During my tenure with Beverage Industry, there are not too many announcements that garner the same attention as when Information Resources Inc. (IRI) announces its list of New Product Pacesetters. In its 27th year, the 2021 list of these top new food, beverage and nonfood product launches have served as a benchmark of where consumers are spending their dollars.
Despite many of the challenges that manufacturers faced throughout 2021, IRI notes that the New Product Pacesetters delivered $6 billion in aggregate year 1 sales across food and beverage and nonfood products. For the top food and beverage 2021 New Product Pacesetters, six of the 10 are beverages.