“These newest products align with eating trends we’re watching, including the growth of frozen breaded appetizers and snacks. They also capitalize on the air fryer craze, giving consumers the ability to make fun, delicious snacks at home with the crispness and flavor of deep-fried restaurant fare.”

-  Trey Taylor, vice president of marketing of private label vegetable producer Lakeside Foods, said of a new line of frozen appetizers, including breaded green beans, pickles and Wisconsin white cheddar cheese curds.

Aioli sauce is made from an emulsion of olive oil and garlic. Gelson’s Markets has launched a line of its own aioli for use on tacos, sandwiches, veggies and more. Several flavors - including pesto and honey barbecue - are available.

Ready-to-eat rice bowls are available at Heinen’s. They can be heated in just 90 seconds in the microwave. Varieties include Jasmine Rice, Quinoa and Brown Rice.

New from Wegmans is Amore Lemon Butter Sauce for use on chicken, seafood or vegetables. Made with white wine, butter and lemon, it’s sold under the Food You Feel Good About brand, which is used on products that are free from artificial colors, flavors and preservatives.

Organic French Lavender hydrosol is sold at Whole Foods Market under the 365 by Whole Foods Market store brand.
 

Nominations are now open for the Private Label Hall of Fame, Class of 2025. Submissions will be accepted through February 7. Click here to place a nomination.

Presented by PLMA and Store Brands, the prestigious Hall of Fame was created by PLMA in 2006 to honor and celebrate distinguished members of the industry for their achievements and contributions.

Individuals are recognized in four categories: Lifetime Achievement, Private Brand Champion, Private Brand Innovator, and Next Gen Private Label Leader.

Eligible candidates include retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers, the trade press, market researchers, consultants and others who have contributed to the growth and development of the private label industry.

The Class of 2025 will be inducted at PLMA’s Annual Meeting & Leadership Conference in Scottsdale in April.

Profiles on all inductees will be featured on StoreBrands.com, and posted in the Hall of Fame section of plma.com.

The first-ever national Store Brands Month kicked off January 1 with major support from retailers, manufacturers and other industry partners around the country.

The goal of Store Brands Month, which is planned to be an annual event, is to increase consumer trial by focusing attention on the positive attributes of store brands - including value, digital convenience, ethical considerations, innovation and budget awareness - across all product categories in both brick-and-mortar and online retail formats.

Among the many initiatives executed around the country:

- Food City announced that each week during Store Brands Month, a different Full Circle item will be featured.

Plus, Food City sponsored a segment on local television station WJHL featuring its registered dietitian Nicole Pazdziorko. WJHL morning host Chris McIntosh spoke about Store Brands Month and interviewed Pazdziorko about private label products available at Food City.

- On social media, Twisted Brisket Barbecue, a supplier of brisket and rubs, said that in appreciation of Store Brands Month, it created a chili recipe using all H-E-B store brands.

- Associated Wholesale Grocers announced on Facebook that member retailers will highlight AWG store brands.

- Glister Mary-Lee, a private label manufacturer of baking products, announced its support of Store Brands Month on social media:

“We are proud to be part of PLMA'’s first-ever Store Brands Month…Store brands bring consumers amazing quality and value in every part of the stores they shop in person or online.”

- Advantage Solutions stressed the importance of Store Brands Month on social media:

“January marks the start of the first-ever Store Brands Month, and we're celebrating the value and delight of private brands!” an Instagram post reads, in part. “In collaboration with the Private Label Manufacturers Association, Advantage Solutions is helping more shoppers connect with trusted store brands. At Daymon, we're proud to support private brand development and see the growing appreciation for unique product offerings.”

- Belmark Inc, which manufacturers pressure sensitive labels and flexible packaging, announced on Facebook that it supports Store Brands Month. It included a link to a blog about the evolution of private label packaging.

For more information, email storebrandsmonth@plma.com.
 

Sales of store brands increased $9 billion to a record $271 billion last year compared to 2023, according to PLMA's latest Unify+ Circana data.

This represents a 3.9% rise in dollar sales in all outlets from Jan. 8 to Dec. 29, 2024, versus the same period in 2023.  Private label growth outpaced national brands, which grew 1% in dollar sales.

Over the past four years, annual store brand dollar sales have increased by over $51 billion, a 23.6% gain. In addition, since 2021, store brand unit sales rose 2.1%, while national brands fell 6.8%.

All 10 food and nonedible departments that Circana tracks showed store brand dollar growth over the year before. Refrigerated (+7.5%), General Food (+4.3%) and Beverages (+4%) had some of the highest growth. In unit sales growth, the top departments were Beverages (+3.5%), Pet Care (+3.5%) and Home Care (+3.3%).

More detailed insights and information, including top category sales and monthly trends, will be revealed in PLMA's 2025 Private Label Report, which will be released in February.

The news of the record $271 billion in store brand sales comes during the January debut of Store Brands Month, which salutes the availability and quality of store brands across all retail channels.

The supermarket checkout has long been a top complaint among customers. Amazon shook up the industry in 2018 with the launch of its first autonomous store, Amazon Go. The “Just Walk Out” system used a dedicated app and an array of cameras and sensors. After linking a bank account or credit card, customers could walk into the store, pick and bag their items, and leave without stopping at a checkout.

Six years later, Amazon is closing several of these stores. Despite sufficient foot traffic, profitability has been elusive. In the meantime, other retailers have launched their own trials. For example, Aldi opened an autonomous store called Shop & Go in the Netherlands. Despite adjusting payment options, the pilot ended after just over two years. Similarly, Carrefour’s cashierless Carrefour Flash store in France closed two years after its debut.

In Spain, retailer DIA and rapid deliverer Glovo have analysed consumers who use the service for deliveries “within 30 minutes”. The typical customer places an average of 1.4 orders per week, with a smaller basket size (€10 to €15) compared to customers using traditional e-commerce channels (€25 to €30).

The most purchased products are beverages, eggs, dairy, and fresh items such as fruit, vegetables, meat, and fish. These are followed by bakery and pastry products, frozen goods and drugstore and cleaning products. In terms of order time, Saturday is the most popular day, followed by Monday. Most orders are placed mid-morning or mid-afternoon.

The analysis also revealed a 23% increase in orders on Sunday, 1^st September, marking the end of the summer holidays, compared to other Sundays. Similar peaks occur after Christmas and Easter holidays. In addition, during the Champions League semi-finals last season, orders surged by 33%.