2026 U.S. (Chicago) International Private Label Trade Show PLMA's 2026 U.S. Private Label Trade Show

2026 U.S. (Chicago) International Private Label Products Sourcing Show

PLMA's 2026 U.S. Private Label Trade Show

I. Exhibition Overview

Exhibition Dates: November 16–17, 2026

Exhibition frequency: once a year

Exhibition Venue: Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, Chicago, USA

Organizing Entity: Shandong Zhenghe International Exhibition Co., Ltd.

II. Exhibit Scope

Products and product packaging suitable for direct sale in supermarkets, department stores, chain stores, and discount retailers. Products intended for private-label manufacturing and supply to major supermarket chains. Specifically includes:

• Food

1. Seasonings and sauces: soy sauce, kimchi, olives, etc.; spreads such as honey, jam, and peanut butter.

2. Canned foods: fruit cans, vegetable cans, meat cans, and seafood cans

3. Candy and Snacks: A variety of candies, waffles, chocolates, nuts, potato chips, protein bars, and other high‑protein or low‑sugar snacks, as well as nutritional supplements.

4. Pasta: spaghetti, cereals, oatmeal, etc.

5. Pet Food and Care Products: Senior‑friendly pet diets, treats, eco‑friendly chews, supplements, as well as training treats and toys for dogs, cats, and other pets.

• Household goods

1. Cleaning supplies: wet wipes, cloths, disinfectant, laundry detergent pods, color‑catcher sheets, multi‑purpose kitchen cleaner, and more.

2. Paper products and disposable items: toilet paper, paper trays, paper plates, etc.; trash bags, food‑storage bags, plastic wrap, disposable tableware, aluminum foil products, and the like.

3. Kitchen utensils: scouring pads, cleaning sponges, brush gloves, etc.; storage boxes, storage bins, non-woven bags, etc.

4. Outdoor & Gardening Supplies: barbecue grills, charcoal, fire starters, outdoor lighting, and more.

5. Party & Holiday Supplies: Christmas headpieces, decorative balloons, lights, ornaments, and small gifts, among others.

• Health and Beauty

1. Infant care, women’s care, adult care

Diapers, infant skin care products, incontinence products, sanitary napkins, wet wipes, and more.

2. Beauty care products and cosmetics

Hair care: shampoos, conditioners, hair growth and hair coloring products; combs, hair dryers, curling irons, and more.

Skincare: facial cleansers, face masks, lotions, creams, body washes, bath sponges, and more.

Beauty and makeup: razors, shaving cream, hair removal products, antiperspirants, etc.; color cosmetics; makeup cotton pads, cotton balls, cotton swabs, and more.

Personal care: oral care products such as toothpaste, mouthwash, toothbrushes, and dental floss, as well as eye care and lip care products.

III. Market Overview

The key highlights of the U.S. private-label market are as follows:

Market Growth: Private-label brands have demonstrated strong growth momentum in the U.S. market. In 2023, total private-label sales rose to $236.3 billion, an increase of $10.1 billion over the previous year, marking another record high. Private-label sales grew by 6%, while unit volume increased by 0.9%.

Consumer purchase motivations: Nearly half (43%) of consumers buy private-label products to save money, and 58% believe that private labels offer excellent value for money; however, fewer than one-third (29%) of consumers think that private-label products are comparable in quality to those of well-known brands.

Consumer Trends: Nearly every U.S. household purchased private-label products in the past year. All U.S. households bought private-label grocery items, followed by health and beauty products, home goods, and home and garden supplies.

Product Category Performance: Among the 10 food and non-food categories tracked by PLMA, all except tobacco (down 16%) saw year-over-year growth in private-label sales in 2023. The fastest-growing categories were beauty (+10.5%), general food (+10%), beverages (+8.9%), and home care (+8.7%). These were followed by frozen foods (+4.4%), general merchandise (+4%), health (+2.4%), refrigerated products (+1.8%), and alcoholic beverages (+1%).

Retailer Dependence: Among the 20 largest U.S. retailers, Aldi and Trader Joe’s are the most reliant on private-label products, accounting for 80% and 69% of their total sales, respectively. Walmart has five brands with household penetration exceeding 50% in the United States, including Great Value, Equate, Mainstays, Marketside, and Freshness Guaranteed. Kroger, a major supermarket chain, launched its “Smart Way” brand at the end of 2022; it was the fastest-growing private label over the past year, with sales up 135%.

IV. Past Editions Overview

The U.S. International Private Label Trade Show in Chicago, organized by PLMA (hereinafter referred to as the “Chicago Private Label Show”), has been successfully held for 46 editions. It is the only trade show in the Americas entirely dedicated to private labels, offering retailers and suppliers an ideal platform to connect and forge OEM‑based private‑label partnerships, and has become the annual highlight of the store‑brand industry. Meanwhile, the Private Label Trade Show held annually in May in Amsterdam, Netherlands, is another premier event of its kind, also hosted by PLMA.

The exhibition is divided into two main sections: food and non-food. In 2025, a total of 1,937 exhibitors from 65 countries will participate, occupying 3,100 booths—1,328 of which are food companies and 609 are non-food companies. Nearly 7,000 professional buyers will also attend, representing global chains of department stores, supermarkets, shopping malls, discount retailers, drugstores, hypermarkets, convenience stores, as well as importers, wholesalers, and military procurement agencies. Purchases span thousands of product categories, with key focus on food, beverages and snacks, health and beauty products, over-the-counter medications, household paper and cleaning supplies, home goods, and general consumer staples. Concurrent with the event, numerous themed roundtables and seminars will be held, and a dedicated “PLMA Idea Supermarket” exhibit area will showcase finished private-label products and packaging from globally renowned retailers.

Past renowned exhibitors

Food category:

Guangzhou Lianyi Biotechnology Co., Ltd.

Zhejiang Fengdao Food Co., Ltd.

Weifang Sheng’an Food Co., Ltd.

Linyi Pianshan Food Co., Ltd.

Non-food items:

Weile (Qingdao) Intelligent Packaging Co., Ltd.

Bank of China (Ningbo) Battery Co., Ltd.

Hangzhou Guoguang Travel Goods Co., Ltd.

Ningbo Kaili Holding Group Co., Ltd.

V. Contact Information

Shandong Zhenghe International Exhibition Co., Ltd.

9th Floor, Building 1, Xiangtai Plaza, No. 129 Yingxiongshan Road, Shizhong District, Jinan City

Liu Jiayu 0531-86117962 17866706991

Li Xinru 0531-82975940 17860238434

Sun Linan 0531-82708506 13075357041

Tang Xiaoxu 0531-82975912 13869171702

Email: zhenghesd@163.com