Alcohol - Beer & Cider

Lucky Saint Hazy IPA | Lucky Saint

Lager would be “the defining brand” in alcohol-free, Lucky Saint co-founder Luke Boase insisted to The Grocer in April 2023. He was defending his brand’s decision to not add NPD. By December, however, he had changed his tune and Lucky Saint unveiled 0.5% abv Hazy IPA in time for Dry January. It was a bold move for the lager-centric brand, but it’s paid off. Hazy IPA – listed by the likes of Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose  and Morrisons  – has already racked up close to £1m.

Alcohol - wine

Nice wine bottles | Nice Drinks

Best known for wine in alternative formats like cans and bag-in-box, challenger brand Nice surprised the category in January by debuting a duo of low-abv wines in a 750ml bottle. It then doubled down in June, launching its first full-strength bottled wines via DTC  and Amazon. All carry an rsp of £10. The move will help Nice to break down the “wall of wine that exists in supermarkets” and make the category easier to navigate, promises co-founder Jeremy May.

Alcohol - spirits

Moth Paloma | Moth Drinks

It’s been a big year for canned cocktail challenger Moth. It was named drinks brand of the year at The Grocer Gold Awards  in July, then bagged a gold medal at our New Product & Packaging Awards last month. The latter prize was for this Paloma option (rsp: £3.99/125ml). Made with blanco tequila, it rolled out in April to Sainsbury’s  and Waitrose. Our award judges praised its “great grapefruit flavour” and “mature, sleek packaging”. So, it’s a no-brainer that it’s this report’s Top Launch.

Baby and infant products

Big Dish | Little Dish

Having catered to pre-schoolers for many years, Little Dish has now set its sights on older kids. Hence Big Dish. Developed for five to 10-year-olds, the two-strong range of ready meals promises 100% natural ingredients, two of a child’s recommended 5-a-day, no added sugar, low salt and a 100% recyclable wood fibre tray. Mild Chicken Tikka and Spaghetti & Meatballs (rsp £3.99/400g) rolled out in October. They’ve already surpassed expectations, says Little Dish. More recipes are imminent.

Bagged snacks 

Non-HFSS Doritos | PepsiCo

It was a bold move for Britain’s third-biggest crisps brand when Doritos switched its £290m core range (Cool Original, Tangy Cheese and Chilli Heatwave) to a new HFSS-compliant recipe. The October reformulation was achieved by adding more corn to the recipe and tweaking the seasonings, which cut salt by 24% and fat by 15%. It also involved a £13m investment in its Coventry factory. The relaunch was also notable for its quiet understatement, with the focus on improved taste and extra crunchiness.

Biscuits and cakes

McVitie’s Rich Tea The Cocoa One | Pladis

Biscuit powerhouse McVitie’s added its first flavoured Rich Tea variant in July. Not only is The Cocoa One (rsp: £1.79/300g) “chocolatey” and “deliciously dunkable”, it’s also HFSS-compliant. It arrived alongside a flurry of indulgent McVitie’s lines over the summer. Those included the Signature range, Seriously Chocolatey Digestives and limited-edition Jaffa Cakes Cola Bottle. Together, the launches marked the brand’s “next step in diversifying to make sure there’s something for everyone”, it said.

Bottled water & squash 

Robinsons Fruit Shoot Squash | Britvic

Robinsons Fruit Shoot made its squash debut this summer, with the rollout of strawberry & blueberry Berry Galaxy and orange & mango Tropical Jungle (£2/750ml). The move was designed to offer parents and kids a “refreshing alternative from a brand they already know and love”,  says Ben Parker, Britvic retail commercial director, pointing to the “eye-catching pack designs and delicious flavour combinations”. The duo is available from Amazon and Ocado. A wider rollout is set for 2025.

Bakery & bread

Belgian Waffles | Warburtons

To capitalise on the popularity of high street dessert shops, Warburtons brought these sweet waffles to Britain’s supermarkets in September. Belgian Waffles are sold in Choc Chip and Pearl Sugar variants, in either a four-pack of 55g (rsp: £2.50) or an individual 70g waffle (rsp: £1.15). They’ve received a “fantastic response” from shoppers since their debut in Tesco, says Warburtons commercial director Colin Bebbington. “Some are even saying they’re better than waffles in Belgium.”

Batteries

3-in-1 Child Shield | Energizer

Coin cell batteries are too often swallowed by children – frequently with horrendous consequences. That’s why Energizer launched its 3-in-1 Child Shield safety system in October, which rolled out across its Ultimate Lithium coin cell range. It comprises a child-resistant pack that encases each battery in its own blister, a bitter coating to stop kids putting the cells in their mouths, and “the world’s first and only” highly visible blue dye that colours the mouth the instant a battery touches saliva.

Canned goods

Heinz Spaghetti | Carbonara Kraft Heinz

Heinz’s first pasta launch in a decade aims to bring convenience to a beloved Italian dish. Unveiled to much controversy in August, Spaghetti Carbonara (rsp: £2/400g) looks to offer a shortcut on the notoriously difficult-to-cook recipe. The launch is a response to Gen Z-ers losing confidence in their cooking skills, says the brand. Its ingredients list skips the traditional egg, but includes the decidedly non-traditional cornflour, cheese powder and garlic flavouring.

Carbonates & energy drinks

Tropicana Sparkling | TBG

Tropicana unveiled its first carbonates in May – a bold diversification for the struggling juice brand. Created for the convenience channel, Sparkling Zesty Orange and Sparkling Tropical Twist are made from hand-picked fruits and boast “two times the fruit content of the sparkling category average”. They’ve rolled out in a slimline can (pmp: £1/250ml) to retailers including WH Smith and Shell. The launch marked “a real pivot”, TBG said at the time. And it could just add a little fizz to the brand’s sales.

Cereals

Best Cereal | Mornflake

Social media influencers can help shift units. So, when popular YouTube collective The Sidemen launched a breakfast brand in March, it was no surprise Tesco grabbed a piece of the action. It became the first to list the non-HFSS Best Cereal, made in partnership with Mornflake. Choco Crunch and Caramel Gold (rsp: £2/275g) sold 500,000 packs in the first three months. Then they rolled into Iceland and Morrisons in June – and Best even became the official cereal supplier to ITV’s Love Island villa.

Confectionery - chocolate

M&M’s Minis | Mars Wrigley

Small chocolates, big ambitions. Mars Wrigley launched these diminutive versions of the UK’s second-bestselling bitesize chocolates (behind Mars stablemate Maltesers) in July with the aim of boosting its dominance of the bitesize subcategory. They’re 3.6mm smaller than regular M&M’s and are aimed at younger shoppers looking for everything from screentime snacks to cake decorations, says Mars. And it’s worked, with Mars’ share of bitesize chocolate sales now at 44% [NIQ 52 w/e 2 November 2024].

Confectionery - sugar

Nerds Gummy Clusters | Ferrara Candy

US supplier Ferrara Candy has big plans for the UK. The nation is crying out for sweets that “deliver multi-sensory experiences and true excitement”, it says. Hence Nerds Gummy Clusters – gummies coated in Nerds’ familiar mini candy balls. The result is a mix of chewy and crunchy textures in Fruits and Berries variants. Since launch in July, Gummy Clusters has achieved “category-leading repeat rates”, claims Ferrara. Overall, Nerds’ value sales have soared 75.5% on volumes up 65.8%.

Dairy - butters & spreads

Lurpak Plant Based | Arla

Arla ended more than a year of speculation in August with the launch of this vegan line (rsp: £4/400g) under its market-leading butter brand. A key USP of its plant-based debut is its minimal ingredients list – comprising just rapeseed oil, coconut oil, shea oil, water, oat, culture, salt, carrot concentrate and lemon concentrate. Arla is pitching the product as a way to get its brand in front of non-dairy fans after recognising “the need to meet changing consumer demands and new consumption habits”.

Dairy - cheese

Yamas Whipped Feta | Futura Foods

Tapping the TikTok trend of home-made whipped cheese, Futura Foods unveiled Yamas Whipped Feta (rsp: £2.50/150g) in July. It’s made from 45% feta and 55% Greek yoghurt – the highest ratio of feta on the market, claims Futura. That’s why it sits in the continental cheeses segment rather than with chilled dips. Packed in a resealable tub, Yamas Whipped Feta promises a “multi-sensory, creamy texture and deliciously versatile ingredient” that can be “dipped, dolloped and stirred”.

Dairy - drinks

Biotiful Kefir Protein Drink | Biotiful Dairy

Biotiful Gut Health describes its August launch as “a world first”.  Kefir Protein Drink (rsp: £1.95/330ml) combines 20g of protein from natural sources with live cultures. Available at Sainsbury’s in Strawberry, Vanilla and Chocolate, it also contains calcium and vitamin B12, and is low in fat. With kefir and protein two of the fastest-growing segments in convenience, the range meets “a growing demand for clean protein and natural gut health”, says Biotiful founder Natasha Bowes.

Dairy - yoghurt

Collective functional range | The Collective

The Collective has been on an innovation streak this year. Chief among its launches is this seven-strong lineup of functional pouches for adults. Made with live yoghurt, the range comprises Immunity, Kickstart, Restore, Invigorate, Gut Feel and two variants of Uplift (one dairy and one non-dairy). Ingredients include açai, oats, spirulina and ginseng (rsp: £1.50/130g), while each pouch provides under 100kcals. All are in Sainsbury’s, where two further SKUs will join them in spring.

Eggs

Bird Bros White Gold | C&P Bird Bros

White eggs used to be unfashionable. Now they’re an increasingly common presence in the mults. The Co-op, for instance, launched a white own label range in April, followed by Morrisons in October. Then there’s Bird Bros White Gold, added in June. Stylish packs of six (rsps: £2.65/mixed weight & £2.80/large) are available via independents and DTC. The free-range eggs come from easier-to-manage white hens. The birds are also more feed efficient, the supplier claims. Cracking news!

Fresh - fruit & veg

Unbeleafable Zesty Baby Leaves | GrowUp

In a category that struggles with innovation, vertically farmed salad continues to lead the charge, thanks to the likes of GrowUp Farms. The vertical farm operator launched Unbeleafable Zesty Baby Leaves in May (rsp: £1.50/80g), rolling it into Tesco. A mix of sorrel and green and red baby lettuce leaves, it’s unique in the UK market, claims the supplier. The sorrel provides “tangy, citrussy flavours, which really pack a powerful, flavoursome punch”, GrowUp adds.

Fresh - meat, fish & poultry

Tesco Finest Steakhouse | Hilton Foods

Tesco and its partner Hilton rolled out this Finest Steakhouse range in September to help consumers “recreate the luxury steakhouse experience at home”. The 26-strong range features premium sharing steaks such as T-bone, bone-in sirloin, flat iron and côte de boeuf. Single steaks include salt-aged rump, sirloin, ribeye and thick-cut fillet. All are British Aberdeen Angus, highlighting Tesco’s aim to celebrate the best of British meat. They’re also dry aged for up to 35 days and hand trimmed.

Frozen food

McCain Air Fryer | McCain Foods

The logic behind McCain’s Air Fryer range is simple: 66% of Brits now own an air fryer, the brand’s own research found. So, it was time they were given dedicated potato chips. Deep Ridge Crinkle and French Fries (rsp: £3.20/750g) rolled out in May. To promote the launch, McCain partnered with air fryer brand Ninja, which gave the products its official endorsement. The duo would provide Brits with “home-cooked meals in just minutes,” claimed McCain marketing VP Mark Hodge at the time.

Frozen - ice cream

Trü Frü | Mars

Ice cream’s chocolate-dipped fruit trend has been growing since Pukpip debuted chocolate-coated bananas in January 2023. Seven months later, Oppo Brothers added a range of frozen fruit pieces dipped in chocolate. The craze kicked up a major notch in March this year, when Mars brought its $215m (£166m) Trü Frü brand to the UK. It comprises Strawberries in White & Milk Chocolate, Raspberries in White & Dark Chocolate, and Piña Colada Pineapple in White Chocolate & Coconut (rsp: £5/227g).

Home baking

Spectacular Science Volcano Mix | Dr Oetker 

Dr Oetker’s Spectacular Science is aimed squarely at kids, inviting them to “bake and learn”. In July, it added this Chocolate Volcano Cupcake Mix (rsp: £2.75). It comprises chocolate baking mix, red vanilla icing, and muffin cases for six cupcakes that ooze chocolate ‘lava’. Just add butter, milk and water. The resulting treats “not only look exciting with their bright red lava topping, but they also have a delicious melting middle centre”, says Dr Oetker.

Hot beverages

Chocomel Hot Choc | FrieslandCampina

Innovation in hot chocolate has been sparse in recent years. Which makes this one from Chocomel all the more welcome. Added in September, it’s the Dutch brand’s first foray into hot beverages in the UK. The Chocomel liquid line aims to help shoppers enjoy café-quality hot chocolate at home, promising to banish the “inconsistent taste and texture” of powdered products. Chocomel Hot Chocolate (rsp: £2.70/750ml) can be heated on a hob or in a  microwave.

Household - cleaning 

Persil Wonder Wash | Unilever

More than two thirds of washing machine owners run a quick cycle at least once a week, says Unilever. Hence the May rollout of Persil Wonder Wash in three variants. Speed Clean Non-Bio, Odour Defy and Ultra-Care are “specifically designed for outstanding performance even in a 15-­minute cycle”. Each comes in 31-wash and 55-wash options (rsps: £7-£10). This major laundry launch was backed by an equally big campaign starring Usain Bolt, the eight-time Olympic gold medallist sprinter.

Household - paper products

Flash All Purpose Roll | Navigator Tissue

It’s been a big year for Accrol Papers, now known as Navigator Tissue UK. In June, just weeks after its acquisition by Portuguese company The Navigator Group, it launched this kitchen roll, its first-ever licensed product. Available in Handy and XL (rsps: £3.50), the three-ply paper is embossed with the Flash name and lightning bolt logo. “The Flash brand has been the leader in its field since 1958 and we have developed a product worthy of the name,” said Accrol COO Graham Cox at the time.

Meat-free

Plant-Based Ham | La Vie

Fast-growing French challenger La Vie rolled its long-awaited alt-ham into Tesco in January. Smoked and non-smoked variants (rsp: £3/100g) are made from the likes of pea protein, soy protein, radish juice concentrate and vegan lactic acid. The result is “perfect” texture, juiciness and taste, says La Vie, while also providing 19.5g of protein per 100g. Plant-Based Ham is nitrite-free and boasts five times less satfat than pork ham, says the brand, which made its UK debut in September 2022.

Oils

Bertolli Air Fryer Olive Oil | Deoleo

Bertolli Air Fryer Cooking Olive Oil (rsp: £4.59/200ml) rolled into Asda in June, promising to add “a crispy touch” to food. It taps not one but two trends: air fryers and spray oils. That makes good sense. After all, the end of the air fryer craze is nowhere in sight thanks to the affordability,  versatility and energy efficiency of the devices. Meanwhile, the spray oil format is growing in popularity as shoppers strive to limit their oil consumption due to rising prices and health concerns.

Personal care - beauty

Garnier Vitamin C UV Fluid Glow | L’Oréal

The beauty industry loves an affordable dupe. So when this daily brightening fluid was compared with Charlotte Tilbury’s Flawless Filter, it boded well for sales. Launched in March, the Garnier Skin Active line with SPF50+ comes in at £12.99 for 40ml – a fraction of Flawless Filter’s £39 for 30ml. It soon began racking up column inches from beauty editors and, at one point, a pack was sold every minute on TikTok Shop. Reviewers have gone wild for the combination of a high SPF with glow-up benefits.

Personal care - haircare

Tresemmé Lamellar Shine | Unilever

Glass hair is the ultimate haircare trend of 2024. Tresemmé offered an affordable way to get the high-end look with the launch of the Lamellar Shine range in February. It comprises four products designed to work together: shampoo (£4/300ml), conditioner (£4/300ml), leave-in serum (£7/200ml) and finishing oil (£10/75ml). The ‘lamellar’ in the name refers to a water-based hair treatment that penetrates the hair cuticle, allowing for better detangling and “a smoother feel and glossy reflection”.

Personal care - health

Perimenopause Gummies | Health & Her

The menopause market is booming, as proven by the slew of specialist supplements to hit shelves over the past year. Health & Her’s trendy Perimenopause Gummies stand out. Its May launch came after “20,000 hours researching how to get all the vitamins, minerals and botanicals from our loved capsules into our delicious gummies”, says the brand. The supplements are designed to support everything from hormone regulation and psychological function to energy levels and bone health.

Personal care - hygiene

Lynx Fine Fragrance | Unilever

Lynx went posh in January with the addition of Fine Fragrance Collection.  It’s a range of body sprays “formulated to smell as fresh as premium cologne”. The five-strong lineup comprises Black Vanilla, Blue Lavender, Aqua Bergamot, Emerald Sage and Copper Santal – each in a 150ml can with a “72-hour fresh” promise (rsp: £5). The launch was backed by a £15m push. That included an ad starring rap artist Lil Baby and ‘lift & smell’ fragrance tester trays in Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Boots.

Personal care - oral care

Sensodyne Clinical White | Haleon

Formulated with Sensodyne’s “most advanced whitening technology”, Clinical White toothpaste promises to brighten teeth by two shades after eight weeks of twice-daily brushing. Comprising Stain Protector and Enamel Strengthening (rsp: £10/75ml), the range debuted in January to take the whitening trend to consumers with sensitive chompers. Both Clinical White variants are less abrasive than rival whitening toothpastes, Sensodyne promises.

Petcare 

Ted’s Bowl | Ted’s Bowl

The frozen meals from startup Ted’s Bowl are posh, microwaveable and suitable for puppies, adult dogs, senior dogs, kittens and adult cats. Unveiled in February, they’re made with human-grade Meat or fish – at a minimum of 70% for dogs and 98% for cats. All feature added vitamins and minerals, while lines for dogs also include Seasonal British Fruit & veg. The seven-strong lineup (rsps: £4.49-£4.59/300g) is “the first real innovation in the petfood sector for several decades”, claims Ted’s Bowl.

Pizza

Goodfella’s non-HFSS | Birds Eye UK&I

In its May 2024 sustainability report, Birds Eye parent company Nomad Foods buried the fact Goodfella’s entire range had been reformulated to be non-HFSS. The supplier ought to have shouted the news from the rafters. That the UK’s second-biggest pizza brand is wholly healthier is a major development. To achieve that feat, the supplier reduced salt levels and increased the fibre in both the bases and sauces. But taste and texture have been entirely unaffected, Birds Eye promises.

Ready meals

Jamie Oliver frozen meals | What’s Cooking

Having spent the years encouraging people to cook freshly prepared meals at home, Jamie Oliver finally conceded “time and inspiration” often remain barriers to busy people. His solution: a huge range of affordable frozen ready meals including Mighty Moussaka, Comforting Cottage Pie and Chicken Tikka Masala, and sides such as Garlic Rosemary Potatoes, Sticky Glazed Carrots and Chargrilled Pesto Veg. Its route to market was equally surprising as it rolled into Iceland and Waitrose this autumn.

Rice, noodles & pasta 

Ben’s Lunch Bowl and Favourites | Mars

Ben’s Original is targeting health-conscious home workers who want quick meals with these Lunch Bowl and Favourites lines. Rolled exclusively into Tesco, they join its “cupboard ready meal” portfolio. Each microwaveable Lunch Bowl (rsp: £2.99/220g) dish – including Moroccan Buddha Bowl and Spicy Thai Curry Bowl variants – is a blend of grains and veg. Meanwhile, Favourites (rsp: £2.49/250g) comprises rice with “familiar flavours from some of the nation’s most popular meals”.

Sauces - cooking

Ottolenghi | Yotam Ottolenghi

Yotam Ottolenghi’s recipes are known for being as tasty as they are time-consuming. So, the launch of the chef’s handy ingredients range in April – exclusively in Waitrose – was a welcome shortcut for amateur cooks . The likes of Miso Pesto (rsp: £4/165g), Kalamata Olive & Harissa Sauce (rsp: £4.50/350g) and Citrus & Spice Blend (rsp: £3.95/50g) mean shoppers can easily get Ottolenghi-like results from a jar. In October, the nine-strong lineup was expanded after “outperforming” expectations.

Sauces - table

Vadasz fresh sauces | Compleat Food Group

Vadasz has taken the deli category by storm with its quality pickles and ferments – earning the accolade of Food Brand of the Year at The Grocer Gold Awards in July. Two months later, it moved into table sauces with a three-strong lineup. Kimchi Ketchup, Hot Pepper Sauce and Hot Jalapeño Sauce (rsp: £4.50/250ml) are fresh options, meaning they’re found in chillers rather than the table sauce aisle. They each contain all-natural ingredients, live cultures and just 2g of sugar per bottle.

Savoury pastries

Pukka World Flavours | Pukka Pies

Pukka is aiming to shake up the pastries category and woo younger consumers with these World Flavours parcels (rsp £1.50/130g). Three boldly flavoured variants – Jamaican Jerk Chicken, Mexican Beef and Indian Spiced Vegetable – debuted in September in gorgeously vibrant packaging. There’s an opportunity to bring “fun and full-on flavour” to the savoury pastry category, which many shoppers see simply as a way to refuel, Pukka believes. And who can doubt that?

Soft drinks - juices & smoothies

Capri-Sun recyclable pouch | Capri-Sun

Capri-Sun unveiled its first recyclable pouch in March – a move intended to cut packaging-related carbon emissions by 25%. The 200ml pouch is made entirely of polypropylene and can be recycled with other soft plastics at supermarket collection points. Orange and Blackcurrant & Apple were the first drinks in the range to transition to the new packaging. Other variants will follow in 2025. In the latter half of 2024, Capri-Sun also added a kerbside recyclable version of its resealable 330ml pack.

Soup

Instant Bone Broth | Freja

Freja is hoping to breathe new life into the stock cube category with its “healthier, less processed” option. Instant Bone Broth (rsp: £5.99/4x15g) contains no additives while packing 11g protein and 7g collagen per serving. Available in Beef and Chicken flavours, it rolled out in October to tap into both the bone broth and healthier eating trends. The brand spent two years developing the NPD as an alternative to “ultra-processed rubbish with almost no nutritional value”, it says.

Sports nutrition

Myprotein Pancakes | Bakeaway

Bakeaway claimed a few firsts with the launch of these pancakes in April. They’re the supplier’s first collaboration with online sports nutrition giant Myprotein. They’re also the UK’s first branded chilled ready-to-eat protein pancakes, says Bakeaway. And they’re the first products in a wave of  “accessible, ready-to-eat protein options that align with evolving consumer lifestyles”. Available in Original and Cacao (rsp: £2.35), they provide 25g of protein per 160g pack.

Spreads & jams

Hot Honey | Hilltop Honey

Spicy honey has been big in New York pizzerias for a while. Now it’s the hottest trend in UK spreads & jams, having hit the mainstream thanks to Pizza Express and Rudy’s Pizza adding it to their menus. In grocery, Hilltop Honey got in on the action in February, launching its take into Tesco. Hot Honey contains just two ingredients: honey and chilli. Hilltop suggests pairing the “deliciously wacky” product with dishes such as shepherd’s pie, spaghetti bolognese and fish & chips. Or pizza, of course.

Vaping & tobacco

Lost Mary 4-in-1 | Shenzhen iMiracle Tech

Having made its fortune with single-use vapes, Lost Mary responded in August to the impending disposables ban with this rechargeable device (rsp: £12.99). It contains four prefilled, replaceable pods, which users can quickly ‘carousel’ between depending on choice of flavour.  Those flavours include Lost Mary “favourites” such as Pineapple Ice and Blueberry Sour Raspberry. The device also has two power modes: normal and economy, with the latter promising  3,200 puffs and the former 2,400.