Natural Grocers expands private-label products
- Natural Grocers is expanding its private label.
- New products include various mustards and canned seafood.
- Private labels have surged in popularity as consumers seek value in grocery.
Natural Grocers is investing in its private label, recently adding several different product assortments to its portfolio.
The grocer in an April 6 press release said it would add several types of organic mustards to its in-house label, Natural Grocers Brand. The mustards include a traditional yellow mustard, a spicy brown mustard and a Dijon mustard.
The new mustards follow Natural Grocers adding several types of canned seafood to its private label in March. Those new products included Albacore and Skipjack Tuna, Wild Pink Salmon and two varieties of Wild Sardines, the release said.
“Our house brand is part of our family legacy,” said Raquel Isely, vice president of marketing for Natural Grocers, in the April release. “It's an additional step toward providing our customers with premium quality at affordable prices. We choose products and vendors that represent the values that have guided our company since 1955 — values that support small farmers, family businesses and environmental stewardship.”
Natural Grocers’ launched its private label in 2016, and it now includes more than 800 products,. The grocery chain, which focuses on health foods and organic options, was founded in Colorado and opened its first store in 1958. It now has approximately 166 stores across 21 states, according to the company.
Natural Grocers isn’t alone in expanding its private-label offerings. Private-label products and grocers’ owned brands have become increasingly popular among consumers looking for value. Dollar Tree, which like other retailers in the dollar channel, has become popular as a low-cost grocery option, earlier this year signaled that it would introduce hundreds of new private-label products this year, Retail Leader reported.
Store brand sales hit an annual sales record of $228.6 billion in 2022, according to a report from the Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA). That’s an overall increase of 11.3% from sales in 2021. That growth was nearly double the growth seen by national brands, which grew by 6.1% last year, PLMA reported.