🚚 Pod Foods Talks Foxtrot Fall & The Future Of Early-stage CPG

As a supplier for all Foxtrot locations since the launch of the innovative convenience store concept, this week’s announcement of the chain’s abrupt closure was no small thing for Pod Foods. 

According to Peter Gialantzis, Pod’s chief merchandising officer, the distributor made deliveries to all of those locations as recently as last Friday and had inbound orders en route this week. But with Foxtrot’s closure Tuesday morning, Pod Foods' quickly shifted focus to protecting its suppliers, Gialantzis emphasized. 

“I've learned to be surprised by nothing in the Grocery business, but our first reaction was to do everything we can to protect our brands,” he said. “We called each of our warehouses immediately, and put together an action plan for how to sell the ex-Foxtrot products into new accounts”

We caught up with Gialantzis to hear how he believes this abrupt closure will impact the industry and gather insight on the path ahead both for emerging brands and the retail landscape as a whole. 

What opportunities exist for former Foxtrot brands: do you believe they’ll be able to forge new, long-term supplier relationships in nearby regions? 

I do think there will be [long-term] opportunities that grow out of this. The consumer demand for these products did not disappear overnight...only the retail medium for that demand.   Particularly in the markets of Chicago, Dallas, Austin, and Washington, D.C., there is an immediate opportunity for other retailers to take market share and win new repeat customers by carrying these brands. 

Insiders can access the full interview on Nosh. Check it out here to learn how Gialantzis and the Pod Foods team are helping brands find a way to forge ahead.

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In this episode of CPG Week, the team attempts to unpack the fallout from the sudden closure of Outfox Hospitality which operates the Foxtrot and Dom’s Kitchen & Market grocery chains. The group digs into the developing story with insight into what has happened so far, how brands and industry stakeholders have reacted, and how this is a blow to what many regarded as an influential part of the next generation of grocery. Later in the show, reporter Adrianne DeLuca explains the latest development in the Kroger-Albertsons merger plan and how all this grocery news relates to an uncertain future for retail.

Listen now on https://www.nosh.com/news/2024/cpg-week-inside-the-closure-of-outfox-hospitality-and-the-future-of-retailNosh.com and subscribe to get a fresh episode every week.

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