Walmart, Target, Kroger swap name brands for private labels in Thanksgiving meal deals
President Trump touted in the Oval Office last Thursday that Walmart’s Thanksgiving meal would cost 25% less this year than it did last year under the Biden administration.
“They just came out with a very powerful statement,” Trump said, later repeating the claim on his Truth Social account. “In other words, our Thanksgiving this year coming up will cost 25% less than sleepy Joe Biden’s. To me, that’s better than anything there is; that’s better than a poll.”
Walmart’s website says the meal costs 25% less than the basket it offered last year, and that the turkey was at the lowest price since 2019. But the lower price this year wasn’t necessarily because of who was the president, or because prices had gone down. It’s in part because the basket includes different items. It subs out some items for less expensive private-brand alternatives or removes and replaces others — like dinner rolls instead of Hawaiian rolls.
The 2025 meal contains 22 items, about the same as last year’s. In 2024, the meal basket was about $55, according to the company’s website. This year, the meal totals about $40, or less than $4 a person for 10 people — last year’s meal served eight people for less than $7 per person. But it removes several name-brand items like Marie Callender’s pecan pie, Jet-Puffed marshmallows, Jiffy corn muffin mix and Ocean Spray cranberry sauce. Walmart declined to comment for this story.
Pre-selected Thanksgiving meals — generally available online and in stores — have become a trend over the last few years. It’s a way for retailers to promote value during the holiday season, showing off how many people they can feed for one low price. Like Walmart, Target’s and Kroger’s Thanksgiving meals this year also remove some national-brand products in favor of private-brand alternatives.
Target’s 2025 Thanksgiving meal includes seven items for around $20 total: an up-to-10-pound turkey, a five-pound bag of russet potatoes, cranberry sauce, stuffing mix, turkey gravy, french bread and frozen corn.
While it includes the same number of items as in 2024 at about the same price, Target’s 2025 meal replaced two name-brand products. It subbed Del Monte green beans and Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup for two entirely different private-label products: Good & Gather frozen corn and Favorite Day French bread. Regarding the changes, a Target representative stated in an email that “The items can change a bit each year for several reasons, like what consumers say they want in the meal, product inventory, etc.”
Kroger’s meal deal this year subs out Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup for Kroger-brand cream of mushroom soup, but otherwise is the same 16 items it offered last year.
“We made just one change to our Thanksgiving basket this year. This reflects Kroger’s commitment to helping customers save money without sacrificing quality,” a Kroger spokesperson said in a statement to Modern Retail. “Kroger brands are crafted to be as good or better than national brands, delivering great [taste] and value, so families can enjoy a memorable holiday meal at an affordable price.”
Simon Cutts, vp of retail partnerships for product intelligence firm Spins, said customers are responding favorably to private-label products, adding that he’s seeing more private brands not just in Thanksgiving meal deals but also in promotions and loyalty programs. “As retailers were looking to offer a more affordable option this year, including private-label in [the Thanksgiving meals] was definitely a way to bring some of those price points down,” he said.
According to NielsenIQ research, 31% of shoppers say they’ll choose private-label over name brands.
“That’s retailers getting a clear signal that their store brands are ready for prime time, even on the holiday table,” Chris Costagli, vp and food-and-beverage insights lead at NIQ, told Modern Retail via email. “Thanksgiving meal deals are essentially a showcase opportunity for retailers to prove their private label can deliver on taste, quality and value when it matters most.”
NIQ also found that 65% of consumers said they are comfortable serving private-label products at the Thanksgiving table. Only 5% said they’ll prioritize name brands, according to the firm.
“That’s a huge permission structure for retailers to lead with their own brands in these meal deals,” Costagli wrote. “By bundling private-label strategically alongside a few recognizable national brand items, retailers can deliver great value, protect their margins and build long-term loyalty around their store brands, all while helping families put a delicious, affordable meal on the table.”
Selling private brands allows retailers to have more control over costs than working with national brands. Ross Cloyd, a grocery analyst for Kantar, said that could be beneficial amid disruptions to the economy, such as delayed SNAP disbursements and the government shutdown, that are putting pressure on retailers to deliver value to affected customers.
The combination of private-label and national brands “gives the feeling that it’s still that important Thanksgiving meal, but without giving a price that’s higher and going to put shoppers at risk,” Cloyd said. He added that shoppers have become more receptive to private brands in recent years. “Shoppers are more comfortable buying private-label. They see that quality as being comparable to national brands at an affordable price.”