2019 Product of the Year Winners Revealed

NEW YORK -- Product of the Year USA, a company that awards brands for product innovation, has revealed the winners of the 2019 Product of the Year Awards—more than half of which are convenience-store staples.

The awards are based on the votes of 40,000 consumers and span 36 categories, such as candy, gum, cookies and even laundry detergent. The winning products must have been launched within the past year.

• Click here to view last year’s Product of the Year winners.

 “Backed by the votes of over 40,000 everyday consumers, the distinctive Product of the Year logo helps shoppers identify the best new products in the supermarket and saves them valuable time and money during the shopping experience,” said Mike Nolan, CEO of Product of the Year. “In an increasingly competitive and saturated marketplace, the Product of the Year seal of approval gives our winning products a powerful tool proven to increase product trial, consumer awareness, distribution and sales."

Here are 20 convenience-store items that won Products of the Year …

Heineken USA’s Strongbow Hard Cider was named alcohol beverage of the year. The 8.5-ounce, 100-calorie slim cans come in various wine-inspired flavors, such as Rose Apple, Original Dry and Dry Pear.

Finish Max-in-1 Powerball by HBC producer Reckitt Benckiser was named automatic dish care product of the year. The dish pod’s chemical formula aims to get rid of grease stains on dishes, and its dissolvable wrapper eliminates the need for unwrapping the pod altogether.

The Fruit & Oats oatmeal by Del Monte Foods was named breakfast product of the year. The oatmeal, made with orchard-ripened fruit and chia seeds, contains 400 milligrams of omega-3 acids and 20 grams of whole grains.

Java House Cold Brew Dual Use Coffee Liquid Pods were named caffeinated product of the year. The pods, produced by Heartland Foods Products Group, are made with premium coffee beans that simmer in cold water for more than 12 hours during the brewing process.

Butterfinger was named candy bar of the year. Ferrara Candy Co. recently changed its Butterfinger recipe for the first time in more than a decade, and the bar now features U.S.-grown peanuts and is free of hydrogenated oils. The bar is sealed with double-layer, higher-quality packaging material.

Rain X-Waterless Car Wash & Rain Repellent, a new spray from ITW Global Brands, was named car care product of the year. The spray-on, wipe-off formula cleans vehicles without water and applies a water-repelling coating to all exterior surfaces.

Savory Beans from Bush Brothers Co. was named convenience meal of the year. The beans are made with North American-grown beans and come in four varieties: Black Bean Fiesta, Southern Style White Beans, New Orleans Style Red Beans and Southwestern Style Pinto Beans.

Mondelez International’s Oreo Thins Bites were named cookie product of the year. The treats are a twist on Oreo Thins cookies and are made with the signature cream and cocoa outer layer of traditional Oreos. They come in three flavors: Original, Mint and Coconut.

Playtex Simply Gentle Glide Tampons were named feminine care product of the year. The HBC item is made with purified fibers washed up to five times and a comfort shape applicator that’s free of colors, dyes and BPA.

Nestle USA’s Lean Cuisine Origins was named frozen entree of the year. Lean Cuisine Origins is a new line of 14 meatless recipes made with organic ingredients, plant-based proteins and vegetables. The line even has vegan options, including Coconut Chickpea Curry and Sicilian-Style Pesto with Lentil Pasta.

Ferrero’s Tic Tac Gum was named gum product of the year. Tic Tac Gum comes in a shareable, resealable box and is ideal for on-the-go consumption. The gum is available in four flavors: Freshmint, Spearmint, Cool Watermelon and Cool Tropical.

Zyn, a bottled drink from Holistic Wellness Beverage, was named healthy beverage of the year. Each bottle contains 200 milligrams of curcumin—an antioxidant derived from turmeric—and is blended with piperine, an alkaloid that gives pepper its pungency. Zyn comes in two flavors: Mixed Berry and Mango Lychee.

Nightfood’s ice cream was named ice cream of the year. The brand was created to target consumers looking to satisfy their ice cream craving late at night and before bed, according to the company. Each pint features the brand’s trademark CraveMonster packaging and is infused with sleep-supporting minerals, enzymes and amino acids. Flavors include Midnight Chocolate, Full Moon Vanilla, Cookies n’ Dreams, After-Dinner Mint Chip, Cold-Brew Decaf, Milk & Cookie Dough, Cherry Eclipse and Breakfast in Bed (maple ice cream with waffle chunks).

Mondelez’s Halls Kids Pops were named immediate relief product of the year. These items come in two varieties: Halls Kids Cough & Sore Throat Pops (Cherry and Strawberry flavors), which provide effective temporary relief for coughs and sore throats; and Halls Kids Vitamin C Pops (Orange and other natural flavors).

Kinder Joy by Ferrero USA was named kids novelty snack of the year. The treat is a plastic, egg-shaped package composed of two separately sealed halves: One is smooth cocoa and cream topped with crispy wafer bites, while the other is a mystery toy.

Tide Pods Ultra Oxi, a laundry detergent by Procter & Gamble, was named laundry pac of the year. Its formula includes built-in pretreaters, surfactants and enzymes to eliminate stains.

The Tide Pods weren’t the only Procter & Gamble product to make the list: The company’s Crest Gum Detoxify toothpaste was named oral care product of the year. The toothpaste aims to neutralize harmful plaque bacteria and help prevent gingivitis. Crest Gum Detoxify is available in Deep Clean, Extra Fresh, Gentle Whitening and Two-Step flavors.

Georgia Pacific’s Brawny Tear-a-Square was named paper towel of the year. The product comes in three sheet sizes and maintains the same strength and durability in all of them.

Honu Sunscreen from Starco Brands was named skin protection product of the year. The Hawaiian-inspired, SPF 50 sunscreen comes with a wand that allows users to reach body parts that are often the brunt of sunburn. Honu is water-resistant for up to 80 minutes and is “reef safe,” meaning it doesn’t contain oxybenzone or octinoxate.

Black Forest Gummy Bears from Ferrara Candy Co. were named sugar confection of the year. These gummy bears are made with real fruit juice and are fat-free and gluten-free. They come in five colors: red, orange, white, yellow and green.