ECRM

If you are a Hot Ones TV show fan, you've likely seen the sauces from Chile Lengua de Fuego sampled by celebrities like Gordan Ramsey, Mila Kunis, Jimmy Kimmel and Jeremy Renner. The brand's sauces have been in the lineup on Seasons 16 (Bhutila Fire), Season 19 (Turmeric Bomb) and 21 Chipotle Chocolate Ghost Pepper), and retail buyers at ECRM's recent Condiments, Sauces & Spreads had the opportunity to try them all. ECRM's Joseph Tarnowski also had the opportunity to sample them before sitting with Founder Carlos Castillo to learn more about the company and its products. Carlos started the company a few years ago in Honduras. Growing up he loved chili peppers, often eating them raw, He didn't like the sauces that were available and so started experimenting with some himself. A couple of years after launching, he entered a competition in Texas, coming away with an armful of awards. Soon after he received a call from Hot Ones, which wanted to include one of his sauces on the show. The rest is history. "Our sauces go well with everything," he says. "It's something that should be art of the culinary and gastronomic life. You get a release of endorphins from the burn, and so you remember that you felt good about the experience." Now he's looking to take his sauces to the mainstream via getting into mass retail. Along with a RangeMe Pro subscription (since their distributor also has condiments and coffee), Carlos met with buyers at the Session. Not only did Carlos enjoy the opportunity to spend quality time with retail buyers at the ECRM Session, but he also found their feedback very helpful. "It's hard to get a sit-down with retail buyers on your own," he adds. "Here we got to sit down with a bunch of them for an affordable price. We also learned a ton and can reflect on what we are doing good and where we need to be going forward to get more retail business." Watch the entire video below! And to see ECRM's full lineup of Center Store Grocery Sessions, check out the link in the comments. #sauce #food #cpg #retail #ecrmrangeme Kurt R. Sarah Davidson Tyler B. Greg F.

Distributor Hey You sells multiple brands across food & beverage and health & beauty care categories, and by upgrading to RangeMe Pro, it significantly boosted buyer engagement for each of its brands. Here's why: Each brand profile page is now 100 percent aligned with buyer searches. Only the relevant brand profile pages show up, and the buyer spends more time on them. Previously, when Hey You was RangeMe Premium, all of its brands were together on one brand profile page. So, for example, if a buyer was searching for snacks and Hey You's page was displayed as a result of a keyword search or an immediate opportunity submission, that buyer would be confused when they saw Hey You's beauty products and may not stay long on the page. With RangeMe Pro, this no longer happens. In this clip from her interview with ECRM's Joseph Tarnowski, Hey You owner Susan Darretta shares why she upgraded to RangeMe Pro, and what resulted from it. If you have multiple brands that span different categories, RangeMe Pro enables you to have a separate brand page for each. To learn more about the benefits of RangeMe Pro, click the link in the comments!

Innovative flavors and added functions are taking over foods in center store grocery, making cooking at home much more interesting and healthier for consumers, according to NielsenIQ's Patrick Dougherty, who spoke at ECRM's recent Center Store Grocery Sessions in Chicago. According to Dougherty, who spoke with ECRM's Joseph Tarnowski at the Session, as consumer increasingly cook at home, they are seeking new ways to jazz up their meals (and munch on snacks) with unique flavor profiles and health benefits. This includes dishes as flavors (think burrito-flavored chips), spices from around the world, beverage-inspired flavors, and flavors that trigger some nostalgia. Ingredients and snacks with additional functional benefits -- such as high protein, high fiber, and probiotics are also gaining in popularity as a way of delivering extra value with each purchase. Watch the video below to learn more! And check out the link in the comments for information on our Summer Center Store Grocery Sessions! #food #grocery #snacks #flavors #ecrmrangeme Alessandra Andrade Balerini Marc S Santos Meg Major Sarah Davidson Tyler B.

In this fireside chat hosted by ECRM's Wayne Bennett as part of the "Women Behind the Brands" series sponsored by The Emerson Group, BJ's Wholesale Club EVP & Chief Merchant Rachael Vegas shares her strategic approach to leadership, commitment to women's professional development, and innovative perspective on women's professional growth in the retail industry. Rachael oversees BJ’s merchant teams across 270 stores, managing health and beauty, household, and hard lines businesses with a team of 160 people. Here are some highlights from the interview, which can be viewed here:?https://lnkd.in/erDRdbAE Career Journey and Leadership:? - Started as a young female store manager in a male-dominated environment? - Focused on learning from peers rather than proving herself? - Transitioned from operations to merchant roles? - Emphasizes bringing a unique female perspective to retail? ? Mentorship and Women in Retail:? - Seeks to encourage capable women to pursue promotions? - Addresses common barriers like work-life balance concerns? - Highlights the stereotype of men asking for jobs more readily than women? ? Work-Life Balance:? - Maintained an equal partnership with her husband? - Developed a structured approach to managing family and career? - Rigorous about work schedule to ensure family time? ? Innovation and Brand Perspective:? - BJ's is in a growth mode, seeking innovative products? - Wants to move beyond being a "slow follower" in retail? - Focuses on curated, selective product offerings? - Seeks to meet unmet member needs? ? Personal Leadership Lesson - some key learnings around entering new roles: - Ask critical questions before starting a new position? - Understand why you were selected? - Clarify expectations and success metrics? - Be intentional about approach and engagement #womenshistorymonth #retail #ecrmrangeme

For founder-led brands, success has its own unique challenges. As the company grows, you can no longer have your hands in everything; you must cede a bit of control over tasks to others. You have to build a team, develop leaders within that team, and all the while ensure that the company culture and mission stays on track. This is what Cosset Inc. Founder David Danzig discovered as he grew his company, which makes therapeutic bath and body products, from a team of two to more than 40 people over the past decade. Along the way, he learned what it's like to make the transition from a Founder to a CEO. In this blog post, from an interview with Joseph Tarnowski at a recent ECRM Beauty Session, Danzig shares how this transition unfolded, and how he handles the challenges that come with growth. He also shares his successes from ECRM Session (there have been many!) and what he thinks is important for brands to know about pitching buyers and following up with them. The blog also includes a video interview with him on that topic. Buyers, be sure to look for Danzig at the next ECRM Beauty Session, and you can also find him on RangeMe, as Cosset is a premium subscriber! #founder #entrepreneurship #beauty #ecrmrangeme Sarah Davidson Tony G. Lisa C. Greg F. Kurt R.

Do you REALLY know who your shoppers are? Gaining insights on those consumers who purchase your products can unlock the door to growth of your brand, and there are several ways of going about it. This was one of the topics of the roundtables at ECRM's roundtables held during its Convenience and Impulse, Front-End & Checklane Sessions last month in Orlando. Andrew Allen of Grace Management Group -- a RangeMe Premium & Verified subscriber and maker of Fresh Scents fragrances -- moderated the roundtable and sat with ECRM's Joseph Tarnowski at the Session to discuss some key takeaways from the buyers and brands who shared their insights on the topic. Click the link below to read about the insights uncovered from the roundtable! #cpg #retail #sales #shopperinsights #ecrmrangeme

Are center store grocery sales shifting online? According to NielsenIQ's Patrick Dougherty, who spoke at ECRM's Center Store Grocery Sessions in Chicago, they are -- at least in some ways. According to Dougherty, bulk up trips (those consisting of 12+ items) are shifting online, particularly among younger consumers who grew up online. But this is also partly attributed to shoppers shifting their center store shopping to ecommerce during the pandemic and then keeping it there. However, even in-store purchases of center store grocery products are being influenced in some way online, whether through blogs and websites or more likely, through social media, especially platforms like Tik Tok, which brands are finding useful for getting recognition, marketing buzz, and in the case of platforms like Tik Tok Shop -- immediate sales. Indeed, many new center store brands are getting their start on these platforms, and consumers are turning to social media to discover them. Brick and mortar retailers will benefit from stealing a page from the social commerce playbook and find ways to engage these shoppers digitally to drive them into the store, or at least their ecommerce baskets. Learn more in the video interview below with ECRM's Joseph Tarnowski, recorded on location at the Session! #grocery #snacks #beverages #food #socialmedia #ecommerce #cpg #retail #ecrrangeme Alessandra Andrade Balerini Marc S Santos Meg Major

Lynette Ackley, Group Vice President of Merchandising at Meijer, seeks to create a legacy through mentoring and developing people who will lead retail companies in the future, emphasizing passion, customer care, and people development. In this fireside chat hosted by ECRM's Wayne Bennett as part of the "Women Behind the Brands" series sponsored by The Emerson Group, Ackley shares her professional journey, which began in financial services at Morgan Stanley, followed by an MBA at Indiana University, and then a career in retail at Target and Meijer. Currently, she oversees merchant teams across 270 stores, managing health and beauty, household, and hard lines businesses with a team of 160 people.? ? Following are some highlights from the interview, which can be viewed in its entirety here:?https://lnkd.in/e8tuyfZf ? Career Insights:? - The importance of curiosity and being willing to learn? - Advocates for asking questions and not being afraid to admit what you don't know? - The value of changing roles and gaining diverse experiences in retail? ? Leadership Philosophy:? - Focuses 75% of her time on people and 25% on business? - Believes developing the right culture and passionate team leads to business success? - Prioritizes mentoring and recognizing team members' achievements? ? Work-Life Balance:? - Balances work with being a mother of two daughters? - Encourages setting boundaries and giving team members permission to prioritize personal life? - Models flexible working by attending early morning gym classes? ? Women in Retail:? - Committed to supporting women's advancement? - Focuses on finding innovative products from diverse and women-owned businesses? - Aims to represent customer demographics through product selection #womenshistorymonth #retail #cpg #health #beauty #ecrmrangeme

The?Exelan Pharmaceuticals Inc. Pharma team had a fantastic time at ECRM conference connecting with partners, exploring new collaborations, and identifying strategic growth opportunities. Events like these reinforce our commitment to delivering high-quality pharmaceutical solutions to those who serve. A huge thank you to everyone who met with us - your insights and engagement are invaluable. We’re excited about the possibilities ahead and look forward to building on these conversations. If we didn’t get a chance to connect, send us a message, and let’s start a conversation! Next stop for Exelan Pharmaceuticals Inc. is DCAT (Drug, Chemical & Associated Technologies Association) in New York City

Exploring New Opportunities at ECRM: A Step Toward the Future of Beauty. As a distributor constantly seeking innovative international brands to introduce to the Italian market, last month Simca was delighted to participate once again in ECRM. This event is always a valuable opportunity to connect with industry peers, reunite with long-time partners, and gain insights into the latest market offerings and upcoming trends. From productive meetings to inspiring discoveries, we’re bringing home a wealth of ideas and opportunities. A big thank you to everyone who contributed to making this experience meaningful—we look forward to seeing you all again next year! #ECRM #Networking #BeautyTrends #Simca #BusinessGrowth