Driving Omnichannel Retail Success: The Coca-Cola Company Breaks Down Why Tech, Teamwork, and Trusted Content Work

Delivering consistent, accurate product content across the entire shopper journey, from digital discovery to in-store shelves, is no longer a nice-to-have. It’s a must-have for today’s ecommerce leaders.

At a recent session at the 2025 Digital Shelf Summit (DSS), Ryan Vann, senior director of data governance and supply chain at The Coca-Cola Company, shared a behind-the-scenes look at his company's global transformation program. 

The session explored how The Coca-Cola Company is building a future-ready, omnichannel content operation by aligning people, platforms, and product data at a serious scale.

Why Omnichannel (Really) Matters Now

Omnichannel isn’t optional anymore. Shoppers expect brands to deliver fast, consistent product experiences across every touch point, and that requires more than just great content. It demands unified teams, streamlined technology, and a shared data foundation that supports the entire product journey.

As Vann put it, “This is a big people change. It’s a big opportunity to change roles and responsibilities across the organization.”

The Coca-Cola Company is refreshing how it approaches the digital shelf in 40 markets in just two years. That speed, scale, and ambition speak to the urgency of the moment. Brands that don’t adapt risk falling behind on both shelf visibility and consumer trust.

6 Key Takeaways From The Coca-Cola Company’s Digital Shelf Transformation

Here are the top takeaways from the summit session for ecommerce leaders looking to keep up with rising consumer expectations and future-proof their operations.

1. Think End-to-End, Not Piecemeal 

It’s tempting to tackle omnichannel challenges one piece at a time, like fixing the product pages here and tweaking the data flow there. But The Coca-Cola Company knew that wouldn’t cut it. Instead, they zoomed out and looked at the entire product content journey, from ideation and labeling to artwork, data entry, and the final product listing online or in-store.

By taking an end-to-end view, they were able to pinpoint the real blockers, not just where things were slow, but why they were slow. That clarity helped them build a road map that aligned stakeholders across teams and regions.

“We approached it from an end-to-end perspective ... What’s preventing us from getting to that picture of success on the digital shelf?” Vann says.

2. Standardize Your Data Model Early 

One of the first (and smartest) moves The Coca-Cola Company made was to standardize its data model across markets using the GS1 global standards. That decision set the stage for everything else. 

“By using an industry standard, I eliminated the debate,” Vann says. “Your retailers already agreed to it in your market.”

With a shared foundation, they could skip the back-and-forth over what attributes to include in each market’s catalog and instead focus on speed, consistency, and scale.

It also helped sidestep a common pitfall in global programs: Death by local customization. By anchoring to an industry-wide standard, they avoided endless negotiations and made it easier to scale fast without compromising on governance.

3. Future-Proof Your Tech Stack

Rather than layering new tools on top of old infrastructure, The Coca-Cola Company made a bold call to overhaul its systems. The company ditched fragmented platforms in favor of a more unified architecture where content and data could live and flow together.

This wasn’t just about efficiency (although that was a huge bonus). It was about removing the handoffs, sync delays, and mismatches that cause so many downstream issues. With fewer moving parts, they reduced the risk of errors and increased trust in the data.

“Seeing all those different data handoffs creates risk ... We wanted to bring those capabilities into one place,” Vann says.

4. Define and Respect Distinct Team Roles 

Just because tools converge doesn’t mean team roles should. The Coca-Cola Company was clear from the start that product data teams and digital shelf managers each have unique expertise, and both are essential. By keeping responsibilities distinct, they avoided overloading individuals and made sure each team could focus on what they do best.

Product data teams focus on getting the data right. Digital shelf managers, meanwhile, concentrate on how that data shows up for the shopper, checking that content looks great, meets retailer expectations, and drives conversions.

“Digital shelf managers should not be chasing ingredient information,” Vann says. “Their value is in the picture of success.” 

5. Get Everyone in the Room Early

One of the most powerful aspects of The Coca-Cola Company’s program was how many voices were involved from the very beginning. Instead of working in silos or looping stakeholders in late, they brought in everyone, including internal teams, tech partners, agencies, during the blueprinting phase.

That early alignment helped build buy-in, clarify roles, and create a sense of shared ownership. Everyone had a seat at the table, which meant fewer surprises and smoother implementation down the line.

6. Treat It Like Transformation, Not Tech Implementation 

Yes, The Coca-Cola Company upgraded its platforms. But this wasn’t a plug-and-play tech project; it was a full-on transformation. That meant rethinking roles, restructuring workflows, and rewriting the playbook for how product content moves through the organization.

To make it work, they invested in change management early and brought in the right partners to support the process. It wasn’t always easy, but it was absolutely worth it.

Vann’s final words are worth holding on to: “This is not easy work. It's not for the faint of heart. Have fun and learn something new.” 

What Brands Should Do Next

If you’re leading ecommerce, content, or product operations at your brand, here’s how to act on what you’ve learned.

Audit Your Current Ecosystem

Where are your processes fragmented or outdated? What’s slowing down syndication or hurting data quality?

Align Early With Key Teams

Bring data, content, digital, and brand stakeholders together to build your vision and define clear roles.

Invest in Your Data Model

Don’t rush this step. A strong, scalable foundation pays off for years, especially as you grow across markets or launch new products.

Think Long-Term

The Coca-Cola Company’s digital shelf is just the start. Their ultimate goal is to use consistent, governed product data to fuel everything from artificial intelligence (AI) to internal systems across the business.

Omnichannel Execution Is About People Just As Much as Software

The Coca-Cola Company’s transformation is proof that great omnichannel execution isn’t just about software. It’s about orchestrating people, content, and technology around a shared vision of success. For ecommerce leaders, that means building systems and teams that scale, evolve, and deliver value long after the implementation is done.

As Vann reminded the audience, “Surround yourself with smart people. Build the right team. And have fun while you’re doing it.”