The Private Label Manufacturers Association announced winners in 45 categories in its 2012 Salute to Excellence Awards, given to new private label products that exemplify high quality, innovation, and value to consumers, the group said in a news release.

Twenty-eight different retailers and wholesalers claimed awards in the contest , which collected more than 400 individual product nominations from all channels and regions of the country. Among the winners were some of the biggest retailers in the country, includine Walmart, Target, Kroger, Safeway, Walgreens, and Costco.

Winning products will be featured at the PLMA Private Label Trade Show, and promoted online after the show at www.plmawinners.com.
Products were subjected to evaluations and judging over two days by eight jury panels of industry professionals and consumers. There were 35 awards handed out in food and drink categories and 11 more in home and health categories.

Individual winners were:

FOOD AND DRINK

ASIAN FOODS
• Wakefern
• ShopRite® Special Edition
• Asian Szechuan Sauce

BREADS, ROLLS & MUFFINS
• Aldi
• L’Oven Fresh®
• Multi-Grain Sandwich Skinnys

BREAKFAST CEREALS
• Price Chopper
• Central Market Classics
• Quick Cook Steel Cut Oats

BREAKFAST FOODS
• A&P
• Green Way™
• Natural Liquid Egg Whites

CAKES & PIES
• BJ’s Wholesale Club
• Wellsley Farms
• Quatro Cake

CANDY
• Walgreens
• Nice!™
• Neon Sour Gummy Worms

CHILDREN’S FOODS
• Walgreens
• Nice!™
• Cheddar Penguins Cheese Crackers

CHOCOLATES
• Whole Foods Market
• Whole Foods™ Market
• Assorted Belgian Chocolates

CONDIMENTS & TOPPINGS
• Winn-Dixie
• Winn-Dixie
• Crispy Wonton Strips

COOKIES
• Trader Joe’s
• Trader Joe’s®
• Journey to The Center of The Cookie

DAIRY PRODUCTS
• Ahold USA
• Stop & Shop/Giant
• Mac & Cheese Blend Shredded Cheese

DRESSINGS/OILS/MARINADES
• Navarro
• Vida Mia Mi Sabor
• Mojo Marinade

HORS D’OEUVRES
• Weis Markets
• Weis 5 Star
• Bleu Cheese Stuffed Olives

HOT BEVERAGES
• Walgreens
• Nice!™
• Orange Pekoe & Pekoe Cut Black Tea

ICE CREAM
& FROZEN NOVELTIES
• The Kroger Co.
• Private Selection™
• Sweet Honey Baklava Ice Cream

INFANTS & TODDLERS
• Safeway
• Mom to Mom
• Apple Mango Baby Food

JUICE &
FLAVORED DRINKS
• Wegmans
• Wegmans Food You Feel Good About®
• Apple Raspberry 100% Sparkling Fruit Juice

MAIN DISHES
• Target
• Archer Farms®
• Gnocchi with Chicken

MEXICAN/LATIN
AMERICAN FOODS
• Whole Foods Market
• 365™
• Thick & Chunky Salsa

MILK
• Western Family
• Natural Directions®
• Vanilla Almond Milk

NATURAL FOODS
& HEALTHY EATING
• Hy-Vee
• Hy-Vee®
• Double Peanut Wellness Nutrition Bars

ORGANIC FOODS
• Harris Teeter
• Harris Teeter
Organics

PASTA
• Aldi
• Priano
• Specialty Italian Bronze Cut Fusilli Pasta

PASTA SAUCES
• A&P
• The Food Emporium Trading Co.™
• Jersey Tomato Vodka Sauce

PIZZA (Fresh & Frozen)
• Save-A-Lot
• Ferratto’s
• Fully Loaded Fire Baked Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza

RICE & GRAINS
• Ahold USA
• Stop & Shop/Giant
• Long Grain
& Wild Rice

SIDE DISHES
• Sobeys
• Compliments
• Italian Bitter Greens Sauté Kit

SNACKS: CHIPS & CRISPS
• Sobeys
• Sensations by Compliments
• Tikka Masala Flavour Thick Cut Ripple Potato Chips

SNACKS: NIBBLES & NOSHES
• Whole Foods Market
• 365™
• Double Feature
Trail Mix

SODAS/SOFT DRINKS
• Smart & Final
• First Street®
• Sparkling Mineral Water

SOUPS
• H-E-B
• H-E-B®
• Corn Poblano
Chowder

SPREADS & DIPS
• Target
• Archer Farms®
• Spicy Three Pepper
Hummus

VEGETARIAN/VEGAN
• BJ’s Wholesale Club
• Earth’s Pride™ Organics
• Ready-to-Eat Edamame

YOGURT
• The Kroger Co.
• Kroger®
• Cranberry Fig Greek Yogurt

HOME AND HEALTH

AROUND THE HOUSE
• Topco
• CharKing®
• Quick Sticks™

BABY
• The Kroger Co.
• Kroger®
• Baby Gentle Sunscreen Lotion

BATH & BODY
• Delhaize America
• Healthy Accents™
• Green Tea Mint Cleansing Hand Wash

CHILDREN’S
• Target
• Circo™
• Pop-up Hamper

COSMETICS
& BEAUTY CARE
• Sephora
• Sephora & Pantone Universe™
• Color of the Year Eyeshadow Quad

HOME OFFICE
• Walmart
• Onn™
• Wireless Mouse

KITCHEN & COOKING
• The Kroger Co.
• Home Sense™
• Plastic Dinnerware Set

LAUNDRY & CLEANING
• Save-A-Lot
• Save-A-Lot Today™
• Soap Scum Remover

OTC & HEALTHCARE
• Wakefern
• ShopRite®
• Menthol Strawberry Eucalyptus Cough Drops

PERSONAL CARE & TOILETRIES
• Costco Wholesale
• Kirkland Signature™
• Moist Flushable Wipes

PET PRODUCTS
• BJ’s Wholesale Club
• Berkley & Jensen®
• Holistic Natural Chicken & Brown Rice Cat Food