Winners for PLMA's Salute to Excellence awards announced

Among the most popular original programming features for PLMA Live’s Private Label Week has been the announcement of retail winners for PLMA’s Salute to Excellence awards, presented in recognition of the best new private label products of 2020 in nearly 70 food and nonfood categories. The announcements are featured in an exclusive series of video interviews with 30 retailers, offering first-hand insights into the innovative process— including original concepts, consumer trends research and strategic developments—that brought their award-winning products to market.

The awards program recognized a total of 36 retail companies, representing a broad cross section of national as well as regional supermarkets, mass merchandisers, drug chains, club, specialty, dollar and convenience chains.

More than 720 products were submitted for consideration in food, beverage, kitchen, household, and health & beauty categories. Each product was subjected to evaluation by a panel of professional and consumer judges on the basis of taste and sensory appeal, packaging, presentation, and value for money.

Retailers submitted products that gave evidence to a number of notable trends. Among these were a growing interest in international cuisines such Asian, Indian, and restaurant-inspired Italian foods; renewable packaging materials or reduced packaging; sanitizing, purifying and immune boosting ingredients; more affordable high-end products; plant-based products; and a continuing interest in organic and gluten free products.

In all, fifty-one new food products received PLMA’s 2020 Salute to Excellence awards in 47 separate categories, which were grouped under food for the family, bakery & desserts, dairy, beverages, meal preparation, snacks, and healthy eating. Among nonfoods, 22 products were recognized with awards among 11 health and beauty care categories plus 10 categories for home & household products.

The retail companies honored by PLMA’s Salute to Excellence this year were: 7-Eleven, Albertsons, ALDI Inc., BJ’s Wholesale Club, Brookshire Grocery Company, CVS Pharmacy, Defense Commissary Agency, Dollar General, Harris Teeter, H-E-B, Hy-Vee, Lidl US, Mega Mart, Meijer, Metro Inc., Price Chopper, PriceSmart, Raley’s, Retail Business Services, Rexall Pharmacy Group, Sam’s Club, Save A Lot, Schnuck Markets, Sephora, Smart & Final, Sobeys, Southeastern Grocers, Sprouts Farmers Market, Topco Associates, Trader Joe’s, UNFI Brands+, Uniprix, Walgreens, Walmart, Weis Markets Inc., and Whole Foods Market.

PLMA’s Salute to Excellence awards were created in 1986 to give recognition to retailers for their commitment to the growth and success of store brands. The annual judging of store brands products across all food and beverage and home and health categories began in 2006. As they have done year to year since then, the award-winning products for 2020 demonstrated the vitality, creativity and innovation of store brands.

To view all interviews with this year’s retail winners of PLMA’s Salute to Excellence, visit PLMA Live! Presents Private Label Week at www.PLWEEK.com.

Snack and bakery winners include:

Breakfast Foods: Walmart/Great Value Biscuit Crust Four Meat Breakfast Pizza
Pizza (tie): Raley's/Nob Hill Trading Company Garden Vegetable Woodfire Pizza, and Whole Foods Market Italian Cheeseboard Pizza
Side Dishes: BJ Wholesale Club/Wellsley Farms Tater Puffs
Breads, Rolls & Muffins: Metro Inc./Irresistibles Chickpea Roti Flat Bread
Cakes & Pies: Walmart/Freshness Guaranteed Unicorn Cake
Cookies & Crackers: Walmart/Marketside Decadent Chocolate Chunk Cookie
Desserts: Schnuck Markets/Culinaria Artisan Key Lime Pies
Free-From Foods: Sprouts Farmers Market/Grain Free Chips - Nacho
Gluten-Free: Walmart/Marketside Take & Bake Cauliflower Crust Margherita Pizza
Nuts & Trail Mixes: CVS Pharmacy/Gold Emblem abound Heart Healthy Trail Mix
Snacks (Salty Snack Chips): Mega Mart/ShinSunDoWon Hot Spicy Tteokbokki
Snacks (Nibbles & Noshes): Rexall Pharmacy Group/Nosh & Co. Nut Krisps - Barbeque Flavor
Sweet Snacks: PriceSmart/Member's Selection Chocolate & Sea Salt Nut Bar