321. Maria Chong, Managing Director - Europe at Lee Kum Kee Live from London: The Original Oyster Sauce, Changing Flavours in Europe, Speaking with Chefs, A Growing Category

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/-Im35OklDTI  Francisco "Paco" Camacho is the Chief Executive Officer at Grupo Lala, Mexico's leader in Dairy. We visited him at their Mexico City Office to speak about how, after a long career in global companies, he's back in his native Mexico to lead a company that's an institution.  Topics covered: - Grupo Lala's footprint  - The Mexican Consumer Goods and Grocery Markets  - Making a Consumer Brand relevant to the current consumer  - Change management and cultural transformation  - Adjusting to food trends   Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fmcgguys/ Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fmcgguys/   Audio Mixing by Modest Ferrer Voice Acting by Jason Martorell Parsekian Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the individual guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The FMCG Guys (Dwyer Partners SL) or its partners. The FMCG Guys make no representations or warranties about the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of any information discussed, and accept no responsibility for any decisions or outcomes based on this content. Listeners are encouraged to seek their own professional advice before acting on any of the topics covered.

Yves Briantais is the Chief Marketing Officer at Beer Leader Carlsberg. Someone with a unique point of view of marketing and the state of the alcohol category, he joins Christina and Daniel to share how after a long stint at Colgate-Palmolive, he's re-discovered himself to be successful at the Danish icon.   Tune in to hear about: Moving to Carlsberg after nearly two decades at Colgate What Marketing should be like The alcohol category, what's the gap when connecting with consumers Liverpool FC and sports sponsorships Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fmcgguys/ Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fmcgguys/   Audio Mixing by Modest Ferrer Voice Acting by Jason Martorell Parsekian Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the individual guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The FMCG Guys (Dwyer Partners SL) or its partners. The FMCG Guys make no representations or warranties about the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of any information discussed, and accept no responsibility for any decisions or outcomes based on this content. Listeners are encouraged to seek their own professional advice before acting on any of the topics covered.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/cD1ge-XvcxY  Lee Kum Kee is the company that first commercialized the world-renowned Oyster Sauce back in 1888. Today, it's a world leading condiments and sauces business. Our guest, Maria Chong, leads the business in Europe and we sat down with her at their London Office to discover how they've grown and what their plans are in the coming years. You'll be delighted! Tune in to hear about: The background of this historical company How they've developed in Europe since she stepped in as MD in 2012 Demographic and cultural shifts in the Old Continent The importance of cultivating relationships with chefs to develop new flavours Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fmcgguys/ Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fmcgguys/   Audio Mixing by Modest Ferrer Voice Acting by Jason Martorell Parsekian Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the individual guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The FMCG Guys (Dwyer Partners SL) or its partners. The FMCG Guys make no representations or warranties about the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of any information discussed, and accept no responsibility for any decisions or outcomes based on this content. Listeners are encouraged to seek their own professional advice before acting on any of the topics covered.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/P4MZ7Wofuoo  Boris Rütten (Global Head of eCommerce at Henkel, who visited us 2023) and Salim Bachatene (SVP eCommerce Sales at NIQ) join us to tackle one of the most critical, and often overlooked, topics in modern commerce: Data. For years, eCommerce teams have focused on growth levers without fully addressing the complexity of bringing data together. But as AI and advanced analytics take center stage, the reality is clear: without strong data foundations, there is no meaningful insight and no scalable impact. In this podcast we explore how brands can connect online and offline data, establish the right governance, and turn fragmented inputs into actionable, cross-functional decisions. Topics covered: Why data has traditionally been ignored in eCommerce—and why that's changing fast The three essential layers of commerce data: online, offline, and the connection between both Why AI and insights are only as strong as the data behind them The consequences of poor data management—and how to avoid them Governance: who should own data internally, and how to structure it effectively Navigating a world without digital shelf standards Practical recommendations to move from siloed data to actionable growth More: Other Webinars with NIQ Boris' 2023 Episode: https://www.fmcgguys.com/henkel-boris-rutten-ecommerce/  Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fmcgguys/ Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fmcgguys/   Audio Mixing by Modest Ferrer Voice Acting by Jason Martorell Parsekian Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the individual guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The FMCG Guys (Dwyer Partners SL) or its partners. The FMCG Guys make no representations or warranties about the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of any information discussed, and accept no responsibility for any decisions or outcomes based on this content. Listeners are encouraged to seek their own professional advice before acting on any of the topics covered.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/8oc8kc_rdoA    Bart Ongenaet is the Commercial, Supply and Wholesale Director for Mexico at sports retailer Decathlon. When Daniel joined him to record live in Mexico City , he had to enter and go through their store before accessing the office. This is very telling about the organisation, always close to the consumer and to Bart's own experience in the company, which started managing a small section of a shop in Belgium and has taken him to Japan and now Mexico in senior leadership roles.   Tune in to hear about: Bart's background as a psychologist and playing sports and then transitioning into business Decathlon's "management school" based on empowerment from day 1 The evolution from big stores to a now also having a digital multi-brand marketplace How to deliver quality at an affordable price Brand architecture in their multiple sports His experience in Japan and lessons learnt along the way, both in business and leadership Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fmcgguys/ Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fmcgguys/   Audio Mixing by Modest Ferrer Voice Acting by Jason Martorell Parsekian Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the individual guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The FMCG Guys (Dwyer Partners SL) or its partners. The FMCG Guys make no representations or warranties about the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of any information discussed, and accept no responsibility for any decisions or outcomes based on this content. Listeners are encouraged to seek their own professional advice before acting on any of the topics covered.

Watch on YouTube Live from Shoptalk Luxe: https://youtu.be/vNIJJmgD3Fg  Amit Keswani is the Chief Omnichannel and AI Officer at the Chalhoub Group, a leading luxury retail group in the Middle East, where he leads customer, technology, loyalty, and AI transformation across a portfolio of hundreds of brands. In this episode recorded live in Abu Dhabi, we discuss the reality of omnichannel in luxury retail, how AI is being implemented in practice, and why the future of commerce will be driven by discoverability on LLMs and conversational shopping experiences. Topics covered: The Chalhoub Group business model across luxury retail, owned brands, and franchise distribution What omnichannel really means in practice and how to build seamless customer journeys How AI is being applied today: predictive analytics, agentic AI, and conversational commerce Why discoverability on LLMs and conversational shopping will reshape ecommerce Career advice, risk-taking, and the balance between data-driven decisions and gut feel

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/fM2vQFxOF9M  Recorded live from CES, Daniel sits down with Monique Perlmutter from Marriott's Riott Media Network to discuss the rise of travel media as a new frontier within commerce media. Monique shares her career journey through digital media, Amazon Ads, and retail media before moving into travel media, where Marriott is building one of the first hotel media networks. The conversation explores how traveler psychology influences spending behavior, how brands can reach consumers throughout the travel journey, and why travel media presents a major opportunity for CPG and brand advertisers. Topics Covered: Monique's career journey from digital media to Amazon Ads, Roundel, and Marriott Media Why travel media is a new and fast-growing segment of commerce media The travel journey and how consumer mindset changes from booking to the trip itself Marriott Media channels: on-site digital, in-room media, Wi-Fi portals, and off-site advertising Case study example of a Gatorade campaign targeting youth sports travelers The importance of measurement, incrementality, and proving media effectiveness

Quo Vadis, Retail Media? With this question in mind (Where are you going, Retail Media?), we invited two of the best respected voices of this industry: Kiri Masters, Retail Media Analyst, and Adam Smith, Head of Retail Media at British Supermarket Iceland. In this conversation, we explore the structural differences between the US and UK markets, why retail media has moved from hype to a lasting industry priority, and how new forces like agentic shopping and AI-powered discovery could reshape the entire model. We also comment Iceland's ambitious in-store retail media rollout, the importance of measurement and internal alignment, and the growing tension between performance, creativity, ethics, and retailer brand identity.   Tune in to hear about: Why retail media in the US and Europe has evolved differently, from market structure and GDPR to e-commerce penetration and offsite capabilities Agentic shopping and how AI-driven discovery could disrupt onsite retail media and reduce valuable shopper signals Why retail media must sit close to the trading function and how internal stakeholder management is often the hardest part Iceland's retail media opportunity: a loyal customer base, 9 million weekly transactions, and a major in-store digital screen and analytics rollout Measurement, creativity, private label vs branded investment, and the ethical questions retailers will increasingly face as retail media expands into new categories and formats More  Kiri's Newsletter: www.retailmediabreakfastclub.com   Kiri's piece on US vs UK https://www.retailmediabreakfastclub.com/p/why-us-retail-media-hits-different   and ethical dilemmas in retail media  https://www.retailmediabreakfastclub.com/p/5-ethical-dilemmas-in-retail-media Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fmcgguys/ Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fmcgguys/   Audio Mixing by Modest Ferrer Voice Acting by Jason Martorell Parsekian Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the individual guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The FMCG Guys (Dwyer Partners SL) or its partners. The FMCG Guys make no representations or warranties about the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of any information discussed, and accept no responsibility for any decisions or outcomes based on this content. Listeners are encouraged to seek their own professional advice before acting on any of the topics covered.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ZWWZAjWjuRI  Consumers are increasingly using AI tools like ChatGPT and other Large Language Models (LLMs) to discover and evaluate products. This shift is beginning to transform the traditional path-to-purchase, with recommendations now being generated by algorithms rather than search results alone. This makes the digital shelf more important than ever. Product information no longer influences only search results on retailer websites; it increasingly feeds the datasets and content ecosystems that power AI recommendations. To do this, your hosts Christine and Daniel are accompanied by Beyza Kapu, Global Ecom Tech & Data Analytics Director at L'Oréal and Salim Bachatene, SVP Global Sales, eCommerce at NielsenIQ. We discuss: • Why AI discovery is becoming a new front door for commerce • How this shift is reshaping the path-to-purchase • Where AI gets its product information from—and why digital shelf execution matters • What brands should do today to ensure their products are visible, accurate, and recommendation-ready

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlInEn6P_RI  Sandie Dilger is the CMO at Proper Snacks, the fast-growing UK snacking company behind Proper and Eat Real. In this episode, she joins Daniel Torres live from London to discuss how Proper is redefining snacking through better-for-you ingredients, bold creativity, culturally relevant branding, and fast-paced innovation, while also sharing lessons from her unconventional journey into FMCG leadership. Tune in to hear about: Reinventing snacking as an act of positive well-being Making healthier snacks mainstream through taste, fiber, and better ingredients Using creativity, design, and cultural relevance to build standout brands Competing with bigger players through speed, innovation, and challenger thinking Career lessons from moving across FMCG, agencies, and leadership roles More  Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fmcgguys/ Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fmcgguys/   Audio Mixing by Modest Ferrer Voice Acting by Jason Martorell Parsekian Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the individual guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The FMCG Guys (Dwyer Partners SL) or its partners. The FMCG Guys make no representations or warranties about the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of any information discussed, and accept no responsibility for any decisions or outcomes based on this content. Listeners are encouraged to seek their own professional advice before acting on any of the topics covered.