Aldi, Coles and Woolworths dominated the food and beverage categories in last night's Australian Product of the Year Awards 2014, which is based on a large consumer survey of new products.
Aldi won the Beverages category with its Flavoured Hot Chocolate Capsules as well as the Soups, Sauces & Dressings section for its Indian Curry Sauce with Spice Caps and the Sweet Treats category with its Chocolate Waves.
Woolworths bagged the Healthy Bakery category with its Woolworths Select Seeded Rye and Quinoa Loaf, and the Ready Meal/Deli cateogry with its Bag n Bake.
Coles won in the Gluten Free category and the Health Snacks category with its Coles Simply Gluten Free Frozen Pizza Bases and Tenderloins, and its Coles Simply Gluten Free Biscuits respectively.
In the manufacturers camp, Rinoldi Pasta won in the Healthy Pantry Staple cateogry for its Vetta High Fibre Pasta product. The range has twice the fibre of standard white pasta, according to the company, and is available in Spaghetti, Fettuccine, Angel Hair, Penne Rigate, Large Spirals, Corkscrews and Instant Rollini.
Simplot, meanwhile, took out the packaged foods category with its Birds Eye Deli Seasoned Chips. Since launching in February 2013, over 1.6 million packs have been sold which equates to $3.2million worth of sales, according to Simplot.
“Being voted number one by the consumers really shows the confidence people have in the quality of this product. Deli Seasoned Chips have brought something new to the table - there’s nothing quite like them.” said Birds Eye brand manager, Marnie Frid.
Kraft Foods won Sweet Biscuits category with its Cadbury Biscuits, and in the Breakfast Cereal category, Crisp Oat Clusters from the Jordans & Ryvita Company took the award. Tata Global Beverages Australia won for its 100% Steamed Green Tea Pyramid Infusers in the tea category.
Product of the Year is Australia's largest independent consumer survey of the new products with more than 16,000 household shoppers surveyed by Nielsen to determine the winners.
Entries opened in April 2013 and closed in August 2013. In September last year a 'Jury Panel' judged and created a shortlist from 135 products entries down to 108.
The 108 products were then reviewed and voted for a national research study of more than 16,000 consumers.
