Exceptional Independents Nomination Form

2027 Exceptional Independents Nomination Form

Know an independent grocer who goes above and beyond? Nominate them for an Exceptional Independents Award. Honorees will be featured in all five March 2027 regional editions of The Shelby Report.

Nominations are free; there is no charge/fee to nominate.

EIA Nomination Form

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This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Entries must detail why the nominee is qualified for this recognition. Qualifications could be related to an independent grocery operators investment in their stores, infrastructure, operations and technology, commitment to supporting neighborhood charities and community involvement, and investment in their employees’ training and advancement.

You may submit up to 6 nominees — please complete one form per nominee. Need to finish later? Use the Save and Continue Later link at the bottom of the form.

Your Contact Information

Tell us who you are so we can follow up about your nomination.

Your First Name(Required)

Your Last Name(Required)

Your Email(Required)

Your Cell Phone Number(Required)

We will only contact you regarding important information related to your Exceptional Independents Award nominee and/or EIA event details.

Nominee Information

Tell us about the independent grocer you are nominating.

Nominee Company Name(Required)

Nominee Company Address(Required)

Street Address Address Line 2 City State ZIP Code

If your nominee is selected, this is the address we will use to mail their award certificate and a copy of the issue they are featured in.

Nominee First Name(Required)

Nominee Last Name(Required)

Nominee Email(Required)

Nominee Cell Phone Number(Required)

We will only contact your nominee regarding important information related to their Exceptional Independents Award nomination and/or EIA event details.

Nominee's Primary Wholesaler

Write in the name of the wholesaler or distributor that supplies your nominee.

Nomination Details

What region is your nominee's corporate headquarters located?(Required)

West (AZ, CA, ID, MT, MV, OR, UT, WA & WY)

Southwest (AR, CO, NM, OK & TX)

Southeast (AL, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN, WV & VA)

Midwest (ND, SD, NE, KS, MO, IA, MN, WI, MI, IL, IN & OH)

Northeast (CT, DE, ME, MD, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI & VT)

What is your nominee's number of store locations?(Required)

1 – 10 Stores

11 – 50 Stores

50+ Stores

Nominee Qualifications(Required)

Please provide a 3500 maximum character description (about 550 words) about why your nominee is qualified for this recognition. This could be related to the independent operator’s investment in their stores, infrastructure, operations and technology, their commitment to supporting neighborhood charities and community involvement, and their investment in employee training and advancement. Please note that if your nominee wins, this is the description that will run in the Exceptional Independents in the Grocery Industry feature in all five March 2027 regional editions.

Please upload 1-2 high resolution store front photos to support your nomination.(Required)

Drop files here or

Accepted file types: jpg, jpeg, png, pdf, Max. file size: 16 MB, Max. files: 4.

Terms and Conditions(Required)

I agree to the Terms and Conditions, and I have reviewed the Privacy Policy and SMS Policy.

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Accepting Nominations Now!

Nominations are now being accepted for Shelby Publishing’s 5th Annual Exceptional Independents Awards. Nominations are open to all independent U.S. grocery operators.

If your independent grocery operator has already won an Exceptional Independents Award, they are still eligible to win again this year as long as they are still exceptional.

Deadline: November 15, 2026

The Shelby-Griffin Report will highlight each honoree in a special editorial spotlight in the Exceptional Independents Awards feature in all five March 2027 regional editions.

Questions or comments:

Stephanie Reid
President and Publisher
Phone: 678-520-4949
Email: [email protected]