Aldi fared well in the Best New Product Awards and was the only brand mentioned in the fresh categories. (File Photo)
More than 10,000 shoppers voted for the 2019 Best New Product Awards, and the two fresh items on the list both belong to Aldi.
The deep discounter received recognition for its pineapple spears and watermelon spears along with its salad bowls, according to a news release. The products are marketed under Aldi's private label Little Salad Bar.
Marketing and insights company BrandSpark International runs the awards program and also surveys shoppers about what they are looking for in new products and how they evaluate them.
Forty-two percent of respondents said there are too many new products to keep up with. One year ago, the number was 34%.
However, 63% of consumers said they are likely to try new items recommended by other shoppers, and 75% said they try new products from their trusted, familiar brands.
Another observation from the survey was that 50% of consumers said there aren't enough convenient and healthy packaged food products.
Along the same lines, 73% said they look for new products that make their lives easier.
As for packaging, the survey found that 72% of consumers said they “appreciate” when companies make products more sustainable, but only 38% are willing to pay more for those products.