Trade mission to European category managers as part of the "PL 2026 Summit Copenhagen" project

The PLMA Annual Private Label Summit is a key strategic event for the industry, bringing together FMCG executives, manufacturers and retailers from across Europe each year to address a central question: what does the modern consumer really want – and how can private label deliver it? The summit programme includes presentations, panel discussions, networking and tours of the host country’s leading retail chains. In 2026, the event will open with a presentation by Euromonitor on current retail trends and opportunities in the Scandinavian market, and will also include exclusive visits to Denmark’s leading supermarkets and discounters.

Today, retailers are fully-fledged brand builders: private labels are no longer just an alternative on the shelf — they are distinct ranges that compete with national brands and often set the pace across entire categories. In 2025, store brands grew three times faster than national brands — by 3.3% compared to a slight increase among market leaders — whilst unit sales recorded growth of 55% across 165 tracked food categories. It is the category managers of major European chains who are the key decision-makers when it comes to selecting new private label suppliers — and the PLMA summit is one of the few platforms where one can meet them in an informal, strategic setting.

Participation in the trade mission gives Ukrainian manufacturers the opportunity to establish direct contact with category managers from leading European retail chains, understand their requirements for product, quality and packaging within the private label sector, and gain a practical understanding of how to position their offering to enter the private label market. The central theme of the 2026 summit — how private label is evolving from a price alternative to a brand that builds consumer loyalty — opens up the opportunity for manufacturers with a strong product base to become strategic partners of retail chains, rather than merely contractors.