CSP Announces Winners of 2023 Retailer Choice Best New Products Contest
CSP Announces Winners of 2023 Retailer Choice Best New Products Contest
By CSP Staff on Sep. 18, 2023Celebrating its 20th year, CSP’s Retailer Choice Best New Product Contest commemorates the best in candy, foodservice, beverages, tobacco and more.
Hundreds of retailers voted in this year’s competition, choosing winners from manufacturers large and small. These new products—introduced to convenience stores between March 1, 2022, and March 1, 2023—represent some of the hottest trends in c-stores and retailing right now, including new takes on familiar candy and snack brands, ingredients to diversify foodservice menus, ready-to-drink cocktails, and technology and equipment making retailers’ and consumers’ lives easier.
Retailers voted for their favorite new products from 23 categories, and awards will be presented to the contest winners during the NACS Show in Atlanta.
Candy
Reese’s Dipped Animal Crackers
Hershey Co.’s Reese’s Dipped Animal Crackers are bite-sized animal crackers covered in peanut butter candy and dipped in milk chocolate. They offer Reese’s-brand flavor and taste but now in a snack format.
Foodservice: Components
Gonnella Ciabatta Bun
With a light and airy crumb and moist interior, Gonnella Baking Co.’s Ciabatta Bun is the perfect bread for any sandwich, according to the manufacturer. It pairs well with eggs, cheese and breakfast proteins and is the perfect base for a hot crispy chicken or deli sandwich ready-to-eat from your cold case.
Foodservice: Dessert
Prairie City Bulk Sweet Cinnamon Roll
Prairie City Bakery’s bulk Sweet Cinnamon Rolls offer layers of cinnamon with cream-cheese icing. The sweet treats are packed in a four-count tray with 10 trays per case.
Foodservice: Dispensed Beverage
Icee Llama-Nade
Refreshing and sweet, with just the right amount of tart, Icee Llama-Nade lemonade is synonymous with fun served all summer, says the manufacturer.
Foodservice: Entree
Tyson Spicy Southern-Style Chicken Sandwich
Tyson’s Spicy Southern-Style Chicken Sandwich is made with a fully cooked chicken breast with rib meat patty on a brioche bun. The sandwich can be kept in a warmer for up to four hours.
Foodservice: Packaged
Smucker’s Uncrustables Reduced Sugar
Smucker’s Uncrustable sandwiches are made for on-the-go consumers, satisfying their demands with familiar tastes they know and love, the company says. The enhanced formulation of Reduced Sugar Peanut Butter & Grape Spread on Wheat Bread sandwiches offers a five-day refrigerated shelf life and frozen shelf life of nine months—just thaw and serve.
Foodservice: Protein
Fully Cooked Sous Vide Beef Barbacoa
Swift Prepared Foods’ premium, natural beef chuck is an homage to traditional Mexican beef barbacoa spiked with chiles and spices for a juicy and tender, fully prepared protein, according to the manufacturer. It’s perfect for tacos, quesadillas, bowls, burritos and nachos.
Foodservice Equipment: Dispensed Beverage
Franke A400 Fresh Brew
Franke’s A400 Fresh Brew is a bean-to-cup coffee system offering consistently fresh coffee with less waste in a machine with a footprint of just under 13.5 inches wide, the company says. With an 8-inch intuitive touchscreen, the fully automatic machine walks customers through the ordering process in three steps with an advanced user interface.
Foodservice Equipment: Other
D.U.O. XeroStraw
The XeroStraw is a combination straw and lid, eliminating the need for a separate straw. The straw-lid combination is made in the USA from FDA-approved recycled plastics and is 100% recyclable.
Forecourt
Gen4 180kW AiO DC Fast Charger
BTC Power’s Gen4 180kW All-in-One (AiO) DC Fast Charger for electric vehicles (EVs) can provide an 80% EV battery charge in as little as 10 to 15 minutes, offering the capability to serve more customers in less time, according to the manufacturer. The charger features optional liquid-cooled cables.
Meat Snack
Jack Link’s Cold Crafted Mozzarella Cheese & Pepperoni Combo
Jack Link’s Cold Crafted Mozzarella Cheese and Pepperoni Combos are made with rich and creamy cheese and smoked uncured pepperoni. The refrigerated combo sticks pack 12 grams of protein per 50-gram package.
Packaged Beverages: CSD
Dr Pepper Strawberries & Cream
Dr Pepper Strawberries & Cream combines the original 23 Dr Pepper flavors swirled with layers of strawberry flavor and a smooth, creamy finish, according to the manufacturer. The offering is available in 12-ounce 12 packs and single 20-ounce bottles.
Packaged Beverage: Other
Simply Mixology
The Coca-Cola Co.’s Simply Mixology is the juice brand’s fi rst entry into the cocktail mixer space. The line offers consumers cocktail-inspired, fruit-forward and alcohol-free juice blends. Three flavors include Strawberry Guava Mojito, Lime Margarita and Peach Sour.
Packaged Beverage: RTD Cocktails
Uptown Cocktails Strawberry Margarita
Southern Champion’s 355-mL canned Uptown Cocktails Strawberry Margarita is made with agave wine and natural flavors. It has a sweet flavor with tasting notes of strawberry and lime, the company says. It is gluten-free and kosher-certified with a 13.9% ABV.
Packaged Beverage: Water
vitaminwater Zero Sugar With Love
Coca-Cola Co.’s vitaminwater With Love is infused with raspberry and dark chocolate, a boost of magnesium and 100% antioxidant vitamin C, on top of vitamins A and E. vitaminwater With Love is available in 20-ounce PET bottles.
Salty Snack: Chips
Frito-Lay Walking Taco Bags
Frito-Lay Walking Tacos are specially designed bags of Fritos, Doritos and Tostitos that can be torn open, mixed with nacho toppings and eaten on the go. The special packaging eliminates the need for a paper boat.
Salty Snack: Nuts
Planters Cashews Rosemary & Sea Salt
Planters Cashews Rosemary & Sea Salt are made from cashews roasted in peanut oil then flavored with savory sea salt and rosemary. Each 1-ounce kosher serving of cashews contains 4 grams of plant-based protein and 170 calories. Planters Cashews Rosemary & Sea Salt come in 5-ounce bags.
Snack Bar
King Size Chex Mix Bars
General Mills’ King Size Chex Mix Bars are available in two varieties: Cookies & Cream and Peanut Butter Chocolate. The 2.2-ounce bars feature sweet and salty mix-ins, such as Chex cereal, cookie pieces, pretzels and peanut butter chips.
Sweet Snacks: Bakery
Little Debbie Zebra Mini Donuts
McKee Foods’ Little Debbie Zebra Mini Donuts feature yellow cake covered in vanilla frosting and finished with the fudge stripes associated with the original Little Debbie Zebra Cakes. The mini doughnuts come in a grab-and-go resealable bag for an SRP of $2.19.
Sweet Snacks: Other
Nutella B-Ready
Ferrero’s Nutella B-Ready is a light, individually wrapped snack bar with a crispy baked wafer filled with creamy Nutella.
Technology
Vroom Delivery Order Aggregator and Menu Management
Vroom Delivery’s Marketplace Aggregator service enables retailers on the Vroom platform to consolidate orders from third-party marketplaces such as DoorDash and Uber Eats into one in-store tablet. The Menu Management service integrates pricebook and inventory data from the back office with Vroom’s database of more than 500,000 product images, categories and descriptions.
Tobacco Alternatives
Zeo Nicotine Pouches
Zest Brands’ Zeo Nicotine Pouches contain pharmaceutical-grade nicotine that is over 99% purity and S-isomer only. Nicotine strengths range from 3 to 15 milligrams in five flavors: Berry Moonlight, Menthol Evergreen, Mint Breeze, Pineapple Tropic and Watermelon Wave.
Tobacco (Tie)
1839 Cigarettes
Premier Manufacturing’s 1839 cigarettes debuted a fresh look in its packaging design in the fall of 2022. The new design showcases updated brand colors, a cleaner overall look and the distinctive 1839 logo. Premier Manufacturing is a division of U.S. Tobacco Cooperative.
Tobacco (Tie)
The newest entry to the White Owl brand, White Owl Black Sweets Pipe-Tipped cigars are crafted with the finest tobacco and packaged in a unique FilmFresh wrapper, which guarantees freshness, manufacturer Swedish Match says. White Owl Black Sweets Pipe-Tipped Cigars offer a classic taste at an affordable price, the company says.