Albertsons' Brandon Brown to Keynote PLMA Leadership Conference

Albertsons’ SVP of Own Brands Brandon Brown will present the keynote address at the 2024 Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA) Annual Meeting & Leadership Conference.

The event, running from March 20-22 at the Hyatt Regency San Antonio Riverwalk will focus on trends, issues and provide an opportunity to gain insights, knowledge and skills. The event brings together manufacturers, retailers and others for several days of presentations, panel discussions, workshops and networking. A highlight of the event is the Private Label Hall of Fame induction ceremony for the Class of 2024.

The conference’s themed “Private Label IS a Brand!" is reflected in PLMA’s recently-released "2024 Private Label Report", which shows that compared to 2019, annual store brand dollar sales in 2023 increased by $60.2 billion, a 34% gain. Store brand dollar share rose 1.2 points to a record 18.9%. During the four-year period, store brand unit sales were ahead by 500 million and unit share improved 0.8 points to 20.7%, also a new high. 

"The industry has become a star player in retailing, the quintessential brand when it comes to influence, quality, innovation, reliability and sales growth," said Peggy Davies, PLMA president. “There’s no time for resting our on laurels. It’s more important to discuss the challenges and opportunities that come with this new and deeper responsibility."

The event’s speaker lineup also includes other thought leaders:  

• Arjun Chakravarti of Cogknition Analytics, with a presentation on “Seizing Opportunities: How Consumers Influence the Macroeconomic Outlook for Private Brands in 2024 and Beyond.”
• Erich Kahner and Joe Cook, dunnhumby, “ALDI, Lidl and the Right Competitive Response.”
• Scott Lucas, Sterling Brands Cincinnati, will discuss how to make the most of the advantages private brands have over national brands.
• Amber Roberts, Threefold, “The Global Rise of Retail Media and How Private Brands Can Unlock its True Potential.”
• Brooke Feenstra-Swensen and Jocelyn Carter, Kerry, “Building Private Brands for The Evolving Consumer.”
• Brooke Daniels and Dave Fedewa, McKinsey & Company, “Innovate to Dominate: Unleashing the Power of Next-Gen Private Brands.”
• Jonathan Finch, Daymon, “Strong Foundations: Building Your Private Brand House for Long-Term Success.”
• A workshop by Market Performance Group, “Understand the Building Blocks for Establishing a Strategic Partnership.”

Click here to view full agenda and register. 

This article originally appeared in sister publication Store Brands.