The goal of Store Brands Month is to increase consumer trial by focusing attention on the positive attributes and practical factors of store brands - including value, digital convenience, ethical considerations, innovation and budget awareness - across all product categories in both brick-and-mortar and online retail formats. 

How do we determine what a great plant is? Is it an exciting design? New technologies or automation? Sustainability efforts? Perhaps, it is a processor that continues to process, as well as protect a decades-long family recipe.

Private-label products, sometimes known as private brands or store brands, have enjoyed steady growth since even before the COVID-19 pandemic. And dollar sales continue to grow. In 2023, total dollar sales rose 6%, while units sold grew 0.9% compared to the prior year. 

Bettergoods items range from under $2 to under $15, with most products available for under $5.

Cheese continues its run as perhaps the strongest segment of the dairy industry. For the year ending Jan. 28, there were very few kinks in its armor.

This represents a 4.7% rise in dollar sales in all outlets from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2023, versus the same period the prior year, according to the report.

Natural cheese — and the diverse types of shredded, chunks, slices, string/stick, crumbled, cubes, ricotta, and all other forms — generated $17.4 billion in dollar sales, a year-over-year (YoY) increase of 7%.

In rural Ohio, equidistant from Cleveland and Pittsburgh, lies America’s oldest family-owned butter and cheese creamery. A fifth generation operates 129-year-old Minerva Dairy today, with a sixth generation on the way.

The show will take place Nov. 12 to 14 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Chicago. 

Like several other segments of dairy, most natural and processed cheese categories enjoyed strong dollar sales during a recent 52-week period, but suffered unit sales declines, according to information provided by Chicago-based Circana.