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STRATEGY

The Great Retail Game Rebalance

Private Brands on the Rise

The Global Perspective

Making Meaning in a Crowded Aisle

Think Like a Buyer, Act as a Developer

BRANDING

The Label Story Branding Authenticity

Beyond Private Label

Fair Trade, Smart Play

From Budget Buys to Brand Promises

TACTICS

Elements of a Winning Costco Pallet Display

The Value of Trusted Sourcing

Ecodesign as a Game Changer for Private Label and Branded Products

The Third Path

Balancing Heritage and Retail Demand CATEGORIES

The Tomato Supply Chain

No/Low-Alcohol Beverages Are The Modern World’s Newest Elixir

Best Practices, Trends, and Threats in Extra Virgin Olive Oil

How Branded Coffee Wins in a Private Label World

How Olive Oil Awards Strengthen Brand Positioning

Meet the Authors

Giovanni Quaratesi

HEAD OF CORPORATE

GLOBAL AFFAIRS, CERTIFIED ORIGINS GROUP

Jim Wisner PRESIDENT, WISNER MARKETING LLC

Maria Dubuc PRESIDENT, MBD

Marie Jallot Colombel

PASTRY COOK AND BAKER

Norma Brito

GENERAL MANAGER, CERTIFIED ORIGINS MEXICO

Silvia D’Alesio

RESEARCH FELLOW, POLITECNICO DI MILANO

Silvia Garcia Gonzalez

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

B2B FOOD, BEVERAGES AND FLAVORS

Christian Sbardella MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, TOSCANO PGI EVOO CONSORTIUM

Winette Winston

CEO, ORIGIN BRANDS AND CATALAN GOURMET

Fair Trade FAIR TRADE USA™

Alessio Costa CRISIS, REPUTATION MANAGEMENT, CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS, SEC NEWGATE ITALIA

Michael Carrier

TECHNICAL SALES DIRECTOR, BERKLEY

Jakob Rackl

RESEARCH ASSOCIATE, TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF MUNICH

Prof. Luisa Menapace PhD

PROFESSOR, TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF MUNICH

Jordi Oliver-Solà

CO-FOUNDER AND CEO, INÈDIT

Adriana Sanz Mirabal

SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER, INÈDIT

Sofía Garín Martínez

SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER, INÈDIT

Michael Ray Robinov

CO-FOUNDER & CEO, FARM TO PEOPLE

Matteo Bolla

ITALIAN SALES MANAGER, VALDO

Christian Stivaletti CEO, LASELVA

Riccardo Astolfi

FOOD & BEV INNOVATOR

Morgan Drummond

SENIOR DIRECTOR OF PRIVATE LABEL, MISFITS MARKET

Daniele Foti

MARKETING VP NORTH AMERICA, LAVAZZA

Alfonso Serrano

COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR, ALMAZARAS DE LA SUBBÉTICA

Lely Moreno

MANAGING DIRECTOR, CERTIFIED ORIGINS IBERICA

Introduction

In today’s rapidly evolving retail landscape, businesses face a complex web of challenges, from balancing private labels and national brands to navigating supply chain disruptions, tariffs, and global trade uncertainties. These issues are reshaping how retailers play the game

That’s why we partnered with Certified Origins and a select group of industry innovators to explore how retailers can strike the right balance for success.

One of the most persistent tensions is between private label products and national brands. Private labels offer retailers higher margins and greater control over pricing and inventory. However, national brands often bring customer loyalty and brand recognition that private labels can’t easily match. This creates a strategic dilemma: push private labels for profitability, or maintain strong relationships with national brands to attract and retain customers?

At the same time, supply chain challenges remain a significant pain point. Global disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical tensions, and climate-related events have led to inventory shortages, increased lead times, and higher transportation costs. Even as supply chains stabilize in some sectors, lingering fragility and unpredictability make it difficult for retailers to plan effectively.

Tariffs and global trade dynamics add another layer of complexity. Ongoing trade disputes, particularly between major economies like the U.S. and China, have led to fluctuating tariffs that impact sourcing decisions and cost structures. For example, electronics, apparel, and home goods (categories commonly reliant on overseas manufacturing) are particularly vulnerable to tariff shifts. Retailers must constantly reassess their supplier networks to mitigate risks and manage cost volatility.

Moreover, ethical sourcing and sustainability are becoming critical considerations in global trade. Consumers are increasingly demanding transparency in how products are made and where they come from. Retailers, therefore, are under pressure to ensure that their global supply chains are not only efficient but also responsible, a challenge that often requires significant investment and oversight.

To adapt, many retailers are diversifying their supply bases, investing in technology to improve supply chain visibility, and exploring nearshoring options to reduce dependence on distant markets. Additionally, some are renegotiating contracts with national brands or developing premium private label lines to compete more directly on quality and branding.

In this climate of uncertainty and change, agility is key. Retailers that can nimbly adjust their product mix, sourcing strategies, and brand relationships will be better positioned to weather disruptions and meet evolving consumer expectations. The stakes are high, but so are the opportunities for those who can innovate and adapt.

Many thanks to Giovanni Quaratesi and his colleagues at Certified Origins and the team at The Armin Bar. Their devotion to providing inspiring content and compelling graphics makes this endeavor enjoyable, rewarding and fun.

Phillip Russo Founder / Editor phillip@globalretailmag.com

@philliprussopov

The Great Retail Game Rebalance

THE NEXT CHAPTER OF FOOD RETAIL CEN TERS ON PRECI SION, SHARED VALUES, AND MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS

BY GIOVANNI QUARATESI, HEAD OF CORPORATE GLOBAL AFFAIRS CERTIFIED ORIGINS GROUP

There was a time when the rules of retail were straightforward. Store shelves were battlegrounds where competition played out clearly: brands offered loyalty, private labels provided savings, and retailers chose their alliances. In 2025, the rules have evolved, and so has the game.

Private labels have transformed from basic value-tier products into serious competitors with distinct identities, narratives, and in some cases, cult-like followings. Branded products, once dominant by default, have had to refine their purpose, rethink their messaging, and rebuild emotional and ethical connections with customers.

This is not necessarily a binary conflict, it’s a dynamic redistribution of value.

Today’s retail landscape is a lot like Monopoly. Owning the most expensive properties doesn’t guarantee success. Strategy, adaptability, and balance are what matter. The same principle can be applied to food retail.

Private Labels Go Premium

In the United States, private label products now hold a 20.7% market share, with total sales exceeding $270 billion. In Europe, the trend is even more pronounced: private labels make up nearly 40% of grocery sales, rising above 50% in countries like Switzerland and Spain.

A recent report from Nielsen IQ indicates that 50% of global consumers are purchasing more private label products than ever. In markets like Germany (61%), Spain (58%), Italy (53%), France (54%), and India (56%), private label penetration is well above average, and even in the U.S. and Canada, around 48% of consumers are now increasing their private label purchases (46% in the UK).

What was once a cost-saving option has become a core retail standard. Brands like Costco’s Kirkland Signature now generate over $60 billion in annual revenue across food, apparel, and household goods, outpacing even global giants like Nike. Kirkland’s rise illustrates just how far private labels have moved beyond their generic origins.

Retail Reinvented

At the same time, the retail landscape is undergoing significant changes. Store closures surged in 2024, with over 7,100 shuttered in the U.S. and nearly 13,000 chain outlets closing in the UK alone. Yet almost 5,800 new stores opened in the U.S., and around 9,000 in Britain, mostly concentrated in discount, club, and value-oriented formats.

Some retailers are falling behind, as happens in any business sector, while others are evolving. Modern, flexible approaches are increasingly replacing traditional retail models.

Stores are becoming more curated, mission -driven, and digitally connected. Whole Foods, for example, has launched its “Daily Shop” concept in New York: smaller-format stores tailored to urban convenience and online integration.

This shift positions private labels not as margin tools, but as strategic assets. Retailers now oversee the entire lifecycle, from product conception to shelf execution, allowing faster innovation, deeper alignment with consumer data, and greater control over sourcing and pricing.

Branded products aren’t yielding ground. Instead, they’re responding with focused storytelling, social media influence, and agile marketing. Today’s most successful brands don’t just compete on quality, they thrive on coherence, cultural relevance, and consistency.

Where Online Meets In-Store

Retail spaces are evolving into curated experiences. In the U.S., grocers like Sprouts are treating their stores and shelves as narrative platforms, not just product displays. In Europe, Carrefour and Albert Heijn have reimagined stores to emphasize freshness, digital integration, and specialty foods.

In China, Alibaba’s Hema stores blend physical shopping with digital services, live cooking, and app-based checkout. In Canada, Loblaws is investing in urban flagship stores, while in Mexico, La Comer is developing gourmet markets that blend food halls with retail.

At the same time, direct-to-consumer (DTC) food brands are rewriting the playbook.

“The goal isn’t to win the shelf anymore, it’s to design smarter, include more, and keep everyone in the game.”

Many leading U.S. food startups - Blue Apron ($420M in annual revenue), HelloFresh (founded in Germany in 2011, $8.1B global revenue), and ButcherBox - started online as direct-to-consumer brands; Blue Apron and HelloFresh later entered select U.S. retail, while ButcherBox remains exclusively online. In Italy, Cortilia connects hundreds of producers with consumers through a digital-first platform that prioritizes freshness and convenience.

The DTC food market, valued at $50.7 billion in 2023, is projected to reach $195.4 billion by 2031. That explosive growth is driven by consumers who want personalization, traceability, and direct relationships with the brands they trust.

Yet the most transformative development is the rise of omnichannel food retail. Leading global players are investing heavily in formats that blend the digital and physical. Walmart now commands over one-third of U.S. online grocery sales, turning stores into logistics hubs. Amazon is fusing its grocery banners into a unified ecosystem. Carrefour is streamlining quick delivery with driveup options. Aeon is rolling out automated fulfillment centers. Alibaba’s Freshippo offers real-time delivery, app-based shopping, and interactive in-store experiences.

These players aren’t choosing between online and offline, they’re integrating both. The result is a seamless, always-on shopping journey where the consumer decides the channel and the retailer delivers the outcome.

Consumer behavior has shifted toward online grocery shopping in recent years. In China, approximately 13% of grocery sales now occur online, while in South Korea the figure is around 12%. The United States also reports that about 12% of grocery sales take place online. In Europe, the United Kingdom leads with roughly 10% of grocery sales online, followed by France at 8%. Italy and Germany are rapidly catching up, with each reporting nearly 6% of grocery sales made online.

Across all regions, the trend is the same: grocery shopping is increasingly hybrid, personalized, and tech-enabled.

Global online grocery sales are projected to surpass $1 trillion by 2027 and could reach or exceed $2 trillion by 2030. Physical grocery stores won’t vanish, but they are being reimagined as spaces for inspiration, sampling, and fulfillment.

Winning Today’s Game

The game has changed.

In Monopoly, victory doesn’t go to the player with the most expensive hotels, but to the one with the smartest spread, steady traffic, and a strategy that keeps the game moving. The same holds in food retail. Success isn’t always about owning the most expensive real estate on the board. It’s about building places, online and offline, that people return to with trust, curiosity, and a sense of belonging.

The most valuable products today aren’t always the most expensive. They’re the ones that deliver meaning, value, and cultural relevance. Retailers and brands that recognize this aren’t chasing dominance by scale, they’re building ecosystems with clarity and purpose.

In this new era, the goal isn’t to win the shelf, it’s to play well. To design smarter. To include more. And to keep everyone in the game.

is Head of Corporate Global Affairs at Certified Origins, where he leads global communication strategies, stakeholder relations, and public outreach. With a deep commitment to food culture, innovation, and sustainability, he is a vocal ambassador for transparency and authenticity in the global food system. Whether representing Certified Origins at international forums or collaborating with public and private sectors, Giovanni champions initiatives that connect people to real food and support healthier choices.

Sources:

PLMA & Circana, Private Label 2024 Market Share Reports

· McKinsey, European Retail Reconfiguration, 2024

· eMarketer, U.S. Retail Closures & Openings Data, 2024

· Statista, Global Direct-to-Consumer Food Market Forecast (2021–2031)

· ButcherBox Company Reports, 2024

· Cortilia Annual Performance Review, 2024

· Netcomm, Italy e-Grocery Data, 2024

· Walmart Q2 2024 Earnings Call, Online Grocery Sales

· Amazon Grocery Strategy, 2023–2024 Updates

· NielsenIQ “2025 Global Outlook on Private Label & Branded Products”, 2025

· Carrefour Digital Roadmap, 2024

· Aeon x Ocado Partnership Updates, Japan Retail News, 2023–2024

· Alibaba Group (Freshippo/Hema) Annual Results, 2024

· Bain, Global Online Grocery Forecast to 2030

· McKinsey, Future of Online Food Retail in Europe, 2024

· Euromonitor, Online Grocery Trends Asia Pacific, 2023–2025

· Mercatus, U.S. Online Grocery Benchmark Reports

Giovanni Quaratesi

wolterke - stock.adobe.com

Private Brands on the Rise

THE DYNAMICS OF CHANGE

BY JIM WISNER, PRESIDENT WISNER MARKETING LLC

For several years now, the media has been filled with stories, many with clever titles like “Brands on the Run,” “End of the Big Brand Era,” and others, describing how large-scale Consumer Packaged Goods (CPGs) manufacturers are struggling and private brands* are becoming increasingly important to shoppers. Often, these stories imply that when the economy returns to “normal” (whatever that means), shoppers will return to their favorite brands of years gone by. No one should expect this to happen. Private brands have evolved to the point where the notion of a “golden age” is no longer adequate to describe what is taking place.

*also referred to as private label, store brands, retailer-owned brands, “generics”, and many other terms. FMI – the Food Industry Association – has adopted private brand as the preferred term for retailer-owned brands, better reflecting their destination status with today’s shoppers.

The State of the Game

Private brands are now growing at an accelerating rate and continuing to gain market share. In 2024, sales reached a record $270.6 billion and 20.7% market share. Growth was nearly four times the rate of national brands. In the first quarter of 2025, private brands grew at 5% versus only 0.8% for national brands, gaining market share at an even faster rate. This marked 30 straight months that private brands have outperformed national brands (PLMA/Circana). In the coming year, 48% of shoppers expect to make somewhat or much more private brand purchases than in the prior year, versus only 3% expecting to purchase less, continuing these growth trends into the future. By 2030, private brands are expected to reach over $400 billion in sales and a 24% share.¹

Why Have Private Brands Emerged?

Trial - Supply scarcity during the pandemic and rising prices during the recent inflationary period have led consumers to try many private brand items for the first time. The experience was a good one and has resulted in both repeat purchases and an increased willingness to explore additional items across many categories.

Quality - Not only has the quality of traditional national brand equivalent private brands continued to improve over the years, but the introduction of premium and better-for-you brands now offer shoppers a better-quality choice that is still typically offered at a savings from national brand counterparts. It is these brands that have become a gateway for shoppers trying private brands in a category for the first time.

Retailer Emphasis - Every major retailer has made growth of their own brand products a strategic priority for their company. Companies like Kroger are launching nearly a thousand new items each year. Most retailers have evolved from dedicating limited personnel for their private brand programs to hiring larger staffs with extensive branding and CPG experience. The reasons are clear. Private brand influence

on store selection and customer loyalty has grown dramatically. Today, 57% of shoppers say that their primary store’s private brands are a very or extremely important reason to shop there. Among younger shoppers the number is considerably higher.2

Innovation - During the pandemic, many manufacturers trimmed their product portfolios and deemphasized new product development. New items and new ideas are now disproportionately coming from retailers and private brand manufacturers. Nearly a third of all new products launched today are private brands, and only 26% of branded product introductions are new items rather than simple line extensions.³ Increasingly, what is new and interesting to the shopper is coming from the retailer’s private brand portfolio.

Premium and Better-for-You Products - While price and national brand equivalent items are still important, growth is being driven by products that do not fit the traditional private brand mold. Kroger’s clean label Simple Truth is now a $3 billion+ brand. New premium offerings, such as Frederik’s by Meijer offer shoppers a very elevated product experience that was previously only available in specialty and gourmet shops. Private brands are no longer just about price; they provide an everexpanding array of choices for the shopper.

Millennials and Gen Z - Younger generations, less influenced by the limited media that their parents grew up with, and with a much broader range of available items, can approach brand choices far more objectively.

Loyalties are now driven by performance (quality) and alignment with lifestyle values and dietary interests. Increasingly, private brands have taken the lead in addressing these consumer needs. Younger shoppers embrace private brands in far greater numbers than prior generations. Assumptions about quality no longer start with skeptical expectations but are formed by experience.

Private Brands Are Far More Profitable than Most Realize - It has long been understood that private brands typically bring higher gross margins and penny profit per unit than other brands on the shelf. But private brands also require a significantly lower relative inventory investment than their national brand counterparts. As a result, the return on invested capital is more than double for private brands (54.6%) than for mainstream national brands

(23.5%).⁴ Additionally, the notion of a residual effect suggests that shopper savings from private brands are available for the customer to spend on other items in the store, resulting in additional sales and gross margin for the retailer.

What to Expect Going Forward

For years, many national brand executives (and even some in the media) regarded private brands as one-dimensional, merely offering similar products at a lower price. They have now evolved from a price-driven alternative to a first choice for many consumers.

The emergence and accelerating growth of private brands is far more than a current trend and represents a fundamental shift in shopper and retailer dynamics. It is occurring across all consumer demographics and income segments.

This change is only in its early stages and will remain a key driver of retailer success in the future.

“The emergence and accelerating growth of private brands is far more than a current trend and represents a fundamental shift in shopper and retailer dynamics.”

1 NielsenIQ/AT Kearney. What’s Ahead for Shoppers and Private Brands. May 2024.

2 FMI. The Power of Private Brands 2025: Consumer Trends – From Stores to Homes.

3 Mintel. 2024 Global New Products Database.

4 FMI/Wisner Marketing. Private Brand management: A Shopper-centric Approach. 2020.

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The Global Perspective

NAVIGATING GROWTH, REGULATION, AND REGIONALITY IN PRIVATE LABEL

BY MARIA DUBUC, PRESIDENT MBD

At MBD, we manage retailer and national brands locally and globally. This article examines the growth of private label in emerging markets, how regulations and labeling laws impact competition, as well as regional differences in the industry. We begin by highlighting two of our long-time client partners, PriceSmart and Smart & Final stores.

Growth in Emerging Markets

PriceSmart is a membership model, large format ‘club-style’ retailer largely in South and Central America. With warehouse club locations in emerging and developing markets that reach 12 countries and one U.S. territory, their private brand program is complex and unique.

The success is largely driven by great product selections, combined with strong brand equity and management across 13 countries.

While Member’s Selection brand has been in existence for quite some time, its recent growth in their emerging markets is impressive.

Consumers in all countries, and of all ages, are so interested in their brand, they are willing to join as members in order to gain access to their exclusive products. And when they do join, they keep coming back for more!

PriceSmart has always held a ‘one label fits all countries’ goal, labeling laws across countries recently came into play, creating regional differences which affect competition.

In 2023, Colombia mandated front-of-package nutrition labels on foods high in sodium, saturated fat, and added sugar. The law, known as Ley Comida Chatarra (Junk Food Law), was passed in July 2021, but the regulations and final label design were implemented in 2023. The implementation included an 18-month period for the industry to adjust.

As with other countries enforcing similar rules, they were hoping to expose these facts on the front of pack in an effort to reduce obesity and promote healthy eating.

In Colombia’s case, the graphic solution depicts quite large octagon shapes in the upper right area of the principal display panel of each package. With their ‘one label fits all’ policy, the only solution at this time is to add stickers to the package for Colombia.

For PriceSmart’s Member’s Selection brand, this has proven to be quite disruptive, diluting their

“Stickers often sit on top of the brand logo and cover up other important information on the front of pack.”

successful brand-forward approach. Stickers often sit on top of the brand logo and cover up other important information on the front of pack, in some cases the statement of identity. Furthermore, when it sits beside other brands on the shelf, it impedes the confidence of the shopper.

Since this is a fairly new mandate, and has only affected the Colombia market thus far, PriceSmart’s strategy is to continue with stickering before they adopt this new system across all countries. Should other countries follow suit, or the U.S. mandate their laws for front of pack labeling, a decision will have to be made as far as which country’s graphics will be used. And of course, if unique labels need to be created for each country, this will increase costs across the board.

Canada UK, Ecuador, South Korea, Peru

Spain, Belgium, Germany

Australia, New Zealand

Acquisitions and Regional Differences

Smart & Final stores were recently purchased by Chedraui Group Mexico, forming Chedraui USA. Chedraui USA also owns and operates El Super and Fiesta Mart banners in the U.S. Immediately upon acquisition, we began to consider strategy and opportunities for their brands across banners and locations. The centralizing of the brands made for better buying power, and leaned into the already built equity these brands carried in the southwest region of the country.

For example, El Super and Fiesta Mart began to leverage Smart & Final private brands, and vice versa. Design systems and color strategies were quickly developed. Decision trees were put into place to determine which brands’ look and feel will trump the other. Bilingual opportunities were put into play.

Soon after, Chedraui realized the benefit of a centralized agency model. MBD was able to help strategize and iterate quickly and efficiently to take advantage of the crosscountry and cross-banner opportunities. Smart & Final’s original foresight into a centralized program also contributed to the speed-to-market successes that followed. This led to the expansion of the MBD centralized model for Chedraui brands in Mexico. As a global agency, we were already familiar with the rules and regulations in Mexico, including NOM approvals.

But here, once again, regulations came into play. Mexico also mandates a front-ofpackage warning label system with similar rules and graphic style to Colombia. Mexico officially began implementing this system in October 2020. The law was approved in October 2019 and amendments to the Official Mexican Standard (NOM-051) for pre-packaged food and drinks were approved in January 2020. The FOP system uses octagonal warning labels on products with high levels of sugar, saturated fats, trans fats, calories, and salt.

In this case, MBD was able to build the graphics into our design resulting in a much more pleasing package which invokes confidence from the consumer.

The brand mark was reduced in size, the logo and SOI dropped down on the package to allow space for the required size of the octagon, and a background pattern was used for interest and excitement.

Regionality Matters

Where countries like the UK, Australia and New Zealand have a similar model for their go-to market strategy for a given private brand program, in the U.S. we have regional differences that require retailers to take notice of the consumers in each region. This goes beyond state by state and often gets down to specific sections of a town or city based on the demographics in that area. Retailers who adapt and develop products and related packaging graphics for each region benefit from increased sales. Opportunities to communicate with consumers in their native language are important and meaningful. Customers respond with their purchasing dollars.

Furthermore, state by state regulations could really trip up those new to the industry and brand/package design. It is my recommendation to pay careful attention to where your product is sold and provide the shopper what they are looking for in that region, in that particular category, and in some cases right down to each product.

U.S. Regulatory Notables

As the co-chair on the FMI Private Brand Leadership Councils’ Technical Regulatory Packaging Compliance (TRPC) working group, my head is spinning with upcoming potential regulation changes. A few highlights are noted below.

Front of pack nutritional requirements have been on the FDA’s radar for several years now and are up for consideration this year. If passed, the proposed graphic will be similar in size to the Nutrition Facts Panel and will sit in the top third of the front of the package of any products deemed high in saturated fat, sodium, and added sugar.

USA (proposed):

Making Meaning in a Crowded Aisle

UNITED SODAS AND THE REAL WORK OF BUILDING A FOOD BRAND

BY MARIE JALLOT COLOMBEL, PASTRY COOK AND BAKER

It’s 2025. You are at the supermarket, looking to buy a simple pack of pasta for dinner. It should be an easy decision, however, you find yourself staring at dozens of options: different brands, shapes, promises, origin stories. Some claim to be a “family recipe,” while others highlight their protein content, or try to convince you that lentil pasta is just like regular pasta, but “better for you.” What should be a quick trip to the supermarket turns into a small yet impactful existential crisis.

This scenario plays out across nearly every aisle in the grocery store for every product.

The food and beverage segment is saturated with consumer-packaged goods (CPGs), each competing for shelf space and, more importantly, your attention. But what makes a brand stand out and ultimately succeed while many others fail?

An estimated 30,000 new CPGs (including both non-food and beverage items) launch in the U.S. each year. However, only around 15% make it to the two-year mark. In a landscape shaped by evolving food trends, shifting shopping habits, and relentless competition, how do new food and beverage start-ups stand out and carve their niche?

This article explores the journey of an emerging beverage brand, United Sodas, to understand what fuels their growth. The story offers insights into the strategies food entrepreneurs in New York City use to ensure they are among the few success stories.

United Sodas: How to Build a Beverage Company

United Sodas is a beverage company founded in Brooklyn, New York, and launched in May 2020 amid the pandemic as a direct-toconsumer brand. From the beginning, the brand had a clear goal: to redefine soda for the 21st century. During a discussion with Arielle Darr, head of B2B at the company, I got a glimpse into how they are developing a brand that is both culturally resonant and strategically disciplined.

United Sodas is a “better-for-you” soda company with 12 distinct flavors, from Pear Elderflower (my favorite) to Ginger Ale, all made with high-quality ingredients, no added chemicals or flavorings, and just 8 grams of organic cane sugar per can (compared to the 39 grams found in a traditional can of Coca-Cola).

“Building a brand is not just about having a great product and wishing for the best. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.”

The packaging aesthetic is just as fine-tuned as the formula: sleek, minimalist, matte cans in bold monochromatic colors that reflect the rainbow. The design, like the flavor profiles, speaks directly to the target consumers: affluent millennials willing to spend a few more dollars on a high-quality, premium beverage.

Talking with Darr, I got a sense that United Sodas is not pursuing fleeting wellness trends. They aim to withstand the test of time, just like Coca-Cola, but healthier and more flavorful.

Their growth playbook includes the following:

• A bold and flavorful product crafted for everyone, featuring high-quality ingredients.

• A minimal, yet eye-catching aesthetic that stops consumers in their tracks and stands out on crowded shelves.

• A digital-first launch that evolved into a thriving wholesale business with national reach across retail, food service, and independents.

• A thoughtful growth strategy rooted in testing, feedback, and close relationships with both retailers and consumers.

Finally, “Don’t chase hype,” Darr says. Building long-lasting value is key to growth. “Stay focused on what drives loyalty and cash flow, not just visibility,” she adds.

While the goal may seem deceptively simple, modernizing soda by building a healthier product for everyone, the effort put into creating a successful CPG brand has been strategic and exceptionally well done.

Since launching five years ago, United Sodas has continued to grow steadily. Their story illustrates that building a CPG brand requires not just time, energy and investment, but more importantly, intentionality, storytelling, and grit.

How to Stand Out and Stay In on the Shelf

Building a brand is not just about having a great product and wishing for the best. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.

Here are the pillars CPG food companies should focus on to stand the test of time:

1. Define core values and communicate them clearly.

What does your brand stand for? In a world of endless options, consumers aren’t just buying a product, they’re buying into a belief system. Whether it’s sustainability, cultural heritage,

or ingredient integrity, your values should guide everything from packaging to product development and social media.

2. Know your market.

Every entrepreneur should have a clearly defined target audience: individuals who embody the values of the product or service they offer.

Understanding this audience enables more direct, relevant and effective communication.

3. Differentiate or disappear.

In today’s crowded CPG landscape, every product must earn its shelf space. Whether through a distinctive ingredient blend, cultural relevance, or innovative packaging, the product’s value proposition must be immediately clear, and unforgettable.

4. Make storytelling strategic.

Great brands do not just sell products, they sell stories. From the founder’s background to the origin of ingredients, storytelling creates emotional bonds that drive purchasing decisions. Be consistent, intentional, and community-driven.

5. Fund growth wisely.

While most founders start by bootstrapping, scaling requires outside investment. Know when to raise money, how much to raise, and from whom.

Strategic capital can propel a brand from a farmer’s market booth to national retail shelves, as demonstrated by another beverage success story, Poppi.

Conclusions

Finally, as Darr says, “Scale intentionally. Focus on 1 or 2 regions and test the product. Refine your marketing and pricing. Once a strong presence is built in these regions, the company will be better positioned to expand nationally.”

Marie Jallot Colombel is a New York-based culinary creative. With a background in pastry, food studies, and food product development, she brings a multifaceted approach to storytelling that blends theoretical knowledge and hands-on experience. Marie is passionate about exploring the intersection of food, history, and and business.

Authentic Real Food for Spanish Food Lovers

From Extra Virgin Olive Oil to Almonds

Try the best ﬂavors that Spain has to offer

“In

Mexico, private labels have moved far beyond their early image as lower-tier options. Today, they’re recognized for quality, reliability, and value.”

Think Like a Buyer, Act as a Developer

PRIVATE LABEL FOOD STRATEGIES THAT DELIVER RESULTS IN MEXICO

BY NORMA BRITO, GENERAL MANAGER CERTIFIED ORIGINS MEXICO

Private labels have evolved from being mere cost-effective alternatives to becoming strategic assets for retailers. In Mexico, this transformation is particularly significant, offering brands and manufacturers a unique opportunity to innovate and expand.

As someone who spent nearly two decades as a buyer, and now develops health-forward food products for private labels in Mexico and Asia, I’ve seen this transformation up close. This article draws on this dual perspective to offer a practical guide for manufacturers and retailers looking to thrive in Mexico’s evolving private label landscape.

The Mexican Food Retail Landscape: A Blend of Tradition and Modernity

Mexico’s food retail sector combines a unique blend of old and new. In 2023, total food retail sales reached $78.4 billion, with traditional markets accounting for 56.5% of the market share, catering primarily to lower and middleincome consumers. But modern retail formats (supermarkets, hypermarkets, and convenience chains) are expanding rapidly, fueled by urbanization and evolving consumer habits (USDA Foreign Agricultural Service).

Private Labels in Food: From Generic to Gourmet

In Mexico, private labels have moved far beyond their early image as lower-tier options. Today, they’re recognized for quality, reliability, and value, and in many cases, they’re outperforming national brands in growth. Retailers are expanding private label offerings beyond basic goods to include premium, organic, and health-forward products. In 2023,

private label products held approximately 28% of the market share in Mexico, making it one of the leading markets in Latin America. This growth is driven by consumers seeking costeffective options without compromising quality, especially amid economic uncertainties.

Key Players in the Mexican Food Retail Sector

Understanding the major retailers is crucial for private label success. Mexican consumers are increasingly open to private labels (PLs), particularly in food, household goods, and wellness categories.

Walmart:

Mexico’s market leader, Walmart blends smart product segmentation with supply chain strength. The company is also investing heavily in digital transformation and e-commerce innovation.

Costco:

A club-format retailer with few SKUs and deep supplier partnerships. Costco is trusted for its quality-value ratio and selective product curation.

Soriana/Chedraui:

These national chains are ramping up investment in store brands, often tying product development to regional preferences and consumer insights.

FEMSA Comercio (OXXO):

With over 20,000 convenience stores, OXXO has significantly contributed to private label growth across Latin America.

Think Like a Buyer: Insights for Food Manufacturers

From a buyer’s point of view, building successful food products for private labels means balancing performance, reliability, and consumer appeal.

Here are key elements to focus on:

Flavor First:

No matter how functional or innovative, a product that doesn’t taste good won’t last. In Mexico, taste is king, even in wellness categories.

Local Palate, Global Standards:

Combine authentic Mexican flavor profiles with high-quality ingredients and international certifications like USDA Organic, Non-GMO Project, or Halal.

Margin and Velocity:

Buyers look for products that offer strong margins and strong sales performance.

Differentiation:

Products that stand out for their health benefits, local sourcing, or innovation are far more likely to be picked up.

Consistency and Reliability:

A great product is only as good as its supply chain. Buyers value manufacturers who can deliver consistent quality and meet production timelines.

Strategic Partnerships:

Buyers seek long-term collaborations with manufacturers who can align with their brand vision and customer needs.

Act Like a Developer: Building a Successful Private Label Food Strategy

To develop effective private label food products that resonate, focus on:

• Consumer Insights: Base product decisions on real consumer data and emerging trends, not assumptions.

• Product Innovation: Create products that meet specific or growing consumer needs, such as health-conscious or environmentally friendly options.

• Packaging and Branding: Invest in appealing packaging that resonates with the target audience and communicates the product’s value.

• Regulatory Compliance: Ensure products meet all local regulations and standards, particularly in labeling and safety.

National vs. Imported Products: Navigating the Food Market

Understanding the dynamics between national and imported goods is crucial for sourcing and pricing strategies:

• Imports: In 2023, Mexico’s consumer goods imports were valued at approximately $158 billion, representing 26.13% of total imports (WITS).

• Trade Relations: Over 40% of Mexico’s total goods imports are from the United States, highlighting the importance of cross-border trade (United States Trade Representative).

• Tariffs and Regulations: Recent tariffs on low-cost imports from countries without free-trade agreements aim to protect local industries and may influence sourcing decisions.

From Transactional to Transformational Partnerships

Winning in Mexico’s private label food sector isn’t about shortterm wins, it’s about long-term collaboration. Success requires a dual mindset: think like a buyer to understand retail needs and act as a developer to create compelling products. By aligning with retailer strategies, prioritizing innovation, and staying attuned to market dynamics, companies can build private label offerings that truly connect with Mexican consumers.

Norma Brito leads Certified Origins’ team in Mexico and manages a key international account. With over 17 years of experience as a buyer across various categories, she now focuses on educating consumers about the health benefits of extra virgin olive oil and the Mediterranean diet. She actively promotes high-quality, healthy food products from the Mediterranean to global markets.

Photo by JCarlos VBrito - stock.adobe.co

The Label Story

INSIGHTS FROM MILAN AND CHICAGO’S SUPERMARKET SHELVES

BY SILVIA GARCIA GONZALEZ, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT B2B FOOD, BEVERAGES AND FLAVORS AND SILVIA D’ALESIO, RESEARCH FELLOW, POLITECNICO DI MILANO

Two friends and food innovators - one in Chicago, the other in Milancome together on this page, literally and figuratively, to embark on a culinary adventure that starts with something as everyday as grocery shopping.

Our carts rarely carry an ordinary list, instead, they’re filled with foods for inspiration. This article explores labeling as a critical tool for both consumer information and product positioning. We examine innovative developments in label design, such as the use of icons and Nutri-Score, to analyze strategies adopted by private label and branded products, focusing on chocolate bars. Through a comparative lens between the EU and US food markets, we investigate how packaging informs consumers and helps position products, both on the shelf and in the mind.

Our research, centered on chocolate bars in Chicago and Milan, examines how private labels compete with brand loyalty in shaping purchasing decisions. We explore a range of attributes, including brand type, chocolate variety, health claims (like the nutrition traffic light system), and pricing.

Milan: Shopping Habits, and Empty Shelves

Our story begins with a seemingly ordinary Tuesday for Silvia D. as she navigates the vibrant aisles of a Milanese supermarket, a quick stop that unknowingly sets the stage for a transatlantic chocolate quest. Fast forward, and we find Silvia G. embarking on a similar expedition amidst the bustling shelves of a Chicago grocery store. Though separated by an ocean, both Silvias are on a parallel journey, a subtle hunt for that perfect chocolate bar, a quest not unlike Charlie Bucket’s pursuit of Willy Wonka’s golden ticket. And perhaps, just perhaps, the labels

they seek hold a little secret within their display - a playful nod to their shared moniker the Silvia’s Supermarket Scouters - a treasure waiting to be discovered, one delicious bite at a time. As Willy Wonka himself might say, “The suspense is terrible... I hope it will last!”

In Milan, preference for Italian manufacturer brands suggests that brand reputation and consumer quality perception play a crucial role in consumer decision-making for chocolate bars. Initial observations in major supermarkets in the city center (Carrefour and Esselunga) highlighted the intrinsic relationship between shelf placement and packaging labels.

Notably, the emptiest shelves often belong to branded chocolate bars, such as Perugina or Novi (see figure 1), indicating that brand image significantly influences purchasing behavior.

Figure 1. Spot the difference on the shelf: private label vs branded related to empty shelf (in green).

Another aspect we observed relates to chocolate type preferences. Milk chocolate received the most positive evaluation, followed by dark and then white chocolate, highlighting the importance of taste and familiarity in consumer choices. One noticeable detail is that color coding is consistent across both branded and private labels to indicate chocolate type: brown for dark chocolate, blue for milk chocolate, and white for white chocolate (see Figure 2-3).

Meanwhile, in the premium segment, dark chocolate bars are often distinguished by the percentage of cocoa displayed on the packaging. Here, both private label and branded products tend to use similar packaging formats, favoring a thin paper box over the traditional double foil that clings tightly to the bar (see Figure 4).

Packaging, Health Codes, Pricing and Perception Gaps

Attention to nutritional codes is more prominent in private labels, which tend to rely more heavily on the traffic light system. These products often feature simpler graphics, with fewer images and clearer lettering, in contrast to the more elaborate branded labels that emphasize visual richness through detailed imagery, fonts, and colors.

This may reveal a gap between health trends and consumer expectations for indulgent treats, indicating that while consumers may express interest in healthier options, taste ultimately remains paramount. This supports the common consumer intuition that “unhealthy = tasty” suggesting that indulgence is often prioritized over health claims and poor information labels.

Price sensitivity is another critical finding, especially in a market where chocolate is often perceived as an affordable luxury. The observed negative correlation between price and consumer utility underscores the need for manufacturers to strike a balance between quality and affordability in order to maintain customer interest Interestingly, higher prices do not necessarily lead to lower preferences, but lower prices do not have a positive impact on perceived utility either.

This suggests that in the Italian market, insights regarding brand loyalty and marketing strategies should be tailored to target consumers with higher expectations around chocolate quality, as they tend to exhibit stronger brand allegiance.

Figure 2 and 3. Color-coded chocolate labels Branded (Novi) vs private (Carrefour Classic).

Figure 4. A packaging paper box means something special or experience premium chocolate for both private and branded labels.

Shelf Strategy and the Branded Experience

To gain a deeper understanding of consumer behavior in the chocolate market, one area to explore is the dedicated monobrand shelf (such as that of Lindt), where the entire brand’s product portfolio is displayed (Figure 5). In this context, brand-specific attributes such as packaging can further enhance the appeal to consumers. Additionally, distribution channel strategies are crucial in increasing the visibility and desirability of branded labels in the chocolate market, especially when private labels are typically positioned adjacent to multiple competitors, diminishing their ability to stand out.

Regarding the perception of the Italian consumer, although the analysis remains based only on field observation data, it can be inferred that in Milan Supermarkets, the preference for manufacturer brands is driven by the perception of quality and reliability.

In addition, chocolate type (e.g., milk, dark, white) and taste play a key role in consumer choices. While private labels are gradually improving in terms of quality and price positioning, they still struggle to compete with established brands when it comes to loyalty and perceived quality.

In summary, private labels are gaining ground and offering a competitive alternative, but brands remain a crucial factor in consumers’ purchasing decisions, even in the chocolate category. Brand loyalty and quality perception continue to distinguish branded products from private labels, influencing consumers’ willingness to pay and shaping final purchase choices.

These results suggest that for Italian chocolate manufacturers and retailers, as well as for those in similar markets, prioritizing the sensory appeal of chocolate, particularly the taste associated with milk chocolate, may be more effective than emphasizing health-related claims such as sugar-free labels.

Additionally, since brand loyalty plays a significant role in purchase decisions, especially towards well-known manufacturer brands, investing in brand building and maintaining product quality consistent with consumer taste preferences will be crucial. Price sensitivity also remains important, indicating that competitive pricing strategies are key to retaining and attracting customers. Overall, a balanced approach, one that highlights taste, maintains brand strength, and considers price competitiveness, is likely to deliver the best results in terms of consumer acceptance and sales performance in the chocolate market.

Chicago: Vibrancy, Variety, and Visibility

On the other side of the ocean, in Chicago, Silvia G. found herself pondering the subtle nuances between her local grocery store (Whole Foods and Mariano’s in Downtown Chicago) and Silvia’s in Milan.

“It’s fascinating,” she mused, pausing by a towering display of shelves stacked with chocolate bars. Here, the sheer volume and bold, often vibrant colored packaging captures attention at first glance. Above all, it reveals a clear competition for brand awareness and consumer preference.

There is an emphasis on flavor, ingredient origins and sustainability across branded products. As Silvia G. stood before the seemingly endless rows of chocolate bars in the Chicago supermarket, she pulled out a small notebook and pen.

Figure 5. A world of chocolate, all in one place for a mono-brand shelf dedicated to showcasing the complete product portfolio.

With a thoughtful furrow in her brow, she began to jot down observations, her pen moving steadily as she mentally categorized and contrasted the various brands and displays. The composition of the shelves, the prominence of certain flavors, the packaging styles: each detail was meticulously recorded in her little black book, a personal inventory of the American chocolate landscape unfolding before her eyes.

When it comes to chocolate bars, most of the cocoa origins trace back to Europe (Belgium, Switzerland, Italy) although many are packed and distributed in the U.S., American and European brands lead. Shelf placement and product assortment vary between retailers, and this was no exception. There was a large variety of chocolate bar brands (15 at Whole Foods, 13 at Mariano’s), with Whole Foods opting for vertical placement (Figure 6), and Mariano’s (Figure 7) using a horizontal layout. This difference may influence the shopper’s experience and purchase behavior, particularly for first-time purchases.

Chocolate bars are a food category that uses packaging to communicate brand values and connect with shoppers and consumers. In terms of packaging design, there is a mix of plain and classic visuals versus disruptive packaging labeling with colors, designs, sealing formats, all of which help build brand identity and presence on the shelf (Figure 8). Recycle/sustainable packaging is also present, especially at Whole Foods.

Compared to the Milan market, color coded labeling to differentiate between dark and milk chocolate is less relevant. Instead, there is a greater emphasis on flavor variety, with some brands offering up to nine SKUs (Figure 9). Private labels are increasingly adopting this trend and becoming competitive in packaging, quality, and price versus branded chocolate bars. However, the offering is limited to basic flavors and cacao percentages only (Figure 10). More disruptive, small to medium sized local brands were found at Whole Foods, whereas Mariano’s carried more established international brands.

Figure 6. Vertical placement in Whole Foods.

Figure 7. Mariano’s Supermarket.

Figure 8. Creative packaging variety in chocolate bars.

Claims are an essential part of brand identity and product positioning. For nutritional labeling, sugar content ranks first, followed by fat content. Some brands emphasize the type of sugar or sweetener used, as well as the type of oils. Overall, the most prominent claims beyond nutritional value relate to cocoa percentage, fair trade, and sustainability. Figures 8 and 11 show examples of brands using these claims as part of their identity.

While both supermarkets offered a diverse range of chocolate, the Chicago stores appeared to prioritize mass-market appeal and value, with a noticeable presence of familiar, widely advertised brands. In contrast, the Milanese supermarket seemed to offer a potentially more curated selection, possibly with a greater emphasis on artisanal or European brands, and a different approach to shelf organization and presentation. The initial observations suggest that cultural differences in consumption and retail strategies are subtly yet distinctly reflected in the chocolate aisles of these two supermarket chains across continents.

Findings: American vs European

In conclusion, both American and European brands dominate the shelves. Packaging typically uses traditional paper with visual branding, but there is no color labeling to distinguish between dark and milk chocolate. Whole Foods notably features more recyclable and sustainable packaging. The two supermarkets share many brands, but Whole Foods offers a greater variety of small and medium local brands, while Mariano’s focuses more on well-established international brands. Both supermarkets highlight claims like non-GMO, fair trade, gluten-free, and organic attributes.

Branded bars often include claims such as “100% vegan,” “no refined sugar,” “plant-based superfood,” “women owned,” and “carbon neutral.” Some brands emphasize cocoa origin as distinct from manufacturing location, reflecting a trend toward transparency and ethical sourcing.

Packaging plays a crucial role in brand identity and consumer connection. While traditional paper packaging with brand visuals is common, sustainable or recyclable packaging is more prominent at Whole Foods. There is a notable absence of color coding to differentiate dark and milk chocolate. Claims on packaging emphasize nutritional aspects such as sugar content, type of sweeteners, oils, percentage of cocoa, fair trade, and sustainability. Whole Foods tends to combine classic and disruptive packaging designs, enhancing shelf presence.

Figure 10. Private label 365 Whole Foods – Milk and dark chocolate.

Figure 9. Wide flavor options in chocolate bars.

“Packaging plays a crucial role in brand identity and consumer connection.”

Conclusions

Comparative analysis of branded and private label chocolate labels shows that consumers lean toward a preference for branded products over private label products. However, private labels are joining the race to become more competitive in packaging, quality and price compared to branded chocolate bars.

Based on the shelf displacement in both cities, Milan shows a strong connection to tradition and brand loyalty, more intensely toward manufacturers’ brands than private labels, unlike in Chicago. Perhaps this is because consumers tend to perceive branded products as being of higher quality and show a greater willingness to pay a higher price for these products than for private labels. Particularly in the case of chocolate, affective value and trust in the brand play an important role in purchasing choices.

In Chicago, small-medium and emerging brands are gaining shelf space, competing with large manufacturers and private labels, and giving options to the consumers to connect with the brand beyond flavor.

And so, much like Charlie Bucket’s wondrous exploration within the labyrinthine halls of Willy Wonka’s factory, Silvia G.’s and Silvia D.’s separate supermarket visits culminated in a fascinating discovery: not of a golden ticket, but of the diverse and telling labels adorning chocolate bars across continents. Their initial scouting expeditions have unearthed a wealth of insights, offering numerous avenues for reflection and potential evolution in the way chocolate bar shelves are conceived and presented within large-scale retail environments.

From packaging nuances to brand prominence and the overall shopping experience, the journey through these seemingly ordinary aisles has laid the groundwork for a deeper understanding of consumer behavior and the art of chocolate merchandising.

Silvia Garcia is an enthusiastic senior professional with 14 years of international experience in B2B commercial functions in F&B ingredients across USA, Canada, and Mexico. She has led more than 20 innovation projects and regional product launches, including marketing and business development strategies with successful sales. She holds a degree in Food Industry Engineering (ITESM Monterrey/Guelph University) and MSc in Food Innovation and Product Design (Erasmus Mundus).

Silvia D’Alesio is a specialist in bridging research, innovation, and technology transfer in Food Tech and Packaging Design, with nearly a decade of experience. She holds a degree in Food Science and Technology (UNINA, Federico II) and an International Master’s in Food Innovation and Product Design (FIPDes.eu). She teaches experimental design at UNIMI, lectures on Eco Design at NABA, and was recently a research fellow at POLIMI. Her work, including with the Digital Food Ecosystem, focuses on coordinating research and innovation projects across universities, companies, and startups.

Branding Authenticity

STRATEGIES FROM THE TOSCANO PGI EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL CONSORTIUM

BY CHRISTIAN SBARDELLA, MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, TOSCANO PGI EVOO CONSORTIUM

In an era when consumers increasingly want to know not just what they’re buying but where it comes from, Tuscany has emerged as a model for transforming agricultural heritage into market power. At the heart of this success is the Toscano PGI Extra Virgin Olive Oil Consortium, a regional organization with the mission to protect the authenticity of Tuscan olive oil while positioning it as a global symbol of quality, culture, and traceability.

Understanding Toscano PGI Extra Virgin Olive Oil

But what does PGI mean? PGI stands for Protected Geographical Indication, a European certification that ensures a product is closely tied to a specific geographic area and produced according to defined standards. For Toscano PGI Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO), this means that every stage of production, from harvesting to pressing to bottling, must take place entirely within Tuscany. The result is an oil that is not only traceable and certified but also deeply connected to its place of origin.

Established in 1997, the Consortium plays a key role in Tuscany’s agricultural economy. The Toscano Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) was officially recognized in 1998, and today nearly 8,000 members across the entire region represent every part of the supply chain: producers, mills, and bottlers.

Tuscany, though small in size, is a major force in Italy’s olive oil sector.

The Consortium includes:

• Over 20% of Tuscany’s 36,000 olive oil producers.

• Around 60% of the region’s olive mills.

• 15-20% of Tuscany’s total olive oil production.

While annual production varies with harvest conditions, these figures have remained steady over time, reflecting the strength of the Consortium’s control system in making the certified portion a trusted reference point for quality, safety, and origin.

By comparison, California, the largest olive oil-producing state in the U.S., has around 40,000 acres of olive groves and 400 producers, much of which is concentrated in the Central Valley. Tuscany’s figures demonstrate how deeply olive oil production is embedded in its culture, economy, and regional identity, with thousands of small producers contributing to a certified, high-value product.

Oversight and Protection

The PGI certification lies at the heart of the Consortium’s activities. Operating under the supervision of Italy’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forests, responsibilities include the protection, monitoring and promotion of the Toscano PGI EVOO designation.

This means monitoring and reporting any misuse of the “Tuscan” name: whether imitation, misrepresentation, or unauthorized use, particularly in markets outside the European Union, where PGI labels lack recognition and are less regulated.

These actions are fundamental in protecting producers, supporting the integrity of the product, and giving consumers confidence in what they are purchasing.

At the same time, the Consortium, working closely with its member network, helps protect and maintain the Tuscan landscape, an essential part of what makes this product distinctive.

Promotion: From Everyday Product to Specialty

Olive oil is often seen as a commodity, with many products competing on price. The Consortium’s strategy focuses on helping Toscano PGI EVOO stand out as a specialty product, known not only for its high quality, but also for its connection

to Tuscan culture, lifestyle, and wellbeing. Marketing activities focus largely on consumers, supported by selective trade initiatives. These include:

• Advertising campaigns across digital and print channels.

• Strategic placement in culinary, lifestyle and wellness outlets.

• Sporting event sponsorships to emphasize health benefits.

All these efforts aim to position Toscano PGI EVOO as a product with both tangible qualities, like traceability and certification, and intangible ones, such as cultural significance and connection to the Tuscan landscape and way of life.

Transparency and Trust

The Consortium ensures 100% Tuscan origin and full traceability throughout the supply chain.

Since 2003, in fact, the Consortium has offered a traceability tool on its website, www.olitoscanoigp.it, where consumers can enter a code from the bottle and learn about its full journey, from grower to bottler. This system helps consumers make informed choices and strengthens trust in the product.

The Tuscan Model:

• Clear, enforced standards for origin and quality.

• Strong institutional support for protecting the designation.

• Strategic communication and marketing focused on culture and lifestyle, not just product attributes.

• Investment in transparency to build long-term consumer trust.

International Reach

Toscano PGI EVOO is well-regarded in global markets, with especially strong demand in countries outside the European Union, including the United States and Canada, followed by markets in Germany and Northern Europe.

The product’s appeal is deeply connected to the strength of the “Tuscany” brand: a name that carries environmental beauty, history, culture, and craftsmanship. Each bottle of Toscano PGI EVOO represents this connection to place and heritage, offering something unique that can’t be replicated elsewhere.

“Tuscany’s figures demonstrate how deeply olive oil production is embedded in its culture, economy, and regional identity.”

Christian Sbardella is Marketing and Communications Director of the Toscano PGI Extra Virgin Olive Oil Consortium. He oversees all promotional activities and works with the Board of Directors to shape the Consortium’s brand strategy. Alongside his professional work, he teaches at university master’s programs and professional schools, sharing his knowledge and passion for olive oil. Since 2008, he has been a certified professional olive oil taster, registered in Italy’s national list recognized by the Ministry of Agriculture.

Beyond Private Labels

HOW AUTHENTIC BRANDS LIKE SEGGIANO

THRIVE IN A STORE-BRAND ERA

BY WINETTE WINSTON, CEO ORIGIN BRANDS AND CATALAN GOURMET

A Changing Retail Landscape

Private label products have experienced remarkable growth in recent years. In Europe, they now account for nearly 40% of grocery sales, and in some countries like Switzerland, exceed 50%. In North America, private label grocery sales saw nearly 4% yearover-year growth in 2024, outpacing many national brands. Retailers are investing more in their own brands, not just for margin advantages, but because consumers are becoming more confident in their quality.

This shift raises a critical question for premium food brands: when supermarkets devote more shelf space to their ownlabel organic pastas or extra virgin olive oils, how do independent brands continue to justify their place?

In my experience leading Seggiano, I believe the answer is simple: by staying radically committed to what makes us different.

“This approach isn’t about nostalgia, it reflects a rooted belief that customers still care about where their food comes from.”

Lessons from Tuscany: Why Place Still Matters

Seggiano was born in the heart of Tuscany. What began as a small-scale olive oil operation rooted in the traditions of a single region has grown into a full range of authentic Italian foods, now available in over 20 countries. Though our portfolio has expanded, our focus remains clear: collaborate only with specialists who value tradition, quality ingredients, and transparency.

This approach isn’t about nostalgia, it reflects a rooted belief that customers still care about where their food comes from. Many of our collaborators are multigenerational family businesses. They’re not chosen because they’re efficient, but because they’re experts.

The name Seggiano comes from the hilltop village near Monte Amiata that inspired our first product: a robust, single-origin extra virgin olive oil made from the Olivastra Seggianese olive, unique to that microregion. That origin story continues to define us. Over time, our range expanded to include artisan pasta, sauces, vinegars, antipasti, and vegan pestos, each chosen for its integrity, provenance, and taste.

What Sets a Brand Apart in a World of “Good Enough”?

Retailers have raised the bar on private labels, introducing sleek packaging, chef-style messaging, and regionally inspired stories that echo those of premium producers. So where does that leave independent brands like Seggiano, and what sets us apart?

1. Traceable origins you can trust.

Each product in our range is rooted in a specific place and made by someone we’ve worked with over time. Our Lunaio Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for example, comes from organic groves in Tuscany, pressed within hours of harvest. Our pastas are made with high-quality Italian durum wheat, bronze-die cut, and slow-dried for superior texture. These are details driven by producers, not just product development.

2. Products with soul, not spin.

Where private labels often aim to mimic, we aim to maintain. We don’t make “Italian-style” food, we source from Italians making food they themselves would proudly serve. That distinction is cultural, not cosmetic.

3. Relentless consistency.

Whether you’re buying our passata in London or Los Angeles, the product inside reflects the same uncompromising standards, season after season. That kind of consistency, across small-batch producers, doesn’t happen by accident. It takes deep relationships, ongoing collaboration, and a refusal to cut corners.

Choosing Channels With Intention

One of the most important decisions a premium brand can make is where to show up. For us, growth doesn’t mean being everywhere, whether that’s a fine foods shop in the UK, a gourmet grocer in the Netherlands, or Whole

Foods Market in the U.S. These stores aren’t just points of sale, they’re trusted curators. In these contexts, shoppers aren’t just looking for affordability, they’re seeking something with character and context. That’s where premium brands grounded in authenticity can thrive.

We’ve also learned to be cautious with promotions. While price competition is tempting, especially when private labels sit on the same shelf, we’ve found that discounting can dilute perception. Instead, our energy goes toward clear storytelling, educational materials, and packaging that invites curiosity rather than making claims.

Educate, Don’t Imitate

Perhaps the most valuable tool a brand has in today’s market is not just their product, it’s perspective.

Have a story? Tell it.

Whether through packaging, website, or in-store tastings, we’re constantly inviting customers behind the curtain. Want to know where your olive oil comes from? We’ll show you the grove. Curious why our pesto tastes fresher? It’s raw, never pasteurized.

Provenance and process are the new luxury. Today’s shopper wants to know more than just whether a product is organic. They want to know: Who made it? How? And why should I care?

They should not only understand what they’re buying, but why it matters.

When you meet that desire for knowledge with honesty, customers don’t just buy, they believe. That belief builds loyalty stronger than any points program or promotion ever could.

Looking Ahead:

Slower, Smarter, Stronger

Private label is not a temporary shift, it’s a structural change. But the same tools that have made it successful - efficiency, scale, smart positioningdon’t negate the relevance of independent brands.

At Seggiano, we’re not trying to outpace private labels. We’re trying to go deeper in the direction we’ve always followed. That means:

• Remaining faithful to producer relationships.

• Going slow when everyone else speeds up, prioritizing product integrity over speed to market.

• Pursuing innovation that enhances, rather than replaces, tradition.

• Focusing on flavor, transparency, and trust, not trends.

Premium brands can thrive in the future of food retail, but not by being louder or bigger. Only by being clearer, truer, and more deliberate. The shelves may be more crowded, but distinction still matters. Especially when it’s earned.

Winette Winston is CEO of Origin Brands, owner of Seggiano, Bellucci & Lunaio brands as well as Catalan Gourmet, a Spanish gourmet foods importer. She leads thoughtful M&A, team integration, and sustainable commercial growth across the UK, US, and EU. Since joining Seggiano USA in 2015, she has guided the consolidation of multiple artisan food businesses into a unified portfolio. With 20+ years in food and consumer goods, Winette is known for building high-performing teams, scaling mission-driven brands, and growing with integrity and purpose.

“Fair Trade USA understands that farmers, workers, and fishers know their communities best and possess unique knowedge on how to protect local ecosystems.”

Fair Trade, Smart Play

STRATEGIC RETAIL WINS IN A GLOBAL MARKET

BY FAIR TRADE USA™

Fair Trade USA is the leading third-party certifier of fair trade products in North America. Partners who bring Trade Certified™ products to market commit to meeting rigorous supply chain standards in ethics and sustainability. Standards at certified farms, factories, and fisheries include fair pay for all workers, safe working conditions, strong environmental safeguards, and distribution of Community Development Funds that support worker-led projects.

Founded in 1998 as a response to the struggles of coffee farmers in Nicaragua, the organization has since expanded standards to more than 30 product categories. Fair Trade Certified products span across diverse industries including produce, coffee, tea, packaged goods, seafood, personal care, clothing, and more. The impact of certification among farmers and workers is significant and often generational, with many using Community Development Funds to increase healthcare access, expand education, and create opportunities for economic growth. Empowerment is at the core of the mission. Fair Trade USA understands that farmers, workers, and fishers know their communities best and possess unique knowledge on how to protect local ecosystems.

Brands and retailers who source and offer Fair Trade Certified products are improving livelihoods and building sustainable supply chains while also appealing to increasing consumer demand for ethical and sustainable business practices. Both retailers and brand partners have seen increased sales, consumer loyalty, and brand awareness while doing better for planet and people.

Better Supply Chains Mean Better Business

Today more than ever, consumers are expecting brands and retailers to take accountability for their social and environmental impact. Consumers are also increasingly fluent in identifying values-aligned brands and telling the difference between real commitments and greenwashing. Fair Trade Certification is a trusted label that demonstrates a commitment to creating better livelihoods, protecting the environment, and an investment in a sustainable future. When retailers put Fair Trade Certified products on their shelves, more consumers are given the opportunity to support supply chains that prioritize workers, help eliminate child labor, and put capital back into the hands of producers.

Fair Trade Certified farms and factories come with incredible stories of impact from workers who are experts in their fields, and who have used Community Development Funds to improve the lives of their families and peers. When retailers and brand partners share these stories, consumers see the real people behind the product, building trust while showing how certification makes a difference.

NatureSweet, a produce brand available at retailers like Whole Foods, Kroger, and Walmart, features a QR code on its Fair Trade Certified tomatoes, allowing shoppers to scan and discover real stories from associates working in their greenhouses. Similarly, Barissimo, Aldi’s tea and coffee brand, highlights its commitment to Fair Trade by printing certification details and the values behind them directly on its packaging.

Retailers have also seen success when providing clear signage, grouping certified products, and preparing employees to be knowledgeable about Fair Trade Certified for questions from shoppers. Certification, especially when it is clearly displayed on packaging and marketing materials, opens lines of communication between brands, retailers, and consumers. It shares the values behind products and makes it easy to differentiate between items that are truly driving impact, and brands who may be greenwashing.

Consumers are Choosing Ethical, Sustainable Brands

A recent study by McKinsey revealed that 73% of Gen Z shoppers report that they choose to purchase from brands they consider ethical, while nine out of ten believe that companies have a responsibility to address environmental and social issues. A PwC study from 2024 also shares that not only are consumers prioritizing brands with strong values, but many say they are willing to spend 9.7% more, on average, for sustainably produced or sourced goods.

These numbers are telling, and speak to an increasing demand for more product options that prioritize the planet and people. As this demand grows, Fair Trade USA continues to stand out as one of the most recognized and trusted labels in the market. While Fair Trade has been a trusted presence in retail for decades, its visibility and consumer recognition has grown significantly in recent years. Due to long-held consumer trust, brands partnering with Fair Trade USA - and retailers who carry their products - are resonating across broad demographics and establishing loyal customers.

Retailers Doing It Right

A wide and diverse array of retailers carry Fair Trade Certified products, all with different consumer bases. Walmart, the largest retailer in the world, offers certified products under both private label and branded products. This shows a commitment to the Fair Trade mission and acknowledges the growing demand for more sustainable and ethical products on shelves.

Many e-commerce retailers choose to add social and environmental certifications to their product search filters, making it easy for shoppers to browse for the products that align with their values. Thrive Market includes a Fair Trade Certified section on their site, while Amazon highlights certified items through its ‘Climate Pledge Friendly’ program.

Fair Trade Certified also has a strong presence in the discount and club channels. Aldi, who is widely regarded for providing sustainable products at accessible prices, offers many Fair Trade Certified coffee and tea options. Costco has also seen success across categories offering Fair Trade products like beverages, produce, baking ingredients, and snacks.

Retailers are key in getting Fair Trade Certified products in front of consumers and inspiring more brands to join the movement. Bringing certified products to market looks different for every retailer, but the benefits are clear: Fair Trade Certified products create meaningful impact while meeting consumer demand for ethics and sustainability at the point of sale, all of which represent strong strategic opportunities for engaging with shoppers.

What’s Next

Fair Trade USA continues to increase impact and update standards to keep pace with a changing world. The model was designed to create resilient supply chains that continue to support workers even during difficult times. Fair Trade USA’s standards are unique, as they address social, economic, and environmental sustainability, which all help elevate extraordinary leaders around the globe to build up their communities and protect the planet.

As brands continue to join the Fair Trade movement and retailers make certified products available to shoppers, the global impact grows and consumers are empowered to purchase with purpose. Simply put, Fair Trade Certification is good for the planet, the people, and business.

Fair Trade USA™, a tax-exempt 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization, is the leading certifier of fair trade products in North America. It offers award-winning, rigorous, and globally recognized sustainable sourcing certification programs that improve livelihoods, protect the environment, and build resilient, transparent supply chains. The trusted Fair Trade Certified™ seal signifies that a product was made according to stringent fair trade standards. Fair Trade USA is building an innovative model of responsible business, conscious consumerism, and shared value to eliminate poverty and enable sustainable development for farmers, workers, their families, and communities around the world.

From Budget Buys To Brand Promises

WHY TODAY’S STORE BRANDS CAN NO LONGER HIDE BEHIND A PRICE TAG

BY ALESSIO COSTA, CRISIS, REPUTATION MANAGEMENT AND CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS, SEC NEWGATE ITALIA

In supermarkets across Europe and the United States, something subtle but significant is happening on the shelves. The brands consumers grew up trusting for products like olive oil, pasta, frozen meals, and baby food, are being displaced. Not by flashy newcomers or disruptive startups, but by the stores themselves.

Once seen as a symbol of cost-cutting, private label products now occupy premium shelf space. Many have embraced the language of sustainability, ethics, and quality. Their rise has been fueled by inflation, shifting consumer habits, and supply chain disruptions, but their reputational risks are growing just as quickly.

From Crisis Containment to Corporate Identity

A food recall involving a national brand usually sparks predictable outrage. Consumers know the brand, trust it, and feel betrayed. Retailers, meanwhile, can isolate the problem. But when the product is the store’s own, the dynamic reverses: the store’s entire identity is on the line. That’s a different kind of crisis, one that unfolds in public, with little warning and heightened scrutiny.

This is especially true as retailers adopt the storytelling once reserved for branded goods. Sustainability claims, local sourcing, recyclable packaging - these have become standard features of store-branded items. But scrutiny has caught up. In Europe, green claims are under regulatory review. In the U.S., lawsuits over product origins and labeling accuracy are mounting. And across social media, consumer watchdogs now serve as real-time accountability platforms.

“The lesson is simple: If you act like a brand, the public will treat you like one.”

Trust, Consistency, and Institutional Dialogue

In this environment, the way private label producers and retailers communicate their values and commitments has become increasingly relevant. Beyond crisis management, it’s about maintaining consistency in how quality, sourcing, and traceability are conveyed across different contexts, from consumer-facing materials to institutional dialogues.

As retailers present their private labels as sustainable, ethical, or premium, they shape expectations that extend beyond the product itself. These expectations are shaped not just through packaging, but also through interviews, reports, and other public disclosures. Ensuring coherence in these messages and responsiveness to regulatory and societal developments, contributes to credibility and long-term trust.

Meanwhile, food supply chains are under strain. Conflict, extreme weather, and regulatory shifts have added pressure on producers and sellers alike. A shipment delayed in the Suez Canal or a cocoa shortage in West Africa can trigger not just price changes, but reputational fallout.

Consumers, especially younger generations, want to know where products come from, and who is accountable when something goes wrong.

The traditional assumption was that private labels had less to lose. Their anonymity was a shield. But in today’s market, where store brands present themselves as ethical, transparent, and positioned as premium, that assumption no longer holds. If a retailer claims sustainable sourcing, it must be ready to back it up. If it highlights local partnerships, those partners become part of its reputation. This is no longer a margin game. It’s a trust game.

Clear and consistent communication is now essential. As private labels adopt the language of sustainability and transparency, they must reinforce it by translating technical standards into credible, accessible messages. This goes beyond marketing: it’s a strategic function that helps brands stay ahead of regulation and public expectations.

At the same time, engaging with institutions and stakeholders, including lawmakers, regulators, NGOs, and trade associations, contributes to ensuring that internal priorities are aligned with the broader public conversation. Being aware of emerging expectations and participating in sector-wide dialogues can help companies stay responsive and relevant over time.

New Rules, Higher Stakes

Regulators are closing the gap. In Europe, the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive will require detailed disclosures on environmental and social impact. The proposed Green Claims Directive will demand scientific evidence behind eco-labels. In the U.S., the FTC is reviewing its Green Guides. These frameworks don’t stop at national brands. They apply to anyone making claims that influence consumer choices, including private labels.

In this context, the way companies communicate and engage with institutions contributes to how they are positioned within the food system, not in terms of marketing, but in terms of how their role and responsibilities are perceived. Being recognised as a credible and forward-looking actor can influence the quality of dialogue with policymakers, peers, and the media. Transparency can help reduce distance and foster continuity, especially in times of change. A structured approach to institutional dialogue and public communication supports this process, helping companies remain responsive to evolving expectations.

The lesson is simple: if you act like a brand, the public will treat you like one. That means taking the same responsibility in a crisis, being transparent in communication, and proactive with data.

Reputation isn’t just earned over time, it’s tested in a single incident. Consumers may still reach for the cheaper option. But if they no longer trust what’s behind the label, price stops being persuasive.

Alessio Costa holds a degree in Business Management from the University of Turin and a master’s in communication for International Relations from IULM University in Milan. Since 2021, he has been part of SEC Newgate Italy, where he works in crisis and corporate communication across sectors such as food, pharma, mobility and tech. He is particularly interested in how communication influences decisions, trust and public debate.

Aisyaqilumar - stock.adobe.com

Elements of a Winning Costco Pallet Display

HOW TO COMPETE WITH KIRKLAND SIGNATURE

BY MICHAEL CARRIER, TECHNICAL SALES DIRECTOR BERKLEY

Welcome to the big leagues. The Costco floor is our stadium, and the game is on. Our opponent? The reigning champion, Kirkland Signature. But we’re not here just to play; we’re here to win. Just like any great team, we need a solid game plan.

Understanding the Playing Field

First, let’s talk about what makes this ballpark unique. Costco is a warehouse. It’s big, lighting is variable, and we don’t have store shelves. We need to design, produce and deliver our store shelves direct to Costco in the form of a Feature Pallet Display. We need to design a series of stacking Trays, printed billboards of differential marketing and claims, that contain our Product and serve as the shipping vehicle.

Once unitized, this pallet leaves our dock and travels virtually untouched until it reaches the store. There are no stock keepers unboxing tidy master cases. Our Shelves, aka trays, are wheeled out onto the Costco floor where members directly shop from the Feature Pallet Display just as it was assembled at the co-packer.

This unique fact makes Costco the biggest packaging challenge in retail. A low-touch approach makes Costco efficient and drives down cost. Game on.

But, before we can even think about a home run, we must make it to first base. Costco’s supply chain is a unique, crossdock system that places a great deal of strain on the structural integrity of your packaging. Each Costco DC is cleared empty each day. Inbound product moves from truck to staging to outbound truck with no time for mistakes. This is why each Feature Pallet Display is within mere inches of each other in size. Conforming to dimensions eases this busy and choreographed cross-dock. It’s all about staying in the game.

Design for the Floor

Since this playfield is unlike any other, how do we run our offense? We follow the 5 x 5 Rule playbook. Our packaging and display must communicate to a member what our product is and why they want it in 5 seconds from 5 feet away.

This sets the standard for effective packaging and how we quickly connect to our fans.

With Kirkland Signature dominating the floor, brands must execute flawless pallet displays that not only meet those stringent structural and logistical requirements but also stand out and communicate value instantly.

Now we’re on the field and shoppability is our gameplan. Just like a major league scout, the Costco member is on the hunt for the next great deal. Members know that care went into every curated item on the floor so there is already a sense of trust. There are fewer items per square foot than anywhere else in retail, store layouts are ever-changing, and no two warehouses are built alike. This all drives the “Treasure Hunt”. Make no mistake, this is Costco’s intent and secret.

Our defense? A three-side-shoppable pallet. Product needs to be accessible from three sides of our display so we can be shopped no matter where our pallet lands on the floor. Whether it’s an aisle, an endcap, or parked under the steel, we need to be ready to shine. That means easy access, clear product visibility, and no hidden players on the bench. If members can’t shop us from all angles, we’re leaving batters on base.

This is our highlight reel moment. Kirkland Signature has the reputation, so we must have style, energy, and most importantly: a story to tell. It’s important that we offer Costco a SKU that is unique to all others in retail: in form of bundle, size or formula. We need to present so our product is

the hero, front and center, larger than life. We’re not stacking our players behind each other; we’re spreading out, showing off, standing tall and making sure every shopper can see exactly what they’re getting. Shelf (aka product in tray) presence is of the upmost importance. We need the member to see our product even before they see our logo.

Compete Where It Counts

In this game, nothing is more important than communicating member value. Remember Kirkland plays the price, value and quality game. Most private label brands are just “me too” made by the same national brand competitor but that is not typically what Costco does. Kirkland coffee sources their own beans and they own their own roastings plants. You cant beat Kirkland with flashy packaging or a superior product, you need a great price and a reason for the members to stop and turn their head. Draw them in.

This isn’t the brand game, it’s the differentiation game, the reason-you-can’t-sayno game. Our pallet is our billboard, our chance to shout from the rafters why our product belongs in that oversized cart.

Keep it bold, clear, and offer a unique story. Simple, high-impact visuals with callouts-that-matter draw the eye and demand attention. No fluff, no distractions.

“We need a value statement so strong it stops members in their tracks. That’s how we turn browsers into buyers. That’s a home run.”

While Kirkland relies on trust, we can win on emotional appeal and premium positioning. We need a value statement so strong it stops members in their tracks. That’s how we turn browsers into buyers. That’s a home run.

Finally, we finish strong with sustainability. This is our long game; the play that earns us respect and loyalty. Costco is serious about eco-friendly packaging, and we need to be too. Less waste, more recycled content, and a clear plan for the future. We’re not just here to sell a product, we’re here to make a statement. When members see our display, they know they’re choosing a brand that cares, a brand that’s built for the future. That’s how we leave a legacy on the field and on the floor.

So there it is. Our game plan. Our strategy for victory. We don’t just want a spot on the Costco floor, we want to dominate it. We want to stand tall, turn heads, and make Kirkland work for its wins. Costco is a treasure hunt, and when members find us, they’ll know they’ve hit a home run. Now get out there and play to win, swing for the fences, then hit the showers.

Michael Carrier, Technical Sales Director at Berkley International, is an unapologetic lover of all things packaging. As a 2002 graduate of Michigan State University’s Packaging program, he has spent 20 years in the consumer-packaged goods space with a primary focus on Costco and club store packaging. Carrier lives in Southern California with his wife and two children. When he is not scouring the aisles of his local Costco, he can be found building Legos, riding the local mountain bike trails, or collecting overpriced musical equipment.

The Value of Trusted Sourcing

WHY GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATION CERTIFICATION MATTERS IN GERMAN FOOD RETAIL

BY JAKOB RACKL, RESEARCH ASSOCIATE, TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF MUNICH AND PROF. LUISA MENAPACE, PROFESSOR, TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF MUNICH

Geographical Indication (GI) certification is a policy designed to identify products that originate from a specific region and possess distinctive qualities linked to that origin.

To use a GI label, producers must comply with established production standards, which helps to ensure that these products meet certain expectations of authenticity and quality. In a recent study (Rackl & Menapace, 2025), we examine how GI certification influences agri-food supply chains, with a particular focus on the relationship between small and medium-sized producers and large-scale retailers in Germany. The findings suggest that GI certification can play a role in these relationships by signaling quality and efficiency, and allowing retailers to identify reliable producers more easily, ultimately contributing to enhanced profitability and trust within such partnerships.

Understanding GI certification

GI certification protects products originating from specific territories where product characteristics are essentially or exclusively attributable to their geographical origin. The associated GI labels, such as Allgäuer Bergkäse, Bayerisches Bier, or Schwarzwälder Schinken, serve as branding tools across various agri-food sectors. The unique characteristics, qualities, production methods, and geographical origins of such products are detailed in a code of practice, the compliance with which is verified through independent third-party certification. Unlike trademarks, which establish individual brand identities, GIs represent a collective form of intellectual property limited to and shared by producers within defined geographical areas.

As a result, producers in regions where a GI is available, who are productive enough to meet its standards profitably and willing to adapt their production methods if needed, can advertise their products using the GI label.

Identifying Efficient Producers

One of the primary challenges in agri-food supply chains is the presence of information asymmetries, as retailers often struggle to discern the efficiency and quality production capabilities of various producers. In our study, we explore how GI certification can address this issue through establishing stringent production standards and verifying producers’ compliance with these standards, thereby acting as a credible signal of quality and efficiency.

By requiring producers to adhere to stringent production standards, GI certification ensures that only those producers who can consistently produce high-quality goods are certified. GI certification guarantees that the producer has invested in maintaining these standards, thus reducing the risk of opportunistic behavior such as delivering low-quality products. For retailers, this means that a producer with GI certification is more likely to be a reliable partner capable of meeting high-quality standards.

Notably, GI certification can also provide information about non-GI producers, specifically those in GI regions who choose not to certify. Consider, for example, producers of “dried ham” in the “Schwarzwald” (Black Forest) region in Germany. “Schwarzwälder Schinken” (Black Forest Ham) is a GI registered with the European Union and well-known among German consumers. The dried ham producers from the “Schwarzwald” region who choose to certify their product under the GI label benefit from its reputation but must be efficient in production to profitably provide high-quality products that

“GI certification can play a role in facilitating producer-retailer relationships by helping retailers identify reliable producers and incentivizing producers to uphold high standards.”

meet the GI’s production standards. On the other hand, dried ham producers from the same region who opt not to certify their products under the GI label may signal inefficiencies or higher production costs that could stem from challenges in meeting quality standards or from lacking access to resources necessary to comply with GI requirements. While this does not imply that dried ham from a non-certified producer from the Black Forest region is generally of lower quality than the certified equivalents, the informational gain on producer characteristics enables retailers to make more informed sourcing decisions and adjust contract terms in order to mitigate the risk of receiving low-quality goods.

GI Certification: Strengthening Supply Chains and ProducerRetailer Relations

Using data on the German food craft sector (i.e. bakeries, butchers, winemakers, etc.), the results of our study suggest that German retailers exhibit a clear preference for certified producers, with GI-certified producers being significantly more likely to engage in transactions with retailers than their noncertified counterparts. This indicates that German retailers are generally aware of the concept of GI certification and recognize its value in signaling quality and efficiency and suggests that GI certification can play a role in facilitating producer-retailer relationships by helping retailers identify reliable producers and incentivizing producers to uphold high standards.

However, market structure and consumer preferences, which can vary across sectors and countries, also shape the impact of GI certification on producerretailer dynamics. For instance, the price-premium of GI products relative to “generic” products plays a significant role in determining the relationship between (GI) producers and retailers. In Germany, where the four largest food retailers control 96% of the market, and consumer awareness of geographically protected products is relatively low compared to countries like Italy or France, GI certification may primarily serve as a quality signal for retailers rather than a major driver of consumer demand. In countries with a more fragmented retail sector or stronger consumer preferences for GI-labeled goods, the premium on procurement and final retail prices of GI products may be more pronounced, thereby offering an additional factor that influences the impact of GI certification on producer-retailer relations.

Overall, our study suggests that GI certification can serve as a mechanism for enhancing efficiency and trust within agri-food supply chains, particularly in markets where retailers rely on quality signals to mitigate information asymmetries. By helping retailers identify high-quality producers and encouraging compliance with stringent production standards, GI certification contributes to the stability and profitability of producer-retailer relationships.

Works cited

Rackl, J., & Menapace, L. (2025). Coordination in agri-food supply chains: The role of Geographical Indication certification.

International Journal of Production Economics, 280, 109494. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0925527324003517.

Jakob Rackl holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Ludwig-Maximilians University in Munich and a Master’s in Theoretical and Empirical Economics from Aix-Marseille School of Economics. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Agricultural Economics at the Technical University of Munich, focusing on the impact of Geographical Indications on international trade and relationships within agri-food supply chains.

Prof. Luisa Menapace holds a Laurea degree in Agricultural Sciences (University of Padua), a Master’s in Agribusiness (Sacred Heart Catholic University, Italy), and a PhD in Economics (Iowa State University, USA). She was a Marie Curie Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Trento (2010-2012) and Assistant Professor at the University of Bonn (2012-2013). Since 2013, she has held the BayWa Professorship “Governance in International Agribusiness” at TUM, where she received tenure in 2020.

“Ecodesign encourages doing more with less: using fewer materials, reducing energy consumption, simplifying logistics.”

Ecodesign as a Game Changer for Private Label and Branded Products

UNLOCKING VALUE THROUGH SUSTAINABILITY, EFFICIENCY, AND DESIGN DIFFERENTIATION

BY JORDI OLIVER-SOLÀ, CO-FOUNDER AND CEO, INÈDIT

SOFÍA GARÍN MARTÍNEZ, SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER, INÈDIT AND ADRIANA SANZ MIRABAL, SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER, INÈDIT

Ecodesign is no longer a niche practice, it is becoming a strategic necessity for businesses operating in the food retail sector. As environmental concerns grow along the value chain, including among consumers, and as legislation tightens, companies are expected to reduce their impact without compromising product performance or competitiveness.

Ecodesign offers a practical method for addressing these expectations, enabling brands to improve the environmental performance of their products across the entire life cycle. From the extraction of raw materials to manufacturing, packaging, distribution, use, and end-of-life, ecodesign provides a clear framework for embedding sustainability into product development.

According to research by the European Commission Product Bureau, it is estimated that 80% of all product-related environmental impacts can be influenced during the design phase. In this context, ecodesign encourages doing more with less: using fewer materials, reducing energy consumption, simplifying logistics, and designing products and packaging with recyclability or reuse in mind. These strategies often lead not only to environmental benefits, but also to financial gains, what is called eco-efficiency. This double impact is particularly appealing in the context of today’s competitive retail landscape.

Private vs Branded: Different Motivations, Shared Opportunities

Both private label and branded products can benefit from ecodesign, though their motivations may differ. For private labels, which are typically managed by retailers with

cost control, ecodesign is often used as a tool a strong focus on operational efficiency and for reducing material and transport costs, improving production efficiency, and ensuring compliance with environmental regulations. The incentive is clear: more efficient products mean lower costs and smoother supply chains. Lidl, for instance, as part of the Schwarz Group’s REset Plastic strategy, has achieved a 28% reduction in plastic usage for its private label packaging across 32 countries, compared to a 2017 baseline.

Branded products, meanwhile, tend to approach ecodesign from a different angle. These companies are more likely to view sustainability as a way to differentiate their products, enhance perceived value, and connect with environmentally conscious consumers. For them, ecodesign is part of a broader strategy to communicate innovation, responsibility, and quality. It supports the creation of a brand narrative that aligns with consumer expectations and helps secure a competitive edge.

The aim of communicating the benefits and difference with other brands is one of the main motivations to use quantitative data and measure environmental impact. Measuring can be part of the ecodesign methodology, not only to disclose final results but rather to help designers to take conscious decisions.

Despite these differences, both types of products ultimately converge on the same outcome: smarter design that benefits both businesses and the environment. Ecodesign allows companies to respond proactively to sustainability challenges, rather than reactively adjusting to external pressures. By anticipating the environmental implications of design choices early in the development process, companies can avoid costly redesigns, strengthen customer loyalty, and increase the resilience of their brands.

Beyond Quick Wins: Unlocking the Next Phase of Circular Design

As the transition to a circular economy gains momentum, ecodesign plays a central role. It is not simply about reducing impact, but about rethinking products in a way that supports long-term value creation, rethinking the way we create and the way we consume. The circular economy promotes a shift from the traditional “take-make-dispose” model to one that keeps resources in use for as long as possible, extracting their maximum value before recovering them at the end of their service life. In this context, ecodesign acts as a practical method to enable circular principles to take root, whether through the development of packaging that is easier to collect and recycle, the design of product components that can be disassembled and repaired, or the choice of materials that are biodegradable or derived from renewable sources.

At the early stages of circular transition, it is natural, and often necessary, for brands to focus on gains in efficiency. Reducing the weight of single-use plastic packaging, incorporating recycled materials, or lowering energy consumption are all meaningful improvements. However, these efficiency gains tend to have limited potential as many companies have already implemented it.

Once the single-use system has been optimised, further progress becomes increasingly difficult within that framework. That is when the conversation must evolve.

To move forward, companies will need to shift their focus from isolated product or packaging improvements to the wider system in which their operations and supply chains function. It’s no longer just about products, it’s about embracing the full product-service-system. The next frontier in circular design lies in enabling reuse, repair, remanufacture, and other strategies that extend the lifespan of products and materials already in the economy. Unilever, for example, is exploring ways to shift product business models and eliminate unnecessary packaging. Reuse and refill systems are a key focus, with more than 50 pilot initiatives already launched worldwide and plans to scale up to 1,500 in Indonesia by 2025. In other words, the challenge will no longer be to “make it less bad,” but to redesign business models and logistics systems in a way that regenerates value.

For instance, it is clearly more sustainable to refill and reuse a bottle twenty times than to use twenty single-use bottles, even if those disposable bottles are lighter or contain a percentage of recycled plastic. This kind of systemic innovation goes beyond product tweaks, it requires collaboration, new infrastructures, and often new consumer behaviours. Retailers are beginning to explore this shift. Loop, a circular shopping platform developed by TerraCycle, has partnered with global brands like Procter & Gamble and retailers such as Tesco and Carrefour to pilot reusable packaging for everyday products.

In these models, consumers return used containers to be cleaned, refilled, and sold again, creating a closed-loop system.

Coordinated Action and the Role of Private Labels

The path ahead calls for joint innovation across the entire retail value chain. From suppliers and manufacturers to distributors and retailers, no single actor can drive this transformation alone. Each step forward, whether it’s creating reverse logistics for refillable containers or designing standardised components that simplify repair, depends on coordinated action and a shared vision. In this context, private labels may have a unique advantage. Given their vertical integration and control over product development, packaging, and distribution, they may be well positioned to experiment with circular systems that connect different stages of the value chain under a single management structure.

Whether this advantage will translate into leadership in circular innovation remains to be seen. What is clear, however, is that the opportunity is wide open. The next generation of ecodesign will not only shape how products are made, but also how they are used, reused, and reintroduced into the economy. And those who embrace this complexity with creativity and determination will be at the forefront of the retail industry’s sustainable future.

Jordi Oliver-Solà is Co-founder and CEO of inèdit, a strategic eco-innovation studio supporting businesses since 2009 in transitioning to a circular and decarbonised economy. He specializes in environmental footprint metrics and integrating sustainability into products, packaging, processes, and business models. Author of 40+ academic articles and 11 book chapters, he co-wrote Eco-innovation as a key factor for business competitiveness. He is a researcher at ICTA-UAB, former Visiting Fellow at the University of Surrey, and was named a circular economy opinion leader by the Advanced Leadership Foundation.

Sofía Garín Martínez is a Project Manager at inèdit, leading ecodesign and sustainability projects for over five years in sectors such as packaging, furniture, and electronics. She is an expert in user-centred design, product-service systems, and co-design. Trained in Industrial Design Engineering (University of Zaragoza), she holds a Master’s in Sustainable Design from Aalborg University. With over seven years of experience, she also teaches at Shifta-Elisava and is part of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation Pioneer Group.

Adriana Sanz Mirabal is an Industrial Engineer specialized in sustainability, with international experience in Spain, France, and Germany. She worked as a researcher at Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, Europe’s largest applied research organization, before returning to Spain to lead industrial symbiosis and circular economy initiatives across multiple levels. As a senior consultant at the ecoinnovation studio inèdit, she guides companies, cities, and regions through their circular transition. She also lectures at various universities and academic institutions.

The Third Path

WHY THE FUTURE OF FOOD RETAIL NEEDS MISSION-DRIVEN BRANDS

BY MICHAEL RAY ROBINOV, CO-FOUNDER & CEO FARM TO PEOPLE

For years, the food retail industry has been locked in a zero-sum debate: branded vs. private label. On one side, legacy consumer packaged goods (CPG) giants; on the other, private label offerings (often cheaper, but increasingly premium) backed by the muscle of big-box grocery chains. But for all the market share this binary has captured, a third path is quietly emerging, one that doesn’t fit neatly into either camp, but is resonating more deeply with modern consumers: the path of the mission-driven brand.

From farmers markets to national direct-toconsumer (DTC) platforms, a growing number of mission-driven companies are reshaping food retail by putting transparency, ethics, and local sourcing at the core of their business models.

At Farm to People, we’ve been navigating this third path for over a decade. Operating in New York City, we deliver curated farm boxes, ethical groceries, and, more recently, our own kitchen-prepared foods, all sourced from a network of over 150 small farms and makers within 300 miles of the city. We’re not a traditional store, and we don’t carry many, if any, traditional brands. We’re one of many small companies redefining what “value” means to modern shoppers, not just in terms of cost, but in terms of connection, accountability, and impact.

This isn’t a niche phenomenon. According to NielsenIQ, 92% of consumers say sustainability influences their brand choice in fresh food, and products with sustainability attributes, like sourcing or packaging, are growing significantly faster than conventional options. It’s a structural shift in how food gets bought, sold, and valued.

Brands like Misfits Market, Big Spoon Roasters, and Thrive Market have tapped into this shift, combining purpose with transparency to drive not only growth but deep customer

loyalty. Farm to People is part of this broader movement, where trust isn’t built with slogans but with sourcing decisions, supply chain clarity, and consistent communication.

In our own case, over 83.54% of active customers place repeat orders within 30 days, a metric that reflects more than convenience, it reflects a belief in the system we’ve built. In this way, mission-driven brands

they’re competing on meaning, and they’re

Beyond Price and Packaging

Consumers today have more access to food than ever, yet paradoxically, they’ve never felt less connected to it. We’re saturated with options, but few of them answer the questions that matter most: Where did this come from? Is it healthy for me? For our soil? Should I trust it?

Legacy brands lean on history. Private labels lean on price. But both often struggle to articulate where their food comes from or why it matters, especially as transparency becomes a top consumer expectation. Increasingly, they’re losing trust by adding artificial flavors, ultra-processed synthetics, hydrogenated oils, and more.

Mission-driven brands, on the other hand, earn trust through traceability and alignment with consumer values. People don’t just want to know their tomatoes are organic, they want to know the farm, the farmer, the story. They want to know that their money is supporting local economies and sending a larger share directly to the people growing their food, not just padding a balance sheet. In this way, mission -driven brands aren’t competing on cost or convenience alone. They’re competing on meaning. The retail world tends to underestimate how emotional food is. It’s not just sustenance. It’s identity, politics, and climate. When people shop with us or our peers, they’re not just buying kale, they’re voting for a different food system. That doesn’t show up in a P&L, but it shows up in retention.

Shorter Supply Chains Are Smarter, and Stronger

Mission-driven food brands often rely on shorter, more localized supply chains. That might sound idealistic, but it’s increasingly just good business. When COVID hit, the global food system cracked. Traditional supply chains saw massive disruptions, leaving shelves empty and logistics strained. Meanwhile, many small producers were stuck with unsold inventory. Yet some local-first models, like farmers markets and regional community supported agriculture (CSA) programs, proved more resilient. With shorter supply chains and direct relationships, they could adapt quickly to shifting demand.

Mission-driven brands that operate in this space, including Farm to People, benefited from similar dynamics. Our supply chain was flexible, direct, and deeply human: built not on scale, but on trust. That trust becomes a strategic advantage. During the recent egg crisis, for example, when supply was tight, our producers stood with us, because we’d stood with them the season before.

Scale vs. Profitability

One of the common criticisms of mission-driven brands is that they don’t scale. But that assumes scale is the only thing that matters. I was recently inspired by Big Spoon Roasters’ decision to “break up with big grocery.” More and more, I hear that brands need to hit $20 million in annual revenue just to break even, not to mention the millions in capital required to get there. It’s no wonder that over 90% of small food brands go out of business within five years.

Yet, regional brands can thrive by choosing depth over breadth. A new playbook is emerging, one that values sustainable margins, slower growth, and direct community engagement over exponential scaling. Poppi, Siete, Simple Millsthese are success stories - but we need more models that embrace right-sized growth, not just explosive exits.

I yearn for a future that includes hundreds or thousands of profitable regional brands. Brands that don’t need to win every shelf. Brands that win hearts. Brands that show up in unexpected ways, through storytelling, education, hospitality. Brands that make food feel human again. I don’t want to live in a future where food is algorithmically optimized and shelf-stable.

I want to live in a future where someone cracks open their Farm to People box and is surprised by the flavor of an early-season strawberry from a Pennsylvania farm they now recognize by name. That moment may not be scalable, but it’s unforgettable. And unforgettable experiences are what drive retention in a market drowning in sameness.

and strategy for NYC’s

market grocery delivery service.

in the natural foods world and inspired by his first job at the Union Square Greenmarket, Michael co-founded Farm to People to connect folks (starting in NYC) with access to ethically grown food from local farmers and to foster a community around sustainability. His passion for sustainability, storytelling, and technology has helped bootstrap the brand into a leader in regional sourcing. He was selected to Forbes 30U30, Class of 2021.

Sources:

NYU Sustainable Market Share Index™ 2021 Report https://www.stern.nyu.edu/sites/default/files/assets/ documents/FINAL%202021%20CSB%20Practice%20 Forum%20website_0.pdf

NielsenIQ “Green Divide” report (March/April 2025): https://nielseniq.com/global/en/insights/education/2024/fresh-food-trends-2025/

Michael Ray Robinov is the CEO of Farm to People, where he sets vision

premier farmers

Raised

Balancing Heritage and Retail Demand

VALDO’S APPROACH TO BRAND GROWTH AND PRIVATE LABEL STRATEGY

BY MATTEO BOLLA, ITALIAN SALES MANAGER, VALDO

Wine producers today face a unique balancing act. Beyond harvests and bottlings, they’re managing brand legacies while adapting to the growing influence of private label programs led by major retailers.

Across the global wine industry, and especially in the U.S., private label is no longer a trend, but a structural force. According to data from the Private Label Manufacturers Association and Circana, in the 52 weeks ending June 2023, private label wine sales in the U.S. grew by 9.1%, even as overall retail wine sales declined by 1%. As we move through 2025, this trend continues to shape retailer priorities: margin control, differentiation, and exclusive offerings remain at the forefront.

At Valdo, this is something we’ve been working through ourselves. With deep roots in the Prosecco region of Valdobbiadene, where Italy’s finest Prosecco wine comes from, and nearly a century of experience, our company has long focused on branded sparkling wines. But over time, we’ve also expanded, both into still wines and into new types of collaborations, including recent private label partnerships.

We’re not alone in this. As of 2025, private label wines are estimated to account for approximately 8-10% of all domestic wine sales in the U.S., a steady but meaningful share that reflects their established role in the market. For producers, this means operating in a landscape where private label is no longer a side business, but a complementary path to brand growth and broader consumer reach.

“As

of 2025, private label wines are estimated to account for approximately 8-10% of all domestic wine sales in the U.S.”

When Brand and Private Label Coexist

So how do you grow a premium brand and develop private label lines at the same time, without them stepping on each other’s toes? In our experience, the answer is clear differentiation.

Branded wines, like our Marca Oro, carry the weight of heritage, brand identity, and strong market presence. Our private label offerings, on the other hand, are shaped around specific needs: from unique packaging, to custom blends crafted for specific retail chains, positioning, or pricing. When both sides are developed intentionally, they can coexist rather than compete.

This is a key principle for producers across the sector: product segmentation must be strategic. Branded wines benefit from origin storytelling, historical credibility, and emotional value. Private labels, meanwhile, thrive on affordable quality, retailer exclusivity, and consumer trust in the point of sale.

This approach allows both sides of the business to thrive: retailers gain exclusive products they can promote and differentiate, while producers preserve their brand identity and continue building consumer trust.

Educating the Consumer: DOC vs. DOCG

In a market like the U.S., where Prosecco continues to be a hot category, but price often drives purchasing decisions, standing out as a branded product means investing in more than quality. Design, education and storytelling all play a role, especially when many consumers still don’t fully recognize the difference between Prosecco DOC and DOCG.

DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) refers to a broad production zone with fewer restrictions, while DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e

Garantita), like Valdobbiadene, indicates a smaller, more prestigious area with stricter quality controls and higher standards. It’s a difference in both geography and craftsmanship, something brands like Valdo, with century-old roots, are well-equipped to communicate.

According to export data, the U.S. imported approximately 9.8 million 9-liter cases of Prosecco DOC in 2024 accounting for about 23% of the denomination’s total exports, and reflecting a 17% increase compared to the same period in 2023. Despite this growing popularity, many American consumers still see Prosecco as an everyday sparkling wine, accessible, but indistinct in terms of origin. Educating consumers about the meaning of labels like DOC and DOCG is a shared responsibility across the wine industry, and one that branded producers can lead.

Rethinking Private Label: Intentionality and Trust

At the same time, there’s space for wellcrafted private labels that offer value and consistency. But with so many new labels hitting shelves everyday, brand loyalty can be fragile. That’s why collaboration between retailers and producers is more important now than ever in order to build private label programs that feel intentional, not interchangeable.

Trends show that shoppers are increasingly open to trying exclusive supermarket brands, especially when packaging, pricing, and shelf presentation signal quality. This creates space for producers to bring real craftsmanship into private label projects, provided they’re developed thoughtfully and strategically alongside retail partners.

What We’ve Learned

From our experience, success in this space relies on a few key principles:

1. Strong retail partnerships aren’t just helpful, they’re foundational across the industry.

When producers and retailers operate with mutual trust and clear communication, it becomes much easier to co-create wines that meet real consumer needs, rather than just filling shelf space.

2. Defining boundaries between branded and private label lines is essential.

These two channels serve different purposes, and the more distinct they are in terms of positioning, storytelling, and target audience, the better they perform. It’s not about keeping them apart for fear of overlap, it’s about giving each the clarity it needs to succeed.

3. Visibility plays a bigger role than many expect.

A label, whether it bears a historic name or a custom design for a retailer, still needs consistent support to cut through the noise. That might mean investing in design, staff training, or storytelling tools that help explain the wine’s origin and purpose. It all contributes to making sure each product feels intentional and cared for, rather than generic or interchangeable.

In short:

• Strong retail partnerships make the difference

• Clear brand vs. private label segmentation matters

• All labels need visibility to succeed

Valdo’s story is proof that history and innovation can go hand in hand. Nearly 100 years of winemaking has taught us that staying relevant doesn’t mean letting go of your roots, it means being willing to evolve while staying true to what matters most: quality, collaboration and a clear sense of purpose.

Matteo Bolla is the U.S. & Canada Business Development Manager for Valdo Spumanti, a historic Prosecco producer founded in 1926 and owned by the Bolla family since 1938. Representing the fifth Bolla generation, Matteo was born in New York and raised between Parma, Verona, and Valdobbiadene. He studied Economics and Management and now serves as both Business Development Manager and Brand Ambassador for Valdo in the U.S. In 2023, Valdo entered a strategic partnership with C. Mondavi & Family, which now serves as its importer and marketing partner for the Americas. Matteo’s mission is to grow the Valdo brand by honoring its legacy while bringing a fresh, innovative perspective to the wine industry.

The Tomato Supply Chain

ITALY’S AGRIFOOD POWERHOUSE SHIFTING MARKET DYNAMICS AND RETAIL COMPETITION

BY CHRISTIAN STIVALETTI, CEO LASELVA

Industrial tomatoes represent one of the most significant sectors in the Italian and European agri-food industry, both in terms of production volume and economic impact.

The Global Market at a Glance

In an increasingly competitive retail market, tomato -based products (such as purées, concentrates, sauces, and ready-to-use tomato preparations) are at the heart of a fierce battle between branded goods and private labels, with major implications for growers, processors, and distributors.

Global industrial tomato production is highly concentrated. In 2024, around 40 million tons were produced, with the top three producers being China, U.S., and Italy. The top ten producing countries accounted for 80% of global output, while the top 50 processing companies were responsible for twothirds of the total.

Italy maintained its position as the world’s thirdlargest producer of industrial tomatoes, with 5.3 million tons harvested in 2024, a slight decrease of 2.5% compared to 2023. The harvest season was impacted by adverse weather conditions: droughts in the South and excessive rainfall in the North led to frequent disruptions in processing plants and extended the season into November. Despite an 11% increase in cultivated areas nationwide, production fell short of initial estimates, especially in Northern Italy.

Nonetheless, the industrial tomato supply chain posted a record trade surplus for Italy. According to ANICAV, in 2023 Italian exports of tomato-based products rose sharply by 16% compared to the previous year, reaching a total value of approximately €3 billion. In 2024, this trend continued, growing by 4.2% and reaching €3.39 billion. Tomato derivatives remain among the top-performing fruit and vegetable products, both in export markets and domestic sales.

“Private labels have transformed the perception of ‘second choice’ into that of a ‘smart choice, offering certified supply chains and organic products at competitive prices.”

The competition between brands and private labels in the tomato-based product segment reflects the challenges and opportunities of a constantly evolving supply chain, where quality, sustainability, and innovation will be key to future success.

Historically, the battle between brands and private labels has played out on many levels beyond simple price comparisons. It’s a contest that involves perceived value, brand identity, sustainability, traceability, and increasingly, organic production.

Different Paths to Value

Branded products have traditionally built their value on:

• Consistent and recognizable quality, with strict standards and careful raw material selection.

• A regional storytelling approach, such as highlighting origin (“100% Italian tomatoes,” “grown in Emilia-Romagna,” etc.).

• Product innovation, such as new formats (tubes, resealable cartons), premium options (e.g. “rustic purée”), or environmentally friendly packaging.

• Strong investment in marketing and brand equity, allowing for higher average price positioning.

The added value offered by brands is not just perceived, it’s measurable. It typically results in higher margins for producers and processors, greater product diversification, and easier access to international markets thanks to brand recognition.

Brands are also often the first to experiment with trends such as organic tomatoes, certified environmental impact, well-known tomato varieties, or yellow tomato derivatives.

On the other hand, private labels, now more sophisticated and often managed with brand-like strategies, have reshaped their image from “second choice” to “smart choice.” Large retail groups have heavily invested in:

• Eye-catching packaging, often resembling that of leading brands.

• Supply chain certifications and 100% Italian production.

• Organic products under their own brand, which are growing strongly in the retail segment.

These are all offered at highly competitive prices, although such downward price pressure often affects the margins of primary producers and processors.

A particularly notable trend is the rise of organic private label products, which consumers often perceive as both “ethical” and “affordable.” This shift has led many “conscious premium” shoppers to opt for supermarket offerings, eating into the market share of long-established brands.

Adding Value Through Ethics and Transparency

In recent years, there has been a significant change in the behavior of European organic consumers. More are shopping in conventional supermarkets, often discounters, abandoning specialty stores.

In this context, those looking to escape the price war must add value to their offerings by focusing on sustainability. As a result, initiatives that certify the ethical nature of supply chains - ensuring transparency, social responsibility, fair working conditions, sustainable farming practices, and fair compensation for farmers - are gaining increasing importance.

Fair remuneration is essential for maintaining a high-quality and sustainable supply chain, as farmers must receive compensation that reflects the real costs and effort involved. These factors are becoming essential prerequisites for access to demanding European markets like Germany and the Nordic countries, where both consumers and regulations require high standards of sustainability and social responsibility.

In conclusion, while the industrial tomato supply chain remains a cornerstone of Italy’s “traditional” economy, it is rapidly evolving to meet new market demands: not only through industrial and technological investments but also, and above all, through investments in sustainability, innovation, and transparency to secure its future within the European agri-food landscape.

Stivaletti, born and raised in Maremma, Italy, has been CEO of LaSelva since 2015. With a degree in Food Science and Technology from the University of Florence, he gained extensive experience in the agri-food sector through roles in various companies across the Grosseto area. A passionate advocate for food and sustainability, he is a committed supporter and consumer of organic products. He fully embraces LaSelva’s mission, built on quality, environmental respect, and organic farming.

Christian

No/Low-Alcohol Beverages Are the Modern World’s Newest Elixir

THE HOLY GRAIL FOR FORMER DRINKERS, THE GRAY AREA BETWEEN “ONE FOR THE ROAD” AND A GLASS OF WATER, AND THEY’RE EXPANDING RAPIDLY

BY RICCARDO ASTOLFI, FOOD & BEV INNOVATOR

They’re sneaking into hipster cocktail bars and mainstream supermarkets with the same ease as someone saying, “Let’s have a quick call,” only to hold you hostage for two hours. But let’s step back: what’s really going on here?

The “Almost” Industry

United States: In the U.S., the No/Lo-alcohol market is booming, forecasted to approach $5 billion by 2028, driven primarily by a significant shift toward health consciousness and wellness among consumers, especially Millennials and Gen Z. Nonalcoholic spirits and ready-to-drink beverages (RTDs) are the fastest-growing segments, reflecting Americans’ desire for sophisticated, convenient, and health-conscious alternatives. The kombucha category also continues to flourish, projected to surpass $6 billion by 2032, as consumers increasingly embrace its perceived health benefits and unique flavors. Interestingly, the “sober curious” movement is strongly influencing market dynamics, emphasizing moderation without compromising on the social and sensory experiences traditionally associated with alcohol consumption.

Europe: Europe remains a substantial and mature market for No/ Lo beverages, reaching €8.6 billion in 2023 with a projected growth to €15.4 billion by 2032. Beer dominates the European No/Lo landscape, accounting for over 90% of market value, reflecting deeply rooted cultural preferences. However, the wine and spirits segments, including proxies and non-alcoholic distilled spirits, are experiencing significant growth, driven by consumer interest in premiumization and more complex sensory experiences. Kombucha is rapidly emerging across Europe, with sales expected to nearly triple by 2030, boosted by a heightened focus on wellness and the proliferation of specialty retail and online channels. Regulatory developments, particularly concerning labeling and production standards, are also shaping the market, creating new opportunities for innovation.

Italy: Although smaller compared to the U.S. and broader European markets, Italy’s No/Lo market is expanding robustly, with projected growth rates of nearly 8% annually through 2030. The recent legalization of domestic production of dealcoholized wine represents a significant turning point, spurring substantial investments from major wine producers and igniting consumer interest. Non-alcoholic wine sales alone saw impressive growth, increasing nearly 40% in value in 2023, reflecting Italians’ growing preference for mindful drinking. The Italian market also mirrors global trends toward fermented beverages like kombucha, driven by increased awareness of gut health and stress reduction benefits. This evolving landscape presents significant opportunities for innovation, especially in creating high-quality products that celebrate Italy’s rich culinary and agricultural heritage.

But beyond big figures lies a key shift: we’re no longer talking about soft drinks disguised as cool alternatives, but a universe of beverages aspiring to wine’s pedigree and spirits’ complexity, minus the alcohol.

There are several trends that fuel this market growth:

Changing consumption habits: Younger generations prioritize health and wellness, reducing alcohol intake for lighter, sophisticated alternatives.

Rise in premium options: Luxury mocktails and alcohol-free spirits now compete directly with high-end alcoholic beverages.

Regulatory shifts: Policies encouraging alcohol reduction boost the alternative beverage market.

Expanding taste culture: Consumers demand aromatic complexity and ritualistic experiences.

The real question: Will the market hold up? Spoiler: It depends on who survives natural selection.

The Terroir of No/Lo: Crafting a New Production Identity

In the wine world, terroir defines a bottle’s uniqueness: a perfect synthesis of land, climate, farming techniques, and tradition. In No/Lo beverages, terroir can be reinterpreted

through ingredient quality, fermentation and maceration processes, artisanal botanicals, and ingredient origins.

A valuable No/Lo beverage can’t merely be alcohol-free liquid, it must embody a connection to its territory and production culture. The recipe plays a pivotal role: acidity balance, aromatic structure, and texture demand as much attention as a fine wine or craft spirit. Spontaneous fermentations, herbal and spice infusions, and innovative extraction methods add distinctiveness, setting quality No/Lo products apart from generic, soulless offerings.

Top No/Lo producers don’t simply replace alcohol with chemicals and sweeteners, they create authentic sensory experiences. Ingredient origins, meticulous processing, and transparency across the supply chain distinguish the finest products, transforming them into something that evokes a place, a history, and a genuine craft beyond the simplistic idea of a “non-alcoholic drink.”

Brand Darwinism: Who Stays Standing?

Brands with a clear identity: No/Lo is already crowded with branding Frankensteins, attempting to please everyone and ending up as the liquid equivalent of a Zoom party. Differentiate or perish: owning a strong niche is essential.

Brands selling experiences: If your product tastes like apple juice pretending to be champagne, you’re out. Ritual, culture, and compelling reasons to uncork it matter.

Brands telling authentic stories: If you claim your drink is “inspired by 13th-century Norwegian monks,” you’d better have at least one monk on the team.

And then, inevitably: private labels. They enter, copy, simplify, and win on price, but now face a challenge. Without compelling narratives and premium ingredients, they risk becoming the liquid version of a €90 “basic but premium” T-shirt.

“We’re no longer talking about soft drinks disguised as cool alternatives, but a universe of beverages aspiring to wine’s pedigree and spirits’ complexity, minus the alcohol.”

The 7 Rules for No/Lo Success (Or, How Not to End Up Discounted in Six Months)

Find Your Tribe: Brand success isn’t just measured in sales but loyalty. Better a small, passionate community than millions of occasional, indifferent buyers. Strong brands foster belonging, creating shared identities.

Sell Rituals, Not Liquids: Products must offer experiences. Think Japanese tea ceremonies, wine rituals, carefully crafted cocktails: they generate value. If your drink is just watered-down alcohol substitute, you’re doomed.

Be Clear: No/Lo consumers don’t like deception. Avoid vague slogans: clearly communicate why your product exists and what to expect. Transparency builds trust.

Transparency Wins: Consumers want details: ingredient origins, producers, processes. Transparency isn’t merely ethical, it’s a competitive edge.

Be More Than “Alcohol-Free”: If your product’s only advantage is no alcohol, you’re already losing. Complex flavors, authentic taste experiences, and dedicated production methods must create excitement, not compromise.

Choose Your Channels Wisely: Omnipresence dilutes identity. Be selective; place your products where values align and storytelling thrives. Premium brands lose identity in pricefocused outlets.

Education is Crucial: Consumers aren’t fully No/Lo-savvy yet. If buyers don’t understand your product, they won’t repurchase. Tastings, storytelling, bartender engagement: all transform niche products into conscious, desirable choices.

Not for Amateurs

The No/Lo market is the new Wild West; the gold rush is just beginning. Only those who understand that building a brand is more than just crafting a product will succeed - those who tell authentic stories and deliver worthwhile experiences.

Everyone else? They’ll land on nostalgia’s shelves, alongside charcoal detox juices and chakra-aligning functional waters (spoiler alert: they don’t work).

Riccardo Astolfi is a food innovation expert with 20+ years of experience in fermentation, plant-based alternatives, and No/Low-Alcohol beverages. He has founded and supported brands that shape and anticipate, not follow, market trends. His vision for the future of food blends artisanal methods, advanced fermentation, and natural ingredients to turn bold ideas into sensory-rich, authentic products.

Best Practices, Trends, and Threats in Extra Virgin Olive Oil

A RETAIL BUYER’S PERSPECTIVE

BY MORGAN DRUMMOND, SENIOR DIRECTOR OF PRIVATE LABEL MISFITS MARKET

As a Certified Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) Savante and private label sourcing leader, I’ve had the privilege of navigating an industry that is both rich in tradition and ever-evolving. In my role, sourcing high-quality olive oil, educating consumers, and responding to emerging trends and challenges are critical. Below, I’ll share my perspective on best practices for sourcing EVOO, key market trends, and emerging threats retailers should be mindful of.

Best Practices for Sourcing Extra Virgin Olive Oil

The foremost practice I look for in suppliers is traceability and quality assurance. Knowing the full story, from grove to warehouse, helps ensure the authenticity and high quality of the product. Suppliers must demonstrate supply chain transparency and robust testing of bulk lots and finished product, all essential in preventing and identifying food fraud and adulteration.

Environmental stewardship is also critical. As climate change threatens olive crops, it’s important to partner with suppliers who implement sustainable practices. Responsible water usage and regenerative farming not only help protect the environment, but also increase resilience against persistent challenges like droughts and pests.

Supplier knowledge is invaluable; it supports me in making informed sourcing decisions and being able to anticipate and educate others on product dynamics. Suppliers well-versed in both technical production aspects and market dynamics, such as exchange rates and forecast timing, offer insights that aid in making informed purchasing decisions, ensuring a steady supply of top-quality EVOO.

Best Practices for Retailers

Retailers play a crucial role in educating consumers about EVOO. One best practice I’ve found invaluable is pursuing further education. As a certified EVOO Savante (a professional designation earned through rigorous blind tasting and sensory evaluation), I’ve gained insights that have made me a better sourcing leader. This certification sharpened my ability to assess quality, understand regional profiles, and communicate value to both buyers and end consumers. I recommend sourcing teams seek additional training, either through employers or suppliers, who can often (and want to) support educational opportunities such as field visits or third-party courses.

Retailers should then leverage their buyers’ and suppliers’ expertise to foster an emotional connection with consumers. EVOO is not just a pantry staple; it’s steeped in history and tradition. Sharing its journey, from olive grove to bottle, through videos, photography, and storytelling helps consumers connect with the product. This establishes trust while enhancing the consumer experience.

Lastly, educating customers on EVOO’s quality standards and health benefits is vital.

Many consumers don’t understand the differences between olive oil grades or how freshness and flavor intersects with usage. Encouraging customers to keep multiple types for different uses can elevate their cooking and enhance their appreciation of this versatile product.

Trends in EVOO Packaging

Packaging in EVOO is evolving. While dark glass bottles have traditionally been used to protect oil from light and oxidation, aluminum bottles are gaining popularity. Aluminum offers light and oxygen protection, weighs less, is less fragile, and more costeffective for shipping, making it a sustainable and efficient option for suppliers and retailers.

On the other hand, PET squeeze bottles have gained traction due to their convenience and cost-effectiveness. However, PET isn’t ideal for premium EVOO as it is more susceptible to oxygen permeability, which degrades oil quality more quickly. Though a highly convenient format for cooking, it is in my opinion a better vessel for an olive oil blend developed for high-heat cooking.

Food as Medicine

EVOO is increasingly recognized for its health benefits, particularly its high antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. Freshly harvested EVOO, rich in polyphenols, is particularly sought after for its heart-health benefits and inflammation reduction. The “tingle” some EVOOs cause in the throat is typically a sign of high antioxidant content and is considered a selling point for premium oils.

As the trend toward functional foods grows, retailers can tap into this by educating customers on how EVOO can support wellness, not just cooking.

Promoting different blends or varietals that contribute to a healthy lifestyle helps position EVOO as more than a cooking oil but a key ingredient for health.

Threats Facing the EVOO Industry

Despite the growth of EVOO’s popularity, there are significant threats, especially involving supply chain disruptions and market volatility.

Climate Change: The Mediterranean region, which produces the majority of the world’s olive oil, faces unpredictable and extreme weather patterns. Rising temperatures, decreased rainfall, and pests like the olive fruit fly all negatively impact crop yields and oil quality. Retailers should work with suppliers investing in climate-resilient practices to support future production.

Tariffs: Tariffs on olive oil imports from the EU and beyond could increase prices for U.S. consumers, depending on the final tariff amounts and how suppliers and retailers address these additional costs. As the U.S. imports most of its olive oil due to only producing about 4% of its own demand, tariffs can threaten demand for premium oils. Retailers need to collaborate closely with suppliers to manage costs, adjust assortments, and leverage timing and exchange rates to mitigate impact as much as possible.

Food Fraud: With premium EVOO becoming more scarce and expensive due to factors like climate change and tariffs, the risk of food fraud increases. Unscrupulous players may dilute or misrepresent oils to cut costs. Maintaining traceability and transparency throughout the supply chain is essential, now more than ever. Retailers must partner with trusted suppliers who adhere to rigorous quality controls to prevent fraudulent products from reaching consumers and losing their trust and loyalty.

Photo by

Conclusion

The olive oil industry stands at a crossroads, facing both exciting opportunities and challenges. Sourcing high-quality EVOO requires transparent and knowledgeable suppliers. By staying aware of trends and opportunities, such as packaging innovations and continued education, while addressing threats like climate change, tariffs, and food fraud, we can all contribute to the continued growth and integrity of the olive oil market.

“Knowing the full story, from grove to warehouse, helps ensure the authenticity and high quality of the product.”

Morgan Drummond has over 15 years of experience in the natural food industry, with expertise in private label sourcing, product development, and brand scaling. Based in Austin, TX, she leads the Odds & Ends brand at Misfits Market, focusing on sustainable, high-quality products. Formerly at Whole Foods Market for over a decade, she managed sourcing across multiple categories, including olive oil. A Certified EVOO Savante (one of only eight globally), Morgan combines deep technical knowledge with market insight. She holds degrees in Nutrition and Food Science and advises the Velocity Institute.

A World of Mediterranean Excellence in Every Drop of Olive Oil

SOURCED FROM THE MEDITERRANEAN’S

MOST TREASURED LOCATIONS

Mexico City, CDMX Country Ofﬁce

Certified Origins Mexico SA de CV, Av. Contreras 516 Col. San Jerónimo Lídice

Magdalena Contreras CDMX 10200

Newport News, VA Headquarter and Bottling Facility

Certified Origins Inc. 230 Pickett's Line Newport News VA 23603 United States

Reus, Catalonia Headquarter

Certified Origins, Ibérica Carrer de Tivoli 8-10 43202 Reus Tarragona, Spain

Grosseto, Tuscany Group Headquarter and Bottling Facility

Certified Origins, Italia S.r.l Via del Madonnino 7 58100 Loc. Braccagni Grosseto, Italy

Shanghai, Jing’an District Country Ofﬁce

Wuding West Road N. 1198 Room 312, Jing'an District Shanghai, China 上海市静安区武定西路1198 号312室

How Branded Coffee Wins in a Private Label World

WHAT THIS SHIFT MEANS FOR BRANDS LIKE LAVAZZA AND HOW TO RESPOND

BY DANIELE FOTI, MARKETING VP NORTH AMERICA LAVAZZA

As private label products continue to gain momentum across grocery and mass retail, particularly in categories like coffee, the question isn’t about staying on the shelf, it’s about staying relevant. It’s about how branded products can continue to differentiate themselves in a landscape where price, packaging, and quality benchmarks have risen across the board.

In a competitive and emotionally driven category, where consumer preferences shift rapidly and brand loyalty is increasingly fluid, standing out requires more than name recognition. It demands clarity of purpose, consistency in quality, and a deep understanding of what consumers truly value. The most resilient branded products are those that don’t compete head-to-head with private labels, but instead complement them by offering distinct value: identity, emotional connection, and the ability to spark loyalty through experience.

At Lavazza, a family-owned Italian brand with a presence in more than 140 countries, we see this as both a challenge and an opportunity. Our approach is grounded in what has guided us for over a century: delivering a high-quality experience built on craftsmanship, innovation, and trust. Coffee is a personal ritual. It’s not just about flavor, it’s about how it makes people feel. And brands that understand that emotional connection will continue to play a meaningful role in people’s lives.

Private labels have certainly raised the bar and, in many cases, improved category standards. But branded products continue to bring something distinct: emotional resonance, a sense of identity, and long-term consumer trust. The goal is not ubiquity, but recognition. In practice, that means leading with purpose, keeping quality at the center, and ensuring that every product reflects the values that consumers have come to expect. Recognition, after all, isn’t built on visibility alone, but on trust earned over time.

“The most resilient branded products are those that don’t compete head-to-head with private labels, but instead complement them.”

The Power of Touchpoints and Strategic Partnerships

Today’s consumer journey is no longer linear. Shoppers are increasingly omnichannel. They browse online and buy offline, check prices in-store while standing in the aisle, and discover products on social media before ever seeing them on the shelf. In this context, retail is more than just distribution, it’s an opportunity to express brand identity in a tangible, immediate way. Every touchpoint matters. Packaging, placement, promotions, and the product itself must all work together to tell a cohesive story and deliver an experience that earns trust. A well-designed bag or capsule, a compelling on-shelf display, or a brand video shared via digital channels: each becomes a moment to reinforce positioning and spark recognition.

This is where strategic brand-retailer partnerships become essential. As the coffee category continues to evolve, there’s growing emphasis on collaborations that go beyond distribution to deliver added value, such as through innovation, storytelling, and consumer engagement. In our case, in 2025, this will include initiatives such as new and exclusive product launches, expanded shelf presence for key segments, and integrated in-store and digital storytelling designed to reinforce heritage, quality, and differentiation at the point of sale.

These initiatives are not simply marketing exercises, they are tools to create real distinction in crowded aisles, helping retailers attract consumers who are seeking more than just convenience.

Innovation, of course, also plays a central role. But it’s never about chasing trends, it’s about understanding how consumer habits are evolving and creating products that truly resonate. One of the most notable shifts we’re seeing in the coffee category is a growing demand for bolder, more expressive flavors, especially in at-home formats. Recent launches, such as our flavored K-Cups, inspired by iconic Italian desserts like Tiramisu and Vanilla Affogato, are a direct response to this trend offering a new dimension of flavor exploration.

Similarly, the increasing demand for decaffeinated options that don’t compromise on taste points to a broader desire for products that balance indulgence and well-being. Consumers no longer view decaf as a secondary choice, they expect the same richness and aroma, reimagined for different moments of the day.

Earning Shelf Space in a Shifting Market

At the same time, it’s important to be mindful of the broader market dynamics at play. Value chains are under pressure across the board from production costs to supply chain resilience, which creates real tension between competitiveness and sustainability. For retailers, the opportunity lies in striking the right balance between private label efficiency and branded value. The brands that will earn their place on the shelf are those that deliver both credibility and incremental growth through quality, innovation, and shopper engagement.

This is where branded products can offer more than just shelf presence. When backed by strong storytelling and cultural relevance, they can deepen consumer engagement and elevate the overall retail experience. From global campaigns to appearances at high-profile events, brand visibility, when done with intention, can reinforce trust and create lasting connections. These efforts don’t just support brand equity, they contribute to a more dynamic and differentiated shopper journey.

As we look ahead, several enduring shifts are shaping the coffee aisle: a growing appetite for expressive flavors, increased interest in premium experiences at home, and a desire for products that feel personal and intentional. These aren’t passing fads, they reflect how people live, what brings them comfort, and what they reach for in everyday moments. The brands that thrive in this environment will be those that stay true to their purpose, evolve thoughtfully, and consistently deliver on what matters most to their consumers. For Lavazza, that means continuing to honor our roots while building toward the future. It means helping retailers create meaningful differentiation and lasting consumer relationships. And above all, it means elevating everyday coffee moments, one cup at a time.

Daniele Foti is Vice President of Marketing for Lavazza North America, with over a decade of experience in FMCG multinationals. He combines expertise in marketing and trade marketing with a solid finance background. His skills span strategy development, full-funnel campaigns, product launches, pricing, and customer management. Daniele began his career in finance at GE Capital and Coca-Cola HBC, later advancing through marketing and sales roles at Coca-Cola HBC, Reckitt Benckiser, and L’Oréal Italy. He joined Lavazza in 2021, where he has led significant growth in market share and brand recognition. He holds a Finance degree from Bocconi University and a Master’s in Accounting from the Stockholm School of Economics.

How Olive Oil Awards Strengthen Brand Positioning

THE ALMAZARAS DE LA SUBBÉTICA CASE

BY LELY MORENO, MANAGING DIRECTOR CERTIFIED ORIGINS IBERICA AND ALFONSO SERRANO, COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR ALMAZARAS DE LA SUBBÉTICA

Almazaras de la Subbética is a leading cooperative with more than 60 years of experience in the olive oil sector. Over the decades, it has become the most awarded Spanish cooperative, thanks to a steadfast commitment to excellence and the quality of its oils.

This dedication to continuous improvement, innovation, and respect for origins has led to internationally recognized brands and a privileged position in the market.

In this conversation between Lely Moreno, Certified Origin’s Managing Director, and Alfonso Serrano, Commercial Director of Almazaras de la Subbética, we explore how the cooperative has built its path to success and how awards have played a pivotal role in enhancing its image and global reputation.

LM: When did you first decide to enter a competition, and what was the experience like?

AS: Our first participation dates back to 1998, in a competition organized by the Priego de Córdoba Protected Designation of Origin, of which we’ve proudly been members since our founding. That year, we placed third, an exciting achievement at the time. The following year, in 1999, we won first prize. That win marked a turning point and showed us that our work could make a significant impact beyond our region.

From 2001 onwards, we began entering national contests like the Alimentos de España Awards and Expoliva. Since then, we haven’t stopped competing, learning, and evolving.

Interestingly, at the time, some competitions had a rule that disqualified first-prize winners from participating the following year.

LM: How many competitions have you entered since?

AS: Today, Almazaras de la Subbética participates in about 40 competitions each year, both in Spain and abroad. Over the years, we’ve won more than 2,000 awards, a milestone that fills us with pride.

Among the most prestigious, we’ve received 30 awards from the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture (MAPA) and over 20 from the International Olive Council (IOC), a global authority in quality and technical excellence.

And, of course, we’re especially proud to have been recognized as the best extra virgin olive oil in the world for eight consecutive years, by the prestigious and international World’s Best Olive Oils ranking.

LM: How does the team prepare for competitions?

AS: Preparation begins long before bottling. It starts in the olive groves, with a thorough selection of the plots that offer the best fruit, taking into account factors such as variety, altitude, orientation, and the health of the olive grove.

Next comes the early harvest, timed precisely for optimal ripeness. It’s a delicate balance, where quality is always prioritized over quantity.

Once in the mill, olives are pressed immediately to preserve full freshness and prevent oxidation.

Then comes the work of the quality and tasting team. Our internal tasting panel conducts a rigorous sensory evaluation of each sample, selecting only the batches that meet the highest standards, analyzing attributes such as fruitiness, bitterness, spiciness, balance, and complexity. Our technical and quality departments simultaneously carry out chemical and physical analyses.

Finally, we manage sample registration and shipment, ensuring compliance with deadlines and specific competition requirements.

It’s a true team effort, involving farmers, millers, tasters, technicians, and administrative staff, all working toward the shared goal of showcasing our best to the world.

LM: How have the awards impacted your brands?

AS: Awards have undoubtedly played a crucial role in positioning our brands globally. Brands such as Rincón de la Subbética and Parqueoliva Serie Oro have been recognized as the best oils in the world on multiple occasions, opening doors for us in international markets and building consumer trust.

Awards offer more than visibility, they bring credibility and prestige. They validate our dedication to quality.

This recognition also supports our business in bulk and premium private label segments. For instance, we’ve secured partnerships with companies like Goya and Olivoilà thanks in part to our award-winning status.

LM: Do competitions differ significantly in how they operate?

AS: Absolutely. Operations vary considerably between competitions, especially regarding registration and verification procedures.

For example, some require a notary to collect the sample directly from our facilities to guarantee transparency and traceability, while others allow us to submit samples ourselves.

Minimum batch sizes also vary, with some contests accepting only oils from larger productions. Additional documents may be required too, such as organic certification (in case of organic products) or presubmission lab analysis.

These variables require us to be highly coordinated and up-to-date, but have also allowed us to maximize our internal processes and adapt quickly to different requirements, helping us raise standards across the board.

LM: How do you celebrate these achievements?

AS: Every award is a shared success. We celebrate with the entire team: farmers, technicians, production crews, sales, marketing staff.

We also make sure to share the news through our social media channels so our partners and customers can follow our progress. But, above all, we celebrate with pride and responsibility, because each award reinforces our mission and raises the bar for the future.

LM: What do you think could be improved in olive oil competitions?

AS: One improvement we’d welcome is limiting the number of awards granted in a single competition.

Fewer, more selective awards would raise the level of prestige and make each recognition more meaningful. This would elevate both the competitions and the winning oils, creating stronger incentives for producers to continually strive for excellence.

LM: What are your expectations for the upcoming harvest and awards season?

AS: We’re approaching the new season with a mix of optimism and caution. A high-volume harvest is expected, which is good news, but it also demands extra care at every stage to ensure we uphold the quality that defines our oils.

Our hope is that this abundant yield will also deliver in terms of quality, especially since Hojiblanca, one of our flagship varieties, is expected to perform well this season. That would position us favorably for upcoming competitions. On the pricing front, however, current signals suggest a season marked by medium to low price levels.

Alfonso Serrano García holds a degree in Business Administration and a postgraduate degree in International Business. He began his career with Patatas San Nicasio before joining Almazaras de la Subbética, where he drove international growth, established a branch in Italy, and launched online sales. Appointed Commercial Director in 2023, he has since participated in trade missions in over 15 countries. He is Vice President of DO Priego de Córdoba, Board Member and Treasurer of Qv Extra, and sits on the board of Certified Origins Ibérica. He is committed to promoting premium extra virgin olive oil and supporting farmers in high-cost production areas.

Lely Moreno García is an Agricultural Engineer specialized in the Food Industry (UdL), with a Master’s in Organizational Management (UAB). She began her career as a consultant in the food sector, focusing on olive oil and wine projects, before moving into the fruit juice industry within a European group. During this time, she also served as a professor at the University of Tarragona. She later took on leadership roles in the healthcare sector and currently serves as Managing Director of CO IBE, the Spanish company of the CO group. Her work is guided by a strong belief in the power of people-centered organizations to drive meaningful contributions to society.

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Shaping the Conversation Around Retail

Thank you

We would like to thank all the authors, partners, and collaborators who contributed their expertise, insights, and creativity to this special issue.

This magazine is the result of a collective effort towards decoding the evolving world of food retail and bringing meaningful perspectives to the industry.

Editorial Direction, Project Coordination and Design by Global Retail Brands, Certified Origins, and The Armin Bar.

Published by Global Retail Brands in collaboration with Certified Origins.

Where Premium Quality Meets Private Label

CERTIFIED, AUTHENTIC, RESPONSIBLY SOURCED

We partner with trusted farmers and producers across the Mediterranean to deliver exceptional extra virgin olive oils, tomato sauces, and pantry staples - full of authentic, traceable ﬂavor for your brand.

Private Label and National Brands - Decoding Food Retail

Your Worry-Free Source for Extra Virgin Olive Oil

TACTICS

Meet the Authors

Introduction

The Great Retail Game Rebalance

THE NEXT CHAPTER OF FOOD RETAIL CEN TERS ON PRECI SION, SHARED VALUES, AND MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS

Private Labels Go Premium

Retail Reinvented

Where Online Meets In-Store

Winning Today’s Game

Private Brands on the Rise

THE DYNAMICS OF CHANGE

The State of the Game

Why Have Private Brands Emerged?

What to Expect Going Forward

A Climate-Friendly EVOO Brand

The Global Perspective

NAVIGATING GROWTH, REGULATION, AND REGIONALITY IN PRIVATE LABEL

Growth in Emerging Markets

Acquisitions and Regional Differences

Regionality Matters

U.S. Regulatory Notables

Top 3 Hot Topics Regarding Regulatory Initiatives:

Making Meaning in a Crowded Aisle

UNITED SODAS AND THE REAL WORK OF BUILDING A FOOD BRAND

United Sodas: How to Build a Beverage Company

How to Stand Out and Stay In on the Shelf

Conclusions

Authentic Real Food for Spanish Food Lovers

Think Like a Buyer, Act as a Developer

PRIVATE LABEL FOOD STRATEGIES THAT DELIVER RESULTS IN MEXICO

The Mexican Food Retail Landscape: A Blend of Tradition and Modernity

Private Labels in Food: From Generic to Gourmet

Key Players in the Mexican Food Retail Sector

Think Like a Buyer: Insights for Food Manufacturers

Act Like a Developer: Building a Successful Private Label Food Strategy

National vs. Imported Products: Navigating the Food Market

From Transactional to Transformational Partnerships

The Label Story

INSIGHTS FROM MILAN AND CHICAGO’S SUPERMARKET SHELVES

Milan: Shopping Habits, and Empty Shelves

Packaging, Health Codes, Pricing and Perception Gaps

Shelf Strategy and the Branded Experience

Chicago: Vibrancy, Variety, and Visibility

Findings: American vs European

Conclusions

Branding Authenticity

STRATEGIES FROM THE TOSCANO PGI EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL CONSORTIUM

Understanding Toscano PGI Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Oversight and Protection

Promotion: From Everyday Product to Specialty

Transparency and Trust

International Reach

Beyond Private Labels

HOW AUTHENTIC BRANDS LIKE SEGGIANO

THRIVE IN A STORE-BRAND ERA

A Changing Retail Landscape

Lessons from Tuscany: Why Place Still Matters

What Sets a Brand Apart in a World of “Good Enough”?

Choosing Channels With Intention

Educate, Don’t Imitate

Looking Ahead:

Slower, Smarter, Stronger

Fair Trade, Smart Play

STRATEGIC RETAIL WINS IN A GLOBAL MARKET

Better Supply Chains Mean Better Business

Consumers are Choosing Ethical, Sustainable Brands

Retailers Doing It Right

What’s Next

From Budget Buys To Brand Promises

WHY TODAY’S STORE BRANDS CAN NO LONGER HIDE BEHIND A PRICE TAG

From Crisis Containment to Corporate Identity

Trust, Consistency, and Institutional Dialogue

New Rules, Higher Stakes

Elements of a Winning Costco Pallet Display

HOW TO COMPETE WITH KIRKLAND SIGNATURE

Understanding the Playing Field

Design for the Floor

Compete Where It Counts