Last updated on September 14th, 2022
The National Grocers Association (NGA) has revealed this year’s winners in its Creative Choice Awards contest, sponsored by Kellogg’s and Unilever. The contest honors the best marketing and merchandising campaigns in the grocery industry that positively impact sales, benefit the community and stand out creatively. Entries are judged by a panel of 26 industry experts.
The Creative Choice contest features 11 categories with two winners from each: one entry from a 1-15 store operator, the other from an operator with more than 15 stores submitted between Dec. 1, 2018 and Dec. 1, 2019. The winners will be honored at the NGA Show on Tuesday, Feb. 25, at the Super Breakfast Session.
Voting is open for the highest awards of the contest, the “Outstanding Merchandiser” and “Outstanding Marketer” through Monday, Feb. 24.
The 2020 Creative Choice winners are:
Connections Through Social Media
1-15 Store Winner: Hip Foodie Mom, Metcalfe’s
15-plus Store Winner: Healthy Tip Tuesday, Coborn’s
Connections Through Digital Market or Mobile
1-15 Store Winner: Donut Goes to Space on National Donut Day, Bowman’s Market
15-plus Store Winner: Daily Delights Loyalty Offers, Remke Markets
Traditional Media—TV or Radio
1-15 Store Winner: Grand Opening, Shoppers Value Foods
15-plus Store Winner: Butcher Makes it Better, K-VA-T Food Stores
Traditional Media—Print
1-15 Store Winner: We Believe, Newport Avenue Market
15-plus Store Winner: Peach Party, Sendik’s Food Market
Grand Opening or Remodel
1-15 Store Winner: Gateway West Grand Opening, Hornbachers Osgood
15-plus Store Winner: Grand Opening—Abingdon, Virginia Food City, K-VA-T Food Stores
Local, Specialty, Emerging Products
1-15 Store Winner: Coffee Crawl, Dorothy Lane Market
15-plus Store Winner: That’s Smart Launch, Coborn’s
Seasonal Store Event
1-15 Store Winner: Holiday Cheese Extravaganza Making the Big Cheese Bigger, Acquistapace
15-plus Store Winner: Taste of Italy, Brookshire Grocery Co.
Community Engagement
1-15 Store Winner: Facebook Post Goes Viral, Dill’s Food City IGA
15-plus Store Winner: Big Grocery Cart, Brookshire Grocery Co.
Center Store/GM/Frozen/HBC Category
1-15 Store Winner: Food Explorer Series, Dorothy Lane Market
15-plus Store Winner: Moonlight Madness Sale, Foodland/Food Giant
Fresh Departments
1-15 Store Winner: Food Explorer, Dorothy Lane Market
15-plus Store Winner: Pi Day, Cub Lake Street
Special Recognition
Unilever Sustainable Living Award: Food for February, Rudy’s Markets
Kellogg’s Fighting Hunger and Feeding Potential: Spirit of Christmas Food Drive, Brookshire Grocery Company
The NGA is the national trade association representing the retail and wholesale grocers that comprise the independent sector of the food distribution industry. An independent retailer is a privately owned or controlled food retail company operating a variety of formats. The independent grocery sector is accountable for close to one percent of the nation’s overall economy and is responsible for generating $131 billion in sales, 944,000 jobs, $30 billion in wages and $27 billion in taxes. NGA members include retail and wholesale grocers, state grocers associations, as well as manufacturers and service suppliers. For more information about NGA, visit www.nationalgrocers.org.
