Portuguese food retailer Continente has opened an innovation centre for research and development of private-label products.
The opening of the 1,200-square-metre Co-Lab: Customer Innovation Lab follows an initial investment of €2.5 million.
The R&D space comprises of a kitchen and show cooking area; an industrial kitchen and training room for Continente Kitchen employees; a biochemical lab; a sensory lab with 12 tasting booths; a focus group room; an observation room; a drinks area; a home cleaning room; a beauty room; and a design room.
In the Co-Lab, Continente's teams will develop private label products as part of a collaborative process with partners, suppliers and consumers.
New Technologies
In the sensory lab, in addition to product tasting, the group is integrating new technologies including a Face Reader, a piece of equipment that analyses the physical reactions (facial expressions) of testers when trying or observing products; and a Face Reader Eye Tracker, which, through infrared glasses placed on the consumer, collects information about which parts of the product/packaging customers pay more attention to.
According to Tânia Lucas, commercial director of MC's private brand, all private label brands will be analysed in the Co-Lab in person or, in specific cases, at the consumer's home, in coordination with the team.
Read More: MC Sonae Reports 13% Revenue Growth In First Quarter
Private-Label Growth
In 2022, Portugal registered 2.9% growth in private-label sales compared to the previous year.
In 2022, Continente's own-brand products represented about €925 million worth of sales in the food segment, registering growth of more than 20% in the last year (+€175 million), and growth of almost 50% in the last three years.
The Continente brand currently includes more than 4,000 SKUs, across the Continente range, Continente Equilíbrio, Continente ECO, Continente do Bebé, Continente Seleção and Continente Bio.
Read More: Continente Reduces Salt And Sugar Content In Own-Label Range
© 2023 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest Private Label news. Article by Branislav Pekic. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
