Aldi Retreats, Coke Advances, Ben & Jerry’s Rebels

This week, we examine one of the most quietly significant decisions in European retail: Aldi’s strategic retreat from its non-food e-commerce venture. But the story doesn’t end there. We’ll also explore Coca-Cola’s quietly extraordinary marketing machine, and dive into Ben & Jerry’s bold attempt to reclaim its soul from its corporate parent. From digital retreats to brand reinvention, this episode covers the tectonic shifts reshaping FMCG strategy.

Listen to the podcast:

Let’s start in Germany.

Aldi Nord and Aldi Süd have announced the closure of their joint online shop for non-food products by the end of September. This digital storefront, operated under Aldi E-Commerce GmbH since 2021, represented the only formal cooperation between the otherwise independently run North and South branches. The decision to shutter the shop was first reported by Lebensmittel Zeitung, and confirmed by Aldi, marking the end of a short and turbulent chapter in the discounter’s digital journey.

The reasons are clear. The online shop never reached profitability. In 2023, it posted a loss of €4.8 million, an improvement from the previous year’s €9 million loss. Despite trimming expenses and forecasting its first profit in 2025, Aldi’s leadership decided not to gamble further. Around 80 employees will be affected by the closure.

Why step away now? Because standing up to global e-commerce giants like Amazon, Shein, and Temu requires scale and speed—two things that run counter to Aldi’s operational DNA. Online retail demands warehousing, shipping, and returns processing—functions that discounters like Aldi, built for speed and simplicity, aren’t structured to handle efficiently. As Professor Carsten Kortum of DHBW succinctly put it to LZ: “Discounters are strong in operating simply, cheaply and in a way that is suitable for the masses – this is difficult to implement online.”

Aldi’s decision is also indicative of broader pressures within FMCG and retail. According to the EHI Retail Institute’s Lars Hofacker, three-quarters of retailers surveyed for the 2023 “Trends in E-Commerce” report see the sector entering a phase of consolidation. Some players double down on automation and process efficiency; others focus on assortment curation and cost control. Aldi has chosen to retreat altogether—at least from non-food.

Now let’s talk about a story at the opposite end of the spectrum—Coca-Cola.

Writing in Marketing Week, branding expert Mark Ritson recently highlighted Coca-Cola’s incredible ability to deliver consistent marketing excellence without needing constant reinvention. No scandals, no revolutions—just quiet, relentless performance. In an era obsessed with AI, influencers, and tech disruption, Coca-Cola is thriving with what Ritson calls “fundamentally fantastic marketing.”

The results speak for themselves. In the face of macroeconomic headwinds and inflationary pressures, Coca-Cola reported organic revenue growth of 5–6% and expanded operating margins—achievements driven not by new products or massive acquisitions, but by disciplined pricing, smart portfolio management, and superior execution. In emerging markets, growth remains robust, offsetting pressures in mature markets.

Ritson argues that Coca-Cola’s secret is threefold. First, the division of labor: Coke handles brand and marketing; independent bottlers handle distribution and physical availability. This frees the core company to focus on mental availability—branding, emotional connection, and campaign excellence.

Second, Coke has cracked the global-local matrix. Most multinationals struggle with tensions between central HQ and local markets. Coca-Cola doesn’t. It empowers local teams to experiment, then scales successful ideas globally. Case in point: the “Share a Coke” campaign, which began with a 151-word creative brief in Australia and became a global phenomenon. That kind of agility, paired with disciplined brand management, is rare.

Third, the strength of Coca-Cola’s marketing talent. The brand attracts top-tier marketers, and offers a culture where marketing is central—not just a support function, but a strategic driver. It’s a virtuous cycle: great people, empowered to do great work, in a company that reveres marketing. As Ritson puts it, Coca-Cola is “just inherently, repeatedly, annoyingly, tediously good at marketing.” And in an industry where consumer behavior changes fast, that kind of consistency is gold.

And then there’s Ben & Jerry’s—another story about brand power, but told very differently.

As reported by The Wall Street Journal, Ben Cohen, co-founder of the iconic ice cream brand, is mounting a David-versus-Goliath campaign to buy back the company from Unilever. The consumer goods giant is planning to spin off its entire ice cream division, including Ben & Jerry’s and Magnum. But Cohen wants to carve out the brand he co-founded in 1978 and return it to independent hands.

This is more than just a business transaction. It’s about values. When Unilever acquired Ben & Jerry’s in 2000, it agreed to an unusual deal that allowed the brand to maintain an independent board with authority over its social mission. That autonomy has clashed with Unilever in recent years—especially following Ben & Jerry’s 2021 decision to halt sales in Israeli settlements, sparking lawsuits, divestments, and internal corporate conflict.

Despite the tension, Cohen insists that the brand’s values remain its lifeblood. “Ben & Jerry’s is a company with a soul,” he said. “Business is the most powerful force in our society, and for that, it has responsibility to the society.” His campaign is a long shot, but deeply symbolic. It reflects a belief that brand equity isn’t just built on flavor or market share—it’s built on mission, purpose, and the loyalty that follows.

Unilever, for its part, denies that the brand is for sale. But whether or not the buyback happens, the story is a potent reminder of what makes brands like Ben & Jerry’s endure. They stand for something. And in today’s polarized landscape, that still matters.

So what do we learn from these three case studies—Aldi, Coca-Cola, and Ben & Jerry’s?

We learn that scale without strategy doesn’t guarantee success. That legacy doesn’t have to mean stagnation. That profitability can come from deep focus, not just expansion. And that even in a world of automation, AI, and social media trends, the heart of great FMCG businesses still beats strongest through clarity of purpose, operational excellence, and marketing brilliance.