CSNews Knows Teens and Hot New Products

LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- Lava Chocolate LLC, maker of the unique liquid chocolate bar, Lava Bar, profited greatly from its presence at the NACS Show 2006. After the curtains closed at the show, the chocolate confection took home both the Teen People Trendspotters Grand Prize for the Best Overall Candy Product and Convenience Store News Best New Product Award in the confectionary category.

The Lava Bar won unanimous appeal from the Teen People Trendspotters Panel, who awarded it the grand prize "Hot Pick" for overall candy product at the NACS Show. The bar was evaluated on a basis of appeal, taste and packaging. The Trendspotters collectively agreed that the Lava Bar had the best overall appeal and awarded it with the grand prize, during which they praised its taste, packaging, portability, versatility and overall "coolness."

A panel of six young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 made up the Teen People Trendspotters. They represented a community of more than 14,000 teens across the country at the Show, where they traveled the floor in search of three appealing products to present to the group, then voted to select the top choices in each category.

To win the CSNews Best New Product Award, Lava Bar was judged by a panel of 10 editors and others from CSNews' sister publications in categories such as product innovation, packaging, fit to convenience store market, consumer need and flavor.

"When introducing a new, never-seen-before product, one must first prove the concept at hand. By winning both the Trendspotters grand prize and the Convenience Store News Best New Product Award, we've proven that consumers young and old are ready and eager to buy a multi-use, molten chocolate candy bar," said Kenneth J. Berke, Lava Chocolate's president and chief executive officer.

Lava Bar "has been engineered to do what other candy bars can't. … While most candy bars are ruined by hot weather, the Lava Bar tastes even better when warmed by the sun," Berke explained. In addition, the bars to not freeze in cold weather, making them ideal for camping, fishing and skiing, Berke added.

Although the Lava Bar is only available to purchase directly through the company or on its Web site, www.lava-bar.com, Berke suggests that retails should request that their distributors carry the chocolate bar. "Our success at the NACS Show has helped us establish relationships with a number of brokers and distributors around the country, and we're getting more every day. We expect widespread distribution of the Lava Bar across the U.S. and Canada in the next few months."

Convenience Store News announced its 2006 Best New Product Award winners during the NACS Show. Manufacturers and distributors from throughout the industry submitted their new products for judging by a panel of experienced retail industry editors. The 2007 Convenience Store News Best New Product Awards will be open for entries in May of next year.
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