News Update

PLMA’s Annual Roundtable Conference returns with a full schedule that addresses the Latest in Private Label, in Rotterdam on 8 and 9 March

Amsterdam, February 2023 – After two years online, PLMA’s Annual Roundtable Conference returns in-person with a full schedule of outstanding industry professionals, announced PLMA International Council. Join the conference at the Hilton Hotel in Rotterdam, the Netherlands on 8 and 9 March.

The first day of the conference, 8 March, will start in the afternoon with lunch and a presentation of the Dutch Retail Landscape followed by a store tour to see the latest store concepts of interesting retailers as well as different store formats. To close off day 1 of the conference, PLMA organises a networking reception for all registered attendees at the Hilton Hotel Rotterdam to give them the opportunity to connect with likeminded international professionals.

On 9 March the following key-note speakers are lined up:

Paul Earnshaw who is Senior Packaging Manager at Tesco PLC has over 30 years of experience in all aspects of packaging and an exceptional understanding of packaging materials and processes. He developed Tesco’s strategy for sustainable packaging, including the creation of preferred materials and formats guidelines. Paul will give Tesco’s view on how to deliver true sustainable packaging and why it is important to Tesco. He will also introduce the preferred approach to packaging materials and formats for optimising durable packaging for the retail industry.

• Business Insights Leader at EY and co-writer of the Future Consumer Index – Andrew Cosgrove, brings 20 years of experience in the industry and is often quoted in publications like the Financial Times and Wall Street Journal for his perspective on the market. He will give you tools to “Prepare your Business for the Consumer of tomorrow” by identifying 5 different consumer types and drivers that motivate them.

Petr Chvojka, Group Head of Private Label at Czech e-grocery retailer Rohlik Group is responsible for building a new private label department at the group and will share his insights into the expansion plans, the challenges and the opportunities of online retailing for private label. Furthermore, he will address the differences and similarities between brick and mortar and online retailing in view of brand architecture and strategy.

• To better understand discounters, Ray Gaul, CEO of Retail Cities will reveal the do’s and don’ts when working with Europe’s International Discounters and what to look out for in 2023. He will explain the meaning of reflective Private Label and incandescent Private Label.

Ayisha Koyenikan, Associate Director Food & Drink at Mintel, gained her broad experience in product development, innovation and food trend analyses while working for various retailers in the UK. She will address how Private Label is getting Ready for the Future and the current opportunities for private labels to grow.

For more information or to register click here!

Today PLMA’s 2022 “World of Private Label” International Trade Show opens at RAI Exhibition Centre in Amsterdam

AMSTERDAM, 31 May - The world’s largest private label exhibition opens today at the RAI Exhibition Centre in Amsterdam.  PLMA’s “World of Private Label” International Trade Show is back in full force, with more than 14.000 buyers and visitors from 120 countries attending the two-day event.

On Monday 30 May, a pre-show seminar programme opened with the announcement of the winners of PLMA’s 2022 International “Salute to Excellence” Awards, which recognise innovation and quality in private label.  More than 500 food, wine and non-food products from 55 retailers in 20 countries were considered for Awards.  

Also at the seminar, Judith Kolenburg, Managing Editor, PLMALive.eu, presented highlights of PLMA’s new international survey on the post-pandemic consumer, Will Europeans Ever Shop the Same?; Sebastiaan Buchholtz, Senior Analytical Consultant, NielsenIQ, provided an overview of private label trends and market shares in Europe; and Francois Videlaine and Sebastian Gatzer, Partners at McKinsey & Company, presented a comprehensive view on European grocery retail in 2022 and beyond.

On the trade show floor there are 2500 exhibiting companies from over 70 countries including 60 national and regional pavilions. The exhibition area covers nearly 42,000m2 and 15 exhibit halls in RAI Centre. Products on display on the show floor include fresh, frozen and refrigerated foods, dry grocery, and beverages as well as non-food categories, including cosmetics, health and beauty, household and kitchen, auto aftercare, garden, and housewares and DIY.

A special attraction is PLMA’s “Idea Supermarket” area, where attendees can see displays of the private label products selected as winners of this year’s International “Salute to Excellence Awards”. The Idea Supermarket also displays private label products that exemplify important consumer trends from retailers in Europe, United States and Asia. At the same area, more products, as submitted by exhibitors, can be seen at The New Product Expo, displaying more than 600 new private label products and packaging selected for their innovation and originality.

The theme of this year’s Show is Connect. Source. Grow. explains Peggy Davies, President of PLMA, “Business is all about connections, and private label is no different. With connections, manufacturers can operate their companies and present their private label offers. With the offerings from exhibitors, retailers and wholesalers can source for products for their private label ranges. With connections, manufacturers, retailers, and wholesalers can grow.”

PLMA Announces 2022 International “Salute to Excellence Awards” Winners

AMSTERDAM - 30 May 2022 - Sustainable products dominated the list of retailers that won a 2022 International “Salute to Excellence” Award from PLMA for innovation and quality in private label food, wine and non-food.

“The large number of sustainable and environmentally friendly products demonstrate the commitment of retailers to a greener planet,” said Peggy Davies, president of the Private Label Manufacturers Association.

The 78 award-winning food and non-food products were selected by international panels of judges, including former retailers, chefs, nutritionists and journalists.

Nearly 450 products introduced in the past year by 51 retailers in 20 countries were submitted for consideration.

Along with sustainability, other trends include:

  •  Focus on a safer and healthier lifestyle that responds to the consumer’s wish to "Keep me and my family safe and healthy in the future".
  • High quality Plant-based foods
  • Foods from local farmers
  • Indulgent desserts
  • New flavours like muesli popcorn salted caramel and fermented black garlic.

Of the 78 awards, 27 awards went to retailers in Germany (14) and Italy (13). France and The Netherlands each won eight awards. The other 35 awards were divided between retailers from Ireland, Scandinavia, Iberian Peninsula, Turkey, South Africa and China.

German drugstore chain Dirk Rossmann received the most awards of any retailer, with seven awards for its innovation in food and non-food. It was followed by Monoprix from France, Aldi from The Netherlands, Musgrave Retail Partners from Ireland and Woolworths from South Africa all walked away with five awards each. MD Stores in Italy, EROSKI in Spain, Globus Markthallen in Germany and Carrefour in Turkey were honoured with four awards each.

In the Food category, winning products included Axfood’s Garant Pasta Sauce with Grana Padano and Lemon; EROSKI’s Fresh Gourmet Salad with fresh compartments; Monoprix’s Gourmet Foie Gras de Canard; Modelo Continente Hipermercados’s Continente Bio Raspberry Kombucha; Aldi Netherlands Schultenbräu IPA beer; and Rema 1000 Denmark crooked mini Spring Rolls with vegetables.

In the Non-Food category, winning products included Dirk Rossmann’s Eco Freude refill cleaning concentrates; Monoprix’s Washable and Reusable Double-Sided Make-up Remover Pads; A.S. Watson Benelux Kruidvat Natures Conditioner Solid Bar; Auchan organic and natural children’s toothpaste and Woolworths Earth Friendly Coco Scrubber.

International “Salute to Excellence Wine Awards”
In addition to food and non-food, the International Salute to Excellence Awards featured private label wines. More than 80 wines from 13 retailers in seven countries were considered. Wines were judged by varietal, style, and appellation for best quality and best value in 16 categories. A special mention was awarded for innovative packaging.

The judges included a Master of Wine, sommeliers, wine writers and retail industry professionals.

Dutch retailers earned 18 wine awards in total. Italy and Spain ranked second with five awards each; and Portugal was recognized three times. Denmark, which participated in the competition for the first time, earned a “best quality” award in French & German Reds for Dagrofa’s La Croix Jocas 6.0 Ventoux A.O.P. 2016.

Among the winners:

  •  Aldi from the Netherlands won an award for Best Value in the Verdejo category for its Valdechimoza Rueda D.O. Verdejo 2021.
  • Metro from Germany was awarded Best Quality in the Rosé category for its Casalina di Siziano Nero d’Avola Rosato Sicilia D.O.C. 2021.
  • Despar from Italy ranked first in Best Quality in Organic Wines for its Conte del Doss Franciacorta D.O.C. Pas Dosé Biologico.
  • Albert Heijn from the Netherlands was recognized for Best Quality and Best Value in the “No or Low-Alcohol” category for its Free Feather Alcoholvrij Chardonnay.
  • An innovative packaging award was awarded to Hema from The Netherlands for its Positive Rosé Wine Umbria I.G.T. 2021 & Positive White Wine Umbria I.G.T. 2021.

“I congratulate all the retailers that participated in this year’s award programme,” said Davies. “These awards prove that private label is leading the retail industry and giving shoppers the high-quality, high-value and great-tasting products they want.”

PLMA’s International “Salute to Excellence” Awards were established in 2014. For the full list of winners and to download photos, visit www.plmasalute.com.

“Will Europeans ever shop the same?” PLMA’s latest Consumer Survey presented at 2022 “World of Private Label” pre-show seminars

The new International Consumer Survey, conducted by SurveyLab exclusively for PLMA, will focus on the post-pandemic grocery shopping behaviour.

Amsterdam – The importance and growing popularity of private label is at the forefront at PLMA’s 2022 “World of Private Label” International Trade show, which will take place on 31 May and 1 June at the RAI Exhibition Centre in Amsterdam.

On Monday 30 May at the Forum Centre of the RAI Exhibition Centre PLMA’s 2022 International Salute to Excellence Awards will be revealed.  The awards honour retailers for excellence in products and packaging, introduced within the past year, in private label wine, food and non-food products and packaging.

The seminar programme is open to all registered visitors and exhibitors. PLMA will reveal the results of a recent consumer survey conducted exclusively for PLMA by SurveyLab. 6450 consumers from 8 countries including United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Poland, Sweden and The Netherlands were asked about their buying behaviour, before and after the pandemic. The outcome provides insight in shopping activities and attitude towards brands and products, which may contribute to new insight for manufacturers and retailers alike as they focus on private label strategic development.

Tom Penninckx, Client Business Partner at NielsenIQ, will give an overview of the latest country-by-country market share data and trends of the past year. A presentation on “State of Grocery in Europe: Navigating the Market Headwinds”, with new insights and perspectives that will likely shape European grocery retail in 2022 and beyond, will be given by Francois Videlaine and Sebastian Gatzer, Partners at McKinsey & Company.

On the show floor, nearly 2500 exhibitors from 70 countries will display their latest and innovative private label products.  More than 40% of exhibitors offer products with a sustainable claim whether in packaging material, ingredients or sourcing. In addition, more than 30% of exhibitors offer private label products with a free from claim and/or special dietary needs and lifestyles e.g. gluten free and lactose free, kosher, halal, no sugar, vegetarian and vegan. The show is fully set to reflect this year’s theme “Connect. Grow. Source.”

A special attraction within the show is PLMA’s Idea Supermarket, where visitors and exhibitors can see the product ranges of more than 60 retailers from around the world, as well as the winning products of PLMA’s 2022 International Salute to Excellence Awards. The Idea Supermarket also accommodates PLMA’s New Product Expo, displaying more than 600 new products presented by exhibitors for the first time.

For more information about PLMA’s 2022  “World of Private Label” International Trade Show, or to arrange an interview with Peggy Davies, President of PLMA, contact PLMA International Council, at telephone: +31 20 5753032 or email: press@plma.nl.