The Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA) unveiled 100 Salute to Excellence winners at its 2023 Private Label Trade Show in Chicago. Created in 1986, the annual awards program within PLMA honors outstanding food and nonfood products launched within the past year by supermarkets, drug stores, mass merchandisers, convenience stores, online retailers, wholesalers, and more. This year, nearly 750 product entries were submitted by 53 North American retailers.
Submissions at PLMA were sampled and evaluated by a panel of professional and consumer judges according to several criteria, among them taste, product concept, packaging, and value for money.
THE WINNERS INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:
Gluten-Free Products:
- Open Nature Cauliflower Crust Garlic Chicken Alfredo Pizza – Albertsons Cos.
- Nice! Gluten-Free Vanilla Crème Cookies – Walgreens
Specialty Sauces, Rubs, and Condiments:
- Lowes Foods Premium Brown Bag “Truffle Your Feathers” Black Garlic Truffle Sauce – Lowes Foods
- Great Value Blood Orange Balsamic Glaze with Balsamic Vinegar of Modena – Walmart Inc
- Bowl & Basket Specialty Smokey Candied Bacon Sriracha Rub – Wakefern Food Corp.
- Gustare Vita cacio e pepe – Hy-Vee
Breakfast Foods:
- Nature’s Basket Sweet Potato Pancake and Waffle Mix – Giant Eagle
- Irresistibles Pina Colada-Flavoured Muffins – Metro Richelieu Inc.
- Thrive Market Organic Infused Maple Syrup, Warm Pumpkin Spice – Thrive Market
- Good & Gather Blueberry Muffins with Zucchini and Oats – Target
Global Cuisine:
- Aplenty Asian-Style Chicken and Vegetable Potstickers – Amazon
- Yesway Chamoy Chili Peach Rings (candy) – Yesway Convenience Stores
- SE Grocers Naturally Better Organic Mexican-Style Street Corn-Flavored Corn Chips – Southeastern Grocers
- Crav’n Flavor Single-Serve Miso Chicken Ramen Soup Bowl – Topco Associates LLC
Wellness Cleanses/Powders:
- Sprouts Farmers Market Regenerative Organic Liver Cleanse – Sprouts Farmers Market
- 365 by Whole Foods Market Effervescent Vitamin C Powder, Kiwi-Strawberry – Whole Foods Market