Another grocery year winds down

The end of the year has always felt to me like a time for reflection. Of really coming to terms with what’s important. Of getting quieter amidst the quiet of winter. Looking back in grocery, this year has felt like a struggle in many ways. In retail pharmacy, both Walgreens and CVS have had to rethink their operating models. Traditional drugstores have been operating under increasing pressure for years and both companies named new leadership (Walgreens in 2023, CVS in 2024) as a means of digging out from legacy systems that are no longer delivering results. In grocery, the Kroger, Albertsons merger saga has finally come to an end. (And so far, it seems a messy one at that). Kroger—who first announced the merger deal in 2022— didn’t anticipate the ultimate pushback it would receive from the FTC, unions, and multiple attorneys general across the country.

And who continues to lead the way? Walmart, who else. For years Walmart has been a tech leader in grocery, but perhaps no more so than over this past year, during which time the retailer set a rapid pace for ramping up automation at its fulfillment centers and distribution centers; made a groundbreaking move in September via adding a new pay-by-bank option; and continues to accelerate adaptive retail through the use of AI.

A new president will also take office in 2025. So far, retailers like Walmart have been publicly congratulating him and celebrating the win, but it remains to be seen how the new president’s radical immigration policies will affect the supply chain. A sudden loss of both immigrant farm pickers and store-level workers could have a serious impact on an industry that’s still struggling with pandemic-era labor issues.

I know I’m looking forward to listening in 2025. To the needs of grocers—their goals and strategies for a better future. To look ahead feels right.