Mike Graen on Retail, Technology, and Real-World Collaboration

In this episode, Kevin Parkerson & Kevin Higgins sit down with Mike Graen, a seasoned retail and supply chain professional whose 40-year career includes leadership roles at Procter & Gamble, Walmart, and the RFID Lab at Auburn University. From category management to emerging tech, Mike shares a refreshingly honest perspective on what works, and what doesn’t, when it comes to driving real results in retail and logistics.

Mike reflects on his early days at P&G working with Walmart, helping pioneer the category captain model that shaped modern retail collaboration. He explains how true category management meant aligning manufacturers and retailers around shared goals: getting the right products, in the right place, at the right time. That foundation of trust and joint problem-solving is something he believes the industry needs to return to.

The conversation shifts to technology, particularly RFID. Mike gives a candid account of why RFID initially failed in the early 2000s, wrong use cases, high costs, and low value at the store level, and how it’s now making a measurable impact thanks to better economics and a focus on solving specific problems like inaccurate on-shelf availability. He notes that retailers like Walmart and Macy’s are seeing dramatic improvements in inventory accuracy and customer experience.

Throughout the episode, Mike emphasizes the importance of staying curious, asking better questions, and grounding innovation in real-world business needs, not hype. Whether you’re a logistics professional, a retail operator, or a tech provider, this conversation offers sharp insights on what it takes to drive lasting value in complex supply chains.