Top marketers push into private label -- Keebler is Latest Packaged-Goods Firm To Enter Rapidly Growing Arena

NEW YORK–Nestle, Heinz, Kraft, Campbell and now Keebler. The roster of branded companie…Private label accounts for 18% of total packaged-goods unit sales, up from 15% five years ago. Loss of share and volume at branded companies has fueled recent reports from three securities analysts, who predict private label will grab 30-45% of the market before peaking in the next decade.”The bottom line is that private label is here to stay,” said Stephen Carnes, food analyst at Piper Jaffray Inc.