LOUISA, Ky. — Food City launched its own version of an Easter egg hunt at its location here — one that called attention to its produce department.
Produce manager Lequitte Perry, who is a recipient this year of one of the United Fresh Produce Association's Retail Produce Manager Awards, organized an apple hunt that received great reviews from children and their families.
“The kids loved it, but so did the adults,” Perry said. “Each child had at least two or three people with them. Some grandparents as well as parents were there. We all had a good time.”
There was a good reason that big, shiny apples replaced eggs in this event, held just prior to Easter earlier this month.
Perry told SN apples were easier to hide, easier for little kids to find, and what's more, they turned the spotlight on the fresh produce offered by Food City, which is owned and operated by K-VA-T, Abingdon, Va.
She, with some help from assistant produce manager Randy Robinson and front-end manager Cheryl Gowan, hid 250 apples in a grassy, slightly hilly area in back of the store. It took just 30 minutes for 30-some kids to find them all. The winner, who uncovered 32 apples, won a portable DVD player.
Everybody who participated was given a “goodie bag” that included packs of Apple Bites provided by Fresh Express and small bags of chips provided by Frito-Lay.
Perry and her associates had assembled more goodie bags than they needed, but they made good use of them. After the apple hunt, they took them to two nearby elementary schools for distribution to the students.
The Easter apple hunt is just the latest in a string of community-oriented events this store has orchestrated. Last December, for example. Santa made an appearance at the location, sitting to listen to gift lists and take photos with local kids for $5 each. Proceeds from the event were used to donate holiday fruit baskets to a local seniorcenter.
These endeavors succeed in making Food City stand out here in this small town that is also home to a Wal-Mart supercenter and a unit of Save-A-Lot.