May 2021 Vertex Issue Global Retail Brands

MAY 2021

8TH ANNUAL VERTEX AWARD WINNERS

BEST OF SHOW

The Giant Company and Roy-Pitz Co-Branded Craft Beers

Whole Foods Market Jumbo Supermarkten PLMA Chicago, Amsterdam, Global Preview

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VIEWPOINT

ooking Back and Moving Forward Its been almost a year since we lost our industry’s most influential figure, Brian Sharoff. I certainly could have used his guidance and wisdom in these last 12 months, and his sense of humor most of all. I like people who can laugh in the face of adversity, it shows a sense of humanity and humility, something we can all use a little more of in our lives.

As I reminisce about my friend, I’ve got an eye toward the future, and for the first time in a while, have sense of hope. Perhaps this feeling is mutual. Many of our colleagues have been through the worst personal and professional year of their lives. Some of them are beginning to rebuild and recover. Some have suffered irreparable damage. Moving forward, I hope we are able to show our compassion and offer them a helping hand.

Far too often, we are all too consumed with our own plans and success. It gives us a sense of control I guess. Brian and I often talked about contingency planning and would conjure up “what if” scenarios. We never dreamed of this scenario however, it would have felt uncomfortable planning for such a human tragedy. Or as Robert Burns wrote in 1785, “The best laid schemes o’ Mice an’ Men Gang aft agley”.

What have we learned and what can we take forward? Far too much to enumerate here, but here are a few that resonate with me: • We spend far too much time “commuting” to work.

• W e can’t value our doctors, nurses, teachers and first responders enough. And we don’t. We also owe a great deal to those workers who kept the supply chain moving.

• T he world does not revolve around us…or anyone for that matter.

A CEO’s life is no more or less valuable than the homeless man we walk by while commuting.

• Money isn’t sacred.

Let’s move forward better. As world markets begin to open and life starts to return to normal it is my wish that we exhibit our humanity not only to our family and friends, but to those who need it most.

I extend my sincere thanks to the colleagues who have continued their support of our efforts and I hope I have shown the same.

I look forward to gathering again in person and wish you the best.

Kind regards, Phillip Russo Founder / Editor phillip@globalretailmag.com

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GLOBAL RETAIL BRANDS / MAY 2021

PLMA Means Private Label Business Live From Chicago!

BACK TO BUSINESS WITH PLMA IN AMSTERDAM

PLMA’s World PLMA’s 2021 Private Label of Private Label Trade Show Trade Show 14-16 14-15 December November

Connecting Private Label Worldwide

Online Private Label Trade Show 24-28 January

The most important industry events for private label are back in a big way with live, in-person trade shows on both sides of the Atlantic this November and December, followed by the biggest online platform in the world for private label launching in January.

Nobody knows the private label decision-makers like PLMA does, with more than forty years of growth and success to show for it. That is why today’s PLMA is where you find the world’s best and most successful makers of private label for every food and nonfood product, with all the capabilities and expertise required to meet the ever-increasing demand for retailers’ private brands around the world.

Visit www.plma.com to exhibit or attend in Chicago, or www.plmainternational.com for Amsterdam.

For more information on PLMA Global, contact plmaglobal@plma.nl.

Presented by the Private Label Manufacturers Association International Council

CONTENTS G LOB AL RE TAIL BRA N D S I

MAY 2021 I VOLU M E 9 I NU M B E R 2

59 46

DEPARTMENTS 4 Viewpoint 12 Contributors 14 Trade Fair Calendar 16 Notable

88

RETAIL PROFILES

COLUMNS

SERVICES

46 W hole Foods Marktet Elena Sullivan

88 Loving Vertex Marty DiFrisco Marketing by Design

92 P rivate Brand Impossible Perry Seelert Emerge

100 Global Trade Fairs

50 Jumbo Supermarkten Elena Sullivan SPECIAL ISSUE FEATURE 59 8th Annual Vertex Award Winners

94 Product Freshness, Green Dot Smart Senors Ivan Melnik X5 Retail Group 96 Understanding Color in Retail Steve Jackson SGK 98 Reducing Shopping Cart Abandonment UPS E-Commerce Team

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GLOBAL RETAIL BRANDS / MAY 2021

108 A dvertiser’s Index Next Issue Highlights

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Where Retailers

VERTEX / MAY 2021

Phillip Russo

EDITOR / PUBLISHER phillip@globalretailmag.com

and

Jacco van Laar

Suppliers Meet

EUROPEAN DIRECTOR jaccovanlaar@globalretailmag.com

Melissa Subatch

CREATIVE DIRECTOR info@melissasubatchdesign.com

Andrew Quinn

DIGITAL DIRECTOR andrew.quinniii@gmail.com

Sabine Geissler

JANUARY 2021/ SUPPLIER GUIDE

OCTOBER 2020

FUTURE FORCES OF PRIVATE BRAND

GREENTASTE.IT Italian Business Development s.geissler@greentaste.it

Luisa Colombo

Italian Business Development luisa@globalretailmag.com

2021 Supplier Guide

CONTRIBUTORS

AMERICANS LOVE AFFAIR with

PLMA’s PL Week

INTERNATIONAL PRODUCTS food especially, is flourishing

Emerge perry@emergefromthepack.com My Private Brand christopher@mypbrand.com

Online Fraud Security Risks

www.vertexawards.org

Perry Seelert

Christopher Durham

Innovate with Design SPONSORED BY

www.globalretailmag.com

/ VOLUME 9 / NUMBER 2 OF 4

Maria Dubuc

www.globalretailmag.com

Marketing By Design mdubuc@mbdesign.com

JUNE 2020

Hans Kraak

NOVEMBER 2019

BRIAN SHAROFF

Global Retail Brands HEB, ROUSES, WAKEFERN & WALMART

EMBRACE ITALIAN AUTHENTICITY

JANUARY 1, 1943 – MAY 23, 2020

Kraak Media kraakmedia@gmail.com

Elena Sullivan

sullivan.elena@gmail.com

Tom Prendergast

PLMA tprendergast@plma.com

Joe Azzinaro Published, Trademarked and all rights reserved by: PLMA Chicago South American Private Label www.globalretailmag.com

2021 Media Planner 1

Kent Media

Phillip Russo, Principal 240 Central Park South, Suite 9G New York, NY 10019 USA Tel. +1 917 743 6711

www.vertexawards.org

GLOBAL RETAIL BRANDS / NOVEMBER 2019

BOOTH: H-1506

All rights reserved under the Library of Congress. No part of this publication may be r eproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, except as may be expressly permitted in writing by the copyright owner. Opinions expressed by contributors are theirs alone and do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher.

Global Retail Brands is published 4 times a year.

Editorial Submissions phillip@globalretailmag.com Advertising Inquiries – EUROPE luisa@globalretailmag.com Advertising Inquiries – AFRICA, AMERICAS, ASIA, AUSTRALIA, MIDDLE EAST phillip@globalretailmag.com

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Subscription Information phillip@globalretailmag.com www.globalretailmag.com

CONTRIBUTORS

MARIA DUBUC Marketing By Design, President, Big Red Rooster, Vice President, Maria is a 25 year pioneer in creative management, Maria’s key talent is to combine a career’s worth of branding experience into something personal and unique for each and every client. Smart & Final, The Home Depot, 7-Eleven, and PriceSmart are among the retailer programs she currently runs.

CHRISTOPHER DURHAM Founder, My Private Brand and The Velocity Private Brand Conference.

Christopher Durham is an author, consultant, strategist and retailer with close to 20 years of real-world retail and corporate experience creating, launching and building numerous billion dollar Private Brands. My Private Brand, seeks to drive the changing Private Brand landscape, focusing on the emerging art and science of Private Brand management.

AYANA GREEN Vice President of SMB Strategy and Revenue Channels at UPS. Prior to joining UPS, she accumulated nearly a decade of marketing experience at Kimberly-Clark, where she leveraged customer insights to manage B2B and B2C business.

HANS KRAAK is educated in biology and journalism and wrote two books about nutrition and health. He worked for the Dutch ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food quality and the Netherlands Nutrition Centre.

As editor in chief he publishes in Voeding Nu, a business to business platform on food and health, as a food and wine writer he publishes in Meininger’s Wine Business International and reports for PLMA Live EU and PLMA USA.

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GLOBAL RETAIL BRANDS / MAY 2021

IVAN MELNIK Innovations Director at X5 Retail Group. Ivan Melnik has been with X5 Retail Group for 10 years. Since the beginning of 2019, he oversees the scouting and implementation of innovative solutions at X5, both in collaboration with startups and on the basis of internal R&D. Since 2017, the Innovations Department has evaluated more than 1,500 startups from Russia, China and Israel and launched more than 117 pilot projects in partnership with startups.

KARA MIENCIER Kara Miencier, Private Brand Sales Executive for Paramount Roasters, has a passion for store brands and the coffee industry. As a Board of Directors Member for Women Impacting Storebrand Excellence, Kara finds great value in the diversity and inclusion mission of WISE and bridging the experience gap between generations.

PERRY SEELERT A retail branding and marketing expert, with a passion for challenging conventional strategy and truths. Perry is the Strategic Partner and Co-founder of Emerge, a strategic marketing consultancy dedicated to helping Retailers, Manufacturers and Services grow exponentially and differentiate with purpose.

ELENA SULLIVAN Elena Sullivan holds a BA in Creative Writing and a Masters Degree in Social Work. She is a writer, editor, social worker and advocate. With more than 15 years writing and researching the private label industry, Elena was previously the Managing Editor at Private Label Magazine and most recently created content for Private Label Manufacturers Association’s PLMALive! PL Category Trends series. Through her writing, Elena seeks to provide holistic information on Private Labels for all players in the industry.

Dedicated to Growing Your Brand

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INDUSTRY EVENT UPDATE

MARCA CHINA Shenzhen 8 - 10 JUNE

PLMA CHIGAGO Chicago 14 - 16 NOVEMBER

IN PERSON

http://www.marcachinafair.com/en

www.plma.com

COSMOPROF NA Las Vegas 29 - 31 AUGUST

MY PRIVATE BRAND INNOVATION SUMMIT 8 - 9 DECEMBER

IN PERSON

VIRTUAL

https://myprivatebrand.com/

https://cosmoprofnorthamerica.com/

MY PRIVATE BRAND INNOVATION SUMMIT 22 - 23 SEPTEMBER

IN PERSON

VIRTUAL

PLMA PRIVATE LABEL TRADE SHOW Amsterdam 14 - 15 DECEMBER

www.plmainternational.com https://myprivatebrand.com/

SUMMER FANCY FOOD New York City 27 - 29 SEPTEMBER

PLMA GLOBAL 24-28 JANUARY 2022 IN PERSON

VIRTUAL

www.plma.com www.specialtyfood.com/shows-events/summer-fancy-food-show

ANUGA Cologne 9-13 OCTOBER

www.anuga.com 14

GLOBAL RETAIL BRANDS / MAY 2021

ISM Cologne 30 JAN - 2 FEB 2022 IN PERSON

www.ism-cologne.com/

IN PERSON

IN PERSON

A New Era of Global Retail A New Chapter for Private Label Business Marca China International Private Label Fair 8th – 10th June 2021 Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Centre www.marcachinafair.com

Organisers: Shenzhen Retail Business Association

Official Supporters:

China National Association of Grain Sector

Food Industry Association ShenZhen

N O TA B L E

Private Label Maintains Strong Position Across Europe PLMA’s 2021 International Private Label Yearbook Retailer brands sustained their market share position above 30% in all but two of the eighteen European countries surveyed

by Nielsen in 2020 for PLMA’s 2021 International Private Label Yearbook.

Nearly half of the countries reached market shares above 40%, whereas the majority showed a positive market penetration.

According to Nielsen’s data, Fresh & Frozen, Dairy and Health & Beauty are the top 3 product categories registering highest positive growth among the 18 countries.

“While taking account of multiple interruptions and ambiguities amidst the pandemic,” commented PLMA President Peggy Davies “the statistics for 2020 are an affirmation of consumers’ continuing trust in retailer brands.”

In Europe’s largest retail markets, Germany and the United Kingdom, the

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private label share stayed well above 40% and retained its strong position.

France reported a significant growth of 7 points to 38.5% market share boosted by the inclusion of sales from discounters, proximity stores and drives in the count by Nielsen for the first time.

In Belgium, market share for retailer brands showed a slight decline which is mainly due to the decline in sales of confectionery and snacks in the country, according to Nielsen findings, while in the Netherlands a slight growth was tracked to 37.1% market share.

In Spain and Switzerland with approximately 50% private label unit market share, nearly half of all products sold are a retailer brand.

Portugal presented the strongest growth under equal research conditions and climbed to a 45%

share, sustained by growth of nearly 5 points in total in four years since 2016.

Sweden led the way in Scandinavia, with market share climbing 1 point to 34% for the first time, while Finland stayed above 30%.

In the Mediterranean, market shares were able to hold their position of 30% in both Turkey and Greece. In Italy, private label continued the trend upward in 2020, going to a 22.6% market share.

In Central and Eastern Europe, a strong private label market is evident since Nielsen first reported data for the region in 2003 with market shares above 40% in Austria and above 30% in Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The biggest increase was registered in Hungary. The country saw a 1.4% growth to 36.2% market share, its highest private label market share and growth ever listed.

Store Brands Appeal For U.S. Shoppers Was Unfazed By Effects Of The Pandemic In 2020 As the pandemic brought unparalleled volatility to U.S. grocery purchasing in 2020, consumers continued to favor store brands for about one of every four purchases says the Private Label Manufacturers Association.

According to PLMA’s 2021 Private Label Yearbook, retailers’ private brands accounted for 23.4% of all units sold for 52 weeks that ended December 26, 2020. About one out of every five dollars expended by shoppers in all outlets, or 19.5%, was for the retailer’s store brand.

Both figures were unchanged from the market shares reported for the full year prior to the pandemic.

Store brands sales saw an increase of +12% for the year, keeping pace with national brands and maintaining market share, despite a number of supply chain interruptions.

The year underscored the importance of store brands in the major grocery channels as families learned to cope with the pandemic. Combining socially distanced shopping in stores with online purchases for curbside pickup and home delivery, consumers spent $16.5 billion more (+11.6%) on store brands and

$86 billion more (+11.8%) on all brands in the country’s retail stores compared to the year prior.

Contributing to the increase was the impact of traditional restaurant and other foodservice dollars that flowed into the grocery space, whether from outright closures of bars and restaurants, restrictions on dining out, cancelled vacations and travel, or the need to substitute in-home for daily commuter and office meals, as well as school lunches.

“Analysis needs to take these anomalies of the 2020 data into account,” cautioned PLMA president Peggy Davies, “but comparisons to pre-pandemic trends and projections notwithstanding, store brands maintained their well-established position in the marketplace, as retailers and private label manufactures succeeded in supplying

the country with critical food and essential non-food products in the face of extreme volatility. The 2020 sales figures bear that out.”

NielsenIQ data show retailers’ store brands surged across all outlets for a record $158.8 billion in private label sales, even as sales for all brands reached a record $816 billion. Private label units also saw an increase of +7.2%, matching the growth of all brands. Private label’s market share for all outlets remained steady at 19.5% of sales volume and 23.4% of all units sold.

NielsenIQ’s Kara Sheesley, vice president retail engagement and U.S. industry relations, cited household panel data for 2020 as proof that purchasing private label is ingrained in U.S. consumers’ behavior: “Fully 99% of households told us they bought private label last year.”

www.globalretailmag.com

17

N O TA B L E

Rite Stuff Foods

New Finger Foods Line Heads into the Future

Rite Stuff Foods now boasts an even greater snack variety: a new, cutting-edge finger food range has arrived! Deep-frozen snacks like crispy Mozzarella Sticks, spicy Chili Cheese Nuggets and Jalapeños Poppers are produced daily. Rite Stuff Foods is using long-standing expertise of its parent company, the Frostkrone Food Group headquarted in Rietberg/Germany, for start-up and marketing purposes. For 20 years trendy finger food variations have been developed and produced in Germany and until now imported into the USA. From now on Rite Stuff Foods is taking over.

Part of the International Frostkrone Food Group Until now the company from Jerome, Idaho with 230 employees was known particularly for its popular, versatile potato snacks, meticulously and exclusively made of original Idaho® potatoes. Since 2019 Rite Stuff Foods has belonged to the Frostkrone Food Group. The Company Group has six locations worldwide and is an innovation driver for developing and producing deep-frozen finger food and snacks. Thanks to this merger, the tasty potato snacks from Idaho have increasingly found their way into freezers in Europe and enjoy great popularity there.

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“Rite Stuff Foods is one of the major American producers of potato specialties here and is a big player in the target markets. Our customers at home and abroad trust in our competence.

In future we will prove to them that we are also expert in the finger food sector,” explains John MacArthur, Managing Director of Rite Stuff Foods, confidently.

Moving into a New Snack Era The new finger food line is indeed an investment in the company’s future.

For not only are the current consignments involved. Unsurprisingly Rite Stuff Foods has been positioning crispy finger food even more strongly in the foodstuff trade and food service sector for a long time. The aim: to meet the wishes of the young, very busy target group looking for relaxed moments of culinary enjoyment involving quick and easy preparation. The cutting-edge facility enables several tons to be produced and packed daily. The result is more flexibility for existing customers and transportation is significantly more environmentally friendly than before.

For John MacArthur the signs clearly point to success:

At Rite Stuff Foods the future, too, is all about innovation. So we are constantly on a quest for new ideas that will enable our passionate and creative team to develop exciting variations on finger food and snacks.

For more information: www.ritestuff.com www.frostkrone-foodgroup.com

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N O TA B L E

Leading European Producer Of Canned Vegetables And Tomato-Based Products La Doria, established in 1954, is an Italian leading corporation in the canned food sector and particularly in the production of tomato-based products, pasta sauces, canned vegetables, fruit juices and beverages.

Today the company is the leading European producer of canned vegetables and tomato-based products (peeled and chopped tomatoes) in the retail segment, the first producer of pasta sauces under private labels and one of the main Italian producers of fruit juices and beverages.

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A Leading Position Abroad

The company can also boast leading positions on some demanding foreign markets such as the UK, Australia and Japan. It ranks first on the English market of tomato-based products and baked beans under private labels. La Doria is a major supplier for mass market retailers both in Italy and abroad, and is specialized in the private labels sector, or the supermarket’s brands.

LA DORIA S.p.A. Via Nazionale, 320 - 84012 Angri (SA) Campania - Italy +39.081.5166111 To learn more: www.gruppoladoria.it

A story with the tomato at its centre 1954: Our story is born from the artisan tradition, in a world of carts, wooden crates, hard work and human effort. A world that is about to change, as machines replace horses and production lines become increasingly modern and efficient. The way we work changes, but the tomato does not. It remains the undisputed king of our region.

Men and women do not change, either: their hands still weave the magic that bewitches, transforms, preserves.

2020: La Doria is the leading European retail producer of peeled and chopped tomatoes.

www.gruppoladoria.it

N O TA B L E

PLMA Means Business Is Coming Back For Manufacturers and Retailers Worldwide Even as retail economies the world over endured shock and stress beyond anything seen for generations, consumers everywhere continued to choose the retailer’s private brands for more and more of their grocery purchases. Now, the Private Label Manufacturers Association is making it possible for the private label industry to get back to business—whether your company and customers are to be found in the US and Americas, in Europe or around the globe.

In November and December 2021, the two most important industry events for private label are making their comeback. Live and in-person trade

events on both sides of the Atlantic will demonstrate that nobody knows store brands and store brands decision-makers like PLMA does.

With more than forty years of growth and success to show for it, PLMA remains the only truly global organization dedicated exclusively to retailer’s private brands. Today’s PLMA is where you find the world’s best and most successful makers of private label. These are the producers with the capabilities and expertise required to meet retailers’ everincreasing demand for every kind of food and nonfood product. This is what establishes PLMA’s Private Label

Trade Show “Live from Chicago!” as the singular crossroads for private label in the Western hemisphere, and PLMA’s World of Private Label in Amsterdam the gateway “Back to Business” for the private label marketplace around the world.

Two destinations translate a world of possibility into targeted opportunities for food and nonfoods manufacturers of every size, type and country of origin to reach the retailers and wholesalers who are looking to put their brand on your product. If you are serious about launching or expanding your private label business, PLMA is the organization you need to know.

Health and safety, first, last and always PLMA’s two live and in-person events will implement best health and safety practices everywhere throughout the venues and exhibition hall in order to safeguard the wellbeing of every visitor and exhibitor and provide the healthiest, most secure environment possible for of all trade show participants.

All official health regulations and business mandates issued by the applicable national and local government bodies will be in place and adhered to accordingly. For implementation, PLMA is in ongoing close communication with officials in US and The Netherlands. These include health professionals and administrators at the Rosemont Department of Public Safety and Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Chicago, as well as the Health & Safety Department and administrators for the RAI Exhibition Centre in Amsterdam.

In the coming months, PLMA will provide all exhibitors and registered attendees with updates on safety protocols and related concerns via email as they may be required.

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PLMA Chicago • 14-16 November 2021 Following months and months of virtual events and electronic meetings, PLMA’s 2021 Private Label Trade Show in the US will herald the industry’s return to the unparalleled variety and the excitement that only a live and in-person exposition can deliver. Exhibitors from more than 50 countries can typically be found among numerous pavilions from national and regional trade organizers and other exhibitors throughout three major exhibition halls.

Own brands executives, buyers, and product development teams from leading retailers and wholesalers across the US, Canada, Mexico, Central and South America are already marking their calendars to come to Chicago, where they can explore all the latest products and find the suppliers they need for high quality, unique and innovative products to build their private label programs in every department in-store and online.

In addition to every major food and nonfoods category, the newest products and consumer trends in the spotlight will include: • • • • • • •

Plant-based, “free-from” foods, and other products for a healthier lifestyle New flavors, ingredients and authentic international cuisines Trends latest in personal care including CBD products Self-care, holistic beauty and self-expression in cosmetics—including men’s personal care Hot new kitchenware products for at-home cooking and convenience Sustainable packaging and eco-friendly household products Pet care premiumization and more

www.plma.com

PLMA Amsterdam • 14-15 December 2021 PLMA will open its doors again this December in Amsterdam, where it is going to be Back to Business for the worldwide private label industry. PLMA’s World of Private Label first launched in 1986. Its growth has been remarkable, expanding to fill multiple exhibition halls throughout the RAI Exhibition Centre. The show has continued through the years to play a pivotal role in bringing buyers and sellers together to do business as private label gave rise to a worldwide phenomenon and a truly global industry.

Exhibitors and visitors from more than 70 countries have made the show their most essential business venue year after year, as private label growth and success continue trending upward. Private label executives, product development and procurement teams from every major retailer across Europe—where store brands market penetration may reach 30-40-50% or more—were joined by buyers from the countries of Asia, the Middle East and Africa, to Oceania and the Americas.

With every day and with every step toward progress against the pandemic, there are clear signs everywhere that the industry is ready, eager and well positioned to get back to business. In response to a recent survey of companies that were registered for PLMA 2020, nine out of ten to date say they will be coming back to do more business 14-15 December. As manufacturers everywhere know when plotting their course to international success in supplying retailers’ own brands, every route, itinerary and business plan must include participation in PLMA’s 2021 World of Private Label international trade show.

www.plmainternational.com PLMA Global Online • 24-28 January 2022 Following close upon the heels of PLMA’s two major in-person events, PLMA Global offers yet another opportunity to exhibitors everywhere who want to expand their reach by building their exhibit stand on the internet and connecting privately and securely with hundreds of retailers to conduct business live online using an exclusive suite of communications tools available through PLMA’s proprietary online platform.

PLMA Global will be available as a supplemental enhancement to exhibitors participating in either of the in-person trade shows. In addition, any number of exhibitors or retailers unable to travel or participate in Chicago or Amsterdam will have an equal ability to join the PLMA Global online event.

PLMA Global will combine all the features of PLMA’s most successful Online World of Private Label trade show in December 2020 and PLMA Live! Presents Private Label Week trade show in February 2021. The platform is simple, intuitive to use and web-based, requiring only a computer or laptop with a web camera and a stable broadband Internet connection. No special downloads or software are needed.

Advanced features that are familiar to Zoom and Teams subscribers have also been added to the platform, including group video calling capabilities with customizable virtual backgrounds and enhanced scheduling options for setting up appointments with retail customers and others.

plmaglobal@plma.nl www.globalretailmag.com

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N O TA B L E

LucartInnovation and Sustainability Lucart, a major European manufacturer of thin MG paper for flexible packaging, is a key player in the consumer goods and Away From Home market as a producer and transformer of tissue and airlaid paper.

Its attention to people, sustainable processes and approach to innovation mean that they offer cutting-edge products that meet market challenges and perfectly match the requirements of customers.

Fiberpack® is their flagship project in this field: it combines advanced technology and environmentally friendly processes, demonstrating that circular economy principles are fully applicable to the tissue sector.

Lucart created this project starting from the idea of using all the elements of beverage cartons according to circular economy principles. The production process relies on an innovative technology that separates the cellulose fibers found in beverage cartons from polyethylene and aluminum by physicalmechanical action. With this technology they don’t use any substances that may be harmful to people or the environment. They produce tissue products with the fibers obtained through this process and recover the aluminum and polyethylene, converting them into a homogeneous material called Al.Pe.®, which other industries use to produce a variety of items.

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The tons of Fiberpack® paper Lucart has produced from 2013 to 2019 have contributed to the recovery of more than 5.4 billion of beverage cartons, saving more than 2.3 million of trees, and preventing more than 141,000 t of CO2e from being emitted into the atmosphere.

Lucart’s continuous research and development work has led to many projects aiming to improve the quality and performance of its products. One such project has led to the innovative QMilk® process, which makes it possible to extract and transform the basic proteins in milk into a soft and precious fiber without the use of chemical agents. The process preserves the amino acids, and all the moisturizing and nourishing properties of milk in the resulting fiber. It guarantees a 100% natural formula that is dermatologically-tested, ultra soft and highly resistant.

Lucart is also the only brand in its target market to offer airlaid products with exceptional absorbency and strength performance. The Airlaid technology uses long, highly resistant cellulose fibers that never come into contact with water during the production process (dry paper), so that they remain super absorbent.

Fibers treated with this process naturally form a ‘“dam” structure, offering outstanding results: it absorbs 50% more compared to other household paper and, thanks to its exceptional resistance, it can be reused up to 10 times, compared to 1 or 2 of competing products.

Lucart is a company made up of people who choose to use innovative and sustainable processes in development, transformation and manufacturing of paper products, collaborating responsibly for the future of their business and of the planet.

In March 2021 Lucart acquired 100% of the share capital of ESP Ltd (Essential Supply Products Ltd.). This is the leading independent converter of professional hygiene products in Great Britain. The Group is thus continuing its internationalization plan, despite the uncertainties arising from Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic.

For more information: Dario.Brandi@lucartgroup.com www.lucartgroup.com

N O TA B L E

A Combination of Italian Quality and Convenience Valpizza, one of the leading Italian frozen pizza producers, identified its primary development as the combination between Italian quality and convenience for the consumer, with the daily goal to reach a different way of thinking, offering pizza not only in various sizes but also in different concepts.

Valpizza’s range, ever-widening in terms of dough styles, shapes, and toppings, has recently been implemented by innovative brand-new items: from the soft and fragrant Pinsa with its particular Italian flours mix till Stove Top Pizza®, a unique product line created to offer a convenient, authentic Italian pizza cooked in a pan on the stove in just 5 minutes. Stove Top Pizza® is a convenient solution focused on a new greener approach, saving in CO2 emission by cutting out the oven. This continuous focus on R&D makes Valpizza the perfect partner to develop innovative product ranges.

Manufacturing line versatility allows Valpizza to create new products. The processe’s main features, from hand stretching of natural long leavened dough balls till wood firing and stone baking, enhance the authentic Italian pizza aromatic profile.

Marco Setti, Valpizza Group CEO, underlines “our strength is the combination between traditional manufacturing process and a greater focus on convenience for the consumer. In the current market, convenience is essential to create value into supply chain”.

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•M aximum flexibility in shapes: Recent Group state Valpizza as an Italian round, oval, squared and make Valpizza an Italian integrated point rectangular from 15 to 45cm. of reference in pizza and snack manufacturing segment. “We’re able to •T he perfect mix between supply a wide range of items in frozen automation and hand topping and deli categories, meeting any needs” allows Valpizza to be flexible and continues Marco Setti “now more than ever, able to manufacture unlimited Valpizza Group is a large-scale, reliable recipes. and highly qualified organization, able to innovate and support its partners in •H igh certification grade: BRC, IFS, developing creative convenience concepts.”

Organic NOP, Kosher, Halal.

Valpizza internal Private Label and R&D divisions are skilled in managing the whole process and supporting you step by step, customizing the offer in accordance to all retailers needs.

Production Pillars • Raw Materials: Valpizza carefully selects best natural raw materials available, privileging Italian ones and strictly controlling every phase. Supply chain is crucial in Valpizza vision: that’s why they use 100% certified Italian grains and 100% Italian tomato.

Valpizza experience in food service as well as in deli areas helps the Company in translating new trends into retail, customizing products in line with all goals and market expectations.

Valpizza is present in 4 continents and 48 Countries from US to Japan.

Company Certifications: IFS, BRC, FDA, Organic NOP, Kosher, Halal

To learn more: • Process: traditional process from privatelabel@valpizza.it dough balls, with a long dough natural leavening, that enhances the authentic Italian aromatic profile and result in a more digestible and light pizza. Valpizza hand stretches all the pizzas, respecting the real Italian look and feel. The woodfired and stone oven baking bring the final touch to the products, to make them look and taste exactly as a pizza in Italy.

Stove Top Pizza

All about

quality &

Innovation • Out of the box • Innovation • Customization

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www.valpizza.it - privatelabel@valpizza.it

Wood fired & stone baked

N O TA B L E

Paramount Roasters Innovating and Pleasing Coffee Lovers Since 1935 Paramount Roasters is an employee-owned company based in Lansing, MI in their 85th year of business. Founded in 1935, Paramount has a rich heritage of meticulously roasting coffee, exceptional customer service and technical expertise.

Paramount holds a SQF Food Safety Code for Manufacturing certification and is additionally certified in the following programs: USDA Organic, Fair Trade USA, Kosher, UTZ, Rainforest Alliance, and Swiss Water Process.

Paramount services all facets of the coffee industry from retail, mass merchandisers, convenience stores, office coffee distributors, and beyond. With capabilities in premium bagged coffee and single serve coffee kcupsParamount Roasters can help to grow your private brand coffee program in this competitive retail market.

Please reach out to Kara Miencier or Lindsay Penberthy for more information.

The Paramount team looks forward to the opportunity to work with you!

To learn more: www.paramountcoffee.com

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EXPAND YOUR NETWORK AND YOUR HORIZONS.

WISE links you to a diverse group of passionate peers who inspire each other. Without leaving home.

Visit our website and explore the possibilities.

WISEDIVERSITY.ORG

N O TA B L E

Deanocciola: Organic Spreads, Made In Italy With Love A Story Made Of Passion, Tradition And Taste Deanocciola is the brand of Deangelis srl, a family-owned manufacturer located in the Tuscia area of Viterbo (North of Rome), where the De Angelis family has been growing hazelnuts and producing organic spreads since more than 60 years.

In the Nineties, the family created a product line entirely for those with lactose and gluten intolerance and diabetics. This groundbreaking choice proved strategic and Deanocciola became a reference point for the Organic Vegan market over the years.

Today, Deanocciola is a leading Italian manufacturer of Organic Spreads, offering: • H igh quality Hazelnut and Chocolate Spreads with and without Milk • Pure Nut Butters • Pure Oil Seed Butters • Innovative & Healthy recipes Their production plant meets the highest food-safety standards, and the factory is certified: ORGANIC - BRC – IFS – FDA – KOSHER – FAIRTRADE – UTZ.

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They manufacture the various organic spreads on latest-state-of-theart productions lines, one for each product “family”, which are completely separated in order to avoid any cross-contamination. The factory is 100% gluten-free.

Their organic Spreads boast claims such as Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Sugar Free, and Protein. Their technology involves manufacturing the spreads at low temperatures and in small batches so to have always-fresh products.

Deangelis is open to New Product Development and offers reliability, experience, creativity and flexibility for the creation of organic nut and chocolate spreads for Private Label and Store Brands productions.

Deanocciola is specializing in the development of organic spreads for all exigencies, and this year launched: • Vegan Sugar Free Spreads; • Protein Spreads.

To learn more: www.deanocciola.com

Italian organic spreads made with love since 1960 NUTS • PEANUTS • OIL SEEDS DEANGELIS SRL | Loc. La Valle snc 01035 - Gallese (VT) - Italy info@deanocciola.com - www.deanocciola.com

N O TA B L E

Nuova Terra: A New Brand Identity for an Innovative Range Delicious and Nutritious Italian Tradition In 15 Easy Minutes The Carapelli continues to invest in Nuova Terra, a historic brand and one of the most important players in the soup, cereals, legumes and seeds sector.

Thanks to a cutting-edge R&D department and the support of professionals and experts in the marketing and nutrition sector, the Le Bontà company strengthens the Nuova Terra brand with a completely renewed assortment consisting of 3 new lines: “I want to be well” designed for those who want to follow a varied and balanced diet without giving up the taste and pleasure of good food, “I want to rediscover” created for those who love the taste of traditions and the genuine flavors of the past and “I desire gourmet” dedicated to those who enjoy food as a sensory adventure and loves refined cuisine and experimentation.

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For the first time in the fruit and vegetable sector, we are talking about gourmet and for the first time we are also talking about ready-made and quick-cooking products: the new 14 soups are prepared and cooked in 15 minutes. No longer just combinations of ingredients…but dishes balanced in flavor, appearance and aroma studied by nutritionists and food technologists.

The innovation of Nuova Terra is seen through the restyling of the packaging: a new contemporary, distinctive graphic image capable of telling the different souls of the brand and giving strong visibility to the new logo that is both modern and traditional but strongly linked to the earth and its elements and which speaks to the evolution of the brand towards ever increasing solutions that fits the needs of the consumer.

Today Nuova Terra is close to the consumer but also to the planet and to the theme of sustainability: the new packaging is 100% eco-sustainable with a totally recyclable paper wrapping.

To learn more: www.nuovaterra.net

N O TA B L E

Europe’s Largest Private Label Producer of Rice, Corn, Multi-Grain and Vegetable Cakes SanoRice is an innovative, reliable and 100% private label manufacturer of cakes & snacks based on a popping process. Market leadership is maintained by offering the largest product range and achieving economies of scale while adhering to the highest international food quality and safety standards.

SanoRice is the largest private label producer of rice, corn and multi-grain and vegetable cakes in Europe, and we aim to be the market leader of cake producers in the world. SanoRice counts actually with 3 factories: SanoRice Netherlands (Veenendaal), SanoRice Belgium (Zottegem) and SanoRice Italia (Borgo Vercelli). In 2022 they expect another factory, SanoRice Poland (Nowa Sol) to be operational.

With more than 25 years of experience, they export to more than 100 business partners around the world in more than 40 countries. Their main markets are Germany, UK, France, Italy, Scandinavia and the Benelux. But from Europe to the Middle East, New Zealand or the USA, their products can be found all over the world.

They work directly with retailers, A-brands and distributors and count among their customers the top 3 retailers in various European countries and the top 10 global A-brands.

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GLOBAL RETAIL BRANDS / MAY 2021

Partnership is key to build up mutually beneficial relationships. This can be achieved through combined R&D efforts as well as co-investments.

Their rice, corn and multigrain and vegetable cakes are made from authentic and pure ingredients.

WSanoRice has more than 450 recipes available in plain, coated or flavored cakes and a special range dedicated to baby food. Their cakes are suitable for all ages and any moment of the day: sweet, savory, big, small, round, square, as a healthy snack or as part of a balanced breakfast… and always with a crunchy bite.

SanoRice has a dedicated team of Product Developers for all factories.

Their strength is working together with customers to build their brand.

SanoRice has the highest standards for food safety and hygiene. Some of their

claims are organic, gluten free, Fair Trade, UTZ certified, kosher or halal.

As an innovative and future-oriented company they feel the need to contribute to a better world by making high-quality products. In line with their sustainability policy their supply chain is: sustainable for people, sustainable for theenvironment and sustainable for local economies.

To learn more: www.sanorice.com privatelabel@sanorice.com

YOUR PRIVATE LABEL SUPPLIER

SanoRice – Your taste, our nature SanoRice is the largest private label producer of cakes and snacks made of rice, corn, legumes (lentil, chickpea etc.) and other grains (spelt, quinoa, amaranth etc.). We have more than 25 years of experience with customers all around the world.

Innovation is an essential part of our strategy. We already have more than 450 recipes available in plain, coated or flavored cakes.

We also have a special range dedicated to baby food.

For more information, visit our website or contact us: privatelabel@sanorice.com

www.sanorice.com NON GMO – Gluten free – Organic – Conventional – High protein – Kosher – Halal – Sugar free

N O TA B L E

Cardinal Foods and Russet House Announced Joint Venture Expansion, Becoming One of the Largest Sweet Potato Fry Manufacturer in the World “We welcome this joint venture with

Cardinal Foods LLC of Burgaw NC and Russet House of Huntingdon Quebec announced a joint venture in a processing facility in Burgaw NC to become one of the world’s largest sweet potato fry manufacturers.

Cardinal Foods LLC, a NC based IQF and frozen processor of blueberries, puree and vegetables teams up with Russet House Inc., a global leader and innovator in private brand and co-packing in the IQF sweet potato category. The collective experience of these two innovative food companies combined with the strategic location in North Carolina facilitates this joint venture to become a global provider of premium innovative sweet potato products.

The joint venture will operate as Cardinal Foods and includes a 106,000 square foot food-grade processing facility that will increase overall capacities and provide a line of exceptional products. Russet House brings their expertise in steam blanching technology which retains the natural color, nutritional value and flavor of the sweet potato resulting in a clean label sweet potato fry that is superior in taste, nutrition and appearance. Russet House was first to introduce organic and non-GMO sweet potato fries to retail private brand.

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Cardinal Foods to expand our capacity having been in a sold out position the past few years at our plant in Huntingdon. Combining our strengths will allow us to grow while increasing support to our existing customers. This expansion will support new product innovation which is a core strength,” says Leopold Moyen, President of Russet House.

“Our processing capabilities allow us a continued focus on quality with additional capacity to provide a superb product while continuing to service growers across the eastern United States,” says Corey Barnhill, President of Cardinal Foods. One strategic benefit of the joint venture is the location in Burgaw, NC, which offers a logistical advantage with its proximity to both major interstates and the North Carolina Port of Wilmington.

Cardinal Foods specializes in healthy, convenient, added value products made from blueberries, sweet potatoes and butternut squash sold to national brands, leading retailers, and foodservice and distributor chains.

With decades of combined experience in producing custom and specialty product lines, this joint partnership between Cardinal Foods and Russet House will be a game-changer in the frozen processing industry. This state-of-the-art facility triples pounds production

capabilities of sweet potato fries for global sales and is equipped to customize new plant-based products to meet consumer demand. As consumers better understand the role that food plays in their immune and overall health the demand for nonGMO clean label great tasting fruit and vegetable products will continue to grow.

Product certifications include ISO 22000, Kosher, Halal, Non-GMO, Organic, Gluten-Free and Vegan.

To learn more about the versatile products for co-manufacturing, private brand for retail, food service, club stores and industrial sales, please contact: To learn more: Tripper Showell, Cardinal Foods tshowell@cardinalfoodsllc.com +1 (410) 829-5423 Michael Zieger, Russet House Michael.zieger@russethouse.com +1 (908) 375-8566

At Emerge, we are focused around two simple client objectives, which are at the heart of everything we do.

1.

FOR SUPPLIERS

Looking to expand and differentiate their business or take new innovations to market

2.

FOR RETAILERS

Wanting to build a unique roadmap and actionable tactics for Private Brand greatness

CALL US

We would love to start a conversation with you www.emergefromthepacck.com Perry Seelert, Partner; Mark Dickinson, Partner Perry@emergefromthepack.com Mark@emergefromthepack.com +1 203 529 3668

N O TA B L E

Women Impacting Storebrand Excellence Launching New Diversity Initiatives Women Impacting Storebrand Excellence (WISE) began nine years ago with a mission to increase diversity in the store brand industry. Our original mission was largely focused on increasing gender diversity and providing leadership tools for women.

Today, the WISE organization has grown to 300 individual members and 48 partner companies. We are proud to say that WISE is described by our members as a safe space for important discussions on the advancement of women in our industry. For us, it’s an important recognition, but WISE wants to do more.

The last year was one of introspection for many, and certainly for the WISE Board of Directors. We discussed at length what we wanted our organization to be moving forward, and how we wanted to contribute to the topic of diversity in the private label industry. Overwhelmingly, the Board wanted to expand our organization’s definition of diversity, and be more of a go-to resource for our members who also are championing workplace diversity.

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GLOBAL RETAIL BRANDS / MAY 2021

“The WISE Board of Directors took a deep look at where we’ve been and what impact we could make moving ahead,” notes WISE Chairperson Jen Linke, Federated Group. “We want to be a catalyst for true diversity initiatives, and most importantly, a reliable resource for the individuals and companies in our membership.

Many of our member companies, especially the small and medium-sized ones, don’t have a dedicated Diversity and Inclusion department or director.

WISE would like to be where they can turn to for good information in supporting their D&I goals.”

“We want to be a catalyst for true diversity initiatives, and most importantly, a reliable resource for the individuals and companies in our membership.”

The Board’s introspection also highlighted the fact that we needed the right knowledge and credible information resources. To do that, we needed to find a diversity partner. In 2021, WISE will be announcing its newly contracted diversity partner. In addition, we will be releasing a number of new resources for our partner members to support their Human Resources staff.

There hasn’t been a better time to join WISE. In addition to the wide network of store brand professionals that are active in our organization, there will be a number of new and exciting programs available to our partner members launching in 2021.

Become a member of WISE www.wisediversity.org Become a supporting partner jen.linke@fedgroup.com

At Seneca, we're still doing things the way we always have - the right way.

Think globally, grow locally.

99%

of our produce is grown by AMERICAN FARMERS

Please visit www.SenecaFoods.com to learn more about our company, people and products.

N O TA B L E

Francis Ford Coppola Winery Celebrated the 93rd Awards with Two Limited Edition Wines in Gold Bottles Produced

by Bottega S.p.A. Francis Ford Coppola Winery, the extraordinary Northern California winery, created two limited-edition wines in honour of the 93rd Hollywood’s most prestigious cinema awards.

“The Family Coppola 93rd Awards’” limitededition bottles themselves have been produced by Bottega Spa and feature a mirror gold colour exterior. Each bottle was crafted as a symbol honouring the significant talent, passion and hard work achieved throughout the entire film industry.

The Francis Ford Coppola Winery wines selected for the 93rd Awards were a Chardonnay and a Cabernet Sauvignon, both from 2019. They come from grapes grown in Sonoma County, in the first year since 2011 that California did not suffer from drought, giving the wine a pleasing complexity, thanks to the high quality of grapes from that year.

The Chardonnay is balanced and bold, with notes of stone fruit and white peach. The Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is earthy and spicy with good acidity. Both develop an alcohol content of 14.5% vol.

The exclusive golden bottles were produced by the Bottega S.p.A. winery in Bibano di Godega (TV), which for years has been developing an exclusive metallization process, thanks to the mirrored gold colour becomes “glass,”, a patent recently recognised also by the Court of Appeal of Venice.

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GLOBAL RETAIL BRANDS / MAY 2021

The friendship with Francis Ford Coppola and Sandro Bottega was born together with Stefania Sandrelli, who says: "mutual esteem and trust is the common thread that has allowed us to come together for a little big common toast" and in the same way Sandro Bottega tells of the uniqueness of Francis Ford Coppola "in every thought there is Italy, our culture (including food and wine): Francis sometimes drinks wine cut with water, a real spritz, like our grandparents; he is a man of great culture who spends a lot of time on history books to imagine the future'.”

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N O TA B L E

Don’t Get Lost in the Jungle of Vegan Products Let V-Label Be Your Guide

is today the leading certification brand on the market thanks to the strictness of the controls and the clarity of the application criteria.

Over the last few years we have seen a great increase in the number of products declared suitable for vegetarians and vegans, indeed they are almost everywhere, from the small village shop to the large shopping center, and, of course, through e-commerce.

The V-Label has been helping consumers to choose vegetarian, vegan and raw vegan products in complete security for decades.

It also helps manufacturers to make their products stand out in an increasingly vast and equally confused and complicated market.

But how can you find your way in such a rapidly changing market? Are all trademarks, logos, descriptions and disclaimers the same? Definitely not!

The differences between these depend on the type of monitoring performed and on the certifying authority behind it.

One of the most commonly employed methods is self-declaration: the manufacturer formally agrees to accept the product specification guidelines and to comply with the criteria for the use of the trademark provided by the entity that owns the brand name. In this case, no inspections are carried out by the brand owner and the responsibility for what is declared rests entirely with the

manufacturer. Self-declaration is the method whereby a manufacturer may decide not to comply with any standard and to promote a product as vegan or vegetarian using his own created description or symbol.

Another method is that of document review, also called product approval.

In this case the company issuing the brand requires the manufacturer to provide a series of information regarding the characteristics of the product which must be supported by documentary evidence, from technical data sheets to laboratory analyses. The responsibility for what is declared is shared between the entity that oversees the trademark (for the monitoring performed) and the manufacturer (for the declarations made).

Finally, there is the method whereby certification occurs only when inspections have been carried out by a certification body. This body is thus responsible for what is declared.

The V-Label is obtained by means of a document review accompanied, when necessary, by an inspection visit. This iconic brand of the Italian Vegetarian Association was created in 1976, and

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GLOBAL RETAIL BRANDS / MAY 2021

Don’t get lost in the jungle of vegan and vegetarian products! Make your products stand out with a serious, recognized brand that is synonymous with quality: choose the V-Label!

Vegetarian Association has grown to become the most recognized vegetarian and vegan symbol in the world: the history of the brand is itself an assurance of excellence in the vegetarian and vegan industry.

Finding a sure way to showcase products and be selected by consumers is a must nowadays. What really makes the difference is what feature is chosen to promote: quality, sensitivity towards sustainability issues, safety, and transparency are among the most important.

That’s why today we are the first choice of thousands of customers: this is what the V-Label conveys every day.

To learn more: www.vlabel.org segreteria@vlabel.it

V-Label Launches The First Award Scheme Recognising Quality, Innovation and Positive Impact in the Plant-Based Industry In a world in which consumers are becoming more aware of the impact of their purchase choices, the plant-based industry is rapidly growing. Embodying the values of sustainability and social impact, V-Label - the leading certification seal for vegetarian and vegan products, with more than 40,000 products certified in 50 countries - launches the first international award scheme dedicated to recognising positive impact, quality, and innovation in the plant-based space.

The objective of the International V-Label Awards is to celebrate the many innovative ways in which businesses are contributing to a rich and diverse range of plant-based products, and to recognise companies that are making a difference within their communities as well as from the perspective of global sustainability.

As an industry leader, V-Label aims to raise awareness in the mainstream media of the progress and growth of the plantbased industry and sustainable business practices, encouraging more organisations to enter the plant-based sector and engage in responsible business practices.

The award scheme launching in May 2021 will have 9 award categories, including product categories such as best meat substitute or best dairy substitute, as well as categories that aim to promote responsible business practices, such as

sustainability, innovation and positive impact. The jury panel will consist of senior leaders from the industry, media and NGO’s. The International V-Label Awards will also include a round of public voting and a special award voted by a panel of influencers, which includes trending accounts like Addicted to Humus, as well as well-established pages like Danza de Fogones, the most read vegan recipe blog in Spanish.

The awards will be open for entries until 31st of July 2021, and, after the jury has made its final decision, finalists will be announced in October 2021. Winners will be announced during the awards ceremony in November 2021.

V-Label is encouraging participation by making entering the awards free of charge. The goal is to receive the best stories from the industry to inspire more companies to follow along. In order to participate, entrants can log in to awards.v-label.com and submit their written entry explaining why and how they meet the requirements of each category, along with media files and links that support their claims.

Participating in the awards, with the possibility of being short-listed, is a great PR opportunity for entrants, as it provides businesses with the opportunity to showcase their products and values, as well as their approaches to product innovation, sustainability, and positive social impact. It can improve brand awareness and promote businesses to new customers in new markets.

Finalists and winners of the International V-Label Awards will be able to communicate their success with a special logo designed for the occasion and will be actively promoted through V-Label’s own channels and through its partners’ channels. Additionally, winners will receive a one-year V-Label license free of charge, a media package to share their success, trophies and cash to support charities of their choice.

To learn more: awards.v-label.com Jenifer.linares@v-label.eu

www.globalretailmag.com

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PROFILE B Y E L E N A S U L L I VA N

WHAT’S NEXT FOR WHOLE FOODS? Whole Foods Market, the world’s largest natural foods grocery chain, headquartered in Austin, Texas, was founded in 1980.

Whole Foods established the supermarket concept in natural and organic foods retailing and offers a variety of healthconscious foods that boast attributes such as non-GMO, vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free ingredients.

The company operates more than 500 stores throughout the US, Canada, and the UK. Whole Foods offers shoppers an impressive array of private label products and approximately 55% of its private label brand offerings are either certified organic or “Non-GMO Project Verified.” The retailer markets its main private label under the Whole Foods Market and 365

by Whole Foods Market labels. Other private label brands include, but are not limited to, Allegro Coffee, Whole Paws, and Engine 2 Plant-Strong.

Whole Foods has made several acquisitions and retail initiatives over the years, adding to its profile organic retail outlets and brands including Wellspring Grocery, Mrs. Gooch’s, Fresh Fields, Bread of Life, and Merchant of Vino.

Its largest purchase took place in 2007, with the acquisition of 109 Wild Oats Markets.

In 2016, the retailer tried out a new initiative geared towards shoppers looking to buy organic and natural items at a value, opening its first stores under the new name 365 by Whole Foods. The 365 stores—named for the Whole Foods’ private label, were smaller and carried less expensive merchandise than the company’s regular outlets. However, in 2017, Whole Foods revamped its board as the company faced continued declining sales.

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Craig Weller Renee Lawson Hardy John Mackey

Shortly thereafter, Whole Foods was acquired by online retail giant, Amazon. The deal, which was valued at more than $13 billion, closed in August, 2017. Amazon was intent on revamping Whole Foods image as a retailer that only offered products at premium prices. The online retailer soon closed the 365 stores and began lowering prices in regular Whole Food Market locations. Other changes followed. Whole Foods’ products were folded into Amazon’s e-commerce platform and Amazon Prime became part of Whole Foods’ rewards program. Amazon also updated its logistics and merchandising operations with the goal of lowering prices even further and also added several features into the Whole Food stores which would garner attention from existing Amazon shoppers who might not yet be Whole Food customers. For example, Amazon Lockers were installed in select Whole Foods locations, enabling shoppers to pick up and return online orders from Amazon.com. Additionally, expanding on its own grocery delivery operations, Whole Foods ended its partnership with Instacart in early 2019 and now utilizes Amazon Fresh and AmazonPrime for its deliveries.

A Boost from Amazon: Whole Foods is constantly innovating and adapting to consumer preference with several e-commerce and online initiatives just in recent months. The merging of Amazon and Whole Foods also boosted both Whole Foods’ online presence and its private brands. Prior to Amazon’s acquisition of Whole Foods, the retailer did have an E-commerce presence, however, Amazon’s enormity has enabled Whole Food products to be more widely available. In 2018, Whole Foods expanded its Prime Now delivery and pickup services to additional locations, with plans to continue expansion across the US. Delivery is available in more than 60 cities and grocery pickup is available in nearly 30 cities. Whole Foods products can be found for delivery through Amazon.com or for online ordering and pick up in-store on Wholefoodsmarket.com.

Last Spring, the onset of the Covid 19 Pandemic ignited a flurry of e-commerce initiatives to satiate consumers who wanted grocery delivery or pick-up options due to stay-at-home orders. Whole Foods temporarily converted several of its locations across the country that saw a significant drop in foot traffic, to online-only operations, but now all but a couple have opened up for in-person shopping. However, Amazon and Whole Foods were perhaps ahead of the market, they had already broken ground in fall of 2019 on a permanent online-only store to expand its capacity to fulfill online orders.

According to a blog post by Amazon, in September 2020, Whole Foods opened its first ever permanent online-only store in Brooklyn, NY. According to the retailer, the store is dedicated to fulfilling only online orders, allowing its team members to “quickly receive, shop, and prepare orders for delivery to more customers than ever before.” The online-only store delivery is exclusively available to customers in Brooklyn.

Whole Foods also began an additional online shopping perk in October 2020. Driven by the increase in online shopping and grocery pick-up due to the Pandemic, the retailer introduced, free, one-hour pick-up on orders $35 or more from Whole Foods Market for all Prime members.

Members can simply go to the Amazon.com App or visit the website and start shopping. Once they are ready to check-out, customers can choose a one-hour pick-up window that is convenient for them. According to Amazon, this initiative was spurred by the increasing number of new online grocery shoppers in the past year. The company noted that “more than 40 percent of Whole Foods Market pickup orders each month are from customers trying the service for the first time.” Amazon also provides data for the lasting interest in grocery pick-up, quoting from Global Data Research stating that “almost 68 percent of consumers say they will continue to use curbside pickup even when the pandemic has subsided.”

Diving deeper into the grocery delivery arena and competing closely with delivery companies such as Instacart, Amazon recently announced its plan to roll out a new delivery program for Whole Foods Market stores called Shop and Deliver. The retailer describes the new program where Amazon Flex delivery partners shop at Whole Foods and then deliver orders to customers. The Flex drivers would operate as independent contractors, similar to delivery services such as Uber or Instacart.

Amazon has provided detailed information on its website to orient prospective Flex drivers to the job tasks as well as more complex shopping requests such as what to do if an item is out of stock or in a different location, or purchasing items by weight such as deli or meat packages or bulk items.

www.globalretailmag.com

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PROFILE indicated that customers were increasingly interested in improving their wellbeing, eating more mindfully, and feeling more connected to food. Subsequently, the teaming up of Whole Foods, a retail leader in food geared towards health, and Headspace, a well-known meditation app that focuses on mindfulness was only natural. The initiative entails a new wellness series, which includes four “food for mood” episodes available on the Whole Foods Instagram TV channel, each featuring a recipe geared towards mood enhancement, created by Chef, Food and Welfare Advocate, Sophia Roe and Harvard nutritional psychiatrist, chef and author of This Is Your Brain on Food, Dr. Uma Naidoo. Customers can also take advantage of three new free Headspace meditations on mindful shopping, cooking and eating, as well as a free one-month trial of Headspace Plus. Furthermore, many of the recipes feature Whole Foods brand products, a clever marketing tool, drawing attention to the healthy and versatile attributes of its private label.

Online Collaborations

Brand Refresh

Whole Foods has also delved into a couple of online collaborations that highlight its private label products.

In August 2020, Whole Foods launched Home Ec 365, “a digital curriculum designed to modernize the fundamentals of home economics.” The company describes the initiative as offering a series of virtual classes to help viewers master everyday home tasks and necessary life skills ranging from “creative baking swaps and transforming food scraps to stocking up on grocery staples and choosing the right cleaning products.”

Alongside Whole Foods Market’s many recent innovative initiatives that have promoted its private label products, a refresh of its 365 private brand has also appeared in store and online. The change is subtle yet perhaps foreshadows more changes to come in the future. The 365 Everyday Value brand now reads 365 by Whole Foods Market and the redesign of its packaging features clean, bold lines and colors. The 365 brand is available in Whole Foods stores and on Amazon. Whole Foods website also details the benefits of purchasing the 365 brand alongside promotion for the Home Ec 365 by Whole Foods Market digital curriculum.

To help prepare for the virtual classes, Whole Foods Market offers exclusive coupons for free products for those who enroll. The products are Whole Foods Market private label, 365 brand items that will be needed for the classes. The classes have themes such as “Swap-Savvy Baking: Getting Creative with Recipes & Replacements,” “Use ‘Em Up! How to Transform Food Scraps & Leftovers,” and “Smarter Shopping: Save, Stock & Invest – The right ingredients go a long way in the kitchen.”

Another online initiative recently launched by Whole Foods is a collaboration with Mindfulness app Headspace, to support well-being for mind and body. The collaboration provides a collection of mood-enhancing recipe videos, meditations and mindful exercises to promote mindful eating. After a year that has been undoubtedly stressful for many people, the need for mindfulness is more apparent than ever. A recent Harris poll conducted on behalf of Whole Foods

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According to Whole Foods, the Sourced For Good program replaces the retailer’s Whole Trade Guarantee.

Whole Foods Market’s Sourced for Good program includes products certified by organizations such as Fair Trade USA, Rainforest Alliance, Fairtrade America, Fair Food Program, and Equitable Food Initiative. The Sourced For Good seal enables shoppers to quickly identify products that fall under these measures. Whole Foods understands that many shoppers want to purchase products that are sourced sustainably but have difficulty determining which products adhere to specific rules.

Therefore, the seal makes it simple for customers to identify sustainably sourced products while shopping.

Future Innovations There have been many musings as to why the refresh, and some experts indicate that the change is an attempt by Amazon to consolidate and streamline the Whole Foods Market’s brands. As noted earlier, when Amazon acquired Whole Foods Market, it quickly shuttered the stand-alone 365 retail locations as a way to focus more energy on the traditional Whole Foods Market locations and online operations, so this change in branding also fits into Amazons’ efforts to look at what is working and what isn’t, and act accordingly.

Sustainability Trends Maintain Speed Health and wellness and sustainability trends are front and center at Whole Foods, and the retailer constantly strives to improve its practices. As witness, a few years ago, the retailer pledged that by 2018, all products in its stores in North America would be labeled to indicate if they contain GMOs. However, that pledge was changed in 2018 to state that Whole Foods would not promote a product as non-GMO unless it has been verified by a third party.

Continuing with its efforts, in April 2021, the retailer launched its Sourced for Good program, which is an exclusive thirdparty certification program to support responsible sourcing of foods, including seafood. According to the retailer, the program aims to make improvements in farm workers’ lives, strengthening worker communities where products are sourced, and encouraging environmental stewardship where crops are grown. The Sourced For Good seal can be found on more than 100 products at WholeFoods Market stores, including items such as vegetables and flowers. The retailer plans to include its seafood products, and currently the first seafood product featuring the seal is Del Pacifico wild-caught shrimp from Mexico.

While Whole Foods Market on its own was a powerhouse in the natural and organic food space, with Amazon, it is reaching entirely new heights and many parallel innovations are being seen across the board. For example, Amazon just recently announced the launch of its Amazon One payment option at Whole Foods Market, at one Whole Foods Market location in Seattle, Washington and will soon be available in seven locations in Seattle in the coming months. Amazon One, “a fast, convenient, contactless way for people to use their palm to enter, identify, and pay,” was introduced at Amazon store locations last year and enabled shoppers to quickly and efficiently pay with just their hand. The system allows customers to associate a credit card with their palm print and provides a contact-less alternative to cash and card payments. According to the retailer, customers who are new to the service can quickly sign up in participating stores. They are also able to link their Prime account to automatically receive their Prime membership discounts at the Whole Foods location. Arun Rajan, senior vice president of technology and chief technology officer at Whole Foods Market commented on Amazon’s website: “At Whole Foods Market, we’re always looking for new and innovative ways to improve the shopping experience for our customers,” he continues, “Working closely with Amazon, we’ve brought benefits like Prime member discounts, online grocery delivery and pickup, and free returns to our customers, and we’re excited to add Amazon One as a payment option beginning today. We’re starting with an initial store at Madison Broadway in Seattle and look forward to hearing what customers think as we expand this option to additional stores over time.”

This newest initiative sums up the power and strength of the partnership between Whole Foods and Amazon, and it seems as if the sky's the limit for both companies. We are sure to see many more innovations in the future.

Photos courtesy of Whole Foods Market

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PROFILE B Y E L E N A S U L L I VA N

JUMBO SUPERMARKTEN Building on Innovation and Sustainability Jumbo Supermarkten, founded in 1979, with headquarters in Veghel, Netherlands, is part of the privately-owned Van Eerd Group which was established in 1921. The second largest supermarket chain in the Netherlands, Jumbo entered the Belgium market in 2019. Jumbo has grown over the past few years, with the acquisition of several Dutch brands such as La Place, C1000 and Emté. The company now operates over 680 locations with more than 85,000 employees.

The supermarket chain also has 444 pick-up points for online orders and 522 home delivery service locations.

Jumbo’s sales have also grown, according to Statista.com, Jumbo’s turnover almost doubled from 2012 to 2020, increasing to about 9.6 billion euros by 2020. The retailer’s market share also grew and reported 21 percent of the market share in 2019.

Jumbo boasts a robust private label range under the ‘Jumbo’ name, which was introduced in 2008. With over 9,000 private label SKUs, the line includes groceries, desserts, and wines, just to name a few. The company places confidence in its consumers’ opinions which led it to set up a test lab to enable consumers to taste new products and provide feedback.

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Continuous innovation is also important to the retailer and in 2017, looking to create innovative products, Jumbo set up the Jumbo Innovation Lab to develop new and healthy food items in collaboration with suppliers and product developers.

According to the company, this collaboration resulted in products including different flavoured single-serve oatmeal, kale burgers, and pumpkin balls to name a few.

The retailer continues to roll out on-trend private labels, including in recent years, additional SKUs to its Vegetarian line, Veggie Chef and a range of Asian inspired meals As well as most recently, a new premium line called Jumbo Gourmets, which includes high quality fresh meats and fish. Additionally, in mid-2020, Jumbo announced several private label initiatives to grow its already strong and varied portfolio. In recent years health and wellness have become increasingly popular to consumers and Jumbo has leaned into this trend with its private label offerings.

The retailer has been focusing on new healthier products and revamping its existing products to remove unhealthy ingredients. For example, Jumbo recently rolled out a successor to the Veggie Chef line, called Lekker Veggie, which included 42 different products including a plant-based schnitzel and falafel and a “first-to-market” plant-based stew.

Continuing with the health trend, Jumbo has been reducing sugar and salt from many of its existing products. According to the retailer, it expects to reduce sugar by 4,000kg and salt by 3,000kg annually.

80 Locations 444 Pick-up points 522 Home delivery service locations

For instance, the retailer announced that it would add sustainable canned fish to its existing sustainably sourced private label fresh and frozen fish. Now, the retailer offers 96% of its fresh, frozen or canned private label fish with the MSC or ASC label. The canned fish contains the MSC label and includes eight products, ‘four tuna varieties (water, sunflower oil, olive oil, with vegetables in tomato sauce), anchovies, pink salmon, herring in tomato sauce and sardines’. Jumbo’s has also been expanding its range of dairy products that hold the ‘1 star Beter Leven’ label, rolling out five new products in the summer of 2020, including semi-skimmed milk, whole milk, semi-skimmed yogurt and buttermilk. The ‘1 star Beter Leven’ label indicates higher welfare products, with dairy products signifying that the animals are treated more humanely, with better living conditions. Many of Jumbo’s private label eggs, meat, meat products and snacks have the Beter Leven mark, illustrating the company’s efforts to be holistically sustainable.

Sustainability Sells Sustainability is a buzzword for many retail companies, including Jumbo.

Jumbo prides itself on its efforts to be holistically sustainable as a company. The company works tirelessly to ensure that every aspect of its business works towards this goal. Its products, production business practices, and physical retail locations all encompass some aspects of sustainability. The company has been focusing on sustainability in its private label product ingredients and packaging and has recently engaged in several innovative initiatives. The retailer has been actively introducing more plant-based private label products which adhere to the idea of preserving the earth by consuming less meat.

Additionally, the retailer is looking at ways in which it can incorporate environmentally friendly values into all aspects of its products, including its sourcing, and animal welfare.

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PROFILE Jumbo first supermarket with only more sustainable milk

Jumbo opens the most sustainably designed supermarket building in the Benelux in Goor Furthermore, Jumbo has also altered its packaging to also be more sustainable. The company notes that its products are “packed in a transparent tray made from 100% recycled PET bottles’, while the packaging sleeve is made of ‘FSC-certified cardboard and is almost halved compared to the previous sleeve’. Among many initiatives, Jumbo’s website claims that starting April 1, and continuing through Autumn, even more of its private label fruits and vegetable products will be offered in sustainable packaging that uses less plastic and some packaging will now be paper instead of plastic.

Jumbo has dedicated part of its website to offer detailed information on its efforts to become a more sustainable company, including its participation in Plastic Pack Netherlands with about 110 other companies and organizations in conjunction with the Dutch government. The Plastic Pack focuses on “innovations that reduce the use of plastic, enable reuse, ensure high-quality recycling and stop the pollution of our living environment,” according to its website.

Additionally, adding to its efforts in sustainability, just this September, the retailer launched the ‘Brood van Brood’ initiative as part of its Waste-Free Week campaign, which started on September 1st. The project involves the retailer making new white and wholemeal bread from unsold privatelabel bread. Making new bread from old bread is described by the retailer as an ancient bread making technique. It entails adding water and sourdough culture to the crumbled bread and placing it in special containers to allow the dough to form.

Jumbo’s Waste-Free Week campaign was initiated in 2019 and ran from 1 to 7 September 2020. The campaign aims to bring attention to ways in which consumers can cut back on waste.

Along with products sold at reduced prices, and discounted meal kits that were precisely proportioned, to help shoppers reduce food waste, Jumbo also shared recipes based on leftovers via online channels and social media.

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Jumbo saves hundreds of thousands of kilos of plastic per year with new packaging As sustainability and caring for the environment is not a trend that will disappear anytime soon, Jumbo is at the forefront of innovation and constantly searching for ways in which its company can become even more sustainable. This effort will not only benefit its consumers, but have the ultimate goal of helping to preserve the Earth.

Online shopping has grown to an entirely new level due to the Covid-19 Pandemic as online shopping for some consumers became a necessity and not just a luxury. Even prior to the onset of the Global Pandemic, e-commerce was increasingly the choice of many shoppers, and many companies including Jumbo, were working to improve their online platforms and create a seamless online shopping experience for their consumers. Jumbo has been dedicated to improving its online platform to provide the most up-to-date technology to achieve this goal. In 2018, the company launched the Jumbo Technical Campus (JTC), where according to a company press release, “over 100 inhouse experts work daily to improve Jumbo’s digital applications. These experts develop B2B, B2C and mobile platforms, responsive web design, loyalty programs, and order management systems (OMS).” The company highlights the fact that it pays close attention

E-Commerce Takes Center Stage

to emerging eCommerce trends such as microservices and online marketplaces to provide its shoppers with the most current online technologies. Furthermore, the site architecture is in a constant state of development, with a strong focus on emerging eCommerce trends, such as microservices and online marketplaces.

Jumbo not only focuses on online technology but also strives to make both its in-store shopping and delivery experience easier for its consumers. In the past several months, the retailer has introduced an in-store shopping feature to support customers’ experiences and an increased delivery option to help those who want to shop online. In regards to in-store innovations, in December 2020, the company announced its partnership with NCR, a global provider of leading retail technology solutions.

With NCR’s support, Jumbo will roll-out self-check solutions for all of its retail stores in Holland and Belgium. Self-check out is an important aspect of NCR’s Next Generation Retail Store Architecture that supports retailers in simplifying store operations and introducing new innovations quickly. The selfcheck out feature will add to Jumbo’s existing store technologies including NCR’s enterprise software platform R10 and NCR’s mobile scanning solution, NCR FastLane Mobile Shopper.

Continuing with its technological advances to help consumers shop better and faster in-store, Jumbo recently announced that it is set to test a smart shopping cart featuring cameras, a touch screen, and artificial intelligence capabilities. The pilot will be introduced at its Jumbo Foodmarkt outlet in Veghel and will be used to determine if the initiative offers added value and a better experience for shoppers.

According to Jumbo, the features that will be included are: the products are automatically scanned when placed in the cart, and the cart features a touchscreen on which customers can view their shopping list.

Whatsmore, on the screen, shoppers can see the price of the products and which products are on sale. Jumbo hopes to add the ability to offer payment methods through the screen as well. The pilot phase will enable Jumbo to test the smart shopping cart and to alter or add features as needed. Additionally, the pilot phase is intended to determine if this innovation improves a shoppers experience and if the smart carts will become a permanent feature.

Yet another initiative Jumbo has rolled out to satisfy the increase of online shopping, as well as the demand for home delivery, is grocery delivery on Sundays. The service is now available to customers of approximately 250 Jumbo stores in northern and central Netherlands, North Brabant and Zeeland. Customers are charged 7.95 euros for the Sunday delivery and can place their orders until 23.59 on Friday evenings.

Future Endeavors Jumbo Supermarkten’s dedication to innovation instore and online exemplifies just one of the reasons the retailer has become the second largest supermarket chain in the Netherlands. As the company continues on its mission to actively practice sustainability in all aspects of its business, as well as provide outstanding shopping experiences and quality private labels, we are sure to see Jumbo Supermarkten continue its expansion well outside of the Netherlands.

Photos courtesy of Jumbo

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N O TA B L E

P R I VAT E L A B E L W I N E S E R I E S

What Makes a Good Grocery Wine?

An Epicurean Label?

I have a very good friend in Belgium who loves a good glass of wine, he is an epicurean above all. Discussing wines one time I asked him how he chooses his favorites. ‘I only look at the label he told me’, without a doubt, although I had to look through his poker face. No tasting, no nothing, just the attraction of the label.

Gold lines, green leaves, eye-catching images, he filled in the taste of the wine according to his expectations the front of pack evoked. Of course sometimes it didn’t work out that well. Life is simple, just don’t buy that bad one anymore, up to the next.

It reminded me of the famous behavior trial of researcher Brian Wansink from the Food and Brand Lab at Cornell University.

He offered guests in an experimental restaurant setting the same grocery wine, but the researcher put the liquid in bottles with different labels. The wines were placed in plain sight at the dining table, as part of the meal. One bottle with a label from the sunny state of California, the other from the snowy American state of North Dakota.

In the end the laboratory rabbits not only appreciated the taste of the Californian wine better than the Dakota wine, they also liked the food better as well as the whole of the eating experience.

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Choosing at the grocery In the experiment the guests were firmly influenced just by the region on the label. However, sitting with friends or family at the dinner table is a different story than choosing and judging wine in front of the waterfall of wines on grocery shelves. Only less than 30 seconds an average customer spends in the wine aisle to make up his mind. The visual language on the bottle is crucial.

A study conducted in South America analyzed the purchase intention of

114 individuals, half of them man, half women. In front of the wine shelves of a simulated supermarket they were observed for a few minutes and their eyes were tracked. The study confirms the label can be highly positive in suggesting the purchase intention.

It differentiates between womean, men, experts and non-experts. Not surprisingly, experts always seek for all the details, while non-experts can be confused by it, the latter doesn’t positively influence the purchase.

Still it is the combination of the denomination of origin and health

‘Neuromarketing has helped us understand some crucial elements, thus allowing us to find the right key for the restyling, a strategic differentiation in approach that brings us closer to the consumer’, says Andrea di Tollo, general director of Cantina Tollo. ‘The time spent in front of the shelf is definitely shorter.

Based on this, and considering the extremely huge offer consumers can choose from, it’s important to catch their attention and bring them towards us. Packaging plays a key role in this process.’

warning that gives the general consumer some signal to make a decision. Women, compared to men, are more guided by the sense of vision and are more prone to reading labels. They especially rely on nutritional information, sometimes in combination with other aspects of the label.

For Tollo the new packaging was a turning point decision and not an easy task, given the fact Rocca Ventosa is a traditional brand.

Without change nothing happens. If you ask me how I choose wine, I can’t pass by the label either. I first look at the grape variety and the region, but if the label even promises an epicurean experience, I’m in.

Hans Kraak is educated in biology and journalism and wrote two books about nutrition and health. He worked for the Dutch ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food quality and the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. As editor in chief he publishes in Voeding Nu, a business to business platform on food and health, as a food and wine writer he publishes in Meininger’s Wine Business International and reports for PLMA Live EU and PLMA USA.

Neuromarketing To better understand the unconscious shopping mechanisms of consumers as far as shelf placement, appeal and recognizabillity of the label, recently the Italian wine maker Cantina Tollo carried out a neuromarketing research in collaboration with the University of Pescara and Chieti. The results led to the development of a new series of labels for the Rocca Ventosa line. With each element of the label the winemaker wants to tell the consumer about a particular wine and the winery in the Abruzzo region.

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N O TA B L E

Reducing Materials To Design Eco-Friendly And Sustainable Laundry Packaging SGK Amsterdam, Vrijdag Premium Printing, Generous Minds, Neurensics, Kurz, Merck and Haval have joined forces under the name ‘Packadore Collective’ to design and implement both desirable and sustainable packaging solutions. Their ‘White is the new green’ design innovation explores how reducing materials can provide an eco-friendly and sustainable packaging solution.

Traditionally, all laundry detergent brands were sold in large carton boxes and while such formats are still widely in use, consumer preference has lent towards gels and pods in recent years, thus increasing the volume of plastic packaging used — whether virgin or recycled.

Carton is a highly renewable material with a relatively low eco-cost; it can be recycled 7-8 times before it loses its integrity and therefore its value.

Brands of course need a canvas in which to distinguish themselves and communicate with their consumers on pack, but the use of ink printed on carton and paper material significantly reduces its sustainable benefits.

‘White is the new green’ conceptual packaging design innovation imagines an ink free carton packaging format, using embossing to maintain brand communication and to amplify the brands sustainable credentials. During manufacturing, die cutting and embossing happen as part of the same process and so no additional step or change to the line set-up is required.

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In addition, this ‘cleaner’ packaging design and use of white itself becomes a strong communication cue in terms of supporting the product’s proposition, a cleaner pack for cleaner laundry — simplifying the design to help amplify the impact. By removing the need for ink, we can enhance the consumer packaging experience and help brands to navigate the circular economy maze.

If orange is the new black, white is the new green.

Taking this one step further as part of our consumer neuroscience research, we have explored the impact and effectiveness that such desirable and sustainable packaging designs can have, as compared to a benchmark of existing packaging already in the market — one that we know to be performing well.

Our mission is to understand if brains really do ‘buy green’.

We all know the saying, ‘do as I say, not as I do’ and this rings especially true when looking at the challenges of more traditional forms of consumer research;

consumers say one thing and do another. We need better methods of qualifying our investments in packaging design, especially when moving towards more sustainable solutions.

Consumer behaviours, including purchasing behaviours, are influenced by unconscious processes. Our goal here is to understand and validate consumer perceptions and preferences in order to confidently predict consumer behaviours and choices — in store and online. This approach can be used to help reduce risk when making significant step changes.

purpose driven communications campaign.

Interestingly, anger was non-existent — dropping well below both the benchmark and the category average. This indicates a removal of previously seen levels of irritation associated with the bold bright colours of the benchmark. The white packaging instead offers a high level of serene pleasure while maintaining the same attention levels.

Brands such as Unilever’s Omo are committed to taking steps towards a more sustainable future — such steps are not a ‘nice to have’ but a necessity in order to both meet Government regulations and to protect our environment. This exercise has been driven by a desire to learn more about how such brands can navigate the circular economy maze whilst still maintaining desirability.

We have seen that similarly high levels of value, desire and relevance perceptions can be secured with a more eco-friendly yet bold packaging solution as with our white conceptual packaging design. The white packaging design evokes a very similar brain pattern to that of the benchmark which qualifies the incredible potential to do more in aid of sustainability.

NETWORKS OF THE BRAIN

Using MRI scanning, we measured the brain activations of 24 respondents in response to the three different packaging solutions. We then analysed a range of emotional responses linked to purchase intentions; positive emotions such as desire, expectation and trust, but also negative emotions such as fear, aversion and irritation.

The results are highlighted below: The Omo benchmark packaging design scored high on trust, relevance, value and desire and had lower than category average scores on the more negative emotions. This is to be expected given consumers were presented with a strong and familiar brand — indeed, a brand leader in the Netherlands.

Our brown conceptual pack scored equally high on trust and value but slightly less so on relevance and desire whilst maintaining low scores on negative emotions; including a particularly low score for anger, well below that of the benchmark. This indicates a low level of irritation in the consumers’ mind. Associations of brown paper with sustainability could also be at play here.

Our white conceptual pack received similarly high scores on value, relevance and desire but slightly less so on trust and also fear saw a slight increase; again, something to be expected given the packaging design is unfamiliar and of course easily overcome when supported with a

The unwritten rule in design for large brands such as Omo is ‘evolution’ not ‘revolution’ but our research results indicate that well established brands can take such steps with confidence. By leveraging existing elements of recognition and amplifying the sustainable credentials of the packaging, brands such as Omo can evolve to offer more sustainable and desirable packaging solutions while maintaining their status in market.

This conceptual design innovation exercise has been conducted by Packadore Collective under their own initiative and is not representative of a commissioned assignment by Omo brand owner Unilever.

About Packadore Collective: Packadore Collective work collaboratively to design and implement both desirable and sustainable packaging solutions to help brands create real impact, now and for the future.

We are the innovators in temptainability.

To learn more: www.packadore.com

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BOSTON | PHOENIX | SAN DIEGO | CHINA | UK

EIGHTH ANNUAL WINNERS EDITION

Brought to you by

THE WINNERS ARE...

Welcome to the 8th Annual Vertex Award winner’s edition. A record number of entries from 41 countries represents the absolute best in package design from around the globe regardless of who owns the brand. That’s right; these are the best package designs in the world – full stop.

Eight years ago, we could never have imagined the impact that the Vertex Awards would have on private brands.

This year’s record-setting class of entrants is evidence of not only Vertex’s influence on design but strategy. We have pushed retailers, agencies, and manufacturers to become Retail Brand Owners and Managers, to move beyond the expected and create brands and package design that genuinely differentiates.

This year’s competition included more than 600 entries and 63 retailers. You will discover outstanding designs that retailers are using to win. Private brands have moved from mimicry and fast following to trendsetting branding and design.

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We want to thank this year’s panels of 18 judges, which includes design luminaries from nine countries: Paco Adin, Danielle Beal, Paula Bunny, Connie Cao, Chris Cheung, Matt Clemens, Charlene Codner, Steven Cox, Maria Dubuc, Michael Duffy, Guillermo Dufranc, Masanori Eto, Loe Limpens, Todd Maute, Fred Richards, Tatiana Ryfer, Jens Sievert, Nick Vaus, Dr. Vickie Van Hurley, and ZHOU Wenjun.

Thanks also to our awards platform Judgify for partnering with us on the awards. Their diligence and honesty ensure the integrity of the voting process.

To celebrate this year, we will feature the Vertex Awards at the My Private Brand Design Summit. The virtual event will feature presentations and interviews with this year’s winners from around the world.

This competition has been a labor of love.

We know you will find inspiration in the winners, and we hope to see your entry next year.

Christopher Durham

Phillip Russo

President, My Private Brands Co-founder, The Vertex Awards

Publisher, Global Retail Brands Co-founder, The Vertex Awards

GLOBAL RETAIL BRANDS / MAY 2021

BEST OF SHOW

THE GIANT CO. CO-BRANDED CRAFT BEERS PRIVATE BRAND: The Giant Co. Co-Branded Craft Beers RETAILER: The Giant Co. COUNTRY: United States CATEGORY: Licensed or Co-Brand AGENCY: Ahold Delhaize / Peapod Digital Labs

SUMMARY: Throughout 2020 The Giant Co. partnered with four local Pennsylvania craft breweries to lunch a line of co-branded ales, providing unique offerings within their beer gardens. The co-branding was brought to life through close collaboration with each brewery. Starting from brainstorming the product and flavor to solidifying the concept and identity. While each beer is unique, a label architecture was established and maintained to build a cohesive line that shoppers could recognize, follow and seek out. Lastly developing product names that make use of the word “Giant”, allow the co-branding to read succinctly, with both the brewery logo and store banner logo prominently featured.

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R E TA I L E R O F T H E Y E A R JUMBO SUPERMARKTEN

JUMBO PET FOOD THE BEST NATUREL CARE

JUMBO POTATO CHIPS TIME TO GET COSY

AGENCY: Guts & Glorious

AGENCY: Guts & Glorious

JUMBO BIO - ORGANIC MADE ACCESSIBLE FOR EVERYONE

JUMBO ICE TEAS FUNCTIONALS

AGENCY: Guts & Glorious

AGENCY: OD Designstudio

JUMBO IN-BETWEEN ON THE GO WITH A SMILE IN YOUR POCKET AGENCY: Guts & Glorious

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GLOBAL RETAIL BRANDS / MAY 2021

JUMBO TOMATO PRODUCTS - SIMPLY IN GREAT TASTE AGENCY: Guts & Glorious

EUROPE, ASIA, THE MIDDLE EAST, OCEANIA, AND AFRICA

JUMBO VISCONCERVEN - SEA FRESH CANNED

JUMBO PET PRODUCTS TASTE

AGENCY: Guts & Glorious

AGENCY: Guts & Glorious

JUMBO LEKKER VEGGIE ORGANIC AND NATURAL FOOD

JUMBO 3.0 REDESIGNED BRAND AGENCY: OD Designstudio

AGENCY: OD Designstudio

JUMBO ICE TEAS – SPECIALS

JUMBO BIO - DELICIOUS ORGANIC CHOCOLATE

AGENCY: Guts & Glorious

AGENCY: Guts & Glorious

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R E TA I L E R O F T H E Y E A R WHOLE FOODS NORTH AMERICA, CENTRAL AMERICA, AND SOUTH AMERICA

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365 BY WHOLE FOODS MARKET REDESIGNED BRAND

365 SPARKLING WATER

AGENCY: Whole Foods Market

AGENCY: Whole Foods Market

365 GOLDEN MILK

365 SHOWER GEL

AGENCY: Whole Foods Market

AGENCY: Whole Foods Market

GLOBAL RETAIL BRANDS / MAY 2021

PUBLISHER’S CHOICE

KOI ESCAPE NATURALLY RETAILER: Coles COUNTRY: Australia CATEGORY: Body Care AGENCY: Hulsbosch

THRIVE MARKET GOODS HONEYS RETAILER: THRIVE MARKET COUNTRY: United States CATEGORY: Organic and Natural food AGENCY: Thrive Market

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AGENCY OF THE YEAR E Q U AT O R

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BARISSIMO HALLOWEEN SPECIALITY COFFEES

UTOPIA MARKET QUINOA PUFFS

RETAILER: Aldi, US

RETAILER: Aldi, US

GRANDMA PIZZA

BARISSIMO COLD BREW

RETAILER: Co-op, UK

RETAILER: Aldi, US

CLANCY'S UNIQUE POTATO CHIPS

'THE BEST' WINES

RETAILER: Aldi, US

RETAILER: Morrisons, UK

GLOBAL RETAIL BRANDS / MAY 2021

LARGE Equator is an international branding agency with offices in Cincinnati, Manchester, Chicago.

Founded in 2003, the 300+ strong global team is led by Global Creative Director Michael Duffy.

SCHNUCKS BOXED GRANOLA

PURE BALANCE RETAILER: Walmart, UK

RETAILER: Schnucks, US

TRITON ENERGY DRINK RETAILER: 7-Eleven, US

7-SELECT ORGANIC COCONUT WATER RETAILER: 7-Eleven, US

BARISSIMO SUMMER COFFEES

MEMBERS MARK PLUS+ WATER 2.0

RETAILER: Aldi, US

RETAILER: Sam's Club, US

OL'ROY

WEGMANS ESPRESSO PODS

RETAILER: Walmart, US

RETAILER: Wegmans, US

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AGENCY OF THE YEAR SUPPERSTUDIO

EL CORTE INGLÉS SELECTION: CANNED VEGETABLES RETAILER: El Corte Inglés, Spain

EL CORTE INGLÉS: CLEANING GLOVES RETAILER: El Corte Inglés, Spain

EL CORTE INGLÉS SELECTION RETAILER: El Corte Inglés, Spain

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GLOBAL RETAIL BRANDS / MAY 2021

BOUTIQUE Supperstudio is an independent branding agency with offices in Madrid and Bilbao, Spain. Founded in 2003, the team led by Creative Director Paco Adin specializes in branding and package design.

EL CORTE INGLÉS SELECTION: COFFEE BEANS RETAILER: El Corte Inglés, Spain

EL CORTE INGLÉS SELECTION: PANETTONE, NOUGATS AND CHRISTMAS SWEETS RETAILER: El Corte Inglés, Spain

EL CORTE INGLÉS: FLOURS

WYX The SPB Global Corporation

RETAILER: El Corte Inglés, Spain

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VERTEX GOLD WINNERS

7-SELECT LOCO ROLLERS RETAILER: 7-Eleven COUNTRY: United States CATEGORY: Packaged Goods AGENCY: MBD

AH SCOOP ICE CREAM RETAILER: Albert Heijn COUNTRY: Netherlands CATEGORY: Frozen AGENCY: Millford

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GLOBAL RETAIL BRANDS / MAY 2021

ALBERTSON’S SIGNATURE RESERVE OLIVE OIL RETAILER: Albertsons COUNTRY: United States CATEGORY: Packaged Goods AGENCY: Sterling Brands

UTOPIA MARKET QUINOA PUFFS RETAILER: Aldi US COUNTRY: United States CATEGORY: Packaged Goods AGENCY: Equator Design

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VERTEX GOLD WINNERS

BARISSIMO HALLOWEEN SPECIALITY COFFEES RETAILER: Aldi US COUNTRY: United States CATEGORY: Holiday or Limited-Edition AGENCY: Equator Design

WOOFIN’ GOOD! RETAILER: Coles COUNTRY: Australia CATEGORY: New Brand AGENCY: Hulsbosch

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KOI ESCAPE NATURALLY RETAILER: Coles COUNTRY: Australia CATEGORY: New Brand AGENCY: Hulsbosch

WOOFIN’ GOOD! RETAILER: Coles COUNTRY: Australia CATEGORY: Pet Products AGENCY: Hulsbosch

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VERTEX GOLD WINNERS

CO-OP GRANDMA PIZZA RETAILER: Co-op COUNTRY: United Kingdom CATEGORY: Fresh AGENCY: Equator Design

LIVE BETTER BY CVS HEALTH RETAILER: CVS Health / CVS pharmacy COUNTRY: United States CATEGORY: New Brand AGENCY: Safari Sundays

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EL CORTE INGLÉS SELECTION: CANNED VEGETABLES RETAILER: El Corte Inglés COUNTRY: Spain CATEGORY: Packaged Goods AGENCY: Supperstudio

EL CORTE INGLÉS: CLEANING GLOVES RETAILER: El Corte Inglés COUNTRY: Spain CATEGORY: Home Cleaning AGENCY: Supperstudio

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VERTEX GOLD WINNERS

EL CORTE INGLÉS SELECTION RETAILER: El Corte Inglés COUNTRY: Spain CATEGORY: Fresh AGENCY: New Brand

EL CORTE INGLÉS SELECTION: COFFEE BEANS RETAILER: El Corte Inglés COUNTRY: Spain CATEGORY: Packaged Goods AGENCY: Supperstudio

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EL CORTE INGLÉS SELECTION: CHRISTMAS SWEETS RETAILER: El Corte Inglés COUNTRY: Spain CATEGORY: Packaged Goods AGENCY: Supperstudio

ETOS PURE DIAPERS RETAILER: Etos COUNTRY: Netherlands CATEGORY: Baby AGENCY: VBAT Superunion

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VERTEX GOLD WINNERS

JUMBO PET FOOD RETAILER: Jumbo COUNTRY: Netherlands CATEGORY: Pet Products AGENCY: Guts & Glorious

JUMBO POTATO CHIPS RETAILER: JUMBO COUNTRY: Netherlands CATEGORY: Packaged Goods AGENCY: Guts & Glorious

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JUMBO BIO RETAILER: Jumbo COUNTRY: Netherlands CATEGORY: Organic and Natural food AGENCY: Guts & Glorious

JUMBO ICE TEAS - FUNCTIONALS RETAILER: Jumbo Supermarkten COUNTRY: Netherlands CATEGORY: Beverages: Non-Alcoholic (ready to drink) AGENCY: OD Designstudio

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VERTEX GOLD WINNERS

LUCKYPIN RETAILER: Line stores EVA COUNTRY: Ukraine CATEGORY: Baby AGENCY: RUSH LLC

RAMBOOTAN RETAILER: Line stores EVA COUNTRY: Ukraine CATEGORY: Packaged Goods AGENCY: RUSH LLC

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FASOL TRADITIONAL AND FUTURISTIC GRAINS RANGE RETAILER: Metro COUNTRY: Russia CATEGORY: Packaged Goods AGENCY: Daymon

PINGO DOCE KOMBUCHA RETAILER: Pingo Doce COUNTRY: Portugal CATEGORY: Organic and Natural food AGENCY: Daymon

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VERTEX GOLD WINNERS

RALEY’S ALKALINE SPRING WATER RETAILER: Raley’s Supermarkets COUNTRY: United States CATEGORY: Beverages: Non-Alcoholic (ready to drink) AGENCY: Daymon

UNION & SCALE RETAILER: Staples COUNTRY: United States CATEGORY: Home décor AGENCY: Staples Design Team

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THRIVE MARKET GOODS PLANT-BASED CHILI WITH BEYOND MEAT RETAILER: Thrive Market COUNTRY: United States CATEGORY: Licensed or Co-Brand AGENCY: Thrive Market

BOWL & BASKET SPECIALTY FRESH PASTAS RETAILER: Wakefern Food Corp. Member-Retailers COUNTRY: United States CATEGORY: Fresh AGENCY: Wakefern Food Corp

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VERTEX GOLD WINNERS

WAWA 2020 HOLIDAY CUPS RETAILER: Wawa COUNTRY: United States CATEGORY: Holiday or Limited-Edition AGENCY: CBX

365 BY WHOLE FOODS MARKET RETAILER: Whole Foods Market COUNTRY: United States CATEGORY: Redesigned Brand AGENCY: Whole Foods Market

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365 SPARKLING WATER RETAILER: Whole Foods Market COUNTRY: United States CATEGORY: Beverages: Non-Alcoholic (ready to drink) AGENCY: Whole Foods Market

TWO SEEDS RETAILER: Woolworths COUNTRY: Australia CATEGORY: Beverages: Non-Alcoholic (ready to drink) AGENCY: SGK

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VERTEX GOLD WINNERS

TWO SEEDS RETAILER: Woolworths Limited COUNTRY: Australia CATEGORY: New Brand AGENCY: SGK

YONGHUI SUPERSTORE 20TH ANNIVERSARY RETAILER: Yonghui COUNTRY: China CATEGORY: Holiday or Limited-Edition AGENCY: Daymon worldwide Shanghai Consulting Co.

See all the winners beginning May 17 at: www.vertexawards.org

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CONGRATULATIONS

VERTEX AWARD

WINNERS!

SILVER AWARD Natural Grocers Spring Water

MBD is honored to have received 4 Vertex Awards this year!

BOSTON | PHOENIX | SAN DIEGO | CHINA | UK

EVERY YEAR AROUND THIS TIME, I feel like a kid waiting for Christmas morning, because it’s awards season! No, not the Golden Globes, or the People’s Choice. Not even the Oscars. It’s the Vertex Design Awards, and yes, I’m a Private Brands design nerd!

MARTY DIFRISCO CREATIVE ACCOUNT DIRECTOR MARKETING BY DESIGN (MBD)

I’ve been involved in Private Brands design for more than 20 years, and it’s at this time of year that I get to see designs from all over the world. I’m always so impressed with how design teams create such great, unique packaging with such varying styles. In a recent conversation with Maria Dubuc, principal at Marketing By Design and long-time Vertex judge, I asked her what it’s like being a judge with so many stellar designs to choose from.

“I love getting to help choose the award winners. It’s such an honor. I approach it like I’m in a museum, where I often get emotional at the sight of a work of art! I stare at each submission and marvel at how the artist got there. What was the strategy, what motivated them, what kind of challenges did they face.

More times than not, I am amazed at the results.”

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This is not an uncommon reaction for Private Brand package design enthusiasts.

I often find myself getting lost for an hour in the sea of packaging at the grocery store when I was just supposed to be picking up some eggs!

So, what’s the secret to creating award-winning package designs? Is there a special process that designers follow? Maybe it’s the perfect font or the ideal use of color. Great product photography has to be included in great design, right? The answer is all of the above, but so much more. There are teams of people from all areas of the private brand industry that have to work together to create a brand, a style, a look that ultimately informs the consumer reaching for their product instead of the competitors. At the end of the day, it’s more than just great package design: There’s a marketplace pain point, a problem to be solved, and business objectives to be fulfilled.

And it all starts with the brand owner’s vision. What do their customers want, and what is the most elegant and creative way to visually deliver that brand message to the ultimate consumer? That is the essence of

BJ’S WHOLESALE CLUB Wellsley Farms Almond Milk Beverages: Non-Alcoholic (ready to drink)

BJ’S WHOLESALE CLUB Wellsley Farms Almond Flour Packaged Goods

BJ’S WHOLESALE CLUB Wellsley Farms Creamers Beverages: Non-Alcoholic (ready to drink)

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PRICESMART Member’s Selection Fruit Cups

SMART & FINAL Sun Harvest Nut Clusters

Packaged Goods

Packaged Goods

SMART & FINAL First Street Nut Bars Packaged Goods

7-ELEVEN 7-Select Peanut Butter Cups

NATURAL GROCERS Cleaning Products Home: Home Cleaning

NATURAL GROCERS Ketchup

Packaged Goods

Organic & Natural Food

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7-ELEVEN 7-Select Tuna Meal Kits

7-ELEVEN 7-Select PB&J Pocket

Packaged Goods

Packaged Goods

GLOBAL RETAIL BRANDS / MAY 2021

GOLD 7-ELEVEN 7-Select Loco Rollers Packaged Goods 7-Eleven was looking to compete with the rolled tortilla brand, Taki's.

So we designed a bold and impactful look that stands out on the shelf but is easily recognized as a spicy rolled tortilla.

SILVER

NATURAL GROCERS Aluminum Water Bottles, Beverages: Non-Alcoholic (ready to drink) These intentional shades of blue highlight the eco-friendly and trendy aluminum bottle packaging. The elongated shape of these water bottles was perfect for the use of a great blue heron bird to remind the consumer of nature, as well as purity and refreshment.

7-ELEVEN 7-Select Tuna Meal Kit

BRONZE

Packaged Goods These tuna meal kits are designed for people on-the-go that need a quick, healthy snack. We chose bold, bright colors so that these products are easy to see on shelf. We also placed an emphasis on call-outs like sustainably caught, dolphin free and mercury tested.

BRONZE

SMART & FINAL, Sun Harvest Juice Boxes Beverages: Non-Alcoholic (ready to drink) Juice is a category purchased by moms for kids, so Smart and Final wanted a design to appeal to both adults and children. The solution is a clean, modern design with appetizing fruit imagery and a font that resembles a child's handwriting.

Marty DiFrisco has over 20 years as a creative leader in the private brand industry.

After art school he decided to serve his country in the US Navy. When his service was complete, he got back into design as a packaging designer, with a focus on private brands. His career took him from Topco to The Federated Group, and finally landing him as a Creative Account Director with Marketing By Design.

www.globalretailmag.com

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PRIVATE BRAND IMPOSSIBLE?

Exploring How Legendary Brands Can Be Upturned You have heard the “nothing is impossible” motivational speech from athletes, agencies and philosophers, but do you know one of the most iconic examples in Private Brands?

You have to leave the world of food and grocery, and transport yourself to the fashion industry, where this own brand triumph is having its 30th year anniversary. It is a notable achievement for any retailer, when you can transplant a successful CPG brand with a Private Brand and do it without any pain, without any repercussion from the consumer. But this is what happened in July 1991, when it was announced in the New York Times and other news agencies.

“Gap To Drop Levis” Levis was a truly iconic brand, one that every consumer knows, and in the 1990s one that almost every consumer had in his or her closet. It is legendary, ubiquitous, and its roots in America are deep, and in turn, almost every fashion retailer sold the brand.

The Gap with its 1110 stores at the time (now around 3000), was one of those retailers who sold Levis and it was, not surprisingly, their #1 selling brand.

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First Gap in San Francisco, 1969. Photo credit: New York Times, September 17, 2019

Photo credit: The Philadelphia Inquirer But even with Levis brand equity and power, it didn’t differentiate The Gap, and it didn’t provide uniqueness to the store’s experience, not to mention margin to the bottom line. This idea of developing an own brand to supplant a Legendary Brand didn’t happen overnight, and the decision to drop it didn’t happen overnight, but it was a heretical idea nevertheless.

In the late 1980’s, Levi’s accounted for about one quarter of The Gap’s entire sales, and this was down from 100% when The Gap store and eventual chain was launched in San Francisco. So, when you are trying to displace a brand that is dominant, it takes planning, courage and a strategy, and most of all, it takes the will to be the owner of your own destiny through differentiation and innovation.

PERRY SEELERT Strategic Partner & Co-Founder EMERGE

Iconic Brands And Their Fragility Consumer Packaged Goods and big CPG-led iconic brands are well aware of their fragility, and this is why they hire/train smart people, invest in innovation, and cultivate their brands through the constant churn of new media. In fact, they often seem one step ahead. Just look at the recent talk of CPGs hiring chief TikTok Marketing Officers to guide how brands are channeled through the most emerging apps like TikTok, but also through new media and marketing environments.

Even with that, there are two things big CPGs and iconic brands cannot control: • They cannot control the retailer, even though in some instances they are trying also to upturn this relationship (with Direct-ToConsumer).

• They cannot control changing consumers, some who are hell-bent to not follow the brand choices they inherited in their own families.

When you are trying to displace a brand that is dominant, it takes planning, courage and a strategy.

A brand like Coca-Cola, a classic American brand just like Levis, is a cautionary tale in this “fragility” too, as consumers are becoming healthier and they find Coke’s core product less appealing. In fact, their late CEO and business icon himself, Roberto Goizueta, anecdotally once said in the 1980’s that it would be Coke’s grand, mountain-top vision to be bubbling out of the drinking fountains and water faucets in every school in America, a vision that sounds downright comical today. Big brands are fragile.

The Impossible Is Happening To displace a brand like Levis takes a lot of things as we noted – vision, strategy, planning, determination, and in some cases, even a little desperation, but what CPG brands are next?

Can we see a day where brands like P&G’s Pampers in diapers or Tide in Laundry Detergent are displaced by retailers? Could they ever be less loved by consumers? Could they be displaced by Challenger Brands with smaller media budgets who have savvier innovation, or could they even be edged out by retailers’ Private Brands?

I think it is possible, and the 30th anniversary of The Gap delisting Levis should be just another inspirational tale for own brands and Challenger Brands alike. As a further point of inspiration as to what is possible, just look at what continues to happen at a retailer like Costco and their Kirkland Signature brand.

There could be nothing more important to a human being than their own senses (sight, sound, touch, taste and smell), and losing even one of your senses can shake a person’s soul. Costco has such trust in their Kirkland Signature brand that they market their Hearing Aids within their portfolio, and there couldn’t be a greater testament to the relationship the brand has with their members/shoppers. Own brand hearing aids…….yes please.

Private Brands are doing the impossible, and it is happening in many categories across the world. If you are looking to make this possible in your business, then I would love to hear from you directly. In the meantime, happy 30th to The Gap, one of the first to take a legendary brand which was 100% of their sales down to zero, and do it through their own ingenuity and branding.

Perry Seelert Perry Seelert is retail branding and marketing expert, with a passion for challenging conventional strategy and truths. He is the Strategic Partner and Co-founder of Emerge, a strategic marketing consultancy dedicated to helping Retailers, Manufacturers and Services grow exponentially and differentiate with purpose. Please contact Perry at perry@emergefromthepack.com

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PRODUCT FRESHNESS, QUALITY AND PRICE BENEFIT FROM GREEN DOT SMART SENSORS For today’s customers, product freshness and quality, along with price, are the key factors when choosing where to shop for their daily needs. At the same time, fresh products and ready-made meals with a short shelf life are taking up a greater share of the customer’s shopping basket. What matters to customers is a guarantee of freshness.

A simple expiration date on the label does not necessarily provide this guarantee – expiration dates are only valid if ready-to-eat products have been properly stored and transported throughout the refrigerated “cold chain” from production to store shelves.

X5 Retail Group has partnered with Israeli food tech startup Evigence Sensors® on the innovative Green Dot project, which monitors product freshness through smart-sensor labels placed on the packaging. As part of this initiative, X5 will place 10 million freshness labels on items from our Smart Kitchen assortment of ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook foods, marking the largest rollout of this technology in Europe. By introducing

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a freshness guarantee based on an independent thermal sensor, we offer our customers a new level of transparency that boosts their trust in our products and our brand.

A Green Dot smart sensor monitors product freshness in real time, changing colour based on a combination of time and temperature conditions from the moment it is activated. This enables customers and employees to accurately understand the freshness and remaining shelf life of a particular item.

Each sensor is specially engineered to correspond to the thermotemporal parameters of the food it is applied to. The sensor changes colour if the shelf life is about to expire or in case of non-compliance with storage conditions. Before labelling, the sensor’s chemical compound is activated using special equipment.

If storage, transportation or instore temperatures go above a set threshold, the product’s shelf life will expire faster than indicated on the packaging date code – and the Green Dot label will change colour accordingly.

At X5, we believe that technology should be as simple and effective as possible. With the Green Dot label, people can determine the quality and freshness of a product at a glance.

Evigence Sensors® was one of four winners of X5’s innovation scouting project held in July 2019 in Israel.

The winners were determined by an international panel of experts in a series of face-to-face meetings with the participants. X5 received applications from around 80 startups wishing to take part in the competition. The winning startups had the opportunity to travel to Moscow to carry out an extended project presentation and proof of concept (POC) using X5 investments and infrastructure.

IVAN MELNIK Innovations Director X5 RETAIL GROUP

Evigence technology is the most costeffective solution we have seen on the global market, and X5 has taken on the full costs of the project without passing them on to the customer. We believe that investing in customer trust is the best investment to make, and one which will pay off many times over through traffic and NPS growth.

X5 cares about building customer trust in the quality of our Kitchen Factory products, as customers pay particular attention to the freshness and storage conditions of readymade foods. With the Green Dot label, customers can continue to monitor the freshness and storage conditions of products purchased at our Perekrestok supermarkets even from their home refrigerator.

Food freshness sensors are not a completely new invention, with various types of technology already existing in Japan. However, we found that the Evigence technology meets our requirements in terms of commercial use, quality, and convenience of implementation that doesn’t disrupt our production process. In the United States, Evigence launched a similar project with McDonald’s.

Technology takes time to develop and adapt to real-world conditions so that it can be used in largescale commercial settings. While it is certainly possible to develop a thermal tag in Russia, it would take significant time and investments to fine-tune it and prepare it for production at industrial scale. X5’s partnership with Evigence is an example of how retailers can work with startups to bring innovative solutions to the market quickly and efficiently. In so doing, retailers increase customer trust and satisfaction, which results in better performance for their own brand.

Ivan Melnik, Innovations Director at X5 Retail Group Ivan Melnik has been with X5 Retail Group for 10 years. Since the beginning of 2019, he oversees the scouting and implementation of innovative solutions at X5, both in collaboration with startups and on the basis of internal R&D. Since 2017, the Innovations Department has evaluated more than 1,500 startups from Russia, China and Israel and launched more than 117 pilot projects in partnership with startups.

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UNDERSTANDING COLOR IN RETAIL: 3 Ways to Attract Consumers The influence of color on our daily choices is undeniable. Understanding the role and importance of color in the world of consumers and how color is shaping the future of brands and packaging helps us to better understand, attract, and connect to our ideal customers.

To understand the use of color in retail, we need to know how the retail experience impacts the consumer and how the current spectrum of color came into being.

In the past, fewer products and packaging types meant there were fewer colors to play with on the packaging. As competition steadily increased, there was an eruption of brands, resulting in availability of wide range of similar products in each category. The competition for brand identification expanded the color palette, bringing more colors to the retail store.

Below, we’ve outlined three ways to ensure the colors used in packaging are relevant to consumers.

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1

Maintain consistent color and identity Each shade resonates with consumers at a unique level. In the world of branding, the use of color improves brand recognition and customers make a subconscious assessment about brands within 90-seconds of initial viewing.

International brands such as Coca-Cola, Pepsi & Cadbury have made their mark in the industry by maintaining a consistent brand color throughout all the brand marketing collateral, from logo to OOH advertisements.

According to a survey conducted

by Reboot, color increases brand recognition by 80%, which is reciprocated by many influential brands. In the instance of Coca-Cola and Pepsi, both brands produce the same product. But only when

the product is packaged under the respective brand color, consumers automatically recall the brand. Brand recognition retains the memory in brain and subconsciously that brand now becomes a personal preference when a customer is making a repeat purchase.

2

Adapt to geographical locations and culture 85% of grocery shoppers cite color as their primary reason for buying a particular product; therefore brands must follow their color palette to maintain a consistent brand perception. Color is the cue that is used by the brain to help identify and make predictions about the products such as taste and flavor.

Color creates a psychological expectation or associates a particular flavor with a specific packaging color.

STEVE JACKSON Managing Director SGK AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND

For instance, in the APAC region, a yellow bag of chips is immediately associated with cheese flavor, while the pink cultured bag is associated with salt and vinegar flavor.

However, packaging colors are also influenced by the brand’s target geographical location and culture, giving rise to different expectations. Taking chips pack as an example again, while the pink colored bag of chips is generally associated with salt and vinegar flavor in APAC, it is linked to prawn cocktail flavor in the UK. The difference of flavor for the packaging of the same color reflects the nature of the individual market’s recognized palette.

3

Create emotional connections with taste perceptions Color can both mirror and influence our emotions. It can affect how shoppers feel about a product or brand. Brand color can evoke strong emotional associations and also influence taste perceptions. We are often triggered to imagine the taste

of the food before our taste buds get a chance. This can predetermine how we will perceive the taste and flavor of the product to be.

In the case of 7UP, customers reported an expected lemon & lime taste for the regular 7UP packaging.

Upon enhancing the color of the packaging by adding 15% more yellow to the green on the 7UP packaging, consumers reported that it has a stronger lemon & lime flavor before the drink is tasted. Modifying the color on packaging impacts the perception and can psychologically influence customers to perceive its taste differently.

Evolving customers and their needs spills over to the type of colors used by brands. Now more than ever, color is heavily influenced by the lifestyle, gender, culture, social interaction, social channels, globally trending issues and personal interests.

Color palettes are gaining more extensive vocabulary to match the growing needs of consumers. It is paramount for brands to maximize colors to create an impact and help the shoppers to locate them, simplify customers’ choice, be distinguishable amongst other brands and educate customers with the right brand messaging.

Steve Jackson Steve has been with SGK since 2003, moving to Australia in 2012. He has wealth of experience working with global, regional and local brands from Coca-Cola, Mars, GSK, Nestle, Kraft Heinz, Mondelez and Woolworths to name a few. Steve leads the SGK Australia and New Zealand business based in Sydney and Melbourne.

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HOW TO REDUCE E-COMMERCE’S KISS OF DEATH: SHOPPING CART ABANDONMENT You attracted the shopper into your website, presented them with a selection of goods, nudged them into placing items in their cart, and then … radio silence paired with the dreaded cart abandonment.

What gives? In e-commerce, it is the kiss of death: Shopping cart abandonment is a painfully real challenge for retailers of all sizes during any economic environment. Fortunately, there are steps e-commerce sites can take to boost conversion rates.

Research from UPS’s Pulse of the Online Shopper has shown that the top four factors that contribute to global cart abandonment remain:

1

Cost of delivery The customer gets all excited about purchasing the item, but you lose him or her at checkout with unexpected delivery charges.

2 Item out of stock It is hardly rocket science: If the product isn’t there, the shopper can’t complete the purchase.

3

Estimated delivery time too long Waiting extra days, or even weeks, to receive an item may not be acceptable to a timepressed shopper who has come to expect things quickly.

4

Preferred payment not offered Sure you accept all major credit and debit cards, but what about PayPal and Alipay? For some consumers, that can be a make-or-break deal.

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The good news is retailers can influence each of the above scenarios and salvage carts that might otherwise get abandoned, leading to increased sales. First, it is important to know exactly who you’re selling to. If customers are elderly and predominantly home-bound, that is a very different population than the on-the-go Gen Z used to buying on a smartphone and expecting merchandise in a jiffy. Simply, understanding who your customer is allows companies to play with shipping options a little bit more.

If you have a variety of customer profiles, offer a variety of shipping options. For some customers, free shipping is more important than speed. Approximately a third of Pulse of the Online Shopper respondents opted for a slower transit time in order to avoid paying shipping fees. On the flip side, 36 percent of customers added items to their cart to meet a spending threshold that guaranteed free shipping.

AYANA GREEN Vice President, Small Medium Business Strategy and Revenue Channels UPS

36 percent of customers added items to their cart to meet a spending threshold that guaranteed free shipping.

Above all, provide transparency to shoppers at every stage of the shopping journey, from browsing to product research to purchase. Specifically: • Display relevant information to shoppers, such as free delivery for loyalty members, on a website banner. Similarly, make delivery and cost information clearly visible on product pages.

• Invest in top-notch inventory management systems that provide visibility to the shopper. If you don’t have it in stock, capture your shopper’s contact information and let them know you’ll be in touch when it becomes available.

• Offer a range of payment options beyond the major debit and credit cards. It may be as simple as embedding another line of code into your e-commerce platform. Just be sure to understand the transaction fees involved. Simply, it comes down to giving the shopper choices and not surprising them at checkout.

One often overlooked factor when it comes to reducing abandonment is customer loyalty.

By crafting compelling loyalty programs, you not only help convert carts—a quarter of respondents to Pulse were willing to join a loyalty program to qualify for free shipping —but pave the way for future sales.

Consider carefully how you construct your loyalty program, though. Research shows that Baby boomers and older are willing to accrue points for some payout at the end, whereas Gen X and below tend to want things more on a transactional level, such as free shipping or discounts. E-mail can be a powerful tool in promoting repeat business. From product alerts to previews of upcoming products, email serves many purposes while bringing the personality of the brand alive for the shopper.

Reducing friction for the shopper is another key enabler of cart conversion.

Reduce the number of clicks required to complete a purchase and make authentic customer reviews easily available to build the customer’s confidence so you can close the sale. According to the Pulse survey, 8 percent of respondents globally have abandoned their carts because they couldn’t remember their usernames and passwords, while 16 percent ditched a purchase because they were required to create an account but didn’t want to.

Retailers should follow this best practice checklist to minimize cart abandonment rates and grow sales: • Ensure consistency in brand experience across all channels.

• Prioritize transparency by providing shoppers with relevant and accurate information upfront and throughout the journey.

• Keep customer lifetime value top of mind.

• Align with strategic partners that help you focus as a retailer on what you’re good at. From demand generation and payment processing to inventory management and fulfillment, lean on third party expertise to help fully round out your customer’s experience.

Remember that the path to purchase doesn’t end with the actual click.

The entire experience decreases abandoned carts and increases the likelihood of future purchases.

Ayana Green Vice President of SMB Strategy and Revenue Channels at UPS. Prior to joining UPS, Ayana accumulated nearly a decade of marketing experience at Kimberly-Clark, where she leveraged customer insights to manage B2B and B2C business.

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T R A D E FA I R S

TOY BUYERS GAIN ACCESS TO DIVERSE PORTFOLIO OF LIVE, DIGITAL & VIRTUAL EVENTS OFFERED BY THE TOY ASSOCIATION 5-7 OCTOBER 2021 DALLAS 19-20 FEBRUARY 2022 NYC The toy industry experienced unprecedented growth in 2020. With families stuck at home during the pandemic, kids played, played, and played some more.

Toy industry sales across 12 global markets increased by 9 percent from January 2020 through June 2020, compared to the same period in 2019, according to The NPD Group. The U.S. experienced the highest percentage growth at 16 percent, followed by Canada (9%), Germany (9%), the UK (8%), and the Netherlands (6%).

But for many working in the toy industry, it has been a challenging time. The Toy Association, and the entire industry, had to pivot quickly in the spring of 2020 amid a new toy, play, and retail landscape. Now, it’s become the normal course of business to expect the unexpected. But we’re happy to report that the unexpected has yielded positive results.

“The Toy Association offers a diverse portfolio of live, digital and virtual offerings for the global toy community,” said Kimberly Carcone, Senior Vice President, Global Market Events at The Toy Association. “We are working day-in and day-out to ensure that sellers and buyers continue to meet and conduct business successfully on a global scale.”

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Here are some of the opportunities currently offered by The Toy Association: •T oy Fair Everywhere is the toy industry’s only B2B digital platform connecting buyers and sellers who want to grow their business every day of the year.

The platform provides buyers with no-cost, limitless opportunities to shop leading toy brands, schedule product demos, and place orders.

Toy Fair Dallas is scheduled for October 5 to 7, 2021 at the Dallas Market Center. For mass, long-lead and specialty retailers, Toy Fair Dallas has long served as the place to scout last-minute Q4 holiday drivers and preview innovative new products on deck for the following year.

• T he Toy Association’s series of Private Preview meetings assists toy sellers by connecting them with key retail buyers, allowing them to showcase their products in private meetings. A recent Private Preview was held with Urban Outfitters buyers on April 15. Target is set to host their second one on May 4, and Toys“R”Us Canada is also set for a second preview on May 18.

Additional opportunities will be announced soon.

Toy Fair New York returns to the newly renovated and expanded Javits Convention Center February 19 to 22, 2022. For nearly 120 years, Toy Fair New York has been a crucial meeting ground for all in the business of play and we are thrilled to come together once again for a much-anticipated show!

While virtual options are critical and will remain so even in a post-pandemic world, we know that nothing replaces meeting in person.

“We are thrilled to announce the return of two major in-person marketplaces,” said Carcone.

Learn more at www.ToyAssociation.org/events.

LIVE | DIGITAL | VIRTUAL Discover and Source Toys and Children’s Entertainment Products toyassociation.org/events

everywhere

Where decision-makers from mass, long-lead, and specialty retailers shop for Holiday and preview innovative products for 2022’s fourth quarter.

2021

t yfair

The toy industry’s only B2B digital social marketplace that lets buyers and sellers grow and manage their wholesale business every day, everywhere.

October 5-7 discover | preview | sell

October 5- 7, 2021

Private Previews Brought to you by The Toy Association

Big things happen in NY! Toys and children’s entertainment products are front and center for thousands of power retailers, licensors, and the global media at the industry’s Must Attend gathering.

February 19-22, 2022

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Exclusive, private previews with reputable retailers offering opportunities for toy companies of all sizes to pitch their product and continue business throughout the year.

2022 New York February 19-22

Buyers ready to discover product today, reach out to ToyFairAdmin@toyassociation.org.

To showcase your products at our digital or in-person market events, contact your Account Executive to get started.

Company names beginning with A–G, contact Simon Yung (646.520.4875); H–P, contact Stacy Liebensohn (646.520.4852); O–Z, contact Michael Lynch (646.520.4862)

T R A D E FA I R S

MARCABYBOLOGNAFIERE RESCHEDULED FOR 19 & 20 JANUARY 2022 Joint Decision With The Exhibitors to Focus Energies on the Post-Pandemic Recovery 19 - 20 JANUARY 2022 BOLOGNA, ITALY The continuing pandemic emergency has required trade fair organizers to demonstrate the utmost flexibility. They have had to constantly re-evaluate opportunities with the goal of ensuring the best possible conditions for holding events and meeting the needs of companies working to overcome the effects of the pandemic.

These reflections have also led to discussions between the organizers of MarcabyBolognaFiere – BolognaFiere in collaboration with ADM, the Italian Grocery Retail association – and the exhibitors, to identify the most suitable dates for holding the next edition of the event.

Following the success of MARCA DIGITAL SESSION, the digital platform that facilitated meetings between producers and representatives of the Grocery Retail distribution chain, it was considered necessary to reassess the opportunity to hold the event on its initially planned dates in June 2021 and to propose holding it at its usual time of year in the month of January, with the aim of resuming the in-person event directly in the year 2022.

The preferred choice of the exhibitors was the option of January 2022, which combines, on one hand, greater certainty due to the consolidated effects of the current vaccination campaign and, on the other, the

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repositioning of MarcabyBolognaFiere in a period that is more practical for the participating companies for planning their commercial strategies.

“The trade fair system is among the most affected by the pandemic,” explained Gianpiero Calzolari, President of BolognaFiere. “In spite of this, we have responded by proposing new digital formats as business tools to serve as an alternative to in-person events.

We consider it essential, in the hope of an eventual return to normality, that every decision regarding holding the events is the result of sharing the objectives with our exhibitors and operators. MarcabyBolognaFiere caters to businesses that have been able to respond to an unpredictable situation and that are the protagonists of a strategic event for the promotion of “made in Italy” products. We are certain that the rescheduling to January 2022 is the best solution to ensure a fully-fledged recovery of business and to support the trend among international operators that are increasingly focused on developing commercial partnerships with

Italian businesses, all of whom will have more time to organize their participation at MarcabyBolognaFiere”.

“Rescheduling MarcabyBolognaFiere for January 2022 seemed to us to be the best solution to enable participating companies to concentrate their efforts on managing the emergency that is still under way and to envisage a full revival on that date,” confirms Marco Pedroni, President of ADM (the Italian Grocery Retail association). “We are comforted by the fact that the digital session held in March obtained excellent results in terms of participation from operators, both Private Label partners and distributors: this reinforces the growing importance that Private Labels have on the market and the need to continue working on their innovation and development.”

To learn more: www.marca.bolognafiere.it

T R A D E FA I R S

MARCA CHINA IS LAUNCHING IN JUNE

New Chapter for Chinese Private Label Business 8 – 10 JUNE 2021 SHENZHEN, CHINA

In recent years, China’s online and offline commercial supermarkets have boldly embraced the trend of Private Label. Pioneer supermarkets such as Yonghui Superstores, Freshippo, J.ZAO, YEATION and Taobao Xinxuan are reaping the rewards of their venture into the Private Label market. One after the other, manufacturing and retail leaders are realising the great business opportunities within and putting the private label strategy into practice. Many of these retailers have significantly enlarged their investment proportion in Private Label.

In addition, according to the foreign trade data of the European Union’s statistical office (Eurostat), despite the effects of the global pandemic throughout 2020, bilateral trade still grew on an annual basis between the EU’s 27-nation bloc and China. This data shows China’s imports of commodities from the EU reached a total of EUR 202.5 billion, a YoY increase of 2.2%. This was also the first time that China took the lead over from the United States as the EU’s largest trading partner.

Moreover, among EU’s top ten commodity trading partners, China is the only country that achieved two-way growth in trade.

Based on the increasing and huge development potential of China’s private label market, BolognaFiere S.p.A. has decided to officially introduce Marca by BolognaFiere Private Label Conference and Exhibition (Marca by BolognaFiere) to China.

MarcabyBolognaFiere 2019 As an all-inclusive exhibition across all categories of fine and boutique product categories, Marca China International Private Label Fair (Marca China) not only covers

flourishing industries lead by private brands such as food, household appliances and leisure products, but also other professional industries including beauty, health care and pet products. As such, Marca China has become a one-stop sourcing and purchasing platform. During the fair, national pavilion exhibitions from Italy and South Korea will be bringing the latest in organic, health and sustainability-related products and technologies, and look to deeply connect with China's retail and end-user markets.

By attending Marca China, exhibitors will have access to high-quality supermarkets, modern retailers, social e-commerce, e-commerce platforms, specialty stores, brand operators, Ho.Re.Ca., wholesalers, distributors, agents, and import and export traders, etc.

Programs Schedule of conference (TBD)

Private Label Neo-Products Boulevard

• P rivate Label Development and Data Analyse in the world Europe

Marca Mart

• P ackaging, Design and Innovation : Processes, Communication, Markets

To learn more: www.marcachinafair.com/en

• S ustainability: experience of International Grocery Retail

Contact James Fu | Tel:+86 021-6190 7351 E-mail:james.fu@bfchina.net

• T he evolution of Private Label products in Italy • H ow to balance private label products and brand products in for retailers • C onsumer Group and Trend Analysis for Private Label Product Development in Europe and in China

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T R A D E FA I R S

THE INTERNATIONAL NETWORK COSMOPROF To Lead the Restart of the Beauty Industry 10 - 14 MARCH 2022 BOLOGNA, ITALY The 53rd edition of Cosmoprof Worldwide Bologna has been postponed to 2022. The Organizers of the leading event for the beauty industry worldwide have recently announced that the next edition will be held from March 10 - 14, 2022.

International presence and inclusivity in all major world markets are the main features that make the Cosmoprof

In the latest months, stakeholders have highlighted the importance of Cosmoprof as a first base for launching new products and the kick-off of new projects. Hence, the decision to postpone the exhibition. “The event will be back in attendance on the expected dates of March, which are traditionally more functional for the needs of the cosmetics industry”, declares Gianpiero Calzolari, President of BolognaFiere.

“In 2019, Cosmoprof Worldwide Bologna hosted over 250,000 operators from 154 countries, of which 47% foreign, and more than 3,000 companies from 70 countries, 70% of which from abroad. Such an international event needs an essential balance of factors, underlines Enrico Zannini, General Manager of BolognaFiere Cosmoprof. “For over 50 years, the event has been the first appointment on the calendar to define the entire year’s business strategy. We decided to reschedule Cosmoprof for March 2022 to ensure a functional edition in line with market expectations.”

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network a unique and essential business partner for the global cosmetics industry. With WeCosmoprof International, these elements become the fundamental characteristics of our firstIn the meantime, to keep supporting the cosmetics industry, the Cosmoprof network will offer new different business opportunities. The first event is on June 7 – 18, with WeCosmoprof International, the digital event under the Cosmoprof brand designed to enrich the virtual event space.

Encompassing the entire community of the Cosmoprof family's international network thanks to the synergy between its platforms, WeCosmoprof International involves stakeholders from all continents.

ever digital event aimed at a growing pool of global operators, declares Calzolari.

The first physical event of the whole Cosmoprof platform will be Cosmoprof North America, scheduled from August 29 - 31, 2021 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. The event will offer stakeholders an opportunity to come together after such a long time of social distancing and travel restrictions, recover commercial relationships, and foster new collaborations for the future restart. “Cosmoprof North America is recognized worldwide for its dynamic growth and unique programs, highlights Zannini. “It is the premier launching pad for new beauty brands, introducing revolutionary technologies, product innovations, and new channels for distribution, packaging, and manufacturing, with special attention on North and Central America. The show is a powerful platform with the ongoing support and presence of leading beauty associations and key industry entities.

We are so excited to get back to the show floor and meet our community in Las Vegas again!”

Starting in September, the international Cosmoprof platform works on a program of events and initiatives, balancing a first physical bounce back to the activities and highly performing digital tools. "In the next months, it will be crucial to match safety conditions with a restart of networking and business plans, remarks Zannini. “From September 9 - 13, we will organize a physical event in Bologna, with an innovative and essential format. The different opening days and exhibition areas for each sector and the concentration of initiatives in a shorter time will allow companies and operators to maximize the time spent at the fair while catching the first opportunity to meet their partners and test new products. In the meantime, we will continue working with our international partners for the organization of the next Cosmoprof events in India, Asia, and Thailand, proposing specific digital tools to help international operators and companies interacting with one another."

To learn more: www.cosmoprof.com

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T R A D E FA I R S

ANUGA GOES HYBRID THE LEADING GLOBAL TRADE FAIR FOR FOOD & BEVERAGE GAINS A STRONGER WEB PRESENCE WITH NEW FORMAT Product Presentations At The Exhibitions Stands On-Site Will Be Enhanced By Further Digital Offers Via The New Anuga @Home 9-13 OCTOBER 2021 COLOGNE “Transform” is the major leading theme of this year’s Anuga. Whereby not only themes related to the transformation within the food and beverage industry will be addressed, but also the new concepts of the leading global trade fair itself, which is being staged in a hybrid format for the first time. Accordingly, the usual physical trade fair with product presentations on-site in Cologne will be additionally enhanced by the digital element Anuga @home.

The hybrid format has the advantage that industry participants all over the globe –exhibitors, trade visitors and the trade press – can exchange ideas live in Cologne or digitally via the newly developed platform and inform themselves about important industry topics. As a result of the analogue trade fair being enhanced by the digital platform, a new, hybrid trade fair experience will be created, wherever the key players, decision-makers and other relevant target groups happen to be.

Digital Tools For Maximum Reach The digital event Anuga @home offers the exhibitors various presentation options. The platform is accessed via the virtual lobby.

Here, there is an overview of all features as well as initial recommendations for relevant contacts, exhibitors and imminent items on the trade fair agenda.

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Furthermore, the platform offers additional components such as the “Main Stages”, where the programme curated by Anuga takes place. For example, top speakers will present industry themes – live on-site from Cologne or per stream from everywhere in the world – via the “Congress Stages”. The exhibitors’ new products and highlights will be presented on the “Product Stages”. Here, there will also be further target group-specific stages, for instance the “Anuga Trade Shows Stage”, the “Anuga Startup Stage”, the “Anuga taste Innovation Stage” or the “Anuga Food Trends Stage”.

In the Exhibitors and Products section, the “Showfloor” serves as the counterpart to the exhibition hall.

From here access to the different stands of the exhibitors, the so-called “Showroom”, is possible. Exhibitors can provide relevant information about their companies, products and services in the Showroom. Visitors, other exhibitors, top decision-makers, buyers, industry

experts and media representatives can be contacted via the “Communication Centre” per audio, video or chat in the form of a one-to-one communication.

The visual “Discovery Graph” makes identifying relevant contacts and companies incredibly easy and interactive – either via the networks, personal contacts or using the Match feature based on the interests entered.

The trade fair team will carry out among others webinars with live demonstrations in the coming weeks in order to present the functionality and possibilities of the digital platform. The visitors will be able to access the live programme of Anuga @home from 11.10.-13.10.2021. After this date, the contents can be called up ondemand. Access to the networking options is also possible after the actual trade fair has closed.

To learn more: www.anuga.com/fair/anuga/anuga-home

T R A D E FA I R S

WINE & GOURMET JAPAN 2021 CONCLUDED WITH SUCCESS! The 12th edition of Wine & Gourmet Japan remains focused on delivering quality business matchmaking through the event and its supporting programmes, making it the only trade fair in Japan specialising in Wine & Gourmet Food.

In April, the three-day event at Aomi Halls Tokyo Big Sight in Tokyo, Japan, welcomed 26,457 trade visitors from all over Japan, comprising of importers, retailers, manufacturers and professionals from the wine, spirits and food service markets.

Together with its partner trade fairs, FABEX, Dessert Sweets & Bakery Festival, PB/OEM, Premium Food Shows (incl Organic and halal sectors), Noodle Industry Fair, there were a total of 467 exhibitors. Wine & Gourmet featured 69 exhibitors from 7 countries and 51% are from overseas.

International exhibitors from Brazil, Bulgaria, France, Portugal, South Korea, Spain participated with the cooperation of their local representative offices and sponsors including three country pavilions such as Spain and new group participation from Brazil and Bulgaria.

Supporting Programs With 9 thematic seminars aimed at disseminating insights related to wine and gourmet food, visitors were treated to a buffet of business ideas and inspiration.

3 seminars were organised by exhibitors from Brazil, European Garnacha/Grenache Quality Wines and Wine Cluster Hokkaido to introduce country specific specialty wines and 3 seminars were organised by Wine Kingdom, to focus on the harmony of wine and Japanese food.

The successful supporting program of matchmaking seminars for international wineries and local importers and distributors took place again. These professional seminars were again organized by Koelnmesse, featuring a prominent lecturer, Ms. Junko Tominaga, who holds WSET Level 4 Diploma. The wine appreciation programs organized by Wine Kingdom provided wine-matching tips and advice to a highly targeted group of buyers from the Japanese bars, restaurants and hospitality sector, focusing on Creation of Neo-futuristic restaurant style with a solution of innovative wine offerings.

About Wine & Gourmet Japan Wine & Gourmet Japan is one of Asia’s most relevant trade fairs for conducting business with Japan’s fine wine, food and beverage industry. Organised by Koelnmesse Co., Ltd. in partnership with Japan Food Journal and co-located with FABEX, Dessert Sweets & Bakery Festival, PBOEM, Premium Food Shows (incl Organic and halal sectors), Noodle Industry Fair, the fair serves as a dedicated food networking business platform in Japan and reaches out to various cross segments of visitors.

Wine & Gourmet Japan will be held in Tokyo, Japan at Tokyo Big Sight from 13 – 15 April 2022 The 13th edition of Wine & Gourmet Japan will be held in Tokyo, Japan at Tokyo Big Sight from 13th – 15th April 2022 together with the first edition of ISM Japan and partner events, FABEX, Dessert Sweets & Bakery Festival, PBOEM, Premium Food Shows (incl Organic and halal sectors) and Noodle Industry Fair.

ISM Japan ISM Japan is the first trade fair for the sweets and snacks industry in Asia and is being held from 13 to 15 April 2022 at the Tokyo Big Sight. Manufacturers, producers, wholesalers, distributors, importers, exporters, brokers and OEM own brands from the following sections will be represented at the event: Sweets, salty snacks, baked snacks, speciality snacks, frozen snacks and raw materials.

Two special zones are the Specialty Market Zone, where free-from, organic, halal and functional products will be exhibited and the Technology Zone, where the latest processing and packaging technologies for sweets and snacks will be presented.

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ADVERTISING INDEX I NEXT ISSUE

ADVERTISING INQUIRIES

Cosmoprof North America / 43 Deanocciola / 33 Emerge / 39 frostkrone Tiefkühlkost GmbH / 19 Global Tissue Group / Inside Front Cover Spread, Back Cover La Doria S.p.A / 23 Le Bontà srl (Nuova Terra) / 6 & 7 Lucart S.p.A / 11 & 27

Ms. Sabine Geissler Italy / Germany Greentaste.it s.geissler@greentaste.it

Marca Bologna / 20 & 21 Marca China / 15 MBD (Marketing By Design) / 58 & 87

Ms. Luisa Colombo Italy luisa@globalretailmag.com

My Private Brand Summits / 109 Pacific Coast Producers / 13 Paramount Coffee Roasters / 9

AMERICAS, ASIA, AUSTRALIA, AFRICA Mr. Phillip Russo Global Retail Brands magazine 240 Central Park South, Suite 9G New York, NY 10019 USA Tel. +1 917 743 6711 phillip@globalretailmag.com

PLMA Means Private Label Business / 5 Sano Rice / 37 Seneca / 41 The Toy Association / Toyfair / 101 V Label International / 35 Valpizza / 29 WISE (Women Impacting Store Brands Excellence) / 31

Next Issues...

OCTOBER Anuga Cologne Ad Close: Sept 1

NOVEMBER PLMA Chicago World of Private Label Amsterdam Ad Close: October 1

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EUROPE Mr. Jacco van Laar Global Retail Brands magazine Herman de Manstraat 29 3842 AT Harderwijk, The Netherlands Tel. +31 (0) 6 13 68 18 08 jacco@globalretailmag.com

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