Approach
Customized questionnaires were developed for retailer and wholesaler respondents in the food, drug, mass merchandise, dollar, convenience, specialty, ecommerce, and club channels, as well as for manufacturers in food, household products, general merchandise, and health and beauty care categories. These questionnaires have been distributed every spring from 1997 to 2025 to personnel at all levels of management, with the assurance of total confidentiality of respondents.
The results of the 2025 survey were compared with the results of 2023 and 2024 to determine the causes behind shifts in the rankings.
Retailers were asked to rank manufacturers on criteria that fall into two broad areas:
Clearest Company Strategy
Most Important Consumer Brands to Retailers
Best Combination of Growth & Profitability
Best Sales Force/Customer Teams
Most Innovative Marketing Approach
Best Consumer Insights/Category Leadership
Best Supply Chain Management
Best Shopper Marketing Programs
Best Use of Technology Platforms
Best in Sustainability
Manufacturers were asked to rank retailers on similar criteria:
Best Store Branding to Shoppers
Projected Power Retailers in 15 Years
Best Retailers to Do Business With
Best Category Management/Buying Teams
Most Innovative Merchandising Approach
Best Practice Category Leadership
Results were tabulated on a two-year rolling basis, reflecting the percentage of respondents ranking each company among the top 3. Additionally, follow-up qualitative interviews were conducted among a diverse group of manufacturers and retailers to provide further insight into the data.The PoweRanking methodology reflects mergers and acquisitions that have occurred in the past. We have consciously rolled up operations into the parent company where appropriate for this year and versus a year ago. At the same time, where retailers and manufacturers are operating largely as independent companies, they are treated as such in the data. In order to provide year-on-year comparisons, any mergers or divestitures that have occurred in the last 12 months will not be reflected as their new structures in the current PoweRanking report, and are expected to be included in next year’s iteration.
PoweRanking COMPOSITES
The 2025 PoweRanking results include the Overall PoweRanking Composite, created by weighting the three strategic rankings equally with the six business fundamental rankings (see previous page) — thus placing greater importance on the strategic rankings. This reflects the importance of sound strategy as an overall driving force in business performance.
STRATEGIC COMPOSITE
The Strategic Composite combines the three strategic measures into an overall composite to provide better insight into which manufacturers and retailers are most strategically important to their trading partners.
BUSINESS FUNDAMENTALS COMPOSITE
The Business Fundamentals Composite combines the six fundamental areas of business into a composite, which reflects the retailers’ and manufacturers’ opinions of those trading partners that have the strongest organizations and personnel and provide the best tools for solid business development.
TECHNOLOGY PLATFORMS
Beginning in 2011, Kantar added a measure for Technology Platforms. Given its increasing influence on retailers, manufacturers, and consumers, as of 2016, digital is a measure to monitor and is included in the Business Fundamentals Composite.
SUSTAINABILITY
Beginning in 2020, Kantar began tracking Sustainability as an ad hoc measurement. It is becoming prevalent in the retail industry, so we will continue to monitor its progress. Currently, it is not included in the Business Fundamentals Composite or overall rankings.
AB InBevAcostaAnheuser-BuschBimbo BakeriesBoehringer Ingelheim Animal HealthCampbell Soup CompanyCarl Buddig & CompanyChurch & DwightCloroxCoca-ColaColgate-PalmoliveDel MonteGalloGeneral MillsGrupo BimboHerr FoodsHormel FoodsKellanova Ken’s FoodsKenvueKimberly-ClarkKraft HeinzL’OrealMarsMattelMondelezNational Beverage Corp.NestléNestlé PurinaNewell BrandsPepsiCoPernod RicardPost HoldingsProcter & GambleReckitt
Reynolds Consumer ProductsSC JohnsonSeneca FoodsStarKist Co.The J.M. Smucker CompanyTruffTyson FoodsUnileverWK Kellogg Co.
7-ElevenAcademy Sports + OutdoorsAlbertsons CompaniesAldiAlliance Retail GroupAmazonAngelo Caputo’s Fresh MarketsAssociated Wholesale GrocersBeverage UniverseBFS CompaniesBJ’sBig 5 Sporting GoodsBlain's Farm and FleetBolla OilBrookshire Grocery CompanyBurlingtonCasey’s General StoresC&S Wholesale GrocersChevronChewyCircle KCoborn’sCoen MarketsCostcoCVS
Dave's Fresh MarketplaceDollar GeneralEatalyFamily DollarFareway StoresFiesta MartFood 4 LessGetirGopuffFood LionGiant EagleGiant FoodHarps Food StoresHarris TeeterHarry & DavidH-E-BHigh’s of BaltimoreHome DepotHungryrootHy-VeeIngles MarketsJewel-OscoKing SoopersKrogerKwik TripLowe’sMacy’sMcLane CompanyMeijerMenardsMurphy USANeweggParty CityPetco
PetlandPetSmartPet Supplies PlusPit Stop Convenience StoresPrice ChopperRalph’sRaymer OilRefrescoRite AidRoses Discount StoresSafewaySally BeautySam's ClubSave MartSchnucksSephoraSheetzShellShop Rite SinclairSmith’sSpeedwaySprint MartSproutsStaplesStauffers of Kissel HillStop & ShopSyscoTargetThe Fresh GrocerThe Giant CompanyThrive MarketTJX Company
Tom ThumbTopsTrader Joe’sUlta BeautyUNFIWakefern Food CorporationWalgreensWalmartWegmansWhole Foods Market
OVERALL COMPOSITE
After two years where value was the dominant theme in trading conversations, the landscape has shifted — value is now a baseline expectation, not a differentiator. Heading into 2026, the new imperative is Relevance. As shoppers intensify their scrutiny of the value equation, diversify their shopping journeys across channels and seek personalized experiences, manufacturers that harness data analytics and technology to maximize relevance and reignite growth will be the ones who win.The ability to be responsive, agile and customer-focused were seen as close companions to the need for precision and data. This fact reminds us that technology will serve as a multiplier, and that human judgement and ability to navigate ongoing business needs and issues will continue to be the hallmarks of great trading partners.
Retailer Comments on the Strengths of the Top 10 Manufacturers
“PepsiCo takes a customer-centric approach by understanding customer needs, providing high-quality products and services, and building strong relationships to foster loyalty and repeat business, driving both revenue and profit.”
“Procter & Gamble consistently leverages deep consumer and shopper insights to anticipate trends, shape product development, and drive category growth, ensuring their offerings align with customer needs and outperform competitors.”
“Coca-Cola supply chain, and specifically their DSD distribution network, is best-in-class. They are consistently aligned internally, as well as with their key business partners and stakeholders, and they consistently provide the same message across all facets of the organization (good or bad).”
The opinions that manufacturers shared about the strengths of the best retailers help paint a picture of what separates the best from the rest.
Retailer Comments on the Strengths of the Top 10 Retailers
“Walmart has clear priorities for their vendors and customers. Vendors know that margin is the most important and customers know that they are getting the lowest prices.”
“Amazon has the best data availability, investment partnership, scale of operations and the access to Marketplace is great.”
“Kroger has very clear promotions and does not focus too much on initial margin. They have seen good coordination among the divisions and it has been really effective.”
An increasing sense of urgency around value has unfolded over the last two years, culminating in critical choices that manufactures and retailers are set to make, both individually and as operating partners. These choices will determine the ultimate path the industry takes to continue driving relevance for shoppers and its corresponding growth outlook for the year to come. Whether through better precision with the help of technology, better positioning through more meaningful propositions and offers and/or better efficiency through joint operating models, the industry is in the process of resetting its purpose and appeal for the shopper. As we celebrate the leading manufacturers and retailers of 2025, the Kantar team looks forward to seeing how the industry resets relevance in 2026 to serve the U.S. consumer and capture growth along the way.
