The Modern Retail Podcast

Fragrance continues to dominate the beauty sector in 2026, but it's increasingly showing up as a differentiator in other sectors like personal care and household essentials.
This week on the Modern Retail Podcast, special projects editor Melissa Daniels speaks with Diana Melencio, general partner at XRC Brand Capital Fund, about the ways companies are using fragrance to ...

In an era where a brand's reputation is tethered to the relentless cycles of social media, silence is no longer a defensive strategy for brands and can even become a liability.

In this episode of the Modern Retail Podcast, senior reporter Gabi Barkho is joined by crisis PR consultant Sam Gauchier to break down why the old-school public relations tactic of trying ...

This year, back-to-college spending is estimated to cross $100 billion for the first time, according to data from the National Retail Federation. About $14 billion of that, or about $194 per shopper, is in dor...

For many founder-led brands, the transition from a scrappy, bootstrapped startup to a major retail player is the ultimate test of sustainable growth. For some, that means taking on more debt or venture capital; for others, it means bringing on private equity investors to shoulder the costs.

This week, senior reporter Gabi Barkho is joined by Andrea Faulkner Williams, c...

Once Upon a Farm is on a growth trajectory that is powered in large part by a new look in the baby aisle.

The brand, founded in 2015, offers organic, cold-pressed baby food and children's snacks. It went public in February after spending the past several years building up a unique wholesale strategy that places branded coolers in baby food aisles. The company ended 202...