FMCG Leaders Share Strategies for Omnichannel Excellence
As omnichannel strategies evolve from innovation to necessity, senior executives from PepsiCo, Reckitt, Conair, and Schnuck Markets gathered to discuss the next frontier in seamless retail experiences. At the recent Consumer Goods Sales & Marketing Summit, industry leaders outlined how their organizations are rethinking operations, partnerships, and data to better align with the behavior of the modern consumer.
Retail Collaboration Key to Unified Experiences
PepsiCo’s Senior Vice President of Commercial Sales, Mike Del Pozzo, emphasized the critical shift from siloed activations to integrated experiences. “Shoppers see no difference between digital and physical shelves,” he said, advocating for tighter collaboration with retailers to ensure frictionless interactions across all touchpoints. PepsiCo has expanded team partnerships, aligning internally and externally to match the increased complexity and speed required in today’s marketplace.
Data as a Driver of Agility and Efficiency
For Reckitt, consumer-centricity is no longer just a marketing mantra—it’s being operationalized throughout the business, according to Scott Usher, Vice President of Commercial and Strategy. Reckitt is streamlining how consumer insights and first-party data are utilized, with an emphasis on speed and accuracy. “Our goal is singular: making smarter decisions, faster,” Usher noted, adding that the right consumer data enables precision in media investment and inventory planning.
Shifting Sales Structures to Serve Omnichannel Demands
Conair’s Vice President of Sales, Daniel Malinowski, shared how the company is transforming traditional retailer roles into cross-disciplinary partnerships. This evolution addresses overlapping e-commerce and in-store responsibilities. “The line between dot-com and brick-and-mortar no longer exists,” he said, describing how account leads are tasked with managing P&L across all channels. Conair is also increasing test-and-learn budgets to quickly adapt to changes in shopper behavior.
Grocery Gains and the Power of Syndicated Audiences
Schnuck Markets’ Chief Merchant, Geoff Wexler, highlighted how grocers are stepping up to meet consumer expectations through retail media networks and improved digital experiences. He pointed to collaboration with national brand partners to scale marketing messages and activate common audience targets across platforms.
As supply chains stabilize and digital