Retail Strategies & Supplier Insights

Discover how the blocked Kroger merger impacts the grocery landscape, with Walmart emerging as a key player. Explore the Kroger merger dynamics.

You can have a strong sales year and still feel broke. That usually means one thing: money is leaking out after the sale—through deductions, chargebacks, and short pays.

If 2026 had a supply chain slogan, it would be: “Nice single-source you’ve got there. Hope nothing happens.” Most suppliers don’t dual-source because it’s fun. They do it because retail punishments for inconsistency are real: out-of-stocks, missed promotions, and sometimes lost shelf space.

2026 looks like a year of modest top-line growth, more challenging profit math, and more “systems-driven” retail. Translation: retailers will still want growth, but they’ll increasingly demand it through automation, tighter compliance, and pay-to-play visibility.

SNAP is moving. Not just the dollar amounts—but timing, eligibility, and how shoppers use those dollars. If you sell food and beverages, you’ll feel it. Some of it will be a breeze at your back. Some of it? A headwind.

You’ve got a fantastic product—the DTC store hums. Reviews are glowing. Now you want a spot on a national shelf. Good—know the bar keeps rising. Retailers are fielding more pitches while private label grabs a record share, making differentiation and execution non-negotiable. (In the first half of 2024, store brands hit 20.4% dollar share  and 22.9% unit share  in the U.S.) And competition for buyer attention is real. Walmart’s 2025 Open Call alone welcomed 500+ entrepreneurs

Navigating the retail world can feel like trying to find your way through a dense forest without a map. You know there’s a path to success, but the twists and turns can be overwhelming.

“Retail deductions” are amounts a retailer withholds from your invoice—usually for shortages, compliance issues, pricing discrepancies, freight/OTIF misses, or after-the-fact (post-audit) claims.

You don’t have to choose between a food broker  and a deduction recovery  team. The compounding effect comes from both: brokers prevent...

Retail deductions aren’t a one-time clean-up—they’re a tax on sloppy hand-offs. A strong food broker earns their keep long before the first PO by preventing the errors that become chargebacks: mis-keyed price files, barcode hiccups, promo mismatches, late/short deliveries, and compliance misses.

Walk into a buyer meeting and you’ll hear the usual questions: What’s your case cost? Can you meet our OTIF standards? How do you support...

Discover the latest Grocery Shopping Statistics and Insights. Learn how digital trends and consumer behaviors are reshaping grocery shopping.

The journey from the kitchen or production floor to mass retail shelves is both challenging and full of opportunity. From the initial spark of product creation to securing prime placement in stores, the path is complex and highly competitive. In this landscape, food brokers play a pivotal role in helping brands break through the noise and achieve retail success.

If you’re a CPG supplier working with UNFI, you know the drill: you send the shipment, you send the invoice, and you wait for payment. But somewhere between “invoiced” and “paid,” things get messy.

No one starts a brand because they love compliance. But ignoring it? That’s how you go from “next big thing” to “why aren’t we getting...

Learn how small CPG brands can compete with giants by partnering with Woodridge Retail Group for tailored strategies and retail success.

The journey from manufacturing to mass retail creates challenges and opportunities for brands at every stage of their development. Its...

In the complex world of consumer packaged goods (CPG), particularly within the food and beverage sector, standing out in a crowded...

Unveiling the Future In the rapidly evolving retail landscape, two buzzwords have emerged at the forefront of innovation: omnichannel and...

Introduction For suppliers doing business with Walmart, understanding post-audit deductions is not just important—it's crucial for...