The Products Defining the Next Chapter of CPG Innovation
SINGAPORE, March 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Mintel today announced the winners of Mintel Most Innovative 2026, a global awards program highlighting the consumer-packaged goods (CPG) products redefining how brands compete, grow and innovate across beauty and personal care, household, and food and drink categories.
As brands face tighter ROI expectations, faster innovation cycles and greater pressure to deliver results with fewer bets, innovation has become less about volume and more about precision. Against this backdrop, Mintel Most Innovative spotlights the brands that combine deep consumer understanding with clear strategic direction to shape where their categories go next.
This year's winners reflect a clear shift in what meaningful innovation looks like: products built around real consumer needs, developed with long-term relevance in mind, and capable of influencing future growth trajectories across the industry. Winning themes range from science-based precision odor control and AI-guided personalized hair loss kits to trend-centered convenient toaster-ready pastry meals.
Innovation That Moves the Industry Forward
At a time when truly new product development is increasingly rare, with only 34% of global CPG launches in 2025 classified as genuinely new products, compared with 47% in 2015 and 75% in 1995*, this year's winners stand out for demonstrating how brands can move categories forward through decisive thinking and strong execution.
Innovation decisions are increasingly being made with less certainty and higher expectations around outcomes, raising the stakes for brands looking to invest confidently in what comes next.
Matthew Nelson, Global CEO, Mintel, said:
"CPG innovation is entering a new phase; one where speed, clarity and conviction matter more than volume. Expectations around ROI are rising, and innovation needs to happen faster, often with less certainty. In that environment, the brands that succeed are the ones able to stay close to changing consumer needs and act decisively.
"That's what stands out about this year's winners: clear thinking, smart prioritization and the confidence to invest in ideas that create real relevance and growth. These aren't products created for the sake of novelty; they reflect real conviction about where categories are heading.
"The best innovation pushes the industry forward. Awards like Mintel Most Innovative matter because they raise the standard, challenging brands to think bigger, focus on sustainable growth, and stay grounded in what consumers want next. The brands shaping the future won't be the ones launching the most products; they'll be the ones making the clearest innovation decisions."
Judged by Global Leaders in CPG Marketing and Innovation
72 winning products from 14 countries were selected by a distinguished jury of global CPG leaders, including professors at INSEAD and Nanyang Business School; senior journalists from leading industry publications such as The Grocer and Cosmetics Design; and marketing and innovation leaders from global brands including Beiersdorf, The Coca-Cola Company, Coty, The Estee Lauder Company, Mondelez International, Nestle, PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble, and Reckitt.
Judges assessed entries based on consumer relevance, innovation edge and market impact, recognizing innovation decisions that combine creativity with measurable commercial relevance.
Grant Westbrook, SVP, Global Marketing, Mintel, said:
"One of the reasons Mintel Most Innovative matters is the strength of the people judging it. We bring together industry leaders who are shaping the consumer landscape and thinking seriously about what comes next. They are looking for work built on genuine insight, with clear commercial relevance and the potential for lasting impact. We are here to recognize the work that genuinely moves categories forward."
Together, this year's winners offer a clear view of where CPG innovation is heading. View the full list of winners at mintel.com.*Source: Mintel Global New Products Database (GNPD), June 1996 – June 2025
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Mintel Most Innovative 2026 Winners Announced
SINGAPORE, March 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- North London Collegiate School (Singapore) marked International Women's Day 2026 with a series of meaningful events under the banner 'HerStory', bringing together students, parents, media, community leaders, and Singapore-based advocates designed to highlight women's voices, stories, and leadership in a shared commitment to empowerment, equality, and purposeful giving.
The week-long programme celebrated women and inspired young people, creating a space where the next generation sits alongside those already driving change, and where shared purpose translates into collective action.
Rooted in a 175-Year Legacy of Female Empowerment
The values driving HerStory Week are inseparable from the founding story of NLCS itself. Frances Mary Buss established North London Collegiate School in 1850, pioneering girls' academic education at a time when rigorous learning for women was far from guaranteed. She believed that every girl deserves equal opportunity to access education that builds confidence, knowledge, and the power to shape her own future and she gave her life's work to making that belief a reality, shaping generations of leaders, innovators, and change-makers in the process.
The HerStory Dinner
The centrepiece of the week was the HerStory Dinner, a thought-leadership event built around the theme: "What Will You Give to Gain through Knowledge, Time, and Advocacy." It was an evening designed not just to commemorate, but to ask everyone in the room how they might contribute meaningfully through knowledge-sharing, service, and advocacy.
Presentations across the evening explored what it truly means to give, shining light on the initiatives, causes, and communities that NLCS (Singapore) has rallied around.
Student Leadership and Advocacy in Action
HerStory Week placed student voices and student action at its heart. Across the school, young people stepped forward to reflect on what equality means to them through their societies, their service, and their leadership, showing that the next generation is not waiting to inherit a more equal world, they are already building it.
Student ambassadors from across year groups spoke to the importance of equity, inclusion, wellbeing, and belonging, sharing their commitment to upstanding values, advocacy, and creating a community where every individual feels valued and supported.
MercuriX, the school's national champion STEM Racing team preparing for the World Finals, used the week to champion inclusive leadership in STEM, pledging to mentor younger female students and making the case that the most diverse teams build the best solutions.
The Student Athlete Coaching Programme connects Junior and Senior School students through sport, with female senior students modelling leadership and inspiring younger peers to see themselves as capable leaders.
The Amnesty International Society continued its steady work writing letters and petitions in support of human rights cases worldwide, rounded in the belief that no act of advocacy is too small to matter.
The GreenWave Society channeled its energy into sustainability on and off campus, fundraising grassroots charities and proving that student-led action reaches far beyond the classroom.
The school's Pacha Club, the first chapter of the global Pachamama Project to launch in Asia, has been creating reusable period pads for refugees and people experiencing period poverty, keeping girls in school and restoring dignity where it matters most.
Community Partners: Giving Where It Matters Most
HerStory Week also made room for the voices beyond the school walls, including women and organisations from across Singapore's women's empowerment, migrant worker welfare, and gender advocacy communities who joined the gathering not as guests, but as proof that giving through knowledge, time, and advocacy is already remaking the world.
About North London Collegiate School (Singapore)
Founded in 2020, NLCS (Singapore) is a British International School offering the academically ambitious NLCS curriculum, the IB Middle Years Programme, and the IB Diploma Programme. Drawing on 175 years of heritage, the school nurtures individuals to be intellectually curious and socially confident. Part of a global family of schools, NLCS (Singapore) is committed to developing compassionate global citizens.
Discover the full 'HerStory' Exhibition gallery and more stories from our community by following NLCS (Singapore) on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. To learn more, please visit nlcssingapore.sg or get in touch with us today.
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NLCS (Singapore) celebrates International Women's Day with 'HerStory' Exhibition