Emerging Market Retail Podcast

In this episode, we look at innovative research on increasing commodity uptake in social assistance programs, with a focus on India's food subsidy program. We talk about the different types of goods available, the operational aspects, and the administrative bodies in charge. A large portion of the discussion focuses on the innovation of technology-enabled agent choice, which has been shown to increase commodity uptake by 6.6%. Our guests describe how this works, including agent selection and benefits, as well as scalability. We also look into other market initiatives to increase product adoption and the advantages of in-kind programs over cash vouchers. Finally, we discuss Fair Price Shops' role in this ecosystem, providing a thorough understanding of this important research and its real-world implications.

In this episode, we invite Dr. Telesilla Kotsi to discuss their paper entitled "Donations for Refugee Crises: In-kind vs. Cash Assistance.” This work explores the dynamics between providing in-kind assistance and cash assistance to the six million refugees scattered across the globe. Professor Kotsi’s field research focuses on studying the impact of refugee relocation on local retailers in various countries. The central question is how to ensure that the benefits of assistance reach both refugees and host communities. While humanitarian organizations initially provide essential necessities like food, shelter, and hygiene products, the need arises for refugees to make their own choices as they stay longer. Cash assistance emerges as a solution, benefiting both local economies and fostering positive relationships within host communities. In the podcast episode, we discuss with Professor Kotsi two intriguing cash assistance policies: a price index cap and a price-dependent cash assistance policy. These innovative approaches may empower humanitarian organizations to balance in-kind and cash assistance while considering retailer pricing dynamics.

In this podcast episode, we invite Dr. Divya Ramachandran and Dr. Shaphali Gupta to discuss their paper on "Emerging Market Retail: Transitioning from a Product-Centric to a Customer-Centric Approach." They explore the shift in emerging markets towards customer-centricity, the impact of analytics and technology, and the challenges hindering the adoption of digital tools. The experts emphasize the importance of drawing inspiration from developed markets while customizing solutions for the unique needs of emerging economies. The conversation also touches upon the role of startups and the immense consumption potential at the bottom of the pyramid in these markets.

In this episode, we invite Prof. Christopher Tang, a UCLA Distinguished Professor and holder of the Edward W. Carter Chair in Business Administration, to talk about rural nanostores. We elaborate on the challenges of serving rural nanostores and the innovative business models to overcome them. In addition, we discuss interesting technological innovations that contribute to the competitiveness of the channel.

In this episode, we travel to Mexico, where Danone is facing a myriad of strategic decisions in serving a highly heterogeneous customer base through multiple channels. Pedro Urow, VP of Supply Chain for Danone, walks us through the core trade-offs, which are then complemented through a highly insightful discussion with Prof. Dr. Jan Fransoo, based on work conducted by our research team at Tilburg University:• Going direct vs. indirect (through distributors)• Presales (separate sales rep and delivery teams) vs. van sales (joint sales and delivery) vs. cross dock (deliver to the retailer's own consolidation points)• Should firms integrate heterogeneous categories (with associated efficiency gains) or handle them separately (specialized assets and capabilities)• How often should each nanostore be visited to collect and deliver orders?• Should suppliers grant credit or not?• Should orders be taken digitally or face-to-face?

In this episode, we invite Prof. Maria Besiou, Dean of Research at KLU, and Ph.D. Candidate Navid Mohamaditalk to discuss grocery retailing in areas that have been impacted by disasters (i.e., man-made disasters or natural disasters). We elaborate on how supply chains in emerging markets react to multiple disasters, including wars, natural disasters, and epidemics. As these disasters affect the supply chains, humanitarian organizations and other entities (e.g., private companies, governments, foundations, donors, etc.) sum efforts to provide basic items to people in need.

In this episode, we examine how has the COVID-19 pandemic transformed the grocery retail landscape in emerging markets. In our conversation with Meiko's founder Juan Manuel Medina, we discuss how the grocery retail sector adapted to the economic shocks caused by the pandemic. Also, we debate about the transitory and permanent changes that the grocery sector will hold across the different store formats (e.g., modern, convenience, traditional).

In this episode, we explore the case of Sokowatch, a successful startup that aims to transform communities across Africa by revolutionizing access to essential goods and services. In a conversation with Sokowatch's CEO Daniel Yu, we discuss how the company adds value to the supply chain of nanostores through technology.

The Emerging Market Retail Podcast aims to collect and disseminate trends and best practices in the grocery retailing industry in emerging markets, from both a professional and academic perspective. This initiative is sponsored by Tilburg University and led by Prof. Dr. Jan C. Fransoo, and Ph.D. students Camilo Mora and Rafael Escamilla.

In India, nanostores represent 95% of the market share of the grocery retail sector, serving around 1.36 billion people. Consequently, the distribution of goods to this fragmented market is very challenging.In this episode, we will discuss the supply chain setup of one of the main suppliers in the world. Also, the main challenges and opportunities of working with nanostores. For that, we have a very special guest. Willem Uijen is the Executive Director, Supply Chain: Hindustan Unilever Limited in India.