Dive Brief:
- Associated Wholesale Grocers is adding 63 items to its private label portfolio in the first quarter of 2026, according to a Thursday announcement.
- The new items span five brands, with more than two-thirds of the additions under the household and general merchandise brand Simply Done.
- AWG said the private label expansion will help its retailer members boost their assortments with quality, on-trend products.
Dive Insight:
AWG said it took a data-driven approach to identify categories where shoppers want “quality in everyday items, but at competitive price points.”
“By prioritizing private brand growth, we are empowering AWG members to capture higher margins and drive long-term profitability with value-driven alternatives that provide shoppers significant savings over national brands,” Tye Anthony, AWG’s chief merchandising and marketing officer, said in the announcement.
Of the 63 additions, 43 of the new items fall under the Simply Done brand, including new laundry detergents and cleaners. The TopCare brand is adding eight electrolyte options while the Best Choice brand is adding six items, including a chili mac soup, old-fashioned oats and a creamy pasta salad and disposable tableware. The Tippy Toes brand is getting four new baby formulas, marking AWG’s store brand entry into that category.
The expansion also applies to AWG’s premium private-label brand Superior Selections by Best Choice, which is getting two new salad toppers. AWG rebranded Superior Selections by Best Choice last fall.
“Whether it’s the kid-centric convenience of our Kid-Ventures line or the gourmet flair of our Superior Selections by Best Choice salad toppers, AWG Brands is dedicated to delivering national-brand or better quality at a price point that supports the independent grocer and their customers,” Emily Detwiler, vice president of AWG Brands, the company’s private brands program, said in a statement.
The new products are available to AWG’s retailer members, and customers can expect to see the items hit supermarket shelves in the first quarter of 2026.
AWG’s investment in private label comes as store brands continue to help grocers improve their margins. Private label product sales in the United States rose 3.3% in 2025 compared with 2024, hitting a record $282.8 billion, and grew nearly three times faster last year than national brands, according to Circana statistics shared by the Private Label Manufacturers Association.
