2022 Most Innovative New Product Awards Showcase
This digital portal provides access to nearly 200 products submitted into the 2022 innovation awards program. Product submissions were taste-tested by more than 31 judges from leading retailers and distributors representing nearly 85 percent of U.S. confectionery and snack industry buying power. Four weighted criteria were used to assess each item: taste, packaging, innovation and go-to market feasibility.
Go to: Best in Show | Small Businness Innovator | Gourmet/Premium – Candy | Gourmet/Premium – Snack | Gum & Mints | Chocolate | Non-Chocolate | Seasonal | Savory Snacks | Salty Snacks | Sweet Snacks | Novelty/Licensed | Meat Snacks
SPONSORED BY:
Best In Show
Trü Frü, LLC.
Natures Strawberries Hyper-Chilled Fresh in Ruby Cacao
At only 60 calories a serving, natures strawberries are freshly frozen, immersed in premium Ruby Cacao chocolate, and hyper-chilled creating a unique berry flavor! Tastes like strawberry on a rubylicious evening.
Small Businness Innovator
Carrot Bacon
Carrot Bacon - Carolina Smoke
Space-Age Crispy. Vegan. Jerky. Molecularly expanded for an impossibly delicate crunch, Carrot Bacon transforms the humble Carrot into a mouth-watering, umami-packed taste experience. Finally, a Shelf-Stable Vegan Meat Snack that delivers.
Gourmet/Premium – Candy
Winner:
Trü Frü, LLC.
Natures Strawberries Hyper-Dried Fresh and Immersed in Crème
Nature’s Strawberries ripened on the vine, uniquely hyper-dried to preserve taste/nutrition, immersed in decadent white chocolate & cream, and lightly dusted in a natural strawberry powder to enhance flavor! Totally Strawsome.
Finalists:
Ferrero North America
Ferrero Rocher® Milk Chocolate Hazelnut Bar
The special taste of Ferrero Rocher® now comes in bars for everyday enjoyment! Ferrero Rocher® Milk Chocolate Hazelnut Bar: enjoy the taste of smooth milk chocolate mixed with crunchy hazelnut pieces combined with an exquisite creamy filling.
Sconza Candy Co.
Milk Chocolate Churro Almonds
Churro flavor has seen a 27.39% yearly growth rate. Scona's Milk Chocolate Churro Almonds are the perfect premium execution of the Latin street food. A roasted almond, toffee coated, dipped in creamy milk chocolate and dusted with cinnamon sugar.
Gatsby
Peanut Butter Madness
The inside of a peanut butter cup but in bar form? What?! It brings the peanut butter trend to the category in a way that will blow your mind. It's also the only LOW-CALORIE bar; even 2X LESS cals than Lily’s. The result? Incrementality.
OCHO Candy, Inc.
Plant-Based Caramel filled Chocolates Classic Flavor
OCHO Candy has made the first Plant Based (Vegan) Caramel in chocolate using real cultured vegan butter, which gives the caramel a mouthfeel and taste like traditional caramel candy. Available in Classic, Chocolate, Coffee, and Cinnamon flavors.
Gourmet/Premium – Snack
Winner:
Ferrero North America
Nutella B-Ready
Nutella B-Ready is a delicious, light, individually wrapped snack bar with a crispy baked wafer filled with creamy hazelnut Nutella® spread. Nutella B-Ready is an irresistible break-time snack you can enjoy anytime, anywhere!
Finalists:
Tate's Bake Shop
Tate's Bake Shop Vegan Vanilla Maple Cookies
A new flavor innovation from Tate's Bake Shop - thin, crisp, golden and sweet, these vegan cookies are made with the perfect combination of vanilla and a touch of maple. Certified vegan by vegan.org and certified Kosher Pareve by the Orthodox Union.
Milk Bar
Cereal Milk® Ice Cream
Tasting just like the milk at the bottom of your bowl of cereal in all its sweet and salty glory, Cereal Milk put Milk Bar’s first NYC bakery on the map in 2008, and now is available in scoopable pint form in grocery stores across the US.
Chunk Nibbles
Original Chunk Nibbles
Our 3rd generation family recipe resonates with consumers as that nostalgic Sweet & Salty mix that was around at family gatherings. With recognizable ingredients and bite size chunks, these snacks satisfy cravings and deliver on comfort and taste!
Second Nature Brands
Sea Salt Caramel Crunch
Sea Salt Caramel Crunch pairs our bite sized dark chocolate sea salt caramel minis with a blend of premium almonds, cashews & pecans and a burst of fruity dried strawberries. This unique, gluten free snack mix is a delicious sweet & salty snack!
Gum & Mints
Winner:
Mars Wrigley US
EXTRA Refreshers Fruity Mix Sugar-Free Chewing Gum
Combining 3 fan-favorite flavors - strawberry freeze, tropical mist and lemonade chill - EXTRA Refreshers Fruity Mix features a soft gum chew coated in a thin shell that provides a multi-sensorial chewing experience and long-lasting flavor.
Finalists:
Perfetti Van Melle USA, Inc.
Mentos Gum with Vitamins - Berry
Mentos Gum with Vitamins is now available in a delicious new flavor, Berry! Chewing 2 pieces for 10 minutes of this unique gum provides additional vitamins to your diet – 30% of the recommended daily value of vitamins B6, B12 and C.
Ferrero North America
Tic Tac® Strawberry & Cream
This most indulgent addition to our flavor line-up offers a delightful mix of fresh and sweet-creamy strawberry flavors. Enjoy one-by-one, or combine for an indulgent & mouth-watering mashup.
Charms Company
Blow Pop Inside Outs
Blow Pop Inside Outs and new treat. Gum on on the outside and crushed lollipops on the inside. Great flavors, Blue Razz, Cherry, Green Apple and Grape.
Rev Gum
REV ENERGY GUM
REV ENERGY is changing the on-the-go energy space with our functional energy gum! Our product is sugar free, has the right amount of caffeine to get you going (equal to a shot of espresso), tastes great, and, contains 6 servings of energy per pack!
Chocolate
Winner:
Lindt & Sprungli (USA), Inc.
OatMilk
Indulge in the smooth, creamy and delicious non-dairy Lindt CLASSIC RECIPE OatMilk Chocolate Bar. Expertly crafted by the Lindt Master Chocolatiers.
Finalists:
The Hershey Company
Reese's Big Cup Stuffed with Potato Chips
We’re stuffing Reese’s with even more awesomeness by including America’s favorite salty snack for an afternoon pick-me-up in the new Reese’s Big Cup with Potato Chips. This new addition to the Reese’s lineup is sweet, salty and crunchy.
Mars Wrigley US
TWIX Salted Caramel Cookie Bars
TWIX Salted Caramel Crunchy Cookie Bars have the same 3 layers fans love with an extra pinch of salt for a new crunchy & sweet experience. The candy offers an irresistible combination of creamy milk chocolate, salted caramel and crunchy cookie bars.
Mars Wrigley US
M&M’S Crunchy Cookie Chocolate Candy
M&M’S Crunchy Cookie Chocolate Candy combines two beloved classics: M&M'S and chocolate chip cookies. The new variety features a great-tasting crunchy cookie center covered in delicious milk chocolate, all wrapped in the colorful, iconic M&M'S shell.
Edward Marc Brands, Inc.
Snappers ® Caramel Brownie Crisp
Like the crispy, chewy edges of a brownie? You’ll love our new Caramel Brownie Crisps. With just the right amount of our family recipe caramel this brownie inspired confection is ‘remarcable’. No artificial flavors, sustainably sourced and kosher.
Non-Chocolate
Winner:
Ferrara
Nerds Gummy Clusters Very Berry 8 oz Sub
Nerds Gummy Cluster is a poppable sweet treat with Very Berry Nerds surrounding a fruity gummy center for a tangy twist.
Finalists:
Galerie
Froot Loops Gummy Peg Bag
4 oz Fruit Loops Gummy Peg Bag. Merchandized in a PDQ for shelve display convenience. The shape, taste , and natural fruit flavors is inspired by Froot Loops Cereal. This items brings the Cereal Fans into the candy isle.
Bazooka Candy Brands
Juicy Drop® Gummy Dip N' Stix
Juicy Drop® Gummy Dip ‘n Stix is packed with sweet gummy stix and sour gel so you can take your your dip ‘n dip n’ dip anywhere! Create YOUR perfect mix of sweet and sour with Juicy Drop® Gummy Dip ‘n Stix.
Ferrara
Sweetarts Gummies Fruity Splitz
SweeTARTS signature sweet & tart flavors now in a soft chewy gummy! Each piece delivers the delicious fruity flavors consumers know and love in vibrant dual colors where one side is sweet and the other is tart!
Mars Wrigley US
STARBURST Airs Original Gummies Candy
Different from your typical gummi candy, STARBURST Airs are an aerated gummi candy with a unique, soft and squishy texture. The fluffy gummies are inflated with the flavor of beloved STARBURST candies yet are soft to bite into and easy to chew.
Seasonal
Winner:
Ferrero North America
Kinder Holiday Mix Countdown Calendar
Kinder Holiday Mix Countdown Calendar is all about family bonding & counting down to Christmas together with 24 days of delicious Kinder. It has a variety of 6 unique Kinder treats & graphics feature a gingerbread house with a fun puzzle on the back.
Finalists:
Jelly Belly Candy Company
Jelly Belly® Christmas Greeting Card
Step up your Christmas card game with a sweet greeting card from Jelly Belly! This greeting card includes a cute reindeer design and a blister pack filled with Very Cherry Jelly Belly jelly beans – our most popular flavor.
Ferrero North America
Ferrero Rocher Golden Eggs - Original
Ferrero Rocher Golden Eggs offer an indulgent, creamy hazelnut filling with hazelnut and crispy wafer pieces, surrounded by a fine milk chocolate shell. This offering is truly a unique Ferrero Rocher taste experience.
SweetWorks Confections, LLC
Peppermint Cookie Crunch Cluster
Our Peppermint Cookie Crunch Clusters are a differentiated cluster format delivering superior, small batch, hand crafted indulgence and are crafted in Upstate, NY, USA with simple, Non-GMO ingredients and Rainforest Alliance Certified Cocoa
Sconza Candy Co.
Hot Cocoa Almonds
Celebrate the holiday season with a poppable bite of hot cocoa! Marshmallow crème and creamy milk chocolate cover a roasted almond creating the perfect premium execution of your favorite childhood seasonal delight.
Savory Snacks
Winner:
Pecan Nation
Pecan Nation Cinnamon
Our Pecan Nation Cinnamon Pecans evoke a pie-style sensation, striking the right balance between indulgence and health. Each bag of gourmet cinnamon-candied pecans comes tightly sealed for a fresh taste.
Finalists:
Shrewd Food
Buffalo Ranch
The innovation is in the flavor! Ever popular buffalo sauce combined with ranch dressing all in a Keto friendly only 2 carb snack boasting 13g protein. The Smartest Way to Snack!
CAL Marketing
Sweet Potato Sticks
Our Sweet Potato Sticks is a clean and healthy snack that is brand new to the US market. Made from only 1 ingredient, the sweet potato is cooked using a method called retort, that essentially steams the product inside of its own packaging.
Nutradried Food Company, LLC
Crunchy Cheese Sticks Yum Inferno
Crunchy Cheese Sticks are the first shelf-stable cheese snack product in a stick or puff format made from 100% real mozzarella cheese. They have 4x more protein than leading brands and are gluten-free, keto-friendly, and contain no artificial flavors
Salty Snacks
Winner:
KrackCorn, LLC
KrackCorn Original Family Size
KrackCorn is a fun and flavorful caramel popcorn brand that is bringing a new excitement in taste and experience to the popcorn set. We are uniquely made with a crunchiness that can't be found in any other caramel flavored popcorn.
Finalists:
TH Foods, Inc.
Avocado Toast Salt & Pepper
Now you can have your favorite toast anytime. These delicious gluten-free crackers are vegan, made from real avocado, have no added sugar, non-GMO, and free from artificial flavors. Dip in your favorite salsa or queso or munch right out of the bag!
Ka-Pop! Snacks
Dill Pickle Ka-Pop! Super Grain Popped Rings
100% Regenerative Sorghum in a perfect never-fried ring shape. The texture & flavor you love of bad-for-you rings, in a good-for-you recipe. Ka-Pop! is vegan, gluten-free, nonGMO, & allergen-free, BUT NOT TASTE FREE. #1 launch on Amazon Grocery!
Amplify Snack Brands
Cheddar Blast
The Pirate’s Booty you love, now exploding with extra white cheddar! Made With 50% “more real cheese” than our Pirate’s Booty Aged White Cheddar formula. Always made with real cheese, contains no artificial flavors or colors and is always baked.
Frito-Lay
Flamin' Hot Cool Ranch
What happens when Doritos takes one of its most iconic flavors and unleashes the heat? Introducing new Doritos® Flamin' Hot Cool Ranch® Flavored Tortilla Chips, an all-new mash-up that combines the classic Cool Ranch flavor with a spicy, bold crunch.
Sweet Snacks
Winner:
The Hershey Company
Reese's Snack Bar
Reese’s Snack Bars are the perfect mix of crispy, crunchy, salty and sweet flavors, sure to put an extra spring in your step. They feature peanut butter creme, crisp whole grain brown rice, crunchy roasted peanuts and smooth milk chocolate.
Finalists:
Star Brands North America, Inc
Flipz STUFF’D White Fudge Peanut Butter
Seeking more thrill, consumers are looking for snacks with amped up flavor and texture. Introducing Flipz STUFF’D White Fudge Peanut Butter – salty, crunchy pretzel nuggets filled with thick & creamy peanut butter and covered in sweet white fudge!
Ferrara
Fudge Stripes Mini S'mores Dip'mmms
This delectable cookie and marshmallow dip combination instantly evokes the playfulness of s'mores. But it's the interactive dip styles that transforms Keebler® Fudge Stripes™ Dip'mmms™ from just a snack into a fun, playful experience.
Simply Good Foods Company
Frosted Cookies Birthday Cake
Soft baked chewy frosted cookies with < 1g of sugar, 1 net carb and only 90 calories that taste amazing. Consumers see treats as an integral part of their lives, but 40% feel guilty about eating. These are sweet treats without the guilt!
Crack Corn
Crack Corn - Sea Salt Caramel Ultra Premium Puff Corn
Crack Corn is like popcorn, but better! Crack Corn has no kernels and no hulls so it's addictively easy to eat. New Sea Salt Caramel is salty, sweet, butter and melts in your mouth!
Novelty/Licensed
Winner:
Jelly Belly Candy Company
Harry Potter™ Butterbeer™ Barrel Tin
Enter the Wizarding World™ with a fantastic new barrel tin from Jelly Belly. Filled with Butterbeer chewy candy pieces in a fun beer mug shape, the Harry Potter Butterbeer Barrel Tin is sure to have a strong appeal to Harry Potter fans of all ages!
Finalists:
Jel Sert Company
Skittles
Jel Sert replicated Skittles fans' love for eating their candy by the handful with Skittles PUNCH Drink Mix. With five unique Skittles flavors blended into the mix, Jel Sert perfectly formulated each to match those of the iconic Skittles rainbow.
Jel Sert Company
POWERADE - Mountain Berry Blast and Fruit Punch
Jel Sert replicated the quality and functionality of POWERADE drinks with POWERADE Sports Freezer Bar (top Freezer Bar growth brand in 2021[JP1]), offering consumers electrolyte replenishment with an added benefit of a cooling effect.
Pez Candy, Inc.
Black Panther Gift Tin
The Marvel Black Panther Gift Tin features four Black Panther themed PEZ Dispensers: Black Panther, Shuri, Purple Black Panther, and Okoye. Packaged in a collectible gift tin, each Black Panther set includes one six pack of PEZ Candy Refills.
Bazooka Candy Brands
Juicy Drop® Remix
Juicy Drop® Remix is a fun new way to get your perfect mix of sweet and sour. Mix chewy sweet and sour candy from a unique dual compartment container. Create your perfect mix by eating them together or taste them on their own!
Meat Snacks
Winner:
4505 Meats
Chile Limon Chicharrones
4505 light and crispy melt-in-your-mouth chicharrones are now available with Tajin’s timeless and tangy chile limón seasoning for a perfect culinary marriage.
Finalists:
Old Wisconsin Sausage
Hot & Spicy
Hot & Spicy is crafted with a blend of Serrano, Jalapeno and Red Peppers. With 0g of sugar and just the right amount of heat, it will appeal to a wide range of consumers. It's pepper perfection, that will have them coming back for more!
Country Archer Provisions
Cracked Pepper Beef Jerky
Black pepper jerky is #3 in convenience + MULO but with a void for tasty, better-for-you options, Country Archer launched a bite with a blend of real ingredients: grass-fed beef, cracked black pepper and dehydrated bell peppers for a unique zing.
PREVAIL Jerky
Lemongrass Beef Jerky
When life gives you lemongrass-make jerky. Lemongrass, garlic and a few other flavors complement each other like yin and yang, to create a flavor fusion never before tasted by the jerky world. A sweet and citrusy zest that keeps you wanting more.
Ranch House Sausage Co.
Philly Cheese Style Sausage – To Go Pack
This product is made with real ingredients to create a flavorful explosion to your taste buds. This sausage is fantastic alone or with crackers, even fried. All the flavor of the sandwich without the mess.
