Traditional trade isn’t just holding its ground—it’s accelerating, fueling the next wave of CPG growth.
Facts:
📈 Emerging markets are set to drive 60% of global growth in the next decade.
💰 Traditional trade accounts for 45-50% of global CPG sales.
⚡ While modern trade grows at single-digit rates, traditional trade in emerging economies is expanding 2-3x faster.
So what?
You already know this. Your company probably has traditional trade strategies in place. But here’s why it’s a total game-changer right now:
“The CPG industry is accustomed to the momentum of strong, reliable underlying market growth. That period is behind us. Now, the ability to identify sustainable growth pockets and make the most of them is critical and may be a source of sustainable competitive advantage for those who excel at it.” – McKinsey
Translation: The easy growth days are over. The winners will be the ones who can find and maximize new growth opportunities.
And guess what? Emerging markets—where traditional trade rules—are those pockets of growth.
🚀 AI x Traditional Trade = The Growth Playbook No One’s Talking About
Traditional trade is a black box—fragmented, data-poor, and impossible to scale efficiently. But that’s exactly why it’s the biggest untapped growth lever for brands. AI changes the game, turning traditional stores into highly optimized sales engines.
Here’s how:
📸 1️⃣ AI-Powered Store Visibility & Compliance (No More Guesswork, No More Waiting)
Traditional trade is a black box. Brands are flying blind, relying on outdated reports and manual checks. AI changes that.
Real-time image recognition + mobile data capture means instant shelf tracking, stock level monitoring, and execution compliance—at scale. No planograms? No problem. AI-powered audits show exactly where your brand (and your competitors) stand, ensuring retailers follow through without the guesswork. 🚀
📦 2️⃣ Smarter Assortment & Inventory (Bye, Stockouts & Overstocking)
AI crunches store-level sales trends and local demand patterns to optimize product mix per store. The result? More of what sells, less of what sits on shelves.
💰 3️⃣ AI-Powered Pricing & Promotions (Because One-Size-Fits-All Doesn’t Work)
Brands are still running generic promos in traditional trade. AI personalizes pricing and discount strategies based on real-time sales trends, competition, and local market conditions. Hyper-local execution at scale.
🚀 AI x Traditional Trade = The Next Big Growth Play
CPG brands that move fast on AI will dominate traditional trade—turning fragmented, low-data chaos into highly optimized, revenue-driving networks.
The question isn’t if AI will transform traditional retail. It’s who’s going to lead the charge.
We’re already working with brands in established and emerging markets to build POCs for modern and traditional channels that drive compliance, visibility, and execution—whether it’s sales reps, third-party distributors, or shop owners.
Let’s talk, and we’ll show you how AI can move the needle for your brand NOW. 🚀
