SUPERVALU Announces Winners of Master Marketer Competition

SUPERVALU announced the winners of its annual Master Marketer competition, which recognizes best-in-class marketing efforts by independent grocery retailers served by the company’s wholesale distribution business. A total of 35 awards were presented at a ceremony during SUPERVALU’s annual National EXPO in St. Paul, Minn., this week.

Judging is based on the creativity, clarity and effectiveness of the stores’ marketing efforts. This year, in addition to honoring marketing efforts of individual stores based on their size, a new category was added for campaigns by store groups with five or more locations.

In addition to the category winners, Karns Foods, a family owned and operated grocer with eight stores in central Pennsylvania, was named the 2016 Grand Master Marketer for overall consistent performance over the years. In recognition, SUPERVALU presented Karns Foods with a $25,000 grant, payable to its charity of choice, from the SUPERVALU charitable Foundation.

Using a mobile app developed specifically for the EXPO attendees were also able to participate in a live poll for the Master Marketer People’s Choice Award. In this category, 12 nominees in the TV commercial category were given another chance at being recognized for their TV spots. With 19 percent of the vote, Foster’s Food Fair IGA of Grand Cayman was presented with the People’s Choice Award.

“Year after year, we continue to be impressed by the quality, creativity and success of the campaigns nominated for the Master Marketer competition,” says Mike Stigers, SUPERVALU executive vice president, wholesale. “Choosing the winners is no easy task. All of the entries we received show how local grocery retailers are continuously finding new and exciting ways to engage their customers in a very competitive marketplace. Congratulations to all of the winners.” 

The full list of store winners by category is as follows:

Stores 30,000 square feet and smaller

Center StoreDepartment – Dorothy Lane Market, Dayton, Ohio

Extra Effort Advertising – Mayflower Food Store, Stuttgart, Ark.

Fresh Department – Country Harvest, Palmerton, Pa.

Grand Opening/Anniversary – Shoppers Value Foods, Tupelo, Miss.

Industry Promotion – Janesville West Sentry, Janesville, Wis.

Private Brands – Westport Shop N Kart, Westport, Wash.

Public Service/Community – Girard County Market, Girard, Ill.

Radio Spots – Great Valu, Chincoteague, Va.

TV Commercials – Evergreen IGA Plus, Billings, Mont.

Website/Social Media – Chandlers Supervalu, Eupora, Miss.

Master Marketer – Dorothy Lane Market, Dayton, Ohio

Stores larger than 30,000 square feet

Center Store Department – Cub Foods Lake Street, Minneapolis, Minn.

Extra Effort Advertising – Fiesta Foods, Pasco, Sunnyside, Yakima and Hermiston, Wash.

Fresh Department – Shady Maple Farm Market, East Earl, Pa.

Grand Opening/Anniversary – Festival Foods, Mauston, Wis.

Industry Promotion – Mackenthun’s Fine Foods, Waconia, Minn.

Private Brands – Landis Markets, Telford, Pa.

Public Service/Community – Coborn’s, Little Falls, Minn.

Radio Spots – Dissmore’s IGA Plus, Pullman, Wash.

TV Commercials – Valucheck, Pekin, Ill.

Website/Social Media – Mihelic’s Shop ’N Save, Glenshaw, Pa.

Master Marketer – Mihelic’s Shop ‘N Save, Glenshaw, Pa.

Stores groups with five or more locations

Center Store Department – Redner’s Warehouse Markets, Reading, Pa.

Extra Effort Advertising – Boyer’s Food Markets, Orwigsburg, Pa.

Fresh Department – Niemann Foods County Market, Quincy, Ill.

Grand Opening/Anniversary – Albrecht, F.W. Headquarters Acme, Akron, Ohio

Industry Promotion – Remke’s Market Inc., Erlanger, Ky.

Private Brands – Karns Foods Ltd. Office, Mechanicsburg, Pa.

Public Service/Community – Shop ’N Save Group, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Radio Spots – C&K Market Inc., Medford, Ore.

TV Commercials – Festival Foods, De Pere, Wis.

Website/Social Media – Sentry Foods Group, Southeastern and Central Wis.

Master Marketer – Skogen’s Festival Foods, De Pere, WI