Hello Omni Talk Fans! Happy New Year! This week’s Fast Five podcast kicks off 2026 with a bang, and I’m not just talking about the fact that we welcomed Veloq as our newest sponsor (though their profitable E-commerce grocery story is legitimately mind-blowing).
Our latest episode features 5 Insightful Minutes with Richard McKenzie, CEO of Veloq, who’s bringing technology from Europe’s Rohlik Group — a grocer doing $2 billion in revenue with 30% annual growth AND actually making money on E-commerce grocery. Yes, you read that right.
And, of course, we also cover the headlines:
- Instacart’s pricing disaster – After Consumer Reports caught them testing variable pricing that could differ by 23%, Instacart backed down faster than you can say “dynamic pricing.” Anne and I completely disagree on whether they should have held their ground.
- Kroger’s aggressive SNAP play – 20% off produce and half-price Boost memberships for SNAP recipients? I think it reeks of desperation. Anne thinks it’s brilliant.
- Amazon’s meal planning power move – Alexa Plus now plans your entire week of meals AND adds everything to your Amazon Fresh or Whole Foods cart. I tried it this morning with paleo breakfasts, and honestly? It’s pretty darn impressive.
- Save Mart’s Amazon kiosk gambit – They’re putting Amazon Returns kiosks in 140+ stores. Anne loves it. I think they’re letting the fox into the henhouse.
- Schnucks’ gift card fraud knockout – Using Digimarc’s invisible watermarks, they hit 100% fraud prevention in a 10-week pilot, and it is exactly the kind of immediately applicable tech we love highlighting each week.
There’s all that, plus we debate whether the Stranger Things finale needs a do-over, discuss toxic mom groups, and reveal why I’d cause myself immediate hypertension for a five-gallon bucket of movie theater popcorn.
Listen to This Week’s Fast Five Podcast
Be careful out there,
— Chris, Anne, and the entire Omni Talk team
P.S. What sound does a nut make when it sneezes?
Cashew!
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.