PLMA’s 2022 US Chicago Trade Show

Supply Store Brands?

Then PLMA’s 2022 US Private Label Trade Show In Chicago Is Where You Should Be This November

It’s a great time to be in the US store brands business.

Sales are way up, and consumers are back in charge, looking for high quality products that offer on-trend attributes, innovative flavors and ingredients, and inflation-fighting value. Food products with a strong national or regional character or orientation are well-represented on their list of favorites.

As a result, US shoppers are increasingly turning to store brands. Over the first eight months of 2022, dollar sales increased by 9.4% vs the same period a year ago, according to IRI. National brands were up only 5.4%. Store brands also outperformed national brands in terms of unit sales for the eight months.

This performance follows a record USD 200 billion in store brand sales last year, when the products accounted for one of every five sold across all retail channels. Based on current PLMA projections, by the end of 2022, annual store brand dollar sales in the US will have increased by 36% over a five-year period.

“US consumers have maintained their ability to spend in the face of record inflation, persistent supply chain issues and geopolitical unrest by adapting and shopping smarter, a trend that always accrues to store brands’ benefit,” explains Peggy Davies, PLMA president. “If you supply store brand products, particularly food items with a clear national or regional identity, PLMA’s 2022 US Private Label Trade Show in Chicago is where you should be this November.”

PLMA’s Show, 13-15 November, which is themed “Consumers Are Back in Charge,” will be held at the Rosemont Convention Center, Chicago. The Show floor presents an opportunity for suppliers to meet thousands of buyers from North American supermarkets, drug chains, mass merchandisers, supercenters, specialty retailers, online retailers, dollar stores, convenience stores, club stores, and military exchanges; as well as importers and exporters, manufacturers, consultants, sales agents and packaging and design experts, among others.

Health and wellness are paramount concerns for post-pandemic consumers who have become better informed and more demanding in terms of what they buy due to evolving needs and tastes; adherence to new types of diet and health regimens; greater awareness of the adverse effects of allergens and other unwanted ingredients; and the impact on the environment of the products they buy, use and discard. As a result, product attributes, qualities and features have never been more important. “The power of product attribution,” NielsenIQ calls it, advising retailers to “dive into attributes to find growth.”

“Whatever the size of your company, the PLMA Show will connect you with retail executives who are responsiblefor their chain’s store brand purchasing,” adds Davies. “Come to Chicago and build your business by finding great US retail partners.”

This November, hundreds of store brand suppliers from around the world, many participating in national pavilions from countries throughout Europe, Latin America and Asia, will be exhibiting in Chicago. To reserve space, call +1 212 972-3131 or email exhibit@plma.com.

Come to Chicago and build your business by finding great US retail partners.

by the end of 2022, annual store brand dollar sales in the US will have increased by 36% over a five-year period.

Country pavilions offer ‘authentic’ ethnic fare US consumers prize

Retailers looking for authentic ethnic and international food products to put their store brand on will find them in quality and quantity among the exhibitors in the several dozen country pavilions at the 2022 PLMA Private Label Trade Show.

Authenticity is an important yet elusive attribute that US consumers prize in food products with an international flair and one they will pay for. A recent PLMA survey in the US said that shoppers who value the “authenticity” of international products are more likely to accept higher prices for those products than those respondents who did not view authenticity as an appeal.

The survey also found a large proportion of US authenticity-seekers are willing to buy an international food product for the first time at their favorite store, want their retailer to offer more international food options, and are more aware of brands and, in particular, of store brands that include international food options.

Authenticity is an important way for retailers to communicate the value of their international store brands and the country pavilions at the PLMA Show provide a wide array of products from which to choose.