News Briefs

The J.M. Smucker Co. announced that chief marketing officer Gail Hollander is planning to retire in April 2026. In the meantime, the legacy CPG is starting a search for her successor.

Hollander has served in the CMO role since 2023. She joined Orrville, Ohio-based Smucker from Publicis Group, where she built a 20-year career that culminated in a role as president and group client lead. At Publicis, she managed the client relationship with Smucker.

"[Hollander] has been instrumental in building our world-class brand-building model while supporting our people and culture," Smucker’s CEO and chair Mark Smucker said in a release. "Through her leadership and the exceptional team she has mentored, we have developed a powerful marketing organization that has supported the growth of many of our iconic brands. With enhanced capabilities throughout our businesses and teams, we are well-positioned to continue building brands that consumers love."

"I'm proud and humbled by the impact my team has had on our brands and the categories we participate in as we transformed our brand-building model, elevated our creative execution, and enhanced our media strategy to deliver meaningful reach and engagement," Hollander added. "Smucker has an exceptional portfolio of brands and a talented team behind them that pushes the envelope every single day. I look forward to watching what this team does in the future to take these brands and this company to even greater heights."

In June, Smucker shared its fourth quarter and full fiscal year results. Net sales dipped 3% during the quarter that ended on April 30 but rose 7% for the full fiscal year. 

Also this summer, Smucker announced that it is removing FD&C colors from all of its consumer food products by the end of 2027.

This article was originally published on P2PI sibling brand, Progressive Grocer.

Retail solutions provider The Royal Group (TRG) has acquired Trans World Marketing (TWM), a longtime producer of permanent retail displays and environments. The deal expands TRG’s footprint in the retail space and strengthens its ability to offer end-to-end display solutions that span from design to execution.

The move comes as demand grows for impactful physical displays that support omnichannel journeys and deliver measurable results at the shelf.

Based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, TWM has 59 years of experience delivering custom point-of-purchase displays for brands and retailers. TRG will leverage the synergies between both companies’ independent and family-focused cultures and processes, according to a joint media release.

The integration supports TRG’s broader strategy to deliver compelling retail solutions/experiences that combine creative design, shopper insights, data and executional scale. TRG has a national presence across 30+ locations and offers a wide array of services, including graphic packaging, in-store displays, pack-out and fulfillment.

“This acquisition not only enhances our capabilities but also allows us to bring cutting-edge technology and the latest trends to our clients,” Kevin Miller, CEO of TRG, said in the release. “The Trans World Marketing employees and customers will be a welcome addition to team TRG.”

For current TWM clients, the acquisition promises continued service from existing teams along with expanded capabilities and resources via TRG’s infrastructure.

“After 59 years in business, I’m proud to share that TWM has been acquired by TRG,” James Cavaluzzi, chairman of Trans World Marketing, said in the release. “This transition aligns with both my values and long-term vision for the company and people.”

Together, the two organizations aim to help brands and retailers capture shopper attention and drive sales through more effective, insights-driven in-store executions. 

Retail media technology provider Pentaleap and omnichannel advertising platform Skai have joined forces to create a more open and scalable retail media ecosystem.

The collaboration will connect advertiser demand from Skai’s network of more than 8,000 global brands and agencies with supply from retail media networks using Pentaleap’s Fluid Ad Server technology. The companies will help retailers grow their retail media businesses beyond direct sales models, while enabling brands to more easily activate targeted campaigns at scale.

“Our mission at Pentaleap has always been to democratize retail media — giving retailers and brands the tools they need to grow, without locking them into closed ecosystems,” Andreas Reiffen, CEO and co-founder of Pentaleap, said in a media release.

Retailers leveraging Pentaleap’s platform can now make their inventory accessible to “high-intent” advertisers via Skai, while still maintaining control over the ad experience, shopper relevance and point-of-sale alignment. Using Pentaleap’s Publisher Manager, product ads can be blended into organic listings to drive better CTR (click-through rates), ROAS and monetization.

On the buy side, Skai clients gain access to premium retail inventory and the ability to plan, activate and optimize campaigns through Skai’s unified platform.

“As retail media networks evolve their technology strategies, Skai is committed to being a collaborative partner — expanding access to premium retail inventory for advertisers while ensuring those activations both resonate and deliver results,” added Nich Weinheimer, chief strategy officer at Skai.

The partnership is part of Pentaleap’s broader push to address fragmentation in retail media. The company is working to connect with additional demand sources across search, display DSPs, Amazon campaign tools and retail media platforms by the end of 2025.

Pentaleap currently supports retail media operations for retailers including The Home Depot and Farmacia San Pablo. Skai works with global brands including PepsiCo and Estee Lauder, integrating across more than 300 media and commerce platforms.

Petco is inviting shoppers to ditch the screen and shop in person — with their pets in tow — as part of a limited-time summer promotion aimed at driving store visits and showcasing its experiential edge.

From July 8-13, customers who bring their pet to any Petco location nationwide will receive 20% off their entire in-store purchase.

The "Dog Days of Summer" promotion was designed to highlight what sets Petco apart from online-only retailers: a physical space offering interactive experiences for people and their pets, such as treat testing and community interaction, according to a media release from the retailer.

The promotion is part of Petco’s broader effort to strengthen customer engagement and differentiate through immersive, pet-first experiences in-store.

The offer is available to everyone, loyalty member or not. The coupon/barcode is located on a dedicated web page within the retailer’s website (petco.com/dogdays). 

Sam's Club has appointed a new chief marketing officer as it continues to evolve its brand and membership experience.

Chris Curtin most recently served as senior vice president, head of digital, social and rewards, at Bank of America, according to his LinkedIn profile. He's also served on Spotify's CMO advisory council for the last nearly five years. 

"At Sam's, our vision is to excel as the world's best club retailer," Curtin wrote in a June 30 LinkedIn post. "We pride ourselves on a vibrant business model, an unparalleled value proposition, and a culture of excellence. Embodying the spirit of our founder, Sam Walton, we uphold his belief in seeking the positive and integrating innovative ideas into our operations."

Also Read: Sam's Club Rebrands Retail Media Network to 'Experience Network'

According to his LinkedIn profile, Curtin's other prior experience includes stints at Visa, Hewlett Packard Enterprises (HP) as well as The Walt Disney Company, where he held various high-ranking media roles. He also founded a call center software company called CCC.

The leadership update comes as Sam’s Club continues to invest in retail media, digital innovation and member-centric marketing strategies, including its Member Access Platform (MAP) and new measurement and personalization tools.

Wegmans Food Markets is deploying Instacart’s AI-powered Caper Carts at the grocer's Dewitt location in Syracuse, New York. 

The move reflects grocers' and tech providers' ongoing investments in AI tools that enhance personalization, convenience and real-time savings for in-store customers.

The smart carts are part of Instacart’s broader "Connected Stores" suite of in-store technologies aimed at bridging digital and physical retail. Equipped with built-in sensors, cameras and a digital scale, Caper Carts can automatically detect items as they're added, track total spend and enable seamless checkout without waiting in line. Shoppers can also log into their Wegmans Shoppers Club loyalty account directly from the cart's touchscreen interface.

The in-store pilot marks the first time Wegmans has deployed the technology. The two companies have worked together since 2017 on services including same-day delivery, pickup, EBT SNAP payment acceptance and loyalty program integrations.

"Caper Carts are transforming everyday grocery shopping into a faster, more personalized experience," David McIntosh, chief connected stores officer at Instacart, said in the release. "We're excited to partner with Wegmans… to bring this technology to their store."