Aldi Private Label Items Among 2019 Product of the Year Award Winners
Private label items from deep discounter Aldi Inc. were included in the slate of winners of the 2019 Product of the Year Awards. Determined by a national study of 40,000 consumers conducted by London-based consumer research company Kantar, the program’s 36 winners were recognized as the most innovative products of the year in their respective categories.
The awards’ recipients were revealed Feb. 7 at the annual Product of the Year Awards Show at the Edison Ballroom in New York. Aldi’s winning items were, in the Bread category, Aldi Specially Selected Sliced Sourdough Round; in the Vegetarian Entrée category, Aldi Earth Grown Chickenless Patties or Tenders; and, in the Wine category, Aldi Intermingle Red Blend. With its U.S. headquarters in Batavia, Ill., Aldi is No. 9 on Progressive Grocer’s 2018 Super 50 list of the top grocers in the United States.
The grocer wasn’t the only retailer to have a private-brand product honored, however: In the Better-for-You Snack category, CVS Health’s Gold Emblem Abound White Cheddar Flavored Bite-sized Quinoa & Rice Cakes took home the prize.
The rest of the winners were as follows:
- Air Care: Air Wick Essential Mist – Reckitt Benckiser
- Alcoholic Beverage: Strongbow Hard Ciders, 100 Cal Slim Cans – Heineken USA
- Automatic Dish Care: Finish Max-in-1 Powerball – Reckitt Benckiser
- Breakfast: Del Monte Fruit & Oats – Del Monte Foods
- Caffeinated Product: Java House Cold Brew - Dual Use Liquid Pods – Heartland Food Products Group
- Candy Bar: Butterfinger – The Ferrara Candy Co., an affiliate of Ferrero Group
- Car Care: Rain-X Waterless Car Wash & Rain Repellent – ITW Global Brands
- Cat Care: Fresh Step Clean Paws – The Clorox Co.
- Convenience Meal: Bush’s Savory Beans - Bush Brothers & Co.
- Cookie: Oreo Thins Bites – Mondelēz International
- Dish Booster: Finish Jet-Dry – Reckitt Benckiser
- Dog Care: Comfort Zone Calming Vest for Dogs – Central Garden & Pet
- Feminine Care: Playtex Simply Gentle Glide – Edgewell Personal Care
- Fresh Entrée: Cooked Perfect Fresh Meatballs – Home Market Foods
- Frozen Entrée: Lean Cuisine Origins – Nestlé USA
- Gum: Tic Tac Gum – Ferrero
- Health Systems: Contour Next One Smart Meter and App System – Ascensia Diabetes Care
- Healthy Beverage: Holistic Wellness Beverage – Zyn
- Household Cleaning: Scrubbing Bubbles Bubbly Bleach Gel Toilet Bowl Cleaner – SC Johnson
- Household Essentials: Reynolds Kitchens Quick Cut Plastic Wrap - Reynolds Consumer Products
- Ice Cream: Nightfood Ice Cream – Nightfood
- Immediate Relief: Halls Kids – Mondelēz International
- Kids’ Novelty Snack: Kinder Joy – Ferrero U.S.A.
- Laundry Booster: Purex Crystals New & Improved Formula – Henkel
- Laundry Pacs: Tide PODS Ultra Oxi – Procter & Gamble
- Liquid Dish Soap: Dawn Platinum – Procter & Gamble
- Liquid Laundry: Tide Fresh Coral Blast – Procter & Gamble
- Oral Care: Crest Gum Detoxify – Procter & Gamble
- Paper Towels: Brawny Tear-A-Square – Georgia Pacific
- Side Dish: Idahoan Family Size Flavored Mashed Potatoes – Idahoan Foods LLC
- Skin Protection: Honu Sunscreen – Starco Brands
- Sugar Confection: Black Forest Gummy Bears – Ferrara Candy Co.
“Backed by the votes of over 40,000 everyday consumers, the distinctive Product of the Year logo helps shoppers identify the best new products in the supermarket, and saves them valuable time and money during the shopping experience,” noted Product of the Year CEO Mike Nolan. “In an increasingly competitive and saturated marketplace, the Product of the Year seal of approval gives our winning products a powerful tool proven to increase product trial, consumer awareness, distribution and sales.”
The program accepts entries annually from manufacturers of consumer packaged goods that demonstrate innovation and have launched within the previous year.
Product of the Year USA is the world's largest consumer-voted award for product innovation. The program has existed for more than 30 years globally, and 11 years in the United States.
