PLMA Private Label Show 2026

How it compares

The obvious comparison is PLMA's own World of Private Label in Amsterdam each May. It is the bigger of the two, with 3,350 exhibitors this year, and its buyers are mostly European retailers. A supplier that sells to chains in the United States, Canada or Latin America gets more from Chicago, where the buyers list runs from Kroger and Walmart to Oxxo and Loblaws.

In Italy, MARCA in Bologna each January draws 1,540 exhibitors and is the place for producers who want Italian grocery groups as customers.

Summer Fancy Food Show in New York attracts many of the same grocery buyers, but most of its exhibitors are selling their own brands. A specialty brand looking for distribution belongs there; a manufacturer that wants to produce for a retailer's label belongs at PLMA.

White & Private Label World Expo in New York serves founders and online sellers looking for a manufacturer. It suits someone building a first product range, while the Chicago show is where the established chain buyers do their store brand sourcing.

The North American trip for anyone who buys store brand products for a retail or wholesale chain, and for manufacturers who want to make them.

Who exhibits

Exhibitors must make products available for private label, so the floor is made up of contract manufacturers, alongside suppliers of ingredients, packaging, certification and logistics. Food runs from refrigerated, frozen and snacks to a dedicated wine and spirits section; nonfood covers OTC health, beauty, baby care, pet care, household goods, kitchenware and office supplies. National pavilions from Italy, Spain, Poland, Thailand, Vietnam, Brazil and dozens of other countries make up a large part of the show.

This year's list is on its way. A HallBrief brief picks the exhibitors worth meeting for your goals and the people to talk to at each. Get a brief

PLMA Private Label Show 2026

This year's show again carries the theme Store Brands Marketplace. The retailer display formerly called the Idea Supermarket is now the World of Ideas and holds the New Product Expo. Sunday gains a new Executive Education Insight Series, with sessions on tariffs and on the coming federal definition of ultra-processed foods, before the afternoon Opening Seminars.

The keynote breakfasts feature John Conlin, who runs food and beverage merchandising at Target, on Monday and Abby Cook, head of own brands at Ahold Delhaize USA, on Tuesday. Mexico, Japan, Israel and Abu Dhabi bring new country pavilions.

• Come on Sunday. The floor is open only Monday and Tuesday, and Sunday's seminars at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare cover current U.S. private label sales, policy and tariffs, which is what suppliers will be talking about on the floor.
• Start in the World of Ideas off the main lobby. It shows retailers' own-label programs from around the world and the New Product Expo, which helps decide which suppliers to visit.
• The Show Navigator opens to registered buyers a month before the show, and exhibitors receive a preliminary buyer list at the same time, so register early and expect appointment requests through PLMA's Matchmaker.
• Tuesday closes in the afternoon, so put important meetings on Monday, which ends with the reception on the show floor.

Exhibiting

Stands are open only to manufacturers whose products are available for private label and to ingredient, packaging, certification and logistics providers. PLMA assigns booths by application and payment date, product category and available space, in either the food and beverage halls or the home, health and self-care halls. Foreign companies can take part through their country's pavilion or PLMA's International Pavilion. Exhibitors get a free Program Guide listing and the preliminary buyer list before the show. Prices are given on request.