Hello Omni Talk Retail Fans! And especially all you Groceryshop first-timers!
All told, I am pretty sure I have attended every Groceryshop since its inception. How many Groceryshops is that though? Well, I have actually lost count.
Let’s just say, it’s a lot
Of all the conferences I attend every year (which is also a lot), Groceryshop is far and away my favorite one for a number of reasons.
One, I love the grocery industry as a consumer (because I like to eat). Two, I was once a merchant leader with ties to it in frozen food and baby. Three, technology is shaping grocery faster than any other retail vertical. And, four, it is a category to which every single person in the world can relate in some way shape and form.
So, as a Groceryshop fan and expert, I figured it was about time I penned my thoughts on how to get the most out of this year’s show.
Tip #1 – Arrive on Saturday
The show kicks off on Sunday afternoon. If you attempt to time your arrival too close to the Sunday start, your plane could be delayed, your room also might not be ready when you arrive, and Vegas always requires a little acclimation period both before and especially during reentry back into normal life.
I like to arrive in about midday on Saturday, check-in to the hotel (the Delano BTW – it is much better than Mandalay), and then grab a fun bite to eat at the Irish bar in the hallway between the Mandalay Bay Casino and the Luxor. The place serves an authentic Irish breakfast and nothing says Vegas more than breakfast at odd hours of the day.
Tip #2 – Get Your Morning Coffee at the Right Place
I love coffee. Mainly because it is wet, warm, and contains copious amounts of caffeine. Where I get it is secondary, though I know that isn’t the case for everybody.
One of things I love most about Groceryshop is that they always have coffee available, so I always choose to get my coffee directly from the show.
However, I know that many of you like your coffee a certain way and particularly from a certain coffee house establishment out of Seattle. For that, you have 3 options:
- A Starbucks right outside the convention center (avoid at all costs)
- A Starbucks on the walkway between the Mandalay Bay Casino and the convention center (rookie mistake)
- A Starbucks that flanks a bar called “Flanker” (I sh*t you not).
My partner Anne Mezzenga first discovered this gem. The key is to order ahead on your mobile app. But do it early. Anne let out this best kept secret in retail coffee reconnoitering this past Shoptalk, so the word is getting out.
Tip #3 – Save Your Self Time By Walking Outside
First off, it is hard to get outside in Vegas, so anything that takes you outside is a plus.
Second, going outside can save you time. Instead of taking the incredibly long path through the casino and through the aforementioned walkway that can take 15 to 20 minutes depending on your pace, and be impacted by how much the powerful air conditioner is blowing in your face, save time by taking the Mandalay Bay elevator to the ground floor and walking the route outside, bypassing it all.
Groceryshop’s Ben Miller did a great job of explaining this hack when we had him on our Fast Five podcast recently. Watch Ben explain this hack better than I ever could below:
Tip #4 – Plan Your Agenda
Here’s Mine . . .
Sunday – Day 1 Picks
1:45 Sunday
Why? I learn something new every time I listen to Oliver Chen, CFA.
2:35 PM Sunday
Why? Liz Roche has a great mind for retail media, and we are interviewing her live on Tuesday, so I need to get some prep in.
3:25 PM Sunday
Why? Omni Talk’s very own Anne Mezzenga is moderating, duh?
4:20 PM Sunday
Why? Because all the keynotes are awesome, and one of them also features yours truly interviewing Ocado CEO Tim Steiner .
Monday – Day 2 Picks
9:00 AM Monday
Why? Two reasons:
- I sit on Buncha’s advisory board so I am excited to hear the audience’s reception to what Bharat Pulgam and Buncha are doing
- I am very excited to see what Scot Wingo has been cooking up, too.
9:50 AM Monday
Why? I always love following Raghu Mahadevan‘s work at 7-Eleven and we are also interviewing Mustafa Bartin for our podcast, so I am excited to hear what he has to say as well.
10:40 AM Monday
Why? GLP-1 and its impact on grocery? Sign me up every single day of the week and twice on Monday. Wait, that doesn’t sound right?
2:00 PM Monday
Why? I hear the Sprouts Farmers Market keynote session is going to be off the hook 🙂
Tuesday – Day 3 Picks
9:00 AM Tuesday
Why? This was the toughest pick of the show. Because I adore Stewart Samuel but I also just can’t miss Simbe’s robots and Instacart’s smart carts.
9:50 AM Tuesday
Why? Because we have had Dr. Oliver Vogt on our podcast numerous times and I always enjoying hearing Europe’s perspective on grocery.
10:40 AM Tuesday
Why? See previous answer.
2:00 PM Tuesday
Why? I kinda like Anne and anything with the word “Zeitgeist” in it sounds cool.
Wednesday – Day 3 Picks
9:00 AM Wednesday
Why? Alicia LeBeouf and I go way back. All the way back to 2007 when we met on a train to an AIDS Walk (seriously). I will always be there to support her and to hear what she has to say whenever I can.
10:20 AM Wednesday
Why? Because, say what? TikTok Shop is at a grocery conference? WTF? I 100% want to hear more. And Jason Goldberg is moderating, too. He is one of the best moderators out there.
11:10 AM Wednesday
Why? Because I wouldn’t miss recapping a Groceryshop for anything in the world. Unless, of course, I get COVID again, like I did in 2023.
Tip #5 – Go Outside Your Comfort Zone
Lionel Richie once gave the best advice I ever heard on a Shoptalk/Groceryshop stage. He said, “Life begins at the edge of your comfort zone.”
Not only life but so too does innovation.
It’s an ecological fact. Adaptation begins where two ecosystems collide. There’s even a word for it, “ecotone.”
So, get out there. Go up to the solutions provider that intrigues you. Stop someone in the hallway that captivated you onstage and introduce yourself. Or even ask if you can buy them that morning coffee at Starbucks or get them a drink at the Beach Party.
You will be darn glad you did.
Omni Talk® is the retail blog for retailers, written by retailers. Chris Walton founded Omni Talk® in 2017 and have quickly turned it into one of the fastest growing blogs in retail.