Private Brand innovation took center stage in presentations during the closing day of Velocity Global.
Executives at leading retailers — including Wakefern Food Corp. and Carrefour — outlined their innovative Private Brand journeys, with design innovation celebrated in a special Vertex Awards track.
Chris Skyers, Wakefern’s Vice President of Own Brands, relayed how his company is transforming its core and premium portfolios and progressing with new items across the store.
“We formed a separate innovation team,” he said, which is allowing for faster speed-to-market of unique products.
Tatiana Ryfer, head of Branding and Visual Identity at Carrefour, said her company’s Private Brand success has been advanced by the implementation of strategic integrated design.
“We are translating the company’s strategy into tangible and relevant solutions,” she said. “And we are putting consumers at the heart of the action, by going into stores and observing.”
Velocity Global’s unique program was conducted virtually this year, with more than 500 registered attendees from around the world, said Christopher Durham, founder of the event and President of My Private Brand.
Conference presentations included many from international retailers. An executive from Portugal’s Continénte outlined that chain’s journey to sustainability, and a leader at Aeon Topvalu Co., which develops Private Brands for Japan’s Aeon, provided insights on brand development.
Meanwhile, a presentation about inclusion from WISE (Women Impacting Storebrand Excellence) represented the second session in two days that addressed diversity — this time featuring speaker Sarah Chartrand of Ahold Delhaize.
Other unique elements of Velocity Global’s last day included the following:
- Peggy Davies, President, Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA), outlined the latest directions for that organization.
- A series of thoughtful roundtables illuminated topics ranging from the convenience sector to food safety risks.
For anyone who couldn’t attend this year’s Velocity Global, the good news is the event was is available on demand. You can still purchase tickets to view all the essential content and network with the attendees.
“This year’s version was full of compelling takeaways from our lineup of terrific speakers,” said Velocity Global’s Durham. “We’re so pleased that such a large global audience attended for both days.”
Meanwhile, Durham has lots ahead for the balance of this year and 2021, including an October 15, 2020 virtual summit on Private Brand Sustainability, and creative strategies for next year’s events that meld the best of in-person and virtual.
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]
About the Author: Fernando Cuis
