The Best Private Label Products of 2019

At its year-end Private Label Trade Show, the Private Label Manufacturers Association announced the winners of its 2019 Salute to Excellence Awards. “It’s clear retailers are increasingly relying on innovations in store brands products and packaging to attract and keep shoppers,” the association said.

More than 750 store-brand food and non-foods products were submitted by 62 U.S. and Canadian retailers. The products were evaluated by eight panels of industry professionals and consumers, resulting in 44 food and 23 non-food winners. Criteria included product innovation, packaging, appearance, taste or performance, and value for money.

The food and beverage winners:

Food for the Family

• Appetizers & Hors d’Oeuvres: Metro Irresistibles’ Pesto Seafood Gratin
• Breakfast Cereal: Ahold Delhaize Limited Time Originals Limoncello Inspired Granola
• Breakfast Foods: Price Chopper Pics Honey Walnut Soft Cream Cheese Spread
• Deli/Prepared Foods: 7-Eleven 7-Select Gourmet Snack Trio
• Main Dishes: Aldi Specially Selected Spinach & Mozzarella Ravioli
• Mexican/Latin American Foods: 7-Eleven 7-Select Fresa Paleta
• Pasta & Pasta Dishes: Walmart Sam’s Choice Italia Trompetti Pasta
• Pizza: BJ’s Wholesale Club Wellsley Farms Organic Spinach & Feta Wood Fired Pizza
• Soup: Walmart Marketside Lobster Bisque

Bakery and Desserts

• Breads, Rolls & Muffins (tie): Aldi Specially Selected Brioche Bagels; Raley’s Garlic Bread
• Cakes & Pies: Sobeys Sensations by Compliments Ultimate Suprême Dutch Apple Pie
• Cookies & Crackers: 7-Eleven 7-Select French Macarons

Snacks

• Asian Inspired Foods: Kroger Private Selection Black Sesame & Ginger Turkey Jerky
• Candy & Chocolate: Hy-Vee Zoet Dark Chocolate with Almonds & Sea Salt
• Children’s Foods: Save A Lot Pickwell Farms Pineapple Tidbits in 100% Juice
• Fair Trade: Lidl US Lidl Preferred Selection Dark Chocolate (Chili)
• Infants & Toddlers Foods: BJ’s Wholesale Club Wellsley Farms Organic Baby Food Variety Pack
• Nuts & Trail Mixes: H-E-B Texas Heat Trail Mix
• Salty Snacks: Kroger Cuban Style Sandwich Kettle Chips
• Spreads & Dips: Walmart Marketside Dark Chocolate Hummus
• Sweet Snacks: Weis Markets Caramel Rice Minis

Beverages

• Coffee: Price Chopper Pics Chocolate Lovers Single Cup Assortment
• Juices & Flavored Drinks: Wegmans Organic Raspberry Lemon Ginger Kombucha
• Soda, Carbonated Drinks & Water: CVS Gold Emblem Passion Fruit Seltzer Water
• Tea: Publix GreenWise Blackberry & Sage Brewed Black Tea

Healthy Options

• Free-From Foods: CVS Gold Emblem abound Dark Chocolate Edamame
• Gluten-Free: Southeastern Grocers Naturally Better Organic Gluten-Free Caramel Crunch Ice Cream
• Healthy Eating (tie): Dollar General Good & Smart Dried Apricots and Save A Lot Portside Seafood Co. Lemon & Pepper Light Tuna Pouch
• Natural Foods: Meijer Veggie Spirals
• Organic Foods: Boxed Prince & Spring Organic Applesauce Pouches
• Peanut Butter & Nut Butters: Thrive Market Non-GMO Creamy Almond Butter
• Rice & Grains: Kroger Simple Truth Organic Southwest Style Quinoa

Dairy

• Cheese (tie): Schnuck Markets Farmhouse Style Shreds and Weis Markets Classic Cubed Pepper Jack Cheese
• Dairy & Non-Dairy Milk Products: Whole Foods Market 365 Everyday Value Organic Almond Chocolate Almondmilk Beverage
• Ice Cream & Frozen Novelties: Harris Teeter HT Traders Caramel Cookie Crunch Gelato

Meal Prep

• Condiments: Trader Joe’s TJ’s Ghost Chili BBQ Sauce
• Dressings/Marinades/Oils: Walmart Great Valu Carne Asada Fajita Marinade
• Ingredients & Flavors: Save A Lot Marcum Gourmet Beer Can Chicken Seasoning Rub
• Jams/Jellies/Preserves: Southeastern Grocers Prestige Raspberry Amaretto Spread
• Pasta Sauces & Cooking Sauces: Wakefern Food Corp. ShopRite Trading Company Imported from Italy Basilico Genovese DOP Pesto Sauce
• Vegetables: Albertsons Signature Reserve Three Varietal Marinated Mushrooms

“This year’s Salute to Excellence Awards submissions continue to reflect the shift away from national brands as consumers gravitate to more unique and affordable products from the stores they know and trust,” said PLMA President Brian Sharoff. “Today’s retailers have a good pulse on consumer trends in their particular markets and their store brands are better positioned than the national brands are to satisfy that shopper’s appetite for quality products.”