News Briefs

Swiftly, a provider of retail technology and tools, is partnering with Merchants Distributors (MDI), a wholesale grocery distributor that serves more than 600 independent grocers across the southeast, to enhance digital capabilities for its network of retailers. 

Swiftly will power MDI's web, digital circular and off-site digital circular amplification. MDI in turn will leverage Swiftly's newly launched SmartCircular solution, which enables retailers to modernize weekly circulars and better link promotions to shopper engagement and in-store performance. 

Through the partnership, MDI retailers also gain access to Swiftly's Audience Optimizer, an AI-powered tool that enables grocers to target product offers across digital channels. The goal is to enhance offer deployment, deliver more relevant promotions and drive incremental basket growth.

By leveraging first-party data and campaign management, the Audience Optimizer tool is designed to help retailers identify opportunities to grow trip frequency, reactivate lapsed shoppers and generate incremental in-store revenue. The tool complements MDI's broader omnichannel efforts, linking digital engagement more directly to store performance. 

Building a true omnichannel approach has become crucial for regional and independent grocers as consumer behaviors continue to straddle both digital and physical touchpoints.

"Swiftly’s website and digital circular capabilities allow us to offer a modern digital presence for retailers who may not have e-commerce, while seamlessly integrating with existing e-commerce platforms where applicable," Mary Kellmanson, SVP Marketing at MDI, said in a news release. "Just as importantly, this partnership expands our digital toolkit in ways that support measurable sales growth inside the store."

The phased rollout begins in early 2026. 

Raley’s Family of Stores has introduced Member Prices, a new loyalty benefit that provides automatic savings without requiring customers to log in, clip coupons or take further steps. The program is part of the grocer’s wider effort to evolve in response to changing customer expectations and shopping behaviors. 

With Member Prices, customers enter their Something Extra phone number at checkout, and eligible discounts are automatically applied. The program requires no card, fees or digital coupon clipping. Membership in the Something Extra loyalty program is free. Customers can join by texting JOIN to 765765, using the Raley’s app or visiting a dedicated web page within the Raley's website. 

“Our focus is on simplifying the shopping experience while continuing to deliver meaningful value,” noted Paul Gianetto, president of Raley’s Family of Stores. “These enhancements reflect our commitment to delivering a customer-first experience that aligns with the quality they expect from Raley’s, Bel Air and Nob Hill.”

Member Prices is part of a growing suite of perks available to Something Extra members, including $5 Member Days, Raley’s Dailies everyday low prices, personalized offers, digital offers and birthday rewards. All Something Extra members also get free pickup and delivery on orders of $25 or more.

West Sacramento, Calif.-based Raley’s operates more than 200 locations across four states and four Tribal Nations under the following banners: Raley’s, Bel Air, Nob Hill, Raley’s One Market, Bashas,’ Food City, AJ’s, Bashas’ Diné Markets, Full Circle, Farm Fresh to You, and Fieldera.

Advertising technology company Infillion has acquired Catalina, a shopper intelligence and in-store media company. 

The deal gives Infillion control of Catalina’s purchase-based intelligence network, which the company says spans 70 retail banners, 130 million households and roughly $600 billion in annual consumer spending. Catalina processes roughly 11 billion shopping trips annually and has historically provided closed-loop measurement tying media exposure to verified sales. 

Founded in 1983, Catalina is known for pioneering checkout coupon programs and purchase-driven marketing. For the past several years, its deterministic purchase data hasn't been available in the broader ad-tech marketplace, according to a joint media release.

Infillion plans to integrate Catalina’s U.S. purchase data, including more than 400 million shopper IDs, exclusively into its platform to allow brands to target audiences based on verified purchases and measure performance at the SKU level. This integrated data set is also expected to support custom bidding algorithms designed to optimize campaigns based on actual SKU-level sales rather than modeled or self-reported metrics.

Infillion indicated the acquisition will support retailers looking to build or expand retail media networks, including tools for audience development, closed-loop measurement and campaign optimization across channels such as programmatic, connected TV and digital media.

The move also signals a deeper push into retail media infrastructure. Infillion said retailers will be able to leverage the platform to launch or scale retail media networks, using Catalina’s purchase data for audience development, loyalty-based targeting and performance measurement.

Additionally, Catalina’s executive leadership team will join Infillion as part of the transaction.

Infillion was formed through the integration of several ad-technologies, including MediaMath, TrueX, Gimbal and Drawbridge. It serves brands, agencies and media owners. 

Komerz Ltd., a global commercial growth company, has acquired Pathformance, a marketing measurement and attribution firm.

The acquisition brings together Komerz's end-to-end commerce and market-entry platform with Pathformance's expertise in unified measurement and attribution, creating a comprehensive, outcome-driven operating model for growth.

The combined entity is designed to help brands with global ambitions move beyond siloed marketing metrics and disconnected execution toward a single, accountable system that directly links marketing investment to revenue impact across digital, retail and marketplace channels, according to a Komerz media release.

"Pathformance was built to solve one core problem for marketers: understanding what truly drives incremental growth," Elizabeth Johnson, CEO of Pathformance, said in the release. "Joining Komerz allows us to take that capability to a much broader client base and embed our measurement and attribution expertise directly into commerce execution. Together, we can help brands move from fragmented performance signals to clear, confident decisions that translate into real commercial impact."

Chris Bedford, chief operating officer of Pathformance, added: "For us, this is about enabling commerce without complexity. Too often, brands are forced to choose between building brand equity and driving performance. With Komerz, we can help brands grow without separating brand from performance, bringing clarity, accountability and simplicity to how growth is measured and delivered."

The acquisition is expected to strengthen Komerz's ability to support global and high-growth challenger brands as they expand across borders, channels and retail environments. Komerz works with brands across major categories including FMCG, beverages, electronics, personal care and lifestyle. 

Bel Group has appointed Peter McGuinness as chief executive officer, Bel North America.

McGuinness will oversee operations across Bel North America's offices in New York, Chicago and Montreal, as well as five Bel manufacturing plants across the U.S. and Canada. He will lead teams across the region, with the goal of accelerating growth of Bel's portfolio of seven brands and more than 200 product varieties. McGuinness also will be in charge of advancing M&A and innovation, strengthening the company's local footprint, and building a more sustainable and performance-focused food business.

"North America, and particularly the United States, is a cornerstone of Bel's future," said Cecile Beloit, CEO, Bel Group, in a news release. "Peter is a transformational, values-driven leader whose track record aligns perfectly with Bel's 'two-leg' model — where profitability and sustainability are equally important. His appointment reflects our confidence in the strength of Bel North America, our PurposeFull Snacking ambition, and our belief that performance and responsibility go hand in hand."

McGuinness most recently served as president and CEO of Impossible Foods. There, he guided product innovation and demand creation to scale distribution and grow market share growth through product innovation and demand creation. Prior to Impossible, he was president and chief operating officer at Chobani, elevating the business into a diversified and category-leading lifestyle brand. 

McGuinness has also been inducted into the Path to Purchase Institute's Hall of Fame.

Read more: Hall of Fame Profile: Peter McGuinness

McGuinness joins Bel at a time when the company is instituting its PurposeFull Snacking strategy, which is aimed at helping address the nutrition gap in the U.S., where studies have found that most Americans snack daily, but 80% are not eating enough fruits, veggies, and dairy to meet nutritional standards.

"Bel's mission-led model, rooted in 160 years of innovation and entrepreneurship is inspiring, unique and special," said McGuinness. "I'm excited to accelerate PurposeFull Snacking across North America and beyond — making it easier for people to snack more intentionally and deliciously with fruit, veggie and cheese options that bring nourishment and joy, and maybe a laugh or two along the way."

Bel North America is part of Groupe Bel, a family-owned company that specializes in dairy, fruit and veggie portion-size snacks and features brands such as Babybel, GoGo squeeZ, The Laughing Cow and Boursin.

Katie Williams, formerly the chief marketer at Haleon, has been named chief marketing officer at The J.M. Smucker Co., effective March 9.

"We are thrilled to welcome Katie to the company. She brings deep expertise and a strong track record of building leading brands," said Mark Smucker, J.M. Smucker's CEO and board chair, in a media release. "I am confident she will help to advance our portfolio of leading brands forward and elevate our world-class marketing capabilities."

Williams brings more than 20 years of experience building leading brands. Most recently at Haleon, Williams led commercial and brand strategy for a broad portfolio that includes Advil, Sensodyne, Tums, Emergen-C and Centrum. 

Before Haleon spun off from parent company GSK in 2022, Williams served as U.S. CMO for GSK. Earlier in her career, she held marketing leadership positions for Mondelez International and Kraft Heinz. 

"Throughout my career, I have relentlessly focused on driving sustainable brand growth and building high-performing teams. I look forward to continuing this work at Smucker," Williams said in the release. "I am honored to have this opportunity to serve as a steward for this incredible portfolio and to support this team's continued success in building brands consumers love." 

In 2023, the Path to Purchase Institute named Williams one of its Women of Excellence. She subsequently was named the Executive of the Year.

Previous J.M. Smucker CMO Gail Hollander, who had announced she intended to retire, will remain with the organization in an advisory role until April 30. 

J.M. Smucker's brands include Folgers, Dunkin', Cafe Bustelo, Jif, Uncrustables, Smucker's, Hostess, Milk-Bone and Meow Mix.