2025 Private Label Hall of Fame: Thomas Becker
Nine leaders from the private label world are the newest members of the Private Label Hall of Fame. Induction ceremonies were held during the Private Label Manufacturers Association’s Annual Meeting & Leadership Conference in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Members of the Class of 2025 are a combination of leaders with a history of growing store brand products, along with those who continue to impact the current-day marketplace.
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 three categories: Lifetime Achievement, Private Brand Champion, and Private Brand Innovator.
“Our nine-member Class of 2025 represents the best-of-the-best thought leaders and changemakers,” said Peggy Davies, president of PLMA. “Their commitment and dedication to private label is an inspiration to all.”
Thomas Becker
Director of Proprietary Brands (former)
Circle K
With more than two decades of experience and leadership roles at Circle K, Ahold USA, and OfficeMax, Thomas Becker has had a significant impact on the private label industry.
Most recently, Becker served as director of Proprietary Brands at Circle K, where he reinvigorated the retailer’s proprietary brand strategy, improved product quality, and launched promotions that outperformed national brands. His creation of the award-winning Sabrosos tortilla chip brand and a successful LTO chip program exemplified his knack for combining strategy with innovation.
Becker's earlier work at Ahold USA was equally impactful. He led a team of more than 100 professionals in the development and repositioning of own brands such as Nature’s Promise, Simply Enjoy, and Guaranteed Value—growing private brand sales by more than $1.1 billion in just three years. He also introduced store-wide private brand promotions and implemented consumer testing across the more than 8,000 SKU portfolio, proving that private label products could meet or exceed national brand standards.
“Looking back over my career in private label, three themes stand out as particularly significant: driving growth, transforming organizations, and building exceptional teams and relationships,” Becker said.
His journey began at OfficeMax, where he served as the company’s first director of Private Brands. There, Becker introduced a CPG-style brand management approach and developed TUL, a premium line of writing instruments that became a top seller. He also created Highlife, a brand tailored specifically for B2B customers, shattering preconceived notions about the limitations of private brands in commercial spaces.
Becker has consistently fought to change perceptions around private label quality. At Ahold, he led a “Double Your Money Back” campaign and launched a brand tracking study to measure and improve consumer sentiment. At Circle K, he implemented a quality guarantee for every proprietary brand item, reinforcing that private label can—and should—be synonymous with excellence.
“Private brands have evolved from generic alternatives to powerful, trusted labels with loyal followings,” Becker said. “It’s been incredibly rewarding to help drive that transformation and build brands that consumers love and trust.”