Product of the Year is ALL about championing product innovation.

As the largest consumer-voted survey, we’ve seen these innovators come in all shapes and sizes.

Whether it’s a new recipe tweak to meet a growing trend (No-Lo, vegan), sustainable packaging, or a category-defining super-product, we continue to be wowed by the entries, year-on-year.

Mars, Procter & Gamble, Diageo, and Kraft Heinz are just a handful of the winners who’ve impressed the voting public and gone on to wear the iconic, red Product of the Year logo (as seen on TV, supermarket shelves, billboards and buses).

Photo: Product of the Year branding on Mentos Fanta bus billboard ad

Every year, 8-10,000 consumers pick the products that made a difference to their lives, and it’s led to some incredible results for the brands. Products that sport the logo have been proven to drive sales by on average 10-15% with some uplifts as high as 135%.

But don’t take our word for it, let’s hear it from the winners…

What impact has winning a Product of the Year had on your product?

“From an internal perspective, winning proves that the innovation pipeline works and that we are good at understanding what our consumers want,” says Mark Perry, former head of insight & innovation at Weetabix Food Company, who won Product of the Year for the stand-out Weetabix Melts range.

Photo: Weetabix Melts range (a Product of the Year 2023 winner)

In a similar vein, Rachel Greene, senior global innovation lead at Unilever’s Dirt is Good & former marketing manager at two-time Product of the Year winning brand, Comfort, believes this sense of “validation” is key for two reasons. “First, it’s gone down very well internally and is validation for everyone in the company who has played a huge part in helping achieve the win. Secondly, it sends a strong signal to the market that we’re innovating in a field that can sometimes get overlooked for its achievements.”

Image: Comfort Ultimate Care range (a Product of the Year 2022 winner)

Kudos from consumers is a useful tool, particularly when it comes to converting those on the fence about your NPD – according to Andy Shovel, co-founder of plant-based food brand, THIS™…

“The big challenge we have is that meat eaters often have pre-conceptions and scepticism around plant-based meat alternatives. Being a Product of the Year winner gives us credibility and it helps to allay concerns for certain consumers. Product of the Year is a well-known and highly credible award – it really helps us build trust and show that our product is mainstream and has been endorsed by consumers.”

Image: This™ Isn’t Pork – Plant Based Cocktail Sausages (a Product of the Year 2022 winner)

What trends are you tapping into when it comes to product innovation?

“We are continuing to look at flavours, textures and packaging innovation so we can be clear about what our next focus and drive should be” says Sarah du Plessis, senior brand manager, Mentos.

Image: Sarah du Plessis, senior brand manager, Mentos.

Multiple Product of the Year winner, Perfetti Van Melle wowed judges with an iconic brand/flavour fusion with Mentos Fanta in previous years and scored a double Product of the Year 2024 triumph with Mentos Pure Fresh Gum – which comes in paper packaging and Fruit-tella Curiosities.

Image: Perfetti Van Melle Product of the Year 2024 winning products

For Ben’s, speed is of the essence…

“[We’re seeing] longer-term trends, such as the reduction in time spent on meal preparation – that has more than halved in the past decades, with almost a third of meals now prepared in less than 15 minutes! The shift towards a more flexitarian diet is another.” – Gareth Williams, marketing manager at Mars Food & Nutrition.

Image: Gareth Williams, Marketing Manager at Mars Food & Nutrition (2^nd from left) receiving the award at the PRODUCT OF THE YEAR 2024 ceremony / Ben’s Plant Powered award-winning product.

“Plant-based is a big theme! Within food, skincare and other categories,” says Kenvue senior brand manager, Tiffany Clark, who won a Product of the Year 2024 with ZARBEE’s Natural Cough and Immune Support Range. “And providing consumers with a more natural alternative to other health and wellness products. We see this trend continuing as more consumers look to manage their and their family’s health more proactively than ever before.”

Image: ZARBEE’S Natural Cough and Immune Support Range (a Product of the Year 2024 winner)

How important is ‘innovation’ to you?

“It’s highly important!” says ZARBEE’S Tiffany Clark. “For ZARBEE’S, innovation means expanding the brand to build a range that can be the go-to for families across the UK for proactive and reactive healthcare needs.”

Similarly, Gareth Williams also considers it to be “very important” to their brand. “We introduced ‘parboiled’ rice over 80 years ago, bringing huge time and convenience benefits in the prep involved with rice-based meals. Since then, we’ve continued to evolve this category, with innovation including boil-in-the-bag rice in the 1980s and microwave rice in the 1990s, and now our Plant Powered range!”

Could you be the next Product of the Year?

Don’t hesitate to find out.

Entries are now open and you have until 31^st July – not a second more!

Find more info and ENTER via this link: https://www.productoftheyear.co.uk/