Unleashing the Power of Social Commerce: Driving Omnichannel Growth with TikTok Shop

Bloomberg reported TikTok Shop expects to reach $17.5 billion in sales by the end of 2024 and McKinsey projects the U.S. social commerce market to reach $80 billion by 2025. Join us for this session where we will explore the key social commerce platforms, the fundamentals of how they all work, and help explain the essential building blocks for how to win and drive incremental revenue.
Oliver Bogner, Head of Social Commerce & Digital Strategy at MPG

From Aisle to Amazon: Amplifying Your Success on the World's Largest Marketplace

This working session is tailored for brands with success in brick-and-mortar or DTC channels that are ready to launch or improve performance  on Amazon. It covers the critical steps for a successful Amazon entry, including the decision between 1P (first-party) and 3P (third-party) fulfillment models. We’ll dive into listing optimization, branding, and advertising strategies, as well as evaluate the pros and cons of 1P and 3P models in terms of pricing control, inventory management, and customer reach. Attendees will leave with a clear framework for choosing the right fulfillment path, backed by actionable insights to drive sales and growth on Amazon.
Bryson Buck, Sr. Account Director eCommerce at MPG

Navigating Growth and Innovation: Insights from Whole Foods’ Local and Emerging Brands Team

Join us for an insightful panel with Casey Gaston, Executive Leader, Local and Emerging Brands Team at Whole Foods Market,  as she discusses her role and the unique Center Store Local and Emerging Brands Program, which helps identify and elevate emerging brands. Learn what sets Whole Foods apart from other retailers and the key factors for growing and scaling in this competitive landscape. Casey will also share insights into the latest trends shaping the industry and provide essential advice for new brands looking to succeed in the Whole Foods Market ecosystem.

Casey Gaston, Executive Leader, Local and Emerging Brands Team at Whole Foods Market

Data, Analytics, & Storytelling for the Modern Merchant Mindset

The role of merchant has evolved rapidly over the past few years. With increased expectations from delivering an omnichannel experience to working cross-functionally to deliver lower costs, many merchants are finding less time to meet with suppliers. Therefore, building a data-centric story to either catch their attention and secure the meeting or help secure your item in distribution is critical. You need to break through the clutter by understanding what’s meaningful for them and presenting the data in a compelling manner. In preparing for a retailer meeting, you should be familiar with their goals and strategies - and show how you can deliver meaningful results for them.

Heather Grantham, Vice President – SmartSights, Marketplace Intelligence Team Lead at MPG

Marketing Transformation: How a Full Funnel Approach Unlocks Growth

Whether you are building an emerging business or looking to drive brand expansion, profitable consumer engagement is continuously changing and ever harder to attain. We will explore how brand building and performance marketing can complement each other, and how to strategically move consumers through the funnel by creating a complete commerce path of effective engagement. Walk away with a roadmap to transform your organization’s mindset and priority initiatives!

Cheryl Policastro, VP Strategic Marketing & Communications Team at MPG

Unlock Growth: Strategic Capital Access and Scaling Insights for CPG Brands in a Competitive Landscape

This presentation explores strategies for consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands to access, leverage, and scale capital effectively to fuel business growth. Attendees will gain insights into the key funding options available—from venture capital to strategic partnerships—as well as best practices for making their brand attractive to investors. We’ll discuss how to leverage capital to support scaling, innovation, and expansion, and cover how brands can build financial resilience in a competitive landscape. This session equips brand leaders with practical knowledge to navigate the complexities of capital management and unlock their growth potential in the CPG industry.

Mollye Santulli, Senior Associate at Springdale Ventures

6:30 PM - 7:00 PM

Cocktail Reception

7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Networking Dinner