United Fresh Opens Noms for Top Retail Produce Managers

The United Fresh Produce Association is now accepting nominations for the 2016 United Fresh Retail Produce Manager Awards Program. The program will honor 25 outstanding retail produce managers at the United Fresh 2016 Convention, to be held June 20-22 in Chicago, Ill.

The Retail Produce Manager Awards Program, sponsored by Dole Food Co. and now in its 12th year, pays special recognition to produce managers on the front line in supermarkets working every day to increase sales and consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables. 

Since the program’s inception, 255 produce managers from more than 80 different retail banners have been honored for their commitment to customer satisfaction, innovative merchandising, produce-related community outreach, increased store sales and recognition among company peers. Nominations forms for the 2016 program may be accessed online and must be received by Jan. 5, 2016.

“This program is a powerful way for retailers to recognize their outstanding produce managers for their hard work and commitment to the industry,” said Greg Corrigan, senior director of produce and floral for Raley’s Family of Fine Stores and chairman of United Fresh’s Retail-Foodservice Board. “The winning produce managers are recognized as leaders in their field and excellent representatives of the produce industry for our customers. We have made this a very important aspect of staff development at Raley’s.”

Twenty-five award winners, along with their corporate produce directors, will receive complimentary airfare, hotel accommodations and registrations to the United Fresh 2016 Convention. The winners will be honored at the Retail-Foodservice Celebration Dinner on Wednesday, June 22, where five grand-prize winners will be announced as recipients of an additional $1,000 cash prize.

“Dole, like all members of United Fresh that grow and farm fresh produce, wouldn’t be successful without the knowledge, passion and day-to-day dedication of the produce manager,” said Howard Roeder, president of Dole Fresh Vegetables “They stand on the front line of our industry and represent our products to the shopper. For that we are very grateful.”

More information about the program, including selection criteria and a list of past winners since 2005, can be found here.