Kroger Pulls Red Bull, Toys R Us Opens 120 Stores & Albertsons Upgrades Ad Measurement
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Hello, everyone. This is OmniTalk Retail. I'm Chris Walton, and you are listening to the Retail Daily Minute, your quickest, fastest breakdown of
all the day's top
retail news. Today's podcast is brought to you once again with the help and support of R&S Logistics. Are you looking for a fulfillment and distribution partner? That's just right. Well, RNS Logistics is small enough to provide custom solutions and that personal touch, while also still boasting 2 million square feet across 10 locations in the Southeast. With technology that can scale your growing e-commerce operations, visit rswarehousingsolutions.com and get your quote today. And I'm also pleased to introduce Zenline AI because you have likely heard about AI agents a thousand times this year, but are also probably wondering what they can do for you as a retailer. Visit tryzenline.ai to book a call and see how agents can bring you more margin. Today is September 21st, 2026, and this morning we've got news on Toys R Us' massive holiday store expansion and Albertson's new retail media measurement tool. But we begin today with Kroger pulling Red Bull from its shelves in a big pricing standoff. Kroger has stopped selling Red Bull at all of its grocery stores and fuel centers nationwide. According to The Street, a sign in the energy drink aisle at one Kentucky store says the product is out of stock while the company works with its suppliers to keep prices affordable. A Kroger employee told local station WCPO that the company and Red Bull are in a dispute and that no new shipments are expected. Kroger has also pulled boar's head deli meats from many of its stores in what looks like a similar disagreement. CEO Greg Forehand has made value the centerpiece of his turnaround, and Kroger is wagering that shoppers will simply grab a Monster or a Celsius rather than walk out of the store. That's a real gamble in a high-frequency, high-loyalty category. It's also an awkward counterpoint to Foran telling investors that on-shelf availability just hit an all-time high. Leveraging these standoffs cuts both ways, however, and the question is who blinks first in this game of chicken? And my guess is it will be Red Bull. Because Red Bull, after all, gives you wings. And chickens, last time I checked, have wings.
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All right, we are back, and our next story is a comeback tale of sorts. Toys R Us has announced via a press release that it will open 120 new standalone stores this holiday season in partnership with Go Retail Group, bringing its standalone footprint to 160 locations. Some stores will feature creator studios, dedicated spaces where influencers and toy brands can create content, and select stores will add candy shops and cafes all alongside a curated assortment from the likes of Lego, Barbie, Pokemon, and everyone's favorite K-pop demon hunters. For context, last year the
2Episode notes
Welcome to Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, sponsored by R&S Logistics, ZenlineAI, and Mirakl.
In today's Retail Daily Minute, Omni Talk's Chris Walton discusses:
- Kroger stops selling Red Bull at all stores and fuel centers amid a reported pricing dispute, and pulls Boar's Head deli meats from many locations.
- Toys R Us announces 120 new stand-alone stores this holiday season with Go Retail Group, bringing its footprint to 160 locations.
- Albertsons launches a new multi-touch attribution tool with LiveRamp, promising "couch to checkout" measurement for retail media advertisers.
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