• by Karlene Lukovitz  @KLmarketdaily, March 11, 2014

Products offering some kind of health or wellness benefits once again dominated the most successful consumable and non-foods consumer packaged goods launches last year, according to Information Resources, Inc.'s just-released 2013 New Product Pacesetters report.

Among food and beverages launches, seven of the top 10, and 73 of the top 100, as ranked by total first-year dollar sales across grocery, drug and mass retail formats, offer a "healthier for you" benefit. 

Demonstrating that the yogurt (and in particular Greek yogurt) craze still has legs, three of the top 10 were yogurt brands: #1 Dannon Light & Fit Greek ($144.9 million in year-one sales); #2 Yoplait Greek 100 ($135.1 million); and #6 Müller Yogurt. (Müller, a venerable European brand, launched Greek and other yogurt varieties in the U.S. in 2012, generating $95.8 million in sales in its first 12 months.)  

The others in the top 10 food/beverages ranking are: #3 Kellogg's Special K Pastry Crisps ($100.6 million); #4 Tostitos Cantina Tortilla Chips ($100.3 million); #5 Bud Light Lime Lime-A-Rita ($97.4 million); #7 Eight O'Clock K-Cups ($89.8 million); #8 Pepsi Next ($83.2 million); #9 Kellogg's Special K Flatbread Breakfast Sandwiches ($77.9 million) and #10 Atkins Frozen Meals ($74 million).

Average first-year retail sales for the top 100 food and beverage launches were $35 million.

Among non-foods CPG launches, 48 out of the top 100 offer some kind of wellness benefit. 

For the first time, in the recent history of the Pacesetters rankings, three home-care products made the top 10:  #1 Tide Pods ($324.6 million); #6 Downy Infusions ($90.2 million); and #7 Ajax Triple Action ($84.2 million).

At-home personal care products that offer quality, worry-free results are also strongly represented in the rankings.  

The other non-foods CPG launches in the top 10: #2 L’Oreal Advanced Haircare ($141.8 million); #3 ZzzQuil ($121.1 million); #4 Vidal Sassoon Pro Series ($96 million); #5 Clear Scalp & Hair Therapy ($92.7 million); #8 Always/Tampax Radiant ($83 million); #9 Secret Outlast ($82.4 million) and #10 Puffs Basic ($74.5 million).

Two of the top launches in the food/beverages ranking -- Bud Light Lime Lime-A-Rita and Pepsi Next -- also made the top 10 in the ranking of first-year sales within the convenience store retail channel only.

The top C-store product launches:  #1 Monster Energy Ultra  ($268.2 million); #2 Red Bull Total Zero ($139.1 million); Marlboro NXT ($117.9 million); #4 Njoy ($115.5 million); #5 Bud Light Lime Lime-A-Rita ($113.1 million); #6 Budweiser Black Crown ($55.9 million); #7 Neuro Drinks ($52.1 million); #8 Pepsi Next ($31.1 million); #9 Doritos Jacked ($25.9 million) and Starbucks Refreshers ($24.1 million).