Magnum’s ‘multisensorial’ ice cream tops FMCG NPD chart

The rankings have been published as part of Worldpanel’s new Innovation Advantage report – a study of shopper behaviour across approximately 400 new product developments over three years across multiple categories.

Five food and drink products were named in the top ten, with Magnum’s ‘Utopia’ taking top spot among that list. The rankings also included non food and drink items, with Fairy’s ‘Skip the Soak’ nabbing first place and Magnum in second overall.

‘We’ve been measuring innovation wrong’

The report measures innovation success based on category incrementality rather than sales volume. In other words, it looks at whether the new product actually drove category growth.

According to Worldpanel, 48% of new product launches reduce overall category spend, with 35% of branded launches lowering spend. The report also found that there is no association between the size of the launch and whether it grows a category.

“Innovation is still the most powerful lever available to FMCG brands, but the industry has been measuring it against the wrong benchmarks for too long. Sales volume tells you how much activity a launch generated. Category incrementality tells you whether that activity created something genuinely new. Those are very different things and confusing them is expensive,” explained Mark Smithson, analytical solutions director at Worldpanel by Numerator.

Worldpanel defines the most incremental launches as those which command a price premium of 50-80% above category norms and are delivered through pack sizes typically 15-25% smaller than standard – keeping entry accessible without diluting the premium signal. In addition, promotions run at 40-70% more volume than the competitive set average, but discount depth stays below category norms.

Overall, the goal is discovery, not dependency.

Where the product is sold also shapes consumer perceptions. Incremental launches appear more often in supermarkets and specialist retailers, where higher prices feel more justified. The best penetration launches are focused on in-store visibility, with strong design and shelf placement critical.

“Across the top performers, the formula is clear: a meaningful premium, accessible trial, promotional visibility without deep discounting, and a penetration-first mindset,” continued Smithson.

Harder for bigger brands to innovate

He added that true innovation comes from creating something genuinely new - rather than a product that will simply replace another in a portfolio. For bigger brands, innovation becomes more difficult, with the likelihood of existing portfolio cannibalisation rising sharply.

The findings show that manufacturers holding 0-5% share of their competitive set see around 12% of launch sales drawn from their own portfolio. At 5-10% share that rises to 32%, and above 30% it is close to 59%.

How to innovate successfully

To generate genuine incremental value, brands need to target new consumer needs rather than competing harder for the same moments.

As Jackson Woods, senior marketing consultant at Worldpanel by Numerator, outlined: “What strikes me about this year’s top performers is how deliberate they are. They’re not chasing novelty for its own sake – they’re solving real problems that shoppers recognise immediately. That’s what earns a place in routine. And routine, ultimately, is where brand advantage lives or dies.”

Magnum Utopia was ‘designed to grow the category’

Commenting on the Worldpanel results, Shannon Lennon-Smith, marketing manager for The Magnum Ice Cream Company told Food Manufacture the manufacturer is delighted to see its Utopia product “recognised so strongly”.

She added: “From the outset, Utopia was designed to grow the ice cream category by offering something genuinely new, a multisensorial, premium experience that encourages shoppers to trade up, rather than simply switching within the fixture.

“The marbled ice creams, rich sauces and signature Magnum chocolate create a distinctive experience with every bite, and it’s great to see that this kind of indulgent innovation resonate with consumers."

The Top 10 FMCG NPDs of 2025

*The net value an innovation adds to its competitive set by attracting new shoppers, increasing purchase frequency, or raising spend per occasion.