Circana Unpacked

In-store bakeries are making a comeback as shoppers increase store visits and extend their shopping list to include more premium and celebratory items. Learn which consumer – and retail – habits will stick and what the holiday season holds for baked goods, both from the center-store bakery aisle and the perimeter in-store bakery department. Guests include experts from IRI’s Fresh Center of Excellence, including Jonna Parker, Principal; Aaron Lavin, Consultant, Client Insights; and Kaitlin Dietrich, Client Insights Analyst.  

Transformation is built into the DNA of Church & Dwight, a leader in the household and personal care industry. Special guest Paul Wood, chief customer officer, joins IRI’s KK Davey, president of strategic analytics, and Russ Dunham, executive vice president of IRI’s strategic solutions group, to talk about the lasting impact of the pandemic, innovation, Church & Dwight’s social reach and strategies for continued growth. 

Sales of fresh foods, from produce and bakery to deli and meat, remain elevated from pre-pandemic levels. A solid sign the increase in home-prepared meals will stick. However, to meet consumer needs, greater attention needs to be paid to convenience and solutions across the store. Join Jonna Parker, Principal of IRI’s Fresh Center of Excellence, and special guest Anne-Marie Roerink, President of 210 Analytics, for strategies that address today’s market.

After a tremendous trial in 2020, sales of plant-based meat alternatives are slowing. Knowing who meat alternative consumers are (hint: they are more likely to buy meat as well), gaps in the market and opportunities to inform the shopper better, this subcategory can relight the fire. Featured guests are Jonna Parker, Principal of IRI’s Fresh Center of Excellence, and Anne-Marie Roerink, president of 210 Analytics.

There’s a lot of complexity in the simple joy of Hershey’s candy. Kristen Riggs, senior vice president and chief growth officer at The Hershey Co., talks with KK Davey, IRI’s president of Strategic Analytics, and Kathryn Bennett, principal IRI team lead for Hershey, about the confection giant’s approach to driving category growth, reframing innovation, understanding the changing behaviors of consumers, partnering with retailers in an omnichannel environment and the insights layered data provide.

Shoppers who are willing to pay more for sustainability attributes make up roughly 19% of shoppers but a healthy 27% of fresh food spending. IRI’s new podcast shares insights on why investing in sustainability and transparency is a winning strategy for fresh and highlights the product attributes that are most important to sustainability-minded shoppers.  
 
Sally Lyons Wyatt, IRI's EVP and Practice Leader, Client Insights, and Jonna Parker, principal of IRI's Fresh Center of Excellence, talk about the sustainability claims that are now table stakes for reaching these shoppers. They also share approaches for providing personalized fresh offerings that engage these consumers, as well as insights on how better communication on sustainability initiatives can create a halo effect that entices other sustainability-curious consumers.  

Like many industries in consumer packaged goods, confections had to pivot as the pandemic raged through the U.S. and around the world. Creativity and agility lead to success across many categories, confections included. Join IRI’s Vice President of Confections, Dan Sadler, and Larry Levin, Executive Vice President, Market and Shopper Intelligence, as they discuss how confections manufacturers and retailers created an omnichannel experience sparked by leveraging the power of e-commerce to drive everyday and holiday confection sales.

New Product Pacesetters is one of IRI's most anticipated annual reports. In this episode, IRI's Larry Levin, EVP of Market and Shopper Intelligence, and Joan Driggs, VP, Thought Leadership and Content, talk about the impact of the pandemic on new product launches and future innovation. How can some of the backstories of top Pacesetters influence your next product launch? Download the IRI 2020 New Product Pacesetters report and the list of Top 200 IRI New Product Pacesetters.

IRI’s Growth Insights’ C-Suite Conversations feature notable leaders talking about the future of CPG, retail and media. This exclusive interview with Michelle Hulst, chief operating officer of The Trade Desk, provides valuable perspectives on the changing media market and its implications for consumers, advertisers and publishers.

Jennifer Pelino, EVP of Omnichannel for IRI’s Media Center of Excellence, spoke with Hulst about her current work and her insights from more than 20 years of leadership in advertising and data management. Topics discussed include the speed of market evolution, building relationships using data-driven advertising, the ever-changing economic and pandemic behaviors challenging marketers, and the new opportunities presented by connected television, retail media platforms and more.

Based on research recently published in IRI’s Understand Me, Don't Define Me report, Lynne Gillis, principal of IRI’s Survey & Segmentation Practice, shares insights into what matters to Gen Z and how they connect with brands, their product discovery process and approach to shopping. Brands and marketers will learn what matters to this influential generation, especially as they begin to flex their economic muscle.