ST. PAUL, Minn. – Winners of the fourth annual “Minnesota Grown Retailer of the Year” were announced during the Minnesota Grocers Association’s annual industry luncheon in Bloomington. Awards were presented by Minnesota Department of Agriculture Commissioner Dave Frederickson and Jamie Pfuhl, President of the Minnesota Grocers Association.
Minnesota Grown Retailer of the Year winners were recognized in four categories:
- Single Store: Mackenthun’s Fine Foods
- Retail Group of 9 Stores or Fewer: Festival Foods
- Retail Group of 10 or More Stores: Lunds and Byerly’s
- People’s Choice Display Award: Kowalski’s Markets, Eagan
Commissioner Frederickson commended the grocers for their outstanding displays featuring locally grown produce, “Minnesotans prefer to buy products grown by their farms. Grocers who use the Minnesota Grown logo in their displays make it easy for customers to identify and purchase locally grown foods. It’s good for our farmers and good for our state’s economy.”
Winning entries were selected based on the number of Minnesota Grown products and the number of Minnesota farmers the grocer carried. Judges also considered how the grocer promoted these products to their customers through ads, displays, and the use of promotional venues, like social media.
In addition to a commemorative plaque, winners received the exclusive rights to use the “Minnesota Grown Retailer of the Year” logo in their ads and displays for the next year.
Source: Minnesota Department of Agriculture