Walmart revamps Great Value as store brands surge
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Walmart's Great Value brand is getting a refresh. Photo: Courtesy of Walmart
Walmart is overhauling its biggest brand, Great Value, for the first time in more than a decade.
Why it matters: The retail giant's private-label brand is one the nation's largest for everyday grocery and household products — outsizing many major food companies, Walmart told Axios.
- Store brands are gaining ground, particularly among younger shoppers looking to save money.
Driving the news: The redesign, announced Wednesday, spans nearly 10,000 food and consumables products — Walmart's largest private brand update ever.
- Packaging will use more consistent labeling and placement to help shoppers find items faster.
- The first items to roll out include snacks, cereals, cream cheese and sour cream, the company told Axios.
- The update will be phased in over more than a year.
State of play: Private-label sales reached $330 billion in the U.S. in 2025, accounting for roughly a quarter of the market, according to Circana.
- Store brands are growing nearly three times faster than national brands, the Private Label Manufacturers Association found.
- Growth is being driven by financially stretched consumers, rising trust in store brands and increased adoption among younger shoppers, Circana said.
- Gen Z is projected to become the most loyal private label shoppers by 2026, per Numerator research.
The big picture: Walmart's push into private label isn't new — Great Value was launched in 1993 and has grown into its largest brand.
- The retailer has doubled down recently, including the 2024 debut of Bettergoods, its largest store brand launch in 20 years.
- Competitors like Aldi, Target and Costco have also leaned heavily on private labels to drive growth.
What they're saying: Customers are "leaning into private brands more than they ever have," Scott Morris, Walmart's SVP of private brands, told Axios, pointing to growing demand among younger shoppers.
- While product quality scored high, the packaging lagged — it didn't "do a good enough job of conveying the quality" customers already saw, said David Hartman, Walmart's VP of design.
- More consistent packaging helps shoppers and workers navigate shelves faster and find items more easily online, Morris said.
Zoom out: Private label is also moving upmarket, as premium and wellness-focused products drive growth and narrow the gap with national brands, according to data from SPINS, a market research firm.
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