Dive Brief:
- Schnuck Markets has launched a new Italian-inspired private label called Culinaria Italian Table, the regional grocer announced this week.
- All of the brand’s 40-plus items are sourced directly from Italy. The line includes pastas, sauces, olive oils and vinegars.
- Schnucks’ latest addition to its private label offerings comes at a time when shoppers continue to gravitate toward store brands for value as well as discovery.
Dive Insight:
Schnucks’ Culinaria Italian Table brand aims to offer “affordable indulgence,” acting as an affordable option to higher-priced specialty imports, according to the press release.
The brand features key shelf-stable items, and the grocer plans to extend the line into its fresh departments later this fall.
“Our goal is to simplify and enhance our customers’ grocery shopping experiences while also bringing them extraordinary quality at an affordable price,” Schnucks Vice President of Center Store Tim Horton said in a statement.
This Friday, Schnucks is hosting a launch party for the brand at its store on Arsenal Street in St. Louis — a location in a historic Italian neighborhood in the city, according to the press release. The event will offer chef-made dishes using the new line’s ingredients as well as Italian wine pairings.
The grocer noted the Italian line’s debut is happening alongside Schnucks’ semi-annual “Taste of Italy” event.
Private label line sales hit a record high in 2025 — and shoppers’ preference for store brands has not appeared to slow down in 2026.
A recent report from data firm Spins found that Generation Z and millennial consumers combined accounted for 81% of year-over-year gains in private label spending during a 52-week-period ending June 14. The firm advised grocers to use their store brands to touch on trends like “intentional eating” as well as global flavors to attract younger shoppers to their private label offerings.
