340. Olin Novák, CEO International at Rohlik Group: Profitable Online Grocery, Rapid Delivery with Quality, Reducing Food Waste, Retail Media & AI

Matteo Gori is President of Bakery and Grocery at Barilla, leading brands such as Wasa and Mulino Bianco. In this episode, Matteo joins us to discuss why he believes in real conversations over sugarcoated ones, what a failed launch taught him about owning your business, and how food companies can make faster decisions in a market that has become far more volatile. Tune in to hear about: Why he is "allergic" to inconvenient truths being hidden, and how he builds a culture of direct conversations What he learned from Cucina Barilla, the joint venture with Whirlpool, and why failing early made him a better manager Test and learn in practice: why temporary shops worked and sampling in corporate offices didn't Why food categories now swing double digits up or down, and what that means for decision-making How Wasa is growing from crispbread into snacking, with "ambidexterity" How the marketing manager's job has changed as consumers move between health, indulgence and affordability Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fmcgguys/ Audio Mixing by Modest Ferrer Voice Acting by Jason Martorell Parsekian Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the individual guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The FMCG Guys (Dwyer Partners SL) or its partners. The FMCG Guys make no representations or warranties about the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of any information discussed, and accept no responsibility for any decisions or outcomes based on this content. Listeners are encouraged to seek their own professional advice before acting on any of the topics covered.

Andrew Lederman is VP of Global Digital Commerce at Mondelēz, leading digital commerce for snacking brands such as Oreo, Cadbury and Toblerone. In this live recording from Groceryshop in Las Vegas, Andrew joins us to discuss why digital commerce is now a company-wide transformation, how Mondelēz decides where to invest in retail media, and why marketers need to start marketing to AI agents as well as consumers. Tune in to hear about: Why digital commerce is "a team sport", not a single-function discipline How the lines between media and commerce are blurring, as every media company wants to become a retailer and every retailer a media company What a startup mindset brings to a big CPG company, and why a blank sheet of paper excites him How to decide where to invest across retail media, influencers and brand marketing, with market share as the "north star" Why marketers now need to market to AI agents as well as consumers Why brand websites matter more as LLMs decide what to recommend Why influencing in a big company takes a clear business case and focus, not "everybody's doing it" Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/BPFW1lM_pfk Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fmcgguys/ Audio Mixing by Modest Ferrer Voice Acting by Jason Martorell Parsekian Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the individual guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The FMCG Guys (Dwyer Partners SL) or its partners. The FMCG Guys make no representations or warranties about the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of any information discussed, and accept no responsibility for any decisions or outcomes based on this content. Listeners are encouraged to seek their own professional advice before acting on any of the topics covered.

Natalia Ball is the Chief Growth Officer for Pet Nutrition at Mars, home to brands such as Pedigree, Whiskas and Royal Canin. She describes her role as the "orchestrator of growth", bringing together consumer insights, brand building, innovation and commercial execution to drive results. In this episode, Natalia joins us to discuss why pet parents so thoroughly research every decision for the "most important member of the family", how AI is already shaping what they buy, and how brands can build lasting demand through cultural relevance. Tune in to hear about: How the pet care category is changing with consumers increasingly viewing pets as family members Why Natalia's title is Chief Growth Officer and not CMO How pet parents are using LLMs to choose food, routines and vets, and how Mars is working to influence AI recommendations Why brand building matters as much as performance marketing, and how to make the case to the CFO What cultural relevance really means: matching a human truth with a brand truth Why briefing teams at the same time allows ideas to come from anywhere Letting go of being the expert to create the right conditions for success Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fmcgguys/ Audio Mixing by Modest Ferrer Voice Acting by Jason Martorell Parsekian Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the individual guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The FMCG Guys (Dwyer Partners SL) or its partners. The FMCG Guys make no representations or warranties about the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of any information discussed, and accept no responsibility for any decisions or outcomes based on this content. Listeners are encouraged to seek their own professional advice before acting on any of the topics covered.

Gawain Davies is Chief Commercial Officer at Euroleague Basketball, overseeing brand partnerships, events, ticketing, merchandising and licensing for the elite professional basketball ecosystem in the EMEA region. That ecosystem spans 52 professional men's teams, including clubs such as Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich, and some of the most passionate fans in sport. In this live recording from Cannes, Gawain joins us to discuss what brands really get from sports sponsorship, how fan passion turns into community and commercial value, and what FMCG companies should do before walking into a partnership conversation. Tune in to hear about: What brands can learn from the World Cup, from crowded mix zones to Motorola's limited-edition phone that came with a ticket Why fans are loyal to their clubs first, and how that creates communities that brands can tap into Why sponsorship is no longer a "chairman's deal", and why he talks about return on objectives as much as ROI Why bespoke packages are replacing off-the-shelf deals, with rights bought globally and activated locally Why Euroleague cut its sponsors from over 30 to 16 How rights holders are building their own platforms and data, and what that means for brand budgets What he wants brands to bring to a first meeting Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/kSrj3mSbhis Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fmcgguys/ Audio Mixing by Modest Ferrer Voice Acting by Jason Martorell Parsekian Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the individual guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The FMCG Guys (Dwyer Partners SL) or its partners. The FMCG Guys make no representations or warranties about the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of any information discussed, and accept no responsibility for any decisions or outcomes based on this content. Listeners are encouraged to seek their own professional advice before acting on any of the topics covered.

Bas Vorsteveld is Area Managing Director for Northern Europe at Kenvue, the Consumer Health care company behind brands such as Johnson's, Aveeno, Listerine and Neutrogena. He leads the business across the region, ensuring that trusted household names stay relevant for a new generation of shoppers. In this episode, Bas joins us to discuss how consumer health brands can keep growing in categories where most people don't yet treat, how to help shoppers find the right solution on shelf and online, and how to stand out when regulation limits what you can say. Tune in to hear about: Why low penetration is the biggest growth opportunity How retailers and brands can bring clarity to a crowded shelf, and where retail media fits How sales and marketing capabilities are changing as shopper journeys get less linear How to balance science and credibility with influencers, creators and healthcare professionals What happens when a claim is the only thing you change, and why legislation makes it harder to stand out How an established portfolio stays fast on trends as small brands pop up on TikTok Why equity for women in the industry isn't there yet, and what leaders can do as allies Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fmcgguys/ Audio Mixing by Modest Ferrer Voice Acting by Jason Martorell Parsekian Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the individual guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The FMCG Guys (Dwyer Partners SL) or its partners. The FMCG Guys make no representations or warranties about the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of any information discussed, and accept no responsibility for any decisions or outcomes based on this content. Listeners are encouraged to seek their own professional advice before acting on any of the topics covered.