And the Winners Are CSP

Transcription

1 And the Winners Are The winners of the ninth annual Retailer Choice Best New Products Contest represent the latest in what s hot and happening for c-stores in 24 different categories. The contest included products released between Aug. 1, 2011, and July 31, 2012, with the candidates narrowed to a list of three in each category, chosen over the course of two weeks in online voting in September. Thanks to all the retailers who voted for their favorites; the contest would not have been possible without your participation. And we d like to bestow a hearty congratulations on all the winners! CSP D ec ember

2 Tobacco _ Cigars Black & Mild Wine Cigarillos John Middleton Inc. Black & Mild Wine Cigarillos bring the smooth taste and aroma of Middleton s Wine blend to the untipped-cigarillo segment, according to the company. John Middleton Inc., an Altria company, is a leading manufacturer of cigars and pipe tobacco. Black & Mild Wine Cigarillos are available in AromaWrap two-pack or five-pack. Middleton s cigars are filled with pipe tobacco to satisfy customers who prefer the taste and aroma of pipe tobacco but do not have the time or experience to smoke a cigar, according to the company. Tobacco _ OTP Copenhagen Southern Blend U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Co. Copenhagen Long Cut Southern Blend offers a natural taste that is woodsier and slightly sweeter than a traditional natural moist smokeless tobacco, the company says. The name, Southern Blend, and the packaging were chosen to convey the taste of this natural product within Copenhagen s brand portfolio. According to the manufacturer, Copenhagen Long Cut Southern Blend has a long-lasting flavor in a manageable long cut. Tobacco _ E-Cigarettes OneJoy Disposable Electronic Cigarette NJOY OneJoy non-rechargeable electronic cigarettes are America s No. 1 disposable e-cigarette, according to maker NJOY. OneJoy requires no charging and is equal to two packs of traditional cigarettes. Each pack has three fully charged electronic cigarettes with a choice of nicotine levels. OneJoy is available in regular and menthol flavors. The new product is odor-free, ash-free, smoke-free and less expensive than regular smoking, according to NJOY. Each non-rechargeable electronic cigarette can be recycled after use. 42

3 Nutritional Beverages Dr Pepper TEN Dr Pepper Snapple Group Dr Pepper TEN is ideal for consumers who want to make better choices without compromising taste, according to the company. These consumers want the full flavor of regular sodas, don t like diet soda, may be looking for better-for-you beverages or are concerned about their health. Dr Pepper TEN helps fulfill these consumer wants by providing great taste with only 10 calories, the company says. Test-market results show that 40% of TEN volume is incremental to the category, according to company research. Energy Drinks Red Bull Total Zero Red Bull North America According to Red Bull North America, new users have been drawn to the energy-drink category by Red Bull Total Zero, which has quickly pushed the product to the position of top Zero item in the segment. The energy drink contains no calories, sugar or carbohydrates. According to company projections, Red Bull Total Zero likely achieved more than $100 million in retail sales between April 1 and Dec. 31, Juice Blends Snapple Half n Half Tea & Lemonade Dr Pepper Snapple Group Snapple Half n Half is a blend of tea and lemonade that has proven to be very popular with consumers. According to company numbers, consumers like Half n Half; the category is up 45% so far in 2012 and had the highest volume growth of all RTD tea flavors. One-third of RTD tea drinkers say Half n Half is their favorite flavor. Snapple s Diet Half n Half has produced 21% incremental volume, the company says. Currently available in both regular and diet, Snapple will launch Regular Half n Half in all key packages early next year. 44

4 Dispensed Beverages Cold Cow Milk Shakes Omni Food Concepts Inc. Made from premium ice cream, Cold Cow Ice Cream Milk Shakes from Omni Food Concepts are a favorite with consumers and retailers, according to the company. With a 12-count case pack and using a 15.5-ounce cup, approximate retailer cost is $1.60 each, with a suggested retail price of $2.99, yielding a gross profit of 46%, according to Omni. The self-serve system features four milkshake flavors: Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry and Cookies n Cream. Candy_Chocolate Snickers Brand 3X Chocolate 2 To Go Bars Mars Chocolate North America The latest variation on Mars popular Snickers chocolate candy bar is Snickers Brand 3X Chocolate 2 To Go. The name 3X Chocolate stems from the candy s chocolate caramel, chocolate-flavored nougat and milk chocolate covering that mingles with roasted peanuts, a Snickers signature. The new 2 To Go bright blue wrapper refers to the two candy bars in a special twist-wrap packaging, allowing consumers to eat one bar and save the other for later. Candy_Gum/Mints Ice Breakers Duo Fruit & Mints Strawberry The Hershey Co. Hershey continues to innovate in the mint category. The company s Ice Breakers brand has introduced a new type of mint, Ice Breakers Duo, which the company calls the ultimate fruit + cool flavor sensation. Ice Breakers Duo Mints combine a textured fruit-flavored side, in either raspberry or strawberry flavors, with a cooling, smooth side featuring Ice Breaker Mints signature flavor and cooling crystals. Ice Breakers Duo Mints are available in 1.3-ounce tins with a suggested retail price of $ CSP December 2012

5 Candy _ Non-Chocolate Jolly Rancher Crunch N Chew Candy The Hershey Co. The Jolly Rancher brand has introduced a new way to enjoy its fruit candy with Jolly Rancher Crunch N Chew. The candy has a soft, chewy center inside a crunchy candy shell. The original fruit flavors of Jolly Rancher candy are combined with chewiness in the new candy. Jolly Rancher Crunch N Chew comes in in four flavors cherry, blue raspberry, green apple and watermelon and is available nationwide in convenience stores. Foodservice _ Packaged Grab & Go Food Spicy Chicken Alfredo Tornado Ruiz Foods Ruiz Foods launched the new Spicy Chicken Alfredo flavor Tornado, part of its new Italiano flavor line, in The new Tornado is filled with diced chicken, broccoli and spices in a creamy Alfredo sauce, then baked in a crispy tortilla. C-stores can offer customers more variety on the roller grill with this new Italian favorite, which the company says follows new flavor trends. Tornados from Ruiz Foods are the No. 1 roller-grill snack item in the United States, according to Ruiz. Foodservice _ Breakfast The Works Breakfast Burrito Don Miguel The Works Breakfast Burrito from Don Miguel is a freshly made, hand-stretched flour tortilla filled with a blend of eggs, bacon, sausage, smoked ham and hash browns, plus American, cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses. The multipurpose 5-ounce hand-butcher-wrapped breakfast burrito works well out of the microwave, a convection oven or a hot case. According to the company, The Works will stay fresh in the hot case with up to a four-hour hold time and still keep its flavor. 48

6 Foodservice _ Sandwiches/Burgers Pierce Chicken Burgers Pierce Chicken A healthy addition to the burger category, Pierce Chicken Burgers gives c-store operators a new way to satisfy customers who want healthier menu options. Pierce s patented, proprietary grind makes the difference, creating a chicken burger with new texture, bite and mouth appeal, the company says. The burgers are a 70/30 blend of white/dark meat and cook quickly and evenly, from frozen to serving, Pierce says. The burgers are available in both fully cooked and ready-to-cook versions. Foodservice Equipment Encore Rapid Cook Oven TurboChef With high-speed air impingement, side-launched microwave and radiant heat, the Encore Rapid Cook Oven from TurboChef cooks 20% faster than the Tornado oven without endangering food quality, the company says. Encore has a small footprint and is UL-certified for ventless operation. The company says the new oven can help expand menus and increase profits. With only two keys to press, cooking any item is simple, according to TurboChef. The oven has additional keys for experienced cooks. Dispensed Beverage Equipment Sensation Chewable-Ice Beverage Dispenser Lancer Corp. Lancer s new chewable ice beverage dispensing machine, called Sensation, was created in response to demand for chewable ice and a need to dispense it hassle-free, the company says. More than 70% of consumers prefer chewable ice over cube ice, according to company research. Sensation uses a patented, independent dual-drive system synchronized to maintain ice quality and deliver ice consistently and reliably. 50

7 General Equipment NEXT Merchandising System Southern Imperial Inc. NEXT System from Southern Imperial is a versatile, strong, expandable product-facing system that works with a wide variety of products, the company says. Unlike other productfacing solutions, the NEXT System can display and face almost any product and install easily. Its unique tray design allows it to sit on a shelf or bar and give merchandise a better presentation so that products don t get lost, the company says. The NEXT System increases sales, reduces labor and lessens product shrink from spoilage, according to Southern Imperial. Snacks _ Alternative Nutella & Go! Ferrero USA For those in search of a different snack, Nutella & Go! offers light breadsticks coupled with Nutella, the unique spread made from roasted hazelnuts, skim milk and a hint of cocoa. Each snack cup is divided into two compartments: one to hold the breadsticks and one for Ferrero s Nutella spread. The company says the snack is perfect for on-the-go dipping and snacking. Nutella has no artificial colors or preservatives. Meat Snacks Original Turkey Jerky Jack Link s Beef Jerky For consumers who are looking for a healthy meat snack, Jack Link s has introduced its Original Turkey Jerky. The meat snack is naturally high in protein, 98% fat free, MSG free and low in calories and carbs, the company says. The product is made from lean strips of seasoned and smoked turkey breast. The meat snack company s Original Turkey Jerky is a popular, guilt-free snack for women and men alike who want to bypass fattening, sugar-laden snacks, the company says. 52

8 Snacks _ Bars Clif Crunch Granola Bar Clif Bar & Co. Clif Crunch, new crunchy granola bars from Clif Bar & Co., feature whole baked-in chips made of chocolate and peanut butter, with organic oats, barley and rye plus rice crisps, according to the company. Two flavors of Clif Crunch bars are available: Chocolate Chip and Peanut Butter. Clif Bar says each two-bar pack of Clif Crunch provides a full serving of organic whole grains plus 3 to 4 grams of protein and fiber. Snacks _ Sweet Cinnabon Honey Bun Mrs. Freshley s Mrs. Freshley s regular honey buns have won many awards over the years. The Mrs. Freshley s brand joined with Cinnabon, known for its cinnamon-flavored pastries, to produce a new sweet for breakfast or anytime. Cinnamon Honey Bun pastries are individually wrapped for coffee breaks or afternoon snacks. The honey bun features Cinnabon cinnamon swirled through the fried yeast pastry. Mrs. Freshley s is a brand of Flowers Foods. HBC 1 Hour Break 100% Natural Kava Spray Natural Stress Relief Innovative Lifestyles LLC 1 Hour Break debuted the first all-natural oral spray to specifically target stress, nervousness and anxiety, according to the company. Each bottle contains a blend of five herbal extracts, including kava, from Vanuatu in the South Pacific Islands. Each spray bottle contains 80 sprays, for a total of 15 mint-flavored herbal extract servings. The product delivers a concentrated blast of the most-powerful anti-anxiety and stress-reducing herbal extracts, according to the company. 54

9 General Merchandise Natural Cooler LBP Manufacturing Inc. LBP Manufacturing, known for its packaging solutions, recently introduced the Natural Cooler. This one-piece, durable, watertight recyclable cooler for ice and packaged beverages is an alternative to foam coolers. LBP s Natural Cooler is made with 25% post-consumer recycled content. Featured at the 2012 NACS Show, Natural Cooler is one component of a portfolio of take-out, beverage and catering packaging for c-stores, including the Thermo Grip air-insulated hot cup, and fluted clamshells for foodservice-on-the-go convenience. Technology Applause with Loyalty Gilbarco Inc. Gilbarco s new Applause with Loyalty allows operators to target customers and enhance existing loyalty programs at the pump. Applause is the first and only digital forecourt media system with these capabilities, allowing operators to personalize their customers fueling experience, according to the company. The system also adds mobile merchandising and social-media programs to the pump. Loyalty and media investments can be maximized with targeted promotions and personalization, according to Gilbarco. Best New Packaging Coca-Cola Hand-Held 12.5-ounce The Coca-Cola Co. The Coca-Cola Co. has introduced a new 12.5-ounce hand-held package as an immediate consumption strategy for convenience retailers. Coca-Cola says tests show the package is appealing for the traditional gas-and-go consumer, as well as those who do not frequent c-stores as often, such as females and white-collar professionals. It is part of Coca-Cola s strategy to drive business and enable sustainable profit for c-stores. The suggested price of 89 cents is designed to drive foot traffic, stimulate trial with new users and convert gas-and-go customers, the company says. 56