Dive Brief:

• The Fresh Market is adding new items to its collection of 1,500 private label products and upgrading existing products with new packaging, according to a company press release. The updates will apply to its Everyday Extraordinary and Signature lines, as well as seasonal and limited-time offerings.
• The Everyday Extraordinary line will now include a new flavor of potato chips called "All Dressed," sulfate-free hand soaps and lotions with all-natural essential oils, organic peanut butters and peanut butter cookies. The Signature line, which features items imported from Italy, will see the addition of imported frozen pizzas.
• For fall, The Fresh Market's seasonal offerings will include over 60 pumpkin flavored items including pasta sauce, coffee, cookies, snack mixes and bakery items. During the holidays the grocer plans to roll out a hot cocoa assortment, Panettone from Italy and gourmet popcorn. 

Dive Insight:

As retailers invest heavily to design specialty and premium private labels, the brands are no longer seen as a generic alternative to higher-quality national brands. The same goes for The Fresh Market, where Michelle Beck, director for private label, said in a statement that the company expects its private label products to be even better than the best-selling national brand in a category.

In addition to the new items, the company is updating packaging to offer a more contemporary look for the brand. The new design will offer a consistent look and feel across categories and help products stand out, Bryan Bowers, creative director at The Fresh Market, said in a statement. 

Premium packaging in private label products has become more common as grocers look to boost the customer's first impression. A packaging refresh will support the improved image for private label, as long as the cost of the new packaging doesn’t inflate the product prices. Part of the reason some shoppers opt for private label products is for the competitive price.  

Now is a good time for The Fresh Market to draw attention to its private label offerings as consumer demand remains high and more retailers are upping their offerings. The competition is intensifying as retailers work to differentiate through private label products. Target is turning to its new Good & Gather line to elevate its grocery experience, and Costco’s Kirkland Signature brand sold $39 billion worth of products last year.

Many retailers have been revamping their private label lines and generating buzz with seasonal items. In February, Raley's announced a "relaunch" to its store brand products including stricter standards and protocols for ingredients and fresh packaging designs, as did Albertsons in May. Just last week, Aldi announced the addition of Oktoberfest-themed offerings featuring products imported from Germany, and last month Ahold Delhaize launched a line dedicated to children's products.