2024 Supplier Guide

PLMA BOOTH H-1506

Congratulations 2024

Private Label Hall of Fame Inductees

I can vividly remember the first conference call with Brian Sharoff of PLMA, Bob Anderson of Walmart and Peter Berlinski and myself from Private Label magazine. While I wasn’t certain of what the outcome of the call would be, I was certain that there was a strong desire to recognize the individuals that made our industry what it has become today, a vital resource for consumers seeking quality and innovation at a fair price. We honored the first inductees in 2006.

On March 21, I will be attending the Hall of Fame Dinner and will be honored to accept the Lifetime Achievment award on Edward P. Salzano’s behalf. Edward began his career in the food industry in the 1970s. He’s been involved with PLMA since 1982 and served as its chair from 1998-2000. His tenure with LiDestri and work with Paul Newman are just two of many bright spots in an illustrious career. I’m grateful to consider Edward a valued colleague, but more than that, a cherished friend.

And speaking of grateful, many thanks to PLMA for continuing to honor those who have given so much to the industry. You can read more about the 2024 inductees on PLMA’s Hall of Fame website and in an upcoming issue of Store Brands magazine.

As for being a vital resource for consumers, according to a PLMA study covered on page 18 of this issue, the US Store Brand industry has reached nearly a quarter of a trillion USD, more precisely, $236,000,000,000. If you include Europe and the rest of the globe, the numbers are staggering. It would be a great exercise to determine the extent this translates to savings for consumers and profits for retailers and suppliers. Impressive is an understatement.

Finally, thanks to the suppliers to whom this issue is annually dedicated. These are the companies that are leaders in their field or have their sights set on becoming one. They are bold, innovative and committed to making our industry even stronger. And thanks as well to our content partners for their insightful and generous support.

Kind regards,

Phillip Russo Founder / Editor phillip@globalretailmag.com

Everything we do is a root in the rich soil that takes strong relationships, knowledge, and timing to do it right. And it all starts with a single seed.

Seneca’s high quality produce is sourced from over 1,400 American farms—family farmers we have done business with for many years, and in some cases generations. Our motto of Farm Fresh Goodness Made Great echoes throughout our fundamental beliefs, which have been key to our success since 1949.

Next year, Seneca Foods will be celebrating 75 years in business. We have spent these years working hard to become one of the most highly integrated fruit and vegetable processing companies in the US. We manage many—and in some cases all—aspects of production, to provide families with a wide range of nutritious fruit and vegetable products that are safe, satisfying and sustainable.

We do it together, the same way we have for over seven decades. Because our roots run deep.

Seneca, we're still doing things the way we always have - the right way. Think globally, grow locally.

When planning your calendar for the month of May, make sure to leave time for PLMA’s World of Private Label International Trade Show in Amsterdam.

More than 2.800 private label manufacturers from over 70 countries will show their newest and best products to retailers, wholesalers and other private label buyers.

In total, nearly 30.000 trade professionals from 120 countries will get together in Amsterdam to start or strengthen partnerships, identify innovation and plan for growth in the years ahead. The show is a not-to-be-missed event for anyone involved in private label.

Go to plma.nl/visit to register

MARCH 2024 I VOLUME 12 I NUMBER 1 OF 4

Phillip Russo EDITOR / PUBLISHER phillip@globalretailmag.com

Jacco van Laar BRAND AMBASSADOR jacco@globalretailmag.com

Melissa Subatch CREATIVE DIRECTOR info@melissasubatchdesign.com

Andrew Quinn DIGITAL DIRECTOR andrew.quinniii@gmail.com

Luisa Colombo EUROPEAN DIRECTOR luisa@globalretailmag.com

Ana Maria Jimenez Aguilar BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ana@globalretailmag.com

Sabine Geissler GREENTASTE.IT Italian Business Development s.geissler@greentaste.it

CONTRIBUTORS

Perry Seelert Emerge perry@emergefromthepack.com

Christopher Durham Velocity Institure cdurham@retailbrandsinstitute.org

Maria Dubuc Marketing By Design mdubuc@mbdesign.com

Hans Kraak Kraak Media kraakmedia@gmail.com

Elena Sullivan sullivan.elena@gmail.com

Tom Prendergast PLMA tprendergast@plma.com

Kevin Ryan, MS, PhD CEO, Malachite Strategy and Research kevin@malachite-strategy.com

Published, Trademarked and all rights reserved by: Kent Media

Phillip Russo, Principal 45 Upper Kent Hollow Road Kent, CT 06757 Tel. +1 917 743 6711

MARIA DUBUC

A creative and workflow expert in the retail landscape, Maria’s 30-year career translates branding experiences into eye-catching design that is unique and distinct for each client. he has created new private brands and redesigned/repositioned existing brands with leading retailers, while also implementing workflow management systems specifically tailored to the clients’ needs. Current clients include The Home Depot, Smart & Final, PetSmart, 7-Eleven, PriceSmart, BJ’s Wholesale Club, Sprouts Farmers Market, WinCo Foods, Natural Grocers and more. With SKU counts from 1,000 to more than 10,000 annually.reinvention and innovative execution.

CHRISTOPHER DURHAM

President of the Velocity Institute

Prior to this he founded the groundbreaking site My Private Brand. He is the co-founder of The Vertex Awards. He began his retail career building brands at Food Lion and Lowe’s Home Improvement. Durham has worked with retailers around the world, including Albertsons, Family Dollar, Petco, Staples, Office Depot, Best Buy, Metro Canada. Durham has published seven definitive books on private brands, including Fifty2: The My Private Brand Project and Vanguard: Vintage Originals.

REBECCA HAMILTON

Rebecca is the CEO of award-winning Fish Agency and sister agency Whitespace Brands Inc. With over 30 years of experience, she has established herself as one of North America’s leaders in the fields of strategic branding, retail design, and communications for clients in the retail sector. Under Rebecca’s oversight, the Fish Agency brings brands to life at retail and has consistently delivered high ROIgenerating retail experiences for its clients. She mentors and leads highly experienced and integrated teams that provide store design, package design for CPG and private brands, digital/social initiatives, “phygital” experiences, and advertising services.

HANS KRAAK

Hans Kraak is educated in biology and journalism and wrote three books about nutrition and health. He worked for the Dutch ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food quality and the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. As editor in chief he publishes in the Dutch Magazine for Nutrition and Dietetics, as a food and wine writer he published in Meininger’s Wine Business International and reports for PLMA Live EU and PLMA USA.

KATIE LOCKE

If you’ve ever met Katie, you’ve seen or heard her excitement for building or rebuilding brands. Her passions also include just about every facet of food and eating experiences. For the past 9 years, Katie has worked in Sales & Marketing for Marketing by Design (MBD), a branding and packaging design agency specializing in high volume retailer programs. At MBD, Katie gets to blend her passions by talking to thousands of National and Private brand leaders, mostly in the food industry, about expanding & enhancing their presence in market and on shelf.

KEVIN RYAN, a visionary strategist at Malachite Strategy & Research, unveils his groundbreaking predictions for the food industry in 2024. With insights gleaned from his extensive experience in CPG and retail and shared through his influential newsletter, Foodstuff, Kevin forecasts transformative trends that blend consumer habits with innovative business strategies. From the evolution of breakfast battles to the embrace of faux experiences, his analysis not only challenges the status quo but also offers a roadmap for private label brands navigating these dynamic shifts. Explore more of Kevin’s thought-provoking perspectives and join the conversation on shaping the future of food at Malachite Strategy & Research and Foodstuff

EDWARD SALZANO

Edward Salzano is an accomplished COO and Senior P&L Executive with an extensive background in leadership and an outstanding entrepreneurial and corporate record. He was the Co-creator of Francesco Rinaldi pasta sauce. In 2013, Mr. Salzano founded EDNJ Associates, Inc., a marketing and consulting firm. He currently consults with corporate leadership in numerous industries, including: security, logistics, technology, vitamin, staffing, food, beverage, pharmaceutical, health and fitness. He is recognized as one of the leading authorities in the Private Brand Industry. epsalzano197@gmail.com

PERRY SEELERT

A retail branding and marketing expert, with a passion for challenging conventional strategy and truths. Perry is the Strategic Partner and Co-founder of Emerge, a strategic marketing consultancy dedicated to helping Retailers, Manufacturers and Services grow exponentially and differentiate with purpose.

MARCH

COSMOPROF / COSMOPACK

Bologna

28 – 29 MAY

www.cosmoprof.com

MAY

VELOCITY CONFERENCE + EXPO

Charlotte, NC

13 - 15 MAY

www.velocityinstitute.org

PLMA’S WORLD OF PRIVATE LABEL

Amsterdam

28 -29 MAY

www.plmainternational.com

JUNE

IDDBA

Houston, TX 9 - 11 JUNE

www.iddba.org

SUMMER FANCY FOOD SHOW

New York, NY

23 - 25 JUNE

www.specialtyfood.com

FOOD TAIPEI

Taipei, Taiwan

26 - 29 JUNE

foodtaipei.com.tw/en/index.html

JULY

COSMOPROF NORTH AMERICA

Las Vegas, NV

23 - 25

www.cosmoprofnorthamerica.com

An event by In partnership with

info@cosmoprof.it

A new world for beauty Bologna, Hong Kong, Las Vegas, Mumbai, Bangkok,

With the support of

US Store Brands Industry Turns In Another Year Of Record-Setting Performances

In 2023, store brands continued to be the brightest light in US grocery food and nonfood.

Unit sales were nominally even, off by only 0.1%, compared to national brands which shed 2.8%. Store brand unit share came in at 20.7%, an improvement of 0.5 points from 2022 and setting a record. Dollar sales rose by 4.7%, compared to a gain of 3.4% for national brands. Store brand dollar share moved up to 18.9%, ahead 0.2 points from 2022, likewise a new high.

In arguably the most important metric, annual store brand dollar sales moved ahead to $236.3 billion, an increase of $10.1 billion from the previous year and establishing another all-time mark.

Among the ten departments that Circana tracks for PLMA, all but Tobacco (off 16%) experienced store brand dollar sales growth. Leading were Beauty (plus 10.5%), General Food (up 10%), Beverages (up 8.9%) and Home Care (up 8.7%). Next in line were Frozen (plus 4.4%), General Merchandise (up 4%), Refrigerated (up 1.8%) and Liquor (plus 1%).

Sluggish unit sales overall continue to perplex retailers and suppliers of all products. Consumers remain cautious. Among reasons cited are lingering inflation, persistently high prices at the shelf, an uncertain economy and jobs market, and an emphasis on reducing waste.

Looking at store brand unit sales in departments, there were gains in four:

Home Care (up 1.4%), Beauty (1%), General Merchandise (0.8%), and General Food (0.4%). Marginal declines were recorded in Refrigerated (down 0.3%), Frozen (-1.1%), and Beverages (-1.3%).

For store brand dollar sales, 2023 was a year of two different halves. For the first six months, compared to the same period in 2022, sales increased by 8.2%, vs. a gain of 5.1% for national brands. Over the last six months, store brands were ahead by 1.4% while national brands improved by 1.9%.

"Overall, our industry is healthier than ever," assures Peggy Davies, PLMA president. "One of every five food or non-food grocery products sold across the U.S. carries the retailer’s name or own brand and was supplied by a store brand manufacturer."

Compared to 2019, US annual store brand dollar sales in 2023 increased by $60.2 billion, a gain of 34%. Store brand dollar share rose 1.2 points to a record 18.9%. During the four year period, store brand unit sales were ahead by 500 million and unit share improved 0.8 points to 20.7%, also a new high, according to PLMA's 2024 Private Label Report, with data provided by Circana Unify+.

Annual sales of US store brands increased 34% since 2019

"Traditional business activity has come all the way back from pre-pandemic levels. In November 2023, we conducted our most successful Chicago trade show ever, a soldout event that attracted a record number of 1,685 exhibitors and more than 13,000 retailers, suppliers, and other visitors."

"Most of all, the 'Store Brands Phenomenon,' as we like to call it, continues to be well positioned," adds Davies. "Retailers must ensure their offerings are 'value-right,' providing strong value and quality in categories where shoppers are targeting cutbacks, irrespective of income levels, according to a leading trade magazine. That's a challenge we believe can be perfectly met by the inherent qualities of store brands." PLMA's 2024 Private Label Report is now

SHELF DISRUPTERS

Head

A full-service strategy, creative, production and workflow packaging design agency built to meet the challenges and opportunities facing Private Label and National Brands today. Let’s chat! Katie Locke - klocke@mbdesign.com

WITH PEGGY DAVIES PLMA President

PLMA’s World of Private Label: A Must-Attend Event

PLMA’s 2024 World of Private Label International Trade Show, scheduled for 28 and 29 May at the RAI Amsterdam Convention Centre, is the premier gathering for the private label industry for sourcing and business opportunities.

A record-breaking 2,850 exhibitors representing over 70 countries, promises to make this year’s show larger and more dynamic than ever. An additional exhibit hall will be used to accommodate the strong demand for exhibit space. The World of Private Label welcomes more than 60 national and regional pavilions. Among the new pavilions are: Dubai, Egypt, Georgia, Germany (Thuringia), Italy (Organic), Poland, South Korea, Thailand and the Netherlands.

The latest trends in food and nonfood - including organic, plant-based and sustainable products and packaging - will be on display on the trade show floor.

The trade show is expected to attract more than 16,000 professionals; retail buyers from supermarkets, discounters, hypermarkets, convenience stores and specialty stores and more, from over 120 countries from all continents. Appropriately themed “Connect. Source. Grow.”, One retail executive said the show provides the ideal opportunity to source new products

and strengthen business relationships.

“World of Private Label is a must-go and a recurrent happening for our company on our calendars. We return every year,” the retailer said.

One of the popular parts of the trade show is the innovation and new product development area known as the Idea Supermarket. This section features private label ranges from 64 supermarkets, hypermarkets, discounters, specialty stores and drugstores around the world. Also in this area is the New Product Expo, which will feature 500+ new products developed by exhibitors. Plus, there will be a display of winning products from retailers that earned an award in International PLMA Salute to Excellence Awards for best private label product of 2024. This year’s pre-show seminar program will be enhanced by three concurrent workshops that will be led by industry experts touching relevant topics in a smaller interactive setting. Participation in the seminars and workshops is free of charge to all registered retailers, exhibitors, visitors, and industry professionals.

At PLMA, connections are made, ideas are shared and success stories are written. Join for an unparalleled journey into the world of private label excellence.

Private label accounts for 38.5% of the European grocery market

Q. Good to see you again Peggy and look forward to saying hello in May in Amsterdam. You took over leadership of PLMA at one of the most tumultous times for the industry, the association and quite frankly, the world. In 20 words or fewer, can you recap the last few years?

A. Very funny Phil. The last couple of years not only has PLMA faced some unprecedented challenges, but also the industry, our member manufacturers and their retail partners in how to effectively conduct business, develop relationships and grow partnerships. The market changed possibly faster than ever before and needed to adapt quickly. I am impressed by the industry’s agility and its adeptness to embrace new business opportunities. We found new ways to support our members, by organizing online seminars on trending topics and by creating even more networking opportunities. I am also proud of the dedication and enthusiasm of the PLMA teams who never gave up. I look forward to a new era and the possibilities that lie ahead.

Q. Since its inception in 1979, PLMA has defined the private label industry worldwide, and is the leading organisation serving the industry. Without revealing any secrets, what is PLMA’s secret?

A. I don’t think there’s a secret. Over the years, we have been able to bring manufacturers and retailers together in a variety of venues, whether it is trade shows, online learning sessions, roundtable discussions or conferences. We give them the opportunity to network, build partnerships, and to learn about what’s on the horizon for private label. I’m pleased our support is recognized and appreciated by our members and the industry.

Q. Imagine I am a manufacturer active in private label industry. In what ways can you help me? Why would I want to become a member?

A. It’s our mission to provide our membership with a range of services that help them profitably grow their business. Member manufacturers have access to valuable resources to meet their needs including market insights, network opportunities, executive education programmes and business development opportunities. All this plus the biggest private label trade show in the world.

Q. It’s been another stellar year for retail brands. What’s motivating consumers?

Today’s consumers are looking for products they can relate to and satisfy their family’s needs. Whether that’s value or quality or innovative products they know they will consistently find them on their retailers’ shelves. I think this is particularly true after being impacted, in the recent past, by supply chain issues and economic uncertainty. A retailer knows their customer’s preferences and buying habits and that knowledge is very powerful when it comes to creating a successful private label portfolio. With their own brand, the retailer builds strong consumer

loyalty when they stock their shelves with the quality, assortment, and value products the customer knows they can only find in that particular store. It’s a win all around. For the consumer, the retailer, and the private label supplier.

Q. Do you have figures for the growth in private label across Europe? Which regions have seen the most growth?

A. We just received updated data from NielsenIQ revealing private label now accounts for 38.5% of the European grocery market, with sales of €340 bn in the 17 countries surveyed. It also shows that in 2023 consumers massively switched to private labels, as many worried about high inflation rates. In 14 of the 17 countries researched, at least 1 out of 3 products is a private label. Switzerland and Belgium together with Spain, Portugal, United Kingdom and the Netherlands are the countries with the highest private label unit share of 50% or higher.

Q. There are a lot of reports that show the changing consumer habits and the shift they make from a-brands to private label due to inflation, price increase, lack of ingredients and/or the global uncertainties. It is said that during economic downturn and recessions private label market shares will grow. Do you think that this momentum of private label will endure?

A. Private label was growing steadily prior to recent economic fluctuations, so we don’t see the industry backsliding when the market normalizes. Yes, own brands certainly benefit when consumers are looking for value. In fact, the cornerstones of the industry are quality at a value. Prior economic downturns have demonstrated that once consumers have recognized the quality of private label products, the items become their brand of choice.

I believe that as retailers continue to invest in innovation and assortment in their private label portfolios, consumers will include the retailer’s brand in their shopping baskets.

2.800+ exhibitors from 70 countries

Q. What are some of the new trends in private label?

Private label leads innovation in both health and sustainability. Sustainability does not only focus on the product as planet friendly, but the packaging is also part of the criteria. What’s also interesting, is the trend of private label moving into other areas of the store like home and personal care. Retailers offer under their private label great sun-care products, beauty & cosmetics, and perfumes. Additionally, retailers are continuously modernizing their offerings with attractive packaging in vibrant colours to stay ahead of the curve. It’s clear today’s private label success is spread across most categories and trends. We forecast that we will see a growing number of new products entering the market this year.

A. What are you most looking forward to about this year’s World of Private Label? What are your expectations?

I especially look forward to the diversity of the exhibitors and retail attendees who are on a mission to grow their business. It’s always amazing to see how much people enjoy meeting each other, how much they prefer to see and smell the products. I expect that PLMA’s World of Private Label 2024 will provide a dynamic platform for networking, sourcing, learning, and connecting industry stakeholders. Our show is always a source of new products and, in the competitive private label market, facilitates business growth.

Q. What trends can the industry expect to find at PLMA’s World of Private Label?

With a record breaking 2.800+ exhibitors from 70 countries, the industry can expect a variety of trendy product features, including organic choices, free-from alternatives, plant-based meat substitutes, sustainable solutions, healthy options, and many more. I highly recommend visiting the Idea Supermarket, where you’ll find a comprehensive showcase of trends, innovations, and new product development from the past year all in one convenient location.

A. What would you recommend to exhibitors and retailers in terms of preparation for a successful show?

To ensure a successful trade show, I recommend setting clear objectives, for both exhibitors and retailers. To help them with that, we will launch the 2024 online Show Navigator earlier than ever in April. Show Navigator holds details of all exhibitors, allows for extensive company, product and country searches. Our Matchmaker function allows retailers to set up appointments. In addition, exhibitors will be able to see which retail and wholesale companies are registered to attend the show. I would also recommend planning some free time to walk the aisles, get inspired by ideas or products, and meet people that can make a difference in your business.

PLMA’s World of Private Label 2024 will provide a dynamic platform for networking, sourcing, learning, and connecting industry stakeholders.

Q. Can you give me more information on the additional programs?

Of course, the day before the trade show, on Monday 27 May, we host our seminar program featuring the latest insights into private label. And, for the first time, we’re introducing three interactive workshops tailored for smaller groups on relevant topics in the industry. For registered attendees there is no charge to attend.

Q. So, should I come to Amsterdam in May?

That’s a trick question, right? Visiting Amsterdam in May for PLMA’s World of Private Label is a must for anyone in the industry. It’s the global hub for networking, discovering new trends, and forging international business connections. With thousands of exhibitors showcasing the latest private label products and innovations, it’s the event of the year for industry professionals looking to stay ahead in the market. Plus, Amsterdam’s is a great city that adds an extra layer of excitement to the experience.

I’ll take that as a yes. Thanks for your time Peggy and have a great show!

A Unique Organization for a Unique Industry

EVENTS & PROGRAM SERVICES

EDUCATION

PLMA

EXECUTIVE EDUCATION

FEB MAR 2024

EXECUTIVE EDUCATION PROGRAM

Over the years, private labels have become distinguishing elements for many retailers all over the globe. Successfully managing private labels, however, has specific aspects that are not covered frequently in retail programs. PLMA’s Executive Education Program fills this gap in business education with a comprehensive training session in February. It offers lectures and interactive sessions designed for both manufacturers and retailers. The sessions will cover what executives need to know about private label: new product development, strategy, manufacturer-retailer relations, logistics, marketing and much more.

LUNCH & LEARN

Online Speaker Series

Enhancing Resilience through Incremental Innovation in Private Label"

Several times a year, PLMA provides its member manufacturers and retailers with an opportunity to expand their knowledge of the private label business through dedicated one-hour webinars. During lunch hours, registrants nourish their intellect and satisfy their appetite for knowledge by attending an interactive online session designed to future-proof their private label business and help ensure success in years to come.

The one-hour session on 27 March is about "Enhancing Resilience through Incremental Innovation in Private Label" and will be led by Rabobank from 12:30-13:30 CET How will branded companies be attempting to regain lost ground and how may incremental innovation help private label to consolidate their wins? Cyrille Filott and Sebastiaan Schreijen of Rabobank will take us along in their thoughts on current market dynamics and the opportunities for the right type of innovation during this Lunch & Learn session.

NEXT COMING UP:

Lunch & Learn with NielsenIQ – June 2024

continued on next page >

2-30 OCT 2024

PLMA’S ANNUAL PRIVATE LABEL SUMMIT

“Private Label is a Brand”

Milan, Italy

Private label is a brand and unlike national brands, which often rely on extensive marketing campaigns and widespread recognition, private labels develop their brand identity through retailer trust, exclusivity, quality and value.

PLMA’s Private Label Summit offers valuable insights into the latest trends and opportunities in private label, and gives views on competitive challenges. The summit features speakers such as market research specialists and retail executives. It provides a platform to collectively explore and discuss the current private label landscape.

The distinctive event brings together manufacturers, retailers, trade press, and industry consultants for a two-day program of in-depth presentations, panel discussions, networking, and, this year, a store tour diving into Milan's retail landscape. The event rotates each year among major cities in Europe. Registration will open in July.

PLMALIVE.EU

Video News Desk to Stay Informed

PLMA’s monthly news video-broadcast touches on the latest topics that the industry is facing through extensive reporting and in-depth research. One-on-one interviews with top executives in private label give insights and views on current events, as well as future outlooks.

E-SCANNER

Online Newsletter

A quick and easy way to stay updated on industry news across Europe with articles on retail, channel and format developments, legal issues that affect the private label business, product and packaging innovation, consumer trends and private label marketing and merchandising.

ANNUAL YEARBOOK

Status of Private Label Market Shares

PLMA member manufacturers and retailers have free access to the latest statistics on private label market shares and development in 17 countries across Europe.

Created by NielsenIQ, the Yearbook provides information on thousands of products that can be easily analysed from last year and the past 2 years. The Yearbook helps identify categories where private label penetration growth is possible, provides insight into new business opportunities and serves as a benchmark for your company’s private label strategy.

TRADE SHOW, FREE SEMINARS, TRENDS & INNOVATIONS

28-29 MAY 2024

PLMA’S WORLD OF PRIVATE LABEL

RAI Amsterdam Convention Centre

For more than 35 years, PLMA’s annual World of Private Label International Trade Show brings together retailers and manufacturers to connect, to make new contacts, to find new products and discover new ideas that help their private label programs succeed and grow.

FEATURING :

Free Trade Show Seminars & Workshops

Monday 27 May 2024

As the Private Label Industry gathers for the 2024 World of Private Label to do business, additional programmes to widen knowledge and stay updated in private label are offered. In the afternoon of one day prior to the show opening, PLMA offers a variety of workshops and a special seminar programme that provides the latest market research and trends by leading industry experts, international consultancies, retailers and many more. In addition, the winners of the International 2024 PLMA Salute to Excellence Awards will be announced, honouring retailers for their excellence in private label.

Admission to the seminars and workshops is complimentary to all registered visitors and exhibitors in possession of a valid 2024 World of Private Label entrance badge.

Location: RAI Forum room

FEATURING:

PLMA’s Idea Supermarket & New Product Expo

PLMA focuses on identifying and keeping track of trends, innovation and new product developments in private label, observing the latest offered on the shelves of the retailers, as well as detecting the newest available for private label by manufacturers.

Get inspired and see the latest trends, product development and new private label ranges introduced by more than 60 retailers from Europe, the Americas and Asia in the past year. Search for innovation and new products among the 500+ selected submissions by this year’s exhibitors. Or check out the displays with the best of the best in private label that won awards in the International Salute to Excellence Awards, selected by trade professionals and experts.

Location: RAI Elicium

FOR MORE INFORMATION

WWW.PLMA.COM

Le Bontà Adds Another Iconic Brand to Their Portfolio

A Century of Flavor, Tradition, and Elegance

Chiaverini Jams join the family of products from brands Nuova Terra: a broad selection of natural and organic cereals, seeds and soups; I Toscanacci: a line of high-quality sauces without preservatives; Bonvé: a line of vegan and organic sauces and Accademia Toscana: a range of sophisticated and very high-quality sauces for the Italian and foreign markets.

A Legacy of Dedication:

Since 1928, Chiaverini Jams have defined Florentine culture. Originating from the passion of the Chiaverini Brothers, their commitment to quality echoes in every jar, making Chiaverini the staple in Florentine homes.

Simple Ingredients,

Timeless Process:

Chiaverini’s secret lies in simplicity: just fruit, sugar, and passion. This minimalism, paired with age-old techniques, creates jams that are more than preserves—they’re a blend of tradition and taste. Each jar is a testament to the art of slow cooking, melding flavors into perfection.

Iconic Flavors:

Chiaverini’s Blackberry jam, with its ripe berry sweetness, is a timeless favorite. Oranges with zest capture sunny groves’ essence, offering a zesty, refreshing kick. Figs and Almonds jam marries fig sweetness with almond crunch, creating a symphony of textures. These flavors evoke cherished memories and grace Florentine breakfast tables.

The Unmistakable Symbol:

The Chiaverini “Pail” packaging isn’t just a container; it’s an icon evolving from rustic wood to sleek aluminum. The new line, with distinct colors for each flavor, appeals to collectors while preserving the brand’s essence and tradition.

Preserving Tradition, Embracing Change:

While tradition remains, Chiaverini adapts. The new packaging reflects this balance, merging history with modernity. Preserving jams isn’t just about taste; it’s about preserving a legacy—one jar at a time.

More Than Jams:

Chiaverini's jams are history, Florence's essence in every jar. Each represents dedication, heritage, and resilience. Chiaverini isn't just a taste of Florence; it's a taste of history—a flavor transcending time.

Chiaverini Jams:

Where Tradition Meets Taste, and History Resides in Every Jar.

For more information: www.lebonta.it

NOTABLE

Sourcing

Certified Origins was born in 2006 thanks to the union of two Tuscan cooperatives of farmers and an organization specializing in international sales and distribution to export and provide fresh and authentic Extra Virgin Olive Oil to families everywhere in the world.

Today, we remain cooperative-owned and continually expand our portfolio by directly sourcing from farmers in the Mediterranean region. The confidence and trust built over decades in the industry means we can guarantee the quality of our products and give us access to the scale necessary to work with retail organizations.

Production

Our international distribution and warehousing network and services mean we can deliver anywhere in the globe within 4-8 weeks, and in as short as 2 days in the USA and Canada.

Distribution and Warehousing

Our international distribution and warehousing network and services are interconnected with our production plants, allowing us to offer efficient warehousing services and to deliver anywhere globally within 4-8 weeks and in as short as two days in the USA and Canada.

Research and Traceability

Since 2019, we have invested over $1.2 Million in Research & Development in technology & tracking systems. We deploy the latest technologies and third-party certifications to reduce the risk of information manipulation at the source while monitoring our food supply chain’s quality and safety standards.

We are ISO 22005 certified to guarantee traceability across our supply chain, and we utilize Oracle blockchain technology to ensure transparency from farm to bottle for our EVOO and Tomato sauce programs.

Thanks to our partnerships with the University of Salento and Eurofins, we can scientifically verify the authenticity of Extra Virgin Olive Oil’s origin by investing in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and isotopic signatures technologies.

We built an extensive private database of unique «fingerprints» with 1k+ different geolocalized samples of olive oils to provide scientific support to EVOO authenticity to our partners. Each year, our data increases by hundreds of samples to further improve the accuracy of the results.

Sustainability Initiatives

• CARBON REDUCTION:

Certified Origins launched multiple lines of carbon-neutral certified Italian EVOOs under its flagship brand, Bellucci.

• RECYCLED PACKAGING:

Certified Origins utilizes 50% recycled PET and recycled cardboard materials.

• GREEN ENERGY:

Certified Origins Italian facility uses energy supplied by photovoltaic panels and olive pits as a fuel source.

www.certifiedorigins.com

BeSo®RESPONSIBLE –Your Resource-Efficient

“Best Solution” Concept by CHT

With the “Best Solution” concept BeSo®EFFECTIVE, the CHT Group offers a powerful range of effects that provide textiles with high-performance properties. Depending on the application field the innovative effects developed by our experts can be used on a great variety of materials, they can be configured and combined in a multitude of ways, and each effect meets the highest requirements in terms of performance and sustainability.

The BeSo®EFFECTIVE range includes modern products especially designed to support your sustainable textile manufacturing. They have been specially chosen with regard to material health requirements in accordance with the Cradle to Cradle Certified® Product Standard. In addition, BeSo®EFFECTIVE products are suitable for almost all standards such as bluesign®, GOTS, ZDHC, OEKO-TEX® and are Inditex listed.

BeSo®EFFECTIVE is therefore the best solution in terms of performance and sustainability.

Potential savings for various fibers

• Optimization of your processes

• Ecological savings due to minimal consumption of water and energy

• The key to strengthening your sustainable textile manufacturing

• Supporting the UN SDGs

3, 6, 12 and 13 focusing on energy and climate protection, portfolio management, supply chain responsibility, employee engagement, resource efficiency and responsible production

BeSo®RESPONSIBLE –your resource-efficient concept Clothing is essential for our life. However, enormous quantities of water and energy are needed for the manufacture of textiles.

It may surprise you to learn that the fashion industry utilizes around 90 billion cubic meters of water per year. It’s time to reconsider! We enable you to save energy and water with the BeSo®RESPONSIBLE system.

BeSo®RESPONSIBLE is CHT’s best solution that can be tailored to your individual requirements, ensuring optimal efficiency during the entire textile dyeing processes. It is up to you to take responsibility!

Our product groups for realizing the BeSo®RESPONSIBLE effects

• COTOBLANC®: efficient soaping agents

• REWIN: improve fastness on cellulose or polyamide

• REVOFIX: improve the rubbing fastness of dyed articles

• REDULIT: prevent undesired reduction of dyes

• INTENSOL: machine additives to remove deposits and soilings

• PAFIX: improve the fastness of polyamide dyeings

• SARABID: leveling agents

• CHT-DISPERGATOR: dispersing agents

• EGASOL: leveling agents with fiber affinity

• BEZAKTIV ONE: dyes to save water and energy when dyeing CO

• BEMACRON HP-LTD: dyes for low temperature dyeing of PES

• C2C by CHT: dye selections to support the achievement of C2C Certified®

• CHT Textile Dyes App: most advanced technical app for saving resources during dyeing

• BEZAKTIV Soaping Advisor: optimize your rinsing baths to save water and increase efficiency

For More Information brand-retail-service@cht.com

Clothing is essential for our life. However, textile production requires a tremendous amount of resources. It is time for a new approach! With the BeSo®RESPONSIBLE system, we empower you to save resources. BeSo®RESPONSIBLE is CHT’s be st so lution that can be tailored to your individual requirements, ensuring optimal efficiency during the entire textile dyeing processes. It is up to you to take responsibility!

BeSo®RESPONSIBLE – just one of our smart effects with character.

Wash BeSo® RESPONSIBLE RESOURCE SAVING MANUFACTURING by CHT

Our products meet the highest standards.

Find out more at:

Frostkrone Food Group: Passionate About Finger Food

Frostkrone Food Group is proud to mark a quarter-century of pioneering finger food and snack creations. Since its inception, the group has been at the forefront of culinary innovation, crafting an array of beloved products enjoyed by consumers across the globe. With operations spanning eight locations worldwide, Frostkrone Food Group has established itself as a trusted partner in the retail and food service industries. From Scandinavia to the USA, the group’s diverse product range caters to a wide array of tastes and preferences.

With its wide product range, extensive experience, and global presence, Frostkrone Food Group is positioned as a strong partner for retail and food service.

Bringing the World to Your Snack Table

From street food favourites to convenient pizza pockets, delicate finger food varieties to entirely vegan options, Frostkrone Food Group leads innovation in the “Fingerfood & Snacks” category, offering just the right product for every culinary occasion.

Produced with innovative technology, Frostkrone’s Flavourites offer sophistication and versatility. This allows for flexible adjustments in size and weight, catering precisely to different needs. This versatility is particularly advantageous for the food service industry, ensuring consistent and accurate portioning.

Simply Prepare and Snack Away:

Crunchy Homies are the evergreens of the snack world. Long-standing bestsellers like the Crunchy Mozzarella Stick have maintained their popularity over many years.

Snack time at a completely new level: Burger Balls bring the full flavour of the original in a cool and convenient finger food style.

Dive into the world of “Really?!”: an extensive selection of entirely vegan, plant-based delights. Designed to mirror the texture and appearance of beloved classics, our products promise an unparalleled burst of flavour without any compromises.

Driven by a passion for finger food, the Frostkrone Food Group continuously pursues innovative product ideas that delight consumers and provide retail and food service partners with an appealing product selection. With a keen awareness of global trends and a deep understanding of the ever-evolving food market and consumer preferences, the group develops innovative, tailored concepts to foster growth.

frostkrone-foodgroup.com

The Leading European Producer Of Canned Legumes, Peeled And Pulped Tomatoes

Headquartered in Angri (Salerno, Italy), La Doria is a leading Italian group in the vegetable canning sector, particularly in the production of tomato derivatives, ready-made sauces, canned pulses, juices and fruit drinks. Today, La Doria is Europe’s leading producer of canned pulses, peeled tomatoes and tomato pulp in the retail sector and one of Italy’s leading producers of fruit juices and drinks. The company is also Europe’s leading producer of private label ready-made sauces. As a supplier to major retail and discount chains around the world, La Doria stands out as a group that is primarily dedicated to the production of private labels, the brands of major retailers. In fact, more than 97% of the group’s turnover is generated in this segment.

Underlying this specialization is a strong and determined mission to dominate the large retail and organized distribution markets, offering excellent quality products at very competitive prices as an alternative to the brand.

The Group currently has 6 production plants, 3 in the province of Salerno (Angri, Fisciano, Sarno), 1 in Faenza (Ravenna), 1 in Lavello (Potenza) and 1 in Parma. The international market is the most important sales channel for La Doria, accounting for over 80% of its turnover. The company has significant market shares in the UK, Germany, the rest of Europe, Australia and Japan.

La Doria’s business model is based on the synergy between values considered inalienable - legality, ethics, transparency, respect for human rights, respect for the environment, development of the territory - and the economic solidity of the Group. Convinced that leadership also entails responsibility in the field of sustainable practices, the company has made a concrete and firm commitment to operate with respect for people and the environment at all stages of the production and distribution chain. The responsible management of energy resources, the reduction and recycling of waste and the sustainability of packaging are some of the main guidelines followed by the Group in terms of environmental sustainability.

A firm believer in responsible supply chain management, La Doria implements a series of measures aimed at promoting fair working conditions and the rights of workers involved in harvesting in conjunction with growers’ organizations. The link with the territory is another issue that has been close to the company’s heart since its origins. This includes initiatives to promote young people’s right to education and training and their integration into the labor market, as well as projects to regenerate the area and promote social welfare. The Group also contributes to the growth of the local economy by using a high percentage of suppliers operating in the South of Italy.

commerciale.estero@gruppoladoria.it

Innovation and Sustainability From Lucart Group

Lucart, a major European manufacturer of thin MG paper for flexible packaging, is a key player in the consumer goods and away-from-home markets as a producer and transformer of tissue and airlaid paper. Its attention to people, sustainable processes, and approach to innovation means they offer cutting-edge products that meet market challenges and customers’ needs.

Fiberpack® is their flagship project in this field: it combines advanced technology and environmentally friendly processes, demonstrating that circular economy principles are fully applicable to the tissue sector.

Lucart created this project starting from the idea of using all the elements of beverage cartons according to circular economy principles. The production process relies on an innovative technology that separates the cellulose fibers found in beverage cartons from polyethylene and aluminum by physical-mechanical action. With this technology, they avoid substances that may be harmful to people or the environment. They produce tissue products with the fibers obtained through

this process and recover the aluminum and polyethylene, converting them into a homogeneous material called Al.Pe.®, which other industries use to produce various items.

The tons of Fiberpack® paper Lucart has produced from 2013 to 2021 have contributed to the recovery of more than 7.6 billion beverage cartons, saving more than 3.3 million trees and preventing more than 195,000 t of CO2e from being emitted into the atmosphere.

Lucart’s continuous research and development work has led to many projects aiming to improve the quality and performance of its products. One such project has led to the innovative QMilk® process, which makes it possible to extract and transform the basic proteins in milk into a soft and precious fiber without using chemical agents. The process preserves the amino acids, and all the moisturizing and nourishing properties of milk in the resulting fiber. It guarantees a 100% natural formula that is dermatologically tested, ultrasoft, and highly resistant.

Lucart is also the only brand in its target market to offer Airlaid products with exceptional absorbency and strength performance. The Airlaid technology uses long, highly resistant cellulose fibers that never come into contact with water during the production process (dry paper) to remain super absorbent. Fibers treated with this process naturally form a “dam” structure, offering outstanding results: can absorb up to 7 times its weight and, thanks to its exceptional resistance, can be reused up to 20 times, compared to 1 or 2 for competitive products.

Lucart is a company made up of people who choose to use innovative and sustainable processes in development, transformation, and manufacturing of paper products, collaborating responsibly for the future of their business and the planet.

Lucart has always been at the forefront of the study of innovative packaging able to reduce the environmental impact of its products. After launching the world’s first line of toilet paper with materbi corn starch packaging in 1997, the company created a series of products with entirely plastic-free packaging in 2019.

www.lucartgroup.com

Produced in Italy Stocked in the USA

Versatile and ready to bake. Our puff-pastries are produced in Italy according to simple and genuine recipes since 1988, directly imported from our Sister Company and stocked in US, in compact and protective cases, for a quicker and efficient service.

Freezer to oven artisanal pastries

Our dough, free from GMO and artificial colors, rests for more than 24hrs according to the Italian artisan tradition. With a longer frozen shelf-life, our gourmet puff-pastries get ready and super fragrant in less than 25 minutes into the oven. This is what makes our products the perfect choice both for in-store-bakery and retail frozen shelves.

Our experience has your taste

Private label is also possible for those who need to customize their offer. Indeed, our Company is able to satisfy different requests in terms of shape, fillings, toppings and recipes.

Certified and Sustainable

Our company is BRC and IFS certified with the highest score. The food safety is guaranteed in all phases of the management, production and distribution processes. We use 100% renewable energy for production and every day we accomplish sustainable choices trying to reduce our impact on the environment.

Following New Trends

Continuous R&D allows The Perla Company to follow new international trends and develop healthier, fruit’s richer and above all plantbased products. Kosher certified and Vegan options also available. For more info please contact f.piccoli@theperlacompany.it www.italianpastrexcellence.com

CULTURE. EXCELLENCE. INNOVATION.

The Valsa Group is a top producer of frozen, chilled, and ambient pizzas and snacks. Their main objective is to spread the authentic Italian food culture worldwide. Their head office is situated in Valsamoggia, at the heart of Italy. “Although our history started here, our roots expand from the North to the South through our 10 factories, following a purely Italian business journey.”

Their daily commitment could be easily summed up: CULTURE. EXCELLENCE. INNOVATION.

The Valsa Group has introduced a new line of pizzas called “Pizza al Metro”. This concept is designed to

showcase the traditional Italian method of ordering pizzas in large slabs that can stretch up to one meter in length. Many pizzerias offer these pizzas in quarter, half, one meter, or even meter multiples, making it easier for customers to order according to their desired length.

A real Italian product with a unique aromatic profile made from selected grains, natural long leavening, and traditional hand stretching. Perfect for retailers looking to transport their customers to Italy with just one bite.

The group’s strategic strength is the combination between traditional manufacturing process and a greater focus on convenience for the consumer, keeping the highest quality standards: in contemporary market, convenience supported by premium quality, is essential to create value into supply chain.

The Valsa Group is a reputable and established business partner in 50 countries across the globe. Their success is attributed to their sustainable practices, efficient production capacity, seamless organizational integration, and innovative convenience solutions. They are particularly dedicated to promoting process transparency, reducing waste, and utilizing green energy.

Through the brands Valpizza, La Pizza+1, Forno Ludovico, Megic Pizza, Ghiottelli, Il Borgo and Tuscanya Bakery, Valsa Group is the unique large-scale and highly qualified partner able to supply a wide range of items in each category, from frozen to deli.

V-LABEL: The International Vegetarian and Vegan Brand Par Excellence

The V-Label brand is an internationally recognized symbol to identify vegetarian, vegan and raw vegan products and services par excellence.

It was created in 1976 as an institutional symbol of the Italian Vegetarian Association and is presently the most recognized synonym for vegetarian and vegan products by consumers all over the world. Its clear, unique image is intuitively associated with vegetarianism and veganism in every corner of the world, effectively breaking down any language barrier.

Officially presented internationally at the first European Vegetarian Congress held in Italy in 1985, it quickly spread first to Europe, and shortly thereafter to the rest of the world.

The V-Label brand is now registered in more than 70 countries worldwide and can be found everywhere around the world: it clearly and safely identifies products and services of various types, from food to textiles, and from footwear to cosmetics as compatible

with the vegetarian and vegan lifestyle. In addition to being available in the food sector (finished products, raw materials, drinks) and in the non-food sector (cosmetics, personal hygiene and home care products, textiles, clothing, footwear), the V-Label brand is a point of reference for catering as well.

But being international doesn’t just mean being widespread, it requires much more than this. It entails being able to transmit and receive, often technical, content properly without making any mistakes. This is possible due to the the close relationships we have worked to maintain with our customers. In most cases, the V-Label brand is distributed by local managers who, because they are familiar with the local language and culture, are better able to convey information to producers and consumers. This local approach also allows us to handle technical material in documents without risking translation errors or problems with understanding.

Despite the widespread availability of the brand in extremely different areas, both in terms of culture and traditions, the V-Label brand has maintained the same verification criteria and standards in every place. This uniformity aims to offer seriousness and quality to consumers who rely on the V-Label brand when choosing which products to buy.

The balance between the local approach and adaptation and the standardization of criteria and processes so that they remain unchanged is what makes the V-Label brand truly international, even more than its widespread coverage.

www.vlabel.org

Innovating Cleanliness: Whitecat’s 76-Year Journey Safeguarding Healthy Families

Chapter 1: A Cat Was Born in 1948

In the quaint village of Yongtai, Shanghai county, China, 1948 marked the inception of an entrepreneurial venture that would evolve into Shanghai Whitecat. Initially focused on providing post-war China with essential laundry soap, this small, private manufacturing company embarked on a journey characterized by necessity, groundbreaking innovation, and an unwavering commitment to safeguarding the health of families.

Motivated by the pressing needs arising after World War II, Shanghai Whitecat tirelessly worked to supply the local community with laundry cleaning products that surpassed traditional soap made from soap beans and “Yizi” (a concoction of pig pancreas and plant ash). The goal was simple yet profound: to enhance cleanliness and well-being for families.

Chapter 2: Pioneering Innovation Since 1959

Shanghai Whitecat achieved its first milestone in 1959 by introducing mainland China to the first domestically produced package of synthetic laundry detergent powder, “Gong nong.” This marked the beginning of a series of groundbreaking innovations: 1963: Introduced the first autonomous washing powder paper bag packaging machine. 1981: Developed and produced the first domestically packed Super Concentrated Laundry Powder.

1987: Awarded the “Shanghai Famous Brand” certificate for both Whitecat and Jaimei brand Laundry Powder.

1995: Whitecat Laundry Powder received the “Golden Bridge Award” for National Best-selling Domestic Product for four consecutive years.

2004: Whitecat liquid detergent attained the prestigious title of “China Famous Brand.”

2018: Whitecat Lemon Black Tea Dishwashing liquid secured the “2017 China Biggest Award of Quality Consumer – Quality Gold Award.”

2018: Shanghai Hutchison Whitecat Co., Ltd., was honored as one of “China’s Top 100 Daily Chemicals.”

Chapter 3: Longevity Through Innovation

As Shanghai Whitecat celebrates its longevity, the narrative transcends labels and brands, becoming a story of enduring innovation, necessity, and countless lives touched. With trust built over decades of hard work and substantial investment in research and development, Whitecat boasts:

• Over 100 national patents.

• Annual investments of millions of dollars in R&D.

• A team of over 50 research and development personnel, with over 50% holding Master’s or doctoral degrees.

• The only national standard laboratory in the light chemicals industry.

• State-of-the-art scientific equipment, including gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and Fourier infrared spectrometer.

Chapter 4: Sustainability for a Better Tomorrow

Whitecat’s dynamic culture of innovation, born out of necessity in 1948, is evolving towards sustainability, ensuring healthier lives for families and our planet. The company is proud to introduce a sustainable, natureinspired line of products, including:

• Concentrated cleaning pods, sheets, and tablets.

• Lactic acid-based cleaning products.

• Soda-based cleaning products. This marks the beginning of a green, sustainable tomorrow with Whitecat. Join us on this exhilarating journey towards a cleaner, healthier world.

About Whitecat

Shanghai Hutchison White Cat Co. Ltd. (“Shanghai White Cat” or “Whitecat”) is a foreign joint venture established by a wholly-owned subsidiary of CK Hutchison, a Global Fortune 500 company with an annual revenue of US$ 500M. With over 23 factories across China’s mainland, White Cat’s own brand products and private label services are available in China, Japan, Korea, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, the Americas, and Europe. Their motto is simple yet powerful: “If you can think it, we can make it!”

http://en.whitecat.com

SUPPLIERS

PROFILES

CERTIFIED ORIGINS

Certified Origins was born in 2006 thanks to the union of two Tuscan cooperatives of farmers and an organization specializing in international sales and distribution to export and provide fresh and authentic Extra Virgin Olive Oil to families everywhere in the world.

Today, we remain cooperative-owned and continually expand our portfolio by directly sourcing from farmers in the Mediterranean region. The confidence and trust built over decades in the industry means we can guarantee the quality of our products and give us access to the scale necessary to work with retail organizations.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Giovanni Quaratesi, Head of Corporate Global Affairs salesteam@certifiedorigins.com

CHT GROUP

The CHT Group is a medium-sized global player for specialty chemicals and active worldwide in development, production and sales. CHT Germany GmbH in Tübingen is the headquarters of the companies focusi on sustainable chemical products and process solutions.

TEXTILE SOLUTIONS of CHT improve the quality, functionality as well as look and purity of textiles and optimize their manufacturing processes. In the fields of silicones, building materials, paints, coatings, leather, release agents, paper, agrochemicals, mining as well as cleaning and care products innovative products and process solutions are provided by the Business Field INDUSTRY SOLUTIONS.

By combining the strengths of the complete group further innovative products, applications or processes are continually developed and vast technical support is offered within the SCIENCE & SERVICE SOLUTIONS. Highly qualified specialists work in state-of-the art laboratories for development, analytics and application technique in order to work out ideas and solutions that meet the latest requirements.

The CHT Group with its own production and sales locations is represented by 26 companies worldwide. In the financial year 2023, the CHT Group generated a group turnover of 604 million Euro with around 2,400 employees.

SUPPLIERS PROFILES

EMERGE

Whether you are a supplier or retailer with an interest in Private Brands, Emerge can help you to take the next leap forward in differentiating and growing your business. We are highly collaborative in our approach, and we will push you, as together we will discover the low-hanging and more aspirational opportunities for you to expand.

Building own brands and challenger brands is our true sweet spot, but we also work with many established companies/brands that need fresh thinking for their next breakthrough.

We Help Our Supplier Clients:

• Build better ways to tell the unique stories of their company and portfolio

• Reach and connect with new retailers, by customizing your approach

• Sell more effectively; connect with the trade more effectively

We Help Our Retailer Clients:

• Rationalize and optimize their portfolio, with an eye towards new segments and growth opportunities

• Develop Signature products and strategies for development, all that fit who you are

• Set up a true process for growing own brands and harnessing the right infrastructure

Let us put our experience with partnering in over 15 retail classes of trade and 5 continents to work for you in a collaboration that will make a difference.

FROSTKRONE FOOD GROUP

SUPPLIERS PROFILES

Burger Balls: Exciting News for Foodies!

Discover a world of new snacking possibilities with Burger Balls from Frostkrone Food Group. These bite-sized burger balls pack all the flavour of a classic burger into a convenient finger food format, perfect for satisfying those in-between meal cravings.

Street food remains popular, and not just for on the go. Whether you’re out and about or enjoying a cosy night in, these tasty treats bring the spirit of street food straight to your doorstep.

Ready to snack? Indulge in the delicious combination of succulent beef, rich cheddar cheese, and tangy tomatoes with our Cheese Burger Balls.

Available in five trendy varieties, these frozen delights are quick and easy to prepare in any standard kitchen appliance, from ovens to air fryers. They can be offered both in retail and food service establishments.

www.emergefromthepack.com

frostkrone-foodgroup.com

GLOBAL TISSUE GROUP

Global Tissue Group ® has fostered a reputation for providing value for our customers as their private label paper manufacturer for bath tissue, facial tissue, napkins and paper towels with customer service to each and every one of them. Our customers depend on our flexibility, confidentiality and quality, from paper products to services; from our specialty paper manufacturing capabilities and consistent supply to custom-tailored private label programs. Our goal is to ensure that no matter your needs, Global Tissue can deliver.

In creating diversified household paper products that cater to every market category, you can feel confident putting your label on our goods. We bring the trust and comfort of our relationship to your consumers, who will grow to depend upon our standard of manufacturing excellence – and your brand, through our private label programs, contract manufacturing, or our control brands. This is what sets us apart from our competition. Global Tissue provides value, quality and consistency, and helps organizations like yours increase their revenue. Let us enhance your paper program and your margins. Be a part of our Strong A.R.M. program, and Attract consumers, Retain them and create Margin enhancement every day.

www.globaltissuegroup.com

LA DORIA GROUP

Headquartered in Angri (Salerno, Italy), La Doria is a leading Italian group in the vegetable canning sector, particularly in the production of tomato derivatives, ready-made sauces, canned pulses, juices and fruit drinks. Today, Doria is Europe's leading producer of canned pulses, peeled tomatoes and tomato pulp in the retail sector and one of Italy's leading producers of fruit juices and drinks. The company is also Europe's leading producer of private label ready-made sauces.

As a supplier to major retail and discount chains around the world, La Doria stands out as a group that is mainly dedicated to the production of ‘private labels’, the brands of major retailers. In fact, more than 97% of the group’s turnover is generated in this segment. Underlying this specialisation is a strong and determined mission to dominate the large retail and organised distribution markets, offering excellent quality products at very competitive prices as an alternative to the brand.

commerciale.estero@gruppoladoria.it

LEBONTA

Le Bontà was founded in 1994 in Prato, in the Tuscan hinterland, with the aim of creating sauces, meat sauces and patès that express the best Tuscan gastronomic tradition.

In more than 20 years of activity, the Le Bontà trademark has created a production system able to response to the needs of private labels, by offering recognized product quality, the reliability of careful and meticulous management, and flexibility that facilitates the purchasing brand.

The GDOs select numerous recipes each day to put on the tables of Italian and European consumers. And, each day, as a provider of private labels, we ensure high-level consulting with the aim of shelf success and success on the table.

Chiaverini Jams join the family of products from brands Nuova Terra: a broad selection of natural and organic cereals, seeds and soups; I Toscanacci: a line of high-quality sauces without preservatives; Bonvé: a line of vegan and organic sauces and Accademia Toscana: a range of sophisticated and very high-quality sauces for the Italian and foreign markets.

LUCART

SUPPLIERS PROFILES

Lucart is a market leader company in transformation and manufacturing of paper products.

Our attention to people, sustainable processes and approach to innovation mean that we offer cutting-edge products that meet market challenges and perfectly match our customer requirements.

Fiberpack® is our flagship project in this field: it combines advanced technology and environmentally friendly processes, demonstrating that circular economy principles are fully applicable to the tissue sector.

Lucart is also the only brand in its target market to offer airlaid products with exceptional absorbency and strength performance.

The Airlaid technology uses long, highly resistant cellulose fibres that never come into contact with water during the production process (dry paper), so that they remain super absorbent. Fibres treated with this process naturally form a ‘“dam” structure, offering outstanding results: it absorbs 50% more compared to other household paper and, thanks to its resistance, it can be reused up to 20 times.

We are a company made up of people who choose to use innovative and sustainable processes in development, transformation and manufacturing of paper products, collaborating responsibly for the future of our business and planet.

For more information:

Dario

Brandi, Sales Director Export, +39 335 1014765

www.lebonta.it

www.lucartgroup.com

A division of Marketing By Design, Lucid was created to be brand builders and meaning makers.

A lifestyle-based agency that’s driven by a spirit of curiosity and ingenuity that amplifies the voice of beneficial brands whose mission is to do good in our communities and the world we live in. Brands that benefit people, pets & the planet are our main client base and by putting our focus on discovery, strategy, design development and implementation we’re creating brands that will shine in the most imaginative and inspiring ways.

We are passionate about being better every single day and doing impactful work. This in turn creates differentiators and highlights greatest areas of impact your brands have to offer against the competition.

Lorrie Allen, lallen@mbdesign.com

MBD (MARKETING BY DESIGN)

A full-service strategy, creative and packaging artwork design agency built to meet the challenges and opportunities facing Private Label and National Brands today. Since 1990, MBD has been on a mission to produce stand out, award-winning packaging to our multichannel customers. We are a global agency that builds brand and differentiates our clients from the competition, which in return increases their ROI.

Our strategy begins by defining a clear brand voice with strong storytelling. What makes MBD different and unique is our tri-focus approach:

1. CREATE: Originality is the driving principle of our work. We bring brands to life through story-telling and visual flair. Creativity should be nurtured, encouraged to grow, and never compromised. From start-ups to international billion-dollar brands, our work helps to sell thousands of products and services globally.

2. MANAGE: Our detail driven design team take the voice and vision of the brand and adapt using our best-in-class approach to developing the packaging artwork. Unique and ownable graphics are key to portraying the quality across an entire range. While our workflow solutions tie it all together with centralization and automation.

3. ROLLOUT: MBD create more than 12,000 pieces of artwork every year with teams large enough to execute programs with thousands of SKUs, but nimble enough be brand guardians with a single voice.

We also pride ourselves with color managed artwork that is compliant and consistently on brand.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:Katie Locke, klocke@mbdesign.com

THE PERLA COMPANY

Welcome to the world of The Perla Company™, the inventor of the famous puff-pastry “Perla”.

G.M. Piccoli S.p.A. – The Perla Company™ is an Italian company specialized in frozen bakery products with more than 35 years of experience. We produce frozen ready to bake puff pastry products with new and immediately recognizable shapes, generous quantity of filling and shiny crunchy surface. Our Quality System is certified with the highest score according to the international BRC and IFS standards.

The shelf-life of the products is longer than the competitors, the shipping cases are designed to take up the least space as possible in the freezer. The Company has different product lines for any kind of need, designed according to the occasions of consumption. We have Kosher certified and Vegan products, as well as private label solutions.

Produced in Italy, then imported in USA with an available stock in NJ, our products are sold worldwide. Through our Sister-company THE PERLA COMPANY USA, Inc. we bring the typical Italian taste to the main US stores and foodservice distributors.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

f.piccoli@theperlacompany.it - +1 (347) 776-0708

RED GOLD

Four generations of the Reichart family have been producing the world’s freshest, best tasting tomato products since 1942. Since then, Red Gold has become the largest privately owned tomato processor in the United States with three state-of-the-art facilities in Indiana that are certified Kosher, Non-GMO, and Organic. The company also boasts a 1.5 million square foot distribution center and operates the subsidiary RG Transport trucking fleet.

Red Gold partners with local family farms across Indiana, southern Michigan, and Northwest Ohio to sustainably produce premium quality canned tomatoes, ketchup, pasta sauces, pizza sauces, enchilada sauces, salsas, sloppy joe sauce, cocktail/chili sauces, and juices for foodservice, private brands, brands, export, co-pack, club and retail channels of distribution. Superior Quality, Outstanding Service and Operational Excellence are the shared values that contributed to the employee-created mission statement: “To produce the freshest, best tasting tomato products in the world.”

SENECA FOODS

Seneca Foods ensures US farm fresh goodness through our 26 facilities located in prime American growing regions. A leading global provider of packaged fruits and vegetables, Seneca’s flexible packaging solutions meet evolving consumer needs: from traditional cans and frozen foods, to convenient pouches and plastic cups. Organic options also available.

At Seneca, we believe that everyone deserves yearround access to great-tasting food that’s also great for you. That’s why we’re bringing families and organizations all over the world real food that’s nutritious, affordable, and delicious.

By remaining committed to those we serve, we’re going to continue growing as the leader in the fruit and vegetable industry. At Seneca, we’re still doing things the way we always have- the right way.

Think globally, grow locally. We’re proud to say, “We feed the world.”

www.senecafoods.com

VALSA GROUP

Valsa Group as leading manufacturer of chilled, frozen and ambient pizzas and snacks, identifies its primary goal in promoting the true Italian food lifestyle all over the world. The headquarters is located in Valsamoggia, in the very heart of Italy. This is where the history of the Group began, nevertheless our roots go from North to South, through our 6 plants: in a purely Italian entrepreneurial path.

Our daily commitment could be easily summed up: CULTURE . EXCELLENCE . INNOVATION.

Valsa Group is the unique large-scale and highly qualified partner able to supply a wide range of items in each category, from frozen to deli. info@valsagroup.it

V LABEL ITALIA

V Label Italia is the owner and the entity responsible for assigning the V-Label brand in Italy, China, the United States, the Republic of Korea and, beginning in 2020, the United Arab Emirates.

The V-Label brand was founded in 1979 as an institutional trademark of the Italian Vegetarian Association and has since that time been distinguished as the vegetarian and vegan brand par excellence around the world.

Registered in more than 70 countries around the world, it is currently the vegetarian and vegan brand name most recognized by consumers internationally.

Having become synonymous with transparency and assurance, it is presently the brand most used to identify products and services suitable for the vegetarian and vegan lifestyle. Whether applied to food, beverages, cosmetics, textiles and accessories, footwear, catering or publishing, the brand is a recognized name, valued both by manufacturers and by consumers in today’s international marketplace.

Despite its widespread use, the V-Label brand has maintained high-quality standards due to its clear and transparent criteria being applied internationally by major vegetarian and vegan associations, who ensure that the standards are met.

The brand is divided into three distinct categories: vegetarian - veganraw vegan, allowing consumers to purchase with confidence, knowing that their selections are perfectly in line with their lifestyles and have been subjected to detailed inspections and quality controls by industry experts.

WHITE CAT

SUPPLIERS PROFILES

In the quaint village of Yongtai, Shanghai county, China, 1948 marked the inception of an entrepreneurial venture that would evolve into Shanghai Whitecat. Initially focused on providing post-war China with essential laundry soap, this small, private manufacturing company embarked on a journey characterized by necessity, groundbreaking innovation, and an unwavering commitment to safeguarding the health of families.

Motivated by the pressing needs arising after World War II, Shanghai Whitecat tirelessly worked to supply the local community with laundry cleaning products that surpassed traditional soap made from soap beans and “Yizi” (a concoction of pig pancreas and plant ash). The goal was simple yet profound: to enhance cleanliness and well-being for families.

Shanghai Hutchison White Cat Co. Ltd. (“Shanghai White Cat” or “Whitecat”) is a foreign joint venture established by a wholly-owned subsidiary of CK Hutchison, a Global Fortune 500 company with an annual revenue of US$ 500M. With over 23 factories across China’s mainland, White Cat’s own brand products and private label services are available in China, Japan, Korea, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, the Americas, and Europe. Their motto is simple yet powerful: “If you can think it, we can make it!”

www.vlabel.org

FEASTING ON THE FUTURE:

Bold Predictions for the Food Industry in 2024

PREDICTION 1

The Breakfast Battle Enters a New Phase

When you think of fast food, your mind probably gravitates toward burgers, fries, or viral chicken sandwiches, but it’s really breakfast that is powering these companies. Prior to the pandemic, breakfast was the ‘final frontier’ for fast food and QSRs, and since 2022, visits for breakfast have now surpassed pre-pandemic levels.

Speaking to Business Insider back in August, Carl Loredo, Wendy’s global CMO, said “We’re competing with Cheerios as much as we’re competing with the next QSRs these days.”

What I think we’ll see in 2024 is an all-out breakfast war in QSRs, and a spillover into CPG. Not only will we see breakfast menu development increase in QSR (that’s already happening), but we’ll also see new concept launches (e.g., what if Panera launched small-format breakfast-only shops without an internal bakery?).

Kevin Ryan, a visionary strategist at Malachite Strategy & Research, unveils his groundbreaking predictions for the food industry in 2024. Read more about Kevin’s work on page 59.

For CPG this signals troubling times. In 2024, I think we’ll see some very ugly breakfast-related packaged good declines. Traditional breakfast fare like RTE cereal is struggling after a pandemic boom and even promising categories like yogurt have stabilized after previous highs (with companies like Chobani and Yoplait now chasing dessert—Chobani Creations, Haagen Dazs Cultured Crème). To wrestle breakfast back from QSRs, they’ll have to attack the motivations that are causing people to eat breakfast out of home:

TIME PRESSURE:

Many people feel that the clock starts ticking on their workday when they leave the house in the morning. Sitting at your kitchen counter and eating means losing time. You’re either portable or you’re dead in the water.

PERCEIVED VALUE:

Grocery buys and ‘stop at McD’s’ buys come out of different consumer ledgers. The same person that recoils from paying $6 for a box of cereal that is (realistically) 3-4 servings, thinks nothing of paying $4 for one breakfast combo meal. CPG must change the value perception.

SOCIAL TRENDINESS:

QSRs are doing a good job of making themselves ever-present on social and driving the narrative that fast food breakfast is the way to go. CPG’s social game doesn’t feel as strong yet.

TASTE, BUT NOT HEALTH:

But honestly, it’s really just taste. I love cereal, but compared to deepfried carbs and gooey cheese, there is no contest. CPG needs to stop taking the consumer at their word and hone in on taste.

PREDICTION 2

The Brilliance of Gauche Gourmet

Skky Partners, the private equity firm founded by Kim Kardashian and business partner Jay Sammons, has purchased a minority stake in the condiment company TRUFF. Founded in 2017, TRUFF makes condiments infused with the flavor of truffles. The company started with a signature truffle hot sauce and has gone on to make truffle oils, mayonnaise, pasta sauce and more. The company has recently formed partnerships with Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Hidden Valley Ranch, Taco Bell and The Super Mario Brothers Movie. Pringles announced a limited-edition collaboration with The Caviar Company. Three Pringle x Caviar Company kits (retailing for $49, $110 and $140) are now available via an online shop. The partnership was spurred by a popular TikTok trend of pairing the iconic crisps and the deep-sea delicacy.

So What? If you’ve seen lobster mac & cheese, Wagyu beef sliders, Supreme x Oreos, or Gucci’s partnership with The North Face, you’ve already seen this strange trend in the wild. I say strange because each of these products is the embodiment of two forces you normally don’t see together: luxury and lowbrow, practical and fanciful, or elegant and every day. Why are we seeing the rise in popularity of these products and what can we expect in the future?

BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS:

Traditionally, consumer goods have been segmented into clear categories - luxury vs. practical, distinctive vs. banal. However, these products and collaborations blur these lines, challenging the conventional wisdom about what categories mean and who they are for. It reflects a cultural shift towards more fluid, less binary perceptions of consumer products. In many ways, it challenges the old marketing paradigm of consumer personas where purchase drivers fit in only in one quadrant. Instead, it recognizes the complexity of modern consumers.

NEW HYBRID CONSUMER

Identities: Today's consumers are more multifaceted, or at least not willing to compromise on their contradictory desires. Someone might appreciate the practicality of The North Face AND the aesthetics of Gucci, simultaneously. These mashups cater to hybrid consumer identities, acknowledging that people have diverse tastes and interests.

DEMOCRATIZATION OF LUXURY:

By combining luxury with everyday items, brands are making luxury more accessible. It’s not about diluting the luxury brand but rather expanding its reach and relevance. This democratization can make luxury seem more attainable and less intimidating to the average consumer (and increase the size of the base for the brand).

DELIGHTFULLY NAUGHTY:

Another reason these products are so powerful is that their very existence seems transgressive. Eating caviar with Pringles is like playing catch with a Fabergé egg. It seems wrong, but who won’t want to give it a try if given the chance. It’s this shock factor, combined with our own mischievous and curious natures, that partially makes these products work. Plus, shock is amazing for grabbing social media attention, a must for brand growth today.

PREDICTION 3

Bridging the Gap Between Lifespan and ‘Healthspan’

Body building/sports brand

Inspired Nutraceuticals has launched a hydration beverage called Endless. Beyond a blend of Aquamin marine minerals and pink Himalayan salt, the beverage also contains Yuth™ (Spermidine) “to combat the side-effects of aging.” The product is available on the company’s website.

Veterinary biotech company, Loyal for Dogs, has developed a drug that may extend the lifespan of large canine breeds. According to a letter supplied to the NYT, the FDA has said that the initial data is "sufficient" to show "a reasonable expectation of effectiveness.

Based on the popular series of books, and now Netflix show, that extol the longevity secrets of the most long-lived populations on the planet, Blue Zones Kitchen has launched a series of frozen meals.

BrainJuice is launching a new line of coffee and tea-based beverages called BrainJava to help consumers with enhanced energy. Using a proprietary blend of nutrients, the brand claims to

help support brain health, brain function, focus, clarity mood, and concentration. Available in five flavors, including a seasonal peppermint mocha latte.

So What? Have you ever heard the saying, “It’s not the years in your life, it’s the life in your years that counts?” Well, that’s not quite right anymore. People don’t just want to live a long life; they ALSO want to live a healthy one. While medical advances are pushing us all toward a lifespan of 100+, people are becoming concerned about their ‘healthspan’ as well. What’s the use of living to an advanced age if you are incapacitated for the last quarter?

With some Baby Boomers reaching their 70s, it should not be a surprise that bridging the gap between lifespan and ‘healthspan’ is becoming big business. Companies like Healthspan Technologies , Clock.Bio, and Cambrian Bio are just a few of the startups using holistic nutrition and advanced biotechnology to maintain vitality, mobility, and mental clarity throughout life.

The Coming Class Divide of Automation

A few weeks ago, Booths, a British higher-end supermarket chain, announced that they were removing self-checkout machines from their stores. The company said that the machines were “slow, unreliable, and impersonal” and that human cashiers offered a better experience. Booth’s isn’t the first supermarket to reverse course on self-checkout machines. PCC Community Markets in Seattle removed them in 2019 citing the company’s desire to ‘put human interaction first” (though the company did re-introduce some during COVID to limit virus spreading).

While companies like Walmart, Kroger and Target concede that there have been issues, self-checkout systems continue to grow (now comprising ~40% of grocery store options in US) as companies see the financial upset.

My prediction is that this clash over self-checkouts signals a future where automation in stores and restaurants becomes a marker of class. Right now, seeing a robot make a salad or deliver your food is a celebrated novelty regardless of the cost of your lunch. However, as restaurants like Wendy’s and Taco Bell scramble to add self-ordering kiosks and front-of-house QSR robots become commonplace, I believe this type of automation will become just as associated with fast-food as brightly colored plastic booths were to McDonald’s. Less human contact will equate to cheaper restaurants and discount supermarkets, which means it will also develop a class-based impression.

Higher end grocers and restaurants will still move to automation, but it will remain back-of-house. ‘Hospitality’ and ‘customer service’ via human interaction will become sellable features, much like today’s companies who market their premium member support lines by saying you talk to a ‘real person’ and not a computer.

PREDICTION 5

The Revenge of Shrinkflation

BabyBel cheese is releasing a 200g Maxi version of their iconic snack cheese. This new version is 10X bigger than the classic but made with the same ingredients and coated in the shiny red wax. Available for a limited time in UK stores.

Subway has announced that their footlong cookies will now be a permanent item on the menu. Launched in 2022 in their dessert only pop-up CookieWay, the big cookie sold out within 2-hours. The cookie, available only in chocolate chip, will hit stores in 2024.

United Airlines will begin offering self-serve snack stations to economy flyers. The kiosks will offer a "limited supply of water and the snacks offered during the complimentary service," including That’s It fruit bars, Undercover chocolate quinoa crisps and a savory snack mix. The kiosks will be available in-flight after the regular service has concluded.

So What? Currently, 94% of consumers are worried about the cost of food and 73% are concerned about shrinkflation (i.e., where the cost of a product stays the same but the size/amount decreases). Not only are consumers concerned, they are irritated, with 58% feeling that shrinkflation is “unacceptable” and deceptive. In fact, it’s getting so bad that consumer conspiracies are popping up online, with rumors of companies secretly altering prod ucts to say money (see the recent

Oreo filling conspiracy). Consumers are losing trust. In Louisianan Creole there is the term called lagniappe. Back in the old days, when you went to a merchant or a grocer and they wanted to show their gratitude for your patronage, they’d throw a little something extra in your bag as a thank you—a lagniappe (e.g., an extra doughnut, a sample of a new product, etc.).

I think this concept is about to get revived as CPG and foodservice find themselves trying to regain consumer trust. With 54% of US consumers now saying they plan to buy “much more” private label products in the future, I think we have reached the end of inelasticity. Instead, brands will need to break out the lagniappes, making products bigger, pointing out the presence of an expensive ‘hero’ ingredient, or offering ‘extras.’

PREDICTION 6

Protein + GutHealth = Hunger Killer

Gut-health brand SuperGut has made an advertising push calling prebiotics ‘Nature’s Ozempic.’ Their new Gut-Balancing Prebiotic Shake, launching in Sprouts in 2024, contains 15g protein and resistant starch to “Hit your appetite’s off switch” and “keep you full for hours.” According to CEO Marc Washington, speaking to the WSJ, sales of their products have surged 50% in the past month.

San Francisco startup Equii is launching a new complete protein and added fiber bread. Using proprietary microbial sources, the company claims to ferment grains to produce complete, high protein bread with lower carbs. The new line contains “8 grams of complete protein, 4 grams of fiber, and 45% fewer carbs than other brands” which the company says “keeps you full, builds lean muscle, and sustains energy.” The new line contains four varieties. Available at the company’s website.

So What? Protein needs a phase 2, and let’s face it, gut-health needs a phase 1. Society’s new obsession with Ozempic (and related drugs) might just be the path forward.

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Protein has been riding high for over a decade now and shows little signs of slowing. However, high protein in most categories isn’t a differentiating benefit anymore, with everything from toaster pastries to soda and coffee now available with double-digit grams. With gut health you have a different problem. In that same decade, despite deep and passionate niche interest in wellness circles and a spurt of failed launches from Kraft and Kellogg, gut-focused products haven’t reached mass appeal.

I predict that the 2024 Ozempic-fueled fascination with hunger regulation will give us a food industry meet cute between these previously disparate areas. Rumor has it that all the big CPG companies, concerned about losing share, are working on foods that support an Ozempic lifestyle. Likely, these foods will be small, snack-like offerings that are high in protein and nutrients to be used when taking the drug. However, I’m not overly confident in this strategy. Unless a CPG company gains co-branding rights with one of the big drug makers, it feels like a category with little in the way of protective moats. Every start-up could claim their nutrient-dense snack is ideal for people on these drugs, and unless you have clinical proof (very difficult), it all comes down to better messaging. Plus, how many major brands are going to emblazon themselves with a burst that says Ozempic or Novo Nordisk? Ozempic and related drugs are expensive and are known to cause significant side effects. For both reasons, there will be a large group of people looking for a natural, less-expensive alternative. Protein + gut-health may be the answer.

PREDICTION 7

Disruption via Culinary Empowerment

Sourdough company A Friendly Bread is out with a line of frozen, premade grilled cheese sandwiches featuring their specialty loaves. Varieties include Country Sourdough with Extra Sharp Cheddar and Mozzarella, Cinnamon Raisin Bread with Brie and Mozzarella, Jalapeño Bread with Gruyere and Mozzarella, and Challah with Swiss and Mozzarella. Available in select Giant stores and online.

Professional UK bakery ingredient manufacturer British Bakels has a launched a new line of decorative icings through their B2C brand TaDa! The new ready-to-use icings for cake, cupcake, and pastry decorating come in three flavors: Chocolate Ganache, Madagascar Vanilla, and Millionaire’s Caramel. Available at select Tesco shops.

Fine-dining chef Daniel Humm, sixtime James Beard award winner and holder of three Michelin stars, has launched a new line of shelf-stable meal kits through his Make It Nice Hospitality group. Riff comes with starches, seasonings and suggestions from Humm on how to customize (hence the name Riff). Varieties include Mediterranean-Style Couscous, Thai-Style Noodles, and Mexican-Style Rice and Beans. Available at HEB.

It used to be that disrupting a category was all about ‘healthifing’ it. The early aughts were prime time for small companies to come into big categories and knock down incumbents who had grown complacent in their formulations. Chobani disrupted big yogurt by offering less sugar, more protein, and a more authentic story. Big soda was disrupted by sparkling water brands that promised similar refreshment without the HFCS.

However, we are likely nearing the end of this era. The categories that needed to be ‘cleaned up’ have either seen the arrival of a BFY startup brand or were proactively healthified by the category leaders (via new formulation or acquisitions). Busting into a category with a BFY alternative is getting more difficult and it’s not the bombshell that it used to be.

But that doesn’t mean that disruption is over, it just means the methods have changed. Instead of BFY, I’m betting that the new disruptive force for categories is grounded in social media and pandemic spurred appliance trends. Sites like TikTok, Reddit, and YouTube have allowed consumers to dive deep into culinary rabbit holes, exploring topics that were previously left only to professionals.

This ‘culinary empowerment’ has significantly altered consumers’ ex pectations about what is ‘good food.’ Unlike years ago, when the average

consumer might have heard about brioche bread in passing on the Food Network, today’s consumer has watched countless videos on its prep, bought special yeast to make it, and posted their creations online. Why would they settle for regular white bread anymore? Now they know better now.

These enhanced culinary expectations are the next disruptive force. How do you market regular frozen pizza to a consumer that owns a professional pizza oven and buys OO flour and buffalo mozzarella? Brands will need to lift their offerings and communications to meet this new informed consumer. Plus, new brands will enter the market promising an elevated version of the category norm.

Coca-Cola announced last week that their AI efforts in 2023 had paid off with record-breaking impressions and sales. Coca Cola was one of the fastest brands in the CPG world to adopt AI, partnering with Bain and OpenAI to create a series of campaigns, including the interactive ‘Create Real Magic’ platform, the takeover of the Vegas sphere and the AI created soda Y3000.

Wisconsin-based von Stiehl Winery produces wines made from grapes grown in California and Washington. Now they have released a series of wines, produced via AI, that takes consumer feedback and tasting notes and creates a ‘perfect blend.’ The company will produce an AI Red and an AI White.

The #1 fashion model in Spain isn’t real. Fashion agency The Clueless has revealed that Aitana López, who has over 200,000 social followers, was created because of the difficulty of managing real models. She is currently modeling for brands like Victoria’s Secret, Brandy Melville and Guess. (Relatedly, fashion models in China are cutting their prices to compete against AI—signs of things to come?)

Fake is Fantastic!

For all our collective hand-wringing about AI and stated fear of deepfakes, fake news, fake meat, and fake everything, we are secretly, hopelessly fascinated with it all. And I mean that from both the consumer AND the corporate side. While we may think that the next few years will be a

rational renegotiation of reality and authenticity, and potentially a rejection of technology that ‘goes too far,’ I predict we will instead run toward the simulated and fake with wild abandon. Why?

OUR INSATIABLE NEED FOR NEW:

We are on, what, the 900th iteration of Marvel and the 300th version of Oreos? We have become conditioned to be quickly bored with the old and expect to be surprised and delighted continuously. For that reason, AI and alternative foods/beverages are a salvation. They allow us to scratch our itch for constant newness.

PERSONALIZATION AT ALL COSTS:

Mr. Rogers told us that we are all ‘special just the way you are,’ and we believed him! Now, standard coffee is not good enough anymore, we need added shots, pumps and sprinkles, just the way we like it (who cares if it’s crushing the souls of baristas). Well, humans can only do so much to bring real personalization, hence the appeal of tireless AI. Soon we will have a computer bending every transaction to our personal tastes.

WINNING EDGE (CORPORATE):

For CPG companies (and retailers), competing is getting more difficult every year. Any advantage can make a difference, even if it means finding insight with synthetic consumers and AI engines. Companies in 2024 will use ‘digital twins’ and synthetic data to gain the upper hand.

The Industry Finally Faces the ‘Sicker,

Poorer, Older, Diverse, Snacking, Very Small/Very Large Household’ Reality

Blue Apron has launched a new line of Prepared & Ready Meals. Unlike their standard meal kits which require chopping or sautéing, these refrigerated meals come ready to heat and eat. The chef-crafted single serve meals are currently available for pre-order for weekly delivery starting Jan 8, 2024. Similarly, Kroger-owned Home Chef has launched their own heat and eat, single serve microwavable meals under a new brand: Tempo. Made with “nutrient-rich ingredients” the meals are ready in 4 minutes. Currently available in store or online.

FritoLay launched a new ad campaign called ‘My Joy’ in partnership with Michael B. Jordan’s agency Obsidianworks. The campaign showcases the creativity of Gen Z, Black, Hispanic/Latino and Asian voices.

A1C Drinks brand has launched a line of beverages designed to help consumers manage their blood sugar, weight, diabetes and pre-diabetes. The beverage focuses on Ceylon cinnamon (a spice associated with lowering blood sugar) along with aloe vera, vanilla, black tea and select vitamins.

BIFURCATING HOUSEHOLDS:

So What: The food industry lives in a fantasyland straight out of the 1950s. I’m not sure if it’s due to the history of the categories or the demographics and geographies of the corporations, but many CPG and QSR companies labor under the impression that the average US household is young, affluent, and white and focuses mostly eating on three meals a day.

Don’t misunderstand, these companies have the data, but they consistently treat topics like snacking or groups like Latinos or small households as the exception, not the coming norm. Of all these topics, snacking is the one that has turned a corner, with many CPG companies realigning their entire portfolios post-pandemic to be more snack-focused.

I predict in 2024, we’ll see more companies reshape their portfolios with the new realities listed above. Not just via a task force or small initiative, but through major M&A and realignment. 2024 will be a turning point.

Of course, the truth is very different: BIFURCATING INCOMES:

The median household income in the US in 2022 (household, not individual) was $74, 580—that’s 5% less than 2019. We are losing the Middle Class, with most Americans either falling into Lower Income or a few rising to High Income.

Households with married couples is still the norm, but that is quickly fading. Instead, multigenerational households are now 4X more prevalent than they were in the 1970s. At the same time, 27.6% of households in the US contain only 1 person. In other worlds, households are getting either really big or really small.

DIVERSE AMERICA:

As a nation, the US will become ‘minority White’ by 2045. However, that’s not the whole story. Depending on the age group, Whites as a minority is happening faster. For those under 18, non-Whites re already are in the majority. For those 18-29, the tipping point will be 2027, for 30-39, 2033. Latinos are the fastest growing group.

SENIOR AMERICA:

By 2029, just 5 years from now, older adults will outnumber children in the US, with 71 million U.S. residents aged 65 and older and 69 million residents under age 18.

SICKER AMERICA:

With rising healthcare costs, increases in costs of living and aging, and negative nutritional and physical habits, America is getting sicker. Our life expectancy has dropped and diseases like cancer, diabetes and heart disease are on the rise.

NOSHING AMERICA:

59% of consumers say they prefer to eat snacks rather than meals. Plus, recent research shows that we are eating a meal’s worth of calories in our snacks every day, with the amount of snacks we are eating steadily rising to 3+ a day.

PREDICTION 10

Forget OmniChannel, Brands Will Go Multi-Modal

PepsiCo launched their MTN Dew Raid Twitch event. Twitch streamers were elevated by the MTN Dew brand and potentially pushed to the homepage as long as they had a bottle or can of MTN Dew visible in their video. AI technology was used to constantly monitor streamer’s feeds, looking for MTN Dew. If the MTN Dew left the screen, the streamer lost their listing.

AI-powdered Hi-Auto has introduced a new cloning technology that can simulate the voice of any person into an automated drive-thru system with only a few minutes of sampling. Currently the system is being used at Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken restaurant in Ohio where drive thru customers are greeted by the voice of local sports broadcaster and former NFL player Keith Byars. Imagine a future where any celebrity voice could ask you if you want fries with your burger.

Kraft Peanut Butter announced a new AI-enabled campaign in Canada. Called QJar Codes, consumers are directed to scan their empty jars of peanut butter (any jar of peanut butter, not just Kraft). The system utilizes the remaining scraps of peanut butter at the bottom of the jar combined with an AI to offer consumers a new full jar of peanut butter with same-day delivery after the scan is completed.

Did you watch the video of Google introducing their new AI called Gemini last week? While there was controversy, the buzz was in the fact that Google has gone ‘multimodal.’ That means they’ve gone beyond just text as an input or output, instead moving to a combination of text, images, motion, video and audio.

For brands, technology that allows for the interactive combination of senses and inputs will be a breakthrough. It will allow companies to reach consumers faster, with more emotional power and greater impact. It will also offer less friction. While omnichannel follows consumers to where they are going, it still requires consumers to engage with the brand in a specific way. Multimodal AI will allow brands to interact with consumers through video, audio, vocal, print and physical forms all at once. In 2024, I predict we will see some groundbreaking brand experiences created with this technology.

Kevin Ryan, a visionary strategist at Malachite Strategy & Research, unveils his groundbreaking predictions for the food industry in 2024. With insights gleaned from his extensive experience in CPG and retail and shared through his influential newsletter, Foodstuff, Kevin forecasts transformative trends that blend consumer habits with innovative business strategies. From the evolution of breakfast battles to the embrace of faux experiences, his analysis not only challenges the status quo but also offers a roadmap for private label brands navigating these dynamic shifts. Explore more of Kevin's thought-provoking perspectives and join the conversation on shaping the future of food at Malachite Strategy & Research and Foodstuff

BY PERRY SEELERT

Imitation, Borrowing & Originality

We all get inspired by seeing other retailers’ great work, but when does this slide into borrowing, and worse yet, imitation?

We all get inspired by the sensory language that surrounds us, whether that is through the written word, art, music or culture, we take mental notes of the things that turn us on as human beings. And often, very subconsciously, we borrow from these things that inspire us – it might be in how we dress or words that we use, and this borrowing in many ways can make us better. It can make us happier. We constantly evolve.

But in the world of Private Brands, where we are looking at retailers, globally, and how they are approaching marketing and nurturing their own portfolios, where does the inspiration manifest itself into borrowing? This is always a fine line, because borrowing does not necessarily mean that you are infringing on another company’s intellectual property. Yet where does someone’s imitation show up in the retail world, how are we seeing it through trends in design language, product development and even in our communication and advertising tone?

Inspired By Others’ Packaging Design (Maybe

Too Much)

When Target launched “Good & Gather”, their flagship brand that replaced Archer Farms, the branding world looked at it as groundbreaking, as it celebrated the “joy of food”. It was the branding and naming that seemed particularly provocative, combining two words that signaled humility, wholesomeness and a farming sensibility, and importantly, the brand felt quintessentially in step with Target’s core DNA of being fresh, youthful and on trend. Vivacious and dynamic in its color treatment and overall marketing approach.

The Good & Gather brand now anchors a number of sub-brands like Good & Gather Signature and Good & Gather Plant-Based.

Put this in the same store with their Magnolia collaboration , Hearth & Hand, in housewares with Chip and Joanna Gaines and you start to see a branding trend emerging for Target.

All of this feels right. All of this feels Target-esque, and all of it feels like it is breaking new ground for retailers’ own brands. But that was in 2019-2020, and how have other retailers, who

saw Target’s brand strategy, been inspired by what they saw?

Shoprite in the northeast U.S. must have been mind-melding with Target and they didn’t even know it, because in November 2019 they launched the “bowl & basket” brand, replacing their main Shoprite portfolio.

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Since then there have been the launches of Misfits Markets’ own brand, “Odds & Ends”, and Winn Dixie’s organic brand, “know & love”. Looking at them side-by-side, you start to see a blurring, and you definitely see two design trends.

One trend is in the naming, not only in the tonality that signals a casual familiarity and wholesomeness, but also in the pairing of two words. The second trend, when paired with the former, is this visual sameness that is noticeable. And the truth is, everyone loses in this scenario, because the retailers lose their points of distinction that are degraded by the trend (or even worse, the imitation). In fact, you can even search the internet to confirm consumers’ confusion, where questions arise like “is bowl & basket a Target brand?”

Product Sameness Is Also A Watchout For The Future

Creating product differentiation in your own brands is also an aspiration of many retailers particularly in their “premium” brands. Retailers have really evolved this tier and consumers have responded by embracing premium own brands, and in many cases, preferring them over established CPG brands. However, how unique is your premium brand or product if other retailers not only have the same item, but it gets con veyed in a similar way too?

Take an example of CranberryOrange Loose Black Tea.

Three different retailers are carrying the same own brand item targeting the Republic Of Tea (which by the way, may be a great item).

To each of these retailer’s credit, they are not describing the product in the EXACT same way, they are even weighting the attributes a little differently. However, the item

Now I know what you are saying, hey, “this product is from the same supplier” or “not every item is going to be unique to any given retailer”, and you would be right on both counts. Suppliers aren’t in the business of creating completely unique items for only one retailer exclusively. Yet, this is changing, it is evolving, and for own brands to really differ-

Breaking Away From Always Saying “Value”

So, we have talked about design trends and being original, and we have addressed product originality and the importance of continuing to push differentiation. That leaves originality in how we convey the positioning and purpose around our own brands.

For a long time, I have said that the consumer clearly gets the “value” message, and we don’t need to do a lot to reinforce this aspect. Hammering “price, budget and value” feels like wasted breath.

Meijer conveys its own brands with language like “guaranteed to satisfy your budget” and Albertson’s, even around their premium brand “Signature Select” can’t help but sneak the word “value” in their communication.

Safeway stores talk to their own brands’ promise more purely and without any of the economic fanfare by saying “quality you love”. Short, simple and direct, and no utterance of “price” or “value”.

Then there is Dorothy Lane Markets, who have crafted so many unique own brand creations, one being their “Killer Brownie” which they have trademarked. Not only is the product unique, but their communication only talks to the indulgence and decadence.

Dorothy Lane shows that it is not only possible for retailers (especially small retailers) to create differentiated destination product, but also describe their own brands in a way that touts their uniqueness and not their value (always tacit in the brand DNA).

A Quote To Remember

There are still a lot of ways we can push originality in own brands, though hopefully this provides some inspiration to continue pushing it through brand design, innovative product, and our marketing messages.

Herman Melville, author of Moby Dick, once said something really relevant to our industry, even though it predates our industry by 100 years.

“It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation”

He was pointing to literature and writing when he said it, but retailers and all of us can really learn from it. The private brand industry started first by imitating the leading national brands, we are evolving from this as our pure premise, and we must continue to push for innovation and originality.

Perry Seelert

Perry Seelert is a retail branding and marketing expert, with a passion for challenging conventional strategy and truths. He is the Strategic Partner and Co-founder of Emerge, a strategic marketing consultancy dedicated to helping Retailers, Manufacturers and Services grow exponentially and differentiate with purpose. Please contact Perry at perry@ emergefromthepack.com

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By Tom Prendergast Research Director, PLMA

RISE OF THE NEW GLOBAL CONSUMER

Over the last three years, private label brands have experienced a surge in popularity worldwide, particularly in Europe and the United States. With the pandemic, economic hardships, and rising inflation, consumers have been primarily focused on saving money and finding high-quality products at a lower cost.

Store brands are reaching new heights in both Europe and United States and Canada. In Europe, five countries, Switzerland, Belgium, Portugal, Spain, the UK, and The Netherlands all have volume share above 50% while Germany, France, Austria, and Denmark all have volume shares above 40%, according to NielsenIQ.

In Canada one in every four products sold is a store brand while in the United States one in every five products sold is a store brand, according to Circana.

However, The Story Is Now A Global Phenomenon And May Lead To New Loyal Private Label Consumers.

In July, Kantar’s Global Omnichannel Report found private labels account for 22% of global grocery spending, up from 21% in 2021 and experienced a nine-fold growth in 2022. The report also noted this growth is not due just to the rise of discounters around the world, as 68% of store brand growth came from other channels.

There are several reasons for the increasing popularity of store brand products. However, the major factors behind this growth are the consumers who are trying to combat high inflation and economic stress, and the retailers who are responding to this demand with high-quality store-brand products. This trend is particularly evident in countries where the market share for private label products is relatively low.

China is a prime example of this change. Once, its consumers were known for only seeking out famous brand names, and store brands were almost non-existent. Now with the Chinese economy facing hurdles, consumers, especially middle-class consumers, are focusing on their budgets more than ever and starting to turn to private label products.

In 2022, private brands constituted 5 percent of total sales among the top 100 supermarkets in China, compared to 4.1 percent in 2019 and 3.2 percent in 2018, said the report.

According to a survey by the China Chain Store & Franchise Association, in 2022, nine out of 10 consumers were aware of private brands, and 35 percent of consumers said they had purchased a store brand in the past six months. Of the 87 percent of consumers who did not buy products sold under private labels, many said they are open-minded about store brands.

According To Bain And Company, Middle- And Upper-Class Consumers Are Significantly Reducing Their Spending On Groceries.

Shoppers are increasingly seeking value, looking for cheaper brands amid an overall mood of restraint. More than three-quarters of shoppers surveyed by Bain and Company said they plan to spend less or maintain spending at 2022 levels. Of those surveyed, 48% of Chinese shoppers said they were switching to private label products. The report also found that while shoppers were seeking value, they want the quality to be equal to what they have been receiving from other brands.

This change in Chinese consumer behavior is reflected in retailers and their private label strategies. German retailer Aldi had announced plans for a major expansion in China

and are releasing various private labels to meet the needs of Chinese consumers with their brands, a senior executive of the company said recently.

“This year, Chinese consumers have become more rational. They are very concerned about value and where their money is spent, and not lowering their requirements for quality,” said Roman Rasinger, managing director of China with German retailer Aldi, was quoted in China Daily.

Another example is Sam's Club, the warehouse club chain of Walmart Inc, which has seen its store brands account for about 30 percent of total sales, according to Kantar.

Kantar also reports that Hema, the grocery unit of Alibaba Group, now boasts over 1,200 private brands and reported that 35 percent of its total sales by the end of October 2023. Hema has announced it plans for its own private brands to generate up to 50 percent of total sales by 2025.

There has been a significant focus on quality,” he said. “There has been a real focus on understanding the quality of the products in the market from a branded [product] perspective, to make private labels at least equivalent to those brands, and make sure they are priced competitively.

In Australia, Retailers Have Double Downed On Their Premium Store Brand Investments And The Dividends In Consumer Sales Are Showing Dramatically.

In March of 2023, Australian supermarket chain Coles saw its exclusive brands jump by 11.4 per cent in the three months to March, hitting $2.9 billion AUS. At Woolworths, its own brand sales jumped by 9.1 per cent in the first half of 2023, with pantry staples and dairy products increasing home brand sales by 20 per cent.

This growth is not just based on lower prices, but also on higher quality products. Director and founder of food and grocery consultancy Prof. Consulting Group, Mark Field, told The Sydney Morning Herald there had been a real shift in how Australian retailers think about the own brand space.

In a recent report on the market, Kantar said “In Latin America, manufacturers' brands are still heavily favored, accounting for 95% of consumer goods spending. But we are already seeing evidence of the advance of retailers’ brands, and this is going hand in hand with the growth of the discounter’s channel.”

The strength of private label varies in Latin America. Some countries are further ahead in the private label trend than others. In Ecuador, for instance, the number of private label units purchased has increased by 38%, and retailers’ own brands now contribute 8% of total FMCG volume, according to Kantar. Colombia, which has historically been loyal to traditional brands, sales of private labels has risen 26%.

These shifts are all due to a major change in consumer behavior. While store brands hold limited market share, the recent dramatic growth demonstrates how consumers have opened their minds, and their wallets, to new purchasing habits.

Consumers throughout the area are struggling. In Argentina, there was a 36 percent fall in eco-purchasing as a result of struggling to make ends meet. Followed by Brazil at 32 percent, Columbia at 49 percent, and Peru fell 30 percent.

South Africa and its major retailers like Shoprite, Checkers and Massmart, among others, have all followed the same pattern to fulfill the desires of cash strapped shoppers. Starting with the pandemic in 2020/2021, South African retailers have investment in store brands to help increase both market share and sales, as well as to gain the loyalty of shoppers. It is the same game plan other retailers around the world have followed and reaped the benefits. Retailers pay attention to the shaping of design, packaging, pricing, in-store placement, and even promotional strategies.

Many South African consumers across all income brackets saw store brands as merely cheaper, low-quality alternatives. However, the combination of investment by retailers and consumers seeking to save money has paid off.

According to NielsenIQ, private brands’ share of total basket value sales increased from 22.8% in 2019 to 23% in May 2022 and rose further to 24.3% by May 2023.

“There’s no doubt that a new generation of private label ‘house’ brands have provided the impetus and created momentum in the local retail sector during one of its toughest times and most difficult trading periods,” Ged Nooy, NielsenIQ South Africa Managing Director was quoted as saying in a 2022 report on the South African Market.

In addition, a 2022 Daymon survey found an incredible 98% of South African shoppers buy private brands and 64% of South African shoppers purchase private brands during every shopping trip and for all types of products including food, household, and toiletry products. Daymon credits this growth to an improvement in customer perceptions of private brands over the past two years.

This trend continued into 2023. NielsenIQ reported 48% think private-label products are a good alternative to name brands, and 40% are now turning to discounters for their primary shopping.

The global economic and growth of inflation has brought new shoppers to store brands across the globe and what held true in Europe and America could soon prove true in many new markets. Once consumers try store brands and learn about their high quality and lower prices, they will remain customers and will begin to try other private label products.

The strategy retailers have used in so many other markets are now finding a new group of shoppers and the chances are they will never shop the same way again.

FROM VISION TO VICTORY:

Boldly Master the Art of Private Brand Excellence

In the dynamic landscape of retail, the power of Retailer-owned Brands (private brands) has emerged as a defining factor for retailers seeking to carve out a distinctive identity. No longer mere alternatives to national brands, private brands now demand a strategic focus and unwavering commitment from retailers. The journey toward brand excellence entails a trifecta of imperatives: focus, execution, and innovation.

Focus Boldly

At the heart of Retailer-owned Brand success lies a clear and consumer-centric focus. Retailers must cultivate brands that resonate with their target audience and position them as valuable corporate assets. This necessitates the establishment of dedicated brand teams and the formulation of long-term brand-building strategies. Retailers can chart a course toward sustained growth and relevance by defining one-, three--, five--, and ten-year plans. Brand management must be distinguished from product development, ensuring a holistic approach to brand building.

Execute Boldly

Consistency serves as the bedrock upon which brand loyalty is built. Every touchpoint must exude a sense of reliability and coherence from package design to product quality. Consistent merchandising practices reinforce brand recognition and elevate the brand's perceived value in the eyes of consumers. Effective marketing strategies amplify brand messaging and foster a deeper connection with the target audience. Moreover, transparent pricing policies underscore the brand's positioning and instill consumer confidence.

Innovate Boldly

Innovation lies at the heart of sustainable growth and differentiation. Retailers must cultivate a culture that rewards and nurtures innovation across all facets of brand development. By fostering creativity and experimentation, retailers can drive incremental improvements and groundbreaking innovations. The quest for innovation should permeate every aspect of brand building and development, from product ideation to market launch. Embracing incremental and radical innovation ensures private brands remain agile and responsive to evolving consumer needs.

Leading Retailer-owned Brands in 2024

To navigate the complexities of modern retail and steer Retailer-owned Brands toward success, today’s retail executives must embody a unique set of seven attributes:

1. Strategy Obsessed: Private brands should reflect and reinforce corporate strategy, aligning with the organization’s overarching goals.

CHRISTOPHER DURHAM President VELOCITY INSTITUTE

2. Customer Focused: Understanding and anticipating the customer’s needs is paramount, as well as driving product innovation and brand differentiation.

3. Fearless: Embracing risk-taking and learning from failure are essential to fostering innovation and growth.

4. Diplomat & Leader: Building consensus and collaboration across diverse teams is crucial for driving brand success in a matrixed organization.

5. Data Informed: While data provides valuable insights, brand managers must go beyond numbers to uncover consumers' underlying motivations and behaviors.

6. Differentiator: Meaningful differentiation sets private brands apart, fostering emotional connections and loyalty.

7. Passion: Genuine passion for the brands and products they represent fuels creativity, resilience, and unwavering dedication.

In conclusion, the path to excellence demands a steadfast commitment to focus, execution, and innovation. By embracing these and embodying the attributes of the innovative private brand leader, retailers can unlock new levels of success and distinction.

Embrace the challenge, ignite innovation, and redefine the future of Retailer-owned Brands.

Christopher Durham

Christopher founded the groundbreaking site My Private Brand. He is the co-founder of The Vertex Awards. He began his retail career building brands at Food Lion and Lowe’s Home Improvement. Durham has worked with retailers around the world, including Albertsons, Family Dollar, Petco, Staples, Office Depot, Best Buy, Metro Canada. Durham has published seven definitive books on private brands, including Fifty2: The My Private Brand Project and Vanguard: Vintage Originals.

Palm Oil Can Be Grown Sustainably, and Has Been for 20 years

Palm oil is the most widely consumed vegetable oil in the global retail market. It is found in 50% of packaged items on supermarket shelves. As the most efficient crop by land use, global production and demand has led to rapid expansion, which when grown unsustainably can pose a threat to forests, wildlife and communities.

The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil was founded in 2004 in response to the urgent and pressing global call for sustainably produced palm oil. This voluntary initiative has demonstrated that palm oil can be grown responsibly; primary and secondary forests are protected, wildlife habitats are not harmed and communities are respected. Many milestones have been reached since the RSPO founding 20 years ago.

A leading standard

One of RSPO’s earliest achievements was the establishment of a set of Principles and Criteria (P&C) for sustainable palm oil production. These criteria cover environmental, social, and economic aspects, providing a comprehensive framework for sustainable practices. The first P&C was adopted in 2007 and is reviewed every five years to assure continued relevance and credibility.

RSPO is the leading standard in relation to biodiversity protection and level of assurance, according to an IUCN National Committee of the Netherlands benchmark study of six palm oil sustainability standards.

Safeguarding ecosystems

RSPO’s efforts have contributed to reducing deforestation, protecting critical wildlife habitats and enhancing ecosystems. By promoting responsible land use practices and prohibiting the conversion of high conservation value and high carbon stock areas, members who comply with RSPO Standards help to safeguard biodiversity and provide for the next generation.

Smallholder inclusion

RSPO has placed significant emphasis on the inclusion of small-scale farmers. By developing a separate standard that takes into account the reality for smallholders and providing support through funding and training, RSPO helps to improve livelihoods while promoting environmental stewardship.

Transforming markets

Since the first shipment of RSPO Certified Sustainable Palm Oil to Europe in 2008, 20% of the world’s palm oil production is now produced under RSPO Standards. For a voluntary certification scheme, this is quite an achievement. Palm oil is the second-largest commodity in terms of certified area, second only to cotton (International Trade Centre, 2022).

Growing membership

Over the years, RSPO has significantly expanded its membership, from 500 members in 2010 to 5,800 in 2024. RSPO Membership includes palm oil producers, processors and traders, consumer goods manufacturers, retailers, banks and investors and environmental and social NGOs. This broad representation is key to achieve the shared vision of making palm oil sustainable. Retailers and their producers have been a catalyst for change over the past two decades and continue to be a great driver of further uptake of certified sustainable palm oil.

At Emerge, we are focused around two simple client objectives, which are at the heart of everything we do.

1. 2.

FOR SUPPLIERS

Looking to expand and differentiate their business or take new innovations to market

FOR RETAILERS

Wanting to build a unique roadmap and actionable tactics for Private Brand greatness

CALL US

We would love to start a conversation with you

www.emergefromthepack.com

Perry Seelert, Partner; Mark Dickinson, Partner Perry@emergefromthepack.com

Mark@emergefromthepack.com

+1 203 529 3668

RETAILER SPOTLIGHT

Sprouts partnered with Marketing By Design (MBD) to reinvent their brand vision and the results are astonishing! Their private brand program reached sales of $1 billion in 2023, received 8 Awards and was named “Retailer of the Year” at the Vertex Awards Ceremony. Furthermore, the work is strategically thought out and pushes into new territory with category specific, charismatic designs that are disrupting shelves. This redesign speaks to their existing customers who are already accustomed to the high level of quality and innovation expected from Sprouts and it’s relatable and approachable to new shoppers - attracting customers of all ages.

Together with Sprouts, MBD created a look that elevates customers’ expectations and generates excitement around new products and flavors. Overall, it is wholesome, optimistic, innovative, really fun to shop and highlights the differentiated assortment of products you will find in store. We are excited to share the thought process behind some of these designs.

More importantly, our CHI (client happiness index) is a 12 out of 10!

MBD’s creative talent base never ceases to amaze us. They deliver on time, on budget, and on strategy. Their partnership was essential to the success of what we set out to accomplish. Stay tuned for future growth and more great packaging designfrom MBD and Sprouts!

Elizabeth Erby, Director, Sprouts Brand, Sprouts Farmers Market

ORGANIC SPICES

The challenge was to design a system for 52 skus of Organic Spices that could easily be rolled out and drive shelf presence. The solution is one clean, yet confident look to create a dominating brand block. Visibility of product is key, achieved through a clever and ambiguous illustration that wraps around the clear label. Product name pops off the white placard with a bold font for easy legibility.

ORGANIC & CONVENTIONAL PASTA & SAUCES

This clever design exudes originality. Organic is meant to look different from conventional and have a more premium vibe, but play nicely with the conventional skus creating a cohesive on-shelf story. Playful, earthy elements crawl up the pack, highlighting the pasta through the window. The claim ‘Product of Italy’ takes center stage in a mature stamp-like graphic, emphasizing the premium quality. The unexpected color stories separate the 2 designs while the illustrations and Italian inspired fonts tie them together.

NON-DAIRY FROZEN DESSERT

While disrupting an already busy shelf set, this design is the heart and soul of who Sprouts is. The vibrant colors and titles create great shelf impact while the charmful illustrations speak to the "ingredient ques” helping to differentiate the varieties. Claims are clear, easy to read and speak to Sprouts clean and conscious consumer.

ORGANIC & CONVENTIONAL CANNED TOMATOES

When MBD was asked to create a premium design that was easily shoppable and stood out among national competitors, we couldn’t wait to create packaging that came alive on shelf. Through color and illustrative artistry, the 2 segments are visually different, yet still have a cohesive brand presencegiving this commodity item more meaning.

ORGANIC SUPERFOODS

Expressive and exciting, moving the needle in the on-trend superfood category this packaging speaks to the good-for-you benefits present in all Sprouts branded products. The firework-esque design elements highlight the 'superfood!' goodness in an approachable way.

FRESH PASTA

To shake up the fresh pasta category MBD chose earth toned colors with pops of black to provide a premium look allowing the information architecture to be clear, while the half window allows the product to be hero. The titles focus on the pasta form for all skus, while icons speak to the attributes. The illustrations enhance the flavor profiles breathing life into this premium design. The contrasting font helps the concept to be high end looking while maintaining the Sprouts brand look and feel.

ORGANIC COCONUT WATER

MBD had so much fun with this design. Bursting with personality and inspired by the coconut origin, carefully thought-out fonts and tropical leaf shaped windows allow transparency and highlights the freshness of the product. This energetic design speaks to the refreshing hydration of this 100% Organic Coconut Water.

Marketing By Design is a full-service strategy, creative, production and workflow packaging design agency built to meet the challenges and opportunities facing Private Label and National Brands today.

Interested in working with MBD?

Maria Dubuc, mdubuc@mbdesign.com

Katie Locke, klocke@mbdesign.com

NO-LO TREND INEVITABLE FOR RETAILERS

Growing Demand For Non-Alcoholic And De-Alcoholized Beverages

“Have you seen the zebra in the bar? Don’t worry, I’m not intoxicated. I was searching for someone who is into the latest trend of consuming no or low alcoholic drinks. Between the years 2019 and 2023, the market for non-alcoholic beverages experienced an annual growth rate of eight percent, and this trend is expected to continue.”

“Zebra striping” refers to the practice of switching between alcoholic and low- or alcohol-free drinks during a single occasion. This trend has become quite popular in the UK, with 47% of adults adopting it, as per Kantar research. However, this practice is not isolated as a recent report by KAM, a British hospitality research organization in collaboration with Lucky Saint, shows that an increasing number of Britons are giving up or reducing their alcohol consumption. The report suggests that moderation is becoming a continuing trend, with the fastest reduction in alcohol consumption being observed among 18 to 24-year-olds. In 2023, compared to 2021, 5.2 million fewer adults in the UK drank weekly.

It’s important to note that although the British have reduced their alcohol consumption, they haven’t completely stopped drinking. As of 2023, approximately 77 percent of UK adults still consume alcohol at least once a week, although this percentage was higher at 90 percent two years ago. People have been moderating their drinking habits for various reasons such as saving money, maintaining a healthier liver, improving their fitness, physical health and weight, among others.

NO-LO market growth

The demand for non-alcoholic beverages is increasing not only in the UK but also in other major markets. The consumption of de-alcoholized beverages is also growing significantly. According to a recent report by the International Wine and Spirits Research (IWSR), the no-alcohol share of the overall alcohol market is expected to increase further to nearly four percent by 2027. Projections indicate an annual increase of seven percent for fully de-alcoholized and

three percent for partially de-alcoholized products. The Head of No- and Low-Alcohol Insights at IWSR, Susie Goldspink, stated that, “ as no- and low-alcohol becomes a more established part of the landscape of alcoholic beverages, growth is slowing after a peak in 2020 to 2021. However, the category is expected to make robust gains in the coming years, led by no-alcohol and persistently strong recruitment levels.”

Based on the data provided by IWSR, millennials are the most significant age group among those who consume no or low alcohol drinks. However, in more developed markets like Japan, Spain, Germany, and France, the NO-LO consumers are relatively older. In countries like Spain and Germany, the market share of NO-LO drinks has already crossed ten percent.

According to IWSR, the trend of switching between no/low and full-strength alcohol is also not limited to the UK alone. Many other countries are also seeing a rise in people opting for substituting instead of abstaining from alcohol

altogether. In 2023, substituters made up 43% of no/low alcohol consumers, up from 41% in 2022, while abstainers decreased from 19% to 17%. This trend is mostly driven by the US and France, where the percentage of substituters has reached 45% and 50%, respectively. The study also shows that more millennials are becoming substituters, with an increase from 41% to 45% in the proportion of millennials who consume no/low alcohol on some occasions and full-strength on others, at the expense of the abstainer group.

NO-LO inevitable for retailers

This trend towards alcohol-free and low-alcohol drinks reflects the growing preference for healthier lifestyles among consumers. Producers and retailers can capitalize on this trend by expanding their product range. Some companies, like the retailer ASDA, have already started introducing a "no and low" section in their stores.

HANS KRAAK Principal KRAAK MEDIA PRODUCTIES

Enough NO-LO choice

As more and more consumers look to alternate between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, it is becoming increasingly evident that there are plenty of enjoyable options to choose from. Despite this, the NO-LO category still faces some challenges. According to IWSR, availability remains a major barrier for existing consumers, while those who reject the category tend to prefer other drinks or are put off by the taste of the no or low products. In fact, up to 47% of no/low consumers find availability the main barrier to greater consumption across all markets, but it is particularly important in countries like the US, UK and South Africa, and among the younger age groups like Gen Z and Millennials. However, Japan is an exception to this trend, as availability is not the most important barrier there. Japanese consumers prefer other beverages and mostly reject no/low drinks because they don’t like the taste.

Hans Kraak

Hans Kraak is educated in biology and journalism and wrote three books about nutrition and health. He worked for the Dutch ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food quality and the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. As editor in chief he publishes in the Dutch Magazine for Nutrition and Dietetics, as a food and wine writer he published in Meininger’s Wine Business International and reports for PLMA Live EU and PLMA USA.

OVER 3,000 COMPANIES FROM 67 COUNTRIES AT COSMOPROF WORLDWIDE BOLOGNA 2024

Great expectations for the March 2024 edition: the event is already sold out, and online registrations of international operators are increasing.

21 – 24 MARCH 2024

BOLOGNA, ITALY

Cosmoprof Worldwide Bologna is set to celebrate its 55th edition with highly positive advanced indicators. Over 3,000 companies from 67 countries have confirmed their presence (+4% compared to 2023), and the exhibition area is sold out. 58% of exhibitors come from European countries and 42% from outside Europe. 35% of exhibitors at Cosmoprof are first-time participants, which is particularly noteworthy compared to 2023. Moreover, the presence of 30 country pavilions that will showcase the best of their national production confirms the event’s international appeal.

The collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in Italy and with ITA –Italian Trade Agency is incentivising the participation of more than 90 delegations with the most important importers, distributors, and retailers worldwide. Also, Cosmoprof Worldwide Bologna will benefit from the the collaboration with Cosmetica Italia - the Personal Care Association.

These results reflect the general confidence and optimism of the market, as well as the positive reception of the event's new format, with the coordinated opening of all pavilions on the same day, Thursday, March 21st, to facilitate a multi-channel approach. Cosmopack and Cosmo Perfumery & Cosmetics will be open for three days and close on Saturday, March 23rd. The pavilions dedicated to the professional channels of Cosmo Hair Nail & Beauty Salon will be open for four days and will close on Sunday, March 24th. The decision to revise the dates is motivated by changes in the habits of industry operators. Opening all pavilions on Thursday will facilitate contact between companies and international operators across all distribution channels.

The Supply Chain Innovations at Cosmopack

Cosmopack, the exhibition dedicated to the supply chain, is the only trade fair event that hosts all sectors of the supply chain: ingredients and raw materials, contract manufacturing and private labels, packaging, applicators, machinery, automation, and full-service solutions. The format thrives on synergy with Cosmoprof’s finished product sectors, facilitating commercial exchanges between suppliers and finished product companies.

Cosmopack is the cradle of innovations and new collections, inspiring market-leading companies and independent brands. For the 2024 edition, over 550 companies from 36 countries have already confirmed their participation (19% of the total exhibitors at Cosmoprof Worldwide Bologna), marking an 8% growth compared to the 2023 edition. New technologies, innovative packaging solutions, and cuttingedge production processes await stakeholders from Thursday, March 21st, to Saturday, March 23rd. The exhibition dedicated to the supply chain is continuously expanding: for the upcoming March 2024 edition, Cosmopack will also cover Hall 28.

Within Cosmopack, in Hall 20, the Ingredients Zone will host suppliers of raw materials, ingredients, essential oils, and fragrances for cosmetic bulk, allowing them to connect with key customers for their business: on the one hand, thirdparty manufacturers exhibiting at Cosmopack; on the other hand, finished product brands, whether they are visitors or exhibitors in the adjacent pavilions of Cosmoprof. The ingredients sector plays an increasingly strategic role: in a circular economy and with growing attention to a more sustainable development of all production activities, ingredients are the starting point for the cosmetic supply chain to study new solutions that reduce the sector's environmental impact.

Within Pavilion 20, Cosmopack will also host Cosmopack Stage, a stage reserved for exhibitors for technical deep-dive sessions with a highly qualified audience of operators. New promotional initiatives will also be introduced in the area to showcase the Cosmopack universe to industry professionals worldwide.

The Exhibition for Retail Innovations at Cosmo Perfumery and Cosmetics

Cosmo Perfumery & Cosmetics, the exhibition hosting companies and retail operators in the Perfumery and Cosmetics sector, will be open for three days, from Thursday, March 21st to Saturday, March 23rd. The exhibition will host more than 1,290 companies from 57 countries (43% of the total exhibitors for the 2024 edition). Retailers worldwide will be able to discover the latest innovations to differentiate their offerings and meet new consumer habits.

The starting point for discovering new collections will again be Cosmoprime, located in Hall 14, which brings together premium and masstige brands with selective distribution for the retail and luxury segments of perfumery, cosmetics, and lifestyle beauty. Enriching the exhibition offerings of the area is the Extraordinary Gallery, which is dedicated to established brands and is a launchpad for emerging brands, featuring a carefully curated selection of indie and prestige/luxury companies. Innovation will be the keyword of the Beauty Tech Area, which will host companies promoting new AI, augmented reality, and virtual reality services as sales solutions for brands and as applications for new forms of interaction and product usage by consumers. IQONIC.

AI, PERFECT CORP, PRINKER, VIDEOWISE, and ARBELLE by VISAGE TECHNOLOGIES will showcase solutions revolutionising the industry. Not to be missed is the Italian StartUp area, in collaboration with ITA –Italian Trade Agency, which will bring emerging realities of the industry to Cosmoprime.

Pavilion 14 will also host a Buyer Lounge for buyers, retailers, and distributors worldwide: a space available for business meetings and dedicated consultancy from the Cosmoprof team for stakeholders searching for specific partners to develop their entrepreneurial activities.

The Cosmo Perfumery & Cosmetics exhibition is complemented by international companies showcasing perfumery, makeup, accessories, and skincare in Halls 22 and 26. Among the pavilions dedicated to the world of perfumery and cosmetics, Hall 21 will host brands and products that are organic, biological, vegan, ecofriendly, and cruelty-free.

www.cosmoprof.com

SUCCESS FOR MARCA BY BOLOGNAFIERE 2024

Save the Date on January 15th and 16th, 2025

15-16 JANUARY 2025

BOLOGNA , ITALY

The 20th edition of Marca concluded with a visit from Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Minister for Cohesion Raffaele Fitto, and ICEAgency General Director Lorenzo Galanti. It was an unprecedented success for the only Italian event dedicated to Private label. Over 20,000 visitors, 1,100 exhibitors, 22 exhibiting Retailer chains, 7 halls covering a net area of 26,000 square meters, and more than 250 hosted buyers from 30 countries.

The twentieth edition of Marca by BolognaFiere has come to a close, and it saw a surge in the number of visitors. More than 20,000 people attended the event, which is an 18% increase compared to 2023. The number of exhibitors also grew, with a total of 1,100 exhibitors occupying a net exhibition area of 26,000 m², which is a 26% increase. In the International Buyers Lounge, more than 2,400 business meetings were held between the 250 foreign buyers and the exhibiting companies.

Organized in collaboration with ADM - Associazione Distribuzione Moderna and under the patronage of the EmiliaRomagna Region and the Bologna Chamber of Commerce, Marca by BolognaFiere is the leading Italian event for the private label market. In 2023, this market achieved a record turnover of 25.4 billion euros, accounting for 31.5% of the turnover of the Modern Distribution market.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Minister for Cohesion Raffaele Fitto, Deputy Transport Minister Galeazzo Bignami, and ICE Agency Director General Lorenzo Galanti attended the event to emphasize the importance of the sector. Other speakers on the opening day were Francesco Lollobrigida, Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty, and Forestry (via video message), Valentino Valentini, Deputy Minister for Business and Made in Italy, and Stefano Bonaccini, President of the Emilia-Romagna Region. The heads of the main trade associations, including

Ettore Prandini, President of Coldiretti, Maria Grazia Mammuccini, President of FederBio, and Nicoletta Maffini, President of AssoBio, were also present.

The 2024 edition of Marca set new records in terms of communication. More than 750 journalists were accredited to the event, and the website received 150,000 visits in the last six months, from 70,000 unique users. In the first 15 days of January alone, the website received 2 million page views, and the Exhibitors' Catalogue was consulted 400,000 times. Social media views exceeded 350,000 impressions in the last quarter. Finally, it's worth mentioning that Marca by BolognaFiere is currently the leading agrifood exhibition in Italy on LinkedIn.

www.marca.bolognafiere.it

CIBUS SHOWCASES

How Responsible Consumption and Sustainable Developement Goals are Shaping the Future of the Food Industry

7-10 MAY 2024 PARMA , ITALY

Scheduled from May 7th to 10th in Parma, Cibus aims to promote the best of Made in Italy Food & Beverage on the global market with a special focus on innovative and sustainable products.

The upcoming edition of Cibus, the main event for the Italian agri-food community, will address several burning issues in the sector. These include the impacts of inflation on food consumption, the new season of PDOs and PGIs on global markets, PL facing the “healthy” challenge, and above all, the great trend of sustainable innovation in the food industry.

A Growing Global Demand for Authentic Italian Food & Beverage

The trade show is already sold out three months before the event. More than 3,000 brands will participate, which will attract retail and outof-home channel specialists from all over the world. The incoming program has already confirmed the participation of over 1,000 top buyers, with many of them coming from prime target markets for authentic Italian food & beverage such as the United States, Arabicspeaking countries, Germany, Spain,

France, and the United Kingdom. Additionally, there will be a significant presence of professionals from Southeastern Asia and the Far East, marking a return to normalcy and in-person events after the limitations of the pandemic.

Plenty of Room for Innovation

Cibus 2024 has various special areas that offer interactive experiences to visitors. These sections are all related to the pressing sector issues of sustainable development goals of 2030 EU Agenda. For instance, there is the “Cibus Innovation Corner,” which is a product innovation gallery that has been strongly renewed this year from a visual perspective, and the “Cibus Startup Area,” which is a section curated by the incubator Le Village by Crédit Agricole that focuses on innovative proposals

for the food industry. Additionally, a new experiential section will be introduced that aims to present in an original and engaging way the actions and ideas of agri-food companies that inspire sustainable consumption choices from a social, energy, and nutritional point of view. This brand-new interactive section is the result of collaboration with the T_OOL spin-off, sponsored by the University of Parma.

The Conference Program

There will be five conference and seminar areas at Fiere di Parma, spread across the eight pavilions. Some of these areas will focus on specific themes or sectors. Each day will be dedicated to a specific topic, including the new balance between Large Scale Retail and the brand industry after the recent anti-inflation agreements, the comparison of the best practices in the enhancement of IG products, and the new challenges of Ho.Re.Ca. These challenges include digital transition and consumption trends.

www.cibus.it/en/

FOOD TAIPEI

26 -29 JUNE 2024

TAIPEI, TAIWAN

Get ready for a taste explosion at Food Taipei 2024! This leading food event is your golden ticket to dive into a world where delicious flavors and cutting-edge innovation collide. Mark your calendars for June 26 to 29, 2024, for the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center is gearing up for leaders and elite in food industry, offering a glimpse on the global food trends and insights of Asia food market.

Food Taipei 2024 is an allencompassing food industry event that covers what the future holds for our dining tables. Visitors will find the freshest produce, the most delectable frozen foods, aromatic teas, refined alcohols, invigorating coffees, tempting snacks, wholesome organic foods, innovative plant-based foods, and cutting-edge future-tech-based foods in the show. This event giving chance to witness the food ecosystem in all its glory, emphasizing healthy, palatable, and sustainable products.

Furthermore, Food Taipei is a part of the Food Taipei Mega Shows, a collaboration that includes FOODTECH TAIPEI, BIO/ PHARMATECH TAIWAN, TAIPEI PACK, and TAIWAN HORECA. Together, the Food Taipei Mega Shows creating an unparalleled one-stop platform that covers every aspect of the food industry’s supply chain. With 1,600 exhibitors and 4,300 booths, an estimated 50,000 industry insiders are expected to attend, providing an opportunity for global buyers to connect with the vibrant Asia-Pacific food market.

HIGHLIGHTS OF FOOD TAIPEI 2024

Future Food Pavilion

What will the future of food look like? The Future Food Pavilion is your window into latest food trends, showcasing alternative proteins, plant-based food to innovative fermentation technologies. This section is a tribute to the forwardthinking spirit of the food industry, offering a taste of the exciting possibilities on the horizon.

Food Taipei Forum

The Food Taipei Forum is where the experts and industry leaders from the food world come together. This gathering of global experts and industry pioneers offers deep dives into manufacturing, processing, and packaging trends. It's an essential resource for anyone looking to keep their finger on the pulse of the industry's future.

Procurement Meetings

The heart of Food Taipei beats in its Procurement Meetings, where industry leaders from across the globe meet to forge new connections and explore business opportunities. Whether you’re sourcing for quality and innovated products or the lookout for the next big thing, these meetings are designed to open doors and build bridges.

Foods Mosaic

Foods Mosaic blends creativity with cuisine through a captivating series of promotional videos. Let influencers take you on a virtual tour of the show, highlighting everything from must-see exhibits to the latest gastronomic innovations. It’s a chance to experience the buzz of Food Taipei from anywhere in the world.

Daily Savory

Gear up for Daily Savory, a fourday culinary adventure where visitors can explore the diverse and innovative world of food. Each day offers a new perspective on innovative and diverse food, inviting you to savor the extraordinary and inspire your culinary imagination.

Guided Tour

The guided tours help visitors to grasp the scope of the food industry from a new perspective. From processing to packaging to products, the Food Taipei Mega Shows offers you a comprehensive overview of high- quality food, innovative products and cuttingedge technologies. To

Certified Origins / 27

The CHT Group / 29

Cibus Parma / 79

Cosmoprof Worldwide Bologna / 15

Emerge / 69

Frostkrone Food Group / 31

Global Tissue Group / Inside Front Cover Spread, Back Cover

La Doria S.p.A / 33

LeBonta srl / 6 - 7

Lucart S.p.A / 13 & 35

Lucid Studios / 73

Marca Bologna / 16 – 17

Malachite Strategy & Research / 81

MBD (Marketing By Design) / 19

The Perla Company / 37

PLMA’s World of Private Label Amsterdam / 9

Red Gold / 11

Seneca Foods / 5

Shanghai Hutchison Whitecat Co. Ltd. / 43

Valsa Group / 39

Velocity Institute Conference / 83

V Label Italia / 41

ADVERTISING INQUIRIES

EUROPE

Ms. Luisa Colombo

Global Retail Brands

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Ms. Sabine Geissler Italy / Germany Greentaste.it s.geissler@greentaste.it

Mr. Jacco van Laar Brand Ambassador jacco@globalretailmag.com

AMERICAS, ASIA, AUSTRALIA, AFRICA

Mr. Phillip Russo

Global Retail Brands magazine

240 Central Park South, Suite 9G New York, NY 10019 USA

Tel. +1 917 743 6711 phillip@globalretailmag.com

www.globalretailmag.com