NEW YORK — Scott Morris, Walmart's senior vice president of Private Brands Food, Consumables, and Manufacturing, will give the keynote address at PLMA’s 2026 Annual Meeting & Leadership Conference in Bentonville, Arkansas, April 15-17. The topic is “The Future of Private Brands.”
The early-bird rate is valid until January 16, 2026.
CLICK HERE for more information or contact conferences@plma.com.
Morris and his team are responsible for positioning Walmart’s private brands, enhancing their value proposition, developing high-quality core and innovative products, and fostering customer loyalty along with comprehensive cultural support. He has over 38 years of experience in the retail industry and has held leadership roles in operations, merchandising, marketing, strategy, shared services, supply chain, and M&A.
“Walmart is an exemplar of utilizing store brands as a key retail strategy,” said Peggy Davies, PLMA president.
Among its recent store brand initiatives, Walmart’s bettergoods assortment has been a major hit, featuring hundreds of products across categories such as frozen foods, snacks, dairy, and beverages.
This year’s conference will take place in Bentonville, reflecting PLMA’s ongoing approach of hosting the event near major retail hubs. The 2026 theme, “Building Brands That Drive Success,” emphasizes strategic growth and collaboration across the private label industry.
The program offers a customizable schedule featuring:
• 12 breakout sessions across tracks including Brand Building; Innovation & Product Development; Emerging Technologies; Marketing & Shopper Engagement; Differentiation Through Innovation; and Strategic Partnerships.
• Five main-stage plenary presentations.
• A flexible “DIY” agenda format first introduced in 2025, praised for its variety and relevance.
“The format and retail-centric setting encourage deeper networking and meaningful discussions on the future of private brands and retailing overall,” added Davies.
Speakers include industry leaders from FMI, NIQ, Daymon, Path 2 Purchase Institute, Plante Moran, Lippincott, Circana, and others. Davies will serve as host and lead PLMA’s annual meeting and the 2026 Private Label Hall of Fame induction ceremonies.
