Retail Brew // Morning Brew // Update

February 02, 2026

It’s the first Monday since Dry January ended, so here’s news for imbibers who get the party started over their eggs Benedict at brunch: In a match made in Bloody Mary heaven, we bring you Absolut Tabasco, which as its name makes plain is a collaboration between the Swedish vodka and Louisiana hot sauce brand. Ready for a hot shot, hotshot?

In today’s edition:

—Erin Cabrey, Jeena Sharma, Alex Vuocolo

E-COMMERCE

Entrance Interview

Personal Day

After serving in sales roles in the early days at brands like Tula and Drybar, Amanda Domaleczny’s first CEO role, at just over 1-year-old acne skin care brand Personal Day, is the earliest stage yet.

The brand, co-founded by actor Lili Reinhart, launched direct-to-consumer in October 2024 with five products for acne-prone skin, getting a jumpstart thanks to Reinhart’s loyal community of 30+ million social media followers. Newer launches like its Hypochlorous Acid Spray and Blackhead-Melting Nose Strips have helped it gain traction on TikTok Shop, where it’s sold over 62,000 units, a solid proof of concept that led to its brick-and-mortar debut at Ulta Beauty in August.

The brand’s previous CEO, Shelagh Wong, departed last fall to serve as COO and CMO at skin care brand Sincerely Yours, per LinkedIn. Domaleczny said Personal Day co-founders Dan Reich and Ken Landis, also co-founders of Tula, asked her to take the reins as the brand enters its next phase of growth.

“It has so much momentum, more than any other brand I’ve ever been with at this stage of the journey, which is really exciting, especially in this category—that is another reason I joined. [It’s] really prime for disruption,” Domaleczny said.

Just five weeks into her new gig, Domaleczny shared with Retail Brew how her nearly 20-year retail career has informed her strategy to grow the nascent skin care brand.

Keep reading here.—EC

Presented By Impact.com

Collab like a pro

Too many brands treat influencer collaborations like one-offs: They pick a person, pay a fee, post the content, and move on.

With this approach, the content usually performs and the engagement looks good. But the revenue? It often doesn’t materialize.

Yamazaki Home took a different approach. The brand focused on performance-based creator partnerships and tripled their revenue (!!!) in 18 months.

This guide from impact.com outlines the steps they took to achieve that massive feat. Give it a read to learn how you can adopt continuous programs, choose creators that align authentically with your brand, and co-create to meet your brand goals.

Grab your copy of the guide.

MARKETING

Bowled over

an Image from Doritos' Super Bowl 2024 ad featuring two grandmas holding a bag of Doritos Dinamita chips

Frito-Lay

Thinking of hosting a big Super Bowl bash this year? You might want to brace yourself…and your wallet.

Per government and grocery price data compiled by FinanceBuzz, hosting a Super Bowl party will cost 7.2% more this year than in 2025. That puts the price tag for a 10-person gathering at about $167, up from $155 last year.

It seems some of the biggest jumps are coming from classic game-day staples. Chicken wings, for instance, rose from $31.30 to $39 (a nearly 25% increase in just one year) and 60% higher than in 2020. Veggie trays aren’t immune either, climbing from $9.90 in 2025 to $11.79 this year, a roughly 19% increase.

Other items with notable price hikes include potato chips and beer.

Zooming out, Super Bowl party costs are up 43.9% since 2020, far outpacing inflation, which rose 25.6% over the same period.

Keep reading here.—JS

STORES

Fixing a week

Matthias Balk/Getty Images

The harsh winter weather continues this week for much of the country, but some of you are kicking up your heels in Orlando, Florida, for the Retail Industry Leaders Association’s LINK supply chain conference. The event brings together retailers, brands, and top supply chain executives to discuss the entire value chain and share best practices and innovations.

Here’s what else is going on in retail this week:

In earnings: There is a healthy mix of retail and retail-adjacent earnings this week, ranging from CPGs and video game developers to beverage conglomerates and tech firms. Up first on Monday are Simon Property Group, the biggest mall owner in the US, and Tyson Foods, the biggest meat company in the US. Then Pepsico and Mondelez are up next on Tuesday for a look at both the alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage industries, and on the same day are two video game titans, Electronic Arts and Take-Two Interactive. Last but not least, Amazon is reporting on Thursday along with Roblox, which is increasingly getting into the e-commerce business.

Keep reading here.—AV

Together With Vibes

Make some mobile moves. Vibes surveyed 1,100+ smartphone users, and the results are in—SMS and digital wallets are the way to drive consumer engagement and purchase behavior. Their findings include impactful stats like: 78% of consumers have made a direct purchase from a brand’s text message. Get the full report.

Level up your career with these resources from our sponsors!

AI agents: How they can transform the shopping experience—and what you need to know

Amazon announced corporate employees must work in office five days a week. This breakdown explains what’s driving the change.

SWAPPING SKUS

Today’s top retail reads.

Rocky start? As Michael Fiddelke officially stepped into the role of Target’s CEO Sunday, he faces unrest over ICE’s tactics in the company’s hometown of Minneapolis, lagging revenues, and ongoing boycotts over backtracking on DEI policies. (the New York Times)

Fine, China: Why luxury brands shouldn’t expect a boom in China. (the Wall Street Journal)

Perk up: Costco expanded perks for members including an hour of morning shopping before the store opens to everyone else for Executive Members and discounts on Insacart membership. (The Street)

No more one-offs: Influencer marketing is leaning more toward performance in 2026. This guide from impact.com outlines why this approach is working and how you can adopt it. Take a look.*

^{*A message from our sponsor.}

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Written by Erin Cabrey, Jeena Sharma, and Alex Vuocolo

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