The Rise of Private Label Packaged Food in Latin America

April 2025

Amid elevated prices and a stronger consumer focus on affordability, a more value favourable retail environment is driving the growth of private label packaged foods across Latin America. Retailers are expanding assortments, better understanding consumer needs, and partnering with quality suppliers. This report explores how private label manufacturers and retailers are competing in this evolving market, focusing on key categories, regional trends, and strategic marketing initiatives.

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Key findings

Socioeconomic factors, channels evolution and market sophistication drive private label growth

The challenging macroeconomic environment for consumers and the rise of discounters, convenience stores, and warehouse clubs, along with the decline of traditional channels and the growing professionalisation of private label management by retailers, are all contributing to the increasing value share of private label in packaged food categories across Latin America.

Private label sees varied performance across the region

Private label products are experiencing strong growth and expansion in the region, both in value share and in product variety, value proposition, and functionality. However, significant differences exist in the value share across countries, closely linked to each country’s channel environment and consumer habits.

Retailers are expanding private label management strategies

The private label portfolio varies considerably among retailers. For example, while discounters typically have a different private label for each category, mimicking the category leader, supermarkets, hypermarkets, warehouse clubs, and convenience stores often have either a single private label or one for each price segment or specific food groups.

Value share of private label is still much higher for essential categories

Private label penetration varies significantly by category. It is strong in basic and essential categories, such as canned tuna, shelf stable vegetables, oil, milk, and rice, and weak in indulgence categories (such as confectionery) and categories in which trust matters most like baby food. In any case, private label products are increasingly expanding into more categories.

Brazil presents a significant private label opportunity

There is a growth opportunity in Brazil, the largest economy in Latin America. The long-standing perception of private label as low quality, combined with the limited presence of private label in key channels like warehouse clubs Atacadão and Assaí, along with the limited number of discounters, keeps private label’s value share much lower than in other Latin American countries.

The Rise of Private Label Packaged Foods in Latin America
Key findings
Socioeconomic factors and retail shifts drive private label growth in Latin America
Latin America offers fertile ground for private label development
Private label market share varies significantly across Latin American countries
Private label shows a higher value share in staple foods and other essential categories
High private label share in advanced economies signals potential in Latin America
Retailers are adopting diverse portfolio strategies for their private label product ranges
Private label products in Latin America are diversifying in price and functionality
The macroeconomic environment benefits private label in Latin America
The two largest economies in Latin America expect low growth for 2025
Consumer concerns and financial pressures drive them towards private label purchases
A wider range of income segments are embracing private label products
The demand for value and convenience is reshaping the grocery retailers landscape
Discounter, convenience store, and warehouse club growth benefits private label
The growth of discounters is crucial to the expansion of private label’s value share
Convenience stores growth, led by OXXO, contributes to private label expansion
Warehouse clubs make noticeable contribution to private label growth as well
The share of private label products is also growing in the e-commerce channel
Recommendations/opportunities for manufacturers
Recommendations/opportunities for retailers
Evolution of private label in Latin America
Private label development in Latin America
Questions we are asking
Appendix: Status of private label value share in selected retailers
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