What Are PB (Private Brand) Products? Meaning, Related Keywords, and Examples Explained

February 23, 2026April 21, 2026

What are PB products?

PB products (private-brand products) refer to a retailer's or distributor's own-brand products that they plan and sell themselves, rather than a manufacturer. Manufacturing is often outsourced to OEM or ODM makers, and they are spreading centered on major supermarkets, drugstores, and convenience-store chains.

For consumers, the appeal is "low price," "quality assurance," and "uniqueness," while for companies they hold an important position as a means of raising brand value and profitability.

Features and background of PB products

Definition: private-brand products a retailer develops independently

Advantages: differentiation, price competitiveness, improved profitability

Disadvantages: the retailer bears the risk when sales are sluggish

Background: spread in Japan from the 1970s onward alongside the rise of major distributors

Trend: value-added PB such as health foods, organic products, and sustainable products is expanding

Examples of PB product use at Agriture

PB product development for supermarkets and drugstores using dried vegetables and vegetable powder as ingredients

Proposals for "sustainable PB products" utilizing off-spec vegetables

OEM track record of dried-fruit PB products for convenience stores

Small-lot support for PB products combining health-conscious and functional appeals

Related keywords

OEM

ODM

NB products (national-brand products)

Sustainable PB

from small lots

Food OEM Starting from Small Lots: Points to Avoid Failure Even as a Sole Proprietor and Choosing a Manufacturer

The relationship between non-standard vegetables and food loss | Solutions and case studies

FAQ

Q1. What is the difference between PB and NB products?
A. PB products are a retailer's own-brand products, while NB products are nationally distributed brand products that a manufacturer plans and sells.

Q2. Why are PB products cheap?
A. Because prices can be kept down through mass production, reduced distribution costs, and lower advertising spend.

Q3. Can Agriture handle PB products?
A. Yes. We handle, via OEM, the development of health-conscious and sustainability-appeal PB products utilizing dried vegetables and dried fruit.

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Author of this article

Rei Kojima Agriture CEO

CEO of Agriture Inc. Runs a contract processing and OEM business centered on dried vegetables and dried fruit. In partnership with farmers within Kyoto Prefecture, he pursues “sustainable food distribution” through the use of non-standard vegetables and support for sixth-industrialization. Drawing on extensive hands-on experience at manufacturing sites, he provides support that walks alongside every business considering OEM—from product planning and prototyping to small-lot handling, packaging design, and sales-channel development.