The Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA) Show in Amsterdam on 24-25 May is must for anyone involved in packaged food in Europe. Out of 8 halls, 5.5 halls were focused on food and beverage products. The other halls were mainly non-food retail items, such as personal care products, housewares and tobacco products.
The main focus of the show was retail-ready packaged food and beverage products. There were a few ingredient producers and distributors, many of which also offered retail pack services. Foodservice was also present: many of the food and beverage exhibitors featured foodservice packaging options. Some of the beverage exhibitors were focused more on the delivery systems (eg, coffee machines) and less on ingredients.
The number of US exhibitors companies was small at 15 and slightly smaller than last year, when there were 17 US exhibitors. There were a couple of US ingredient producers: San Saba Pecan (pecans), Andalucia Nut (peanuts). There were a couple of companies offering typically American packaged goods (eg, mustard, BBQ sauces, canned peanuts), a frozen, all-natural cookie company, and a maple syrup producer.
There were many exhibitors offering only branded products, including some large brand corporates, such as InterSnack. Though a private label show, the number of branded products exhibitors indicates the value of the show for meeting European retailers and wholesalers.
If North American companies have a differentiated product with original packaging, exhibiting at PLMA is worth considering as way to access European retailers.