Last updated on June 13th, 2024
BrandSpark International has released the winners of the 2021 Best New Product Awards and new research on American shopping habits for consumer products. More than 14,500 people participated in the national survey to pick the 81 winning products for the latest food and beverage; beauty, health and personal care; and household products. The winners were determined based on a national survey of shoppers.
Best New Product Awards has partnered with Newsweek to help drive awareness of these award-winning products. Winners will also be featured on ShopperArmy.com – a site dedicated to helping shoppers discover new and noteworthy consumer products.
“We are thrilled to celebrate the 13th year of the Best New Product Awards,” said Robert Levy, president of BrandSpark International and founder of the Best New Product Awards. “With so many new products launched each year, it is hard for consumers to know what to buy and challenging for brands to break through the clutter. This is where the Best New Product Awards comes in.”
“The BNPA seal and claim drive strong ROI for the winners by helping products stand out from the competition. Year after year, we see brands boost sales by leveraging their win across traditional and digital media channels,” Levy said.
The winning products were determined solely by the votes and opinions of American consumers. Voters participated in an extensive nationwide survey conducted by marketing research firm BrandSpark International. Companies with the most wins were Aldi, P&G and L’Oréal.
2021 Best New Product Awards List Of Winners By Category
FOOD & BEVERAGE
| CATEGORY | PRODUCT |
| Bagels | ALDI-Exclusive Specially Selected Brioche Bagels |
| Baking Kit | ALDI-Exclusive Baker’s Corner S’mores Baking Kit |
| Beef Jerky | Wenzel’s Farm Beef Jerky |
| Beer | ALDI-Exclusive Brecken Bock |
| Better For You Candy | SMASH Gummies |
| Better for You Pizza | Foster Farms Smart Crust Pizza |
| Breakfast Bites | Smithfield Power Bites |
| Breakfast Meat | Johnsonville Sausage Strips |
| Brie Cheese | ALDI-Exclusive Emporium Selection Bavarian Brie Assortment |
| Candy | SweeTARTS Twisted Rainbow Punch Soft & Chewy Ropes |
| Cauliflower-Based Side Dish | Green Giant Cauliflower Breadsticks |
| Chocolate Bar | M&M’s Dark Chocolate Bar |
| Cookies | Chips Ahoy! made with Hershey Chocolate Chunks |
| Dairy Free Creamer | Natural Bliss Caramel Toffee Almond Milk |
| Dairy Free Yogurt Alternative | Silk AlmondMilk Mix-Ins Yogurt |
| Dip | Good Foods Spinach Artichoke and Parmesan Dip |
| Feta Cheese | ALDI-Exclusive Emporium Selection Feta Block Assortment |
| Flavoured Sparkling Water | Santa Fe Sparkling Water |
| Fresh Mozzarella Cheese | ALDI-Exclusive Emporium Selection Marinated Mozzarella |
| Gluten Free Baked Good | Pepperidge Farm Gluten Free Farmhouse Thin & Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies |
| Hard Seltzer | Barefoot Hard Seltzers |
| Ice Cream Bars | Drumstick Crushed It! Ice Cream Bars |
| Keto Ice Cream | ALDI-Exclusive Sundae Shoppe Keto Ice Cream Pints |
| Kid’s Yogurt | Siggi’s Kids Yogurt Pouches |
| Low Carb Bread | ALDI-Exclusive L’oven Fresh Keto Friendly Bread |
| Mexican Ready-Made Meal | El Monterey Chicken Enchilada Entree |
| Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert | ALDI-Exclusive Earth Grown Non Dairy Frozen Dessert Pints |
| Oat Milk Dairy Alternative | ALDI-Exclusive Friendly Farms Oatmilk |
| Parmesan | ALDI-Exclusive Simply Nature Organic Shredded Parmesan |
| Plant-Based Protein | ALDI-Exclusive Earth Grown Meatless Breakfast Patties and Links |
| Popcorn | Cheetos Popcorn |
| Potato Chips | Cape Cod Kettle Cooked Potato Chips- Sour Cream and Onion |
| Power Bowl Entree | ALDI-Exclusive Whole & Simple Power Bowls |
| Protein Bar | S’mores ONE Bar |
| Ready-to-Eat Mac & Cheese | ALDI-Exclusive Park Street Deli Refrigerated Macaroni & Cheese |
| Shrimp Ready-Made Meal | Aqua Star MicroSteam Shrimp Scampi Bowls |
| Snack Pack | ALDI-Exclusive Happy Farms Cheesecake Snack Packs |
| Soup | ALDI-Exclusive Specially Selected Slow Cooked Soup |
| Specialty Aged Cheese | Lidl Preferred Selection British Extra-Mature Cheddar Cheese |
| Store Brand Chardonnay | Artie 2018 South African Chardonnay |
| Store Brand Pinot Grigio | ALDI-Exclusive Elementalist Pinot Grigio |
| Store Brand Red Wine | ALDI-Exclusive Peaks & Tides Pinot Noir |
HEALTH, BEAUTY & PERSONAL CARE
| CATEGORY | PRODUCT |
| Apple Cider Gummies | Nature’s Truth Apple Cider Gummies |
| At-home Teeth Whitening | Crest Whitening Emulsions |
| Baby Probiotics | Align Baby Probiotic Drops, Colic Relief |
| Body Lotion | Vaseline Intensive Care Almond Smooth Body Lotion |
| Body Wash | Nivea Body Wash with Nourishing Serum |
| Children’s Cold and Flu Relief | Robitussin Children’s Naturals Cough Relief + Immune Health Gummy |
| Children’s Multivitamin | Nature’s Way Happy & Healthy Multivitamins |
| Conditioner | Garnier Fructis Treat Plumping Conditioner |
| Denture Care | Poligrip Cushion & Comfort |
| Deodorant | Secret Aluminum Free with Essential Oils |
| Diapers | Pampers Pure |
| Dry Shampoo | Batiste Waterless Cleansing Foam |
| Electric Toothbrush | Hum by Colgate |
| Eyeliner | Maybelline Hypereasy Eyeliner |
| Face Moisturizer | Cetaphil Healthy Glow Daily Cream |
| Face Primer | NYX Bare With Me Daily Moisturizing Primer |
| Foundation | It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better Foundation |
| Immune Booster | Natrol Elderberry Gummies |
| Mascara | Maybelline Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara |
| Retinol Serum | L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Triple Power LZR 0.3 percent Pure Retinol Night Serum |
| Shampoo | Head and Shoulders Clinical Strength Dandruff Defense |
| Sunscreen | Blue Lizard Australian Sunscreen |
| Toothpaste | Colgate Zero Peppermint Toothpaste |
| Bedwetting Product | Ninjamas Nighttime Bedwetting Underwear |
| Whitening Toothpaste | Colgate Optic White Renewal |
| Women’s MultiVitamin | One a Day Women’s Multivitamin Fruit Bites |
HOUSEHOLD
| CATEGORY | PRODUCT |
| Air Freshener | Febreze Light |
| Air Fryer | Ninja Foodi 2-Basket Air Fryer |
| Cat Food | Purina Pro Plan LiveClear |
| CBD infused Pet Products | Veritas Farms Full Spectrum Hemp Oil Collection Chews |
| Cordless Hand Blender | KitchenAid Cordless Variable Speed Hand Blender |
| Dog Food | Rachel Ray Nutrish SuperMedley’s |
| Dog Treat | Public Goods Sweet Potato Fry Chews |
| Dryer Sheets | Bounce Dryer Sheets Pet Hair and Lint Guard |
| Espresso Machine | Breville Bambino |
| Fabric Enhancer | Downy Defy Damage |
| Laundry Detergent | Tide Heavy Duty Hygienic Clean Power Pods |
| Multi-Purpose Cleaning Spray | Microban 24 Antibacterial Multipurpose Cleaner |
| Picture Hanger | 3M CLAW Drywall Picture Hanger |
Some takeaways from the study:
American Shoppers Sought One-Stop Shopping During the Pandemic
Fifty-one percent say that the convenience of one-stop shopping is even more appealing than the lowest prices, up 12 percentage points from 39 percent in the past year.
Conversely, only 41 percent say they go to multiple stores to get the best deals, way down from 58 percent a year ago. As Americans look to reduce their trips to the store, they have been willing to pay a little more. This behavior has positively impacted brand loyalty: a year ago 45 percent said they were less loyal to brands than previously, but that reduced to just 35 percent at the start of 2021.
Seven in ten American shoppers “like trying new products” as they search for new experiences and superior performance, even as the COVID-19 pandemic has limited the range of their shopping trips.
Fifty percent say that “while shopping, I actively look through stores for products that are new and different,” yet this decreased 7 percentage points in the past year as shoppers are less comfortable in-store during the pandemic. More than ever brands must ensure that they stand out in-store.
Shoppers have also moved to e-commerce, with 33 percent having ordered groceries online in the past year, up from 20 percent one year ago. New products should be supported online to reach these shoppers and open a new channel for product discovery.
On the positive side for brands, shoppers are now less price sensitive and more brand loyal. Seven in 10 say they try new products from the brands they trust.
Private label brands have strengthened their innovation credentials. Forty-six percent believe the best new product innovations usually come from brand-name products, this is down from 52 percent a year ago. We can see this reflected in Aldi’s 18 winning products among this year’s award winners.
Trusting Each Other to Determine What’s Best
Shoppers are increasingly relying on the recommendations of other consumers to determine what to buy.
• 68 percent say they are likely to buy a product that is recommended by others; and
• 69 percent say they trust recommendations in the form of consumer-voted awards.
American Shoppers Believe in Science Behind Product Innovation
Americans’ belief that “R&D is constantly leading to better products” was maintained during 2020. At the high end, 71 percent believe that R&D is leading to better and better OTC health products.
Indulgence and Great Taste in Home Food Products
Seventy-eight percent of shoppers agree that taste is the most important factor when buying food, up 5 percentage points as Americans look to mix it up as they eat more meals at home.
Americans are Balancing Enjoyment and Health
Shoppers are looking to balance taste and health, with 70 percent agreeing they are making changes to be live healthier.
• 78 percent believe there is a lot they can do with food and nutrition to prevent illness; and
• 73 percent agree that indulgent foods that aren’t the healthiest are still worth it sometimes, up 5 percentage points.
