Retail Brew // Morning Brew // Update

March 20, 2025

Hello, it’s Thursday, a fine day to think about your next order at Taco Bell, which may be taken by an AI-powered robot. OK, not exactly, but the fast food giant’s parent company, Yum Brands, is reportedly joining forces with Nvidia to test things like AI order taking, internal scheduling, and placing supply orders. Now the only question is: Will you be getting the Crunchwrap supreme or the Cheesy Bean and Rice Burrito?

In today’s edition:

—Vidhi Choudhary, Alex Vuocolo, Tricia Crimmins

RETAIL MEDIA

Thrive to distraction

Thrive Market

There is a lot going on in the grocery industry both positive and negative—from discussions on tariffs to soaring egg prices. However, grocery brands that have been keen on investing in the fast-growing retail media space may have one less thing to worry about.

Turns out Thrive Market isn’t burdening grocery sellers with yet another tech stack to plug into for advertising. When it comes to retail media, Thrive Market has done a couple of things differently than others. The online grocer chose to partner with Instacart instead of building its own retail media tech stack.

The rationale behind not building a standalone offering was to integrate with a provider like Instacart, where grocery brands were already spending their money, April Lane, chief merchandising officer of Thrive Market, told Retail Brew.

“There’s so many retail media networks out there, and frankly, for brands, it’s really hard to manage all of the different networks,” Lane said. “It was really table stakes for us that we’re not going to build something that’s completely standalone, where a brand needs to learn yet another system and optimize their ad dollars separately from other channels.”

Lane expects Thrive Market to double its month over month ad revenue, given that more than 25% of brands have already begun investing in the company’s ad business. Thrive Market sells close to 750 brands on-site and has more than 1.6 million paying members. Lane sat down with Retail Brew and talked us through Thrive’s retail media approach.

Keep reading here.—VC

Presented By PartnerCentric

Up for some retail therapy?

37% of Americans under 60 have purchased something on TikTok Shop, averaging $59 per purchase. That, folks, is the power of social media.

The relationship between affiliate marketing, influencer marketing, and shopping behavior is indeed deepening, and PartnerCentric is on the scene to bridge the knowledge gap with this consumer survey.

As an affiliate marketing agency with their finger on the pulse of consumer shopping behavior + partnerships that help brands grow, PartnerCentric knows a thing or twelve about all of the former.

Their survey provides pivotal stats on consumer habits and the importance of influencers to help retail and e-comm brands thrive in this crowded space.

Best part? Their findings are totally free to view.

SUPPLY CHAIN

Kid’s stuff

Kidsy Co-Founders Shraysi Tandon and Sinan Sari. Kidsy

Growing luxury returns are pushing more quality products into the off-price market, according to Shraysi Tandon, CEO of Kidsy, a retailer of gently used baby and kids products.

“What Kidsy is seeing is a very strong blend of extremely premium and luxury brands that are now hitting the market at affordable prices to customers because they’re coming through the returns channel,” Tandon told Retail Brew.

Previously, she explained, medium-priced goods dominated the off-price market. But as more premium brands have loosened their return policies to compete with the likes of Amazon, returns have become a bigger portion of the products flowing downstream to discounters.

There was also a lack of off-price channels for returns of baby and kids products in particular, she added, which is where Kidsy comes in. Products previously destined for the landfill are now funneling into Kidsy’s online shop, offering “a pathway for revenue recovery” for retailers that sell in the category..

Keep reading here.—AV

E-COMMERCE

Goal to go

Amazon

We know that the use of AI can be detrimental to the environment because it requires so much energy, but at the same time, many tech companies are using AI’s data-monitoring abilities to reduce their environmental footprint.

Recently, Amazon joined that group when it announced three AI tools—FlowMS, Base Building Advanced Monitoring (BBAM), and Advanced Refrigeration Monitoring (ARM)—that detect system irregularities that humans can’t to reduce energy, water, and food waste in its buildings.

Keep reading here on Tech Brew.—TC

Together With Fidelity

Fundraise the bar. Looking to streamline your startup’s equity management? Successful fundraising starts with essential strategies, and Fidelity’s new guide lays them out. Understand key equity concepts (ownership, dilution, etc.), optimize your cap table and data room, and engage investors effectively. Need pointers? Fidelity’s guide can help guide you through.

SWAPPING SKUS

Today’s top retail reads.

One more time: After its stocks took a major hit, Estée Lauder has dedicated its efforts to turning the company around. (CNBC)

Sound decisions: With too many new designers and luxury executives in the mix, brands need to be careful not to confuse shoppers. (Reuters)

Local favors: Canada is dealing with the US-imposed tariffs with an impassioned “Buy Canadian” movement. (the Wall Street Journal)

Retail as old as time: Retailers, check out some fresh stats on consumer habits and the importance of influencers to stay up to date on the ever-shifting shopping world. It’s all right here in PartnerCentric’s published consumer survey.*

^{*A message from our sponsor.}

SHARE THE BREW

Share Retail Brew with your coworkers, acquire free Brew swag, and then make new friends as a result of your fresh Brew swag.

We’re saying we’ll give you free stuff and more friends if you share a link. One link..

Your referral count: 0

Click to Share

Or copy & paste your referral link to others:
retailbrew.com/r/?kid=6b35f7e7

ADVERTISE // CAREERS // SHOP // FAQ

Update your email preferences or unsubscribe .
View our privacy policy .

Copyright © 2025 Morning Brew Inc. All rights reserved.
22 W 19th St, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10011

☕ Media market