• July 23, 2009

Chicago consultancy Mintel the newest private label foods woo shoppers with premium ingredients, portability and health benefits. The firm says 1,800 new U.S. private label foods have appeared on retail store shelves this year, 27% of all food products introduced this year. In 2005, private label foods comprised only 13% of new food product launches.

Mintel, in a new report, says private label retailers are creating premium in-home meals that boast restaurant quality and fresh ingredients. The company cites Supervalu's Culinary Circle and Wal-Mart Sam's Choice specialty pizzas as examples.

Mintel GNPD sees health and nutrition increasingly influencing product development. and that the US market grew 9.3% in 2008 (compared to 4.5% for branded food sales). Mintel forecasts it will grow another 8.1% by the end of 2009.--Karl Greenberg