Dive Brief:
- Dollar General announced Thursday plans to add approximately 100 new private brand products during the first quarter of this year. More than half will be under its Clover Valley grocery brand.
- The retailer said it is also highlighting its private brands through marketing efforts including a flyer, email and social media to coincide with National Private Brands Month in January.
- Dollar General’s efforts come as other discount retailers like Walmart and Grocery Outlet continue to expand their store brand options in food and beverage.
Dive Insight:
Dollar General’s new private label food items will span dry and refrigerated center store categories and include cinnamon rolls, coffee enhancer syrups, white grape peach juice, sugar-free breakfast syrup, eight flavors of ice cream, salad dressings and honey mustard.
In a statement, Dollar General’s Executive Vice President and Chief Merchandising Officer, Emily Taylor said more than half of the retailer’s baskets contain at least one private label item.
“We are proud to make significant investments in our private brands, bringing even more on-trend products and pantry staples to shelves,” Taylor noted.
Dollar General joins major retailers like Kroger, Walmart and Amazon in expanding store brands. In 2024, store brand sales increased nearly 4% to $271 billion, according to Circana data cited by the Private Label Manufacturers Association.
Dollar General said that it currently sells more than 3,200 consumable private brand products. Along with Clover Valley, the discounter’s store brands portfolio includes DG Health over-the-counter medications, TrueLiving and Smart & Simple paper and cleaning products, Heartland Farms pet food and treats, and Studio Selection personal care products.
Last fall, the company rolled out weekly deals on roughly 2,000 products through digital coupons, cashback offers and instant savings. The discounter also said in the announcement that it offers roughly 2,000 items for $1 or less and that the Value Valley section of its stores carries 250 to 300 items priced at $1.
Dollar General’s emphasis on private label grocery growth follows its efforts to add fresh produce to thousands of its stores in recent years. At the end of 2024, Dollar General said it plans to roll out fresh produce to 300 additional locations throughout 2025, bringing the total number of locations with this offering to roughly 7,000.
