Episode 105: Challenger brands, changing rules - The race to real scale in beverage with Danny Stepper

Episode 105: Challenger brands, changing rules - The race to real scale in beverage with Danny Stepper

The next billion-dollar brands won't be invented by legacy CPG; they'll be acquired from founders. On the latest episode of Retail Sound Bites, Barry Thomas and Rachel Dalton sit down with Danny Stepper, CEO and co-founder of L.A. Libations, to unpack the realities behind scaling a beverage brand. This conversation dives into what separates brands that break through from those that stall, including the role of retail environments like Costco in elevating challenger brands, and why access to networks, capital, and visibility is becoming just as important as shelf space. Have a topic you'd like us to cover? Contact us at Kantar's Retail Sound Bites Podcast [https://retailiq.kantar.com/retail-sound-bites?__hstc=237572063.678088262ac0b8c07505f35996ba40fa.1687306627637.1696442166891.1696448902830.25&__hssc=237572063.2.1696448902830&__hsfp=551255700]. Contact Barry: Email [barry.thomas@kantar.com] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/barry-thomas-b597b71/] Contact Rachel: Email [rachel.dalton@kantar.com] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelkdalton]

Episode 104: TikTok's role in commerce with Jordan Kremm and Steve Light of L&R Distributors

What if TikTok matters to your business more than Amazon? On the latest Retail Sound Bites, we explore why TikTok has become one of the most powerful demand engines retail has ever seen. Featuring Jordan Kremm and Steve Light of L&R Distributors, this episode breaks down how TikTok Shop is reshaping product discovery across generations, why brands are launching on TikTok first, then scaling to retail, how viral moments translate into real, measurable in-store sales, and where most brands are getting TikTok wrong. Have a topic you'd like us to cover? Contact us at Kantar's Retail Sound Bites Podcast [https://retailiq.kantar.com/retail-sound-bites?__hstc=237572063.678088262ac0b8c07505f35996ba40fa.1687306627637.1696442166891.1696448902830.25&__hssc=237572063.2.1696448902830&__hsfp=551255700]. Contact Barry: Email [barry.thomas@kantar.com] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/barry-thomas-b597b71/] Contact Rachel: Email [rachel.dalton@kantar.com] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelkdalton]

Episode 103: Top trends from NACDS with Leigh O'Donnell

What did NACDS really reveal this year? In this Retail Sound Bites episode, Rachel Dalton, Leigh O'Donnell, and Barry Thomas share their candid take on the trends, tensions, and leadership moments shaping drug retail right now. In this conversation, Rachel Dalton, Leigh O'Donnell, and Barry Thomas look beyond the conference agenda to unpack what NACDS really revealed about the state of drug retail. From the implications of GLP‑1 to how retailers are approaching AI adoption, the role of food as medicine, and the push toward more personalized treatment and experiences for shoppers, the discussion connects macro themes to on‑the‑ground reality. Want more learnings from NACDS 2026? Access NACDS 2026: Kantar's top 8 retail healthcare headlines. [https://kriq.kantarretailiq.com/en/p-iq/insights/blogs/nacds-2026-kantars-top-8-retail-healthcare-headlines] Have a topic you'd like us to cover? Contact us at Kantar's Retail Sound Bites Podcast [https://retailiq.kantar.com/retail-sound-bites?__hstc=237572063.678088262ac0b8c07505f35996ba40fa.1687306627637.1696442166891.1696448902830.25&__hssc=237572063.2.1696448902830&__hsfp=551255700]. Contact Barry: Email [barry.thomas@kantar.com] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/barry-thomas-b597b71/] Contact Rachel: Email [rachel.dalton@kantar.com] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelkdalton]

Episode 102: Minds on the Machine with Andy Murray

In this episode of Retail Sound Bites, Barry Thomas and Rachel Dalton welcome back Andy Murray, former Executive Chairman of Saatchi & Saatchi X and CEO of BigQuest Advisory, to discuss the future of AI through the lens of original research titled Minds on the Machine. Based on insights from graduating seniors at the University of Arkansas' Walton College of Business, the conversation reveals a strong theme of pragmatic optimism. While students recognize AI's growing role across industries, they are deeply focused on preserving human judgment, creativity, and connection. Andy explains why taste and judgment remain the true human advantage as AI becomes more efficient yet increasingly homogeneous. The episode explores agentic AI, the future of marketing and commerce, and why brands and retailers must invest not only in technology, but equally in developing human capabilities to thrive in an AI‑enabled world. Have a topic you'd like us to cover? Contact us at Kantar's Retail Sound Bites Podcast [https://retailiq.kantar.com/retail-sound-bites?__hstc=237572063.678088262ac0b8c07505f35996ba40fa.1687306627637.1696442166891.1696448902830.25&__hssc=237572063.2.1696448902830&__hsfp=551255700]. Contact Barry: Email [barry.thomas@kantar.com] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/barry-thomas-b597b71/] Contact Rachel: Email [rachel.dalton@kantar.com] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelkdalton]

Episode 101: European buying groups with Paida Mugudubi

Retail buying groups are reshaping the balance of power in Europe's grocery landscape. In this episode of Retail Sound Bites, Barry Thomas and Rachel Dalton are joined by Paida Mugudubi to unpack how buying groups work, why they've grown so influential across Europe, and what they mean for brands navigating pricing, negotiations, private label, and retail media in a world where "nothing stays local." Have a topic you'd like us to cover? Contact us at Kantar's Retail Sound Bites Podcast [https://retailiq.kantar.com/retail-sound-bites?__hstc=237572063.678088262ac0b8c07505f35996ba40fa.1687306627637.1696442166891.1696448902830.25&__hssc=237572063.2.1696448902830&__hsfp=551255700]. Contact Barry: Email [barry.thomas@kantar.com] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/barry-thomas-b597b71/] Contact Rachel: Email [rachel.dalton@kantar.com] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelkdalton]