• Pardon the Disruption: Should Whole Foods start carrying conventional products?

  By Jeff Wells • Oct. 30, 2024

  Parent company Amazon is determined to offer mainstream brands to the specialty retailer’s customers, but it’s employing a clumsy testing strategy. Read the full article ➔

• Pardon the Disruption: Who’s afraid of the digital grocery store?

  By Jeff Wells • Sept. 11, 2024

  Concerns that electronic shelf labels will fuel a Wild West of ever-changing product prices underscore the need for grocers to explain how new tech benefits consumers and workers. Read the full article ➔

• Pardon the Disruption: Grocers need to rethink alternative store formats

  By Jeff Wells • July 31, 2024

  Companies have spent too much time and money trying to build specialty and “fresh” stores. What they need are formats that focus more on value. Read the full article ➔

• Pardon the Disruption: What the sudden loss of Foxtrot and Dom’s means for retail

  By Jeff Wells • April 30, 2024

  Their demise underscores just how difficult it is to bring new, innovative ideas to life in the shadow of large-scale competitors and the grinding need for efficiency. Read the full article ➔

• Pardon the Disruption: Can discount retailers be stopped?

  By Jeff Wells • March 28, 2024

  Walmart, Aldi and dollar stores are pushing full-service grocers to update the way they sell goods. Here are a few fresh ideas to stay ahead. Read the full article ➔

• Pardon the Disruption: 4 thoughts on the FTC’s challenge to Kroger-Albertsons

  By Jeff Wells • Feb. 27, 2024

  The agency strongly refuted claims the companies made around pricing, worker benefits and store divestitures, setting the stage for a pitched legal battle. Read the full article ➔

• Pardon the Disruption: Evaluating Instacart’s next act

  By Jeff Wells • Feb. 20, 2024

  The closely watched tech company has a history of turning adversity into opportunity. Will it be able to overcome investor apathy and uncertain growth prospects? Read the full article ➔

• Pardon the Disruption: Self-checkout needs a better strategy, not just better tech

  By Jeff Wells • Jan. 30, 2024

  Contrary to recent reports, grocers aren’t pulling machines from their stores in droves. But they know there’s significant work to be done to improve the experience and reduce shrink. Read the full article ➔

• Pardon the Disruption: 7 trends that defined 2023

  By Jeff Wells • Dec. 12, 2023

  While this year featured a complex mix of narratives and developments, there was one word that seemed to sum everything up. Read the full article ➔

• Pardon the Disruption: Can Amazon be a grocer and a 3P delivery provider?

  By Jeff Wells • Nov. 29, 2023

  The tech giant has signed some key grocery chains to its digital marketplace recently, helping it reach more households even as it retools its Amazon Fresh stores and online platform. Read the full article ➔

• Pardon the Disruption: 2023 has made the case for Kroger-Albertsons

  By Jeff Wells • Oct. 17, 2023

  The urgency to scale up to compete with industry heavyweights has grown stronger, but a thorny regulatory review and a skeptical public pose significant obstacles for the mega-merger. Read the full article ➔

• Pardon the Disruption: 5 thoughts on Aldi’s massive acquisition

  By Jeff Wells • Aug. 17, 2023

  The discount grocer is gaining hundreds of stores in prime locations. But integrating those traditional supermarkets into its operations will be tricky. Read the full article ➔

• Pardon the Disruption: Lidl rethinks its US strategy

  By Jeff Wells • July 27, 2023

  The discounter has struggled to connect with consumers stateside. Could an expert in U.S. retailing help the German company finally succeed? Read the full article ➔

• Pardon the Disruption: Regional grocers face a fraught path to digital growth

  By Jeff Wells • July 10, 2023

  This summer, Grocery Dive will look at how mid-sized retailers are adjusting to keep pace with — and even spearhead — digital innovation. Read the full article ➔

• Pardon the Disruption: Natural and organic grocers are finding new ways to differentiate

  By Jeff Wells • May 23, 2023

  Companies like Sprouts and Whole Foods have refined their strategies to stay ahead of conventional competitors. But will consumers notice amid ongoing inflation? Read the full article ➔

• Pardon the Disruption: What new digital storefronts from Walmart and Aldi say about the future of e-grocery

  By Jeff Wells • April 10, 2023

  Little by little, grocers’ platforms are promoting online exploration — not just mission-driven buying. Read the full article ➔

• Pardon the Disruption: How grocers should size up new checkout technology

  By Jeff Wells • Feb. 14, 2023

  As retailers look to scan-and-go, smart carts and other options to boost self service, here are four questions they should consider. Read the full article ➔

• Pardon the Disruption: Has Amazon Fresh hit its expiration date?

  By Jeff Wells • Jan. 12, 2023

  With the rollout of the grocery chain seemingly on pause, a former company executive discusses what’s missing. Read the full article ➔

• Pardon the Disruption: The 7 trends that defined 2022

  By Jeff Wells • Dec. 14, 2022

  Runaway inflation had a significant impact on grocers this year, but the industry also saw notable advancements in retail media, new store formats, loyalty programs and more. Read the full article ➔

• Pardon the Disruption: The digital forces driving the Kroger-Albertsons merger

  By Jeff Wells • Oct. 17, 2022

  The $24.6 billion deal is as much about boosting scale in data, retail media and e-commerce as it is about expanding stores and facilities. Read the full article ➔

• Pardon the Disruption: Why grocery chains are outperforming expectations amid inflation

  By Jeff Wells • Aug. 11, 2022

  Earnings reports from Albertsons, Ahold Delhaize and Publix show consumers still value the supermarket format despite record-high food prices. Can companies keep the momentum going long term? Read the full article ➔

• Pardon the Disruption: A wave of regional grocery M&A is coming

  By Jeff Wells • June 1, 2022

  The pandemic has augmented profits, but it also artificially boosted weak players and accelerated a host of margin pressures that require scale to overcome. Read the full article ➔

• Pardon the Disruption: Can grocers' food assortment become the pharmacy of the future?

  By Jeff Wells • May 4, 2022

  As digital technology evolves and the link between food and health grows stronger, an opportunity is emerging for retailers to become a core part of the healthcare system. Read the full article ➔

• Pardon the Disruption: Instacart fights to stay relevant with retailers

  By Jeff Wells • March 28, 2022

  The company that's shown a knack for evolution is now entering a new act. Will its deeper focus on retailer services keep it flying high? Read the full article ➔

• Pardon the Disruption: Has supply chain disruption taught grocers to tame their assortments?

  By Jeff Wells • March 9, 2022

  Companies are starting to see the benefits of a streamlined product selection as they confront an age-old industry problem. Read the full article ➔

• Pardon the Disruption: Digital personalization means a unique store for every shopper

  By Jeff Wells • Jan. 31, 2022

  The growth of online grocery shopping is pressuring retailers to more effectively curate the large selection of products they offer. Read the full article ➔

• Pardon the Disruption: DoorDash's adventures in dark stores

  By Jeff Wells • Dec. 7, 2021

  The company sees a major opportunity to offer DashMarts to retailers, but they’ll have to compete with the delivery powerhouse along the way. Read the full article ➔

• Pardon the Disruption: Kroger is showcasing its range with Ocado

  By Jeff Wells • Oct. 14, 2021

  The latest expansion news shows the flexibility executives have long touted and indicates the partnership is off to a strong start. But there’s still a long way to go. Read the full article ➔

• Pardon the Disruption: Could remote pickup become a third e-commerce channel?

  By Jeff Wells • Aug. 16, 2021

  Lockers and kiosks positioned away from stores can help retailers expand their reach, but they come with operational hurdles that will require extensive testing and innovation to overcome. Read the full article ➔

• Pardon the Disruption: Amazon's push into self-distribution

  By Jeff Wells • June 9, 2021

  The e-tailer appears to be positioning for a concerted drive into owning its full grocery supply chain, underscoring its capital advantages as it aims to unsettle the industry. Read the full article ➔

• Pardon the Disruption: E-grocery and the evolving need for speed

  By Jeff Wells • April 20, 2021

  Kroger's Ocado sheds and ultra-fast delivery firms bookend a growing debate over how fast shoppers want their orders delivered. Read the full article ➔

• Pardon the Disruption: Will Instacart become a grocer?

  By Jeff Wells • March 8, 2021

  The age-old debate takes on new significance in light of news that the company is exploring fulfillment operations. Read the full article ➔

• Pardon the Disruption: 2021 will be a critical year for supermarkets

  By Jeff Wells • Dec. 21, 2020

  They've benefited from one-stop shopping, but the same structural and competitive forces that rattled them pre-pandemic are still lurking. Read the full article ➔

• Pardon the Disruption: Ahold Delhaize levels up in e-commerce

  By Jeff Wells • Nov. 20, 2020

  The FreshDirect deal deepens the grocer's East Coast penetration, but more importantly it provides another online resource and learning lab at a critical time. Read the full article ➔

• Pardon the Disruption: 5 e-commerce trends supercharged by the pandemic

  By Jeff Wells • Oct. 5, 2020

  A look at a few developments, from the rise of apps to shifting strategy on fulfillment, that promise to stick around long after the virus has dissipated. Read the full article ➔

• Pardon the Disruption: Can retailers socially distance from their customers and still engage them?

  By Jeff Wells • July 21, 2020

  COVID-19 is forcing retailers like Wegmans and Heinen's to reexamine their store experiences. Read the full article ➔

• Pardon the Disruption: As states reopen and supply chains normalize, grocers must tighten safety measures

  By Jeff Wells • May 4, 2020

  The pressure on retailers to relax safety measures will grow in the months ahead, but they should not deviate from CDC guidance and probably err on the side of being overly strict. Read the full article ➔

• Pardon the Disruption: From Go Grocery to micro-fulfillment, Amazon is flexing its muscles in food retail

  By Jeff Wells • Feb. 28, 2020

  Grocery retailers are getting a clearer look at the ecosystem the company is building to attack the $800 billion industry. Will it work? Read the full article ➔

• Pardon the Disruption: 5 takeaways from 2020's bankruptcy bonanza

  By Jeff Wells • Feb. 7, 2020

  Although they collectively ran less than 100 stores, Fairway Market, Lucky's and Earth Fare were significant companies that were supposed to be at the cutting-edge of consumer demand. Read the full article ➔

• Pardon the Disruption: Will Kroger tame its mess of investments?

  By Jeff Wells • Dec. 6, 2019

  Divesting its Lucky's Market stake looks bad, but it could also be a sign the grocer is setting a higher bar for its various revenue streams. Read the full article ➔

• Pardon the Disruption: Why grocers need better e-commerce platforms

  By Jeff Wells • Oct. 11, 2019

  They’ve set the foundation for an omnichannel future. Now they have to focus on improving the user experience. Read the full article ➔

• Pardon the Disruption: Standing out in the 'sea of sameness'

  By Jeff Wells • July 26, 2019

  Amid relentless competition and an increasingly digital business, grocers have to adjust the ways they market themselves to customers. Read the full article ➔

• Pardon the Disruption: Design thinking and the supermarket of the future

  By Jeff Wells • May 10, 2019

  Grocers have added all sorts of new products and services in recent years, but they're not examining the fundamental ways shoppers use — and want to use — their stores. Read the full article ➔

• Pardon the Disruption: Amazon's private label odyssey

  By Jeff Wells • March 15, 2019

  All signs point to the e-commerce giant gearing up for a major push in own brand groceries. Read the full article ➔

• Pardon the Disruption: Can Kroger's 'connected store' connect with shoppers?

  By Jeff Wells • Jan. 10, 2019

  A tour of one of the company’s new futuristic locations in suburban Seattle reveals a trove of technology enhancements, from digital shelves to a new "guided shopping" tool. Read the full article ➔

• Pardon the Disruption: Micro markets could be a huge opportunity for grocers

  By Jeff Wells • Dec. 10, 2018

  As traditional store expansion becomes increasingly difficult, placing outlets inside office buildings, hospitals and even other retailers could boost companies' sales and their brand. Read the full article ➔

• Pardon the Disruption: Field notes from The Battle of Richmond

  By Jeff Wells • Oct. 19, 2018

  One of the country's most over-stored markets has become a proving ground for retailers, and a microcosm of the broader industry, writes Grocery Dive Editor Jeff Wells. Read the full article ➔