PL Buyer’s 2005 Category Colonels
We called (well, emailed!) and the retailers answered.PL Buyer put the word out that we were on the prowl for this year’s tip of the top and the top of the crop when it came to private label manufacturers. Who is committed to quality and the establishment of true partnerships with retailers? Who is committed to keeping up those partnerships?
Our retailer readers have voted and the winners are listed here. The categories span the private label industry in both food and non-food, and the winners share the common thread of driving growth in the private label industry through solid retailer-manufacturer partnerships.
Congratulations to the 2005 Category Colonels!
| Product Category | Award Winner |
| Adult Incontinence | Tyco Retail Group* |
| Air Fresheners | Willert Home Products |
| Baby Products | Cumberland Swan |
| Baby Diapers | Tyco Retail Group* |
| Baked Goods | Sara Lee Bakery Group* |
| Bakery Mixes | Gilster-Mary Lee Corp.* |
| Bath & Body Products | Apollo Health and Beauty Care |
| Batteries | IBC Worldwide |
| Beverage Mixes | Associated Brands LLP* |
| Bottled Water | Premium Waters Inc.* |
| Breakfast Foods | Ralston Foods* |
| Cameras/Film | Ferrania Imaging Technologies* |
| Candles | Premier Candle Corp. |
| Candy/Chocolate | Blueberry Hill Foods |
| Canned Soups | Del Monte Corporate Brands* |
| Canned Seafood | Chicken of the Sea International |
| Canned Vegetables | SenecaFoods Corp. |
| Carbonated Soft Drinks | Cott Corp.* |
| Cheese | Schreiber Foods Inc. |
| Cleaning Aids/Mops, Sponges, Gloves | Clean Ones Corp. |
| Coffee/Tea | Mother Parker’s Tea & Coffee Inc. |
| Condiments | Baumer Foods* |
| Cotton Products | U.S. Cotton* |
| Cosmetics/Supplies | Millers Forge Inc. |
| Cookies/Crackers | Bremner Inc. (Ralcorp)* |
| Dairy | Crowley Foods |
| Deli Meats | Cooper Farms |
| Dry Soups/Dinner Mixes | Gilster-Mary Lee Corp.* |
| Dressings | North Coast Processing Inc. (ED Smith USA)* |
| Eye Care | Bausch & Lomb Inc. |
| Eggs | Sparboe Farms* |
| Feminine Hygiene | First Quality Hygienic Inc.* |
| Food/Trash Bags | Presto Products Co.* |
| Foils/Wraps | Reynolds/Alcoa Consumer Products* |
| First Aid Products | ASO Corp.* |
| Foot Care | Premier Brands of America* |
| Frozen Prepared Foods | Windsor Frozen Foods |
| Frozen Fruits | Frozsun Foods Inc.* |
| Frozen Vegetables | Birds Eye Foods* |
| Frozen Pizza | Little Lady Foods |
| Frozen Snacks/Appetizers | Culinary Destinations Limited |
| Frozen Potatoes | Cavendish Farms Operations Inc. |
| Hair Care | Garcoa Inc. |
| Household Cleaners | Cleaning Solutions Group – Diversified Brands |
| Ice Cream | Fieldbrook Foods Corp.* |
| Labels | Smyth Companies Inc. |
| Laundry Products | Huish Detergents* |
| Meat | Sugar Creek Packing Co. |
| Meat Snacks | Mirab USA* |
| Nutritional/Fruit Snacks | Amport Foods/American Importing Co.* |
| Nuts/Seeds | John B. Sanfillippo & Son Inc.* |
| Oils | Archer Daniels Midland Co. |
| Olives | A.Camacho Inc.* |
| Oral Care | Ranir* |
| Organic Food Products | Jasper Products LLC |
| OTC Products | Perrigo* |
| Paper Products | Potlach Corp. |
| Packaging | Shorewood Packaging, A Business of International Paper |
| Pasta | American Italian Pasta Co.* |
| Rice | Riviana Foods Inc. |
| Pet Food | Doane Pet Care* |
| Pickles | Dean Specialty Foods Group |
| Plastic Plates/Cups/Utensils | Solo Cup Co. |
| Plastic Storage | Presto Products* |
| Poultry | Gold Kist Inc.* |
| Pre-Moistened Wipes | Nice-Pak Products* |
| Puddings/Gelatins | Hormel Foods Corp.* |
| Produce | River Ranch Fresh Foods LLC |
| Refrigerated Juices | Southern Gardens Citrus |
| Salty Snacks | Wyandot Inc. |
| Sauces & Spreads | The Carriage House Cos.* |
| Seafood | Contessa Food Products |
| Self-Diagnostic/Testing Products | Home Diagnostics Inc. |
| Shaving Products | Quality Home Products* |
| Shelf Stable Juices | Clement Pappas & Co. Inc. |
| Skin Care | Apollo Health and Beauty Care |
| Spices & Seasonings | McCormick & Co.* |
| Syrups/Preserves | The Carriage House Cos. * |
| Vinegars | Mizkan Americas Inc. |
| Vitamins/Nutritional Supplements | Ivax Pharmaceuticals |