• Login
    • Join
  • Subscribe Free
    • Magazine
    • eNewsletter
    Checkout
    • Magazine
    • News
    • Formulary
    • Exclusives
    • Top Companies
    • Raw Materials
    • End-User
    • Packaging
    • Directories
    • Events
    • Jobs
    • More
  • Magazine
  • News
  • Formulary
  • Exclusives
  • Top Companies
  • Raw Materials
  • End-User
  • Packaging
  • Directories
  • Events
  • Jobs
  • Current / Back Issues
    Features
    Columns
    Editorial
    Digital Edition
    eNewsletter Archive
    Our Team
    Editorial Guidelines
    Subscribe Now
    Advertise Now
    Top Features
    ACI Is Front & Center During the Pandemic

    Sun Care Market Set to Rebound in 2021 as Travel Returns

    Making Up for Lost Time

    All’s Well with Wellness

    Help for Indies
    Online Exclusives
    Association News
    Breaking News
    Financial News
    Industry News
    International
    Marketing News
    New Products
    News Front
    Packaging News
    Patents
    Personnel
    Regulations
    Snapshots
    Top News
    Live From Shows
    Top News
    Avon Launches Vegan Skin Care Line

    Inolex Appoints VP Marketing

    Decorté Launches AI Diagnostics in US

    Estée Lauder Creates New Equity and Engagement Center of Excellence

    BASF Achieves Palm Oil Commitment for 2020
    Blog
    Online Exclusives
    Infographics
    Podcasts
    Whitepapers
    Videos
    Expert's Opinion
    HappiTV
    eBook
    Surveys
    International Top 30 Report
    Top 50 Report
    Top Companies
    30. Mandom

    47. Obagi

    13. Mary Kay

    12. Clorox

    22. Zep
    Actives
    Functional Ingredients
    Pigments
    Polymers
    Preservatives
    Surfactants

    Inolex Appoints VP Marketing

    Croda International Acquires Alban Muller

    In Pursuit of Perfection

    Pandemic-Related Stress & Its Impact on Skin

    New Consumer Demands for Hair Care Formulas
    Air Care/Environmental Fragrance
    AP/Deo
    Color Cosmetics
    Disinfectants
    Fine Fragrance
    Hair Care
    Household Cleaning
    I&I Marketplace
    Laundry Care
    Oral Care
    OTC/Medicated
    Packaging
    Personal Cleansers
    Skin Care
    Sun Care
    Testing

    Avon Launches Vegan Skin Care Line

    Decorté Launches AI Diagnostics in US

    Estée Lauder Creates New Equity and Engagement Center of Excellence

    Coty Partners with LanzaTech to Reduce Its Environmental Impact

    Waterless Beauty, Simplified Routines Shape Clean Beauty at Whole Foods
    Lab Equipment
    Mixing
    Packaging
    Testing

    Sustainable Cosmetics Summit is Online in June

    A Tube Ready for Prime Time

    Ecovia's Sustainable Cleaning Products Summit Goes Online (March 23-25)

    Burt’s Bees Outlines New Sustainability Goals

    Secret, Old Spice Add Refillable Deo Packaging
    Contract Manufacturing / Private Label Directory
    Buyer's Guide
    Add New Company
    Corporate Profiles
    International Buyers Guide Companies
    Ashland

    Praan Naturals

    Jeen International

    QRS (Quality Resourcing Services)

    Croda
    Live From Shows
    Meetings
    Webinars
    Snapshots
    • Magazine
      • Current / Back Issues
      • Features
      • Editorial
      • Columns
      • Digital Edition
      • eNewsletter Archive
      • Subscribe Now
      • Advertise Now
    • Breaking News
    • Formulary
    • Directories
      • Buyer's Guide
      • Contract Manufacturing / Private Label Directory
      • Corporate Profiles
      • Add Your Company
    • Raw Materials
      • Actives
      • Functional Ingredients
      • Pigments
      • Polymers
      • Preservatives
      • Surfactants
    • End-User
      • Air Care/Environmental Fragrance
      • AP/Deo
      • Color Cosmetics
      • Disinfectants
      • Fine Fragrance
      • Hair Care
      • Household Cleaning
      • I&I Marketplace
      • Laundry Care
      • Oral Care
      • OTC/Medicated
      • Packaging
      • Personal Cleansers
      • Skin Care
      • Sun Care
      • Testing
    • Packaging
      • Lab Equipment
      • Mixing
      • Packaging
      • Testing
    • Top Companies
      • International Top 30 Report
      • Top 50 Report
    • Online Exclusives
    • Experts Opinion
    • Slideshows
    • HappiTV
    • Videos
    • Podcasts
    • eBook
    • Infographics
    • Blog
    • Whitepapers
    • Surveys
      • R & D Salary Survey
      • Sales & Marketing Salary Survey
    • Job Banks
    • Events
      • Industry Events
      • Live from show Events
      • Webinars
    • About Us
      • About Us
      • Contact Us
      • Advertise With Us
      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms of Use
    Online Exclusives

    Albertsons Unleashed

    CEO Vivek Sankaran tells IRI how his company is faring during COVID-19.

    Albertsons Unleashed
    Related CONTENT
    • NY Hand Sanitizer Maker Sues Kroger
    • Cleaning Up in Home Care
    • Vitamin E and Keratin…in Laundry Detergent
    Happi Staff09.04.20
    IRI, the company that gave the world retail scanners, keeps the data and the conversation flowing even during a global pandemic. Its C-Suite conversations are just the latest example of how IRI acts as a consumer information conduit between suppliers, marketers and retailers.
     
    In a recent interview with IRI, Albertsons CEO Vivek Sankaran noted that one of the challenges for the $60 billion retailer (and many others up and down the supply chain) was getting supplies. While Albertsons was creating relationships with some of the largest restaurant distributors (to reallocate foods supplies), its teams were building local relationships with a range of other distributors, including large and small players.
     
    “It’s a fragmented market. The combination, to me, was always about getting safety right; moving fast on personal safety for our associates,” Sankaran told IRI. “We knew if they were safe that they could make the customers feel safe, and it was also about supply. And we were nimble on supply.”
     
    Prior to joining Albertsons, Sankaran spent years at PepsiCo, most recently as CEO of PepsiCo Foods North America. The biggest difference between working for a manufacturer versus a retailer is that the former is one step removed from the customer. Sankaran noted that the day-to-day interface is through research or a retailer. In contrast, the amount of interaction in the retail environment is fascinating, he said. 
     
    “I tell people, when a customer tells you something, don’t judge it as right or wrong. It’s just real,” Sankaran told IRI. “Their word is real. Accept it, react to it. If she likes it, she’s coming back. If she doesn’t like it, she’s gone.”
     
    He called that interaction both “fabulous and scary,” but it keeps retailers on their toes and it happens thousands of times a day in each Albertsonsstore. 
     
    For some retailers, the pandemic has been a roller coaster. Sankaran pointed out that there is a heightened level of demand, but he said he empathizes with CPG executives who wonder if they should add capacity.
     
    “Companies are held to a very high standard on ROIC (return on invested capital),” he noted. “For them to add capacity, they really have to get their mind around whether this demand is going to stick or last just a few months.”
     
    Sankaran reminds all of Albertsons’ CPG partners that they were innovating in the past for a reason; and that reason was the customer and that has not changed.
     
    “I hope that we will continue to bring the innovations to retail that were such an essential part of their growth and our growth and the vibrancy in retail that we had pre-COVID-19.”
     
    One thing that the pandemic did change, of course, was mobility. Prior to the outbreak, the focus was on serving the on-the-go consumer; you know, folks who had no time to cook or clean or it seems, even catch their breath as they ran from meetings to kids activities to home and back again. Now, of course, more people eat at home and clean their homes as they stay at home.
     
    “I think people are recognizing that it’s fun,” he told IRI. “You know, ‘I’m connecting with my family again in ways that I didn’t before.’”
     

    Give the people what they want.
    As a result, Sankaran predicts that there will be less on-the-go, which translates into more bigger basket shopping trips and more complete baskets in one store. At the same time, he expects the rate of e-commerce acceleration will stay slightly higher than pre-COVID-19—after all, it’s what the customer wants and it’s all about delivering on those wants. According to Sankaran, foodservice grew 70% between 2009 and 2009 to $771 billion. During that time, away-from-home food overtook in-home food dollars. 
     
    Obviously, away-from-home will continue to lead, but with a recession, work-from-home policies and a pandemic still in place, Sankaran predicted that in-home food dollars won’t evaporate immediately when the pandemic gets under control. And if consumers are spending more time at home, they’re sure to notice that their homes could use a good cleaning. Of course, the pandemic roiled supply chains and consumers couldn’t always find their preferred cleaning products (think Clorox Wipes). Sankaran said customer-facing is a huge opportunity. Whether it’s getting more granular with existing loyalty engines, getting more granular about demand signals in store and into e-commerce and predicting order e-commerce order patterns.
     
    “And when I say technology, I’m including data in it. Don’t think robots, think harnessing the power of data, too,” said Sankaran. 
     
    Still, there’s plenty of room for those robots in automating distribution centers and stores, and any other place where physical activity can be done more efficiently with robotics. There’s plenty of room for loyalty, too. As IRI pointed out, too many retailers think most purchases are separate from prior purchases; as a result, retailers don’t make decisions based on long-term benefits. 
    “It’s surprising that telephone companies that we may have transactions once every three years think of lifetime value,” observed Sankaran. “Yet in grocery where shoppers transact three times a week with us, we don’t think of it. That’s the opportunity for our whole sector and for Albertsons.”
    And for the entire household and personal products industry, too.
    Related Searches
    • Laundry Care
    • Household Cleaning
    Related Knowledge Center
    • Household Cleaning
    • Laundry Care
    Suggested For You
    NY Hand Sanitizer Maker Sues Kroger NY Hand Sanitizer Maker Sues Kroger
    Cleaning Up in Home Care Cleaning Up in Home Care
    Vitamin E and Keratin…in Laundry Detergent Vitamin E and Keratin…in Laundry Detergent

    Related Online Exclusives

    • Disinfectants | Functional Ingredients | Household Cleaning | Laundry Care | Polymers | Surfactants
      The Future of Cleaning

      The Future of Cleaning

      The American Cleaning Institute looks at home cleaning during and after the pandemic.
      Christine Esposito, Managing Editor 02.10.21

    • Functional Ingredients | Laundry Care | Surfactants
      Cleaner Clothes, Cleaner Planet

      Cleaner Clothes, Cleaner Planet

      Consumer concerns about cleaning provide a boost to laundry results at Seventh Generation.
      Tom Branna, Editorial Director 02.07.21

    • Disinfectants | Household Cleaning
      Cars & COVID-19

      Cars & COVID-19

      From family road trips to ride-sharing, cars can be dirty, germy places—COVID-19 notwithstanding. Brands are taking action to address concerns and unmet needs.
      Christine Esposito, Managing Editor 01.26.21


    • Color Cosmetics | Hair Care | Household Cleaning | Skin Care
      Clean Beauty Rises at Grove Collaborative

      Clean Beauty Rises at Grove Collaborative

      The certified B Corp. is shaking up its beauty strategy. CMO Lilian Tomovich provides details.
      Happi Staff 11.30.20

    • Household Cleaning | Laundry Care
      Cleaning & Wellness

      Cleaning & Wellness

      The Laundress and Aromatherapy Associates elevate the role of well-being in home cleaning.
      Christine Esposito, Managing Editor 10.16.20

    • Household Cleaning | Laundry Care | Packaging
      The Laundress Takes the Long-View

      The Laundress Takes the Long-View

      Upscale fabric and home care company implements changes to packaging in a new sustainability initiative.
      Christine Esposito, Managing Editor 10.01.20


    • Functional Ingredients | Household Cleaning | Laundry Care | Surfactants
      EPA Honors Grove Collaborative

      EPA Honors Grove Collaborative

      Co-Founder and CEO Stuart Landesberg on receiving the Safer Choice Award and what's next for his company.
      Tom Branna, Editorial Director 09.24.20

    • Household Cleaning | Laundry Care
      Keeping it Clean on Campus

      Keeping it Clean on Campus

      Lauren Hillard is the founder of Dorm Doctors, a cleaning provider that serves college students.
      Christine Esposito, Managing Editor 09.08.20

    • Household Cleaning
      Clearing the Air: UVC Light at Home

      Clearing the Air: UVC Light at Home

      An Eden Prairie, MN-based firm is offering UVC light air care technology that consumers can use at home.
      Christine Esposito, Managing Editor 08.31.20


    • Functional Ingredients | Household Cleaning | I&I Marketplace | Polymers | Surfactants
      Plenty of Zip at Zep

      Plenty of Zip at Zep

      A surge in demand for disinfectants, hand sanitizers and hand soaps has the company expanding production. CEO Dan Smytka provides an update.
      Tom Branna, Editorial Director 08.01.20

    • Air Care/Environmental Fragrance | AP/Deo | Color Cosmetics | Disinfectants | Hair Care | Household Cleaning | Laundry Care | Oral Care | Personal Cleansers | Skin Care | Sun Care
      Cosmetics, Cleaners, Consumers & Coronavirus

      Cosmetics, Cleaners, Consumers & Coronavirus

      Coronavirus is impacting attitudes toward personal and home care purchases, and the overall shopping experience, according to Provoke Insights.
      Tom Branna, Editorial Director 07.25.20

    • Disinfectants | Functional Ingredients | Household Cleaning | Laundry Care | Packaging | Personal Cleansers
      Supply Chains & The Bullwhip Effect

      Supply Chains & The Bullwhip Effect

      Leverage technology to ensure an agile supply chain, says Inturn CEO Ronen Lazar.
      Tom Branna, Editorial Director 06.07.20


    • Color Cosmetics | Household Cleaning | I&I Marketplace | Skin Care
      Virtual Living

      Virtual Living

      The pandemic has only ramped up the speed in which consumers are embracing artificial and virtual reality.
      Tom Branna, Editorial Director 06.02.20

    • Functional Ingredients | Household Cleaning | Laundry Care | Surfactants
      Clean in Place with Truman

      Clean in Place with Truman's

      When it comes to caring for their homes, Truman’s has what consumers want while they wait out coronavirus.
      Tom Branna, Editorial Director 05.25.20

    • Disinfectants | Household Cleaning
      Ozone Player

      Ozone Player

      With a cleaning device that sanitizes surfaces using regular tap water, o3Waterworks is entering the US home cleaning category when demand is high.
      Christine Esposito, Managing Editor 05.11.20

    Trending
    • When The FTC Comes Calling...
    • BASF Achieves Palm Oil Commitment For 2020
    • Croda International Acquires Alban Muller
    • Beiersdorf And Evonik Partner On Nature Conservation Project
    • Coty Partners With LanzaTech To Reduce Its Environmental Impact
    Breaking News
    • Avon Launches Vegan Skin Care Line
    • Inolex Appoints VP Marketing
    • Decorté Launches AI Diagnostics in US
    • Estée Lauder Creates New Equity and Engagement Center of Excellence
    • BASF Achieves Palm Oil Commitment for 2020
    View Breaking News >
    CURRENT ISSUE

    March 2021

    • ACI Is Front & Center During the Pandemic
    • Rise… Then Shine
    • Making Up for Lost Time
    • All’s Well with Wellness
    • View More >

    Cookies help us to provide you with an excellent service. By using our website, you declare yourself in agreement with our use of cookies.
    You can obtain detailed information about the use of cookies on our website by clicking on "More information”.

    • About Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms And Conditions
    • Contact Us

    follow us

    Subscribe
    Nutraceuticals World

    Latest Breaking News From Nutraceuticals World

    IFT Transitions 2021 Annual Event to Digital Experience
    NY Federal Judge Enters Permanent Injunction Against Dietary Supplement Manufacturer
    Statins May Contribute to Vascular Calcification by Inhibiting Vitamin K-Dependent Proteins
    Coatings World

    Latest Breaking News From Coatings World

    Chromaflo Technologies Adds Benjamin Woeste as Territory Sales Manager
    Maroon Group Acquires Cary Company's Raw Materials, Specialty Chemicals Distribution Business
    Matt Fogel Named Mule-Hide's Territory Manager – Southern Virginia
    Medical Product Outsourcing

    Latest Breaking News From Medical Product Outsourcing

    EchoNous Expands Its Kosmos Hardware Platform
    Medtronic Begins Trial to Assess Novel Ablation Tech to Treat AFib
    Europe's Cross-Border Medtech Deal Activity Rises in Q4 2020
    Contract Pharma

    Latest Breaking News From Contract Pharma

    Amgen to Acquire Five Prime Therapeutics for $1.9B
    Genesis Drug Discovery & Development Acquires Integrated Analytical Solutions
    CureVac, Novartis Ink COVID Vax Mfg. Pact
    Beauty Packaging

    Latest Breaking News From Beauty Packaging

    Estée Lauder Establishes Equity and Engagement Center of Excellence
    L'Oreal On How It Will Shape Beauty's Future at Today's Transparency Summit
    C.O. Bigelow Earns Praise as NYC's Oldest Family-Run Apothecary
    Happi

    Latest Breaking News From Happi

    Avon Launches Vegan Skin Care Line
    Inolex Appoints VP Marketing
    Decorté Launches AI Diagnostics in US
    Ink World

    Latest Breaking News From Ink World

    Massilly North America Adds Koenig & Bauer MetalStar 3 Metal Decorating Press
    Hydrocarbon Solvents Market to Surpass $8.1 Billion by 2030
    Access Direct Mail Doubles Revenue with SCREEN's Truepress Jet520HD
    Label & Narrow Web

    Latest Breaking News From Label & Narrow Web

    Henkel publishes 30th Sustainability Report
    Avery Dennison Smartrac launches new Circus Pro inlays
    Springfield Solutions highlights digital label embellishments
    Nonwovens Industry

    Latest Breaking News From Nonwovens Industry

    FPInnovations Develops Biodegradable Mask
    Sani Professional Sanitizing and Disinfecting Products Approved by EPA
    Autefa Solutions Offers Fully Automated Line for Protective Mask Production
    Orthopedic Design & Technology

    Latest Breaking News From Orthopedic Design & Technology

    Bioventus Appoints Managing Director, China and Asia Pacific
    Full-Year Sales Down 12 Percent at Zimmer Biomet
    Lincotek Medical Expands Coatings and Additive Capacity
    Printed Electronics Now

    Latest Breaking News From Printed Electronics Now

    Comercial Kywi Improves Customer Service, Front-Store Operations with Zebra Mobile Solution
    Global Printed Circuit Board Market Projected to Reach $69.32 Billion by 2027
    Global Smart Glass Market to Register 6.8% CAGR Between 2021-28: Grand View Research

    Copyright © 2021 Rodman Media. All rights reserved. Use of this constitutes acceptance of our privacy policy The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Rodman Media.

    AD BLOCKER DETECTED

    Our website is made possible by displaying online advertisements to our visitors.
    Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker.


    FREE SUBSCRIPTION Already a subscriber? Login