One thing that never seems to change is that there will always be change. Nowhere is that more apparent than in the retail world. Brick-and-mortar stores are under assault from online completion. Shrinking sales are threatening major retail stalwarts such as Macy’s, J.C. Penney and Sears. Grocery chains are consolidating, and consumers are demanding more fresh and healthy food products.
Major brands with which America has grown up are also facing difficult times. A recent Nielsen report shows that this year, consumer packaged goods sales in the U.S. have dropped 2.5 percent, and big brands are being hit hard. PepsiCo, Inc. and Procter & Gamble report lackluster sales in Q1, and the 20 largest CPGs had flat sales while smaller companies posted a 2.4 percent growth rate.