New Product Pacesetters 2022

Each year, Circana evaluates CPG’s top 100 food and beverage and top 100 nonfood product launches. The latest lineup of winners uncovers key themes and winning strategies that enabled successful new products in 2022.

Our 28th annual report illustrates the enduring power of CPG innovation. It reveals consumer spending on new products remained elevated last year despite high inflation, supply chain adjustments, and ingredient costs.

The 2022 New Product Pacesetters reached $6.8 billion in combined year-one sales across food, beverage, and nonfood solutions, compared to $6 billion in 2021 Pacesetter sales.

Highlights:

• New product innovations that provide uplifting at-home experiences help alleviate the strain of inflation. Delivering an in-home party experience offers consumers a convenient way to enjoy favorites.
• Plant-based offerings have a major presence in the 2022 lineup. Plant-based food and beverages represented $411 million in sales, more than doubling the number of Pacesetter products and dollar sales in the past three years.
• Health care products accounted for $1.8 billion in sales last year, comprising 55% of nonfood Pacesetter sales compared to the 21% achieved in 2021. This highlights the increased demand for home health care solutions inspired by the pandemic.
• Nearly one-third of shoppers stated the importance of purchasing products from trustworthy brands and manufacturers. Over the past decade, the number of licensed food and beverage products on the Pacesetters list has tripled, reaching $242 million in 2022.
• Carbonated beverages, sports, and energy drinks represented 27% of total food and beverage Pacesetters. Consumers are looking for more than a quick energy boost. They also desire products offering functional health benefits and unique flavors.
• More dollar sales came from medium-sized companies, a first in recent years. While medium-sized companies delivered 28% of Pacesetter products, they represented 35% of Pacesetter dollars, up nearly 15 ppts from 2021.

The Top 10 Food and Beverage New Product Pacesetters:

The Top 10 Nonfood New Product Pacesetters:

The Top 10 C-store Pacesetters: