Grocer Pod - Presented by AWG - Grocery, Marketing and more: Recent Episodes
Associated Wholesale Grocers
We will keep retailers up to date on everything going on in the grocery world. Expect to hear from category experts, about marketing trends, as well as discussion of new trends.
North Country allows AWG member retailers to harness the power of customer data and use it to drive sales. Client Success Architect Jamie Gray sat down with Sean Kosednar at the 2026 Innovation Showcase to explain how North Country can help AWG retailers.
Family of Brands launched its latest quarterly new item in July. These items are designed to help AWG member retailers remain competitive and meet evolving shopper demands. AWG Brands Product Manager, Tyler Olinger, is here to discuss the success of previously launched items and introduce the new additions.
ECRS has solutions to optimize processes in all areas of the store. Sean Kosednar was joined by Director of Strategic Initiatives Brittany Benton at the 2026 Innovation Showcase. They talked about a variety of solutions as well as a report from Birdzi and ECRS.
Succession planning experts Paul Adams and Carey Berger joined Sean Kosednar again at the 2026 Innovation Showcase. They explained how AWG's transition planning resource, Crossroads, is available to help AWG member retailers plan for their future.
Listen to Sean Kosednar's conversation with Larry Miller from Smart Retai Solutions at the 2026 Innovation Showcase. Larry and Sean discuss how AWG member retailers can optimize their profits by unifying their data into one source of truth.
A lot has been happening at AppCard, and Eran Harel, Senior VP of Corporate Development and Strategic Partnerships at AppCard, is back on Grocer Pod to discuss it all. Eran and Sean Kosednar met up at the 2026 Innovation Showcase to discuss the company's acquisition of SHOPtoCOOK, as well as AppCard's new chatbot, Ask Pinky.
Recently the AWG family of Brands expanded to include Wellwerks and Nüwerks. Vice President of AWG Brands Emily Detwiler, Step Change Innovations COO Joe Muttillo, and senior dietitian and strategic advisor to the program Kristin Kirkpatrick, MS, RD, sat down with Sean Kosednar to discuss these two wellness brands new to AWG members.
Jon Cline, Owner, Chief Relationship Officer, & Doug Haworth, General Manager, from FMS Solutions, joined Sean Kosednar at the 2026 Innovation Showcase. The three talked about how FMS Solutions' accounting services and their Track-It solution can help AWG member retailers.
Andy Ruff, VP of Community Rewards at Loyalty Lane is back on Grocer Pod. He sat down with Sean Kosednar at the 2026 Innovation Showcase to discuss the company changing its name back to Loyalty Lane and all the ways AWG member retailers can leverage customer data through a loyalty program.
Carey Berger from AWG's transition planning resources, Crossroads, is back on Grocer Pod. He introduced Sean Kosednar to the newest member of the Crossroads team, Darryl Miller...a familiar face to AWG teammates and members. The three discuss Darryl's new role and how Crossroads can assist AWG member retailers navigate transition planning and everything it entails.
The AWG Family of Brands olive oil line has undergone recent assortment changes, including updated sizes and new items. What hasn't changed in nearly 20 years is the partnership with a single family-run manufacturing plant in Italy. Italian Imports President Jeff Bono joins Sean Kosednar on this week's Grocer Pod. They are discussing the farm-to-bottle journey of the Superior Selections by Best Choice olive oil program, the exciting launch of new Best Choice items, and offerings from Always Save.
Last month, AWG Family of Brands launched a new group of products. These items are designed to help AWG member retailers remain competitive and meet evolving shopper demands. AWG Brands Product Manager Tyler Olinger joins Sean Kosednar in the studio to discuss the success of previously launched items and introduce the new additions.
Vice President of AWG Brands Emily Detwiler joins Sean Kosednar in the studio on this week's Grocer Pod. They discuss all offerings from Pure Wonder by Best Choice™ and Paws Happy Life® just in time for National Pet Month in May.
AWG Vice President of Meat and Seafood Heather DeLuca joins Sean Kosednar in the studio on this week's Grocer Pod. The two discuss how AWG member retailers can take advantage of meat's current popularity.
Sean Kosednar is joined by Topco Associates LLC Senior Program Manager Jeff Vetstein and Senior Category Director, Indirect Spend Program Adam Binder at the 2026 Innovation Showcase. The three discuss various Not For Resale programs TopCo offers to AWG member retailers.
Jason Skolak, General Manager for Retail Data Systems, sits down with Sean Kosednar at the 2026 Innovation Showcase. The two discuss the benefits of electronic shelf labels. Jason also shares how AWG member retailers can save 10% on the cost of installing electronic shelf labels.
In the first installment of episodes recorded at Innovation Showcase 2026, AWG SVP of Sales & Support James Neumann, AWG Advertising Manager Logan Bayless, and Breez AI Founder & CEO Tal Zlotnitsky sit down with Sean Kosednar to discuss the partnership between AWG and Breez AI. The four also talked about AWG launching SmartMeals™, Breez AI's new AI-powered meal planning tool, to AWG members.
Sean Kosednar was on the floor at the HGS Show talking with a variety of AWG teammates about show deals, trends, AWG Brands, Retail Marketing Network, the Hispanic category, and much more.
January is Store Brands Month. To kick things off Sean Kosednar is joined by Cara Finger, AWG Brands Marketing Manager. The two talk about what AWG Brands is doing to celebrate.
AWG Brands' Marketing Success Kits include monthly recipes. Senior Marketing Specialist Rachel Frierdich is back on Grocer Pod to talk all about these recipes with host Sean Kosednar.
Larry Miller, Founder and CEO of Smart Retail Solutions joins Grocer Pod again this week. This time Larry and Sean discuss a new product called Scan-it® Mobile. Scan It is a cloud-based Whole-Store Ordering, Inventory Management, Shrink Loss Tracking, and Receiving System. If you are interested in learning more, contact Larry Miller today.
AWG Executive Director, Deli, Bakery, & Food Service Michael Pursell and FMI Senior Manager, Industry Relations Andrew Brown join Sean Kosednar on this week's Grocer Pod. The three discuss how AWG member retailers can either add food service to their stores or enhance their current food service offerings. To read the white papers mentioned in today's episode, click HERE for Framework for Retail Foodservice Success 2025 and HERE for The Power of Foodservice at Retail 2025.
Thanksgiving is right around the corner and customers are looking for ways to save on their Thanksgiving spread. AWG Vice President, AWG Brands Emily Detwiler joins Sean Kosednar on this week's Grocer Pod to talk about all the Thanksgiving products offered by AWG Brands.
Since 2010, AWG has participated in 13 trips with Cruise Holidays. The 14th trip will take AWG members to Italy, Greece, and Croatia. Mark Comfort, co-owner of Cruise Holidays of Kansas City, Comfort Tours and Travel, joins Sean Kosednar on this week's Grocer Pod to talk about all the details about the 2026 AWG Member Trip.
Q4 2025 is fast approaching. That means AWG Brands Product Manager Tyler Olinger joined Sean Kosednar on this week's Grocer Pod to discuss the success of some previously launched items and introduce the additions to the AWG Brands lineup. Click here to learn more about the the new items being launched.
In this episode of Grocer Pod, Ana Velazquez—Vice President at the Retail Learning Institute and IGA Coca-Cola Institute—returns to share how AWG University can help retailers cut costs and boost performance through effective staff training. Ana and host Sean Kosednar dive into the wide range of learning resources available, from onboarding to advanced retail strategies. If you're ready to elevate your team's skills and efficiency, reach out to Ana to get started with AWG University.
Recent changes allow states to apply for SNAP waivers modifying, state-by-state, what products will be SNAP eligible. AWG Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel Stephanie Becker is in the studio breaking down what this mean for AWG member retailers. Get the latest update of SNAP waivers for you state HERE.
On this week's episode, we share a Learning Lounge presentation from AWG Innovation Showcase 2025. BRdata President John Abbene presents the ways AWG members can harness the power of AI to help their business.
Digital media is crucial to AWG member retailers. Sean Kosednar sat down with ShoptoCook President and CEO John Thompson at the AWG Innovation Showcase in March. Thompson explained how AWG members can use digital media to not only get new customers but maintain their existing customers as well.
AWG Brands Senior Marketing Specialist Rachel Frierdich joins Sean Kosednar in the studio to spotlight the power of AWG Brands’ Marketing Success Kits. Each month, the AWG Brands team curates a fully themed, plug-and-play marketing plan designed to help AWG member retailers drive sales of private brand products. These kits make it easy to showcase the value and benefits of AWG Brands to customers—saving time while delivering results.
Sean Kosednar sat down with Founder and CEO of ProfitTrax Larry Miller at Innovation Showcase 2025 in March and learned all about how AWG members can harness the power of centralized data to improve their business.
On this week’s episode of Grocer Pod, we’re diving into another exciting quarterly product launch from AWG Brands. Every quarter, the team rolls out a fresh wave of new products—carefully designed to help AWG member retailers stay competitive, meet shifting shopper needs, and keep shelves stocked with high-quality, value-driven items. AWG Brands Product Manager Tyler Olinger is back in the studio with Sean Kosednar to discuss the success of new AWG Brands items and introduce the latest items launched in July.
Big changes are coming to AWG Grocer's Kart. AWG intern Miller Brown joins Sean Kosednar in the studio on this week's Grocer Pod to talk about these exciting enhancements. Learn why Grocer's Kart is your one-stop shop for textiles and signage.
GiveX’s loyalty program can help AWG member retailers retain customers, increase basket size, and, most importantly, drive extra trips. Sean Kosednar sat down with GiveX's VP of Community Rewards Andy Ruff at the Innovation Showcase to hear all about it.
Hello World by Best Choice is the new baby line from AWG Brands. Vice President of AWG Brands Emily Detwiler is in the studio with Sean Kosednar to discuss the new product line.
Sean Kosednar sat down with Matt Swanson from North Country Business Solutions at the AWG Innovation Showcase. The two talked about how North Country can help AWG members better integrate their data.
This week Sean Kosednar is joined in the studio by Robert Austin and Jesse Himango from Empower Fresh. The three discuss how AWG member retailers can harness the power of AI in their fresh departments.
On this week's Grocer Pod, AWG Brands Product Manager Tyler Olinger is in the studio with Sean Kosednar to discuss the new AWG Brands items launching in Q2.
Celebrate National Pet Month by learning about Pure Wonder by Best Choice. Vice President of AWG Brands Emily Detwiler joins Sean Kosednar in the studio on this week's Grocer Pod to talk all about the new pet focused brand.
This week we have Sean Kosednar's conversation with Ideal's Adam Zimmerman. The two sat down at Innovation Showcase to talk about the company's rebrand as well as how AWG member retailers can harness the power of digital circulars.
Sean Kosednar talks with Caroline Catoe and Brittany Benton from ECRS during AWG Innovation Showcase 2025.
AWG Marketing Services Specialist Maggie Wilson and Sean Kosednar discuss some of the latest food trends sweeping social media on this week's Grocer Pod. They also talk about ways you can take advantage of these trends in your store.
This week is the first installment of conversations recorded at AWG Innovation Showcase 2025. Carey Berger from Crossroads is back on Grocer Pod to lead things off. Sean Kosednar talks with him about what AWG member retailers can do to increase the pool of potential buyers when it comes time for them to sell their stores.
We are all excited for AWG Innovation Showcase 2025. To get ready, here is a look back to last year's keynote speaker, Daniel Burrus.
On this week's Grocer Pod, AWG Brands Product Manager Tyler Olinger is in the studio with Sean Kosednar to discuss the Q1 new items and what is still to come from AWG Brands this year.
AWG members will soon be able to take advantage of a new cross-dock program with KeHE. Group Vice President of Center Store Merchandising & Sales Scott Evans joins Sean Kosednar in the studio this week to explain the new program and how it will help AWG member retailers.
Sean Kosednar took his microphone around the HGS Spring Show in early February to give everyone who wasn't in attendance a feel for what the show had to offer.
Credit card skimming has come to grocery stores and Jeff Klaus from Retail Data Systems is here to share how it's happening and how to prevent it. On this week's Grocer Pod, Jeff explains to Sean Kosednar how AWG member retailers can protect their stores and their customers from these devices.
The results are in for AWG's 2024 Member Satisfaction Survey. Executive Vice President of Division Operations, Derek Jones, joins Sean Kosednar in the studio to break down the results on this week's episode of Grocer Pod.
AWG President and CEO Dan Funk joins Sean Kosednar on this week's Grocer Pod. They discuss Dan's first year as President and CEO. Dan also lays out what AWG members can expect in 2025.
AWG Brands has big plans for 2025 and AWG Brands Product Manager Tyler Olinger is in the studio to tell host Sean Kosednar all about them.
AWG Brands has been stacking up the awards as of late. Cara Finger, AWG Brands Marketing Manager, is back in the studio to tell everyone about which brands and products won.
Cara Finger, AWG Brands Marketing Manager, is in the studio with Sean Kosednar talking about AWG Brands digital coupons on this week's Grocer Pod.
Executive Director of Design and Construction Joel Riggs joins Sean Kosednar in the studio this week to tell AWG member retailers how Store Engineering can help them access public funds to pay for new store builds or even remodels.
On this week's Grocer Pod, several AWG teammates talk to host Sean Kosednar about what they learned, as well as the benefits of attending the Groceryshop 2024 conference.
Doing everything from site selection to lease management, market research and store engineering, AWG's Real Estate department can help every member retailer. AWG's Director of Real Estate, Michael Galiga, joins Sean Kosednar on this week's Grocer Pod to get the word out about the Real Estate Department.
Stacy Leeton, AWG Sr. Category Manager for Health & Wellness, is back on Grocer Pod. This week she tells Sean Kosednar about what is going on in the Cough and Cold medicine category.
AWG Brands has revamped its vitamin category. Stacy Leeton, AWG Sr. Category Manager for Health & Wellness, joins Sean Kosednar to discuss the new offerings on this week's Grocer Pod.
On this week's Grocer Pod, Sean Kosednar walks the show floor at the 2024 Kansas City Food Show. He talks with vendors and AWG teammates about some of the food show offerings.
AWG University is here to help our member retailers provide comprehensive employee training for their staff. Learning Solutions Director Ana Velazquez talks with host Sean Kosednar about how retailers can get the most out of the program.
Salty Snacks is a $60.5 Billion a year category. Category Manager Jared Grieve and AWG Brands Product Manager Tyler Olinger join host Sean Kosednar in the studio to help introduce new AWG Brands offerings to the category.
We couldn't wait until Wednesday to bring you Category Manager Ernesto Otero's conversation with Sean Kosednar about the new General Mills cereal Kelce Mix.
September is FMI's Family Meals Month. AWG Brands' Senior Marketing Specialist, Rachel Frierdich and Kaylee Keane, RMN Marketing & Data Specialist, join Sean Kosednar in the studio to talk about all the ways AWG can help member retailers celebrate Family Meals Month.
On this week's Grocer Pod, AWG Brands Senior Sourcing Manager Robert Fahr and Daymon Senior Director Emma Bryan join host Sean Kosednar to discuss the evolution of the AWG Brands paper program. Learn about the new offerings across the AWG Brands’ lines in the paper category.
AWG has completed integration of VMC products, programs and teams into the AWG merchandising organization umbrella. Group Vice-President Scott Evans is in the studio with Sean Kosednar to explain what the change means to AWG member retailers on this week's Grocer Pod.
AWG Advertising Specialist Ryan Gellings joins Sean Kosednar on this week’s Grocer Pod. The two discuss what is new with AWG Grocer’s Kart. Visit https://awggrocerskart.com/ to place your oder today!
We have a role reversal on this week's Grocer Pod. Sean Kosednar is in the hot seat as AWG intern Josh Gregory talks to Sean about how the variety of services from AWG's Media Productions can help our member retailers.
AWG Brands has great new products in their Best Choice in the Bakery Line. Category manager David Villanueva joins Sean Kosednar on this week's Grocer Pod to talk about the delicious new bakery offerings.
On this week's Grocer Pod, IGA President and CEO John Ross joins host Sean Kosednar to discuss how the most successful stores recruit and retain their employees.
AWG Brands' best-in-class portfolio includes over 4,000 items across the brands: Always Save, Best Choice, Clearly by Best Choice, and Best Choice Superior Selections. To help AWG member retailers compete in the evolving marketplace, the AWG Brands team continues to bring new items to the shelf. This week on Grocer Pod, AWG Brands Product Manager Tyler Olinger joins Sean Kosednar in the studio to discuss the process and what new AWG Brands items have come to market this year.
Learn how to reach more customers with digital circulars when Sean Kosednar talks with Ideal by Design House's SVP of Product Development Adam Zimmerman on this week's Grocer Pod.
12AWG Brands has totally overhauled the ice cream category. Category Sales Director Brady Manning and Senior Category Manager Donna Yarbrough join Sean Kosednar in the studio on this week's Grocer Pod. They didn't come empty handed. After talking about the changes to the category, the three sampled several of the new Best Choice Superior Selections flavors.
2024 marks the 40th Anniversary for Always Save. AWG Brands Executive Director Emily Detwiler joins Sean Kosednar in the studio for this week's Grocer Pod. The two look back at Always Save through the years, as well as where the brand is going in the next four decades.
It is the last of the conversations from Innovation Showcase. Sean Kosednar sits down with Our People and Truno.
Sean Kosednar wraps up the coverage of the 2024 Innovation Showcase with conversations with Our People and Truno.
Learn how TimeForge can help AWG members attract and keep great employees from the TimeForge COO Audrey Hogan. Audrey joined Sean Kosednar at the 2024 Innovation Showcase. The two talk about all the ways TimeForge can benefit retailers.
Learn how you can claim the money you are owed from the recent class action lawsuit settlement from Stephanie Becker, AWG Chief Legal Officer & General Counsel, as she joins Sean Kosednar in the studio on this week's Grocer Pod. Visit the settlement website PAYMENTCARDSETTLEMENT.COM to file your claim. If you have any questions, contact the attorneys representing the class, Xan Bernay and Ryan Marth. That is followed by a conversation with Andy Ruff, GiveX VP of Community Rewards. Sean and Andy talked at Innovation Showcase about all the ways GiveX can help AWG members.
AWG Vice-President of Meat and Seafood, Heather DeLuca is in the studio chewing the fat with Sean Kosednar on this week's Grocer Pod. DeLuca has just returned from the annual Meat Conference, and she has the update for AWG Members.
Leslie Sarasin, president and CEO of FMI, joins Sean Kosednar on this week’s Grocer Pod. Sarasin recaps her 2024 AWG Innovation Showcase presentation and shares what retailers should watch for in 2024.
This week's episode is the first round up of conversations Sean Kosednar had with vendors at the 2024 Innovation Showcase. Those conversations were with, Shop to Cook , Dana Industries, ECRS. Be sure to follow the links to learn more about each great vendor.
In this episode of Grocer Pod, we're joined by Daniel Burrus, global futurist, strategic advisor and best-selling author. Daniel recently spoke at the 2024 AWG Innovation Showcase, where he presented "Anticipatory Grocery: Using Hard Trends and AI To Accelerate Innovation and Growth." Today, he shares with this audience the most important Hard Trends and related opportunities that are shaping the future of grocery, and specific AI tools that can be implemented now to lower costs, increase efficiency and gain competitive advantages.
Last week AWG and Instacart agreed to a partnership that enables more direct access to same-day delivery and AI-powered smart carts to AWG member companies across 3,500 locations in 32 states. Sean Kosednar was joined once again by Nick Nickitas, General Manager, Local Independent Grocery at Instacart and Founder of Rosie, to talk all about what the partnership means for AWG members.
Learn how to take advantage of AWG's Retail Marketing Network revenue-share opportunitywith AppCard's SVP of Corporate Development and Strategic Partnerships, Eran Harel, as he talks with Sean Kosednar on this week's Grocer Pod.
NCR Freshop's Nick Arlt joins Sean Kosednar on this week's Grocer Pod. The two discuss what AWG member retailers can do to be successful in the eCommerce space.
Learn how monitoring your store's systems with OpSense. Sean Kosednar talks with OpSense CEO, Stu Gavurin and AWG Member Ward Ragland about how OpSense helps members.
Dr. Farhana Nusrat, Assistant Professor of Marketing, Knauss School of Business at the University of San Diego co-authored study "Feeling rewarded and entitled to be served: Understanding the influence of self- versus regular checkout on customer loyalty." Dr. Nusrat explains her study and its findings to Sean Kosednar on this week's Grocer Pod.
Kimberly Kubec joins Sean Koednar in the studio to talk all things Yogurt on this week's Grocer Pod.
Executive Director of Bakery Deli & Food Service Michael Pursell joins Sean Kosednar in the studio on this week's Grocer Pod. Michael talks about how they will use the strong end to 2023 to propel the department in 2024. He also outlines all the great new offerings they have for AWG members.
Category Manager Ernesto Ortero joins Sean Kosednar in the studio for this week's Grocer Pod. Ernesto is here to talk all about the cereal category, specifically what new products AWG Brands has to offer.
Webstop CEO Shawn Tuckett joins Sean Kosednar on this week's Grocer Pod. They two discuss a recent blog post Shawn wrote about three grocery trends for 2024 and what it means for AWG retailers.
To celebrate Get to Know Your Customers Day, Pat Kerwin from Buche Foods joins Sean Kosednar on this week's Grocer Pod. Pat and Sean discuss how knowing about their customers and community is critical to the store's success.
Get ready to expand your business with friend of the show Carey Berger, from Crossroads joins Sean Kosednar on this week's Grocer Pod. Click here to visit the Crossroads website if you want help planning your future.
AWG’s director of Hispanic & International Sales, Crystal Gonzales, joins Sean Kosednar in the studio on this week's Grocer Pod. The two discuss how AWG members can attract and serve their multicultural customer base.
SVP of Special Projects, James Neumann joins Sean Kosednar in the studio on this week's Grocer Pod. James talks about the process of moving from retail to working for AWG. He also describes how his new role will help AWG's members.
No store is too small to have a floral department. Kansas City's floral specialist, Shannon Gatton, joins Sean Kosednar in the studio for this week's Grocer Pod. She has tips for established departments as well as stores looking to get into the floral game.
Hear about the process of creating AWG Brands labels as Daymon's Creative Director, Steve Cox, joins Sean Kosednar on this week's episode of Grocer Pod.
IGA President and CEO John Ross is this week's guest on Grocer Pod. Sean Kosednar asks John how independent grocer can better market their stores. They also discuss the current state of the independent grocer as well as where we go from here.
Sarah Peck and Matt Amendola, from General Mills, talk with Sean Kosednar on this week's Grocer Pod. They are introducing Yoplait Protein, a high protein low sugar addition to the yogurt category. As part of the launch AWG Members are able to get access two weeks before the rest of the competition. Listen in to learn all about this exciting new product.
ECommerce Manager Logan Bayless joins Sean Kosednar in the studio on this week's Grocer Pod. Bayless details what AWG Retailers should be doing to succeed in digital.
Senior Regional Sales Manager for AWG Brands, Jana Lagis, joins Sean Kosednar in the studio on this episode of Grocer Pod. Lagis has merchandising suggestions for the fourth quarter of the year, including end caps, holiday baking displays, and the AWG Brands Display Contest.
Learn all about the 2024 change to DIR fees from VMC's pharmacy financial analyst Erica Fett. There are things your pharmacy can do to offset the changes and thrive moving forward.
AWG's Food Safety Director, Shelly Dean joins Sean Kosednar in studio for this week's Grocer Pod. They tackle both AWG's plan for increased sustainability as well as their work to maintain the highest quality in AWG Brand products.
Audrey Hogan, COO of TimeForge, is Sean Kosednar's guest this week on Grocer Pod. The two talk about all the ways AWG members can create more efficient schedules, boost employee culture, and save thousands with TimeForge.
Save money, time, and space in everything from your freezer section to curbside pickup with Phononic. Patrick McCullough talks with Sean Kosednar about all the different easy ways Phononic can help your store on this week's Grocer Pod.
Learn all about the Save-a-Label program from AWG Brands this week as Rachel Corkill joins Sean Kosednar in studio. They talk about how retailers can raise money for local charities simply by collecting AWG Brand labels.
On this week's Grocer Pod, Sean Kosednar is joined in the studio by Omnichannel Marketing Supervisor Carissa Teschner. They discuss AWG's social media program and how it can help member retailers.
This week Jeremy Butcher, from AWG's Retailer Marketing Network, joins Sean Kosednar in studio to talk about digital coupons and all the advantages they have over clipping paper versions.
Sean Kosednar was on location at VMC's 2023 show. He caught up with promotional manager, Jessica Wetzig.
Grocer Pod is dropping a couple of days early this week! AWG Senior Vice President, Chief Sales and Support Officer Emile Breaux talks with Sean Kosednar about the 2023 AWG Member Survey.
Member Surveys went out on July 31 and is open until August 14. If you haven't seen the email please contact your DM.
Sean Kosednar, is joined by not one, but two guests this week. First Sean talks with Carey Berger, President of Business Service Resource Group, about his role in AWG’s transition planning resource, Crossroads. The two discuss all of the different factors that come into play during transition planning. Then AWG eComm Specialist, Conor Middleton, joins to talk about eComm's new name with the same great services.
On this week's Grocer Pod, Sean Kosednar is joined in studio by a trio of sourcing managers from AWG Brands. The four of them discuss how AWG brands finds their products.
The VMC show is right around the corner! Jeni Ganzman joins Sean Kosednar this week on Grocer Pod to talk all about it. Register for the 2023 VMC Show here.
This week, Sean Kosednar is joined by Tye Anthony. The two of them talk all about how AWG members can be utilizing the Value Proposition Toolbox.
This week, Sean Kosednar joined with Daymon Senior Director, Emma Bryan, to explain Daymon’s important partnership with AWG Brands. AWG Brands are supported by a third-party agency called Daymon. Daymon brings expertise in supplier relations, label design and management, web development, creative services, strategic advisory, and more. Many of the Daymon team members are in-house at AWG and work side-by-side with Category Management to represent AWG Brands
AWG's Vice-President of Meat & Seafood, Heather DeLuca joins Sean Kosednar to talk summer grilling, holiday ordering, and everything else going on in the meat department.
Sean Kosednar is joined in the studio by AWG's Executive Vice-President of Distribution and Logistics, Richard Kearns. They talk about the newly opened All-In-One warehouse facility for the Midsouth Division. Learn how this first of its kind in North America will benefit AWG member retailers.
Matt Cole from Storewise joins Sean Kosednar in the studio this week. Storewise is all about helping independent grocers save time and money through automating back office tasks.
Emily Detwiler is the new AWG Brands Executive Director. Prior to this role Emily was the Executive Director of Category Management and Execution here at AWG. She joins Sean Kosednar in studio to talk about where AWG Brands is today as well as opportunities for growth in the future.
This week Sean Kosednar is joined by Colleen Jensen Senior Channel Manager from SES Immagotag and Jill Moline, AWG retailers with four stores Nebraska and Colorado to discuss Electronic Shelf Labels. Jill has recently been installing ESLs in her stores and has loved the results.
Chief Information Officer Shelly Moore joins Sean Kosednar this week on Grocer Pod. The two talk about the ongoing Convergence project. They specifically get into how retailers and AWG as a co-op can leverage data to help member retailers' businesses. Subscribe today and never miss an episode! Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
Sean Kosednar sits down with Kate Favrow from AWG Brands. The two breakdown the differences between the different AWG Brands and how they position themselves. AWG Brands is a huge topic and this episode is a great introduction.
This week Sean Kosednar is joined by Scott Klososky. Scott is the founding partner of Future Point of View, producer of the podcast "The Digital Optimist." Scott spoke at last month's Innovation Showcase. Sean and Scott talk about how AWG members can harness technology as they look to the future.
Grocer Pod is back! Sean Kosednar is at the Innovation Showcase catching up with a whole host of AWG members and Vendors. The interviews were recorded from the show floor so you will be able to hear the buzz from the crowds along with the conversation. It's the next best thing from actually being there.
David Smith is joined by Mike Beal, CFO Ball's Food Stores. They discuss the SNAP program and how your stores and your community can benefit from it.
On the latest episode of Grocer Pod AWG President & CEO David Smith talks with Nick Nickitas from Rosie. You need to be offering ecommerce to your customers in 2022. This conversation shows you how you can get started, and it also has tips for retailers already offering online shopping.
We are back. We snuck into one of the education sessions durring the Innovation Showcase in March. Todd Linksy of the Todd-versations podcast hosted a conversation with Tommy Short about how to perform under pressure.
Don't miss Grocer Pod's last show from the 2021 Innovation Showcase. AWG President and CEO David Smith is joined by AWG VP Sales, Support & Solutions Stacy Bowen and StoreWise President and CEO Chris Greco. The three talk about all the ways StoreWise can help your business be more profitable.
You can see all the previous content from the Showcase at awgshows.com
We have another episode from the Innovation Showcase. This time AWG President and CEO David Smith talks with Red Sun's Carlos Visconti.
Don't miss any other content from the 2021 Innovation Showcase at awgshows.com
As the second week of the 2021 Innovation Showcase wraps up AWG President and CEO David Smith talks with Proctor & Gamble's Tina Fanning.
Visit awgshows.com to see all the Innovation Showcase content from the last two weeks.
Today David Smith talks with Roy Hall from Conagra Foods. Roy is a business development manager in the frozen category. They are going to talk all about how to grow the single and multiserve category.
Find all the 2021 Innovation Showcase content at www.awgshows.com
The 2021 Innovation Showcase kicks off this week. Grocer Pod will have multiple episodes over the next three weeks. Today AWG President and CEO David Smith talks with Shaw Burcham PFS Brands' President and CEO.
Go to awgshows.com to see all of the great content from the Innovation Showcase.
Our first video pod! AWG President and CEO meets with Doug Madenberg and Brian Numainville to the 2020 Grocery Shopping Study. View the video presentation here.
AWG President and CEO David Smith talks with VMC's VP of Pharmacy Bob Pessel. The two discuss the COVID-19 vaccine and how pharmacies can help in the distribution.
AWG President and CEO David Smith talks with Chris Jones from National Grocers' Association about what the Biden administration and Democrat-controlled congress means for independent grocers.
This week AWG President and CEO David Smith talks with Vice President of Deli, Bakery, and Prepared foods Dan Koch.
Sean turns the tables and Interviews AWG President and CEO David Smith along with COO Dan Funk about the recent AWG Members Survey.
We are back for the first show of 2021. AWG President and CEO talks with SVP of Merchandising Tye Anthony about how 2020 ended and what AWG Members can expect in 2021.
This week David Smith has three conversations with retailers from our Norfolk Division. Hear from Justin Luther, Rich Risewick, and Shannon McCord.
This week AWG President and CEO David Smith talked with Paul Adams and Carey Berger about succession planning.
This week AWG President and CEO David Smith talks with Joe Koppeis and his team. Joe operates two stores in Illinois. Having a small team gives him a unique perspective that we wanted to highlight on Grocer Pod. Learn about adding Freshop as an online shopping platform, digital coupons, and special merchandising events that bring the community together.
This week AWG President and CEO David smith sits down with Leslie Sarasin, FMI President and CEO. You won't want to miss all the helpful insights Leslie provides.
This week AWG President and CEO David Smith sits down with Chief Financial Officer Gary Koch. Gary updates us on the financial landscape for AWG and its members. He also has good advice for both the short and long-term future.
Grocer Pod is back after a short break. AWG President & CEO David Smith talks with Chief Human Resource Officer Patrick Reeves. They discuss the current state of workers. Pat also has advice for what AWG members can do to be more attractive to potential new hires.
David Smith talks with EVP Jeff Pedersen about everything AWG has been doing to assist members during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jan Sokol, from G.O.T. Systems, makes her return to Grocer Pod. This week she joins AWG President and CEO David Smith. The two talk about all the new programs G.O.T. has, and how they can save AWG Members money.
This week's show kicks off with a conversation with Adam Salus about Pharmacy. There is obviously, lots to talk about when it comes to healthcare. Then AWG President and CEO David Smith talks with Michael Sansolo in a wide ranging interview about the grocery industry.
Register for the Virtual Innovation Showcase and the 2020 Fall VMC Show at www.awgshows.com
This week AWG President and CEO David Smith is joined by Chris Jones from National Grocers Association. Chris gives an updated on NGA's legislative efforts as well as what AWG members can expect in the proposed Corona Virus Relief bill.
AWG President & CEO David Smith talks with Doug Madenberg and Brian Numainville from Retail Feedback Group. They discuss the group's 2020 report on Online and Instore Grocery Shopping.
This week AWG President and CEO David Smith sits down with Kevin Coupe for a wide ranging conversation about the grocery landscape.
This is a big week of content for Grocer Pod. First, this episode features David Smith talking with Kevin Horrell and Jana Davis from Acosta. They dive deep into the numbers from the last few months, and then they tell you what those numbers mean for your business going forward.
You can register for the Virtual Innovation Showcase by going to awgshows.com/login. Watch the Live show Tuesday, July 14 at 1 p.m. CT.
This week David Smith spoke with Dale Farley and Kevin Ergenbright. Both men have long histories in the grocery industry. They talked about what allowed each of them to outpace their national competition over the last few months. Pay attention to the things they have been doing. If you haven’t been doing something similar in your stores it’s time to start.
You can register for the Virtual Innovation Showcase by going to awgshows.com/login.
We are back after a week off! Tom Jamieson and Tye Anothy join AWG President and CEO David Smith this week. It will be impossible to not be fired up after these conversations.
There is so much to talk about around AWG and VMC this week. First Sean Kosednar talks with VMC leadership about how they have been getting on over the last few months as well as what they have planned for the rest of the year.
Then AWG President & CEO David Smith returns for Retailer Rundown. This week David is joined by Elliot Christensen followed by Randy Stephersen. If you need examples of "what's next" for your store Elliot and Randy have it.
Afterwards Sean asks David and Randy about the recent announcement of the new All-in-One distribution hub in Hernando, MS.
David Smith called this episode a Grocery Retail Master Class. First the AWG President & CEO talks with Jeff Woods and Frank Archer. Then David is joined by Carly Whorton who has implemented some really great innovations since the beginning of the pandemic.
Only one guest this week, but wow is it a good one. Scott McKenzie from Nielsen. AWG has been working with Nielsen to see how AWG retailers compare to similar retailers across the country. Nielsen’s wealth of data has also be invaluable during the COVID-19 pandemic as they work in countries around the globe. They were able to see the virus spread and were able to predict how things would go as it entered to areas. David and Scott have a wide ranging and in depth conversation about the future of the recovery, customer behaviors, and what AWG members can and should be doing.
AWG President & CEO, David Smith is back for another edition of Retailer Rundown. This time there is a twist. James Neumann and Jim Zyrowski are the first two conversations. Learn why it is so important to have your own meat cutters. Then our first vendor visits the rundown when Inmar's Craig Rosenblum talks with David about how technology will help independent retailers.
Sean Kosednar spoke with Adam Salus about pharmacy departments. And then AWG President and CEO David Smith returned for Retailer Rundown. David talked to Dale Trahan, Ben Dishman, and Scott Schmunk.
This might be the best edition of Retailer Rundown yet. AWG President and CEO David Smith talks with Pat Raybould and Mark Griffin about all the great things they are doing for their employees.
Tony Ingraffia had some outstanding insight and should resonate with every retailer.
Board Chairman Barry Queen gives an impassioned talk for AWG members. After that Dylan Queen joins Barry and David for another great conversation.
Retailer Rundown is back for its third week. AWG President David SMith and CEO talks with Steve Edwards, Jeff Strack, and Jim Brown. This week the conversations focus on what the three men have learned in the past six weeks, and how they will apply those lessons moving forward.
AWG President and CEO David Smith joins Grocer Pod for the second installment of Retailer Rundown. This time David asks Kim Eskew, Jimmy Nichols, and Rick James about where they plan to take their stores moving forward.
We are debuting a new segment on Grocer Pod – Retailer Rundown with David Smith. That's right, the the AWG President and CEO joins the show to talk to some retailers about how they are handling COVID-19 in their stores.
In more exciting news Grocer Pod is moving to a weekly format. News is changing so fast these days that waiting a month wasn't possible. Look for Retailer Rundown segments each week for the foreseeable future.
If you have questions or need more information about anything from this episode please email Sean Kosednar.
On this month's Grocer Pod, Sean Kosednar sits down with Joel Riggs to talk about all the different services store engineering and DSG provide members. Next, Kate Favrow describes AWG Brands' plans for the Innovation Showcase in March. There are new planograms for salad dressing and skin care from the category sales teams. For implementation information contact Dan Roehl.
In the first Grocer Pod of 2020 Sean Kosednar talks with Dr. Megan Konar about "The First Map of America's Food Supply" Next up is Kim Cates. She tells why every store needs to be offering prepared food in 2020. Finally, VMC's Dianna Taleck joins to the show to tell everyone about a new Health and Beauty category initiative.
On this month's episode Sean talks store renovations with Jim and Courtney Brown. They recently finished a renovation of their store in Bixby, OK. Then Cara Mahon and Jennifer Egeland stop by to talk about the Choose Wellness program. Finally, Sean Turner from Swiftly gives some of his 2020 grocery predictions.
On this month's episode of Grocer Pod, Sean Kosednar talks with José de Jésus from the National Pork Board about a new study on Latinos and Pork. Next is Andre Patenaude from Emerson. Sean and Andre talk about the future of cold storage and what stores should know about upcoming potential regulation changes. Last, Connor Middleton joins Grocer Pod to talk about AWG's Coinstar program.
This month's episode features a conversation about pharmacies with Adam Salus. Then Sean Kosednar talks with Anthony Estrada about the international foods aisle. Finally, the show ends with Alex Beggs from Bon Appétit Magazine talking about her dream grocery store.
Grocer Pod is back at the VMC Show this month. First, Stan McClintock from FMS shares the results of their Independent Grocer Survey (1:55). Next, Chess Ag's Dr. Shaye Lewis talked CBD (12:22). Then we had our second doctor, Dr. Aruna Weerasooriya from Texas AM Prairie View who shared his research on Food as Medicine (26:03). We learned about Scan Based Trading with Karen Sickle from Park City Group. If you want to learn more contact David Dunn. Finally, we were joined by Kelsey Bright from SPINS. Kelsey shared how members can monetize all the data they collect.
On this month's show we are talking Shelf Stable Juice with Brian Adams (2:53). Followed by Melissa Davis discussing the new look Learning and Development department (8:36). Finally, Jessica Magnussen drops in to talk about the new price changes in DSG, and things members can do to bring down costs and grow sales at the same time (16:10)
This month is all about the Compete magazine. The latest issue dives into digital marketing. Sean sits down with three authors. First up is Lisa Nelson to talk about websites (4:43). Then Morgane Freeman gives a snap shot of Instagram (11:43). Finally, Kurt Kloeblen talks about the issue as a whole and gives five things retailers can do in the digital space (19:59).
We are at the Innovation Showcase this month. The show was great. There was no way to talk to all the amazing vendors. We did talk to Melanie Greben from Conagra Brands about snacking (:54), Pat Hughes from eGrowcery on how to optimize your labor force for online shopping (5:34), Steve Mehmert from T4 Solutions about e-commerce delivery solutions. Finally, we talked to one of the main speakers at the show, Jason Dorsey (26:38). Jason studies generational differences, and how retailers can harness those differences both in terms of sales and workforce management. Apologies for the sound issue on the conversation with Jason, but the information was too good to leave out.
The Innovation Showcase is March 25-27 at the Overland Park Convention Center in Overland Park, KS. Sean sits down with Kurt Kloeblen to preview the show. Visit awgshowcase.com for more information and to download the app.
Grocer Pod is back at the VMC show. This episode was recorded on the show floor so there is some background noise. It makes you feel like you were there. First up is David Krueger National Sales Manager for Design Greetings (1:03). David talked about what members can do to improve center store sales. Jan Sokal, from GOT Systems, tells how they can help members with their ordering processes (6:34). Then Natural Native's Ron Cunningham discusses the hot new trend, CBD (15:51). Finally, Jason Forrester gives another update on StoreFront and how members can use it more effectively (23:54).
On this month's episode Sean talks New Year's resolutions. He also sits down with Jeni Ganzman and Cara Mahon to talk about the upcoming VMC show.
To register for the VMC show email vmc_shows@awginc.com
Next, Melanie Isenmann joins to talk about social media marketing. There are some new offerings as well as a new focus by the digital marketing team at AWG.
On this month's show, we talk to Michael Barber about email marketing and what you can do that goes beyond simply sending out your weekly ad. Then Bob Miklos joins the show to talk about AWG brands.
Unless you have been living under a rock, you have heard that AWG launched StoreFront recently. AWG members are wondering what this means for them. Stacey Bowen and Linda Cosgrove join the show to talk about StoreFront and how it will help members (1:37). September also marked the release of the new Compete magazine. Dave McKelvey and I discuss the Not For Resale program that is featured in the issue and how much money members can save by participating (12:21).
We are back on the road at the VMC Show in Kansas City this month. If you weren't there we did our best to recap some of what you missed. Linda Cosgrove breaks down StoreFront (1:26). Then Brian Stanley talks Cough & Cold and trends in US healthcare (10:46). Kevin Cleary tells us how to win with vitamins (19:40). Kimberly Dressler adds to the vitamin conversation (27:08). Ralph Koscheka brings another perspective on Cold & Flu (33:10). Mary McCaul discusses trends in oral care (39:13). Finally, Maurice Henry explains the Supermarket Lifecycle (45:32).
On this month's Grocer Pod Sean talks with Jessica Magnussen (1:51) about all things design related. Then Reade Sievert (12:23) comes by to talk produce, and what retailers need to do to maximize the summer selling season. Finally, Anna Mancini and Jeni Ganzman (23:38) are here to preview the VMC show. They have everything you need to know before heading to Kansas City August 7-9. Download the shows app on iOS and Android.
After a short break we are back with a new name - Grocer Pod. The name may be new, but our mission is the same. This month we are talking email with David Cacioppo from emfluence (3:25). Then Marie Lewis stops by to talk food safety (14:16). Finally, Nicholas Segura and Ruby Montoya from Segura Marketing join me to discuss marketing to the hispanic community (24:50).
Lots of interviews from AWG Showcase:
Eric Qualman (0:37) - Digital Leadership
Polly Schau, Wells Enterprises (8:05) - Ice Cream
Doug Baker, FMI (11:37) - Smart Label
Chad Fowles, Unilever (16:44) - Frozen Novelty and Personal Care
Pat Hughes, eGrowcery (23:33) - Online Shopping
Jim Lukens, MSC (31:15) - Digital marketing with Media Solutions
Larry Elias, Retail Profit Solutions (43:37) - Labor Management
Mike Kienzlen, WheresMyShrink.com (49:41) - Shrink
We are back at the VMC show talking to all kinds of people. First up is Damon Stuites (0:00) talking about Blackhawk gift cards. If you are interested in more information regarding Blackhawk email Bryan Wright. Next we talk produce with Tim Graas (5:40). Brian Moyer from Freshop sits down to talk online shopping and Chef Kit (19:31). Next is Steve Rash from Coinstar tells us about the new partnership with AWG (26:40). If you are interested in adding Coinstar to your store contact Conor Middleton Mike Daly from AWG explains how retailers can stay on top of the latest products (32:09). Finally, Chris Higgs gives us the latest news on the Shopper Engagement Platform (36:18).
This episode starts with Sean talking about a couple of things that would improve his shopping experience. Then he talks to Linda Cosgrove about education opportunities for retailers (2:10) After that, Sean talked to Jim Fittterer about Super Ad Group (13:20).
AWP was on the road this month. We recorded live from the VMC food show in Overland Park, Kansas. Interviews include Brian Moyer Freshop CEO (1:54), AWG board member James Newman (4:38), Courtney Brown from Doc's Foods (12:30), and Anthony Smith from DSG (15:43).
On this episode of Associated Wholesale Podcast Sean talks produce with Rick Stein of FMI (:59). He dives into the booming gift card industry with Dammon Stutes from Blackhawk Network (21:00). Finally, Sean and Rebecca Mueller discuss organics (32:00)
The debut episode of Associated Wholesale Pod features conversations with Heather Standifer, Kurt Kloeben, and Kevin Phipps. Sean Kosednar starts the show with how your store can integrate into the community. Also discusses Amazon's acquisition of Whole Foods, National Ice Cream Month and how traditional retailers can stay competitive in the digital landscape.
Sean Kosednar introduces the new Associated Wholesale Podcast from AWG. New episodes start in July.