BENTONVILLE, Ark.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

From pure Italian-sourced olive oil to honey from a bee cooperative, the revamped Sam’s Club Member’s Mark brand now features hand-picked ingredients and premium products across both food and general merchandise categories.

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This Central Coast Chardonnay received a 92-point rating from the Beverage Tasting Institute and is available for less than $8. (Photo: Business Wire)

The reinvented Member’s Mark brand is the result of heavy investment over the past year streamlining 21 private brand names into one. But this is more than just slapping on a new label. As part of the overhaul, the company formed a dedicated team of product developers, culinary experts and food scientists to ensure each item emphasizes quality and value.

“In the past we made sure we were competitive with national brands,” explains Chandra Holt, Vice President of Private Brands for Sam’s Club. “But in today's environment, a lot of our members want better than that. Our goal is to make sure every Member’s Mark item is developed based on what our members want today.”

Alongside seasoned buyers, the private brand team travels the globe tapping experts - including top sommeliers in France and local olive and tomato farmers in Italy – to procure best-in-class ingredients and processing methods. The Member’s Mark team is constantly searching for hidden treasures around the world as well as from America’s backyard.

One example of an item developed based on member feedback is the new Member’s Mark All Natural Pulled Pork. The company worked with world renowned pit masters from the Kansas City Barbeque Society to create a pre-smoked barbecue with just a few simple ingredients: pork, water and seasoning.

This year, Sam’s Club is introducing 300 brand new items while renovating twice that number. The company plans to add about 300 new items per year. The product lineup will span from fresh food to apparel and to health and wellness, where members will find a breadth of daily essentials for their home or business and surprising finds.

New items under the Member’s Mark brand include:

• Sea Salt Caramels – Handcrafted caramels covered in milk chocolate and sprinkled with sea salt.
• Honey – Sourced from a U.S. bee cooperative representing hundreds of independent beekeepers.
• Wines – Worked with award-winning wineries to produce Chardonnay, Riesling and Cabernet.
• Donut Shop Coffee – Fair trade certified K-Cups.
• Lasagna – Created from an amazing Italian family recipe from a woman-owned business.

Members won’t just find improvements inside the container. The Member’s Mark brand also received a fresh design – a new modern, bold and stylish look with a unifying logo. Sam’s Club worked closely with design and branding experts to ensure the outside of each item reflects the quality inside.

About Sam’s Club

Sam’s Club^®, a division of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT), is a leading membership warehouse club offering superior products, savings and services to millions of members in 661 clubs in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. To learn more about Sam’s Club, visit the Sam’s Club Newsroom, shop at SamsClub.com, and interact with Sam’s Club on Twitter and Facebook.

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