Driving volume growth at a big CPG is sort of like crafting the perfect concert setlist: You have to strike the right balance between new material and the classic hits—and perform them both with gusto—to really please the crowd.

The strategy of looking to the future without ignoring the core products on which the company was built is one reason why Unilever has notched four consecutive quarters of volume growth, while many CPGs are flat or declining, Herrish Patel, president of Unilever USA and CEO of personal care North America, told Retail Brew.

In Q3, the company’s sales rose 4.5%, with volume up 3.6%. Sales for its personal care segment—which includes brands like Dove, Degree, and Axe—grew 4.4% and volume increased 3.1%, as Dove secured double-digit growth with help from new innovations. Earlier this year, the company introduced Dove whole body deodorants and serum-infused body wash—products with slightly elevated price points that are part of its premiumization strategy. But there’s still room to grow and improve the products Unilever is known for, especially in the rapidly changing personal care space, so Patel shared how the company is working to strike that balance.

Keep reading here.—EC

As consumers entered the holiday shopping season, retail sales in October rose 0.4% from the previous month to $718.9 billion, a year over year jump of 2.3%, the Commerce Department reported on Friday, an increase that slightly beat analyst expectations. Excluding motor vehicle and gasoline sales, retail sales rose 0.1% from last month and 3.8% from October 2023.

The Commerce Department last month reported September sales rose 0.4% month over month, but upwardly revised the increase to 0.8% this week.

“October sales were a good early step forward into the holiday shopping season, which is now fully underway,” National Retail Federation Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz said in a statement. “Falling energy prices have likely provided extra dollars for household spending on retail merchandise.”

Keep reading here.—EC

With the holidays fast approaching, spice and extract company McCormick is holding a contest to find the “best cookie recipe,” with a chance to win a $10,000 grand prize. McCormick is also offering its own special concoction through a partnership with Milk Bar called the “Milk Bar x McCormick Candy Cane Pretzel Bark Cookie.”

Here’s what else is going on in retail this week:

In earnings: It’s a big week for big retailers on the earnings front. Walmart and Lowe’s are reporting Q3 results on Tuesday, followed by Target and TJX Companies on Wednesday, and Ross Stores and Gap on Thursday. The reports will provide a look back at the back-to-school season and a look ahead at the holiday season. Both Target and Walmart had relatively strong second-quarter sales, though Target remained cautious in its full-year outlook. TJX, meanwhile, continued to perform well in Q2, with inflation-weary customers favoring the owner of several discount apparel chains.

Keep reading here.—AV