RetailCraft · 2025-05-26 · 41 min
What happens when one of the Nordics’ largest grocery retailers empowers 1,300 local entrepreneurs under a single national brand? In this episode, Ian Jindal chats with Oskar Jakobsson, Director of Customer Solutions at ICA Gruppen, to explore the unique federated model in Swedish grocery retail. Oskar shares how ICA balances entrepreneurial autonomy with digital innovation, discusses the challenges of unifying customer experience across diverse store formats, and reflects on the accelerating pace of change in retail technology. The conversation ranges from handwritten signs and local flavour to AI-driven personalisation, the future of agentic shopping, and the enduring joy of simply strolling through great stores. About the Guest Oskar Jakobsson is Director of Customer Solutions at ICA Gruppen, where he leads a team of nearly 200 colleagues responsible for all digital customer-facing touchpoints. With over 20 years’ experience in retail, spanning SaaS suppliers, H&M, and Sweden’s alcohol monopoly, Oskar brings deep expertise in digital transformation, customer experience, and the art of retail.
RetailCraft 62: "Full Circle: - in conversation with Lucie McLeod of Hair Syrup68 / 100RetailCraft 61: "Open Doors" - in conversation with Shannon Osman of FootasylumRetailCraft 60: "Win, Win, Win" - in conversation with Florian Clemens of Tesco MediaRetailCraft 59: "Spreading Positive Energy" - Shani Higgs of PerfectTedRetailCraft 58: "Share of stomach" - Timo Boldt of Gousto