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.

The world’s largest retailer, Walmart, also is atop the PLB Top 35 list of the largest private label retailers in North America.

Speaking at its annual investors conference last week, Safeway executives laid out their plans for 2013 that focus heavily on lifestyle changes to store and an emphasis on health and wellness. With private label programs at the heart of the changes.

Kroger took advantage of its ad circular space last week by increasing its private label promotions, according to research done exclusively for PLBuyer’s eReport by Chicago-based market research firm Market Track.

Costco reported fiscal second quarter earnings this week that rose 22 percent, excluding special items, and Chief Financial Officer Richard Galanti talked a little about private label on the company’s conference call with analysts.