Finalists for 25th Anniversary Canadian Grand Prix New Products Announced - Retail Council of Canada

Finalists for 25th Anniversary Canadian Grand Prix New Products Announced

Shortlist features innovative new products geared at a more upscale client and sophisticated palate

TORONTO, April 4, 2018: Retail Council of Canada (RCC) is excited to reveal the finalists for the 25th Anniversary Canadian Grand Prix New Product Awards. The 119 submissions are the most impressive new products launched into the Canadian market in 2017.

The 25th Anniversary Canadian Grand Prix finalists are a true reflection of “the best of the best” from across Canada. These outstanding new products come from both established manufacturers as well as from new suppliers, smaller boutiques and family-owned retailers.

“Not only is it the 25th Anniversary of the Canadian Grand Prix New Product Awards but the competition experienced a 20 per cent increase in submissions to be evaluated by our judging panel of 27 industry experts,” said Diane J. Brisebois, President and CEO, Retail Council of Canada. “Canadians are craving genuine newness and retailers have delivered. This year’s products were outstanding and drew higher overall scores from our panel.”

“The products evaluated this year tended to be higher quality, targeting an upscale client that wants a clean, simple ingredient list and a flavour profile of both healthy and exotic,” said Marcus A. VonAlbrecht, chef and jury chair who oversaw the judging panel.

Each year, companies of all sizes submit their new consumer packaged goods for nomination. A jury of Canada’s leading retailers, experts, consumers and influencers evaluates the best in new food and consumer products. To become a finalist, a product must score at least 70 per cent in the judging process.

Finalists and winners are recognized by the industry and can use the Canadian Grand Prix logo on their packaging. Finalists also receive exposure in a variety of digital and printed publications, distributed to more than one million Canadians across the country. RCC also supports the awards with extensive trade support in Canadian Retailer.

To view a complete list of finalists, visit http://www.rccgrandprix.ca/content/finalists The winners of the 25th Canadian Grand Prix New Product Awards will be announced at the Awards Gala on May 30, 2018, following the second day of Retail Council of Canada’s STORE Conference, which is Canada’s biggest retail conference.

Additional organizations are collaborating with RCC to celebrate the 25th Anniversary Canadian Grand Prix New Product Awards. For breaking news, visit www.rccgrandprix.ca.

RCC’s Grocery Division represents Canada’s largest grocery retailers, encompassing more than 95 per cent of the market in Canada. It is a source of information, advice and expertise on all matters affecting food retail, including food safety and recall, labelling, nutrition, health and wellness, product packaging, supply chain issues, and environmental stewardship.

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About Retail Council of Canada:
Retail is Canada’s largest employer with 2.1 million Canadians working in our industry. The sector annually generates over $76 billion in wages and employee benefits. Core retail sales (excluding vehicles and gasoline) were $369 billion in 2017. Retail Council of Canada (RCC) members represent more than two thirds of retail sales in the country. RCC is a not-for-profit, industry-funded association that represents small, medium and large retail businesses in every community across the country. As the Voice of Retail™ in Canada, we proudly represent more than 45,000 storefronts in all retail formats, including department, grocery, specialty, discount, independent retailers and online merchants. https://.RetailCouncil.org