Richard J. George, Ph.D.

Store Brands Grow Faster at Specialty Grocers

August 3, 2010

FROM RETAILWIRE:
Private label sales grew faster in specialty food stores such as Trader Joe's and Whole Foods than at supermarkets between 2005 and 2009, according to the Private Label Food and Beverage in the U.S. report by Packaged Facts. How effective are traditional supermarkets at private label brand building?      [more...]

Food retailers like Trader Joe's and Whole Foods epitomize the concept of thinking like a brand and acting like a retailer. Their own label offerings support their branding strategies. On the other hand the "big middle" food retailers do not appear to have a "private label" strategy, other than price, that enhances the positioning of their chains.

Private label is a terrific opportunity to positively differentiate food retailers. However, a well-defined strategy is needed to accomplish this task of using private label as a brand defining tool.