IRI Announces the Most Successful New Brands of 2008

IRI New Product Pacesetters Report Finds Winning New Brands Empower Consumers in
a Recessionary Economy

CHICAGO & LAS VEGAS--(Business Wire)--
The most successful new consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands of 2008 were
released today by Information Resources, Inc. (IRI), at the 2009 IRI Reinventing
CPG & Retail Summit being held at the Wynn Las Vegas. The highly anticipated IRI
New Product Pacesetters report, now in its fourteenth year, showcases brands
that used innovation to beat the new product odds and a recessionary economy.

"These brands are truly remarkable," says IRI Consumer and Shopper Insights
Practice Executive Vice President Anne Berlack. "Even in the best of times,
approximately 75 percent of new products fail to earn more than $7.5 million
during the first year of availability. In 2008, New Product Pacesetters faced
unprecedented challenges and came out on top."

Top 10 Food and Beverage Brands

In the face of mounting financial pressures, away-from-home dining activity saw
sharp declines in 2008. However, despite hardships, consumers are not willing to
sacrifice nutrition or convenience, and they are still seeking the occasional
indulgence. The top ten food and beverage brands of 2008 are reflective of
changing consumer dining rituals.

2008 New Product Pacesetters: Top 10 Food and Beverage Brands ($s in Millions)
(Total Year One Dollar Sales across Food, Drug, and Mass Channels, excluding Wal-mart)
G2 $159
Dunkin` Donuts Coffee $112
Healthy Choice Café Steamers $95
Progresso Light $75
Hormel Compleats $71
DiGiorno Ultimate $61
Smirnoff Ice Flavors $61
Pepsi Max $61
Tyson Any`Tizers $59
Doritos Collisions $58

Source:IRI New Product Profiler

"In a world of economic uncertainty, consumers seek comfort and stability in
small ways," adds Berlack. "Home dining occasions are proving to be an area of
opportunity. Shoppers are staying with trusted brands that provide value and
comfort and are diversifying their menus through brand extensions, such as
chicken breasts with new flavor offerings, or ice cream with new, indulgent
mix-ins."

Top 10 Non-Food Brands

For the first time in several years, non-food new product introductions outpaced
food product introductions by roughly 80 products, or more than 10 percent. This
shift is reflective of shoppers` stepped-up focus on self-reliance. From health
care to beauty care, consumers are saving money with "do-it-yourself"
strategies.

Top performers among non-food New Product Pacesetters share one of two powerful
themes: self-care and improved performance. And, across a range of non-food
categories, innovation centers on improving the consumer experience.

2008 New Product Pacesetters: Top 10 Non-Food Brands ($s in Millions)
(Total Year One Dollar Sales across Food, Drug, and Mass Channels, excluding Wal-mart)
Zyrtec $316
alli $160
Charmin Ultra Strong $144
Ped Egg $69
Secret Clinical Strength $51
MiraLAX $49
Dawn PLUS $49
CoverGirl LashBlast $45
Maybelline Define $45
Tide Pure Essentials $44

Source:IRI New Product Profiler

"The customer experience is at the heart of innovation today," says Berlack.
"Across non-foods, technical innovation is occurring at a rapid pace, and will
define product development for years to come."

About the Report

The IRI Times & Trends Report, 2008 New Product Pacesetters: The Role of
Innovation in a Down Economy" is available from IRI, the leading global provider
of consumer, shopper, and retail market intelligence and insights for the
consumer packaged goods (CPG), retail, and healthcare industries. The findings
of this report were compiled based on IRI New Product Profiler™, IRI Consumer
Network™
and IRI InfoScan™ Reviews. To download the report, visit
http://us.infores.com/page/news/times_and_trends.

About Information Resources, Inc.

IRI is the world`s leading provider of consumer, shopper, and retail market
intelligence and insights supporting 95 percent of the FORTUNE Global 500
consumer packaged goods (CPG), retail and healthcare companies. Only IRI offers
the unique combination of integrated market information, automated and
predictive analytics, innovative enabling technologies, and domain expertise.
With IRI, leading retailers and manufacturers are able to quickly discover
breakthrough insights driving smarter decisions and actions across the
enterprise for breakthrough results. Companies around the world depend on IRI
for improved productivity, stronger brands, and dramatic revenue growth. For
more information, visit http://us.infores.com.

Editors Note:Information Resources, Inc., IRI, the IRI logo and the names of IRI
products and services referenced herein are either trademarks or registered
trademarks of Information Resources, Inc. All other trademarks are property of
their respective owners.

Information Resources, Inc.
John McIndoe, 312-474-3862
Fax: 312-726-1091
john.mcindoe@infores.com
Shelley Hughes, 312-474-3675
Fax: 312-726-1091
shelley.hughes@infores.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009