The NGA Foundation, the nonprofit of the National Grocers Association, has announced that Missouri-based Dierbergs Markets will be the participating retailer in the 2023 Student Case Study Competition.
Hosted annually by the NGA Foundation, the competition brings college students from across the country to the NGA Show where they present solutions to an issue impacting the independent grocery industry. The program allows students to interact with an independent grocer and ground their education with real-life experience. Participants move through three rounds of judging from food industry professionals, and the winners and their schools receive a cash prize.
“Dierbergs is honored to be a part of a program that’s focused on nurturing the next generation of leadership for our industry,” said Erica Campbell, director of talent management for Dierbergs Markets, which operates 26 stores in the greater St. Louis area. “We look forward to the insights that this age group will bring to the table, as they reflect the thoughts of the emerging workforce as well as an increasingly important demographic of consumers.”
The topic for the 2023 competition is employee recruitment and retention. As independent grocers emerge from the pandemic, they are experiencing a major labor shortage. The pandemic spawned “The Great Resignation,” as workers forced into remote working situations have taken the opportunity to reassess what they truly want out of their jobs. They’ve redefined compensation to transcend money, to include a work-life balance, as well as the desire to be a part of a greater social mission.
Student case study presentations will focus on developing a recruitment and retention strategy for Dierbergs that delivers a combination of internal benefits with competitive corporate positioning.
The NGA competition strives to further the professional development of collegiate students pursuing degrees in food and retail programs and provides student teams the opportunity to address a real-world issue impacting the industry.
“I’m thrilled that the topic of recruitment and retention this year is so relevant for NGA’s members,” said Chelsea Matzen, NGA Foundation director. “This topic is also at the core of the foundation’s mission.”
Dierbergs joins the ranks of many independent retailers who are selected each year as the subject of the competition. Previous retailers have included Woodman’s Food Markets, Karns Quality Foods and Buehler’s Fresh Foods.
The 2023 competition will be held during The NGA Show, Feb. 26-28 at Caesars Forum Convention Center in Las Vegas.
