ESM: European Supermarket Magazine has announced the winners of the inaugural European Private Label Awards.
The contest saw leading grocery operators in Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Finland, Spain and the UK named among the 30 finalists named across ten categories.
Winners included RAW Cakes from Delhaize in Belgium; OMHU Béarnaise Chipotle from Dagofa in Denmark; Gullbygg Greek Yoghurt – Vanilla with Granola from Coop Norge SA in Norway; Lidl Eridanous Spinach and Cheese Swirl Pie/Lidl Eridanous Mini Sesame & Cheese Pies with Oregano from Lidl in Germany; the La Mia Casa Product Range from Finnish retailer Tokmanni; the Fixeeze hair product range from Action in the Netherlands and Real,- Premium Hundenahrung from Real in Germany.
In addition, Greek retailer AB Vassilopoulos took two awards, for its Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Koroneiki/Kolymvari/PDOs Sitia and Kalamon and Muscat Grape Distill/Ouzo Chiou/Ouzo Mytilinis/Tsikoudia (Crete)/Tsipouro (Tirnavos)/Tsipouro (Ipiros).
Germany's Rewe Group also won two awards, for its Rewe Feine Welt Gin ‘Diamond of Marrakesh’ and Rewe Beste Wahl Gurke-Limette Erfrischungsgetränk mit Minzgeschmack SKUs.
Judging Process
Participating judges included renowned experts in private label, including Loe Limpens, the co-founder of private-label design agency Yellow Dress Retail; Hermann Sievers, an acknowledged private-label expert in Germany; André Michel, a partner of International Private Label Consult (IPLC), a leading private-label consultancy; and Sebastiaan Schreijen, an industry analyst at RaboResearch Food & Agri (FAR), in the Netherlands.
Commenting on the judging process, which took place at the Cooks Academy in Dublin, Ireland, RaboResearch’s Schreijen said, “The competition clearly shows that private label is so much more than copying branded goods.
"The new products, but also innovative concepts and product lines, that retailers brought forward will no doubt directly add value to any supermarket shelf.”
The judging team also featured a team of chefs and food experts including Carlo Rubino, sous chef, Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud (two Michelin stars); Tommy Butler, executive head chef, Radisson Blu Royal Hotel, Dublin; and Susie Koumarianos, the Burlesque Baker.
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