C-Store Products Recognized in 2021 Product of the Year Awards
By Hannah Hammond on Feb. 18, 2021NEW YORK — The 2021 Product of the Year Awards recognize many consumer packaged goods products sold in convenience-stores.
Consumer behavior shifted amid the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in heightened online purchasing and decreased sampling opportunities, according to New York-based Product of the Year USA.
“For all the obvious reasons, shoppers are spending less time in the supermarket than ever, but still crave new and innovative products to light up these difficult times. Because of this, we are more excited than ever to announce the 2021 Product of the Year winners and help shoppers find that ‘great new product’ when it matters most, however they do their shopping this year," said Mike Nolan, Global CEO of Product of the Year Management.
The awards span 41 categories including alcohol beverage, chips, car care, fruit, healthy snack, sports nutrition and CBD. Winners in each category are determined by 40,000 U.S. shoppers in a national survey conducted by Kantar, a global leader in consumer research.
This year’s trends reflect the trends and categories that shoppers care about most as they spend more time at home. Click through to see some of the Products of the Year that c-stores can consider selling …
Alcohol
Uptown Cocktails took the prize in alcohol this year. The premixed drinks, from Carrollton, Texas-based BuzzBallz, come in seven flavors including Mango Margarita, Ruby Red Grapefruit and Chocolatini.
Uptown Cocktails are made with no corn syrup or artificial flavors and sell for a suggested retail price (SRP) of $13.99. The 1.5-liter cocktails contain 13.9% ABV.
Car Care
Rain-X Water-Repellent Aerosol dramatically improves driving visibility and safety, according to maker ITW Global Brands, which has U.S. headquarters in Solon, Ohio, Houston and San Luis Obispo, Calif.
Upon application, the product instantly repels rain, sleet and snow off windshields, the company said. It is available in 12-ounce and 9-ounce options.
CBD Ingestible
CbdMD CBD Gummies contain 50 milligrams of cannabidiol (CBD) per piece. The gummies come 30 per bottle and have an SRP of $99.99. Gummies have a mix of fruit flavors.
The superior broad-spectrum formula includes other cannabinoids and terpenes, the Charlotte, N.C.-based company said, but has undetectable levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive compound derived from cannabis plants.
CBD Personal Care
Medterra Pain Cream + CBD combines advanced natural ingredients with menthol and arnica. The cream comes in 500 milligram and 1,000 milligram concentrations made with Medterra’s, Irvine, Calif., own hemp. The blend also has peppermint oil, jojoba oil and aloe. Its SRP is $54.99.
CBD Pet
Paw CBD 300 Milligram Peanut-Butter Hard Chews, from cbdMD, are a convenient and crunchy was to give pets superior broad-spectrum formula CBD extracts, according to the company. They sell for $34.99.
Chips
German grocer Aldi took the prize for best chips with its exclusive Simply Nature Bean Chips. The snack is gluten free, high in fiber and made from whole beans and rice. Each serving has 5 grams of plant-based protein. A bag has an SRP of $2.39.
Coffee
Aldi’s exclusive Friendly Farms Almond milk Coffee Creamer are a dairy-free alternative to put in coffee. It comes in Vanilla and Caramel for $2.29.
Convenience Meal
Del Monte Veggieful Pocket Pies are sandwich pockets that are made with a golden cauliflower crust. The pockets are filled with vegetables and cheese and offer a variety of plant-based proteins. The snacks sell for $3.99 and come in Spinach Artichoke Parmesan, Plant-Based Philly Cheesesteak, Broccoli Potato Cheddar and Rosemary Garlic Plant-Based Chicken. Del Monte Foods Inc. is based in Walnut Creek, Calif.
Cookies
Keebler Chips Deluxe Original, from Chicago-based Ferrara, is a renovated recipe of the classic cookie with more real and high-quality ingredients. Each cookie contains more real chocolate and natural vanilla, the company said. The cookies have an SRP of $3.29.
Dish Care
Dawn Powerwash Dish Spray, from Cincinnati, Ohio-based P&G, uses spray-activated suds to eliminate the need for soaking by clinging to foods and loosening caked-on messes. Powerwash is available in three scents for $4.94 a bottle.
Fruit
Del Monte Deluxe Gold Pineapple has no added sugar and has twice the vitamin C as regular canned pineapple, according to the company. It can be eaten right out of the can or used for recipes. The pineapples are available in Slices, Tidbits and Chunks and have an SRP of $1.99.
Hard Surface Cleaning
Microban 24 Sanitizing Spray from P&G kills 99.9% of bacteria, including initially killing the virus that causes COVID-19, according to the company. It can be used on a variety of hard, non-food-contact surfaces including doorknobs, light switches and stair railings.
It can also be used on soft surfaces like couches, backpacks and coats. A bottle sells for $5.49.
Health and Wellness
Claritin Cool Mint Chewables from Bayer Consumer Health, Whippany, N.J., is an allergy product that relieves symptoms and gives an immediate blast of cooling flavor sensation in the throat, the company said. The product, which sells for $9.82, is made with CoolFusion technology, a blend of cooling flavor ingredient including menthol, in a chewable form.
Claritin provides relief of symptoms triggered by more than 200 different indoor and outdoor allergens, according to Bayer.
Healthy Snack
Aldi’s exclusive Clancy’s White Cheddar Cheese Popcorn, which has an SRP of $1.79, is air popped and flavored with real cheddar cheese. It has no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives.
Sports Nutrition
Powerade Ultra, from Atlanta-based beverage maker The Coca-Cola Co., is a zero-sugar, zero-calorie infused sports drink with creatine, BCAAS, vitamins B3, B6 and B12 and 50% more Ion4 electrolytes compared to Powerade. It sells for $1.50.
Tableware
Hefty Ecosave, from Reynolds Consumer Products, Lake Forest, Ill., is a 100% compostable tableware line including plates, bowls, platter and compartment trays. The products are made from bagasse, a byproduct of sugar cane. The line also has cutlery, straws and hot cups made from plant-based materials.
Hefty Ecosave tableware has an SRP of $3.29.