8,706. That’s the number of retailer requests we’ve received for product information from Convenience Store Products so far this year, as well as from the Product Watch section of CSP. Those nearly 9,000 requests on well over 500 products are the foundation of the inaugural Convenience Store Products Hot 100.
The list comes from the individual products featured in advertisements and editorial for the first two issues of the year (the August/September issue will be tabulated in the 2014 Hot 100) and the editorial Product Watch section in the first eight issues of the year of sister publication CSP.
The Hot 100 illustrates the most compelling product innovations and the consumer trends that command great awareness from retailers. What trends stood out to us? Functional, better-for-you and indulgent foods and beverages all gleaned equal presence on the list, while hot, handheld items commandeered the foodservice category—which alone accounted for 33% of the Hot 100. Popular subcategories include dispensed beverages, e-cigarettes and liquid water enhancers, while out-of-the-ordinary flavors caught retailers’ attention, be it chocolate-flavored soda or bite-size seven-layer dip.
What follows is the complete list, proceeded by category-specific insights and spotlights on the top five products in each of the major in-store categories. We’ve also asked some retailers to weigh in on what products scored big in their stores this year.
We’re excited to present our first-ever Hot 100, but even more excited for Year Two, when the net is cast even wider with six issues of Convenience Store Products in 2014.
Click below to download the list and category highlights, and hopefully you’ll unearth some potential new leaders for your stores.
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