IRI’s Top 10 Food and Beverage Pacesetters of 2018
IRI’s Top 10 Food and Beverage Pacesetters of 2018
By Brett Dworski on May 06, 2019CHICAGO —Candy brands were 2018's top two Food and Beverage Pacesetters, IRI's annual list of the most successful first-year products in various retail segments. Specifically, Ferrero USA’s Kinder Joy and Mars Wrigley’s M&M’s Caramel took first and second place with sales of $124.4 million and $120.6 million, respectively. Health and wellness brands also made their mark, seen in third and fifth place finishes from Oui by Yoplait and RxBar, respectively.
- Click here to read IRI’s 2018 New Product Pacesetters in the convenience-store channel.
Here were the top 10 food and beverage Pacesetters of 2018, according to Chicago-based IRI …
10. Duncan Hines Perfect Size for 1
Total year-one dollar sales: $47.9 million
The Perfect Size for 1 by Duncan Hines—a division of Conagra Brands—is a line of breakfast, chocolate, cake and baked goods that come in cup-sized portions for one person. Duncan Hines offers nearly 40 of these products, including oat cups, muffins, pancakes, brownies and cookies, and various frostings.
9. Ritz Crisp & Thins
Total year-one dollar sales: $49.1 million
Ritz Crisp & Thins, produced by Mondelez International, are thin, oven-baked versions of Ritz crackers. They come in six flavors: Original, Bacon, Sea Salt, Cream Cheese & Onion, Salt & Vinegar and Sweet Chili & Sour Cream. These snacks are available in 7.1-ounce bags and contain 50% less fat per serving than traditional fried potato chips, according to Ritz.
8. Lay’s Poppables
Total year-one dollar sales: $51.6 million
Lay’s Poppables are airy, crisp snacks that come in bite-sized pops. Poppables are available in four flavors: Creamy Jalapeno, Honey BBQ, Sea Salt and White Cheddar, all of which come in individual 5-ounce bags and 12-count 0.5-ounce bags.
7. Mountain Dew Ice
Total year-one dollar sales: $59.9 million
Mountain Dew Ice is a crisp, clear version of Mountain Dew that is made with real juice. The beverage comes in Lemon Lime and Cherry flavors, both of which are available in 20-ounce bottles, 2-liter bottles, 12-packs of 12-ounce cans and a variety of other single and multipack sizes.
6. Grown in Idaho
Total year-one dollar sales: $59.9 million
Frozen-potato manufacturer Lamb Weston’s Grown in Idaho potato products come in seven varieties: Super Crispy Crinkle Cut Fries, Crispy Hash Brown Dices, Crispy Potato Puffs, Super Crispy Shoestring Fries, Super Crispy Steak Cut Fries, Hand Cut Style Fries and Thick Cut Hash Browns, all of which are available in 28-ounce bags. All of Lamb Weston’s potato products are made with 100% real potatoes, the company said.
5. RxBar
Total year-one dollar sales: $73.9 million
RxBars are clean-label protein bars made with a base of egg whites, fruit and nuts. Each bar provides 12 grams of protein and 210-220 calories and comes in 13 flavors: Peanut Butter Chocolate, Chocolate Sea Salt, Chocolate Hazelnut, Peanut Butter & Berries, Mango Pineapple, Chocolate Chip, Mixed Berry, Maple Sea Salt, Mint Chocolate, Coffee Chocolate, Peanut Butter, Apple Cinnamon and Coconut Chocolate. Chicago Bar Co. LLC, the maker of RxBar, also produces RxBar Kids, which contain the same core ingredients as RxBars but in kid-friendly flavors and portions.
4. Gatorade Flow
Total year-one dollar sales: $78.1 million
PepsiCo’s newest Gatorade variety, Gatorade Flow, is designed to offer the same hydration and fueling benefits as Gatorade Thirst Quencher, but with a full flavor and smooth finish, according to the company. The beverage comes in Blackberry Wave, Citrus Crash, Kiwi Strawberry flavors, all of which come in 32-ounce and 20-ounce bottles.
3. Oui by Yoplait
Total Year-One Dollar Sales: $100.5 million
Oui by Yoplait is a French-inspired yogurt variation that comes in a 5-ounce glass container. This yogurt is made with whole milk, fruit and other non-GMO ingredients, all of which are poured into individual glass pots. Oui Yoplait comes in 13 flavors: Raspberry, Key Lime, Mango, Blackberry, Black Cherry, Blueberry, Coconut, Honey, Lemon, Peach, Pineapple, Strawberry and Vanilla. The glass container is recyclable and protects the integrity of the yogurt’s texture during the production and shipping processes, according to Yoplait.
2. M&M’s Caramel
Total year-one dollar sales: $120.6 million
M&M's Caramel Chocolate Candies are filled with creamy caramel and have the classic crunchy, milk chocolate M&M’s candy shell. The candy comes in multiple formats, including sharing size (2.83 ounces), sharing size stand-up pouches (9.6 ounces) and singles (1.41 ounces).
1. Kinder Joy
Total year-one dollar sales: $124.4 million
Kinder Joy by Ferrero USA 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. The chocolate candy was also named one of this year’s best products by Products of the Year USA.