Omni Talk Retail

In this episode of Confessions of Supply Chain Executives, host Chris Walton sits down with Richard McKenzie, CEO at Veloq, to tackle one of retail’s most persistent questions: When does online grocery finally become profitable?For years, grocers have chased digital growth, but profitability has remained elusive. High picking costs, last mile complexity, thin margins, and legacy infrastructure continue to weigh down performance. Richard breaks down where the real friction points are, why many retailers are still structuring e-commerce as a cost center instead of an operating model, and what has to change for online grocery to truly scale sustainably.This episode explores the operational realities behind digital grocery, from fulfillment models and automation strategies to the role of data orchestration across the enterprise. Richard explains why profitability is less about volume and more about precision, and how retailers that rethink their tech stack, store operations, and network design may finally turn the corner.Key Topics covered:• Why online grocery margins remain under pressure• The true cost of store pick vs. micro fulfillment• Where last mile economics break down• How legacy systems quietly erode profitability• The operational tradeoffs between speed, convenience, and cost• Why data orchestration is becoming a competitive advantage• What scalable automation actually looks like in grocery• The tipping point that could finally make online grocery profitable🎧 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more brutally honest conversations about retail, supply chain, and the technology reshaping how work actually gets done.Music by hooksounds.com#ConfessionsOfASupplyChainExecutive #SupplyChain #OnlineGrocery #RetailSupplyChain #EcommerceProfitability #WarehouseAutomation #GroceryRetail #RetailTechnology #LastMile #Veloq #SupplyChainPodcastThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

This Lightning Round segment of the Omni Talk Retail Fast Five, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, Quorso, and Veloq, closes out the show with rapid fire takes on Girl Scout cookie records, Survivor reaching season 50, Team USA hockey celebrations, and a little nerd nostalgia. Chris and Anne prove once again that retail and pop culture always collide. ⏩ Tune in for the full episode here. #LightningRound #RetailFastFive #OmniTalk #PopCultureThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

This Omni Talk Retail Fast Five segment, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, Quorso, and Veloq, dives into Burger King President Tom Curtis personally taking customer calls and texts. Chris and Anne discuss whether this represents meaningful executive engagement or a smart short term marketing play. ⏩ Watch the full episode here. #BurgerKing #RetailMarketing #CustomerExperience #OmniTalkThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

This Omni Talk Retail Fast Five segment, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, Quorso, and Veloq, explores Gap Inc’s launch of Encore, a unified loyalty program across Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic, and Athleta. Chris and Anne debate whether loyalty consolidation can drive cross shopping and growth for the portfolio. ⏩ Watch the full episode here.#GapInc #RetailLoyalty #OldNavy #Athleta #OmniTalkThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

This Omni Talk Retail Fast Five segment, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, Quorso, and Veloq, examines Walmart’s launch of Scintilla In Store, giving suppliers real time store level data. Chris and Anne explain why this move could redefine supplier collaboration and unlock faster store execution at scale. ⏩ Watch the full episode here.#Walmart #RetailData #RetailAI #SupplyChain #OmniTalkThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

This Omni Talk Retail Fast Five segment, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, Quorso, and Veloq, breaks down Kohl’s rollout of its new Deal Bar to all 1100 plus stores. Chris and Anne debate whether this value forward merchandising move can meaningfully impact performance or if it is simply table stakes in today’s retail environment. ⏩ Watch the full episode here. #Kohls #RetailTurnaround #StoreStrategy #RetailNews #OmniTalkThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

This Omni Talk Retail Fast Five segment, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, Quorso, and Veloq, looks at Carrefour’s major partnership to digitize stores across France as part of its 2030 strategy. Chris and Anne discuss whether smart stores are finally becoming reality and what US retailers should be doing to keep pace. ⏩ Watch the full episode here.#Carrefour #SmartStores #RetailTech #RetailInnovation #OmniTalkThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

Omni Talk Retail is live from eTail West 2026 with coverage powered by NetElixir.In this interview, Anne Mezzenga speaks with Kelly Cook, CEO of Davids Bridal, fresh off the stage to discuss the company’s bold “Aisle to Algorithm” strategy and what she calls the bridal tech revolution.David’s Bridal is expanding beyond a $4B bridal TAM into the broader $70B wedding ecosystem, building what Kelly describes as an AI and asset light approach to retail and media within the wedding industry.Key themes from the conversation:The “tech sandwich” model: high tech before and after the in store bridal appointmentVirtual try on, AR wedding visualization, and agentic AI guiding brides through 300 planning tasksA vision for one click wedding planning powered by immersive augmented realityHow partnerships and retail media are unlocking value beyond the dressWhy large scale transformation requires fearless talent and cultural clarityKelly also shares three leadership lessons for retail executives navigating transformation, including her now famous advice: be somebody’s shot of whiskey, not everybody’s cup of tea.Thank you to NetElixir for supporting our eTail West 2026 coverage.#eTailWest #RetailTransformation #AIinRetail #Weddings #RetailInnovation #DigitalTransformationThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

Omni Talk Retail is live from eTail West 2026 with continued coverage powered by NetElixir.In this interview, recorded on site at eTail West, Anne Mezzenga speaks with Alex Seaman, Senior Vice President of Furniture.com, about the company’s recent relaunch and its vision for the future of furniture shopping.Furniture.com is building a unified, AI driven platform designed to simplify one of retail’s most complex and considered purchases. By partnering with trusted national furniture retailers, the platform enables shoppers to browse, compare, and check out across multiple merchants in one seamless experience, while retailers retain ownership of fulfillment and first party customer relationships.Alex explains how Furniture.com is leveraging standardized product data, conversational search, and its in house AI agent Dottie to reduce decision fatigue and bring joy back to home design. The conversation also explores why brand trust and strong retail partnerships will matter even more as AI powered discovery reshapes how consumers shop.Key Topics Covered:The recent Furniture.com relaunch and AI powered foundationAgentic checkout and multi merchant cart functionalityStandardizing and enriching product data across 75 plus retailersWhy trust and brand strength matter in an AI driven search landscapeBalancing B2B retailer partnerships with a shopper first experienceSolving decision fatigue in high consideration purchases like furnitureStay tuned for more interviews from eTail West 2026.#eTailWest #RetailInnovation #Ecommerce #AIinRetail #FurnitureRetail #OmniChannel #DigitalCommerce #RetailLeadershipThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In this week’s Omni Talk Retail Fast Five, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, Quorso, and Veloq, Chris and Anne were live from eTail West in Palm Springs as they discussed:Carrefour signing a sweeping strategic partnership with Vusion to digitize all of its hypermarkets and supermarkets in France by 2030 (Source)Kohl’s rolling out its new Deal Bar concept to all 1,100+ stores nationwide (Source)Walmart launching Scintilla In-Store, a new real-time mobile data platform for supplier field reps (Source)Gap Inc. officially launching Encore, a unified cross-brand loyalty program spanning Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic, and Athleta (Source)Burger King President Tom Curtis personally fielding calls and texts from customers at his work number (Source)There’s all that, plus mysterious ghost sightings, Thin Mints in the freezer, and a nerd laugh that Anne was not quite ready to deliver on camera.Music by hooksounds.comThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy