The Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA) 2025 trade show, called “Store Brands Marketplace,” which runs from November 16–18 in Chicago, will introduce new global pavilions, including Mexico, Ecuador, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Jordan.
In total, the exhibition will feature more than 50 country pavilions and 900 international suppliers. Exhibitors will represent 63 countries across Europe, Latin America, and Asia.
“This year marks a new record for PLMA in terms of international reach and influence in the industry,” commented Enriketa Beluli, PLMA’s Global Pavilions Manager.
Global Pavilions
Exhibit space has grown almost 30% in the last three years, and a significant portion of that demand comes from outside the United States. This is a clear signal of global confidence in store brands and in the PLMA trade show.
Country Pavilions for 2025 include: two pavilions from Belgium (Flanders and Wallonia), Italy, France, Spain, the United Kingdom, three pavilions from Greece, Denmark, Poland, Georgia, Morocco, Turkey, and Serbia.
Other pavilions this year include Brazil, Chile, Peru, Guatemala, Colombia, and Costa Rica. Canadian suppliers will be represented by three official pavilions.
Additional pavilions include Australia and New Zealand, as well as multiple pavilions from China, South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Following last year’s record-breaking show, PLMA has added 100 additional booths in the “World of Private Label” section, which this year has expanded from the North Hall to an upgraded location in the exhibit floor’s Main Hall.
Related Article: Lidl US CEO to Keynote PLMA 2025 Private Label Trade Show
Private Label Brands
Store brands, private labels, or private brands represent quality and performance equal to or superior to national brands, while offering significant savings. As a result, their popularity continues to grow. One out of every four edible and non-edible products purchased by U.S. consumers across all sales outlets is a private brand supplied by a private label manufacturer.
In 2024, total private label sales reached $271 billion—a $9 billion year-over-year increase and an all-time high—across physical and online supermarkets, drug chains, and mass retailers. Total private label unit sales increased by 1.5 billion, reaching 67.4 billion, which is also a record.
Beyond simply holding steady, private labels accounted for 47% of all sales gains last year in the U.S. retail industry ($9 billion of the total $19 billion growth), PLMA figures reveal.
Over the last four years, private label annual dollar sales improved by $51.7 billion, or +23.6%, while private label annual unit sales increased by 2.1%, or 1.4 billion. During the same period, national brands gained 11.5% in annual dollar sales but fell -6.8%, or 16.2 billion, in annual unit sales.
All ten food and non-food departments saw private label dollar growth last year compared to 2023. Refrigerated (+7.5%), General Food (+4.3%), and Beverages (+4%) had the best gains. In private label unit growth, the top departments were Beverages (+3.5%), Pet Care (+3.5%), and Household Care (+3.3%).
In a 2024 PLMA study, more than half of participating Gen Z shoppers said they “always/frequently” choose a place to shop because of its store brands; 67% are “extremely/very” aware of store brands; 64% buy store brands “always/frequently”; and 56% are “extremely likely/likely” to experiment with store brands to find the “best value.”