The Store Brands Spotlight

Store Brands Spotlight Episode 42: The Impact of GLP-1s

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 18:09:40 -0300

As more Americans turn to GLP-1s to address various health issues, the drug’s high cost is reducing consumers’ disposable income levels and impacting what they buy at the grocery store.
But this fiscal challenge is also an opportunity for grocers to offer shoppers money-saving options across the store, which could include expansion of private label assortments.
Beth Johnson, a grocery expert with RRD, a global company that provides marketing, packaging, print, and supply chain solutions discusses the impact the high cost of GLP-1s is having in the grocery store. She will also share thoughts on how retailers can help offset the drug’s high cost, what products are in demand, and the opportunities for retailers to raise the profile of their private label products.

Store Brands Spotlight Episode 41: Trade Dress Infringement

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 16:15:27 -0300

Elizabeth J. Rest, an intellectual property attorney and co-founder of San Francisco–based Crown, LLP Elizabeth will discuss legal protections for food packaging and product presentation under trade dress law; when private label packaging may cross the line into infringement on another brand’s “look and feel,” and share best practices for grocery retailers and CPG brands alike to safeguard their brand equity and minimize legal exposure.

Store Brands Spotlight Episode 40: The Demographics of Wellness

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 17:32:48 -0400

Wellness is on the minds of consumers across all key demographics, and new research from Circana reveals some major shifts in how shoppers view the topic. Today, consumers are taking a more holistic approach to wellness, which encompasses physical, mental, emotional, and functional needs.
And this evolution is reshaping purchasing decisions across all age groups, challenging retailers to adapt their strategies to meet distinct generational priorities.
Sally Lyons Wyatt, global executive vice president and chief advisor at Circana, will take a deep dive into Circana’s new data on the consumer mindset around wellness and discuss how retailers need to adapt to meet current-day needs.

Store Brands Spotlight Episode 39: Wyda Packaging Talks Private Label Trends

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 17:55:48 -0400

The private label industry continues to grow, and retailers are looking to expand their assortments in an effort to add to their selections and provide shoppers with products that offer quality and value.
In Episode 39 of Store Brands Spotlight, Celeste Costa, head of Sales and Marketing at Wyda Packaging USA, discusses how private label growth has impacted Wyda, current trends in the marketplace, and where the conversation around sustainability stands currently.

Store Brands Spotlight Episode 38: Tom Cosgrove and Chris Costagli

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 13:48:59 -0400

Sales of private brand products continue to grow, and retailers are not dialing back their product development efforts as they work to meet continued consumer demand for quality products that offer good value.
But are retailers doing enough to connect their expanding private brand assortments with the digital shopping tools that are now in the hands of consumers?
Tom Cosgrove, director of Industry Relations with FMI - The Food Industry Association, and Chris Costagli, vice president of Thought Leadership with Nielsen IQ, discuss the findings of FMI’s new report, Private Brands At The Digital Crossroads, A Call To Lead In Omnichannel Grocery Retail.

Store Brands Spotlight Episode 37: Lizette Gomez

Thu, 08 Jan 2026 13:18:27 -0400

Lizette Gomez, director of Marketing at Vallarta Supermarkets, discusses the grocer’s ongoing sustainability efforts, touching on initiatives currently in place and what’s ahead in 2026 and beyond.

Store Brands Spotlight Episode 36: Michelle Beck and Michael Duffy

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 18:06:15 -0300

Michelle Beck, director of Own Brands Merchandising with The Fresh Market, and Michael Duffy, senior vice president with Equator Design, discuss the effort by The Fresh Market to overhaul the packaging designs of its private label assortment, the motivating factors behind the change, and the impact the new designs have had on sales.

Store Brands Spotlight Episode 35: Renee Caceras

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 18:23:05 -0300

Renee Caceras, head of Retail Media at StackAdapt, shared her expertise on how holiday campaigns need to evolve beyond a one-size-fits-all approach to meet the needs of today’s shoppers.

Store Brands Spotlight Episode 34: Stuart Aitken

Tue, 19 Aug 2025 12:43:47 -0300

In Episode 34 of Store Brands Spotlight, we spoke with Stuart Aitken, president and CEO of Circana, who provided an overview of the current mindset of consumers, notable shopping trends retailers need to watch, and how the year's first eight months may foretell how consumers will shop for their holiday needs.

Store Brands Spotlight Episode 33: Shekar Raman

Fri, 13 Jun 2025 18:07:32 -0300

In Episode 33 of Store Brands Spotlight, we spoke with Shekar Raman, CEO of Birdzi, a company that employs AI and data science to gain consumer insights on behalf of its customers. Raman shared insight into how retailers should be using AI to help grow their business.

Store Brands Spotlight Episode 32: Stephanie Epperson and Michelle Bennett

Tue, 27 May 2025 17:41:22 -0300

Stephanie Epperson, vice president of Consumer & Shopper Insights – Food & Beverage Consumption with Circana, and Michelle Bennett, executive vice president of Consumer and Shopper Insights at Circana, discuss Circana’s recent report ‘A Day In The Life Of The Complete Consumer.’

Store Brands Spotlight Episode 31: Leigh O’Donnell

Thu, 01 May 2025 18:04:49 -0300

Leigh O’Donnell, head of Shopper and Category Insights at Kantar, discusses research Kantar has completed about GLP-1s and talks about the potential long-term impacts this so-called wonder drug may have on the retail marketplace.

Store Brands Spotlight Episode 30: Ranjana Choudhry

Mon, 21 Apr 2025 18:10:57 -0300

Ranjana Choudhry, senior vice president of Media and Data Platforms at Inmar Intelligence. discusses the results of Inmar’s recent Spring Predictions Report, which spoke with consumers about their spring shopping expectations.

Store Brands Spotlight Episode 29: Jessica Gaudette and Michael Dagerath

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 17:58:41 -0300

Jessica Gaudette, director of Process & Technology at Daymon, and Michael Dagerath, vice president of Quality Assurance at Daymon, speak about the recent FDA ban of Red Dye No. 3 and its impact on private label products.

Store Brands Spotlight Episode 28: Jay Given

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 19:02:16 -0300

Jay Given, vice president of Retail and Brand Strategy with Affinity Solutions, talks about what drove retail sales in 2024, the current mindset of consumers, and she’ll use her crystal ball to look ahead at the remainder of 2025 at retail.

Store Brands Spotlight Episode 27: Sherry Smith

Tue, 11 Mar 2025 17:35:14 -0300

Sherry Smith, executive managing director for the Americas at Criteo, talks about the current state of omnichannel retailing, how consumers are using stores and digital tools to meet their needs, and what trends retailers should be watching.

Store Brands Spotlight Episode 25: Ericka McCoy

Fri, 09 Aug 2024 16:33:05 -0300

Ericka McCoy, CMO at AI-powered consumer data & intelligence platform Resonate, discussed the characteristics of the average Trader Joe’s shopper and how those characteristics could contribute to the grocery chain’s business strategy. The insights include the social and political views of Trader Joe’s shoppers, along with a deep dive into the demographics of who is shopping at the specialty grocer.

Store Brands Spotlight Episode 26: Zarina Stanford

Fri, 09 Aug 2024 16:32:14 -0300

Zarina Stanford, chief marketing officer with BazaarVoice speaks with Store Brands to take a deep dive into BazaarVoice’s recently released 2024 Global Holiday Season Consumer Behavior Report.

Store Brands Spotlight Episode 24: Katerina Axelsson and Charles Slocum

Thu, 02 May 2024 10:00:00 -0300

To uncork the opportunities in developing private label wine assortments, Katerina Axelsson, CEO of Tastry, and Charles Slocum, chief business officer at Tastry, share their insights on how retailers can develop wine collections that offer consumers a good value while also meeting their needs.

Store Brands Spotlight Episode 23: Christina Lampert

Tue, 02 Apr 2024 16:29:44 -0300

Christina Lampert, director of Growth and Innovation at HowGood, offered her insights on the latest trends in sustainability and how retailers can use their private label programs to further enhance their sustainability efforts and meet corporate goals.

Store Brands Spotlight Episode 22: Steve Rogers

Tue, 19 Mar 2024 06:00:00 -0300

Steve Rogers, managing director, Deloitte Consumer Industry Center, shares insights from Deloitte’s ConsumerSignals, which continually tracks the behavior of shoppers, about the current mindset of consumers.

Store Brands Spotlight Episode 21: Lourdes Diaz-McAgy

Tue, 27 Feb 2024 13:38:58 -0400

Lourdes Diaz-McAgy, CEO of Total Nutrition Technology shares her expertise on the latest trends in health and wellness and the steps retailers can take to develop successful private label product lines.

Store Brands Spotlight Episode 20: Don Johnson

Tue, 20 Feb 2024 13:02:22 -0400

Don Johnson, Principal with EY-Parthenon- Consumer Strategy Practice, shared his expertise and insights on how retailers can strategically expand their private label assortments to meet the needs of shoppers while also differentiating from competitors.

Store Brands Spotlight Episode 19: Barbara Connors - 84-51

Thu, 01 Feb 2024 18:01:18 -0400

In Episode 19 of Store Brands Spotlight, Barbara Connors, vice president of Strategy and Acceleration at 84-51, offers her insight into the changing behavior of shoppers and how retailers need to react to the current-day needs of consumers.

Store Brands Spotlight Episode 18: Alyssa Vescio

Wed, 03 Jan 2024 19:55:30 -0400

Alyssa Vescio, senior vice president of Merchandising, Center Store, at Whole Foods Market, discusses the grocer's continued expansion of its Sourced For Good initiative.

Store Brands Spotlight Episode 17: Caroline Callaway

Mon, 18 Dec 2023 14:40:43 -0400

Caroline Callaway, founder and president of Bolt PR, an award-winning public relations, content and digital strategy agency. Caroline will share her insights on how small businesses can better promote their services, whether looking to connect with retailers or getting in front of consumers.

Store Brands Spotlight Episode 9: The Impact of Millennials and Gen Z

Mon, 18 Dec 2023 14:33:34 -0400

Millennials and Gen Z continue to increase their purchase rates of private brand products, opening new opportunities for retailers. In an interview with Store Brands, Chelsey Capps, director of Thought Leadership, at Daymon, shares her insight as to how retailers can further enhance private brand assortments to gain loyalty and further drive sales.

Store Brands Spotlight Episode 16: Dave Schaff

Thu, 14 Dec 2023 18:08:34 -0400

Dave Schaff, Ibotta's Vice President of Research & Insights, shared his thoughts and unique insights on the current state of the grocery industry, the challenges retailers face, and what's ahead in 2024.

Store Brands Spotlight Episode 15: Stephanie Meltzer-Paul

Fri, 01 Dec 2023 17:12:35 -0400

Store Brands spoke with Stephanie Meltzer-Paul, executive vice president of Global Loyalty at Mastercard. She discussed the current state of retail consumer loyalty programs and what more retailers can do to maintain and expand shopper loyalty.

Store Brands Spotlight Episode 14: Lauren McNamara

Wed, 25 Oct 2023 18:19:20 -0300

Store Brands spoke with Lauren McNamara, vice president of SunOpta’s Plant Based Food & Beverage Business. She shared insight on the current state of the plant-based milk business, discussed the category’s continued evolution, and future opportunities for growth.

Store Brands Spotlight Episode 13: Adam Almond

Wed, 11 Oct 2023 17:52:39 -0300

In Episode 13, Adam Almond, a principal at Deloitte Consulting, shares insight from a recent Deloitte survey “The Future of Grocery Retail” in which 100 senior executives from U.S. grocery retailers with more than 10,000 employees offered their thoughts on the future of the business.

Store Brands Spotlight Episode 12: AI & E-Com Grocery Sales

Mon, 02 Oct 2023 13:32:05 -0300

Josh McCann, Head of HQ Client Delivery and Analytics at SymphonyAI Retail CPG, discussed the role AI can play in boosting e-commerce grocery sales.

Store Brands Spotlight Episode 11: Vitamin Shoppe Video

Sat, 12 Aug 2023 01:06:09 -0300

Vitamin Shoppe President Muriel Gonzalez speaks with Store Brands about the role private brands play within the retailer's assortment and provides insight into the latest trends and the company's future growth plans.

Store Brands Spotlight Episode 10: An update on the U.S. Supply Chain

Fri, 28 Jul 2023 11:28:42 -0300

In this episode of Store Brands Spotlight, Kevin Williamson, CEO of RJW Logistics Group, offers insight on the current state of the nation's supply chain.

Store Brands Spotlight Episode 8: Future Growth Opportunities

Wed, 31 May 2023 12:37:18 -0300

Anna Schroeder, senior vice president of CPG client partnerships at Ibotta, shares her insights on the private label growth opportunities now available to retailers and product suppliers.

Store Brands Spotlight Episode 7: Myron Frazier

Wed, 17 May 2023 11:29:17 -0300

In Episode 7 of the Store Brands Spotlight podcast, Myron Frazier, SVP of Private Brands & Sourcing at Sam's Club, discusses the Walmart-owned club retailer's private label development process, growth and more.

Store Brands Spotlight Episode 6: Leilani Latimer

Mon, 13 Mar 2023 14:06:04 -0300

Leilani Latimer is Fair Trade USA’s Chief Commercial & Marketing Officer, leading the organization’s commercial transformation and growth. Leilani joins Store Brands Spotlight to discuss Fair Trade’s recently released report An Investment in Trust: Conscious Consumerism Goes Mainstream Despite Economic Headwinds.

Store Brands Spotlight Podcast Episode 5: Using Tech To Promote Store Brands

Tue, 24 Jan 2023 11:14:05 -0400

In Episode 5 of the Store Brands Spotlight podcast, Britt Feizulov, lead of Industry Solutions - Consumer Goods with VDX.tv, joins Store Brands' Greg Sleter to discuss how technology can play a role in promoting private label products to consumers.

Store Brands Spotlight Podcast Episode 4: Elizabeth Lafontaine

Mon, 12 Dec 2022 12:57:15 -0400

This is an interview with Elizabeth Lafontaine, Chief Retail Analyst at Retail Leader Pro.

Store Brands Spotlight Podcast Episode 3: Jenna Engleman

Mon, 28 Nov 2022 19:12:23 -0400

An interview with Jenna Engleman, Senior Director, Thrive Market Brands.

Store Brands Spotlight Podcast Episode 2: Sharon Davis

Mon, 17 Oct 2022 15:58:15 -0300

Interview with Sharon Davis, director of trade show sales & news business development for the Private Label Manufacturers Association. The focus is the November PLMA show in Chicago.

Store Brands Spotlight Podcast Episode 1: Dr. Christopher Simons

Mon, 03 Oct 2022 19:28:47 -0300

Dr. Christopher Simons is an associate professor at The Ohio State University with expertise in sensory science, chemical senses, food intake and consumer behavior. Dr. Simons discusses the challenges faced by food providers when developing new products and the research being conducted by his team with the goal of helping companies streamline the testing process done prior to launching new items.

Introducing the Store Brands Spotlight podcast!

Mon, 03 Oct 2022 18:06:15 -0300

Store Brands Spotlight is a new podcast from Store Brands, where we speak with experts who share their unique insights on the latest news and trends