Walmart, PepsiCo Take Top Spots in Kantar PowerRanking
PepsiCo earned the top position among suppliers in Kantar’s 2018 US PoweRanking report for the third consecutive year.
PepsiCo solidified its position as a best-in-class partner, topping the competition in all nine metrics measured by the study. Walmart also retained its top spot among retailers for the 22nd consecutive year, narrowly edging Kroger.
PoweRanking is an assessment of best-in-class manufacturers and retailers. Chosen by their peers, leaders are ranked on a range of factors from strategic metrics to business fundamentals.
PepsiCo was recognized in particular for driving growth and profits through its investments in innovation. Coca-Cola, which earned the number two position on the list for the third year in a row, was recognized for its growth mindset.
Other big movers on the manufacturing side include Kellogg and Mondelez. Kellogg, 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.
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.
“A growth company has an investment mindset because it has confidence in its strategy, brands and people to achieve real growth," said Dan Raynak, chief client officer at Kantar Consulting, in a media release. "It can be confident because it has identified the right insights, allocated resources appropriately and achieved strategic intimacy with its trading partners. PepsiCo has done an exceptional job navigating this chaotic, disruptive and uncomfortable retail market because of their strong growth mindset."
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 on the retailer list for the third consecutive year, while Amazon moved up to the number three position. Meijer moved up one position to sixth and CVS entered the top 10 driven by the clarity of their health strategy.
“Walmart is famous for their clarity of strategy and supply chain expertise," Raynak said. "Not only are they positioned well to win strategically and operationally, but they also have the financial resources and talent that has both skill and grit."