The Modern Retail Podcast

Digiday
  • 3.2 (5)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated weekly

The Modern Retail Podcast is a podcast about all the ways the retail industry is changing and modernizing. Every Saturday, senior reporters Gabi Barkho and Melissa Daniels break down the latest retail headlines and interview executives about what it takes to keep up in today’s retail landscape, diving deep into growth strategies, brand autopsies, economic changes and more

  1. 3 days ago

    Why fragrance is the new key to commanding a premium price tag

    Fragrance continues to dominate the beauty sector in 2026, but it's increasingly showing up as a differentiator in other sectors like personal care and household essentials.This week on the Modern Retail Podcast, special projects editor Melissa Daniels speaks with Diana Melencio, general partner at XRC Brand Capital Fund, about the ways companies are using fragrance to set themselves apart.“On the shelves of Target and Walmart in the traditional laundry and household cleaning aisles, you're going to start seeing more premium products that have that differentiated scent architecture," Melencio said.Melencio, who is actively looking to invest in the space, has looked at the growth of fragrance and highlights how companies like genderless fragrance company DedCool and sanitizer brand Touchland are commanding elevated prices and prime retail spots in places like Sephora. At the same time, legacy companies like Unilever are ramping up their fragrance opportunities while trying to ensure that they're not alienating price-conscious consumers.XRC's research shows that fragrance grew 15% in mass and 5% in prestige in 2025, which outpaces every other beauty segment. Melencio and Daniels discuss the ins and outs of why fragrance has become so popular and how brands across categories are looking to capitalize on the trend.Their conversation gets into: Why price-conscious consumers are willing to pay a premium for elevated fragrances The challenges that conglomerates have in innovating around scent-based products compared to startups What some of the trendiest scents are in 2026 and how perfumers suss out what's the next big hit

    Why fragrance is the new key to commanding a premium price tag

  2. 29 Aug

    The new life cycle of a brand ‘cancellation’

    In an era where a brand's reputation is tethered to the relentless cycles of social media, silence is no longer a defensive strategy for brands and can even become a liability. In this episode of the Modern Retail Podcast, senior reporter Gabi Barkho is joined by crisis PR consultant Sam Gauchier to break down why the old-school public relations tactic of trying to sweep a major scandal under the rug is increasingly failing major brands. The latest example came this week, when Target quickly scrambled to do damage control after one of its children’s Halloween costumes was called out for its depiction of blackface. Neutrogena is also facing backlash in the wake of former ambassador Hayden Panettiere’s death, with many scrutinizing the brand’s 2015 decision to sever ties with Panettiere after she discussed her postpartum depression experience. The criticism continued even after Neutrogena issued an apology.This week's podcast episode digs into: Whether "canceling" a brand is actually possible today. Why there is more pressure on brands to address consumer criticism head on.  Whether boycotts can hurt businesses in the long run.

    The new life cycle of a brand ‘cancellation’

  3. 22 Aug

    The big business of dorm decor

    This year, back-to-college spending is estimated to cross $100 billion for the first time, according to data from the National Retail Federation. About $14 billion of that, or about $194 per shopper, is in dorm and apartment furnishings. It’s the second-highest category after electronics, and some data suggests it's growing: Research from CTV ad platform MNTN last year shows that advertisers in dorm-adjacent categories saw average revenue grow 73.65 year over year during the peak purchase window in July. One of the companies at the center of these trends is Urban Outfitters, which has made a concerted effort to grow its furnishings business in recent years. The company's head of merchandising for non-apparel, Karen Booker, joined special projects editor Melissa Daniels on the Modern Retail Podcast this week to dive into how the company has evolved in this space.

    The big business of dorm decor

  4. 15 Aug

    The pros and cons of taking on private equity

    For many founder-led brands, the transition from a scrappy, bootstrapped startup to a major retail player is the ultimate test of sustainable growth. For some, that means taking on more debt or venture capital; for others, it means bringing on private equity investors to shoulder the costs. This week, senior reporter Gabi Barkho is joined by Andrea Faulkner Williams, co-founder and president of baby care brand Tubby Todd, to discuss her strategic decisions behind that evolution. After launching in 2014 and spending years building the brand through a DTC community-driven approach, Tubby Todd sold a majority stake to private equity firm NexPhase Capital in 2022. Since then, the co-founders have remained in leadership roles and continue to grow the brand in retail, with a Target launch earlier this year. This episode of the Modern Retail Podcast pulls back the curtain on why Tubby Todd’s founders chose that specific path, how the infusion of capital has fundamentally altered their operational strategy and how the partnership helped scale from DTC to mass retail. In this episode, Williams discusses: Her personal relationship with private equity capital and how it shaped Tubby Todd’s growth trajectory. How founders can weigh the pros and cons of working with private equity firms. What the NexPhase Capital investment means for Tubby Todd’s retail strategy in the coming years.

    The pros and cons of taking on private equity

  5. 8 Aug

    How Once Upon a Farm is shaking up the baby aisle with coolers

    Once Upon a Farm is on a growth trajectory that is powered in large part by a new look in the baby aisle. The brand, founded in 2015, offers organic, cold-pressed baby food and children's snacks. It went public in February after spending the past several years building up a unique wholesale strategy that places branded coolers in baby food aisles. The company ended 2025 with more than 3,400 coolers in grocery stores across the U.S. and is looking to surpass more than 5,000 by the end of 2026. Overall, the company saw net sales hit $85.4 million in the second quarter of 2026, an increase of 42.3% from the prior year, according to its second-quarter earnings released Friday. But the cooler strategy is a major part of the growth story, per chief marketing officer Katie Marston. She joined special projects editor Melissa Daniels on the Modern Retail Podcast this week to discuss the strategy and how the brand convinced retailers like Target, Walmart and Kroger to place branded coolers in their baby aisles. The result is a way for Once Upon a Farm to shake up a category long dominated by shelf-stable products. “If we are going to create systemic change in children's nutrition, if we are going to shape the future of food, you have to place big bets, and you have to stick with them," Marston said.

    How Once Upon a Farm is shaking up the baby aisle with coolers

  6. 1 Aug

    The cyclospora outbreak is creating a PR headache for food businesses

    Many Americans have spent the last few weeks contemplating whether to eat fresh produce, due to concerning headlines about the ongoing cyclospora outbreak. The parasite is creating a wave of confusion for shoppers, retailers and food service businesses.  The outbreak has food service chains like Sweetgreen and Taco Bell scrambling to assure customers their produce supply is safe. But the question remains: How much responsibility do companies actually have to communicate these health concerns? This week, the Modern Retail Podcast is diving into the new rules of retail safety, the PR challenges caused by food outbreaks and the difficulty of rebuilding consumer trust in the long run. To discuss the cyclospora outbreak, senior reporter Gabi Barkho is joined by Helena Bottemiller Evich, the founder and editor-in-chief of Food Fix, a new online publication about food policy in Washington and beyond. This episode gets into: What makes this foodborne outbreak historically unique and difficult to trace. Dos and don’ts: How companies can gain customer trust by communicating potential product contamination. What food brands can learn from the outbreak.

    The cyclospora outbreak is creating a PR headache for food businesses

  7. 25 Jul

    Best Buy’s bet on Meta Ray Bans and shop-in-shops

    As an official sales partner for Ray-Ban Meta glasses, Best Buy is rethinking what it means to deliver experiential retail in the age of AI. This week on the Modern Retail Podcast, special projects editor Melissa Daniels sat down with Best Buy's executive vice president and chief revenue officer, Patrick McGinnis, to go behind the scenes into the development of the new 30-by-30-foot Meta AI shop-in-shops rolling out in select stores. It’s the latest example of how Best Buy is looking to position itself as a destination for cutting-edge technology — and it's also a case study into how legacy retailers can rethink the store experience for new audiences. Best Buy plans to have 50 stores selling the new Ray-Ban Meta frames by the end of the year, with the hopes of increasing that to as many as 200 or more by the end of next year, McGinnis said. The company knows there's demand for people to check out the specs in person; its own survey data shows that more than 50% of Best Buy customers say they want to see the Meta glasses in person before making a purchase. And since the retailer first launched smaller displays in 100 stores last October, more than 175,000 customers have completed a demo in a Best Buy store. But beyond creating a destination for people to try out cutting-edge tech in person, the shop-in-shop provided an opportunity for Best Buy to revamp its store layout, McGinnis said. It aims to have more flexible space for experiential retail, including for more AI-powered products, on the horizon.

    Best Buy’s bet on Meta Ray Bans and shop-in-shops

  8. 18 Jul

    How Bloom Nutrition is expanding internationally

    For many U.S. retail startups, expanding international distribution is the ultimate goal to establish themselves as a truly global brand. In the era of digital storefronts and globalized social media presence, selling a product in foreign countries could pay off exponentially. But betting on this global growth means navigating all the friction that cross-border retail can bring.  Bloom Nutrition, which has been growing its energy drink line over the past year, is launching in multiple foreign markets that include Australia, France and the U.K.   Joel Contartese, the vp of global growth at Bloom Nutrition, joins the Modern Retail Podcast to discuss the advantages and challenges of distributing beverages in other countries. In this interview, he discusses: Why the beverage startup is betting on international consumers for longterm growth.  Navigating ingredient regulations in the European Union and South America, which differ greatly from the U.S.  Learning to tweak branding and flavors to localize for each international market.

    How Bloom Nutrition is expanding internationally
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3.2
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

The Modern Retail Podcast is a podcast about all the ways the retail industry is changing and modernizing. Every Saturday, senior reporters Gabi Barkho and Melissa Daniels break down the latest retail headlines and interview executives about what it takes to keep up in today’s retail landscape, diving deep into growth strategies, brand autopsies, economic changes and more

Information

  • Creator
    Digiday
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2026
  • Episodes
    556
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 6d5e9100-eb15-11f0-a1d9-0d456e0e9810
  • Show Website
    The Modern Retail Podcast

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