Winners for 27th Annual Canadian Grand Prix New Product Awards announced

2019 new product trends reflect Canadians’ increased interest in plant-based food products and food innovations that bring restaurant quality home.

Retail Council of Canada (RCC) is excited to reveal the winners of the 27th Annual Canadian Grand Prix New Product Awards.

Twenty-seven companies took home the coveted Canadian Grand Prix New Product Award for products they introduced into the Canadian market in 2019.  Among the winners were established and new retailers, suppliers, boutique, and family-owned businesses from across Canada.

RCC’s Canadian Grand Prix New Product Awards is a prestigious annual competition of the best new grocery products. Becoming a Canadian Grand Prix Award winner is often a game changer for companies because of the extensive exposure to key retailers, buyers, and new consumers.

Four recipients also received Special Awards: Montpak International won the All-Canadian trophy for their Ready to Cook Veal, Walmart Canada for the second year in a row won the Overall Consumer Value award for Great Value Salt-Free Spice Blend Grinders, Green Valley Farms, a Division of Burnbrae Farms Ltd. won the Innovation and Originality award for Free Range Solar Power Eggs, and MorningStar Farms was recognized for Innovative Packaging for MorningStar Farms Veggie Burger.

“We’re seeing tremendous innovation in products that allow Canadians to easily create a wide range of meals at home that cater to new dietary needs with more plant based and gluten-free options” said Diane J. Brisebois, President and CEO of Retail Council of Canada. “The assortment of food products demonstrates the trend towards cleaner, healthier ingredient lists, both with meat-based and plant-friendly foods.”

Chef and chief jury chair Marcus Von Albrecht oversaw the judging panel.  From 112 products that scored at least 70% on quality and innovation, only 38 products received the prestigious recognition as Canadian Grand Prix New Product Award winners.

Multiple-category winners included: Metro Inc, Walmart Canada, Federated Cooperatives Limited, Rexall Pharmacy Group Limited, Save-on-Foods, Sobeys Inc and Smucker Foods of Canada.

To view the complete list of this year’s winners, visit: rccgrandprix.ca/winners

About the Canadian Grand Prix New Product Awards:
Now in its 27th year, the Canadian Grand Prix New Products Awards is an annual program that celebrates new products in food, non-food, and private label categories. The program provides the unique opportunity for entrants to showcase new products to a jury of industry experts and to be recognized by their peers.

The awards program is open to manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors. To be eligible, a product must have been introduced to the market between January 1 and December 31, 2019.  Products were judged on presentation and packaging, product attributes, innovation and originality, and overall value to the consumer.

List of 27th Anniversary Canadian Grand Prix New Product Award Winners by Category:

NATIONAL BRANDS
FOOD

• Bakery Fresh (Par-Baked)
  Gluten Free Loaf
  Fancy Pokket Corporation

• Baking Needs & Dried Bakery
  Goodums^TM Bake Mix
  Goodums Food Inc.

• Beverages
  Oasis Infusion
  Lassonde Inc.

• Condiments & Sauces
  Jif® Dark Roast Creamy Peanut Butter
  Smucker Foods of Canada Corp.

• Confectionery & Shelf Stable Desserts
  Milk Chocolate Pistachios with Pink Himalayan Salt
  Chocolat Lamontagne, Inc.

• Dairy (Milk, Yogurt, Cheese & Spreadables)
  Olympic Organic Kids
  Agropur

• Deli Meats and Cheeses
  Bon Secret
  Quality Cheese

• Desserts (Fresh/Refrigerated or Frozen)
  Udderly Ridiculous Goat’s Milk Ice Cream
  Udderly Ridiculous Inc.

• Frozen or Refrigerated Prepared Foods & Entrees
  Giovanni Rana Refrigerated Filled Pastas
  Rana Meal Solutions Canada Inc.

• Fruits, Vegetables and Produce (Fresh, Refrigerated Or Frozen)
  MorningStar Farms Veggie Burger
  MorningStar Farms

• Meat, Egg & Seafood Fresh (Refrigerated or Frozen)
  Ready to Cook Veal
  Montpak International

• Snack (Savoury)
  GoGo Quinoa Puffs
  GoGo Quinoa

• Snack (Sweet)
  Planet Hemp Superfood Super-Seeds
  Hempco Canada Superfoods Inc.

• Baby Care
  Apple Sweet Potato Multigrain Cereal
  Baby Gourmet Foods Inc.

NATIONAL BRANDS
NON-FOOD

• General Merchandise
  Papyrus – Royal Butterfly
  Carlton Cards 
• Household Products
  Hefty Ultra Strong Waste Bags
  Reynolds Consumer Products 
• Health Care – OTC (Over the Counter)
  Nova Sea Atlantic Sea Cucumber
  AKSO Marine Biotech Inc. 
• Personal Care
  Live Clean Natural Deodorant
  Hain Celestial Canada 
• Pet Needs
  Nature’s Recipe Chewy Bites Treats
  Smucker Foods of Canada

PRIVATE LABEL
FOOD

• Bakery Fresh (par- baked)
  Irresistibles Roti Flat Breads
  Metro Inc. 
• Beverages
  Compliments Mocktail
  Sobeys Inc. 
• Condiments & Sauces
  Great Value Salt-Free Spice Blend Grinders
  Walmart Canada 
• Confectionery & Shelf Stable Desserts
  Selection Premium Belgian Chocolate Cups
  Metro Inc. 
• Dairy (Milk, Yogurt, Cheese & Spreadables)
  Irresistibles 2% Strawberry KJYR
  Metro Inc. 
• Deli Meats and Cheeses
  Our Finest Manchego
  Walmart Canada 
• Desserts (Fresh/Refrigerated or Frozen)
  Co-op Gold Cookie Cake
  Federated Co-operatives Limited 
• Frozen or Refrigerated Prepared Foods & Entrees
  Sensations by Compliments Ultimate Dutch Apple Pie
  Sobeys Inc. 
• Fruit, Vegetable & Produce (Fresh, Refrigerated or Frozen)
  Irresistibles Organics Frozen Fruit for Smoothie
  Metro Inc. 
• Meat, Egg & Seafood (Fresh, Refrigerated or Frozen)
  100% Canadian Angus Square Beef Burgers
  Save-On-Foods 
• Shelf Stable Prepared Foods & Entrees}
  Irresistibles Naturalia Gluten-Free Pasta
  Metro Inc. 
• Snack (Savoury)
  Co-op Gold PURE Kettle Cooked Potato Chips
  Federated Co-operatives Limited 
• Snack (Sweet)
  Be Better Dark Chocolate Covered Whole Almonds Dusted with Real Raspberries
  Rexall Pharmacy Group Ltd.

 

PRIVATE LABEL
NON-FOOD

• Baby Care
  Personnelle Wipes with Saline Solution for Stuffy Noses
  Metro Inc.

• General Merchandise
  Paderno Pre-Seasoned Smooth Release Cast Iron Skillet
  Canadian Tire Corporation

• Personal Care
  Be Better Age Defying Overnight Mask
  Rexall Pharmacy Group Ltd.

• Pet Needs
  Western Family Functional Dog Treats
  Save-On-Foods

• Hair Care
  Equate Beauty Dry Shampoo
  Walmart Canada

SPECIAL AWARDS

• All Canadian
  Ready to Cook Veal
  Montpak International

• Overall Consumer Value
  Great Value Salt-Free Spice Blend
  Walmart Canada

• Innovation and Originality
  Free Range Solar Power Eggs
  Green Valley Farms, a Division of Burnbrae Farms Ltd.

• Innovative Packaging
  MorningStar Farms Veggie Burger
  Morning Star Farms

 

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 $377 billion in 2019. 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. RCC grocery members represent more than 95 percent of the market in Canada.  They provide essential services and are an important source of employment in large and small communities across the country. They have strong private label programs and sell products in every food category.

Contact
Branka Stavric
416.467.3772
bstavric@retailcouncil.org