PIGGLY WIGGLY CO. PRIVATE LABEL IS GETTING NEW PACKAGING

WILLIAM SMYTH

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Piggly Wiggly Co., based here, is rolling out new packaging for its private-label brand.

"This year we're giving our packaging an updated look that reflects the quality of the product inside," said Newbern Rooks, private-brands director. "With the new label design, we will have consistency in the look of all our products while having the ability to be more flexible and competitive."

The first items to get the new packaging were canned fruits and vegetables. "The label will be completely fused into our lineup within the next two years," said Rooks.

Additional grocery items that will soon bear the new packaging design are vanilla wafers, dinner helpers, honey barbecue sauce, 26-ounce condensed cream soups, diet and caffeine-free colas and punches, and instant mashed potatoes.

The idea to change the Piggly Wiggly label, which has been constant since 1982, surfaced last year. "The label needed a facelift," Rooks said. The new label will feature the full face of the famous Pig and the Piggly Wiggly name in a signature rectangular box. While this gives the product line a somewhat uniform look, each product has variable graphics that illustrate what is inside the packaging.

Rooks went on to say that the new label will reflect that the Piggly Wiggly product is a national brand. "Our private labels are equal to national brands," he said. "We make a quality product and we always set our standards for an A grade."