PLMA's 2023 Trade Show to Hail 'The Store Brands Phenomenon'

The largest event for store brands in North America is set for November 12-14 in Chicago

NEW YORK (April 24, 2023) - At a time when store brands have grown to become a $230 billion industry in the U.S., PLMA has announced a fitting theme for its 2023 Private Label Trade Show: “The Store Brands Phenomenon.”

The show will be held November 12-14 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Chicago.

"'The Store Brands Phenomenon' theme is appropriate in many ways," said PLMA President Peggy Davies. "Hailed as dynamic, innovative and pervasive, store brands offer boundless opportunities for retailers, manufacturers and trade suppliers."

The growth of store brands has been strong and steady. By the end of 2022, PLMA calculates that annual store brand sales had increased by 40% over a five-year period. Last year's double-digit gains continued through the first quarter of 2023, according to Circana. Sales and dollar and unit market shares are at all-time highs. 

They are the shopper’s best friend, offering innovation, performance and quality. Store brands accounted for nearly one-third of all new sales flowing into U.S. retailing last year.

And there's more to come. Every day, store brand products are moving into new categories, new chains, new channels, and new platforms.

“Store brands are a powerful retailer component that provides important points of differentiation, competitive advantage and builds consumer loyalty," added Davies.

The 2023 Private Label Trade Show will reflect this expansion. PLMA expects that over 1,500 companies will be exhibiting and 5,000 individuals attending.

"For more than 40 years, PLMA has provided supermarkets, supercenters, drug chains, wholesale clubs, dollar and specialty stores, mass merchandisers, importers and exporters, and e-commerce retailers an exclusive venue to discover the latest food and non-food products, ingredients, flavors, fragrances, and packaging,” Davies said.

For more information on "The Store Brands Phenomenon" trade show, contact PLMA at +1 212 972-3131, email info@plma.com or click here for more information.

About PLMA

The Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA) is a non-profit trade organization founded in 1979 to promote the store brands industry. With executive offices in New York and International Council offices in Amsterdam, PLMA represents more than 4,000 member companies worldwide. In addition to the Annual Private Label Trade Show in Chicago and its World of Private Label Trade Show in Amsterdam, PLMA provides annual conferences, executive education and professional development opportunities. Follow PLMA on plma.com, plmainternational.com, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Store Brand Beverage Numbers Deserve a Toast!

Featured in PLMA’s e-Scanner March 25, 2023 newsletter, created by Tom Prendergast, Director, Research Services

Throughout store brands' steady double-digit gains of 2022, which has continued through the first two months of this year, fully 16 of the 17 departments tracked by IRI showed store brand improvement.

One department demonstrated particularly strong sales performance -- Beverages -- a section once considered impenetrable for store brands due to the powerhouse national brands that inhabit it.

But that dominance may be changing. In this extremely competitive department, store brands have been growing at a faster pace than brands for the past 4, 12 and 52 weeks, reported IRI Unify exclusively to PLMA.

The numbers deserve a toast. Total private label beverage sales in 2022 were $12 billion and dollar sales grew by 19.3%. Double digit growth continued into the new year as dollar sales over the past four weeks totaled 18.6%, only a slight dip from the 20% sales growth in the past three months.  

The Beverages department is the third largest of the 17 tracked by IRI when it comes to national brand and store brand dollar sales ($130B) and second largest in unit sales with over 40 billion in sales. 

The largest category in beverages is bottled water. The category has sales of $6.8 billion in 2022 and dollar sales growth of 23.1%. While dollar sales did slow, from 21.3% over 12 weeks to 20.3% in the past four weeks, it remains the largest dollar sales category in the department.

Water is not the only growth category in this department. When you take a closer look at other areas you see while not everyone is showing growth but the ones gaining sales are especially strong.

For instance, carbonated beverages have increased from 15.8%-dollar sales growth last year to 32.4% in February and 28.9% over the past three months. This growth is also reflected in unit sales, as sales for carbonated beverages grew 4% in the past 4 weeks and 1.2% over the past 12 weeks. While unit sales did dip 2.5% last year, like dollar sales, sales of units of carbonated beverages continued to advance.

Two other growing categories over this period were refrigerated tea/coffee and tea bags. Refrigerated tea/coffee grew from 8.2% in dollar sales last year to 10.7% in the past four weeks. Tea bags had even more dramatic results, as dollar sales went from 5% in 2022 to 12.3% in the past three months to 17.5% in the past four weeks.

Other categories also stood out. These include bottled juices (10%), coffee (15.4%) and ready to drink tea/coffee (15.8%); all had double digit growth in 2022. In the past four weeks, while growth has slowed, it remains positive, ranging from 66.8% for ready to drink tea and coffee to 13.9% for coffee and 10.2% for bottled juices.

Unit sales improvements were also striking. Ready to drink tea/coffee saw units rise from 10.4% in 2022 to 84% over the past 3 months and 75.7% in the past 4 weeks. Coffee unit sales were up 2.8% last year but kept most of that growth in the past four weeks with a 2.5%-unit sales growth.

After decades of being a bottom shelf afterthought in a strong national branded department, store brands are evolving to become a presence if not a player in many parts of the huge Beverages sector.

To find out more IRI Unify data is available to all PLMA members and can be found at plma.com where these statistics and sales of 317 categories and 967 subcategories can be found.

PLMA Announces 2023 Private Label Hall of Fame Inductees
HOF logo

NEW YORK (March 23, 2023) - The Private Label Hall of Fame Class of 2023 was inducted last night during PLMA’s Annual Meeting & Leadership Conference in Orlando. 

Presented by PLMA and Store Brands magazine, the Private Label Hall of Fame was created in 2006 to recognize the men and women who have made significant contributions to the growth and development of the global private brand industry.  

This year, the Hall of Fame honors 16 individuals in four categories: Next Gen Private Label Leader, Private Brand Innovator, Private Brand Champion, and Lifetime Achievement. 

“We proudly celebrate the outstanding achievements of these proven leaders and innovators,” said PLMA President Peggy Davies. “Their hard work and dedication are instrumental to the success of the store brands business.” 


Private Label Hall of Fame Class of 2023
 

         Next Gen Private Label Leader: 

  • Anthony Cera III, Own Brands Manager, Perishables, SpartanNash    
  • Colleen Kangas, President, Purcell International      
  • Angela LePore, Senior Manager, Private Brands Product Development, Simmons Pet Food, Inc.    
  • Kristin Provost, Senior Manager, Category Insights, Topco Associates, LLC                 
     
    Private Brand Innovator:
     
  • Alicia Cook, Category Director, Save A Lot                        
  • Casey Creegan, Manager of Merchandising, Love’s Travel Stops        
  • Roger Scommegna, CEO, Flying Blue Imports         
  • Guido Tremolini, President/Co-Owner, G.S. Gelato

    Private Brand Champion: 
  • Shane Brown, Director, Own Brand Sourcing, Giant Eagle, Inc. 
  • Jill Clark, VP, Sales and Marketing, Dutch Gold Honey, Inc. 
  • Andrea Collaro, Senior Director, Owned Brands, Brand Management/Product Development, Walgreens Co. 
  • Kristie Nicolosi, CEO, The Kingswood Company

        Lifetime Achievement: 

  • Brenda Lord, Vice President, Private Brands, CVS Health          
  • Nancy Ragozzino, President, Ragozzino Foods, Inc.         
  • Andy Russick, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Pacific Coast Producers      
  • Jill Sando, Executive Vice President and Chief Merchandising Officer, Target
     
    “The 16 honorees represent the best of the best from across the world of private label and showcase the depth of talent the industry has to offer,” said Store Brands magazine Executive Editor & Associate Publisher Greg Sleter. “This august group of retailers and suppliers have had a major impact on the private label business and will continue to do so in the years ahead.” 
     
    Profiles on all inductees will be featured in the May/June issue of Store Brands magazine, featured on StoreBrands.com, and posted in a special section of plma.com. 

     
    About PLMA 

    The Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA) is a non-profit trade organization founded in 1979 to promote the store brands industry. With executive offices in New York and International Council offices in Amsterdam, PLMA represents more than 4,000 member companies worldwide. In addition to the Annual Private Label Trade Show in Chicago and its World of Private Label Trade Show in Amsterdam, PLMA provides annual conferences, executive education and professional development opportunities. Follow PLMA on plma.com, plmainternational.com, Twitter and LinkedIn.
"How Private Label Packaging Strategies Influence Shoppers Intent to Purchase"
Store Brand Sales Are Strong Through 11 Months

Over eleven months of 2025, store brands outperformed national brands in both dollar sales and unit sales, according to November 10 data provided exclusively to PLMA by Circana.

In dollar sales, store brands increased more than three times the rate of national brands, moving up by 3.6% vs a gain of only 1.1% for the brands. In unit sales, store brands also outpaced national brands, rising by 0.4% compared to a decline of 0.7% for the brands.
PLMA is projecting total store brand revenue in all U.S. retail outlets for FY 2025 will approach $280 billion, which would set a new record.

Store brand growth has been nearly flawless. In the month of October, store brand dollar sales rose 2.5% vs the same period a year ago, representing a quick and resounding rebound from the September result when dollar sales fell 0.6%, the only negative period for store brand dollar sales so far this year and the only time the products trailed national brands, which were off slightly less, at minus 0.4%

As for market shares, through November 10 store brands checked in at 21% in dollar sales and 23.1% in unit sales.

In results among the eleven food and nonfood product departments Circana tracks for PLMA, for the trailing 52 weeks ending November 2, the Refrigerated section increased the most in store brand dollar sales, rising 9.2%; followed by Beverages, plus 4.4%, Pet Care, ahead 3.4%; Frozen, up 2.5%; Beauty, plus 2.1%, and General Food, up 1.5%.

Looking at total store brand dollar volume for the 52 weeks, Refrigerated led with $62B, then General Food, $53B; General Merchandise, $25B; Frozen, $22B; Health, $18B, and Beverages, $15B.

With respect to store brand unit sales gains, Pet Care was the top performer among departments at plus 5.1%, followed by Beverages, up 2.5%; Frozen and Household Essentials, both ahead 1%, and Refrigerated, up 0.6%. General Food accounted for the most store brand units sold at 20bn, then Refrigerated (15bn); General Merchandise, Beverages and Frozen (5bn each), and Health (2bn).

PLMA's 2026 Private Label Report, a comprehensive compilation of the year in store brand sales results and trends, including in-depth looks at food and nonfood departments and select product categories and subcategories, will be published in late January.

PLMA members and retailers who want to drill into a wide array of current sales figures can log in anytime to Circana’s Unify+ portal at members.plma.com.

Store Brands Honored for Innovation

Albertsons, CVS Pharmacy, Lidl, Sam’s Club, Topco Associates, Walmart and Whole Foods Market are among winners of PLMA’s 2025 Salute to Excellence Awards®.

PLMA’s annual Salute to Excellence Awards® program recognizes outstanding food and nonfood products introduced within the last year by supermarkets, drug stores, mass merchandisers, convenience stores, online retailers, wholesalers and more. Submissions were sampled and evaluated by a panel of professional and consumer judges on several criteria, including taste, product concept, packaging, and value for money.

Close to 850 products were nominated for the 2025 awards by 50 North American retailers.

“The winners are a testament to the power of store brands in driving business success in all retail formats,” said PLMA President Peggy Davies. “They represent the highest level of innovation, ingenuity and achievement.”

Walmart’s winning products include Vibrant Life™ Level 73" Multi-Functional Cat Tree with Condo, Hammock, Scratching Posts; Parent's Choice™ Organic Baby Food Puree Variety Pack; Marketside® Chorizo Breakfast Bowl; bettergoods™ Truffle Glaze with Balsamic Vinegar of Modena; and Equate™ Coconut Hibiscus Sugar Scrub.

Here are five trends among the 2025 winners:

Kid Power - Products geared to babies, toddlers and kids from mealtime to bedtime:

  • Associated Wholesale Grocers, Best Choice®, Kid-Ventures Trays
  • Dollar General, DG™ Health, Kid's Toothbrushes-Barbie™
  • Target, Good & Gather™, Teeny Tiny Lunch Bites

Super Bowls - Food bowls offer portion-controlled convenience for breakfast, lunch and dinner:

  • Sam's Club, Member's Mark™, Teriyaki Chicken Bowl
  • Walmart Inc., Marketside®, Chorizo Breakfast Bowl

Global Flavors - Consumers have a more sophisticated palate and are seeking out ethnic flavors in food, beverages, sauces and confections:

  • Albertsons Companies, Signature Select®, Birria Cooking Sauce
  • Misfits Market, Odds & Ends, Cacio e Pepe Ravioli
  • Yesway, Yesway®, Chamoy Chili Gummi Bears

Bold Beverages - Hot and cold beverages now come in spicy, indulgent and other unique flavors:

  • Albertsons Companies, O Organics®, Apple Caramel Crumble Tea
  • GoPuff, Basically™ Jalapeno Limeade
  • Meijer, Meijer®, Crystal Quenchers® Rocket Pop sparkling water

Fruit-Scented Household Goods - Citrus and other fruity scents can be found in household products ranging from dishwashing liquid to candles:

  • Dollar General, True Living®, Ultra Dishwashing Liquid, Fresh Pomegranate Scent
  • Whole Foods Market, 365 by Whole Foods Market, Yuzu & Prickly Pear 3 Wick Candle

Click here to see this year’s winners.

Scott Morris - Walmart’s SVP Private Brands Food, Consumables, and Manufacturing - to Keynote PLMA’s 2026 Annual Meeting & Leadership Conference

Scott Morris - Walmart's Senior Vice President of Private Brands Food, Consumables, and Manufacturing - will deliver the keynote address at PLMA’s 2026 Annual Meeting & Leadership Conference in Bentonville, Arkansas, April 15-17.  The topic is “The Future of Private Brands.”

The early bird rate is effective until Jan.16, 2026. Click here for more information or contact conferences@plma.com.

Morris and his team are tasked with positioning Walmart’s private brands, strengthening their value proposition, developing quality core and innovative products, and building customer loyalty and holistic cultural support. He has over 38 years serving the retail industry and has held leadership roles in operations, merchandising, marketing, strategy office, shared services supply chain, and M&A.

"Walmart is an exemplar of utilizing store brands as a key retail strategy," said Peggy Davies, PLMA president.

Among its recent store brand initiatives, Walmart's bettergoods assortment has been a major hit, featuring hundreds of products across categories like frozen foods, snacks, dairy and beverages.

This year’s conference will take place in Bentonville, reflecting PLMA’s ongoing approach of hosting the event near major retail hubs. The 2026 theme, “Building Brands That Drive Success,” emphasizes strategic growth and collaboration across the private label industry.

The program offers a customizable schedule featuring:

  • 12 breakout sessions across tracks including Brand Building; Innovation & Product Development; Emerging Technologies; Marketing & Shopper Engagement; Differentiation Through Innovation; and Strategic Partnerships.
  • Five main-stage plenary presentations.
  • A flexible “DIY” agenda format first introduced in 2025, praised for its variety and relevance.

“The format and retail-centric setting encourage deeper networking and meaningful discussions on the future of private brands and retailing overall,” added Davies.

Speakers include industry leaders from FMI, NIQ, Daymon, Path 2 Purchase Institute, Plante Moran, Lippincott, Circana, and others. Davies will serve as host and lead PLMA’s annual meeting and the 2026 Private Label Hall of Fame induction ceremonies.

Click here for more details.

Dubbed "a new capital of cool" by The Wall Street Journal, Bentonville is the birthplace of Walmart and home to its global headquarters. Arts, culture, and history abound in the northwest Arkansas town whose population is about 62,000. Located in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains, it's accessible from major U.S. cities by air and a short drive from Kansas City, Dallas, Oklahoma City, St. Louis and Little Rock.

Lidl US CEO Praises Store Brands

A key highlight of this year’s speaker lineup for PLMA’s 2025 Annual Private Label Trade Show was the keynote address by Joel Rampoldt, CEO of Lidl US.

Rampoldt detailed Lidl’s efficient business model, including its use of electronic shelf labels, shelf-ready packaging, and a curated assortment purchased in high volumes. He emphasized the company’s strong partnerships with suppliers.

“We invest in suppliers,” Rampoldt said.

Lidl’s business philosophy, he noted, is built on differentiation through price, quality, and simplicity. Store brands play a central role, with approximately 80% of its 3,300 core items positioned as private label. These include the Preferred Selection line of premium and globally sourced products and the new Butcher’s Specialty meats line. In addition, 85% of Lidl’s products are sourced in North America.

“We are a private brand company — because it’s the way we can deliver the best price and best quality,” Rampoldt explained.

He added that Lidl’s goal is to be the first choice for business partners, suppliers, team members, and consumers.

“We know that with the curated assortment we offer, our customers will shop at other stores — and that’s fine. But we want to be the place they come first because of the quality, price, and shopping experience.

Watch PLMA Live’s exclusive interview with Rampoldt here:

PLMA Reprises Nationwide Store Brands Month in January

Excitement is building for the second annual Store Brands Month in January.

Inside the Idea Supermarket at this year’s Private Label Trade Show, held Nov. 16-18, a kiosk played a compilation of promotional videos featured on the @StoreBrandsMonth Instagram page.

Click here for more information about Store Brands Month.

Store Brands Month is a month-long celebration to increase consumer attention to the positive attributes of store brands - including quality, value, consistency, uniqueness and innovation - across all product categories in both brick-and-mortar and online retail formats. The principal goal is to increase shopper trial of and loyalty to store brand foods, beverages and nonfoods.

Retailers, wholesalers and distributors nationwide plan to support the campaign through a variety of in-store and online promotions.

For more information, email storebrandsmonth@plma.com.
 

Top Product Trends from PLMA Show

PLMA is celebrating the success of its 2025 Annual Private Label Trade Show, held Nov. 16-18 in Chicago.

“PLMA’s ‘Store Brands Marketplace’ was a success in every way, creating new opportunities for the private label industry to thrive,” said PLMA President Peggy Davies.

The Show featured hundreds of thousands food and nonfood products, 3,000 booths and more than 1,900 exhibitors representing 63 countries.

The exciting and engaging Show floor provided one-stop-sourcing of new and innovative foods and nonfoods.

Top Trends from the Show Floor:

Collagen - Collagen is used as an ingredient in supplements, foods and beverages to support skin, joint and bone health.
Products on the Show Floor: Coffee Latte with Bioactive Collagen Peptides/Collagen Shots.

Functional Foods - Probiotic popularity has surged due to the reported link between gut health and overall well-being.
Products on the Show Floor: Probiotic Frozen Smoothie Cubes/Snacks.

Greener Cleaners - More sustainable choices are available for laundry cleaning.

Products on the Show Floor: Ultra-Concentrated Laundry Detergent Designed to Be Diluted at Home/Dissolvable Laundry Cleaning Sheets/Compostable Fabric Softener Sheets.

Regeneratively Farmed Products - Regenerative agriculture supports practices that prioritize soil health, biodiversity, and ecosystem restoration.

Products on the Show Floor: Regeneratively Farmed Rice/Cold-Brew Coffee/Eggs.

Patched Up - Topical patches made with vitamins, antioxidants and other ingredients provide convenience for consumers seeking relaxation, immunity and wellness.

Products on the Show Floor: Sleep Patch/Energy and Focus Patch/Calm and Relaxation Patch.