NexChapter taps Matt Van Gilder to front omnichannel commerce practice for grocery and convenience clients

NexChapter, an advisory firm focused on loyalty, retail media, and digital transformation for convenience and grocery retailers, has appointed Matt Van Gilder as Principal & VP, leading its omnichannel practice.

He brings nearly two decades of experience from his early roots in his family's grocery business, VG's Food and Pharmacy, to most recently leading enterprise wide omnichannel transformation at SpartanNash. His expertise spans stores, operations, marketing, e-commerce, digital strategy etc.

“Matt will lead our omnichannel commerce practice for both grocery and convenience clients. His strong track record of transforming complexity into clarity across web, app, loyalty, fulfillment, third-party marketplaces, and success with creating actionable roadmaps is game-changing,” says a NexChapter spokesperson.

“Welcome to the team, Matt! We can't wait to see the incredible impact you'll make as we help clients create seamless, scalable strategies that drive digital commerce, customer growth, and operational performance.”

Van Gilder says: “This is exactly where I want to be: working at the intersection of marketing, technology, and operations to help retailers modernise and deliver digital experiences that drive loyalty and growth. Our brand refresh reflects that bold vision. *We don’t just talk about what’s next, we help build it.* Excited to get started.”

2025 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS

Omnichannel retail will be a key focus area at the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards.

The awards. which are now open for entries, celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Our 2024 hall of fame entrants were revealed during an event which took place at RIBA’s 66 Portland Place HQ in Central London on 21st November, and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by comedian Lucy Porter.

In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “The event is now into its sixth year and what a journey it has been. The awards started life as an online only affair during the Covid outbreak, before launching as a small scale in real life event and growing year on year to the point where we’re now selling out this fine, historic venue.”

He added: “Congratulations to all of our finalists. Many submissions did not make it through to the final stage, and getting to this point is no mean feat. Checkout-free stores, automated supply chains, immersive experiences, on-demand delivery, next generation loyalty offerings, inclusive retail, green technology. We’ve got all the cool stuff covered this evening.”

“But just importantly we’ve got lots of great examples of companies taking innovative tech and making it usable in everyday operations - resulting in more efficiency and profitability in all areas.”

Congratulations to our 2024 winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Lucy Porter, and all those who attended November's gathering. 

For further information on the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards, please fill in the below form and we will get back to you asap.