Hot GM and consumables products at NACDS Total Store Expo 2013
NACDS is hosting the inaugural Total Store Expo conference in Las Vegas from August 10 to 13. Below are some of our editors' picks of the hot GM and consumable products at the show.
Ch-ch-ch-Chia Seeds
Everybody knows the familiar “Ch-ch-ch-Chia” jingle from the Chia Pet commercials, not to mention special-edition Chia Pets in the likeness of such people as Barack Obama — and now Willie Robertson from TV’s “Duck Dynasty” — but Joseph Enterprises, the company behind Chia, has introduced edible Chia Seeds. Packed with omega-3 fatty acids and other nutrients, the seeds are designed for use in baking, yogurt or eating after adding water. The healthy food fits well with Joseph Enterprises’ business model — it has been marketing the seeds for decades in its Chia Pet kits — particularly as it seeks to drive foot traffic in stores. “We advertise our products nationally, creating a consumer demand, and then we advertise them to the retailer, so we help create store traffic,” Joseph Enterprises’ Joseph Pedott told DSN.
Pet Head Pretty Kitty Deshedding Wipes
Pet Head — started by Bed Head creator Kyara Mascolo, and then spun off when Unilever bought the brand — has launched a new line for cats that includes a mousse cleaner that doesn’t require rinsing, deshedding wipes, a spray-on and wipe-off “dry clean,” and shampoo and conditioner designed to reduce shedding. Other new products include fragrance sprays for dogs, as well as a dry shampoo. “We’re seeing dogs and cats are the new kids, so we’re producing products made in the United States to escalate the experience between the pet and the owner,” Pet Head marketing and product development executive Andrea Garcia told DSN.
Little Crunchies
Fresh off the heels of its launch of a buttered sweet corn flavor, and as it prepares for a September launch of a grape flavor, Crunchies is partnering with Warner Bros. to market Little Crunchies, which are aimed at getting kids to eat healthy. The terms of the deal are confidential, but Crunchies president and CEO Jim Lacey told DSN that it was “multi-year” and would include promotions tied in with movies and other entertainment — “wherever there’s a good fit” — and a social media and web marketing campaign. Packaging for the line will feature various Looney Tunes characters.
Doggie Deodorant
With more baby boomers and young people buying pets, “pet grooming” is giving way to “pet beauty.” That sums up the strategy of Wahl Clipper, which has introduced a new line of all-natural pet cleaning products, including dog deodorant and easy-rinse shampoos. The deodorant is designed to be sprayed on dogs, with a strong but not overwhelming scent, and then to dissipate, taking the dog’s odor with it. Meanwhile, the shampoo was designed the way a shampoo for humans would be designed because, as Wahl director of North America consumer sales Audie Rudiger told DSN, the first thing people do when buying shampoo for themselves is to smell it.
Duck Tape Ducklings
Duct tape may well be one of the most useful products ever invented, having even been used for repairs during the Apollo 13 mission. Now, ShurTech Brands has introduced a line from its Duck Tape brand that is useful as well as decorative. “Ducklings,” small enough to fit in the palm of one’s hand, are designed mainly for small details and decorations, and are available in a variety of patterns like pink zebra, glow-in-the-dark and neon colors. The tape is designed for uses like gift wrapping, stylizing and more. Another new product is Washi Tape, which is designed to decorate objects like vases, but is also less permanent and easier to remove than others.