In this episode of the XR Industry Leaders Podcast, Brad Scoggin and Will Stackable sit down with Tomissa Smittendorf from Kellanova and Scott Stachiw from Roundtable Learning to explore how VR revolutionized retail sales training at Kellanova.
Tomissa shares how they replaced an expensive, in-person grocery store training center with an immersive VR experience that enhances onboarding, boosts display execution by 90%, and improves knowledge retention.
Scott breaks down the design strategy behind creating a virtual store where new hires learn to upsell, identify safety issues, and build real-world confidence.
The episode dives into how VR created scalable, data-driven training, and why strong partnerships are key to successful XR adoption. From overcoming deployment challenges to envisioning future applications across supply chain and retail partners, this is a masterclass in turning XR experimentation into a strategic advantage.
Timestamps:
- Problem Solving with VR at Kellanova (01:19)
- Roundtable’s collaboration with Kellanova (05:02)
- What makes a successful VR deployment (06:48)
- Kellanova’s use-cases today (07:46)
- How did Kellanova decide to embrace VR training? (12:30)
- How does Roundtable Learning take on a project like this? (16:43)
- Scoping a VR project for Roundtable and Kellanova (22:43)
- How has ArborXR positively affected deployment? (26:35)
- What’s next for VR at Kellanova and beyond? (31:28)
About Tomissa Smittendorf:
Tomissa has over 30 years of CPG experience and is a visionary leader at Kellanova, driving growth through strategic learning initiatives. As Sr. Director, Commercial Capabilities, she led the launch of VR training at Kellanova, transforming onboarding and upskilling. Her work builds high-impact teams and a culture of continuous learning that solves real business challenges.
About Scott Stachiw:
Scott Stachiw is VP of XR Development and Design at Roundtable Learning, where he leads immersive learning strategy and content creation. With deep expertise in instructional design and XR technologies, Scott played a key role in launching Kellanova’s VR training—designing scalable, experiential solutions that drive measurable business impact.
About ArborXR: ArborXR helps organizations confidently manage VR & AR devices at scale, remotely install content, and control what users can see and do in the headset. Our mission is to help people live more meaningful lives through the power of XR. Learn more at https://arborxr.com.
Links & Resources:
- How Kellanova uses VR for Sales Training: https://youtu.be/8J88QdsqoL8?si=jfZExI_HJNnh2_lY
- Connect with Scott on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stachiw/
- Connect with Tomissa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomissasmittendorf/
- Connect with Brad on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-scoggin/
- Connect with Will on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/willstackable/
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