Retail

Nearly 1,900 new products hit retail shelves across the United States in 2011/12. Yet, only 11 percent of those launches achieved exceptional first-year sales. Here's a look at the top 20 products, including Dannon Oikos and Starbucks K-Cups, that beat daunting new product odds and stimulated growth despite a challenging economic environment.

Nutrisystem logged revenue declines, from $509.5 million in 2010 to $401.4 million in 2011, due to lower than average sales prices and fewer customer starts. The new retail push is expected to reach new customers.

Mike's Hard Lemonade Co. rolls out beverage innovations with entries into new categories, beer and cider, and providing new ways for consumers to enjoy mike's hard lemonade flavors.

In April, bareMinerals kicked off its nationwide "GO BARE" tour with a decked out, dazzling pop-up boutique-meets-lounge and a traveling team of complexion experts devoted to helping women discover their best skin ever.

These include an all-cash tender offer of USD 9.15 per share by AB InBev for all the outstanding Grupo Modelo shares it does not already own and, upon completion of the tender offer, the sale of Grupo Modelo's Piedras Negras brewery and stake in Crown to Constellation.

CGT Executive Editor Alliston Ackerman gives you a sneak peek into the trends and topics discussed in this month's issue.

The Walmart Sales Category Strategy and Insights Team at The Hershey Company was spending an inordinate amount of time manually generating product orders. Here's how they solved the problem.