CSNews Reveals Winners of 2013 Best New Products Awards

JERSEY CITY, N.J. -- The results are in for the 17th annual Convenience Store News Best New Products Awards, the original best new products contest for the convenience industry. After a month of testing, our consumer panel has selected 21 products as the best items introduced in the past year.

All consumer packaged goods suppliers were eligible to enter this year's awards program with products introduced from April 1, 2012 through March 31, 2013. Products were judged by our panel based on taste, value, convenience, health, ingredients, preparation, appearance and packaging.

This year's winners are:

• Alcoholic beverage -- Soleil Mimosa Mini; Southwest Wines
   
• Alternative snack -- Coffee Almonds/Mocha; Blue Diamond Growers
   
• Carbonated soft drink -- fruitwater; The Coca-Cola Co.
   
• Chocolate candy -- Cadbury Screme Egg; The Hershey Co.
   
• Dairy beverage -- Charley's Milk; Tenaya LLC
   
• Electronic cigarette -- Logic Power Series; Logic Technology Development
   
• Energy drink -- Monster Energy Zero Ultra; Monster Energy Co.
   
• Energy product -- Clif Builder's MAX; Clif Bar & Co.
   
• Foodservice/Breakfast -- Donut Holes To Go; Prairie City Bakery
   
• Foodservice/Condiment -- Onion Crunch; Crunchy Condiment Co.
   
• Foodservice/Display & Packaging -- Chester's Party Pack; Chester's International
   
• Foodservice/Lunch & Dinner -- Fernando's Grab Wraps; Fernando's Foodservice
   
• General merchandise -- Rayovac Flashlight; Lil' Drug Store Products
   
• Health & beauty care -- Carmex Cherry Click Stick; Lil' Drug Store Products
   
• Healthy snack -- BIGS Heinz Salt & Vinegar Sunflower Seeds; Thanasi Foods LLC
   
• Meat snack -- Sweet & Spicy Perky Jerky Beef; Perky Jerky
   
• Non-carbonated soft drink -- Lipton Concentrate Tea; PepsiCo Foodservice
   
• Other tobacco product -- Game Pineapple Cigarillos; Swedish Match
   
• Overall innovation -- Thirst Pak; Thirstpak
   
• Packaged sweet snack -- Mrs. Freshley's Cinnabon Honey Bun; Mrs. Freshley's
   
• Salty snack -- Combos 7 Layer Dip Tortilla; Mars Chocolate North America

Awards will be presented to the winning companies at next month's NACS Show in Atlanta.