How iFood Became the Fastest-Growing Retail Media Network in the World with Sam James

In this special live episode of Unlocking Retail Media, recorded on stage at the Retail Media FC Summit in São Paulo, Brazil, James Avery sits down with Sam James, VP of Ads at iFood — the dominant food and grocery delivery platform commanding roughly 80% market share in Brazil. Sam breaks down how iFood scaled from basic seller ads to a full-funnel retail media powerhouse, why Brazil is the fastest-growing retail media market globally, and how iFood's fragmented retail landscape is actually creating a massive consolidation opportunity. The conversation covers iFood's offsite media expansion through its acquisition of AI-native ad tech company Advolve, a groundbreaking co-bidding model where iFood matches brand ad spend to drive closed-loop ROAS, the untapped potential of data-driven product sampling, and how AI agents are reshaping the entire ads operation — including a live Databricks-Claude integration that turns week-long analyses into 20-minute insights. Whether you're building a retail media network, a CPG brand navigating LATAM, or an agency trying to capture emerging commerce media budgets, this episode is packed with actionable strategy from one of the most innovative retail media stories in the world.

What is Unlocking Retail Media?

Unlocking Retail Media is the essential podcast for leaders and marketers navigating the rapidly evolving world of retail advertising. We move beyond day-to-day operations to explore the strategic future of the industry, covering major investment trends, the shift to hybrid marketplace models, and the existential disruption posed by Agentic Commerce. Host James Avery brings in top industry veterans and visionary founders to analyze how ground-breaking technology is transforming customer journeys, influencing product catalogs, and forcing retailers to rethink on-site, in-store, and digital media strategies to remain competitive in the modern age.