IRI has announced 2015’s most successful consumer packaged goods (CPG) launches in its 2015 “New Product Pacesetters” report, a benchmark analysis of exceptional first-year CPG sales success for newly launched products. Thousands of new brands hit retail shelves during 2015, with 54% of all new product launches hailing from the food and beverage aisles. For the top 100 food and beverage champions, median year-one dollar sales were $19.6 million, down from $22.9 million in 2014. The top 10 food and beverage brands for 2015 were as follows:
McCafé: $172.7 million
Oscar Mayer Deli Fresh BOLD: $146.2 million
Dannon Oikos Triple Zero: $108 million
fairlife: $87.1 million
Yoplait Greek 100 Whips!: $83.6 million
Chili’s At Home: $78.9 million
Simply Juice Drinks: $70.5 million
Breyers Gelato Indulgences: $66.9 million
Cobblestone Bread Co.: $60.2 million
Cheerios Protein: $49.8 million
Exciting and high-end attributes are found in the top-ranking products and are in line with what consumers are saying they want from new food products. According to IRI’s 2016 New Product Survey, 29% want to indulge without paying restaurant prices; 24% want to add excitement to their daily diet; and 21% seek options that are truly new and different. For instance, fairlife milk uses a new, patented filtration process that concentrates some of milk’s natural nutrients, while filtering out lactose and reducing sugars. And flavor is front and center in crossover brands from restaurants and other realms, such as Chili’s At Home frozen dinners and McCafé coffee.
“The key to launching a successful new product today is not only understanding your core and target shoppers but also how these shoppers view the CPG marketplace,” said Susan Viamari, vice president, Thought Leadership, IRI. “Their viewpoint is very different from manufacturers and retailers. Consumers think about satisfying needs in terms of eating occasions, drinking occasions, and product usage occasions. CPGs need to recognize which CPG categories compete for each occasion. It varies by mind-set, daypart, channel, and shopper, so the days of one-size-fits-all strategies are gone forever.”
