NGA Selects 2025 Creative Choice Award Winners

The National Grocers Association (NGA) has revealed the winners of its annual Creative Choice Awards, which recognize outstanding marketing and merchandising programs from independent grocery retailers across the country.  

Recipients of the Creative Choice Awards gain respect throughout the industry and receive national recognition at The NGA Show, to be held Feb. 23-25 at the Caesars Forum Convention Center in Las Vegas. 

Honorees will be recognized during the opening general session on the morning of Feb. 25, which will include panel discussions with the winners moderated by Rick Brindle, longtime retail and CPG industry veteran.  

Judged by a panel of industry experts and trade press members, the contest features various categories in which one winner and, in most categories, one honorable mention are chosen from among smaller and larger operators. The judges determined category winners based on creativity, clarity, innovation and effectiveness of each entry. Additionally, two special recognition award winners were selected. NGA received more than 300 award entries across all categories. 

New categories this year included multicultural marketing, which recognizes efforts to engage community diversity, and top pick for talent, which honors efforts to position grocery as a career option for the emerging workforce. Additionally, the fresh merchandising categories were broken out into separate departments: meat and seafood; bakery, deli, prepared foods and foodservice; dairy; and produce/floral. Finally, two crossover categories include elements of both marketing and merchandising: private label/store brands and shopper experience. 

“The Creative Choice Awards continue to showcase the incredible innovation and ingenuity of independent grocers,” said Laura Strange, NGA’s chief communications and engagement officer and SVP. “We continue to be impressed by the way independent grocers are finding new ways to engage with their customers both inside and outside the physical store.” 

From the category winners, one “Outstanding Marketer” and one “Outstanding Merchandiser” will be selected by the independent supermarket community and their supporters through online voting, open through Feb. 23. Votes can be cast here. Marketing and merchandising category winners will be announced at The NGA Show.  

[RELATED: NGA, Fincretive Expanding Access To Healthy Benefit Cards]

The following are the 2025 Creative Choice Awards recipients: 

Digital Connections

• Smaller operator (1-15 stores) 
  • Winner: Broulim’s Fried Chicken 

• • Honorable Mention: Dorothy Lane Market The DLM Experience 

• Larger operator (16-plus stores)  
  • Winner: Harps Food Stores The Meatloaf Lady 

• • Honorable Mention: Freson Bros. Dinner Boxes and Catering 

Traditional Media – TV, Radio and Print 

• Smaller operator (1-15 stores)  
  • Winner: Corner Market Food is Fun 

• • Honorable Mention: Adams Fairacre Farms Hudson Valley Fresh Dairy Farmers  

• Larger operator (16-plus stores)  
  • Winner: Fareway Stores Field of Dreams 

• • Honorable Mention: Freson Bros. Dinner Boxes and Catering 

Innovations in Integrated Media 

• Smaller operator (1-15 stores)  
  • Winner: Oliver Lemon’s Mega Meat Sale 

• • Honorable Mention: Kennie’s Marketplace Loyalty Program 

• Larger operator (16-plus stores)  
  • Winner: Roche Bros. Backyard BBQ Summer Instant Win Game 

• • Honorable Mention: Freson Bros. Cutie Pies 

Community Engagement 

• Smaller operator (1-15 stores)  
  • Winner: Burns Family Neighborhood Markets Supermarket Smiles 

• • Honorable Mention: Walt Churchill’s Market Seagate Food Bank 

• Larger operator (16-plus stores)  
  • Winner: ShopRite RU Ready for Game Day 

• • Honorable Mention: Leevers Locovore Localpalooza  

Grand Opening or Remodel 

• Smaller operator (1-15 stores)  
  • Winner: Edwards Food Giant Lakewood Village Grand Opening 

• Larger operator (16-plus stores)  
  • Winner: Macey’s Market Little Cottonwood Grand Opening: Building Stores Around Community 

• • Honorable Mention: ShopRite of Old Bridge Grand Re-Opening 

Multicultural Marketing 

• Smaller operator (1-15 stores)  
  • Winner: Teloloapan Meat Market Fiestas Patrias 

• • Honorable Mention: Arteaga’s Food Center Posadas 

• Larger operator (16-plus stores)  
  • Winner: ShopRite So Yummy: Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month 

• • Honorable Mention: Allegiance Retail Services/Foodtown Bringing Global Flavors Home for the Holidays 

Shopper Experience 

• Smaller operator (1-15 stores)  
  • Winner: Dorothy Lane Market Annual Wedding Showcase 

• • Honorable Mention: Briar Patch Food Co-op First Birthday for Second Store a Success 

• Larger operator (16-plus stores)
  • Winner: Harps Food Stores The Meatloaf Lady 

• • Honorable Mention: Freson Bros. Alberta Beef Round-up 

Top Pick for Talent 

• Smaller operator (1-15 stores)  
  • Winner: Teloloapan Meat Market Mes de Mujer 

• Larger operator (16-plus stores)  
  • Winner: SpartanNash Careers for a Better Life 

• • Honorable Mention: Coborn’s Why I Love Coborn’s 

Local, Specialty or Emerging Products 

• Smaller operator (1-15 stores)  
  • Winner: Trig’s We Got Crab Claws 

• • Honorable Mention: Bianchini’s Market Taste Local  

• Larger Operator (16-plus stores) 
  • Winner: Freson Bros. Cutie Pies 

• • Honorable Mention: Rosauers x Spiceology 

Fresh: Meat/Seafood 

• Smaller operator (1-15 stores) 
  • Winner: Trig’s We Got Crab Claws 

• • Honorable Mention: Oliver Lemon’s Mega Meat Sale 

• Larger operator (16-plus stores) 
  • Winner: Roche Bros. Perishables Brand Campaign 

• • Honorable Mention: Coborn’s Great Summer Grill Out 

Fresh: Bakery/Deli/Prepared Foods/Foodservice 

• Smaller operator (1-15 stores) 
  • Winner: Dorothy Lane Market The DLM Experience 

• • Honorable Mention: Broulim’s Fried Chicken  

• Larger operator (16-plus stores) 
  • Winner: Harps Food Stores The Meatloaf Lady 

• • Honorable Mention: SpartanNash Deli Meal Solutions 

Fresh: Dairy 

• Smaller operator (1-15 stores) 
  • Winner: Adams Fairacre Farms Hudson Valley Fresh Dairy Farmers 

• Larger operator (16-plus stores) 
  • Winner: Houchens Food Group Dairy Month 

Fresh: Produce/Floral 

• Smaller operator (1-15 stores) 
  • Winner: Broulim’s Hatch Chile Roasting Festival  

• • Honorable Mention: Adams Fairacre Farms Farmers Campaign  

• Larger operator (16-plus stores) 
  • Winner: Freson Bros. Flower Market Social Media Awareness Campaign 

• • Honorable Mention: IGA US Highbush Blueberry Council Boost of Blue 

Center Store/Frozen

• Smaller operator (1-15 stores) 
  • Winner: Moose’s Market Merchandising Success 
  • Honorable Mention: Price Chopper Frugal Frank Shows Savings  

• Larger operator (16-plus stores) 
  • Winner: Coborn’s More Monday / Wow Wednesday / Fuel Frenzy 
  • Honorable Mention: Houchens Food Group Frozen Food Month 

Private Label/Store Brands

• Smaller operator (1-15 stores) 
  • Winner: GES/Edwards Cash Saver Focus on AWG Brands 

• Larger operator (16-plus stores) 
  • Winner: Coborn’s / Tadych’s Private Brands Launch 
  • Honorable Mention: Freson Bros. Cutie Pies 

Special Recognition

• Excellence in ESG Award, presented by Kellanova: Festival Foods Turkey Trot 
• People Positive Award, presented by Unilever: Coborn’s Celebrating A Sense of Belonging