By: Doug Baker, Vice President, Private Brands, Food Marketing Institute

I recently saw an article in My Private Brand about food retailers using their anniversary celebrations to highlight their private brands program. The program rewarded consumers with cash prizes for the private brand products shoppers have in their pantries and cupboards.  This is a great example of the opportunity a retailer has to reward both current private brand shoppers and encourage new trial, all while strengthening the food retail brand presence in the eyes of the shopper. 

This strategy also takes some of the pressure off private brands always having to be lower priced on the shelf. By creating unique value-add components to private brand programs, retailers are able to drive trial, differentiate, and build loyalty to their brand and store. 

Some other successful programs I’ve seen in the market include offering shoppers who buy the national brand the option to get the comparable private brand item for free, or having a Secret Shopper who approaches a customer at the register and buys every private brand item in their grocery cart.

For retailers the ideas are only limited by their ability to execute the program, which is one of the many advantages of being a retailer and brand owner.