ROSEMONT, Ill. – The 2024 edition of the sold-out Private Label Trade Show, hosted by the Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA), recently showcased product innovations from a record-breaking 1,800+ exhibitors.
Private label continues to outperform national brands, with store brand dollar sales up 2.3% versus a 1.1% gain for national brands for the first six months of 2024 compared to the same period a year ago, according to Circana.
PLMA President Peggy Davies said store brands are projected to surpass a quarter trillion dollar in total sales in 2024. Davies also announced that January 2025 will be inaugural Store Brands Month – a month-long collaboration between retailers and manufacturers to promote the quality of store brands.
Dave Rinaldo, President at ALDI USA, said private label manufacturers need to focus on exciting customers through innovation.
Product trends seen on the PLMA show floor included the following:
Coffeehouse at Home
Budget-conscious consumers are looking to replicate the coffee shop experience at home by using toppings, creamers, and syrups.
“Cold foam has become the fastest-growing add-on at national coffee shops, gaining popularity alongside the rise of cold coffee beverages,” according to Scott Carter, VP of Growth & Innovation, SunOpta in a press release. At the recent Chicago-area event, SunOpta offered Oat Cold Foaming Cream that froths readily into a sweetened microfoam.
The Oat Cold Foaming Cream by SOWN is a plant-based solution that lets consumers create barista-quality, vanilla-flavored cold foam to sit on top of cold brew after 30 seconds of frothing. Meanwhile, Alamance Foods offered Coffee Toppers Cold Foam in convenient aerosol style cans in multiple flavors including Melty Mocha, and Salted Caramel.
Global Dips and Spreads
Americans’ desire for bold flavors and healthy snacking is driving consumer demand for dips. Shoppers are looking for more globally inspired dips as dips offer an easy way to try new flavors such as muhammara (a Mediterranean dip made of walnuts, red bell peppers, pomegranate molasses, and bread crumbs), and labneh with Za’atar and olive oil (a dip made with strained cow’s milk yogurt and Za’atar spice). Using dips helps make healthy foods like baby carrots and celery taste more flavorful.
At the PLMA event, Maryland Packaging brought a taste of the Mediterranean with its Fusha Muhammara Mediterranean-Style Dip & Spread roasted red pepper & walnut and Fusha Labneh & Zattar made with kefir, spices & EVOO.
Producers of dips are using yogurt, kefir, and cottage cheese to create healthier dips with benefits such as gut-friendly probiotic cultures and high protein in response to consumer trends.
Spicy Snacks
Spicy sells, with Circana data showing that dollar sales for food and beverages with “spicy” in the description have increased by 9% year over year. Gen Zers love their spicy snacks such as Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.
There were plenty of spicy snacks at the PLMA Show. For example, Grupo Brio Snacks, based in Guatemala, served rolled tortilla chips in multiple spicy flavors including Hot Chili & Lime, and Jalapeno. Greendot Health Foods Pvt. Ltd., based in India, offered Cornitos Peri Peri Nacho Crisps and Cornitos Sweet Chili Mexican tortilla chips.
Finally, Krienke Foods International sampled its Rooster’s Chicken Crackers in flavors like Kung Pao.
About the author: Virginia Lee is an F&B market researcher. She has advised companies on innovation and market entry opportunities in consumer packaged goods at Euromonitor International, Innova Market Insights, and Brightfield Group. Connect with Virginia on Instagram, TikTok, and X at @VirginiaALee.
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