2023 Private Label Hall of Fame: Kristie Nicolosi, The Kingswood Company
16 leaders from the world of private brands were recently honored as the newest inductees to the Private Label Hall of Fame.
During a ceremony held during the Private Label Manufacturers Association’s (PLMA) Annual Meeting & Leadership Conference in Orlando, Fla., members of the Class of 2023 shared stories of the challenges each has overcome to succeed in a highly competitive industry.
Created in 2006 to recognize those who have made significant contributions to the growth and development of the global private brand industry, this year’s event featured updated categories that each included two retail and two supplier honorees. The categories are Next Gen Private Label Leader, Private Brand Innovator, Private Brand Champion and Lifetime Achievement.
“We proudly celebrate the outstanding achievements of these proven leaders and innovators,” said Peggy Davies, president of PLMA. “Their hard work and dedication are instrumental to the success of the store brands business.”
“The 16 honorees represent the best of the best from across the world of private label and showcase the depth of talent the industry has to offer,” said Greg Sleter, executive editor and associate publisher of Store Brands. “This august group of retailers and suppliers have had a major impact on the private label business and will continue to do so in the years ahead.”
This special section features profiles of each of the new Hall of Famers.
Kristie Nicolosi
President & CEO
The Kingswood Company
Private Brand Champion
Jewelry care may not be the first product category that comes to mind when thinking about private label products. But for nearly 20 years, it has been a passion for Kristie Nicolosi, president & CEO of The Kingswood Company.
During her tenure, Nicolosi and her team have pushed the idea that private brands can be strategic initiatives and offer superior products that contribute to an exclusive retail experience for consumers in a way national brands cannot.
“If done well, (private brands) can create unique opportunities for retailers to connect with customers, create loyalty, and drive traffic, all the while creating revenue streams that were previously overlooked,” said Nicolosi, a 2023 Private Label Hall of Fame Honoree in the Private Brand Champion category.
Retail and the GPG world were not on her mind early in her career. After graduating college, Nicolosi worked in public accounting and financial services for a decade. That changed in 2005 when she purchased Kingswood.
“I truthfully did not anticipate how challenging and rewarding consumer goods would be,” she said. “It is a complex and global industry, with tremendous opportunity for growth, innovation and excellence.”
Over the following 18 years, Nicolosi had driven Kingswood’s expansion beyond its base of U.S.-based retail jewelers to now include e-commerce channels, direct sales companies, pawn stores, big-box retailers and international retailers and distributors. The company’s products today are distributed on six continents and to more than 12,000 doors worldwide.
She attributed her success to the support received from family, friends, colleagues, mentors, customers and suppliers.
“I have been inspired by my parents, my husband and my daughters, and the many talented people that are on our team, and feel grateful for my health and education as well,” Nicolosi said.
Looking toward the future, Nicolosi said her company is continuing on its path with planning international expansion, development of new products and increased capacity and customization options for its customers.
Additionally, she said her next challenge as a leader and entrepreneur is to further develop the company’s people, processes and technology as key components to reaching a next level of growth.
“As one of our core values, we are investing not just in our company, but in ourselves through increased budgets for training, professional, technical and leadership development,” she said. “We recognize that as our company grows, this creates new opportunities for each of us, and we want to be the company of choice for our team members that want to continue to learn, develop, and grow.”