July 09, 2026

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Hello! Move over, Chick-fil-A. After an 11-year reign as America’s favorite fast-food chain, there’s a new No. 1…and it’s not McDonald’s or KFC. According to a new ACSI report, Jersey Mike’s has claimed the top spot for 2026. The results reflect a broader shift in what consumers define as value, with quality, convenience, speed, and order accuracy carrying just as much weight as price.

In today’s edition:

—Vidhi Choudhary, Erin Cabrey, Katie Hicks

E-COMMERCE

The wedge for AI

Catalog

If your product data is a mess, chances are your brand won’t show up well on AI platforms, including ChatGPT.

Catalog, a startup co-founded in April 2025 by fintech and commerce veterans Hamish Gunasekara and Dylan Farrell, is trying to solve that problem for retailers. Based in San Francisco, Catalog works with about half a dozen brands to clean up their product data—including title, price, and descriptions—so their items can show up when people search across AI platforms.

“Catalog is building critical infrastructure for how commerce will work in an AI-first world,” Lauren Kolodny, general partner at Acrew Capital, wrote in a March release announcing the firm’s lead in Catalog’s $3 million pre-seed round. “As AI agents take on a larger role in discovery and purchasing, structured and reliable product data becomes essential. Catalog ensures merchants can show up and compete in that environment.”

Keep reading here.—VC

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STORES

Eagle-eyed

Getty Images

ICYMI, Kroger is back in the M&A game, last week announcing its plans to acquire Pittsburgh-based, family-owned grocery chain Giant Eagle for $1.65 billion.

Giant Eagle operates 197 stores and 11 pharmacies, with locations in Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, and Indiana, potentially giving Kroger a foothold in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic markets and helping it compete with mega-retailers like Walmart.

The deal, which is set to close in 2027 pending regulatory approval, is the first M&A move under new CEO Greg Foran’s leadership and its first proposed deal since its tie-up with Albertsons was terminated in late 2024.

Here’s a closer look at some notable factors of the deal.

Keep reading here.—EC

MARKETING

Drink again

Collage of people drinking Aperol spritzes

Morning Brew Inc, Photos: @hilarytourinfo, @hilaryduff, @aperolspritzofficial/Instagram

It’s a spritz summer, according to Aperol—and, most likely, your Instagram feed.

Fresh off a bottle redesign and a canned-beverage release earlier this spring, the Italian liqueur brand is looking to make its presence more widely known this summer. The brand is sponsoring actor and singer Hilary Duff on her lucky me tour, popping up at local bars and restaurants to serve Aperol spritzes ahead of her performances in key markets, and offering fans the opportunity to win prizes and tickets to upcoming shows.

Alison Varone, head of marketing at Aperol parent company Campari America, told us it’s the first time the brand has gone on tour, but the strategy is based on the success of Aperol’s recent activations at events like Coachella and the US Open. It’s all a part of Aperol’s push in the last couple of years to drive visibility and boost Aperol’s presence online and in venues across the US—especially in the summer, she said.

Keep reading here on Marketing Brew.—KH

Sponsored By Rithum

AI shopping for real. 70% of consumers shopped via LLMs recently. Nearly 1 in 5 bought from unknown brands recommended by AI. Rithum connects product data, direct LLM feeds, monitoring, and payments in one system. With Stripe partnership and upcoming GEO tools, brands stay visible when it counts.

swapping skus

Today’s top retail reads.

Money maker: Inside Walmart’s plan to capture the wealthy consumer. (Forbes)

Drinking games: Budweiser won’t quit on Germany, even though locals aren’t taking to the American beer. (the New York Times)

Take it or leave it: Why Hugo Boss is asking shareholders to reject Frasers Group’s $2.3 billion takeover offer. (Reuters)

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Written by Vidhi Choudhary, Erin Cabrey, and Katie Hicks

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