NGA unveils 2020 Creative Choice Award winners

In the lead-up to its annual convention, the National Grocers Association has announced the winners of the 2020 NGA Creative Choice Awards, which recognize effective and innovative marketing and merchandising in the supermarket industry.

The Creative Choice Awards honor two retail winners — an operator with up to 15 stores and an operator with more than 15 stores — in 11 categories, including media, products and stores. Specifically, the awards highlight the best marketing and merchandising campaigns in the grocery sector that boost sales, stand out creatively and benefit the community, according to Arlington, Va.-based NGA.

Entries, submitted between Dec. 1, 2018, and Dec. 1, 2019, were judged by a panel of 26 industry experts. The winners will be honored at the NGA Show in San Diego on Tuesday, Feb. 25, during the Super Breakfast Session.

The 2020 NGA Creative Choice Award winning grocery retailers are the following:

Connections Through Social Media

1-15 Stores: Metcalfe’s, “Hip Foodie Mom”

15 Stores: Coborn’s, “Healthy Tip Tuesday”

Connections Through Digital Market or Mobile

1-15 Stores: Bowman’s Market, “Donut Goes to Space on National Donut Day”

15 Stores: Remke Markets, “Daily Delights Loyalty Offers”

Traditional Media - TV or Radio

1-15 Stores: Shoppers Value Foods, Grand Opening

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15 Stores: K-VA-T Food Stores, “Butcher Makes it Better”

Traditional Media - Print

1-15 Stores: Newport Avenue Market, “We Believe”

15 Stores: Sendik’s Food Market, “Peach Party”

Grand Opening or Remodel

1-15 Stores: Hornbacher’s Osgood, Gateway West Grand Opening

15 Stores: K-VA-T Food Stores, Food City of Abingdon, Va., Grand Opening

Local, Specialty, Emerging Products

1-15 Stores: Dorothy Lane Market, “Coffee Crawl”

15 Stores: Coborn’s, “That’s Smart” Launch

Seasonal Store Event

1-15 Stores: Acquistapace, “Holiday Cheese Extravaganza: Making the Big Cheese Bigger”

15 Stores: Brookshire Grocery Co., “Taste of Italy”

Center Store/GM/Frozen/HBC Category

1-15 Stores: Dorothy Lane Market, “Food Explorer” Series

15 Stores: Foodland/Food Giant, “Moonlight Madness Sale”

Fresh Departments

1-15 Stores: Dorothy Lane Market, “Food Explorer”

15 Stores: Cub Foods Lake Street, “Pi Day”

Community Engagement

1-15 Stores: Dill’s Food City IGA, “Facebook Post Goes Viral”

15 Stores: Brookshire Grocery Co., “Big Grocery Cart”

Special Recognition

Unilever Sustainable Living Award: Rudy’s Markets, “Food for February”

Kellogg’s Fighting Hunger and Feeding Potential: Brookshire Grocery Co., “Spirit of Christmas Food Drive”

NGA noted that voting is still open for the top Creative Choice Awards — “Outstanding Merchandiser” and “Outstanding Marketer” — through Monday, Feb. 24. Last year’s winners in those categories were Coborn’s for “Outstanding Merchandiser” and Cecil K’s Hometown Market for “Outstanding Marketer.”

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The 2020 NGA Creative Choice Awards are sponsored by Kellogg’s and Unilever.