IGA Names Bozzuto’s Licensed DC of the Year

IGA has named Bozzuto’s Inc. the IGA 2012 USA Licensed Distribution Center (LDC) of the Year. The Cheshire, Conn.-based company will receive the IGA President’s Cup at the 2012 IGA Global Rally Awards of Excellence Banquet at The Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas, on Mon., Feb. 13.

The award goes annually to the IGA USA LDC of the Year, in honor of the winning company’s support of IGA’s retailers and brand. This is the seventh time the wholesaler has received the President’s Cup since the award’s inception in 1973.

“Bozzuto’s has been servicing IGA retailers in the northeast for over 42 years now and in that time they’ve proven to be a true champion for IGA,” noted Mark Batenic, CEO of Chicago-based IGA, the world’s largest voluntary supermarket network, including more than 5,000 Hometown Proud Supermarkets supported by more than 30 worldwide distribution companies and more than 55 major manufacturers, vendors and suppliers. “Bozzuto’s has a long history of developing and maintaining meaningful relationships with its IGA retailers. Bozzuto’s is strongly committed to helping its IGA retailers serve their communities in the best possible way, and equally devoted to growing the power of the brand with new Bozzuto’s supplied stores.”

In 2011, Bozzuto’s demonstrated its dedication to the network by adding new IGA stores, supporting IGA marketing programs and creating additional merchandising programs for its IGA retailers, increasing IGA Exclusive Brand product sales and introducing new IGA Exclusive Brand products to its inventory, and enhancing IGA’s community-focused brand platform with IGA-branded local cause-marketing activities, including raising more than $220,000 for Special Olympics and working with the Connecticut Food Bank to deliver food for more than 20,000 needy families.

Bozzuto’s, headed by Chairman, President and CEO Michael A. Bozzuto, services retailers in New England, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.