AWG Member Retailers,
The time is right for private brands! In today’s uncertain economic times, consumers are seeking value every day. According to the 2024 “Power of Private Brands” study by FMI – The Food Industry Association, 94% of shoppers purchase store brands at least occasionally. In addition, 55% of shoppers have been purchasing more private brands over the past year, compared to only 28% purchasing more manufacturer brands. While value and price are top reasons that shoppers are buying more private brands, shoppers are also purchasing private brands for quality and taste. Shoppers plan to continue to purchase private brands even if grocery prices fall, indicating shopper loyalty for private brands has increased. Shoppers trust private brands and will select which retailers to shop based on the strength of their private brands program.
AWG Brands has a strong portfolio of brands and a wide range of products to help AWG member retailers serve their customers every day. AWG Brands is AWG’s private brand family. Always Save®, Best Choice®, Clearly by Best Choice™, and Superior Selections® by Best Choice® are unique to AWG and each brand brings something different to the marketplace. With nearly 5,000 items across the portfolio, there is truly something for everyone.
AWG Brands celebrated the 40th anniversary of Always Save in 2024. Always Save is a strong opening price point brand with good quality that consumers trust; helping our retailers compete for the most cost- conscious shoppers. The Best Choice family of brands (including the newly launched “Best Choice from the Bakery,” “Best Choice from the Farm,” and “Best Choice from the Water,”) includes more than 3,300 items that are rigorously tested and negotiated on pricing to be national brand equivalent while offering a savings to consumers and strong margins to AWG member retailers. Exciting things are coming with the launch of Pure Wonder by Best Choice™ in Pet and Hello World by Best Choice™ in Baby. We are also proud of the Clearly by Best Choice brand, which helps member retailers offer a better-for-you, lifestyle brand. We are also creating additional focus on Superior Selections by Best Choice with upgraded packaging design and additional assortment.
AWG Brands has a dedicated team behind the scenes focused on sourcing, brand building and marketing, product assortment, building promotional opportunities, and member engagement to focus on sales opportunities. In addition, AWG Brands is dedicated to quality, as evidenced with our 100% guarantee on all AWG Brands items. Each AWG Brands product is tested prior to launch, as well as via annual retail audit to ensure that it is meeting consumer and manufacturer expectations.
AWG Brands provides a wide variety of marketing support programs to help AWG member retailers drive sales! The in-store demonstration program encourages customer trial, leading to sales and consumer acceptance. A great way to increase your private brand penetration and drive sales is through the AWG Brands end cap program, in which retailers can access planned end caps with header cards that are tied to the 13 event cycles and deals offered by AWG Brands, as well as key seasonal themes. AWG Brands also offers a variety of in-store signage, audio programs, supplemental ads, and community giving programs. A wide variety of digital coupons are available on the Best Choice Family of Brands products, with redemption funded by AWG Brands. Digital coupons are a great way to get AWG Brands items onto consumers’ lists! In addition, the Save-A-Label program offers a program for AWG member retailers to engage with 501(C)(3) non-profit organizations in their communities, who can send in Best Choice UPCs for the opportunity to raise money for their organizations.
The AWG Brands sales team is dedicated to supporting our member retailers and providing solutions to help drive sales. The sales team frequently works with retailers to ensure they have the right items and new items, close distribution voids, and take advantage of all promotions, digital coupons and in-store marketing support. We also have resources available to help ensure strong in-store shelf execution of AWG Brands items.
Read on to learn more about all of the amazing ways that AWG Brands is ready to help you, our member retailers, engage with your shoppers and drive sales of the private brands they are seeking. Thank you for your continued support of AWG Brands and happy selling!
Emily Detwiler
VP, AWG Brands
