At Goldman Sachs’s annual Global Staples Forum, CPG brands broke down their latest results and the recent successes and shortcomings their businesses have been facing.

Within the beauty, health, and personal-care categories, there were familiar narratives, like changing category dynamics and sizing up the competition in the space…and then there was Olaplex, which is still grappling with the fallout from accusations that its products cause hair loss.

We’re breaking down some of the biggest takeaways from the day.

A hairy situation: Olaplex, which was founded in 2014 and went public in 2021, is in the midst of a “reset year,” following “a lot of misinformation” that’s hampered sales, according to president and CEO JuE Wong. The company has struggled amid claims that its products cause hair loss and other scalp issues, facing a lawsuit from a group of nearly 30 consumers filed earlier this year. In response, Olaplex in February released the results of third-party tests indicating its products are safe.

In its Q1 earnings call this month, the company reported its net sales were down nearly 40% and gross profit dipped 42.8% year over year. It’s now looking to get to “a stronger and better place,” Wong said, by investing more in sales and marketing, working closely with stylists in the professional channel (who Wong noted “struggled” with the hair-loss claims), establishing “a more assertive” PR program, and forming a scientific advisory board, Wong said. She claimed that negative sentiments are trending down, though some recent customer reviews on sites like Sephora continue to claim its products cause bald spots and hair loss.

Keep reading here.—EC

Ready to land your dream job? It all starts with a killer resume. But crafting one that truly stands out can be a daunting task. That’s why we’ve created the ultimate guide to building a strong and effective resume.

Our report is jam-packed with practical tips and real-world examples to help you craft a resume that will impress even the toughest hiring managers. We’ll show you how to highlight your skills and experience in a way that makes you stand out from the crowd. So if you’re ready to take your career to the next level, download your copy today.

In today’s fast-paced and ever-changing world of logistics, it can be nearly impossible to anticipate what will happen next across your supply chain with vendors, labor, or production—and when.

Over the last several years, supply chains across retail have been reengineered under pressure to meet new conditions, levels, and preferences of consumer demand. For a company like Petco that operates within the growing and resilient pet sector, the pandemic pet boom generated both benefits for our business and additional logistical challenges that required us to pivot overnight to meet the demand.

Fundamentally, the pace of logistics is set by the customer, with the sharp rise in ecommerce being just one example. Yet, whether anticipated or not, roadblocks, paired with the constant drive to maximize efficiency and minimize cost, often have companies racing to implement buzzy or trend-driven logistics solutions. While some automation might save the company money in the short term, ultimately the result can be an increase in the complexity of current processes or other unintended consequences.

From my 30 years in retail at Best Buy, Target, Walmart, and now as COO of Petco, I’ve learned the most effective logistics solution is to maintain focus on simplifying the customer experience.

Keep reading here.—JT

Today’s top retail reads.

We’re so back: Retailers are bulking up inventory after having to make a bunch of drastic cuts last year. (the Wall Street Journal)

New kid on the block: Online marketplace Temu, whose hook is selling very cheap products across the board, is becoming the new dollar store. Downloads of its app have even surpassed TikTok and Amazon. (Insider)

Dollar for dollar: As we just alluded to, consumers want cheaper products, and legacy brands have taken notice. More and more dollar stores are popping up across the country, which means more shelf space for those products. (Axios)

A roundup of our favorite retail multimedia content from across platforms this week—from TikTok to Twitter. We’re keeping you hip, and you’re welcome.

Oh, the humanity: Every party you’ve never wanted to be at probably had a Cards Against Humanity game going on. Here’s a thread on how the founders created what is now a $500 million product. (@michaelsikand on Twitter)

Very sly: Free shipping! It’s a phrase consumers love to see when shopping online, but make sure to look at the fine print if you think you’re getting a steal. Allbirds knows what it’s doing. (@kvlly on Twitter)

Mind your business: Like everyone, retail employees need their time off, but do employers need to know why? Scott Seiss distills this conversation into just under 30 seconds. (@scottseiss on TikTok)

Missed opportunity: Yesterday was a holiday in the Bitcoin community. It marked the 13th anniversary of programmer Laszlo Hanyecz purchasing two Papa John’s pizzas for 10,000 Bitcoin, which would have been valued at…a lot right now. (@CoinGecko on Twitter)

Just to be clear: Last week, Target claimed during its earnings report that it would lose $500 million due to retail theft, but the story is a little more complicated when you look at the details. (@JuddLegum on Twitter)

Catch up on the Retail Brew stories you may have missed.

• How food brands are capitalizing on the air fryer boom
• Forever 21 CEO Winnie Park on reinventing the brand for Gen Z and millennials
• This diagnostic lab for pets has fashioned itself into a retail brand