Store Brands Industry Forums continue in 2022
The Store Brands Industry Forums series is returning in 2022, beginning with a virtual forum dedicated to Nonfood Innovation, digging into consumer insights, product trends and more in four key areas: pet products, pandemic-driven paper and cleaning items, wellness goods, and home and household products.
The event will be held Jan. 19, and like the forums we created this year, will include a keynote presentation to kickoff the day and then four fireside chats moderated by an editor of Store Brands and featuring a panel of retailer, supplier and industry thought leaders. In between sessions, attendees can network in up to groups of six through the video chat feature.
In addition to the nonfoods forum, Store Brands has topics lined up for the year to track, including a forum on consumer trends on March 30, 2022; e-commerce on May 25, 2022; sustainability topics on July 27, 2022; supply chain issues on Sept. 28, 2022; and the Store Brands Industry Summit on Dec. 14, 2022. The events can be followed at storebrandsindustryforums.com.
Additionally at that link, previous forums on sustainability and beverages are available to view on demand. Speakers at those sessions included retailers such as Kroger, Walgreens, Ahold Delhaize, Natural Grocers, Weis Markets, Giant Company, Albertsons, Boxed, Rouses Market, Casey’s and more.
The forum on nonfoods innovation will delve into the hottest categories in nonfood such as:
Pet Products — With more consumers at home, both for work and play, pet adoption increased greatly and has fueled a huge increase in sales of pet food and pet products. The category is also seeing innovation such as Petco’s industry first boutique store dedicated solely to a private brand, and Target’s new own brand Kindfull.
Pandemic Products — The forum will have a session sharing insights around pandemic products, such as paper products, hand sanitizer, masks and heavy duty cleaning products — items that saw huge private label gains during the pandemic.
Personal Care and Wellness — An offshoot of the pandemic is an increased consumer awareness around taking better care of their bodies and making wellness an overall lifestyle need. This extends into medical products and over-the-counter drugs, personal care products, and mind and body products. Maybe it’s lotions with CBD or functional ingredients, a feminie care product that better suits her lifestyle, or eco-friendly toothpaste.
House and Home — Again, consumers at home, spent more time making their homes cozier or functional office spaces. Private brands reached consumers to help them spruce up the home but also to keep them clean and tidy.
The pandemic clearly has had a big impact on these topics and the sessions will look at how this will continue and where retailers can leverage private brands further. Contact Dan Ochwat, executive editor, Store Brands, if interested in joining a panel or getting involved in the upcoming forum.