Karns Foods Wins Supervalu’s Grand Master Marketer

Karns Foods, with eight locations in central Pennsylvania, was named Supervalu’s 2016 Grand Master Marketer during the Eden Prairie, Minn.-based wholesaler’s National Expo this week. The family-owned Karns Foods, which was honored for overall consistent performance over the years, also received $25,000 to donate to the charity of its choice from the Supervalu Foundation. The Mechanicsburg, Pa.-based grocer also picked up a private brands prize in the five stores or more category.

Foster’s Food Fair IGA of Grand Cayman was presented with the People’s Choice Award, which was determined by attendees voting for their favorite TV commercial using the Supervalu Expo mobile app. Attendees voted on the 12 nominees in the TV commercial category.

In all, 35 Master Marketer awards were given out at the expo, with judging based on creativity, clarity and effectiveness. A total of 450 marketing programs were submitted for the contest. Companies were divided into categories according to average store size with a new category this year for companies with five or more locations.

All entries demonstrated how independent retailers continually find new ways to engage their customers, said Mike Stigers, EVP of wholesale. “Year after year, we continue to be impressed by the quality, creativity and success of the campaigns nominated for the Master Marketer competition."

The complete list of Supervalu's 2016 Master Marketer winners by category includes:

 Stores 30,000 square feet and smaller

• Center Store Department – Dorothy Lane Market, Dayton, Ohio
• Extra Effort Advertising – Mayflower Food Store, Stuttgart, Ark.
• Fresh Department – Country Harvest, Palmerton, Pa.
• Grand Opening/Anniversary – Shoppers Value Foods, Tupelo, Miss.
• Industry Promotion – Janesville West Sentry, Janesville, Wis.
• Private Brands – Westport Shop N Kart, Westport, Wash.
• Public Service/Community – Girard County Market, Girard, Ill.
• Radio Spots – Great Valu, Chincoteague, Va.
• TV Commercials – Evergreen IGA Plus, Billings, Mont.
• Website/Social Media – Chandlers Supervalu, Eupora, Miss.
• Master Marketer – Dorothy Lane Market, Dayton, Ohio

Stores larger than 30,000 square feet

• Center Store Department – Cub Foods Lake Street, Minneapolis, Minn.
• Extra Effort Advertising – Fiesta Foods, Pasco, Sunnyside, Yakima and Hermiston, Wash.
• Fresh Department – Shady Maple Farm Market, East Earl, Pa.
• Grand Opening/Anniversary – Festival Foods, Mauston, Wis.
• Industry Promotion – Mackenthun’s Fine Foods, Waconia, Minn.
• Private Brands – Landis Markets, Telford, Pa.
• Public Service/Community – Coborn’s, Little Falls, Minn.
• Radio Spots – Dissmore’s IGA Plus, Pullman, Wash.
• TV Commercials – Valucheck, Pekin, Ill.
• Website/Social Media – Mihelic’s Shop 'N Save, Glenshaw, Pa.
• Master Marketer – Mihelic’s Shop 'N Save, Glenshaw, Pa.

Stores groups with five or more locations

• Center Store Department – Redner’s Warehouse Markets, Reading, Pa.
• Extra Effort Advertising – Boyer’s Food Markets, Orwigsburg, Pa.
• Fresh Department – Niemann Foods County Market, Quincy, Ill.
• Grand Opening/Anniversary – Albrecht, F.W. Headquarters Acme, Akron, Ohio
• Industry Promotion – Remke’s Market Inc., Erlanger, Ky.
• Private Brands – Karns Foods Ltd. Office, Mechanicsburg, Pa.
• Public Service/Community – Shop 'N Save Group, Pittsburgh, Pa.
• Radio Spots – C&K Market Inc., Medford, Ore.
• TV Commercials – Festival Foods, De Pere, Wis.
• Website/Social Media – Sentry Foods Group, Southeastern and Central Wis.
• Master Marketer – Skogen’s Festival Foods, De Pere, Wis.