PLMA Moves to All-Digital U.S. Trade Show
The Private Label Manufacturers Association will hold its first all-digital trade event for the United States at the start of 2021. The New York-based organization describes the upcoming event as “without precedent in [its] 40 years of hosting major industry trade shows internationally.”
Scheduled for Feb. 1-5, PLMALive! presents Private Label Week will roll out category-focused online exhibitions featuring top suppliers of store-brand food and nonfood products to U.S. retail chains.
After PLMA had to postpone its in-person annual event, which would have occurred in November in Chicago, the organization offered the event online by ramping up the completion of a digital trade show platform that had been in development for years, noted PLMA President Peggy Davies. Plans for the February event were revealed this past summer, when the association said that it had canceled its 2020 Private Label Trade Show.
“So many unforeseen challenges resulting from the pandemic continue to disrupt the retail marketplace and supply chain, requiring retailers and manufacturers alike to search out novel and innovative avenues for their businesses,” added Davies. “PLMA has had to innovate as well. We knew we had to deliver for the sake of members who have the same needs as before to keep on building their business under these most extraordinary circumstances. The same is true for retailers. Their need for innovative and reliable sources for products doesn’t disappear. And when the market environment changes, the capabilities of PLMA members are more important than ever. Everyone knows the show must go on, and it will go on — virtually.”
The virtual trade show floor schedule is as follows:
- Home and Household Products: Feb. 1-2
- Beverages and Center Store Foods: Feb. 2-3
- Health and Beauty and OTC Pharmaceuticals: Feb. 3-4
- Fresh, Frozen and Refrigerated Foods: Feb. 4-5
The digital event will afford visitors located anywhere the opportunity to discover new products, and then establish live connections with suppliers in face-to-face video chats. The platform is open to search for products 24/7. At all times during and outside scheduled show hours, attendees can exchange virtual business cards and request a callback from exhibitors when available or most convenient.
PLMA’s proprietary digital platform debuted in connection with the association’s online World of Private Label international trade show, which took place Dec. 1-4 and featured 1,000-plus food and nonfood suppliers from 61 countries.
Along with the category trade shows, PLMA’s industry news and information service — PLMALive! — will stream a daily schedule of original on-demand video programming that includes industry speakers, research, category trends and the announcement of retail winners of PLMA’s 2020 Salute to Excellence Awards for innovative private label products.
