Discovering Private Labels

Private labels first captured my attention as a child in the 70s during a visit to Cora, the newest hypermarket near my hometown in northern France. Amidst the bustling aisles filled with colorful packages, I was drawn to a section showcasing “white products” – merchandise packaged in plain, minimalistic white without branding. The store-brand products communicated their value clearly: unbranded and low-priced. This early encounter with private labels, offering significant savings despite their lack of flashy branding, piqued my ongoing interest in private labels as I journeyed into retail.

Key Insights in Private Label Development

When I began my retail career in 1988 at Auchan in France, private labels were quite different from what we see today. Back then, their packaging often mimicked that of leading brands to the point where it could confuse customers, despite private labels being priced about 20% lower.

From those early experiences, I picked up three key insights:

1. Identify the top brands in your category to effectively position your private label.

2. Set your private label’s price 20% lower than the leading brands to attract price-sensitive customers.

3. Ensure your private label offers a margin that is 15 to 20% higher than the category leader to ensure profitability.

A decade later, at Monoprix-Prisunic, I encountered the concept of exclusive premium retail brands – high-quality products that resonated with customers and helped differentiate the retailer.

In the Middle East with Carrefour, I faced the challenge of launching private labels in a market dominated by established international brands. Despite Carrefour’s global reach, our progress was slower than expected due to limited initial volumes.

At Aswaaq, the challenge was even greater as we had to develop a private label before the first supermarket had even opened, with minimal volumes to start. We chose to focus on ten basic commodities, targeting the low-price segment with a distinctive brand name.

Since moving to the Philippines in 2011, I have had three key experiences developing or enhancing private labels. Although private label sales remain relatively low at below 5% share of sales compared to Europe, which has a 30% to 40% share of sales, or the US, with a 25% share of sales, the rise of hard discounters like Dali and O!Save, and the “No Brand” concept with strong private label strategies, has pushed local retailers to reassess their approaches to private label development.

Key Fundamentals of Private Label Development and Implementation

From my extensive experience in retail, I have learned that private label development serves three key purposes: strengthening branding, enhancing customer loyalty through unique products, and increasing profitability. Achieving these objectives relies on a meticulous step-by-step process, where each phase is critical. Missing even one step can compromise margins, affect targets, lead to flawed product development, and impact cost management efforts.

To attain success in private label development, attention must be given to several key aspects, from initial development to final implementation. These include:

• Negotiating Costs: Start by focusing on fast-moving items. By leveraging high volumes, you can negotiate better deals and reduce costs effectively.
  
  
• Defining Specifications: Ensure that your product specifications are clearly outlined and at par with the quality of national brands. This like-for-like comparison will build credibility in the market, demonstrating that your product meets top standards and that quality is never compromised.
  
  
• Market Research: Take time to understand your competitors’ private label strategies and pricing. This insight will inform your own strategy and pricing decisions.
  
  
• Sourcing Manufacturers: Evaluate both local and international manufacturers to secure competitive pricing without compromising on quality. It is crucial to balance high standards with cost efficiency to achieve success. Leading retailers often source their private labels globally to optimize both quality and cost.
  
  
• Pricing Strategy: Ensure that the product’s cost price allows for a retail price difference of 15 to 20% compared to category leaders, along with an additional 15 to 20% margin. This principle has consistently guided me in scaling private labels effectively.
  
  
• Contract Management: Establish contracts with manufacturers that cover volume requirements, pricing, lead times, product and packaging specifications, and penalty clauses for non-compliance. Regularly reviewing and adjusting these terms helps you stay agile and responsive to market changes.
  
  
• Quality Control: Continuously monitor the quality of your private label products. Implement stringent quality control processes to uphold product standards. I recommend using a third party for random quality checks to ensure adherence to the agreed-upon standards with the manufacturer.
  
  
• Brand Strategy: Deciding whether to use an existing brand name or create a new one significantly impacts your overall brand identity. Regardless of the choice, the brand will reflect the company’s value proposition and influence its reputation. Ensuring high-quality products is essential for strengthening brand identity.
  
  
• Legal Compliance: Make sure you comply with all legal requirements and secure exclusivity for your brand name. This protects your brand and ensures regulatory compliance.
  
  
• Packaging: Designing packaging that enhances the perceived quality of your product and meets legal standards is something I have learned to prioritize. Effective packaging can make a big difference.
  
  
• Tiered Pricing: Develop private labels for various price segments – low, mid, and premium. Assign distinct brand names to each segment to appeal to different customer demographics. For the low and premium segments, creating specific brand names is especially effective.
  
  
• In-Store Display: Allocate adequate shelf space for your private labels and position them at eye level. Proper placement can significantly boost visibility and sales.
  
  
• Promotion: Plan regular promotions through catalogs, online channels, and social media. Utilize loyalty programs to encourage repeat purchases.
  
  
• Price Monitoring: Regularly review and adjust prices to remain competitive. Periodically renegotiate costs with manufacturers to keep your pricing strategy effective.
  
  
• Supplier Partnership: View your private label suppliers as partners. Regularly review their performance to address issues like quality and pricing, and use customer feedback to drive continuous improvement.
  
  
• Fresh Food Quality: For fresh food and perishable items, maintaining consistent quality and safety is crucial. Your brand must be associated with reliable and high standards to avoid any perception of inconsistency or poor quality.
  
  
• Supply Chain Management: Efficiently manage your supply chain to prevent disruptions. Streamline processes to ensure timely and reliable product availability.
  
  
• Sales Monitoring: Regularly assess the sales performance of your private labels within their categories. Set targets for the next 3 to 5 years. For categories with limited or no brand presence, aim to achieve up to 75% sales contribution for your private label.
  
  
• Customer Feedback: Collect feedback through surveys, focus groups, and blind testing to refine your products. Use this input to make improvements and better align with customer needs.
  
  

In summary, a well-executed private label strategy can greatly enhance a retailer’s brand, profitability, and customer loyalty. Achieving this requires a comprehensive approach that includes in-depth market research, strategic partnerships, innovative product development, effective marketing, and rigorous quality control.

In the current Philippine retail landscape, despite the presence of dominant international and strong local brands, strengthening private labels remains an opportunity for retailers to enhance their commercial offerings and reflect their company’s size and capability. Furthermore, a stronger market share in sales would significantly impact their economic model.

Reflecting on my early encounter with “white products” at Cora in the 70s, it is evident how far the concept of private labels has evolved. What started as a curiosity about cost-effective, unbranded merchandise has become a cornerstone of my strategic approach to private labels, helping retailers achieve success.

I hope these insights inspire you to fully embrace the potential of private labels in your own retail journey.

Merci!

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Postscript:
 
For those looking to advance their private label strategy, consulting Philippe Devismes is highly recommended. As a mentor during the development of Aswaaq’s private labels, Philippe’s expertise and attention to detail offer invaluable guidance. His insights can help retailers effectively leverage private labels to enhance their market position and drive sustained success. Connect with Philippe on LinkedIn for more information.