An educational session during Organic Produce Summit 2022 (OPS) in July 2022 will dive deeper into the ongoing debate over the value of consumer brands compared to private labels for organic fresh produce in the U.S. market.

“Private Label vs. Consumer Brand: The Competition for Shelf Space” will explore the changing dynamics and challenges of traditional consumer brands as they face off against private labels to win the wallet and minds of organic consumers, as part of the second announced educational session at the OPS, according to a press statement.

OPS 2022 is a two-day event specifically designed to bring together organic fresh produce growers, shippers, and processors with retail and buying organizations from across North America. The sixth annual event will be held July 13-14 in Monterey, CA.

Moderated by Randy Riley, co-owner of GoldenSun Insights, panelists for the session include Jeff Cady, Director of Produce and Floral of Tops Friendly Markets; Josh Leichter, CEO of Pacific Trellis Fruit; and Dave Hewitt, Vice President of Sales of 4Earth Farms.

“Moderating this robust discussion about the growing importance of retailer private labels is of paramount importance to the future of the industry’s growth,” said Riley. 

“When private labels started as a price value proposition to offer consumers, few could have predicted its evolution to outpacing national brands in 2021. We’re excited to bring together the grower, marketer, and retailer community to understand what this shift means for the industry and for the consumer,” she added. 

With sales of organic fresh produce topping $9 billion in 2021, the growth of private label products has boomed as retailers seek to build brand recognition for their offerings of organic items. 

Consumer brand marketers, in turn, believe a consumer’s ability to know who the producer of the product is and where it is coming from provide benefits unavailable with private label offerings. The panelists, consisting of leadership from a pair of organic growers and a retailer who uses both consumer and private label brands, will discuss the choices available for consumers and what the shift from consumer brands to private label means for both producers and retailers.

In addition to the educational session on branded vs. private label organic offerings, other educational sessions at OPS 2022 will include a pair of sessions on the growth of Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA), a look at Regenerative agriculture, sustainability across the supply chain, and a data dive and analysis of organic fresh produce sales. 

OPS 2022 will also include a keynote presentation, a selection of field tours for retailers and buyers, a gala opening night reception, and a sold-out trade show floor featuring over 150 producers and processors of organic fresh produce from across North America and the globe.

The overall produce private label industry (organic and conventional) reached US$12 billion in volume in 2021.