Podcast Summary: The CPG Guys
Episode: Analyzing Omnichannel Success with Kellanova’s Mike McCune & Maggie Gilliam Hoy
Release Date: November 22, 2025
Guests:
- Maggie Gilliam Hoy (Senior Director and Omnichannel Center of Excellence Lead, Kellanova)
- Mike McCune (Senior Director of Integrated Commercial Analytics, Kellanova)
Hosts: Sri Rajagopalan & Peter V.S. Bond
Episode Overview
This engaging episode centers on how Kellanova, an iconic snack manufacturer, is redefining success in the omnichannel landscape. Hosts Sri Rajagopalan and Peter Bond interview Maggie Gilliam Hoy and Mike McCune to uncover how Kellanova bridges the in-store and online worlds using data, analytics, and organizational transformation. Key topics include the evolution of consumer behavior, retail media, Kellanova’s advanced analytics platform (COPS), cross-functional collaboration, and the future disruptions in CPG/FMCG.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Defining Omnichannel at Kellanova
[03:48] Maggie Gilliam Hoy
- Omnicommerce is about "how we show up and win wherever, however and whenever the shopper is shopping."
- It includes in-store, digital, retail media networks, e-commerce, and linking all touchpoints for a seamless shopper journey.
- Maggie’s team covers retail media strategy, digital shelf execution, demand platforms (Instacart, DoorDash, UberEats), national promotions, inbound licensing, and organizational upskilling.
Notable Quote
"It's that complete Omni experience. So that's how we define Omni." (Maggie, [03:48])
2. Navigating the Retail Media Revolution
[06:11] Maggie
- Retail media is “disrupting everything” and demands breaking down internal silos between sales and marketing.
- Her team acts as a bridge to ensure efforts are aligned across the organization and delivers sales and brand outcomes.
Notable Quote
"...it's really all about bringing us together, making sure what we're doing with our retail media partners is aligned with... our brand and category partners, as well as driving sales results." (Maggie, [06:11])
3. Analytics as the Foundation: The COPS Platform
[10:06] Mike McCune
- COPS stands for “Kellanova Omni Performance System” (pronounced ‘cops’).
- Integrates 40+ datasets (syndicated, internal, media, shipment, panel) to present a single source of truth on in-store and online performance.
- Focuses on why performance is what it is (“digital causals” like media, search, and digital shelf).
- Major effort invested in usability, audience segmentation, and democratization of analytics.
[11:46] Maggie
- COPS has democratized access, is used company-wide, and clarifies the roles of online vs. in-store, fueling fact-based leadership discussions.
Notable Quote
"It's kind of an insurmountable task... now that we have that in store visibility, it's super powerful. I use it honestly all the time. I have it open on my computer 100% of the time. Because... showing the data... it speaks for itself." (Maggie, [11:46])
4. Overcoming Data & Organizational Hurdles
[16:12] Mike
- Prior state was manual, error-prone, and dependent on a few individuals.
- The goal was to eliminate technical debt, create sustainability, and move the organization from debating "what is the number" to strategizing "how do we grow."
- Food CPG has historically lagged behind pureplay-dominated categories (like beauty) but Kellanova is striving to lead.
Notable Quote
"There was no single source of truth... By having this single source of truth, we're solving that problem... Now we're having conversations about how we can improve." (Mike, [16:12])
5. Digital Influence, Attribution, and Data Complexities
[19:29] Mike
- 70% of food shoppers are omnichannel; digital orders (including BOPIS) are classified as online.
- Attribution is tricky, especially with third parties like Instacart or DoorDash—data availability from retailers remains inconsistent.
6. Widespread Adoption and Training
[21:00] Maggie
- COPS is used by sales, marketing, customer teams, category leads, and even executives.
- Training and "upskilling" is ongoing, matching rising demand as omnichannel becomes core to everyone's job.
7. Preparing for the Future of E-commerce Growth
[22:09] Maggie
- Efforts include optimizing retail media investment, pilots/test-and-learn strategies, digital shelf upgrades, and creative optimizations (e.g., Dragonfly AI, Genrise AI).
- Requiring over 90% conversion-optimized scores for creatives on PDPs.
Notable Quote
"If our digital shelf and our PDPs are not ready to convert, then it kind of goes to waste." (Maggie, [22:09])
8. Standardized Measurement & Data Provider Relationships
[25:56, 28:04] Mike
- Non-negotiable datasets: granular EPOS (electronic point of sale), retail media viewability, creative-level performance, and standardized measurement across RMNs.
- Kellanova pushes providers for more granular, real-time, actionable data.
Notable Quote
"If they want to be considered media platforms, then they need to deliver a lot of the same metrics..." (Mike, [25:56])
9. Retailer Collaboration in the Age of Retail Media
[30:02] Mike & Maggie [32:37]
- Retailers are increasingly receptive to data collaboration due to their need to attract brand investment.
- Kellanova uses a living “scorecard” for retail media partners, weighing capabilities, scale, and brand health.
10. Bridging Silos for Seamless Consumer Experience
[33:57] Maggie
- Success means breaking silos and presenting complete, 360-degree activations to both internal teams and retail partners.
- Full integration across media, in-store, coupons, and retail media is a priority for campaigns like their World Cup activation.
11. Handling Third-Party and Nontraditional Platforms
[35:57] Maggie
- Instacart, DoorDash, and aggregators are treated as key customers and integrated fully into COPS and analytics processes.
- TikTok Shop is of keen interest, though legal/regulatory concerns remain.
12. The Next 3–5 Years: Disruption and Opportunity
[37:51] Mike & Maggie
- Further disruption expected from agentic AI/AI commerce—the next evolution beyond search optimization.
- Maggie foresees organizational change as CPGs must restructure for modern commerce and retail media’s evolution.
- The pace and priority of AI-driven content optimization will heavily shape investment and strategy.
Notable Quotes
"The birth of agentic AI commerce is coming... Today we talk about search engine optimization. That will go away. We'll be talking about AI optimization." (Mike, [37:51])
"It's just kind of the wild west on what we're doing... the shift to agentic AI is happening faster than I thought." (Maggie, [39:36])
Memorable Moments & Quotes (with Timestamps)
- Maggie: “We are spending a lot of time making sure that everyone is fluent in Omni, understands what we're doing and the importance of it.” ([04:58])
- Mike: “It has. [Retail media is] come a long way.” ([08:48])
- Maggie: “We've kind of democratized this ability to understand online versus in store.” ([13:19])
- Mike: “The need that I saw... there was no single source of truth within the organization in terms of online vs in store.” ([16:12])
- Maggie: “Honestly, it's everybody... it spans across the entire organization.” ([21:00])
- Maggie: “If our digital shelf and our PDP's are not ready to convert, then it kind of goes to waste.” ([22:09])
- Mike: “We need to get to a standardized measurement methodology for all the RMN providers because right now it is a little bit of a wild west.” ([28:04])
- Mike: “The birth of agenic AI commerce is coming... Today we talk about search engine optimization. That will go away. And we'll be talking about AI optimization probably in the next few years.” ([37:51])
- Maggie: “We need to break down some of these silos and figure out how it works organizationally first... the shift to agentic AI is happening faster than I thought.” ([39:36])
Useful Timestamps for Key Segments
- 03:48: Defining omnichannel at Kellanova (Maggie)
- 06:11: The implications of retail media and organizational impact (Maggie)
- 10:06: Introduction and deep dive into the COPS analytics platform (Mike)
- 14:09: Types of data sets in COPS (Mike)
- 16:12: Why COPS was created; the shift from manual to automated analytics (Mike)
- 19:29: How Kellanova classifies digital/physical sales and the complexity of attribution (Mike)
- 21:00: Who uses COPS across the company (Maggie)
- 22:09: Preparing for e-commerce growth in 2026, advanced analytics, and digital shelf readiness (Maggie)
- 25:56: Non-negotiable datasets in advanced omnichannel analytics (Mike)
- 28:04: The push for standardized measurement and retail media network partnerships (Mike)
- 33:57: Breaking down silos for total consumer experience (Maggie)
- 35:57: Incorporating Instacart, DoorDash, TikTok Shop, and other non-traditional platforms (Maggie)
- 37:51: Biggest disruptions for the next 3–5 years: agentic AI and organizational shifts (Mike & Maggie)
Conclusion & Reflections
Peter summed up the episode by applauding Kellanova’s forward-thinking:
"What I loved hearing from them is they're not waiting for the industry to come and tell them what they can do. They're defining at Kallanova what they need." ([41:34])
Sri highlighted the impressive feat of integrating 40+ data sources for an accurate, actionable omnichannel view. The conversation signaled a future where data, AI, and internal agility will drive CPG industry growth and transformation.
For those in CPG/FMCG, retail media, analytics, and omnichannel strategy, this episode is a goldmine of practical insights, organizational wisdom, and a preview of the disruptive forces on the horizon.