A new survey from LoudDoor ranked Aldi among the top 20 companies with the most loyal Facebook friends, the retailer said in a news release Wednesday.

Dollar General reported strong sales and earnings in 2012, including growing private label penetration that could lead the company higher on the PLB Top 35 list in October.

Many supplier-retailer relationships in private label are kept confidential and quiet, for a variety of reasons. But some suppliers are using their status as a vendor for a major retailer to bring their private brands forward.

Private Label Manufacturers Association President Brian Sharoff opened the association’s annual meeting Friday with an update on current affairs and a look toward the future – one that directly connects the PLMA with retail consumers.

Speaking before a group of private label manufacturing executives Friday, retail analyst Phil Lempert said the grocery landscape was undergoing massive change because of the influences of multiple generations.

Former Ahold USA and Daymon President Allan Noddle on Friday told a crowd of private label executives that the greatest effects of the recession on the industry were still to come.

In the past, private-label candy usually meant confections that didn’t have a national branded presence, such as orange slices, ball gums, starlight mints, gummi bears and circus peanuts.

Between coffee and tea, Chicago-based SymphonyIRI Group said the categories brought in more than $11 billion in sales in 2012.

Supervalu announced in January that it was selling five of its banners – Albertsons, Acme, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s and Star Market – to AB Acquisition LLC, an affiliate of private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management LP.

In the next couple of months, you’ll see plenty of us out in the world.