PLMA’s annual private label trade show returns to Chicago

With more than 2,000 exhibit booths, PLMA’s Annual Private Label Trade Show, Nov. 13-15 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center Center in Chicago, is the largest event for store brands in North America.  

“The exhibit hall will be filled with thousands of new products that will shape the future of store brands,” said Peggy Davies, president of the Private Label Manufacturers Association. 

Themed “Consumers Are Back in Charge,” the show will feature the latest innovations from exhibitors around the world. Categories include shelf-stable groceries; beverages; fresh, frozen and refrigerated; organic; personal care and cosmetics; foodservice; OTC medicine; baby care; health and wellness; household and kitchen products; general merchandise; pet care and much more.  

 “The Private Label Trade Show is the event of the year for members of the store brand industry to gather, learn and network,” Davies said. 

Special emphasis will be placed on food and non-food areas where store brand innovation is exploding. These include plant-based and free-from; wine and spirits; food and non-food with an international flair; and sustainable, clean label products and packaging.  

Private brand sales are growing in these and many other categories. Over the first eight months of 2022, store brand sales grew by 9.4%, nearly twice the rate of national brands, reported IRI. Store brands also outperformed national brands in unit sales for the eight months.  

This strong year-to-date performance comes on the heels of a record $200 billion in sales last year, when store brands accounted for one of every five products sold across all U.S. channels. Based on PLMA projections and IRI data, by the end of 2022, annual store brand dollar sales will have increased by 36% over a five-year period. 

"A lot has happened since our industry last met in Chicago three years ago," said Anthony Aloia, PLMA’s corporate vice president.   

For starters, sales are up. Aloia noted that one reason is that store brands are widely seen by American shoppers as an important ally against persistent inflation and other financial pressures. Another is that store brands have been very responsive to consumers, who have never been more interested in how all products are made, from their raw ingredients and holistic attributes to their sustainability. 

“Our 2022 U.S. show represents an opportunity for all of us to catch up and learn more about these and other new and emerging trends,” said Aloia. “All participants will be able to feel, touch, smell, test and experience all the great store brand products on display on the show floor."  

Exhibits will be spread out in separate halls of the convention center so that exhibitors can be found more easily. The South Hall will be devoted to health and beauty, household goods, kitchenware and general merchandise. Food, snacks, beverages, refrigerated and frozen will be featured in the North, South and Sky Halls. 

"We'll assemble thousands of exhibitors from around the world, all of them outstanding food and non-food suppliers offering high-quality products and innovation in every aisle,” added Aloia. 

The show's program schedule features thought-provoking seminar presentations and breakfast sessions addressing key industry topics.  

PLMA also offers many pre-show services and special on-site exhibits. PLMA's Show Navigator is a comprehensive resource for the show where all registrants will find the following details: 

• Exhibitors

• Product Announcements 

• PLMA's Idea Supermarket 

• Trade Show Facts

• Show Floor Plan

• Sunday Afternoon Seminars   

Show Navigator is launched 30 days prior to the show. During the show, the tool can be used by smartphone or tablet to allow attendees to move around the show floor efficiently. This tool is also available for many months after the event.  

For additional show information, visit plma.com. 

About PLMA:   

The Private Label Manufacturers Association is a non-profit organization founded in 1979 to promote the store brands industry. It is the only trade group of its kind, representing 3,500 member companies in more than 75 countries. In addition to annual, industry-defining trade shows in Chicago and Amsterdam, PLMA offers its members annual Leadership and Washington conferences, executive education and professional development programs, original consumer and market research, as well as digital media platforms, including exclusive news coverage from PLMA Live and the e-Scanner industry newsletter. Follow PLMA on plma.com, Twitter and LinkedIn.