Convenience Store News Reveals Winners of 25th Annual Best New Products Awards
NATIONAL REPORT — The health and wellness trend in product innovation hasn't slowed down. If anything, consumers' desire for healthier products enhanced with functional benefits has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Many of the winners in the 2021 Convenience Store News Best New Products Awards represent examples of how Americans continue to look for proof of functional benefits in the foods and beverages they consume. Some of the more common product attributes shared among this year's honorees include low or no sugar or carbs, organic, clean label, and sustainable.
On the other hand, this year's group of winners also includes products that illustrate the fact that while consumers may want to follow healthy diets, that doesn't mean they don't like to treat themselves to indulgent sugary and salty snacks on occasion. This creates a tale of two c-stores: healthy products on one side and comforting, fun products on the other.
Another trend seen this year is "premium." Premium brand identification is on the upswing, with many products claiming unique ingredients, presentation and benefits over standard c-store fare.
More than any year prior, this year's Best New Products Awards winners backed up their claims with data showing the success of their new introductions.
From more than 100 entries, judges chose 44 products new to convenience store shelves for recognition in the 25th annual competition. The Best New Products Awards program recognizes the marketers that introduced the most innovative, high-quality products that meet consumers' evolving needs and fit a convenience store's value proposition.
Entries were rated and awarded points based on the criteria of taste, value, convenience, healthfulness, ingredients, preparation requirements, appearance and packaging. Judging was supervised and tallied by Past Times Marketing, a New York-based consumer research and product-testing firm. Detailed criteria is available here.
Products honored this year range from enhanced still waters, hard seltzers and indulgent sweet snacks to low-sugar, keto friendly and convenient grab-and-go foodservice items.
The 2021 Best New Products Awards winners are:
ALTERNATIVE SNACKS: ENERGY BARS
CLIF Bar Duos, CLIF Bar & Co.
ALTERNATIVE SNACKS: MEAT SNACKS
Country Archer Footlongs, Country Archer Provisions
ALTERNATIVE SNACKS: PROTEIN BARS
Cinnamon Toast Crunch Protein Bar, General Mills Convenience
BEER
Coors Pure, Molson Coors Beverage Co.
CANDY: CHOCOLATE
Reese's Big Cup with Pretzels, The Hershey Co.
CANDY: GUM
ORBIT Mega Pack — Peppermint, Mars Wrigley
CANDY: NON-CHOCOLATE
HARIBO Funtastic Mix, HARIBO of America
CANDY: NOVELTY/SEASONAL
Skittles Shriekers!, Mars Wrigley
CBD: EDIBLES
Hemp Bombs CBD Gummies, Hemp Bombs
CBD: JUICE DRINKS
Forth CBD-Infused Juice Drinks, E-Alternative Solutions
CBD: SHOTS
Mad Tasty Wellness Boost, Mad Tasty LLC
DELI PRODUCTS
Van's Kitchen 4-Pack Egg Rolls — Chili Lime Chicken, Van's Kitchen
FLAVORED MALT BEVERAGES: HARD SELTZER
Truly Punch Hard Seltzer — Berry Punch, Truly Hard Seltzer
FLAVORED MALT BEVERAGES: ORGANIC HARD SELTZER
Michelob ULTRA Organic Seltzer, Michelob
FOODSERVICE: BAKERY
Rich's Ready to Finish Filled Dessert Donuts — Banana Cream Pie, Rich Products Corp.
FOODSERVICE: BASE INGREDIENTS
Garrett Valley Pork Belly, Wellshire Farms LLC
FOODSERVICE: BREAKFAST
Market Sandwich — Sausage & Jalapeno Bacon with Egg & Cheese on a Biscuit, E.A. Sween Co.
FOODSERVICE: COLD DISPENSED BEVERAGES
Southern Breeze Ready Sweet Flavor Pak — Peach, Harris Tea Foodservice
FOODSERVICE: CONDIMENTS
Chester's Dipping Sauces — Chester's Sauce, Chester's International
FOODSERVICE: DINNER/HOME MEAL REPLACEMENT
Smoked Honey & BBQ Sausage, Johnsonville
FOODSERVICE: LUNCH
UNO Pizzeria & Grill Calzones — Chicken Bacon Ranch, UNO Foods Inc.
FOODSERVICE: SNACKS
Jimmy Dean Loaded Sausage Bites, Tyson Foodservice
FROZEN FOODS
Prairie City Ooey Gooey Molten Lava Cake — Fudge, Prairie City Bakery
FROZEN NOVELTIES
Snickers Peanut Brownie Ice Cream Bars, Mars Wrigley
GENERAL MERCHANDISE
Scripto Hybrid Jet Flame, Calico Brands Inc.
HEALTH & BEAUTY CARE
Headache Man, No More Pills LLC
HEALTHY SNACKS
OH SNAP! Sassy Bites, GLK Foods
HEALTHY SNACKS: KITS
Tessemae's Keto Box, Tessamae's
LIQUOR
LIQS — Cinnamon Orange Tequila, E.&J. Gallo Winery
NON-EDIBLE GROCERY
BIC EZ Reach Lighter, BIC Corp.
OTHER TOBACCO PRODUCTS: CIGARS
White Owl Swirl — Chocolate & Vanilla, Swedish Match North America
OTHER TOBACCO PRODUCTS: PAPERS
Hempire Wraps, Swisher
OTHER TOBACCO PRODUCTS: SMOKELESS TOBACCO
Black Buffalo Wintergreen Long Cut, Black Buffalo Inc.
PACKAGED BEVERAGES: BOTTLED WATER
VOSS+ Vitamin D, Voss USA
PACKAGED BEVERAGES: CARBONATED SOFT DRINKS
Sunkist Berry Lemonade, Keurig Dr Pepper
PACKAGED BEVERAGES: JUICE DRINKS
Amarumayu Superfruit Juices, Amarumayu LLC
PACKAGED BEVERAGES: OTHER
Twang Reserve Cocktail Mixes, Twang Partners Ltd.
PACKAGED BEVERAGES: RTD COFFEE DRINKS
Community Coffee Espresso + Cream, Community Coffee
PACKAGED BEVERAGES: RTD ICED TEA
POM Pomegranate Orange Blossom White Tea, POM Wonderful
PACKAGED SWEET SNACKS
7Days Cake Bars, 7Days-EPTA America LLC
SALTY SNACKS: NUTS & SEEDS
South 40 Snacks Sunflower Seeds, South 40 Snacks Inc.
SALTY SNACKS: POTATO CHIPS
Pringles Scorchin', Kellogg's Co.
SALTY SNACKS: PRETZELS
Dot's Honey Mustard Pretzels, Dot's Pretzels
SALTY SNACKS: READY TO EAT POPCORN
Gold Medal Gourmet Popcorn, Gold Medal Products Co.