How Brands Can Win In Retail Media | Startup CPG Webinar

Retail media has become one of the most efficient ways for CPG brands to drive sales, but every platform plays by different rules. In this Startup CPG webinar, Quinn from the partnerships team hosts Kevin Gawronski of Gawronski Media, a food, beverage, and CPG focused agency, for a platform by platform walkthrough of how to win on each major retail media network. Kevin starts with how his team builds a plan: which retailers you’re in now and soon, whether you’re regional or national, how much budget you have, and how seasonality shapes spend. He then covers Instacart (his favorite platform), Walmart, Target’s Roundel, Whole Foods through Amazon, Kroger’s 84.51, Criteo, DoorDash, and H-E-B, with real client examples of budgets and returns, and what to do first on each. Takeaways: • Before building a retail media plan, map the retailers you’re in now and soon, which integrate with Instacart, whether you’re regional or national, your budget, and seasonality • There’s no single right starting budget. • The five biggest platforms by allocation are Instacart, Walmart, Target, Kroger, and Whole Foods, with Instacart usually first because it covers every retailer you’re in. • Start with sponsored product on every platform. Run both automatic campaigns (higher return, lower new to brand) and manual campaigns (lower return, higher new to brand), and add display, video, and other tactics only once returns look good • On Instacart, use always on promotions, add display for seasonal moments and retargeting, and consider brand collaborations with an adjacent brand. • On Walmart, sponsored product gives the highest returns, and budget cap out times matter more than anything else. • Target’s Roundel is improving fast, with branded, non-branded, and conquesting campaigns, but spending can be slow to scale, especially for brands in few stores • Whole Foods advertising runs through Amazon and is technical. Expect swings in the first 60 days and consider outside help • Kroger’s 84.51 works best with search and browse and basket builder placements. • Judge results as “you versus you,” not against another brand’s returns, and give campaigns 60 to 90 days to breathe. • Stopping spend costs you momentum. • For Instacart, around 500 doors is typical for a smaller brand, though it depends on the retailer. Key Topics: 00:05 Welcome and introduction from Quinn 01:05 About Gawronski Media and how the webinar is structured 03:00 How to build a retail media plan (approximate, not separately timestamped in the transcript) 05:28 Q&A: what’s a good starting budget? 07:18 The most popular retail media platforms 08:40 Instacart: features and how to win (approximate, not separately timestamped in the transcript) 17:39 Q&A: why campaigns need 60 to 90 days 19:44 Walmart: sponsored product and how to win (approximate, not separately timestamped in the transcript) 24:43 Q&A: Walmart 1P versus marketplace and questions for Walmart reps 26:10 Target Roundel 29:58 Q&A: winning on Roundel with a limited store count 32:00 Whole Foods through Amazon 36:01 Q&A: ASINs not appearing for Whole Foods ads 37:11 Kroger and 84.51 (approximate, not separately timestamped in the transcript) 40:00 Criteo and DoorDash (approximate, not separately timestamped in the transcript) 42:48 H-E-B and other retailers 45:38 Big picture trends: you versus you, CPA, and momentum 48:44 Live Q&A: Kroger tactics, 84.51 versus Instacart, agency structure 53:17 Q&A: how many doors do you need for Instacart? 54:01 Q&A: how many retailers do you need before working with an agency? 54:48 Closing Connect with our guest: Kevin Gawronski, Founder, Gawronski Media Linkedin:   / kevin-gawronski   About Startup CPG: Startup CPG is the largest community for emerging brands, with 40,000 plus Slack members, the number one podcast in CPG, over 100 events per year, and award winning resources to help brands grow. Join free today at startupcpg.com/sign-up If you found this helpful, subscribe so you don’t miss the next one. Stay connected: Instagram:   / startupcpg   LinkedIn:   / startupcpg   #StartupCPG #CPG #RetailMedia #Instacart #WalmartConnect #Roundel #CPGMarketing #DigitalAdvertising #CPGBrands #EmergingBrands #PaidMedia #CPGCommunity #2026Trends