Pampers Cruisers/Swaddlers Tops New Pacesetters

CHICAGO — Pampers Cruisers/Swaddlers with Dry Max brought in the most revenue of any new product in 2011 with $296 million in year-one sales across food, drug and mass channels (excluding Wal-Mart), according to SymphonyIRI Group, placing it within the top five new product introductions of the past 15 years. P.F. Chang’s Home Menu was the top-selling food or beverage with $101.6 million in sales.

Of 1,500 new products and brand extensions introduced last year, 198 reached SymphonyIRI’s New Product Pacesetter status or sales above $7.5 million one year after distribution hit 30%. Only three products surpassed $100 million in revenue, including Gillette Fusion ProGlide with $169.4 million in sales.

Consumers are gravitating towards restaurant-inspired dishes, caffeinated beverage innovations and more natural ingredients, noted Susan Viamari (left), editor of SymphonyIRI’s Times & Trends report, during a webinar earlier this month. “We can clearly see consumers’ quest for dining excitement has been driving food and beverage innovation,” she said.

Indeed, new flavors and ingredients are making an impression on shoppers with more than half (53%) of the most successful launches touting a unique recipe; 38%, a distinctive/new flavor; and 28%, convenience/ready-to-serve.

“Bold new flavors brought experiential eating with new ingredients that gave consumers more of what they want: vitamins, whole grains, organics. And with new technologies, manufacturers were able to remove some of the less desirables,” Viamari said.

The top 10 food and beverage Pacesetters are:
1. P.F. Chang’s Home Menu with $101.6 million in revenue
2. Thomas’ Bagel Thins, $73.6 million
3. Oscar Mayer Selects  Angus beef franks, $69.2 million
4. Folgers Gourmet Selections K-Cups, $58.4 million
5. M&Ms Pretzel, $58.4 million
6. Sun Drop soft drink, $55.8 million
7. Kellogg’s Special K Cracker Chips, $50.6 million
8. Lean Cuisine Market Creations, $48.6 million
9. Gold Peak Chilled Tea, $44.3 million
10. Baileys Coffee Creamer, $44.2 million

P.F. Chang’s Home Menu achieved 7.1% consumer penetration with 31.4% making a repeat purchase; Thomas’ 110-calorie Bagel Thins, 13.1% trial with nearly half (49.5%) buying the product again; and Oscar Mayer Selects Angus beef franks, 11.4% penetration with 31.9% giving it a second try.

On the nonfood side, many of the New Product Pacesetters are high-performance to make life easier, professional quality at a fraction of the cost or contain vitamins for added strength.

“These products are making lives easier and more enjoyable whether with a drier baby, a perfect shave or salon-quality manicures at home,” said Larry Levin (right), executive vice president, consumer insights for SymphonyIRI.

They include:
1. Pampers Cruisers/Swaddlers with Dry Max with $296 million in revenue
2. Gillette Fusion Pro Glide, $169.4 million
3. U by Kotex, $74.6 million
4. Schick Hydro, $64.5  million
5. Maybelline Volum’ Express Falsies, $46.5 million
6. Nicorette Lozenge, $45.2 million
7. Sally Hansen Salon  Effects, $41.8 million
8. Tide Plus Febreze Freshness, $37.9 million
9. Ensure with Revigor, $37.5 million
10. Maybelline Fit Me, $36.2 million

Pampers Cruisers/Swaddlers had 6.4% penetration with 54.5% making a repeat purchase; Gillette Fusion Pro Glide, 7.4% trial and 36.2% repeat purchase; and U by Kotex, 7.5% trial and 43% repeat purchase.

The findings come as a segment of Americans is hesitant to take a chance on new products.

When asked about their financial future, the outlook was mixed with 26% anticipating that it will deteriorate within the coming year and 28% projecting improvements, found SymphonyIRI’s New Product Survey.

Close to half of those with a bleaker view (47%) stated that they will only try new products when absolutely necessary.

“These consumers are hunkered down,” Viamari said. “They’re ready for more rough seas and we can see that in their approach to new products.”

In contrast, three in 10 of those expecting improvements are always looking for new items to try.

“In this group there is a high likelihood to experiment, to go outside the comfort zone, to try new things,” she said.

New product marketers would do well to target both groups since 20% of those with a dismal view are on the lookout for new products. “They’re looking for less expensive options or higher-value options to costly products and services that they may have purchased in a salon or doctor’s office,” Viamari said.