Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturers NAICS 311991

Jan 30, 2026 - Private Label Sales Record

• Sales of private label products rose 3.3% in 2025 over 2024 to a record $282.8 billion, with sales of store brands growing nearly three times as quickly as national brands, according to the Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA). The rise in private label sales has implications for perishable prepared foods manufacturers, as retailers increasingly rely on private label offerings to meet consumer demand for value and quality. With sales of store brand refrigerated products, a core category for prepared meals, deli items, and fresh entrées, growing more than 6%, retailers are likely to expand their own perishable prepared lines, intensifying competition for national‑brand manufacturers, which may face reduced shelf space, tighter pricing pressure, and more frequent retailer requests for contract manufacturing partnerships. Shopper appetite for store brand products cuts across income levels, with even higher‑income households becoming more price sensitive, per Circana data.
• New research from consumer insights firm Circana finds that households using GLP-1 medications for weight‑loss or diabetes are projected to account for 35% of all US food and beverage units sold by 2030, up from about 23% at present. Because GLP‑1 users are increasingly focused on weight management, their shopping patterns are shifting dramatically. They’re buying fewer carb- and sugar-heavy foods, while favoring higher‑protein, high‑fiber, and healthy‑fat foods. Even though their total retail food spending dips, they still outspend non-users overall. For food manufacturers, especially those reliant on sugary, high‑carb meals, this trend signals reduced demand. To stay relevant, companies will likely need to reformulate or expand into products aligned with health‑centered, high‑protein, low‑sugar diets and adjust their marketing to appeal to this growing group of shoppers.

• While some food companies are breaking up amid challenging market conditions (notably Kraft Heinz), others are on the hunt for deals, The Wall Street Journal reports citing fresh deli prepared foods manufacturer Mama’s Creations acquisition of Crown I Enterprises in September. Mama’s Creations, which supplies major retailers like Costco and Walmart, purchased the ready-to-eat meal maker from food service distributor Sysco for $17.5 million. The acquisition brings the potential for more customers, the ability to make meatballs and other items faster and at a lower cost, and adds a 42,000-square-foot manufacturing facility, according to WSJ. With rising menu prices having many consumers saving money by eating prepared foods at home, deli department sales are growing faster than other grocery departments, according to consumer market research firm Circana. Mama’s expansion while other companies retrench shows growth can still be on the table in a difficult market.
• Producer prices for perishable prepared food manufacturers rose 1.7% in November compared to a year ago, after rising 1.3% in the previous November-versus-November annual comparison, according to the latest US Bureau of Labor Statistics data. By comparison, the retail price of frozen and freeze dried prepared foods fell 0.2% year over year in November, while soup prices rose 1.8% YoY, according to the November 2025 Consumer Price Index report. Employment by miscellaneous food product manufacturers shrank 1.2% in November, while the average industry wage at food manufacturers rose 1.6% YoY in December to a new high of $24.25 per hour, BLS data show.