Vault heads bestselling launch list

According to industry analysts IRI, the bestselling new non-alcoholic drink in the US last year was Coca-Cola’s Vault, with sales of $70 million.

Vault came third in the 2007 bestselling new US food and beverage brands list, which measured total year $1 sales across food, drug and mass channels, excluding Wal-Mart.

The IRI New Product Pacesetters report put Campbell’s reduced sodium soup top of the list with sales of $101 million in 2007.

Gatorade AM sports drink was fourth with sales of $70 million, and Jazz Diet Pepsi was at number 10 with sales of $56 million.

In sixth place, the bestselling new alcoholic drink was Heineken Premium Light, with sales of $63 million.

“These brands are case studies in how to surpass abysmally low new product success rates in the consumer packaged goods marketplace, where less than 5% of new brands reach $50 million in year one sales,” said IRI Executive Vice President of Business and Consumer Insights, Anne Berlack.

Berlack said that the functional category would be the sector to watch in the US in 2008. “During the next year, demand will explode for functional food and beverages that deliver health benefits beyond basic nutrition.”