Barilla, Aldi named on new product award list

Independent market research firm BrandSpark International announced the winners of the 2018 Best New Product Awards, which includes three area companies, including Barilla based in Northbrook, Aldi headquartered in Batavia and Chicago's Conagra.

The Best New Product Awards over four major consumer product categories: Food & Beverage, Beauty & Personal Care, Household and Kids. For 2018, brands competed with their best new products across 38 key categories in which innovation matters to consumers.

The local winners are frozen fruit, Aldi Season's Choice Mango & Tropical Blend Frozen Fruit; iced tea, Aldi Benner Peach Tea; meat snack, Slim Jim Premium Smoked Meat Sticks/Conagra; nut bar, Aldi Elevation by Millville Fruit & Nut Bars; protein bar, Aldi Elevation by Millville High Protein Bars; protein powder, Aldi Elevation by Millville Protein Powder and ready to eat pasta, Barilla Ready Pasta Elbows.

"We are thrilled to celebrate the 10th year of the Best New Product Awards," says Robert Levy, President and CEO of BrandSpark International and Founder of the Best New Product Awards. "For the past decade, the Best New Product Awards have honored the brands whose new innovations resonate most with consumers. The awards continue to help consumers navigate the overwhelming number of new consumer products available, make better purchasing decisions and, in turn, welcome the most effective and innovative products into their homes."