PL Buyer Voices - Private Label Buyer

I was hungry last night. Even though my apartment in the city is surrounded by restaurants, I was craving something different, unique and homemade. My first instinct was to go to my local supermarket located around the corner from my place but the produce they had available wasn’t in the best condition. Naturally my next instinct was to go to the Trader Joe’s that had opened a block away a few months earlier.

by Jordan Brandes | September 29, 2011 | Comments (0)

Thinking Inside the Box

The holiday season is approaching…Which means that here in North America, we are all thinking about November in Chicago. Or we should be. The Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA) Show, with its education sessions and seminars, is just around the corner and if we haven’t finalized our plans, we certainly should do so.

by Tom Stephens | September 16, 2011 | Comments (0)

Lynn's Lowdown

As I’ve mentioned before, everyone here at PLBuyer moves at lightning speed and we’re always trying to keep you up to date on the information that matters most to you. There are two important events in private label coming up in Chicago this month before we even get to the Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA) show in November.

by Lynn Celmer | September 16, 2011 | Comments (0)

The 10 Keys to Private Brand Success

It’s pretty much universally accepted that – done right – private label can be a strategic lever for a retailer; it can help differentiate a business from competitors, support a stronger value proposition and, ultimately, drive shopper loyalty. But beyond looking at the sales and margin reports, how do you know if your program is really maximizing its strategic potential?

by Patrick Rodmell | September 16, 2011 | Comments (0)

Private Eye

What Role Should Technology Play in PL?

Read how our editorial board answers that and other key questions that will help you sell more private label in the final quarter of 2011.

September 16, 2011 | Comments (0)

Tom's Column

I need help. I have a need for an innovation pipeline full of products. I don’t really know what that means. Can you help me? My boss wants me to show about 100 new products for inclusion in the spring/summer 2012 promotion.

by Tom Stephens | September 16, 2011 | Comments (0)

Lynn's Lowdown

Okay, I admit it. I’m a huge hockey fan. My big brother has played hockey since he was about knee high, so needless to say, I’ve always been his biggest fan and grew up watching him play. When it comes to hockey, the United States and Canada have a deep history with the game and with each other in the game. It’s sort of that way with U.S. and Canadian retailers as well. In fact, more and more U.S. retailers such as Walmart and Target have been setting their sights on Canada.

by Lynn Celmer | September 16, 2011 | Comments (0)

Frankly Speaking

Back in 1993, I was going through a very painful and very costly divorce. Money was extremely tight, what with paying attorneys, counselors for the children, rent on a new place and a mortgage on the old. Anyone who’s been there knows what the picture looks like.

by John N. Frank | September 16, 2011 | Comments (0)

Tom's Column

by Tom Stephens | September 16, 2011 | Comments (0)

Private Eye

Industry experts sat down with PLBuyer at two ECRM spring conferences to discuss how 2011 is shaping up for private label. They were upbeat, read why.

Editor’s Note: PLBuyer reached out to attendees at two recent events held by ECRM (Efficient Collaborative Retail Marketing) to discuss current issues in the private label world. What follows are edited transcripts of those two industry roundtables, one held at an ECRM event in April targeted at the food segment and the other at a May ECRM event targeted at the health and beauty care segment. The HBC roundtable discussion starts here, see page 10 for the food discussion.

September 16, 2011 | Comments (0)

Frankly Speaking

I’ve been fixating on two TV shows this summer that I don’t normally watch. I’ve latched onto them because I think they so embody the zeit geist of our Great Recession ravaged age.

One is Extreme Couponing on TLC. If you’re involved in food retailing and you haven’t watched this show, make time to. It features people who have taken couponing to the point where they’re routinely buying hundreds of dollars of groceries for pennies, literally.

by John N. Frank | September 16, 2011 | Comments (0)

Private Eye: PL Holds Its Share in Food, Groceries, Experts Contend

Private label has been holding onto market share this year, experts agree. Read their thoughts on that and other PL trends here.

September 16, 2011 | Comments (0)

The 10 Keys to Private Brand Success

by Patrick Rodmell | August 16, 2011 | Comments (0)

Tom's Column

by Tom Stephens | August 16, 2011 | Comments (0)

Lynn's Lowdown

It’s June already! It’s hard to believe that the year is half over. That’s because everyone here at PLBuyer moves at lightning speed. In fact, as I write this letter, I have recently returned from the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) annual meeting held in Arizona, and am less than a week away from the Efficient Collaborative Retail Marketing (ECRM) private brand health & beauty care event in Florida.

by Lynn Celmer | June 23, 2011 | Comments (0)

Frankly Speaking

By the time you read this, two momentous events will have taken place, one on the business side of my life, one on the personal side.

PLBuyer will have launched a new Web site, the PLBuyer Superstore, in May and by now you’re already using it; just prior to that launch, though, I will have attended my 40th high school reunion in New York.
The Web site is obviously the future for how private label retailers will link with suppliers. The reunion is obviously about my past; yet the two are linked in the journalistic life I have led.

by John N. Frank | June 23, 2011 | Comments (0)

Judging at PLMA: No More Baby Formula for Me

Judging for the Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA) annual Salute to Excellence Awards took place in New York City June21-22 and I was fortunate enough to be invited to be a judge.

by John N. Frank | June 22, 2011 | Comments (0)

The 10 Keys to Private Brand Success: Key No. 5: Process Engineering

by Patrick Rodmell | May 12, 2011 | Comments (0)

Tom's Column

Last month, I wrote about the need for retailers to think about their fresh and local developments.
This month, we have been visiting two very different international markets — thousands of miles apart and yet facing all the same problems of how to attract and retain customers. Both markets have very similar situations; some very dominant retailers slugging it out daily for a bigger share. Both markets have reasonably robust economies and are not facing the same problems that so many countries are in terms of political and economic unrest.

by Tom Stephens | May 9, 2011 | Comments (0)

Lynn's Lowdown

Even as the economy shows signs of improving, it seems that cost-conscious shoppers are still turning to private label products. So, as a retailer, there is no better time to ramp up your marketing efforts and persuade more customers to try – and stick with – your PL products.

by Lynn Celmer | May 9, 2011 | Comments (0)

Frankly Speaking

I was amazed by the response I received from a supermarket public relations person to a recent query I sent for this issue’s cover story. I’ll spare her the embarrassment of naming her, but she knows who she is – and you know if you would say something similarly as ill-conceived.

by John N. Frank | May 9, 2011 | Comments (0)

Lynn's Lowdown

I can remember distinctly as a child watching programs on television and seeing commercials for particular toys that really made me want to bug my parents to buy them for me. Unfortunately, one rule in our household was that my mother would never buy me anything that I told her I saw on TV.

by Lynn Celmer | April 13, 2011 | Comments (0)

Tom's Column

We are often exhorted to look more closely at things. Numbers. Packaging. Consumers. Habits. Trends. The list is endless. How long is it since we looked more closely at our sources? The encouragement from consumers to buy local has long been evident, but how are we doing on that front?
As retailers, we see farmer’s markets springing up all around us. It’s been a trend for nigh on 20 years, folks. Yet how does our PL program reflect this?

by Tom Stephens | April 13, 2011 | Comments (0)

Frankly Speaking

One of the fun facts about me that friends and acquaintances know is that I attended a military high school. Indeed, this May, my wife and I will be journeying back to New York City, land of my birth and youth, for my 40th high school reunion, an event I’m tremendously excited about. One of the classmates who has said he’ll be at the reunion is our cadet colonel.

by John Frank | April 13, 2011 | Comments (0)

FUSE 2011: Day 2

The second day of Fuse kept an eye on the future. The brand identity and marketing symposium held in Chicago this year opened with speakers ranging from futurists and authors to renowned physicists and creative chiefs. The world of brand marketing was turned on its head and dissected for all to see.

by Jordan Brandes | April 12, 2011 | Comments (0)

Observations from ECRM: Everyone Sells to Trader Joe's

I'm finishing up my third day at ECRM's private brands food conference here in Dallas, an amazing event that gives suppliers 20 minutes to pitch their products to retailers. If you've never been to one of these, I'd tell you it most resembles the first day of high school

by John N. Frank | April 12, 2011 | Comments (0)

FUSE 2011: Day 1

Fuse 2011, a symposium focused on brand identity and marketing held April 11-13, 2011 in Chicago, opened up ready for action with keynote speakers taking on what it means to be a new consumer.

by Jordan Brandes | April 11, 2011 | Comments (0)

Health Watch!

March is here and hopefully the vicious storms and disruptions are behind us. But we still have stormy outlooks all around us. The economy. Our jobs. Our business future. Our health. Politicians are wrestling with health care the world over as boomers are aging and kids are getting bigger. As the political and medical worlds struggle with the Armageddon of failing health care systems and aging populations, it is time for us to review where we stand, and what we are doing as producers and sellers of the world’s diet

by Tom Stephens | March 16, 2011 | Comments (0)

The 10 Keys to Private Brand Success: Key No.3: Effective Pricing Strategies

Have you heard the expression, “the most expensive lawyer I ever hired was the cheapest lawyer I could find?” Maybe you haven’t, but I’m sure you get the point – value isn’t defined by price alone. This holds especially true for private brands, a fact that leads us to the third key to private brand success – Effective Pricing Strategies.

by Patrick Rodmell | March 16, 2011 | Comments (0)

New Kid in Town: Putting Walgreen’s Private Label Beer to the Test

The Deerfield, Ill.-based Walgreen Co. recently debuted its private label beer Big Flats 1901 at four thousand locations nationwide. At a price of $2.99 a six-pack and $11.49 a 24-pack I decided to give the beer a chance and put private label to the test.

by Jordan Brandes | January 28, 2011 | Comments (0)

Brands Know How To Party…and Merchandize

I arrived at the Food Marketing Institute’s Midwinter meeting here in Phoenix Sunday night in the midst of a gigantic conference party. What struck me, besides the big screen TVs tuned to the football playoffs, was the presence of Anheuser Busch, Kraft, Pepsi, et al.; the brands were out in force offering their products as dinner items (angus beef hot dogs and Bud along with Pepsi, etc.).

by John N. Frank | January 24, 2011 | Comments (0)

Q&A: Chef Mary Beth Lawton Johnson

Private Label Buyer sat down with mega yacht Chef Mary Lawton Johnson to discuss her views on private label pasta in the restaurant industry. Johnson is a certified executive pastry chef and certified Chef de Cuisine through the American Culinary Federation. She is also the chef and columnist for The Tritonmagazine and in-house chef for Upscale Living Magazine where she develops and writes recipes for the magazine as well as food stylist and designer.

by Jordan Brandes | January 21, 2011 | Comments (0)

WE’VE ONLY JUST BEGUN…TO HELP YOU CASH IN

By the time you read this, the holiday hoopla will be over and the New Year’s champagne corks will have popped. It will be time to get back to work, making money with private label. And PL Buyer is here to help.

Last year was a big one for PL Buyer. After not changing much in the previous decade, PL Buyer was reborn with more relevant, intelligent and engaging content to help you. Let’s review:

by John N. Frank | January 12, 2011 | Comments (0)

Lynn's Lowdown

Just as Texans seem to love their H-E-B and New Yorkers seem to show love for Duane Reade, Floridians seem to have a special place in their hearts for Publix.

by Lynn Celmer | January 12, 2011 | Comments (0)

THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME

Oh to be in England. Somebody wrote that once, when away from their home and lamenting being absent for a long time. I am lucky I get to be in England (my home country) fairly often. For so many reasons, but specifically this month, I will examine at close quarters the private label scene. It’s a good thing sometimes to take a good focused look at a highly-competitive market to try and glean insights and examples of best practices that we can bring back to our own businesses.

by Tom Stephens | January 12, 2011 | Comments (0)

PRODUCT QUALITY MANAGEMENT

Dollar stores will expand, and other retailers will build out their store brands to compete.

by Patrick Rodmell | January 12, 2011 | Comments (0)

NRF: Retail’s 100th Anniversary Celebration: Day 2

Being that this is the 100th anniversary of the NRF show, I began to ponder what retail was like back in 1911 or even earlier. So, I did a little research to find out.

by Lynn Celmer | January 11, 2011 | Comments (0)

NRF: Retail’s 100th Anniversary Celebration: Day 1

by Lynn Celmer | January 10, 2011 | Comments (0)

7-Eleven Hot Chocolate vs. BNP Media: a PL Stumble

I looked around the aisle and I spotted hot chocolate but it was 7-Eleven hot chocolate. I asked the store clerk, if he had any Swiss Miss and he replied no. So, I went ahead and purchased two containers of 7-Eleven hot chocolate to share with my co-workers.

by Ashley Phillips | January 5, 2011 | Comments (0)

Watch the Restaurant World for PL Trends-in-the-Making

What happens in one part of the food universe often spills over into another, which is why it’s important for private label folks to keep on eye on what’s going on in the restaurant world.

by John N. Frank | January 5, 2011 | Comments (0)

The Year Behind and the Year Ahead

Thinking about the year behind us, what jumps out? We will each of us have our stories to tell. Most of the trends that have emerged and will continue to are not immediately based on private label, but scratch the surface and all are impactful on our PL businesses. It’s a question about how smart we are in discerning the opportunity gaps.

by Tom Stephens | December 21, 2010 | Comments (0)

| Comments (0)

We’ve Only Just Begun…To Help You Cash In

by John Frank | December 17, 2010 | Comments (0)

Coffee Prices Will Perk Up in 2011

Private label coffee producers will have to cope with coffee price increases in 2011 brought on by an expected smaller than normal crop next year. Rising prices for coffee futures contracts already are predicting higher prices. Processors will have to decide whether they can absorb those rising costs or if their customers will be willing to accept higher prices.

December 16, 2010 | Comments (0)

From the Publisher

I was recently on a flight to the East Coast. It wasn’t long before a passenger came up and pointed at the window seat and said “that’s me.” We gave each other the obligatory nod when I stepped into the aisle to let him into his seat.

by Brion Palmer | November 18, 2010 | Comments (0)

Frankly Speaking

Are you reading this issue as you arrive at PLMA’s annual convention in suburban Chicago? If so, welcome to the Windy City. I hope to meet and speak with many of you during the conference. We want to hear what you think the world of private label will be like in 2011 and beyond.

by John Frank | November 18, 2010 | Comments (0)

SHE WORKS HARD FOR THE MONEY

As the new Managing Editor of PL Buyer, I’d like to take this time to introduce myself. My career in publishing started at Gatehouse Media, a chain of newspapers serving the western suburbs of Chicago.

by Lynn Celmer | November 5, 2010 | Comments (0)

CLARITY, CONSISTENCY AND INNOVATION: PRIVATE BRAND IMPERATIVES

Private brand excellence requires retailers to adopt a new mindset. It requires that the retailer incorporate private brand as the critical part of their strategy — and not as a nice-to-have element. Retailers must live and breathe brand in every aspect of their business.

by Christopher Durham | November 5, 2010 | Comments (0)

HOW TUNED UP ARE YOUR ROAD WARRIORS?

Last month I wrote about creating destination products. This month, I have been travelling with a couple of really seasoned and experienced road warriors. These are the folks that travel the world (literally) seeking out the vendors, the products and the trendsetters that drive the business of the world’s great private label retailers. These are the people that develop programs like Carrefour’s Reflets de France, Boots’ No7 and Costco’s seasonal candies from around the world.

by Tom Stephens | November 5, 2010 | Comments (0)

PL BUYER IS TAKING IT TO THE AISLES

PL Buyer’s ongoing commitment to bring you more and more insights into the world of private label continues in this issue with the introduction of our new secret shopper panels. We’ve recruited a variety of average shoppers from around the country who will walk different aisles of their local stores for us and tell you what they see, and don’t see, when it comes to private label products and how they are being priced and merchandized in your stores.

by John N. Frank | November 5, 2010 | Comments (0)

Who is Your Private Label Retailer of the Year?

There’s no question that private label food sales have benefitted form the recession and that private label is likely to hold onto some of the market share it gained this year even after the recession (finally) is just a distant memory. But that said, which retailer has led the way in making private label truly a part of its overall marketing and sales strategy rather than just a nice-to-have additional income stream? If you had to pick a private label retailer of the year, who would it be?

by John N. Frank | November 2, 2010 | Comments (0)

ALL CATTLE AND NO HAT

Ever since spending quite a lot of time in Texas in the late 80s and early 90s, I have always liked the expression “all hat and no cattle.”

by Tom Stephens | November 1, 2010 | Comments (0)

A TRUE PRIVATE LABEL TOP 30 EXCLUSIVELY FOR YOU

Our pledge to bring you exclusive news, analysis and actionable information about the private label world reaches a new level in this issue with our PL Buyer Top 30 list of North American private label retailers.

Lists we’ve run in the past simply ranked retailers by overall sales, numbers you could have easily found in a variety of other locations.

by John N. Frank | November 1, 2010 | Comments (0)

Looking Forward to Pack Expo 2010

It’s that time of year again, when manufacturers and packaging companies gather to show off their products at the Pack Expo. As a newcomer to the show I’m excited about walking the exhibit hall and checking out the new products that will be showcased at the McCormick Place, here in Chicago.

by Ashley Phillips | November 1, 2010 | Comments (0)

Pack Expo 2010 Has Arrived

Pack Expo 2010 is almost upon us. Kicking off this past weekend, the event will showcase new products and innovations from thousands of retailers from all over the world. With more than 1,600 exhibiting companies in attendance this weekend gives many retailers a chance to see what the future holds.

by Jordan Brandes | November 1, 2010 | Comments (0)

How Your Store Brand Can Make “The List”

I recently completed SymphonyIRI’s fifth annual store brands report only to find that evolving shopper attitudes and behaviors are not what you might expect. For this column, I want to share more than just the issues. I want to dive into what is shaping these issues. To do this, I look to connect consumer attitudes with consumer behaviors and analyze information and opinions across different segments and channels.

October 20, 2010 | Comments (0)

Private Brands Day 3 – The Rest of the Pack Speaks Up

It’s amazing what a difference a day makes. The mood and tone of the Private Brand Movement conference seemed to change overnight. What started out as a way for the big dogs to get into a barking contest Tuesday turned into a highly intellectual dissection of the creative branding process Wednesday.

by Jordan Brandes | October 1, 2010 | Comments (0)

The Big Dogs Were Barking at The Private Brand Confab

The Private Brand Movement conference held in Chicago this past week brought together some of the biggest names in the industry. Each came with a passion for the private label movement and what it represents.

by Jordan Brandes | September 30, 2010 | Comments (0)

Frankly Speaking

Last month, I promised we would keep you on the cutting edge of what’s happening in the private label world. In this issue, we begin delivering on that promise. You’ll see we are moving our Corner Office Perspective to the Private Eye section, starting each issue with insights from industry leaders — in their own words. What’s more, we’ve added podcasts on PrivateLabelBuyer.com, so you can go there and hear even more of what these thought leaders have to tell you.

by John N. Frank | August 18, 2010 | Comments (0)

Frankly Speaking

By now, you might be forgiven for acting like someone in the old Butch Cassidy movie by asking, “Who are these guys?” Last month, you heard from our new publisher, Brion Palmer. And now, here I am, eager to take the editorial helm at PL Buyer. Change is definitely in the air.

We’re changing to better serve your needs and help you be ever better at

by John N. Frank | July 29, 2010 | Comments (0)

Thinking Inside the Box

Just as many are thinking about life for private label post-recession, and just as many are thinking about life in host country South Africa after the World Cup, we should all be thinking about where we go with our programs after whatever event we are working on now.

by Tom Stephens | July 29, 2010 | Comments (0)

Guest Column: HAPPY 15TH BIRTHDAY, KIRKLAND SIGNATURE!

Recently, I leafed through the March/April issue of Costco Connection magazine (Canadian edition). In case you haven’t read it, the issue celebrates the 15th anniversary of the retailer’s Kirkland Signature brand.

by Doron Levy | July 29, 2010 | Comments (0)

From the Publisher

Brion Palmer, publisher of PL Buyer, takes a moment to introduce himself.

by Brion Palmer | July 2, 2010 | Comments (0)

Thinking Inside the Box

Clearly, there are a lot of inefficiencies on both sides of the retailer/manufacturer relationship, says Tom Stephens. But we shouldn't be quick to assume that replacing humans with machines will solve every problem.

July 2, 2010 | Comments (0)

Thinking Inside the Box

What the retail industry needs is a hand-in-hand collaboration to get data clean, transparent, transferable and instantly accessible from all points at all times, says Tom Stephens.

by Tom Stephens | May 19, 2010 | Comments (0)

Guest Commentary

North American retailers can learn a lot from what European retailers are doing to build up their premium private label tiers, says Ben Webb, deputy editor of European Supermarket Magazine.

by Ben Webb | May 19, 2010 | Comments (0)

Thinking Inside the Box

In his last column, Tom Stephens gave retailers his suggested "top five" business resolutions. This time, it's the manufacturers' turn.

by Tom Stephens | April 15, 2010 | Comments (0)

Thinking Inside the Box

Tom Stephens provides his top-five resolutions for retailers working in private label territory.

by Tom Stephens | March 12, 2010 | Comments (0)

Guest Commentary

Guest columnist Ted Mininni says retailers should think about leveraging their brands to deliver quality at a premium level, innovative product features and segmented offerings that are most relevant to the customers in their markets.

by Ted Mininni | January 14, 2010 | Comments (0)

Thinking Inside the Box

Although we might be coming out of the worst of the financial crisis, private label still needs to keep innovativing to stay strong after the economy fully rebounds.

by Tom Stephens | November 30, 2009 | Comments (0)

Thinking Inside the Box

Viruses come to mind more today than usual, and I’m talking about the bad ones, not the good and useful marketing ones.

by Tom Stephens | October 28, 2009 | Comments (0)

Thinking Inside the Box

Tom Stephens ponders the benefits of "getting it right the first time" as opposed to "do-overs."

by Tom Stephens | September 25, 2009 | Comments (0)

Thinking Inside the Box

Many retailers in "developing" countries are having a tough go of in private label. Could that reality be an opportunity for you?

by Tom Stephens | August 17, 2009 | Comments (0)

Thinking Inside the Box

Are the new value brands a diversion, or a sound strategy? Tom Stephens examines what some retailers are doing in the private label value arena.

by Tom Stephens | July 16, 2009 | Comments (0)

Thinking Inside the Box

Many of us think in terms of one big annual event, like we do with a birthday. But that’s not the way to think about the major potential upside for ongoing, 24/7 events that focus on our store brand programs.

by Tom Stephens | June 15, 2009 | Comments (0)

Thinking Inside the Box

Please don’t abdicate your responsibility to provide us daily and weekly shoppers with real freshness. And help us with ideas.

by Tom Stephens | May 14, 2009 | Comments (0)