Mentoring, community service and employee ownership have all contributed to the 95-year success of Publix, according to Director of Communications Maria Brous and Atlanta Division Regional Director Aissata Deme in this Progressive Grocer Top Women in Grocery Podcast. The grocer continues to honor the legacy of founder George Jenkins and, in 95 years of operation, has not laid off any employees, Deme said. "The great mentors that we have in this company make you believe in yourself and see the potential in people that you don't see in yourself," said Deme, who started as a front-end clerk and bagger as a teen. "(They) position you so that you continue to grow into becoming the leader that you are."

ALDI has seen double-digit growth in engagement on Instagram and TikTok since the beginning of the year after shifting its social media strategy to focus on customer engagement and trends rather than just promoting low prices. "Having that engagement, building that affinity with customers, it's not just fun, it's truly driving towards business objectives and driving sales," says Katherine Sodeika, ALDI's US marketing director.

Schnuck Markets is expanding its Midwest reach through the formation of 1939 Group, which has agreed to buy 100% of the shares of the parent company of Skogen's Festival Foods and Hometown Grocers. "Schnucks, Skogen's Festival Foods and Hometown Grocers share a strikingly similar set of core values, tracing our success to decades of consistently focusing on the communities we serve, the values we share and the ongoing quest for excellence in grocery retail," said Todd Schnuck, chairman and CEO of Schnuck Markets.

Tyson Foods and other companies that make novelty chicken nuggets have to coordinate multiple functions to create a satisfying product, including precision shaping, refining the automated breading process and inviting customer feedback. Nuggets in child-friendly shapes and options linked to favorite sports teams have been strong performers for chicken companies this year.

Danielle Sporkin, senior vice president of media and marketing services for North America at Ferrero, discusses the challenges and opportunities of retail media networks, highlighting the issue of overlapping audiences as more retailers are added to the media mix. Ferrero is evolving its retail media strategy beyond search and display by focusing on measurement, testing and cross-functional internal ownership. Sporkin also discusses the concept of "precision at scale," which involves combining national audience buys with more precise, addressable audiences to achieve incremental gains in ad and brand awareness.

Keurig Dr Pepper Chief Marketing Officer Drew Panayiotou is leading a marketing overhaul that consolidates agencies, emphasizes data-driven strategies and adopts Silicon Valley-inspired practices such as agile teams. The "full-stack marketing" approach aims to balance short-term performance with long-term brand building, exemplified by a partnership with Disney Advertising to enhance digital ad targeting and integrate Dr Pepper's "Fansville" into college football broadcasts.

Are you sure you know all the benefits of FMI membership? Think again. From benchmarks and policy insights to networking and collaboration tools, a membership offers more than you might expect. Join us for a fast-moving 30-minute session on Thursday, Sept. 18, from 4:00–4:30 p.m. ET and discover how to make the most of the resources available to you and your team. Meet the FMI membership team, see how peers are applying benefits to business challenges, and leave with practical ways to get more involved, no matter your role or experience level. Whether you’re new to FMI or looking to tap into more opportunities, this session is the perfect next step.

My appreciation of anything that amplifies productivity by serving multiple purposes with proficiency and aptitude is one of the many reasons I love family meals. A lot takes place on multiple levels when we take the time to eat together. I challenge you to find another hour in your day wherein your body can be fueled, your mind engaged, your heart nourished and your spirit restored as efficiently as when you sit down at the dinner table to eat with people you love. Family meals is masterclass in multitasking where life events can be shared, social connections restored, problems solved, frustrations lessened and your thinking expanded all in between bites of meal that research shows to usually be healthier than the typical fare.