CESAR® HOME DELIGHTS™ Wins Nielsen's 2017 Breakthrough Innovation Award

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Aug 28, 2017, 07:00 ET

FRANKLIN, Tenn., Aug. 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The evolution of wet dog food into a recognizable, recipe-style meal earned the CESAR® HOME DELIGHTS™ brand the 2017 Breakthrough Innovation Award by the U.S. Nielsen Breakthrough Innovation Project. The CESAR® HOME DELIGHTS™ brand is one of only 18 winners this year and among the elite 110 winning products of more than 30,000 analyzed since the Award's inception in 2008.

The wet dog food category was primarily known for can and tray pâté options. As more and more consumers continued to view their pets as part of the family, they couldn't find a pet food to fit their lifestyle. The 2015 launch of CESAR® HOME DELIGHTS™ dog food directly addressed this consumer demand for more humanized pet food choices.

"The launch of CESAR® HOME DELIGHTS™ dog food was a game changer, not only for the CESAR® Brand, but for the wet dog food category," said Denise Truelove, Marketing Director at Mars Petcare. "With CESAR® HOME DELIGHTS™ dog food we set out to create dog food that was worthy of a plate and we were able to achieve just that."

CESAR® HOME DELIGHTS™ dog food borrowed the recipes families love most and made them just for dogs. With irresistible combinations, like Pot Roast With Spring Vegetables Dinner and Hearty Chicken, Noodle & Vegetables Dinner recipes, there's a variety of dishes families are sure to recognize and dogs are sure to love.

"Some of the most successful innovations on the market today capitalize on an emerging consumer trend," according to Jenny Frazier, Senior Vice President of Nielsen's Innovation Practice. "The CESAR® HOME DELIGHTS™ brand found success by innovating around the 'humanization' of pet food. With CESAR® HOME DELIGHTS™ dog food, Mars Petcare uncovered that 'real food' inspiration was crucial to capture consumers' attention and pave a new path for the pet category."

All Breakthrough Innovation Award winners satisfy three main requirements: the product is distinctive and delivers a new value proposition to the market; it has generated more than $50 million in year one U.S. sales; and finally, the product demonstrates the ability to endure the market by achieving in year two at least 90% of year one sales.

CESAR® HOME DELIGHTS™ flavors are available at retailers and pet stores nationwide. For more information on the CESAR® HOME DELIGHTS™ brand or to find out where you can purchase online, visit cesar.com/products. You can also find us on Instagram.com/CesarCuisine, Facebook.com/Cesar, Twitter @CesarCuisine and YouTube.com/CesarSmallDogTV.

About CESAR® Canine Cuisine

CESAR® Canine Cuisine is a high-quality line of premium dry and wet dog food and dog treats for small- to medium-sized dogs. The CESAR® Brand wants to transform mealtime into moments of shared joy by providing irresistible taste and unparalleled variety all dogs love. The CESAR® Brand offers three flavors in their dry food line, including Filet Mignon Flavor & Spring Vegetables Garnish. The Brand also offers a variety of irresistible wet food flavors in their Original Pate and Gourmet Filets in Sauce textures, as well as their HOME DELIGHTS™ line that provides comfort food favorites so your dog can enjoy the same meals that you do. For more information, visit www.cesar.com.

About Mars Petcare

Mars Petcare US is the U.S. operations of the world's largest petcare company at the privately-held Mars, Incorporated. Mars Petcare US produces some of the world's most beloved pet care brands, including PEDIGREE® Food and Treats for Dogs, CESAR® Canine Cuisine, IAMS™ Pet Food, SHEBA® Entrees for Cats, WHISKAS® Food for Cats, GREENIES™ Dental Chews and PILL POCKETS™ Treats, NUTRO™ Pet Food, EUKANUBA™ Pet Food and TEMPTATIONS™ Treats for Cats, as well as exclusive brands products for some of the leading retailers in the U.S. Headquartered in Franklin, Tenn., more than 3,700 Mars Petcare US associates make, sell and distribute its high-quality pet food from 20 manufacturing facilities located in communities across the U.S. For more information, please visit www.mars.com.

About The Nielsen Breakthrough Innovation Project

The U.S. Nielsen Breakthrough Innovation Project is a long-term in-depth analysis of more than 30,000 U.S. product launches over nine years. Since its inception in 2008, the project has celebrated 110 top products in the U.S. and over 198 globally. The 2017 Breakthrough Innovation award winners satisfied three requirements to qualify for the award: Each product was distinctive and delivered a new value proposition to the market; each generated a minimum of $50 million in year one U.S. sales; and finally, the winners demonstrated the ability to endure the market by achieving in year two at least 90% of year one sales.

^®/™ Trademarks ^© Mars, Incorporated 2017.

SOURCE Mars Petcare