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PepsiCo, Walmart Top Kantar PowerRanking

For the third year in a row, PepsiCo is at the top in Kantar’s PoweRanking of suppliers, while Walmart holds on to the top retailer slot for the 22nd consecutive year.

The Kantar PoweRanking is an annual ranking of companies by industry leaders on a range of factors, from strategic metrics to business fundamentals.

PepsiCo solidified its position as a best-in-class partner, topping the competition in all nine metrics measured by the study, which are: clearest company strategy, most important consumer brands, best combination of growth and profitability, best sales force/customer teams, most innovative marketing approach, best consumer/shopper insights/category leadership, best supply chain management, best shopper marketing programs, and finally, best use of digital platforms (marketing and e-commerce). 

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Coca-Cola, which comes in second for the third year in a row, was recognized for its growth mindset. Procter & Gamble comes in third while Kraft Heinz is fourth. 

Kellogg’s, which has effectively shifted gears from focusing on cost-cutting to investing for top-line growth, moved up three positions to land in the top five. Mondelez also moved up three positions to claim the number six spot.

Rounding out the top 10 are Nestle, Unilever, Johnson & Johnson and AB InBev. 

The 2018 report reveals a shift in gears within best-in-class organizations. While many resource-strapped teams struggle to execute the basics, PoweRanking leaders are adopting an investment mindset to deliver real growth, says Dan Raynak, chief client officer at Kantar Consulting.

A growth company has an investment mindset because it has confidence in its strategy, brands and people to achieve real growth, he adds

“PoweRanking is designed to tell you who is best in class and why," Raynak tells Marketing Daily. "By examining who ranked and where, you can identify significant insights coming through all nine metrics that we studied and why these manufacturers and suppliers earned the respect of their peers.”

PepsiCo has done an exceptional job navigating this chaotic, disruptive, and uncomfortable retail market because of its strong growth mindset, he says.

"There were several surprising aspects of the analysis, not the least of which was that PepsiCo’s lead versus the rest of the field is actually the largest we have seen in many years," Raynak says. "In addition, the findings show that click and collect is becoming a very effective e-commerce model versus direct to consumer via Amazon.  This at a time when manufacturer confidence in the future of Walmart and Amazon, as well as Kroger, is growing.” 

On the retailer list, Walmart maintained its lock on the top position due to clarity of strategy, supply chain, digital resources and manufacturer belief in future performance. Kroger earned the second position for the third consecutive year, while Amazon moved up to the number three position. Target is fourth and Coscto is fifth, while Meijer moved up one position to sixth. Rounding out the top 10 are Publix, H-E-B, Wegmans, and CVS (which entered the top 10 driven by the clarity of its health strategy.)  

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