This week’s two category spotlights focus on food and beverage. Today we present the nominated brands within that sector. On Thursday, we’ll showcase nominees for the best products.

The eight nominees for Best Licensed Brand – Food & Beverage as part of the 2020 Licensing International Excellence Awards come from the cookie aisle, candy counter, soft drink department, liquor and beer world, a pastry-based fast food enterprise, and even the Internet. What they have in common are distinctive brand images – and in some cases flavor profiles — that can be transported to multiple product categories.

Overall, more than 600 entries were received this year from companies in 22 countries and were judged by a panel of 152 executives from 20 nations. The licensing industry will make its selections from a ballot that includes 175 nominees in 23 categories of brands, properties and companies.

For a full listing of the categories and the nominees please click here.

Here are the nominees for Best Licensed Brand – Food & Beverage

Baileys – Diageo

Globally renowned as The Original Irish Cream, the Baileys flavor profile lends itself to a multitude of sweet treats and experiences. The Baileys food program leverages the distinct flavor profile and indulgent experience of the brand. 20+ licensees fulfill consumers’ craving for moments of pleasure including Baileys coffee by Kraft Heinz, Baileys coffee creamers by Danone in the US and Baileys ice cream by Nestle in Mexico. In 2019, 100 million units of Baileys licensed food products were sold in 160,000 doors across 30 countries. Licensed products invite consumers to eat more Baileys and drink more Baileys.

Cinnabon – Focus Brands

Cinnabon is an innovative and versatile brand that is easily deconstructed into numerous product formats and categories which are sold into multiple channels across the globe. Consumers can find the Cinnabon brand in grocery stores from end to end – starting from Pillsbury Grands and Cinnabon International Delight Creamer in the refrigerated sections, Cinnabon Loaf Cake in fresh bakery, Keurig Cinnabon K-Cups in coffee, SunMaid Cinnabon Bread in the bread aisle and Cinnabon Baking Kits in the cooking section!  Cinnabon has also translated to the foodservice channel in many categories – burger chains like Sonic with the Cinnabon Cinnasnacks, chicken with KFC Cinnabon Dessert Biscuits, pizza with Cinnabon Mini Rolls at Pizza Hut, theaters with Cinnabon Cinnapoppers at Cinemark, convenience stores with bakery items in Sheetz, and even casual dining with the Cinnabon Cinnamon Swirl Cheesecake at The Cheesecake Factory.  No other brand spans these channels and dayparts, providing consumers with an easy access point to a brand they love while maintaining a quality product, giving them a full Cinnabon experience.

Coca-Cola – The Coca-Cola Company

Coca-Cola Licensing launched collaborations with leaders in Fashion, Food and Entertainment driving newness at retail in 100,000+ points of distribution.  Coca-Cola Licensing program reached over $1 billion in retail sales in 2019.  New category development in Food Licensing with Ferraro for Tic Tac  Coca-Cola, Beauty extensions with The Face Shop and RISQUE and influencer programs  with KITH, Facetasm, Starter, Champion, ANTA, Staple Pigeon, Diamond Supply, Diesel and Tommy Hilfiger drove over 8.6 billion media impressions.  These extensions represent Coca-Cola’s commitment to innovation and an amplified degree of collaboration with iconic partners.

Corona – Constellation Marketing

2019 Corona licensed product sales grew double digits over 2018, driven by 4th quarter sales and apparel & accessory which were up 20%. Corona collections featured 800 sku’s of apparel, accessories, outdoor, barware, home goods, and giftware. Key accounts included Walmart, Target, and specialty retailers. Corona and Spencer’s partnered for the exclusive ‘Summer Vibes’ collection featuring dedicated window displays, feature wall and signage in all stores in April, timed for Cinco de Mayo, and the official kick off to Summer. Corona branded limes, selected for juiciness and to fit the Corona bottle when sliced, had expanded placement in supermarkets nationwide.

Guinness – Diageo

GUINNESS sold 80+ million units of GUINNESS-branded product around the globe in 2019, penetrating nearly every channel of retail, and encouraging people to be ‘Made of More’. A portfolio of 55 licensees produce GUINNESS branded food, merchandise and experiences that go beyond the ordinary. The food program includes boldly flavored brats, meatballs, fish, chocolate, chips, and more. The licensing program also includes a fashion-forward apparel line with elevated designs that conveys the GUINNESS brand essence. The newly opened Open Gate Brewery in Baltimore, Maryland offers an immersive experience for GUINNESS enthusiasts, featuring a tasting room, bar, restaurant and retail space.

Hershey’s Reese’s – The Hershey Company

The Hershey brand extension program continues to achieve innovation, global expansion and product category expansion. In Korea, Hershey’s Milk is #1 whilst cookies are in 35,000+ doors. In Japan, Hershey’s Chocolate Donut is #1 and the number of retailers carrying Hershey’s bakery items doubled. In Australia the new range of ice creams won awards and delivered 5.5 million+ consumer experiences. The Hershey’s Kellogg’s cereal sold 3 million+ units across 12 countries. The Forever 21 range sold 100,000+ units during the holiday season. The program, 40 licensees globally, continues to establish itself in new aisles across expanded retail categories and channels.

Oreo – Mondelez

OREO, one of the most beloved cookie brands, with the help of its merchandise licensing agency, Brand Central, extended beyond the cookie aisle into popular new food and beverage partnerships and merchandise categories. The brand boasts 20+ licensees across categories ranging from dairy products and cereal to apparel and beauty. Some of the most memorable and viral products this year include OREO gingerbread house and Mega Stuf OREO O’s cereal, and the Double Stuf two-person holiday sweater!

Tasty – Buzzfeed

TASTY is the world’s largest food network, with 101 million active Facebook followers in the US alone. Over US$200 million of TASTY licensed products were sold in 2019 alone. In 2019, after less than two years at retail, TASTY sold its 1 millionth cookbook and its 5 millionth unit of kitchenware.

The brand has rapidly expanded into the Food and Beverage category with partnerships with category captains in dry grocery, meal kits, refrigerated, and frozen foods.