Joel Rampoldt, CEO of Lidl U.S., will deliver the keynote address at PLMA’s 2025 Private Label Trade Show, to be held Nov. 16-18 in Chicago.
Themed “Store Brands Marketplace,” the show will feature more than 35,000 food and nonfood products, 3,100 booths and 2,000 exhibitors representing 65 countries.
A business leader with a track record in large-scale retail transformations, Rampoldt has expertise in building teams and helping them tackle complex problems in customer offerings, marketing, supply chain and financial management.
“I’m honored to get the chance to speak to our suppliers at this year’s PLMA Trade Show,” Rampoldt said. “Here at Lidl U.S., we value our relationships with our suppliers tremendously, and we’re excited to grow with our suppliers as we expand in the U.S.”
Rampoldt joined Lidl U.S. as CEO in 2023. Prior to this, he was a partner and managing director at AlixPartners, where he specialized in improving sales and profitability for retail clients through strategies focused on pricing, promotions and operational efficiency.
“We are extremely pleased to welcome Joel as our keynote speaker. He is an accomplished and influential retail industry executive who leads a chain that is clearly a growing force in the U.S. market, much as it is in Europe,” said PLMA President Peggy Davies.
Lidl, parent of Lidl U.S., operates more than 12,000 stores in 31 countries, employing more than 350,000 employees globally. It is part of the Schwarz Group, the world’s third-largest retailer.
The supermarket chain is known for its focus on private label, easy-to-shop layout and product selection that emphasizes essentials and popular items that contribute to budget-friendly, efficient shopping.
Established in 2015, Lidl U.S. is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, and operates 190-plus stores on the East Coast. About 80 percent of its products are private label, all of which undergo taste, quality and sensory testing.
Rampoldt will speak at the 8 a.m. keynote breakfast Nov. 17 at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare, which is adjacent to the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, site of the show.
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About PLMA
The Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA) is a nonprofit trade organization founded in 1979 to promote the store brands industry. With executive offices in New York and international council offices in Amsterdam, PLMA represents more than 5,200 member companies worldwide.
In addition to the Annual Private Label Trade Show in Chicago and World of Private Label International Trade Show in Amsterdam, PLMA provides annual conferences, executive education and professional development opportunities.
An advocate for the industry, PLMA created Store Brands Month, a nationwide collaboration of retailers, wholesalers and private label suppliers, promoting store brand products to the country’s grocery shoppers. The month-long event focuses on increasing consumer attention to the quality, value and innovation of store brand products across all categories within brick and mortar and online retail formats.