The Private Label Manufacturers Association has successfully conducted its first online trade show for retailers and manufacturers of private label products throughout Europe and around the globe.
Between 1 to 4 December, PLMA presented a series of dedicated, category-specific trade shows wherein buyers and suppliers met and did business across a singular, secure and proprietary PLMA digital platform.
PLMA president, Peggy Davies said, "During the four show days, we monitored the online activity that took place. More than 2,500 substantial video calls took place between unique conversation partners, and more than 15,000 virtual business cards were exchanged between visitors and exhibitors.
"The online show platform remains accessible to all registered buyers and visitors until mid-April 2021, and with this, sourcing for products and exchanging messages and virtual business cards can continue. As is demonstrated by the fact that another 1,000 virtual business cards were already exchanged since the last official show day."
Participants
Nearly 2,000 buyers from supermarkets, hypermarkets, discounters, drugstores and department stores and wholesalers, as well as importers, exporters, sales agents, manufacturers and packaging and design experts from 95 countries, participated in one of the world's biggest digital private-label B2B platforms.
More than 1,000 exhibiting companies from 60 countries, including participants in 22 national and regional pavilions, offered their newest, best and most innovative private-label products.
According to Davies, the online trade show platform had been under development for several years, but the progress accelerated in the past few months.
'A New Experience'
"I am very proud that we were able to offer this platform to the trade. To those users where the technology may have been a new experience along with the occasional technical hiccup as hundreds of video calls were simultaneously taking place, the PLMA team readily assisted participants in overcoming the challenges quickly," she added.
"In all, the introduction of our online trade show proved its value and provided everyone with important learnings."
Products exhibited on PLMA's virtual trade show floor included fresh, frozen, and refrigerated foods, dry grocery, and beverages, as well as non-food categories such as cosmetics, health and beauty, household, kitchen and housewares, auto aftercare, garden and DIY.
Davies commented, "Looking at the year ahead, our focus is on PLMA's 2021 'World of Private Label' International Trade Show, which is scheduled for 18 and 19 May at the RAI Exhibition Centre.
"The situation is promising. I have faith that an in-person trade show is possible. I look forward to welcoming the entire industry to Amsterdam next year."
© 2020 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Dayeeta Das. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
