Why This Year's Convenience Store News Best New Products Awards Honorees Stand Out

Consumers selected 29 products new to convenience store shelves in the past year for recognition in the 2019 Convenience Store News Best New Products Awards competition. Now in its 23nd year, the program recognizes and honors the marketers that introduced the most innovative, high-quality products that meet consumers’ evolving needs.

Contest entries were rated and awarded points by consumers based on the criteria of taste, value, convenience, healthfulness, ingredients, preparation requirements, appearance and packaging. Judging was supervised by Past Times Marketing, a New York-based consumer research and product testing firm.

Items honored this year include high protein/low-carb and lower sugar snacks; products boasting keto and paleo diet benefits and other health claims; packaging designed specifically for small-format stores; plant-based alternatives; and innovative foodservice offerings that are easy to prepare and consume on the go. Vibrant colors and eye-catching packaging also dominate this year’s winners.

Here are the products that resonated with our judges…