Exclusive: CSNews@40 Hightlights New Product Hits & Misses

NEW YORK -- It was the best of years. It was the worst of years. As Convenience Store News debuted, so did hundreds of new products—some were big successes, others missed the mark badly. The pages of the 1969 issues of CSNews contain a myriad of memorable new product announcements and national rollouts.

The biggest convenience store product success story of 1969 was announced in the very first issue of CSNews, April 11, 1969, when Stokley-Van Camp Inc. introduced Gatorade in the southern states and Hawaii. The drink, available in lemon-lime flavor only, was packaged in 32-ounce decanters and retailed for 39 cents.

The announcement in CSNews said the non-carbonated drink was "the subject of considerable publicity in recent weeks because of its reported thirst-satisfying qualities and use by athletes." Today, the Gatorade portfolio is available in dozens of flavors and includes two other brands—Gatorade Tiger (after famous golfer Tiger Woods) and Propel Fitness Water.

For other long-lasting products circa 1969, as well as some notable misses, check out CSNews’ 40th anniversary microsite, www.csnews.com/40.

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