NEW YORK — PLMA honored the best new private label products of 2020 with its Salute to Excellence Awards, announced Friday at PLMA Live’s Private Label Week.

The Salute to Excellence awards were created in 1986 to give recognition to retailers for their commitment to the growth and success of store brands, according to the trade group, which notes that the annual judging of store brands products across all food and beverage and home and health categories began in 2006.

The retail companies honored this year were: 7-Eleven, Albertsons, ALDI Inc., BJ’s Wholesale Club, Brookshire Grocery Company, CVS Pharmacy, Defense Commissary Agency, Dollar General, Harris Teeter, H-E-B, Hy-Vee, Lidl US, Mega Mart, Meijer, Metro Inc., Price Chopper, PriceSmart, Raley’s, Retail Business Services, Rexall Pharmacy Group, Sam’s Club, Save A Lot, Schnuck Markets, Sephora, Smart & Final, Sobeys, Southeastern Grocers, Sprouts Farmers Market, Topco Associates, Trader Joe’s, UNFI Brands+, Uniprix, Walgreens, Walmart, Weis Markets Inc., and Whole Foods Market.

The awards program recognized a total of 36 retail companies, representing a broad cross-section of national as well as regional supermarkets, mass merchandisers, drug chains, club, specialty, dollar and convenience chains. More than 720 products were submitted for consideration in food, beverage, kitchen, household, and health & beauty categories. Each product was subjected to evaluation by a panel of professional and consumer judges on the basis of taste and sensory appeal, packaging, presentation, and value for money. Retailers submitted products that gave evidence to a number of notable trends. Among these were a growing interest in international cuisines such Asian, Indian, and restaurant-inspired Italian foods; renewable packaging materials or reduced packaging; sanitizing, purifying and immune-boosting ingredients; more affordable high-end products; plant-based products; and continuing interest in organic and gluten-free products. In all, 51 new food products received PLMA’s 2020 Salute to Excellence awards in 47 separate categories, which were grouped under food for the family, bakery & desserts, dairy, beverages, meal preparation, snacks, and healthy eating. Among nonfoods, 22 products were recognized with awards among 11 health and beauty care categories plus 10 categories for home & household products.

The winners can be found here.