The Food Marketing Institute (FMI) said its 2012 Private Brands Summit, to be held in Dallas in conjunction with FMI2012: The Food Retail Show, will encourage greater communication and collaboration amongst trading partners to promote the growth of private brands.

“This year’s Private Brands Summit goes beyond creating ‘me too’ products and looking at how to successfully compete on more levels than just price,” said Joe McKie, vice president of private brands at Arlington, Va.-based FMI.

According to FMI’s “U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends 2011” report, shoppers originally purchased private brand foods to save money, but are now sticking with the products for their taste. This trend opens up more discussions for summit attendees, as they learn how to strategically manage their brands and grow stronger consumer loyalties.

FMI said it will share at the summit results from a partnered study with Fort Worth, Texas-based Buxton, looking at customer analytics for private brands at retail and presenting a case study for determining an ROI calculation. Buxton’s process included testing and fine-tuning marketing efforts to provide an understanding of the best ROI when marketing to loyal private brand customers, while giving incentives to “switchers,” or those likely to buy both private brands and national brands. Meijer Inc., Grand Rapids, Mich., and Elgin, Ill.-based John B. Sanfilippo & Son, Inc. were the retailer and supplier companies, respectively, who participated in the case study.

“When it comes to private brands,” knowing your customers” is the most critical element for brand owners when developing their brand strategies.” McKie said. “Our research, supplier partners and presenters at the FMI Private Brands Summit indicate that we need to challenge the strategy model for private brands — we have to give customers one more reason to shop and a reason to come back — since price is no longer the unique motivation.”