The National Grocers Association Foundation has announced the topic for its 2027 Student Case Study Competition at The NGA Show: “Building Loyalty Beyond Transactions: Creating the Next Generation Customer Relationship.” United Natural Foods Inc. returns as sponsor.
This year’s case partner is Big Y Foods, the Springfield, Massachusetts-based supermarket chain serving communities in Massachusetts and Connecticut. Founded in 1936 and still family-owned, Big Y has built its reputation on customer service, community involvement and fresh foods.
“Customer loyalty today is about much more than a transaction or a discount,” said Kelly Hanson, director of education and insights at NGA. “Next year’s Student Case Study Competition provides students with an exciting opportunity to consider how independent grocers can combine exceptional service, community connection, digital innovation and personalized experiences to build relationships with the next generation of grocery shoppers.”
The challenge
Student teams will be asked to develop strategies that help a regional grocer build long-term customer relationships beyond traditional discounts and rewards programs. With shoppers expecting personalized experiences, digital integration, convenience and transparency, teams will look at ways to strengthen emotional connections, create value beyond price and differentiate Big Y from regional competitors and national chains.
Big Y is seeking a loyalty ecosystem that improves retention, increases shopping frequency, raises customer lifetime value and reinforces its position as a community-focused retailer, with an emphasis on advantages competitors cannot easily replicate.
How the competition works
Each year, an independent retailer partners with the foundation to provide operational details, budget parameters and strategic context for the case. Student teams present their recommendations through three rounds of judging by food industry professionals, and winning teams and their schools receive cash prizes.
Eligibility is open to any four-year institution, university, academic program or affiliated organization offering instruction or research related to the food industry. Schools may assemble research teams of any size, but no more than four undergraduate students may present at the competition.
The NGA Foundation is the charitable arm of the National Grocers Association, the trade association representing retail and wholesale community grocers in the independent sector of the food distribution industry.