National Grocers Association Unveils Creative Choice Category Winners
The National Grocers Association named this year’s winners in its Creative Choice Awards contest, sponsored by Kellogg’s and Unilever. The contest features 10 categories with a winner selected for operations with 15 or fewer stores and companies with more than 15 stores.
The 20 winners are now up for Outstanding Merchandiser and Outstanding Marketer. Retailers can vote here through Feb. 18 to select their favorite program.
The overall winners will be announced at The NGA Show on Feb. 26 at the Super Breakfast Session. Those not planning on attending The NGA Show can watch a Facebook Live stream of the awards ceremony from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. PST here.
The year-long contest (Dec. 1, 2017, to Dec. 1, 2018) honors the best grocery marketing and merchandising programs that have positively impacted sales, had a unique benefit to the community, and raise the bar for creativity among independent grocers.
The 2019 Creative Choice Awards encompassed more than 500 entries submitted from supermarket operators throughout the country. Entries were judged on the criteria of creativity and effectiveness by a panel of 30 industry experts.
The 2019 Creative Choice category winners include:
Marketing
Category 1: Connections Through Social Media and Digital Marketing
1-15 Store Winner: NuNu’s Cauliflower Boudin, NuNu’s Markets
15+ Store Winner: $100,000 Treasure Hunt, K-VA-T Food Stores
Category 2: Connections Through TV Radio
1-15 Store Winner: Cecil K’s First Annual Christmas Tree Decorating Contest, Cecil K’s Hometown Market
15+ Store Winner: Coborn’s Delivers TV Spot, Coborn’s Inc.
Category 3: Connections Through Print
1-15 Store Winner: Fresh Grocer Local Vendor Sale, Burns Family Neighborhood Market
15+ Store Winner: ShopRite Celebrates Chinese New Year, ShopRite
Category 4: Integrated Marketing Campaign
1-15 Store Winner: App Launch, Macey’s
15+ Store Winner: Festival Foods Fresh is Art Integrated Marketing Campaign, Skogen’s Festival Foods
Category 5: Grand Opening or Remodel
1-15 Store Winner: Doc’s Country Mart Grand Re-Opening, Doc’s Food Stores
15+ Store Winner: PriceRite Innovation Stores, PriceRite/Wakefern
Merchandising
Category 6: Single Manufacturer Event
1-15 Store Winner: Nutrition Smart and Ancient Nutrition Presents: Dr. Josh Axe & Jordan Rubin, Nutrition Smart
15+ Store Winner: Roche Bros. Launches One Mighty Mill into Retail, Roche Bros. Supermarkets
Category 7: Store Event
1-15 Store Winner: Prime Rib Dinner for 2!, T.A. Solberg Inc.
15+ Store Winner: SHOP ‘N SAVE FY’19 Free Turkey Promotion, Shop ‘n Save
Category 8: Public Service or Charitable Cause Event
1-15 Store Winner: Pets Need Food Too, Walla Walla’s Harvest Foods
15+ Store Winner: Food for A Cause Campaign, Coborn’s Inc.
Category 9: Center Store/GM/HBC
1-15 Store Winner: DLM Savings on the 7th Anniversary Sale, Dorothy Lane Market
15+ Store Winner: ShopRite Celebrates Chinese New Year, ShopRite
Category 10: Perimeter Departments
1-15 Store Winner: Turkey Red Wheat: Our Field of Dreams, Dorothy Lane Market
15+ Store Winner: Chicken Shack, Coborn’s Inc.
To learn more about the Creative Choice contest, visit www.NGACreativeChoice.com.
Arlington, Va.-based NGA is the national trade association representing the retail and wholesale grocers that comprise the sector of independent grocery stores in the food distribution industry.