Discover What’s Next in Food & Beverages
With store brands expanding across nearly every aisle and format, thousands of attendees will be walking the Show floor looking to taste, discover, and source the latest in store brand innovation—from everyday essentials to premium and good-for-you food and beverages.
Refrigerated, Beverages, Frozen Drive Sales Momentum
From refrigerated innovations and frozen convenience to functional food and beverages, Show suppliers offer a comprehensive presentation of where store brands are headed and how buyers can capitalize on the opportunity now.
Among top departments making noise in food and beverages:
- Refrigerated: Gained the most in '25, up 6.1% in store brand revenue.
- Beverages: Increased by 4.8% to $15.1 billion in store brand sales.
- Frozen: Grew by 2.4% to $22.4 billion total store brand sales.
Other trending products you'll find on the Show floor:
Healthy Food & Snacks for both adults and children are flying off shelves as wellness and socially conscious shoppers seek nutritious and innovative snacks that meet their evolving "snackification" habits. In fact, the overall healthy snack segment is valued at approximately $32 billion for 2026 and considered one of the fastest-growing sectors. Store brands now capture roughly 28% of the snack market share in grocery channels, significantly outperforming national brands in unit growth. Whether it’s protein-forward, minimally processed or nutrient dense, suppliers at PLMA’s Store Brands Marketplace will offer numerous food and snack options for retailers to build out the "healthier" component of their private label portfolios.
Functional Food continues to gain speed as one of the fastest-growing CPG trends, with store brands increasingly expanding their presence in these high-demand categories. Today’s consumers are seeking added wellness benefits in everyday products from probiotic, adaptogen, and vitamin-infused beverages to nut butters with added protein, collagen drinks, plant sterol-fortified spreads, and flaxseed-enriched crackers and breads are all designed to deliver more nutritional value alongside convenience.
Foodservice & Restaurant quality meals remain a strong growth area in 2026 as Americans continue to dine at home as they look to stretch their food budgets amid ongoing economic uncertainty. With consumers tightening their wallets and rethinking discretionary spending, many are skipping fast food and casual dining altogether in favor of supermarket and convenience store options including fast, prepared foods, deli selections, and upscale ready-to-heat meals that balance convenience with affordability.
Specialty & Ethnic Foods demand continues to rise, with the ethnic food market projected to grow significantly in value over the coming decade. Data also shows that 80% of Americans report eating at least one ethnic cuisine each month. As global flavors and ingredients become more mainstream, shoppers can now find retailer store brand options such as chicken tikka masala, vegetable pad Thai, spanakopita, and tofu stir-fry meals. Delectable desserts including tiramisu and gelato, as well as crème brulé cups and mochi ice cream are also widely available at local supermarkets and on display at the Show.
Beverages offering a broad range of health-and-wellness attributes are capturing the attention of consumers across every demographic and retailers in all formats are taking notice. Shoppers are reaching for drinks that do more—packing functional ingredients, targeted benefits, and unique flavors. From probiotic-rich fermented dairy beverages and high-performance energy boosters to premium RTD coffees and refreshingly infused waters, demand is rising fast. Retailers are leaning into the trend, bringing to market innovative, better-for-you drink solutions that strengthen their store brand portfolios and compete successfully in an opportunistic category. In 2025, sales of store brand Beverages grew 4.8% to $15.1 billion.
Wines & Spirits, including the fast-growing alcohol-free segment, continue to gain favor with American consumers. Industry data shows that a growing number of adults, especially younger generations, are moderating their alcohol consumption while incorporating low- and no-alcohol options into their weekly purchasing habits. Demand now extends well beyond traditional liquor stores and supermarkets, with club and warehouse stores, discounters, and convenience outlets all experiencing increased shopper interest as consumers seek value, variety, and premium experiences in wines & spirits across channels.