April 2012 – The Product of the Year awards were presented to the winners for the first time in Hungary at a prestigious gala event. Producers and distributors of FMCG, OTC, and household products could enter their new innovative products to win high accolades, domestic products could compete in a total of 17 different categories. The winner of the energy drink category is HELL New Generation, introduced in autumn of last year, the drink contains two new healthier ingredients, mate tea, and theobromine, instead of added caffeine.
Product of the Year is one of the world's most significant systems for recognizing innovative products, it was launched 25 years ago in France and today it operates in 29 countries reaching nearly three-billion customers. Within the framework of the international Product of the Year program, in 2011, Hungary launched its own Az Év Terméke Díj (product of the year award) presented for the first time last night based on consumer votes. Companies can enter each year with new and innovative products which will first be assessed by a professional panel. The products chosen by the professional council will then be entered according to category into a survey where consumers can choose the product of the year in each category. The domestic market survey is carried out with 2000 people as a representative sample survey to determine the current trends and the products consumers like the most.
As a company fiercely dedicated to innovation, HELL ENERGY Magyarország Kft. took part in the competition with their revolutionary new product, HELL New Generation, which represents a healthier generation of energy drinks. The Hungarian business based in Miskolc created the recipe for the new product as a result of a year and a half of research and development work. Instead of added caffeine, the energy drink contains natural ingredients to ensure the product's energizing effects. Instead of added caffeine, HELL New Generation uses mate tea and theobromine as the beneficial effects of these ingredients have been known to experts for a long time.
József Szabári, regional director, accepted the award, which the company can use for one year, on behalf of HELL ENERGY: "The Product of the Year Award caught our attention because this system for recognizing product innovation has a history going back a quarter of a century in Europe and is based on consumer opinions, and for us, the opinion our customers hold about is the main aspect and main form of feedback. so we were glad that the initiative was launched in Hungary last year and manufacturers could enter new and innovative products in the fast-moving consumer goods category. Because, as a result of a year and a half of research work, HELL has introduced a new and innovative product meeting the current market needs last September, this product was none other than HELL New Generation, an energy drink made with healthier ingredients, so we thought it would definitely be worth entering it in the prestigious competition. And as the results show, our consumers appreciate our efforts as we won first place in the energy drink category," said József Szabári, regional director, about the award.
Experiences so far as well as foreign examples show that the winners and the companies using the Product of the Year logo on their goods have enjoyed tangible commercial advantages. In France in 2008, products bearing the award's logo experienced a 25,5% increase in sales. Apart from this, it was the companies' experience in France that consumers consider the product logo to be a sort of benchmark: among the 15-49 age group, the trademark was very well-known and customer confidence toward the recognized products was very high (68 percent) and it was determined that for 70% of consumers, the innovational trademark provided encouragement toward purchasing the product. This year, over 200.000 consumers participated in the Product of the Year survey worldwide.
