In a new report, What Consumers Want to Buy and Why, Mintel looks into consumer motivations behind the sales success of 2018’s top 10 new food product launches. Those top launches, determined by IRI Pacesetters, were as follows:
Source: Mintel
Mintel’s analysis looked at consumer ratings of 16 attributes of a product. The top two drivers for deciding to purchase a product were “good value” and “tasty.” The attribute with the most impact on buying decisions was “exciting.”
Let’s look at what Mintel had to say about the top 10 new food launches of 2018.
Kinder Joy from Ferrero comes in a plastic egg-shaped package that contains chocolate in one half and a toy in the other half. Already a popular product in other parts of the world, Kinder Joy “excels at conveying more tasty and exciting perceptions… along with significantly higher unique, quality and premium perceptions,” according to Mintel.
M&M’s Caramel profits from consumer love for the combination of caramel and chocolate. Plus, the packaging “takes advantage of holiday-inspired imagery, which effectively extends the new brand for multiple occasions.”
Oui Yogurts have clean labels, craft processing, and premium glass packaging. Perceived by consumers as exciting, premium, unique, indulgent, and fun, “Oui is a great example of a big brand doing craft well,” according to Mintel.
Gatorade Flow’s on-trend flavors of Pineapple Mango, Kiwi Strawberry, Tidal Punch, and Blackberry Wave are perceived as tasty and exciting. Gatorade Flow also “succeeds because of high brand trustworthiness and good value perceptions.”
RXBar’s front-of-package labeling meets the consumer demand for transparency. Consumers see RXBar as significantly more natural, healthy, and unique than many other nutrition bars.
Grown In Idaho Frozen Potatoes are hand-cut, super-crispy fries that capitalize on demand for handcrafted products and enhanced texture. The product offers good value, and consumers perceive the potatoes as high-quality, premium, and tasty.
Mountain Dew ICE appeals to men. They are much more likely than women to see the product as tasty, exciting, and of good quality and value. Men are likely responsible for the soft drink’s sales success, according to Mintel.
Lay’s Poppables score high on the key drivers of exciting, tasty, and fun. This perception reflects the potato snack’s appealing crisp and airy texture, plus the three popular flavors: white cheddar, honey BBQ, and sea salt.
Ritz Crisp & Thins’ sales are driven by their tasty, exciting, and good value perception. The ‘baked not fried’ positioning particularly appeals to the 18–34-year-old age group, “who seek permissibly indulgent treats to keep their lives in balance,” according to Mintel. Plus, the appealing packaging and brand trust help drive sales.
Duncan Hines Perfect Size For 1 offers portion control, with sales driven by consumer perception of good value, excitement, and tastiness. “High fun, packaging appeal, indulgent treat, and brand trust scores underscore Duncan Hines’ market strength.”
Mintel offers three takeaways from the analysis:
- Consumers are excited about and buy tasty products from familiar brands.
- Consumers look for artisan and craft attributes.
- Permissibly indulgent positioning through ‘thin’ and portion-control is a winner.
