Tropical Sun Aloe Vera
Launched: February
Tropical Sun bolstered its drinks portfolio with the launch of a new Aloe Vera drink. It contains natural aloe vera, vitamin C and calcium, and taps into the increasing demand for great tasting, premium health-focused drinks.
Viewpoint
Vijay Thanwani, MD of Gold Star Cash & Carry: “There have been several new product launches that have been tremendous successes, but one product that really stood out for us this year was Tropical Sun Aloe Vera.”
Britvic Ballygowan
Launched: February
Britvic poured a touch of the Emerald Isle into Great Britain by making still and sparkling Ballygowan Natural Mineral Water available on the mainland. The launch marked the first piece of activity in Britvic’s plan to grow sales of bottled water in the UK through a focus on healthy hydration.
Wrigley’s Extra White Bubblemint bottles
Launched: March
The launch of Wrigley’s Extra White Bubblemint 46-pellet pack uncapped a huge amount of potential for the brand. More than five million bottles had already been sold in the 12 months before the introduction of the new flavour and the Extra White sub-brand has grown 90.2% in the year to date.
Kellogg’s Breakfast to Go pots
Launched: April
Breakfast giant Kellogg’s made five of its leading cereals available in portable pots, in a move designed to help retailers capitalise on the missed-breakfast market, which is worth an estimated £1.9bn.
Viewpoint
Simon Hannah, MD at JW Filshill: “Kellogg’s Breakfast To Go Pots were the best grocery launch for us this year. This was down to theatre created in-store by a fantastic display unit, which created an occasion-based destination. Retail margins were strong and it generated incremental sales volumes.”
Red Bull Zero Calories
Launched: February
Red Bull Zero Calories was a landmark release from the brand, which was aiming to encourage a wider circle of consumers. The energy drink contains 1.8 calories, rather than zero, but contains no carbohydrates or sugars and directly targets the 87% of consumers who say sugar and calories present a barrier to them when purchasing.
