The proliferation of private label, white label, and store brands has caused a fundamental shift in how retailers think and operate from a supply management perspective. Retailers that are focused on private label are able to realize higher margins from this segment of their business, but they need to think and act like a manufacturer of consumer goods, food and beverage, high tech, pharmaceuticals, or whichever industrial segment the retailer participates in. Therefore, retailers need to go back to what works in different industry segments, working with contract manufacturers and other outsourced elements of their supply chain, but look to the future for advanced capabilities. In a variety of industries, outsourcing manufacturing is a viable option – it works. However, a key challenge is loss of control of materials as they progress through the outsourced supply chain on the journey to the retailer's shelf.