csproducts oct13 hot100 - csp daily news · 48 krispy's original recipe 1/4-lb. chicken...

C o n ve n i e n c e S t o r e P r o d u c t s OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2013 21

T H E T O P R E T A I L E R - R E Q U E S T E D P R O D U C T S O F T H E Y E A R

THE

By Abbie Westra and Steve Dwyer

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 fi rst 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 fi rst

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 enhanc-

ers, while out-of-the-ordinary fl avors caught retailers’ attention, be it chocolate-

fl avored soda or bite-size seven-layer dip.

What follows is the complete list, proceeded by category-specifi c insights and

spotlights on the top fi ve 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 fi rst-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.

Read on, and hopefully you’ll unearth some potential new leaders for your stores.


C o n ve n i e n c e S t o r e P r o d u c t s OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 201322

PRODUCT COMPANY

1 Kit Kat Minis The Hershey Co.

2 Day 'N Night Bites Calzones Land Mark Products

3 Red Bull Editions Red Bull

4 Chocolate Fudge Float Soda AriZona Beverages

5 Warheads Sour Twists Impact Confections

6 IMI Cornelius Viper and Signature FBD United Fast Food & Beverage Service Corp.

7 Tangy Zangy Twist Sticks Sour Wild Berry Morris National

8 Cravings Peanut Butter Cups Quest Nutrition

9 M&M's Chocolate Bar Mars Chocolate North America

10 On the Road Again Merchandising Solution The Coca-Cola Co.

11 David Nut Mixes (Dark Chocolate, Wasabi & Soy, Roasted & Salted) ConAgra

12 Special-Edition Disney Candy Jelly Belly Candy Co.

13 Pitter Patter Cookies The Kellogg Co.

14 Cooked Perfect Bites Home Market Foods

15 Energy Gum Java Gum

16 MiO Kraft

17 Combos 7-Layer Dip Mars Chocolate North America

18 Celltronix Charger Hoffco Brands

19 Heat Wave Hot-Food Merchandiser Star Manufacturing International

20 Dasani Drops The Coca-Cola Co.

21 Bliss Chocolates The Hershey Co.

22 Combos Single-Serve Pack Mars Chocolate North America

23 Dreamies Mrs. Freshley's/Flowers Foods

24 Packaged Doughnuts Baker's Pride

25 Ten Lineup Dr Pepper Snapple Group

26 Green Giant Chips General Mills

27 Smoke Stack Sticks Old Wisconsin

28 Pepto-Bismol To-Go Procter & Gamble

29 Sugar-Free and Lite Frozen Carbonated Beverages Sunny Sky Products

30 Orbit Bubblemint On-the-Go Bottle Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co.

31 Sunrise Breakfast Burritos Deli Express

32 Fast Fixin' Sandwich Bar AdvancePierre Foods

33 Snapple Half 'N Half Dr Pepper Snapple Group

34 DVD Kiosk DVDNow Kiosks

35 Better Crocker Sweet Rewards General Mills

36 Squatch Snack Sticks Jack Link's Beef Jerky

37 Peeps Easter Candy Just Born

38 Resource Spring Water Nestle Waters North America

39 Rice-A-Roni Cups PepsiCo Foodservice

40 Mrs. May’s Naturals Dole Food Co. Inc.

41 Bake-Up Brownies Otis Spunkmeyer

42 Thaw & Sell Bakery Solutions Prairie City Bakery

43 Febreze Car Vent Clips Procter & Gamble

44 Deli Market Meals Tyson Foods

45 New Freezer-Door Cases White Castle

46 Joltin' Joe Sparkling Espresso Drinks AriZona Beverages

47 Keebler Fudge Stripes The Kellogg Co.

48 Krispy's Original Recipe 1/4-lb. Chicken Sandwich Krispy Krunchy Foods

49 Nestea RTD Iced Tea Nestle Waters North America

50 Bacon Jerky Oberto Brands

51 Buffalo Bleu and Chipotle BBQ Chicken Tornados Ruiz Food Products Inc.

52 IntelliServ Food Warmer Server Products Inc.

53 Blue Diamond Almond Breeze Almond Milk Sugar Foods Corp.

54 Great American Hamburgers American Foods Group

55 Monkey Bites Bridgford Foods

56 Onion Chips Inventure Foods

57 Pringles The Kellogg Co.

58 Ricola Cough Drops Lil' Drug Store Products Inc.

59 Slimful Chew Living Essentials

60 NJOY Kings NJOY

61 Bistro Salad Bowls Ready Pac Foods

62 Poplets Rocky Mountain Popcorn

63 Angry Orchard Ciders The Boston Beer Co.

64 Vanilla Cards InComm

65 Big Dippers Jack Link's Beef Jerky

66 Big 100 MET-Rx

67 SiteSentinel Integra OPW Fuel Management Systems

68 Tampax Pearl Procter & Gamble

69 New Sandwich Option, Fast Fixin' Bar AdvancePierre Foods

70 BIG AZ BaconAddict AdvancePierre Foods

71 Energy Air AeroLife

72 C-store Chicken Program Krispy Krunchy Foods

73 Starburst Minis Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co.

74 Fast Bites Breakfast Sandwiches AdvancePierre Foods

75 Budweiser Black Crown Anheuser-Busch InBev

76 Crunchy Cheese Sticks Herr Foods Inc.

77 Tater Stuffers J&J Snack Foods

78 Original Turkey Jerky Jack Link's Beef Jerky

79 Special K Cracker Chips The Kellogg Co.

80 Simpli-Size Adjustible Cup Dispensers Tomlinson Industries

81 Helix Dispensers, IX Pay and Fusion Wayne - GE Energy Business

82 Backwoods Honey Berry Single Cigars Commonwealth-Altadis Inc.

83 Wholesome Goodness Snacks Convenience Valet

84 Mott's Snack & Go Portable Applesauce Dr Pepper Snapple Group

85 Heinenken Star Bottle Heineken

86 BBQ Pork Jerky Jack Link's Beef Jerky

87 E-cigarette Display Solutions Logic Technologies LLC

88 El Monterey Butcher-Wrapped Burritos Ruiz Food Products Inc.

89 Coral Bay Soft-Serve and Milk Shake Products Selection Unlimited

90 Flavor Banner Bar Spirit Specialty Solutions

91 Pure Cane Sugar Fountain Drinks Sunny Sky Products

92 Pepper's Premium Smoothies Sunny Sky Products

93 ReCharge Bars Tropical Foods

94 Pierre Panini Style Melts AdvancePierre Foods

95 Bacon-Wrapped Filets American Foods Group

96 Cayman Jack Margarita Malt Beverage American Vintage Beverage Inc.

97 Soft-tip E-cigarette 21st Century Smoke

98 H.K. Anderson Pretzel Chips ConAgra

99 Delicia E & J Gallo Winery

100 Refrigerated Wells Hatco Corp.

PRODUCT COMPANY



51 Buffalo Bleu and Chipotle BBQ Chicken Tornados Ruiz Food Products Inc.

52 IntelliServ Food Warmer Server Products Inc.

53 Blue Diamond Almond Breeze Almond Milk Sugar Foods Corp.

54 Great American Hamburgers American Foods Group

55 Monkey Bites Bridgford Foods

56 Onion Chips Inventure Foods

57 Pringles The Kellogg Co.

58 Ricola Cough Drops Lil' Drug Store Products Inc.

59 Slimful Chew Living Essentials

60 NJOY Kings NJOY

61 Bistro Salad Bowls Ready Pac Foods

62 Poplets Rocky Mountain Popcorn

63 Angry Orchard Ciders The Boston Beer Co.

64 Vanilla Cards InComm

65 Big Dippers Jack Link's Beef Jerky

66 Big 100 MET-Rx

67 SiteSentinel Integra OPW Fuel Management Systems

68 Tampax Pearl Procter & Gamble

69 New Sandwich Option, Fast Fixin' Bar AdvancePierre Foods

70 BIG AZ BaconAddict AdvancePierre Foods

71 Energy Air AeroLife

72 C-store Chicken Program Krispy Krunchy Foods

73 Starburst Minis Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co.

74 Fast Bites Breakfast Sandwiches AdvancePierre Foods

75 Budweiser Black Crown Anheuser-Busch InBev

76 Crunchy Cheese Sticks Herr Foods Inc.

77 Tater Stuffers J&J Snack Foods

78 Original Turkey Jerky Jack Link's Beef Jerky

79 Special K Cracker Chips The Kellogg Co.

80 Simpli-Size Adjustible Cup Dispensers Tomlinson Industries

81 Helix Dispensers, IX Pay and Fusion Wayne - GE Energy Business

82 Backwoods Honey Berry Single Cigars Commonwealth-Altadis Inc.

83 Wholesome Goodness Snacks Convenience Valet

84 Mott's Snack & Go Portable Applesauce Dr Pepper Snapple Group

85 Heinenken Star Bottle Heineken

86 BBQ Pork Jerky Jack Link's Beef Jerky

87 E-cigarette Display Solutions Logic Technologies LLC

88 El Monterey Butcher-Wrapped Burritos Ruiz Food Products Inc.

89 Coral Bay Soft-Serve and Milk Shake Products Selection Unlimited

90 Flavor Banner Bar Spirit Specialty Solutions

91 Pure Cane Sugar Fountain Drinks Sunny Sky Products

92 Pepper's Premium Smoothies Sunny Sky Products

93 ReCharge Bars Tropical Foods

94 Pierre Panini Style Melts AdvancePierre Foods

95 Bacon-Wrapped Filets American Foods Group

96 Cayman Jack Margarita Malt Beverage American Vintage Beverage Inc.

97 Soft-tip E-cigarette 21st Century Smoke

98 H.K. Anderson Pretzel Chips ConAgra

99 Delicia E & J Gallo Winery

100 Refrigerated Wells Hatco Corp.


19Nut and trail mixesConAgra Foods

www.conagrafoods.comConAgra Foods expanded into the nut and

trail-mix categories with a variety of fl avors:

Roasted & Salted, Wasabi & Soy Sauce and

Dark Chocolate nut mixes; and Classic, Nuts &

Fruit and Sweet & Salty trail mixes.

21CookiesThe Kellogg Co.

www.kelloggsconvenience.comKeebler Pitter Patter Peanut Butter Crème and Chocolate & Peanut Butter Crème

Cookies joined the newly formulated Keebler Fudge Stripes cookies, with more

fudge coverage per cookie, in the c-store space.

23Snack chipsGeneral Mills

www.genmills.comPerhaps the most intriguing story from

the Hot 100 is General Mills’ Green

Giant Chips—a product that isn’t

even available to c-stores. At times,

Convenience Store Products includes

products that aren’t yet distributed to

the channel but refl ect important con-

sumer and CPG trends. This interest

shows the overall growth in better-for-

you brands in the snack aisle.

22Sweet snackMrs. Freshley’s/Flowers Foods

www.mrsfreshleys.comMrs. Freshley’s rolled out new branding with

a bright, modern design that complements

a new logo unveiled earlier this year. It also

launched a chocolate version of its Dreamies

crème-fi lled cakes.

20Single-serve snacks7-layer dip snacksMars Chocolate North America

www.mars.comCombos took the Nos. 3 and 4 slots for snacks for its single-serve packs and

its new 7 Layer Dip Tortilla fl avor, which launched in April. The single-serve

bags come in seven varieties in shelf-ready cartons.

MunchablesRetailer ReactionJack Link’s Squatch Sticks and the recently launched XXL Squatch Sticks

are selling well at Bobby & Steve’s Auto World in Minneapolis. Jared

Scheeler, director of retail operations, likes the way the company “provided

edgy graphics and a fl avor-packed product to a growing category.”

The WhiteWave Food Co.’s International Delight dispensed iced-coffee

program “provides us with an outstanding product in a vibrant dispenser

that has fi lled a mid-day need for our consumers,” says Scheeler. Macan-

udo and Punch individual foil-pack cigars enable the chain to “sell a high-

end product that resonates with our client base without having to become

experts in humidor maintenance.”

While some smaller fi rms made the list, the big snack suppliers largely commanded

the Hot 100. Kellogg’s netted four products in the Hot 100, as did jerky maker Jack

Link’s. Jerky itself had a strong presence on the list, from Oberto’s Bacon Jerky

to Old Wisconsin’s Smoke Stack Sticks. The snacking items on the Hot 100 also

refl ect consumers’ continual balancing act between health and indulgence.


TOP 5

C o n ve n i e n c e S t o r e P r o d u c t s OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 201324 C o n ve n i e n c e S t o r e P r o d u c t s OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 201324

Hunger HelpersRetailer ReactionEllen Determan, co-owner of Lyons Filling Station, Clinton,

Iowa, along with her husband, Pat, says hot-beverage sales

took an upward swing when the store integrated Big Train

Chai Tea into the program. “Women just love it. Either hot or

iced, it features a creamy blend of honey, black tea and exotic

spices, and it’s lower in fat,” says Determan.

The product comes in bulk from Gourmet Harry’s of Des

Moines, Iowa. “It sells itself,” says Determan. “We found that

it doesn’t rob other types of hot beverages but creates incre-

mental sales for the overall program.” Determan also sells

3.5-lb. packages for customers to take and make at home.

Foodservice dominated the Hot 100 with 33 products, which includes equipment. The leaders largely

provide a hot, portable meal solution, be it a calzone or chicken bites. A few sweets hit the list, indicating

the crossover between meal and snack occasions. Differentiated dispensed drinks also had a strong

presence on the list. And while they weren’t within the top fi ve foodservice products, AdvancePierre

Foods takes the prize for the most products from a single supplier on the entire Hot 100, netting fi ve slots.

24CalzonesLand Mark Products

www.landmarkproducts.comAfter two years of development, Day ’N Night Bites rolled out three calzones

formulated for the c-store industry earlier this year. It used the NACS Show

to announce breakfast-focused additions to its calzones line.

26Frozen-beverage dispenserUnited Fast Food & Beverage Service Corp.

www.unitedfastfood.comThe top-ranked foodservice equipment on

the Hot 100, the IMI Cornelius Viper, avail-

able through United Fast Food & Beverage

Service, comes in two-, three- and four-

barrel models.

28Packaged doughnutsBaker’s Pride Inc.

www.bakerspride.comBaker’s Pride Inc. opened a new doughnut facility this year that

uses innovative baking technology to produce mass quantities of

doughnuts with consistency, product integrity and cost effi ciencies.

25Bite-size snacksHome Market Foods

www.homemarketfoods.comFully cooked and finger-friendly,

Cooked Perfect Bites help retailers

capture the growth in snacking occa-

sions throughout the day. They can

be prepared in an oven or fryer, and

hold well in a heated display case.

27Hot-food merchandiserStar Manufacturing

www.star-mfg.comHeat-Wave merchandisers

provide an open look for dis-

playing hot foods. Single- and

double-shelf models are avail-

able in multiple widths, and

adjustable divider rods allow

fl exibility for multiple products.

TOP 5



Trends refl ected in the beverage products that made the Hot 100 include better-for-you options such as Blue Diamond

Almond Breeze Almond Milk and Nestea RTD teas, as well as burgeoning liquid water enhancers. Out-of-the-ordinary

fl avors also permeated the category, including AriZona’s Chocolate Fudge Float Soda and Joltin’ Joe Sparkling Espresso

Drink. On the alcohol-beverage side, alternative options such as cider and dessert- and margarita-fl avored malt bever-

ages captured retailers’ attention.

QuenchablesRetailer Reaction“The energy segment continues to

boom,” says Mark Gil, who owns a BP

station in Glen Ellyn, Ill. “More people

are getting into the new Clif Bars we

offer. On the energy-drink side, Monster

Ultra Red and Muscle Monster Energy

Shake have gotten a lot of interest. And

different iterations of heritage brands,

such as Kit Kat Minis, are helping drive

our candy section.”

31Cross-category merchandiserThe Coca-Cola Co.

www.coca-colacompany.comThe On the Road Again merchandiser

emerged from the company’s Shopper

Experience Innovation Center. It is designed

to capture impulse buys and generate

combo sales by placing beverages, snacks

and foodservice items together.

30Chocolate-fl avored sodaAriZona Beverages

www.drinkarizona.comLate last year, AriZona Beverages

relaunched this slightly carbonated

soda made with milk and chocolate

syrup. Available in 23-ounce cans, the

drink contains 50 calories per serving.

29Flavored energy drinksRed Bull

www.redbull.comThe top beverage in the Hot 100, Red Bull Editions were

announced in October 2012 and hit the streets in March.

Flavors include cranberry, lime and blueberry.

32Liquid water enhancerKraft

www.kraft.comCategory-inventor MiO

speaks to consumers’

desires for customization

and better-for-you bev-

erages. The brand now

encompasses the origi-

nal lineup, an Energy

offshoot and MiO Fit,

which has electrolytes

and vitamins.

33Beverage enhancerThe Coca-Cola Co.

www.coca-colacompany.comCoca-Cola joined the growing liquid-

water-enhancer category with Dasani

Drops, appropriately cross-branded with

its bottled-water line. It’s also rolled out

Powerade Drops and, most recently,

Minute Maid Drops with real fruit juice.

TOP 5


Sweet OnesRetailer ReactionAndrew Yochum, current director of retail for Hy-Vee in Omaha, Neb., who

formerly oversaw c-store and grocery operations for the chain in West

Lawrence, Kan., says that while fresh-prepared pizza and Asian cuisine led

the way as foodservice options, it has been premium nuts in both peg bags

and standup pouches that are prolifi c movers in the healthy snack category.

“We did very well with packaged premium fl avored nuts in the shell and

out of the shell—with both Blue Diamond and our own private store brand

heading the list,” he says. “The sales numbers were a bit higher in Lawrence

as, being a college town, there’s more emphasis on health-consciousness.

Clif bars and Luna bars did well too.”

All things sour and chocolaty made the Hot 100. The hand-to-mouth trend

has just begun infl uencing the list, and we expect to see even more of the

bite-size, unwrapped, pouched confections next year. Functional sweets

also made an impact, including Java Gum, Quest Nutrition’s protein-heavy

Peanut Butter Cups, and Living Essentials’ Slimful Chew.

34Miniature candiesThe Hershey Co.

www.hersheys.comTaking the top spot in the 2013 Hot 100, Kit Kat Minis debuted around the

2013 Sweets & Snacks Expo. The launch helped build Hershey’s share of

hand-to-mouth-candy sales to nearly 25%, according to Nielsen fi gures.

36High-protein candyQuest Nutrition

www.questnutrition.comQuest Cravings Peanut Butter Cups contain 20 grams of protein per

serving, with 3 grams of active carbs and no added sugar. It’s made with

chocolate rich in amino acids.

35Chocolate confectionMars Chocolate North America

www.mars.comMars took its legacy M&M’s brand and trans-

formed it into a new addition to the candy-bar seg-

ment with the M&M’s Brand Chocolate Bar. The product

has an SRP of $1.09 per bar.

37Sour bite-size candyImpact Confections

www.impactconfections.comImpact Confections rolled out Warheads Sour

Twists in peg bags this year. The bags come in

4- and 5.75-ounce sizes and contain the same

Sour Twists product as the rope-size package,

but in bite-size pieces.

38Sour confectionMorris National

www.tangyzangy.comMorris National introduced this year a new

fl avor to its growing Tangy Zangy Twist Sticks

lineup: Sour Wild Berry. It is available in a 5.64-

ounce bag with an SRP of $1.49.

TOP 5



SmokeablesRetailer ReactionAnne Flint, senior category manager of tobacco and other

tobacco products (OTP) for Framingham, Mass.-based

Cumberland Farms, says that on the cigarette side Newport

Gold “shows some promise for growth because it’s a perfect

and lighter non-menthol complement to Newport Red.” She

also cites some sales velocity with Marlboro NXT.

In the private-label cigarette segment, Flint’s company

acquired First Class from U.S. Flue Cured Tobacco. It’s helped

combat high excise taxes in the Northeast, and now rep-

resents close to 6% of the chain’s cigarette sales over nine

months. With a traditional fl ip-top box and nice packaging,

“it presents well and has a great name,” says Flint.

Retailer ReactionFred Faulkner, sales and marketing

manager for Bakersfi eld, Calif.-based

Jaco Oil Co., which operates Fastrip

c-stores, says that while Rockstar

energy drinks, Corona beer and Mike’s Hard Lemonade were

all leaders in his stores, the sales velocity exhibited by blu

e-cigs stood out most.

“We received a lot of support from [blu manufacturer]

Lorillard at the store level,” he says. “They made regular fi eld

calls, and that was a big deal.”

Surprisingly, only four tobacco products made it onto the Hot 100, likely due to strong retailer-supplier

communications, a crowded backbar without much room for new products, and a dicey regulatory

environment leaving retailers in a holding pattern on how they can market and merchandise tobacco

products. That said, the category remains a crucial one, and it’s no surprise that e-cigarettes commanded

three of the four ranking tobacco products.

39E-cigaretteLogic Technologies LLC

www.logicecig.comLogic’s design is composed of a

two-piece electronic cigarette in

which the cartomizer and the bat-

tery are in two separate chambers,

allowing the oils to stay fresher

longer, according to the company.

40Single-stick cigarsCommonwealth-Altadis Inc.

www.commonwealthaltadis.comBackwoods Honey Berry single cigars offer fresh, all-natural

tobacco at an affordable price point. Backwoods’ unusual

shape and frayed end helps differentiate it in the marketplace.

42Soft-tip e-cig21st Century Smoke

www.21stcenturysmoke.comThe company’s disposable soft-tip e-cigarette is available in a blister pack

or fl ip-top box. Among one of the bigger innovations in the category this

year, the soft tip gives e-cigs a softer, more lightweight feel.

41E-cigaretteNJOY

www.njoy.comNJOY’s fl ip-top package protects the product

while giving the consumer a sensation closer

to that of a traditional pack of cigarettes. The

company recently introduced a five-pack

that is $10 less than buying the five e-cigs

individually.

TOP 4

32

ProblemSolversIn-a-pinch problem-solvers could be the alternate name for the general mer-

chandise category, at least according to the category’s products that made the

Hot 100, including small-count tampon packs and stomach aids, as well as device

chargers for the car.

44Eight-count tamponsProcter & Gamble

www.pg.comTampax is the leading

brand in dollar share in the

tampon category, accord-

ing to the company, and

the Tampax Pearl plastic

eight-count box is ideal for

c-store fi ll-in trip missions.

43Car and wall chargerHoffco Brands

www.hoffcobrands.comCapturing consumers in need of a quick phone-

charging solution, Celltronix features two USB inputs

for charging two devices at once. It can be used in a

car cigarette lighter or a wall outlet, and charges mp3

players, cellphones, smartphones and tablets.

45Car freshenerProcter & Gamble

www.pg.comNew Febreze Car Vent Clips bring the popular home brand

to the car-care category. The line is available in eight

scents, including Linen & Sky and Midnight Storm.

TOP 5

Circle 207 on reply card

46Cough suppressant Lil’ Drug Store Products

www.lildrugstore.comLil’ Drug Store Products offers a vari-

ety of merchandising solutions for the

popular, natural cough remedy Ricola.

47Stomach aidProcter & Gamble

www.pg.comPepto-Bismol To-Go comes in a pocket-

size, 12-count vial for emergency needs and

on-the-go stomach relief.

Circle 208 on reply card

csproducts oct13 hot100 - csp daily news · 48 krispy's original recipe 1/4-lb. chicken...

Documents