Dive Brief:
- Associated Wholesale Grocers has launched two specialty brands within its private label portfolio for retailers, according to an announcement earlier this month.
- The Wellwerks line features functional snacks and other food products, while the Nüwerks line includes vitamins, protein powders and other nutraceuticals.
- The additions aim to help AWG’s more than 1,000 retail members stay on top of specialty and wellness product trends.
Dive Insight:
AWG will begin the rollout of Wellwerks and Nüwerks by offering 60 products to retailers this spring, according to an announcement from Step Change Innovations, the product development firm that worked with AWG to develop the new lines.
Wellwerk’s assortment includes snacks like protein-enhanced popcorn, cheese snacks touting protein and probiotic benefits, and fruit-and-nut snack bags. Nüwerk’s lineup includes powder supplements and gummies that support immunity and sleep and offer other benefits.
Both AWG and Step Change Innovations referred to the new lines as a “platform,” indicating their intent for retailers to offer numerous products at once. Step Change Innovations said these products serve as “a cohesive, modular set designed to simplify resets and speed time to shelf for independent retailers.”
“Wellwerks and Nüwerks are designed as a complete wellness destination for grocery, not a collection of one-offs,” said Joseph Bradley, CEO of Step Change Innovations, in a statement. “We are proud to partner with AWG to give independent retailers access to a platform they can trust, with products and execution built for real grocery velocity.”
AWG has exclusive distribution rights to Wellwerks and Nüwerks in the 33 states where its member retailers operate.
“Wellwerks and Nüwerks give AWG member retailers an exclusive way to deliver on-trend functional foods, beverages, and supplements shoppers are actively seeking, all within a private brand wellness set they can launch with confidence,” said Emily Detwiler, vice president of private brands at AWG, in a statement.
This has been a busy year so far for AWG. In March, AWG announced the launch of more than 60 private label products across five brands. More than two-thirds of the new items fall under the company’s Simply Done household and general merchandise brand.
In addition, the distributor recently launched an AI shopping assistant, outlined a $110 million update to one of its distribution centers and named a new chief operating officer.
