Lei Duran on Turning Lowes Foods Into a Crave Worthy, Entertainment Led Grocery Brand | FMI 2026

Recorded live at FMI 2026 from the Simbe booth, Omni Talk Retail interviewed with Lei Duran, SVP at Lowes Foods, to discuss how a regional grocer is redefining what it means to compete through experience, culture, and guest centricity. In this conversation, Lei shares her career journey across Walmart, agencies, and retail strategy roles, and why she ultimately chose grocery as the most powerful place to build lasting brand preference. She explains how Lowes Foods is blending food, entertainment, and community to create destinations customers are willing to drive past competitors for. The discussion also explores how marketing at Lowes Foods goes beyond campaigns, evolving into a true business transformation strategy that connects data, personalization, in store experience, and long term growth. Key Topics Covered: - Creating grocery experiences rooted in culture, community, and entertainment - How Lowes Foods differentiates through in store moments and human connection - Using guest data and personalization to inform go to market strategy - Balancing creativity, speed, and authenticity in a regional grocery environment - Measuring success through preference, market share, and customer behavior Stay tuned for more live interviews and insights from Omni Talk Retail at FMI 2026, recorded from the Simbe booth. Stop by booth 118 to say hello and catch the conversations in person. #FMI2026 #OmniTalkRetail #GroceryRetail #FoodRetail #RetailMarketing #CustomerExperience #RetailLeadership #Simbe