BACKSTOCK: Nutrition, Noise, & the Truth In Between with Marion Nestle (Part 2)

Small Town, Strong Support: Celebrating Woodstock Farmers’ Market

This week, Angela sits down with Amelia Rappaport, HR Director and Partner at Woodstock Farmers’ Market in Vermont, to explore the relationships, values, and intentional choices that have helped the store thrive for decades. Amelia shares how a commitment to inclusion and accessibility shapes everything from daily operations to the customer experience, and why truly believing in the products you carry is one of the most important qualities a buyer can bring to the role.

Independent Stores, Collective Strength: Kicking Off Independent Retailer Month

This episode is brought to you by Olipop. It's Independent Retailer Month, and Pat and Jim are celebrating what makes independent retailers such a powerful force in their communities and across the industry. Tune in as they explore the unique balance between independence and interdependence, sharing how retailers can stay true to their values while leveraging the strength of collaboration. Plus, get an inside look at what to expect from the INFRA Annual Conference Tabletop Buying Show and hear about some of the emerging brands generating excitement on the show floor.

The Value of Food Integrity with Megan Westgate

Join Pat on this week’s episode of The Buyer’s Desk for an inspiring conversation with Megan Westgate, Founder, CEO and Executive Director of the Non-GMO Project and the Food Integrity Collective. Megan unpacks how independent retailers have been major catalysts in improving food integrity since the early days of the natural foods movement, and how they can continue to lead as concerns around ultra-processed foods (UPFs) rise. Plus, she explores the importance of grounding movements in love, how eating connects us to the earth, and the how restoring the food system will cause positive ripple effects far beyond our industry.

Smarter Data, Smarter Decisions with SPINS Intelligence

In this week’s episode, Angela and Jim chat about exciting changes to the SPINS platform. With their new industry-trained AI tool, SPINS Intelligence, retailers can get quick snapshots of data insights and broad overviews without getting in the weeds with the data. Plus, tune in for an in-depth conversation exploring AI’s environmental impacts and the necessity of both artificial and human intelligence in business decision-making.

The "Re-rise" of Dairy with SPINS

This episode is brought to you by Better Sour. This week on The Buyer’s Desk, we're diving into a hot topic; the "re-rise" of dairy. In recent years, we've seen plant-based losing popularity, replaced with traditional dairy products like premium butters, raw milk, and yogurts. What's going on with this category, and what does it mean for independent retailers? Jim and Promotional Programs Manager Jared get into it in this week's episode - from A2/A2 and protein dairy trends to merchandising opportunities.