Global Retail Alliance Tour Concludes USA & Canada Innovation Study, Explores Grocery and Food-Service Trends

In September 2026, a Global Retail Alliance Tour across the United States and Canada concluded, taking participants from Chicago to Detroit and on to Toronto. Organised in partnership with a retail cooperative, the tour was designed to place participants at the heart of an ecosystem that experiments, evolves and anticipates trends in grocery and food-service retail. The journey confirmed that looking beyond borders is essential for reading the future of the sector.

A Journey Designed for Immersion

The tour was conceived as an immersive experience. Rather than a conventional study trip, it was built to bring participants into direct contact with a retail market that continues to run fast. The aim was to enter the heart of an ecosystem in motion, one where new ideas are tested, formats evolve, and retailers anticipate what comes next. The itinerary from Chicago to Detroit and on to Toronto was structured to provide a cross-section of the North American grocery and food-service landscape, offering participants a concrete and inspiring view of how the sector is changing.

The tour was organised in partnership with a retail cooperative, reflecting a shared belief that international exposure is essential for retailers facing rapid change at home. By stepping outside familiar markets, participants were able to observe how others experiment, adapt and anticipate. The experience was described by organisers as useful, concrete and rich in inspiration, a journey that left participants with many ideas, insights and new perspectives on a retail market that continues to run fast.

Three Perspectives

The route took participants from Chicago to Detroit and on to Toronto. Each city offered a distinct vantage point on the grocery and food-service ecosystem. Chicago, a major metropolitan market, provided a first look at how scale and format experimentation are shaping retail. Detroit offered a contrasting perspective, showing how grocery retail can address community needs and food access in innovative ways. Toronto added a third dimension, with developments in technology, experiential formats and evolving meal solutions.

Together, the three cities formed a journey through the United States and Canada that allowed participants to enter the heart of an ecosystem that experiments, evolves and anticipates trends. The tour was not designed to provide simple answers, but to open new questions and perspectives. By moving across borders and across cities, participants gained direct exposure to the diversity of approaches that define the North American market.

Grocery and Food-Service at the Centre

Grocery and food-service were at the centre of the programme. The tour was designed to place participants at the heart of an ecosystem that experiments, evolves and anticipates trends in these two interconnected areas. The journey left participants with many ideas, insights and new perspectives on a retail market that continues to run fast. It offered a concrete and inspiring look at how grocery and food-service retail is evolving in the North American context, and it reinforced the importance of understanding the links between retail, food preparation and consumer lifestyles.

Why Looking Beyond Borders Matters

The tour confirmed that looking beyond borders is essential for reading the future of the sector. Retail markets do not evolve in isolation. The ability to observe how others experiment, adapt and anticipate is increasingly valuable. International exposure can inform local strategy, challenge assumptions and open new perspectives. For retailers facing rapid change at home, seeing how others approach similar challenges can be a powerful source of inspiration and practical insight.

The tour demonstrated that the future of grocery and food-service retail is being shaped by a combination of experimentation, evolution and a willingness to look beyond familiar boundaries. As the retail world continues to evolve, the ability to observe how others experiment, adapt and anticipate remains one of the most valuable capabilities a retailer can cultivate.

Looking Ahead

As the retail world continues to evolve, the willingness to look beyond borders, to see how others experiment, adapt and anticipate, remains one of the most valuable capabilities a retailer can cultivate. The tour across the countries reinforced that message. It showed that the future of grocery and food-service retail is being shaped by experimentation, evolution and international perspective.