How grocers and CPG brands can tackle poor in-store execution

[Viable Food News Desk]

Publisher: Grocery Dive
Published: October 5, 2026
Source: Read at Grocery Dive
Category: Food Access

Gary Schneider of Bay Food Brokerage argues that CPG brands need to focus on store-level execution after winning retail distribution. Products can be delivered to a store but remain hard to buy if they are in the back room, missing a shelf tag, incorrectly priced, misplaced, or absent from an expected display. Schneider recommends using in-store data, analytics, and photography to verify shelf placement, inventory, pricing, and promotions. He also recommends assigning a trusted partner clear responsibility for identifying and resolving execution problems.

Why this matters: Independent grocers and food-access teams can use consistent store checks to find problems that make products effectively unavailable to shoppers. Better visibility can help separate weak demand from problems with stocking, pricing, or merchandising.

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