the rise of the spritz to healthier, cleaner cocktail ingredients.

On this week's Modern Retail Podcast, co-hosts Gabriela Barkho and Melissa Daniels discuss the rollout of ChatGPT's new Instant Checkout feature that will initially support single-item purchases from Etsy sellers, and how brands are increasingly looking at third-party AI tools as a sales channel. Then they chat about Walmart's announcement that it's removing more artificial dyes and additives from its private label food products amid a growing drumbeat of customer demand for transparency and clean ingredients. Then on the featured segment (16:40), the hosts are joined by Taylor Capuano and Casey Sarai, who co-founded Cakes Body in 2021. Their discussion focuses on the company benefits they've rolled out to improve company performance, and how emerging brands can redefine corporate culture. The company blew up on TikTok and has now surpassed $100 million in revenue. This summer they also made their national retail debut in Ulta stores. Behind the scenes, though, Cakes offers benefits to employees like child care reimbursement and unlimited PTO that the founders say increases company performance in the long run. Their conversation dives into not only why Cakes offers such benefits but how it is adhering to this company culture as it scales, including: the importance of a $3,000 per month child care benefit that is used by around 20% of their team, how Cakes employees schedule and plan to accommodate week-long companywide quiet periods, even during the fourth quarter, and the advantages of being a bootstrapped company when it comes to deciding operational expenses.

On this week's episode of the Modern Retail Podcast, co-hosts Gabriela Barkho and Melissa Daniels go deep on the much-hyped NikeSkims launch. They discuss the look and vibe of the collections that debuted this week and where it might find a white space in the athleisure market. Then on the featured segment (16:06), Daniels speaks with Modern Retail reporter Mitchell Parton to unpack craft retailer Michaels' new store layouts as it attempts to fill the voids left by Joann and Party City that went bankrupt earlier this year. Parton met with new Michaels' CEO David Boone to discuss how the retailer dedicated a quarter of its floor space to new areas, called The Knit and Sew Shop and The Party Shop. Their conversation gets into the demand and opportunity for this strategy, including how searches for “fabric” on Michaels.com increased by 77% over the past year, and why Michaels' new area called The Party Shop includes lowered prices on party decor items like streamers, napkins and tableware. They also discussed the importance of store associate training and capacity to handle more products, customer inquiries and new responsibilities around balloon filling and fabric cutting.

On this week's Modern Retail Podcast, senior reporter Melissa Daniels is joined by executive editor Anna Hensel. First they discuss Affirm's new rollout with Apple Pay to provide its buy now, pay later services in store (1:09). Then they unpack the trend of paper coupons making a comeback in some retail environments, with Kroger announcing it has been bringing back paper coupons to help appeal to value-mined shoppers or those who aren't comfortable with more digital savings programs (9:49). Then, on this week's featured segment (18:19), Hensel is joined by Digiday's senior marketing reporter Kimeko McCoy to talk about the rise of retail media. Retailers are in search of more ways to grow revenue, and they are enticed by the size of Amazon's business. So, more of them are looking to build their bonafide media networks. Hensel and Kimeko discuss what is fueling the rise of retail media, what the big challenges are that brands and agencies are facing as they try to sift through what retail media networks make sense for their particular business, and what it will take for more retail media networks to succeed.

On this episode of the Modern Retail Podcast, co-hosts Gabriella Barkho and Melissa Daniels break down Dick's Sporting Goods’ $2.4 billion acquisition of Foot Locker. They also discuss the debut of the Girl Scouts’ newest cookie, the Exploremores, and how the organization has evolved from door-to-door sales to SMS-powered marketing. For this week’s featured segment, Daniels sits down with AG1 CEO Kat Cole. The green supplement giant pulled in $600 million in revenue last year with a single SKU, but 2025 has brought major growth: a reformulated powder called NextGen with new flavors, the launch of its first sleep product AGZ, and a wholesale partnership with Costco. Cole shares how AG1 invests in R&D — from triple-blind testing to scaling supply chains — and why adding more probiotics or B vitamins comes with big costs.

This week's Modern Retail Podcast kicks off with co-hosts Gabi Barkho and Melissa Daniels discussing the Kraft Heinz breakup. The split was announced 10 years after a merger between the corporate giants and reflects a broader trend among mega-conglomerates that are splitting or dividing up their portfolios due to changing consumer behaviors. Then they discuss Starbucks' health-conscious play with a new protein-packed cold foam to launch on September 29 alongside a new line of protein lattes. Then during the featured segment (15:19), Daniels is joined by Jessica Rolph and Rod Morris, co-founders of the Montessori-inspired toy company Lovevery. The 10-year-old company, which raised $132 million and brought in $237 million in revenue last year, most recently launched into Walmart. Their interview goes behind-the-scenes into how established direct-to-conusmer brands bring a fresh approach to a retail expansion, like using customer feedback and Walmart's insights to come up with new products, how to offer the same quality toys at a lower price point meant for mass audiences and balancing a national launch amid day-to-day operations

This week on the Modern Retail Podcast, co-hosts Gabi Barkho and Melissa Daniels get into the news of President Donald Trump signaling the potential for higher tariffs on the furniture sector, and what it means for companies in the space. Then they get into the trend of travelers deciding to go to Europe for luxury shopping sprees in order to scoop up designer goods without any tariff-related cost increases. Then for this week's featured segment (16:30), Daniels is joined by Sonia Lapinsky of Alix Partners to recap how consumers spent this summer. They get into the nuances of deal-seeking behavior at a time when people are still adjusting to high inflation and increased prices, and how to best capture a fickle consumer. Lapinsky unpacks topics like: why even customers who trade down care about brand, how pulled-forward demand could impact Q4 and how brands can navigate the dual challenge of increasing costs and a highly promotional environment

This week on the Modern Retail Podcast, co-hosts Gabi Barkho and Melissa Daniels get into the big news of Target CEO Brian Cornell stepping down. Cornell will move over to be executive chair of the board, and be replaced by Target vet Michael Fiddelke. On this week’s rundown, the team also discusses the latest investment Amazon is making in its grocery business as it evolves. The company announced free same-day delivery service for fresh groceries to over 1,000 U.S. cities and towns. Then, for the featured segment (18:20), Barkho and Daniels are joined by investor Mike Duda of Bullish for an in-depth conversation about the many challenges startup brands are facing right now. The segment covers the challenges of fundraising and growing a young business, advice on how to market more effectively by spending less on social advertising, and other ways savvy brands can stand out in this tough market. In the segment, they discuss:  How the macro environment, tariffs and the overall decline of consumer sentiment is affecting retail brands What it takes to fundraise in a competitive climate  How to get creative with brand marketing, grow the customer acquisition funnel and reduce reliance on expensive digital advertising

This week on the Modern Retail Podcast, co-hosts Gabi Barkho and Melissa Daniels get into the news of how On running shoes led the pack of footwear earnings with a 32% year-over-year sales increase. Then they get into all things Summerween, as the trend of spooky decor in the summer starts to bleed into actual Halloween sale season. Then for the featured segment (19:05), Barkho and Daniels get into why natural grocer Sprouts is becoming a go-to destination for CPG brands looking to make a wholesale splash. They're joined by Nicole Portwood, the chief marketing officer at beverage company Suja Life, who shares why Sprouts was the choice partner for their re-launch of legacy soda brand Slice -- and how it became the home of its exclusive, on-trend cherry cola flavor. They get into why Slice, a relaunch that dovetails with a better-for-you soda boom, found a fit in Sprouts, how Sprouts’ nationwide rollout model gives small brands a fast-track to scaling and why store programs like “New for You” and “Fresh Finds” drive discovery and repeat sales

This week on the Modern Retail Podcast, senior reporters Gabriela Barkho and Melissa Daniels chat about Ikea's new pilot partnership with Best Buy, and why the first-ever partnership with a a third party retailer could become a meaningful new acquisition channel. And they unpack how tween mall staple Claire's wound up filing for Chapter 11 for the second time in seven years -- and why they may be not be the last legacy retailer to get pushed over the edge by tariff policy. Later in the episode (14:50), Daniels is joined by reporter Julia Waldow to discuss her recent story on how some brands are readying themselves for a potential checkout tool native to ChatGPT. They get into how AI tools like ChatGPT, Google Gemini and more are blowing up the traditional consumer funnel, and how brands are trying to get ahead of the curve.

This week on the Modern Retail Podcast, reporter Julia Waldow joins co-host Melissa Daniels to unpack how brands are reacting to the shifting landscape of U.S. trade deals following the August 1 expiration deadline. They also dive into the backlash and cultural critiques around American Eagle’s ad campaign featuring Sydney Sweeney. Later in the episode (21:30), Daniels sits down with Sarah O’Leary, CEO of femtech brand Willow Innovations, and Jen Saxton, founder of TotSquad, to talk about the rise of postpartum consumer products. The conversation covers why this category has been historically underserved, how retailers like Target are leaning in, and what needs to change to better support new moms in the CPG space. Note: The day after this podcast was taped, American Eagle issued the following statement about the campaign on its Instagram page: "'Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans' is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story. We'll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone."

On this week’s Modern Retail Podcast, senior reporters Melissa Daniels and Gabriela Barkho are joined by Modern Retail reporter Mitchell Parton. The team discusses a package that ran on Modern Retail this week, called The State of the Mall. The package highlights how malls are under pressure to continuously reinvent themselves, with topics spanning American Dream's delayed Miami expansion and Tanger's modern take on outlet mall design. Later in the episode, Daniels and Barkho are joined by Kristen Pumphrey and Thomas Neuberger, owners of P.F. Candle Co., to talk about how brands with Made in America products are still being affected by ongoing tariff policies. They discuss the increased challenges of securing raw material overseas, how reciprocal tariffs impact components such as candle jars and packaging, the upsides of producing goods domestically, and leaning into "Made in America" as a marketing message.

On this week’s Modern Retail Podcast, senior reporters Melissa Daniels and Gabriela Barkho are joined by Lexy Lebsack, the West Coast correspondent for sister publication Glossy, and co-host of The Glossy Beauty Podcast. The team kicks things off with a look at the latest news in beauty M&A, with Ulta buying out British beauty retailer Space NK. On the topic of beauty, this week's rundown also breaks down the rise in beauty dupe lawsuits, thanks to high-profile filings by Benefit and Supergoop. Later on, Daniels continues the conversation around intellectual property with Cassey Ho, founder and designer of athleisure line Popflex Active. She's been vocal about her concerns with other companies making imitations of her designs, including a patented skort worn by Taylor Swift. They discuss how AI is making it easier for companies to mimic and sell fashion items, the pros and cons of expensive intellectual property services, why her team has an "infringement" Slack channel and the emotional roller coaster of a viral product getting duped. Listen to Lexy's episode on dupes on the Glossy Beauty Podcast