Retail Brew // Morning Brew // Update

June 02, 2026

It’s Tuesday, and we’ve got sweet news for the Fudgie the Whale fan in your life. The iconic Carvel ice cream cake—introduced around Father’s Day in 1977—is returning to Publix Bakery freezers this summer. We’d say get one now, but it’ll probably melt before your “whale of a dad” gets a bite.

In today’s edition:

—Vidhi Choudhary, Kristina Monllos

TECH

Search out

Getty Images

When you search for a product on, say, ChatGPT and a brand shows up as an organic response, that’s AEO at work.

AEO—or answer engine optimization, sometimes also referred to as agentic engine optimization—is a relatively new acronym that has ended up firmly in retail circles ever since public AI surfaces became a popular way for people to search for and discover products online.

While SEO is traditionally the way to rank high in Google search results so users can find brands organically as they search for items—the SEO industry is worth more than $80 billion and is on track to more than double to more than $170 billion by 2030, according to data from MarkNtel Advisors—AEO is the technical layer that gets a brand mentioned in AI-generated answers. It’s the next iteration of what showing up in a Google search result used to be.

Now, AI-powered search is changing how people shop for and discover brands, alongside AEO and GEO (generative engine optimization), which some experts in the industry refer to interchangeably.

The next level: AI search is going mainstream, and fast. Half of consumers polled by McKinsey actively seek out AI-powered search engines, and most say it’s their top digital source when deciding what to buy. If that’s where shoppers are increasingly starting their search, and your brand isn’t in the answer, that’s…well, not ideal.

Keep reading here.—VC

Presented By Klaviyo

The key to B2C

The B2C community is shipping up to Boston this fall. Take a closer look at the autonomous B2C CRM powering 196k+ brands at K:BOS 2026, Klaviyo’s flagship B2C event.

Join live and in-person from Sept. 9–10 at Hynes Convention Center in Boston. Over the two days, you’ll get a chance to attend 30+ sessions from 50+ speakers to learn how brands are driving growth.

Here’s what you can expect from K:BOS:

real plays from successful B2C brands
the inside scoop on Klaviyo’s updated product roadmap
a conversation about what AI is changing, what’s hype, + how brands can respond

Ready to join your B2C peers? Register now.

E-COMMERCE

Seize the summer

Patchareeporn Sakoolchai/Getty Images

Shopify shoppers were ready to get outdoors, spend time in nature, and invest in their personal wellness, according to May data shared first with Retail Brew.

Orders for walkie-talkie radio sets popped a whopping 2,012%, as people geared up for off-grid camping trips. Consumers also shelled out money to buy tunnel tents (up 263%), air mattresses (up 53%), and family-sized tents (up 34%).

Besides camping, orders for beachwear and pool accessories soared in May. Orders for pool cleaners jumped 721%, while orders for hammocks and pool loungers grew 237% and 69%, respectively. Swimwear across every style, especially cover ups (up 1,103%), popped. Orders for bikinis (up 420%), swim trunks (up 348%), and rash guards (up 325%) also spiked.

Keep reading here.—VC

MARKETING

Hot water

Hint Water

Water is a necessity. Can it also be desirable?

That’s the pitch of flavored-water brand Hint’s new campaign, “Mmmmm Water,” which draws inspiration from luxury and fragrance advertising for a surprisingly sexed-up take for the category, Allison Cullman, Hint’s SVP, head of marketing, told us.

“We wanted to make water look like something that you crave, not something that you rationally should drink,” Cullman said. “Think slow-motion water pouring, overflowing from mouths, very exaggerated and hyperbolic, but still elevated.”

Keep reading here on Marketing Brew.—KM

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SWAPPING SKUS

Today’s top retail reads.

Le foot: Nike has teamed up with French design house Jacquemus to create pre-match shirts the French Football Federation’s players will wear at this summer’s World Cup. (WWD)

Date yourself: How dates are dominating the better-for-you snack scene. (the New York Times)

Hot air: The Trump administration rolled back rebates for consumers switching from gas appliances to electric ones. (The Hill)

Where ingenuity meets innovation: Join B2C’s best + brightest in Boston for Klaviyo’s K:BOS 2026. You’ll learn from 50+ speakers and get the scoop on the autonomous B2C CRM behind 196k+ brands. Save your spot.*

^{*A message from our sponsor.}

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