Gatorade is about to get a big makeover, expanding its product line while also removing artificial dyes from its lineup in a quest to appeal to a broader audience. “It is no longer enough just to dominate the classic sports drink shelf,” said researcher Howard Telford (via CNN Business).

Adobe data suggests AI usage by shoppers continues to soar, rising by 393% YoY throughout the first three months of 2026 and by 269% YoY in March alone. “Data from March 2026 also shows that once an individual lands on a U.S. retail site from an AI source, the engagement rate is 12% higher compared to non-AI traffic,” wrote CSA editor Dan Berthiaume (via Chain Store Age).

PepsiCo saw revenue improve by 8.5% to $19.44 billion in its most recent quarter after announcing it would be cutting product prices as consumers grew more wary. Despite ongoing macroeconomic pressures surrounding inflation and gas prices, PepsiCo will “focus on controlling what we can,” said CEO Ramon Laguarta (via WSJ).

Allbirds announced that it was exiting the footwear business to focus on AI, with its stock rising from $3 to ~$17 as a result. “The Company will initially seek to acquire high-performance, low-latency AI compute hardware and provide access under long-term lease arrangements, meeting customer demand that spot markets and hyperscalers are unable to reliably service,” Allbirds said in a statement (via CNBC).

7-Eleven plans to either shutter or convert 645 North American locations while also opening 200 new stores in the same region during its current fiscal year. The newly opened locations will place a greater focus on the company’s “food forward” approach (via Chain Store Age).