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Conventional grocers may have tricky start to 2021

Without the pantry loading of the first half of 2020, retailers can expect slower sales in the new year, says Oppenheimer’s Rupesh Parikh

Michael Browne, Executive Editor

December 10, 2020

1 Min Read
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During the recent SN Analysts Roundtable, Supermarket News spoke with Rupesh Parikh, grocery analyst at Oppenheimer, about the challenges that the industry may face in 2021.Kwangmoozaa / iStock / Getty Images Plus

During the recent SN Analysts Roundtable, Supermarket News spoke with Rupesh Parikh, grocery analyst at Oppenheimer, about the challenges that the industry may face in 2021 as it comes down from the high sales peaks of the pantry loading it saw in the first half of 2020.

But not all retailers, Parikh noted, saying that Walmart, Costco, BJ’s and the club channel, Dollar General and the dollar store channel are all in positions of strength coming into 2021.

“I think conventional groceries are going to be a little trickier,” he said. “The first half of the year will be tougher with some of the difficult comparisons to this year, especially from pantry loading. I think from a share perspective, pre-pandemic, the conventional grocery channel had been growing slower than other parts of grocery retail. I think those same dynamics will come into play as we begin to lap the pandemic-related boom.”

For more of Parikh’s thoughts on where the food retail industry is headed in 2021, check out the short video below.

 

Read more about:

CostcoDollar General

About the Author

Michael Browne

Executive Editor, Supermarket News

Michael Browne joined Supermarket News in 2018 after serving in managing and executive editor capacities at leading B2B media brands including Convenience Store NewsLicense Global and Travel Agent. He also previously served as content production manager for print and digital in the Business Intelligence division of Informa, parent company of Supermarket News and Nation’s Restaurant News.

As executive editor, Mike oversees the editorial content of supermarketnews.com as well as the monthly print publication. He also directs all content-based brand-related projects including the annual Top 75 Retailers report, Category Guide, Retailer of the Year, research surveys and special reports, as well as podcast and webinar content. Mike has also presented and moderated at industry events.

In addition to the positions mentioned above, Mike has also worked as a writer and/or editor for special projects at American Legal Media (ALM), managing editor for Tobacco International, special projects editor at American Banker • Bond Buyer, and as production editor for Bank Technology News and other related financial magazines and journals published by Faulkner & Gray.

A graduate of Fordham University, Mike is based in New York City, where he was born and raised.

Contact Mike at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter and LinkedIn.

 

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