Merchandising & Store OpsSunday, August 9, 2026
Fortune 500 retailers are using low-cost RFID and AI analytics to achieve real-time item-level visibility and automatically optimize order quantities and placement.
Mealtime platform Wonder raised $600 million at a $7 billion valuation and acquired Grubhub, Tastemade, and Sweetgreen's salad robot to expand its physical storefront footprint.
Wonder, an AI-driven food hall platform, raised $600M in a Series D round at a $7B valuation and plans to double its physical footprint from 92 to 200 locations in 2026.
The global market for automated pharmacy compounding systems is projected to grow from USD 2.95 billion in 2025 to USD 5.27 billion by 2035, with North America holding 40% of the market share in 2024.
NielsenIQ reports that health and wellness products are now embedded across the omnichannel retail journey, driving broader category growth and self-directed consumer behavior.
Retailers are deploying AI-powered smart shelves and digital signage that adjust advertising content based on real-time inventory, time of day, and shopper demographics.
