Yesterday afternoon in Chicago, the Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA) revealed the winners of the PLMA 2023 Salute to Excellence award, which honors store brand innovation across a range of product categories, including personal care and household products. The award winners were named during the opening seminar of PLMA’s Annual Private Label Trade show, which runs from Nov. 12-14.

Created in 1986, PLMA's annual awards program recognizes outstanding food and nonfood products introduced within the last year by supermarkets, drug stores, mass merchandisers, convenience stores, online retailers, wholesalers and more. 

According to PLMA President Peggy Davies, nearly 750 product entries were submitted this year by 53 North American retailers.  The submissions are sampled and evaluated by a panel of professional and consumer judges.

Health & Beauty Care Category Winners

Bath & Shower: Walmart Exfoliating Gloves

Beauty Care & Cosmetics: CVS Pharmacy one + other Slant Tweezer

Body Care: Albertsons Companies Signature Care Cherry Almond Scented Lotion

Children’s Personal Care: Metro Richelieu Personnelle Moisturizing Lip Balm for Kids

Facial Masks & Serums: Rexall Pharmacy Group KIT Himalayan Salt Eye Mask

Feminine Care: Walmart Inc. Equate Sensitive Skin Feminine Wash, Soft and Delicate

Hair Care & Accessories: Dollar General Curl Rhythm Hydrating Cleansing Conditioner

Men’s Grooming: Rite Aid Ryshi Beard Butter

Oral Care: CVS Health Custom Whitening System

Personal Hygiene Products: McKesson Canada Option+ Adult Wipes

Skin Care: Dollar General Studio Selection Micellar Cleansing Pads

Sun Care: Kroger Shimmer Sunscreen

Supplements & Vitamins: 365 by Whole Foods Market Effervescent C Powder- Kiwi Strawberry

Toddler & Baby Care: Rite Aid Strawberry Giraffe Flossers

Home & Household Product Category Winners

Dish Detergents & Soaps: Southeastern Grocers Brilliance Infinity Dishwasher Detergent Pods

Eco-Friendly Household Products: Thrive Market Rosey Do-Anything Recycled Microfiber Cloths

Hand Soaps and Sanitizers: Meijer Lemon Fresh Foaming Hand Soap

Home & Kitchen:  365 by Whole Foods Market Palo Santo Scented Candle

Household Cleaners & Products: Dollar General TrueLiving Small Spaces Air Freshener

Laundry Detergents & Pods: 365 by Whole Foods Market Sport Laundry Detergent

Opportunities in Beauty

After the names of the 90 winners scrolled across the video screen inside the Hyatt Regency, Davies introduced PLMA’s first speaker of its opening seminar—Marshal Cohen, chief industry advisor, retail, at Circana, who discussed “Retail Compression: Private Label's Big Opportunity.”

Due to a last-minute change, Cohen presented remotely in a pre-recorded video.

In his data-filled presentation, Cohen covered macro trends, ranging from the 8.7% increase received by 70 million households who currently receive Social Security and supplemental income benefits, to the fate of student loan forgiveness, to consumer credit card debit being at an all-time high right now.

But consumers were resilient, said Cohen. “They found a way to keep spending,” he said.

During his video presentation, Cohen labeled prestige beauty as the  “darling child” of retail—noting growth in both dollars and units.

Beauty was also the topic of the seminar's final speaker, Laureen Schroeder, founder of Bespoke Beauty Partners. Her presentation was entitled: “What’s Next in Beauty: Top Trends for Innovation.”

According to Schroeder, there is some good news for private label retail when it comes to the beauty category.

“Beauty consumers are dupe obsessed. This is great for store brands,” she told the audience.

In offering guidance for keeping up with trends, Schroeder pointed to Beauty Pie, Jones Road and Trinny London as brands to watch.

“These are all driven by female entrepreneurs that have been successful before,” she said.

In addition, Schroeder suggested that store brands keep an eye on ELF, which she called a “competitor” to store brands due to the mass market beauty player's price point.

“You need to figure out if you can compete with them,” she told the audience.

Schroeder detailed other trends in the category, such as interest in clinical skincare. She also discussed men’s grooming, but called it “cautionary tale” as the category has been heralded as ready to boom for about a decade now.

Schroeder insists that some changes are lending to more favorable opportunities in the category, such as elimination of outdated stereotypes and the focus on selfcare and wellness coming out of covid.

Maybe now is really the time for the category to really boom; she cited rising views for select hashtags for men’s grooming and men in focus in social media #GRWM (Get Ready With Me) videos.

She called Superdrug the “global benchmark for store brands in men’s grooming.”

PLMA’s 2023 Annual Private Label Trade Show floor opens this morning in Chicago at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center. 

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