FMI Lab explores how health, convenience, entertainment and enjoyment drive grocery shoppers to try new products and build loyalty with Swish CEO Adam Stave, highlighting frictionless digital discovery as a key opportunity for food retailers and brands.
By: Doug Baker, Vice President, Industry Relations, FMI
At FMI, we are continually analyzing the forces shaping the food industry. From emerging technologies to evolving shopper trends, staying connected to emerging issues is why our food retail and supplier members have come to trust us. That commitment comes to life in the FMI Lab, a new video series exploring the ideas and innovators reshaping grocery.
I sat down with Adam Stave, founder and CEO of Swish and the winner of the 2026 FMItech Pitch Competition. We dug into one of the most important questions in food retail today: what makes a shopper try something new?
According to our 2025 U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends report, there are four core purchase drivers that shoppers are willing to spend more on: health, convenience, entertainment and enjoyment. Each plays a role in how consumers navigate store aisles or digital shelves. We dive into these purchase drivers with Stave and look at how integrating free samples into virtual shopping carts is creating personalized value for shoppers and building loyalty. In addition, Stave shares his views on change management and tips for new technology integration to inspire loyalty through personalization.
Stay tuned for more conversations from FMI Lab as we highlight innovators and ideas shaping the next chapter of the food industry.
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