Circana Unpacked

While the bakery aisle performed well throughout the pandemic, in-store bakeries took a major hit. But now they’re back. To fight inflation, consumers are biting into more permissible treats, celebratory cakes, and specialty breads and rolls to elevate meals at home. The biggest winners are products that support the morning daypart. Still, guest Melissa Altobelli, principal, client insights with I...

Inflation is driving us back to CPG retail for food-at-home solutions. But even as shoppers seek to save, they’re still finding ways to elevate their meals and their mood with affordable indulgences. IRI’s fresh expert Jonna Parker, principal of IRI’s Fresh Center of Excellence, and Anne-Marie Roerink, president of research company 210 Analytics, share new behaviors and strategies for connecting w...

Gone are the days of forecasting for the year ahead. Spurred by the chaos of the pandemic and ongoing market uncertainty, CPG manufacturers and retailers must continually monitor the marketplace, weighing decisions against consumer behavior, macroeconomic factors and business strategies. Nagi Jonnalagadda, senior vice president, Global Products & Solutions at IRI, recommends companies change their...

Will high food inflation take the stuffing out of Thanksgiving celebrations? Darren Seifer, executive director and industry analyst for food and beverage at NPD (which recently merged with IRI), shares an outlook on potential scenarios for Thanksgiving meals this year.  Highlights  More consumers will shop early for nonperishable items to find the best deals and spread out the cost of the Thanksgi...

Inflation, animal welfare issues and new generational preferences are all affecting the sales of various fresh meat and poultry products. Chris Dubois, executive vice president of IRI’s protein practice, provides insights into surprising winning products, offers a detailed industry outlook, and shares opportunities to connect with younger shoppers.  HIGHLIGHTS  Recent price increases for fresh mea...

Sustainability-marketed products are driving outsized growth. They represent just 17% of CPG products but are driving a 32% share of market growth. Featured guest Randi Kronthal-Sacco, Sr. Research Scholar at NYU’s Stern Center for Sustainable Business, talks about IRI-NYU CSB research and shares additional opportunities for sustainable CPG success.

Intersectionality acknowledges our personal experiences, from race and sexual orientation to where we live, our interests and our abilities. Gregory Curtis Jr., director of Emerging Media and Influencer Marketing at IRI, talks about the magic that happens when we put the customer at the center of marketing messages and how that works as the solid base for multicultural marketing success. Learn how...

Consumers haven’t turned to private label as a cost savings measure in our current inflationary period to the degree they did during the Great Recession. IRI’s Mary Ellen Lynch, principal, Center Store Solutions, discusses where the private brand wins are occurring and strategies different retailers employ to connect with shoppers.

Compared to other categories, beverage alcohol has been more insulated from inflationary pressures, so while value options will do well during periods of high inflation, consumers will still seek premium options. Scott Scanlon, executive vice president of IRI’s Beverage Alcohol Vertical, weighs in on headwinds and tailwinds for beverage alcohol and opportunities for growth, including better-for-yo...

Look no further than the four Ps – price, promotions, positioning, pack architecture – plus innovation to fight back against inflation in the short and long term. Ray Florio, a partner in IRI’s Growth Consulting practice, shares strategies for profitable growth based on what the shopper values most amid current economic challenges.

IRI’s Growth Insights C-Suite Conversations feature notable leaders talking about the future of CPG, retail and media. Our newest installment features Mark Smucker, CEO of The J.M. Smucker Co. He is the fifth-generation leader of the Orrville, Ohio-based Fortune 500 company.   In this exclusive interview, Smucker speaks with IRI CEO (and Smucker board member) Kirk Perry. They discuss the company’s...

With inflation increasing, consumers are spending more time finding deals and shopping across multiple stores to get what they want at the best prices. Jonna Parker, principal of IRI’s Fresh Center of Excellence, and Sally Lyons Wyatt, IRI’s EVP and Practice Leader, Client Insights, share strategies to adapt and adopt to the products and solutions shoppers are looking for.

Inflation is adding complexity to our relationship with fresh foods, but retailers, take note, people don't always run to the lowest-priced option. Sally Lyons Wyatt, IRI's EVP and Practice Leader, Client Insights, and Jonna Parker, principal of IRI's Fresh Center of Excellence, share innovative and effective strategies retailers and CPGs can employ to inspire consumers with real dollars and cents...

Produce isn’t immune to inflation, but consumers are willing to pay higher prices for their go-to items and value-added produce that enable easy meal prep. Join IRI’s Bob Morales, principal and Produce Team Lead, and Kate Allmandinger, a consultant with IRI’s Fresh Center of Excellence, to learn what draws consumers to the produce department. 

While private label products were able to gain share during the Great Recession, they have yet to make notable gains against national brands in our current period of high inflation. Mary Ellen Lynch, principal, Center Store Solutions at IRI, discusses some strategies retailers should employ to build the value proposition of their private brand offerings. 

With inflation high, home meals and home entertaining are winning out over foodservice. Retailers are stepping up, showing a greater understanding of consumer needs and helping consumers create interesting at-home experiences. Jonna Parker, Principal of IRI’s Fresh Center of Excellence and Anne-Marie Roerink, President of 210 Analytics, share winning strategies and additional opportunities to win...

IRI’s Growth Insights C-Suite Conversations feature notable leaders talking about the future of CPG, retail and media. Our newest installment features Tim Cofer, CEO of Central Garden & Pet, a Walnut Creek, Calif.-based leader in the garden and pet industries.   In this exclusive interview, Cofer speaks with IRI’s KK Davey and Russ Dunham about his company and its growth during a pandemic that fue...

The 2021 GEM® Lift Study, produced in partnership between IRI and the Association of National Advertisers’ SeeHer movement, reveals the positive sales lift when women see themselves accurately and positively portrayed in advertising. Jennifer Pelino, executive vice president of IRI’s Global Media Solutions, and Latha Sarathy, executive vice president of Analytics, Insights & Measurement at ANA/See...

Even with high inflation, meat sales remain strong. Still, the industry is taking steps to meet cash-strapped consumers at the meat case. From value cuts and value packs to promoting benefits beyond protein, Jonna Parker, principal of IRI’s Fresh Center of Excellence, John Crowder, head of Beef Marketing at JBS, and Heather DeLuca, VP, Meat & Seafood, AWG, share strategies being employed to delive...

Inflation is rising and shopper behavior is changing. Jonna Parker, principal of IRI's Fresh Center of Excellence, and Anne-Marie Roerink, president of 210 Analytics, discuss how inflation is showing up in grocery retail and offer some insight into how younger consumers are working to save money. Hint: they aren't turning to paper circulars the way older shoppers do. 

Increasing mobility, product versatility, innovation and a balance of health and indulgence are all reflected in the dairy case. John Crawford, IRI’s vice president of Client Insights, Dairy, provides the current and future state of the dairy case and shares some product innovations worth watching. 

Despite regulatory hurdles, the cannabis market continues to grow, especially in the $45 billion U.S. market. BDSA’s chief commercial officer, Jessica Lukas, shares insights into growth opportunities for CPG manufacturers and retailers and why 2022 is the right time for investing in and developing cannabis-derived products. 

A confluence of inflation, supply challenges, bad weather and the omicron variant drove at-home food sales in January 2022. In this monthly outlook of fresh categories, Jonna Parker, principal of IRI's Fresh Center of Excellence, and Anne-Marie Roerink, president of 210 Analytics, discuss consumer behaviors – including an increase in at-home meals – as well as retailer strategies to retain shopper...

Wavering demand, insufficient supply and rising inflation negatively impact the CPG industry and consumers. KK Davey, president of client engagement at IRI, shares insights into what’s ahead in 2022, including CPG volume declines and on-premise recovery, additional price increases, the return of promotions, the opportunity for private label and much more.

IRI’s private brand expert, MaryEllen Lynch, Principal, Center Store Solutions, shares findings and insights from IRI research into private brands. Find out who is most likely to shop for private brands, how retailers can both leverage existing loyalty to store brands and promote offerings to new shoppers, as well as an outlook for private brands in an inflationary market.