2024 Private Label Hall of Fame: Pam Ofri of Wakefern
Sixteen 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 San Antonio, Tex. Members of the Class of 2024 are a combination of long-time leaders and up-and-coming visionaries who have provided a strong foundation for an industry that continues to see record-setting growth.
RELATED: The complete list of the Private Label Hall of Fame Class of 2024
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 retail and product supplier honorees in four categories. They include Next Gen Private Label Leader, Private Brand Innovator, Private Brand Champion, and Lifetime Achievement.
Pam Ofri
Senior Director of Product Development & Operations
Own Brands Division
Wakefern Food Corporation
With her high level of expertise and unwavering passion for own brands, Wakefern’s Pam Ofri is lauded by colleagues as having revolutionized the industry, setting new standards and redefining the perception of private label products.
A member of the Private Label Hall of Fame’s Class of 2024 in the Private Brand Champion Category, Ofri in her role as senior director of product development and operations oversees comprehensive brand development across 4,000 SKUs and three own brands. What sets her apart is not just her extensive portfolio but also her innovative approach to team motivation and commitment to setting industry standards.
“I think it is rare for someone to truly love the work they do, and I feel fortunate to have such passion around launching new products, innovating food, and making our consumers happy,” she said.
Ofri’s professional success has been highlighted by transformative ideas introduced through three groundbreaking Innovation Summits. These summits not only sparked creativity within her team but also led to a remarkable 25% increase in in-store sales within a single quarter. The impact extended beyond sales figures, with a staggering 93% consumer satisfaction rate attributed to the innovative item designs brought to life under her guidance.
“Back in 2022, we spearheaded our first Own Brands Innovation Summit where we invited suppliers to present new opportunities which we called ‘new to world’ items,” Orfi recalled. “In 2024, we are now hosting our third annual innovation summit, this one dedicated to indulgent snacking. This event makes me realize how far we've come, how exciting being in own brands can be, and what an honor it is to have the ability to create a new product from scratch through R&D and supplier collaboration.”
Additionally, her approach has shifted the private brand sector from a traditional private label mindset to one focused on unique brand identity. Instead of viewing private label products as name brand alternatives, Ofri is credited with repositioning them as essential, high-quality options that appeal to modern consumers.
“My team has done an amazing job over the past five years launching three brands (Bowl & Basket, Wholesome Pantry, and Paperbird) and more than 3,800 SKUs at Wakefern,” she said. “Anyone in the private label industry knows what an uphill, yet rewarding, battle that can be. This award sincerely humbles me, and provides me with a sense of pride that all our hard work is being recognized and that my sampling of thousands of new items has not been for naught.”
