-By Phil Lempert

Editor’s Note: With over 40,000 products in the average supermarket, people don’t have the time (or the money) to test every product on the shelves. So Phil Lempert does it for you. His consumer panel taste-tests and judges each product based on the following criteria:
1. (30 points) Taste: The most important attribute of any food.
2. (20 points) Value: Is it worth it?
3. (15 points) Health: Based on the nutritional information, is it nutritionally balanced?
4. (15 points) Ingredients: What’s in it, how natural is it?
5. (5 points) Preparation: When applicable, how accurate or good are the directions?
6. (5 Points) Sustainability: Is the packaging biodegradable, is it wasteful, is the company endeavoring to offset its carbon footprint?
7. (5 points) Appearance: Is it appetizing and does it resemble its photo or description?
8. (5 points) Packaging: Is it appropriate for the product and does it have any benefits such as resealability, added freshness, better storage, etc.?

Products that receive an 85 or above will be considered a hit, and those that receive 95 and above will be “rising stars.”


FungusAmongUs Truffle Mustard
If you had $17, found yourself in a supermarket and did not know what to spend it on — consider FungusAmongUs truffle mustard. With 6 percent of its content being black truffles, it could well be one of the best investments for your taste buds. Yes, there is only just over 3 ounces in this little jar and truffles are expensive, but one whiff of the aroma will convince you to buy it; trust me, don’t start opening it in the store. The initial bite is almost all mustard, but a few seconds later, the black truffle taste comes through. I would actually use this with vegetables, and spread it on top of fish or meats. Retails for $16.95.



Galaxy Desserts: Cappucccino Chocolate Mousse Duos
Desserts should be indulgent, delicious and special … Chef Charon’s Galaxy Dessert Mousse Duos are exactly that. Sure, they are expensive, but what could be easier than just taking one of these from the freezer and letting it thaw? It is gluten-free and even comes with a chocolate-covered coffee bean on the top. The only complaint I can envision about these mousses could be that the little plastic pot is too small! Retails for $6.99 for a box of four.



Pitter Patties: Cheezini Patty
I love the idea of Pitter Patties! These are about the size of a small burger, but loaded with veggies and protein from cottage cheese and other cheeses. There is nothing artificial, and this product is free of any added growth hormone. Cheezini is a blend of zucchini, mushrooms, whole grain oats and cheeses. Pitter Patties are designed for kids aged from 1 to 4 years old — and my only question is whether the flavor is a little too spicy for that age range? Retails for $6.37/11 ounces.



Santa Cruz Lemon TeaZer
All you soda drinkers out there listen up. You might have been disappointed by other sparkling tea-based beverages that have tried to steal you away from the soda that you grew up with but TeaZer (get it? Tea-Zer?) is different. Yes, it has 90 calories and 22 grams of carbs, but this organic tea-based beverage is what you want to be drinking this summer; it actually tastes like tea should — and is very satiating. Retails for $5.49 for a four-pack.




Ciao Bella Key Lime Graham Cracker Gelato
I love Ciao Bella; I love gelato; and I love key lime pie. Put them all together and what do we get for this summer? One of the best Ciao Bella flavors yet. Don’t even think about adding chocolate or any other kind of sauce — this is great just the way it comes in the container. I only wish they made it in gallons and put a plastic or foil inner liner on the top to keep all that greatness perfect. Retails for $4.99.



WorldCatch Wild Alaskan Salmon Burgers
When I was in grammar school, there was a cook named Elvira who made the best salmon croquettes, and ever since then, I have been searching for a replacement … This WorldCatch Wild Alaskan Salmon Burger might just be it! There are 680 milligrams of omega-3s per burger, which are seasoned just right with herbs, spices and natural mesquite. Here is my tip: brush the burgers with a little olive oil before cooking and they’re perfect. These are all-natural with 18 grams of protein and only 3 grams of fat, and I only have one complaint — what is with the over-packaging? Four of these salmon burgers could fit in a box half this size. Retails for $9.99.



Alter Eco Mild Olive Oil
Alter Eco not only tastes great, but they want to do great. The Canaan Cooperative farmers just northeast of Jerusalem handpick their olives and, through their fair trade olive oil program, produce this 100 percent organic, fair-trade-certified and carbon-neutral olive oil. That should be enough to ensure success … but with just one taste of this very clean flavor and aroma, you’ll understand why this product is a hit — and you will also wonder why more brands don’t follow their example. Retails for about $14.



Gracious Gourmet Fig Almond Spread
Okay, close your eyes. Stick out your tongue. And taste. I guarantee that this combination of dried figs, orange juice, lemon and lime will make your taste buds very happy. With zero fat, zero cholesterol, zero sodium and only 6 grams of sugars — this may well be a perfect spread. Retails for $7.99.




CurrantC Black Currant Blueberry Nectar
Remember your first marketing course? You’ll need it to figure this out: On the front of the label, it says blackcurrants have twice the antioxidants of blueberries, but the flavor is blueberry nectar and the second ingredient is blueberry juice … So, make our life easy by putting on the label how many antioxidants there are in a serving. Getting past all that, the aroma and flavor of CurrantC is terrific, but read the label carefully as it is only 61 percent juice and has 70 grams of sugar in this one bottle. Retails for $3.99.




Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Fair Trade Honey
All honey is not the same — there are many different flavors and blends. Wholesome Sweeteners reminds me a lot of the East Coast-based Golden Blossom brand of honey, with a nice clean flavor and aroma, and I love the easy-to-use upside-down package. And for those of you who are wondering about how honey could be organic with the bees flying all over the place, the answer is simple: bees forage within 4 miles of their hives, which are located within the confines of their organic fields. Reminder: never give honey to infants under 1 year and if you want to know more on the impact of the declining bee population, just log on to their Web site for updates. Retails for around $8.


Philip Lempert has gained wide acclaim for his marketing savvy and broad experience. A distinguished speaker, exclusively represented by the Washington Speakers Bureau, he has addressed over 600,000 people over the past 10 years, and is a respected analyst with an uncanny ability to identify and explain trends to both industry and consumers in a thought-provoking and entertaining manner. You can contact him directly at plempert@supermarketguru.com.

To see more of Phil Lempert’s Hits & Misses, visit www.gourmetretailer.com/hitsandmisses.