How Shoppers Really Decide: Value, Sensory Shopping, and AI’s Limits with Steve Markenson

Every plate, product, and policy starts with research. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, hosts Molly and Stephanie talk with Steve Markenson, Vice President of Research & Insights at FMI – The Food Industry Association and longtime President & Consultant at WBA Research. They explore how industry-wide research shapes the food retail ecosystem, how consumer behavior is evolving, and how emerging technologies and analytics are transforming the way decisions are made across a $1 trillion grocery landscape. From defining value beyond price to balancing speed and rigor in research, Steve reveals how FMI brings data, advocacy, and collaboration together to serve an entire industry.