Walmart’s SVP of Private Brands Food, Consumables and Manufacturing Scott Morris will deliver the keynote address April 15-17 at PLMA’s 2026 Annual Meeting and Leadership Conference in Bentonville, Arkansas.
Morris and his team are tasked with positioning Walmart’s private brands, strengthening their value proposition, developing quality core and innovative products and building customer loyalty and holistic cultural support. He has more than 38 years serving the retail industry and has held leadership roles in operations, merchandising, marketing, strategy office, shared services supply chain and M&A.
“Walmart is an exemplar of utilizing store brands as a key retail strategy,” said PLMA President Peggy Davies.
Among its recent store brand initiatives, Walmart’s bettergoods assortment has been a major hit, featuring hundreds of products across categories like frozen foods, snacks, dairy and beverages.
This year’s conference will take place in Bentonville, Arkansas, 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 early bird rate is effective until Jan. 16.
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,” Davies added.
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.
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