NielsenIQ Reveals 2024 Breakthrough Innovation Winners and Top Trends Driving Growth in India

The 2024 Breakthrough Innovation Awards by NielsenIQ recognized 23 winners and 17 Wavemakers honorees across FMCG and Tech & Durables industries for leading products that achieved remarkable success in India, standing out in a competitive marketplace.

MUMBAI, India--(BUSINESS WIRE)--NielsenIQ (NIQ), the world's leading consumer intelligence company, is proud to unveil its latest insights, showcasing how innovation remains the cornerstone of business growth. During an exclusive event in India, NIQ BASES celebrated the winners of the 2024 Breakthrough Innovation Awards, honoring brands that have disrupted the market and captivated consumers with exceptional new product launches.

These award-winning products launched between 2022 and 2023 and have successfully navigated an ever-evolving consumer landscape.

Driving Growth Through Innovation

According to NIQ BASES, top innovators in India achieve four times higher velocity and double the distribution in their launch year compared to category averages for new launches. This demonstrates how strategic innovation can propel brands ahead of the competition.

“In today's fast-evolving marketplace, where consumer expectations are constantly shifting and market conditions remain unpredictable, innovation continues to be the driving force behind sustainable growth,” said Vijay Udasi, Strategic Analytics & Insights Leader – India, NIQ. “Innovation is not just a moment; it is a long-term strategy. Launching successful innovations in the market is a highly effective way to keep your brand competitive and relevant by fostering consumer-driven growth and securing retailer support, even during challenging economic conditions.”

Emerging Innovation Trends

The 2024 Breakthrough Innovation analysis highlights significant opportunities for brands in Indian markets across FMCG and Tech & Durables to drive growth in the future, including:

• Health & Wellness: Low-calorie, low-fat, and gut-health-focused products dominate, with 1 in 5 snacks linked to health. Millets and mindful snacking are on the rise, alongside health-oriented consumer tech.
• Cultural Influence: Korean-inspired personal care and food innovations gain traction, emphasizing unique flavors and textures.
• Local & Sustainable: Demand grows for sustainably sourced FMCG, and energy-efficient consumer tech tailored to local needs.
• Performance & Convenience: Urbanization drives demand for innovative, high-quality products that simplify life.

Celebrating Breakthrough Innovators

This year’s winners of the Breakthrough Innovation Awards exemplify excellence in execution, with products that not only broke through the marketplace clutter but also addressed evolving consumer needs. Winning products in India saw on average a remarkable 90% increase in sales during their second year compared to their first—a testament to the power of purposeful innovation.

Vidya Sen, Executive Director, Customer Success - BASES, NielsenIQ​ said, “India's innovation landscape reveals a clear path to growth. In 2022, the launch period for this analysis, Foods dominated successful product launches, with Biscuits, Salty Snacks, and Confectionery leading the charge, while Skin Creams and Toilet Soaps stood out in non-Foods.

"NIQ Consumer Survey reveals that 34% of urban consumers prioritize new product availability and 40%—especially Gen-Z and women—actively seek innovation claiming to shop for new products before the others did. The appetite for novelty is undeniable. For brands, this presents a strategic opportunity to capture consumer interest and drive sustained growth through meaningful and timely innovations.”

Since 2012, more than 900 FMCG brands globally have been recognized with this prestigious honor, including ~140 innovations in India across categories like Food & Beverages (48%) and Personal & Home Care (52%). This year, NIQ also recognized Tech & Durables brands in India for their groundbreaking achievements in product development and market success.

FMCG Breakthrough Innovation Award Winners in 2024 are:

• ​CIPLA: Prolyte ORS (Mixed Fruit + Nimbu Paani Flavors)
• The Coca-Cola Company: Predator Energy Drink Gold Strike
• The Coca-Cola Company: Charged by Thums up - Berry Bolt
• Colgate-Palmolive: Colgate Visible White O2 Toothbrush
• Dabur​: Odonil Gel Pocket (Citrus Bloom, Floral Valley & Wild Forest)​
• Himalaya Wellness: Himalaya Baby Massage Oil – Mustard​
• Hindustan Unilever Limited: Sunsilk Hairfall Shampoo with Onion & Jojoba Oil​
• Hindustan Unilever Limited: Knorr Cream of Broccoli Soup​
• ITC: Savlon Powder-to-Gel Handwash​
• L'Oréal: L'Oréal Paris Hyaluron 72 H Moisture Filling Range​
• Perfetti Van Melle: Center Fruit Pineapple Tennis Ball Shape Chewing Gum
• Reckitt Benckiser: Dettol Original Pine Powder to Liquid Hand Wash​
• Reckitt Benckiser: Dettol Lather Shaving Cream – Fresh - Citrus Pine
• RSH Global Pvt Ltd: Joy Fresh Mornings Shower Gel​
• RSPL Limited: Pro-ease Lovingle Luxury Diaper Pants​
• Tata Consumer Products Limited: Tata Coffee Grand (Classic & Premium)​
• Tata Consumer Products Limited: Tata Salt Immuno​
• Tata Consumer Products Limited: Tata Gluco Plus Jelly Energy Drink​

Tech & Durables Breakthrough Innovation Award Winners in 2024 are:

• POCO M6 Series 5G Smartphones
• Samsung S24 Ultra Smartphone
• Mediatek Dimensity Series
• Haier Side-by-Side (3 Door+) Refrigerators
• LG Washer Dryer

The Wavemakers category recognizes promising new product launches that have demonstrated strong market velocities and potential for future success.

FMCG Breakthrough Innovation Wavemakers in 2024 are:

• PepsiCo India: Sting Blue Current​
• ITC Sunfeast YiPee Wow Masala​
• Nestle India: Maggi Korean Range​
• Mondelez India: CDM Silk Ganache​
• Ferrero India: Kinder Schoko Bons Crispy​
• Nestle India: Kit Kat - Rich Chocolate​
• Nestle India: Nestle A+ Tangy Tomato Masala + Veggie Masala Millets​
• PepsiCo India: Kur Kure Sizzling Hot​
• ITC: Bingo Hot & Spicy (Korean 2X) ​
• TTK Healthcare: Eva Splash Deo Roll On ​
• Hindustan Unilever Limited: Indulekha Svetakutaja Oil for Dandruff Treatment ​

Tech & Durables Breakthrough Innovation Wavemakers in 2024 are:

• Oppo F27 Pro+ 5G​
• acer​ Aspire Vero​
• vivo X Fold3 Pro ​
• Dyson Airstrait ​
• LG: 617L, French Door, MoodUP ​
• HP: Envy Move All in One Portable Desktop ​

Each winner showcases how a Good Idea, a Good Product, and Effective Activation—the three guiding principles of NIQ BASES—can deliver exceptional marketplace success.

NIQ BASES empowers brands with cutting-edge insights to fuel product development, brand renovation, and go-to-market activation. With over 100 patents and a database of 500,000 evaluated innovations coupled with significant R&D investment in AI, Neuro, and Agile platforms, NIQ offers unparalleled expertise in market dynamics and actionable strategies for success.

About NIQ

NielsenIQ (NIQ) is the world’s leading consumer intelligence company, delivering the most complete understanding of consumer buying behavior and revealing new pathways to growth. NIQ combined with GfK in 2023, bringing together the two industry leaders with unparalleled global reach. Today NIQ has operations in 95+ countries representing 97% of the world’s GDP. With a holistic retail read and the most comprehensive consumer insights—delivered with advanced analytics through state-of-the-art platforms—NIQ delivers the Full View™.

For more information, please visit www.niq.com