Thousands of new SKUs and services are launched each year. Which ones will be successful and gain traction? CStore Decisions let our retailer panel of judges decide.
In this video-based product contest, winners were determined by a point system that included innovation, packaging, likeliness to carry or implement in stores and more. New products/services are defined as having launched in 2021.
Introducing the 2021 CStore Decisions Hot New Products contest winners:
Foodservice
Gold: Buttermilk Ranch RollerBites — Home Market Foods
Silver: Crispy Chicken Fillet — Brakebush
Bronze: Market Sandwich Hot to Go Breakfast — E.A. Sween Co.
Bakery
Gold: Donut Hole Individually Wrapped Donuts — Baker Boy
Silver: Fully Finished Donuts — Rich Products
Bronze: Schulstad European Fully Baked Pastries — Lantmannen Unibake
Foodservice Safety & Sustainability
Gold: Foodservice Surface Sanitizing Wipes — Purell/GOJO
Silver: BOHA! Work Station — TransAct Technologies Inc.
Bronze: Carton Sandwich Wedge — ProAmpac
General Merchandise
Gold: EZ Reach Lighter — BIC
Silver: Focus+ — Vitamin Energy
Bronze: Hardwood Lump Charcoal — McLane
Beverages/Adult
Gold: Liqs Premixed Cocktail Shots — E&J Gallo
Silver: Zero Sugar — BeatBox Beverages
Bronze: Uptown Wine Cocktails — Southern Champion
Beverages
Gold: Coca-Cola With Coffee — The Coca-Cola Co.
Silver: smartwater+ — The Coca-Cola Co.
Bronze: Natural Artesian Water — CForce
Meat Snacks
Gold: Slim Jim Sonic Chili Cheese Coney Meat Stick — Conagra
Silver: Slim Jim Savage Mild Meat Stick — Conagra
Bronze: Footlong Meat Sticks — Country Archer
Salty Snacks
Gold: Cheddar Stuffed Soft Pretzel — J&J Snack Foods
Silver: Reese’s Big Cup With Potato Chips — Hershey
Bronze: Andy Capp’s Beer Battered Onion Rings — Conagra
Sweet Snacks
Gold: Snack Cake — Hershey
Silver: Dunkaroos — General Mills
Bronze: Ooey Gooey Molten Lava Cakes — Prairie City Bakery
Technology
Gold: Anthem UX User Experience Platform — Dover Fueling Solutions (DFS)
Silver: IVPN Gift Card Platform — iVertical Payment Networks
Bronze: SaaS Screen Messaging Solution — WannLynx
Store Equipment
Gold: IBD Bold 30i — Lancer Worldwide
Silver: MOCO Tobacco Merchandising — Modern Store Equipment
Bronze: Front Counters — Modern Store Equipment
Foodservice Equipment
Gold: Grease Lock — Restaurant Technologies Inc.
Silver: Fast Cup With VT — BUNN
Bronze: Touchless Express Dispensers — Server Products
Tobacco Alternatives
Gold: High Tea Herbal Wraps — Kretek International Inc.
Silver: Blood Orange Zero Pouches — Black Buffalo
Bronze: Zero Tobacco Wintergreen — NIIN
Tobacco OTP
Gold: White Owl Swirl: Chocolate & Vanilla Cigarillos — Swedish Match
Silver: CBD Vape Pen (available in six flavors) — Forth CBD
Bronze: Athenaz Pod Systems — VaporLax/Mi-One Brands
CBD
Gold: CBD-Infused Juice Drinks (Mango Orange Pineapple/Strawberry Watermelon)— Forth CBD
Silver: CBD Max Chill Shot — Global Widget
Bronze: Elderberry Gummies — Global Widget
CStore Decisions would like to thank our expert panel of judges:
- Joy Almekies, Senior Director of Food Services at Global Partners
- Jim Callahan, Geo. H. Green Oil (Retired)
- Jeff Carpenter, Director of Education and Training, Cliff’s
- Brad Chivington, Senior Vice President, High’s of Baltimore
- Greg Ehrlich, President, FriendShip
- Cole Fountain, Director of Merchandising, Gate Petroleum
- Richard Guidry, Category Director, Casey’s
- Sharif Jamal, Director of Real Estate and Brand Development, Chestnut Petroleum
- John Lofstock, CStore Decisions Editor & Executive Director, National Advisory Group (NAG)
- Ken Swain, General Manager, Mercury Fuel
- Tim Young, Category Manager, Newcomb Oil Co.
Congratulations to all of this year’s winners!
