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Retail Business Review: Specials Magazine
The jewelry retail industry is facing significant challenges. Business is down compared to past years, with declining foot traffic and reduced average ticket sizes. Retailers must navigate intense competition, operational inefficiencies, and shrinking margins. Many companies seek guidance from consulting firms, but larger firms often fall short. Their outsourced teams generate ideas but lack hands-on execution assistance, leaving businesses with theoretical strategies rather than practical solutions. Crabtree Consulting takes a different approach. As a boutique firm with an in-house team of experts, it ensures that strategy and execution go hand in hand. The company does not outsource key functions and works directly with clients, integrating seamlessly into their operations to deliver real, measurable results. From optimizing workflows to improving profitability, Crabtree Consulting helps jewelry retailers overcome obstacles and achieve sustainable growth. At the helm is Megan Crabtree, a leader with extensive experience in the jewelry industry. She began her career as a salesperson for a 10-store jewelry chain, where she gained firsthand insight into retail operations. Over time, she trained more than 1,500 independent jewelry retailers, deepening her understanding of how stores operate and the challenges they face. Her career progressed from retail sales to store management, then to vice president roles in both retail and manufacturing, where she worked with companies generating over $100 million in revenue. This full-circle experience gives her a unique advantage—most consultants have expertise in only one side of the business, while she has successfully navigated both. For jewelry businesses looking to grow, Crabtree Consulting isn’t just a consultant—it’s a catalyst for transformation. “At Crabtree, we embed ourselves in our clients’ businesses, ensuring that every strategy is not only planned but flawlessly executed to drive real results,” says Megan Crabtree, founder and CEO of Crabtree Consulting.
Top Natural Food Brokers 2025
Great ideas are born out of a need to address significant gaps. Mike Robinson felt there was a missing link after 40 years in the consumer-packaged goods (CPG) industry, working for national distributors and brokerages. The typical broker model was focused on the established top 20 percent manufacturers and wasn’t geared for brands poised for growth but not yet ‘large enough’ to be a priority. Burst Management was created specifically for these emerging brands. It ensured they got the best services the prominent brands received but with a familial touch. A company that helps them navigate working with large retailers and distributors, learn industry jargon and acronyms and consult them on what opportunities and deals to take, with proper communication. Its family-owned credential isn’t just about having a different kind of ownership but something that permeates how it operates. Burst Management prefers to work closely with a more manageable portfolio of clients. “Since our inception, we have stuck to a manageable portfolio, giving us the room to dedicate ourselves and give quality results to clients,” says Robinson, president and CEO of Burst Management. “Our account managers handle no more than 5–6 brands, ensuring daily progress and respectful persistence with retailers and distributors.” Another advantage of a smaller portfolio is having sound communication channels with them—a rarity in the space. Burst Management ensures good communication through a three-pronged approach, starting with a live Google document. Each live document is tailored to a single brand, containing the planned strategy and the list of retailer accounts to pursue, developed in tandem with the client. The document is regularly updated with the progress made, as well as a promotional tracker and a sample page. Burst Management substantiates this with regular phone calls and in-depth emails containing written reports, recapping the progress and updates. “Our clients need this kind of communication as they are budding CPG brands, mostly small startups that are new to the grocery industry,” says Taylor Romatoski, CFO.
In an era when consumer expectations have never been higher, Hypr Delivery USA is redefining retail logistics with a cutting-edge same-day delivery solution. Founded by industry veterans Alan Callaghan and James Straight, Hypr Delivery is on a mission to level the playing field for brick-and-mortar retailers, empowering them to compete head-on with e-commerce giants like Amazon. With its unique business model, flat-rate pricing and a nationwide network of professional operators, Hypr is rapidly transforming the landscape of retail logistics. The Inspiration Behind Hypr Callaghan and Straight, both with extensive experience in the logistics industry, identified a significant gap in the market. While major e-commerce platforms offered fast and affordable delivery, traditional retailers struggled to meet the same expectations without prohibitive costs. Recognizing this challenge, the duo launched Hypr Delivery with the vision of creating a national carrier network designed specifically to serve retailers. “Our goal was to build a community of like-minded contractors who could operate as owners within the Hypr network,” said Callaghan, CEO. “By leveraging our relationships with professional operators and combining that with cutting-edge technology, we created a model that delivers fast, affordable and reliable service for retailers of all sizes.” Straight, president, added, “We knew that the gig models like DoorDash and Uber Connect were driving costs up and that was hurting smaller retailers. We saw an opportunity to provide a smarter solution that’s both effective and cost-efficient.” A Unique Delivery Model Hypr Delivery’s same-day delivery model stands out for its innovative and highly efficient process. Instead of using traditional point-to-point delivery methods, Hypr system leverages a streamlined approach that optimizes routes and minimizes disruption for retail staff. By consolidating package pickups and utilizing dynamic sorting technology, Hypr achieves fast, affordable and scalable same-day delivery without relying on costly gig platform models.
CXO INSIGHTS
Incorporating Circularity and Sustainability into Business Practices
Kari Ihle, Sr Director of EDPM and Sustainability, EVEREVE
Digital Marketing Practices Trending Now
Chris Hallisey, Head of E-commerce, AW Chang Corporation
From the Front Lines to Leading the Charge
Steven V. Hagen, Sr. Director of ECommerce, Store POS & Store Tech Product, Advance Auto Parts
Three Core Strategies for Elevating Food Services
Jessica Zucker, VP of Marketing Innovations and Strategy, Eurest USA
Food Waste Reduction: Advances in Natural Food Preservation and Protection for Baked Goods and Meat
Emma Cahill, Global Strategic Marketing Director, Kerry
Food Sustainability 101: Safety and Security
Dr. Adeniyi Odugbemi, PhD, Global Director - Food Safety, ADM
IN FOCUS
Charting the Path: Transformations in the Natural Food Brokerage Industry
Natural Food Brokers are essential in linking natural and organic food product producers with retailers and distributors. They facilitate the connection between manufacturers and the marketplace, ensuring that premium; health-oriented products are delivered to consumers effectively.
Maximizing Market Impact: The Vital Role of Food Brokers
Partnering with food brokers provides expertise, industry connections, and cost-saving strategies to enhance market reach, sales, and brand visibility.
EDITORIAL
Transforming Retail through Innovation and Sustainability
Over the past decade, the retail sector has undergone significant transformation, driven by the rapid growth of e-commerce and a growing demand for personalized shopping experiences. As a result, businesses worldwide are now focusing on retail consulting, natural food brokerage and retail logistics services to adapt to the dynamic industry.
Technological advancements like automation, artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, and robotics have led to a notable shift in customer experiences as the technologies aid in streamlining operations. In retail consulting, AI-driven predictive analytics are often used to enable personalized marketing and demand forecasting, while immersive technologies like augmented and virtual reality help enhance consumer engagement and brand storytelling.
Similarly, natural food brokers are utilizing AI to analyze consumer preferences and optimize product offerings. They also utilize blockchain technologies to enhance supply chain transparency, allowing consumers to trace product origins and ensure authenticity. On the other hand, retail logistics service providers leverage AI algorithms for route optimization and inventory management, helping businesses ensure timely and efficient deliveries.
Another key trend within these sectors is the adoption of sustainable practices. Retail consultants advise brands to adopt eco-friendly practices, such as sustainable sourcing and waste reduction. Natural food brokers also increasingly offer organic, non-GMO, and ethically sourced and produced products, aligning with consumer demand for transparency. Similarly, retail logistics service providers are adopting green technologies like electric vehicles and optimizing delivery routes to minimize carbon footprints. These efforts drive the industries toward a more sustainable and responsible future for all.
The magazine features the expert perspectives of Tenisia Ransom, Quality Assurance Manager at B&G Foods and Nick Lian, Senior Manager, North America Omnichannel Transportation at URBN. These esteemed individuals share their invaluable insights regarding the developments and challenges within the sector and possible solutions. We hope the insights from industry leaders featured in this edition will assist you in making informed decisions for your businesses.
