Taste Radio

If you’ve ever wanted to get inside the mind of a retail buyer or merchandiser, this episode, in which we sit down with key executives representing mass, specialty and natural grocery retail chains, is required listening. Will McDonald, the Vice President DMM - Beverages for Walmart; Kristin Alas, a Category Manager for Gelson's; and Brian Albert, a Sr. Category Manager for Sprouts, reveal how each retailer evaluates emerging brands, assesses innovation and trendy ingredients, and cultivates successful relationships with founders. Show notes: 1:10: Interview: Will McDonald, VP DMM - Beverages, Walmart – Will talks about how he cut his teeth at Walmart in the retailer’s gift card section, why “being choiceful” in managing assortment is “the bedrock of what we do,” and why Walmart is interested in meeting with as many potential suppliers as possible. He also explains why he prefers in-person introductions to emails, how long it takes from an initial meeting to getting product on-shelf and the value of working w