Automatic Merchandiser serves the business management, marketing, technology and product information needs of its readers including vending operators, coffee service operators, product brokers, and product and equipment distributors in print.
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chocolate. It expands the brand's reach and entices consumers to taste an excit- ing new favor from a brand they already know. "We're thrilled that MILKY WAY® Brand French Vanilla and Caramel Bar won the Automatic Merchandiser 2015 Product of the Year award," said Heather Kang, senior director of progressive mar- kets for Mars Choco- late North America. "Vanilla favor is a grow- ing trend, and consumers are excited to taste it in their favorite candy bar." In order to reach a market of con- sumers looking for both a beverage and a snack, Steuben Foods partnered with Kahala Brands to create a new shake, Cold Stone™ Chocolate Fudge Brownie Milk Shakers™ , winner of the cold-beverage category. "Spe- cialty shakes are hot in desserts right now," said Inglis. "They straddle the line between beverage and snack, and have all kinds of markets. So, we partnered with Kahala Brands and decided to make the best shake there is — something really worth indulg- ing in. Not only this, we decided to do it aseptically, so that there are no real limits to where you can enjoy it. Cold Stone™ Milk Shakers™, our frst licensed product, is the result." The product contains a blend of reduced fat milk, cream, brownie and fudge favors. The new ready-to-drink beverage offers an opportunity to bring consumers the authentic and distinctive taste of Cold Stone Creamery in a convenient bottle. The NCA found in its 2015 National Coffee Drinking Trends report that 59 percent of Americans drink coffee each day. Espresso-based beverages are signif- cantly more popular among consumers ages 18 to 39. It comes as no surprise then that readers voted Gevalia Pump- kin Spice Espresso as the winner of the best hot-beverage drink. "We are hon- ored that our customers voted Gevalia Pumpkin Spice Espresso as Automatic Merchandiser's hot-beverage product of the year," said Paul Kinter, senior associate business man- ager, Kraft Foodser- vice. "It creates a delicious pumpkin spice specialty bev- erage that embodies what our customers love about Tassimo Professional." Don't miss out on an opportunity to provide your custom- ers with these must- have products. Methodology Products of the Year were voted on by more than 450 Automatic Mer - chandiser and VendingMarketWatch.com readers in a period between January 2015 and February 2015. All winners honored were introduced in a 12-month period from January 2014 to December 2014. All nominees were submitted to editorial staff throughout 2014. Gevalia Pumpkin Spice Espresso By Kraft Foodservice Hot Beverage Milky Way ® Brand French Vanilla and Caramel Bar By Mars Chocolate North America Candy Cold Stone ™ Chocolate Fudge Brownie Milk Shakers ™ By Steuben Foods Cold Beverage OVER 450 readers voted for 2015's New Products of the Year. 50 Automatic Merchandiser VendingMarketWatch.com April 2015 R E A D E R S ' C H O I C E A W A R D S 2 0 1 5