Welcome to the official reveal of the 2025 Vertex Award winners! Now in our 13th year, this global competition continues to recognize the very best in package design from around the world, regardless of who owns the brand. With entries from 53 countries and 79 retailers, the Vertex Awards once again set the standard for design excellence in the world of Retailer-owned Brands.

The Vertex Awards were co-founded by Christopher Durham, President of the Velocity Institute, and Phil Russo, Publisher of Global Retail Brands Magazine. Together, they launched what has become the world’s most prestigious competition for private brand package design—a platform that celebrates creativity, innovation, and strategic thinking in retail branding.

This year’s competition attracted more than 600+ entries from over 65 agencies. The caliber of work submitted showcases not just beautiful packaging, but thoughtful, brand-building design that challenges the industry to elevate. Vertex has never been just about aesthetics—it’s about transformation. It’s about encouraging retailers, designers, and manufacturers to become true Retail Brand Owners—to move beyond imitation and lead with distinction.

Private brands have evolved. They’re no longer chasing the national brands—they’re setting the pace. And this year’s winners prove it.

Over the next five days, we’ll unveil all 100+ winners:

• Monday: Bronze

• Tuesday: Silver

• Wednesday: Gold

• Thursday: Publisher’s Choice and Agency of the Year

• Friday: Retailer of the Year and Best of Show

We’d like to thank our partners at Judgify for powering this year’s awards platform. Their professionalism ensures a seamless and transparent judging process.

Winners were celebrated earlier this month at the Velocity Institute Conference + Expo in Charlotte, NC and at a special Vertex Awards ceremony in Amsterdam, recognizing our global honorees.

This competition has always been a labor of love. We hope you find as much inspiration in this year’s winners as we have—and we can’t wait to see your entry next year.

Stay tuned throughout the week as we celebrate the designs that are redefining the future of Retailer-owned Brands.