CSP announces winners in 2025 Retailer Choice Best New Products Contest
CSP announces winners in 2025 Retailer Choice Best New Products Contest
By CSP Staff on Sep. 29, 2025Celebrating its 22nd year, CSP’s Retailer Choice Best New Product Contest is recognizing twice as many products this year as in 2024. The annual contest celebrates the best in candy, foodservice, beverages, tobacco, THC, technology 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 May 2024 and May 2025—represent some of the hottest trends in c-stores and retailing right now. Finalists were announced in June.
Awards will be presented to the contest winners in October during the NACS Show in Chicago.
Candy: Chocolate
Reese’s Chocolate Lava Big Cup
Reese’s Chocolate Lava Big Cup has an extra layer of chocolatey filling and is available in both king and standard sizes. Expanding on the success of Reese’s Caramel Big Cup, Reese’s Chocolate Lava Big Cup emulates the indulgence of the center of chocolate lava cake, adding a decadent-laden variety to the brand portfolio, the supplier said.
Candy: Nonchocolate
Skittles POP’D Sour
Skittles POP’D Sour packs a tangy punch with bold new flavors like Sour Lemonade, Sour Blue Raspberry, Sour Strawberry, Sour Watermelon and Sour Cherry. The freeze-dried candy offers a crispy outer layer, chewy center, and a sour crunch in every bite, the supplier said.
Dispensed Frozen Beverage
WARHEADS Frozen Beverage
The WARHEADS brand is known for providing extreme and thrilling flavors that offer a sour kick. These dispensed beverages are now available in frozen carbonated, frozen non-carbonated, chilled dispensed and flavor shot options. Flavors include Galactic Punch, Blue Raspberry Lemonade, Tropical Punch, Watermelon, Strawberry, Green Apple, Cherry Limeade, also Black Cherry and Lemon Lime Sour Flavor Shots.
Energy Drinks
Bucked Up Lightly Carbonated Protein
Offering 25 grams of protein, zero sugar and 100 calories, Bucked Up Lightly Carbonated Protein Drink serves as a lightly carbonated option that taps into the growing consumer desire for refreshing, convenient and easy-to-drink protein solutions, the supplier says. Four flavors include Banana Pineapple, Orange Cream, Peach Mango and Rainbow Candy.
Foodservice: Equipment
Hussmann MD8DA Self-Contained Merchandiser
The MD8DA Medium Temperature Merchandiser with Doors is the ultimate solution for c-stores looking to enhance product visibility, maximize energy savings and ensure top-tier refrigeration performance, the supplier says. Ideal for medium-temperature items such as produce, beverages, dairy, deli and meats, this merchandiser combines efficiency with a sleek design to create a compelling customer experience.
Foodservice: Food Products
Krispy Krunchy Chicken Nuggets
These extra-large, all-white chicken breast nuggets are marinated in a proprietary blend of seasonings to provide a slightly savory tang. They are coated in a flavorful breading and are golden fried, the supplier says. The nuggets are available in six, 10 and 20 pieces, or as a Krunch Box with a biscuit and a side.
Foodservice: Bakery
Prairie City Bakery Premium Sprinkled Yeast Donuts (White & Chocolate Iced)
Prairie City Bakery is adding a burst of color and flavor to its doughnut lineup with the launch of two new varieties in Chocolate Iced Sprinkle Yeast Donut and White Iced Sprinkle Yeast Donut. Designed for maximum convenience, Prairie City Bakery’s thaw-and-sell bulk doughnut program allows retailers to offer fresh, high-quality sweet snacks with minimal effort, as they simply thaw, merchandise and serve, the supplier says.
General Merchandise
Cosmo’s Snack Shack Peanut Butter Pup Cups
Cosmo’s Snack Shack Peanut Butter Pup Cups from Treat Planet are the latest indulgent treat, perfect for impulse buys, the supplier says. They’re made with real peanut butter, not chocolate. Each package includes two peanut butter treats perfect for on-the-go rewards.
Meat Snacks
Jack Link’s DUOS
Jack Link’s DUOS combines two flavors in one bag. The flavor lineup includes Mango & Jalapeño Beef Jerky, Original & Teriyaki Beef Jerky and Buffalo Style & Ranch Chicken Cuts, available in both bagged jerky and stick varieties.
Packaged Beverages: Alcohol
BeatBox Blueberry Lemonade
Shaquille O'Neal is teaming up with BeatBox Beverages in the debut of BeatBox Blueberry Lemonade. The flavor combines blueberry and lemonade with an 11.1% alcohol by volume. Low in sugar, gluten-free and featuring resealable, sustainable packaging, BeatBox Blueberry Lemonade comes in a single 500-milliliter size as well as new lemonade variety pack with two new flavors in the Lemonade line: Watermelon Lemonade and Lemon Squeeze.
Packaged Beverages: Carbonated Soft Drink
Coca-Cola Orange Cream
Coca-Cola Orange Cream and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Orange Cream combine the classic taste of Coca-Cola with orange and vanilla flavors, offering a unique flavor profile and a nostalgic experience, the supplier says. The drink comes in 12-ounce and 7.5-ounce cans and multipacks and 20-ounce single-serve bottles.
Packaged Beverages: Juice
good2grow Paradise Punch
Paradise Punch is now part of good2grow’s juice line. The 10-ounce beverage offers tropical flavors in cherry, strawberry and tangerine. A source of vitamin D, zinc and calcium, good2grow offers a line of better-for-you beverages and snacks intended for kids. Packaging is reusable, dishwasher-safe and BPA-free. Products contain no artificial colors or flavors.
Packaged Beverages: Nutrition
Recover 180 Strawberry Banana
Premium hydration beverage brand Recover 180 is unveiling its newest flavor in Strawberry Banana, blending the sweetness of ripe strawberries with the creamy taste of banana. All brand drinks feature a hydrating mix of organic coconut water, essential vitamins and key minerals to support optimal hydration.
Packaged Beverages: Water
Topo Chico Sabores Raspberry with Lemon
Topo Chico is expanding Topo Chico Sabores, a collection of premium sparkling waters, with two new flavors of Raspberry with Lemon and Tropical Mango. Made with filtered sparkling water, real fruit juice and a hint of herbal extracts, Topo Chico Sabores flavors feature a bubbly fragrance, brightness and balance. The drink is low in calories and free of added sugars and artificial ingredients.
Packaged Beverage: THC
Nowadays THC Drink
Nowadays is a cannabis-infused spirit designed to deliver a light and buzzy experience. It is crafted with natural fruit flavors, a crisp finish and low doses of THC. It can be mixed into drinks or served on the rocks. Varieties range from 2.5 to 10 milligrams of cannabinoids per 1.5-ounce serving.
Salty Snacks
Dot’s Homestyle Pretzels Parmesan Garlic Flavor
Buttery, crunchy and seasoned in every groove and twist, Dot’s continues to expand its lineup with a new rich and savory parmesan garlic flavor, available now in 16-ounce bags and in 5-ounce bags.
Snacks: Nutrition Bars
1st Phorm Level-1 Bar: Peanut Butter & Jelly
Level-1 bars provide a high-quality and delicious source of protein in the convenience of a bar. The bars provide 20 grams of complete protein and are gluten free with no artificial flavors.
Sweet Snacks
Chex Mix Oreo Cookies & Cream Muddy Buddies
The snack features crispy corn Chex pieces in a cookies and cream coating with a powdery smooth finish. It’s a sweet-salty combination that appeals to a wide variety of tastes and is portable for anytime snacking, the supplier says. Available in 4.5-ounce bags.
Technology: Back of House
Mako Networks: Periscope
Periscope is a groundbreaking feature designed by Mako Networks to revolutionize remote management capabilities for distributed enterprises, the supplier says. With Periscope, users can easily and securely access critical web-based services at remote sites through the Mako Central Management System (CMS) web application. Experience operational convenience with a single, secure interface streamlining tasks such as POS management, CCTV monitoring and other applications.
Technology: Front of House
Vroom Delivery: Fully Automated Kiosk & KMS
The Vroom Delivery Ordering Kiosk and Kitchen Management System (KMS) plugs into Vroom's Commerce 360 Automated Menu Management. This makes the kiosks truly plug-and-play, the supplier says. Simply turn it on, and all of a retailer’s food and CPG items flow directly to the kiosk, just as they do into other digital channels such as online ordering.
Technology: Loyalty
Patron Points: Visit Tracker
The new visit tracker empowers convenience stores to build and maintain customer loyalty by recognizing and rewarding frequent guests. This feature enables consumers to unlock exclusive promotions or achieve loyalty tiers based on the number of visits to a store or chain. For the c-store owner, it opens up a new opportunity to incentivize repeat business, through tailored promotions, digital badges, special rewards and more.
Technology: Retail Media Networks
Vroom Delivery: Retail Media For All
Vroom Delivery Retail Media For All is a generalizable Retail Media Network that any retailer on the Vroom network, regardless of size, can access. Retailers simply opt in and start receiving CPG-funded brand placements on their digital assets such as their website and app ordering. CPG brands can also access dozens of retail chains around the country through a single partnership with Vroom, and without the need to contract with each individual retailer.
Tobacco: OTP Cigars
White Owl Tips
White Owl Tips is created from a fully formed, rich tobacco blend combining the natural flavor of fine tobacco leaves, guaranteed fresh in the FoilFresh pouch, the supplier says.
Tobacco: OTP Pouch
VELO Plus
VELO Plus is nicotine, high-quality ingredients and big bold flavors all packed in a small white pouch, the supplier says. It’s tobacco-leaf free, has no smoke smell and users can keep the spit where it belongs–in their mouth.