How Authentic Brands Like Seggiano Thrive in a Store-Brand Era
October 13, 2026
5 MIN READ
This article is featured in the Magazine “Private Label and National Brands: Decoding Food Retail”, created in collaboration with Global Retail Brands. You can find more insights about the Magazine and additional articles here.
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A Changing Retail Landscape
Private label products have experienced remarkable growth in recent years. In Europe, they now account for nearly 40% of grocery sales, and in some countries like Switzerland, exceed 50%. In North America, private label grocery sales saw nearly 4% year-over-year growth in 2024, outpacing many national brands. Retailers are investing more in their own brands, not just for margin advantages, but because consumers are becoming more confident in their quality.
This shift raises a critical question for premium food brands: when supermarkets devote more shelf space to their own-label organic pastas or extra virgin olive oils, how do independent brands continue to justify their place?
In my experience leading Seggiano, I believe the answer is simple: by staying radically committed to what makes us different.
“This approach isn’t about nostalgia, it reflects a rooted belief that customers still care about where their food comes from.”
Lessons from Tuscany: Why Place Still Matters
Seggiano was born in the heart of Tuscany. What began as a small-scale olive oil operation rooted in the traditions of a single region has grown into a full range of authentic Italian foods, now available in over 20 countries. Though our portfolio has expanded, our focus remains clear: collaborate only with specialists who value tradition, quality ingredients, and transparency.
This approach isn’t about nostalgia, it reflects a rooted belief that customers still care about where their food comes from. Many of our collaborators are multigenerational family businesses. They’re not chosen because they’re efficient, but because they’re experts.
The name Seggiano comes from the hilltop village near Monte Amiata that inspired our first product: a robust, single-origin extra virgin olive oil made from the Olivastra Seggianese olive, unique to that microregion. That origin story continues to define us. Over time, our range expanded to include artisan pasta, sauces, vinegars, antipasti, and vegan pestos, each chosen for its integrity, provenance, and taste.
What Sets a Brand Apart in a World of “Good Enough”?
Retailers have raised the bar on private labels, introducing sleek packaging, chef-style messaging, and regionally inspired stories that echo those of premium producers. So where does that leave independent brands like Seggiano, and what sets us apart?
1. Traceable origins you can trust. Each product in our range is rooted in a specific place and made by someone we’ve worked with over time. Our Lunaio Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for example, comes from organic groves in Tuscany, pressed within hours of harvest. Our pastas are made with high-quality Italian durum wheat, bronze-die cut, and slow-dried for superior texture. These are details driven by producers, not just product development.
2. Products with soul, not spin. Where private labels often aim to mimic, we aim to maintain. We don’t make “Italian-style” food, we source from Italians making food they themselves would proudly serve. That distinction is cultural, not cosmetic.
3. Relentless consistency. Whether you’re buying our passata in London or Los Angeles, the product inside reflects the same uncompromising standards, season after season. That kind of consistency, across small-batch producers, doesn’t happen by accident. It takes deep relationships, ongoing collaboration, and a refusal to cut corners.
Choosing Channels With Intention
One of the most important decisions a premium brand can make is where to show up. For us, growth doesn’t mean being everywhere, whether that’s a fine foods shop in the UK, a gourmet grocer in the Netherlands, or Whole Foods Market in the U.S.
These stores aren’t just points of sale, they’re trusted curators. In these contexts, shoppers aren’t just looking for affordability, they’re seeking something with character and context. That’s where premium brands grounded in authenticity can thrive.
We’ve also learned to be cautious with promotions. While price competition is tempting, especially when private labels sit on the same shelf, we’ve found that discounting can dilute perception. Instead, our energy goes toward clear storytelling, educational materials, and packaging that invites curiosity rather than making claims.
Educate, Don’t Imitate
Perhaps the most valuable tool a brand has in today’s market is not just their product, it’s perspective.
Have a story? Tell it.
Whether through packaging, website, or in-store tastings, we’re constantly inviting customers behind the curtain. Want to know where your olive oil comes from? We’ll show you the grove. Curious why our pesto tastes fresher? It’s raw, never pasteurized.
Provenance and process are the new luxury. Today’s shopper wants to know more than just whether a product is organic. They want to know: Who made it? How? And why should I care?
They should not only understand what they’re buying, but why it matters.
When you meet that desire for knowledge with honesty, customers don’t just buy, they believe. That belief builds loyalty stronger than any points program or promotion ever could.
Looking Ahead: Slower, Smarter, Stronger
Private label is not a temporary shift, it’s a structural change. But the same tools that have made it successful – efficiency, scale, smart positioning – don’t negate the relevance of independent brands.
At Seggiano, we’re not trying to outpace private labels. We’re trying to go deeper in the direction we’ve always followed. That means:
- Remaining faithful to producer relationships.
- Going slow when everyone else speeds up, prioritizing product integrity over speed to market.
- Pursuing innovation that enhances, rather than replaces, tradition.
- Focusing on flavor, transparency, and trust, not trends.
Premium brands can thrive in the future of food retail, but not by being louder or bigger. Only by being clearer, truer, and more deliberate. The shelves may be more crowded, but distinction still matters. Especially when it’s earned.
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