MBM & The Grocery Guru
If you work in the UK Grocery Industry, you’ll know the pace…fast! We teamed up with the Grocery Guru – Andrew Grant, ex-Tesco Buying Director – to bring you debate on the latest issues facing our industry.
From Urban Fulfilment Centres to GSCOP to Christmas Ranging. Each video is 10-minutes and streamed live at 1 pm every Thursday on Youtube. We’ll keep this page updated with the latest videos.
Beware, Andrew and Darren don’t always see the same issue the same way! You will not get one answer here, but two different opinions.
#1: Urban Fulfilment Centres
In this episode of The Grocery Guru, find out what UFC’s are, and how they will impact the grocery industry. Tesco is first with Asda hot on their tail.
#2: Category Management is Dead
The age-old question. If Category Management is about meeting the shopper’s demands better and quicker than the next guy, then it’s a ‘No’.
#3: New Normal, New Holidays
In this episode of The Grocery Guru, we discuss the ‘new normal’ and how this is likely to affect Christmas. Touch challenges for our industry during Covid-19.
#4: The New Grocery Adjudicator
Mark White has taken-over form Christine Tacon. What will he want from the named retailers? And will he name Amazon in 2021?
#5: The Demise of the Deli Counter
We all love them, buy a treat from them occasionally, but is it time for them to be put out to pasture?
#6: It’s CPI Time!
Cost Price Increase – The words buyers dread. In this episode, The Grocery Guru discusses how to deal with them effectively as a NAM to avoid a ‘No’, go away’.
#7: Who’s the Pantomime Villain?
The alleged breaches of GSCOP are published- see the annual survey of 2020. Only 150 out of 10,000 suppliers – Is that the ‘right’ number?
#8: The Future of High Street
With the rise of online shopping, is this the beginning of the end for the high street?
#9: The Three Ghosts of Christmas; Past, Present, and Future
In this episode, Darren and Andrew discuss the Ghosts of Past, Present, and Future of category management.
#10: Good Riddance 2020! Our Predictions for 2021
After a whirlwind year, we’re all intrigued to see what 2021 brings! Join Darren and Andrew, as they discuss their thoughts on what’s in store this coming year.
#11: Are there any Christmas Turkeys left?
Join Darren and Andrew in Episode 11 as they discuss the latest Kantar data on who was best performing this Christmas and New Year.
#12: Tesco Christmas Q3 Results – 80% Clubcard
80% of sales in large stores are through Clubcard – take a look at Tesco’s Christmas results and what Andrew and Darren make of them.
#13: The Basic Principles of Negotiating
This episode talks aims to improve your negotiating skills by discussing The Basic Principles of Negotiating and the Squaredance.
#14: Discussing Range Reviews/Range Resets
Discussing Range Reviews/Range Resets, with Morrisons and in lockdown.
#15: Discussing Purchase Decision Hierarchy
Andrew and Darren discuss the shopper map, purchase decision hierarchy, analytic hierarchy process, consumer decision tree – whatever you call it, we know that understanding how the shopper shops is key to category performance.
#16: The Importance of Using Shopper Language
Join Andrew Grant and Darren A. Smith in the sixteenth episode of Grocery Guru. Not using industry terms or category terms because they are creating the buffer for what should be created.
#17: Micro Fulfilment Centres & the 15-Minute Ordering Window
This week Darren and Andrew talk about new start-ups competing with Amazon to take your order and deliver within 15-minutes.
#18: The New Normal, & Preparing for a Fierce Supermarket War
Forecasting budgets will be very hard and the only certainty is uncertainty in the ‘New Normal’. How will supermarkets prepare for war?
#19: Amazon Fresh & its new checkout less and frictionless store
Amazon have launched their first physical store -Amazon Fresh in Ealing, London. Andrew and Darren discuss its new checkout less and frictionless operation.
#20: Morrisons Supermarket’s Preliminary Results Post Covid
This week’s episode looks at Morrison’s supermarkets’ preliminary results for the 52 weeks to 31st January 2021.
#21: Hagglebot and Fishing Grenades
Darren and Andrew discuss the use of hagglebots by supermarkets. AI negotiating bots to negotiate contracts with suppliers.
#22: Retailer Results Season – Will they be requiring Monies?
Episode 22 talks about discussing that many of the retailers are coming to their year-end and negotiations will be tough. But know your GSCOP.
#23: The Tesco ELH Car – A Partnership between Tesco and BMW
Tesco and BMW have partnered to launch the Every Little Helps car. The BMW Series 1 ELH.
#24: Tesco Romping Ahead of Aldi in Kantar’s Market Share Results 12wk March 21
The twenty-fourth episode of the Grocery Guru discusseses the latest Kantar market share data to 22-03-21, showing Tesco gaining share and Aldi losing share during Covid.
#25: Issa Brothers Buy Leon & Cafe Nero to Grab the Electric Car Market For EG
Join Andrew Grant and Darren A. Smith in the twenty-fifth episode of the Grocery Guru discussing the Issa Brothers buying Leon and Cafe Nero to grab the electric car market.
#26: Discussing Sainsbury’s Preliminary Results with Covid Costs of £485m
The twenty-sixth episode of the Grocery Guru discusses Sainsbury’s Preliminary Results with Covid Costs of £485m, digital sales doubling, and 1,900 innovative products to be launched.
#27: What is Nett Revenue Management? And how does it relate to Supermarkets?
The twenty-seventh episode is about What is Nett Revenue Management? And how it relates to supermarkets. Plus, where did NRM come from, and how can it be used.
#28: Morrisons Q1 Trading Statement 2021 – Back to Work or Not Back to Work?
The twenty-eighth episode is about Morrison’s supermarket’s Q1 trading statement for 2021 (14 weeks to 9 May 2021) – ‘On track for strong future profit growth and low debt’.
#29: The Demise of Tesco Metro and What is Happening to the Tesco Jack’s Format
In the twenty-ninth episode, Darren and Andrew talk about the demise of Tesco Metro, what is happening to the Tesco Jack’s format, and maybe the start of Tesco managing fewer formats.
#30: Rapid Groceries – The Rise of 10-minute Window Deliveries by 8 Start-Ups
Darren and Andrew discuss Rapid Groceries – The Rise of 10-minute Window Deliveries by 8 Start-Ups. Plus, the moves by Tesco and Sainsbury’s with ‘Whoosh’ and ‘Chop-Chop’, to compete.
#31: Increasing Costs -Plan Your Request for a Supermarket Cost Price Increase
Join Andrew Grant and Darren A. Smith in the thirty-first episode of the Grocery Guru. They discuss increasing costs for suppliers. From diesel to cargo costs, to minimum wage labour. Whilst the supermarkets slug it out in a potential price war.
#32: Discussing Preliminary GSCOP Survey Results and Sainsbury’s Range Reset
Join Andrew Grant and Darren A. Smith in the thirty-second episode of the Grocery Guru. They discuss the preliminary results of the latest GSCOP supplier survey, whilst the announcement of the Groceries Code Adjudicator’s concern about Sainsbury’s range reset and how they are dealing with their suppliers.
#33: Clayton, Dubilier & Rice Bid for Morrison’s Supermarket – Amazon may Bid?
Join Andrew Grant and Darren A. Smith in the thirty-third episode of the Grocery Guru. They discuss the bid from United States private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, of which Terry Leahy is a Board Member, to buy Morrison’s Supermarkets. But will Amazon now make a bid too?
#34: HFSS – High in Fat, Salt or Sugar Foods – UK Law from 1st April 2022
Join Andrew Grant and Darren A. Smith in the thirty-fourth episode of the Grocery Guru. They discuss HFSS: High in Fat, Salt, or Sugar Foods. These are products that will be stopped from being sited on secondary spaces in-store, and cannot be volume promoted. This will affect all stores over 2,000 feet and including symbol stores, like Spar.
#35: How to Become a Supplier to a UK/European Supermarket Using S.E.L.L.I.N.G
Join Andrew Grant and Darren A. Smith in the thirty-fifth episode of the Grocery Guru. They discuss how to become a supplier to a UK/European Supermarket using their acronym of S.E.L.L.I.N.G. that helps you to get ‘a foot in the door’.
#36: Football Bonus, Groceries, & A Tough Autumn
Join Andrew Grant and Darren A. Smith in the Football Bonus episode of the Grocery Guru. They discuss England being in the Euro 2020 final which gives a football bonus & stress on the supply chain, driver shortage, labour shortages for frowers, rapid groceries – Wheezy, HFSS, Morrison’s bids and a tough Autumn Ahead for the grocers and their suppliers.
#37: Ultra Fast Groceries
Join Andrew Grant and Darren A. Smith in the thirty-seventh episode of the Grocery Guru. They discuss the rise of rapid groceries, also known as ultrafast grocery deliveries. These start-ups are being discussed by JP Morgan and Credit Suisse as having the ability to take serious market share in the UK.
#38: Kantar Market Share
Join Andrew Grant and Darren A. Smith in the thirty-eighth episode of the Grocery Guru. They discuss the latest Kantar market share showing 12 weeks to 20th July 2021. Asda and Morrisons losing share, Tesco gaining, and Aldi & Lidl showing flat growth.
#39: Russian Supermarket Discounters
Join Andrew Grant and Darren A. Smith in the thirty-ninth episode of the Grocery Guru. They discuss the Russian Supermarket Discounters Opening Stores in the UK. How it will affect the UK’s supermarkets. Particularly Aldi and Lidl. Plus, supermarkets like the ‘X5 Retail Group’ and their innovative approach and different model.
