In the latest episode of The Retail Tea Break podcast, Melissa is joined by Alison Dunn, Country Manager for Amazon Ireland. This is a fast-paced conversation about her career across retail and the impact Amazon.ie is having on Ireland’s e-commerce landscape. From the Irish launch in March 2025 to rural delivery, support for local sellers and the trends reshaping how we shop, Alison offers a clear view of where Irish retail is heading next.

• What went into launching Amazon.ie and why it matters for Irish customers
• Ireland’s shifting shopping habits and their report ‘The Impact of E-commerce on Consumers in Ireland’
• How online and in-store experiences complement each other
• Improving rural access through Amazon’s partnership with An Post
• How Amazon empowers Irish brands to scale globally
• Marketplace vs retailer, what it means for Irish SMEs
• Christmas campaign with Friends of The Elderly x Amazon

For information on how to start selling on Amazon, visit:

https://sellercentral.amazon.ie/

Friends of the Elderly x Amazon Christmas 2025

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkSC8O1W6P0&t=49s

On this week’s episode of The Retail Tea Break podcast, Melissa chats with Steve Dresser, founder of Grocery Insight. Known for his straight-talking approach and sharp eye for detail, Steve lifts the lid on what’s really happening on the shop floor. Together, they explore why honesty matters, the cultural barriers he’s faced and what retailers must confront if they want meaningful change.

• The value of honest, observational insight in a sector often dominated by polished narratives.
• How rising costs, labour pressures and inconsistent standards are reshaping the store experience.
• The persistent disconnect between store teams and central offices and why it harms execution.
• Why culture, communication and accountability matter as much as strategy in driving change.
• The growing tension between retail tech ambitions and the need to fix fundamental in-store operations

Find out more about Grocery Insight here: https://www.groceryinsight.com/

Thank you to Autoaddress for sponsoring today’s episode. You can solve your address data problems with Ireland’s most trusted supplier of Eircode solutions. Improve data quality, reduce manual errors and deliver better customer experiences at https://autoaddress.com/

In the latest episode of The Retail Tea Break podcast, Melissa sits down with Dr. Joanne Reilly, the inspiring founder and CEO behind Kinvara Skincare. The award-winning Irish brand blends science, sustainability and plant-powered beauty. From humble beginnings to being stocked in 600+ stores, Jo shares how Kinvara grew organically while staying true to its values, balancing local roots, global ambitions and a loyal customer base.

Key Takeaways:

• Building a trusted, award-winning Irish skincare brand
• Science meets sustainability in every product
• Staying true to Irish roots with proudly Irish-made, Irish-branded products
• Balancing retail growth with booming e-commerce
• Using tech and AI to shape the future of skincare retail
• Expanding successfully into Canada with bilingual packaging
• Exciting new Irish branding and new SPF launches coming in 2026

Check out Kinvara website at https://www.kinvaraskincare.com/

Go raibh míle maith agat le Joanne ó Kinvara as labhairt liom inniu, agus as an gcúpla focal as Gaeilge.

Thank you to Autoaddress for sponsoring today’s episode. You can solve your address data problems with Ireland’s most trusted supplier of Eircode solutions. Improve data quality, reduce manual errors and deliver better customer experiences at https://autoaddress.com/