The Independent Grocers Alliance (IGA) honored a host of members and partners from around the globe March 11 during the IGA Awards of Excellence Ceremony at The 2024 NGA Show in Las Vegas, Nevada.
IGA presented awards to independent grocery retailers and CPG and service provider partners that highlighted a range of best practices and innovations, including excelling in fresh food merchandising and overall innovation.
Red Oval Partners of the Year
IGA honored two Red Oval Partners with awards for their exceptional service and dedication to the IGA retailers over the last year.
BRdata, a trusted software partner for retailers seeking a complete end-to-end solution from the wholesaler to the consumer, and Nestlé Purina PetCare received Red Oval Partner awards for 2024.
CEO Award
IGA CEO John Ross presented the inaugural CEO Award, bestowed upon an IGA member going above and beyond to make positive change within the alliance and the communities they serve, to Jimmy Wright.
Ross commented, “Despite having a thriving grocery business of his own to run, Jimmy Wright has made it his mission to do everything in his power to help independent retailers address food insecurity, from offering his insights on pricing strategies for economically challenged communities and helping small-format independents in urban and rural areas get established, to fighting for food nutrition legislation that benefits at-risk families and evens the playing field for independents.”
U.S. Retailers of the Year
They also presented IGA U.S. Retailer of the Year awards to nine retailers for their exemplary work in the grocery industry over the past year.
“This year’s group of Retailers of the Year have developed stores that I want down the street from my home,” Ross said during the ceremony. “And I’m thrilled to share what they’re doing with everyone here tonight so we can recognize them publicly and leave here inspired with new ideas.”
Each of these retailers were put forward by their wholesalers as their top retailers.
“There are 30,000 independent grocery stores in the U.S. – we represent one-third of the U.S. grocery market. These nine retailers have been chosen to represent not only their wholesaler, but their communities,” Ross said.
The Retailers of the Year received additional awards for their outstanding service and were welcomed to the stage by Ross, IGA Chairman Mark Batenic, and Host Michael Sansolo.
IGA USA Retailer of the Year & Innovation Award
John & Chad Cropper | Crop’s Fresh Marketplace | Downingtown, Pennsylvania
This award commemorates John and Chad Cropper as top independent grocers in the U.S. for 2024 and recognizes their commitment to innovation.
IGA USA Retailer of the Year & People Development Award
Debbie Jacques Malone | KJ’s Market | Greenwood, South Carolina
This award commemorates Debbie Jacques Malone as a top independent grocer in the U.S. for 2024 and recognizes her excellence in people development.
IGA USA Retailer of the Year & Meat Merchandising Award
Dan Holt & Joe Lauria | Holt’s IGA | Fayetteville, Tennessee
This award commemorates Dan Holt and Joe Lauria as top independent grocers in the U.S. for 2024 and recognizes their excellence in meat merchandising.
IGA USA Retailer of the Year & Quality & Value Award
Tim Forshee | Price Less IGA No. 484 | Bowling Green, Kentucky
This award commemorates Tim Forshee as a top independent grocer in the U.S. for 2024 and recognizing his store’s excellence in value without compromise.
U.S. Retailer of the Year and the Ricky St. John Taking Care of People Award
Rob Hilleary | Pocahontas IGA | Marlinton, West Virginia
This award commemorates Rob Hilleary as a top independent grocer in the U.S. for 2024 and recognizes his excellence in taking care of people in his store and community.
IGA U.S. Retailer of the Year and Hometown Hero Award
Jim Floyd, Bruce Westre and Bud Samuelson | Hammer & Wikan | Petersburg, Alaska
This award commemorates Floyd, Westre and Samuelson as top independent grocers in the U.S. for 2024 and recognizes their Hometown Proud commitment to community.
U.S. Retailer of the Year and Fresh Merchandising Award
Ben Painter and Greg Wasley | SPD Markets | Grass Valley, California
This award commemorates Painter and Wasley as top independent grocers in the U.S. for 2024 and recognizes their excellence in fresh category merchandising.
U.S Retailer of the Year and Leadership Award
Jeff and Kristie Maurer | Maurer’s Market IGA | Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin
This award commemorates Jeff and Kristie Maurer as top independent grocers in the U.S. for 2024 and recognizes their enduring commitment to leadership within their community and IGA as a whole.
IGA International Retailers of the Year
Also in attendance were retailers from Australia and South Africa who had won International Retailer of the Year for their respective countries:
- 2024 IGA Australia International Retailers of the Year Spero Tsapaliaris and Philip Funnell | Saints Foodland | South Australia | Metcash Food
- 2024 IGA South Africa International Retailers of the Year Abu Khatib and Suhail Bayat | Super Save Foodtown Hyper | KwaZulu-Natal | Unitrade Management Service (UMS)
IGA U.S. International Retailer of the Year
The final award of the night went to Judy and Don Gabriele, who were named IGA U.S. International Retailer of the Year. Their store, Nemenz IGA in Struthers, Ohio, is served by Laurel Grocery Company.
“Nemenz IGA is truly a festival of food,” Ross said.
“The bakery is one of the best you’ll see anywhere, with handmade packzis for Mardi Gras and cakes made by one of their 30 bakery employees. But it’s more than just one department that makes Nemenz one of the finest grocery stores in the world.
“It’s custom local products, like the store-ground sausage made from a family recipe that local Italian restaurants use and customers drive from neighboring states to buy; it’s their creative events, like, ‘Sip and Decorate’ evenings where shoppers learn how to decorate a themed cake while sipping on a glass of wine; it’s their commitment to community through tens of thousands of dollars of donations to local organizations every year; and an artisan approach to food without artisan pricing.”
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